"Look Ginny, I'm not going to say I agree with you not telling Harry, however I'm going to respect what you want, just be safe, healthy, and I will owl you if I think of any names,"
"Thanks Hermione," Ginny replied hugging her best friend,
"And you make sure Dane Owls me the SECOND you go into labor. I refuse to be left out of that,"
"I'll be sure,"
"And here, its your Christmas present," Ginny sighed
"I told you not to get me anything this year, I have nothing for you,"
"I get a niece, now open it up!" she laughed,
It was bath salts. Ginny smiled,
"I know its nothing really fancy but even now more than ever,"
"I love it Hermione really thank you so much" she smiled, Hermione rubbed her belly,
"Now you be good to her, let her study, Happy Christmas Ginny"
"Happy Christmas"
Hermione boarded the train and looked at her friend, everything would change soon. She was bound to keep her secret, something she had rarely struggled with. This however had to be the biggest secret she had ever kept from anyone.
Ginny waved goodbye, this morning she had turned over a new leaf completely she wasn't going to worry about Harry anymore, she and her baby would be their own family. She would have Dane and Julianne to help and if she didn't get a move on she would be late to dinner with Julianne's family.
She went to her closet; she had managed to find a decent maternity dress. It was long sleeved, black with an emperor lining around the bust. She went to great lengths to present herself as put together though she was struggling more and more with getting appropriate shoes on.
"Ginny are you ready?"
"Almost, a soon as I can buckle my shoes!" Julianne laughed
"Let me," she walked in the room, "Wow, Ginny if you didn't have a baby popping out I would say you are very sexy,"
"Oh why thank you," she said now standing up and looking at the mirror,
"Where's your coat?"
"In the closet,"
"Alright I have your coat, lets go dinner starts at six but my brothers were coming in from Amsterdam at five. Have you ever been to Germany?"
"Briefly, but not for a prolonged stay,"
"Well Christmas Eve in Berlin is quite lovely, did you pack everything in your overnight bag?"
"Yes and thank you so much for letting me stay the night. I'll leave tomorrow afternoon for Lezin, Switzerland with Dane's family. So weird,"
"I'm sure you will be fine," they made there way down to the train. Ginny had begun peeing every hour on the hour.
A little ways into the trip Ginny finally brought up what had been eating away at her.
"Harry met some one," she said quietly, Julianne looked up,
"Oh," she said trying to hide her pity,
"Hermione doesn't know who she is; I mean I guess I'm not surprised. Being apart for so long; and I am the one that sent him away. We talked after it happened and we both said, someday will be our day, I guess I just thought, I don't even know anymore,"
"If you had told him about his daughter things might have been different,"
"Yeah, and then the reason we would still be together would be because of the child we had together. The thing is I wanted things between Harry and I to be real, and true,"
"Who's to say it never was,"
"When he dumped me after my fifth year, it was okay because I knew we would go back, it sucked, but it was unsaid. I left him for the same reasons, and it was understood that I still loved him and he said he still loved me, I just never thought I would be doing this alone,"
"You will never be going at this alone, I promise,"
They arrived in Germany at half past four and got into a muggle taxi cab which took them to Julianne's home on the out-skirts of Berlin.
"My parent's aren't magical, so if they ask a lot of strange questions please don't take offense,"
"Of course not, that is quite honestly the last thing I am worried about,"
"They don't really know about Harry Potter either," Ginny's eyes widened
"I forget how out of tune this world is to the Magical one is"
They pulled out to a pint sized house, cozy and warm.
"This is it," Julianne said opening the door and helping Ginny out of the taxi. Ginny was sure to brace herself as she walked up the icy path.
"JULES!" Ginny heard a woman yell from inside the house,
"Mum! Dad!" They were in their mid- fifties, and they were followed shortly by to burly looking boys, "Jacob! John!" she said reaching out to them,
"Oh and you must be Ginny! You are just stunning and look, you must be exhausted, boys don't just stand there help her with her bags!" Mrs. Linton said taking Ginny's arm into the house
"Thank you so much for inviting me for Christmas Eve really it is so sweet of you to open your home to me," Mr. Linton smiled,
"Don't be so thankful, you haven't tasted the food we are having," Ginny laughed,
"And don't worry Jules told us about your issue with poultry, which I can completely understand so we are having turkey," Mrs. Linton added,
"Ginny and I are going to go upstairs and get situated before dinner,"
"Alright girls, Luke and the twins should be here in about a half an hour" Mrs. Linton said making her way back to the kitchen
Ginny looked about the house, it was lovely, in a charming way it was filled with every bit of warmth a house could exude.
