This one-shot grew out of the research and world-building that I've been doing for Black Legacy, the novel-length story I'm currently writing. Chapter One of that story picks up where this leaves off.
I'm sort of 'testing the waters' with this ficlet, your review will inspire further production!
Thanks, as always, to my wife and the Emilys.
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Excerpts from the Potter Family Album | ||||
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Category: Post-DH/AB Characters:None Genres: Drama, General Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 37 Summary: Harry spends a sleepless night at Ginny's bedside, with nothing but memories to keep him company. Hitcount: Story Total: 8362 Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work. Author's Notes: |
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The streets of London were hauntingly still as Harry Potter stared out into the night. The half moon reflected off the dirty windows across the street, making tricky shadows beneath the broken streetlights. He sighed, turning to face the darkened room. There, perfectly still on the bed, was Ginny. The grey light from outside seemed to make her face glow, and he found himself drawn to her bedside, silently sitting in the chair he had conjured earlier that night. She didn’t stir as he reached to move her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. She seemed so at peace. If it weren’t for the slight tightening of her facial muscles every so often, Harry might have been able to convince himself that she was simply taking a nap. He felt the muscles around his stomach twitch; adrenaline seemed to be pricking him all over his body. He glanced at the clock, it was 4:47. He sighed again, lifting the lid of the small trunk he’d set next to the chair. If I’m not going to sleep, at least I can get some work done. He pulled out a pile of folders, full of parchment that had clearly been hastily stuffed into them. He blinked the fatigue from his eyes, preparing to make sense of what had been the clutter on his desk that morning. Taking a last look into the chest, just to be sure he hadn’t left any folders, his eyes froze as they landed on brown leather. He reached in and laid their scrapbook on his lap, glancing with a smile at Ginny. Thanks, Gin. This is a much more meaningful way to spend this night. He gently turned over the cover, realizing that he hadn’t seen it since Ginny had unwrapped it the morning after their wedding. He smiled at the first page, ‘The Potter Family Album’ written in Ginny’s handwriting above a large picture. Squinting in the dark, Harry wasn’t able to make it out. He glanced at his wife and realized it would take far more than a little light to wake her now. “Lumos.” Harry’s wand lit, spilling light onto the page. His throat constricted. He watched himself stride into the Gryffindor common room as Ginny, still in her Quidditch robes, ran into the frame and threw her arms around him. Their first kiss played out before him. Moments after they left together, the scene began again. After watching it four times, he noticed a note taped below it. Ginny, Harry stared at Colin’s signature, emotions coursing over him. He glanced again at his wife. I had no idea about this. Maybe I’m too emotional to be looking at this right now. She let out a little snore, and Harry almost laughed. Nice, Gin. Thanks for the sympathy. Deciding to embrace bravery, he turned the page. “VOLDEMORT DEFEATED!” the front page of the Daily Prophet declared. Harry shook his head, skimming the story. His eyes flicked to the paper’s date: Sunday, May 3, 1998. Almost five years ago. Seems like so much more…His eyes again settled on Ginny. And so much less. The next few pages displayed pictures from the award ceremonies following the war, as well as funerals and memorials. A few more page turns revealed their graduation letters and N.E.W.T. scores, with pictures from their final year at Hogwarts scattered throughout. The next few pages had no pictures, just letters that Harry hadn’t seen in almost four years. DATE: 1 July, 1999 Harry smiled at the next letter, brushing his fingers over the embossed parchment stationary stamped ‘Office of the Minister of Magic’. Harry, Harry smiled, marveling at Ginny’s forethought. This letter marked one of the milestones of his life, and he hadn’t even wondered what had happened to it. Just one more reason that I couldn’t live without you. He took a moment to gaze at his wife, motionless on the bed, completely silent except for the deep hum of the life-monitoring charms. Ginny’s invitation to join the Holyhead Harpies was followed by several pages of magazine clippings scattered amongst pictures that captured her in action. Page by page, Harry’s smile slowly returned. The pictures from her nineteenth birthday made Harry pause. He watched himself standing sheepishly behind Ginny as she not-so-subtly flashed her new ring. The scene flipped and bounced, finally settling to show Molly’s bottom half running into the frame to hug them, the camera forgotten. The next page displayed a clipping from The Quibbler. Ginevra Weasley and Harry Potter Harry flipped pages, watching another year of their lives flash past. And then it was their wedding. The invitation and program were offset with pictures from the day. One held Harry’s attention for several minutes; he watched Ginny step out of the Burrow and slowly walk past, beaming as her eyes locked onto someone behind the camera. Merlin, and she was smiling like that for me. He looked over at her, unmoving in the bed next to him. Brushing a hand across her cheek, he sighed again. We’ll get through this. I know you’re strong enough. Let’s hope I am. Looking down, he realized that enough light was coming through the window that he no longer needed his wand. He checked the clock as he extinguished the light, it was 5:43. Turning his attention back to the album, he flipped past several articles about cases he’d worked on, finally stopping as he hit the letter from St. Mungo’s. 27 July, 2002 Harry swallowed, remembering his reaction when Ginny had shown him this. It had been the evening of his birthday. He hadn’t even known she had gone to be tested. 11 November, 2002 Ginny’s sharp intake of breath made Harry jump to his feet, the album sliding to the floor. She moaned, and he reached to stroke her hair. Her eyes flew open and latched onto Harry as she took several calming breaths. “Good morning, beautiful.” She shot him a look of disbelief as she tried to sit up. “Stay down, let the potion finish wearing off before you move.” “Wisely spoken,” said a tall healer as she entered the room. “You don’t know how many witches fall right off the bed after sleeping through contractions. Let’s see if you’re any closer.” She waved her wand over Ginny several times, then smiled at them. “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I’d say you’re going to have a baby today.” Ginny let out a breath in relief. Even as she squeezed his hand in pain, she beamed at him. “Harry, he’s coming. James is coming.” |
| Reviews 37 |
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