Disclaimer:  The babies are mine!  Everything else belongs to my favorite author!  I repeat…ALL the babies are mine!

A/N:  I just wanted to say that I'm so very flattered that everyone has responded so well to this story.  It just shocks me when I write something that people actually like.  Thank you so much for your reviews and the kind words.  You'll never know what they mean to me.

Chapter Seven

I Won't Stop You

            Ginny sat in the middle of her living room, Harry beside her waiting to see if she needed anything at all.  Her family poured in around them, welcoming the three tiny Potters into the family.

            Ginny gazed adoringly into the basinet.  The triplets cried when separated now, but she knew it wouldn't be long before they were demanding their own bedrooms.

            James Janus, the oldest by three minutes, had dark thick hair that Ginny had the sneaking suspicion would not be replaced, but stay and be just like Harry's.  JJ's identical twin, Sirius Taggart, was the youngest by three minutes, but distinguishable by the "X" pattern of freckles on the back of his right hand.  Right in the middle came Winifred Lily, whom everyone was calling Wren.  Wren had no hair at all, but that didn't bother anyone.  All three babies had bright aquamarine eyes, but Molly assured everyone they would deepen.

            Bill told them it wasn't fair, and that he had to get his kids one at a time.  George joked that Ginny just wanted to get attention for carrying the most babies, the first pregnancy, and having beautiful children.  Ginny agreed.

            The house was filled with love and laughter, and yet, Ginny wanted to cry.  She didn't know what was wrong with her.  This should be the happiest day of her life…but then, so should her wedding day.

            "Are you okay, sweetheart?" Harry asked quietly.

            A sob bubbled up in her throat, but Ginny stuffed it back down.  He was the perfect husband in front of people; did he have to break her heart with silly pet names?

            "I'm fine," she lied.  "Just a little tired still."

            Harry didn't really believe her, something in his gut told him not to.  He smiled and gave her a quick hug, noting how stiff she seemed.  Soon after the party broke up, Harry was helping her get the babies to bed.  The nanny was coming until next week, when Harry went back to work.

            He was looking forward to work; he needed to have a long talk with Cho Chang.

            Nearly a month had passed and Harry had just gotten home and sat on the couch.  Cho was avoiding him, but he finally cornered her today.  He told her to come over after work, because he was going to figure out what was going on.  Ginny had been pretending everything was fine while in the presence of the babies, but she had virtually no contact with him away from that.  Harry was exhausted from being in the middle.  It was like his school years, except he was facing losing more than his life…he might lose Ginny.

            "Harry?  Is that you?" his wife's voice floated down the stairs.

            "Yes, it's me."

            Ginny came into the living room, and Harry's heart beat a little faster.  It had since the day he saw her in her little house on Station Road.  Now he knew why, and it twisted inside.

            "How was work?" she asked, seemingly normal.

            "Boring, they only thing I managed to do today was finally ask Cho to come to the house."

            "What?" Ginny's voice froze.  "I don't want her in my house, Harry."

            "We have to work this thing out, Gin."

            Ginny glared at him.  "I don't have anything to work out.  I hate her, she hates me, and I broke her nose once.  I'll do it again, if I have to."

            Harry barely kept from laughing.  This was Ginny from school, Ginny with the six brothers.  This was the woman he loved.

            Funny how that though kept popping into his head.

            "You told me she's been saying horrible things to you when I'm not around.  We're going to approach her with this and see what she has to say."

            Ginny rolled her eyes and fell beside him on the sofa.  "Don't you believe me?"

            Harry looked at her.  "Of course I believe you.  I wish you had told me sooner, but I can't help that now.  The least we can do is get an explanation from her."

            "You really believe me?" Ginny asked, her mouth a little "o" of surprise.

            Harry leaned closer.  "Yes.  Um, Ginny?"

            She was mesmerized by the look in Harry's eyes.  "Yes, Harry?"

            "I'm going to kiss you, so stop me now."

            "I don't want to," she admitted.

            Harry kissed her like he had wanted to for months.  Long, deep, and sensual.  A kiss that reminded her that she was actually married to him.  The kiss went on as Harry pulled her closer and spread his hands across her back.  Ginny nearly fainted with desire for him.

            And then the doorbell chimed.

            "Damn," Ginny muttered.

            With an amused smile, Harry touched his forehead to hers.  "Later?"

            "Yes, please."

            As Harry pulled away, Ginny was hit with the startling reality that she was in love with her husband.  When Harry wanted to end this marriage, it would break her heart.

            "Hello, Harry," Cho's voice drifted in.  "I was so surprised when you asked me over, and in the office too!  What if someone had heard you?  Where's that girl who lives here?"

            Ginny's fists balled, and then relaxed as Harry replied, "My wife is in the living room.  Come in."

            Cho stalked into the room and glared balefully at Ginny, who gazed calmly back.

            "Oh look," the older woman said bitingly.  "It's you."

            "Welcome to our home, Cho.  Would you like some tea?  Valerie's still here and can bring some."

            "No," she clipped.

            "I'd like some," Harry pleaded with a smile.

            Ginny looked into his eyes and smiled back.  There was something there that reminded her of the kiss they had just shared.  She rose and went into the kitchen.