When they got upstairs they went into Julianne's room, two twin beds had been set up, and the room was delicately pink. Her parents must have been excited at getting a daughter amongst all boys.
"So what's the plan for the evening?" Ginny asked laying down on the bed
"Dinner, Christmas story, Luke will put the twins to bed and then we will all just sit around and talk,"
"The twins?"
"Madison and Eric, Luke is a widower, his wife Karen died in an automobile accident when the twins were four," Ginny's face fell
"How old are they now?"
"Six and a half, it was really bad at first, my mom moved in with him for a while but its just him and the kids now," Julianne said running a comb through her hair,
"I can't even imagine,"
"His eyes remained bloodshot for the first few months, now though he remembers fondly, but sometimes I think the holidays are especially hard," Ginny nodded and closed her eyes, she was exhausted,
"So how old are your brothers anyway?"
"Luke is twenty five, Jacob is twenty three, and John is sixteen," Ginny opened her eyes
"Really? I thought you were the baby," Julianne laughed
"Regardless of my age I am still the baby sister of my brothers" it was then that they heard a thumping and squeals from downstairs, Julianne cracked a smile, "Their here!"
She helped Ginny off the bed and down the stairs, the family had congregated itself in the entry hall, hugging and kissing, the kids hanging all over their Uncles.
Ginny caught her first look at Luke; his skin was tan, his hair, a tuft of brown and dark eyes. He glanced up at her and smiled, and then realizing his sister was barreling towards him beamed a smile at her and gripped her into a paralyzing hug.
"How's my favorite little sister?" he asked,
"Great! How are my favorite niece and nephew?"
"AUNT JULIE!" the little girl exclaimed
"Sorry excuse my inconsiderate sister, I'm Luke," he said extending his hand towards Ginny,
"Ginny, I'm a friend of Julianne from school,"
"Oh," he said suddenly looking surprised,
"We aren't all green with warts," she said smiling
"No, I just forget sometimes,"
"Alright everyone this way this way!" Mrs. Linton exclaimed the table was set for nine,
Ginny took a seat at the end of the table next to Mrs. Linton (at one head), Julianne at her side, and Luke and the twins across from her.
"Alright everyone join hands," Ginny was taken back, she took the hands of both Julianne and Mrs. Linton, Mr. Linton continued, "Dear Lord, thank you for getting us all together this evening to celebrate the birth of your only Son. And thank you for the safe arrival of our daughter and her guest. May we continue to find ways to be eternally thankful, in your name we pray, Amen."
"Amen," everyone said in unison, Ginny looked around she had never heard such a thing before,
They passed around plate after plate. Dinner was a time of easy conversation passing from one person to another, teasing and again Ginny was overwhelmed with feelings of love.
"So Ginny, how many months along are you," Mrs. Linton asked eagerly,
"Seven and a half now," Ginny said smiling,
"You are really just glowing, in the way only a pregnant woman can" she added,
"I don't feel that way," Ginny laughed, "everything feels swollen, I haven't seen my feet in months, and I miss chicken salad,"
Luke laughed, "Well mom is right, pregnancy really suits you," Ginny blushed,
"So Eric," Julianne interjected, trying to avoid any more awkward turns of the conversation, "How's soccer going?" and on continued the dinner, every time Ginny felt Luke looking at her she turned away quickly.
After dinner the family gathered in the living room in front of the tree the Christmas music was turned off Ginny sat next to Julianne on the couch, with Madison snuggling on the other side of her, rubbing her belly out of curiosity.
"It moved!" she shouted, everyone laughed,
"Well you moved too when you were in mommy's tummy," Luke said picking her up and setting her in his lap
"Really?" she said her eyes getting wide,
"You moved so much sometimes mommy couldn't even sleep! You and Eric played all the time,"
"Its because he was pulling my hair,"
"Shh grandpas going to tell us the story of Christmas," Ginny's ears perked up again, in all her life she had only vaguely heard this story, and it had only been picked up in little bits,
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'" he looked up from the book, "Madison, Eric, do you know who was born that night?"
"JESUS!" they both squealed, Ginny sat dumbfounded. She had never heard it told so simply before, 'peace, good will toward men', what a world that must be like to live in.
