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SIYE Time:11:39 on 28th March 2024
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It Happened One Night
By SunDevil05

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Category: Post-OotP, Buried Gems
Characters:Harry/Ginny
Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, General
Warnings: Death, Sexual Situations, Violence
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 1042
Summary: Harry and Ginny make a decision that changes their lives....
Hitcount: Story Total: 253579; Chapter Total: 11786







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A/N: The next installment!! After this chapter things are going to be changing for the Potters . . . .

I don't know when I'll have my next update. I will TRY to get it up by next week but I can't promise it. School starts. . . .today actually.

My Valentine's Day fic which goes with this story is still in the works. I shall have that up sometime in the first week of February or maybe sonner. Again, don't hold me to it.

Thanks for reading and review! Please review!!

DISCLAIMER: Alas, these characters are not mine. If it was then I wouldn't be wokring in a candy store. It all belongs to that one lady. Yeah, you know who I'm talking about.



Chapter Twelve



James Elijah Potter had been at Hogwarts for over a week and a half now. For a few days after his unexpected arrival, many students were asking questions. They wanted to know if the rumors were true. Were they married? Was Harry really the father? But that had died down and both Harry and Ginny were happy that everyone had come to terms with the fact that they were parents.

Harry and Ginny were also proud parents. James had begun to sit up on his own and they couldn’t be prouder. Harry was the one who spotted it. He had decided to check on James as they studied in the common room one night because he was awfully quiet. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he looked in the playpen and his son was sitting on his own and looking up at him, chewing on the ear of his teddy bear. He called Ginny over and they praised the five month old and beamed with pride.

They had quickly abandoned the baby bag. Harry and Ginny had grown tired of carrying two bags around, so they magically expanded their own school bags to fit the necessities they would need for James. Ginny had even put a Weightless Charm on the traveling carrier, making it much easier to carry around.

Halloween had come and gone. Both Harry and Ginny were worried that James would be frightened during the feast. He, however, was the exact opposite. The infant was fascinated with the decorations that hung all over the Great Hall, especially the flying bats. During the feast, Ron had tried to feed James a piece of candy. Ginny had caught him and gave him a lecture on how that he was much too young and it would upset his fragile stomach. Then she told him that if he tried to feed James anything other than baby food she would make sure he had a very upset stomach that night. Needless to say, no one dared to challenge her. Professor Dumbledore had made a speech about the events that took place that night sixteen years before. Harry found himself full of anger and sadness as he was forced to remember that night. He knew that everyone had been looking at him. He had held onto James tightly while Ginny rubbed his shoulder lovingly. He was grateful to hear the soothing voice of Ginny and feel her gentle touch. Harry had wondered how different things would be if his parents were still alive. How would they deal with the fact that their seventeen year old son had a wife and a son of his own?

They, of course, left early. Neither one of them wanted James to be present when the Filibuster Fireworks went off at the end of the night. They spent the rest of the time alone in the common room and Ginny read a Muggle story, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, to James in honor of the holiday. James seemed more interested in chewing on the book rather than listening to it. He had made several attempts to grab the pages while he sat in his mother’s lap. After a while, Harry took James in his lap so that Ginny could finish reading it to their son and return the book back to Hermione, without any damage done.

The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Sampson, had left. Apparently there was a family emergency and he could no longer teach. The students were very happy about this. Professor Dumbledore took over the lessons and the class had become much better. Everyone was grateful to have someone better teaching it. However, what made them the happiest was that Professor Sampson was gone for good. He was afraid of his own shadow and not to mention terrified of the students. What saddened most of the students was that they knew their fun with the Headmaster would not last long. Professor Dumbledore had promised them a new teacher by Monday.

Hermione had been a huge help. Harry and Ginny felt like they were taking advantage of their friend. She on the other hand didn’t share those thoughts with them. She loved James and James seemed to love her as well (most of the time). Harry and Ginny had even tried to pay Hermione for her help, but she flat out refused. “I will not take money from my friends like that. I love you both and I’m delighted to take care of James. And if you try to shove that gold under my nose again I will be forced to hex you both!!” she had said to them.

