A/N- Sorry its taken me so long to update- I've been in Paris! Forgive me, all of my loyal readers! Thanks for being so patient with me I'll never keep you waiting this long again. If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me! Thanks and enjoy the...fluff?
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Chapter 7-
"Ginny," her mother said, walking back into the living room, "You are planning to stay here tonight, aren't you?"
Ginny looked at Harry and then back to her mother. Harry jumped in quickly.
"If she wants to stay here, its fine with me. As long as the kids come back to the apartment with me. I haven't really had any alone time with them."
Ginny bit back her tears. Harry had a right to his children, but it hurt her to know that he didn't care whether she stayed with him or her mother.
"It'll be hard to leave the children alone," She said cautiously, "But I'm sure Harry'll be okay with them. Yeah mum, I'll stay here tonight."
Harry tried to cover up the discontent he felt at Ginny not really wanting to stay with him. After all, he didn't really care anymore...did he?
Jem and Rilla ran in, Rilla jumping onto her father's lap familiarly while Jem moved to sit next to him, jabbering about the Canary Cream Percy had eaten. Harry felt an intense surge of love as he looked down at his daughter, this adorable, loving little girl and his little son.
"They've taken to you," Ginny said, "Usually they don't take to...strangers...well."
"Well, I'm not a stranger anymore," he replied forcefully, "I'm their father." He kissed Hermione on the cheek and waved to Ron and the Weasleys, and gave a long, searching look to Ginny. He picked up Jem and put him on his shoulders and took Rilla in his arms.
"Well, see you all tomorrow morning. I'm going to contact Cho and tell her that the Circle wasn't really a magical Dark group. I don't think she'll want to question you about Muggle crimes. Maybe the Department of Muggle Relations will, but I doubt they care about things that happen in America." Harry and the children got into the fireplace, as he shouted, 'Potter's Lair,". The three of them vanished.
Harry stumbled out into his apartment.
"Well, kids," He grinned at them, a mischievous sparkle in his eye, "What do you think we should do? No Mum around to stop us, eh? Who feels like ice cream?"
Ginny arrived at Harry's flat in the late morning.
"Harry?" She called, "Kids? Rilla, Jem, where are all of you?"
She walked around the flat, looking into doorways. She stopped at Harry's bedroom, opening the door a crack, then all the way. She shook her head, an unbidden smile on her lips as she looked at the scene.
Through all of the bubbles in the room, Harry lay sprawled on the big king- sized bed. Rilla was lying in a tangle of blankets next to him, while Jem was hanging upside down off the bed, sleeping with a light snore.
There was a pile of Exploding Snap in one corner and heaps of things from Fred and George's joke shops littered the floor- fireworks, Neverending Bubbles, on and on. She had no doubt Harry had gotten the kids acquainted with their magical roots.
Ginny made her way to the bed and shook Harry gently. "Wake up, Harry,"
Harry mumbled, "Mm he fouled me ref! Mmhhphh" and turned over onto his side. Ginny pushed him harder until he forced his eyes open and said, "All right, Ron, I'm up! Jesus Christ..." he blinked when he saw Ginny grinning at him.
He looked around the room sheepishly. "We...er...were just...er..." Ginny laughed out loud, waking up the twins.
"Mum!" Rilla squealed, untangling herself to jump on her mother. Jem yawned.
"You'll never guess what we did, Mum! We went out and ate ice cream, and then Daddy took us to this joke shop and he ate something and he started bleeding Mum! But then he ate something else and it stopped. He wouldn't let me try it though. And then he took us to this broom store. You never told me that brooms could really fly! And then he bought Rill some books. And we came back here and Daddy lit up some fireworks. And we ate treacle tart for dinner! And..."
"And Daddy bought us some Chocolate Frogs! And when we opened it we got a card that said Harry Potter on it and Daddy went all red and took the card away!" Rilla added.
"All right, all right, that's enough information," Harry told his son. He looked at Ginny cheekily.
"Well, one of us needs to spoil them!" He defended himself. Ginny simply shook her head.
"It doesn't look like you've had breakfast yet. What would you like?"
Rilla piped up with, "A Fainting Fancy!"
Jem cried, "How about some Nosebleed Nougat?"