"That's right," Mr. Linton said, "That was the night of the greatest gift mankind was ever given,"
"Alright kids, bed time," Luke said standing up, "Father Christmas comes tonight,"
The kids walked around giving everyone hugs, and complained relentlessly as they were guided up the stairs by their father.
For the next hour they sat and listened to Christmas music, the boys ate pie, and they sang carols.
"Well everyone, I don't mean to sound like an old fart, but I am headed off to bed," Mr. Linton said
"And I will follow the old fart," Mrs. Linton added standing up with her husband,
Pretty soon everyone started heading up to bed.
When they got to Julianne's room Ginny started feeling the baby kick again.
"I should have told you, I forget when I come home, my family is pretty religious," Julianne said stepping into her nightgown.
"I'd never heard that all of that stuff before, I know who God is, but the stories," she paused unsure of what to say, "They are… comforting,"
"It was the soundtrack to my childhood,"
"Thanks for inviting me here," Ginny said pulling on her wool socks.
Julianne yawned, "No problem Gin, Happy Christmas,"
"Happy Christmas," Ginny laid back in bed, the baby was relentless, and after about an hour it was doing a little tap dance on her bladder. As quietly as she could she crept out of bed to the bathroom. If there was anything that annoyed her most about being pregnant was the constant peeing.
When she was coming out she saw a light on downstairs and the Shirley Temple in her belly was going to be keeping her up for a while, so she gave into her curiosity and went downstairs.
And there she saw him, Luke, sitting at the kitchen table, just staring, then the stair creaked. Luke was startled, he flew around,
"Oh my-" he exclaimed
"Sorry," Ginny said slowly making her way to the kitchen, "I couldn't sleep,"
"I never sleep on Christmas, not since I was a kid," he said trying
"This is the first Christmas I have ever had without any of my family," Luke looked at her with a questioning look in his face.
"Do they not agree with the whole pregnancy thing?" he asked
"To be honest, they don't know about it, not even the dad knows"
"Why?" was all it seemed he could muster
"Timing, they would want me to leave school, and I have six older brothers, who think of the father like a brother,"
"So your ashamed?" Ginny was surprised at the nerve he had,
"I am not ashamed, I made a decision, it would be incredibly selfish of me to pour this on the father now and my family wouldn't be ale to keep it from him"
"I think you underestimate the people in your life,"
"I think I am dead on," she said now eyeing him more closely
"Oh the scorn of a pregnant woman in her third trimester"
Ginny just looked at him and rolled her eyes, they sat their in silence for a few minutes,
"My wife, she gave birth pre-maturely, which is more common in multiple birth pregnancies," he smiled then his face went blank again and he got quiet
"Miss her?" he turned to Ginny,
"Every year I think it will get easier, and it does in some ways but in others it just makes me less angry but more sad,"
"What do you mean?"
"For a long time I was angry at God for taking away my children's mother. As much as I tried to pray, I was still angry at him. Then I woke up one morning and realized that she wouldn't have wanted that for them, and so I worked a lot, I was up at their school volunteering I kept myself busy trying to avoid the hurt. Then I found an old bottle of perfume in the closet… and I cried for the first time since the funeral, I had forgotten what she smelled like, how she used to dab it carefully on her chin before we went out. It was the smell that I used to find intoxicating, and I had forgotten, and I realized when my kids grow up they will have faded memories of the woman who loved them so much. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to marry her, to have kids with her, we could have had so much more time,"
"I cant imagine…" Ginny said now stunned
"Don't try, you'll drive yourself crazy, just don't waste time on the things that really matter, you just have to have faith that everything will fall into place" she looked down at her belly now holding it closely,
"She's all that matters to me, everything else, its not important she needs me and I need her,"
"And the father?" Luke asked looking her directly in the eye
"Will know soon enough, I'm tired, she finally calmed down a bit,"
"Any ideas for names?" he asked
"None, every time I think I have one I find something I don't like about it," she said turning around to leave
"Sophie?" Ginny stopped…
"What does it mean?"
"Wisdom, something that will come to both of you in time, you'll discover it together…"
"Sophie… I like that," she said now smiling to herself,
"Happy Christmas Ginny,"
"Happy Christmas Luke"
Ginny walked up the stairs it was a strange evening, yet she had felt overcome with peace.
Harry stood outside Claire's flat with a long red velvet box weighing down his coat pocket. He took a deep breath and knocked, he heard the clank of heels walking towards the door and he had to catch his breath, he was always surprisingly nervous when he went out with her. He could never figure out why but there was a fear buried deep within him, he wasn't sure of what but it was strong.
