Fic for hgrhfan35 - Eternal Bliss
To: hgrhfan35
Title: Eternal Bliss
Author: dorotdsz
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, James Sirius Potter, Al Potter, baby Lily,Arthur
Rating: PG 13
Word Count: 5273
Summary: "What about Christmas? It's our first," asked Ginny.
"We can start our tradition next year," said Harry.
Author's Notes: Thanks to r_becca for her wonderful Beta skills. Also, thanks to the mods who run this excellent fest. hgrhfan35 , I hope you like this.
Eternal Bliss
The atmosphere was festive in the Potter household as Harry and Ginny had decided to celebrate Christmas in their house this time. The other Weasley children had all opted to celebrate Christmas with their spouse’s family or were on vacation, save Percy.
This gave Harry and Ginny an opportunity to start their own tradition.
Little James and littler Al were perched on the window sill watching the snow swirl and fall to the earth like soft cotton. Harry was putting more decorations on the tree. Every time he looked at the tree his eyes twinkled. He was like a small boy who had got a new train set. Ginny was everywhere, trying to bake biscuits and pies and getting the house ready for Christmas.
"Mummy, Daddy, can we play in the snow?" both boys pleaded, their eyes wide and hopeful.
"Hmmm…." said Harry, pretending to think it over. “Can you remember the warming charm?" he asked Ginny.
"I think I've got it… maybe…" Ginny deliberated dramatically, as the boys hopped up and down, barely able to contain their excitement.
Once they were outdoors, James tilted his head back and stuck out his tongue, trying to catch a falling snowflake, while Al gathered up a big double handful of fluffy snow and threw it up into the air.
"Want to see how to make an angel in the snow?" Ginny asked. "Watch this." She stood still and then fell gracefully backward into a soft white drift. When she swept her arms and legs in a semicircle, the boys let out gasps of delight. She couldn't hold back a smile.
James tried to do an angel just as Ginny did but Al simply lay beside her.
“Hey, want to do a snowman?” asked Harry, after a while.
“Snowman, snowman, snowman,” chanted the boys.
“Do you want to help me?” asked Harry.
The kids widened their eyes and nodded their agreement.
“This is how you build it,” said Harry, as he gathered a handful of snow and compressed it firmly into a snowball.
He rolled it on the ground and when it had collected enough snow, he placed it securely on the ground.
James and Al were mimicking his actions. Harry did two more snowballs only smaller. When he placed them one above the other children clapped their hands.
“Now let’s get something for the nose and the eyes,” said Harry.
Ginny conjured a rubber nose and two large green pebbles and Harry a hat and a Gryffindor scarf. They conjured some more pebbles for the children to put them up as the buttons of the snowman’s coat.
When the snowman was completely ready, Ginny conjured a pair of spectacles and placed them on the snowman.
James shouted, “Snowman is Daddy!”
A wide smile formed on Harry’s face. He turned to face Ginny who was already grinning.
“Missed the scar!” said Harry. He picked up small twigs and placed them on the snowman’s forehead.
Ginny laughed until her stomach hurt.
She suggested a game of tag and within minutes Harry was running behind the two toddlers and cuddling them in another instant.
Ginny was struck with another golden idea. She picked up a handful of snow and packed it tightly to make a snowball. She could feel the velvety texture of the loose snow even through her gloves.
She had always loved making snowballs from the freshly fallen snow and relished it.
Just when Harry was hugging James and Al in each of his arms, Ginny closed on him from behind, fiddled with the collar of his shirt for a moment before she pulled it open and dropped the ball of packed snow inside his shirt.
In a heartbeat's time Harry's motions froze. He gently took his hands off his children and turned around. Ginny could see the shock written all over his face.
“Constant vigilance, Potter,” said Ginny, who was trying to feign innocence but knew her eyes betrayed her.
Harry glared at her. He shook the snowball out of his shirt.
Ginny had already taken a couple of strides. Harry ran after her and soon they were at a point where only few feet separated them.
Harry’s smile was smug at this point.
“Can’t run anymore, Mrs. Potter,” he said. “You’ve almost reached the fence.”
He took each step toward her with a predatory look on his face.
Ginny looked all around, feeling cornered. She rocked on the balls of her feet to escape from him and in the next moment her face came in contact with the powdery snow. Her fall sent shock waves through her whole body. Harry towered above her, his body framed by the pale winter sky. "Are you all right?" he asked. He helped her sit up and wiped the snow off her face.
Harry’s thumb hovered over Ginny’s lip a second more and in a breath’s time she was again lying in the snow, though on her back this time. Harry’s mouth was on hers. He initiated the kiss with nibbling her lower lip and Ginny moaned. His mouth was warm and Ginny basked in the comfort he provided. Soon Harry was caressing her tongue. Her face heated up in spite of the fact that they were lying in the snow. A few snowflakes that made their way onto her face melted immediately.
When Ginny opened her eyes, a pair of green eyes and a pair of brown ones stood nearby overlooking their passionate kiss.
She was struck with instant surprise and embarrassment at the same time. She pulled away from Harry.
“Harry, the kids,” whispered Ginny.
Harry, whose eyes were closed, frowned. “Their short legs will take long time to carry them here.”
Ginny giggled. “Apparently, they don’t have such short legs anymore.”
Harry opened his eyes and she pointed to the kids.
He looked at them with a start and he too was startled just for a second.
James’s eyes were wide. He asked, “Were you tagging Mummy?”
Ginny stifled her laughter.
Harry scratched his head.
“Er…, we’re playing a Mummy and Daddy game.”
***
All the play in the afternoon had tired the kids. They had had an early dinner and were put to bed. Harry and Ginny finally had plenty of time for themselves.
“Fancy a cup of hot chocolate?” asked Harry.
Ginny smiled and nodded her head.
The decorated Christmas tree in the corner still gave out a faint pine aroma. The fire in the hearth cast shadows on everything around. The room looked cozy.
So they settled on a brown sofa in front of the fireplace drinking hot chocolate. She draped the blanket around both of them. Ginny snuggled close to Harry, stealing kisses occasionally. The feeling was almost intoxicating.
There came a sharp tap on the window. A big barn owl was waiting outside the window with a large roll of parchment tied to its leg.
Both of them recognized the owl as one of the Ministry’s. Harry got up and opened the window. A gust of cold air rushed in and Ginny shivered. She pulled the blanket closer to her body.
He untied the parchment from the owl's leg and read it.
“Wait,” he ordered the owl and rushed to his study.
