* ~ The Eighth Year Universe Series ~ *
PART THREE
The Eighth Year
Chapter 50: Happy Easter
The Hogwarts Express left at 11 am, but none of the members of the group of eighth years boarded it. McGonagall hadn't been as strict with her orders as she had been at Christmas time, and they used this to their advantage. With their trunks shrunk and in their pockets, they said their goodbyes at the gates and apparated away.
Draco, Hermione, Harry and Daphne headed to Greengrove House in Norfolk, where they would be leaving for France and Cornwall, respectively. Susan went to Percy's London flat. Sadie and Theo headed to Cauldwell House in Berkshire for a week of wedding planning. Neville and Lilly apparated to Longbottom House in Essex with Neville's tent packed safely in his trunk.
They had the entire week off, but they also had to fit in at least some revision for their upcoming final projects and exams, so it wasn't going to be entirely relaxing. But the weather turned out to be lovely for all of them, and their weeks were incredibly enjoyable, if a little dramatic...
"Look at him tottering along in the sand!" Daphne chirped, "He's just the cutest little human ever!"
"You've totally fallen in love with my godson, haven't you?" Harry laughed as he and Daphne walked along the beach; each of them held onto one of Teddy's hands.
"How can I not? He's so loveable," Daphne said as she smiled up at Harry.
"He is a hard little guy not to love," Harry agreed, "But sorry to change the subject and all, I need to run something by you."
"Okay," Daphne said warily.
"It's nothing bad," Harry admitted, "It's just Ginny. I've been kind of worried about her lately. She's been acting odd, you know? Erratic..."
"She's been quiet," Daphne said with a nod, "But then she's also been kicking off about stupid things. She went mental at Blaise for not saving her a space at the eighth year table the other day."
"I noticed that too," Harry said, "Do you think something is going on, like that he's cheating on her or something?"
Daphne shook her head, "No, if Blaise was cheating and Ginny knew she'd dump his ungrateful arse."
"Yeah," Harry sighed, "She won't be on drugs or anything, will she?"
"Drugs?" Daphne asked in disbelief, "Honestly, Harry, I think you're reading into this too much."
"You sound like Hermione," Harry pointed out, "But Gin has been jumpy, snappy and erratic. That's signs of a drug user."
"It's also a sign of a girl PMS-ing," Daphne snorted, "I know you're all protective over her, Harry, but you are definitely reading into this too much."
"Maybe I should say something at dinner on Sunday," Harry mused.
"No, you definitely shouldn't," Daphne said with a pointed look at her boyfriend, "She'll just snap at you even more. Do you know Ginny at all?"
Harry rolled his eyes, "I know her very well, and I know something is going on with her."
"If talking to her will put your mind at rest, then do it," Daphne said with exasperated amusement as they reached the ice cream truck at the end of the beach, "Alright?"
"Thanks for humouring me," Harry said with a slight smile as he kissed her, "Do you want an ice cream? No, wait, let me guess. A cone with a flake and raspberry sauce?"
Daphne grinned, "Exactly. Just don't get Teddy chocolate ice cream. I was cleaning it out of his ears after the last time."
"A standard vanilla ice cream it is, buddy," Harry laughed as he picked Teddy up and shuffled him to one side.
They stood in the small queue for the ice cream truck next to a little old lady who had a Scottie dog on a lead with her. She smiled at them and said, "Oh, your son is so adorable."
Harry opened his mouth to say that Teddy wasn't their son, but Daphne just smiled back at the woman and said, "Thank you."
"How old is he?" The woman asked as Harry looked at Daphne in surprise.
"He turns one this week," Daphne replied kindly.
The woman chuckled, "It will be the terrible twos soon. He's the spitting image of his daddy."
Teddy was having a 'Harry' day today as he often did when he spent time with his godfather. His hair was jet black and messy, just like Harry's. The woman was next in line, so she ordered her ice cream, and Harry ordered theirs next. It wasn't until they were walking back along the beach to the little cottage they were staying in that Harry asked Daphne, "Why didn't you say he wasn't our son?"
"Because it's awkward to explain," Daphne said as she held Teddy in one arm and her ice cream in the other.
Harry was occasionally holding out a cone for Teddy to lick ice cream from as it melted, but there was no way he was giving it to the boy, or it would soon become a sand cone, "And he is your godson. You're the only father he will ever have."
"I don't want him to grow up thinking I'm taking his real dads place," Harry sighed, "Remus is his father, and he would have been an amazing one."
"And you will be too," Daphne smiled, "Come on, Harry, think about it. If you could have picked, would you rather have been raised without a father figure or raised by Sirius, who sort of replaced your father a little but gave you all of his love?"
"I would pick Sirius a million times over," Harry said honestly.
"And when he's old enough to understand Teddy would pick you," Daphne smiled, "He's going to need a daddy to cheer him in the junior Quidditch league and to talk to about girls when he starts having crushes at school."
