You Make Life Interesting

By American Wings

"All right, team, let's hit the showers," Gwenog Jones' tired voice brought relief to the other members of the Holyhead Harpies team. They flew down from the heights of the Quidditch stadium, soaked with the late fall Welsh rain, landed, and trudged toward the warmth the indoors could provide. Ginny lingered in the air for a moment before drifting down to the pitch on the field.

She stood by the door and watched as her teammates stored their brooms inside to keep them dry, or at least let it begin to dry, and then walked back out in the rain, shivering from the cold and wishing for a cup of mint tea to ease her sore throat. Though training with the Harpies was her dream, the perks were not devoid of pain, including both muscle and mental fatigue.

"Don't catch cold, Potter," called Jones from inside. "You wouldn't want to botch up your training before our first major match this season. I'm expecting that you'll practice when you're on holiday."

Ten more minutes, Ginevra. Ten more minutes until your vacation starts and you can go home to the man you love for a whole week.

Ginny smiled at the use of her new last name: Potter. Well, new enough that hearing it could still make her smile, even if they had been married for three years. The endless monotony of life had been catching up to her. Both Harry and she had been getting home later and later every night and simply collapsing into bed, their respective jobs taking all the energy out of them. They hadn't been able to really spend an evening together since the beginning of the summer, and she was lonely.

How were they supposed to know what was going on in one another's lives when she worked in Wales and he was rounding up Dark wizards all over Europe? She knew when she married Harry that life as an Auror's wife would be difficult, but the thought never crossed her mind that they would have no time for each other. She knew he was working hard for her and, hopefully, for their future family. Everything he was doing was important, and Jones was giving her plenty to practice herself, but wanted to feel him again, resting together throughout the night instead of passing out as soon as they hit the sheets.

A future family, she thought to herself was she wandered inside. Bill and Fleur were going to have a second baby any day and, while she was happy for her brother and sister-in-law, she had started longing more and more for a baby of her own.

"Potter? I know you're supposed to be heading home, but the other girls have left, and it is your turn to help me with the cleaning, so I'm going to need you to polish the broom handles and reorganize the shed before you leave for a week," said Charles Baker, the team janitor, breaking into Ginny's thoughts as he brushed by her with a large mop.

The happiness was broken. "Oh, but sir, I really need to get home! Harry and I scheduled this evening for a date. Between the Auror division and my training these things just don't happen often!"

Baker turned around and regarded her flushed face with narrowed eyes, "Just because you're the wife of Harry Potter doesn't mean you get off work whenever he is available. You'll have a week with him, and I really need your help right now. It's never a good idea to shirk your responsibilities before you gallivant off while the rest of us keep putting our backs into keeping the team going."

"Baker, you know that's not what I meant," retorted Ginny. "This is really important to us."

Baker shrugged. "So get it done and be on your way. It's not that difficult."

Biting her lip to keep her inappropriate thoughts to herself, Ginny turned on her heel and went back outside to the broom shed. Baker was usually indifferent towards her, never so short. Yes, keeping the broom handles polished was important, and she knew that the team really benefitted from his help in keeping everything clean and in order, but couldn't he just take care of her chores this one time?

It took several minutes to locate the polishing oil; nothing seemed to be in its place in the shed. This is going to take a while. A few tears actually slipped out of her eyes as she realised that she was going to undergo one more night of the mundane routine before she would be able to spend real time with Harry.

After one final sniff, she found a piece of parchment and a quill.

Dear Harry,

I forgot that I was signed up to help Baker with the cleaning today, so I have to reorganized the broom shed before I can come home, and it's going to take a while. I'm so sorry, love. I'll be home as soon as I can get away, and then you can keep me for an entire week, all to yourself.

I love you,

Ginny

Baker did not approve her cleaning job until nine-thirty, and Ginny dashed inside to change and hurry home.

"Albus," she said, muttering the password she and Harry used for everything, and her locker opened to reveal her warm garments within. She pulled the Quidditch robes over her head and tugged the black cloak around her before pulling on her dainty gloves, not even bothering to shower or do her hair, since she was sure Harry would have gone to sleep already. She Disapparated and arrived in the front hallway of their cottage on the edge of Hogsmeade.