He scribbled something on a different piece of parchment and tied it to the owl’s leg. In the next second the owl flew away.
“What is it?” asked Ginny.
Harry closed the window and turned around.
“It’s a Ministry owl.”
“Yeah, I got that. But what’s it about?” asked Ginny.
Harry shoved his hands in his pockets. His green eyes narrowed behind his glasses.
“There’s a team leaving for a field mission tomorrow and I’ve been assigned to it.”
“And what did you say, Harry?” asked Ginny who didn’t raise her voice but there was a slight edge to it.
Harry was silent for a minute.
“I said I’ll be there.”
Ginny felt as though the bottom of her stomach was cut open. In a swift movement, she stood up. The blanket haphazardly fell to the ground and hot chocolate splashed on it.
“What about our Christmas? It’s our first,” she asked who had raised her voice now.
Harry looked up at her.
“Maybe we can start the tradition next year.”
This enraged Ginny all the more. Cold seemed to settle in her bones, and she felt as though she was standing in waist high snow though in reality she was in front of the fireplace. It seemed like the inside atmosphere matched the one outside.
“Do you realize that you can’t carry the whole world’s problems on your shoulders? When is this gonna stop? When will your field assignments stop? "
Angry tears welled up in her eyes and her breathing became uneven. Her palms were fisted into balls so hard that her hands were shaking. “You’ve been doing this for too long,” she said in a teary voice.
She wanted to simply shake him hard and make him understand her feelings.
But the look on Harry’s face said he had made up his mind.
Ginny didn’t feel like staying there any longer. She turned and left the room, clattering up the stairs in her rush to reach the bedroom.
She sat on the window sill with one leg curled up and the other firm on the ground.
Snowflakes swirled and swooshed outside the window. Her eyes watched them move but her mind didn’t fully appreciate the sight as white anger boiled beneath her skin. She pressed her face flat against the cool glass and it soothed her just a bit.
Snow fell steadily outside covering the naked branches of the trees.
Ginny began to think rationally when her anger was at a sensible limit. She’d never felt like this about Harry’s missions before; not true. She’d always felt anxious whenever he left on a mission. Those days, she would walk around with a knot in her stomach but had not at all reacted in the way she had now.
Was it due to his absence during Christmas or had she grown weary of his field missions?
She had two kids now under the age of five. They needed their father; she couldn’t think of losing Harry to dark forces. She’d nearly lost him once, and that was enough.
Her mind brought back the images of Harry lying in St. Mungo’s when Ginny waited for the healers to explain his condition. Her heart acknowledged that she was tired of it all and Harry too, needed a break. He’d been fighting dark forces almost all his life, at least from the age when he started Hogwarts. But a part of her heart also said that was why she loved Harry, for who he was.
“He is a stupid, noble git, a man of his word,” muttered Ginny to herself.
Her mind was still reeling when the door to their bedroom opened.
Harry stepped in.
He walked toward her and Ginny didn’t look up. “Ginny,” he said in the most gentle way.
She was aware that Harry was waiting for her to look at him. Instead her eyes concentrated on a patch of moisture which had formed where her breath hit the cool glass.
“Please, don’t be like this. We’ll talk about it when I come back, I promise.”
She looked at him and there was sadness in his eyes. She was not sure whether he was sorry for leaving at Christmastime or because she was angry.
“When will you return?”
Her voice almost cracked because of the soreness of her throat.
“A week, maybe two,” he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Why now?” she asked, and realized how stupid her question sounded.
Of course, bad people conspired and decided to attack innocent ones on their whims and fancies. Harry had to go when trouble sprang up; the missions couldn't be scheduled at his convenience.
But Harry didn’t regard her question as childish and answered, “Intelligence picked up something and we’re bound to take action tomorrow.”
“Where’re you going?” she asked him experimentally.
Harry was silent for a minute or two, and when Ginny decided he wouldn’t answer, he softly said, “ Sweden .”
Ginny was surprised that Harry had answered at all, but was equally astonished by ‘ Sweden .’
“International, don’t they have their own Auror Department?”
She wanted to put up a fight, though she knew this time it was losing battle.
“They asked our team to co-operate and we obliged,” said Harry, stroking Ginny’s hair. “If we’re successful, many other families will be able to celebrate Christmas together for years to come.”
The wind howled outside shifting some of the snow on the skeleton of the trees.
“Ginny,” said Harry again, and she looked up at him this time. He continued, “I don’t function very well when you’re angry at me.”
Her throat tightened. Harry lowered his mouth to hers and her anger melted away a little. She felt Harry’s passion burning in that kiss.
Ginny broke the kiss.
“Remember, this doesn’t let you off the hook. We’re gonna talk about it when you come back.”
Harry nodded his head, but picked her up and backed towards the bed.
Ginny sighed, but decided that she didn’t want to send him away bitter and angry. She’d not done that to him when he left for his year of Horcrux hunting or other field missions, and she wouldn’t now.
So she let Harry take comfort in the warmth of her embrace.
Afterwards, when their bodies had calmed down, they lay there silently- limbs intermingled, but their hearts spoke a thousand words.
In the morning, Ginny was still disappointed about Harry throwing off their Christmas to save the world.
Before Harry left, he kissed Ginny softly. She could feel that he was reluctant to break the kiss, but finally he pulled stiffly away.
He Disapparated with a crack and Ginny sat staring at the point where he had disappeared. The snow had stopped falling outside the window, leaving the yard covered in a flawless sheet of white powder.
Her legs carried her to the trophy room of their own accord. Initially the trophies had a place on the mantle, but then there were so many, she needed a room. Harry had thought the room adjacent to the study would be a good idea. Her eyes traced each award and Ginny admired Kreacher’s devotion for there was not a speck of dust on them.
She’d retired from Quidditch at the prime of her career to start a family. A pang of jealousy shot through her with guilt following a moment later. Harry hadn’t forced her to quit; it was solely her call. Now their positions were reversed, and she realized that she couldn’t force Harry this time, either. Instead it had to be his decision.
Al’s voice from the bedroom brought her back from her reverie. Ginny sighed and walked out of the room to face a long week or fortnight.
She planned on taking the kids to her parents’ rather than sitting alone in their house without Harry. Percy and his family were visiting the Burrow. She thought she could handle them, at least Audrey was interesting.
***
Harry kept a watch from the mouth of an invisible tent. The weather was dark, cold and gloomy. He pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders and redid a warming charm.
The faint sound of a church bell from the nearby village floated through the thick cold air indicating the arrival of Christmas Eve. Harry realized that in little more than twelve hours, Ginny and the kids would open their presents without him. He would miss the look of joy and astonishment on their faces. A dull ache settled in his heart.