            Valerie was a good-natured woman, whom Ginny liked enormously.  She was humming as Ginny entered.

            "Miss Val," Ginny smiled.  "Could you do something for me?"

            "You're the boss sweetie," Valerie replied.  "It's not a favor to ask me to do something, it's my job."

            Ginny blushed.  She certainly wasn't used to servants, and she had three and two house elves.

            "Can you or the elves one make tea for three and bring it to the living room?"

            "I'll set Dorna on it, ma'am."

            "I wish you'd just call me Ginny."

            "I know," Valerie chuckled as Ginny left.

            Back in the living room, Harry was still standing while Cho sat on the sofa, looking at him invitingly.

            "You're absolutely impossible," Ginny snapped before she thought.  "I leave the room for a couple of minutes and you hit on him.  What is wrong with you?"

            "Ginny," Harry said, a touch of warning in his tone.  "I was waiting for you."

            "Sit, Harry, here in the chair.  You've been working all day."

            "So have you," he retorted.

            "Shush," Ginny commanded.  "Sit."

            Harry obediently sat in an overstuffed chair that Ginny usually curled up in to read.  She perched on the arm and looked at Cho.

            "No point in dancing around it," she said quickly.  "We're looking for a reason, Cho."

            "A reason for what?" Cho asked haughtily as Dorna the elf brought the tea in.  Dorna was dressed in a prettily embroidered cheesecloth towel.

            "Dorna, your towel is so pretty," Harry blurted, just noticing the elf.

            "Dorna thanks you, sir.  Dorna's mistress made it pretty for Dorna."

            "Ginny?" Harry asked.  "You did that?"

            Ginny nodded.  "I can sew a little."

            "Dorna thinks she's wonderful, sir."

            "Thank you, Dorna.  We'll get the tea, you go help Valerie."

            The elf vanished, and Cho's lip curled into a sneer.

            "You shouldn't pet house elves so much.  I'm not saying you should mistreat them, but if you give them too much they'll start wanting paid."

            "So we'd pay them," Harry shrugged.  "We asked you here to find out why you've said certain things to Ginny."

            "Like what, Harry?" she asked innocently.

            "Like you get him away from me, and that I was filthy and low bred, and that I was keeping Harry up where his position and status can get respect," Ginny supplied helpfully.

            Darting a glare in her direction, Cho sniffed.  "I just don't think you're socially adept enough to be a proper wife to Harry."

            "Like I attend so many social events," Harry bit out sarcastically.

            "You should," she declared.  "You're the boy who lived and you defeated You-Know-Who, and your one of the top Aurors, not to mention a wonderful Quidditch player.  You deserve fame and recognition."

            "I've got enough thanks."

            "Did it ever occur to you, Cho," Ginny asked genuinely, "that Harry might just want a normal life?"

            "Why?"

            They saw that Cho really didn't understand.  She wanted to be with Harry because she wanted fame and fortune and those things.  She really didn't understand what it was to be part of a family or have a simple life.  Surprisingly, it was Ginny who walked over and sat beside her on the sofa.

            "Cho, you can be Harry's friend, and coworker, and if you want, you can even be my friend.  But you can't be with Harry.  You want different things out of life.  Find someone who wants what you want out of life.  It's the only way you'll be happy."

            Cho stared at her for a moment.  Suddenly, she didn't hate Ginny anymore.  She still didn't like her; after all, Ginny had broken her nose.  Cho stood.

            "I need to go," she said.

            Harry and Ginny stood and watched her rush from the house.  When Harry looked at Ginny, there were tears pouring down her face.

            "Babe, what's wrong?"

            Ginny slowly shook her head.  "I can't do this anymore.  I…we need to end this."

            Harry couldn't have felt worse or been more surprised if she had punched him.

            "What?"

            Ginny shook her head.  "We married for the wrong reasons, Harry.  There's no hope for that.  So Cho doesn't belong with you.  Neither do I.  I'll be leaving as soon as I find a house."

            Harry stared intently at her face.  "Is this what you want to do?"

            Ginny sobbed, "It's what I have to do if I'm to have any self-respect."

            Harry felt his soul shatter.

            "Then I won't stop you."

            Ginny ran from the room as Harry collapsed into the chair.

Review Response

Jaquelyne:                     Don't you hate stupid people?  Like these two?

Brios:                           That was a good time for me, too.

Sarahamanda:               How do you feel now?

SnowflakeGinny:          It will be longer now.  It's like talking to a brick wall with them.

Tessa:                           They are JJ, Wren, and Sy, by order of age.

Valanthe:                      I'm glad you like it.  Next time say the most not the least.

Lourdes1:                     Harry's got it, Ginny's got it…now if they could get it together…

Launiqsiae:                   I did and I will.

Ninkenate:                    I can only see marriage from a woman's view…but I ask my husband and he never sees the women who are flirting with him.  Even if I do.

LaurelinElentari:            I guess now you'll be wondering if she's coming back.

BladesOfInfinity:          HERE! (lol) Thanks for reviewing.

Koala Tangerine:            I'm flattered to say the least.  I've never been through labor, so I had to research that a bit.  I like this story; it's a lot of fun.