Guys, I think I have this chapter and one more written, and then you can
start submitting chapters. So, without further ado, here's the next
chapter.
The next day, the telephone rang at 7:00 A.M. Hermione was in the bathroom, so Draco rolled over, picked it up on the last ring, and said, "Shut up. I'm trying to sleep." He hung up and closed his eyes again, but Diane had awoken at the sound of the phone. She was crying her heart out. Draco reluctantly pulled her out of her crib and hugged her, when finally Hermione came out.
"Give her to me," she said. "And don't pretend like no one called. You always hang up on them in the morning. Who was it?"
"If I hung up on them, which is, of course, what I did, how the hell would I know who it was?" snapped Draco.
"Well, Harry and Ron are just as lazy as you, so it wasn't them. Luna usually doesn't call, so that leaves Ginny!" contemplated Hermione, more to herself than Draco. "Shhh, Di. Go to sleep."
"Well call her," said Draco. "And next time you see her, give her a good kick up the ass for me."
"I will call her," she said. "But I am most definitely not physically punishing her. You're the one who needs to be hurt."
"Yeah, whatever. Just go."
"Ginny?" asked Hermione on the kitchen phone five minutes later. "Did you call?"
"Yeah, Mione," she replied. "Listen to me, you have to-"
"Wait," interrupted Hermione. "Sorry about Draco. He can be a real S.O.B. sometimes, in a manner of speaking."
"Oh, I'm too used to Harry to care," said Ginny. "But Mione, guess what?" Before Hermione could even start to guess what, Ginny had gone on. "I'm pregnant!" she squealed. "I was going to call last night, but it was like midnight."
"Oh, my god, Ginny!" cried Hermione. "Oh, my god! Oh, my god!"
"Is that all you can say?"
"What did Harry say?" asked Hermione.
"He was asleep last night when I found out," explained Ginny. "And I couldn't wake him up, and I wanted to tell you first."
"Doesn't he have Quidditch practice or something today?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah, in half an hour," sighed Ginny.
"Hmmm... try the classic ice cube down the back. It always words," Hermione advised.
"Gin, why are you on the phone this early?" Hermione heard Harry ask in the background.
"Mione! He woke up by himself!" exclaimed Ginny. "Can you hang on for a minute?"
Silence.
Then, thirty seconds later, Harry shouted, "You're what?!"
"Yeah, pregnant. And must you be so loud?" asked Ginny. "Mione?" she said into the mouthpiece. "Here, talk to him."
"Harry?" asked Hermione uncertainly. "You okay?"
"Yeah... just lovely... Except for A NEW KID!"
Hermione smiled, though, of course, Harry couldn't see that.
"What, are you mad?"
"No, no. Just friggin' shocked!"
"Yeah, don't blame you. Well, I won't keep you. You have to go to practice, right?"
"Yeah. Crap, I forgot about that. See you later."
"Bye, Harry." She hung up and exhaled. "Dear, dear. Must go tell Draco. Honey!" She walked up the stairs. "Get up for work! Ginny's pregnant!"
"Joy," Draco mumbled. "More kids."
"It's not like they're all yours," said Hermione.
"But don't they end up all staying at our house?" asked Draco as Devon came running into his father's arms. "What did I do to deserve this?"
* * * *
Somewhere around six months later, Hermione was on the phone with Ginny again. This time, Ginny was crying.
"Can I come stay at your house?" she sobbed.
"Did you two have a fight?"
"Yes," she cried. "I don't even know how it started. I forgot, but he called me a bitch and said he only married me because I was his third choice after you and Pansy."
Silence.
"Well, um..." started Hermione, feeling embarrassed. Harry still though about her and Pansy? "Um... you know, you've seen his temper. Probably didn't mean it. But you can come stay if you still want to. Bring Lily."
"Thanks a ton," sniffed Ginny. "See you soon. You're such a good friend."
Hermione hung up. Well, at least Ginny wasn't mad at her for being Harry's ex.
* * * *
At Harry's house, Ginny packed a few bags, picked up Lily, and walked to the door. She spotted Harry lying on the couch watch TV.
