All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
People smile and tell me I'm the lucky one
And we've just begun, I think I'm gonna have a son
He will be like you and me, as free as a dove
Conceived in love, the sun is gonna shine above...
-Anne Murray "Danny's Song"
Meeting the Weasleys (Part Three)
By JLaLa
"How long have they been in there?" Ron asked sitting at the table. The rest of his siblings except for Bill remained at the table.
"About a hour," Hermoine said glancing at her watch.
"HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID!" They winced at the sound of Bill's shouts. After his sister had gone upstairs, he had rushed up to the bathroom to give her a piece of his mind. Slamming the door behind him, the whole house shook and Harry , looking very ashamed, put his head on the table.
"I LOVE HIM!" Ginny yelled back from upstairs. "It's not like I was forced Bill, I'm not a child..." They could hear the anger in her voice, as well as the sadness. For Ginny loved her brother with all her heart. But she also loved her husband. Bill and Ginny were both very much alike. Her temper rivaled Bill's and while they were both passionate people, they were also very hot-headed.
Molly and Arthur, though they were the parents, knew better and remained downstairs. The rest of the family waited with them.
"You're only nineteen," Bill reasoned. "You're too young to be married, and you're certainly too young to be shagging anyone!"
Fred and George chuckled at Harry who was staring at the kitchen table especially hard trying not to meet the eyes of his new in-laws.
"Oh yeah," Ginny responded. "By the time you were nineteen, you shagged half the FEMALE POPULATION!" The door bang open as it hit the wall of the bathroom and the sound of angry footsteps coming down the stairs. The two came downstairs, Ginny's face was livid and Bill's face was a tomato red. Ginny looked at Fleur who was feeding Marie. "Please reason with your husband."
"Please reason with your—Ginny," he said to Harry. Though it had happened, Bill really couldn't get himself to think that she was married and call her his 'wife'. He had looked at her, with her long hair and womanly figure, and then he looked at that blasted wedding ring. He remember when she use to play 'pretend' bride. He suddenly realized how much his brothers and sister had grown up.
The twins with their own business, Percy was off on his own in London, Charlie was dating around looking for the perfect woman. He had found the woman of his dreams; they had a beautiful little girl. He had never realized that his two youngest siblings were not the same little girl and boy. Ron was traveling the world with the Cannons, and then there was Ginny, who as a child would run to him first whenever he came to visit, but now she was married and would have her own child. He felt tired, suddenly, and sad because of these realizations. Never would he see that little girl in braids running towards him.
Ginny turned towards her brother looking tired and distraught. "I love you Bill but sometimes you can be such an arse." She was about to leave when Bill pulled her quickly into his arms.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as she burst into tears on his shoulder. "I just can't let go of you. You're my only sister."
She laughed as she pulled away. "That's why I'm trying to get Ron to marry Hermoine. You need more sisters." Ginny looked over to Hermoine who was blushing and then at Ron who was looking at his shoes. "She is quite brilliant after all, and she will stand up to you." They laughed as the tense moment was broken.
Bill turned to Harry who was standing aside and shook his hand. It was then when the barrage of owls arrived. In their claws were sacks filled with something unknown. One by one, each owl dropped their pile into the kitchen and departed. Percy opened them carefully.
"What are they?" Arthur asked.
"Letters, sacks and sacks of letters," replied Percy. "For you." He looked up at Harry. He took one and then opened it. "This is from a woman in Rome, offering herself as another wife." Ginny scowled. "In return that you tell her how you defeated You-Know-Who."
"For goodness sakes," said Hermoine. "He was a year old!" She turned to Ron. "Who is You-Know-Who?" The faces of the Weasleys all darkened as she asked. "What?"
Harry remained stone-faced but he was gripping his wife's hand tightly.
It was hard to think about the time when he was with his parents, he knew nothing about them and suddenly he had discovered that they were magical. They had a life that he never knew about. Harry realized that he didn't know anything about himself, about his past.
It scared the hell out of him.
He smiled and excused himself. Harry walked to the back porch, and was surprised to see that Mrs. Weasley was sitting on the porch nursing a cup in her hand. He had failed to notice that she had removed herself from the family drama. Molly turned to him and gave a melancholy smile. She patted her seat and he quickly sat. They looked up at the navy sky, the stars shining in their cosmic dance.