It was Saturday morning, around eight and Ginny was waiting impatiently outside the Gryffindor locker room. They had an early morning Quidditch practice, due to the fact that it was a Hogsmeade weekend. Ron had plans with Hermione and he had informed all the players that practice would take place at five thirty that morning. This did not go over well with the team. They argued with him about it until their voices were hoarse and Ron still didn’t change his mind. Needless the say, the team was not happy with their captain that morning during practice. Bludgers and Quaffles were purposely aimed at him most of practice and several players “accidently” flew into him. Ginny and Harry were the angriest of the bunch. They knew exactly how their son was in the morning, let alone at the crack of dawn. While James did wake them up in the middle of the night and the early morning and that he was usually awake before them, that didn’t mean that he liked to be woken up for no reason. Not to mention that he had a routine in the morning and Ginny did not want to break that. Ginny hated having to wake James up at five in the morning and leaving him with Hermione, whom was barely awake herself. He had protested loudly that morning when Ginny woke him and took him out of his crib. He was even louder when she handed him over to Hermione and saw his parents leaving him in her care. Ginny felt awful knowing that her son was cranky and that Hermione had to deal with it. She had shot Ron a venomous look and took in the satisfaction that he gulped and steered clear from her. With one last look at her crying son and a less than happy Hermione, Ginny left the common room with and equally angry Harry by her side. The whispered to each other about hexing Ron at one point but decided that aiming balls at him would be more satisfying.

Right now Ginny was going to hex Harry the moment he came out of that door. They had no time to waste. Ginny still had to dress James since he was still in his pajamas and give him a bath, and not to mention pack his things. They had been invited by Hagrid for a morning visit to his cabin. Hagrid had not been able to see James since he arrived. Both Harry and Ginny had decided to keep him out of Care of Magical Creatures and Potions, seeing that they were the two most dangerous classes they had.

And Harry was taking his sweet time.

The prat.

Just as Ginny was about to barge in and drag Harry out the door opened and out came a laughing Ron and Harry.

“Finally! And I thought girls took long!” Ginny exclaimed and grabbed Harry’s arm.

“Ouch!” Harry exclaimed at the tight grip she had on his upper arm. “Yank my arm out why don’t you. Not like I need it or anything.”

Ginny loosened her grip, but barely, and continued to drag him across the grounds.

“Seriously love, you’re cutting off the circulation in my arm,” Harry said, trying to pull his arm out of her grasp. Ginny let go and kept on walking at her fast pace, leaving Harry in her wake.

“We have lots to do Harry,” she called to him. Harry frowned and jogged to keep up with her.

“Like what?” he asked. Ginny sighed.

“James needs to have a bath. And I have to dress him and get his bag ready, not to mention get myself ready. We told Hagrid we’d be there by ten,” Ginny explained.

“How hard is it to get a baby bathed and dressed?” Ron asked. Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother. “And besides isn’t he wearing clothes already?”

“Ron, he’s in his pajamas. I’m not taking him outside in this weather in his pajamas. Poor thing will freeze like that,” Ginny explained to her brother. She felt bad for his future children.

They entered the castle and began to climb the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. Ginny was far ahead of them. She kept her fast pace, determined to get up to the common room and ignoring the two boys behind her. Harry shook his head as he jogged to keep with his wife.

“Look, just give me all the stuff for his bath. I’ll give him one,” Harry offered as he caught up to her. Ginny gave him a skeptical look as they turned a corner and went up another flight of stairs.

“You sure?” she asked, biting her lip and continuing to climb the stairs.

“Yes, I’m sure. I do know how to give him a bath,” Harry said, defensively. Ginny smiled and suppressed a laugh.

“You do?” she asked, an amused smile on her lips.

“Yes I do,” he replied, slightly offended. Ginny’s eyes lit up with glee and Harry knew what she was going to say.

“I seem to remember the first time you tried to give him a bath,” she reminisced. Harry blushed. Of course she had to bring that up again.

“That was the first time!” he exclaimed in protest.

“Harry, you’re not the one whose suppose to be wet!” she laughed and burst into a fit of giggles. “You,” she poked him in the shoulder playfully, “are suppose to stay dry.”

“I know that!” he blushed harder. She merely smirked. “At least I didn’t drown him,” Harry muttered. Ginny gave him a stern look and look remarkably like Professor McGongall. Harry recoiled and muttered an apology. She smiled.

“Yes, but dear, do try to remember that he is the one getting the bath and not you,” Ginny teased. Harry glared at her and attempted to grab her as they reached a their landing. Ginny backed away and stuck her tongue out at him. Harry reached for her again and grabbed her around the waist. She shouted playfully in protest. He turned her around to face him. His eyes landed on her lips. He had one goal in his mind now.

