All at Once
A Harry Potter one-shot…3 things happening all at once…
Author's jibberish: Tis the season! I hope this is romantic enough for you all!
Starting at Diagon Alley…
Ronald Weasley was in stress-mode. He felt as though his insides were to burst out of his chest. He was a fool…he wasn't ready…He tried to recall what his friend, Hermione Granger, would have said. What was that infernal Latin she's always spitting out? Carpe diem…what the hell does fish have to do with anything? Ron swallowed. He had received help from Harry and Hermione just before they left for Paris. He could do this…he could do this…
No he couldn't…Ron gulped, clutching his cloth napkin until it was heavily creased in all directions. What if she says no? What if she laughs? Or worse…what if she says she wants to be friends? He sat, in clean, new crimson robes at a table on the balcony, looking over the lights of Diagon Alley. Reservations, check…Food and wine, check…Candles and flowers, check…box…Ron clumsily opened the velvet box that was in his pocket. Check.
"Ron?"
He spun and saw her standing at the doorway. "Uh, hi…hi!"
Lavender Brown, his girlfriend for 1 year, smiled. "You did all this?"
"Well, not the cooking," he joked. He felt himself lift off the floor as she smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. "Let's get started, shall we?" He stood and pulled out her seat.
"Thank you," she sat down. Immediately, a waiter came and filled their glasses with champagne. Another followed, placing two bowls of soup in front of them. "Um, Ron?"
"Yes?" he squeaked.
Lavender half-smiled. "This is very nice but…you're scaring me. What is so special about today?"
"Nothing really," Ron responded. What really gets to a girl is when they are surprised, he was told by Harry. Act casually and then let it hit them with a bang! "It's just that you deserve a nice dinner."
The light from Lavender's face disappeared. "Oh, no, Ron…" she sniffled. "You…you're letting me go, aren't you? You're just buttering me up so I won't make such a fuss!" she exclaimed.
Ron's eyes widened. Well, that was unexpected. "No, no--."
"I thought we had something good here, Ronald! I thought--."
"Lavender--."
"My mother even likes you--."
"Lavender!" Ron hollered, getting her undivided attention. "I'm not breaking up with you? Is it really that terrible to do something nice for you?"
Lavender's cheeks reddened. "Oh…oh, ok." She occupied herself with her soup, sipping it softly.
Ok, time to surprise her. Ron popped the box open and pulled out the gold contents. "Oh, Lavender, look at that!" he said, pointing to some phantom image on the street.
Lavender turned and when she did, Ron aimed the ring into the champagne glass. However, he was a Keeper, not a Chaser…the ring fell into her soup. Ron paled and just when he was about to reach for it, she turned. "What were you pointing at?"
"The shadows! Look at the weird images they make on the stone!" Ron insisted, dramatically pointing to the created silhouettes that were on the below pathway.
Lavender just smiled. "You're so silly Ron." She scooped a spoonful of soup in her mouth and swallowed. Then, her eyes widened as she coughed for breath. She started whimpering, trying to cough the irritating substance from her mouth.
"Oh Merlin!" Ron jumped out of his seat and came to Lavender's assistance. He stood at her backside and wrapped his arms around her, placing his fist right under her rib cage. He began an upward pushing motion, performing the Heimlich Maneuver. Finally, the stubborn band popped out of her mouth and into her champagne glass.
Lavender continued to cough until she caught her normal breathing pattern. She took a few deep breaths before she spoke. "What the hell was--?" Her eyes turned to the glass and picked it up. Then, upon seeing what was inside, she gasped. She looked up at him. "Oh, Ron…"
"Well, will you?" he asked. "Will you marry me? Even if it kills you?"
"That's not very funny," she frowned.
"I think it is."
But Lavender couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, Ronald Weasley, I will marry you."
…Then, to Paris, France…
"Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter," Hermione smiled. She laid in the sheets, on her left side, speaking out loud to her husband. "Mrs. Harry Potter. Mrs. Hermione Granger Potter."
Harry kissed his new wife on her bare shoulder. "It all sounds nice, Mione."
"I've been waiting since graduation, Harry. That's three years! I'm enjoying every minute."
Harry smiled. He stroked the soft skin of her back, causing a warm line to run down her spine. He nestled his face into her thick brown locks, taking in her scent. She smelt of shampoo, soap, perfume and a small hint of perspiration. Finally, they were together. Finally, she married him. Harry couldn't be happier. She was his everything and he couldn't imagine another moment without her.
He had proposed to her after graduation but it was all held off when he was assigned as an Auror at the age of 18. He constantly worked to save up and it was only 2 years later that he was able to give her the wedding she deserved, complete with a punch fountain, doves and a trip to Paris. He had hoped for a trip to Bora-Bora or somewhere tropical but she insisted Paris was superb, if not, better than any silly Caribbean. Who needs palm trees when one has the Eiffel Tower?
"So, what do you want to do tomorrow?" Hermione asked.
Harry shrugged. "Oh, not too sure…" he said as he pulled her closer to him. Oh, he definitely had something in mind…
"The Palace of Versailles or The Loure?"
"The huh or what?"
"The Palace of Versailles was the original palace for the Kings of France, such as Louis XVIII…" she glanced over her shoulder and saw his blank face. "He was ruler during the days of the Musketeers…" When she saw his face of realization, she continued. "Or we can go to the Loure." He made another blank gaze. "It's a museum with the famous painting of Mona Lisa and the statue of David."
