Disclaimer: If this was mine, I'd be awfully rich, and we would be happy for HHr happening.
A/N: My reply to the "You can't take my child" challenge by Natsky, you can find it here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26363&st=0 . I hope you'll like the story, and I feel I need to alert you, Ginny won't be particularly likable here. I don't think that's a problem, but anyhow, I told you beforehand, ok? lol. Now, on with the story…
Credit for the original plot of the story goes to AnasellaEmm, who wrote the story A Wonderful Caricature of Intimacy on fanfiction.net.
Fight for Custody
Chapter Three: Long Time Friends Meet Again
It was some hours later that Harry Apparated to the pre-schooling centre to get Bea after her lessons.
He found himself again in a courtyard full of parents and kids, and he had just a bit of trouble spotting his daughter, finding her engrossed in conversation with another kid, both sitting on the steps leading from the building to the courtyard.
As soon as she spotted him, Bea launched herself at him.
"Daddy!" she squealed, and he lifted her up, holding her close. His heart swelled at the huge grin on her lips. He had honestly been a bit anxious about how she would like being all day away from him, with people she didn't know, but it seemed she didn't really have problems with it.
"So, munchkin, you okay on your first day of lessons?" he asked, and she nodded vigorously.
"I met so many kids, Daddy, and me and Ethan have become friends" she said, pointing toward the boy she had been chatting with, who blushed.
"Bea, what have I told you? It's not polite to point with your finger at someone" he chastised her, and she nodded.
"Sorry, Dad" she sheepishly grinned, and he kissed the top of her head.
"Well, honey, say hello to your friend, and let's get home, okay?" he said, letting her go to that Ethan guy. A couple minutes later they were back to their home, Harry having sidelong Apparated his daughter there.
As he set to prepare dinner, he let Beatrice talk about her day.
"The teacher was so kind, Daddy. She told us things, and was very patient when some of us couldn't get it immediately. She made us read. Can I show you?" she asked, eager to show her father what she had learned.
"Later, darling. We might end staining the book if we read it here in the kitchen" he said with a smile. "So, tell me more about this teacher of yours" he prompted, and little Bea got easily over the sadness for not being able to read right there, and resumed telling him her day, and the friendships she made.
--
The whole week it was the same routine, Harry would accompany Bea at the school, then he would go to work as an Auror, although since the divorce he had obtained to be assigned to desk job as he didn't want to risk getting injured or worse, leaving Bea alone.
He had also received a reply from his Ministry contact, and he had told Harry he would do some research on the procedures the Ministry followed about giving custody of children and would inform him as soon as he had useful information.
At night, Harry would cook dinner while Beatrice told him about her day. He quickly gathered that his little girl was particularly fond of her teacher, and he was glad for that. He sincerely hoped she would never need to deal with someone like Snape in her school years from now on.
As Sunday arrived, he and his daughter made their way to the Burrow, where the usual family lunch was held.
They Apparated to the garden, and then walked the short distance to the main door, where Harry knocked.
Soon, the door swung open, and Ron greeted them.
"Harry, Beatrice! Come in, come in" the redhead said, following them to the living room.
Harry greeted Arthur and Molly, who were both delighted to see their granddaughter.
"Grandma Molly!" the little girl giggled as the elder woman picked her up. Harry couldn't help smiling at the sight.
Soon later, they were all reunited in the living room, George, Fred, Bill, Fleur, even Percy who had admitted his faults after the war and was welcomed back home, for the joy of Molly, and was currently married to his childhood love Penelope Clearwater, who was expecting their first child.
Bea was busy playing with her cousins Jonathan, George and Angelina's little boy, and Daphne, Bill and Fleur's daughter.
The Weasleys had sided with Harry in the divorce from Ginny, who had soon cut off her family, deeming they couldn't understand her anymore and were more preoccupied with a little girl's well being than their own daughter and sister's one.
Molly couldn't believe Ginny had turned out so egoistical, but Ron and the other brothers weren't so surprised. Sadly, neither was Arthur, who had always suspected Ginny would end that way, being used to be the centre of the attention.