Harry laughed as he looked down at the little boy who he loved so much, "Well, he's going to need a mum too."
"He has Andi," Daphne pointed out.
"But she's his grandma, not his mum," Harry said with a smile at his girlfriend, "She loves him, but he'll need someone younger to talk to about heartbreak and the complexities of women. He needs you as much as he needs me."
"I know," Daphne said softly as she smiled at the little boy, "But he has us, Harry. He already has so much more than you did. Maybe it's not by blood, but he has parents who love him, and he'll have them for his whole life, not just for a couple of years."
"If you stick with me, that is," Harry said as he caught her eye.
Daphne smiled at him playfully, "I've already made my decision Harry. I'm just waiting for you to be ready to make yours."
Harry laughed, "Who would have thought that you'd be committed to this before me?" he joked, "After how terrified you were of relationships. But to be honest, Daphne, I've made my decision too. I'm just waiting for the opportune moment."
"I know," Daphne said softly.
"ICE CWEAM!" Teddy objected as he thrashed about in Daphne's arms.
Harry laughed and tore his eyes away from his girlfriends, "We've been neglecting him for our serious discussion about him," he said through his laughter as he handed the ice cream cone to Teddy.
"If that goes in the sand, we're not buying him a new one," Daphne said as she eyed Teddy suspiciously.
He caught her eye as if he was testing her. Daphne narrowed her eyes at the boy, "If you drop that cone, mister, there will be no more ice cream."
Teddy held the ice cream cone out as if he was going to drop it, and Daphne said, "On you go then, drop it. But no more ice cream."
Harry was chuckling; Teddy hadn't broken eye contact with Daphne once yet. He pulled the ice cream back to his mouth and licked it. Daphne smirked over at Harry, "Parenting 101."
Harry couldn't stop the stupid grin that spread across his face at that. He was in the happiest place he had ever been, and he never wanted it to end.
The Alps were beautiful, and the skiing conditions were excellent. Their little holiday was going great, Narcissa was getting on brilliantly with Hermione's parents, and Draco and Hermione were managing to grab quite a bit of alone time too. They had been in the Alps for a couple of days when John Granger pulled Draco to the side for a moment. Hermione and her Mother were helping Narcissa with the washing up when John seized the moment and asked Draco out to the balcony for a private word.
Draco instantly knew what Hermione's Father wanted to talk to him about. He swallowed nervously as he stepped out onto the balcony and glanced up at the man. For a Muggle dentist, he was very intimidating, but Draco suspected that had something to do with that darn movie about sadistic dentists and singing plants that Harry had forced him to watch...
"I know who you are," John said simply, "I haven't said anything to you yet because the moment hasn't presented itself. But I would know the name Draco Malfoy instantly, even if it is Draco Black now."
"And how is that?" Draco asked nervously.
"I might be a muggle, and I am aware that you view us as fools," John said smoothly, "But I am both intelligent and perceptive. I love my daughter very much, and I am very attentive to the things she tells me. I have read your name in letters, and I have heard it in rants. You made her life a living hell, you belittled her, you made her feel worthless and out of place in a world she loved."
Draco swallowed hard, "Yes, I did all of that."
"Do you have a valid reason why?" John asked with a coldness in his voice, "Because Hermione defends you. She says you haven't had an easy life, but I want to hear it from you."
"I don't have an excuse," Draco said quietly, "My father brainwashed me into believing that people like Hermione were not welcome in our world. From the age of four, I had family history drummed into me. I was taught how to recite our lineage without stuttering. I was taught which family members, not to mention because they had married muggles or muggle-borns. When I got to Hogwarts, it was in my nature to hurt Hermione, but she made me doubt my beliefs, Mr Granger."
John surveyed Draco with interest as the blond boy continued, "Your daughter intrigued me. She made question the stereotypes my father had drummed into me. I admired her intelligence and her beauty, and I poked fun at her because I was jealous. It was petty and childish, and it stopped when I grew up a little. I still picked on Harry, but I couldn't insult Hermione after I saw her at the Yule Ball because that was the day when I began to fall in love with your daughter."
John sighed and sipped his scotch, "You really love her, then?"
"I've never known love like it," Draco admitted as he looked out over the mountains, "She makes me want to be a better person. She has changed me for the better. I still admire her intelligence and her beauty every day. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming."
"Then there is clearly nothing I could say to dissuade you," John said with a slight smile, "Even if I wanted to. Not that I do, mind you. I wanted to make you a little uncomfortable, but I know how much my daughter loves you. She was a shell after the war. When she restored our memories, we knew something was wrong, but we couldn't do anything to help her. You have brought her back to life, she laughs, and she smiles. You gave us our little girl back, and I can never thank you enough for that."
Draco was honoured, and he had a lump in his throat. He nodded because he was speechless at that moment.
John smiled again and put his hand on Draco's shoulder, "I suppose what I'm saying is that I give this relationship my blessing, Draco."
