'Push!'

Ginny pushed as hard as she could. The healer scooped up something from between her legs, wrapped it in a blanket, and showed it to her.

'Meet your daughter, Ms. Weasley.'

Although the little head peeping out of the blanket was red, scrunched, and slick with blood and mucus, Ginny thought she was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

The healer, satisfied that the new mother had gotten to see her baby, took the infant and began to bathe it and perform spells to check its health. Ginny let out a squeak of dismay. The healer smiled.

'You'll get her soon, hold on –'

The healer performed one last spell, re-wrapped the baby, and handed her to Ginny.

'That's the healthiest baby I've ever seen,' she said, still smiling and walking out the door to give mother and child some time alone.

Ginny held her daughter close. Hers and Harry's. Suddenly, the pain she felt from his death lessened. She stroked the infant's cheek softly, almost fearfully. The baby opened her eyes, reached out a hand, and grabbed Ginny's finger. Ginny chuckled softly.

'I'm going to need that, little one.'

She began to survey her daughter carefully. The child had dark red hair – crimson-colored, practically. Ginny had never seen hair like it. She supposed it was a combination of hers and Harry's hair colors – black and red. The infant's cloudy eyes had flecks of green in them.

'Like Harry's eyes,' Ginny whispered. 'She'll have her father's eyes. What do I name you, sweetie?'

Something Harry had said drifted into her mind, and suddenly Ginny realized she had seen hair like her daughter's. In Lily and James Potter's wedding picture.

'My mum's favorite flower wasn't lilies,' she heard Harry say 'it was roses. Lupin said that my mum hated lilies, because of the Lily/lily connection…'

Ginny looked up as the door opened. A ministry official had come in, a piece of parchment in his hands. 'Excuse me, miss, I need to fill out the birth certificate - what's its name?'

'Rose Potter.'

Behind the official, Ginny could see her family and the Lupins.

She had wanted to give birth alone. She didn't want anyone to take what should have been Harry's place beside her.

When her parents and Lupin saw Rose, they too had gasped over the resemblance to Lily Potter.

'Holy shit,' Lupin breathed 'she looks exactly like her grandmother!'

Tonks elbowed him as best she could, her own daughter, Lianne, cradled in her arms.

'There are two and a half babies in here, you idiot! Set a good example!'

Lupin smiled at her.

'Two and a half?'

Tonks pointed to the small bump in Hermione's midriff.

'Ooooh.'

Everyone laughed, and Ron put a hand over his wife's stomach.

'These are going to be your playmates,' he told Hermione's stomach. Hermione looked at him quizzically. Ron wrapped his arm around her.

Fleur and Bill burst in, Fleur holding a wriggling toddler on her hip.

'Sorry Gin,' said Bill, gesturing to his son. 'Matt's cranky. Holy crap,' Bill said, looking at Rose. 'She looks like Harry's mum!'

Ginny rolled her eyes.

'Wow, Bill,' she said sarcastically 'you have eyes!'

Everyone laughed yet again. Ginny realized that although she didn't have Harry, she had Rose and everyone she loved. And that, thought Ginny, is more than most have.

She looked at her daughter for the umpteenth time that day.

'You were worth missing the last few days of school,' she told her softly.

Ginny handed Rose carefully to her mother, watching as Mrs. Weasley fussed over yet another grandchild.

Far away, at number 12 Gimmauld place, Severus Snap and Narcissa Malfoy were arguing.

'He is not your son, Narcissa, and you must remember it. You cannot love him as you did Draco. We must raise him to be strong, and emotionless. He cannot succumb to this girl; do you understand me, Cissa? The Second Prophecy must not be fulfilled.'

Narcissa looked at the 6-month old infant playing happily on a blanket in front of the fire.

'I understand,' she said sadly.