I know a few of you have been wondering when they're going after the bad guy. Be patient, the story unfolds how it unfolds and the bad guy will be sought.
Two thanks- one you definitely need to join in for- I drowned my laptop which had this story on it. My husband managed to save it thankfully by pulling my hard drive from my fried computer.
Next thanks JPx for the support and beta work!
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Category: Alternate Universe, Post-DH/AB Characters:All Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, Romance, Tragedy Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Disturbing Imagery, Extreme Language, Intimate Sexual Situations, Mental Abuse, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Rape, Sexual Situations, Spouse/Adult/Child Abuse, Violence, Violence/Physical Abuse Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 357 Summary: The battle is over, there is life to be lived, peace to be enjoyed and trouble following close at their heels. Ginny hasn't seen Harry since the dust settled from the battles with Voldemort, but when an unexpected piece of news draws them together will they be driven apart or become bound? Follows Canon to the best of my knowledge. The warnings are just to be safe. I don't know that they're all needed, but I'm putting them up just to cover my bases. If you have any questions or concerns, please message me. Hitcount: Story Total: 139183; Chapter Total: 9324 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: |
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Ginny loved him! Harry kissed her gently; trying to show her with the words he did not yet have that she meant everything to him. It was extraordinary to think that this amazing girl, this woman, loved him. Feeling flooded him and for a few minutes the world just slipped away. The timer chimed. Harry grinned against her lips and she grinned back. “As soon as I know, Ginny, I’ll tell you.” “I know you will,” she said and he could hear her love for him in her voice. He reached up for a vial and she took it obediently. “Your mum should be up with some lunch shortly. You slept through Martha’s visit and she says you’ve lost 2lbs since yesterday.” “I what? How did I do that?” Ginny blinked in surprise. “I don’t know,” Harry shrugged, noticing the shadows under her eyes were even deeper than yesterday. “She checked the baby and everything is good there but after she waved her wand down your body she shook her head and said you’ve lost 2lbs.” “All I’ve been doing is eating and sleeping,” she huffed, disgruntled. She looked adorable and she’d probably want to hex him if he told her that. “You’re also growing a baby and it takes a lot to do that,” he said, parroting what Martha had told him earlier. “I thought I was supposed to gain a lot of weight,” Ginny sighed. Grasping for anything to say to make her feel better, he blurted out, “I’m sure you’ll be huge soon enough.” Ginny’s eyebrow rose slowly as she stared at him. His face started to burn. “I didn’t mean it like that!” Rolling her eyes she waved it off. “I probably will be huge soon, so I best get used to it now. Only ‘huge’ might not be the best word for referring to me.” He grinned sheepishly. “Right.” “Lunch, dear,” Harry looked over to see Mrs. Weasley with a tray. He stood and took it from her. She looked so tired around the eyes, but she had a bright smile on her face that looked as if it was painful to maintain. Harry didn’t think. “Kreacher?” With a loud crack the house elf appeared before him. “Yes, master Harry?” Harry set the tray down for Ginny who instantly reached for a sandwich. He turned back to the elf and realized he needed to say this carefully. “We’ve had a lot of work going on around here and we could really use some help. Would you be okay helping with some of the cooking and cleaning here at the Burrow?” “Oh now Harry-” Mrs. Weasley began but Harry shot her a look and willed her to keep silent in front of Ginny. She faltered and recovered with, “that’s really nice of you. Kreacher, it’s lovely to see you again. I would be ever so grateful if you could help me out for a few days.” Kreacher looked between Harry and Mrs. Weasley and then said. “I would be pleased to help master out in any way I can.” “Thanks, Kreacher. Ginny and I are going to be getting married in about a week so there is a lot to do and Ginny needs to stay in bed,” Harry said, not sure how to explain what on earth happened. Kreacher nodded. “Mistress Black was always very ill when she was carrying the new masters.” There was a stunned silence. “How did you know?’ Harry finally asked. Kreacher looked at him curiously. “I know my masters.” Harry realized he had to accept this was just a part of elf magic and he wasn’t likely to get a better answer so he simply nodded. Kreacher turned to Mrs. Weasley. “What would you like me to do first?” and out they went. “Hermione is going to kill me,” Harry groaned. When he turned back to Ginny he was relieved to see that she had made it through her sandwich and was now on to eating his. He decided not to mention that he’d actually planned to have lunch with her. If she was that hungry she could have his and he’d eat later. “No she won’t,” Ginny promised between bites. “It was really nice of you to get help for Mum. She’s looking exhausted. You do too come to that.” “We’re looking for a private nurse but we’re not having any luck getting anyone through the Auror’s screening process.” Harry smiled and shook his head. “I’m not as tired as you are and compared to last year, this isn’t all that bad. At least I get to be with you and I’m not running from the ministry and Death Eaters constantly.” He pulled over her desk chair and sat down. “Hermione said you got a lot of the wedding details ironed out.” She nodded as polished off her second sandwich. “It was a lot easier than Fleur and Bill’s wedding.” “I was going over the guest list with your dad and I wanted to see if you had anyone you wanted to add,” he pulled a list from his pocket and started to read. “Your mum and dad, brothers and Fleur, Hermione, Hagrid, Andromeda and Teddy, Kingsley, Professor McGonagall, Luna, and Neville. Anyone else?” Ginny’s eyebrow rose questioningly. “No Aunt Muriel?” “You want her there?” Harry asked, surprised. “I didn’t think you liked her.” “I don’t mind her really. She did shelter us for months and we’ll never hear the end of it if we don’t invite her.” Harry shrugged agreeably. “Well, she’ll get an invitation.” “I have one more,” Ginny said, downing her glass of pumpkin juice. “Kreacher. He should be invited and if he is, Auntie Muriel will be completely affronted. She’ll probably come, though. She wants to meet you.” Harry sighed. “Her and everyone else.” “She’s going to go on and on about me being knocked up before the wedding,” she regarded him thoughtfully. “Best not to let me have my wand at the ceremony.” Harry grinned; a clear picture of her hexing anyone who dared insult them sprang into being in his imagination. “We know the truth and that’s all that matters.” “Agreed and really, who cares what anyone thinks?” Ginny laid back and started counting. “It’s less than twenty people right now. That’s not so bad.” “Nope,” he agreed and removed the tray. After placing it on her dresser he came back to lay down with her again. “In just over a week we’re going to be married and sometime around the end of January we’re going to be parents.” At her questioning look, he told her, “Martha said you’re due around January 30th.” “It’s surreal,” she said, turning in to him. “What else do you have to do today?” “I am still working on getting a house and sorting out some other details. I should be back by dinner time. Hermione and I are going shopping tomorrow.” Ginny sighed. “Yes, about the engagement ring-” Harry scowled. “She was just supposed to get an idea about what you wanted, not tell you anything.” She rolled her eyes and brushed that off. “I don’t need an engagement ring! We’re only going to be engaged for just over a week. There’s no point-” He touched her lips with his finger and she fell silent. “I want to get one for you.” “But I don’t-” “I know, Ginny, but I want to anyway. You said I should have a normal life. A normal life includes a girlfriend demanding a big diamond,” he told her trying to hold back his grin at her consternation. Finally she heaved a sigh. “I don’t know what to do with you.” “Love me?” He suggested cheekily and she grinned. “So did you find a picture of the big diamond you want?” “I don’t want anything too big. If you haven’t noticed, I’m rather titchy,” Ginny said ruefully. A shot of warmth spread through him as he studied her body. He kissed her, letting the warmth fill every crevice of his body. “I have noticed, actually. Small but mighty.” “That’s me,” Ginny agreed. She yawned hugely. “Sorry!” “No, that’s okay. I was expecting you to be asleep long before this, actually.” He made to get up but stopped when he felt her hand on his arm. “Will you stay until I fall asleep?” Harry settled back in, and pulled her into his arms; “Absolutely.” It was only seconds before she dropped off but he continued to watch her as he face became peaceful. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that she loved him. Happiness like he hadn’t known was warring with the fear that he could lose them both and he still had no idea why anyone would have done this to them. Kill him, sure. Hex him, of course- force him to get married and have a baby? That was a bit much. He didn’t know how to keep them safe and he couldn’t will Ginny’s body to get stronger. Martha had been concerned at Ginny’s weight loss and adamant that they keep Ginny calm because stress was going to make it more difficult for her body to heal and keep the baby alive. This morning Ron had mentioned that they might end up getting married for nothing, that the baby might not live. Harry had wanted to hit Ron. ‘It wouldn’t be for nothing, Ron. I’ll still have Ginny.’ But he didn’t want the baby to die. A fist was clenched tightly in his chest. He couldn’t lose them. It might not be as automatic for him but he was also falling in love with their baby. It was like she’d said to him. He couldn’t not love their baby. There was a light knock at the door and Harry saw Bill standing there. “I have some information.” Harry nodded and carefully extracted himself from Ginny’s bed. He followed his soon to be brother-in-law downstairs. “Any houses?” “Actually, we do have one. It is owned by a married couple who are both muggleborns. They abandoned the house and fled to Brazil last summer so it’s been a little neglected.” Bill pulled out a file and spread it on the table. “They have decided they don’t want to come back. The estate agent got in touch with them, told them they had a buyer with gold on hand who wanted a quick sale and they’re willing to sell it to you for a great price, and they will let you rent it until the sale goes through. You can move in pretty much as soon as the ink is dry on the contract.” Bill handed over the folder and Harry opened it to find pictures of a large white house, partially covered in ivy. “How big is the property?” “It has 16 acres including a stream and a pond,” Bill told him grinning. “Honestly, I saw this and I just knew Ginny was going to love it. There is plenty of room to fly without anyone being able to spot you. Take a look at the kitchen.” Harry flipped through the pictures and found the big, airy kitchen. Light streamed in through many windows. “Does it look out onto the back?” “It does,” Bill told him. “It has 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms plus a large finished attic.” Harry grinned as he went through the rest of the pictures. “It’s perfect. Or it will be if Ginny likes it.” Mrs. Weasley came in from the scullery, a dish towel in her hand. “Harry dear, thank you so much for asking Kreacher to come help! He’s already helping me catch up with so much around here.” Harry’s stomach gave a loud rumble and she started. “Didn’t you eat lunch?” “Ginny ate both of our sandwiches,” Harry chuckled. “I didn’t have the heart to tell her.” Mrs. Weasley smiled in relief. “I’m so glad to hear that. I’ll just knock something up for you then.” “I can do it,” Harry said. “You take a look at the house Bill found.” He went over and made himself a sandwich while Molly cooed over the house. “It’s just beautiful! It definitely needs a cleaning and the grounds are so overgrown but the garden out back is absolutely charming and oh! Look at that bridge over the stream and the little benches! It’s just wonderful.” Her eyes went all misty as she looked at Harry. “You are…” words seem to fail her as she walked over to hug him hard. “When I thought about a husband for Ginny, I couldn’t have ever dreamt up someone half as wonderful as you. Another man might have just walked away, left her to deal on her own especially under the circumstances but I never doubted you for a second. I never thought you’d run. I don’t know what will happen, but I do know that I can count on you to take care of my daughter and my grandchild.” Harry’s throat felt tight as he fought back emotion. He held on to his surrogate mother and let her cry. “Mrs. Weasley-” “Molly or Mum if you like,” she sniffed and pulled back to look up at him. “You’re going to be my son-in-law in a week. You’ve been a son in my heart for years.” It felt a little weird changing his name for her, but he gave it a go to start getting used to it. He would have to work up to using Mum. “Molly then… Ginny is amazing. I’m really lucky in all of this.” Bill cleared his throat. “I agree. Ginny is a very special girl. You need to take good care of her.” He thought for a second before adding. “Without letting her know you’re taking care of her, of course.” Harry and Molly laughed. “When Ginny gets up again I’ll see if she likes the house. If she does we can get that settled tomorrow and start setting up the wards as soon as the rental contract is signed. Wait,” Harry turned fully to Bill. “The current owners do know that we would be completely warding the property if we’re going to rent it, right?” Bill nodded. “It was made very clear. The estate agent told the owners that the person buying is high profile and needs to be protected but she assured the current owners that everything would be on the up and up and offered a large advance retainer if they felt like they needed it.” Harry nodded and the back door opened. Hermione came in, holding a large garment bag followed close on her heels by Luna. “Hi everyone. We just finished with the dresses and I’ve found a temporary nurse to help with the night time potions.” Everyone looked at her expectantly and Luna piped in. “Me. I’m a bit of a night owl anyway.” She blinked her large eyes slowly and Harry had to wonder if she didn’t do that on purpose. Molly looked slightly taken aback but also glad for the help. Harry was as well. With Luna in the mix that made 4 people to make sure Ginny got her potions through the night and it meant that they could get more sleep. “Are you sure, Luna?” Luna’s smile was dreamy as always. “Of course I am. Ginny is one of my best friends. I want to help. She would do the same for me.” Harry