"Thank you," Draco said as he found his voice, "That means a lot to me."
John merely smiled and guided Draco back into the chalet, "The fact it is important to you only tells me that you certainly deserve it. Now, let's join the ladies for a game of Monopoly, yes? Your mother was only just getting a grasp on the rules last night."
"Pretty neat tent," Lilly said as she lay back on the sofa in the tents living room, "It's bigger than your average flat."
"But highly flammable," Neville said in amusement as he walked out of the kitchen with two bowls of pasta, "Hence why I would never live in it for a long time."
"Well, it's not exactly practical," Lilly agreed, shifting her legs so that he could sit down next to her on the sofa.
Directly ahead was a window, and because of where the tent was pitched, they had a direct view of Longbottom House. Well, it was almost a direct view because there was a wild garden obscuring it.
"How much more work do you reckon it needs?" Neville asked conversationally.
"It's been a day, and we've managed to make the roof functional," Lilly said thoughtfully, "We can probably get the windows done tomorrow and maybe start on the removal of the lead paint."
"All of the furniture was wrecked though," Neville said, "It's going to have to go straight to the dump."
"And the portraits," Lilly said as she swallowed a mouthful of food, "But the tapestry room is capable of being saved, I think...this is delicious pasta, by the way."
"I told you, I have hidden talents," Neville joked.
"Like forgetting the invisible step every time we walk up the grand staircase?" Lilly teased.
"I don't forget it every time," Neville chuckled as he looked out of the window once more at the house. It was a modest place, but he had fallen in love with it as he and Lilly explored.
It wasn't a Manor, not on the scale of Potter, Malfoy and Nott Manors. It was smaller than the average stately home too, Greengrass House and Cauldwell House were both larger. It had three stories, but it wasn't a long house like Potter and Malfoy Manor. It was pretty square, probably because it was newer than the Manors by a good few centuries. However, it was complete with a drawing room/ballroom, library, basement, and six decent sized bedrooms. Even in its derelict state, Neville could see a great home in the house.
"It will be great by the end of the week," Lilly chirped.
"I'll take your word for it," Neville smiled, "I'm sorry that I dragged you away from your family for this."
Lilly shook her head, "Don't be sorry. This is fun, and let's face it, if Ron and I hadn't broken up, I'd probably be stuck at the Burrow with Blaise right now."
Neville laughed, "Yeah, I wonder how he's coping."
"He's probably just doing what he does best and keeping his mouth firmly shut," Lilly grinned.
"I didn't get it, you know," Neville said, "You and Ron."
"How come?" Lilly asked curiously.
"I didn't know what you saw in him. Don't get me wrong, Ron's a great friend and all. But if I were a girl, I'd think he was a tosser," Neville said in amusement.
"Yeah, he is a tosser," Lilly said thoughtfully, "But that's probably why I liked him. I mean, they do say that smart girls like funny guys, and he was funny. He could be sweet and thoughtful too...but he has a temper."
"Everyone has a temper," Neville reminded her.
"I know, but he really has a temper," Lilly said with a frown, "He roars, and he gets jealous so easily. I don't know why but I only seem to attract dickheads, and every time I think to myself that this guy will be different...but he never is."
"Not all guys are dickheads, Lil," Neville said, "You just haven't found the right one yet."
Lilly's eyes lingered on Neville's for a little longer than they should have done, "I guess I wish I could just be with a guy who was genuinely a sweet, nice person...do you know what I mean?"
"I know what you mean," Neville said as he kept his eyes on hers, "Sometimes I wish I could find a girl who likes me for who I am. Not for the fame or the money...not because I killed a snake once. I just wish I could find someone who wanted to be with me for the right reasons."
"Not everyone is a glory hunter," Lilly said with a smile, "Not everyone has a crazy temper like Hannah. Maybe you just haven't found the right girl yet," she echoed his earlier words.
"Maybe," Neville said softly as his eyes met Lilly's once more.
"Neville-"
"- do you want to get back to work on the house after food?" Neville asked as he cleared his throat, "We still have a couple of hours until it gets too dark. We could get started on the windows."
Lilly glanced down to hide her disappointment, "Sure," she said as she pushed her food around her bowl with a sigh.
By the time Neville and Lilly's circus 'date' came around, they had made significant progress on the house. All of the windows had glass in them once more, the flood damage was fixed, the roof was stable, and there was no lead paint left in any part of the house. They had spent the day redecorating the drawing-room, and Lilly had been trying valiantly to restore the tapestry room.
"Come on, Neville, it's time to go to the circus!" Lilly said brightly as she bounced on the balls of her feet by the gates of the house.
"I'm just de-weeding the lake-" Neville began.
"Well, the lake will have to wait to be de-weeded," Lilly said, "Come on, Nev, clowns and acrobats and dancing dogs!"
Neville smiled slightly at her and ended his charm. He pushed his wand into the inside pocket of his jacket and jogged to meet her at the gate, "Alright, you have my full and undivided attention. I'm all yours."
