this has been really herd to update, so for everyone who has been waiting, I am so sorry and will try to do better, and don't worry i really don't want to end the story yet so hopefully i will be more prompt and get this story up and running again.

29. Easter

April 26, 2006, which was Easter morning, dawned bright and early for the Potter family. James was very excited. At almost 2 years old, this was the first year he could understand what was going on.

"You are such a good boy," Ginny praised him, as she clipped his tie to his shirt. The little boy didn't make one complaint about the button up shirt and tie, or the dress shoes, though she knew he would object when he was trying to run around with his cousins later. She packed him a casual, but nice sweater, and khaki pants for the inevitable tantrum over clothes.

She threw a few diapers, as well as stuffed Padfoot into the diaper bag and called down the hall to Harry.

"I'm ready, let's go," he responded, coming out of the bedroom, straightening his tie. The family was meeting for brunch at the burrow.

Ginny grabbed her sweater and lifted James into her arms. Harry left through the fireplace, Snuffles awkward in his arms. Ginny followed with James.

They were greeted at the burrow with the wonderful smells of breakfast cooking. Ginny set James down, but warned him to stay within sight. His older cousins didn't quite understand that James was much younger than them, and could get a little rough.

Ginny went to see if the kitchen needed any help, while Harry ventured outside with the men.

Ginny hugged and kissed her mother.

"Hi mom, need any help?" she asked.

"Of course not dear, you know me, I have it all under control. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to run this empty house."

"Well, it won't be too empty for long," Hermione joked. She was sitting in a kitchen chair, looking very pregnant. "Once I have to head back to work, this little one will be joining your daycare."

Molly laughed. "Well he or she can join the others. I'm sure James will like having someone younger than him. Although there will soon be another little one in his house."

At almost 5 months pregnant, Ginny had begun to show and had revealed her news to her family. Hermione was especially excited that the kids would be the same age. Ginny was relieved. At first she thought that Hermione might be jealous that she was pregnant also.

"Shoo, shoo," Molly brushed at the girls. "Brunch will be ready in an hour. Go enjoy yourselves."

The girls headed out to the patio. It was a beautiful spring day. They kids were running around in the flowers in the garden, chasing gnomes.

"So," Hermione said, looking at Ginny. "You didn't want to confide in your best friend?"

Ginny looked guiltily at Hermione. "I'm sorry, I wouldn't have told anyone if Gillian didn't guess."

"It's alright, I understand I suppose. But I really want you to be able to trust me."

"I do trust you. You are my best friend, and I love you like a sister I never had."

Hermione smiled. "You know I feel the same way. And that's why I wanted to ask you and Harry to be our baby's godparents. It's important to me and Ron to have someone for our baby, just in case something were to happen to us."

"Hermione that's never going to happen, but of course we will. We would be honored to be the baby's godparents."

Hermione just smiled at her. Ginny was swept with a sudden realization of how many things they had been through together. They had dealt with the whole Voldemort thing, and losing Fred. Then Hermione had lost her baby. And then Ginny had been attacked. How many things could go wrong in one lifetime? They deserved some good things in their lives. Ginny knew that everything would turn out okay with both of their babies.

All of a sudden, Hermione's face crumpled with pain.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, worried.

Hermione held up one finger for a few seconds, then breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Um, what was that?" Ginny asked.

"I think it was a contraction," Hermione replied with a small smile. "Go get Ron!"

Ginny jumped up and started shouting for Ron. Of course this led everyone to come running over to the patio.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Ron asked, slightly frantic.

"Nothing is wrong, Ron. It feels right. We are having our baby!" Hermione replied, taking his hands.

"We need to get you to St. Mungos. Right away," Ron urged.

Everyone in the family was very excited, and began bustling around to help them find their coats. Ron pulled Harry aside.

"Don't let them come yet," he whispered in his ear.

Harry understood. "I'll wait until you call us with good news. It will be good news Ron."

"Thanks mate."

"Ginny and I will be by later. We will pick up Hermione's bag from your house for you."

Ron gave him a grateful look, then turned to help Hermione into the fire to travel by floo powder.

"Okay, let's all apparate to the hospital," Molly said, turning the stove off.

"No," Harry said. Everyone stared at him. "They aren't ready. They are too scared something will happen. Let's just eat our Easter dinner and join them when they have a healthy baby safe in their arms."

Molly smiled. "That's a good idea, dear." She went back to her cooking. Ginny walked up to Harry with James in her arms.

"Hi Daddy," James said, waving.

"What's up buddy?"

"Auntie is getting baby!"

"And you are getting so big!"

"I can't believe he is almost two," Ginny said to Harry.

"I know. Hey James, how would you like a little brother or sister?"

"A baby?"

"Yes a baby. Do you want a baby to live at our house, with Mommy and Daddy and James?"

"And Snuffles?"