Lately, he’d been missing a lot of time with his family. The day he’d had played with the boys in the snow was such a rare occurrence. Heck, he’d even missed Al’s first baby steps as he was on an assignment tracking down wizards who traded Muggle women. When he’d come home the then thirteen month-old Al had walked around the whole house and Harry had felt cheated.
‘Constant Vigilance’ was the motto of the Aurors, but this time Ginny kept invading his mind ever so often. Her vulnerable brown eyes haunted him.
He’d been sitting there the whole day and felt frozen to the core. He pushed his glasses up his nose and felt the cold rim of his specs. He got up and prepared a steaming cup of tea. This gave him a little comfort physically though his heart wished he were in a warm place or cuddled next to Ginny. He watched the wisps of vapor curl and disappear but his brain was filled with an uproar of emotions.
He doubted his decision of taking up this assignment during Christmas, but another part of his mind argued that fighting evil was his job. Nevertheless, he wished to go home.
“Soon,” he muttered to himself.
The intelligence was right on the mark and Harry hoped that the whole mission would end by New Year's Day.
And accordingly, on early morning of New Year’s Eve they had arrested a group of people whose agenda was to create panic and chaos on New Year’s Day in various parts of Sweden .
The Auror Department of Sweden was overjoyed. They planned of throwing a party for the British Aurors, but Harry excused himself.
It had taken him three Portkeys to get home from Sweden . He was bone tired. All he wanted was to see Ginny and the kids; instead the cold, dark house greeted him.
Harry called for Kreacher and he appeared with a pop.
He bowed low to Harry. “How can Kreacher serve you, Master?”
“Kreacher, where is Ginny? And the kids?” asked Harry.
Kreacher retrieved a roll of parchment from his filthy robes and handed it to Harry.
The note was from Ginny, who said that she and the children were at the Burrow, and asked him to join them when he came home.
Harry was disappointed, but his urgency to see Ginny and children was overwhelming.
He was too tired to Apparate, so he decided to take the Knight Bus. He asked Kreacher to fix him a sandwich which he planned to eat on the bus, though he was not sure how he would manage to sit up straight as the bus careened through its route. Nevertheless, he packed his rucksack and added the sandwich.
He stood on the curb and raised his wand hand to summon the bus. Next minute the bus stood in front of him and the conductor was issuing him a ticket.
Harry’s eyes raked the bus, looking for a vacant bed and were surprised to see his colleague Savage sitting up on a corner bed. Harry went over there.
Savage was also surprised to see him.
“What’re you doing here? I thought you went home,” said Harry, trying to keep from falling.
“I could ask you the same,” said Savage, who quickly grabbed Harry’s hand and stopped his fall.
“I am, only to my in-laws’. My wife and children are there,” said Harry and cut his sandwich into half with his wand. He handed one half to Savage and asked about his home again.
Savage took a bite and refused to meet Harry’s eyes. Just when Harry had almost given up on hearing Savage’s explanation, he spoke, “I don’t have anyone at home to go to. My wife took our kids and left me several years ago. She said that I’d become a workaholic and she couldn’t bear it anymore. I only get to see my children twice a year.” His voice was weary from lack of sleep.
“Erm, sorry,” said Harry, who didn’t want to ask any more personal questions.
Savage nodded.
“Christmas and New Year are too painful. So I just travel in this Knight Bus until dawn and then sleep the whole next day.”
The bus made a sharp turn and this time Harry fell down to the floor.
The conductor shouted, “Ottery St. Catchpole.”
“That’s my stop,” said Harry. He shook Savage's hand, wished him a "Happy New Year," and took his leave.
The road from the bus stop to the Burrow was deserted and the whole path was brightened by the moonlight. Snow crackled under his heavy tread. As the Burrow came into sight he stopped to admire the house and the snow covering it. The crooked stories of the house, the chimney smoking at the top and the turrets that poked through the snow made the whole scene look like a giant layer cake with white frosting.
He sighed in pleasure and could see his breath an icy cloud in the pale moonlight.
As he got closer he was surprised to see the light coming out of the garage windows.
He gave a soft knock and Arthur called out, “Who’s there?” There was a hint of alarm in his voice.
Harry answered, "It's just me. Harry." Arthur cracked opened the door only a little, an old habit hard to leave behind. On seeing Harry’s face, he relaxed and opened the door for him.
“Didn’t expect you so soon. Ginny said you wouldn’t be here until next week,” said Arthur, going back to his working table.
“Assignment finished early,” said Harry, eyeing all the Muggle electric wires strewn across the table. There were number of electric bulbs connected at one end of the wires and at the other end, Harry was sure was a generator.
“What’re you doing?”
Arthur gestured towards his experiment. He picked up an electric component and stroked it lovingly.
“I had all the devices I needed to switch on these electric bulbs. But, for some reason the bulbs burned every time I tried to switch them on. I kept wondering what happened.”
He handed the device to Harry.
“Hermione bought me this. It’s called a ‘fuse’.”
Harry looked at the little contraption and his mouth twitched as he heard Arthur speak of it so dearly.
“It’s a brilliant piece!” said Arthur and took it from Harry. “Genius, these Muggles.”
“How are Ginny and the kids?” asked Harry trying to get Arthur’s attention.
Arthur didn’t turn around.
“She’s all right, different though.”
“Different? How?” asked Harry.
Arthur shrugged.
“She tries to make best of the situation. But there was a bit of melancholy in her behavior this time. Maybe she’s tired from chasing after those two boys.”
Harry’s mind whirled. But Arthur didn’t let him lurk in his thoughts. He started talking about the fuse again.
“Here, take a look at this note Hermione gave me.”
Fuse is a type of sacrificial overcurrent protection device. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts when too much current flows, which interrupts the circuit in which it is connected.
He couldn’t read any further. All his reasoning power concentrated on Ginny’s actions. He started seeing a clearer picture. His thoughts turned homeward.
Arthur was still going on, oblivious to Harry’s thought process.
“So you see, Harry, when a fuse melts, it’s not because it’s weak, but it is merely doing its duty, so respect it.”
“Yeah,” said Harry in a scratchy voice.
Arthur gave him a sharp look then nodded vaguely.
Harry picked up the fuse and stared at it. Ginny’s face floated before his eyes. Suddenly, he felt the garage was crowding on him. He felt as though he could hardly breathe. He backed away from Arthur, muttering some excuse, and then turned and rushed toward the house. When he entered it, he took two steps at a time and rushed to where Ginny and the boys were. He knew they would be in a guest room which Harry and Ginny shared often when they stayed over at the Burrow.
