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Another World, Another Time | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe, Post-HBP, Post-Hogwarts Characters:Harry/Ginny, Nymphadora Tonks, Oliver Wood Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, General, Romance, Tragedy Warnings: Death, Extreme Language, Sexual Situations Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 313 Summary: Life goes on after Voldemort's defeat, even though Harry disappears without a trace. How does Ginny deal with his return four years later, when both of them have become very different people? Hitcount: Story Total: 117424; Chapter Total: 11492 |
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Chapter 16: More than Perfect Ginny stirred slowly from sleep, hazy memories of the night before drifting through her head. Should I feel guilty? she wondered. There was a little part of her that did, but that feeling was eclipsed by a overwhelming, almost giddy joy. She rolled over, reaching towards the other side of the bed with a languid caress, but she felt only the cool cotton of her bedsheets beneath her fingers. She opened her eyes. Sean stood in front of the big bay window in his boxers, leaning on the sill, looking out over the rolling countryside. The gauzy white curtains billowed gently in the breeze. The scene looked oddly familiar, like something Ginny had once dreamt. As though he felt her watching, he turned around. “Good morning,” he whispered, grinning sleepily. "It is," she replied, grinning shyly. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning over to kiss her forehead. Ginny ruffled his messy hair and pulled him towards her, her mouth travelling wantonly across his neck as he slid under the covers. He laughed, smoothing her messy hair off her face. “I just can’t tire you out, can I?” “Not a chance,” she replied saucily, arching against him. She reached over and touched the wand on the nightstand, muttering the contraceptive spell under her breath. Her wand glowed pink for half a second, activating the charm. “Oh bloody hell, what in Merlin’s name am I doing...?” he muttered, half to himself. He rolled away and sat up, his palms pressed hard against his eyes. “What’s wrong?” Ginny reached over. “Nothing... No... everything! I should have said something last night and now it's a right mess...” he trailed off. "What is it?" She sat up beside him, wrapping her arm around his waist. He acted as though she wasn’t there, inhaling deeply, his hands still over his face. “Does this have to do with what we didn’t talk about last night?” she continued. She felt the familiar ache of worry building in her chest again. He nodded. “Well, we can talk about it now, can’t we?" He was silent. Ginny rubbed her hand along his shoulder, a comforting gesture. "What’s wrong, Sean?” Ginny could swear she saw him flinch at the sound of his name, as though she had hit him. “Everything is wrong!" he yelled. "What the hell are you even doing with me, Ginny?” “What...what do you mean?” Sean was standing up, pulling his clothes on. “This. Us. Last night. It shouldn’t have happened like this, Ginny.” Ginny pulled the sheet tight around herself and turned away, biting her lip so hard it almost drew blood. She wouldn’t cry, she couldn't, not in front of him. She heard him swear quietly as he sat back down on the bed, reaching out for her hand. She couldn't look at him. “I’m sorry, Gin, I... Oh bloody hell, I didn’t mean it like that," he sighed, frustrated. "What I meant to say is that it was unfair that I didn’t talk to you before we slept together. I’m a git..." She took a shaky breath and forced herself to look at him. “If you think last night was a mistake, then you should leave-” “Ginny, I-” “Please,” she said, her voice flat and emotionless. “Just go.” One hot tear spilled, down her cheek, and she swiped it away. He didn’t move. She stared at him, her entire body aching with an indescribable pain. "I'm not leaving." He swallowed heavily and continued. “Don't tell me you haven't figured it out yet, Gin.” “Figured what out?” “I’m back,” he said, his voice haggard and unsure. Ginny’s heart leapt into her throat. He couldn't mean what she thought he meant.... could he? The room was silent except for the