Ginny said in an exaggeratedly excited voice, "How about some oatmeal and milk?" The kids and Harry groaned.
"Coming right up," She smiled as she made her way to the kitchen. Somehow, all of this felt like a dream. A very, very good dream. Suddenly, Ginny screamed as Ron Apparated on top of her.
"RON!" She shouted exasperatedly, brushing off her light yellow summer dress, "You big oaf! Are you trying to kill me? Do you always just pop into Harry's apartment uninvited all the time?
"Sorry, Gin," Ron said sheepishly, "And yes to the last question. Actually, I'm here cause Mum wanted to know if the kids wanted to stay with her while you and Harry...er...sorted things out. Percy and Penelope's daughter is at the Burrow, and Bill and Charlie's kids, and Fred and Angelina's son and George's and Alicia's son. Mum likes to have all her grandchildren over at once y'know...I'm the only one who hasn't got any. Kids, I mean."
Ginny nodded. "I'm sure the kids want to meet their cousins," She said. "Why don't you? Have kids, I mean. You and Hermione have been married for what, three years now? High time, don't you think?"
Ron blushed, the tips of his ears turning crimson. "Well, Hermione doesn't really want kids right now. Says we should focus on our careers. Says we're too young- only twenty one and all that..." He faltered. Ginny shook her head.
"You don't have to walk on eggshells around me, Ron," Ginny said gently.
Ron looked mightily confused. "Eggshells?" He stared around the floor, "I'm not on any eggshells." Ginny laughed in his face.
"Never mind."
"Ron, mate!" Harry walked into the kitchen, fresh from a shower, looking handsome and young and...perfect. Ginny turned away to the stove to hide her blushing face.
"Heya Harry. So Hermione and I wondered if you two wanted to come down to Diagon Alley with us...get some lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and everything."
Harry looked at Ginny, who nodded, and said, "Sure. What time?"
"How about around eleven thirty? See you two in half and hour, then," And with that, he was gone.
"I really need to learn that Apparating thing," Ginny said ruefully, "Or else I'll be stuck the rest of my life Flooing everywhere."
"Yeah," Harry said musingly, "But I can put in a word for you with my friends in the Witch and Wizard Apparition Registration. I'll teach you if you want. Its not that hard."
Ginny nodded and said a quiet, "Thanks."
"Hang on, where are the kids going to go while we're gone?"
"Oh, Mum's having all of her grandchildren over. So we're freeeeeeee," Ginny spun around the room, yellow dress swirling enchantingly around her light frame. Harry watched her, laughing, trying to resist the urge he got to grab the beautiful woman and kiss her.
"Shall we go, Ms. Weasley?" Harry held his arm out for her to take.
"Why, certainly Mr. Potter." Ginny curtsied and stepped up to his arm. They laughed as they stepped into the fire and shouted, "Diagon Alley!"
The two stumbled, covered with soot, out of the fireplace, still laughing. Harry cast a cleaning charm over them and they walked to the Leaky Cauldron. All of the tension between them was dulled for a moment, as if they were back in their Hogwarts days.
Ron and Hermione's eyes widened in unison as they watched a laughing Ginny walk in with Harry, who was telling her about his exploits with the Egyptian Genies.
"Oy! Ron!" Harry called, "We're here!"
Ron and Hermione walked over to the two of them and they sat down in one of the dingy, dimly lit booths. The four of them talked for what seemed like hours, reminiscing, exchanging jokes and stories. Harry leaned back, comfortable, feeling as if the world was as it always should have been.
"Ogden's Firewhisky, Tom," Harry said automatically.
"Gillywater," Hermione told Tom, giving Harry an admonishing look, which he studiously ignored.
"Butterbeer, please," Ron said.
"I'll have what Harry's having," Ginny said.
Ron looked at her openmouthed. "Ginny, you can't have Firewhisky! You don't understand! For people who've never had it before..."
Hermione looked at Ginny. "Ginny, you should have seen Harry the first time with that stuff. Honestly, he was so sloshed we had to call the Knight Bus to take him home. Imagine what you'll be like!"
Ginny stuck out her lovely chin defiantly and said, "I can handle my alcohol. I used to drink in New York- I got knackered more than a few times right after the kids were born, y'know."