Lilly's eyes flashed with surprise upon his words, but she didn't let on. She just smiled at Neville and walked out of the gate, "Do you know the coordinates?" she asked as she held out her arm.
"Nope," Neville replied as he linked his arms through hers, "But I'm ready when you are."
Lilly spun on her heel, and they both disappeared from the gardens of the house. They arrived in an alleyway close to Hyde Park, and Neville made no move to unlink his arm from Lilly's. She smiled to herself as they walked into the park together and made their way into the circus area.
"This is all the circus?" Neville asked as he looked around in wonder.
"Not exactly," Lilly replied, "See that big tent there? It's called the big top, and that's what the tickets are for, the circus show. But there are sideshows all around, there's a fortune teller over there, and there are some rides. That's the Tunnel of Love."
Neville raised an eyebrow, "Tunnel of Love?"
"It's stupid," Lilly shrugged, "It's just a boat in a dark tunnel. Teenagers go on them all the time to snog."
Neville laughed, "Well, it's better than the back of the greenhouses, I suppose."
"That was your go-to snogging spot?" Lilly grinned, "God, why am I not surprised you took your girlfriends to a greenhouse full of plants?"
Neville laughed, "It wasn't my go-to snogging spot. I ended up back there with Sadie once-"
"Sadie?" Lilly asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not to snog," Neville chuckled, "During the war, while you were still on the run-"
"Before I snuck back into Hogwarts and knocked some sense into you?" Lilly cut in.
"Yes," Neville shot her a grin, "Before that, I had to corner Sadie behind the greenhouse to get her to help me and my little 'rebellion' as you like to call it."
"So, what was your go-to snogging spot then?" Lilly asked, nudging him in the ribs, "Astronomy Tower, wasn't it?"
"With Suse, yeah," Neville chuckled, "What about you?"
Lilly chuckled, "There's a secret alcove on the fifth floor, behind a portrait of Bertie Bott, but to be honest, I just snuck Michael into my dorm room."
Neville tutted, " Lillian Moon, and I thought Ravenclaws were meant to be good girls."
Lilly grinned, maybe a bit too suggestively, "Oh, you have no idea."
Neville didn't know what to say to that, and Lilly smirked, "So! We have an hour or so to kill until the big top show starts, so what do you want to do?"
"Definitely not the fortune teller," Neville said as he scanned the sideshows, "And the love tunnel thing probably isn't a good idea since we're just friends."
"Right," Lilly agreed somewhat awkwardly, "What about the games?"
Neville's eyes lit up mischievously, "Now that sounds like a good idea," he said as he dragged her over to one of the game stalls.
They spent the next hour playing games, Lilly played them unsuccessfully, and Neville had far more luck than her. By the time they found themselves waiting in the line for the big top show, Lilly held a giant cuddly toy and their tickets courtesy of Neville's last win. He had won nearly every time, mind you, but he had kept giving the toys he won to little children, which Lilly found incredibly sweet.
"You were cheating," Lilly whispered to him in amusement.
Neville leant down and whispered in her ear, "I wasn't cheating; I was being a magician."
"You were basically just cheating," Lilly grinned. She lowered her voice, "You were using wandless magic."
"Well spotted," Neville laughed.
"To the trained eye, you aren't very good at it yet," Lilly whispered.
"Well, I've been helping you get ready for the programme," Neville said as they moved forward in the line, "You can help train me in return."
"Deal," Lilly said as a smile played on her lips.
Neither of them were quite ready to admit that they both leapt at the plan because it meant spending even more time together. They reached the front of the queue and had their tickets checked. Then they managed to grab seats on a bench in the front row. As they watched the circus with its dancing dogs, trapeze artists, clowns and dancers, Neville was fixated and amazed, his hand was very close to Lilly's for the entire performance, but they didn't touch. When it was over, Neville casually linked his arm through Lilly's as they walked through the darkening park together.
"I mean, did you see the clown? He was hilarious!" Neville was saying eagerly.
"He was great," Lilly smiled.
"And the trapeze artists!" Neville exclaimed, "That looked so dangerous. They were flying without brooms!"
Lilly chuckled, "That's certainly a unique perspective on it. Do you want candyfloss?"
"What's candyfloss?" Neville asked.
"Pure sugar," Lilly grinned as she grabbed his hand, "Come on!"
Neville laughed as she pulled him to a cart where she bought them candyfloss. They were both laughing as they walked through the park with their candyfloss, and Lilly wanted nothing more than to open up her heart and tell Neville everything. She had tried twice this week, and both times Neville had changed the subject very quickly.
Lilly was starting to think that Neville didn't want them to be anything more than friends.
"I'm just going to ask Ginny what's up with her," Harry whispered to Daphne.
"On your own head, be it," Daphne whispered back.
"Come on, she's not going to bat-bogey me," Harry said in amusement as he watched Teddy out of the corner of his eye, "Daph watch him with that chocolate-"
"Teddy!"
