YAAAAWN! Geez, I'm tired. But I got such an amazing response to the last chapter that I decided to work my ass off to give you this one. I apologize, it's short(and a bit lame, to be honest), but the next one is the 'talk'! Haha, and then the BIG BIG BIG plot twist...won't say no more here. Go read!
Disclaimer: I'm assuming none of you read these, so I'm just gonna say...Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! (Translation! I don't own anything.)
Chapter 36: Family Time
It seems like an eternity, but eventually Mum insists we all go down to the Burrow, and that Harry, Connor, Lily, and I must stay for dinner and for the night. She assures me we can find a spot for Lily and Connor, Harry, Luna, and I to sleep in. I give in rather easily, because I know they're all still waiting to have a crack at me as soon as the children are asleep. I'll just have to deal with it.
As it's so late in the afternoon, I go in to help Mum, Hermione, Fleur, Angelina, and Luna with lunch, while everyone else goes to the living room to chat. I confiscated all wands, including Harry's, so that no one tried to hex him while I wasn't around. I know my family far too well to think they're actually pleased about what we did. They may like the twins, but they won't be happy until...well, I don't want to think about that right now.
Once we get into the kitchen, Mum waves her wand, sets the knife,, mayonnaise, bread, and ham to making sandwiches, and sits me down at the table.
"Dish, girl," is Hermione's only comment, and Mum nods. I decide to start at the very beginning, starting when Harry and I snuck out for our 'rendezvous' after the war. I tell the full story, nothing held back. When I found out I was pregnant, when I left, how Luna had the house already waiting for us. How I found a job, how we both worried when my belly was bigger than it was supposed to be. When I found out I was having twins. Our reactions. How we dealt. When Lily and Connor were born, and all of their moments leading up to 13, almost 14, months. I explain what happened when Hermione came back. Harry and I's dance at Charlie and Fiona's wedding(I didn't want to tell this one, but once I let slip we danced, I had to give every detail). Everything. Well, everything except what's been happening these last few weeks.
"Wow," Angelina exhales, sitting back in her chair. "You really did go through a lot, girl. I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to raise a famous child in the aftermath of this war. It's tough. You did good, they're both gorgeous," she tells me.
"Thanks," I reply, relieved she's not angry with me. But Angelina and I's relationship has always been very lax. I didn't really know her that well until she started dating Fred. But we get along comfortably; it's not like I hate her or anything.
"Well, that's great, Ginny, but what about when Harry came to get you? What happened then? What's going on with you two?" Hermione demands. "I noticed you conveniently skipped over all of that." I somehow managed not to turn bright red.
"Oh...I think that's for me to know and you to preferably not find out," I replied loftily. Luna laughs. I glare at her, and she attempts(rather unsuccessfully, I might add) to stifle her laughter. But she can't. Soon she's laughing so hard there are tears in her eyes. Hermione just stares at her, nonplussed, and the expression on her face makes me laugh, too, and then Angelina, and finally Mum starts in, too, and then Fleur, and Hermione's left staring at the four of us like we're crazy(which I guess you could say we are).
"What's going on in here?" Dad calls out, walking into the room with his only grandson on his hip. I'm so shocked, I stop laughing and stare.
"Nothing, Arthur dear. Just a...er, woman joke," Mum says hastily, jumping to her feet. "Go tell all the menfolk that lunch is ready."
"Yes, ma'am," he replied smartly, saluting Mum, handing Connor to me, and marching right back out the door.
"Momma," Connor said, curling up in my lap and inserting his thumb into his mouth. My heart just about melted with the adorableness, and so did everyone else's, apparently.
"AW!" chorused the room. I smiled at them all, then looked down at my son.
"Hey baby boy," I cooed at him, holding him close. He didn't protest or pull away, which I was thankful for. I held him in silence for a few moments before all the 'menfolk' came through the door. Bill, Charlie, Fiona(who for some reason braved the boys), Percy, the blonde girl, George, Ron, and Dad.
"Hurry up now, get yourselves a seat. I've sandwiches for all, and some fresh fruit and veggies, too, but you don't get any if you don't have a proper seat," Mum called over her shoulder. There was an immediate scuffle among the men for seats. Harry wiggled himself in next to me, thankfully. He had Lily on his lap. She was in much the same position as Connor was.
"How about we find a place for them to take a nap after lunch?" Harry asks me in a low whisper. "They played hard."
"Probably a good idea. Then we can let everyone take a crack at me." I wince theatrically and roll my eyes.
"Hey. Ginny." I turn to look at Harry, taken aback by the seriousness in his tone. "I'm not going to sit there and let them scream at you, alright? They have to yell at both of us or none of us. Agreed?" His green eyes are like smouldering flames, and I'm falling into them. Falling into a beautiful world of picnics and acting like kids and fights and crazy impulses...into a world of love.