believed that she would. Luna was installed in Fred and George’s old room with Hermione and Harry moved down from Ron’s room to Percy’s old room which was right across the hall so that they were closest to Ginny’s room on the first floor. Harry wanted be closer if she needed him in the middle of the night again. Molly bit her lip as she looked around the sleeping arrangements. “I should just tell you to sleep in there with her, but I do want you to get some actual sleep. Hermione has charmed these timers to go off on alternating intervals so that between the four of us we’ll only be up every 4 hours.” She grinned suddenly. “It will be good preparations for when you have a newborn.” He hadn’t thought of it quite that way but she was right, of course. By then, hopefully, Ginny would be healthy enough to help but if not they’d still manage. “I don’t know how to prepare bottles or anything. I’m going to need a crash course in baby care.” Molly grinned, very amused. “Dear, I’m quite certain you won’t need to prepare bottles. Ginny is likely going to want to breastfeed.” “Oh,” Harry said, his cheeks turning slightly pink. “Oh, right.” He heard Ginny’s faint voice calling for him. He went down the stairs and found her looking through the pictures of the house that he’d left next to her while she slept. Ginny glanced up and her eyes were huge. “Is… is this the house you were looking at?” “Yeah,” he said sitting down next to her on the bed. “Bill thinks you’re going to love it, your mum loves it, but if you don’t we can look for something else.” “It’s so big,” she whispered, a little breathless. “It’s beautiful but-” Harry needed to interrupt her. “Do you like it? Could you happily live there?” “Yes, but-” “Do you want me to find something different?” he probed, trying to see whether her reservations were the house itself or what it cost. “No! But-” Harry swooped in to kiss her. “Then it’s settled. We can move in as soon as we get the wards set up.” “But Harry…” Ginny’s voice cracked and fat tears began to roll down her cheeks. Heart constricted at the tears, Harry moved aside the papers and lay down to take her into his arms. “Shh, what’s wrong?” “I d-don’t know!” She sobbed. “I d-do love the house and the garden i-is exactly what I always w-wanted. Exactly! The stream and the pond and the bridge and all those amazing old t-trees and the big kitchen but…” Ginny sniffed and Harry swiped at a trail of tears with his thumb. “I’m a little overwhelmed.” Harry understood. He’d been more than a little overwhelmed himself over the last few days. So many things had to happen and if he didn’t have the family helping him he had no idea how they’d all get done. “A lot of things have changed.” Ginny reached up near her pillow for a handkerchief to dry her eyes. “You don’t understand. I have wanted to marry you for over two years now.” Slightly taken aback, Harry blinked at her. “Really?” She sighed and a red flush stained her cheeks, but she didn’t look away. “I might as well tell you all of this embarrassing nonsense now and just get it out of the way. Try not to laugh, all right?” Harry kissed her forehead. “I promise not to laugh too much.” She giggled as he hoped she would and her expression became self-deprecating. “My fourth year, so the year we had Umbridge, I watched you struggle under so much and then you saved dad and you holed yourself up, not wanting to talk to us- you came down and we talked about whether you were possessed or not. You’d totally put it out of your mind that I’d been possessed. It didn’t matter to you. You were going to be my friend no matter what and when I snapped at you about forgetting, do you remember what you said?” Harry thought back. “I think I apologized.” “Yeah,” she said quietly. “You apologized. I’d been dating Michael for a while at that point and no matter what, he never apologized. He was always right in his mind. It sunk in that night, when I was trying to fall to sleep that I wanted to marry a man who was able to admit he was wrong. What I realized later is that it was the whole package of you that I was looking for. But your integrity and humility were just two of the things that drew me to you.” He nodded. “I wish I hadn’t been so dense. You have made me happier than I have ever been in my life. I wish we could have had more time while we were still in school.” Harry kissed her again, breathing in her amazing smell. When he looked back into her eyes, he saw hesitation. “Was that everything?” “No,” she sighed. “I found you in the library around Easter to give you your chocolate eggs and you were just so down, so upset and wanting to talk to Sirius. I thought you were hung up on Cho which hurt, but I was trying to be supportive.” “I told you what was bothering me,” Harry said. “I couldn’t even tell Ron or Hermione.” “You had this huge weight on your shoulders. You had Voldemort trying to kill you, the ministry against you, you’d lost all the things you loved at school and on top of it you really wanted to just talk to your godfather.” Ginny studied him for a moment before continuing. “I