"-cake," Harry finished with a grin.
"The cake that he just threw in my face, you mean?" Daphne asked good-naturedly as the Weasley boys guffawed.
"That chocolate cake, yep," Harry chuckled.
"Molly," Daphne said in amusement as she used a charm to clean the cake from her face, "For future reference, Teddy and chocolate birthday cake don't mix well."
"Oh, come on, baby, he's the birthday boy. He can throw cake at whoever he wants," Harry added as Teddy giggled manically.
"Oh, you know exactly what you are doing," Daphne laughed as she cleaned Teddy up and picked him up from the high chair, "You like to throw cake at me, don't you?"
"Cake!" Teddy squealed.
"Yes, you aren't getting any more cake, Ted," Daphne said as the little boy tried to grab her hair, "You threw it all in my face."
"Cake!" Teddy agreed.
Harry snorted in amusement, "I'll leave you to deal with the cake throwing little fiend here. I'm going to talk to Gin."
"Alright," Daphne said as Harry got to his feet and slipped out into the back garden.
Ginny was sitting alone on a bench; she was staring out at the setting sun thoughtfully. Harry sat silently next to her, and she didn't even acknowledge his presence for a few minutes.
"Come on, Gin, I can see what's happening here," Harry said softly.
Ginny looked at him in surprise, "You know?"
"Of course I know," Harry sighed, "You're one of my best friends Ginny, I can see when someone changes. The erratic moods, the snappiness, the fact you've been avoiding your friends..."
"Shit," Ginny muttered, "I thought I had been hiding it better than that. Merlin... Harry, you can't tell anyone. Blaise doesn't even know yet."
"How can he not know?" Harry asked in disbelief, "He sees you every day. Surely he's noticed."
"If he has, he hasn't said anything," Ginny said with a frown, "I haven't even told Mum about the baby yet-"
"- baby?" Harry asked in a surprised whisper.
Ginny frowned at him, "You said you knew!"
"You're pregnant?" Harry hissed, "I thought you were on drugs, Ginny!"
"Drugs?" Ginny asked angrily, "Do I look like the type to do drugs?"
"Well, you were acting so weird," Harry said with a shake of his head, "You're pregnant?"
"Yes, now keep your voice down," Ginny muttered.
"And Blaise doesn't know? Wait, it is his, isn't it?"
"Of course it's his, and he doesn't know because I didn't want to tell him here. I was going to tell him once we got back to school," Ginny snapped, "And honestly, who else's would it be?"
"I know, I'm sorry," Harry murmured as he put his arm around her, "How long have you known for?"
"A couple of weeks," Ginny replied, "I'm only two months gone."
"You seem pretty calm about the whole thing," Harry said quietly.
"Seem being the operative word there," Ginny sighed, "I'm freaking out. If I could just hide it until June, it would be fine. I have to make sure I can finish my N.E.W.T's."
"You'll be four months pregnant in June," Harry whispered, "I'm sure glamour charms could keep it secret for that long. But I think McGonagall would let you finish your N.E.W.T's regardless."
"I know," Ginny said, "I won't get into my healing programme, mind you. But everything happens for a reason, I guess."
"You'll have to tell them sooner or later," Harry said, referring to her family, "You can only hide a pregnancy for a short amount of time, after all."
"Pregnancy?"
Ginny's eyes widened as Bill's voice resonated from a spot behind them. She spun around, "Shh!"
Bill took a couple of steps forward, "Please tell me I heard that wrong because I was just starting to like Blaise."
"Good," Ginny muttered, "Because I'm kind of having a baby with him. Not that he knows about it yet, mind you."
"You haven't told him?" Bill asked in disbelief, "And you're pregnant? Merlin's sake Ginny!"
"Ginny's pregnant?"
"Oh, for the love of Godric!" Ginny exclaimed, "Keep your voice down, Percy!"
"What's the secret meeting for then?" George piped up.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Come on, guys, don't crowd her."
"Wait a minute," Bill muttered, "Is Harry the father?"
"No!" Harry remarked in disbelief, "What on earth would make you think that?"
"Father? Ginny, you're pregnant?" George asked loudly.
"Oh, my God!" Ginny snapped as she pushed herself to her feet, "Will you all just shut up and leave me alone, please?"
"What's going on out here?" Molly asked sharply as she walked into the garden.
"You better tell her," Harry whispered, "Better now than having her find out from one of these idiots."
"Oi!" Charlie objected.
Ginny sighed, "Alright but not a word to Blaise. He left to talk to his Mum about something, and I'd like to tell him on my own terms when he gets back."
"I promise I won't say anything," Harry said as Ginny got to her feet.
She squared herself up against her mother, "I need to talk to you about something Mum, alone."
Molly instantly looked suspicious, "Alright then, come on into the house."
