chapter 15 - memories
Harry and Ginny were hand in hand, walking back from Kings Cross next to Ron and Hermione.
"It feels weird, doesn't it?" Hermione said, her eyes swimming with tears as Ron kissed her forehead.
"Yeah," Ginny croaked. "It feels really weird."
"Hey," Ron said, as Hermione buried her face in his chest. "It'll be okay. Think about it, we have all this time on our hands and no kids to look after! Now, how about a drink in the Three Broomsticks?"
"Sounds good," Harry nodded, wrapping his arms around Ginny.
"See you there," Ron winked, turning on the spot and apparating.
*
"Who'd have thought, eh?" Ginny said sadly, her head on Harry's shoulder. "Us, four old people, sitting in a pub."
"We're not old!" Harry said indignantly. "We're not even forty!"
"Still old," Hermione said. "Our kids are all off at school and we're here... Nobody to look after. Nobody that needs us..."
"Come on," Ron said comfortingly, he kissed her forehead again as she sniffed into his chest.
"Thanks," Harry said, as Rosmerta set their firewhisky down on the table. "Listen guys," He said, leaning over the table. "We're not old! This is our time! We have no kids to get in the way, great jobs and loads of free time."
"But I miss them all so much," Hermione said, wiping her eyes. "I mean, Hugo... He was my little boy!"
"I know, Hermione," Harry said, smiling. "But we've got all the memories."
*
"Remember when we all went on holiday together?" Ginny asked, as she and Harry got into bed that evening. "At the end of Teddy's first year?"
"Yeah," Harry laughed. "All those rubber ring races in the pool."
Ginny smiled, staring into space.
"Remember that time," Harry said, putting his arm around her, "When Hermione and I decided we could manage taking six kids of the zoo?"
"When James ended up in the monkey enclosure?" Ginny laughed.
"I think he adapted quite well," Harry grinned.
"Lily's fifth birthday," Ginny reminisced, "When the kids all played Quidditch."
"With Ted and James as Seeker," Harry said.
"And Rose and Victoire as Chasers..."
"The worst thing," Harry laughed. "Has to be that time that your mother decided she wanted to take all the kids to the beach."
"Yeah..." Ginny sighed. "I mean, I know she's good with kids and things, but thirteen of them!?"
"All under the age of thirteen," Harry said.
"Imagine losing four of them..."
"I still find it quite hard to believe she didn't notice..."
"Still," Ginny smiled. "That muggle life guard was very understanding."
"True," Harry mused. "Andromeda's funeral... when James shouted out if he got anything in the will."
"That was awful," Ginny said, shaking her head.
"There was that time," Harry said. "When Lily and Albus got into a fight in the park."
"Which time?" Ginny joked.
"Come on," Harry said, pushing her playfully. "The fight. When Lils got really angry and made three trees fall down."
"We're very lucky she didn't kill anyone."
"And then Albus retorted by sending a roundabout hurling across the park."
"Good job it's a wizarding community we live in, eh?"
"Yeah," Harry chuckled.
"Still," Ginny said sadly, snuggling into Harry's body. "That kind of thing will never happen again... We're not going to have any more memories..."
"That's not true," Harry said, stroking her hair absent-mindedly. "We're going to have grandchildren, aren't we?"
"Yeah, but still..."
"I think it'll be soon, the way Teddy and Victoire are going..." He commented.
"Oh," Ginny said, momentarily distracted. "Won't that be lovely?"
"Yeah, it will."
"I just feel like we're useless now," Ginny mumbled. "Like... like we've done what we came here to do and now there's nothing else for us..."
"But don't you see?" Harry asked. "Gin, we've done our bit! We can do what we want now!"
"Mmm," Ginny sighed.
They lay in silence for a moment, then Ginny said;
"Do you think we were good parents? Was I a good mum?"
"Gin," Harry almost laughed. "How can you even ask that question? You were brilliant!"
"So were you," Ginny smiled. "But really, though, do you think we brought them up right?"
"Ginevra," Harry muttered. "We've brought them up really well! Everybody always says they're wonderful kids, even the press can't fault them! We've done brilliantly. Now, there's no point getting depressed. We've got all the memories and hopefully some more to come."
"I love you," Ginny said, sounding convinced for the first time all day.
"I love you too," Harry said, kissing her.