“I think I’ll remember this time, Mrs. Potter,” he said to her. Ginny put her arms around his neck.

“You better remember, Mr. Potter,” she replied. Harry grinned at her and pulled her closer for a kiss. The kiss quickly deepened and nothing else seemed to matter any more. They both knew they had somewhere to be but couldn’t quite remember where.

“Ugh! Not in front of me!” Ron shouted from behind them. Harry broke the kiss and glared at his best friend, disappointed that a good moment was ruined. He sighed and took Ginny’s hand, entwining his fingers with hers, and continued to walk to the portrait of the Fat Lady in the Pink Dress.

The three of them finally reached Gryffindor Tower. Ron gave the password (Raspberry Sugar Quills!) and they entered the common room.

“Come on James, I’m sure your parents will be back soon. Just shh,” Hermione tried to coax the crying infant to calm down. He continued to cry and looked up at her, his face red, tears running down his face and crying at the top of his lungs. Hermione looked like she was at her wit’s end with him, holding out a teddy bear to help quiet him. He grabbed a set of toy keys in the midst of his tantrum, looking as if he were going to throw it if his parents didn’t return to him soon. He turned his head as he sat in his playpen, looking for Harry and Ginny and still crying. He spotted them and reached out to his parents to find comfort. Hermione looked up and sighed in relief.

“Hi sweetheart,” Ginny cooed as she reached her son. He reached up for her. Ginny picked him up and gave him a kiss. “Mummy missed you! Here, go to Daddy.”

Harry took him from her arms and promptly kissed the top of his head. James had finally reduced to sniffling and whimpering slightly, his head resting on Harry’s chest. Hermione looked relieved to see him stop crying and dropped the teddy bear in the playpen and collapsed in a chair.

“Hermione, I’m so sorry. He gets so cranky if you wake him up early like that and he doesn’t go through his routine. And then he doesn’t want anyone around except us when he wakes up. I should have warned you about that,” Ginny apologized quickly, shooting a Look at Ron. Hermione held up her hands to stop Ginny.

“It’s okay Ginny. Don’t apologize,” Hermione said. “He just missed you two that’s all.”

“Well, besides that little tantrum, how was he?” Harry asked, gently bouncing James in his arms, earning himself a smile and a soft laugh. Harry smiled down at his son and looked back at his friend.

“Fine, like always,” Hermione smiled. Harry returned the smile.

“Right then. Let me get his things,” Ginny said and disappeared up the girls’ stairs. She dashed around her bed, gathering things for James and picking out the cutest outfit she could find for him. He was going to be the cutest baby in Hogsmeade today.

Ginny came back down after a few minutes with a tub filled with soap, towels, and other needs, and some clothes. She handed the bath necessities to Ron and Harry took the clothes. Harry gave her a swift kiss and went up to his dormitory with Ron trailing behind.

When they entered their dormitory their roommates were still asleep, Dean snoring loudly from behind his curtains.

“Lazy arses,” Ron muttered. He looked over at Harry. “Where do you want this?”

“In the washroom — James no!” he said and quickly caught his son’s hand before he had a chance to pull Harry’s hair. His experience from Advanced Charms had taught him a lesson about his son being in close proximity to his hair or anything else that can be pulled for that matter.

Ron put the tub and the other baby things in the washroom and went to his own bed to get dressed. Harry placed the clothes on his bed then went into the bathroom and began to take out things from the tub before he filled it. As the warm water filled the tub, he undressed James and made sure he had everything he needed. Once the water was filled he placed his son inside and began to bathe him. He smiled as James smiled up at him and splashed the water. He babbled something as Harry began to wash his soft hair.

“Harry are you sure you can do this? I can do it, no problem,” Ginny said, glancing down at James who was comfortable in her arms. Harry looked at his wife and took the two week old infant from her.

“Yes. Your mum showed me how to do it last time and it’s time I started to do it too. Go get some rest love,” he said and kissed her cheek. She smiled at him then looked at their son. She softly stroked his cheek and sighed.

“Okay. If you need me I’ll be—”

“We won’t need you. Daddy can do this, can’t he James?” Harry cut her off and smiled. She leaned up and kissed him. She quickly kissed James and Harry made sure she crawled back into bed. He shut the door and carried James into the washroom.

