AN: I had origanally planned to finish this story in time for Christmas 2010, but real life and a lot of work happened. Here's a short chapter, with hopefully more to follow ~C9
Chapter Thirteen - Bedtime "So what do you think they're doing now?" Ron asked his wife as he spooned with her later that evening.
Reyna scooted into his side and grabbed his right hand before placing it on her abdomen. She sighed as she felt the child inside kick against her father's hand. As she settled down for sleep, she asked him, "What would we be doing if we had two whole days to ourselves?"
Ron blushed bright red and mumbled to himself, causing his wife to giggle. He cleared his throat and said, "I know what we would do, but what do you think they would do?"
She smoothed the skin on the top of his hand in an effort to comfort him. "I think once certain things are taken care of, Severus and Hermione are going to have a long talk about what's going to happen from here on out."
He nuzzled her neck and joked, "You mean the talk Josie made us skip over?"
She rolled over and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. She smiled up at him and told him she loved him before falling asleep.
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"Thomas."
Thomas turned in his bed to look at Ariadne, who was laying in the bed next to his. He heaved out a sigh and asked, "What is it, Ari?"
"Do you think they'll still like me when the baby comes?"
Thomas pushed himself up on his elbow. He used his other hand to wipe some of the sleep from his eyes and asked, "Huh? Who are you talking about?"
Ariadne sat up and brought her knees to her chest. "You know; Harry and Ginny; Hermione and Severus. What if they decide they don't like me any more?"
"Ari, doesn't my mom still like you?" When she nodded, he continued, "It will be the same for you and them. Besides, you and I will have too much homework to worry about babies."
Ariadne watched Thomas turn over and fall back to sleep. She stared straight ahead and wondered, for the first time, if her plan was going to work out like she had hoped.
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Ginny was sitting in front of the fireplace when Harry found her. She was in a chair quietly knitting booties, occasionally pausing to hear if she had woken her husband up. As he approached her chair, she said, "A full hour; I think that's a new record."
"A new record for what?" He went to sit in his chair and watched as she tried to hide what she was making.
"For letting me out of your sight." She tucked her knitting next to her and hoped he hadn't seen what she was making. She was hoping that she could keep it a surprise a little longer.
"I take it that you're trying to hide my Christmas present?" When all she did was give him a blank stare, he said, "That would be the only reason you would hide what you are working on from me."
She narrowed her eyes at him and said, "I'm not telling you whether or not it's part of your Christmas present. What I am going to tell you is that Ari is having issues about not being an only child for too much longer."
Harry rubbed his eyes and yawned. "What do you mean? She's thrilled that we're having a baby and that Severus and 'Mione are getting together."
Ginny sighed and shifted in her chair, attempting to find a more comfortable position. "Harry, I love you, but you can be dense at times." She watched him sputter for a moment before she said, "While she's been gung-ho on this plan, any time mine or Reyna's pregnancies are brought up, she suddenly finds some thing else to do or some place else to be."
"Why hasn't she said anything to anyone?" He tilted his head back and let out a small exhalation of breath.
"She thinks that any little upset will cause me to miscarry." Ginny wiped away a tear. "I hate that she was there when I miscarried the last one."
Harry stood up from his seat and walked over to his wife. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before picking her up and carrying her to bed. When she began to protest, he simply said, "Time for bed." He placed her on her side of the bed, making sure to cover her up before he moved over to his side. He climbed in and spooned behind her. "I know everything is hard now, but I promise it will be better once the baby comes and everything gets settled."
Ginny sniffled a little before she said, "I'm glad that you came into my life, Harry." She clutched his hand tightly and said, "I think that you are the only person who can see the light of the end of the tunnel and manage to make it so."
He pulled her tighter to him and smiled into her hair. "I think it's the scar. People see it and are more than willing to make my every wish come true."
Ginny giggled and answered, "I think you may be right." A few more giggles escaped before she drifted off to sleep.
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In the Room of Requirement, the occupants weren't going to sleep like every one else in the castle. They were spending some much needed time together.
Severus watched Hermione's eyes glaze over in pleasure as he touched her skin in soft slow strokes, teasing her as he traced the shadows cast on her skin from the fireplace. He listened as her breathing caught in her throat and watched as her body moved of its own accord. He lowered his face next to hers and asked, "Do you believe me now?"
She turned her face to the side to try to capture his lips with her own. When he proved elusive, and chuckled at her plight, she answered, "I believed that you loved me long before now." She wriggled out from under him and stretched in an effort to catch him off guard. When he just sat there admiring her form, she tackled him and straddled his waist. She smiled down at him and said, "I think that it is my turn to express my feelings."
Twin moans sounded the air as Hermione moved to show Severus how much he, and their alone time, meant to her.