|
What Goes On | ||||||
|
Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Other, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley Genres: Angst, Drama Warnings: Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations Rating: R Reviews: 47 Summary: Instead of bringing about a well-deserved era of peace and healing, the end of the war has split their lives in two. Choices and secrets have thrust our heroes into chaos and forced them down paths they could never have imagined. Note: This is the companion piece to Restless Heart Syndrome and covers those years and the stories between the final battle and where that story picks up. Hitcount: Story Total: 26717; Chapter Total: 2143 Author's Notes: I'm back! I hope you enjoy this next installment. I'll hopefully be having a bit more time to be writing/working on my stories in progress. I spoiled myself on the details for HP&CC today and I'm going to need to write a lot to get over it! |
Previous Next |
|
||||
|
“You...have got...to be...kidding...me,” Ginny huffed as she watched the water cup she’d placed on the counter hit the floor and roll away from her across the kitchen. Knocking things over seemed to be a pretty regular occurrence these days. As was the very real struggle to reach over and pick up whatever had been knocked or tossed to the ground. Her seemingly ever-expanding belly and an inability to bend comfortably at said middle, made it increasingly difficult and frustrating to maneuver around these days. At just about 8 months pregnant Ginny was hot, uncomfortable and felt so big that she thought she might actually pop. Although--if one more person as much as suggested the same thing she might actually hit them. These past few months had been some of the most trying, stressful and strangest of her entire life--and that was saying something considering all that she’d experienced prior to this point. But with the support and help of her family and loved ones, she’d been able to make it through each day somehow. She still had those moments--mostly in the quiet stillness of the night--where sadness and grief gripped her and became almost too overwhelming to handle. But more recently her thoughts had been focused and channeled towards the impending and ever nearing arrival of this baby. Her baby. The very idea that in a few short weeks there would be a little life that would be here and real and hers and one she’d be responsible for--was something that was still hard to believe at times. She was going to be a mother. Well--she already technically was a mum she supposed--she only had to attempt a glance downward towards her now horribly obscured feet for that proof. But she didn’t think the reality of this all would hit her until the baby was actually here and she could hold them. For months she’d been able to feel the baby move. As she’d started to show and grow bigger she’d been able to spend large chunks of time watching as tiny hands and feet danced under her skin and elbows and knees poked at her ribs and other internal organs. The sensation and the sight was something both amazing and terrifying to behold. It almost didn’t seem real... Not that she wasn’t fully aware of the gravity of the situation that she was seventeen years old, incredibly pregnant, and--in the grand scheme of things--wholly unprepared for parenthood in general… This was really happening and she needed to stay strong and keep her head. If not for herself, then for her child… No matter how broken she seemed some days. “I’ve got it, sweetheart.” Ginny started at the sound of her father’s voice, not having heard him enter the kitchen in the middle of her own musing. She watched as he ducked under the table much more easily than she would have managed and retrieved the offensive cup from the floor, placing it in the sink before he grabbed a new one from the cupboard. “Pumpkin juice?” Her dad asked as he reached for the cold cupboard. “Yes,” Ginny replied. “But I can get it myself,” she assured him. Everyone seemed to want to do everything for her these days. Her mother and her brothers were particularly quick to step in and make sure she needn’t lift a finger. She understood where they were coming from and that it was in her brothers’ nature to be overprotective of their youngest and only sister. Not that it made it any less annoying. “Of course you can,” her father said with a knowing smile as he pulled out a container of pumpkin juice. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t do something nice for you every once and awhile,” he added. “I suppose,” Ginny replied with a heavy, resigned sigh. “Why don’t you go have a sit in the lounge and I’ll bring it to you,” her father said kindly, his blue eyes meeting her brown. Even though the very prominent stubborn streak in her was trying it’s best to rebel, she instead decided to let it go. Moving into the lounge, Ginny maneuvered herself unceremoniously onto the sofa, groaning as she settled her larger frame. Pulling her legs up onto the cushions as carefully as she could, Ginny leaned her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes. As much as she was afraid of actually having this baby and becoming a mother--she wanted this kid out of her and her body back within her control. Everything had seemed so out of control since the end of the war and the burden of this pregnancy only added to that spiral. She felt bigger with each passing day and it was growing increasingly difficult to find any sort of comfort these long summer days. That’s why she really could use that pumpkin juice. “Here you go, sweetheart.” Ginny opened her eyes at the sound of her father’s voice and the movement of the cushions as he sat down next to her. He was holding out a full glass to her and she gratefully took it--straining slightly as she reached across her burgeoning belly to do so. “Thanks, Dad,” she said after taking a big gulp of the juice. It was so refreshingly good she had to keep herself from groaning out in satisfaction. “You look tired, Firefly,” her dad said quietly. Ginny looked up to find him appraising her carefully, yet kindly. “Your mum said you’ve been having trouble getting to sleep.” Ginny nodded. It was true that in the past few months she was finding it increasingly harder to find any comfortable position to sleep in. Whatever small burst of energy she seemed to have found in the midst of the second trimester was long gone and sleep was once again evading her. “I can’t exactly sleep on my stomach anymore,” Ginny replied as she ran her hands across her prominent belly. “And every time I get to the point of nearly nodding off, this little one wants to be awake,” she said as she poked at the spot where an elbow or a knee was now making an appearance just beneath her skin. “Usually somewhere in the vicinity of my ribs,” she added as she watched the appendage she’d just displace reappear a few inches away and she felt the baby shift upwards against those ribs she’d just mentioned. Even with the discomfort she was now feeling, Ginny couldn’t help but smile as she watched the movement. As unbelievable as it was sometimes to fully accept that this was really happening to her--it was also amazing and breathtaking to realize that there was a little person moving and shifting inside her--a little life that would soon be here. A little boy or girl--her son or daughter--who she would be able to watch grow every day. “Somebody is quite active today.” Ginny looked up from her musings at the sound of her dad’s voice to find him watching her, watch the baby move. “It seems like the less room there is in there, the more this one wants twirl around,” she said as the two kept their eyes on where the baby’s movement was currently displacing Ginny’s t-shirt. “Your mum and I used to spend many a quiet moment watching just like this when she was pregnant with you and your brothers,” he said, smiling fondly at the memory. “I always found it fascinating how--even before each of you were born--your personalities tended to show through.” Ginny quirked an eyebrow. “Well, for example, Percy--and even Ron--were quite docile,” he replied with a smile. “But the twins and you, my dear, seemed to constantly be on the move.” Ginny chuckled at the thought. “It was such an odd thing to feel,” he added. “I only imagined what it was like for your mother.” “There’s absolutely now way to describe it,” Ginny agreed. From the first flutters--to the full-fledged somersaults she felt now--the feeling was like nothing else she’d experienced before. And it had gotten even more strange since she’d been able to start visibly seeing the baby move. Having people touch her belly was something else she’d needed some time to get used to. Each of her brothers had taken their own amount of time in asking if they could feel the baby move. Her mother--of course--had placed a hand to her stomach the moment Ginny had mentioned that she thought she could feel the baby move against her own hand. Her dad, though--she couldn’t recall a time he’d actually done so. For a moment she wondered--as she had a few times over the course of the last months--if it was because he was upset or disappointed with her current station--that his his only daughter was pregnant at her young age. She knew that wasn’t the case--he’d made sure to tell her over all of this time that he loved her and that he and the family were there for her throughout. But then again, she’d never asked him if he’d wanted to... “Dad,” she said quietly as she continued to watch him eye the baby’s movements. “Dad, would you like to feel the baby move?” He looked up, his blue eyes full of surprise. “Are you sure?” he asked apprehensively. She nodded. Very carefully, Ginny grabbed her father’s hand and gently guided it to a spot on the left side of her belly where the baby was being most active and she knew he’d be able to feel movement best. Right on cue the baby kicked quite forcefully against where she’d just placed her father’s hand. She watched as an amazed smile spread across her father’s face. “That was a strong one,” he said with a smile as he kept his hand where it was as Ginny removed hers. “You’re