tick of the clock on the night table. "I know," she finally said, her voice barely a whisper. In the deepest, most secret part of her heart, she had known it was him at the club. She knew the second she looked into his eyes. How could she not know? The tilt of his head, the permanently worried crease across his brow, the ethereal heat that woke in her body at his touch, his touch and no one else's. Harry. Her entire body was tight with fear - he was so angry. He was going to leave her again. She knew that too. "When... when did you remember?" “Yesterday morning." "But how..." "It worked, Gin. The new round of therapy worked, I guess. I woke up, and my whole life was there again, as though I had fallen asleep four years ago and dreamt this whole Sean thing. Everything clicked into place while I slept.” Ginny had been holding her breath. She looked at him and gasped. “Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry.” “And I'm sorry. I should have told you last night, the very second I saw you. I should have left MLES and came to you, the second it happened.” “No. Please. It’s okay,” she replied, staring down at her shaking hand clasped inside his, overwhelmed by the massive swell of feelings hitting her all at once. There he was, the answer to everything she’d ever wanted, warm and real and beautiful beside her. “I missed you,” she said, unable to control the tears rolling down her cheeks. “I know... don't cry, love, please," he said, reaching out for her. "I.. I can't help it." She slid into his outstretched arms, her entire body shaking. He stroked her hair, rocking her gently. "It'll be okay, Ginny." "Don't say it unless it's true," she whispered. She waited for him to say it was true, that it would be okay, more than okay, but he was quiet. Ginny felt the hot tension in her chest fragment into a million crystalline pieces. She pictured her heart breaking like glass. A moment later, she took a deep breath and forced herself to pull away, mustering every ounce of her strength. "I'm sorry I never looked for you." "I'm not upset about that, Ginny," he replied. "How could you have found me? The Aurors couldn't." "Tell me why you're angry." She knew why. There were a billion reasons for him to hate her forever. But she wanted to hear them from his mouth. He swallowed heavily before he replied, running a hand through his messy hair. "I don’t know that I'm angry anymore - I think I was last night, but then I saw you, and you were so beautiful, and all I really knew then was how badly I wanted you.” "Oh, Harry." Ginny reached out and ran a hand down his cheek. His eyes were bright with unshed tears as he kissed her hand. “I was angry because I knew you wanted to be with someone else last night. You thought you were making love to him." The shock of what he was saying made Ginny's blood run cold. “What? No, you... you don't understand, Harry- ” “I do understand. You said at the pub that it was time to move on and forget about Harry-” “No!" she sobbed. "Please listen-” “I did listen, Gin. I listened when you told Sean that he and I weren’t the same person, that you could never see us as the same. Of course we're the same person, Ginny - couldn't you see? "I know, Harry, I know that now-" "But did you know that last night? Last night, when I was holding you, when I was dancing with the woman I loved, when I was really there with her for the first time in four bloody years, and everything inside me transformed, everything suddenly became wonderful again, just because you were there. There was such love in your voice when you said, “This is completely perfect, Sean.” “It wasn’t perfect,” Ginny sobbed desperately.