Ron stared at her openmouthed.
"Well, Muggle drinks aren't the same...but you're so stubborn..." Hermione sighed and sipped the gillywater Tom had set down primly.
Harry grinned widely at her as he took a long drink from the tall glass in front of him. Ginny looked into her glass warily. It was filled with a dark reddish orange liquid, smoke wisping out of it. She saw Harry give her a challenging look and immediately brought the glass to her lips.
The Trio's eyes widened simultaneously as they saw Ginny take a large swallow from her glass.
Ginny gasped as she felt a bubbling, fizzing burning in her mouth and down her throat. She felt light and warm and toasty. She belched lightly, a slight flame flickering for a moment in her mouth. She didn't notice her ears smoking and the laughing eyes of Harry, Ron, and the worried looks she was getting from Hermione.
"Ginny?" She heard from far, far away, "All right there?" She felt herself floating away. She took some more gulps of the Firewhisky before Harry snatched the glass away from her. She felt herself drifting away, into unconsciousness...
"Oh, bugger," Harry said, ignoring Hermione's sharp outcry, "She's gone and gotten herself pissed." He went to Ginny and slung her arms around his neck and picked her up.
"See you Ron, Hermione. This girl needs to get home before she goes absolutely mad Remember how I was?" Harry grinned at them.
Ron and Hermione shook their heads as Harry and Ginny Flooed back.
"Harry?" Ginny said drowsily, her head lolling against his shoulder.
Harry looked down at the slender figure in his arms. If Ginny had seen his eyes then she would never have doubted his love for her, the love that shined through the beautiful emerald.
Harry took her to her room and placed her gently on the soft bed.
"You'll be okay, Gin, just had a drop too much of that stuff..." Harry looked down at her prone figure. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He placed a Silencing Charm around the room and Apparated back to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Ginny okay?' Ron asked, concerned.
"Yeah. She shouldn't have tried that stuff. Its not made for delicate women," Harry shot a look at Hermione, who, as per schedule, was beginning to look decidedly red in the face.
"I'll have you know, Harry James Potter, that women can handle drink just as much as men can! You just watch!" Hermione grabbed the rest of Ginny's Firewhisky and downed it in one gulp. Harry and Ron watched, stupefied, as flames shot from her ears. Hermione stood up and giggled, then swayed.
"Ohhh...I'm floaaating awaayy," She said dreamily, "Ohhh, hello Ron. You're looking soooo handsome."
Harry choked his laugh as he helped Hermione and Ron to the Floo.
"Women's empowerment," Harry smirked at Ron, who glared at him.
"See you tomorrow, mate. If I can get this girl to wake up." Ron high-fived him and they Flooed home.
Harry went to the Burrow to collect the children and took them home. He put them to bed, tucking them in gently. Then he checked on Ginny, who was sound asleep, snoring lightly. Harry couldn't help but wish she was sleeping somewhere else...
He shook his head and went into his own room. Another week and then back to Auror duty for him. He was enjoying having Ginny and the twins here. He didn't feel much like a father, though, just as a sort of large friend to these children he barely knew who had accepted him so quickly. And Ginny...he didn't know what was going on with Ginny, whether they were friends, or something more...
With these thoughts Harry flopped into his bed, muttering, "Nox". He was asleep instantly. He didn't notice the shadowed figure floating outside his window, wearing horn-rimmed glasses and flashing long, scarlet fingernails.
Harry woke up at around seven, quickly showering and dressing. As he walked out of his room he thought he smelled something, something good. Sure enough, Ginny was in the kitchen, sitting at a table eating French toast and coffee. Harry grinned as she looked up, a slight blush tingeing her features.
"Had a good sleep?" Harry asked wickedly.
Ginny smiled wryly.
"I'll never drink that stuff again as long as I live. I have a pounding headache. Did I ruin the lunch trip?"
"Nah. I nagged Hermione into drinking some and she went home with Ron dead knackered. She'll never admit it happened though, you watch."
Harry sat down across from her, leaning forward casually. Suddenly Hedwig swooped in, dropping a parcel on the table and perching herself on Harry's shoulder.