telling me,” she said with a slight grimace as another errant kick hit the underside of her ribs. “You should feel when it really gets going and it feels like he’s doing flips in there,” she added as she poked at a spot near where the lastest kick had been. “Do you think the baby is going to be a boy?” her father asked with a raised brow at her choice of word. “Not particularly,” Ginny replied honestly. “Mum told me she had a feeling with all of us...but I haven’t really had anything of the sort either way. I just think it’s a lot easier to say ‘he’ or ‘she’ instead of calling the baby ‘it’,” she added. “Quite understandable,” her dad said with a smile. “As long as this little one his healthy, that’s what matters, right?” he added as he moved his hand to another spot on her belly. “Right,” she responded quietly with a nod. Her father’s words sounded odd to hear--the realization that there would actually be a baby here in mere weeks was still not something that was completely real. She had trouble picturing herself as a mother--holding, comforting or carrying out any of the other motherly things she knew she’d be doing. She could even admit that sometimes she felt an odd detachment from the sitiuation--even though it was very clearly happening in and to her own body. She’d sat quielty and listened as her mum and Tonks had talked about their own pregnancies--about how they’d each spent time picturing what their little ones would look like and who they’d take after. Ginny hadn’t spent much time doing so--or possibly had spent time trying not to allow her mind to go there.Because every time she had allowed herself to think about what her baby would look like, it was always the same. She just wasn’t sure she’d be able to handle seeing those same green eyes staring back at her every day from someone else’s face. Simultaneously, her greatest hope and deepest fear was that this baby would look just like Harry. She felt horrible whenever those thoughts came into her head. No child could do anything about which parent they took after or what characteristics they might take from one or the other. To wish or hope otherwise was insane. But she was just so terrified of how hard it would be to look that painful reminder so plainly in the face every day--especially when it was still so raw. “Gin?” her father asked quietly, taking note of the sudden far away look on his daughter’s face. Ginny looked up, her focus coming back to the present. “Are you alright?” “Yes,” she replied quietly as she met his worried gaze. “I was just off in my head for a bit--worrying about how I’m possibly going to do this.” “I know you are scared of what’s to come,” her father said quietly as he took her hand, and moved it to where his own had been resting on her stomach only moments before. “After everything you’ve been through and everything that’s happened in the last months--I’d say you have every right to be.” “I have no clue how to be somebody’s mum,” Ginny said in a small voice as her eyes dropped to where there hands rested. “Can I tell you a secret?” her dad whispered. Ginny raised her gaze when he didn’t continue. He seemed to be waiting for her to look at him. “None of us really know what we’re doing most of the time--Mums and Dads, that is,” he added with a mischevious look. Ginny couldn’t help the smile that spread across her own face. “But one thing I am certain of-- is that once you’re able to meet and hold your little one none of those uncertainties will seem so big or pressing,” he added. “And I know you’ll be a good mother because of who you are,” he continued, sounding so very sure of himself. Ginny raised her brow, skeptical of his assuredness. “You are an amazingly strong young woman,” her father said steadily. “You’ve proven that a million times over through all of this. Your mother and I--we couldn’t be any more proud of you and how you’ve handled yourself.” “And I also know you’ll be a great mum because of how fiercely you love with all of your heart,” her dad said with so much pride in his voice. “I’m terrified of doing this on my own,” Ginny said in a small voice, unable to keep the tears from filling her eyes. “Well--here’s the one thing you’re mistaken about,” her dad replied. “You won’t be doing any of this alone. Your mum and I--your brothers and the rest of our family--we’ll be right there with you every step of the way.” “I know that the one person you want with you more than anything isn’t able to be,” her father said sadly. “But you will never be alone.” ----------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------- She could hear the laughter drifting in along with the cool evening breeze through the open windows. It was the only noise audible within the otherwise dark and quiet house. All of the activity and all of the life was currently happening just outside The Burrow’s garden fence in one of the surrounding fields. She could just see the flickering of the large bonfire’s yellow and orange light as it filtered in through the kitchen curtains--bouncing off of the cupboards and