Ginny was sleeping with James and Al on either side. The room was big enough and Ginny had used an extension charm on the bed. He understood that Ginny had left that space for him, in case he came home early. The moonlight was seeping through the thin curtains. Their faces looked calm and serene. He stood there trying to take in all of it. The picture he saw there made all his walls come tumbling down.
He dropped his bag with a loud thump and this sound made Al stir in his sleep. Without waking, Ginny reached out and touched his hair, and his face relaxed once again.
Harry made his way to the kitchen. He reached into the back of the cabinet where Molly kept the bottle of firewhiskey hidden, and poured himself a generous glass. His head buzzed with Savage’s story, Arthur’s words and the mesmerizing sight of Ginny curled up asleep with Al and James. He felt he was falling into a black hole but again, he could also feel the firewhiskey burning down his chest, easing the emptiness only a little.
He sat there at the battered kitchen table for a long time staring at the inky black sky visible through the small window of the kitchen. Then in an instant he realized that his heart was no longer pressing down on him. He was not sure whether it was a result of firewhiskey or because he had made a decision.
He put his glass down and climbed the stairs, feeling lightheaded. He opened the door of their room and found his wife and children in almost the same position he had seen hours ago. He quickly changed into his pajamas and slipped into the warm bed.
Harry tried not to create much movement, but Ginny's eyes slipped open nonetheless.
“You’re back,” she said.
“Yes, now go back to sleep,” said Harry caressing her head.
She tried to snuggle closer to him, but James was in between them and she sighed. Harry kissed her forehead and held her hand over James's small body. He closed his eyes and fell into happy slumber savoring the warmth of her hand.
***
After a hearty lunch on New Year’s Day, the Potters made their way home.
“Our Potter tradition, let’s give it a try,” said Ginny, turning her gaze toward Harry.
He kissed her and Ginny clung to him.
Ginny started the fire in the hearth which gave an orange glow to the room. Harry waved his wand to light up the tree and the children cheered. Although December 25th had passed a week ago, there was a pile of unopened gifts beneath the tree. He turned to Ginny and gestured toward them.
“It’s not Christmas until you’re home,” said Ginny. She pulled him down. “Come on, let’s open them now.”
James and Al started opening their presents simultaneously tearing the paper apart, while Harry and Ginny waited for their turns. The rustle of wrapping paper filled the room along with the children's voices raised in excited exclamations. They were excited to have received loads of gifts and liked their toys especially from their Uncle George. There were many presents from her brothers, parents and Luna and Neville.
Harry pulled on the hand knitted jumper- a gift from Molly and Arthur. Ginny handed him tickets for Chudley Cannons games.
In turn, Harry pulled a jewelry box from his trousers. Her gaze flicked to his face.
“Open it,” he said softly.
She found two hoop earrings studded with diamonds nestled against dark velvet.
“The entire time I was gone, you were always in the back of my mind,” said Harry.
“That’s not a good thing for Aurors in the field,” said Ginny as she examined them. “Could get you killed.”
Harry nodded. “That’s why I… I’m asking for a desk job from now on.”
Ginny’s head snapped up with her eyes wide. The blazing look was back again. Her eyes reflected the fire in the hearth.
“Really!” she exclaimed, and Harry nodded grinning.
“I’m sorry, Harry, I don’t want to pressure you, but I think it’s time,” said Ginny.
Once again, Arthur’s words flew into his mind and Harry’s vision became blurry.
He could feel Ginny’s tears wetting his shirt and he uttered soothing words in an effort to comfort her.
James and Al, however, were entirely unaware of their parents' turmoil, playing happily in the piles of discarded ribbons and shiny paper and squealing with joy.
Harry felt happy for first time in days.
The sun outside was bright and promised to melt the snow.
***
“Winter days are so short,” complained Harry. He stood near the window as the orange sun sunk into the horizon. Ginny was curled up on the sofa in front of the hearth, watching James ride his new broomstick.
Harry saw a small speck in the sky which grew bigger by the second. Harry instantly knew it was an owl and opened the window pane. The bird swooped right into their living room and perched on the table. It carried an envelope which had a Ministry seal on it.
Ginny’s eyes met Harry’s. He opened the envelope. His lips twitched and in the blink of an eye Ginny was beside him.
She read the note and exclaimed, “Harry! This is fantastic. You got a promotion.”
“Yeah,” said Harry. “I haven't even asked Kingsley yet.”
Ginny kissed firmly on his lips and they fell into their own world.
That night, they celebrated his promotion- their naked bodies joined together. It was as though they danced together in rhythm to some delightful music.
When their bodies were peaceful, Ginny whispered, “I think I’m pregnant.”
Harry’s eyes widened. He immediately rolled on top of her and once again kissed her soundly. “How do you know?” he asked.
“I’ve missed my period, I’m tired all the time, and I feel like throwing up every morning. Just need to see a healer to confirm it.”
“So, a new Potter is on the way?” asked Harry.
Ginny nodded as a smile tugged at her lips and joy was evident on her face.
***
A year later…
The Potters once again settled around the Christmas tree on New Year’s morning- a tradition they had started the year before. The boys were still in their pajamas with their hair rumpled from sleep. Harry was cradling a squirming baby Lily in his arms. As soon as they saw the presents the boys dove for them together looking for the ones marked with their names. The look of joy on their faces made Harry's heart swell with happiness. Ginny too, had a cheerful smile on her face.
Al instantly grabbed for the Muggle crayons, and a coloring book their grandpa Arthur had slipped under the tree and James could not let go of the junior wand which sent a stream of glitter whenever waved. Lily’s brown eyes watched James closely, just as her mother's.
Within the next half hour the walls were covered in crayon drawings and the whole floor was filled with glitter and some got onto baby Lily’s chubby cheek.
Ginny sat beside Harry and gave him a warm smile. Lily’s started squirming more as soon as she saw her mother. Ginny picked baby Lily and laid a kiss on her head.
Chaos filled their house as warmth filled Harry’s heart.
He reflected on the previous year- those small hours which he had spent with his family were too precious. The decisions he'd made on New Year‘s day a year before had been well worth the sacrifices.
He’d lost his childhood, but he would be around for his children’s. With Ginny he was blessed. There was so much joy in his heart; he felt elated.
“Probably, this is eternal bliss,” he said softly.
