A/N: Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews! I love love love you all. I'm not going to clog up the bottom this time and I'm instead going to just say my piece here at the top... If you don't care to read the rest of my note, I don't care. Skip this and read on :) Please please please review lovelies! Also, this is my quickest update in ages, so please make sure you read the Jily chapter! Also, this chapter is written from Ginny's POV (still third person) because I literally couldn't be Harry this time... Oops. I think it still works lol.
***EDIT: A GUEST REVIEW INFORMED ME THAT I MIS-REMEMBERED THE ADDRESS OF GRIMMAULD PLACE! I HAVE SINCE EDITED THE CHAPTER, AND THANKS SO MUCH TO THE REVIEW WHO INFORMED ME OF MY MISTAKE :D
Alright, so when it comes to Albus... I'm conflicted. My main headcanon - found in the story Rose Weasley's Love Story- has Albus ending up Alice Longbottom, and the Lily/James/Albus chapters were supposed to fit in with it. However, I already broke that mold with James and Elle (which is a pairing I like a lot better than the way I have James paired up in RWLS). In my main headcanon, I do have LGBT characters - Dom is pan, Louis is gay, and Hugo is asexual. My one issue is that I am a straight, cis female. I have no clue what things are like for a gay boy. However... We'll see. I think I've figured out how I want to do it, so enjoy the Hinny!
"Harry! Ginny!" There was a loud knocking on the door of Number 12, Grimmauld Place as George's voice echoed around the foyer around eight pm on May first. Ginny had just gotten back to the house in the last 15 minutes, and Harry within the last ten.
"What is it, George?" Ginny asked, opening the door widely. Her arms were crossed as she stared at her brother, frowning. All she wanted was to take a nice, hot shower and crawl into bed with Harry.
"Gin, Fleur is having the baby! Now! She's at St. Mungo's, Bill said to get the two of you-" George broke out into a wide grin. "Can you believe it, Gin?" Ginny smiled as she looked at her brother before reaching out and pulling him into a tight hug.
"That's so exciting! Harry!" Ginny called for her boyfriend, and smiled when he appeared, his hair messy and his undershirt all wrinkled.
"What is it? Is everyone okay?" Harry asked, a slight bit of worry crossing his face. Ginny bit her lip.
"Bill and Fleur are having the baby now," George said. "Everyone wants you guys at the hospital." Ginny grinned, waiting for Harry to respond. Instead of smiling, though, Harry frowned.
"I'm sorry guys... I don't think I can go. Tomorrow... I have a busy day. It's the second anniversary, and..." Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm already having enough difficulties coping, I can't..." As the tears started rolling down Harry's face, Ginny and George's grins faded.
"George, why don't you go on ahead to the hospital, and I'll join everyone in a bit. Send a patronus if anything changes, and tell Mum and Dad and anyone that we have a couple spare bedrooms if anyone wants to spend the night here, since it's closer than Shell Cottage or the Burrow..." Ginny hugged her brother again, and he nodded and left, shutting the door behind himself.
"I'm sorry Ginny. You should go," Harry said, his voice breaking.
"Bloody hell, Harry. You can't have a break down like that and expect me to leave you here alone!" Ginny said, walking over to her boyfriend and hugging him tightly. She kissed his cheek softly.
"But Gin..."
"Harry, trust me, there will be plenty more babies I can watch being born. We're Weasleys, having too many children for our own good is part of the job description," Ginny said with a small smile. "Let's talk about you."
"Can we not?" Harry asked, causing Ginny to laugh.
"Come on, let's go upstairs."
Once Harry and Ginny had both showered and had something to eat (courtesy of Kreacher), they crawled into the king sized bed they shared in what had once been Sirius's room. Although Mrs. Weasley had thrown a fit when she first found out her daughter and Harry were sleeping together out of wedlock, she had since gotten over it. There were more important things going on in their lives for too much time to be spent worrying about where Ginny was sleeping.
"So, what's up Harry? Why the breakdown?"
"Ginny... It's been two years. Two years since all those people died... Since the great tragedy that left your family with one less member, that left Teddy without parents..."
