A/N: For the millionth time, I don't own Harry Potter. Got it? Good, glad to hear it. This chapter is going to be a little sad. There will be character death. I know I was planning on giving them a happy honeymoon, but I'm in a weird mood today.
CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: I know! I'm so happy too! Thanks for reviewing.
Gomay: Issues? That's putting it kindly. I'm glad you liked the wedding.
Outlawed-little-angel: I'm thinking about five to ten more chapters. Then I'll write a sequel.
Atomic Elf: Yeah, she went way too far, but that's the kind of person she is.
LupinFan227: Thanks.
Sarahamanda: I will; I've been sick.
Dadswell: So glad you loved it.
Okay, so I need some reader input. I was thinking now that now that Ginny and Oliver are married and they have Callie and Anna, Ginny should quit her job at Hogwarts and be a stay at home mom. What do you guys think? Should I stop smelling my hair? (It smells like oranges; my little sister says I smell like roses.)
Oliver and Ginny were staying in a magical hotel in the British Virgin Islands while Anna and Callie stayed with Oliver's family.
Oliver looked at his wife. "Can you believe we're finally married?"
She smiled and kissed him. "Mrs. Oliver Wood," she said, playing with her wedding thing. "Mrs. Ginvera Wood." She sighed and laughed. "God, I hate that name. Ginvera, why did my parents have to name me that? Why wouldn't they have named me Jennifer or Sarah? Even Miranda, Minerva, or Cecilia would have been better than Ginvera."
Oliver smiled; his wife was so cute. "You're complaining about your name and you named your daughter Calandra."
"Calandra is a family name; plus it's pretty and it means 'like a lark,'" Ginny retorted harshly. "Besides, I like the name Calandra. My mum just named me Ginvera to make my dad happy; it was his mother's name."
"But you didn't name your daughter Molly?"
"Mum asked me not to; she hates her name. What about your name?"
Oliver kissed his wife's nose and laughed. "I'm not fond of it, but I've learned to live with it. When I was little, I used to wish my parents had named me something normal like Michael, but then I met Percy and I learned to love my name."
"Percival Damien Weasley," Ginny said in a haughty, mocking voice.
"Ginvera Kathryn," her husband looked at her seductively. "You know, your parents really had a thing for old fashioned names. Are we going to have to give our children old-fashioned names?"
The bride shrugged; she'd been married for thirteen hours now and she was still wearing her wedding dress. "I don't know. We already have Anna and Calandra; most of the names we've talked about are old-fashioned. We'll deal with it when the time comes."
Oliver kissed her collarbone. "That's all well and good, but I just want to get you out of this wedding dress. You're beautiful, but I want to do something else."
Ginny giggled as he became unzipping her dress.
The next morning, Ginny woke up entangled in Oliver's arms. She smiled as she looked up at his peaceful face; he was smiling in his sleep. She stroked his bare arms. "Oh, Oliver, I love you," she whispered.
Oliver woke up to the sensation of Ginny's soft hair against his bare chest. He smiled. He was holding his wife in his arms; his wife, those were the two most wonderful words in the world. He had a wife and two daughters now, family of his very own.
"You're awake," Ginny whispered softly.
He looked down at her. "Yeah. What time is it?"
"I don't know." She looked out the window. "It looks like it's around noon."
Oliver fished around on the bedside table and found his watch. "Twelve-twenty-two."
"We should have breakfast," Ginny said with a yawn.
"Breakfast in bed," Oliver said looking down at his wife. "That sounds like a romantic start to our honeymoon."
She grabbed her wand. "What do you want?"
"You," he told her with a mischievous look on her face.
"Be serious, Oliver," she warned sternly.
He moaned childishly, but then said, "Belgian waffles with strawberries and a nice cup of French Vanilla Coffee."
She waved her wand with a quick flick and there it was, a tray with two plates of Belgian waffles with strawberries, a cup of coffee, and a cup of tea. "Tea?"
"I happen to like tea," Ginny told her husband. "Coffee helps you wake up in the morning and tea gives me the perfect start to a good day."
"I thought I was the perfect start to a good day."
"Before I had you, I needed tea."
They ate in silence for a while until Oliver spoke up. "What are we going to do today?"
Ginny shrugged. "We're in the Caribbean. What is there to do but go to the beach or drink rum?"
After breakfast and showering together, the couple went down to the beach together. Ginny was wearing one-piece suit. "I know it's not very romantic or sexy, but I did have a baby last year. I'm not some perfect skinny twig anymore."
Oliver kissed the nape of her neck. "It's all right. I think you're perfect just the way you are. You're the most beautiful woman in the world as far as I can see."
His wife kissed his cheek. "You're not too bad looking yourself."
"Oh gee thanks," was her adoring husband's reply. "I feel so loved."