The others followed their mother and sister inside. Ginny and Molly then disappeared into the living room with Arthur. The door shut with a snap, and Daphne looked at Harry pointedly, "So she's not on drugs then?"
Harry leant down and pretended to kiss Teddy but whispered to Daphne, "No, she's-"
"PREGNANT?"
Harry bit his lip, "And I think she just told Molly."
"Pregnant?" Ron echoed in disbelief, "Ginny?"
"Well, who else is it going to be, Mum?" George asked ludicrously.
"And she hasn't told Blaise," Harry cut in, "So don't say anything when he gets back."
"GINEVRA WEASLEY! I RAISED YOU BETTER THAN THIS! YOU ARE 17 YEARS OLD. YOU CANNOT DROP OUT OF SCHOOL TO HAVE A BABY!"
The occupants of the kitchen fell silent as the roaring continued in the next room. Teddy looked around in shock as if he was outraged about his first birthday party being crashed with all of this drama.
"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU!" Ginny roared back, "You are such a hypocrite! You were 16 when you found out you were pregnant with Bill! You didn't even get your N.E.W.T's, and you and Dad totally had a shotgun wedding!"
"THAT WAS DIFFERENT!" Molly shouted, "That was a different time!"
"Yeah, well, newsflash Mum," Ginny retorted, "This is a different time. I went through a war, and I'm going to get my N.E.W.T's! This has nothing to do with my age; it has everything to do with the fact I'm not marrying Harry like you always wanted! No, instead I'm having a pureblood Slytherins baby, that's your problem really!"
Harry and Daphne shared a surprised look, and Teddy looked between them with wide eyes, "Cake?" he said curiously.
"Oh Teddy," Daphne sighed as she picked the boy up once more, "Are we all neglecting you on your birthday? We're terrible, nasty adults, aren't we?"
As she spoke to him, she cut a slice of cake into little cubes and fed one to Teddy, who chewed on it happily, "Daffee!"
Daphne chuckled and stroked his hair, "This is way too much drama for a one-year-old."
"Welcome to the family," Ron said in amusement as the shouting match carried on in the next room.
"- And for the record, I never wanted you to marry Harry! I love Harry like a son; I wasn't pushing you towards marrying him. I was just happy for you when I found out you were together!"
"Oh, for the love of Godric, Mum!" Ginny exclaimed, "Admit it, you have a problem with Blaise! Is it because he's a pureblood? Or is it because he's a Slytherin? Or is it because he's black? Or is it a mixture of all of it!"
"I am not racist, Ginny!" Molly shouted, "Blaise seems like a lovely man, but I hardly know him! You hardly know him. Your father and I may have had Bill young, but we were in love, and we had been for several years!"
"So what?" Ginny shrieked, "Harry hardly knew Daphne a few months ago, and now he's raising Teddy with her and going shopping for engagement rings! It doesn't matter, Mum; you know when you love someone!"
Harry was suddenly the centre of attention. He rolled his eyes and glanced sheepishly at Daphne.
The blonde girl just smiled at him, "Well, cats out of the bag."
"Yeah, thanks, Gin," Harry muttered with embarrassment. He was grateful when the shouting match drew everyone's attention away from him again.
"You can't know if you love him after a few months, Ginny!"
"I can!" Ginny yelled confidently as the fireplace in the kitchen roared to life, and Blaise stepped out of it, "And I do! Blaise might seem a bit quiet and odd to you, but he's intelligent and hilarious and sweet and caring! So what if he's a bit sneaky? He's a Slytherin; it's part of who he is! Merlin knows I have my faults, like my temper, for example! It's part of him, and I love him, all of him!"
Blaise frowned and glanced at his main ally in the room, Daphne. She smiled at him and said, "The Weasley women share a temper, so it seems."
"Why are they arguing about me?" Blaise asked calmly.
Daphne opened her mouth to say that it wasn't her place to say, but the door to the living room snapped open before she had the chance. Only Ginny emerged, and she looked incredibly angry. Harry could only guess that Arthur was still consoling or calming (possibly both) Molly in the living room.
"I need to talk to you, Blaise," Ginny said as she blew out a breath. She looked pale and exhausted.
Blaise nodded, and Daphne called, "Gin?"
The redhead turned around, "Yeah?"
"Wherever you go to talk, just make sure you sit down," Daphne said with a smile.
Ginny returned it half-heartedly, "I will," she said as she grabbed Blaise's hand and pulled him in the direction of the garden.
"You're pregnant, aren't you?"
Ginny gaped, "You know?"
Blaise frowned, "Of course I know. I've known for weeks. Was I supposed to say something?"
"Well, yeah!" Ginny snapped, "I've been freaking out about telling you!"
"Sorry," Blaise said in confusion, "I just assumed you were telling your family first and that you would tell me when you were ready."
"Blaise, how are we going to do this?" Ginny asked with a deep sigh, "I mean, I'm so bloody scared. I want to get my N.E.W.T's, but without the healing programme, I'm screwed."