"Harry, you can't keep holding yourself responsible. It's not your fault. Fred, Remus, Tonks... They all chose to fight. They wanted to help you beat that bloody arse Voldemort. Today... or tomorrow, or whenever Fleur actually pops that baby out... It's a good thing to counteract some of the badness of the day, okay? I'm not leaving you, and neither me, nor Mum, nor Dad, nor George holds you responsible for Freddie's death. If anything, Percy feels responsible, since he was there and couldn't stop anything. It's not your fault though."
"Ginny, your entire family was there fighting... It's a miracle that only one of you guys died! I have nightmares... Terrible dreams..."
"I've slept next to you for over a year now. You think I don't know you have nightmares? You don't think I haven't woken up to you crying in your sleep, only to comfort you until you calm back down? Harry James Potter, I love you. I've loved you for, merlin, how many years? And I know you love me back."
"I do, Ginny, I do-"
"I'm not going to leave you, and my family doesn't hate you. Bill and Fleur want you at the hospital just as much as they want me there. I'm not asking you go now... I know you're going to have a rough night, but tomorrow if you have a break between events, we're going to stop there together."
"What do you mean we?" Harry asked her.
"I mean, I'm not going to let you go to all those events alone. That wouldn't be very smart of me, or be a thing a good girlfriend would do."
"Ginny Weasley, I don't know what I would do without you," Harry mumbled, leaning against Ginny. He laid his head against her chest, closing his eyes and quickly falling asleep. As soon as he was out, Ginny wiggled out from under him, leaving a note saying she was going to visit her family at the hospital.
"Ginny! You made it!" Mrs. Weasley said as Ginny walked into the waiting room outside Fleur's room. Ginny let her mother pull her close. "We wondered if you would make, well, once George told us about Harry's little breakdown... Is he coming?"
"Not tonight, Mum," Ginny said, stepping back. "Where is everyone?"
"Well, your father just went upstairs to get Bill some tea, and Bill and Fleur are obviously in the room... George just went home, Ron and Hermione haven't arrived yet, and Percy didn't want to come while George was here, so he'll be here in a bit..."
"Is Charlie coming in?" Ginny asked. She was close with most of her brothers, but she practically worshiped Charlie's stories from Romania.
"Not for a while... Bill and he agreed he isn't going to miss anything big by not being here for the birth."
"What about Fleur's family?"
"Mr. Delacour was unable to get away from work, I'm afraid, and Gabrielle is still at school. It's her final year... Mrs. Delacour didn't want to come alone, so they'll be here once Gabby gets out of school."
"Right," Ginny said, nodding. "Alright. So can I go in and see them or...?" Mrs. Weasley smiled.
"Go on in," Mrs. Weasley said.
Ginny was back at Number 12 when the patronus came from Bill, saying that the baby had been born. It was around five am on the morning of May 2nd, and Ginny smiled bleakly at the patronus before falling back to sleep, happy something good had happened on such a crappy day.
When Harry woke Ginny up around 8 with the schedule for the day, she had to fight the temptation to let him go to the first event alone. Her mother would have suggested a nice shower to wake up, but instead Ginny got dressed and nursed a mug of coffee. She and Harry were then off to the memorial site, where they were going to meet Andy with Teddy and listen to a speech by Kingsley. Then they would take Teddy with them to St. Mungo's to see Bill, Fleur, and the little baby Victoire. Around lunch time there was a special meeting of the Wizengamot that Harry had to speak at, and then they would head back to the hospital, grab Teddy, and go back to Grimmauld Place to get ready for a memorial ball taking place that night, where there would be yet more speeches.
When the got to the memorial, Teddy ran right up to Harry, sticking his arms up for his godfather to pick him up. Harry complied, picking up the little boy with blue hair in a sleek grey suit.
"He looks nice, Andy," Ginny said, taking the older woman's hand. She squeezed it, smiling softly at Ginny, although it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"He woke up with bright bubblegum pink hair," she said softly, her eyes starting to water. "He looks so much like her sometimes, I..." Ginny let go of her hand, instead reaching to pull her into a hug.
