Unofficial Portkey Archive

New Year's Eve, I'm aiming to finish this for New Year's.

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Title: "those sweet memories"

Rating: PG

Words: 1,512

Theme/Prompt: #04 - candy canes

Warnings/AN: post-ootp au

Summary: Harry is just happy to have another memory of his parents.

Disclaimer: The Usual.

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It starts with a candy cane.

Harry sits comfortably on the love seat with Hermione curled next to him, using his as a huggable pillow; her head rests on his shoulder and her arms are wrapped around him firmly. It's been over three years since the War and Hermione still clings to him as if he were to disappear while she sleeps. It's okay though, he clings to her too.

He looks at the Christmas tree sitting across the room, casting soft glows around their living room. Which is in their house; their home. It still amazes him, that fact; he's married to Hermione and they're spending their first Christmas as husband and wife in their brand new home. Harry had hoped that with this new beginning, he would be able to spend Christmas Eve like a normal person, having dinner with his wife and cuddle a bit in front of the fireplace before going to sleep to wait for Christmas.

He should've known, Harry Potter is anything but normal.

So, it stands to reason that, after returning from their annual trip to Godric's Hollows, Harry decides to forgo sleep and instead chooses to sit in front of their Christmas tree and wait for the clock to announce midnight. Hermione, of course, joins him gladly after insisting they both change into their pyjamas. It is not unexpected to see Harry awake until way past midnight, after their first trip to Godric's Hollow, sleep eludes him. But Hermione, while she is firm in her desire to be with him on this night, never stays awake too long, usually surrendering to Morpheus minutes after midnight if not before. Tonight, though, is a special night; she's pregnant with their first child and her sleeping habits are as erratic as Harry's used to be, hence why she is still wide awake next to him.

After midnight is announced, Hermione suggests they check their boots to see what Father Christmas left for them and after he gives her an inquisitive look, she blushes and pouts. "Your kid is hungry."

Harry laughs and complies, levitating their boots onto their laps.

That's how, two hours later and on the brink of sleep, Harry stares at his candy cane while feeling something tugging at the back of his mind, fighting to come forward but failing. Eventually, Harry placed a gentle kiss on Hermione's temple, accommodates her until she's lying down with her head in his lap, and settles on rubbing her expanded belly until sleep claims him completely.

It doesn't take him that long.

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He's crying; he knows he is. He wants to move but for some reason his body is not responding as freely as it did just minutes ago, he's sure. It scares him. He feels trapped and he doesn't like it, so he cries and cries and cries.

Someone opens a door near him, a feeling of being safe suddenly engulfs him, and he stops crying. Seconds later, the blurry image of a man hovers above him and he feels relieved, happy. The man wipes his tears away and picks him up, and he feels so safe that he wants to laugh. And he does. The man laughs with him and the cradles his body carefully and walks out the room.

He should be wondering how this man can carry him around so effortlessly, but his train of thought halts abruptly as his vision clears and the man's face comes into focus. And he gasps. For a brief moment, he thinks he's looking at himself, and how could he not? The same untamed hair, the strong jaw and the high cheekbones, the same round glasses…

Dad…

He wants to talk, but can't and tears gather in his eyes again, blurring his vision.

James Potter sits down on the floor, right in front on the Christmas tree, smiling tenderly at him. "Don't cry, Harry. You're safe now, Dad is here."

Those words only prompt him to cry more, so James gathers him up and settles him on his shoulder, rocking from side to side while whispering reassuring words. He grasps tiny fistful of James' shirt, not quite believing what's happening. By the time he manages to calm down, another thing happens that makes his eyes water again.

"What happened, James?"

The soft voice of Lily Potter reaches his ears.

Turning to the sound, he can't really keep his head up for long and rests it on his Dad's shoulder, watching his Mum walk towards them with a tender smile on her face. Her hair is tied into a messy bun and she looks as if she just woke up, but that is okay, she looks lovely to him anyway.

He whimpers sadly as Lily sits by them, drawing out a concerned look on her face. She pulls him into her arms, cradling him against her chest and it's all he can doo not to cry desperately.

Mum…

"Oh, sweetie. Don't cry, Harry, Mummy and Daddy are here for you. Always."

James scoots closer, grapping them both in a comforting embrace and he caresses his unruly hair. Eventually his sobs recede and he's able to focus on his parents. Both alive and happy and taking care of him. A little smile stretches his lips, happiness at having this chance rushing through him, and he giggles and coos and both James and Lily laugh happily at seeing him happy. James suggests they open the presents as it is already Christmas, but Lily scolds him saying they promised Sirius, Remus and Peter that they'd wait for them to do that.

"You see, Harry, your Uncles are as anxious to share your first Christmas as we are," says Lily, kissing his little nose lovingly.

James pouts next to him, which earns him a kiss from his wife, and then smiles. "Well, how about we open just one present for Harry?" James turns to him then. "Yeah, Harry? Do you want to open just on tiny present while we wait for your lazy Uncles to arrive?"

He giggles and coos as it's all he can do now, but his Dad takes his response as a yes.

"Well, then," says James, producing a tiny box, wrapped neatly in colourful paper. "Shall I?"

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Someone's shaking his shoulder, but for the life of him, he can't tell why. Can this person see he's trying to stay with his parents? That he's happy to just stay in his mother's arms while he plays with his father and sucks on a candy cane?

"Harry…"

Someone's calling him. It must be his mother because the voice is soft and warm and it always brings a sense of happiness.

"Harry…"

Or not, because there's definitely a touch of fear in the voice and he can clearly see his mother smiling at him. Then, his father kisses his temple and his mother leans over to do the same. He closes his eyes as her lips make contact and sighs.

"Harry!"

The he opens them and sees Hermione's worried face in front of him. He blinks and she sighs in relief and then flings herself into his arms. Harry's feeling thoroughly confused, but returns the gesture anyway; it's an involuntary reaction now. He can feel her trembling and his worry springs forth, fearing something might be wrong with her or the baby.

"Hermione? Are you okay?"

She laughs lightly, pulling back to give him a passionate kiss before settling in his arms again. "Am I okay? I'm fine, Harry. It's you I'm worried about."

He looks downs at her, his confusion back and in sight for her to see. "Me?"

Hermione kisses his cheek before talking, hugging him as is to reassure herself, and he wants to know what happened to get her this upset. Idly, he noted the sun had risen at some point, the living room bathed in its soft glow along with the Christmas lights.

"What happened, Harry? I woke up to find you mumbling and crying and… oh, Harry, you wouldn't wake up! No matter how hard I shook you, you just weren't responding. I was so scared!"

He blinks slowly, his mind bringing back his memories one by one, from the moment he fell asleep to the moment his father presented him with a candy cane to waking up to her lovely face. "I don't… I think… Hermione, I saw my parents."

When she sits up, Harry relates everything he remembered, wondering briefly if he had been dreaming, but no believing it so because it all felt so real, too real to be just a dream. By the time he's done, she has tears in her eyes but she's smiling and looking at him with so much happiness that he thinks he might choke up.

He wants answers, he wants to know what happened, but really, does it matter? He finally has proof that his parents were happy while they lived! That he was loved before Fate screwed him over, like he is now.

"Oh, Harry…"

He's just happy to have another memory of his parents now.

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End.

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Oooh, wish me luck guys! I really want to finish this

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