Everything was already laid out for him. He turned on the faucet and let the water fill the tub. He put a blanket on the tile floor and gently put James on it. He carefully undressed the infant who was squirming and yawning on the floor. Harry picked him up and checked the water. He shut it off.

“Easy enough,” he muttered and slowly lowered his son into the warm water. James, however, didn’t seem to like it. He wailed at the top of his lungs and squirmed in Harry’s arms. Harry was caught off guard and tried to calm him down and lifted him back up.

He heard footsteps thunder outside the door and looked over. Ron and George were standing outside and grinned at him.

“How cute. Daddy is giving baby a bath,” George teased.

“We’re in for a good show!” Ron leaned up against the door frame. Harry glared at them and tried to lower James back into the water. He howled again and he heard laughter from the door.

“Move over!” he heard Ginny shout and she pushed her brothers aside and looked at Harry. “Is he okay?” she asked and looked worriedly at James.

“He’s fine, he just doesn’t seem to like the water,” he said and tried to lower his son once again into the water. He cried some more. Harry felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and saw Ginny dip a finger in the water.

“Honey, it’s too hot. No wonder he’s crying like that,” she said and tipped the tub to dump some of the water out. She turned on the faucet and continued to check the temperature of the water with her finger. She nodded and turned off the water. “Now it’s fine,” she said and reached to take James. Harry pulled him closer to himself. She frowned.

“I can do it Ginny,” he said, almost in a child like manner. She crossed her arms and took a step back.

“Be my guest,” she waved an arm at the tub. He glanced behind her and saw that Fred had joined the query outside the door. He turned his attention back to James. For a fourth time he lowered the infant into the water and only got a small whimper.

“He always does that. Go on, go on,” Ginny informed him upon his hesitation. Carefully he began to bathe his son with Ginny and her brothers watching. He continued with the process, being careful not to get any soap in his eyes.

After a few tense moments of carefully bathing his newborn, Harry lifted him out and smiled triumphantly at his wife. Ginny gave him a proud look and smiled at him. He reached over the tub to get a towel to dry James off with when he suddenly began to cry loudly again. Startled, Harry tried to comfort him and his elbow smacked into the tub, causing it to lurch forward and water to swish dangerously at the sides. He lifted James high in the air and Ginny quickly snatched the baby from him. Harry took a step back and slipped on a patch of water on the floor. He tried to grab the counter to catch himself from falling, but grabbed the side of the tub instead. The tub slid forward with the weight of him and Harry let go and fell onto his back. The tub tipped over the side of the counter and the soapy water drenched him while the tub landed with a soft “thud” near his feet.

He groaned as he laid on the floor, his clothes soddened with the water, and listened to loud laughter and a soft giggle. He looked up to see Ginny standing over him, holding James in a towel, who wore a smile on his face.

“Are you all right?” she asked, smiling and suppressing her laughter.

“Just grand,” he replied sarcastically. He tried to sit up, but his hands slipped and he fell back down on his back and groaned. More laughter.

“I think I’ll take it from here. Tell Daddy bye bye,” Ginny said and turned to leave the bathroom. Harry waited until he heard the laughter die down before he gingerly sat up and picked himself off the floor.

Sore, he cleaned up the water and tried to dry himself off with a towel. He wished he was seventeen already so he could use magic for situations like these. Once everything was back to normal he headed out the door to find Ginny and James, his shoes squishing as he walked. He opened the door to her room and stood there, watching her. She sat in the rocking chair and was nursing James. She looked out the window with a thoughtful look on her face. Silently he entered the room and walked towards her.

Ginny turned to look at him. She smiled softly and looked back down at the nursing infant.

“Have a nice bath?” she asked innocently. Harry glared at her bowed head.

“Very funny,” he sneered and pulled off his soaking shoes and socks.

“There you are! Here dear,” Molly’s voice came. Harry turned around. His mother-in- law held out some dry robes to him.

“Thanks Molly,” he muttered. She smiled and with a quick look at Ginny and James, she left. Harry pulled off his wet clothes and put on the dry ones.

“Does everyone know what happened?” Harry asked.

“Just about,” Ginny replied. Harry sighed. He was never going to live this down. He kissed the top of her head.

“You smell like baby shampoo,” she giggled and looked up at him. Harry merely smiled at her. He sunk onto her bed and watched his wife and son.