She opened her mouth to tell him that there was food in the fridge but closed it and walked through the door. Harry didn't say a word. She slammed the door shut and Disapparated.
Harry flipped the channel and thought, At least I don't have to watch Lily.
* * * *
As soon as Hermione opened the door, Ginny dumped Lily into her arms and collapsed on the sofa. Hermione, in turn, handed Lily, Devon, and Diane to a grumbling Draco and sat down next to Ginny.
"You don't know how it started?" she asked.
"Yeah, I do," said Ginny, now crying again. "I told him to get up and stop being lazy because all he ever does is watch TV and play Quidditch and worry about himself. And then, can you believe it, he tells me all I ever talk about is James."
"James?" wondered Hermione.
"The baby," explained Ginny. "See, he even picked the name for him! And he says I'm always with Lily and complaining about how I feel like throwing up. And I asked him if he would rather me ignore Lily. I asked him if he would rather watch her. And he said it wasn't his fault he had kids."
"No!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Yes!" sniffed Ginny, wiping her nose. "He said that! And I asked him what that was supposed to mean. So he said, and I told you, that he didn't actually want to marry me."
"Ouch," said Draco, who was listening in. "Have fun filing for divorce. Saw that coming. Harry's such a lunatic. He-"
Draco stopped short at Hermione's scowl. "They are not getting divorced, and watch out, Diane's crawling up the stairs. It's fine, Ginny. I stuck with him everyday for seven years, and I know he feels guilty about hurting people. And no matter how lazy he is, he is really nice, maybe despite his temper. I have lots of experience with that."
Ginny laughed. "Yeah, you always make me feel better. He'll be here soon. For now, I'll just stay here."
"You're welcome," said Hermione. "Mind if I go get our kids?" Ginny shook her head. Hermione went to the upstairs playroom.
"I've been thinking," said Draco as Hermione got the three children.
"You've been thinking? That's a change of pace."
Draco scowled.
Hermione laughed. "You look so cute when you frown. What were you thinking?"
"Well, don't get mad at me, but do you think we could get house elves?"
"And put Devon up for adoption? And get divorced?" supplied Hermione. "Not going to happen!"
"I thought you were over them!" Draco complained. "Please? We can pay them and all!"
"It's because you're so lazy, isn't it?" asked Hermione. "I don't need help cooking, so what would the elves do? Watch our kids? Over my dead body!"
"Fine, fine," said Draco. "Just an idea."
"Next time you actually think of something again, think of something good," scolded Hermione. "I know what you can do. Call Harry and ask him, or I mean, like, talk to him or something."
"I'm not a marriage counselor," he complained.
"Yeah, but you're a good friend. So do it."
"Sure, sure, I'm going," he replied. As Hermione left, he pushed the speed dial button.
"What?" snapped Harry after the third ring.
"Don't bite my friggin' head off," said Draco. "It's me."
"I thought you were my idiotic bitch wife," said Harry. "She's at your house, right?"
"The way you're acting, why would you care where she was?" said Draco. "So cut it out. You're trying to be a bastard, but that's not you. At least not now. Maybe before you were," he mused to himself. "So come and get Ginny. How could you do this to her when she's seven months pregnant? All this stress?"
"I know, man, she probably hates me," sighed Harry. "I suck at being a husband and a dad, but Lily just annoys me a lot sometimes."
"And you didn't actually want to marry Ginny, right?"
"Crap, is she still mad at me for that? I didn't really mean it."
"So you did say it?" said Draco. "Sure you didn't mean it."
"Whatever. Just come get your ass over here and take your lovely Lily away."
"Coming."
Draco put the phone down and smiled. Women couldn't live without guys to solve their problems.
Draco walked down the stairs and to Ginny. "He's coming," he said. "And he didn't mean anything he said. I was just talking to him on the phone."
"Told you, Gin. See?" said Hermione. "Thanks, Draco. Oh, go get the door. That's Harry."
Ginny exhaled loudly.
"Don't worry, Gin. He knows he was being a prat."
"No kidding I was." Ginny turned to see Harry. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Hello, Harry," she said calmly. "Are you done being a prat? Tell me, did you really mean everything you said?"
