a/n: AH, I have writer's block...again!!! I am stuck on chapter 16 and this is a crucial chapter, people. This is the chapter where we find out the real reason Ginny left school (as of now unless I have to change it because it doesn't work). I'm hoping that a change of scenery will help me write better so after Scrubs tonight I am cleaning my room and moving my writing back in there. In the meantime does anyone have any ideas that could possibly help me get over writer's block? I'm desperate.
Thanks for the reviews!!!!
I'm shooting for atleast ten more before I update with chapter fourteen...where they find out the baby's sex!!!! So hurry up and review please!!! Girl? Boy?, Boy? Girl?...we won't know until fourteen!!!!
Always,
Kylie (your very, very stuck writer ;)
"And what about muggles?" Ginny asked Marty Hayes as he showed us around a small shop for sale. It was not as noticeable next to the giant clothing store to its right and large music store to its left. In fact, if a muggle looked they would probably assume the door went into one of the other shops, it just wasn't the main door. It was located a few streets away from Ginny and Harry's flat.
"It'll just be an employees only door into one of the other shops to them." Marty explained. This was the tenth place we've looked at in two weeks. So far this place was good but you never knew…
I started moving my legs a little bit because I was getting tired. It was a pretty place. Towards the back there were dressing rooms and a small platform in front of a three-way mirror. There were unused clothing racks and naked manikins throughout the rest of the store. In fact, all Ginny would most likely have to do would be to paint and move her stuff in.
"And is there a back office that I could use as my designing room?" Ginny asked. I sighed and fell onto a stool behind the counter. I crossed my legs and pulled my white sundress over my knees, wondering how much more patience Marty actually had.
"Designing room?" Marty asked.
"Well a place where I could sketch pictures of the dresses, hang the ideas on the wall and then sew them together. Do you know how fast a magic powered sewing machine works?" Ginny said. Marty shook his head. "Well it works fast so I'll need a space to store the dresses in the room where I can sketch and sew them."
"Oh designing room! Of course!" Marty led Ginny back to a doorway in the back of the shop. I stayed where I was. Last Thursday, last weekend, this Thursday, and today: Friday right after a long class I had dragged my pregnant self from Paris to London and searched for the perfect shop with Ginny. After the first five it wasn't so fun anymore. Today I was fifteen weeks…that was just about four months.
We had not spoken with either of the grandmother's although every week I would get a call from my father to check up and I could hear my mother listening on the other end and telling him what to ask and then we get a lot of letters from Arthur that sound as if Molly were writing them. They still cared…but still thought that they were right.
Ron had managed to get the baby furniture up and now we were just waiting on the knowledge of the baby's sex to figure out the color of the paint, curtains, and sheets. I couldn't wait to start buying stuff for that!
"It's perfect!" Ginny announced, coming back into the main room of the shop. Finally! "This is it! Hermione, you should have seen the designing room. It's perfect!" Ginny said, smiling fully. "Where do I sign?" She turned back to Marty.
As Ginny signed she was still smiling and talking to me about her ideas for the place. The signature was on the paper. Everything was all set this place was Ginny Potter now. Marty gathered his things and left. I wasn't sure if it was my imagination but I could have sworn I saw him looked relived when all of the papers were complete.
"Now," Ginny started as she turned around and looked at the shop, her shop. She handed me a notepad and pen. "We're going to need some things so keep track." She instructed. I nodded. "The walls will be beige and everything else in this boutique will have rose pink and violet purple accents. The curtains on the dressing rooms will be violet and the cushions of the waiting seats and in the dressing rooms will be rose. On the walls I want at least two lilies painted on each wall and vases of lilies placed throughout the place…that's for Harry. Then we'll go back to my place and get the designs I have so far and the six dresses I made yesterday. We'll dress the manikins and I'll work on getting the fabric for the rest of the dresses I have to make before I can open in two weeks." Wow, she seemed to have this all planned. "What do you think?" She turned and asked me hopefully.
"I think that this is going to be one hell of a successful place." I said. Ginny smiled and came over and hugged me.
x
"What color do you think I should make my goddaughter's first dress?" Ginny asked me as we headed out of the shop and on our way to go get furniture for the dressing room along with curtains.
"How do you know it's a girl?" I asked.
"It has to be." Ginny said. "I only have one other niece so it has to be a girl."
"Harry is sure it's a boy." I said.
"He doesn't know what he's talking about." Ginny assured me. "And did Ron like the name?"
