A/N: I'm sorry this update has taken so long. My best friend was killed May 20th in a motorcycle accident and I've had a very hard time dealing and for a while I thought of putting this fic on hiatus, but I really don't want to do that. I want to finish it; I'm just having trouble finding inspiration right now, or even to try to think about what happens next. So I ask that ya'll please bear with me for the next few chapters, as I hope this will not last long and I'll get my inspiration back.
Warnings for this chapter: none
Disclaimer: I still own nothing.
Chapter Ten
Five Weeks Pregnant
Several things happened the afternoon after Ginny found out she was pregnant. On Dumbledore's demands, several Hogwarts house-elves appeared in Ginny's dormitory and moved her stuff up to Harry's. Healer Seacrest was notified of Ginny's condition. She immediately set up an appointment for the couple the next day, and instructed Ginny to cease performing her daily Cheering charms. Madam Pomfrey also set up an appointment for Ginny after dinner, to check her over more thoroughly.
Ginny and Harry ate their dinner slowly, neither looking forward to their appointment. Ron tried to engage the couple in conversation but both gave one word replies. Finally, Ron had had enough.
"What's up with you two? You've been acting weird all day." Ron eyed them suspiciously.
Ginny froze. She still did not know how to tell Ron about the pregnancy. She was afraid of how he, as well as her other brothers, would react. She sighed. "I just haven't been feeling well, Ron. I'm going to go see Madam Pomfrey after supper."
"I thought you went to her this morning." Hermione raised an eyebrow.
Ginny and Harry exchanged a glance. "Well . . . I did. She asked me to come back after dinner so she could take a closer look at me."
Ron was not satisfied with her answer, but decided not to push the matter. He would question her again after she saw Pomfrey.
"Speaking of which, we should be going." Harry stood and took Ginny's hand. She nodded before pushing back from the table.
"Meet you back in the common room?" Ginny asked her brother and Hermione.
"Of course." Hermione managed a small smile, though she was still concerned for her friend.
Ginny nodded before turning and walking out of the Great Hall. Harry didn't try to speak to her, knowing words were not needed. Instead, they walked in silence, content with each other's company. They reached the Hospital Wing sooner than either would have liked. Ginny sighed before resigning herself and entering the room. Madam Pomfrey was out of her office before the doors swung shut behind Harry and Ginny.
"Good evening, Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley." Madam Pomfrey ushered Ginny over to a cot, where she sat down. As she cast several monitoring spells, she began to talk. "Now you're going to have to pay attention to what you eat from here on out, Miss Weasley. During your pregnancy you will need to eat 300 calories more than the normal 1200.
"Everything looks good though. Both you and the baby are perfectly healthy." Madam Pomfrey sat down across from Ginny. "Have you been experiencing any morning sickness?"
"Yes." Ginny nodded. "I can't keep anything down."
Madam Pomfrey went over to a cupboard and returned with a vial. "Here is some anti-nausea potion. Take it in the morning, before breakfast, and you should be fine for the rest of the day. Over the next few weeks, you may notice that you are often tired, and your breasts may begin to be sensitive. Moderate exercise can help with the exhaustion. After breakfast each morning, you must take a prenatal vitamin. It is best to have something in your stomach before you take it, to help prevent any nausea that the potion might not help with.
"Other than that you are free to go. I will see you and Mr. Potter back here in a month. At that time, I will be able to tell you the sex of the baby, if you wish to know." Madam Pomfrey informed the couple.
Ginny nodded, still trying to take everything in. Harry pulled Ginny to her feet. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."
The nurse nodded curtly before disappearing into her office. Harry and Ginny walked slowly back up to Gryffindor Tower. Neither was looking forward to confronting Ron and telling him the news. Ron and Hermione were both mercifully absent when Harry and Ginny finally reached the common room. They retreated up to their dormitory before anyone could speak to them.
Ginny sighed heavily, flopping down on the bed, which had been enlarged so both Harry and Ginny could sleep comfortably. She covered her eyes with her arm, both mentally and physically drained.
"Are you all right?" Harry asked, sitting down next to her.
Ginny let out a long breath. "It's just a lot to process, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." Harry nodded.
She moved her arm so she could look at him. "You just seem so calm about this. We're going to be parents, Harry . . . parents."
"I know," Harry repeated, resting his hand on her flat belly. "I also know that we're not making a mistake."
"How can you know that?" Ginny whispered. Tears began to build up in her eyes.
"Because I love you, and by some miracle you love me too. And I know we'll love this baby and do our best to be the best parents he or she could ever have." Harry cupped her face in his other hand, wiping her tears away with his thumb.
"I'm so sorry." Ginny cried.
"I'm not. You've given me the one thing I have never really had, not since my parents died. You've given me a family." Harry paused. "I just wish you'd let me make us a real family."
"We don't need to be married to be a family, Harry. We'd still be a mum and a dad and have a son or daughter. Being married doesn't change that," Ginny told him.
"I know that. But I want to do this the right way. I promised your father I would take care of you, and I believe this is the way to do that," Harry replied.