“Don’t you get it? It wasn’t the truth. None of it was the truth.” “You don't lie,” he replied sadly. “But I was lying,” she wept, no longer bothering to wipe away the tears pouring down her cheeks. “I thought you were gone forever, Harry, that I would never talk to you again. I looked into your eyes, Sean's eyes, and you didn’t know me, you had no bloody idea how crazy I was about you, how in love with you I was. I had to make you into someone else, someone that didn’t remind me that everything I’d ever wanted had become a hopeless impossibility." "It was never impossible, Ginny." "What was I supposed to do? Hope? I couldn't hope for you to come back and then have you never return - it would have killed me. That very first day, when you woke up and we talked on the stairs at the Burrow and I knew every single thing about you, Harry. I knew the words you would use, the way you’d push your hair off your face, the way you wrinkle your nose just a little when you grin. I was there, just absorbing all of that, every perfect, intricate detail of you, Harry, my Harry, for the first time in years." "Ginny-" "-And I was talking to you, Harry, and my whole heart was screaming for you, and you were oblivious. You had no idea what we were to each other - what else was I supposed to do? I had to make myself believe that it was Sean touching me, that it was Sean kissing me - that you were gone completely. I had to believe I wasn’t pathetic enough to love someone who didn’t even exist. I worked so hard to convince myself - that's all I did - but the whole time, everything was a lie. It was always you, Harry. Underneath everything, it will always be you.” And suddenly he was hugging her breathless against his chest. “Gin, I’m sorry," he gasped. "I’m so sorry.” “I’m the one who should be sorry. I stopped trusting... I thought you left us on purpose four years ago." "Stop punishing yourself, Ginny. You couldn't have done anything else." "I could have!" she insisted tearfully. "I could have looked! What's worse is that after you left, I broke every single promise I made to you.” “No, no, you didn’t,” he said. “You just broke one little one-” “I’m sorry about Oliver, Harry." Ginny interupted. "I’m sorry if that hurts you-” “Shhh, it’s okay, Ginny. We can talk about Oliver later. That’s not the promise I was talking about.” "It's not?" He shook his head. "One night, before the last battle, I made you promise that if ever I was gone, you would stay exactly as perfect as you were back then. Everything I was facing in my future seemed so awful, except you Ginny. I needed you, I needed that perfect girl I was holding in my arms. You were my hope. You were the reason for everything. I wanted you to be the same, forever and always, because there was no way you could have been any more lovely.” Ginny nodded, remembering that night. “That’s the promise you broke, Ginny, the promise that you’d never change. You went and changed so much.You’re incredible, you know that? You’re more beautiful than ever, and you're strong, and smart, and you’re such a brilliant mother. You amaze me, Ginny. I thought I left behind someone perfect and now I've come back to someone even better than perfect.” Ginny shook her head. “I’m not even close to perfect, silly,” she blubbered, swiping at her nose. He smiled, his hand caressing her cheek. “I know. Because you’re more than perfect.” “That’s not what I meant,” she said, laughing a little despite herself. "And although I'm not happy about you marrying Oliver, maybe he's a part of that, you know? This new and improved grown-up Ginny. You could have met a worse bloke, who'd have made you move to Timbuktu and shave your head or something." Ginny grinned. "Oh you heard about Steve, then. He didn't accept my proposal." Harry looked at her in feigned shock for a moment, before they both burst into laughter. Was it really... was it actually going to be okay after all of that? It felt like it might be, but a tiny part of Ginny steadfastly refused to believe this was true. And then Harry's mouth closed over hers. The kiss was sweet and slow and wonderful, infused with hope and wonder and longing. When she opened her eyes, she was laying on her back beneath him, her hands tangled in his messy hair. Harry nuzzled her cheek. “Now I think that losing my memories may be the best thing that ever happened to me." “Why’s that?” “Because I get to remember falling in love with you twice.” Ginny pressed tiny kisses all over his face. “It’s really you, huh?” “Yeah,” he breathed, wiping the tears off her cheek with his thumb. “It’s really you and me again.” Ginny buried her face in his neck for a long moment. She felt almost numb with joy. She realized she had stopped hoping for this a long time ago - she couldn’t believe it was true. “And you still remember everything that happened as Sean?” “Of course." “Will