A/N Wow. It's over. And I leave for England tomorrow. I kind of miss this story. It's been there for nearly a year and I was so used to just coming home and working on it or thinking about it.... sniff Oh well, on to bigger and better things. I suppose it's all for the best. Thanks for reading.

Kfelton- Thanks for reading. I hope this lives up to your expectations. And I did as you asked, I updated though not as quickly as you probly wanted. Sorry. Hope you read some of my other things as well.

Dragonsbane1611- HA. I finished it. Yippeee... Whooo. (happy dance punctuated by a cough and a sniffle) Have fun with the boys while I'm gone.

Romione- Thanks for reading. Hope you read the rest as well.

Epilogue

(Ginny)

"You should go and sit." I repeated for the fourth time as Angelina tried to maneuver through the kitchen.

She frowned at me and shook her head, "I'm pregnant, not crippled."

"Yeah but there just isn't enough room in here for all of us and your stomach." Hermione put in with a laugh.

"Fine. Fine. I'll just sit right over here and keep out of your way." Angelina announced loudly and sat down in a chair off to the side.

"Finally we can get some work done." I sighed with a grin.

"You two won't be much better in a couple of months." She replied.

"But we will be smart enough not to try and fit in a small space together." Hermione said.

There was a loud sound of joy from behind us and I turned to find George leaning in the door with a relieved look on his face.

"Good, you made her sit down." He said.

"What is with you people! I'm fine." Angelina cried.

"That may be, but you are also six months pregnant and in my care. Fred would skin me alive if anything happened to you."

She seemed slightly put off by this, "If you hadn't heard, they are pregnant as well."

"This is true. Hermione, Ginny, you both need to go and sit down. Dad and I will take it from here." He announced.

"Make me." I said and stuck my tongue out at him.

"Ron put you up to this, didn't he?" Hermione said tiredly.

"He said that I was supposed to make sure you three didn't wear yourselves out."

"Well I'm not worn out."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Right..." He said, sounding unsure.

"Go away." I ordered finally.

The door shut behind him with a click.

"Ron still being over protective?" I asked as Hermione turned to cut the vegetables by hand.

"As usual." She sighed, "Though I suppose it's not without reason. It's been different this time."

My brother had been ecstatic to find he was a father again, but his elation was dampened slightly by the many problems Hermione was having. The morning sickness was much worse than with the first three and she was prone to waves of dizziness, which had resulted in two blackouts.

"Maybe you should sit down. I think I can handle this. You guys take a break."

"You sure?"

"Of course."

Reluctantly she handed me the knife and went to sit next to Angelina.

"How can you cut like this?" I questioned and with a wave of my wand had the knife cutting by itself.

"So what did you get Ron for Christmas?" I asked.

"I think having another of his children is gift enough. Besides I've not had much time to shop." Hermione explained.

"And Fred?" I turned to Angelina.

"Something to keep him warm."

"That coat he has his eye on?"

"No." She laughed and there was a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"Oh. I see."

"He won't be enjoying it until after little Connor is born though."

"You decided on Connor, then?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Have you and Ron made a choice?"

"I like Noah. Ron likes...well it really doesn't matter. I like Noah."

"How about you, Ginny?"

I paused and looked at my stomach. It had only begun to round out in the last few weeks. There had been a certain amount of stress near the beginning of this pregnancy. Harry had not come out and asked if the child was his, but I could tell from his demeanor that the question was bothering him. It wasn't until the third visit to the Healer that he believed me when I said it was his.

"Aidan. We both like Aidan." I said quietly.

"That's a lovely name." Angelina said with a smile.

The door opened and Tonks poked her head in.

"You guys need any help? I feel guilty just sitting out here." She inquired with a hopeful look.

"No, no. You stay out there with the guys. Keep them out of trouble." Hermione replied.

They shared a secret sort of smile and Tonks asked, "Should I wait until later, when everyone is here?"

"At least until after dinner."

"Alright."

The door closed again.

"What was that about?" I asked curiously.

"Tonks has a present for Remus."

"What kind of present?" Angelina asked.

"A surprise."

"Did you get it when you guys went shopping last week?" A smile was creeping up on my lips.

"You might say that."

"Tell us." Angelina demanded.

"I can't. Not yet. I promise you will all know before the day is over."

"Speaking of surprises, no one let it slip to Dad, did they?" I asked turning and stopping the knife.

"No. He's clueless. Thinks the boys are out getting something to help us with dinner." Angelina assured me.

"I can hardly wait until they get back." I said.

"Me neither."

(Ron)

It was freezing as we walked up the path to the Burrow.

"Is it always this cold here?" The little girl beside me queried.

"Sometimes." I answered with a grin.

"It gets cold at home sometimes, but never this cold."

"We're almost inside, come on." I said reaching for her hand.