"Are you keeping it then?"
"I have to," Ginny frowned, "Don't you want me to?"
"I do," Blaise said softly, "But Ginny...I never had a father, and my mother was always so busy entertaining her men...I have no idea how to be a parent."
"You learn, Blaise," Ginny said with a slight smile, "There are some things you can't learn from books. You learn them on instinct, and parenting is one of those things."
"I just don't know if I would be good," Blaise said as his deep brown eyes met hers, "I don't know if I would be good for it."
"Blaise," Ginny sighed, "I know this is unexpected, but I think we can take it in our stride. We don't have to let it break us."
"I'm not saying it will," Blaise said quietly, "I love you, Ginny. I love you very much. But a baby...it scares me."
"It scares me too," Ginny said as she gripped his hands, "But you have to take your own advice here. Everything happens for a reason."
Blaise nodded and swallowed, "Everything happens for a reason," he agreed with a slight smile at the redheaded girl.
"Draco, Hermione! There is a floo call for you!"
Draco and Hermione frowned at each other as Narcissa called through to them. They were in the kitchen doing the washing up on Easter Sunday. It was the last day of their holiday; they would be returning to school early the following morning.
"Who would floo us here?" Draco asked quietly as they walked towards the living room.
"No one unless it was urgent," Hermione muttered anxiously.
They reached the living room where Narcissa, John and Elizabeth were playing yet another Muggle board game. It was the Game of Life this time, and Narcissa seemed to be losing badly. The witch glanced up at them from the sofa, "It's in the drawing-room; it's Harry. He sounded eager to tell you something."
Draco and Hermione were both intrigued as they slipped into the drawing-room and knelt in front of the fire where Harry and Daphne's faces were floating in the flames.
"How is the family vacation?" Harry asked with a smirk.
"It's fun, actually," Hermione said with a raised eyebrow.
"My mother has discovered Monopoly, and as the ex-wife of a former stockbroker, she takes it far too seriously," Draco said in amusement, "Now what's up?"
"Well, we have news, and now that the family know I've been told, I'm allowed to pass it on. But only to you two, she wants to tell Neville herself," Harry rambled on.
"Who does?"
"Ginny," Daphne cut in, "She had some interesting news to share today after Harry confronted her about being on drugs."
"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief, "Ginny would never do drugs, Harry!"
"I know, but she was acting erratic," Harry sighed, "Turns out she isn't on drugs, but she is pregnant."
"Pregnant?" Draco and Hermione echoed.
"Uh-huh," Daphne said simply as a shout resonated behind them. Her blonde hair temporarily flipped in the fire, "Teddy! Put that rock down right now!"
She turned back around to the amused faces of her friends, "What?"
"Parenting," Draco chuckled, "You'll be good at it. How does Blaise feel about all of this?"
"He's a bit shocked," Harry admitted, "And terrified he'll be a dreadful parent because he never really had a father figure."
"But apart from that, he took it alright," Daphne added.
"Molly and Ginny still aren't speaking, and it's been hours now," Harry said with a sigh, "But we just thought we should let you know. I think Gin is going to need a couple of female friends when she gets back to Hogwarts. Between you and Daph, Hermione, I think she might be alright."
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione said, "Is Ginny okay at the moment?"
"She says she is, but this isn't the easiest thing to come to terms with," Harry replied, "We're going to have to get off though because Teddy is starting to gurn - Daph, grab him and try and calm him down please - and we need to get him to sleep."
Hermione and Draco shared a smile at the couple and their interaction with the little boy, "We will see you tomorrow anyway. Enjoy the last night of your holiday!"
"You guys too!" Daphne said as she ended the floo call.
In the drawing-room of the chalet, Draco and Hermione looked at each other in surprise and disbelief.
"Pregnant," Hermione said.
"Well, it was bound to happen," Draco reasoned, "With the war and everything. Everyone told us baby booms were to be expected."
"Still," Hermione sighed, "How does a thing like that happen? There are contraception charms."
Draco shrugged, "Sometimes people forget about them in the heat of the moment. And they don't always work. All it takes is for you to say the incantation wrong, or if someone has had a drink, it doesn't always work either."
"Gosh, it's just a bit surreal to think that-"
The door was pushed open, "You're pregnant, Hermione?"
"What?" Hermione asked Narcissa in disbelief, "No!"
"Were you eavesdropping, Mother?"
"Who is pregnant?" John asked sharply as he and Elizabeth appeared from behind Narcissa.
"Not me!" Hermione exclaimed, "Our friend, our friend is pregnant!"
"Which friend?" Narcissa asked with narrowed eyes, "Oh goodness, is it Daphne?"
"No, it's nobody you know, Mother," Draco said with a shake of his head, "And it's not exactly public knowledge either.''
"It's certainly not Hermione?" Elizabeth asked warily.
"It's certainly not me," Hermione said somewhat irritably, "I am 100% not pregnant!"
"It's the last night."