***
Footnotes: Information/wordings on electric fuse have been borrowed from Wikipedia.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuse_(electrical)
Title: Eternal Bliss
Author: dorotdsz
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, James Sirius Potter, Al Potter, baby Lily,Arthur
Rating: PG 13
Word Count: 5273
Summary: "What about Christmas? It's our first," asked Ginny.
"We can start our tradition next year," said Harry.
Author's Notes: Thanks to r_becca for her wonderful Beta skills. Also, thanks to the mods who run this excellent fest. hgrhfan35 , I hope you like this.
Eternal Bliss
The atmosphere was festive in the Potter household as Harry and Ginny had decided to celebrate Christmas in their house this time. The other Weasley children had all opted to celebrate Christmas with their spouse’s family or were on vacation, save Percy.
This gave Harry and Ginny an opportunity to start their own tradition.
Little James and littler Al were perched on the window sill watching the snow swirl and fall to the earth like soft cotton. Harry was putting more decorations on the tree. Every time he looked at the tree his eyes twinkled. He was like a small boy who had got a new train set. Ginny was everywhere, trying to bake biscuits and pies and getting the house ready for Christmas.
"Mummy, Daddy, can we play in the snow?" both boys pleaded, their eyes wide and hopeful.
"Hmmm…." said Harry, pretending to think it over. “Can you remember the warming charm?" he asked Ginny.
"I think I've got it… maybe…" Ginny deliberated dramatically, as the boys hopped up and down, barely able to contain their excitement.
Once they were outdoors, James tilted his head back and stuck out his tongue, trying to catch a falling snowflake, while Al gathered up a big double handful of fluffy snow and threw it up into the air.
"Want to see how to make an angel in the snow?" Ginny asked. "Watch this." She stood still and then fell gracefully backward into a soft white drift. When she swept her arms and legs in a semicircle, the boys let out gasps of delight. She couldn't hold back a smile.
James tried to do an angel just as Ginny did but Al simply lay beside her.
“Hey, want to do a snowman?” asked Harry, after a while.
“Snowman, snowman, snowman,” chanted the boys.
“Do you want to help me?” asked Harry.
The kids widened their eyes and nodded their agreement.
“This is how you build it,” said Harry, as he gathered a handful of snow and compressed it firmly into a snowball.
He rolled it on the ground and when it had collected enough snow, he placed it securely on the ground.
James and Al were mimicking his actions. Harry did two more snowballs only smaller. When he placed them one above the other children clapped their hands.
“Now let’s get something for the nose and the eyes,” said Harry.
Ginny conjured a rubber nose and two large green pebbles and Harry a hat and a Gryffindor scarf. They conjured some more pebbles for the children to put them up as the buttons of the snowman’s coat.
When the snowman was completely ready, Ginny conjured a pair of spectacles and placed them on the snowman.
James shouted, “Snowman is Daddy!”
A wide smile formed on Harry’s face. He turned to face Ginny who was already grinning.
“Missed the scar!” said Harry. He picked up small twigs and placed them on the snowman’s forehead.
Ginny laughed until her stomach hurt.
She suggested a game of tag and within minutes Harry was running behind the two toddlers and cuddling them in another instant.
Ginny was struck with another golden idea. She picked up a handful of snow and packed it tightly to make a snowball. She could feel the velvety texture of the loose snow even through her gloves.
She had always loved making snowballs from the freshly fallen snow and relished it.
Just when Harry was hugging James and Al in each of his arms, Ginny closed on him from behind, fiddled with the collar of his shirt for a moment before she pulled it open and dropped the ball of packed snow inside his shirt.
In a heartbeat's time Harry's motions froze. He gently took his hands off his children and turned around. Ginny could see the shock written all over his face.
“Constant vigilance, Potter,” said Ginny, who was trying to feign innocence but knew her eyes betrayed her.
Harry glared at her. He shook the snowball out of his shirt.
Ginny had already taken a couple of strides. Harry ran after her and soon they were at a point where only few feet separated them.
Harry’s smile was smug at this point.
“Can’t run anymore, Mrs. Potter,” he said. “You’ve almost reached the fence.”
He took each step toward her with a predatory look on his face.
Ginny looked all around, feeling cornered. She rocked on the balls of her feet to escape from him and in the next moment her face came in contact with the powdery snow. Her fall sent shock waves through her whole body. Harry towered above her, his body framed by the pale winter sky. "Are you all right?" he asked. He helped her sit up and wiped the snow off her face.
Harry’s thumb hovered over Ginny’s lip a second more and in a breath’s time she was again lying in the snow, though on her back this time. Harry’s mouth was on hers. He initiated the kiss with nibbling her lower lip and Ginny moaned. His mouth was warm and Ginny basked in the comfort he provided. Soon Harry was caressing her tongue. Her face heated up in spite of the fact that they were lying in the snow. A few snowflakes that made their way onto her face melted immediately.
When Ginny opened her eyes, a pair of green eyes and a pair of brown ones stood nearby overlooking their passionate kiss.
She was struck with instant surprise and embarrassment at the same time. She pulled away from Harry.
“Harry, the kids,” whispered Ginny.
Harry, whose eyes were closed, frowned. “Their short legs will take long time to carry them here.”
Ginny giggled. “Apparently, they don’t have such short legs anymore.”
Harry opened his eyes and she pointed to the kids.
He looked at them with a start and he too was startled just for a second.
James’s eyes were wide. He asked, “Were you tagging Mummy?”
Ginny stifled her laughter.
Harry scratched his head.
“Er…, we’re playing a Mummy and Daddy game.”
***
All the play in the afternoon had tired the kids. They had had an early dinner and were put to bed. Harry and Ginny finally had plenty of time for themselves.
“Fancy a cup of hot chocolate?” asked Harry.
Ginny smiled and nodded her head.
The decorated Christmas tree in the corner still gave out a faint pine aroma. The fire in the hearth cast shadows on everything around. The room looked cozy.
So they settled on a brown sofa in front of the fireplace drinking hot chocolate. She draped the blanket around both of them. Ginny snuggled close to Harry, stealing kisses occasionally. The feeling was almost intoxicating.
There came a sharp tap on the window. A big barn owl was waiting outside the window with a large roll of parchment tied to its leg.
Both of them recognized the owl as one of the Ministry’s. Harry got up and opened the window. A gust of cold air rushed in and Ginny shivered. She pulled the blanket closer to her body.
He untied the parchment from the owl's leg and read it.
“Wait,” he ordered the owl and rushed to his study.
He scribbled something on a different piece of parchment and tied it to the owl’s leg. In the next second the owl flew away.