"Yes to the first question, no to the second," he answered. He looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. So were Draco and Hermione.
For at least thirty seconds, Ginny studied him like a lab experiment, deciding whether or not he was telling the truth.
Hermione and Draco kept catching each other's eyes and grinning.
"Hello?" said Devon into the silence. "Say something!"
Harry finally let the laugh escape him. Ginny burst into tears and ran into his arms.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized, running his hands through her hair. "I'll help you more. Anything. Just for James. And we don't have to name him that."
"Of course that's his name," grinned Ginny, looking up at Harry and pecking him on the lips. "Just for you. Because really, he would get teased if his name was Arthur. I mean, that's got to be the worst thing since Draco."
Draco, who had been smiling, suddenly stopped. "What? Hey, I got you back together!"
"JK," said Ginny. "And thanks, both of you. I think we should go now."
"You can stay for dinner," offered Hermione.
"No, I think Harry here will help me make dinner tonight," smiled Ginny.
"Well then leave Lily here. You two go out for dinner."
"Only if I babysit Devon and Diane tomorrow so you and Draco can go out."
"Deal," agreed Hermione. "Come here, Lils."
"Have fun, Lily," said Ginny.
"Thanks," called Harry. "Let's go, Gin."
"Bye, mom!" said Lily.
"Yeah, forget about me," said Harry. "Bye!"
They left, and Draco and Hermione burst into laughter again.
"I'm so telling Luna about this," said Hermione, clutching her stomach.
* * * *
When Ginny and Harry got home that night after picking up Lily, Ginny checked the messages.
Luna had said, "Hey, Gin. Mya told me what happened. You two are really funny. Hope you had fun on your date. Tell Harry he's an idiot for me. Love ya!"
Ginny smiled and listened to the messaged from Hermione.
"Ginny, Draco and I are still laughing at you two. You're the cutest couple ever. Just wanted to tell you that. Hope you bonded on your date. I send my love. You seriously need it. Just kidding. See you tomorrow. Oh, PS, Draco says to tell Harry to come over for the football game tomorrow. Bye!"
"Harry!" Ginny called. "You're going to watch the football game with Draco tomorrow."
"Great," said Harry.
"Oh, and Luna says you're an idiot."
"Even greater." He got into bed and kissed Ginny deeply. "Good night."
"I could get used to that," she smirked. "Good night. I love you."
Harry had already fallen asleep.
* * * *
The last two months of pregnancy passed quickly.
On February 14th, coincidentally Valentine's Day, a lovely black- haired and green-eyed copy of Harry, James was born.
"He's going to be just like me," said Harry one day a few weeks later as he was holding James. They were all at Harry and Ginny's house.
"I hope not," said Ron. "That'd be awful! Another you?"
"Hopefully he doesn't get into all the trouble you did," said Hermione. "You know, like during school."
"I never thought about what houses our kids would be in," contemplated Ginny.
Harry said, "Not Slytherin," and Draco said, "Not Gryffindor," at the same time.
Everyone laughed.
The Hermione said, "What's wrong with Gryffindor?" at the exact moment Draco said, "What's wrong with Slytherin?"
They laughed harder still.
"What ever happened to Ravenclaw?" asked Luna randomly.
"Okay, from all of our experience, we've learned that not everyone from each house is stereotypical," concluded Hermione.
"Actually, no, we're all stereotypical of our houses except for Draco, and even then, Slytherins were never meant to be mean, just kind of annoying," said Ginny. "Like we now Slytherins are cunning, resourceful, deceptive..."
"And if that doesn't describe Draco, what does?" joked Hermione.
"No, I mean that Draco isn't obsessed with pureblood stuff or evil stuff like that," said Ginny. "So he's kind of the like the perfect Slytherin model except for that."
"We never really got to know Hufflepuffs much," said Draco.
"Speak for yourself," said Harry. "I knew Cedric Diggory, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott. Is that all?"
"How do you remember them all?" asked Luna.
"I should think you would. You're supposed to be a smart Ravenclaw," said Harry. "And Zacharias Smith, that's who. It was only four years ago. And the best part of my life."
They all reminisced for a few seconds about their lives at Hogwarts.
