When Doves Cry
Chapter 3: Baby I Love Your Way
Disclaimer: Don't own em'
A/N: I made my two-week deadline! I think…
"I never see him anymore!" Ginny said, shutting the fridge door before turning back to Hermione who was seated at the kitchen table.
"Is he really working that much?" Hermione questioned as she took some of the lunch meat the Ginny had retrieved and began rolling it, and placing it on the platter in front of her. If was Ginny's turn to host the monthly Weasley women luncheon, and Hermione had kindly offered to come early and help Ginny prepare the food.
"The coach had them practicing twice a day now. Harry said something about really having to get into shape now if they want to win the Cup in August. I say its still January; the Cups not for another eight months and already the whole Wizarding World knows that they're the best team out there. And in addition to the extra practice, the team's been having 'meet and greet' sessions with the fans. I swear Harry leaves the house at 8:30 every morning, and last night when I felt him crawl into bed it was half past midnight."
"And Quidditch was supposed to be a fun job for him," Hermione shook her head.
"I don't know if either of us can handle this through August. When I do actually get to see Harry, he's beyond exhausted. I'm starting to worry about him to be honest. And I know it sounds selfish but with him gone all day everyday I almost feel like a single mother again," Ginny confessed.
"Well if you ever need a break, feel free to drop the kids off with me."
"I think you're forgetting that you have one year old Weasley twins running around now."
"Ha. Like I ever get to see my children. Fred's been working out of the house as much as possible so he can be around Winnie and Gia, but half the time he has them shut in his office slash children's play paradise with him all of the time. He says they inspire him for new products. And when he's not home he always wants to take them with him to show them off! Well you know what? They're my children too you know! I carried them around for eight months and I went through enormous amounts of pain to bring them into this world. And if your brother thinks he can just hog them all to himself, well then he's got another thing coming to him."
"Sounds like we have opposite problems here," Ginny laughed.
"Well then lets make a deal. Sometime I'll take James and Hope off of your hands so that you can have some you time. And sometime you can take Fred off of my hands, so I can have some me and my girls time."
"Deal," Ginny grinned.
"Hello? Ginny?" a voice called from the living room.
"We're in the kitchen Alli," she called back to her sister-in-law.
Alli appeared in the doorway as she made her way into the kitchen and sat down.
"Hi Mione," she said. "So Gin, how was lunch with Ron the other day? I thinks its so cute that you two still celebrate the first time James said 'Ron.'"
"They what?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Yeah. Ron said that he was the first brother whose name James learned, and that he was so excited when he first said it that he took James and Ginny out to lunch. Its been a tradition ever since," Alli explained, seeming sincerely shocked that Hermione didn't know the story. Ginny bit her lip to keep from smiling; Ron had never been a very good liar. Hey efforts proved pointless however as Hermione burst out laughing.
"He told you what? James could sort of say my name before he knew Ron's! He called Ron "Runc" until he was two and a half."
"What? But why would he…" Allison's face turned from a look of confusion to a scowl as she realized why Ron had lied about having to meet Ginny. "Ronald Weasley!"
"This is ridiculous," Harry complained as he and Draco changed out their ministry issued robes and back into their normal clothes.
"I warned to jump ship two weeks ago Potter," Draco replied.
"A month of training? Everyone here helped in the fight against Voldemort. I don't see why we can't just get onto the island and do what we're here to do."
"Potter you've seen as well as I have that everyone here has been keeping in shape the past four years. Chang's defense hexes are mediocre at best. And Finnegan's patronus?"
"Well still. A month? I…I don't know if I can keep lying to Ginny for that long. I can't even look her in the eye anymore. She was alone for three years and what do I do now that I'm home? I leave her along all day while 'I'm at Quidditch practice.'"
"Quidditch practice? Is that where you tell her you are 14 hours a day? That wife of yours is far to trusting, and you've never even given her reason to be."
"What that supposed to mean?" Harry asked hotly.
"Let's see Potter. You spent the majority of your youth lying and keeping secrets while you planned little heroic missions that almost always put people, including Ginny, in a lot of danger…"
"What? When did I…" Harry cut Draco off, only to be cut off himself.
"I recall a little Weasley having a near death experience because of you being too stubborn to stubborn to let someone else, god forbid an adult, help solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets," Draco answered Harry's question before continuing his speech. "Then there are you teenage years. You formed a secret army during your fifth year and in your seventh year you told Ginny that you didn't love her a week after you consummated your relationship, even though you did, in some twisted plot to 'protect her.' And then finally you conceived a child with her, promised her you'd see her in a month, and didn't turn up again for three years. See Potter? I wouldn't trust you if someone paid me, but Ginny's always been the type to let her heart get in the way of common sense."