"Hedwig! Hey girl finished delivering that memo to the goblins?" He gave her a bit of toast. He looked over at Ginny.
"Ginny? What's wrong?" Harry said, worried at the shocked and guilty look on her face. She looked up and silently handed him Hedwig's delivery, the Daily Prophet.
Harry looked down at the front cover, openmouthed. Next to a blown up picture of Harry and Ginny walking into the Leaky Cauldron and another picture of the sleeping twins was an article.
HARRY POTTER:
MAN OF MYSTERIES SEEN WITH MISSING WITCH
The Daily Prophet's Rita Skeeter has uncovered a startling secret of Mr. Harry Potter's. Yesterday at noon, Mr. Potter and a red-haired woman were seen together with Mr. And Mrs. Ron Weasley, Mr. Potter's famously close friends, at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. On further investigation, it was found that the woman was no other than Ms. Ginny Weasley, one of the disappearances marked at the end of Lord Voldemort's reign. How has she suddenly turned up and where has she been? This is another mystery of the Boy-Who-Lived. Yet this is not all- after following Mr. Potter to his London apartment, another incredible secret was uncovered. Two children, possibly twins, were sleeping in Mr. Potter's house. One, a red-headed girl, and another, a black-haired boy, both around four or five years of age, were astonishing replicas of their parents. Obviously, Ms. Ginny Weasley has been hiding something from the Wizarding world. Yes, it is true, ladies and gentlemen- Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley have two children. Mr. Potter, only twenty-one, and Ms. Weasley, currently twenty, must have had a torrid affair during their Hogwarts days. Yet why and where did Ms. Weasley go? Will she manage to take Harry Potter off his top standing as the most eligible bachelor in the Wizarding world? This reporter is determined to find and give all of you the answers you need.
"Damn," Harry swore under his breath, but loud enough for Ginny to hear him.
"Oh," Ginny said in a harsh voice, "Of course you're horrified. Your reputation in danger and everything. I'm sorry we've shamed you Harry. We're such a burden? I'm such a burden? I though you'd have been happy not to hide us anymore. Obviously you weren't intending on informing too many people about this." She choked over her tears.
"Ginny...I...That's not what I meant! I just don't like my name in the papers! Now everyone is going to be owling us, reporters will want pictures, there'll be tabloids all over the world!" Harry said, his anger rising. They should have been more careful...
"Fine." Ginny said, her voice dangerously soft, "If we bring so many problems, we'll leave. I don't need your pity, Harry. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
The cold expression of her face reminded Harry of Trista. The Ginny he had known, even when angry, had always been warm, fiery, and passionate. Not cold or frigidly furious. Something in her had changed- she seemed like herself, but when she got angry...when she got angry he noticed something in her that held her back from being who she used to be.
"Fine," Harry said in a low voice, "If you want to leave, leave. But I will make sure that I see the twins. They are mine. I'm not ashamed of them or of you, but I think we need to figure things out...by ourselves. Maybe you should leave for a while. I can find you a job...a flat, even..."
Ginny stared at him, sobs rising in her throat. But she would show him...show all of them that she was not a dependant woman.
"No. I don't need or want your help. Obviously you think I'm some sort of foolish bimbo who can't take care of herself. I'll find a job and a place myself. I'll leave now. I am going to pack and then pick up the twins in the afternoon. Goodbye, Harry."
With that, she flung herself into her room. Within minutes, she had brought her packed and shrunken trunk with her and before Harry could stop her, had Flooed to Diagon Alley.
Harry buried his face in his hands, a hole growing in him as he slowly realized she was going to leave...that the past three days were not to continue. He slowly lifted his head as he heard the soft padding of Jem and Rilla's feet as the scampered into the kitchen.
"Where's Mum?" Rilla asked, staring around the room, "Daddy, where's she gone?"
Jem was looking around too. Harry knew he had to tell them. "Hey guys, you and your mum are going to go live someplace else...for a little while. Remember the place where we ate ice cream? It'll probably be around there. And I'll still see you all the time, almost every day. Okay?"
The twins nodded, obviously not comprehending what he was saying. He sighed.
Six hours later, Harry fell exhaustedly onto his bed.