"We shall see," said Ginny. "We'll love them all no matter what houses they're in."
The next day, the telephone rang at 7:00 A.M. Hermione was in the bathroom, so Draco rolled over, picked it up on the last ring, and said, "Shut up. I'm trying to sleep." He hung up and closed his eyes again, but Diane had awoken at the sound of the phone. She was crying her heart out. Draco reluctantly pulled her out of her crib and hugged her, when finally Hermione came out.
"Give her to me," she said. "And don't pretend like no one called. You always hang up on them in the morning. Who was it?"
"If I hung up on them, which is, of course, what I did, how the hell would I know who it was?" snapped Draco.
"Well, Harry and Ron are just as lazy as you, so it wasn't them. Luna usually doesn't call, so that leaves Ginny!" contemplated Hermione, more to herself than Draco. "Shhh, Di. Go to sleep."
"Well call her," said Draco. "And next time you see her, give her a good kick up the ass for me."
"I will call her," she said. "But I am most definitely not physically punishing her. You're the one who needs to be hurt."
"Yeah, whatever. Just go."
"Ginny?" asked Hermione on the kitchen phone five minutes later. "Did you call?"
"Yeah, Mione," she replied. "Listen to me, you have to-"
"Wait," interrupted Hermione. "Sorry about Draco. He can be a real S.O.B. sometimes, in a manner of speaking."
"Oh, I'm too used to Harry to care," said Ginny. "But Mione, guess what?" Before Hermione could even start to guess what, Ginny had gone on. "I'm pregnant!" she squealed. "I was going to call last night, but it was like midnight."
"Oh, my god, Ginny!" cried Hermione. "Oh, my god! Oh, my god!"
"Is that all you can say?"
"What did Harry say?" asked Hermione.
"He was asleep last night when I found out," explained Ginny. "And I couldn't wake him up, and I wanted to tell you first."
"Doesn't he have Quidditch practice or something today?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah, in half an hour," sighed Ginny.
"Hmmm... try the classic ice cube down the back. It always words," Hermione advised.
"Gin, why are you on the phone this early?" Hermione heard Harry ask in the background.
"Mione! He woke up by himself!" exclaimed Ginny. "Can you hang on for a minute?"
Silence.
Then, thirty seconds later, Harry shouted, "You're what?!"
"Yeah, pregnant. And must you be so loud?" asked Ginny. "Mione?" she said into the mouthpiece. "Here, talk to him."
"Harry?" asked Hermione uncertainly. "You okay?"
"Yeah... just lovely... Except for A NEW KID!"
Hermione smiled, though, of course, Harry couldn't see that.
"What, are you mad?"
"No, no. Just friggin' shocked!"
"Yeah, don't blame you. Well, I won't keep you. You have to go to practice, right?"
"Yeah. Crap, I forgot about that. See you later."
"Bye, Harry." She hung up and exhaled. "Dear, dear. Must go tell Draco. Honey!" She walked up the stairs. "Get up for work! Ginny's pregnant!"
"Joy," Draco mumbled. "More kids."
"It's not like they're all yours," said Hermione.
"But don't they end up all staying at our house?" asked Draco as Devon came running into his father's arms. "What did I do to deserve this?"
* * * *
Somewhere around six months later, Hermione was on the phone with Ginny again. This time, Ginny was crying.
"Can I come stay at your house?" she sobbed.
"Did you two have a fight?"
"Yes," she cried. "I don't even know how it started. I forgot, but he called me a bitch and said he only married me because I was his third choice after you and Pansy."
Silence.
"Well, um..." started Hermione, feeling embarrassed. Harry still though about her and Pansy? "Um... you know, you've seen his temper. Probably didn't mean it. But you can come stay if you still want to. Bring Lily."
"Thanks a ton," sniffed Ginny. "See you soon. You're such a good friend."
Hermione hung up. Well, at least Ginny wasn't mad at her for being Harry's ex.
* * * *
At Harry's house, Ginny packed a few bags, picked up Lily, and walked to the door. She spotted Harry lying on the couch watch TV.
She opened her mouth to tell him that there was food in the fridge but closed it and walked through the door. Harry didn't say a word. She slammed the door shut and Disapparated.