James’s laugh brought him back to reality. Harry watched his son hit the water with his hands a few times and causing it to slosh to the sides. He sighed as he hit it again and water spilt over. Harry did get better at giving baths since that first time. He wasn’t sure if he could handle too many falls and being teased about smelling like baby shampoo all day again. Harry finished rinsing him off and wrapped him up in a dry towel, grabbing a new nappy.

When he entered the dormitory again he found his roommates had woken up. Seamus was frowning at the clothes on Harry’s bed.

“Oi, Potter. Those shoes belong to you? Look a wee bit small for you!” Seamus called. He turned around grinned at James. “Ah, got the little one with you!”

Harry rolled his eyes and made his way to his bed. He settled James down on the comforter and made sure he was dry before laying him down to put on a new nappy.

“Let me do that,” Ron offered. Harry looked up to see Ron standing next to him. He had already changed out of his Quidditch robes and was wearing jeans and an orange Chudley Canons shirt, which clashed horribly with his hair. Harry frowned.

“Ron, you never want to do this,” he reminded him.

“Yes but see this time, he’s all clean and all I have to do is put it on. Go on and change your clothes. I’ll take care of it,” Ron reasoned and waved Harry off. Harry took one look at his son, deciding if this was a good thing to do or not. James didn’t seem to care otherwise. He had stuffed his hand in his mouth and was gazing up at them. Harry stood up and let Ron deal with James. He grabbed some clothes and began to change.

He had taken off his Quidditch robes and already had a pair of khakis on and was just pulling on an undershirt when he heard a loud yelp and someone swore under their breath. Harry turned around and saw that Ron had jumped back from the bed by a least a meter. He held up his arms and was looking down at his shirt. Curious, Harry stepped closer as did the rest of his roommates.

“Harry mate, why couldn’t you have a girl?” Ron asked and glared at him.

There was a huge wet spot on the front his shirt. Dean, Seamus, and Neville burst into laughter at the sight of a surprised and disgusted Ron. Suppressing a laugh, Harry turned to James and finished putting on a new diaper. He picked him up and turned around to face Ron.

“You’re lucky you’re a cute kid,” Ron waggled a finger at his nephew and glared at him.

“Ron he’s only a baby. He can’t control anything yet,” Harry said, somewhat defensively.

“Then potty train him or something! He just can’t go around and do that!” Ron exclaimed and marched over to his bed. He grabbed a new shirt and headed to the loo. The others had gone back to get ready for the morning themselves. Harry sighed and looked at his son. He was looking around the room, hand still in his mouth.

“Might as well get you dressed then,” Harry muttered and set James back on his bed. He tugged the white shirt decorated with little teddy bears over his head and stopped him from pulling his shirt up. Harry reached over and grabbed the dark blue corduroy overalls that had a larger version of the teddy bear on the front and struggled to keep James still and get him in it. James protested against this. Harry sighed and tried it again, but James only continued to kick and squirm. He sighed again and continued to struggle with his son.

Meanwhile in the sixth year girls dormitory, Ginny was packing and re-packing James’ baby bag. She just wasn’t sure what to bring with them. At first she had nearly stuffed all of his toys in the baby bag and realized there was no room for anything else. She took them out and tried to pack some extra clothes and blankets and found that she filled it up once more. Bridget had watched her continue this pattern until finally helping her decide what she really needed.

“Ginny it’s not like your going a fortnight holiday. It’s just an afternoon in Hogsmeade,” Bridget explained to her and handing Ginny a blanket. Ginny took it and folded it before putting it in the bag.

“I know. It’s just that this is his first trip anywhere with Harry and I and I just want to be prepared,” she sighed. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

Melanie rolled her eyes. “You’re such a mum!”

Ginny whirled around and looked at her. “You just now noticed a baby in here? I could have sworn you were talking to me last night as I was nursing him.”

Melanie laughed and launched a stuffed animal at her. Ginny caught it and threw it right back. She turned away and made sure she had everything she needed. She checked her watch and picked up the bag, then glanced at her outfit. She didn’t know if anyone would notice that she was wearing a nursing shirt. A few nights after James arrived she had found her pregnancy book and skimmed through it. She had come to a chapter about nursing and decided to do it more often than she did. Ginny had began to nurse James in the common room without feeling embarrassed but only did it when not too many students were present. But it was still a bit uncomfortable. She had no problem doing it in front of her roommates, but she wanted to do it freely and without too much embarrassment of being exposed to all. After all, it was nothing to be ashamed of. She sent a letter to her mother, asking her how to get some nursing clothes and her mother had sent her the latest addition of Pregnant Witch Monthly that was delivered all over Europe. Ginny found an ordering form and ordered a few shirts and robes and nursing bras. The clothes had arrived the day before and she was wearing a white long sleeved, collared shirt, designed for nursing mothers and a pair of jeans.

