* * *

Sirius let Hattie sit beside him and she cuddled up to him like a small child. Remus explained everything to Sirius who tightened his grip on his daughter. He was not best pleased about the situation but over the last few years he had learned to accept that he needed to see things from her point of view.

"Why don't you invite him for dinner on Sunday? That gives him a few days to mill over the idea." Sirius suggested which shocked everyone.

Hattie nodded excitedly, "I'll go and see him tomorrow. I hope Auntie Lily isn't mad at me but I had to take her down a peg or two. She can't control me."

Sirius chuckled, "I'm sure she isn't." He told her but looked up at Remus witch fear brazing over his eyes. They were in for a real treat when she came in from the garden. He rubbed Hattie's arms and let her rest on him in silence.

"Does Charlie hate me?" She asked after a little while. Her voice was quiet and laced with sadness, since they had just resolved things she hated the thought of them being on bad terms once again. The adults seriously didn't know. They stayed quiet and Hattie understood. She sighed, climbed up off of the sofa and padded up to where Charlie was staying.

She opened the door quietly and crept in, Bill, Tonks and Charlie all seemed to be asleep. They must have decided it was the easiest thing to do. She shuffled over to Charlie's bed, drew back the duvet and laid herself down beside him. Like a small, scared child she gently put her arm over his torso and rested her head on his shoulder.

Charlie's she's fluttered open and he glanced down at Hattie. "Please don't hate me." She whispered. "He really is different, let him prove himself please."

As much as Charlie wanted to scream no, he feared losing her again. He lifted his arm up and encased her in his embrace, kissing her forehead. "Okay." He said shortly, "but I will hurt him, baby girl, he just know that."

"My dad transforms into his worst fear, I don't think you'd be the only one to hurt him if he did me dirty again, Charlie." She snickered, "I'm just glad we're okay because I don't want to lose you."

"You'll always have me, baby girl, forever and a day."

"Forever and a day."

In the morning, after breakfast, Hattie headed over to the shop. She greeted Anne who kissed her head and she headed on up to the back room and found Dallin sat on the floor reading a book. She stood in the doorway admiring him concentrating with his tongue poking out the corner of his mouth ever-so-slightly. A smile curled on her lips and she tucked her hair behind her ears.

"You look beautiful," Dallin said, his eyes on her but his head not shifting a bit. Hattie was too lost in her thoughts to notice this and jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Oh. Haha, thanks, what are you reading?" She asked walking over to him and kneeling down beside him. She glanced over the words, "Peter Pan? But you don't like Muggle books you said so on the train that time?"

"Tee, I hate to admit this but a lot of what I said back them was a lie, a facade to make me fit in with other Slytherins. I love muggle books, I never have read this before but I thought since you love it so much then I might as well give it a try. It's really good and I can see why you're in love with it." He said taking her hand, placing the book down beside him, "and I can see why it helped you."

"What else did you lie about?"

"I said I was a follower of Voldemort, that my parents were too and that I hated Dumbledore. That's totally incorrect. I adored our headmaster, I despised Voldemort and my mum does too. Tee, I shouldn't have done that, especially not with you and I- why are you clutching your arm? Have you relapsed?" His eyes flooded with concern and they didn't ease despite her shaking her head.

Dallin carefully rolled up her sleeve and saw the faded scars and deep dark mark on her skin. "He wanted to give me the mark. Narcissa wouldn't let him, she said I wasn't stable enough. I'm glad she did. I didn't want it. But Bellatrix gave me it. I really didn't want it Dallin."

Dallin hugged her tightly, running his fingers through her hair but they got caught in her curls so he tried to gently (as much as possible) untangle then and instead, rubbed her back. He tilted his head to kiss her neck and Hattie shuffled forward and perched herself on Dallin's lap.

"My family have asked if you'll come over for dinner on Sunday? They found out about us last night and are willing to see how things go."

This came as a shock for Dallin who withdrew slightly and looked directly at his girlfriend who looked so hopeful. "They approve?"

"Not exactly. They're willing to see if you have changed, it's sort of a trial? Does that make sense."

He nodded and sighed. "Wow, that was unexpected. Uh, Charles? Is that his name? What does he think about it?"

"He's not very happy, he punched the garden fence a lot and said he would do that to you if you hurt me again but he has somewhat come to terms with it all as long as you prove yourself to himself. I hate that you're in this position-"

"No, Tee," said Dallin, stopping her, "I deserve it. I treated you awfully and I don't desire to have you or your family's forgiveness let alone be with you. They only want what is best for you and in their eyes I'm rightfully not. I'm just thankful that we have the chance to start again and that they are willing to let me prove myself."

"It'll be hard."

"I'm prepared to do anything to prove myself worthy of you. Just a question though, do you have a dog? I'm not the biggest fan of them and will need to mentally prepare myself for it all."

"We do... somewhat."