"How the hell did she take care of both of them for four years," He grumbled. He had spent six hours feeding them, playing with them, talking to them, and he felt as if he had just sprinted a few kilometers. He had just gotten them to sleep for their nap. Suddenly, he heard a pop. He turned around to see who had Apparated.
Ginny stood grinning at him, obviously very pleased with herself.
"Portable Portkey," She said happily, waving a small metal square with a button on it. "Click and think the words and it'll take you wherever you want- and it can carry up to six passengers if they are touching. Clever, eh?"
Harry stared at her. "Where in the world did you get that? They are really expensive!"
Ginny snapped, "I'm not exactly poor you know. I still have some of the money I got in the States. Its worth more Galleons. Anyway, I also rented a flat for six months. And I found a job. So there's the burden off your back. I'll go get the kids." She turned and walked out of the room.
"Ginny, wait!" Harry called. He ran to get her, but she had already placed a finger on each of the twins and Ported out.
"Excellent," Harry muttered, "Nice one, Potter. Chase her away. Idiot."
He Apparated to Ron's flat, onto a very steamy scene. Ron and Hermione were spread out on the couch, lips locked. They broke apart suddenlt, both with hot red faces.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, embarrassed, "Don't you know that you have to warn us if you're coming? Honestly..." She sat up and smoothed out her clothes and hari. A very disgruntled Ron glared at him.
Harry ignored them. "Ron, d'you know where Ginny went? She says she found an apartment or something and she left pretty suddenly."
Herimione shot him a shrewd look. "So you two had a fight, did you? I think she needs to get away anyway, at least away from you for a while."
"Do you, then? Am I such a bad person?" Harry said, flushing. Ron was beginning to look alarmed. "Harry, mate, I know where she went. She got an apartment in Diagon Alley, in that new flat building...I've heard it's a pretty ritzy place." He looked impressed.
"Thanks mate. See you too later. Better get on with what you were up to..." Harry grinned evilly and Apparated to the flat building. He stepped inside.
The black marble walls and floor were brightly lit with lamps. There were uniformed bellboys and a huge chandelier on the ceiling. Harry was impressed. He walked to the receptionist, careful to keep his forehead covered and his sunglasses on.
"Hello," He said, "The names Rank. James Rank. I'm looking for a Ms. Ginny Weasley. Wuld you be able to give me her flat number?"
"Of course, sir," The concierge said, obviously struck by Harry's expensive clothes, "That would be Flat number 332C, on the third floor."
"Thank you," Harry said, sighing in relief as he walked up the stairs. He reached flat 332C in minutes.
He rapped on the door loudly. In a few minutes, the door opened and a very surprised Ginny looked out at Harry, obviously flustered.
Harry stepped into the apartment. The walls and floor were of a dark, gleaming walnut. There was one large, circular living room with a glass wall overlooking Diagon Alley as a window. There were dark red silk ceiling to floor curtains on the windows. The furniture was of the same finely polished wood, upholstered in white with red and orange silk throw pillows, and there were wrought black iron lamps and bookcases lining the right adjacent wall. Opposite that wall were French doors through which could be seen a kitchen, and two other doors and an impressive fireplace between.
Ginny sat down on the couch and Harry took an armchair.
"This is a really great flat, Gin," Harry said, "But I don't see how in the world you can afford it."
"Listen Harry," Ginny said, beginning to look annoyed, "Lets not talk about my money situation, okay? You don't need to worry about me anymore."
"Ginny, I didn't want you to leave. You're the one who-"Ginny stopped him.
"Harry, I would have had to leave anyway," She said gently, "I couldn't just live off you like that. And we'll still see each other a lot. Lets just leave it at that for right no, okay? And in six months, we'll see of you want me back or I want you back. We need to think this through."
Harry wanted to argue but knew it would be no use. Ginny was plainly still as stubborn as she had ever been. He changed the subject.
"So what job have you got?" He asked interestedly. "Something at the Ministry?"
"No," Ginny said brightly, "I'm going to be a Healer."
A/N (#2)
I know I know, sorry for the abrupt ending, but I have to save stuff for the other chapters, right? Sorry about how long it took for the update! I'll answer all of your reviews in the next chapter. Au revoir ! Svp revue !
