SORRY EVERYONE THAT THIS WAS ALL UNDERLINED…I HAD TO TAKE OUT THE LINKS AND I THINK IT SHOULD WORK. IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE LINKS, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY PROFILE :)
Authors Note: There is a bit of a sex scene in here…young children be advised! Also, please check out this link:
which shows a layout of what I think Harry's flat would look like.
I also realized that I haven't ever said that I don't own any of this. It's all the esteemed JK's work. Power to her for such an amazing creation. Thank you for allowing us fans to go crazy with it…lol
Zoë
Chapter 8: The Birthday Present
The first couple weeks without Harry were terrible for Ginny. She mainly kept to herself, trying to collect her thoughts and feelings. She hated feeling weak; this wasn't the person she was! But the pregnancy just kept her emotions twisting like a roller coaster. So instead of making a fool of herself in front of her family, she retreated to the calm of her room.
The mirrors were a godsend to her. Every night at 6 PM, Ginny would be waiting desperately to see his face and hear his voice. He told her about his training (which seemed to be going well), and the people he had met (who seemed nice), and overall seemed to be doing well on his own, she thought. He simply seemed exhausted when he talked to her each night.
She knew his schedule by heart and would constantly check the clock to see what he would be doing then. Wake up at 5:30, shower and eat…be at workout room by 6…workout till 7:30, History of Dark Magic lectures (which discussed the theories behind the dark masterminds), for an hour so that's 8:30, Practical Magic such as hexes, charms, and dueling till lunch. Lunch from 12-12:30, Concealment and Disguise from 12:30-2, Maps and Geographical Understanding from 2-3, then Stealth and Tracking from 3-4, and another bout of dueling from 4-5. Ginny listed in her head. Poor Harry, what a workload! He never gets time for himself. I bet he's forgotten all about his own birthday even.
That thought startled Ginny. It was Harry's birthday just that Friday. An idea began to form in her head.
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"Hey Ginny! How are you feeling?" Harry asked, smiling through his mirror.
"Alright. I had some nausea today, but other than that, just the normal minor aches. Nothing I can't handle any day," she smiled back at him. She couldn't get enough of his face, or the sound of his voice.
"So, did you do anything interesting today?" she asked.
"Well, we practiced dueling and I kicked some serious ass," he said laughing. "I finished off Seamus with one of your bat-bogey hexes, just so you know," he said winking at her now.
Ginny loved that laugh, she worshiped that laugh. The way his face spread into a smile…she wanted to desperately to press her lips against his. Her feelings were almost unbearable. However, she just smiled and said,
"Any plans for the weekend?"
"Nah, probably just sleeping as much as I can, then doing lots of written homework. Who would have known that you have to write so much to become an Auror? And then on Sunday we have a simulation to attend to." He misread the emotion on her face.
"Aww, Gin, I'm sorry I can't come home, but I really can't. If they find I've gone missing and they need me in a minute I'll get kicked out. You understand, right?"
"Of course I understand Harry," Perfect, she thought. I'll use this as a cover up. I was really sad that he truly didn't remember his birthday. Oh my, this will be fun! "It's just that I miss you so much Harry." At least she didn't have to lie. She did miss him more then she could have ever imagined.
"I know, Gin, I miss you too. If we ever get a break, you know I will be at your side the second they let us go." The pain in his eyes almost made her heart shatter. She hadn't meant to get him upset at all! Blast, she thought.
Ginny smiled. "I know Harry, and that's why I love you so much. Don't worry about me, I really am doing fine," she smiled again to try to reassure him.
The two talked for about an hour each night, saying whatever came to mind, sometimes just staring at each other, or taking the mirror around with them if they went somewhere. The time Harry brought his mirror into the bathroom subconsciously, Ginny thought she might hurt the baby from laughing so much.
And each night, when he finally put down the mirror, Harry would sigh, exhausted, and flop down on his bed. He would erase the cover-up spells he had on his bruises and gashes, and the dark circles would appear under his eyes again. In reality, the people he met weren't nice, and the program wasn't fun. In fact, it was more like torture. But Harry knew he must complete it; that it was imperative for him to learn all he could so one day he might fulfill the prophecy. And also so he could provide the best protection for his family.