Harry had very little time to acquaint himself with Molly Weasley. Ginny adored her mother, though she had mentioned that they had different view when it came to her life choices. Harry wondered if he was one of those choices that they a different view on.
For a moment, there was silence.
"It's never easy," she finally said and Harry turned to her. Molly looked at him with a friendly face. "Seeing your child grow up. I'm always use to worry that Fred and George were going to blow themselves up or that Bill's flirting would get him in trouble or that Charlie's love for danger would get him killed, or that Percy's need for success would drive him mad and Ron...he had always wanted to be the good at something, I was afraid he'd fall into the wrong crowd. But Ginny, I never worried about my little girl."
"How was Ginny as a child?" he asked and Molly smiled brightly.
"Ginny was my miracle girl," Molly answered. "I wanted nothing more than a little girl but the Weasley clan hadn't had a girl in generations. Ron's birth had been very difficult and I had decided that he would be my last child." She smiled to herself recalling her memories. "Christmas has just ended when I discovered I was pregnant and I hate to think that I was trying to decide whether or not to have Ginny. I just thought that maybe a miracle would happen. And then I had my girl."
Harry wondered what would had happened if Molly had never had Ginny. He would had always been alone, never knowing what love was. Harry would always forever grateful for Mrs. Weasley because she had brought Ginny into the world.
"I grew up never worrying about her," she said. "But everything seems to have switch around. Fred and George have a lucrative business, Bill has settled down, Charlie is working with dangerous animals in order to train them and Ron has found his place with the Cannons. But Ginny...I started to worry about. She always seemed to be looking for something more--"
"What?" he asked.
"You," Molly said simply. "As Ginny got older, it seemed that she was always searching for something. She really didn't know who she was and being the only girl in the house could be hard. I thought that if she had married Dean, her former boyfriend, then I wouldn't be so scared for her. But she turned him down and got a job in the city. Then she met you and now the baby..." She stopped short as tears filled her eyes. "My Ginny is having a baby."
"I know she'll make a great Mum," Harry said as she wept. "It's me that I'm worried about." Molly looked at him. "I never knew my parents and now that I know all this, I feel that I know even less. I feel like I lost them again. I could never ask them about baby advice because they're not there. I couldn't ask my dad if he was as nervous as I am." Molly's heart went out to him, and she patted him kindly on the back.
"I know my dear," she replied. "You've been lonely your whole life, but now you have a family." He smiled at Molly knowing that the beautiful spirit that Ginny had was from her mother.
"Harry?"
They turned to see Ginny standing tenatively as if she didn't want to ruin their quiet moment. Molly beckoned her to sit and Ginny sat next to her husband. "I'll leave you two alone, I'll take care of your brothers." Molly stood up and proceeded to the door but not before looking at her young daughter. She lifted Ginny's chin trying to remember how many dreams she had for her little girl. Molly kissed her forehead softly and then left, her eyes shining.
"Hey," she greeted him quietly and Harry put an arm around her. "Percy is sorting out your letters. Apparently, people from Gringotts heard Bill having a fit about his sister marrying 'bloody Harry Potter' as he walked out and the lovely news was sent to the wizarding newspaper 'The Prophet'. So much for a quiet honeymoon." He smiled wryly. "Are you okay?"
"I'm nervous, I don't know anything about raising a child," Harry admitted.
"Like I do?" Ginny replied. "It's not born into your genes, it happens with experience. Let's hope the press doesn't get wind of this."
"What's the big deal?" he asked and Ginny looked at him wondering if he wanted to know about the horrific details. "What's all the excitement about me?"
"There's always been this legend that there was a survivor of the killing curse," she said to him. "You-Know-Who was a very powerful wizard who wanted rid our world of those who weren't pureblood meaning all descendents had to have magical blood. He killed many who didn't and everyone lived in fear that he'd take over eventually. On Halloween night, he apparently went in search of those who had defied him. Your parents were two of many. You were in hiding with your parents at the time. Everyone on his list was killed...apparently you've survived but for some reason that never got out. The house in Godric's Hollow had been in pieces, they said it was a house fire but no one knew who had lived there. When you told me where you lived I had a strange feeling--"
"I once went back," Harry said in an empty voice. "I wanted to see my house so bad." He gave her a eerie smile. "But it was gone, burnt to the ground." Ginny took him in her arms, holding him tight as he trembled. "This is really happening..."