“Well I think Harry is done with James by now. I’ll see you all later then,” she headed for the door. They waved their good byes and Ginny headed down to the common room.

She spotted Hermione sitting in an armchair and reading a large book. She looked up and shut it when she saw Ginny.

“I forgot to tell you earlier. James refused to take the bottle this morning. I’m sure the little guy is hungry,” Hermione informed her. Ginny sighed and looked up the boys’ stairs.

“Has Harry come down yet?” she asked. Hermione shook her head. Ginny bit her lip and looked at Hermione for a while. “Can you tell?” she whispered.

Hermione frowned at her. “Can I tell what?”

Ginny sat down in the chair next to her, slipping the bag off her shoulder and it fell to the floor. She faced Hermione and showed off her shirt. Looking around, she lifted the top layer to show Hermione.

“Oh, is that a nursing shirt?” Hermione asked, examining it. Ginny let the material fall and nodded, a bit surprised that she knew what it was.

“I found my pregnancy book hiding in my trunk and got to thinking about nursing James more. It really is good for him, so I want to do it more often. I know Harry likes to give him the bottle and all, but I like doing this. It’s a mother-baby bonding thing. Harry’s fine with it. He knows it’s better and all,” she said, shyly. Hermione smiled at her and patted her arm. “Do you like it?”

“It’s nice Gin. Where did you get it?” Hermione commented.

“I owled Mum and she sent me this magazine that had an order form. They just came in yesterday,” Ginny explained. Ginny looked herself over and sighed. “I’m sixteen and worried about breast feeding and nursing clothes,” she groaned and buried her head in her hands. She peeked through the cracks in her fingers to see Hermione giving her a look and she knew she was going to lecture her. Ginny lifted her head and placed her hands in her lap. She silently examined her wedding ring on her finger and looked at her friend again.

“I know I had a choice and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she said. Hermione didn’t say anything. She looked at Ginny for a while and smiled. She reached over and squeezed her hand.

“I know. You love James and you’re a good mum,” she said. Ginny smiled and stood up.

“I ought to go be a good mum now and go feed my son,” she said and with a final smile to Hermione, she went up the stairs to the seventh year boys’ dormitory. Once she reached the door she knocked and waited for someone to answer the door. She didn’t know what state Harry’s roommates were in and didn’t want to see anyone other than Harry clad in boxers.

The door cracked open and Dean peeked out. He grinned and opened it wider for Ginny.

“Hi Ginny,” he greeted her.

“Hi Dean,” she returned the greeting. “Everyone decent in there?”

He turned around and looked back at her.

“Yeah. Except for your son. He doesn’t seem like he wants to get dressed,” Dean smiled. Ginny hid a smile.

“May I come in then?” she asked. Dean nodded and opened the door for her. Neville and Seamus were in different states of making their beds and putting things away. Ron was no where to be seen. Harry was by his bed, holding onto a squirming James and looking extremely put out by the child’s refusal of wearing clothes. He sat on the bed and held James firmly with one arm and trying maneuver the overalls up his little legs. Ginny, sensing her husband’s distress walked over to him and kneeled in front of them, talking soothingly to James. Upon seeing his mother, James reached out for her and stopped squirming in his father’s arms. Harry took the opportunity and finally pulled the overalls up his legs and worked on fastening them over his shoulders and hooking them at his chest. Ginny buttoned up the legs of the overalls and smiled at James.

Ginny stood up and reached for his socks and shoes. Harry kept holding on to him as she slipped the white socks that matched his outfit and then his tiny white tennis shoes. She kissed his forehead and smoothed out his hair before taking him from Harry. She frowned at his hair.

“Oh how horrible. He’s going to have your hair, I just know it!” she exclaimed dramatically. Harry stood up.

“You seem to love my hair,” he said and kissed her. Ginny smiled and returned the kiss. He walked back around his bed and continued to get dressed. Ginny followed him and set James down on his bed before she sat down in the middle of it, crossing her legs. She picked up James again.