“What is it?” asked Ginny.
Harry closed the window and turned around.
“It’s a Ministry owl.”
“Yeah, I got that. But what’s it about?” asked Ginny.
Harry shoved his hands in his pockets. His green eyes narrowed behind his glasses.
“There’s a team leaving for a field mission tomorrow and I’ve been assigned to it.”
“And what did you say, Harry?” asked Ginny who didn’t raise her voice but there was a slight edge to it.
Harry was silent for a minute.
“I said I’ll be there.”
Ginny felt as though the bottom of her stomach was cut open. In a swift movement, she stood up. The blanket haphazardly fell to the ground and hot chocolate splashed on it.
“What about our Christmas? It’s our first,” she asked who had raised her voice now.
Harry looked up at her.
“Maybe we can start the tradition next year.”
This enraged Ginny all the more. Cold seemed to settle in her bones, and she felt as though she was standing in waist high snow though in reality she was in front of the fireplace. It seemed like the inside atmosphere matched the one outside.
“Do you realize that you can’t carry the whole world’s problems on your shoulders? When is this gonna stop? When will your field assignments stop? "
Angry tears welled up in her eyes and her breathing became uneven. Her palms were fisted into balls so hard that her hands were shaking. “You’ve been doing this for too long,” she said in a teary voice.
She wanted to simply shake him hard and make him understand her feelings.
But the look on Harry’s face said he had made up his mind.
Ginny didn’t feel like staying there any longer. She turned and left the room, clattering up the stairs in her rush to reach the bedroom.
She sat on the window sill with one leg curled up and the other firm on the ground.
Snowflakes swirled and swooshed outside the window. Her eyes watched them move but her mind didn’t fully appreciate the sight as white anger boiled beneath her skin. She pressed her face flat against the cool glass and it soothed her just a bit.
Snow fell steadily outside covering the naked branches of the trees.
Ginny began to think rationally when her anger was at a sensible limit. She’d never felt like this about Harry’s missions before; not true. She’d always felt anxious whenever he left on a mission. Those days, she would walk around with a knot in her stomach but had not at all reacted in the way she had now.
Was it due to his absence during Christmas or had she grown weary of his field missions?
She had two kids now under the age of five. They needed their father; she couldn’t think of losing Harry to dark forces. She’d nearly lost him once, and that was enough.
Her mind brought back the images of Harry lying in St. Mungo’s when Ginny waited for the healers to explain his condition. Her heart acknowledged that she was tired of it all and Harry too, needed a break. He’d been fighting dark forces almost all his life, at least from the age when he started Hogwarts. But a part of her heart also said that was why she loved Harry, for who he was.
“He is a stupid, noble git, a man of his word,” muttered Ginny to herself.
Her mind was still reeling when the door to their bedroom opened.
Harry stepped in.
He walked toward her and Ginny didn’t look up. “Ginny,” he said in the most gentle way.
She was aware that Harry was waiting for her to look at him. Instead her eyes concentrated on a patch of moisture which had formed where her breath hit the cool glass.
“Please, don’t be like this. We’ll talk about it when I come back, I promise.”
She looked at him and there was sadness in his eyes. She was not sure whether he was sorry for leaving at Christmastime or because she was angry.
“When will you return?”
Her voice almost cracked because of the soreness of her throat.
“A week, maybe two,” he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Why now?” she asked, and realized how stupid her question sounded.
Of course, bad people conspired and decided to attack innocent ones on their whims and fancies. Harry had to go when trouble sprang up; the missions couldn't be scheduled at his convenience.
But Harry didn’t regard her question as childish and answered, “Intelligence picked up something and we’re bound to take action tomorrow.”
“Where’re you going?” she asked him experimentally.
Harry was silent for a minute or two, and when Ginny decided he wouldn’t answer, he softly said, “ Sweden .”
Ginny was surprised that Harry had answered at all, but was equally astonished by ‘ Sweden .’
“International, don’t they have their own Auror Department?”
She wanted to put up a fight, though she knew this time it was losing battle.
“They asked our team to co-operate and we obliged,” said Harry, stroking Ginny’s hair. “If we’re successful, many other families will be able to celebrate Christmas together for years to come.”
The wind howled outside shifting some of the snow on the skeleton of the trees.
“Ginny,” said Harry again, and she looked up at him this time. He continued, “I don’t function very well when you’re angry at me.”
Her throat tightened. Harry lowered his mouth to hers and her anger melted away a little. She felt Harry’s passion burning in that kiss.
Ginny broke the kiss.
“Remember, this doesn’t let you off the hook. We’re gonna talk about it when you come back.”
Harry nodded his head, but picked her up and backed towards the bed.
Ginny sighed, but decided that she didn’t want to send him away bitter and angry. She’d not done that to him when he left for his year of Horcrux hunting or other field missions, and she wouldn’t now.
So she let Harry take comfort in the warmth of her embrace.
Afterwards, when their bodies had calmed down, they lay there silently- limbs intermingled, but their hearts spoke a thousand words.
In the morning, Ginny was still disappointed about Harry throwing off their Christmas to save the world.
Before Harry left, he kissed Ginny softly. She could feel that he was reluctant to break the kiss, but finally he pulled stiffly away.
He Disapparated with a crack and Ginny sat staring at the point where he had disappeared. The snow had stopped falling outside the window, leaving the yard covered in a flawless sheet of white powder.
Her legs carried her to the trophy room of their own accord. Initially the trophies had a place on the mantle, but then there were so many, she needed a room. Harry had thought the room adjacent to the study would be a good idea. Her eyes traced each award and Ginny admired Kreacher’s devotion for there was not a speck of dust on them.
She’d retired from Quidditch at the prime of her career to start a family. A pang of jealousy shot through her with guilt following a moment later. Harry hadn’t forced her to quit; it was solely her call. Now their positions were reversed, and she realized that she couldn’t force Harry this time, either. Instead it had to be his decision.
Al’s voice from the bedroom brought her back from her reverie. Ginny sighed and walked out of the room to face a long week or fortnight.
She planned on taking the kids to her parents’ rather than sitting alone in their house without Harry. Percy and his family were visiting the Burrow. She thought she could handle them, at least Audrey was interesting.
***
Harry kept a watch from the mouth of an invisible tent. The weather was dark, cold and gloomy. He pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders and redid a warming charm.
The faint sound of a church bell from the nearby village floated through the thick cold air indicating the arrival of Christmas Eve. Harry realized that in little more than twelve hours, Ginny and the kids would open their presents without him. He would miss the look of joy and astonishment on their faces. A dull ache settled in his heart.