"Well thanks for that uplifting reflection of my life Malfoy," Harry scowled at his friend. "But I think I'm going to go home and spend some time with that overly trusting wife of mine."
With that Harry grabbed his bag, and disappeared.
"Gin?" Ginny heard a male voice call. She was sitting in the living room with Hermione and Angelina, who were the only two remaining from lunch. Before she could respond Harry entered the living room.
"Harry! What are you doing home so early?"
"Coach cancelled evening practice. Said we were all to tired to do anything worthwhile."
"Well its about time he gave you all a break! If he keeps practicing you like this you'll all be dead come world cup time."
Harry smiled. "And how was lunch today ladies?"
"Excellent," Angelina replied. "Your wife takes after her mother in her cooking."
"Any leftovers?" Harry questioned causing Hermione to laugh.
"Ginny takes after Molly in both the quality and quantity of her cooking."
"Its all in the fridge Harry," Ginny told him and in a flash he was up and headed for the kitchen.
"Well I think that's our cue to leave," Hermione said as she and Angelina got up.
"What? You don't have to go!"
"Ginny, you haven't seen your husband for a decent amount of time in two weeks. See you soon."
"Bye Gin!"
With that the two women disapparated. Ginny smiled and started for the kitchen. Harry had pulled out all of the filled Tupperware containers and was beginning to make himself a plate of food.
"And why aren't we men ever invited to these feasts of yours again?" he asked, clearly in heaven to have so much food in front of him.
"Well maybe if you were ever home, I could cook you your own feast," Ginny teased. Harry visibly stiffened. "I was just kidding Harry! You know I don't blame you. I wish you didn't have to work so much, but I'm not mad about it." Ginny immediately attempted to soothe him.
" I know Gin. I hate it as much as you do. Hopefully it'll be over soon though."
"As soon as that coach of yours realizes he's working you all too hard. Anyway, let's not talk about Quidditch. Lord knows you spend enough time a day at work. You don't need to talk about it when you're at home."
"Where did you send James and Hope for the day?"
"Mum's," Ginny said. "She's going to bring them home after dinner."
"Did she have a load of grandchildren with her today?"
"No actually. Christine couldn't come so she didn't have to worry about Moira, Will, or Jacob. Tara's sister took Amy and Edward and Percy took Sophie and Dara to the office with him. Fred and George took Diana, Dylan, Winnie, and Gia, with them to the Weaze, and Ron stayed at home with Emma."
"Well, next month I'll stay home and take care of Hope and James."
"Mum loves taking them!"
"And so do I! I haven't gotten to spend time with them recently. I miss them," Harry admitted and Ginny couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke Harry's hair."
"Do you want to go get them now?"
"No. They'll be home soon and I can't say I haven't missed one other person a lot." Ginny grinned at him and he continued. "Do you think Ron would be too busy to hang out though?" he teased, earning him a swat from his wife.
"I've missed you too lately," she then told him.
"I don't want to miss you anymore Gin. You're the one thing in my life that can make everything else better. I want to be with you night and day and I can't even make time in my schedule for you."
"Harry its ok. I trust you enough to know that just because you don't see me as much anymore doesn't mean you don't love me anymore."
"Ginny why do you trust me so much?" Harry questioned her.
"You've never given me reason not to," she said.
"What about when I didn't come home for Christmas like I said I would? I promised you I'd be back."
"Hmm. You're right. That definitely was a break of trust when you saved the wizarding world, only to be kidnapped and left on in island with dementors that put you close to death. I can't believe I never considered that!" Ginny's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"I've never exactly given you solid reason to trust me though," he countered.
"Ever head the phrase 'innocent until proven guilty'? Why are you asking all this anyway?"
"Just wondering," he said.
"Ok…" Ginny said still wondering what he had been on about, but deciding to let it go. Harry was actually home and she wasn't about to waste her time with him arguing.
A/N: Yeah I know it was short, and not a whole lot happened but hey what can I say? I have to follow my little timeline/outline, and this is what it gave me this week. Next chapter should be out within the next two weeks! Thanks for the reviews! As I'm sure all of you already know, they mean a lot so keep it up!
Hey! Guess what! It was exactly ONE YEAR ago today that I posted the first chapter to my first fic. Crazy! I think I've accomplished a decent amount in a year though…. Let's see what I can do this year! Hopefully it'll include finishing this fic, and the other fic I've been working on but not posting…I'm think about not starting to post it until its completed…but we'll see.
Love,
Bella