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CHAPTER 28

Ron heard someone knocking on his door and without waiting for his response, the visitor walked in and threw themselves into the chair in front of him. Ron raised his head from his work and found very tired and highly nervous looking Harry fiddling with a paperweight on his table.

"Well, hello! Never expected to see you this time. Are you on a ministry business?" Ron asked cheerfully.

"No, I'm on leave these days." Harry mumbled grumpily and picked up the photo on his friend's table. "Daph is passed her due date, so I took some days off from work..." He looked up and saw his friend's questioning look. "…again."

"How is she doing? And what are you doing here instead of being with her?"

"She is exhausted and nervous and clearly doesn't like me following her all the time, so she decided to lock herself in her sanctuary." Harry answered in frustration.

"Meaning…?"

"She is in her potion lab, brewing Merlin knows what. When she's in there nobody, including me, is supposed to distract her. So I asked her elf to stand in front of the door and ordered it to inform me immediately if something happens. Then I came to see you. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to control my urge to blast open that sodding door."

Ron chuckled. "Easy mate, no need to have a panic attack. She – and the baby – will be fine."

"I know, but I can't stop worrying. I love both of them, and it breaks my heart to see the way she is suffering. She can't walk, she can't sleep, and she can't even eat properly."

Ron laughed. "Mate, she probably locked herself away from you because you are overreacting"

Harry sighed. "I can't help worrying over her. I love her." Harry scanned the room before him. Apart from the wedding ring on his best friend's finger, nothing in that room showed he was married. He didn't have a single photo of his wife in his collection. Hermione had added a very recent photo of her little family to her collection and Harry himself had a couple of photos with Daphne on their wedding day and was hoping to add another one very soon. He looked at his friend carefully and cleared his throat.

"Errr…Ron…umm, can you remember when we were in our third year, Sirius sent me my first Firebolt?"

"Yes, I can... Why?" Ron narrowed his eyes.

Harry sighed again. Well, remember how I was mad at 'Mione because she told Minerva it was suspicious, and she took my broom to check for jinxes..." he mumbled

"Yes...?"

"I knew 'Mione had meant well and acted for the best but...but I was angry and mean to her because...because..."

Now it was time for Ron to sigh. "Stop beat around the bush Harry, what do you really want to say?"

"Nothing much, it's just - it's just that sometimes people are angry with us though we acted for the sake of their well-being. But when anger fades away they'll understand our true intentions and be grateful for our actions, so it's not worth holding a grudge against those people."

Ron exhaled heavily. "She told you?"

"Not really..." Harry muttered.

"Not really?" Ron snapped.

"She wasn't concentrating during her training, and I wanted to know what was bothering her."

"She told you?" Ron asked dangerously.

"Not at first, but then she burst into tears and told me that she was horrible to you, and she cannot forgive herself for the way she acted."

Ron sighed and rubbed his temples. "It was nothing. I'm not angry with her. I can't even remember that incident." He sighed again. "The way she acted was far better than the way I treated her…I was the one who was horrible to her and cruel to her."

"So why don't you tell her it's nothing and that you are not hurt or angry?"

Ron didn't reply.

"Ron?"

Ron pretended like he didn't hear his friend and tried to focus his eyes on Hermione's photo.

"Merlin Ron! You're still not speaking with her even after what she had gone through?" Harry yelled in frustration.

"It's not like that!" Ron yelled back. "After what I've done to her I just can't pretend like nothing has happened and speak with her. I need time."

Before Harry had a chance to open his mouth, an elf appeared in front of him.

"Master! Master! Mistress is in pain!" It squeaked.

Harry jumped from his chair, panicking. "Thank you Spotty, I'll be there at once." Then he looked at his friend with horror-filled eyes. "Ron…Ron…"

"Go, just go Harry. I'll be at your place soon." he said immediately and Harry dashed out towards the nearest apparition point outside the bank, completely forgetting that he can ask his elf's help to apparate.

Once his friend and the elf out of his office, Ron contacted his boss and requested the rest of the day, explaining the emergency. When he was excused, he apparated home and found his wife was already at Potter's. Then he flooed to his friend's place and faced extremely worried and anxious friend.