"Yes, it is," Ginny replied and kissed his cheek. She pulled away from him looking into his eyes. "But no one ever said that change was going to be easy. It isn't a bad thing either. Was I such a horrible inconvinience in your life?"
Harry was silent. Ginny stood up and suddenly Harry was up too, pulling her into his arms as they met in a passionate kiss. "No, you are not. You and this baby are the most important and the best things in my life." Ginny smiled content with his answer.
"I want to go home," she said tiredly. It had been an emotional few hours.
"Yours or mine?"
"I didn't think about that," Ginny said sheepishly.
"So?" Hermione said as she sat on the couch. Ron sat beside her with the same expressionless look on his face.
"So?"
"Do you want to talk about what's going on with us?" Hermione asked and he turned a bright red.
They had intended to take a look around the house when they had gotten caught by Fred and George. He showed her around each of the rooms except for the twins' due to the fear of being caught in one of their experiments. Ginny's room was the only painted one, a soft pink which she knew that Mrs. Weasley had picked. Bill and Charlie's rooms were simple full of books that they had used for their work. Percy had been the only one occupying his room and he smiled softly at her, crimson tinging his cheeks. His room was last, and she smiled at how the room was plastered in Cannons posters. Ron was quiet as she looked around the room.
He had stared at her with something in his eyes that made her heart drop to her stomach. Hermione knew that she wanted him. As he stood by the window, she had walked from behind wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his back. For a moment, they were quiet and she wondered if he could feel her heart pounding. It was then that Ron turned slowly, entwined his hand in hers and kissed her. It was her that led them to his small bed and was on the verge of ravaging him when they had been caught.
"I liked what we did," Ron said breaking the silence. "But maybe we're going too fast. I'm not ready to pull a 'Ginny and Harry', not yet anyway."
"Neither am I," Hermione said. "How about a date?"
"A date?"
"Yeah, that thing we were suppose to have before your sister and my friend interupted us with their big news," she replied. Ron turned to look at Hermione. She was lovely and smart. He had no idea what to do with someone so wonderful. He had been with Lavender and some part of him had always felt like he was looking for someone else. It had been Lavender's demand of getting married that made him realize that he wanted more, just not with her.
"Okay then," he said. "Hermione, would you like to go out with me?"
"I'd love to," she replied grinning.
"Just don't marry him."
They turned to see Mr. Weasley smiling at them. He sat down on a nearby chair. It had been a long day for everyone.
"Tell me Hermione," he asked. "Is this Harry trustworthy?" He had very little chance of talking to him though Molly reassured him that he was a good boy. Arthur was the father of a gorgeous daughter, he wasn't taking any chances.
"Well he's not marrying her for her money," muttered Ron.
"Ronald!" Hermione scolded him and for a moment, Arthur thought that it was his wife's voice. "That is your full name, isn't it?" Ron nodded, laughter in his eyes.
"It's true," Ron reasoned. "The Potter family was wealthy and I'm sure that everything belongs to Harry now."
"Mr. Weasley, Harry is a good boy," Hermione said. "My parents love him like a son and he's been a good friend to me."
"I'm sure he is," Arthur agreed. Harry obviously loved his daughter but he'd never stopped watching out for his little girl.
"Now tell me, Mr. Weasley," Hermione said leaning forward. "Is this Ron trustworthy?"
Arthur laughed loudly. She was made for Ron.
"Now what does this do?" Ron asked Hermione as they sat in Harry's sitting room. He was examining the remote control for the television. The Weasleys had come over to help Ginny move in.
Actually, they were most curious to see the Potters' apartment.
"What does this do?" Mr. Weasley said as examined the television in front of the couple. He walked to the back of it and almost shrieked in delight amongst the wiring. Hermione rushed over to him.
"Watch out Mr. Weasley," she warned as he stood up. "You could get electrocuted." She led him to see with Ron who had gotten the batteries from the remote and were looking at them curiously.
"What happens if you do?" Ron asked.
"You could die," Hermione replied seriously. They both turned to her in shock and she took the batteries from Ron putting them in the remote. "While we're at it--" She turned to Fred and George who had just learn the use of plugs and were taking turns plugging the lamp plug into the socket. "--don't even think of sticking your fingers into that socket." They turned to her in disappointment.
