Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's associates. I do not make money off of this therefore it is really pointless to sue me if you're thinking about it. I only write for the entertainment of myself and of others, although mostly for myself...I promise I will return all the characters I use in good condition ((or as good as condition I can keep them in)) and hopefully all in one piece.
Rating: PG-13 ((Might go up, not sure yet))
Summary: As a back up plan, Harry asks Ginny to carry his baby, just in case the war kills him. When the baby comes, and the war is over, Harry denies any question had been asked. Now everyone believes he's a liar, especially when his scar begins to burn again, even though Voldemort has been killed.
A/N: I like this chapter. It's fun...find out for yourselves on what 'fun,' really is. I decided I'm going to dedicate this chapter to my three reviewers who reviewed this chapter. You know who you are.
Who is The Insider? Flirtatious, criticizing, pear-ly delicious, reviews from The Insider will leave you with a feeling of happiness, anger, hyper-ness...it's your call. How can you receive a review to your review from The Insider? Write one! If The Insider think it worthy of reviewing, The Insider will leave one. ((postage and handling is free, although a name will help The Insider become closer with you)) And remember, The Insider reviews in anyway The Insider feels fit. Don't take it personally, The Insider is like Simon; lovable, yet honest. Feel free to voice your opinions back to The Insider if you think his reviews are missing something. -- Salutations, The Insider. You have been warned.
Chapter 4
The Pain of Labor
Another week had passed and Harry was smart enough to wait a few stores down from the Three Broomsticks. This time, when Cho appeared, holding her apron and letting her long black hair down from the bun she had it in, he stepped out from his waiting spot. Cho quickly regarded him with her eyes before trying to step away around Harry. He stepped back, guarding her from advancing anymore.
"Cho. Please stop."
Cho said not a word and clenched her apron closer to her chest.
"I was an arse. I'm sorry." Harry apologized, although he thought that Cho needed to apologize more than he did. Cho stood still.
"I had a scare last week. I was talking with Hermione and we got interrupted. Ron showed up saying Ginny was having the baby." Harry paused. Cho kept quiet. "Turns out it was a false alarm." He paused once again. Cho sighed. "And I noticed, my baby or not, I need to be involved. Ginny is my friend, after all."
Once again, Harry paused, looking hopeful that Cho would begin to speak again. Cho held back a smile at Harry's remark and cleared her throat.
"Good to hear." She spoke finally. Harry let out a breath of relief and nodded.
"But if I am to do this, I don't want to do it alone." Harry raised an eyebrow towards Cho. She shook her head.
"You won't be alone, Harry. You'll have your friends to help you through."
"I know that. Actually, I was hoping that...you would help me?" Harry bit his lip nervously. Cho laughed.
"So you could what? Push all the responsibility on me?"
"I'd never--"
"--I'll have to think about it, Harry. I have a life too, you know."
"I'm just asking for some moral support here." Harry defended himself. Cho sighed.
"Harry," She put a hand on his shoulder, "you already have my moral support...if you stick to your word and try."
Harry smiled. Even though he knew, once the child makes it's entrance into the world, to tread lightly. If Harry made any attempt to reject the child as his own, Cho wouldn't show any support what so ever. That's one thing he didn't want to happen. Harry kicked the sidewalk and stuffed his hands down in his pockets. He looked at his feet for a second before peeking up.
"You hungry?" He asked.
"Yeah." Cho answered, removing her hand from Harry's shoulder.
"Good because I made reservations at Amor's."
Cho looked oddly at Harry.
"This soon in advance?"
"I got a hold of them the night we...the night I forgot...and got them to move our reservations to tonight."
"Harry, I said I'd give you moral support, not--"
Harry shushed her and narrowed his eyes.
"We both know the truth, Cho. I'm irresistible."
Cho tried to glare before she smiled and laughed.
"It's a date...but don't think I--"
He shushed her again.
"Harry--"
He put a finger up to her lips.
"I don't want to hear a word until we get there, after all, I owe this to you." He offered his arm as he spoke. Cho studied the arm carefully before taking it then began to walk along the streets to where Amor's stood hidden about a half a mile down the road. Before they could even get off the sidewalks of Hogsmeade, a small hyper owl that seemed overly excited to see Harry, swooped down from the sky. Harry dropped Cho's arm and covered his head as the small owl fluttered in crazy patterns around him, trying to find a suitable place to land. Cho giggled lightly. Harry glared out from under his arms.