"You can take care of me without marrying me, Harry. I'm not ready to be a mother, yet alone a wife." Ginny immediately knew she had said the wrong thing.
Harry's face fell. "I thought you wanted to get married right after you graduated."
"I do! But we have two years before that happens." Ginny placed her hand on top of his on her stomach. "For right now, I think we should just worry about the baby. Everything else will fall into place."
Harry sighed. "Just promise me you'll think about it."
Ginny nodded. "I promise."
Harry smiled slightly, leaning down and kissing her. He then placed a tender kiss on her belly. He had just pulled back when the door burst open and Ron and Hermione entered.
"There you two are." Ron joined them on the bed. "Is your bed bigger, Harry?"
Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. He decided to go with the truth. "Yeah, it is."
"Why?" Hermione asked.
Ginny hardened her resolve before answering. "Because I'm moving in here."
"What? Why?" Ron was alarmed. Surely, Dumbledore would only sign off on this if something was wrong with his sister.
"Ron, there's no easy way to say this," Harry began.
"I'm pregnant," Ginny blurted out before Harry could say anything else.
No one spoke while Ron and Hermione digested the news.
"You're . . . you're pregnant?" Ron asked after a while.
"Yes." Ginny nodded.
"What're . . . what're you doing about it?" Ginny winced at his bluntness.
"We're going to keep the baby, and get married if I can convince Ginny to say yes," Harry replied.
Ron nodded slowly. "You're pregnant. . . . My baby sister is pregnant. . . ."
"We never meant for this to happen, Ron. It just did. We've always been so careful, I don't know how it happened, but it did," Ginny spoke quickly.
"Just give me a minute, Gin." Ron stood up and began to pace.
Harry was surprised at how well he was taking the news. He had expected Ron to attack him, but so far he hadn't even threatened him.
"How are you going to complete school?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know." Ginny shrugged. "I just am."
"Ginny's due in July, so she should be able to stay here throughout the term. Next year, Ginny will go to Hogwarts during the day, and I'll stay with the baby. She'll come home at night, we'll eat breakfast together as a family and then we'll do it all over again." Harry had already thought of that.
"Have you told Mum and Dad?" Ron sat down again.
"We wrote them a letter this morning." Ginny looked down at her hands. "No one else knows."
They sat in silence for several minutes. Hermione finally looked at Harry and spoke, "You need to tell Remus and Tonks."
Harry sighed. That was one thing he hadn't thought about. He had been so worried about how Ginny's family was going to take the news that he hadn't stopped to even think to tell Remus.
Ginny squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Don't worry about telling Remus. Compared to my family, he should be easy."
Harry nodded. He was suddenly anxious. After everything Remus had done for him, how could he disappoint him this way? Harry now knew why Ginny was so worried.
"When are you going to tell our brothers?" Ron asked.
"I don't know, soon I guess. It's going to be pretty obvious in the next few months and as much as I wish they were, they aren't stupid." Ginny sighed, crossing her legs.
"Tell Bill first," Ron suggested. "He'll be the most understanding."
"That was already a given." Ginny laughed.
Ron turned to Harry. "And don't worry; I'll make sure they don't roughen you up too much."
Harry smiled. "Thanks, Ron. Honestly, I expected you to be the one trying to kill me."
"Nah, if I killed you it would just upset Ginny," Ron joked.
"So, do you know what you're having?" Hermione changed the subject.
"Not yet. Madam Pomfrey will be able to tell us in four weeks, if we want to know," Harry answered.
"And do you want to know?" Ron asked.
"We're not sure yet. We haven't even gotten used to the idea of being parents. Once that settles in, we'll be able to make that decision." Harry paused. "But honestly, I'm happy either way."
"Of course you are." Hermione smiled. She stood up. "We should let you get some rest, Ginny. You look tired. See you in the morning?"
Ginny nodded. Before Ron could leave the room, Ginny stopped him. "Ron, thank you for taking this so well. And please don't tell anyone else. The rest of the school will find out soon enough."
"You're welcome, Gin. And who am I going to tell? That's your place, not mine," Ron told his sister before exiting the room.
Ginny sighed, falling back on the bed with her eyes closed.
"Are you feeling okay?" Harry asked, taking her hand in his.
She opened her eyes. "Yeah, just a little tired."
"Why don't you get a shower and go to bed? I'll go down to Remus's office and talk to him," Harry suggested.
"A shower does sound nice." Ginny sat up. "Are you okay to talk to Remus on your own? I could go with you, if you'd like."
"No, I'll be fine." Harry squeezed her hand. "After all, it's just a conversation."
"A conversation in which you plan to tell your godfather-for-all-intentions-and-purposes that your girlfriend is pregnant," Ginny reminded him.
"A conversation in which I plan on telling my godfather that my fiancée is pregnant," Harry corrected her.
Ginny smiled. "Fine, go have your conversation and I'll get ready for bed." She got up and found her pajamas before going into the bathroom.
Harry watched her go before he left the room for Remus's office, hoping the last Marauder would not be too disappointed in him.