"Ah, look at him," Ginny murmured. She sat on the sofa next to Harry, her body curled against his and her head resting on his shoulder. Albus, just barely six months old now, was already upstairs asleep in his cot. James was curled up in the armchair next to the sofa. Harry looked over at him as Ginny spoke. The boy slept just like Ginny does when she falls asleep in that same chair. Harry breathed a fond sigh.
"Haven't seen him this quiet in a while," he laughed softly. James was nearly four years old, and he had more energy than Harry and Ginny combined. Their day out today had worn them all out – they'd barely been home twenty minutes before both kids were asleep. It was nice to see James so peaceful. His head was on the arm of the chair, his arms wrapped around his knees. "I don't want to wake him."
"He should sleep in his bed, though. It'd be more comfortable."
Harry chuckled as Ginny rose from the sofa and padded over to James. "I tell you the same thing at least once a week."
Ginny looked back at him, smiling, and shrugged. "Maybe I should listen." She wrapped an arm underneath James gently, trying not to jostle him too much. When she lifted the boy, he curled into her embrace. Ginny looked down at the child with such strong love in her eyes. Weaving between furniture and toys scattered across the sitting room floor, she worked her way over to the staircase as Harry sank back into the sofa. She moved slowly, desperate not to wake James. She was far too tired herself to try and get him back to sleep.
Walking up the stairs with a practiced ease slightly offset by the child in her arms, Ginny brought James back up to his bedroom. She laid him down on his bed as gently as she'd picked him up, holding her breath in fear that he'd wake. She needn't have worried – James had always been the soundest sleeper of the family. Even as a baby, he'd slept through the night more than they'd expected. Tucking the covers around him, she hovered over him for a moment longer, a smile soft on her lips. Ginny kissed him on the forehead before leaving the pale red-painted room and closing the door behind her.
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A/N: Written for Disney Challenge C8: Write about someone motherly; Showtime 40: (action) carrying someone up the stairs; Amber's Attic S4: Write about taking something slow; Em's Emporium 3: (relationship) Parent & child; Fortnightly – Winter Bucket List 3: (plot point) Getting ready for bed; Writing Month and Dragons: wc 397
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