Lately, he’d been missing a lot of time with his family. The day he’d had played with the boys in the snow was such a rare occurrence. Heck, he’d even missed Al’s first baby steps as he was on an assignment tracking down wizards who traded Muggle women. When he’d come home the then thirteen month-old Al had walked around the whole house and Harry had felt cheated.
‘Constant Vigilance’ was the motto of the Aurors, but this time Ginny kept invading his mind ever so often. Her vulnerable brown eyes haunted him.
He’d been sitting there the whole day and felt frozen to the core. He pushed his glasses up his nose and felt the cold rim of his specs. He got up and prepared a steaming cup of tea. This gave him a little comfort physically though his heart wished he were in a warm place or cuddled next to Ginny. He watched the wisps of vapor curl and disappear but his brain was filled with an uproar of emotions.
He doubted his decision of taking up this assignment during Christmas, but another part of his mind argued that fighting evil was his job. Nevertheless, he wished to go home.
“Soon,” he muttered to himself.
The intelligence was right on the mark and Harry hoped that the whole mission would end by New Year's Day.
And accordingly, on early morning of New Year’s Eve they had arrested a group of people whose agenda was to create panic and chaos on New Year’s Day in various parts of Sweden .
The Auror Department of Sweden was overjoyed. They planned of throwing a party for the British Aurors, but Harry excused himself.
It had taken him three Portkeys to get home from Sweden . He was bone tired. All he wanted was to see Ginny and the kids; instead the cold, dark house greeted him.
Harry called for Kreacher and he appeared with a pop.
He bowed low to Harry. “How can Kreacher serve you, Master?”
“Kreacher, where is Ginny? And the kids?” asked Harry.
Kreacher retrieved a roll of parchment from his filthy robes and handed it to Harry.
The note was from Ginny, who said that she and the children were at the Burrow, and asked him to join them when he came home.
Harry was disappointed, but his urgency to see Ginny and children was overwhelming.
He was too tired to Apparate, so he decided to take the Knight Bus. He asked Kreacher to fix him a sandwich which he planned to eat on the bus, though he was not sure how he would manage to sit up straight as the bus careened through its route. Nevertheless, he packed his rucksack and added the sandwich.
He stood on the curb and raised his wand hand to summon the bus. Next minute the bus stood in front of him and the conductor was issuing him a ticket.
Harry’s eyes raked the bus, looking for a vacant bed and were surprised to see his colleague Savage sitting up on a corner bed. Harry went over there.
Savage was also surprised to see him.
“What’re you doing here? I thought you went home,” said Harry, trying to keep from falling.
“I could ask you the same,” said Savage, who quickly grabbed Harry’s hand and stopped his fall.
“I am, only to my in-laws’. My wife and children are there,” said Harry and cut his sandwich into half with his wand. He handed one half to Savage and asked about his home again.
Savage took a bite and refused to meet Harry’s eyes. Just when Harry had almost given up on hearing Savage’s explanation, he spoke, “I don’t have anyone at home to go to. My wife took our kids and left me several years ago. She said that I’d become a workaholic and she couldn’t bear it anymore. I only get to see my children twice a year.” His voice was weary from lack of sleep.
“Erm, sorry,” said Harry, who didn’t want to ask any more personal questions.
Savage nodded.
“Christmas and New Year are too painful. So I just travel in this Knight Bus until dawn and then sleep the whole next day.”
The bus made a sharp turn and this time Harry fell down to the floor.
The conductor shouted, “Ottery St. Catchpole.”
“That’s my stop,” said Harry. He shook Savage's hand, wished him a "Happy New Year," and took his leave.
The road from the bus stop to the Burrow was deserted and the whole path was brightened by the moonlight. Snow crackled under his heavy tread. As the Burrow came into sight he stopped to admire the house and the snow covering it. The crooked stories of the house, the chimney smoking at the top and the turrets that poked through the snow made the whole scene look like a giant layer cake with white frosting.
He sighed in pleasure and could see his breath an icy cloud in the pale moonlight.
As he got closer he was surprised to see the light coming out of the garage windows.
He gave a soft knock and Arthur called out, “Who’s there?” There was a hint of alarm in his voice.
Harry answered, "It's just me. Harry." Arthur cracked opened the door only a little, an old habit hard to leave behind. On seeing Harry’s face, he relaxed and opened the door for him.
“Didn’t expect you so soon. Ginny said you wouldn’t be here until next week,” said Arthur, going back to his working table.
“Assignment finished early,” said Harry, eyeing all the Muggle electric wires strewn across the table. There were number of electric bulbs connected at one end of the wires and at the other end, Harry was sure was a generator.
“What’re you doing?”
Arthur gestured towards his experiment. He picked up an electric component and stroked it lovingly.
“I had all the devices I needed to switch on these electric bulbs. But, for some reason the bulbs burned every time I tried to switch them on. I kept wondering what happened.”
He handed the device to Harry.
“Hermione bought me this. It’s called a ‘fuse’.”
Harry looked at the little contraption and his mouth twitched as he heard Arthur speak of it so dearly.
“It’s a brilliant piece!” said Arthur and took it from Harry. “Genius, these Muggles.”
“How are Ginny and the kids?” asked Harry trying to get Arthur’s attention.
Arthur didn’t turn around.
“She’s all right, different though.”
“Different? How?” asked Harry.
Arthur shrugged.
“She tries to make best of the situation. But there was a bit of melancholy in her behavior this time. Maybe she’s tired from chasing after those two boys.”
Harry’s mind whirled. But Arthur didn’t let him lurk in his thoughts. He started talking about the fuse again.
“Here, take a look at this note Hermione gave me.”
Fuse is a type of sacrificial overcurrent protection device. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts when too much current flows, which interrupts the circuit in which it is connected.
He couldn’t read any further. All his reasoning power concentrated on Ginny’s actions. He started seeing a clearer picture. His thoughts turned homeward.
Arthur was still going on, oblivious to Harry’s thought process.
“So you see, Harry, when a fuse melts, it’s not because it’s weak, but it is merely doing its duty, so respect it.”
“Yeah,” said Harry in a scratchy voice.
Arthur gave him a sharp look then nodded vaguely.
Harry picked up the fuse and stared at it. Ginny’s face floated before his eyes. Suddenly, he felt the garage was crowding on him. He felt as though he could hardly breathe. He backed away from Arthur, muttering some excuse, and then turned and rushed toward the house. When he entered it, he took two steps at a time and rushed to where Ginny and the boys were. He knew they would be in a guest room which Harry and Ginny shared often when they stayed over at the Burrow.
