Pursuing Bliss

They had only been home for a minute when the fireplace flared and two figures stepped out, one looking slightly older than he should and the other with short, spiky blue hair.

"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks ruffled Harry's hair, smiling brightly at the Weasley's. "Hullo Ron, Ginny. Where's your mum and dad at?" she asked as Remus gently nudged her away from the fireplace.

"Calm down, Tonks, we're in no hurry," he said soothingly, watching the fireplace expectantly. Tonks gave a sheepish grin, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.

"Right. Sorry, then." Ginny and Harry exchanged knowing looks. It was amazing the affect Remus had on Tonks. Ron, still sullen from having to say goodbye to Hermione and witnessing a kiss between a Malfoy and his little sisters, grunted a hello and mumbled something about finding his mother. He slumped up the stairs, probably to go sulk and write his letter to Hermione. Tonks peered after him, arching an eyebrow.

"What's with him?"

"Snogging withdrawal," Ginny replied automatically, keeping her face completely serious. Tonks snickered behind her hand, jumping away from the fireplace as it flared again. A girl - a young adult, if one wanted to be without bias - stepped out, wrinkling her nose and brushing the soot from her tailored blouse. Remus smiled, taking her suitcase and box and setting them on the floor.

"Good, you found the right grate. Harry, Ginny, this is my niece, Charlotte Delarose. Charlotte, Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter."

The blonde gave him a half smile as he relieved her of her things, nodding softly towards the two. Harry felt his stomach lurch oddly. There was something vaguely familiar about this girl...

"Remus! Tonks! What a pleasant surprise," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed from the doorway, bustling in and kissing them both on the cheek.

"Hello, Molly," Remus greeted her fondly. "You remember Charlotte, I believed." Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly, granting her with the same welcome kiss.

"Oh, of course. I dare say you don't remember me at all, though, dear. You were such a little thing the last time I saw you. Only a few months, if I remember right."

"Three, to be exact," Remus replied, grin faltering the slightest bit as Tonks elbowed him.

"Only an hour, Remus," she stated quietly.

"Right." Remus cleared his throat looking quite apologetic. "I'm sorry to spring this on you like this, Molly, but could Charlotte stay with you for a couple of weeks? Albus said she's quite welcome to stay with him, but I thought she would be more comfortable here."

"Of course she can stay here. The more the merrier," she replied, and Remus breathed a barely noticeable sigh of relief. "Harry, why don't you and Ginny help her upstairs and get her settled." Harry glanced at Ginny, about to open his mouth, but Mrs. Weasley, Remus, and Tonks had already disappeared into the kitchen.

"You're not supposed to be walking around," he accused, frowning as Ginny gingerly pushed herself out of the wheelchair.

"How else am I supposed to get up stairs, Oh-Smart-One?" she asked, rolling her eyes. Harry gently pushed her back down, smirking.

"I'll levitate you."

"...Why can't you walk?" Charlotte asked, watching the exchange curiously. Harry turned, but Ginny answered before he could open his mouth.

"I can walk, I'm just not allowed. Got hit with a pretty nasty curse during the last battle." She shrugged softly, smiling at Charlotte. "At least I can make the boys do whatever I want them to." Charlotte gave a smile in return, gathering her things from where Remus set them down.

"That's always useful."

Harry snorted as he flicked his wand, levitating Ginny and making her squeal in surprise. He shot a crooked grin at Charlotte directing Ginny towards the stairs. "Follow us."

"Harry Potter, you're a bastard," she stated, crossing her arms sullenly as she was floated up the stairs. Harry followed, smirking, with Charlotte close behind.

"And you're a frigid cow," he replied easily, ducking as her shoe came flying at his head. Charlotte moved aside, hiding her laughter behind her hand. When they reached the landing, he set Ginny down gently and pushed her into her bedroom, flopping comfortably on her bed. "Well, here we are."

"You can put your things in the top two drawers of that dresser. Hermione really only needs the bottom two. She puts her books in the others. I'll have to write her and tell her not to bring too many."

"Are you trying to kill the girl, Ginny?" Harry teased. Charlotte set her suitcase and box onto the spare bed, peering at the two.

"Who's Hermione?" she asked, untying the ribbing on the box and removing the lid. A small grey tabby popped its head out, and Ginny immediately began fussing over it, leaving Harry to answer.

"One of our friends. I've known her since first year."