"Yes, he did. But he also like Xavier that Harry suggested." I responded. I had added Kaia to the list after Ginny suggested it and Xavier after Harry suggested it. So far we had a ten name long list for each gender and no idea what name we wanted to use.
"I think she'll like light blue." Ginny said. "And if she doesn't then I'll make her a new one." I laughed.
"Don't waste fabric until we know for sure it's a she." I said. Ginny rolled her eyes and explained the idea of the baby's dress to me.
xxx
About two hours later Ginny Potter was looking like an amazing place to buy dresses although Ginny thought that something was missing from the walls. Manikins were set up throughout the store with Ginny's dresses on them. The curtains were hung in front of the doors and there was a small stool in each of the dressing rooms and the walls were beige. At the moment Ginny was working on painting the lilies on the walls while I lay on the couch outside of the dressing rooms. I was staring up at the ceiling with my hands resting on top of my extended stomach.
I was excited for Ginny but tired as well. With my hands on my stomach I shut my eyes, picturing the image of my baby projected onto a screen and the sound of its heartbeat that I heard last week at the Healer's. (Ron never looked more happy or proud than when he heard it.)
When I woke up and checked the time on the clock Ginny hung up over the front counter, I noticed it was almost six-thirty. Ron should be on his way over. I heard the sound of a sewing machine going rapidly and followed the sound until I got to Ginny's "designing room".
With a cup of what looked like tea (which was unusual because she had always drunk coffee with caffeine?) by her side, Ginny was working full speed at making the dresses that I saw in sketches on her wall. Behind her was a rack of dresses already that ranged from simple sundresses to cocktail dresses and even some wedding dresses. That sewing machine really did work fast and the way the Ginny looked focused on what she was doing, moving her fingers along as she worked on the embroidery of the dress. She was a natural at this.
"Hey!" Ginny said, happily. She never took her eyes off the dress. "Harry said that he was going to come over with Ron as soon as Ron got here and then Neville and Luna will be here within the hour." I nodded, tiredly.
"I'm just going to run out quickly and I'll be back in fifteen minutes." I said.
"Ok." Ginny said. She continued to work on the dress while I grabbed my purse and headed out into London. I wanted to pick up something for her as a congratulations present but I didn't know exactly what yet. So I decided to stop off and get a bottle of champagne and sparkling cider for a little celebrating when everyone got there. I walked into the liquor store and wandered around the isles until I found sparkling cider, then I went to pick out champagne. I reached my hand out to grab the bottle but I heard my name being called. I turned around to find Seamus Finnegan standing there. This would be the first time we've spoken since we graduated but it was nice to see old friends and like I've said before, we've all grown since we graduated almost a year ago.
"Hi!" I said. "How are you?"
"I'm good." Seamus said. "I'm working for the Ministry now. I'm just a temp, filling in where I can but I'm hoping to get moved up."
"That's great!" I smiled.
"I heard you got married to Ron." He said.
"Yes, we got married a little over five months ago." I said, nodding with a smile. I suddenly felt self-conscious about my pregnant belly that wasn't as obvious with the dress I was wearing but it was still there. "And we moved to Paris." I said.
"Yeah, I heard about the International Gazette. Ron must be happy."
"He is." I nodded, praying for this awkward conversation to end so I could get out of there without him knowing I was pregnant. Suddenly Lavender was by his side with her arm wrapped around his. She seemed to be a little angry with Seamus. I noticed her looking from his eyes to me. "Hello Lavender." I said as politely as I could. I wished that it didn't look so obvious I was pregnant. This was more difficult than trying to talk to Pansy.
"Hi." Lavender said, unfriendly. "Did you hear that Seamus and I got engaged?"
"No, congratulations." I said. This was so hard. I got married…and pregnant, I thought about adding but held my tongue.
"Well, you know it was really great to see you both but I better get going." I said.
"Tell Ron I said hi." Seamus said. I nodded and turned to go, balancing two bottles and my purse but my purse fell. That was the only thing that was remotely covering my stomach and they both looked down.
"Oh, wow." Lavender said without hiding her surprise that I was pregnant.
"Thanks." I said to Seamus who picked up my purse but was staring awkwardly at me. I turned to go and hurried with my purchases before exiting the store and taking a long deep breath. That was one of those awkward things that happened when I came back to England once in a while. Marty looked surprised when he saw me, and even Hagrid who had just recently found out.
I was walking along the street when I saw something in the window that made me realize what was missing from Ginny's walls. I quickly hurried in the shop to purchase these items.