Ginny was sleeping with James and Al on either side. The room was big enough and Ginny had used an extension charm on the bed. He understood that Ginny had left that space for him, in case he came home early. The moonlight was seeping through the thin curtains. Their faces looked calm and serene. He stood there trying to take in all of it. The picture he saw there made all his walls come tumbling down.
He dropped his bag with a loud thump and this sound made Al stir in his sleep. Without waking, Ginny reached out and touched his hair, and his face relaxed once again.
Harry made his way to the kitchen. He reached into the back of the cabinet where Molly kept the bottle of firewhiskey hidden, and poured himself a generous glass. His head buzzed with Savage’s story, Arthur’s words and the mesmerizing sight of Ginny curled up asleep with Al and James. He felt he was falling into a black hole but again, he could also feel the firewhiskey burning down his chest, easing the emptiness only a little.
He sat there at the battered kitchen table for a long time staring at the inky black sky visible through the small window of the kitchen. Then in an instant he realized that his heart was no longer pressing down on him. He was not sure whether it was a result of firewhiskey or because he had made a decision.
He put his glass down and climbed the stairs, feeling lightheaded. He opened the door of their room and found his wife and children in almost the same position he had seen hours ago. He quickly changed into his pajamas and slipped into the warm bed.
Harry tried not to create much movement, but Ginny's eyes slipped open nonetheless.
“You’re back,” she said.
“Yes, now go back to sleep,” said Harry caressing her head.
She tried to snuggle closer to him, but James was in between them and she sighed. Harry kissed her forehead and held her hand over James's small body. He closed his eyes and fell into happy slumber savoring the warmth of her hand.
***
After a hearty lunch on New Year’s Day, the Potters made their way home.
“Our Potter tradition, let’s give it a try,” said Ginny, turning her gaze toward Harry.
He kissed her and Ginny clung to him.
Ginny started the fire in the hearth which gave an orange glow to the room. Harry waved his wand to light up the tree and the children cheered. Although December 25th had passed a week ago, there was a pile of unopened gifts beneath the tree. He turned to Ginny and gestured toward them.
“It’s not Christmas until you’re home,” said Ginny. She pulled him down. “Come on, let’s open them now.”
James and Al started opening their presents simultaneously tearing the paper apart, while Harry and Ginny waited for their turns. The rustle of wrapping paper filled the room along with the children's voices raised in excited exclamations. They were excited to have received loads of gifts and liked their toys especially from their Uncle George. There were many presents from her brothers, parents and Luna and Neville.
Harry pulled on the hand knitted jumper- a gift from Molly and Arthur. Ginny handed him tickets for Chudley Cannons games.
In turn, Harry pulled a jewelry box from his trousers. Her gaze flicked to his face.
“Open it,” he said softly.
She found two hoop earrings studded with diamonds nestled against dark velvet.
“The entire time I was gone, you were always in the back of my mind,” said Harry.
“That’s not a good thing for Aurors in the field,” said Ginny as she examined them. “Could get you killed.”
Harry nodded. “That’s why I… I’m asking for a desk job from now on.”
Ginny’s head snapped up with her eyes wide. The blazing look was back again. Her eyes reflected the fire in the hearth.
“Really!” she exclaimed, and Harry nodded grinning.
“I’m sorry, Harry, I don’t want to pressure you, but I think it’s time,” said Ginny.
Once again, Arthur’s words flew into his mind and Harry’s vision became blurry.
He could feel Ginny’s tears wetting his shirt and he uttered soothing words in an effort to comfort her.
James and Al, however, were entirely unaware of their parents' turmoil, playing happily in the piles of discarded ribbons and shiny paper and squealing with joy.
Harry felt happy for first time in days.
The sun outside was bright and promised to melt the snow.
***
“Winter days are so short,” complained Harry. He stood near the window as the orange sun sunk into the horizon. Ginny was curled up on the sofa in front of the hearth, watching James ride his new broomstick.
Harry saw a small speck in the sky which grew bigger by the second. Harry instantly knew it was an owl and opened the window pane. The bird swooped right into their living room and perched on the table. It carried an envelope which had a Ministry seal on it.
Ginny’s eyes met Harry’s. He opened the envelope. His lips twitched and in the blink of an eye Ginny was beside him.
She read the note and exclaimed, “Harry! This is fantastic. You got a promotion.”
“Yeah,” said Harry. “I haven't even asked Kingsley yet.”
Ginny kissed firmly on his lips and they fell into their own world.
That night, they celebrated his promotion- their naked bodies joined together. It was as though they danced together in rhythm to some delightful music.
When their bodies were peaceful, Ginny whispered, “I think I’m pregnant.”
Harry’s eyes widened. He immediately rolled on top of her and once again kissed her soundly. “How do you know?” he asked.
“I’ve missed my period, I’m tired all the time, and I feel like throwing up every morning. Just need to see a healer to confirm it.”
“So, a new Potter is on the way?” asked Harry.
Ginny nodded as a smile tugged at her lips and joy was evident on her face.
***
A year later…
The Potters once again settled around the Christmas tree on New Year’s morning- a tradition they had started the year before. The boys were still in their pajamas with their hair rumpled from sleep. Harry was cradling a squirming baby Lily in his arms. As soon as they saw the presents the boys dove for them together looking for the ones marked with their names. The look of joy on their faces made Harry's heart swell with happiness. Ginny too, had a cheerful smile on her face.
Al instantly grabbed for the Muggle crayons, and a coloring book their grandpa Arthur had slipped under the tree and James could not let go of the junior wand which sent a stream of glitter whenever waved. Lily’s brown eyes watched James closely, just as her mother's.
Within the next half hour the walls were covered in crayon drawings and the whole floor was filled with glitter and some got onto baby Lily’s chubby cheek.
Ginny sat beside Harry and gave him a warm smile. Lily’s started squirming more as soon as she saw her mother. Ginny picked baby Lily and laid a kiss on her head.
Chaos filled their house as warmth filled Harry’s heart.
He reflected on the previous year- those small hours which he had spent with his family were too precious. The decisions he'd made on New Year‘s day a year before had been well worth the sacrifices.
He’d lost his childhood, but he would be around for his children’s. With Ginny he was blessed. There was so much joy in his heart; he felt elated.
“Probably, this is eternal bliss,” he said softly.
***
Footnotes: Information/wordings on electric fuse have been borrowed from Wikipedia.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuse_(electrical)