"You should," Ginny replied coldly; then her tone changed. "You are loved. I love you very much, more than anything in fact. Callie loves you and Anna loves you."
"In so much as a newborn can love anyone," came Oliver's sarcastic reply.
"You know, being so sarcastic isn't all that great for our marriage. We need to find a more open method of communication."
"Like what?"
She snuggled up against his body. "Sweet talking."
"You want me to sweet talk you?"
"Whenever you want to," she replied seductively.
"So, I can walk into your class in the middle of one of your lectures and just start sweet talking you?"
"I'm not sure about that one. For one thing, I'm not sure the students would appreciate that and for another, I highly doubt your grandparents would approve of it."
"Oh, I don't know," Oliver countered. "I think Grandfather used to walk in on Grandmum's classes and try to seduce her in the middle of her lectures. That's where my mum and her siblings came from."
"Umm, sure, I really believe that," Ginny retorted. "So, do you intend for our children to be conceived like that too?"
He grinned. "Yep, that sounds good to me. We'll just slip off into your office and have a bit of fun. Then nine months later…"
She slugged him playfully. "Shut up and kiss me, playboy."
He eagerly followed orders.
A few nights later, Ginny looked at her husband. "I miss the girls." They were eating dinner in their room when she made this announcement.
"What's wrong with me?" Oliver asked.
"Nothing," she replied casually. "It's just you're not my daughter. I love my daughters and I miss them. Until now, I haven't been away from them a day in their lives and they're so young. Is it really fair to leave them now?"
"Ginny, my mum has raised seven children; I think she knows how to take care of Callie and Anna."
"I know; it's just I love my girls and I want to be with them."
"I know," he replied gently. "I miss them too." Seeing the look in her eyes, he added, "Ginny, they're my daughters too and I do love them."
She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I know, I know. It's just sometimes, my mothering instincts kick into overdrive."
"It's all right. I still love you."
Meanwhile in Scotland, Julie Wood was trying to talk care of her two granddaughters. Callie was everywhere all the time and Anna was having trouble sleeping. Like most newborns, sleeping through the night was not on her agenda and Julie and Robert Wood weren't spring chickens anymore. "We can't keep up with them," Julie told her husband one night. "I don't know why we volunteered to watch them for two weeks. We should have followed Ginny's advice and let one of her brothers take care of them."
Robert Wood smiled. "Julie, you're not old."
"Those girls are making me feel old. I can't handle getting up at two in the morning to feed Anna for the next two weeks."
"Then ask Ophelia to help you."
Oliver's mother shook her head. "That wouldn't be fair. I promised Ginny and Oliver that I would take care of them."
"I think they would expect you to ask your daughters for some help. And if you really need help, Ginny said her mother and sisters-in-law would be more than happy to help you."
Julie sighed. "I guess I could ask for help."
"Julie, you should ask for help. Just ask one of the girls; I know Maria and Juliet adore Callie."
"Fine, I'll talk to them."
The next morning, Julie walked into the kitchen to find Maria and Juliet sitting at the table playing with their nieces. Maria and Callie were engaged in an enthusiastic game of peek-a-boo and Juliet was rocking Anna in her arms. "She's so tiny and so perfect. She's like one of those China dolls you see in Muggle toy shops."
Her mother smiled; both Juliet and Maria seemed to love their brother's children. Robert was right, as usual. He knew his children so well and he knew her so well. Maybe men aren't the fools everyone says they are.
But before Julie Wood could think about that anymore, an owl flew in through the kitchen window. She grabbed the letter it offered her and gasped. "Girls, we need to send Oliver an owl now."
Oliver and Ginny were sleeping in their bedroom when an owl flew into the room. The bird landed on Oliver's head and woke the young man up. "What's going on?" Oliver mumbled. "Whoa, what?"
Ginny woke up. "Oliver, there's an owl on your head," she mumbled. "It has a letter tied to its leg."
Oliver took the letter off the owl's leg and began reading it. "Oh my gosh," he gasped. "This has to be some kind of a joke. Ginny, read this and tell me that this is just one of Fred and George's jokes."
Ginny took the letter from her husband's hands and read it.
Dear Ginny and Oliver,
I know this will come as a shock to you, but what you are about to read is the truth. Percy and Penny are dead. I don't quite understand all the details but it had something to do with a squabble with one of his ex-lover's current boyfriends. Percy and Penny had been out on a date, so Katie and Fred were babysitting Ethan. Mum and Dad are just wrecks; no one knows who will get custody of Ethan yet or what we'll do about the house and what's in it. Mum and Dad want you to come home ASAP. We need you.
In Desperation,
Your brother,
Charlie WeasleyGinny gasped and tears began welling up in her eyes. "It can't be real. This has to be some kind of joke. I know Charlie wouldn't lie, but it just can't be real. Percy's a jerk, but he's not supposed to be a dead jerk. He's supposed to be alive."