Gwen was the daughter of my brother Percy. He and Penelope Clearwater had gotten married soon into my sixth year at Hogwarts. None of us would have known, but Penny felt it was important to tell my mother. She arrived on the doorstep new years day, teary eyed and shivering.

"Penny?" Mum said pulling her inside.

"Mrs. Weasley ." The girl sniffed.

"Ron, get a blanket and a cup of tea, she's freezing." I hurried to obey.

"I just... I just wanted to tell you..."

At that moment I returned with a blanket that Mum promptly wrapped around Penny's shoulders, "Come sit by the fire, you're freezing."

"Thank you."

The rest of my family simply watched as mum led Penny to a chair close to the fireplace, which Fred vacated quickly.

"There you are Dear, you sip your tea and when you've warmed up a bit you can tell us what brings you here on such a cold day."

"Thank you, but I really can't stay long." Penny said taking a sip of her tea and wincing as the heat stung her cold lips.

"Take as much time as you need." Mum was ignoring the last statement.

"I just... it only seemed right..."

"Have another sip of tea, there." My father put in kindly.

She obeyed and took a deep breath, "Percy and I got married."

There was a long silence as everyone tried to process this new information.

"When?" Mum asked quietly.

I was stunned by her restraint.

"Three weeks ago. I wanted to tell you then but he wouldn't let me."

"Why on Earth wouldn't he want us to know?" Mum cried.

The restraint hadn't lasted as long as I had hoped.

"He's... he's... prideful." Penny answered looking into her tea.

Mum's eyes began to fill with tears and she appeared to be on the verge of a fit. Luckily my father was quick-thinking and pushed his way over to Penny's side.

"Well then, welcome to the family." He whispered and hugged her tightly.

"Yes," Mum said, wiping her eyes, "Yes. You are family now."

"I'm so sorry. I really wanted to tell you."

"It means a lot that you came here." Mum replied, taking Penny's hand in her own.

"I really should get back. He'll be home soon."

George took the cup of tea from her and Fred disentangled her from the blanket. My father's arm was still around her shoulders as she stood.

"If you could... I mean... let us know how you both are doing." Mum requested with a sniffle.

"Of course."

The letters had been sporadic and short, but it seemed to satisfy my parents that everything was going well. It wasn't until after Percy had died that Penny told us she was pregnant. As soon as the baby was born she moved to Spain to live with her mother.

Not two feet away Fred was trying to have a conversation with a boy who spoke very little English. However, the few words he could say were very clear and precise, as though he had practiced them over and over.

He belonged to my brother Bill. It was no shock at all when Bill and Fleur Delacour were married. Nor was it that surprising when Fleur became pregnant. After Bill's death however, his wife felt uncomfortable with us. When her sister fell ill, she used it as an excuse to move home to France. Thus, Etienne was not fluent in English.

"We're here." I said as I reached out to knock on the door.

As I had hoped, my father opened the door.

"Bonjour, Grandpere!" Etienne said enthusiastically.

"Hola, Grandpa." Gwen said somewhat more softly than her cousin.

"What on earth... Gwen? Etienne?" Dad cried and quickly knelt to gather both children into his arms.

"Happy Christmas, Dad." I said and smiled.

"Are your mothers with you?" He asked.

"My grandmother is sick, Mama had to stay." Gwen answered.

"Maman... is... with my aunt." Etienne spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Well, come inside. Quick, before you freeze to death." Dad grinned and ushered the children into the house.

As Fred and I went to follow, he turned and hugged us both tightly.

"Thank you."

"No problem." Fred answered.

Inside, the children were being hugged and fussed over by everyone. I searched for Hermione but didn't see her.

"Everything go well?" Harry asked from nearby.

I slipped out of my coat and laid it over the back of a chair.

"Yeah. How are things here?"

"You didn't tell me you were inviting Neville." He whispered.

"He's family." I replied simply.

"I... I know... it's just..."

"Look," I sighed, "I'm not kicking him and his daughters out."

"I wouldn't want you to."

"Then stop fussing."

"I just would have liked some warning."

"He's family." I repeated.

"I know." He looked a little sheepish.

The past months had been difficult for everyone. Harry and Ginny were working through a rough patch, Hermione was having a difficult pregnancy, and Neville was trying to get his shop going again. When it came time to send invitations out, I sent them to everyone. During hard times it is best to keep your family close. I hadn't thought twice about inviting Neville and saw no reason to ask permission from Harry.

"Where is Neville?" I questioned searching the crowd of people.

"By the kitchen."

"Did you even say hello?"

"Yes. I asked how he was and how... how Malfoy is." His voice caught a bit.

"You know it is his business. He can work with whomever he pleases, and from what I understand it's been doing him a lot of good."

"That may be, but..."

"You told me you talked to him about this."