Harry flipped the channel and thought, At least I don't have to watch Lily.
* * * *
As soon as Hermione opened the door, Ginny dumped Lily into her arms and collapsed on the sofa. Hermione, in turn, handed Lily, Devon, and Diane to a grumbling Draco and sat down next to Ginny.
"You don't know how it started?" she asked.
"Yeah, I do," said Ginny, now crying again. "I told him to get up and stop being lazy because all he ever does is watch TV and play Quidditch and worry about himself. And then, can you believe it, he tells me all I ever talk about is James."
"James?" wondered Hermione.
"The baby," explained Ginny. "See, he even picked the name for him! And he says I'm always with Lily and complaining about how I feel like throwing up. And I asked him if he would rather me ignore Lily. I asked him if he would rather watch her. And he said it wasn't his fault he had kids."
"No!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Yes!" sniffed Ginny, wiping her nose. "He said that! And I asked him what that was supposed to mean. So he said, and I told you, that he didn't actually want to marry me."
"Ouch," said Draco, who was listening in. "Have fun filing for divorce. Saw that coming. Harry's such a lunatic. He-"
Draco stopped short at Hermione's scowl. "They are not getting divorced, and watch out, Diane's crawling up the stairs. It's fine, Ginny. I stuck with him everyday for seven years, and I know he feels guilty about hurting people. And no matter how lazy he is, he is really nice, maybe despite his temper. I have lots of experience with that."
Ginny laughed. "Yeah, you always make me feel better. He'll be here soon. For now, I'll just stay here."
"You're welcome," said Hermione. "Mind if I go get our kids?" Ginny shook her head. Hermione went to the upstairs playroom.
"I've been thinking," said Draco as Hermione got the three children.
"You've been thinking? That's a change of pace."
Draco scowled.
Hermione laughed. "You look so cute when you frown. What were you thinking?"
"Well, don't get mad at me, but do you think we could get house elves?"
"And put Devon up for adoption? And get divorced?" supplied Hermione. "Not going to happen!"
"I thought you were over them!" Draco complained. "Please? We can pay them and all!"
"It's because you're so lazy, isn't it?" asked Hermione. "I don't need help cooking, so what would the elves do? Watch our kids? Over my dead body!"
"Fine, fine," said Draco. "Just an idea."
"Next time you actually think of something again, think of something good," scolded Hermione. "I know what you can do. Call Harry and ask him, or I mean, like, talk to him or something."
"I'm not a marriage counselor," he complained.
"Yeah, but you're a good friend. So do it."
"Sure, sure, I'm going," he replied. As Hermione left, he pushed the speed dial button.
"What?" snapped Harry after the third ring.
"Don't bite my friggin' head off," said Draco. "It's me."
"I thought you were my idiotic bitch wife," said Harry. "She's at your house, right?"
"The way you're acting, why would you care where she was?" said Draco. "So cut it out. You're trying to be a bastard, but that's not you. At least not now. Maybe before you were," he mused to himself. "So come and get Ginny. How could you do this to her when she's seven months pregnant? All this stress?"
"I know, man, she probably hates me," sighed Harry. "I suck at being a husband and a dad, but Lily just annoys me a lot sometimes."
"And you didn't actually want to marry Ginny, right?"
"Crap, is she still mad at me for that? I didn't really mean it."
"So you did say it?" said Draco. "Sure you didn't mean it."
"Whatever. Just come get your ass over here and take your lovely Lily away."
"Coming."
Draco put the phone down and smiled. Women couldn't live without guys to solve their problems.
Draco walked down the stairs and to Ginny. "He's coming," he said. "And he didn't mean anything he said. I was just talking to him on the phone."
"Told you, Gin. See?" said Hermione. "Thanks, Draco. Oh, go get the door. That's Harry."
Ginny exhaled loudly.
"Don't worry, Gin. He knows he was being a prat."
"No kidding I was." Ginny turned to see Harry. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Hello, Harry," she said calmly. "Are you done being a prat? Tell me, did you really mean everything you said?"
"Yes to the first question, no to the second," he answered. He looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. So were Draco and Hermione.