people call you Sean or Harry now?” “Either. Both. I don’t care.” “How about Sharry?” Ginny laughed. “Hawn’s shorter,” Harry replied mock-seriously. “You look like a Harry, though. You really do.” She gazed adoringly into his face. “So I’ve heard,” he grinned, kissing her forehead. “How ever did I find you in that maze of a city?” Ginny asked. “How do crazy things like that happen?” “I think it was fate.” “Fate, huh? You really believe in that stuff?” “Maybe.” He smirked. “I think we were meant for each other. Is that what fate is?” “I’m not sure,” Ginny replied, suddenly finding herself very distracted by the idea that she had Harry Potter in her bed. “Do you remember everything from before?" she asked, her eyes sparkling mischvously. "Every single, teeny-tiny minute detail?” "I think so," he nodded, looking at her curiously. Ginny pressed her left hip against him. It was something she used to do with Harry, a request to roll over. To her delight, he remembered and complied, and she shifted her weight on top of him, smiling seductively as her hands slid down his chest. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of his underwear. “Time for a pop quiz.” “I hate these,” he joked, rolling his eyes. “You won’t hate this one!" "Promise?" Ginny crossed her heart. "Question number one: Do you remember the first time we kissed?” “Prefect's bathroom... no? uh... Ravenclaw common room!” he wrinkled his nose as though he was having trouble recalling it. "You git," she laughed, tickling his ribs. He squirmed with laughter, swatting her hands away. “That's the only mistake you get... and believe me, you do not want to fail this exam.... Question number two: do you recall the first time we saw each other naked?” “A Saturday afternoon near the end of January, about three thirty in the afternoon. Second floor broom closet, next to the statue of the fighting mermen. Your knickers were pink, with little daisies on them.” “Correct, Mr. Potter!” Ginny laughed, sliding his boxers down. Harry grinned roguishly. “You’re right. I think I'm going to like this quiz.” Ginny giggled, sliding back up his body. “Question number three: do you remember the first time we did this-” Ginny’s question was interrupted by a loud popping sound directly below them. Ginny looked in terror at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Ten minutes before nine. “Oh Merlin, it’s Tonks with Ollie,” she whispered, scrambling for her wand. “Accio robe!” She shrugged clumsily into her old purple bathrobe as Harry yanked the sheet off the bed and rushed to find his clothes, which had been scattered in disarray the night before. Ginny sprinted to the bedroom door, trying to walk down the stairs to greet Tonks with a semblance of typical Sunday morning calm. But would he leave? The thought hurt her head - he couldn’t leave. Harry Potter was back, he was back forever and he was in her bloody bed, for Merlin’s sake. Ginny’s felt as though she might explode with happiness. “Mummy!” Ollie yelled gleefully, running across the family room towards her. “Hey, little guy!” Ginny said, picking up her son and spinning him around before kissing him on the forehead. “How was your morning with Auntie Tonks?” “Fun!” he crowed. “Ollie play lots and lots!” “Lucky guy!” “An’ I was good boy! No crying!” he announced proudly. “He was a very good boy,” Tonks said, grinning at Ollie and Ginny. “He slept through the whole night, no problems.” “I miss you, Mummy!” Ollie said, wrapping his arms around his mother’s neck. “Oh, I missed you too, Oliver.” “Ollie play with Gemma now!” he yelled, trying to wiggle free of his mother’s arms. She placed him on the ground and he ran towards the little girl, both of them suddenly screaming loudly before rushing into the kitchen. Ginny laughed. “What’s the screaming game called?” “I think I’ll call it ‘Oh hell!’ The terrible twos come a few months early!” Tonks said, flopping onto the couch. Ginny’s heart pounded wildly. Tonks was planning to stay for a chat, Ginny could tell. She thought nervously of Harry upstairs, waiting. Don’t leave, Harry, she pleaded silently. Please don’t leave. “So, how was the date?” Tonks asked brightly. “Uh... it was good...” Maybe she should just tell her Ginny thought. Was she allowed to? It was Tonks, after all. Tonks looked at her concernedly. “Ginny, have you been crying? What happened?” “It’s fine, Tonks. It’s-” “HI, UNCLE!” Ollie crowed from the kitchen. Ginny’s heart froze. Tonks mouth dropped open in surprise, and both girls simultaneously burst into hysterical laughter. “I knew it!” Tonks wheezed. “It’s not funny,” Ginny tried to say, falling into the couch beside her friend, clutching her sides. “Apparently it is!” Tonks giggled, trying to regain control of herself. “No, but seriously! How in the world am I supposed to explain this sort of thing to Ollie?” Ginny whispered, wiping the tears off her cheeks. “Well, he didn’t see him in your bed or anything; I wouldn’t think you’d have anything difficult to explain. Sean’s not a stranger.” Ginny could hear the cadence of Harry’s voice talking in the kitchen, Ollie’s bright laughter. “Don’t tell me you’re feeling guilty about having a bloke over, Ginny!” “No! Well, maybe a little...” Tonks swatted her arm. “Don’t be silly. You didn’t take a vow of celibacy, did you?” Ginny rolled her eyes, and shifted awkwardly. “Of course not! It’s just... I’m someone’s mum, you know?” “And that means you’re a nun forever? Hogwash!” “Uh, Hi Tonks...” Harry stood in the doorway, his face pink with embarrassment. His dress robes were draped over his arm, his white shirt inside out and mis-buttoned. Ginny heard Tonks snort loudly and bury her face in Ginny’s shoulder, quivering with laughter. Ginny tried to quell her own rising desire to giggle as Harry’s face grew even redder. “Um...Hi Tonks... Ginny, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a second?” he asked, chewing on his lip nervously. Ginny nodded, and hopped up from the couch, biting the inside of her own lip to keep herself from joining Tonks once again in contagious giggling. The shrieking children, dashed past Ginny and Harry and across the family room, this time Gemma chasing Ollie. “I’m sorry about all this,” she whispered, linking hands with Harry and pulling him into the kitchen. “It’s okay,” Harry hugged her, pressing her against the counter gently. “I was trying to sneak out the back door. I have some things I need to take care of today." "Of course." But I'd like to talk later. What are you doing today?” “I’d planned to take Ollie to the park this afternoon, and then to visit his Grandpa Wood for tea,” Ginny said, snuggling into Harry’s neck. “And once I put Ollie to bed, I’m going to find you, Mr. Harry Sean Potter Collins or whatever you’re calling yourself these days, as long as you promise we'll do more than just talk...” Harry nuzzled her cheek. “I promise. What time should I come by?” Ginny nodded, kissing his neck. “How about nine? I want to make sure a certain little boy is sound asleep before you arrive-” Ginny pushed Harry away suddenly as that very same little boy, followed by a screeching Gemma raced into the kitchen, this time waving rubber wands in the air at each other. Ginny’s gesture was unnecessary - the toddlers took no notice of the adults as they looped around the table and ran back into the family room. “Sorry I pushed you away,” Ginny apologized, feeling awful about what she'd just done. “I just don’t know how to explain this to him yet-” “Shh-” Harry pressed his finger against her lips. “I know. There's no apology needed.” Ginny nodded, kissing his hand. “I should go. I’ll be counting the minutes until tonight,” Harry said, pulling her close again. “Me too,” Ginny breathed. His mouth pressed gently but insistently against hers. Ginny felt like she was melting into him. There she was, kissing Harry Potter in her messy kitchen, and she had never felt so happy or complete. He ran his hand down the side of her face, and then pulled out his wand. “Give Tonks my regards. I don’t want to go back in there and cause her to choke to death or anything.” “Your shirt’s all mussed up, you silly thing! If only you could see yourself.” Harry looked down in surprise at his mis-buttoned shirt and smirked. “I suppose I should fix that before I go anywhere.” “Don't you dare," she grabbed his wrists playfully. "There'll probably be reporters. You'll start a trend.” Harry laughed and shook his head. “I love you, Ginny. I love you so much.” “I love you, too,” Ginny felt such