"I did."

"It's Christmas. Let it go. Just for today."

He nodded and stared at his hands.

"Come on. I think dinner is being served without us." I put my hand on his shoulder and led him towards the kitchen.

(Neville)

The kitchen had been magically expanded to accommodate the very large group of people. Two tables had been set up; one for the adults and a shorter one for the children. I quickly ushered the girls to their table and sat them next to Mab and Meshach, who promised to look after them for me. As I turned back to the adult table I saw that nearly every seat was already filled. Without looking I grabbed hold of a chair and went to sit down, only to find myself next to Harry.

There was an uncomfortable moment as we realized what had happened.

"I'm sorry... I'll...I'll move." I stammered and began to search for another empty chair.

"No. It's fine." His voice caught a little on the words.

"I think there is an empty chair next to Tonks." I said and rose to my feet.

"Neville, sit back down."

"No, it's okay, I'll just move over there."

"Would you just sit down?" His voice had risen slightly.

Beside him Ginny sat looking nervous. Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap and she was trying very hard not to notice what was happening between her husband and I.

"Hey, Neville, mind if I sit next to Harry?" Ron said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Sure." I muttered and moved out of his way.

"You can sit on the other side of me." He offered.

I agreed and quietly sat down in my chair.

Dinner was pleasant. The food was amazing and I made sure to thank the girls for preparing it. As we ate I looked around, enjoying the presence of the people I loved.

"So, Neville, how is business?" Ron asked casually as he took a bite of turkey.

"Good. Very good. Draco was right, a little advertising makes all the difference."

Beyond him I saw Harry give me a furtive glance before going back to his conversation with Fred.

"So your partnership is going well?"

"Yes. I was unsure at first but he has a mind for business, half the time I don't even know what's going on."

"Do you think that's wise?" Angelina asked, leaning forward across the table.

"What?"

"Letting him have so much control of your life?"

"We've not run into a problem yet."

"How do you know all of his connections are good? They might not be the sort of people you should associate with." She went on.

"I trust Draco."

From the strange stillness that descended upon our portion of the table, I gathered that nothing like that had ever been said.

"I don't see how you could." She said and looked back at her plate.

"So everything has been working out?" Tonks asked from beside me.

"Yes. Better than expected."

"Pretty soon you'll be too rich to eat with us." She kidded and poked my side a little.

"Never."

"Good."

"How are the girls?" Hermione inquired.

I looked up and smiled across the table at her, "Perfect."

"You should bring them over. The other kids miss them." Angelina put in.

"Meshach talks about Lotus all the time, perhaps there is a little romance in the air." Hermione grinned.

"Tell him not to get his hopes up. I've forbidden the girls from ever dating."

"What? And never have them leave?" Ron asked sounding horrified.

"Sometimes, even the company of a six year old is comforting."

"I'll second that." Angelina was smiling now as well.

( Harry)

As soon as dinner was over the children ran into the living room to open presents. In a family as large as this one, the main focus of gift-giving was on the younger generation. That's not to say the adults didn't exchange gifts on occasion. In fact I was surprised to have Meshach hand me a small box wrapped in gold.

"What is it?" Ginny asked as she came up beside me.

"I don't know yet."

We took a seat on the sofa and waited until the rest of the gifts had been handed out. It was humorous to watch the children eye each gift carefully, desperately wanting to rip the paper, but knowing to wait until they were told.

"Alright... go!" Arthur laughed.

There was a flurry of wrapping paper and bows.

"Open yours." My wife prodded.

"You've got some of your own." I pointed out.

She smiled and began ripping paper off a package that obviously held clothing. After a quick glance around the room I too began to unwrap my presents. The gold paper came off easily enough, leaving a small white box in my hand. Frowning, I opened the lid and found a very small amulet on a bed of cotton. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be holding a tiny flower behind a bit of domed glass.

"What is it, Neville?" Ron was asking.

I looked up and found the redhead was holding up a similar gift.

"Heather. It's for protection."

"It's neat. Thanks."

"I can't be out there to help you, so I thought I'd offer what I could."

My voice seemed stuck. Quickly I slipped the chain over my head and tucked the amulet beneath my shirt. The metal was warm against my skin; there was magic beyond a simple protection charm.

"That's nice. Genuine dragon hide. Who is it from?"

Fred was asking Neville about the gift he had just opened. A medium-sized brown briefcase, just right for someone with a growing business. It hadn't come cheap, but somehow it felt right. I had not however gotten the courage to put my name on the tag.

"No name... it's great though. Smell the inside... I've always been fond of that smell." Neville said, pressing his face against the side and breathing deeply.

"Nothing better than dragon hide... that's top quality too." George had become interested.

Ginny nudged me. Looking down I saw her searching my face.

"Did you?" She whispered.

I nodded slightly.