couldn’t help but feel awed that you actually opened up to me. I just wanted to make you feel better, to make it not hurt. I didn’t ever imagine I’d really be able to help but then I did. You aren’t perfect, Harry, but it hit me that you just might be perfect for me.” “But you still went out with Dean that next year,” Harry groaned. “I wanted to rip him limb from limb.” Ginny laughed. “Well I didn’t ever expect you to want to marry me back! I had to try to move on and I liked Dean. I just couldn’t ever love him because he wasn’t you.” Something clicked in his brain. Was that the heart of it? “So you are getting to marry me, which you’ve wanted for a while, and now this house which you really like-” “Love,” she interrupted. “I love the house.” Amused, but pleased, he went on. “You love the house and it just suddenly feels like you’re getting everything you ever wanted and it’s overwhelming?” She stared at him and then nodded ruefully. “That’s about it,” Ginny agreed, snuggling closer into his shoulder. She fit so beautifully there, almost like his shoulder was made her head. “For someone so thick about girls, you do seem to understand me.” “You’re easier to understand. I get the way your mind works, probably because of all of your brothers.” His fingers played through her silky hair. “I love your hair.” “Thanks,” she said, a little hesitantly. Harry took the end of her hair and used it to gently brush along her cheek. “You know what I always wanted and didn’t know if I’d ever get?” She looked up into his eyes. “What?” “A family.” He said it simply, knowing it didn’t need any elaboration and that she’d understand perfectly. “Oh Harry,” Ginny sighed, almost a whisper. “Well, you’re getting a ready-made family.” He nodded. “It used to be that I thought a family would be with me as the child but at Dumbledore’s funeral I realized that I wouldn’t ever have the shelter of a parent again and I needed to stand on my own two feet and not let anyone protect me. Your mum and dad still try to protect me, of course,” he added. “But for me to have a family now it means that I’m the father and I do the protecting and…” Harry paused; wanting to make sure he said this right. “I would really love to have a little girl with your hair and eyes. I hope she’s as beautiful as you are.” More tears began to pour from her eyes but she didn’t look away. “You keep making me cry!” “I think it’s the baby that’s making you cry,” Harry grinned and she gave a watery chuckle in acknowledgement. Ginny bit her lip, drying her tears again. “I didn’t know if you’d ever think I was pretty or anything. I’m glad you do.” “I definitely do,” he assured her, bending down to kiss her. She sunk her hand into his hair and held on when he tried to pull back. Ginny deepened the kiss and wiggled up against him trying to get to a better angle. Harry groaned at how amazing it felt and the sound gave her pause. She broke the kiss. “I’m just tormenting the both us, aren’t I?” “It’s a good kind of torture,” he assured her, resting his forehead against hers. “You’re not physically up for anything more, though.” “No,” she agreed. “We will have to be together once shortly after the wedding.” Harry froze, staring at her. “I thought we’d want to wait until you’re stronger.” “Ideally I’m sure that’s the best way, but after our souls are bonded we have to seal that within the first 24 hours.” Ginny’s eyes perfectly reflected his own fear and anticipation. “Ginny…” he said hesitating. “I don’t want to hurt you or the baby.” “I know. We’ll just have to be careful. I trust you,” she assured him, her eyes never wavering. “I know you’ll be gentle.” Her trust in him was awe inspiring and terrifying. Did he really deserve her faith in him especially when all he had was Seamus’ version of how sex was supposed to go and he’d only heard it second hand from Seamus’ cousin? But when he looked into her deep brown eyes he knew that he would because he couldn’t do anything to hurt her. “I, uh, okay. So,” Harry cleared his throat. “I didn’t know that was, uh, part of it.” “Mum told me last year. She gave Hermione and I the talk right before Bill and Fleur’s wedding and let us know what happens in a magical marriage.” Ginny grimaced. “It was unbelievably embarrassing. I thought Hermione was going to sink through the floor. We already knew most of it from other girls at school, but the part about soul bonding was new. The couple is bonded by magic but coming together physically is what seals the bond.” He nodded in understanding and resigned himself to having to ask his surrogate father about sex. It was going to be the most uncomfortable conversation he’d ever taken part in. Ginny’s timer went off and he grabbed a vial for her. She drank it in one go and before he could even mention dinner she’d fallen asleep. Harry kissed her cheek and touched her belly lightly, feeling a small jolt go through his fingers thinking yet again that his son or daughter was growing in her belly. He got up carefully and made his way back downstairs. |
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