Oliver nodded and wrapped his arms around his wife. Percy had been one of his best friends in school, and even after Percy turned into a jerk, he still considered Percy to be a friend. For a long time, he just sat there and held his wife in his arms. "Ginny, I love you," he whispered into her head.
She looked up at him and smiled half-heartedly. "I love you too, Oliver." They sat there for a while more until she said, "We should probably go home, back to the Burrow."
Oliver nodded. "We need to pack and get dressed first. And I'll go down to the front desk and check us out."
"Thanks," Ginny replied as she climbed out of bed.
She walked to her suitcase and took out a black skirt and a gray blouse. As she brushed her hair, she felt tears welling up in her eyes. Oliver, who was only wearing a pair of black pants, came over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "It'll be okay; I promise. I'll be with you and I'll help you with everything."
Ginny leaned her head against his chest, feeling safe in her husband's arms and knowing that he really would be with her no matter what.
A few hours later, the young couple was sitting in the living room at the Burrow with the rest of the Weasley clan. "Hermione has all the kids out in the backyard," Arthur Weasley announced as he walked into the room and sat down next to his sobbing wife.
Katie nodded and Ginny looked up at her father with something akin to recognition in her eyes, although she was chewing her lip uncertainly. Angelina was holding Bill in her arms, Maya was "feeding" tissues to Charlie, and Alicia was holding George's hand. Ron was blankly staring at a random spot on the wall, numb to the world around him.
"The funeral will be Saturday," Arthur told his children, blandly. "Ten o'clock at the town church, it'll be small and simple, per Mr. Clearwater's request."
No one really responded. Ron was still staring off into space, Mrs. Weasley was still crying, and the other children were clinging to their spouses. "Did anyone hear me?" Mr. Weasley asked. He was really starting to wonder if Ginny had heard him when he said that the kids were with Hermione.
Again Katie looked up at him and nodded; then she went back to leaning against Fred. Ginny kept chewing her lip and squeezing Oliver's hand. "Will you all be there on Saturday?" Arthur asked.
This finally got reactions out of his family beyond Ron's staring, Katie's nodding, and Ginny's lip chewing. "Of course we'll be there," Bill replied, his voice thick with tears. "Percy was a scumbag, but that scumbag was our brother. Angelina and I will be there."
"You can count on Maya and me," Charlie added. "But we'll need someone to watch the kids."
"Oliver and I will be there," Ginny started. "We'll probably ask his mum or one of his aunts to watch the girls."
"My mum can watch the kids," Katie said.
"She'll have to watch ours," Fred said. "Because you and I will be at the funeral."
Arthur smiled; so far four of his six surviving children had committed to attending the funeral.
Then Ron spoke, bursting out of his trance, "You can count on me, Dad; I'll be there." Those two sentences said so much more than were spoken. "I'm sorry. I'm not perfect, but I'll keep trying to make you and Mum happy."
All that he needed now was George's commitment. George was deep in thought for a while, then he spoke. "Alicia and I, we'll come. I may not have liked Percy very much, but he was my brother."
Arthur nodded with a faint smile. All six of his kids would be there; they would honor the brother they never liked. He looked down at his wife. "Molly? Dear, are you all right?"
Mrs. Weasley looked up at her husband with tear-filled eyes and spoke for the first time since learning of her son's death. "I think so." After a moment, she added, "I know so. Bad things have happened to us before and we've always pulled through. We'll survive. I love Percy and Penny, but right now, we need to focus on taking care of Ethan and ourselves. Life goes on."
She seemed perfectly calm all through her speech, but when she finished, she broke down crying again. Her husband pulled her close and held her in his arms as she cried. Ron ran to her side and put his hand on her shoulder. "It's all right, Mum; you can cry."
Ginny joined her brother. "Mum, we love you. We'll take care of everything; whatever you need, we'll do it."
"And we'll take care of Ethan," Maya added. At times like this, her Romanian accent was unusually strong. "You don't need to worry about that at all; we'll take care of him."
Charlie nodded. "Maya's right, Mum. We'll take Ethan home with us tonight and he can stay with us."
"All right," Molly Weasley said through her tears.
"Whatever you need, we'll take care of it," Ginny told her mother. "We'll help you."
"You won't be alone," Ron said. "Just because Percy's gone doesn't mean the rest of us are going any place any time soon. We'll all stick with you. If you want more family dinners, we'll have more family dinners. I'll try to find a wife."
His mother laughed at that. "Ronnie, you don't have to go find a wife to make me feel better. I want to see you married, but not unless you want to."
"Okay," Ron said. "I'll remember that."
"We're going to make it," Bill told his mother.
A/N: So, go ahead! Shoot me. I know you're going to hate me for killing Percy and Penny but I'm sorry; it's just what happened. Please just review and tell me if you want more. If you do, the funeral will be next chapter.