"I think we're going to have to start Weasley-proofing the flat," Ginny said as she entered, with Harry in tow as they carried bags of groceries. Mrs. Weasley followed carrying another. Harry put his bags on the counter and then proceeded to help his mother in law. "Thank God, we went shopping. I'm starved." Opening a bag of cookies, she munch and then looked around. "I thought you were helping us clean up and arranged everything."
"I didn't realize that no one knew about electricity or plugs," Hermione said. "I've just taught them to use the telly." She got up as Mr. Weasley and Ron proceeded to flipped through the channels. "Your place is beautiful." Ginny smiled thinking that she could count the number of times that she had been in the flat with one hand.
"It was a bit empty before we added Ginny's things," Harry said as he kissed the side of her head.
"Oh I've forgotten something," Ginny said pulling him into their bedroom. He sat on the bed, which now had a new green comforter, to match his eyes and she bounded into the walk-in closet. She came out quickly, her hands behind her back and sat on the bed next to him. "Happy Honeymoon."
Harry looked at the box that laid on the bed and looked at Ginny who was beaming at him. Opening it slowly, he looked down at it and then at her.
"You went back," he said quietly and then pulled her towards him so that their lips could meet.
"Congratulations, my dears," Maggie said and hugged them both. She wiped her eyes in happiness looking at the couple. "You looked lovely my dear." She looked at Ginny in the wedding dress and wondered how come none of her family had decided to come.
"Wait," Clementine said as she rummaged through her bag. She yeeped in triumph as she pulled out a disposable camera. "We need to take a picture of the two of you."
"What do you say, Mrs. Potter?" Harry asked as he looked down at her.
"You know what I say, Mr. Potter?" She replied as she kissed him softly. "Smile."
FLASH
"Father O' Reilly and Maggie send their regards," she informed him as they broke from their kiss. "Clementine got the solo for the church's Christmas play. They want us to attend." He held up the frame of their only wedding picture. It was both of them grinning at the camera, her arms around his neck as one hand dangled showing off her wedding ring. His head was laid on top of hers. "I thought we could use some more pictures on the mantle."
"Ginny, I love you," he said suddenly and seriously. Tears filled her eyes, and she tried to not get emotional. "You've given me everything I could have ever wanted."
"Damn these hormones," she said as she wiped her eyes. Pulling her husband towards her, she kissed him fully on the lips. Ginny suddenly was on top of him, enjoying the feel of his lips on hers.
"Isn't that how you got in that situation in the first place?" Hermione said from the doorway. They looked up at her from where they laid. "You have a phone call. No one told me that I had to practically wrestle the phone away from your father, Gin. It's the Dursleys, Harry."
They both sat up and Harry's demeanor suddenly changed. She scooped up the picture as they headed out. He picked up the phone in the living room as she placed the picture on the mantle. "Hello?" The Weasleys were in the kitchen helping Molly everything away. From where she stood, Ginny could see Harry's discomfort at having to talk to his relatives. "I'll be by tomorrow, okay? I know Uncle Vernon. By noon. Bye." He hung up quickly and turned to her with a frown. He quickly gave her an easy smile and walked over to her. "Everything's okay."
"No, it's not," Ginny said to him.
"My Uncle wants his money," Harry said. "I had to borrow the money for my tuition from him. I take care of the rent by myself. So he demands that I make monthly payments to him. The only reason that he did it was so that I would be gone from the house. I'm going tomorrow."
"Well so am I."
"That will play out well," He said with a laugh. "Bringing home my pregnant wife to see Vernon and Petunia Dursley. Not to mention, my cousin Dudley. He tortured me when we were kids, still does sometimes."
"I'm your wife Harry," said Ginny and put her arms around him. "Remember? Better or worse? Richer or poorer? Blah, blah, blah..."
"Okay," Harry said with a sigh. "We'll drive down tomorrow."
"Wicked," Ron said as he came into the room with Hermione. " You have a car?"
"Yes, it's park downstairs," he replied. "But so does Hermione, actually. She use to always go driving around with that Bulgarian bloke...what his name again?"
Hermione made an angry squeak as she turned a bright red. Harry could tell she was seething. Ron looked at her, jealousy clearly in his eyes. " I don't know what your talking about," she replied, her voice tight.
