Reasons To Cry
Ginny felt like crying. or screaming. maybe both. but seeing as she was the only person in her house currently not doing one of those things, she felt it better saved for later.
James let out another sob and it almost broke Ginny's heart as Al screamed for his brother through the wall connecting their two rooms. James had a high fever and a ragingly contagious virus that was giving him muscle aches and stomach cramps, and Ginny didn't know how to make it better for her five-year-old who didn't know what was happening to him. She had rocked him until he fell asleep earlier, but the pain potion given at St. Mungo's yesterday didn't seem to be doing any good, as James had woken up 45 minutes later in just as much pain as he had this morning before even seeing a healer.
Al thought that if he could just hug his brother, James would feel better. Al always felt better after James gave him a hug. He said they had brother powers. Ginny didn't doubt him. But due to the contagiousness of the virus, and how neither Lily nor Al had developed any symptoms, the Healers had repeatedly pushed onto Ginny the importance of keeping James quarantined away from his siblings. So instead, her toddler set up a sleeping bag and all of his stuffed toys outside James' door where he was ready to sleep, eat and play until his brother felt better. But Al was only so strong, and when his brother cried out in pain, he cried out too, letting James know that he was there too.
Lily didn't like the noise. She knew something was wrong. She was only one barely walking and talking yet, but she knew when things were amiss. She knew when James was hurt, or Al was upset. Mostly she knew when her daddy wasn't home. Especially when he hadn't been home in a few days. She sensed her mother's worry, when he was supposed to be back two days ago.
But Ginny wouldn't cry. Not yet. Not over James' pain, though she would give anything to take it away. Not over Albus' heartbreak, nor Lily's worry. She would not cry over her husband's continued absence and what that could possibly mean. Ginny would stay strong, like she always had. She would take that worry and let it fuel her into a battle fort of kindness and care, like her mother before her.
and when she hears the whoosh of the floo, and feels familiar arms take a wailing Lily from her, she can breathe a little easier. He's home, and there's one less reason for Ginny to want to cry.