She couldn't see a thing. "Lumos!" She said firmly and her wand tip lit itself, but the hallway appeared untouched. Curious, she removed her cloak and gloves and put them in the small closet by the front door. She then proceeded down the hall toward the kitchen, but before she reached it, strong arms encircled her from behind. She jumped and then laughed.

"Good evening, Mrs. Potter," a deep voice whispered into her ear. She turned and wrapped her arms around the man's neck, admiring his deep green eyes, not to mention his toned and attractive muscular chest…

"Hello, Harry. I'm so sorry I'm late," she mumbled as she twirled her fingers in his untidy black hair. He shrugged and before she knew what was happening, he had caught up her lips in his own and was passionately entreating her with a kiss like she hadn't experienced for a long time. His lips parted and he silently asked for more, which she gave. After a moment, they parted for air, panting. She grinned up at him.

"Well, that was different. I've missed you, Harry James Potter."

He cupped her face in his hands. "Oh, I think I missed you more, Ginevra Molly Weasley Potter. That was a naughty thing you did, not coming home promptly at six. But it did give me a chance to prepare a proper dinner for you." He grinned and her jaw dropped in mock surprise.

"You cooked something? Oh my, we must inform the Daily Prophet! Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, has cooked his first dinner for his wife in their lovely home." She winked at him and he glared at her before a grin spread across his face.

"For that, Mrs. Potter, you must be punished." Before she could protest, he had swept her off her feet and into the family room, lit by a crackling fire. She saw that he had set out a plate of cheese and some wine. He placed her on the couch before kneeling on the floor next to her and looking at her with desire.

"So, are you going to let me eat, or are you just going to stare at me all evening?" She asked, poking him in the ribs playfully, knowing all the while what he wanted to do.

He sighed. "Well, I suppose it would be better to get you properly fed before we do anything rash. All right, then." He lifted her again and carried her to the dining room, where table was set with fine crystal and candlelight. Harry had uncorked a bottle of red wine and poured it into the glasses, grilled a steak and sautéed a plate of steaming vegetables beside a bowl of seasoned rice, and sliced a baguette of warm French bread from the local bakery. He smiled down at her and she could feel her heart surge with love for him.

"Oh, honey, this is wonderful," she gasped, not sure of what to say. He winked and set her on her chair before sitting next to her to enjoy the lavish table set before them. Following dinner, Ginny glanced at the clock.

"It seems to be getting late, Mr. Potter."

Harry followed her gaze and smiled. "So it does. Well, I have something else for you tonight."

She caught his eye and remarked in playful surprise, "Oh you do, do you? Well I can't imagine what it could be."

His eyes bore into her own. "Can't you? I mean, we've been discussing this for months."

"Oh, oh. Harry, are you sure?" He had stood and walked over to her chair and begun to massage her shoulders and give her little kisses on the neck, each sending electric sparks through her body. He leaned down and shushed her tenderly.

"Shh, I'm trying to seduce my wife, if you haven't noticed. Wine? Or better yet, Ogden's Firewhiskey?" He grinned at her and she stammered back.

"Well, I, well, it's not that I don't want to, it's just, I thought we were going to wait a while longer before we thought about having children, before I stopped using the birth control potion. Well, I haven't used it for a month anyway, so I'd have to take it in the morning if we decided to just do what we've been doing and…" Her voice trailed off, she never could resist those green eyes, and she so wanted children.

"Ginny, darling, I see the desire in your eyes whenever you come home from Bill and Fleur's place. I see you fingering the little clothes at Madame Malkin's and when you go through the old chests in the attic at the Burrow. I see you secretly looking through baby books when you think I'm not looking. I've always wanted a family. It's time. Let's stop using the potion. It has nasty side effects anyway."

She giggled at this, but his firm voice had reassured her doubts and she agreed with a nod and a smile, "All right, let's…"

But before she could finish her sentence he had already swept her off her feet for the third time that evening into his toned arms and was carrying her up to their room. She clung to him, laughing in delight, as he set her on the bed and then climbed in beside her.

Afterward, both of them fell into a deep sleep. Ginny woke sometime during the night and felt Harry's strong arms encircling her, holding her tightly to his body. She kissed his hands and whispered.

"You make life interesting, Harry James Potter."