A/N: Don't forget to leave a review!
October 2003
"Aunt Ginny! Aunt Ginny!" Five-year old Teddy yelled, zooming into the living room like a human tornado. Ginny lazily opened one brown eye to look at her currently blue-haired godson, as she was rudely awoken from her quick doze on the sofa, which she had been very much enjoying and which she had really needed. Ginny naturally lovingly rested her hand on her huge belly, her mind never wandering far from the thoughts about the impending birth in a week's time. "Yes, Teddy. What is it?" she asked softly, resisting the temptation to vanish the kid. Where was Ron? Ginny desperately wanted to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on how you looked at it), Harry was out making some last minute arrangements with St Mungo's. He'd been a bit too mothering for Ginny's liking recently, but Ron had gone too far in the opposite direction...
Teddy jumped up and down excitedly, a playful grin stretching from ear to ear, as his hair flashed through a colourful multitude of colours that would have done a disco proud. "I beat Uncle Ron! I beat him at Snap!" Ginny's fiery eyebrows raised in interest.
"You did?" Ron was a master at these sorts of games, he must have let Teddy win. That didn't mean she couldn't spread this information. And it was fair, for he let Teddy come and interrupt her precious sleep. "And Teddy, dear, you don't need to shout all the time-"
"Okay!" Teddy promptly shouted, seemingly not realising what had been asked of him. Ginny winced and rubbed her temples with her fingers.
Her tall, lanky brother then entered the living room, ducking slightly through the wooden door frame. Harry and Ginny had recently moved into a cosy, old cottage in Godric's Hollow; Harry had wanted to be close to his parents and Ginny agreed it was a great place to raise a family. Ginny thought the house was cute; Ron's towering limbs disagreed. "Well, if it isn't the man who is supposed to be entertaining the child and who lost the game of Snap," Ginny grumbled sarcastically, stretching her aching limbs like a cat. Ron had the decency to look sheepish, as he burned bright red. "Sorry, Ginny, I was just sorting out the next game - and I don't know what he told you but I won like four of those in a row." Ginny closed her eyes again and manoeuvred a cushion to be more comfortable. She crossed her arms behind her head. "Hey Ron, I'm not judging. It's okay if you lost to a five year old."
Ron flushed and sidestepped over to Ginny as Teddy ran around the room playing imaginary Quidditch. "You know, I let him win," Ron whispered, crouching down over her. "Course you did," Ginny retorted, scrunching up her eyes in an attempt to block out external stimuli. "Now let me sleep."
This was also promptly ignored. "I'll prove it to you. Come on look, I'll prove it to you, Ginny." Ginny turned over so her back was to him. "I don't need proof. I need you to leave me alone." But much to her exasperation, Ron's pride took over him and he brought the game into the living room, settling down on the floor with Teddy.
Ginny sighed in defeat and rolled over to watch their game, as the cards began to stack. Ron had his serious face on. She would have moved to another room but her large size made this a difficult feat for one to attempt on their own. "I beat you, Uncle Ron, I really beat you!" Teddy exclaimed, as they slapped down cards.
"Yes, yes you did," Ron said through a forced smile. "Snap!" Ron beat Teddy to the first pile. "And I'm going to tell Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione and Grandmother and Grandma Weasley and everyone in the world that I won," Teddy announced, full of pride. Ron's eyes took on a wild sort of mania, and he looked over his shoulder at Ginny, who tried, and failed, not laugh at Ron's predicament. "Snap!" Teddy shouted as he forced Ron to take the next lot of cards, whilst Ron had not been looking. Ginny snickered and Ron stole another panicked look at his pregnant sister. "Snap!" Ron winced and turned to collect his cards again. It had happened again.
"Honey, I'm home!" came Harry's warm voice from the hallway. "And I brought Hermione too." Ginny rolled her eyes. Great. Just what she wanted: more people to keep her awake. True to his word, Harry and Hermione entered the living room, Harry putting Ginny's legs on his lap so that he could sit on the sofa. "Ron, Hermione is here to take you home," Harry said, as if addressing a child.
"Not yet, I'm just beating this little squirt-"
"Harry, I beat Ron last time," Teddy cexclaimed. Ron turned, his face red with shame, to address Hermione who stuffed her knuckles in her mouth to stop from laughing at her husband. "He didn't- I mean, he did but-"
"Snap!"
"Noooo-"
"I win. I win again." Teddy jumped up victorious, and bounded over to his godparents. He placed his head and hands on Ginny's bloated belly. "Did you hear that little Jamie? I beat Ron and when you come out, I'm going to show you how. It's easy."
Harry lovingly massaged Ginny's back, pressing his fingers into her stressed muscles and she groaned softly at the relief. "Oh, that's so much better. Not only did you leave me heavily pregnant today but you also left me with two children to care for." Harry kissed her neck, and chuckled against it at the same time.
"Sorry Gin." His hands trailed down to rest on her belly and Ginny hummed in satisfaction, and leaned back into her husband.
Meanwhile, on the floor, poor Ron was hopelessly rearranging the cards. "Come on Teddy, rematch," he challenged.
"Okay, if you want to lose again," replied the toddler, sitting down opposite Ron. All the adults, bar Ron, laughed uproariously at this, as Ron looked like he had been slapped in the face. "Did you just sass me? Is my sister that much of an influence?" Said redhead faced her husband, mirth still evident on her pretty features. "Harry, can you please carry me up to the bedroom and lock the door. I'm exhausted."