"And she's my girlfriend," a voice said from the doorway. Charlotte jumped, spinning around to peer at the owner. "I'm Ron, Ginny's brother."

"Charlotte," she replied, shaking the offered hand briefly. "Remus Lupin is my uncle. I assume you all know him."

"Of course. Best bloody Defense teacher we ever had," Ron stated, dropping onto the bed next to Harry. Charlotte gave him a perplexed look, tilting her head.

"...Uncle Remus taught at Hogwarts?" she asked, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Oh, yes. Only for a year. That position is a bit cursed. We haven't had a single teacher stay for longer than a year," Ginny explained, smiling at the cat batted playfully at her hair.

"When did he teach? I can't believe he never told me this."

"It was our third year," Harry replied. "Ginny's second."

"He's going to get it when he and Tonks get back," Charlotte vowed.

"Where are they going, anyways?" Ron asked. His good mood had returned, which meant he wrote Hermione a good, long letter about how much he missed her already. Charlotte shrugged, returning to unpacking her things.

"I don't really know. Maybe some trip for Dumbledore. All I know is that I just got all my things unpacked and I had to pack again right away."

Ron looked as if he wanted to ask more questions, but Ginny spun herself around, shooing them both towards the door.

"That's enough for now. Charlotte has to finish unpacking and we have to talk about girly things like pimples and our periods, because that's what girls do when blokes aren't around."

Ron looked thoroughly disgusted, and he very willingly left the room, dragging Harry along behind him. Charlotte laughed as the door closed behind them and Ginny turned with a triumphant look.

"We don't really have to talk about our periods," she reassured Charlotte, grinning. "I'm just sick of being around them. They've been fussing all day and I need a break, you know?" Charlotte nodded, pausing before she hesitantly spoke.

"Can I ask what happened? I mean, I know you said you were hit with a curse, but..."

"You want to know the specifics?" Ginny finished when she trailed off. "It's fine. I don't know what curse it was, but I temporarily lost the use of my legs and was knocked unconscious. Some type of paralysis curse. I'd probably be dead if Draco hadn't shielded me. Draco Malfoy," she clarified. "One of my close friends. Ron and Harry don't care for him too much, but - and they'll probably deny this - they hated Hermione at first too. So I suppose it's just a matter of time--"

"Before he's Ron's girlfriend?" Charlotte asked innocently, laughing as Ginny swatted her arm.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Harry moved silently across the kitchen, taking the teakettle off the stove before it could whistle. He had laid in bed for almost two hours without any success on the sleep front, so he gave up, stumbling downstairs to make himself a cup of tea. He poured the water into a mug and, hearing a noise behind him, dug another mug from the cupboard and filled it.

"How do you take it?" he asked, knowing it had to be Charlotte. Mrs. Weasley would have made her presence known, Mr. Weasley usually went straight to his shop if he couldn't sleep, Ron was in a dead sleep, and Ginny, despite her insistence that she could walk fine, wouldn't have been able to make it down the stairs alone.

"...Two sugars and a bit of honey, please," she answered quietly, sitting at the table as Harry turned. He joined her, offering her a mug. She smiled a short 'thank you' and they seeped their tea in silence.

"Couldn't sleep?" Harry finally asked, setting his teabag aside and taking a sip. Charlotte shook her head, doing the same.

"It's so quiet here. I'm used to lots of noise all the time. I lived with my grandparents while I was in school, and they had an apartment in a wizarding city, so there were always parties going on and the odd automobile going down the street."

"Where'd you go to school?" Harry asked curiously. "I mean, I'm pretty sure I would remember if you went to Hogwarts."

"Durmstrang," Charlotte replied, nodding at Harry's grimace. "I know. If I'd been given the choice, I would have gone to Hogwarts like my parents, but...things happen. Stuff gets screwed up." They fell back into the silence for a few minutes before Charlotte spoke again.

"I know all about you, of course," she said. Harry turned red, and Charlotte laughed, taking a sip of her tea. "Don't look so traumatized. I only know what books say and what my grandparents have told me. Which wasn't very relevant, since they only know you for about a month."

"Wait, your grandparents knew me?" Harry interrupted, confused. Charlotte nodded.