a wild surge of joy at his words; she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He squeezed her hand, then prepared to Disapparate. Ollie ran past again, this time stopping short when he saw the wand in Harry’s hand. “NO UNCLE, DON’T GO!” Harry kneeled down as Ollie dashed towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around his favorite uncle’s leg. “I want play with you!” Ollie announced stubbornly. “Now, Ollie, you must ask your friends nicely...” Ginny interrupted. “Uncle, can you play pweeze?” Harry ruffled Ollie’s hair. “I have to go, but we could play tomorrow instead. We could play all day long and give your poor old mum a break!” “Watch who you’re calling old, Potter,” Ginny muttered under her breath. Harry smirked. “Mommy, can I?” Ollie asked, excitement lighting his face. “You may,” Ginny said, smiling down at them both. “As long as you promise to be a good boy for Uncle.” “I’m gonna!” Ollie yelled, hugging his mom’s leg. “I love you, Mommy.” “I love you too, darling.” “BYE UNCLE!” Ollie was already running away towards the family room again, waving his arms gleefully. “You have no idea what you’re in for tomorrow,” Ginny said to him, smiling smugly. “Oh really?” Harry cocked an eyebrow. “Well, you have no idea what you’re in for tonight.” Ginny laughed, moving to kiss him, but he pulled away, barely letting her lips brush against his. “Save that one for later,” he said cheekily. Ginny pretended to stuff the kiss into the pocket of her robe. Harry grinned lovingly, and squeezed her hand before he Disapparated. As soon as he was gone, Ginny shrieked and danced in a little circle all by herself in the middle of the kitchen. Harry was back! He was back, and he still loved her as much as she loved him - time and circumstance hadn’t changed anything. She skipped gleefully into the family room where Tonks waited. Gemma and Ollie were crawling around on all fours, meowing loudly. “They’re kittens now?” “I think so,” Tonks replied, shrugging. “They’re plenty distracted, anyhow. Sit your bum down here and talk to me for a minute.” Ginny sank down onto the couch. “So you two obviously... you know. How was it?” Ginny buried her head in her hands and groaned. “Don’t tell me you’re asking for details!” “‘Course I am, but you’re going to play the shy innocent, aren’t you?” Tonks whinged. Ginny straightened her robe and sat up primly, folding her hands neatly in her lap. “Well, if you must know, we had a perfectly lovely time yesterday evening. We chatted, made a spot of tea. We talked mostly of the weather - it’s abnormally warm for September.” “Oh, that sounds quite nice,” Tonks replied, tongue in cheek. “And the tea? It was hot?” “Absolutely scalding hot,” Ginny replied, batting her eyelashes. "The hottest tea I've ever had." “Is that right? And how many... uh, cups of tea did you two have before bed?” “Just two - but that's only because the second cup took all night to finish.” Ginny said, trying desperately not to laugh. “Ginny Weasley, you scarlet woman!” Tonks crowed, poking Ginny in the ribs. Ginny squirmed away, giggling. “Oh shush! I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you this, but I absolutely have to!” “You’d better,” Tonks narrowed her eyelids. “Tonks, he's finally remembered!” she shrieked giddily. Tonks looked at her blankly. “Remembered what?” “Everything, you goose! Harry’s back! He knows who he is again!" "WHAT! How?" "He recalled it all yesterday afternoon, I guess, one big flash-flood of memories returning. I didn’t find out until a few minutes before you arrived-” “Ginny!” Tonks squealed, half tackling her friend. “I’m so happy for you. What does this mean? I mean, what are you two going to do now?” “Something? Everything? I have no bloody idea.” Ginny laughed. “Well, if you want time alone with him, I’m your full-time babysitter, twenty-four seven.” Ginny laughed. “Okay, I’ll just drop Ollie off at the MLES while you’re interrogating some accused Death Eater. He'll file the paperwork for you-” “No, you silly thing! I’m off work for awhile.” “Why? What's happened?” “That’s why I wanted to talk with you this morning. Gemma’s getting a little brother or sister in about seven months!” “WHAT?!” Ginny leapt at her friend, hugging her tightly. “Oh