This chapter took ages to write but I think it may be my new favourite. This could be because it finally has some decent romance in it. I wonder who it could be between?
Chapter 7 – Did Ya Think
The new term rolled around quicker than Harry had expected and he had still not written to Ron or his family to tell them that Ginny had come back. He doubted that Ginny had written to them either but he had decided that was her business. He hadn't spoken to her much since their first argument – every time he did hey seemed to fight some more. The arguments were mainly about why she'd never come back, who the father of Ginny's daughter, Elle, was and why was Harry so interfering. No answers had been found for the first two arguments as Ginny kept her mouth shut about what had happened to her while she'd been away. Harry thought he knew the answer as to why he was so interfering but he wasn't going to tell her it.
Ginny rarely came to meals so he didn't have to see much of her. Most of the other teachers seemed to expect this though, saying a young mother would have to plan her days around her child. The little girl seemed to have grown rather attached to Hagrid though – the only times Harry had seen Elle without her mother was when she was toddling after the care of magical creatures teacher.
As the second week rolled into the first Harry had settled back into his teaching routine and was happily entertaining his students once again. He sat marking some sixth year essays when he heard a knock at the door. Knowing exactly who it was, Harry smirked.
"Come in, but I'm not going to give you your essays back early even if I have marked them." Two of Harry's sixth year students, Mark Willows and Jacob Todd, entered the room.
"We didn't come here about our essays Professor." The first one said innocently.
"But if you've marked them we'd happily take hem off your hands." Said the other.
"Alright if you're not here for your essays, what do you both want?"
Jacob Todd reached behind him and herded a small girl with red hair in pigtails into Harry's room.
"We found her wandering about the halls and we couldn't find Professor Weasley to give her back. Yours was the closest classroom."
"We can't look after her because we've Quidditch practice so we thought we'd bring her to you. Can you give her back to Professor Weasley when you see her?"
"Right," Harry said slowly but the boys were already one. He was left with little Elle staring up at him staying utterly silent. "Do you know any good games Elle?" he asked and the girl smiled mischievously at him.
Hours later Harry was forced to stop searching for Ele, who he was playing Hide and Seek with, to answer the door of is office where someone was pounding furiously on it.
"Is Elle here?" Ginny asked as soon as the door was open. She marched into the room and looked about.
"She's here somewhere but I haven't found her yet." Catching the look Ginny was giving him he explained about their game. "Do you know I haven't heard her say one word since she got here?"
"Of course not. She doesn't speak." Ginny told him from the floor where she was crawling about looking for her daughter.
"She doesn't speak?"
"There's nothing wrong with her but she just doesn't speak." Ginny stood and then walked over to Harry's desk and opened the biggest drawer. Inside, curled up tightly and fast asleep, was Elle. "Found her." The young mother whispered as she lifted her daughter out of the drawer without waking her up.
"How in the world did she get in there?" He took Elle out of Ginny's arms, murmuring that he'd carry her if Ginny would open the doors for him.
"She's very good at keeping quiet and fitting into small spaces. I wish she'd been this quiet before she was born – it would have been an easy pregnancy."
They reached Ginny's office and Harry was led into a small room where it was obvious Elle stayed there. Ginny waved her wand at her daughter who was instantly in her pyjamas as Harry laid her onto her bed. Another wave of Ginny's wand had the girl tucked in with a small nightlight glowing softly above Elle.
"So it wasn't an easy pregnancy?" Harry asked once Ginny had offered him a seat I her office and a glass of wine.
"It was probably easier than it could have been but it wasn't very comfortable. You've seen how she likes to run around – it was the same before she was born. She rarely kept still."
"That must've been fun." Harry chuckled, pleased that they seemed o finally be on speaking terms again.
"Oh yes. You've never felt fun until you've been on a crowded Spanish bus in the blistering heat when you feel like your going to throw up every five seconds." Ginny muttered.
"You've done well. I don't think most girls could've handled being a mother so young, especially with out a father in the picture."
"Oh Harry." Ginny groaned. "Do we have to talk about the father when we haven't started arguing for once?"
"I just don't understand how he isn't here with you. How could he abandon you?"
"He didn't. I'd left where he was before I found out about Elle. I was too scared to go back. Only two people in the whole world know who Elle's dad is and that's the way I like it." Ginny took a sip of her wine. "I'll make you a deal." She said suddenly.
"Oh?"
"When Elle knows, I'll find her father and tell him. Then I'll tell you."
"So when are you going to let Elle know?" Harry asked.
"I don't know yet." The pair fell into silence once again but it wasn't an uncomfortable sort of silence.
"Are you ever going to let your family know you're here?" asked Harry.
"I'll probably give in at some point. I'm just afraid that mum'll be disappointed with me about Elle." She paused. "Why do you want me to see them so badly?" Harry watched her as she stared into the fire waiting for his answer.
"Your mum will just be happy to see you. Everyone will. They've all missed you as much as you've probably missed them." He smiled as a small smile lit her face. "And Ron and Hermione really want you to come to their wedding. They'll kill me if I throw away their chance of having you there."
"They're finally getting married?"
"Yeah. About time, don't you think?" Ginny smiled at him again and Harry couldn't help hoping that maybe things might get back to the way they had been between them before.
A while later Ginny was showing Harry to the door. They both were giggling happily having had too much to drink.
"Come to Sunday dinner with me at your parents' house. We're allowed to bring a friend. Your mum still cooks for an army so you could bring Elle too."
"That sound rather like a date Mr Potter." Ginny giggled again.
"It only has to be a date if you want it to be Miss Weasley." Harry – slightly more sober than the red headed girl – whispered huskily. Their eyes met and their lips met in a kiss that soon turned into several more.
So did you all guess who it was between? Cookies to all reviewers and brownies to all readers! Hope you liked it and review if you want more! ENJOY!