"Find this funny, do you?"
Cho laughed harder and nodded. Harry scowled before waving his hands around until the tiny owl was in his grip. It hoo'd sporadically and Harry nodded as he took a letter off it's leg.
"Yes, yes...Hello to you too Pig." He held the letter out to Cho. "Open it, I'm afraid to let go." He held Pig up who was twitching with excitement and nipped lightly at Harry's fingers. Cho took the envelope and tore the seal open. Her eyebrows merged together as she attempted to read. "What does it say?" Harry asked, looking around. Pig's hyper actions caused a few bystanders to stop and watch. Cho shrugged.
"I thought you didn't want me to talk." She joked. Harry glared again, getting annoyed with one of Pig's feet that tore at the bottom of Harry's fist, trying to pry his fingers off of him so he could twitter around some more.
"Besides, I can't read it." Cho answered, flipping the parchment around so Harry could read for himself. His eyes opened wide as he read Ron's untidy scrawl.
"What does it say, Harry?" Cho asked. Harry looked up.
"Ginny's in labor."
Cho turned the letter around and furrowed her brow before she lifted them and nodded. "Oh!" She cried. "I can see it now!"
Harry rolled his eyes and let go of Pig who spiraled in flight upwards with strength that was building up from Harry's tight grip.
"Let's go." Harry said, grabbing her hand and running in the direction of his home.
"You want me to come?" Cho asked, trying to keep up with Harry's stride.
"Moral support." Harry reminded as they rounded his street.
They entered the hospital through the floo network. It reminded Harry of St. Mungo's and smelled like the infirmary back at Hogwarts. They worked their way through the main floor waiting room to the information desk. The nurse behind the desk smiled big as she saw the familiar scar'd forehead approach.
"Room 634, Mr. Potter. Put these on and go in." She handed Harry a sea foam green scrub, a pair of matching booties and matching hair net.
"She'll be happy to see you." She added with a giggle, looking oddly at Cho. Harry stepped away and began walking in the direction of room 634, putting on his hair net and scrubs, hopping along as he tended to his booties.
"Guess you'll wait outside?" Harry asked, turning the corner where he saw a familiar family of red heads at the opposite end. Cho nodded. He stopped walking and swallowed. He looked at himself in a window reflection, his arms out at his sides before turning to Cho. "Well, how do I look?" He asked.
"Very green. Matches your eyes. Now go!" Cho gave Harry a shove and he ran towards the Weasley's. Cho, wandering slowly behind him, dreaming of another missed dinner.
Everyone but Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were missing in the group as Harry approached. Ron was the first to speak.
"Harry! Good you're here. Pig found you all right? Actually, I was worried you wouldn't--oh what am I talking about, Ginny's been asking for you, get in there!"
Harry hadn't a chance to reply before he was shoved, again, through the heavy door. It didn't take long before he was noticed again. Mrs. Weasley, who was standing beside Ginny waived her hand at him.
"Harry! Harry! Come here!"
He followed obediently.
"Thank Merlin! Here, hold her hand dear, I can barely feel my own."
Mrs. Weasley pried Ginny's hand off hers and quickly transferred Harry's to her grip. His knees buckled as his fingers were crushed together. He bit back a whimper. Sure, Ginny may have been tiny, but as he soon found out, she had strength to make grown men cry.
"Hello Harry." He heard his name called once more. He looked across the bed where Ginny was moaning in pain and saw Hermione, dressed in the same green scrubs. She was smiling and Harry was wondering if Ginny wasn't squeezing so hard on Hermione's side. He nodded anyway, his eyes beginning to water.
"Hi." He managed to cough. Hermione grinned and looked down to Ginny.
"Ginny, I need you to breathe with me."
Harry looked down as well and smiled as he saw Ginny. She tried to smile back, but was too concentrated on her breathing to care.
"It's time to start pushing." Another voice had entered the room. Harry looked over and saw a doctor, dressed also like him, position himself to catch the baby.
"Come on, Ginny. Give me a push." The doctor softly coaxed. Ginny's face contorted as she held her breath to push.
"Good girl." The doctor praised and Ginny relaxed.
"Good girl." Harry repeated, feeling it the only thing he could do. Now, Harry had a few people mad at him. He'd been in a few fights, and knew what caused them, but when the next contraction came, he found Ginny's well kept nails digging into his hand. His brows furrowed together and he pressed his lips tightly against one another, holding in his need to let out a cry. This was the moment he knew, that would surpass all the other times. The doctor coaxed Ginny once again, but this time, instead of holding her breath and squinting her eyes together, Ginny had glared up at Harry. He tried to smile, but stopped as Ginny let out a growl. He raised his eyebrows.