countertops. Ron and a few of her other brothers had invited friends over for a quiet evening gathering. Ginny--aside from her mum and dad who had retired upstairs to their bedroom already--was the only one still inside. When Hermione had mentioned that Ron and the twins had thought about having a few friends and classmates over--as a way to get everyone back together for the first time since directly after the war--Ginny had been angry. She hadn’t seen anybody outside of her family and a few close Order members since. Unlike Hermione, Ginny hadn’t returned to school when it had reopened. Instead, she’d made arrangments through Professor McGonagall--who had been appointed Headmistress shortly after the end of the war--to finish up her studies and take her exams. Very people outside her little bubble knew what she was going through. Going to Hogwarts would have not only gotten more difficult physically as her pregnancy progressed, but Ginny could only imagine the uproar and craziness it would have caused. Nearly everyone there knew who she’d dated and she really was not ready for the attention and the firestorm that would surely ensue when the world found out that Harry Potter had a child. She knew inevitably that this wouldn’t stay a secret forever--but now was not the time she wanted to deal with whatever fallout came from that. Being a pregnant, teenage, single mother was quite enough to be getting on with already. Her anger came from the fact that she had neither been asked nor had been told about this event until the plans had been made and it was within hours of people arriving. While she understood that her family was perfectly at liberty to have friends over--her own fears of what people would think or say when they saw her were so much greater than that understanding. She hated thinking such things of the people she knew… But she was still--nonetheless--wildly uncomfortable with the prospect of all of these people being here. That’s why Ginny had stayed shut up in her room as the first guests had begun arriving. Even as the sound of laughter and excited conversation drifted up through the house--and even after Hermione had visited her room several times to try to coax her to join them--Ginny had remained resolutely tucked away in her room. That is...she stayed shut in her room until both her bladder and stomach decided to interfere with those plans. Being as pregnant as she was, it seemed she was running to the bathroom every hour. So she was actually quite impressed with how long she had lasted before she’d had to dash to the loo on the floor below. And after taking care of that need, her stomach had made it’s presence and hunger known as it growled loudly in the darkened hallway. So she’d chanced a quick trip to the kitchen to grab something to eat for a snack, making sure as she crept down the stairs to listen for any sign that she might not be completely alone. Without turning on any lights, she’d grabbed a sandwich from the back of cold cupboard, along with a bag crisps from the counter. Suddenly struck by a craving for something sweet as well, Ginny turned towards the cupboards where she knew her mom usually stored the fresh baked chocolate biscuits she made every few days. Unable to quite reach the top shelf where she could see the tin of biscuits even as she stood on her tiptoes, Ginny sighed in frustration. Now that she was here, she really wanted chocolate. She whirled around, looking for the step-stool she knew her mother kept nearby. But instead of locating the stool, she found herself face to face with a very familiar round face. “Neville,” Ginny gasped as she whirled back around, her back towards him. She wondered how long he’d been standing there or how much of her struggle he had witnessed. “Hey...” she heard him say hesitantly. She also felt him take a step closer to her even as she stayed turned away. “Are you looking for these?” he asked quietly as he reached up into the cupboard from his spot next to her and pulled down the tin of biscuits. As tall as he was, Neville was able to easily reach them while keeping his feet flat on the floor. She heard him set the tin gently on the counter top next to her, but she still did not turn to face him. Maybe if she just ignored him long enough, he’d leave her be… “Ginny…” Neville said softly as he remained beside her. “Ginny, it’s alright,” he continued. “I talked to Ron.” Ginny felt herself flinch at Neville’s statement and new that her reaction had been quite noticable. Why would her brother have done such a thing? “He didn’t really want to in the worst way. But--I sort of--cornered him,” Neville admitted once he realized that his admission might cause a row between the siblings. “We’ve all just been really worried about you--friends at school, Luna--me…” “I didn’t mean to worry anyone,” Ginny said quietly, surprised to find herself able to speak. “I just….” she started, but trailed off. “You weren’t ready to see anybody,” Neville finished for her--his voice full of understanding and mingled with concern. “Ginny...turn around,” Neville