"How's everything, Harry?"

"She is stubborn and not listening!" Harry yelled, running his fingers through his messy hair. "I wanted her to be admitted to St Mungo's, but she insisted on having a home birth like most of the pure bloods."

"Well, my mum had seven home births without any complications." Ron muttered.

"But, what if… what if..." Harry stammered.

"Take it easy Harry, everything's going to be fine." Ron assured his friend, though no amount of convincing would calm Harry, as he had starting frantically pacing the room. "Who's with her now?"

"Her mother, her sister, your mum, your wife, a mediwitch and a healer from St Mungo's."

"She is in capable hands, Harry."

"They have cast a bloody silencing charm, and I can't hear a thing."

"Well, they have a very good reason for that." Ron muttered eyeing his nervous friend. Weeks back, when Millie gave birth to her twins, they forgot to put a silencing charm in the delivery room, and poor George was traumatised by all the noises that came through the door. He swore over and over again that he was not going to have any more children as he didn't want to put his wife through that terrible experience again.

Hours passed. Food left untouched by Harry. At one stage, Ron thought of giving his friend the calming drought as he didn't stop pacing or messing his hair. Ron silently thanked whoever kicked Harry out of the delivery room otherwise he wouldn't have let Daphne concentrating on the birth.

Suddenly the door of the room opened, and Daphne's mother walked out with a little bundle wrapped in a blanket. Without even acknowledging his mother-in-law, Harry dashed into the room.

"How are you? Are you okay?" He fanatically asked his exhausted but happy wife.

Daphne gave him a soft but tired smile. "Calm down Harry, I'm alright." She said gently.

"Thanks, Merlin, I was worried about you." He breathed, gently placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

Daphne interlocked her fingers with Harry's and looked into his eyes. "Did you see him?"

"Errrm...Him? Is it... Is it a he?"

"You didn't see him?" Daphne narrowed her eyes.

"It's not like that love, I was worried about you and completely forgotten about his arrival..." He added sheepishly.

Daphne giggled. "Awww…you care about me."

"Actually, I am in love with you and the rest of the world is completely forgotten when it comes to you." He said, pressing his lips to hers.

"I love you too Harry." She said running her fingers through his very messy hair. "And you need a haircut." She smiled.

"Before that we need to see him. " Harry gave a mischievous smile and shook his head making his hair messier. Then he politely asked the mediwitch to bring the baby in.

"He's so tiny…" Harry breathed, eyes wide with wonder as the baby was gently placed in its mother's arms."

"Of course he is small. He's also gorgeous, aren't you darling?" Daphne cooed, locking eyes with her son. After sharing few kisses with her son, she looked at her husband again. "Would you like to hold him?" She asked hopefully.

"I'm not really sure on what to do…" Harry mumbled sheepishly.

"Me neither." She gave him an encouraging smile.

"Okay, I'll try but –but I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't, trust me." Daphne assured him and passed their son to his arms.

"He's beautiful." Harry said with his heart full of love and gently kissed the tiny forehead.

"Of course, because he is just like you." Daphne giggled. "So have you picked a name for our mini Harry?"

"Not yet love, we still have plenty of time for that. I think you need to rest now. You look exhausted."

"I feel fantastic!" Daphne protested.

"I'll stay with you."

"Promise?"

"I promise love, I'm not going to leave you." Harry gently kissed her forehead and placed their sleeping son in the bassinet near the bed then he sat next to his wife and locked his fingers with hers. Daphne clutched his hand with both her hands and held it near her heart and slowly, slowly drifted to sleep.

Harry watched his peacefully sleeping wife and son with pride. When the marriage law came into effect he was miserable, like most of young witches and wizards and today as most of the others, the same law made him the happiest man on earth. His life felt completed now, and he wasn't expecting anything else. His prayers had been answered, and he had been gifted with a blissful life, a loving wife and a gorgeous son. His life was perfect. He smiled happily and softly brushed his lips against his sleeping wife's cheek.