"I know, Hogwarts is going to suck compared to this place," Lilly joked.
"It's not that nice," Neville chuckled.
"I don't know about that. I kinda fell in love with it," Lilly admitted as she glanced around the drawing-room. The entire house had been repainted with neutral white walls, and the drawing-room had been furnished with not so neutral red and gold furnishings. Lilly had convinced Neville to add some house unity into the home, so the library was decked out in blue and bronze, and some of the bedrooms in yellow and black. There was no silver and green; however, that had been a step too far for Neville.
Longbottom House was essentially a smaller version of Potter Manor, but with all of its furnishings now in place and some new paintings hanging on the walls, it was very homely. The radio in the drawing-room was humming in the background as they both sipped from glasses of prosecco.
"I think we did an amazing job on it," Neville said with a proud smile.
"And we had fun doing it too," Lilly said happily as she crossed the room and turned the radio up, "Come on, get the clap right!"
"So no one told you life was gonna be this way."
Neville laughed and clapped his hands in time to the song, "Timing good enough for you?"
"Much better than it was when I first showed you this song," Lilly said with a grin.
"Your job's a joke, you're broke,
Your love life's D.O.A."
"I do love this song," Neville admitted.
"Dance with me then," Lilly challenged him.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month
Or even your year, but,"
Neville frowned, "Oh, I don't know-"
"You love this song, and I love this song," Lilly smirked as she put her glass down, "And we both love dancing, so dance with me."
Neville smiled softly at her and pushed himself to his feet.
I'll be there for you
(When the rain starts to pour)
I'll be there for you
(Like I've been there before)
I'll be there for you
('Cause you're there for me too)
They both laughed as they danced around the room like a couple of idiots to the upbeat pop song that Lilly had originally introduced Neville to in the summer before their fifth year. It had been the last time they had spent time together in the muggle world because Neville had become drawn into the war via Harry and the DA after that. Fifth-year had been when they began to drift apart.
Neville grinned and spun her out, then pulled her closer. It would have been a cliché, romantic moment if Lilly hadn't fallen over her own feet and into Neville. He laughed as she righted herself, and the moment his eyes locked on hers, he knew he had to stop denying his feelings for her.
Lilly's lips were inches away from his. Her words had gotten her nowhere, so she forced herself onto her tiptoes and captured his lips in a kiss. She half expected him to pull away, to blush and come up with some cock and bull story. She didn't want him to, but a part of her was resigned to the fact that she had misread the signals.
However, he didn't push her away. Instead, his hand dropped to her back; he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss as he did so. The dance was forgotten, and the music drowned out behind them as their beating hearts pounded in their ears.
Lilly had to fight to contain a gasp of surprise at the fact that Neville was kissing her back. She didn't exactly have a lot of self-confidence, not after what had happened with Ron. However, all thoughts of Ron were pushed from her mind as Neville's hands cupped her face. She was reasonably sure she moaned slightly into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck, which wasn't an easy feat considering the height difference between herself and Neville. As perfect as the kiss was, however, and as much as Lilly didn't want it toend, it had to because she needed to breathe.
When they broke apart, their eyes met, and they surveyed each other, almost warily.
"You're one of my best friends," Neville said quietly.
"You make it sound like a bad thing," Lilly joked. She still had her arms wrapped around his neck.
"I don't want to lose you, Lil," Neville said in a quiet, almost broken voice, "I can't lose another friend...not after Hannah."
"You'll never lose me, Neville," Lilly said softly, "I know I was a bitch when I thought you had cheated on Hannah, but I jumped to a conclusion because of what Ron did to me. I'll always be your friend, regardless of anything else that happens."
"I care about you, Lilly," Neville said softly, his eyes were still firmly fixed on hers, "These past few weeks, something has changed. All of a sudden, I've seen you for the first time."
Lilly laughed and nodded, "I know Nev. Me too, ever since that project with those creepy Chuckie babies."
Neville chuckled, "I didn't want to do anything, Lilly. It was so perfect, with our study sessions and you helping out in the greenhouse...I didn't want it to change."
"It won't," Lilly said with a playful smile, "There will just be snogging as well as talking and planting mandrakes now."
Neville laughed properly at that, and Lilly's face broke out into a grin, "You've got to give it a try, Neville. What if it could be something amazing and we never know because you're too afraid we lose our friendship?"
"You're right, Lil," Neville said as he smiled down at her, "I'm sorry I've been rebuffing you."
"You little shit, you knew I was trying to say something all week!" Lilly exclaimed in disbelief.
"I didn't want to mess anything up!" Neville said sheepishly, "I was having far too good a week."
Lilly tutted and smirked at him as another song began to play on the radio, "Just think of all the snogging you missed out in that Tunnel of Love," she teased as she drew him back onto the little dance floor with a grin.
* ~ TBC ~ *
A/N: The song that plays when Lilly and Neville dance together is:
I'll Be There for You by The Rembrandts.