“Hermione said he wouldn’t take the bottle from her,” Ginny said, lifting up the top layer of her shirt and fiddled with her nursing bra. She shifted James to her bosom and felt him latch onto her, drinking hungrily. She moved the material so she could see her son. He looked up at her as he drank and fisted a hand onto her shirt. She smiled down at him.

“Everything was messed up this morning, no thanks to a certain Gryffindor Quidditch captain!” Harry had raised his voice at the last part of his sentence and glared at the door leading to the washroom. “You know he won’t eat from anyone except you, me, and your mum in the morning,” Harry said in his normal tone and pulled on his navy blue shirt.

“I know, I know,” Ginny said and looked around the mess of the boys room. She glanced at Harry’s roommates and they didn’t seem to take notice of her nursing her son.

The door to the washroom opened and a disgruntled Ron came out. He barely seemed to notice Ginny sitting on Harry’s bed.

“You ought to do something about James, Harry,” Ron snapped and tossed a shirt onto a pile of dirty clothes. Harry sighed and pulled on a dark blue jumper.

“Ron he’s five months old, we can’t potty train him. Get over it already,” Harry said. “You’re taking this too seriously.”

Ginny watched Ron snatch up the shirt he tossed and waved it in Harry’s direction.

“He soiled my favorite shirt Harry!” he shouted. Ginny made her presence known and hissed at him to lower his voice. Ron marched over to her and held up his shirt to her. “Look at this! He ruined it!”

“How?” she asked, defensively. Harry snickered, running a comb through his hair, which didn’t seem to have any affect on it whatsoever.

“James had a bit of an accident on Uncle Ron,” Harry informed her. Dean, Seamus, and Neville chuckled quietly. Ginny giggled softly.

“Ron, it’s not like you’re the only one it’s happened to. Get over it. You can wash it out you know,” Ginny said. Ron glared at her for a moment, then turned around and stomped out the room. Ginny rolled her eyes and looked back down at James.

“Did you want me to feed him love?” Harry asked, bending down to pick up his Quidditch robes.

“No. I’ve got it,” she replied. Harry frowned and turned around. The sight that met his eyes was one he loved to see. Ginny sitting there, holding James tenderly as she nursed him. She would always look at him with love in her eyes and wait patiently for him to finish.

He glanced around the room. His roommates were not looking at her, but still that didn’t mean Harry liked it. He walked over to his bed and pulled the curtain to hide her from prying eyes.

“Harry, they can’t see anything,” she whispered and looked at him. He looked at her shirt. If James’ face wasn’t turned to her and he wasn’t making the suckling noises he made when she nursed him it would look just like she was only holding him.

“I know,” he said and sat on the edge of his bed. James had stopped for a moment and looked at his father. He turned back again and latched onto Ginny again.

They waited for him to finish with his breakfast. As soon as he did they went down the common room and got ready to go on their first family outing.

A small argument had broken out between Ron and Hermione. She had her school bag with her and it was filled with books and writing supplies. Ron had wanted to know why she brought them when they were suppose to be going on a date and she said it would be a nice change in a study atmosphere. After a few heated comments thrown at each other Hermione had been convinced to take one book and less writing supplies.

The quartet made their way down to the Entrance Hall to join the line of students waiting to go to Hogsmeade. Ginny took James from Harry and the baby bag as he went to a broom cupboard to get the stroller. They had decided to move it to a storage room in the Entrance Hall due to the fact that it would be difficult to take it down all those stairs and a hassle to constantly shrink and enlarge it every time they needed it.

Harry brought it to Ginny and she settled Jams in the stroller and tucked some blankets around him. She handed him his teething ring and a teddy bear and placed a simple Warming Charm on his blankets. He chewed on his teething ring and quietly gazed at the other students.

The line moved slowly, much to the students’ dismay. Many of them knew that Mr. Flich was doing it on purpose.

Finally they reached the caretaker. He leered at them and peered down a list of names.

“Potter, Harry. Potter, Virginia,” he snarled. He glanced down at James. Harry noticed that James had a look of utter disgust on his face.

“Not on the list,” he sneered at Harry and Ginny. They exchanged looks.

“Of course not. He isn’t a student,” Ginny replied curtly.

“Lives in the castle doesn’t he? Under age as well. No permission, no Hogsmeade,” he said, a toothless smile on his aged face.

