Love and War

Chapter 7

"Are you okay?", I asked, slipping beside her as she stood at the balcony. Her red hair glowed like embers in the dark and her brown eyes reflected the stars in the sky. I stood so close to her that I could actually count the freckles on her nose.

"Yeah, I'm fine", she said.

"I'm sorry, Ginny", I said. Her name tasted like fire on my tongue.

"It wasn't your fault, Harry. You shouldn't be apologizing", she said.

"It wasn't your fault too. You shouldn't feel guilty", I said.

"It's just so hard", she said.

"I know, how hard it is", I said.

She smiled sadly at me and it broke my heart.

"Quidditch helps though", she said.

I didn't reply.

"I still love you", I said and immediately regretted it.

Who the hell tells that you love them after you break up? God, I must be the stupidest person who ever existed.

"I know and I love you too. But our relationship, I don't think we can be together again, Harry", she said.

"Yeah, I know", I said.

"I should be leaving now", she said.

"Yeah okay", I said.

"Promise me, you'll come to the Quidditch World Cup next week", she said.

"Yeah. Take care", I said.

"Okay. All the best for a month with Teddy", she said.

"Thanks. Don't overexert yourself", I said.

"Fine. Goodbye", she said and stepped into the fireplace.

"The Burrow", she said and disappeared with a swish of her red hair.

"Kreacher", I said as I went into the kitchen.

"Yes master Harry", he said.

"I'm going to Teddy's house for a month. So, I won't be requiring you ", I said.

"Master telling Kreacher to leave house? ", he said, crying.

"No. Kreacher. No. I just want you to take a break. You need to relax", I said.

"Kreacher no want", he said.

"Please Kreacher. You deserve a break. You can see around the world, meet Winky and do what you like", I said.

"After month, Kreacher come here? ", he asked.

"Yeah. It's just one month", I said.

"Okay master Harry. Kreacher break", he said.

"Okay Kreacher. If anything bad happens, press this coin", I said giving him a D. A coin.

"Yes master Harry", he said.

"Take care, Kreacher", I said, shaking his hand.

He nodded, tears flowing down his cheeks. He still hadn't got used to me treating him as an equal.

"Yes master Harry", he said and I cast some security spells over the house. I checked all the bedrooms, had a talk with Dumbledore's portrait, owled Ron and Hermione and flooed to Andromeda's house.

"Hello An", I said as I stepped out of the fireplace.

"Hello Harry. I'm sorry for disturbing you", she said, hugging me.

"It's no problem. You deserve a break and I need to spend some quality time with my godson", I said.

"Thank you so much", she said and stepped back.

"Hello Mr and Mrs Malfoy", I said, looking at both of them.

"Hello Potter", they said.

"Where's Teddy? ", I asked.

"He's upstairs with Draco. They are playing with trains", Mrs. Malfoy said.

"Okay", I said.

"Ask both of them to come down, Harry. We should be leaving now", Andromeda said.

"You all are leaving now? ", I asked.

"Yeah", she said.

"Okay. I'll go get them", I said and walked upstairs and knocked on Teddy's room.

"Come in", Teddy said and I walked in.

"Uncle Harry", he said, jumping into my arms.

"Hello Potter", Malfoy said and I nodded at him.

"Andromeda and your parents are leaving. We have to see them off", I said.

"Okay", he said and I put Teddy down.

"Grandma", Teddy shouted and ran downstairs.

"Thank you, Potter. I thought I'd spend the rest of my life looking at a toy train and wondering why a three year old was talking to it", he said and went after Teddy.

I laughed and joined him.

"Goodbye Draco", Mr and Mrs Malfoy said, hugging him.

Andromeda was telling Teddy to be a good boy.

After an hour of goodbyes and advice, they finally left using a portkey.

"Let's put Teddy to sleep", I said, seeing Teddy yawn.

"Okay", Malfoy said and all three of us walked upstairs.

"Goodnight Teddy", I said and turned back.

"Uncle Harry, can you sing me a song?", Teddy asked.

"I don't know any songs",I said.

"Uncle Draco, please?", he said with an expression so pure that my heart melted.

"Alright then",he said and glared at me.

"Don't you dare laugh, Potter", he muttered under his breath and started singing a song.

As hard as I wanted to say Malfoy's song was horrible, I couldn't. Malfoy could actually sing.

I stared at him as he sang, the song wasn't very special and all, but the way Malfoy sang it as though it meant a lot to him. 

"Let's go",I said after ensuring that Teddy had fallen asleep.

"Which language was the song?", I asked as Malfoy slowly closed the door.

"Spanish", he said.

"You know Spanish?", I asked.

"The Blacks are from Spain,Potter", he said.

"Your mom used to sing this to you?", I asked.

"How did you know?", he asked.

I shrugged.

"You actually sing well,Malfoy", I said.

"Thanks Potter", he said.

"Goodnight then", I said.

"Goodnight Potter", he said.

I crashed into my bed still thinking about Malfoy's song.

Malfoy? The guy who bullied everyone for years? A death eater? SInging a lullaby? Ridiculous.