As I walked back to Ginny Potter I had the shrunken bags in my hand that were less cumbersome to carry. When I arrived I noticed that no one was here yet so I took the initiative to hang up what I got Ginny. After returning them to normal size I pulled out a large frame the same white that the lilies were painted but it also had rose and violet accents on it. Inside of the frame would be a picture of someone wearing a Ginny Potter dress. And then there were a few more that had the same use. Then the pictures that were taken could also be used on the advertisement for it. I hung up the picture-less frames and hoped that Ginny would like them.
When Ginny heard me come in she came out into the main room of the shop. She stared in happy surprise at the frames on the wall. I explained their purpose and she loved them!
"Hello? Is this the right address for Ginny Potter?" Harry's voice asked. Ginny and I turned around to see Ron and Harry coming through the door. Ginny ran at Harry and jumped into his arms.
"You know, I would but I don't know if you could catch me." I said, jokingly to Ron as he came to give me a kiss. I placed a hand over my stomach. Ron frowned.
"You look great today." He said, planting a kiss on my forehead. I had to choke back a laugh. The books constantly say that the daddy-to-be should always complement the mommy-to-be when she was feeling self-conscious. Ron was terrified of me getting angry with him for saying the wrong thing.
"Guess who I ran into today?" I asked. "I'll give you a hint…Seamus and Lavender!"
"What?" Ron asked surprised.
"In the liquor store." I said.
"Did you hit her?" Harry asked. "Or was it one of your pleasant conversations because you've grown up now?" I rolled my eyes.
"Why can you never let the little things go?" I asked Harry. "It was ages ago that I slapped Pansy and nearly rung Lavender's neck. Do you honestly want me to get into a fight?" Harry laughed as I put my fists up.
"You think you can take me?" Harry asked.
"Yep." I said, laughing.
"There will be no fighting in Ginny's new boutique-thingy, especially when one of you is pregnant so until either one of you can calm down you have to go to separate corners of the room." Ron said. Harry and I erupted in laughter while Ginny just chuckled, looking oddly uncomfortable.
"Where did that come from?" Ginny asked.
"Hey!" Ron protested. "I've got a baby on the way. This father stuff has to be learned before October." I laughed and hugged Ron. Harry went over to Ginny and placed his arm around her. They seemed like they had something to say but the door opened again. Neville and Luna came through the door. They complemented Ginny on the place while I got the champagne out for toasting. I conjured glasses and poured everyone some while Ron poured sparkling cider for the Ginny, Luna and I (they claimed they didn't want me to feel left out). We all said a little something to toast to Ginny's new shop and then when conversation picked up, I fell onto the couch again, tired out from my day. Ron came and sat next to me while Ginny talked to Neville, Harry, and Luna about here dresses.
"How are you feeling?" Ron asked, placing a hand on my leg.
"Eh." I answered. "I've been less tired…although I can't remember that far back." I smiled trying to lighten the mood. "Oh!" Suddenly my hands flew to my stomach as I stood up.
"What's wrong?" Ron yelled, standing up as well. Everyone rushed over when they heard Ron freak out and saw me standing, clutching my stomach. "Is it the baby? Do we have to go to the hospital?" I started laughing which probably wasn't good because Ron looked at me like I was delirious. "What is it?"
"I can feel it." I said. "I can feel that baby in there. It feels like butterflies." I laughed again and wrapped my arms around my stomach. "…it feels wonderful." I smiled. Ron forgot his sudden worry and smiled.
"You can feel the baby?" He asked. I nodded.
"It's in there and it feels like butterflies." Ron smiled and placed a hand on my stomach. He and I both knew that he couldn't feel it like I could but he still wanted to be a part of this.
"Butterflies." Ginny said happily, crossing her arms over her own stomach. "Butterflies are a sign it's a girl."
"What would it be if it were a boy?" Harry questioned. "Broomsticks? No, it's just the feeling, like when you're nervous you've got butterflies."
"But better." I said, still smiling as Ron wrapped his arms around me.
"We started trying!" Luna announced suddenly. She placed a hand on her stomach. "I can't wait to feel that." Neville smiled down at her. Ginny looked semi-surprised by Luna's confession. Her eyes seemed to well up but I guess she was happy for us.
I leaned over and kissed Ron. This was the most amazing thing that happened so far. It felt as if my stomach were turning because I was nervous…like "butterflies" but it was my baby. That was the amazing thing.
a/n REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!