"Remember the one that you told me about," Harry informed her. Ginny was holding back her laughter. "You met him at that University's Winter ball, last Christmas. Kept saying your name wrong and everything, but always the patient one, you helped him pronounce it correctly. For goodness sakes, you almost ma-"
"Viktor," she said in a huff. "Viktor Vrum." She was going to kill him.
"You went out with Viktor Krum!" Ron said. "The Quidditch player?"
"He told me he was on some team," said Hermione. "He failed to mention that he was a wizard. Good thing I didn't marry him." She slapped both hands on her mouth realizing what she had said.
"You almost married him?" Ron asked.
"When did it get to this?" Hermione asked trying to get off subject. "We were talking about my CAR!" The two continued arguing and Ginny motioned him to followed her. Harry knew that if they stayed than Hermione would have his head on a stick.
Harry and Ginny quietly walked back into their room before doubling over in laughter.
Harry parked the car in front of the Dursleys' house, the next morning, his expression grim as he put on the parking break. Ginny turned to look at the immaculate looking house, the freshly mowed law and the two expensive cars in the driveway.
It was picturesque, pretty at first view but something behind looked almost TOO perfect. Ginny knew that nothing was perfect at all. Behind the fake perfection laid a more sinister quality to it. It's perfect quality made the home and neighborhood look like a prison, you had to stay perfect and normal just the folks living inside their homes. It made her see why Harry hated it so much.
Ginny caressed her stomach where a small bump was beginning to form. She took Harry's hand and gave him an encouraging smile. Harry looked at his lovely wife. She wore her red hair in pretty waves that framed her face and very little make up. He knew that Vernon and Petunia would wonder how he had gotten such gorgeous girl. However, Harry knew that as soon as they found out she was a witch, they would become mean even hurtful towards her.
"You should stay here," he said almost pleadingly. There were parts of his life, he was ashamed of. This was one of them.
"No," Ginny responded. "You need me with you. I know you do, even if you deny it."
"You don't know the Dursleys," Harry said. "They can be mean. I don't want you to go through that." She shook her head. He sighed, gave her a smile and then walked out of the car. Opening the door for her, Harry took her hand as she got out. They looked up at the house which suddenly seem as big as a skyscraper.
"We're in this together," Ginny said. They held hands as they walked to the porch and she noticed how Harry's grip seem to tighten as they got closer. When they reached the front door, Harry tenatively knocked on the door and she could hear the heavy footsteps walking to the front door.
The door opened to reveal a rather large young man resembling a baby pig. He glanced at Harry in distaste and then a Ginny, who he stared at rather hungrily like she was his next meal.
"Oh it's you," Dudley said and then turned living room. "Mum! Dad! He's here." He opened the door wider. "Well come in then." The two walked and Ginny moved a little closer to him. They went into the living room where a man who was twice the size of Dudley sat along with a middle age woman who had a rather long face. Clearly they were the dreaded Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.
"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia," he greeted. They looked at him and then at Ginny. Petunia's eyes widened at her. Many had commented on their resemblance to Lily and James but the shock on Petunia's face surprised her.
"Well?" Vernon asked. Harry handed him a small envelope with his monthly payment. He looked at Ginny up and down. "Next time, don't bring any of your floozies here. We have a respectable household."
Harry was clearly angry. The tips of his ears were bright red and the green in his eyes seemed darker. "Ginny is my wife," he informed them.
Petunia's eyes were now the size of saucers now.
"Did you knock her up?" asked Dudley.
"Sit down," Petunia said suddenly. "No respectable person asks such questions."
"Ginny's due in early July," he informed them. "Not like it matters to you, but the baby wasn't the reason we were married. Leave her alone. I just want to get the rest of my things." Vernon sneered at them.
"They're in the same place," Vernon replied as he turned his back on them. Petunia's eyes followed them outside to the hallway where Dudley followed to escort them out.
"Go back to the car," Harry instructed quietly. She stood defiantly but something in her stomach started to churn. And it wasn't morning sickness.
"Why?" she asked and he turned to her almost pleadingly to listen. Ginny was too hard-headed however.
"What's the matter?" Dudley asked, his eyes full of glee. "Don't want her to see your room?" Harry's eyes seemed to glaze trying to cover something up.
"Just go, Gin," Harry said in a harder tone and then turned to Dudley. "Say what you want to me but leave my wife alone."
"It's no big deal Harry," Ginny said. "It's just your room."