said gently. “It’s alright. Nobody here is going to judge you for anything.” Even with Neville’s quiet reassurances, Ginny still hesitated. Mustering all the courage she had at the moment, she slowly turned on the spot to face her old friend. As she did so, she kept a hand upon her belly in a gesture of protection she’d come accustomed to automatically doing over the last months. Protection against what--she wasn’t exactly sure in this situation. She’d expected Neville’s gaze to drop to her pregnant belly straight away. But instead, he met Ginny’s own eyes as a smile spread across his face. And in one swift movement, Neville wrapped her up in a great hug. After only a moment’s hesitation, she returned the embrace--realizing how much she’d missed her good friend. During that last year--when Harry, Ron and Hermione had been off on their own mission--she, Neville, Luna and the remaining members of Dumbledore’s Army had leaned on one another and made it their own mission to cause as much havoc as they could for the occupying regime at Hogwarts. Without her own family at school during that time, she’d come to think of Neville as a brother. Amidst her greif and own situation--somehow she’d forgotten that… When they finally released each other from the embrace, Neville looked down at her with a smile. This time his eyes drifted downwards toward her prominent--very apparent--pregnant belly. “Wow...I mean…” Neville began awkwardly. “Ron said you were...but…yeah...” he added as he gestured towards her middle. “Yes...I’m--very--pregnant,” Ginny said with a snort as she nodded. “Yeah…” Neville said with a nod of agreement. “So...how are doing? I mean...really?” he asked after a moment. Ginny took a moment to think about how to answer that question. “Honestly?” Neville nodded. “Considering everything that’s already gone on and everything that’s happening...I’m actually...I’m alright,” she replied truthfully. Now...there were some days where the gravity of the last months happenings crashed down upon her and the greif was enough to steal all of the air from her lungs and suffocate her. But with the help of her family and the ever-nearing birth of this baby she’d had plenty to keep her mind occupied and away from that all-consuming grief. “People tried to come up with all sorts of ideas about why you hadn’t returned back to school,” Neville said. “Some people said you’d gone mad after…” he trailed off quietly. “There was some rumors actually that...well...they turned out to be pretty accurate,” Neville said with a nod of the head. “People really guessed this?” Ginny said suddenly alarmed--wondering if somehow her pregnancy had gotten outside her little circle. “Those were some of the more wilder rumors,” Neville said with a waive of the hand. “Nobody really knows anything,” he assured her. Ginny let out a small sigh of relief. “You could have trusted me though, Ginny,” he said quielty. “I’d like to think I’m a good friend of yours and that I was one to Harry…” “You are,” Ginny said quickly. “And you were.” “It’s just--” she continued. “It’s taken me quite awhile to come to terms with everything and--I while I know I can trust and have the support of my family--letting the outside world in on this is terrifying.” “I’m sorry for keeping you out. It’s just been hard.” Neville gave her a small smile--letting Ginny know that he wasn’t really angry or harbored hard feelings about not letting him in. He just wanted her to know that he could still be trusted. “So why aren’t you out there enjoying the party everyone?” Ginny asked Neville when they had lapsed into a silence. “What brought you inside?” “I came to see you,” Neville replied. “I came to see why you aren’t out there enjoying the party, actually.” “I’m afraid I wouldn’t be much fun,” she said with a shake of her head as she gently patted her stomach. “And...I wasn’t sure who would all be here.” “Just some friends--a few members of the Order,” Neville told her. “More people you can trust and that you don’t have to worry about judging you. You should join us. Sit with us for a bit.” “I came downstairs because I was hungry,” she said lamely as she gestured to the food she’d collected from the cabinets. “We have plenty of food out by the fire,” Neville said with a smile. “Your mum made sure that we’d be well stocked.” Ginny could just imagine the small feast her mother probably prepared for this gathering. Just thinking about all the possible dishes and treats made her hunger increase ten-fold. “Just for a bit,” Neville offered as he tried to get her to budge. Everything in her mind was telling Ginny to head back upstairs and take her leave for the night. But there was a very small part of her that wanted to see some of her old friends--that just wanted to forget about all of the burdens that had been thrust upon her and just relax. If only for a brief moment… She didn’t remember verbalizing her agreement to Neville, but a few minutes later she was following him out into the back garden and down to where the bonfire still burned on the edge of the field. As they drew