Training was so hard. Each day he had to use any effort he had left just to get himself out of bed. It took all his willpower to get himself to training and keep going during the day. The teachers were brutal, and Harry kept doing everything wrong. He would fall when sparing, let curses through, and forget the answers to many questions so often. He wanted to give up almost every day, but he would then think of Ginny and their child, and a new energy would surge through him. This was for them. It was his responsibility to make the world safe for their child to grow up in. Yet sometimes he wondered how he had defeated Voldemort all those other times and lived to tell the tale. If Kingsley Shackelbot could defeat him with a simple Jelly Legs Curse now, then how the heck did he push back Voldemort when he was 11? He usually gave up thinking about it then, frankly, the headache he always had didn't let much through.
After applying some healing salve to his bruises and bumps, he would usually eat something scant (he was too tired to whip up anything fancy or involved), and read a chapter in one of the books Hermione had gotten for them. He was truly fascinated by babies now, and couldn't wait to be a father. He knew he was young, but the idea of having someone, as well as Ginny, who would love him unconditionally, was amazing. He also couldn't wait to return that love, and give that child the life he never had.
That night, Harry had eaten some bread and cheese with mustard with his left hand, as his right was still sore from being broken earlier that week. He propped his book (How Good Magical Habits Learned Early Can Contribute To A More Adept Witch or Wizard: A Study of the Habits of the Wizarding World's Children, by Rinesta O'Blanken) against a jug of milk.
He sighed, rubbing his arm. He hated not telling Ginny the whole truth about his life as an Auror in training, but frankly, he didn't have it in his heart to worry her any more than she already was. He finished his sandwich, and the chapter he was reading ("How Wizarding Children Have Better Sensory Perception Than Muggle Children, And Why Parents Should Demonstrate Difficult Charms Frequently"), and set off to bed.
He had lost count of the days he had been here. In fact he didn't even own a calendar, or he would have realized that it was his birthday tomorrow.
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Ginny came downstairs for breakfast the next morning looking worse for the wear. She meekly said good morning to everyone and began to nibble on some toast. Suddenly it appeared as her face turned a few shades of green and she vaulted to the bathroom.
The rest of the day Ginny stayed in her room, only to make a few trips out to throw up again. If anyone would walk outside her door she would loudly complain that they had woken her up when she had just gotten to sleep. Her mother came in a few times to see if she needed anything, but Ginny just snapped that she was fine, and would they please leave her alone so she could sleep? Finally, around 4:30 she announced she was going to turn in for the night and could they try not to make so much noise walking in the hall, and please don't even think about opening the door because she would never get back to sleep. Of course her family agreed. Ginny was quite imposing normally, and pregnant she was even scarier.
Ginny smiled as she reminisced on the day. She had done quite well, she thought. No one had noticed her slipping the Puking Pastille onto her toast, or realized that the sweat on her forehead came from a newer development of WWW, Flushed Fancies. She had pulled it all off rather perfectly, and now all that remained was getting downstairs in time without anyone noticing to Floo to Harry's apartment. Luck was on her side as Ron had mentioned going to visit Hermione that night. So when her parents went outside to sit on the porch, Ginny made her way quickly to the fireplace.
Harry's apartment was a horrible mess. There was a beat up couch, broken bookshelf, and the paint was peeling from the walls. Why do the Aurors put up their trainees in this awful place! Ginny wondered, mortified. No matter now though, in less than an hour she was going to see Harry! She hopped into his shower quickly, she felt sticky from the day sitting in bed. Her hair was clean from that morning so she did not get it wet. As she washed herself she smiled at her growing belly. She had begun to show, and she knew Harry would be delighted. She also thought he would be pleased with what she had chosen to wear. She certainly hoped he would, after the trouble it took to get it! She had ordered it special and timed the delivery perfectly while her Dad was at work, and her Mum was shopping. She slipped it on and admired herself in the mirror. Then she went out of the bathroom, hid the cards and gifts he had received during the day, and hid herself to wait for Harry's arrival.
At about 5:45 Harry apparated into his apartment with a loud CRACK. Hidden behind his kitchen counter, Ginny could steal glimpses of Harry, but he would probably not notice her. As he stepped into the light she had to bite back a gasp that tried to escape her lips. Harry was bruised all over and covered with cuts and bits of dried blood. She watched as he did some quick spells to cover up all his blemishes and then went for his mirror, which was on his bedside table.
"Ginny Weasley," he said clearly. Nothing happened. She could see his back tense strangely. She held in a giggle.
"Ginny!" he shouted. "Why don't you have your mirror? Where are you?" he said starting to sound worried.
"I don't have my mirror because I'm right here Harry," Ginny said softly, emerging from her hiding spot.
Harry spun around.