"Harry" Ginny's voice came out strained, sounding almost like a demon. "I just want you to know" She paused for a painful scream. "You did this to me!" And another scream followed by a squeeze even harder than one Dudley could manage. Sparkles punched at Harry's vision and his eyes watered heavily. This was definitely the worst anyone has been mad at him.
"I see the head, just a few more pushes..." The doctor continued.
"Ginny--" Harry coughed.
"Breathe, Ginny--" Hermione said.
"Ginny--" Harry's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Push, Ginny, push!" The doctor spoke again.
"Too...Tight--" Harry breathed deeply as he tried to pry Ginny's hand off his.
"Son of a bludger!" Ginny screamed as she continued pushing.
"That's it, Ginny...Keep pushing." Hermione said.
"Thank Merlin!" Harry praised as he got Ginny to switch hands. He looked at his now free hand, purple and white, outlined in Ginny's fingerprints.
"The head is out! I just need one more push--"
"Come on, Ginny. You can do it." Hermione ordered. Harry winced as his other hand began to loose feeling as well. He diverted his attention to help keep the pain away. Unfortunately, for Harry, he caught sight of the mirror placed over the doctor's head so the patients could get a view on what was happening. Harry let out a scream of disgust and embarrassment as he saw, in the reflection, a baby squeeze out of -- the room went black.
Mollie Weasley emerged from the room and into the hall where the rest of the family were waiting.
"It's a boy!" She chimed happily. Everyone gathered around, questions filling the air excitedly from everyone.
"How big--"
"When can we see it--"
"Have they named it yet--"
"How's Ginny--"
"How's Harry?"
Mrs. Weasley fought to answer everyone's questions, but when it came down to Harry, Mrs. Weasley giggled.
"Harry...well...he got too excited--or the pain he was put through--he fainted."
Ron craned his neck to try to look through the door.
"They're working with the baby right now, but you're welcome to go in and see Ginny. She's awfully tired, so we can't stay long." She held the door open and everyone filled in.
The tingling of Harry's scar woke him. He found himself in an armchair in the corner of the room. A plastic cup was shoved in front of him as he began to move.
"Drink." A voice followed. He took the cup, his vision was still blurry, but could tell it was Cho who handed him the cup. He drank and rested his head back on the cool leather as cold water drained down his throat.
"You feeling all right?" Cho asked. Harry just nodded. Now was not the time to voice something didn't feel right. It was Ginny's moment to be special and Ron was starring right at him, causing him to jump as his vision cleared.
"Harry! You all right? You were staring at nothing." Ron asked. Harry nodded again.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Ron, just a bit light headed."
Mrs. Weasley came over, holding a bundle of blankets.
"Welcome back, Harry."
He looked up and smiled. "Thanks."
"I've got someone who wants to see you." She held out the bundle, Harry paled and started to shake his head.
"Oh, no...I don't think I should--"
Mrs. Weasley shoved the bundle into his arms. Harry stared down at the tan skinned little thing, buried in the soft cotton. It's skin, still wrinkly. Black hair that stood on top of his head, just like Harry's. Ginny's eyes oddly complimented the little squished nose that resembled a piglets nose and thin lips that were barely visible. Harry smiled. Maybe it was his baby after all.
"Have a name yet?" Harry asked, looking up at Ginny who laid exhausted in her bed. She shook her head.
"I wanted to wait for you to wake up." She yawned. Harry looked back down at the child. It yawned, just like his mother and popped his eyes open. Harry gasped, coughing as the baby began to whimper. He held the bundle out and Cho took it.
"All right, Harry?" Ron asked again. Harry hesitated then nodded.
"Just need some water." He took his cup and stood, eyeing the baby carefully as he entered the bathroom.
He shut the door and turned on the water. He leaded against the sink and studied his reflection. Something definitely wasn't right. Harry's scar buzzed sharply. He jumped back, running into the door, closing his eyes. For some reason, his reflection had just showed a face full of hatred and jealousy. His skin had aged horribly, his eyes became slits and his nose shrunk into his skull. The image still remained in the back of his eye lids. There was a knock on the door.
"Harry?" Ron's voice floated through the thick metal door. Harry spun around, his sweaty hand slipped on the door knob a few times before he successfully opened it.