The door opened and he had to catch his breath in his chest. Her hair cascaded down her back in one long fluid motion, her dress was navy blue backless with a scoop neck, it hugged her hips tightly and cut off at her knees, her shoes were simple and navy.
"Your beautiful," he said when he could find the air,
"Thank you," she said blushing, it was the first time he had ever seen her look so sheepish.
Harry reached out for her white peacoat and helped her put it on, he when it was on he pulled her hair out the back of her jacket, it smelled of lavender, fresh and clean. He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then held out his arm to escort her out of the house into an automobile the team had lent him.
"So where are we going this evening?" Harry smirked,
"Some place familiar, but you'll like it I swear"
"Okay…"
They pulled up to Harry's flat; Claire tried not to seem too disappointed,
"Trust me," she looked over at him,
"I do," he led her upstairs
Harry took a deep breath before he opened the door, and when he did, Claire was without any words. The lights were off the only lights came from the twinkle lights he had draped all over the living room, the table had been covered with a white table cloth, two candles and a single red rose sat across Claire's plate.
"This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,"
"You like it?"
"Harry I- its wonderful, your too sweet" he took off her jacket and walked her over to her seat.
The dinner went as planned, quiet with witty conversation, and the more charmed he was by Claire the more afraid he was. He didn't know what to make of Claire, he cared about her, they were friends and in the past few weeks they had become slightly more.
"Happy Christmas Harry," Claire said handing him a small box,
"Claire you didn't have to,"
"I wanted to," he opened it, a pair of emerald green cufflinks sparkled from the black backing, he smiled,
"Thank you," he reached into his pocket and pulled out the box that had been weighing it down,
"Harry if you spent-"
"Money is not an object with me Claire," she looked at him suspiciously and opened up the box, a long string of pearls sat in the box, each one reflecting off the twinkle lights in such a way they seemed to dance with delight.
"Oh Harry," she stood up, and walked over to him and kissed him, though it was the first time it seemed as this could lead to something more. Without warning all of Harry's muscles tensed up,
"I- I can't" she looked at him strangely
"We weren't doing anything Harry,"
"I just- I just mean you and I, this I don't know where its leading but it might be heading to a place I'm just not ready to go back to,"
"Or a place you're afraid your already at," she said quietly now sitting back down,
"Its not," she eyed him again,
"Really? I see the look in your eyes when you look at me even when we are happy, there is this sadness that I thought I found endearing and intriguing, but now I know its not sadness… it's a longing for something I cant give" now he craned his head,
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm not her Harry, no matter how hard you try, how many romantic dates we go on, how many kisses you give me, and its wrong for me to think I can or even try,"
"Ginny has nothing-"
"She has everything to do with this," Harry paused, Claire was great, she was beautiful, smart, witty, charming, she was everything in a woman he found desirable, yet he was holding on. As much as he tried to convince himself he had moved on the more he became convinced that he hadn't.
"I'm sorry. I can't make any excuses, I think it would be best if we just remained friends for now," Claire inhaled slowly and uncomfortably,
"Agreed," they finished their dinner in an almost eerie silence. Ron had told him that dating other girls would help; he practically jumped on the Harry Claire bandwagon before it had even left the station.
When it was all over he got up and walked Claire home, the strong silence followed them out of the house and all the way to her door.
"Thank you Harry, it really was a lovely evening"
"Don't lie," Harry laughed, as Claire looked down and smiled, "You deserve better you know, you deserve a far, far better man than I"
"Oh I don't doubt that for a second," she said a smile now creeping across her face, he kissed her cheek then walked to the alley way so he could apparate back to his flat.
When would this saga end he thought as he walked into his flat pulled out his wand and began taking down the decorations. He and Ginny were over, though at one point it seemed as if it was all on the verge of change he had started pulling away once he met Claire and he figured Ginny had noticed for she too had become brief in her responses.
He couldn't help the things he was feeling for Claire, but in the end she was right… she wasn't nor would she ever be Ginny. He didn't want to forget Ginny, he didn't want to get over that… he wanted her and if she needed space he would give it to her knowing it was only right for them to be together in the end.
HEY! Sorry for the long delay, I have been oober stressed!!! Boys are terrible abominable creatures, lol not that bad but they are stressful mongrels. School is blah I got through my first round of exams and I survived so that's good. This chapter was supposed to be longer but eaglesnest informed me it has indeed been too long…