"Ginny?" he asked, eyes wide. She was wearing a golden lacy negligee, and her hair was flowing down her back. She looked like an angel. "Is that really you?"
She nodded, smiling wide, but Harry hesitated. She realized he was hoping it was her, but wanted to be sure that she wasn't an imposter.
"Harry, your least favorite food is turnips or celery, your favorite colors are red and gold, and you donated your Triwizard winnings to my brothers to help them start a joke shop," she said, naming off some things she had learned about him recently.
A huge smile lit his face and he rushed towards her.
"It is you!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her and enveloped her in a sensual kiss. Finally they surfaced, panting a little.
"How…why…how…no, Why are you here? And How?" he stumbled.
She laughed.
"Well, I snuck out, but no one will know I'm gone. Don't worry, I covered my bases. And why am I here? Well," she said kissing him, "I am your birthday present. So, Happy Birthday!"
As she kissed him again he couldn't believe he had survived a month without her. He was also flabbergasted that he had forgotten his own birthday. His thoughts were interrupted as Ginny pulled off his shirt and began to unbutton his trousers.
"Wha…Ginny…we haven't done this…well not really," Harry stammered. She had pushed him onto the bed now.
Instead of answering, she just pulled off her negligee to reveal her body with a smile. Harry's eyes grew wide. She was amazing.
She took his hand in hers and traced it over the small curve of her belly.
"Oh, my god…Ginny! That's our kid growing in there!" Ginny smiled at him
once more.
"Yes Harry, there is a child within me. Your child. So actually we have done this. And we've already gotten pregnant, so there's no harm that could come of this, right?"
Harry swallowed. He wanted nothing more then to have Ginny at that moment.
"Are you sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she replied.
With Ginny's help his remaining clothes came off quickly, and soon the two were one…
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Later, as Ginny and Harry lay next to each other on his bed, he wondered how the heck he could not remember most of the first time with Ginny. Even under the influence he couldn't believe he could forget something as amazing as making love to her. He traced the curves of her body with his finger, finally laying his hand to rest over her slightly swollen belly. He loved the feeling of her naked form lying next to his.
"What should we name the baby, Harry?" Ginny asked suddenly.
Harry thought for a moment.
"I don't know, Gin. But I'd love to be able to have a son named James," he said quietly.
Ginny turned around and took his face in her hands. Kissing him she said "I am so glad we agree. And if it's a girl? Well I had an idea…"
"Yes?"
"Lillian Rose," she replied.
"That's perfect Gin. Absolutely perfect."
"Let's not decide anything until the baby is born though, I feel it's wrong to name something you haven't seen. Is that alright?"
Harry raised an eyebrow at her logic, but didn't mind.
"Of course, love," he replied. "Anything you want."
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Harry ate his first real meal that night in a month. Ginny had taken a lot of food from her house and soon she and Harry were eating away happily.
"So, Harry. Do you want to tell me what training is really like?" Ginny asked finally.
"What?" Harry was scared. He didn't want to make her worry, she had enough on her plate right now. How could she know? he wondered.
"Well, I saw you cover up your bruises…and well, I noticed that your right arm is tender. Please Harry, tell me what's going on. I can handle it," Ginny looked at him, her eyes full of concern.
"It's nothing," he mumbled and took another bite of his potatoes.
"Harry James Potter!" she said, raising her voice. "Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean that you get to keep things from me! I can handle them just fine. I burden my own feelings on you, so please, don't think that I can't handle hearing what's really going on!" Ginny was turning red now.
"Okay, relax Gin…" he took a deep breath. "Well, frankly, training sucks. I can't seem to do anything right; I'm always making mistakes and forgetting things. Even Neville is better then me at times. I can't concentrate and so then I get hurt, and I'm battered and bruised and I feel horrible all the time. On top of it all I miss you so much and I can't stop thinking about how irresponsible it was of me to have brought a child into the world right now. I mean, I'm probably not going to live through it, Ginny. Before, it was alright that I die, because I didn't have you to live for. And now, I have so much to live for, but so little confidence in my abilities. I've walked away from Voldemort 6 times. But to kill him? I just don't know if I have it in me. I don't know if I can fulfill the prophecy," he finished, hanging his head.
Ginny stared at him a bit. Then finally she said quietly, "Harry, what are you talking about? What prophecy? I don't understand; why do you think it's your obligation to kill him? Why can't someone else do it? You don't have to be a hero for me Harry; I just want you safe and home with us."