"Harry?" Ron repeated, seeing Harry emerge, his face paler than when he fainted. Harry breezed past him, going over to Ginny who now held the baby.
"Harry do you want to--" She began, but before she could finish Harry had planted a kiss upon her forehead, grabbed Cho's hand and left the room.
As soon as they were safely outside of the hospital, Cho wriggled her hand free.
"What in Merlin's name is going on, Harry?"
Harry continued walking down the street. He had no idea where he was besides a hidden wizarding town, but that was the last of his worries. Cho chased angrily after him. She grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to stop and spun him around. She stared confusingly at him.
"You have a baby up there." Cho pointed behind her, back to the hospital. Harry glared and pointed too.
"That?! That is not my baby!"
Cho's jaw dropped.
"Harry Potter! That kid is as good as yours or my name isn't Cho Chang! You get your arse up there and continue helping with the baby."
"Then you must be someone else." Harry turned and began walking away, Cho, close at his heels.
"I came with you for moral support, Harry. Not to hear your sob story again."
Harry continued walking. The sun was almost down, causing the night air to add an extra chill to it than what there was already. People watched as he passed, gawking at his scar, pointing and whispering. Yet it didn't bother him; his mind was elsewhere.
"I'm warning you Harry, if you don't turn around this instant and face your problems...We're through! For good!"
Harry paused in his step and turned on the ball of his feet.
"Fine. I'll find someone else who will listen to my side without bitching about it." He stated sharply before completing his turn and walking away. Cho growled aloud.
"You're a phony, Harry! Do you hear me? We're over! Do you hear me?"
Spectators watched as Harry raised a single hand into the air, one finger sticking up quite noticeably and he waved it as he walked on. Cho stomped her foot before turning back to the hospital and heading in. Her face in a sour scowl.
"I don't know. I really like the name Tod. T-O-D. One D, not two...makes the name unique that way." Ginny stared lovingly down at the small child and smiled. "Tod. Whether Harry likes it or not, it's going to be your name."
Mrs. Weasley sat next to Ginny's bed, exhausted form the afternoon's events. A content smile crossed her face.
"It's a good name." She agreed. Ginny bit her lip, running the name through her mind a few times.
"Mum?" She looked up.
"Yes, dear?"
"It sounds too plain, don't you think?" She paused. "Tod Weasley...Tod Weas--he needs a middle name."
"Well, what's another favorite name of yours?"
"I was going to use James, but seeing as to how Harry's reacting, I'm quickly changing my mind."
"It's quite a shock for him, Ginny. He'll come to once everything settles down."
Ginny shook her head.
"No, I'd rather much go with family names. What are some family names?"
"Well," Mrs. Weasley shifted in her seat, her eyes shooting up and to the left as she thought. "Your great uncle Chester--"
"Tod Chester Weasley...hmmm...next?"
"I remember my grandma telling me stories about a Rohmov...not sure who he is, though."
Ginny tilted her head.
"Then there's your distant cousins, Andre, Susa and Felier...your great grandpa Sal..."
"Tod Rohmov Felier Weasley..." Ginny interrupted. She repeated it a few times before nodding. "I like it."
"Tod Rohmov Felier Weasley..." Mrs. Weasley repeated. "It does have a certain sound, doesn't it?"
Ginny nodded.
"Why two middle names?" Mrs. Wesley asked suddenly. Ginny shrugged.
"Just seems right, I guess. The name flows together."
"All right. Tod Rohmov Felier Weasley it is."
"Tod Rohmov Weasley for short, though." Ginny pointed out. Mrs. Weasley nodded and took Tod from Ginny.
"Here, let me take my grandson. You need to get some sleep."
Ginny didn't have to think before her eyes closed and she drifted into sleep. Mrs. Weasley made her way into the armchair and sat, gently rocking the baby, humming lightly to herself.
A/N Time!!! Hey guy's sorry it took a bit longer to get this chapter up. I've been writing so much of this story, I haven't had time to actually type up what's written so far... But hopefully it will kick up a notch, as I have 6 more written chapters to type up and post for you.
To my three awesome reviewers ((only three? pouts come on, review, I know there are more than just three that have read this chapter...we're playing with my self esteem here...lol)): huggles Butterbeer for everyone!
Anyway, what to look forward to in the next chapter? Sneak-o-scopes...more fighting with Ron...Hermione's onto something... tune in!