"I'll come back another time to get it," he said and they began to walk towards the door.
"Allow me to grab them for you," Dudley sneered and then walked to the small doorway under the stairs. He took a small box and dropped it on the ground. It landed in a THUNK and Ginny turned to look at Harry who couldn't even meet her gaze.
They were silent for a moment.
"Oh Harry..." Ginny said quietly as he remained immobile. Harry turned quietly to her and the look of shame on his face broke her heart. She walked over to small cupboard looking inside at stuffy space. He couldn't possibly fit in there due to his long legs. It was unbearably hot and she wondered what had happened when the summer heat invaded the house. Her eyes filled with anger, and when she got up from where she knelt, she felt like she was going to explode. "How could they?"
Dudley looked at them obviously thrilled at the humiliation he had caused.
"Please Ginny," Harry said in an embarassed voice. "Let's go home."
"NO!"
Her loud voice revertebrated through the house. Vernon and Petunia rushed in.
"What is the meaning of this?" Vernon asked. "How dare you come into house and show such disrespect--"
"Disrespect?" Ginny said approaching them. "Harry is your nephew." She turned to Petunia. "Your own blood, and you made his life miserable." Her eyes burned with angry tears and her voice was thick. "How could you do that to a child?"
"Gin, let's go," Harry urged quietly and she began to walk with him cursing obscenities at them.
"I HATE YOU!" Ginny screamed as he moved her towards the door and she knew that deep down Harry had always wanted to say the same. "We won't be coming back! If your parents ever knew--" With that, she whipped the door open and marched out.
"She was wrong to yell in your house," Harry said to them. "But we won't ever be coming back."
Vernon's face was beet red, Dudley's glowed in triumph over humiliating Harry but Petunia's face held a sad, beaten down look and he understood why as he left the seemingly perfect Privet Drive.
"Talk to me," Ginny said as she opened the door to their flat.
Harry had been silent the whole way home as he drove. He was humiliated. The whole experience had brought him back to the days of his torture. Harry just couldn't find the words to explain how he felt, the mere thought of her knowing how he had lived brought tears to his eyes.
Instead he sat on the couch willing himself not to look at her.
"So you're not speaking to me now?" Ginny continued angrily.
"I CAN'T!" Harry screamed suddenly. "Don't you understand that I'm embarassed?" He went up to her fuming and Ginny looked into his green eyes. "You're the only person who has ever loved me and I didn't want you to see the Dursleys. I was afraid that you'd believe them. That you'd think I was as horrible and as worthless as they thought. But I'm not--"
Ginny took him in her arms and she could feel the warm tears fall onto her bare shoulder. "Oh love, I would never stop loving you. No one is as wonderful as you and I'm proud that you're my husband. Nothing they say or do is going to change how I feel," she said as she held him.
"I can't remember a time when anyone ever loved me," he whispered.
"Funny. I remember a time when people would have done anything because they loved you."
They turned to see Dumbledore standing by their window looking sadly at him.
"Professor," Ginny greeted him. "We didn't know you were coming."
"Quite alright my dear," he responded. The old wizard tapped on a nearby chair turning into a plushy seat. "I've come to tell Harry my side of the story. Do sit down." They sat on the couch next to him in anticipation. They watched as Dumbledore snapped his fingers and a bowl holding a liquidy substance glowed.
"A pensieve," Ginny said.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"It holds the memories," Dumbledore said. "I wanted you to know why you never went to Hogwarts. Why you never came to know about your life. But Harry, you have to understand that it was different back then. People were different back then." Harry looked at Dumbledore whose eyes were glowing brightly at him due to the faint light of the pensieve.
"I understand," Harry said and then turn to his wife. "You'll come with me, right?"
Ginny nodded and her eyes filled with unshed tears, her husband's face look so happy and eager to have answers.
Ginny beckoned for him to look in and she followed, her stomach lurching as they fell in.
Harry opened his eyes and saw that he was in a small living room, a fireplace was lit in a soft fire. Turning he saw that Ginny and Dumbledore stood behind him. The place look so familiar and that scent of gardenias floated through the air. He walked over to the fireplace where he saw the faces of his parents smiling at him. There were pictures from school in their robes waving at the camera, his mother hugging his Aunt Petunia who also seemed to smiling bigger than he had ever seen in his life, and a wedding picture with a good looking man smiling with his parents.