The older man had once told Harry some months ago that it was his only regret, and that he would gladly go back in time and stop his own wife from pampering their little girl so much if he could. Being the first girl in the Weasley family in generations, however, it had been mostly unavoidable that she would end being spoiled, if you can call it that considering the Weasleys' not so ample finances.
So, after lunch, when everyone was chatting in the living room and the kids were happily playing together, Harry asked Ron for a quick word.
"I received an owl from Ginny some days ago" he started, sipping his Butterbeer.
Ron raised his eyebrows in surprise. His sister had stopped owling Harry once the papers for the divorce had been made official and she was a free woman again. Not that she owled her family much more, mind you.
"She told me she had gotten married again, to a guy called Hopkins if I'm not mistaken, and that she wants to file for full custody of Bea"
At this, Ron actually choked on his drink, sputtering it all around the garden where they had gone to chat.
Harry chuckled, albeit a bit bitterly. "Pretty funny, uh, considering how she couldn't be bothered caring for her daughter in the three years she lived with us" he remarked.
Ron nodded. "I bet she's doing it just to get paid. You know, food, and such"
Harry looked up at him, shocked that his friend would say such a thing about his own sister.
It was Ron's turn to chuckle now. "Harry, she might be my sister, but this doesn't cloud my judgement on her. It's the only reason why she might want full custody of little Beatrice when she couldn't care less before"
Harry had to admit his best mate was right, for once, and that steeled his resolve to not let her win. No matter what he would have to do to keep Beatrice with him, he would.
--
Harry was frustrated. In more than one month of Bea going to school he had never managed to meet her teacher. It was almost mechanical, she accompanied them to the steps separating the building from the courtyard, but she never fully showed herself.
That day, he was determined to find out who she was, so he had Apparated there a few minutes earlier than usual. After all, if a woman was able to captivate his daughter so much that Bea could hardly speak about someone else, then he was pretty intrigued himself with this woman, and wanted to meet her.
However, she must have sensed him, because she hastily moved back inside the building as the kids poured inside the courtyard, waiting for their parents to pick them up. Harry had only managed to get a glimpse of her swaying, curly brown hair, and his breath caught in his throat.
"It can't be…can it?" he wondered, but his musings were interrupted by his daughter wrapping herself around his leg.
"Daddy! You're early!" she squealed, and he smiled, ruffling her hair.
"Yeah, I couldn't wait to pick you up, munchkin. Tell me, how does hot marshmallow sound to you?"
"Yummy!" she squealed again, and Harry let out an hearty laugh.
"Let's go home and fix it then, shall we?" he suggested, and his little girl nodded enthusiastically. As they enjoyed their snack in the kitchen of their flat, Harry couldn't help thinking about that hair he had seen. It couldn't really be her…and yet, it somehow made sense, her not showing herself, because she knew he would be there to pick Bea up…
That night, once Beatrice was asleep, he owled Kingsley that he needed a day off the next day, claiming he had to do some stuff with Beatrice.
His boss had always been really understanding about his situation, and his colleagues too, so he knew it wouldn't be a problem, even on such short notice.
The next morning, he went through the usual routine, accompanying Bea to school, then he Flooed to Diagon Alley, where he went to see Ron at the twins' shop, where he now worked.
"So, what brings you around, Harry? You're not wearing the Auror robes, are you on a day off?" his friend asked, and Harry nodded. "Had some business to do" he evasively said. "Say, you free for lunch, mate?" he asked then, and Ron nodded.
As they were eating their fish and chips at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"Ron, could you pick Beatrice up this afternoon? I've got a suspicion I need to check" he said.
"Of course mate. Does she already know it?"
"No, but it won't be a problem, I'm sure." Harry said, sipping his drink. "You're her favourite Uncle after all" he added, smirking, and Ron playfully punched him on the right arm.
"Well, can you tell me more about this suspicion of yours?" the redhead asked then.
"Sorry, Ron. I want to, but it is something I need to be sure about before telling you" Harry said.
--
Some hours later, once the kids were in the courtyard, a tired brown haired witch walked back to her office to gather her things before heading home. When she reached the corridor her office was in though, she was shocked to see someone leaning on her door. She was even more shocked when the man looked up, green eyes meeting brown ones after a long time.
"How longer were you going to avoid me, Hermione?"
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