Secrets To Keep

epilogue part 2

There was only before and after; before Harry died, and after he bled to death in that puddle of milk. Before, he had seven loving kids, several young grandchildren, a loving wife, and a numerous amount of friends. After...well after, he still had all that, except one thing -- one very big thing -- was different; he wasn't there with them. He couldn't hug his son, who screamed in anguish at his funeral, nor could he kiss Luna's temple. He couldn't hug Delilah until she felt better, or tease Juniper. He would never again sit under the stars with Nova and tell those bright grey and green eyes stories. He would never again grab a pint with Neville and Ron, or make Ginny laugh until milk came out of her nose. he wouldn't ever braid Hermione's hair again, or have another conversation with Arthur about Muggles. And as he felt himself leave the human world, he wanted to go back. But he couldn't, he knew. He could already see Sirius and all his other loved ones' faces. At least he could talk to his parents for real...

---

It was after Harry's funeral, and his -- rather large, by now -- family had all converged at the home he and Luna shared. Well, had shared.

Luna busied herself with turning on their Muggle AC machine, while everyone sat somewhere. It wasn't the best place for everyone, it was only a small cottage in Bibury, that fit the two of them, along with a small guest room that went unused. It had a small kitchen, sitting room, one bathroom -- all in all, it was quite cramped for the large family. Nevertheless, they crowded onto the two sofas, and Luna handed out a few pillows for them to sit on.

Niko gestured to the empty seat beside him, he wanted her to sit next to him. After a minute of silence, he said, "Well, least dad met El once," he promptly started balling into his mother's shoulder as Lizzy patted his shoulder.

Alex cleared his throat. "Why don't we all tell stories about Uncle Harry. You know, think about all the great times with him."

Ron nodded at his nephew, and tightened his hold around Hermione. "W-well, I remember that first time I met him. I thought for sure he was going to choose Draco Malfoy over a Weasley." He chuckled. "Course, if he had, he wouldn't be Harry."

Hermione smiled too. "I remember when you two saved me from the troll," she shook her head. "That saving people complex."

Juniper shook her head. "I remember when he gave me my necklace," The necklace she referred to was a small, golden chain with her birthstone, which was a silvery color, and had her initials etched on the back.

Teddy, now thirty and with three kids of his own — Evie Andromeda, Luke William, and Allisyn Fleur — spoke. "I remember that! It was his last Auror mission before he finally quit the missions. The one where he was unconscious for a few days."

Juniper nodded. "I thought it was weird, you know. He gave it to me right before he left, it was like he knew something was going to go wrong."

Delilah chuckled, hands linked with Kathryn. "I still remember when Niko was born. Papa was freaked."

"Really? Why?" Asked Melodie.

Luna smiled peacefully. "He'd never had a boy, aside from Teddy, and he didn't know how to handle it."

Arthur chuckled. "He was pacing so much a Healer actually gave him a Sleeping Draught."

"I remember the fits Junie used to throw when she had to leave their art studio," Teddy said thoughtfully. "Even Harry couldn't calm you down."

"Yeah, he always made compromises." She laughed. "He said he didn't want me falling asleep and dying my face purple."

"He didn't mind us kids being odd," Nova smiled happily. "I mean, June barely left the art studio, I often wandered around the woods barefoot, Niko talked to plants--"

"Delilah joined both ballet and football, and I," added Teddy, "I'm usually snogging Vic."

Victoire giggled as their kids simultaneously faked throwing up. Ah, the joys of having a nine year old, seven year old, and three year old.

They were quiet for a minute before Melodie asked, "Why'd Grampie go take a dirt nap? It doesn't sound very fun."

Nova chuckled a little. Melodie was really cute the way she talked sometimes. "I don't know, Melodie. Sometimes things just happen, whether we understand or not."

"Tell me about how Grampie and Grammie met." Will asked, rubbing already at his eyes, he was tired.

"The very first time was it love at first sight?" Evie asked. For a nine year old, she was a huge romantic.

"Well..." Ron muttered with a small grin. "Not quite, least not from what I know."

Evie's hair changed from a bright magenta to a disappointed bluish grey. "Aww, no fair!"

"Tell us anyway!" demanded Rose's daughter, Olive. She was Allisyn's age, two.

Luna smiled softly and remembered. "Well, it was his 5th year, my fourth. I beliee we met on the carriages--"

"They're pulled by invisible horsies, right Grammie?" yelled Sophie, Roxanne's seven year old daughter.

Luna nodded. "Yes, honey, that's right! I was sitting there, and we met when I told him he was just as sane as I was." She looked at her wedding ring, where that line had been engraved nearly thirty years ago. "He and his friends,"

"Right here, everyone!" Ron interrupted, and Hermione swatted at his arm.

"came into the carriage and we introduced ourselves, yadda yadda. They all thought I was quite mad, but," she shrugged as if it didn't matter that the whole school called her Loony.

"That's it?" exclaimed Evie, her hair changing to purple now. "But you're soulmates! No, love at first sight, or xtravegant love story, like Romeo and Juliet, or the Addams family parents?"

Luna shrugged. "We were young teenagers, and he'd just gone through a horrible ordeal the year prior. Let's just say it wasn't on our minds." She shrugged again.

"When'd you know you liked him?" Sophie asked.

"I'm not quite sure, honey."

"When did you start liking him? Like, as in, like-like." Evie asked.

Luna chuckled. "Oh, I'm not sure I want to reveal that." She laughed to show she was joking.

Niko leaned his head against her again, and she wrapped an arm around him. "Niko, you alright?" she kissed his blond hair.

He nodded. "When did you get together officially?"

Charlie chuckled. "That was a fun day."

"Tell us Charlie!"

"Alright, alright!" Harry had been telling us a bunch of tea -- did I use that right?"

The kids groaned. He apparently was being 'cringe-worthy'. "Okay, anyway. Harry'd been having a hard time, and George suggested Luna come over. How he knew they'd been hanging out is beyond me -- I had no idea. But she just kind of linked hands with him and he felt better, just from her. Eventually we asked if they were dating, because they came in with their hands linked, and had been having little sleepovers. Harry asked her right there, and they've been -- slaying -- the dating game ever since."

"Charlie, please stop trying to be cool!" Evie begged.