"Professor!" A light voice called out and his eyes widened as his mother walked in. "You spoil him too much!" His mother was a lovely woman. Tall, with shoulder length hair and emerald eyes, Lily was beautiful. Ginny couldn't help but wish that she was as pretty and confident.
"My dear," said a younger looking Dumbledore holding a baby Harry as they walked in. "I was merely bringing him a belated birthday gift." He sat on the a chair near her.
"A broom? He's only one," Lily reasoned. "James is influencing you too much. His birthday was two months ago!"
"Lils, it doesn't even fly that high!" A man with the same messy hair and glasses appeared. "Just a little off the ground!" He was carrying a tray with tea and biscuits. James placed it on the table and sat next to his wife. "What did you need to see us for?"
"Alice and Frank," he replied somberly. "Neville is safe but...they were torture with Cruciatus...they're insane and are now in St. Mungo's." Suddenly he seemed ten times older. Lily began to weep in earnest.
"Your mother and Alice were good friends," the present Dumbledore said to him.
"I suggest you go into hiding," Dumbledore said as she cried and Harry whimpered from the wizard's lap. "It's not safe anymore as much as we've all tried." He bounced the child on his knee. "As for Harry--"
"He's staying with us," James said firmly though he looked worried. "Harry needs us." They were quiet for a moment and Harry took Ginny's hand. Lily was sniffing quietly.
"Professor," she said quietly. "If something should happen to us. We want you to take Harry from all this. Bring him to Petunia. Keep him away until you possibly can."
"Is this wise?" Dumbledore asked. "Keeping him away from the wizarding world? He will be protected with us"
"Living a quiet life will be better," James reasoned. "If Voldemort knew he existed while we were dead than there would be no way he could ever live a normal life. We want him to live a life where he never has to look over his shoulder. Raising him a Muggle, should this happen, would be best."
"We love him and we want him safe," Lily said. "I trust Petunia. She will take care of him despite Vernon."
Dumbledore nodded sadly.
"I know Sirius is his godfather," James said. "He'll understand why. If Harry ever finds out, Sirius will explain what he can."
"Promise us," Lily pleaded. "If Voldemort ever found out..."
"I promise I will keep him away from our world," Dumbledore replied. "UNTIL he finds out somehow."
The memory seem to fade away and Harry turned to look for his mother and father only to see a mixture of colors and muffled voices.
Harry opened his eyes to see that they were standing back in the living room. Ginny next to him with a serious expression and Dumbledore near looking very worn out by the event. The elderly wizard sat down and sighed. He had felt a sense of guilt for not urging Lily and James to reconsider. Perhaps then they would be alive.
"Your parents loved you very much," Dumbledore said to Harry. "So much that their love protected you from the Killing Curse. I am only sorry that we couldn't bring you to Hogwarts but I wanted to respect your parents' wishes. It worked because you have had a peaceful life for these twenty years. The name Voldemort has never dirtied your ears." Ginny cringed when he spoke the Dark Wizard's name.
"And this Voldemort," Harry asked. "What happened to him?"
"He is alive but barely," Dumbledore replied darkly. "But now that you've been revealed to the public, it might be wise for you both to be heavily guarded. Also I suggest that Harry learns to control his power."
"I've never had a speck of magic happen to me," said Harry.
"Think, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Has there ever been a time when you've really concentrated and something strange happened?"
Harry thought for a moment. "Sometimes, when it got really too small for me to fit under the stairs I would wish that it was just a little bigger. I'd go to sleep with my knees up and when I woke up there was enough room for me so I could straighten my legs. Or sometimes during those summer nights, I would wish so much for water and when I'd open my eyes there would be a pitcher of water and a glass. I just thought that I had fallen asleep and maybe Aunt Petunia had put it in."
"I think there was one more time," Ginny said and her face had turned almost red enough to match her hair. "It was that Halloween night. When we were on the porch and I kissed you--"
"All the street lights exploded and went out," He finished. "That kiss was pretty amazing though." Harry took her in his arms. "What have you gotten yourself into?"
"I believe that these signs of your ability," Dumbledore replied and then stood up. "I will send some of the Hogwarts staff to help you as well as others who might be able to answer any of your other questions." He went up to them. "I wanted to show you how much your parents loved you, Harry and now that love is in you running through your veins, through your wife's and now to your child's. Always remember that."