closer and her eyes adjusted to the light, Ginny began to recognize and take in the familiar faces that filled the chairs surrounding the fire. Nearly all of her brothers were here--save Charlie--along with their significant others. The other chairs were filled with friends and former classmates--several who called out greetings as the recognized Ginny and Neville’s approach. The greetings, along with the faces of those around the fire were friendly and warm and welcoming. Ginny’s anxiety began to slip away as Hermione called out from her perch on Ron’s lap and and beckoned for her to take an empty chair next to them. Ginny complied and very carefully managed to drop her awkward frame into the low chair--sighing as it took her extra weight off of her joints. “I’m glad you decided to join us,” Hermione said with a wide smile. “And I’m sorry Ron told Neville like that. Neville sort of cornered him actually and I was afraid for a moment that they might actually get into it.” “I’m glad they didn’t,” Ginny said with a small smile. “And it’s alright. It’s not like I can just keep hiding from everyone for the rest of my life. Especially from people I care about--” “And that care about you,” Ron put in--giving proof that he’d been listening, but had obviously been nervous about Ginny’s reaction to him. “That too,” Ginny said in agreement as she smiled at her brother. “It is really good to see you, Ginny,” a familiar voice from her other side her startled out of her conversation with Hermione. “We’ve all missed you so much.” Ginny turned to find Luna sitting beside her. Ginny was surprised and wondered how she’d missed her friend sitting there as she’d taken her spot in the group. “Luna!” Ginny replied with a smile as Luna got up from her chair to give her a hug. The two witches embraced for several long moments before breaking apart. “I’ve missed all of you too,” Ginny replied as she addressed Luna and then looked around to find several others she recognized watching the exchange. “How have you been? What have you been up to?” She realized that she’d been so out of touch with the rest of the world that she had no clue what the future plans were for any of her friends. They’d all graduated, they’d made it through the war and now they were surely on their way to planning out the next steps in their lives. New jobs, travelling, perhaps? “I went with my dad for a few weeks on an expedition to Sweden,” Luna offered. “There’d been a recent sighting of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack there,” she added. There were several sniggers at Luna’s mention of the elusive--and yet to be proven to exist--creature that she and her father had always been infatuated with finding. “Then in a month I’ll be starting an apprenticeship with a well-known magizoologist,” she finished. “Wow,” Ginny supplied. “So you’ll be travelling a lot then?” she asked, suddenly feeling a bit envious. She knew what her immediate plans entailed and it definitely was nothing near as exotic. “For periods of time, yes,” Luna supplied with that same dreamy smile she always had. “Although, I’ll for certain be around when you’re welcoming that little baby into the world.” Ginny smiled at her friend, her hand resting on her belly. “When are you due, Ginny?” another voice asked from the other side of Luna. Ginny looked up to find Hannah Abbott, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson and a few others watching her interestedly. Ginny noticed Angelina Johnson was perched on Fred’s chair, much like Hermione was with Ron. “The end of the month...or...any day now really,” she replied. “It’s getting close.” “Do you know what you’re having?” Angelina asked with a smile. “A baby, of course,” Fred interjected with a snigger. “What did you think she’d be hav--” Angelina elbowed him in the side, ignoring him otherwise as she focused her gaze on Ginny. Ginny shook her head--also choosing to ignore her brother’s attempted interjection of humor. “No. I haven’t found out yet. It’ll end up being a surprise, I think,” she offered with a shrug. “That’s actually pretty exciting,” Angelina replied. “I think that’s what I’d want to do.” She thought she’d feel more guarded about people asking her questions. But she actually didn’t mind this line of questioning. The looks on the faces of those paying attention told her that they were genuinely interested and weren’t looking to judge anything. She felt like it was okay to open up. She could trust everyone in this circle. There were several more questions about the baby--name ideas, how her pregnancy had been so far, etc. The evening continued on with a lightness about it that Ginny hadn’t expected to encounter. She felt happier than she had in awhile and--as the conversation drifted away from herself and the baby and questions about nursery colors were replaced with jokes and old and familiar stories--Ginny found herself forgetting for a moment the impending responsibility that was nearing and the hovering darkness she’d been trying to throw off for so long. |
| Reviews 47 |
Previous Next
|