For at least thirty seconds, Ginny studied him like a lab experiment, deciding whether or not he was telling the truth.
Hermione and Draco kept catching each other's eyes and grinning.
"Hello?" said Devon into the silence. "Say something!"
Harry finally let the laugh escape him. Ginny burst into tears and ran into his arms.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized, running his hands through her hair. "I'll help you more. Anything. Just for James. And we don't have to name him that."
"Of course that's his name," grinned Ginny, looking up at Harry and pecking him on the lips. "Just for you. Because really, he would get teased if his name was Arthur. I mean, that's got to be the worst thing since Draco."
Draco, who had been smiling, suddenly stopped. "What? Hey, I got you back together!"
"JK," said Ginny. "And thanks, both of you. I think we should go now."
"You can stay for dinner," offered Hermione.
"No, I think Harry here will help me make dinner tonight," smiled Ginny.
"Well then leave Lily here. You two go out for dinner."
"Only if I babysit Devon and Diane tomorrow so you and Draco can go out."
"Deal," agreed Hermione. "Come here, Lils."
"Have fun, Lily," said Ginny.
"Thanks," called Harry. "Let's go, Gin."
"Bye, mom!" said Lily.
"Yeah, forget about me," said Harry. "Bye!"
They left, and Draco and Hermione burst into laughter again.
"I'm so telling Luna about this," said Hermione, clutching her stomach.
* * * *
When Ginny and Harry got home that night after picking up Lily, Ginny checked the messages.
Luna had said, "Hey, Gin. Mya told me what happened. You two are really funny. Hope you had fun on your date. Tell Harry he's an idiot for me. Love ya!"
Ginny smiled and listened to the messaged from Hermione.
"Ginny, Draco and I are still laughing at you two. You're the cutest couple ever. Just wanted to tell you that. Hope you bonded on your date. I send my love. You seriously need it. Just kidding. See you tomorrow. Oh, PS, Draco says to tell Harry to come over for the football game tomorrow. Bye!"
"Harry!" Ginny called. "You're going to watch the football game with Draco tomorrow."
"Great," said Harry.
"Oh, and Luna says you're an idiot."
"Even greater." He got into bed and kissed Ginny deeply. "Good night."
"I could get used to that," she smirked. "Good night. I love you."
Harry had already fallen asleep.
* * * *
The last two months of pregnancy passed quickly.
On February 14th, coincidentally Valentine's Day, a lovely black- haired and green-eyed copy of Harry, James was born.
"He's going to be just like me," said Harry one day a few weeks later as he was holding James. They were all at Harry and Ginny's house.
"I hope not," said Ron. "That'd be awful! Another you?"
"Hopefully he doesn't get into all the trouble you did," said Hermione. "You know, like during school."
"I never thought about what houses our kids would be in," contemplated Ginny.
Harry said, "Not Slytherin," and Draco said, "Not Gryffindor," at the same time.
Everyone laughed.
The Hermione said, "What's wrong with Gryffindor?" at the exact moment Draco said, "What's wrong with Slytherin?"
They laughed harder still.
"What ever happened to Ravenclaw?" asked Luna randomly.
"Okay, from all of our experience, we've learned that not everyone from each house is stereotypical," concluded Hermione.
"Actually, no, we're all stereotypical of our houses except for Draco, and even then, Slytherins were never meant to be mean, just kind of annoying," said Ginny. "Like we now Slytherins are cunning, resourceful, deceptive..."
"And if that doesn't describe Draco, what does?" joked Hermione.
"No, I mean that Draco isn't obsessed with pureblood stuff or evil stuff like that," said Ginny. "So he's kind of the like the perfect Slytherin model except for that."
"We never really got to know Hufflepuffs much," said Draco.
"Speak for yourself," said Harry. "I knew Cedric Diggory, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott. Is that all?"
"How do you remember them all?" asked Luna.
"I should think you would. You're supposed to be a smart Ravenclaw," said Harry. "And Zacharias Smith, that's who. It was only four years ago. And the best part of my life."
They all reminisced for a few seconds about their lives at Hogwarts.
"We shall see," said Ginny. "We'll love them all no matter what houses they're in."