Harry stiffened. He had forgotten he hadn't told her about the prophecy. For a minute he debated making up some lie, but then he realized he loved her too much. He knew he had to tell her.
"Actually, I do have an obligation, Ginny. Well, I have to try to kill him at least. You see, well, you remember when we were in the Department of Mysteries? Well, that thing that Voldemort wanted was a prophecy. Although it was destroyed, Dumbledore knew what it said. It said that I was the only one who could defeat Voldemort, and that one of us would die in the final fight. It didn't say which person, Gin. I have to try, but it could end up being me."
"Oh," was all she managed at a whisper.
The two stared at each other for a long while, until she finally said "Well, Harry, I think that's why you aren't doing very well in training."
"Huh? What's your reasoning?"
"Well, I think that you just have too much on your shoulders. You are so stuck on this final fight that you have lost sight of the present. There's nothing you can do to affect the outcome except for to be prepared. So try not to think about it anymore, instead, just focus on your training. And if you need to get something off your chest, please come to me Harry. I love you, and I want to be there for you," she looked at him with more sincerity then he thought could come from a person.
"Promise me Harry? Promise me that you won't keep it all in?"
"Okay, Ginny," he took a deep breath. "I actually feel a bit better already. You are so wonderful,"
"Only a bit better?" she said slyly.
"Umm…well, uh…" he couldn't think of an appropriate response.
"Well, I think we should remedy that, don't you?" she moved next to him and pulled him into a romantic kiss.
"Yes ma'am, whatever you wish," he replied, smiling at her as they made their way to the bed once more.
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Harry felt renewed after his birthday with Ginny. It had helped a lot to talk with her and get what he was stressing about into the open. He had realized she was right. Since there really wasn't anything he could do about his impending battle, he should try to focus on the present and do his best not to worry so much. He couldn't fathom his life without her; their talks every night grew longer and more intimate; both learning so much about the other. As the summer drew to a close, Harry and Ginny's relationship had grown so much, as had her belly. She had to buy new robes for Hogwarts a couple sizes bigger to hide her slowly growing bulk.
True to his word, Dumbledore had thought long and hard for an excuse for Ginny to stay with Ron while living at Hogwarts. Finally, he realized that since everyone knew Molly Weasley as being a bit overprotective with her daughter, that the students would probably accept the idea that her mother just simply demanded it. With the war going on, her mother wanted her to be as close to family as possible.
Ginny smiled as she packed her last belongings into her trunk. She would miss the comfort of the Burrow, but she was excited to be entering her last year at Hogwarts. And living with Ron was comforting as well, even if he stormed out any time she mentioned Harry's name. She sighed as she thought of this. Harry and Ron are made for each other, she thought, giggling at her choice of words. She knew she just had to make them Ron see that he needed Harry, and that Harry needed his friendship as well. Although Harry was doing his best to be completely honest with her, she believed he only told half the truth when talking about Ron. He told her that he missed him terribly, but left it at that. Boys, she thought, shaking her head. Always so proud! Bah!
She finished packing and called for Ron to get her trunk. Lastly, she pulled her mirror off her nightstand and took one last look around.
"Here goes nothing," she said aloud, and tucking the mirror into her pocket, shut the door.
Author's Second Note: Please please please please please review. It took me many hours to write this chapter, as it kept coming out wrong. I really would love to hear the honest truth as to what you think about it. If something didn't flow right, you didn't like the plot, something was too cheesy…well anyway, I'll stop there, put please tell me!
From here we go to Hogwarts, where I promise some more adventure will come in! On another note, I haven't forgotten about Ron and Hermione, so they will be surfacing again soon ;-) I tried to get dialogue, but I seem to have a terrible time writing any between Harry and Ginny :- ( I don't know what my roadblock is. Bah…
Well, I hope you enjoyed the read anyway. Thanks again to my lovely reviewers:
Neni Potter I'm so glad you like it!
Meaghan Potter Thanks for saying my story is the best! It brightened my day!
Lady Gallaeta Ravelclaw Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you like my concept!
Julie I think you are the Jules who made all my graphics, right? Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing, you know you rock ;) Thanks for the help too!
YelloWitchGrl Thank you for the awesome review, and the lovely reading you gave me from your stories! Hope you're feeling better soon!
ducky gustav I'm glad you like my concept! Thanks for the review, I hope to keep you interested… :D
wickedharrypotterfan Thank you for the kind review! Hope you enjoyed these few chapters!
Blackei Thank you for reading my fic! I hope you enjoyed the rest!