"Oh yes. Nana helped deliver you. She was a retired medi-witch, and because Uncle Remus was friends with your mum and dad, she helped your mum give birth." Harry watched her in awe, waiting for her to continue. "I knew you as well, but I can't remember anything. We were only infants. But I have some photos of us together. I'll show them to you tomorrow," she promised. Harry absently nodded, wondering why he hadn't been told any of this before. Of course, he didn't know Remus Lupin had a niece in the first place, so go figure.

"Wow," he murmured, staring down at his mug of tea. Charlotte hesitantly touched his hand, speaking lowly.

"We're alike in some ways, you and I. If I tell you this, you can't tell anyone, okay? I don't need attention or pity or what have you."

"I won't tell a soul," he promised, turning his gaze to look into her eyes.

"...I was born three months before yourself, on April 19. My mother was Uncle Remus's sister - older by two years - and my father was a transfer student from America. They met their fourth year, fell in love, and got married right after graduation. I was born three years later. ...My parents were active in the fight against Voldemort and they were killed because of it, just before you were born. Uncle Remus was given custody as their will requested. My grandparents were opposed to this for reasons I'm sure you're aware of, and the fact that he was alone. But he took my in. He lived close to London, but after my parents died, he moved in with your mum and dad so he could get some help taking care of me and help with you. One of the pictures is of your mum holding both of us. It's my favorite.

"Well, it wasn't long before your parents decided to go into hiding. And after...that night, Uncle Remus couldn't take care of me anymore. So I went to live with Nana and Papa in Bulgaria and he disappeared from my life until about two years ago. All of a sudden I get this letter saying that he wants to meet me. He came to Bulgaria and told me everything. He was...really messed up after Sirius Black died. I know he was your godfather. I'm really sorry," she said, squeezing his arm gently. "I wish I could have met him... There are pictures with him too. You can have them if you want.

"Anyways, Uncle Remus and I wrote on and off for the next couple of years. Papa died just after New Years this past year. Nana died almost a week later. At the funeral, Uncle Remus asked if I would like to come live with him and I agreed. So I finished my schooling, graduated, and came to England. And here I am," she finished, taking the final sip of her tea and yawning. Harry absently stood, bringing the mugs to the sink.

"...Are you alright, Harry?" she asked quietly, snapping the boy from his trance.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a lot to take in."

"I know," Charlotte agreed, pushing herself up. She joined him at the sink and peered out the window. "Maybe we should try getting some sleep before the sun comes up." Harry nodded and together they made their way up the stairs, pausing in front of Ginny's door.

"...Thank you for telling me all of that," Harry said quietly. Charlotte smiled, shrugging.

"You're welcome. I'll show you the photos tomorrow." Harry nodded and Charlotte hesitantly stepped forward. "Goodnight, Harry Potter."

"Goodnight, Charlotte Delarose," he replied. There was a pause, then Charlotte pushed onto her toes and kissed his cheek.

"'Night," she said again, smiling as she disappeared into Ginny's room.

*****

"Why are you hanging around the library so much lately?" Ron asked, frowning. "I know something is going on with you Ginny. So what is it?"

"Nothing's going on, Ron. I'm just getting some help with my Potions," she said, sighing. "Can I please go eat my breakfast now?"

"Who's helping you?" Ron asked sternly.

"Draco Malfoy, if it's any of your damned business. Which it isn't, by the way," Ginny reminded him, scowling as her brother's eyes narrowed.

"...I don't want you hanging around Draco Malfoy, you hear me? Just stay away from him. He's practically a Death Eater, for Merlin's sake. Do you even think anymore, Ginny?" Ron ranted at her, not seeming to notice the way her temper was growing. She finally exploded, shoving him roughly away from her and glaring fiercely.

"Now you listen, Ronald Weasley, and you listen good. You can't tell me who I can and cannot associate with. And for your information, Draco Malfoy is a perfect gentleman and he's been nothing but. Which is more than I can say for you, you stupid, inconsiderate bastard. So you can take your orders and stick them right up your fat arse, because I'll continue to meet Draco in the library when I need help with my Potions." She gave him a haughty look as if you say 'so there', and spun around, flouncing into the Great Hall to eat her breakfast. Ron stared after her in shock, jaw hanging open.

"...What the bloody hell just happened?" he asked himself, not expecting the answer that he received.

"That, Weasel, was a bitch slapping," Draco replied as he came down the last few steps of the Grand Staircase, smirking at Ron and following Ginny's path into the Great Hall. He kept the confusion he was feeling inside. Why had she defended him, anyways?