|
Happy Birthday, Harry | ||||
|
Category: Post-OotP Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Angst, Drama Warnings: Death Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 10 Summary: It's Harry's fortieth birthday. He looks back on parts of his life he would rather forget with wife Ginny. He can never put his guard down, no matter how many times Ginny says he can now that Voldemort is long gone. One Shot. Hitcount: Story Total: 4292 |
|
|||
|
"You're listening to the Wizarding Wireless Network and that was the newest song by Veritaserum." Harry groaned as he turned over in bed, clutching the pillow with his hands and pulling it over the top of his head to muffle the sounds of the Wizarding Wireless Radio. He didn't want to get up; he didn’t have to get up. On your birthday, you can do what you want and what Harry wanted was to sleep, sleep for a very long time. He knew that he would have to make some effort to move, otherwise Ginny would be coming in to wake him. In their years together as Mr and Mrs Potter, Harry had learned that Ginny was very much like her mother; in the sense that Molly would always wake him up if he slept too late at the Burrow, just as Ginny has always done. Sometimes Harry would use this to his advantage, pretending to sleep and then when Ginny would pull back the covers, she would meet a naked Harry. Harry contemplated staying where he was, but as the smell of freshly cooked breakfast rose up the stairs and into the room, Harry decided on pulling himself up and finding the source of the smell. Harry sat up, reached for his glasses from the bedside table and pulled on his dark green dressing gown; before making his way down the wooden stairs. His senses lead him to the kitchen where his eyes were met with one of the most perfect sights. Ginny was standing by the gas cooker, wearing her purple dressing gown. She was waiting for a few pieces of bacon to cook as well as a pan of baked beans. While she waited, Harry watched her take a sip of her tea and set the mug down on her large stomach. "You know you should be sitting," Harry said as he walked over to his wife. Ginny looked over at Harry and a smile played across her lips. "Good morning birthday boy," she said simply. Harry took her mug off her stomach and placed it on the counter, giving Ginny a peck on her cheek before saying, "Our child is not a table." "He or she has kept me up for nights on end and caused me to watch my breakfast in reverse, the least they can do is hold my drink for me," Ginny protested. "Okay, okay," Harry said, resting his hands on Ginny’s shoulders, leading her to the kitchen table, where he guided her to a chair to sit on. "Just please, rest. We only have a week left until the little one is born and I don’t want a coffee mug birth-mark on their forehead." Harry paused. "One forehead mark per family," he added as an afterthought. Ginny grinned, and reached behind her where Harry had left her mug. Upon finding it, Ginny took a few more sips, before setting it down on the table. "So what do you want to do for your birthday today?" she asked, turning the mug around nonchalantly so she could read the word ‘Ginevra’ across it in red letters. "Nothing," Harry said in a sigh as he poked at the bacon with a fork from the counter. Ginny looked up at Harry and frowned. "Harry, you turn forty today," she reminded him. Harry winced and replied, "Don’t remind me." "Harry," Ginny said sternly, "You just act as though this isn’t a big deal, you didn't even think you would live past Hogwarts! And look at you now!" Ginny held onto the table so she could pull herself up. Wobbling a little, she walked over to Harry and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "You've done so much in your life; your years at Hogwarts are legend, they are now taught as part of the History of Magic curriculum, you defeated You-Know-Who -" "With help from Dumbledore’s Army," Harry added, blushing slightly at his list of achievements. "Yes, but it was you who finally defeated him, we just held back the Death Eaters," Ginny said proudly, her hand stroking his arm affectionately. "You shouldn’t have had to ... " Harry said, trailing off. "If the Army wasn’t there, then ... " Harry grimaced and avoided Ginny’s face. "Neville died a hero’s death," Ginny said softly. "You shouldn't have to die at twenty-two!" Harry said, his voice raising, angry with himself. Ginny quickly put her arms around Harry in warm embrace. Harry closed his eyes, fighting back the tears for his friend. "It wasn’t your fault, Neville fought well over the years, and you taught him that," Ginny said, rubbing her hands over Harry’s back to calm him down. "Everything that happens is my fault," Harry replied bitterly. "You, Ron and Hermione wounded back in our fifth year was my fault, Luna’s use of her left arm during the final battle was also my fault, Sirius ... " "Don't talk like that, Harry," Ginny said. "It was our own faults, fighting to save everyone, so you didn't have to; you were only fighting for yourself - " Ginny cut off, biting down on her lip, wondering if to mention that the reason they all went to the Ministry in their fifth year was for Sirius. She felt best and decided to change her tactics. "That’s all in the past now, the Wizarding — and Muggle worlds are safe, you can put your guard down," Ginny said. "I’m afraid to,” Harry admitted quietly. "You never know when I will be needed again." "You are needed at the moment!” Ginny said wearying, taking Harry’s hand and placing it on her stomach. She looked up at him, her brown eyes boring into him, reminding him of what his life was now. "We have a child on the way, your child," Ginny said, looking down at her stomach as the baby made a clear kick, as though he or she knew Ginny was discussing them. "Merlin knows we've waited long enough, after the wars and the fights, we can finally just be us, rest at home, have our family." Harry moved his hand over Ginny's stomach in a circle as she spoke, soaking in each word. "I know," Harry said after a while. "We deserve this, I know we do, but I can’t help fear for our baby, after what happened the first time ... " "Miscarriages are natural," Ginny cut in, her voice lower and quieter than usual. "They happen all the time for one reason or another." “I doubt fighting against Death Eaters counts as one reason or another," Harry said bitterly. The air was silent after Harry’s proclamation; Harry turned to the stove, turned the gas off for the bacon, and baked beans. He poured the contents of both pans onto a plate Ginny had already set out and put it on the table. He then motioned to Ginny to take a seat to eat. "Harry, I made that for you," Ginny said, looking from the food to her husband. "A birthday breakfast." Harry shook his head. "I’m not hungry," he admitted. "And anyway, you're eating for two, you need to keep your strength up," he added, continuing his circle motion on her stomach with his hand. Harry looked a little saddened as he watched Ginny’s stomach. Ginny placed her hand over Harry's, a small smile playing across her lips. And as though she knew what he was thinking, she said, "Everything’s going to be all right, Harry. The Healers say that the baby is fine." Harry nodded, feel mildly better. He couldn't lose another child, not at his age, not at all. "I still worry," Harry admitted. "Things don’t usually go my way, well, with one exception. I got you." Ginny smiled, but only for a few seconds as she felt wetness between her legs, looking down she noticed her water had broke. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked up, following Harry’s own gaze from the newly found puddle on the kitchen floor. Harry was speechless, he opened his mouth like a goldfish, and then closed it. Anything he could say now would probably be incoherent babble. "Things don’t go your way, huh?" Ginny asked sarcastically, unable to keep the grin from expanding across her face. "Happy birthday, Harry," she said. Fin. |
| Reviews 10 |
|