"Yes," Harry said, laughing. "And Snuffles."

"Yay! Yay for baby!"

"Well that's good," Harry said to Ginny. "I would hate for him to be jealous."

"Honey, this may not have been the best time to bring it up. Now he is going to try to take Hermione and Ron's baby home with us."

"…I hadn't thought of that."

"Clearly," Ginny said laughing, and bouncing the still celebrating James in her arms.

"I am just so excited to be continuing our family. We are on our way to twelve."

"Are you sure you really want twelve kids," Ginny asked Harry.

"If this is a question as to if I'm ready, I am. I can handle a lot of kids."

"No, it's just that, I'm not so sure I want any more kids. James is perfect enough."

"Hey," Harry said softly, breaking into Ginny's thoughts. "Trelawny did predict I would have twelve children. Stop being so scared. I appreciate your concern, but I promise, I will take care you you guys."

Ginny laughed in spite of herself. "She also predicted that you would become minister of magic, but I don't see that happening any time soon."

A few hours after dinner, they got a call from Ron to meet them at St. Mungos. When everyone got there, Ron announced, "It's a girl!"

Everyone was very excited, especially Molly, who was eager for another granddaughter.

When it was Harry and Ginny's turn, they left James outside the room with his grandmother at first.

"She's beautiful," Ginny whispered, leaning over the baby cradled in Hermione's arms.

"I know," Hermione whispered back, as to not wake the sleeping baby.

"I told you she would be fine."

"And so will your baby. They are going to grow up together, and go to school together. Ginny, they will both be loved so much, don't worry."

Ginny smiled. Exhausted as she was, Hermione could still read her thoughts.

"So what's her name?" Harry asked.

"Rose. Rose Hadie Weasley."

"That's beautiful," Ginny replied. "Where did you get it?"

"Well," Hermione said softly. "When we lost Heidi," she paused for a moment, remembering her firstborn. "You know I was pretty messed up. And Ron," she paused again to smile at him through her misty eyes. "Ron brought me a home a rose, every day after work for 3 months. It was a small comfort, but it was nice. It helped me get through the day, knowing he was thinking about me at work. And her middle name means 'wonder of the earth', which she is. She is a wonder of our earth. She is a rose sent from her sister to live life for the both of them."

Ginny's eyes were tearing as she listened to Hermione talk about her other daughter. She knew Hermione would never get entirely over it, and felt guilty for not feeling bonded to the baby growing insider her.

"That is beautiful," Ginny repeated. After Rose had woken up and had been fed, they brought James in to see how he would react to the baby.

"Auntie!" He said, excited to see Hermione.

"Hi buddy. There is someone I want you to meet." James walked over to the bed and looked at the baby.

"Baby?" he asked.

"Yes honey, that is baby Rose."

"Rose?"

"Yes, that is her name. Like your name is James." James' face lit up with a smile.

"That's my baby?" he asked.

"Well, no son," Harry said. "That is your cousin. We haven't gotten our baby yet."

"James' baby! James' baby!" he said, reaching out with a little finger to touch her head. He was very gentle as he stroked her reddish fuzzy hair. "Come on," he said walking to the door.

"James, honey," Ginny said laughing. "She is too little to play yet." James was confused. He was always the littlest, and didn't know how to react to someone younger then him.

"Do you want to hold her?" Hermione asked.

"Hold baby?"

Ginny helped him get into the bed next to Hermione. Hermione pulled him close and laid Rose on his lap, keeping her arm around them both. James giggled.

"James hold baby." His attention was kept for a few minutes, and Ginny and Harry decided to leave before he got too out of control.

"Say goodbye , James. It is time for Rose to go to sleep," Harry said

"My Rose sleep?"

"Yes, honey. Rose sleeps, just like you," Ginny replied.

"She won't sleep with James?"

"No dear, I'm sorry. She has to sleep with Auntie. And then she will live at Auntie's house. She has her own crib there. But we can visit her soon," Ginny explained.

James looked very serious, then went over to his diaper bag. He pulled out his stuffed dog Padfoot. He walked over to Hermione, and gave her the dog.

"Rose need this to sleep."

Everyone smiled. Ginny even teared up a bit. She cursed her hormones for making her so weepy today.

"James, this is your Padfoot," Hermione said softly, handing it back to James. She knew he would never be able to sleep without it.

"But, Baby. Rose sleeps."

Harry bent down to whisper in his ear. "How about we go buy Rose her very own buddy?" James nodded excitedly. "Okay," Harry said. "Give kisses."

James kissed Ron and Hermione, then very gently, planted a kiss on Rose's forehead. Harry and Ginny said their goodbyes and they started out the door.

"Goodnight baby," James called. "I love you!"

"How did we get such a good boy," Ginny asked Harry. The family started the drive home, stopping first at the store, where James picked out an adorable stuffed bunny to give to Rose.