Merlin, I'm thrilled for you! When did you find out?” “We just did the charm this morning! You’re the first to know besides Moony.” “I never even knew you two were trying!” “We weren’t, actually,” Tonks shrugged. “If we’d planned it, we would have waited another year, until Gemma was less of a handful, maybe we’d have saved something for a bigger house...” Ginny’s skin suddenly went cold. Had she... had they done the contraceptive spell the first time? She madly rewound the night in her brain. She’d definitely cast it the second time, she was absolutely certain, and again this morning, but things had happened so quickly when he'd appeared in her room, and it had been two years since she’d had to think about things like that. What if she’d forgotten? She couldn't have been that careless... Could she? “... but we’re really excited, nonetheless. Remus wants a big family, and I’ll admit, after Gemma, that idea is slowly winning me over - Merlin, Gin, what’s wrong? You look like a ghost!” Ginny told her friend her suspicions. “Accio Ginny’s wand!” Tonks said, looking at her friend worriedly. Ginny had tucked her legs up beneath her, feeling ill. Ginny wand whizzed from the bedroom into Tonks’ hand. “Priori Incantatem,” Tonks whispered, holding her own wand to the tip of Ginny’s. She watched as the glowing pink shape of the contraceptive spell she had cast this morning floated gently above them. “Deletrius,” Tonks said, and the pink cloud disappeared. Ginny watched as another identical pink shape emerged from the wand after a few seconds. “Phew! You’re okay. Finite Incantatem!” “No, I’m not,” Ginny said nervously. “One of them is from this morning. Try again.” Ginny held her breath as Tonks performed Priori Incantatem again. She watched impatiently as the two pink orbs slowly reappeared. But the third cloudy shape that emerged from the wand was unlike the other pink shapes — an indistinct purple blob. Ginny's heart jumped in her chest. “That’s Apparition, isn’t it?” Tonks nodded worriedly, deleting the cloudy shape from the air. “Oh bloody hell.” Ginny felt like she was having a heart attack. “I think I might pass out.” “I’m sure it’ll be okay, Ginny-” Ginny swallowed heavily. “How long before the maternity charm works?” “Twenty-four hours is the minimum, I think.” Tonks was squeezing her hand. “Oh Merlin,” Ginny groaned flopping against her friend's shoulder. “How am I supposed to get through this day?” “I’ll be here if you need me to be, Gin.” “Mommy!” Ollie raced into the room and jumped on her lap, Gemma toddling behind. “Can we play?” “Maybe in a little while, Ollie” Ginny replied, her head spinning. “Mommy’s going to talk with Auntie Tonks. Later, we can go to Grandpa Wood’s house.” “Yay!” He slid off her lap and ran towards his toy box. Gemma climbed into her mother’s lap, her thumb in her mouth. Ginny stood up, beginning to pace back and forth in front of the couch. “Maybe this is a good thing,” Ginny began, thinking aloud. “I mean, I do want a big family...” “Right...” “But how do I know if Harry wants a family? I mean, we talked about it once years ago, when we were at Hogwarts, and he liked the idea of having children. But we were young and naive then. And a lot of things have changed since - I mean a lot of things and maybe that’s not true anymore.” “But he really likes Ollie,” Tonks cut in. “He does,” Ginny replied simply, wringing her hands. “And there might be nothing to worry about. I mean, what are the odds?” “The odds mean nothing, Tonks. I’m a Weasley, for Merlin’s sake. Look at the lot of us - Mum and Dad definitely didn’t plan on that.” Tonks chewed her nail, her brow furrowed. “He’s coming by tonight, yeah?” Ginny nodded worriedly. “At nine.” “When’s the twenty-four hour mark?” “Midnight, maybe?” “Are you going to tell him about it when he gets here?” “I don’t know,” Ginny replied miserably, dragging her hands through her hair. “I probably should right away. I mean, I can’t just wander into the loo at midnight, and then come back out and announce suddenly that I’m preggers.” “We’ll figure it out, Ginny.” Tonks said, hugging her friend. “I’m going to make you some tea and toast. Everything always looks better once you’ve had breakfast.” |
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