Harry nodded and held Ginny tighter.
"Thank you," Harry said and Dumbledore nodded back. Before he apparated away, Ginny saw that his eyes were filled with tears.
Harry and Ginny sat on the couch later that evening. While it had been an emotional day for both of them, the couple decided that what they needed was a little time to relax. The two sat on the couch ready to watch a movie. Ginny balanced a bowl of popcorn on her stomach which had the beginning of a noticable bump.
"What's that?" she asked as they settled down. Harry held a book in his hand and lifted the cover to show her. It was a book of baby names. "Afraid I'll name our baby something kooky?"
"No, just for reference," Harry replied. "Though I was always fond of Harry Jr."
"And what if it's a girl?"
"Harra."
"No wonder you need that book," Ginny said and he hit her with a nearby pillow. "Don't worry, I won't name the baby anything strange. I fancied something simple like Jane or something."
"Jane? Why not something like Thor?" Harry said to her.
"THOR!" Ginny cried though she was grinning. "Next thing you'll be trying to convince me that Zeus is acceptable. Why not something like John?"
"Because it's boring," He argued. "Don't be angry because you had an unusual name, Ginevra."
"How do we know it's even a boy?" Ginny said. "Why are we talking about this? I'm just about to begin my third month. Baby Potter has no sex organs yet."
Before they could finish their argument, the doorbell rang incessantly. Harry got up to answer and opened the door to a very flustered, angry Hermione. She walked in quickly. "I can't believe your brother Ginny!"
"Okay come in," Harry said to himself and shut the door. There went their peaceful evening.
"Hermione," Ginny said. "What happen?" The young woman paced back and forth. Ginny noticed her nice attire, the high heels and pretty black dress under her long coat. "Did your date go horribly?"
"It didn't even happen," Hermione said. "I waited for your brother for half an hour! I bought this new dress. I wore NICE UNDERWEAR! You know the kind that has lace on it and very little coverage? He never showed! So I called his flat and of course, some woman answered claiming to be his girlfriend!"
"Ron doesn't have a girlfriend!" Ginny said and stood up spilling the popcorn to the rug.
A crash was heard from the kitchen and in burst Ron. He too was dressed nicely, in a dress shirt and pants that he picked out just for the occasion. When he saw Hermione, his face filled with surprise that she was there.
"Hermione! I was coming to get you and I'm so sorry that I was late--"
"I know you've been busy with your girlfriend!" Hermione said. "I call your flat and she picked up. I won't be bothering to call you anymore! To think I spent money on new underwear for YOU!" She walked to the guest room and slammed the door.
"What is she talking about?" Harry asked. He thought of Hermione as a sister and knew that he'd hurt Ron if he hurt Hermione.
"Lavender is back," Ron informed them. "She must have came in using the key I gave her while we were going out. I got a message from her asking to reconsider what I said, on my phone. I was late coming out from the office and when I checked my phone, I had message from Lavender and Hermione. I rushed over to Hermione's but she was already gone!" He went over to the door and pounded on it. "Hermione! LET ME IN!"
Opening the door, Hermione came out and Ron felt his heart sink as he saw tears streaming down her face. "I won't be bothering you anymore! I hope you and your girlfriend HAVE A GREAT LIFE!"
Suddenly, the glass that held Harry and Ginny's sodas broke. It was like a chain reaction and everything from the crystal vase on their coffee table to the glass on the frames broke.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said. "I didn't mean to." She began to sobbed heavily.
"It's not important," Ginny said to her. "What's important is that you broke everything simultaneously. And not by hand."
Hermione looked at her and then at Harry and Ron.
"You're a witch," Ron said to her.
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Ginny said as Harry went over to Hermione who threw her arms around him overwhelmed with emotion. She opened the door and was surprised to see the last person she ever expected.
Petunia Dursley.
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Author's Note: Thank you for the kind and encouraging reviews. I appreciate each and every one of you. Please continue to review and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism only. Personal qualms can be e-mailed to me.
I'll been correcting Ginny's full name soon. Many have informed of my mistake and I appreciate it. Thanks so much!
As for me, school is going okay. Much more time consuming than I thought but I'm not giving up on the story! DON'T WORRY!
Also it would probably be better if you had me on story alert, so you know when the updates have happened.
Once again, thank you for each and every one of your kind words!
JLaLa