"You should tell him."

"He knows."

As if he had heard us talking, Neville shot me a grin and went back to admiring his new briefcase.

"It's got your initials engraved on the clasp." Hermione put in.

"Someone must think an awful lot of you." Ron added.

Soft fingers touched mine. Smiling, I let my wife wind our hands together.

"Daddy!" Lily cried.

"What?" I answered.

"Look!" Excitedly she held up a bright red sweater with a large L on the front.

"Oh goodness." Ginny whispered.

"Who gave you that?" I asked, confused.

"I'm not so bad with knitting." Angelina laughed.

"We found Mum's sewing basket. Who knew there was a pattern for those things?" Explained Fred.

"It's got an L on it!" Lily gushed.

"So does mine." Lotus said holding hers up as well, it was light blue.

"What else did you get?" Lily asked her friend, letting the sweater drop to the floor.

"Flowers... for my hair... Ivy got them too."

"Are they real?"

"Yes, enchanted to stay alive... aren't they neat?"

Ginny nudged me again.

"That too?"

"What can I say?" I replied shrugging.

She smiled and kissed my cheek.

(Remus)

It was nice to see Harry and Ginny getting along. Though there would always be scars, the old wounds were mending, both emotional and physical. The joy of having a baby had helped to heal their broken relationship. Harry told me, during one of his numerous visits to the house, that it was a second chance at life. He also showed me the newest scar to his collection: a large knot of flesh just below his ribs. It seemed that, despite Ginny's healing talents, nothing could stop it from marking him permanently.

"It's a reminder." He had whispered with a strange smile.

"Of what?"

"You have to choose to live."

While I didn't completely understand what he meant, I knew he was sincere.

"Are you going to open your presents?" Tonks elbowed me roughly.

"Sorry, I was thinking." I replied and reached for one of the many gifts at my feet.

"Typical," She snorted, "A huge pile of gifts in front of you and all you can do is think."

"Not everyone is as greedy as you, Darling." I replied.

"I'm not greedy. I just like to rip the paper." She demonstrated by shredding the pretty green wrapping paper that covered a large box.

Laughing, I too reached for a box. Carefully I unstuck the tape and unfolded the paper at one end and then tried to slide the box from the covering without tearing it.

"Would you just open it already?" Tonks asked, sounding exasperated.

She grabbed it from me and jerked the paper off before I could tell her not to.

"I like saving the paper."

"For what?"

"I just... I do."

"Not this year."

Soon all my presents were unwrapped and lying in my lap.

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

She was silent for a moment, then "Would you help me... I need to... I can't climb those stairs."

I blinked at her, "You want my help?"

"Let's not publish it. I'm a bit worn out."

"You never want my help."

"I do this time. Please?"

I stood and helped her to her feet. With a hand on her elbow I guided her to the stairs and let her balance on me as she climbed them. They were much steeper than those at Grimmauld Place, I could understand how they might cause her problems.

"Thank you." She whispered as we stood on the first landing.

"Anytime."

Suddenly her mouth was on mine, tasting of chocolate and peppermint. A growl rose in my throat, but I suppressed it quickly.

"Tonks...Tonks... whoa..." I managed when she pulled back for air.

"What?"

"Is this what you had in mind all along?" I asked, trying not to grin as I wrapped my arms around her.

"I wanted to give you your present."

"Honestly," I sighed, "is this really the time for that?"

"Dirty minded werewolf." She teased and pulled away to dig something out of her pocket.

"What?"

"I actually have a present for you."

"Oh."

Her grin shrank a little as she handed me a small box covered in silver paper.

"You didn't have to get me anything." I said.

"Open it."

Out of habit I began to peel back the tape from one end.

"Aren't you going to help me?" I asked.

"No."

Patiently she waited while I slipped the box from the paper. Deftly I folded the wrappings and put them in my pocket, then turned my attention to the small white box.

"Really, you didn't..."

"Just open it."

Inside there was a small piece of paper. Curious, I unfolded it and read the words written on it.

"I'm hoping for a girl." I read aloud.

She smiled.

"What does that mean?"

I felt her hand touch my side, "You are a father."

"What?"

"We're having a baby."

There was a wave of panic, "Are you sure?"

"Very."

"And... and..." I felt as though I might fall down.

"Hermione took me to the Healer. I wanted to tell you right away, but she thought it might be a good Christmas present."

"But the scars and the pain... you can't possibly... it'll hurt you."

"I wasn't supposed to be able to have children. She's a miracle."

Looking down into her soft brown eyes, I realized that none of my worries mattered. Whatever problems arose, we would deal with them.

"She's not a miracle. She's a gift." I corrected.

"Let's go down and tell everyone."

"Alright."

Slowly I helped her down the stairs to our family. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't the best, but it was bright and shining and ours.