"Ginny?" I shake myself mentally to return to the present.
"Agreed," I whisper, wanting nothing more than to drag him from the room and just kiss him like there's no tomorrow. I'm about to kiss him anyways, but the moment is ruined when Mum sets a plate in front of me, forcing me to look up at her.
"Ginny, I made one each for the twins, too, and I've got some fruit and veggies for them as well. If they need anything just ask, OK?"
"I will, Mum, thanks," I reassure her, and she moves on, looking reasonably happy. I catch Hermione's eye and she gives me a knowing look. This time I can't entirely keep the blood from flooding my cheeks, and I focus on feeding Connor so she won't see. But I know it's no use; I'll have to tell her eventually.
The happy buzz and chatter of a Weasley family lunch fills the room, seemingly endless, until Lily falls asleep right on Harry's lap. Mum immediately sets Bill and Charlie to do the dishes and runs upstairs with Luna to make up beds for the twins. When they come back down, Connor is also out cold and it's just Harry, me, and Hermione left in the kitchen with Bill and Charlie.
"Alright, Ginny dear, the beds are ready. Do you want to go up?" I don't miss how she doesn't include Harry in her statement.
"Actually, Mum, I think Harry should come, too. He's got Lily and the twins go to bed with their daddy better anyway." I smile at him, but Mum frowns.
"I'll go with you, then, to make sure everything is right." Now I'm pissed. What does she think we're going to do? I open my mouth to reply scathingly, but someone else speaks before I do.
"No, that's alright Mrs. Weasley, I'll go. You've done more than enough. Go and rest your feet now," Luna says in her dreamy voice. Mum admits defeat and retreats to the living room. Luna, to my disappointment, follows Harry and I to the door.
"You two go in and have that snogging session I know you're dying for. I'll wait out here." She winks at us. Harry blushes, but I whisper my thanks to her as I pass.
We lay Connor and Lily down in the cribs Mum's put out. One has a pink blanket(most likely from my baby days) and the other a blue(from one of my many brothers). When Lily stirs, I kneel by her crib and sing her my lullaby, just the first verse and chorus, very softly. When I'm done, she's out cold and Harry looks touched.
"Ginny...that is so beautiful," he whispers, taking my hands in his and pulling me close for a hug. I lean into him, loving the feel of his strong arms wrapped around me.
"I wrote it," I finally confess after a moment or two.
"You did? When?" he asks, pulling away to look at me. I frown, thinking.
"When Lily and Connor were...nine months old at the time. They'd just started standing up and...they seemed like they were growing up so fast, and I was really overwhelmed. I just...I called Hermione and she sat with them, giving me about a half hour with nothing to do, so I wrote that," I reply, tears pooling in my eyes at the memory.
"It's beautiful, love," he whispers, staring into my eyes. "I love it." I stare back into his emerald eyes. So like Lily's. I love his eyes. I see an emerald fire start to burn under the surface. My heart skips a beat. His gaze never leaves mine as he slowly leans in. My eyes flutter closed just before he presses his wonderfully soft lips to mine. I sigh in contentment, then kiss him back. We stand, kissing gently, for a minute or so before I hear a gentle knock on the door and we jump apart.
"Ginny? Harry?" Luna's soft voice calls. "I can hear them; they're getting impatient. Sorry," she adds, still not opening the door.
"We'll be right there," I call back just as softly. I turn back to Harry. "I love you," I whisper, so that only he can hear. He smiles broadly and moves closer to me.
"As I love you," he replies softly, his breath blowing on my neck. I shiver as warm, tingly feelings run down my spine. He moves his lips and kisses me once, very, very softly, before pulling back and taking my hand. Luna is waiting for us right outside the room.
"Ready?" she inquires, and when I nod, the three of us go downstairs to face my family. Oh, joy.
"So," I whisper to the two of them about halfway down the staircase, "who do you think will come out of this one alive?" Both of them stare at me, shocked, and then Luna lets out a very small giggle. After a moment, Harry chuckles as well, and then all three of us are doubled up with laughter, being as quiet as we can while in hysterics. When we finally manage to make our way to the bottom of the stairs, I have to stop to regain my composure. It's made rather harder by Harry, however.
"That," he pants after a moment, leaning against a wall, "is the funniest thing I have ever heard in my life. And," he adds, an evil smile spreading across his face, "I bet you five Sickles Percy will come out a little worse for wear." I can't even choke out, "You're on," before I collapse into another round of silent hysterics. When I finally get control over myself again, we enter the living room.
I'm getting good with the cliffys, eh? Haha. Well, leave a review, lemme know how much you want the 'talk'...and how soon...and how much you loved this one!