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It was nearly midnight when Harry quietly walked back to his room to check on sleeping mother and the son and found Pansy was already settling his newborn. Although Pansy didn't have children of her own, Harry knew she was very good with children. It was not a secret that she helped with looking after Weasley toddlers, and even she took a very good care of newborns at the time Ginny and Millicent gave birth. He watched her carefully until she placed the well-settled baby back in the bassinet then he reached her.

"Pansy." Harry called her, and she turned around to meet him. "Go home and rest." he told her.

"It's alright Harry. I'm not tired." Pansy replied with a gentle smile.

"Astoria and her mother are staying with us, so we'll be alright. Without you someone refused to go back, and I know that person needs to be up by four o'clock for his training."

She didn't reply him but looked at him like she didn't follow a single word came out of his mouth. He sighed. "Come with me Pans, I want to show you something."

She slowly followed him to his study where they found Ron was sleeping in a large chair. He didn't appear to be comfortable sleeping there.

"See for yourself Pansy, he didn't want to leave without you."

Pansy didn't say anything. She bit her lips and watched her sleeping husband then turned back to Harry. "A-Are you sure you can manage, Harry?" She asked timidly.

"Yes, of course. We'll be alright. Don't worry about us Pans, take your husband home before he suffers from a backache. He can't afford aches and pains dear."

"Would you… would you mind waking him up and letting him know I'm waiting for him ..."

Harry sighed. "Why don't you wake him up? I'm sure he won't bite."

"I'm sure he doesn't want to see my face when he opens his eyes..." She mumbled.

"Pansy, Pansy, that man didn't go home to his comfortable bed because he didn't want to return home without you. He cares Pans. No doubt he loves to see your face as the first thing he opens his eyes."

"I highly doubt it, Harry." Pansy said turning very red. "He always turns his face away whenever our eyes meet each other's." She complained timidly. "He hates me."

Harry chuckled. "He doesn't hate you, you silly witch... it's called guilt. He feels guilty for the way he treated you before, and now he is completely lost not knowing how to approach you. Give him some time Pans, he'll come around soon."

"I don't know..." She muttered.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine soon, just go and wake him up now." He gave her a supportive smile.

"I don't know whether I'll be able to, but I can try." She walked slowly to her husband and tapped gently on his shoulder, but he didn't wake up. She tried few more times but left without success.

"Oi Ron! Wake up! Your wife wants to leave." Harry yelled, he just couldn't watch Pansy's unsuccessful attempts anymore.

"Huh..." Ron stirred in sleep

"Wake up, your wife is ready to go home."

"What is it, Harry?" Ron muttered sleepily.

"Pansy is ready to go home, mate. Wake up."

"Stop lying man, she doesn't even know I'm here." Ron groaned.

"I'm not lying you idiot, open your eyes and see who is here."

Ron hesitantly opened his eyes and raised his brows after seen his nervously blushing wife in front of him. She looked beautiful as always but he could see the tiredness from helping Daphne with her son. Without taking his puzzled eyes from his wife, he got up and put his arm around her tiny waist and prepared to apparate. Then he slowly turned around and faced his friend to bid farewell, but Harry was quicker than him.

"Hold on a second Ron..." Harry interrupted him. "What are you thinking of doing? You can't apparate when you are half asleep. Both of you end up splinching yourselves. Just use the floo mate."

Ron looked at his wife. Under different circumstances, he would argue with his friend and apparate regardless of his friend's advice, but today he couldn't risk his wife's safety. He didn't want her to get hurt, so he gently ushered her to the fireplace in his friend's study and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Pansy leaned against her husband and buried her face slightly in his broad chest and prepared herself for the departure. Ron quickly bid farewell to his friend and flooed both of them to their manor.

Harry stood where he was and kept his eyes on the now empty fireplace with a huge grin. Recently, he became the happiest wizard on earth. He was sceptical of finding the happiness through the marriage law, but his life had been wonderful since the day he got married to his beautiful wife, and he couldn't ask for a perfect and happier life than his current one. Similarly, he sensed the couple departed few seconds ago would find their happiness very soon. He smiled hopefully. Yes, much sooner than anybody would ever anticipate.

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