He nodded. "I suppose…"
"Or how about Notre Dame, the cathedral!" she exclaimed.
"The one that has a hunchback living in its bell-tower?"
"Well, supposedly. Goodness, Harry, there's so much to do! I have no clue where we should start! So many interesting places and we can learn so much--."
Harry gently stroked her arm. "Some things never change."
She frowned. "What does that mean?"
"That we're not in school anymore and you still talk of 'learning' things during our honeymoon."
"There's nothing wrong with that," she snapped.
"I know, I know," Harry kissed the back of her neck, which sent chills through her body. "So, when do you want to leave tomorrow? You know, to start the sightseeing?"
Hermione smiled devilishly at him. "Late...say, past lunch."
Harry looked at her. "That's rather late. Why?"
"Because, I need to take care of a few things…"
Before he could ask again, she pulled him into a deep kiss.
…And finally, an uncharted mansion in England…
Draco Malfoy frowned. All he said was that she looked like a penguin. And he meant that in the best loving way possible! What did she expect? She was walking around in a black nightgown, with her round belly heavily visible. She had just started her 8th month. Well, he had to say something and then, he ended up standing in front of his bedroom, with a blanket folded in his arm.
Gods, what a temper! It must have been that Weasley rage. He had seen it a couple of times in his mother-in-law, Molly, when she was scolding the twins for mixing up her cookware with some of their special creations. Then again, look at her state, he thought to himself. All those hormones…he could tell her to have a seat and she'd start the waterworks…then again, her state was partly his fault. After all, that thing growing inside her was half his.
Draco sat on the top of the staircase that was right in front of their bedchambers. He remembered when he first heard the news. He knew she had been sick for a few weeks and called for a doctor to tend to her. After the doctor's visit, she was so giddy, it made Draco very peeved. Here she was, humming and singing like a god-damn Cinderella with the local birds and here he was worried to death that she was coming down with the flu. Well, regardless, a healthy and happy Virginia equals a relieved Draco.
She had finally told him over dinner. "How is work?"
An Auror's work isn't exactly proper to talk about over food. "Alright. It was the usual. Nothing too exciting."
She smiled. "We've been married for about a year, right?"
Draco raised an eyebrow. He had married her even when she was in her last year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He knew they've been married for about a year, so shouldn't she? Aren't those things girls usually remember? "Yes."
"So, how would you feel about change?"
What on earth was she playing at? "That depends. If it means having your whole family move in, I don't --."
"Not that type of change," Ginny interrupted. "But something similar." And then her face lit up completely. "Draco…we're going to have a baby."
At that very moment, everything turned black for him. He remembered waking up, lying on the floor.
He took it quite well, he thought to himself. Well, it was definitely more dignified than Percy. When his brother-in-law, Percy, discovered his wife Penelope was with child, he screamed like a girl. Then, after a few seconds of sinking in, he was overjoyed.
Draco himself was overjoyed as well. Of course he didn't lose his cool and shriek like a female but he was happy nonetheless. They had a nursery suite, yes suite, created for the new addition. His child deserved no less than the best. And it will be a pure-blood. He refused to believe that there was a chance for the babe to be a squib! He and Ginny were purebloods. There's no way in hell he'll have a squib! If that happens, he'll disown the rotten thing!
Draco sighed. He knew he could never do that. He knew the moment it took its first independent breath, he would cherish it forever. All he really worried was whether it was a girl or boy…although he was really hoping for the latter.
He had been sitting on the stairs for almost five minutes. Any second now, Draco counted. Five, four, three, two, one… the door behind him creaked open. "Draco?" Ginny called from the doorway.
He turned around and she beckoned him to her. He stood and came towards her. "I'm sorry," she said softly. In a sense, he triumphed. She was apologizing to him. She admitted wrong. But he wouldn't gloat…not out loud, of course. "Will you stay with me?"
"Of course," he answered.
She took his hand and pulled him in the room. She led him into the double king-size bed and rolled onto her left side, with a pillow wedged between her legs. Draco laid facing her and watched as his wife grimaced. "What's wrong?"
"As soon as you left the room, the baby started making a ruckus," Ginny explained, rubbing her belly.
He smirked. "Is that so?" Gently, he placed his hand onto her stomach and gently rubbed it. "Easy Little One," he told it, feeling it kick against his touch. "Take it easy. You don't want to give your mother a hard time, now do you?" Then, all the baby's kicking subsided.
Ginny smiled. "You know, Draco, I was worried."
He looked at her. "Why?"
"I was afraid you didn't want a child yet."
Draco gave Ginny a kiss on the nose. "You should stop worrying." Then he planted a kiss on her tummy. "Goodnight," he said, rolling on his back.
Ginny cuddled against his shoulder. "I'll stop worrying now," she muttered. The silence lulled them to quiet sleep.
…the end…
Author's jibberish again: My sister, Cherie Dee, wrote a New Years Day story for Rurouni Kenshin with a similar format and I thought…hmm…well, thank you, Sis, for the indirect inspiration. I hope you all enjoyed this and if you don't agree with my pairings…well, tough cookies. I haven't found any really well-written H/G or R/H that'll serve as superb inspiration. Thank you readers and I'm out! Happy Valentine's Day!