"I heard your brother had his baby?" Andy said, changing the subject as she hugged Ginny back.
"Yes, Victoire was born this morning at 5:02 am," Ginny said. "I haven't seen her yet, but we were planning on stopping there before the lunch meeting of the Wizengamot..."
"Maybe I'll come by. I just... I can only spend so much time out in the public eye. I'm glad Teddy has you and Harry. My sister invited me over to the Manor for lunch... She's not the witch she once was... It's almost like before I met Ted."
"Well, I'm sure Mum would welcome you at St. Mungo's. We'll bring Teddy back to your place tomorrow morning?"
"That sounds like a plan, Ginny, but if you and Harry want him longer... You are so much younger. He keeps me young, but I am not in a fit state to raise a toddler... I'm old."
"Not that old, Andy. You're only a few years older than Harry's parents, and younger than mine-"
"But I did my job. I raised my baby girl, and I can't raise another." As she said this, Andy's tears started to run down her face.
"Andy! Gin! They're starting and we need to get in place..." Harry called from his spot with Teddy. Ginny squeezed Andromeda's hand before leading her to the reserved seats.
"Lemme see the baby!" Teddy said, toddling through the door to Fleur's hospital room. Ginny laughed, following the boy. Harry followed, wrapping his arms around Ginny's waist as they stopped just inside the room.
"Here she is, Teddy," Bill said, showing the bundle of blankets to Teddy. He gasped as he saw the little girl.
"It's so... tiny. And red." Teddy said, wrinkling his nose. Bill, Ginny, and Harry laughed.
"That's what I thought when I first saw Aunt Ginny, Teddy. I promise, they grow up to be a lot cuter," Bill said, smiling.
"Do I hear people?" Fleur asked, stretching as she woke up.
"Yes, hey Fleur," Ginny said, untangling her waist from Harry's arms, and walking over to see her sister-in-law. "She's beautiful, Fleur."
"No she's not! She's red and wrinkly!" Teddy said from where he was sitting, now holding the baby as Bill and Harry hovered around them. Ginny and Fleur laughed.
"Thanks for your imput, Ted," Fleur said, smiling. "And thanks for coming to visit. I know you have a busy day-"
"Nonsense. How could I not come and see my niece?" Ginny said, grabbing Fleur's hand. "And she really is beautiful, you know. I can't wait to watch her grow up."
"You and 'Arry have your own to watch grow up," Fleur said, gesturing to Teddy. "And I'm sure you'll be having your own babies soon."
"Don't want to give Mum a conniption, so it'll probably be a few years," Ginny said, laughing.
"How are we giving your mum a conniption?" Harry asked, resting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.
"Having babies soon," Ginny said, looking at him with eyes full of love. Harry looked tired, but the happiness was showing underneath.
"Ah yes, she might freak out, as well as Ron..." Ginny started laughing along with Harry, Fleur, and Bill at the thought of Ron's reaction to a premarital pregnancy between his little sister and best friend.
The group talked some more before eventually Ginny and Harry had to leave. Bill said it was fine to leave Teddy there for now, so that was what they did.
"Goodnight, Teddy," Ginny said, tucking the little boy into his bed at Number 12.
"Goodnight, Aunt Ginny. Sleep tight!"
"You too, baby boy," Ginny replied with a small laugh. She switched off the lights and left the room, almost running into Harry.
"Hey babe,"Harry said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into him. Ginny kissed Harry squarely on the lips, savoring the feeling of his slightly chapped lips on her own. Her breathing sped up as he ran his hand down her backside, and Ginny cursed herself as she pulled away.
"Ted's just inside the door," she breathed. "Harry, let's go to our room..."
"Thank you for being there for me all day. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Seeing Vicky was... better than I anticipated."
"Just think about when it's one of our own," Ginny whispered, letting her hands trail across Harry's body. Harry blushed, leaning in to kiss her hard.
"We've practically got one of our own just inside the door," he said, repeating Ginny's earlier words.
"Let's go upstairs, love," Ginny whispered, grabbing her boyfriend's hand and pulling him down the hallway.