Husband and wife exchanged looks again. This was not turning out like they wanted. Hermione looked inside her bag and pulled out a piece of parchment and a Self-Inking Quill and handed it to Ginny. Ginny quickly scribbled out a note and signed it. She handed it over to Harry and he signed it as well. He thrust it towards the caretaker and crossed his arms. Mr. Flich slowly looked over it, rubbing the stubble on his chin. Ginny tightened her grip on the stroller out of anger.

“Hmm . . .and what be the child’s full name?” he asked, leering at them.

“James Elijah Potter. Born June 11, 1997, weighed just over two kilo and was forty four centimeters long,” Ginny snapped angrily. “Anything else you would like to know. Birthmarks? Eating and sleeping habits perhaps?”

Harry took charge of the stroller and pushed it forward, leading Ginny away from Mr. Flich. Just as James passed the caretaker he let out a rather loud raspberry at the man, causing several students to snicker and Mr. Flich to glare at the stroller.

“You know,” Harry said once they were outside, “I think James and I will leave Flich a nice little present in the boys’ washroom.”

Ginny giggled while Ron laughed out loud and Hermione gave him an unsure smile.

“Right well, you two are going to Hagrid’s right?” Hermione asked, changing the subject. Ginny nodded. “We’ll meet you in the Three Broomsticks in a few hours then.”

“All right. Sounds good,” Harry agreed. The four of them bid their goodbyes and took off in different directions.

Harry and Ginny walked in silence aside from the gurgles coming from the stroller. They approached Hagrid’s cabin. Harry pulled the stroller to the side and Ginny began fussing over James. She made sure his clothes weren’t wrinkled and his hair wasn’t messy, muttering about his hair being like Harry’s. She made sure his face was clean and looked presentable. Harry simply leaned against the wall of the cabin waiting for her to finish.

“You know he won’t stay like that,” Harry sighed. Ginny glared and shoved the baby bag towards him, before picking up James. She stood next to Harry and he knocked on the door.

A loud booming bark came from within and they heard Hagrid calling the boarhound back.

The door swung open and Fang leapt towards Harry and Ginny. But instead of jumping on them and licking their faces, the dog froze and his black eyes were fixed on the baby in Ginny’s arms.

Ginny wasn’t sure what was going to happen. James did not have good encounters with Crookshanks. He often wanted to pull the cat’s tail and the cat often hissed at him. Owls didn’t seem to bother him. Pigwigeon, Errol, and Hedwig all liked James, Hedwig especially was very affectionate to the infant. But dogs?

Fang stared at James curiously, who stared right back at the dog. Fang sniffed the air around James. James, being the curious baby he was, reached out to the dog and touched his slimy nose. Ginny cringed as James patted the dog’s nose happily and Harry was already looking for a cloth to wipe his hand off with. Fang backed up and barked his approval of the child.

“‘Allo Harry, Ginny!” Hagrid greeted them and smiled down at James. “And ‘allo to yer to little one! Well come ‘n! Come ‘n!”

They went inside and took seats around the small cabin. Ginny placed James on the floor between her and Harry and handed him his teething ring, wiping his hand off. James sat there looking up at Hagrid with interest.

“Aw, what a cute kid yer got there!” Hagrid beamed at him. Harry and Ginny smiled. “Is it all righ’ if I hold ‘im?”

“Of course,” Ginny smiled and picked up James. She handed him to Hagrid. He was very tiny in Hagrid’s arms. He talked to him in a low baby voice and tickled him. James laughed and Hagrid handed him back to Ginny. She set him back on the floor again.

Hagrid offered them some tea and they refused the biscuits claiming they had a big breakfast. They talked about school and the Order and Hagrid asked many questions about James, which the proud parents were happy to answer. James had only cried once and was quiet most of the time.

“Yer goin’ to Hogsmeade are yer?” Hagrid asked, taking their cups.

“Yes. James’ first trip there,” Harry said.

“Be careful the two of yer,” Hagrid warned. This worried Harry and Ginny.

“Why?” Harry asked. Hagrid sighed and looked at James.

“Nothin’ to worry about really. Just that no one outside of ‘ere really knows about the child. Keep an eye out both of yer,” Hagrid said.

“Dumbledore said that some members of the Order were going to be there just in case,” Ginny said, slightly scared.

“True, true. Just be careful,” Hagrid sighed. Silence fell in the cabin.

“We ought to go then,” Harry said, standing up. He picked up James and Ginny followed them out, saying goodbye to Hagrid and Fang and set off for Hogsmeade.
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