14 April 2002

This house is full of rubbish, Dora Lupin thought, grimacing. Molly Weasley was due to arrive through the sooty hearth at any minute, and Dora looked around, as though seeing the house through new eyes. Remus' traveling cloak was draped over a kitchen chair, next to a table that had a tea pot, and several issues of The Daily Prophet on it, cluttering it up. Teddy's toy broom had been put away where the regular broom (which might've done a runner -- Dora hadn't seen it in several weeks), and she spotted two -- no, three -- of his shoes.

Still, her rather large belly was directly affecting her ability to lift her arms (to use her wand, or clean the Muggle way), and she could no more muster the energy to tidy up than she could scale a mountain.

Damn, she thought glumly.

As though her curse word had summoned her, emerald green fire flared in the hearth, and Molly Weasley stepped out of it.

"The house is a mess," Dora said by way of greeting.

"Hello, Dora," Molly said, sounding amused. She looked around. "This isn't that bad -- you should've seen the state of the Burrow while I was pregnant. It just seems to pile up, doesn't it?"

Dora peered at the older witch. Something was slightly different -- in a good way. Molly's shoulders seemed more relaxed, and the lines in her face appeared to have faded. It was only two days after the anniversary of when Ginny had been taken to Malfoy Manor. Usually, Molly was tense and white-lipped for at least a week. "What's going on?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Molly replied.

"Just -- er, you look... happy?" Dora stumbled over the words. In truth, it surprised her somewhat that she'd noticed. Perhaps pregnant women have greater powers of perception, she thought. There was always the possibility that she'd gone completely around the bend, though.

"Hm," Molly said. "I suppose... I suppose I am," she said slowly. "It's just that we had a surprise visitor on... on, well, the anniversary--"

"Who?" Dora interrupted, already thinking that perhaps Harry had visited. If anyone needed to be in on the annual ritual of drinking on both the day that Ginny had been taken, and the day she'd returned, it was Harry. Although--

"Ginny," Molly said. There was a faint note of surprise in her voice, as though she still could not quite believe it. "Ginny came from Hogwarts."

"What? Really?" Dora said blankly. Granted, she spent little time with Ginny, but really? It seemed like the last thing that Ginny would do.

"Yes," Molly nodded. She bustled around the kitchen, using her wand to summon two (clean) tea cups, and set the water in the kettle to boil. Dora let her do it, though she felt mildly guilty -- Molly was her guest, after all. But Dora also understood that Molly liked to care for others, and if that meant that Dora didn't have to get up, so much the better.

"That's..." Dora began. But she didn't know exactly what that was, so she kept quiet.

"She had no idea what day it was," Molly added. "No idea at all, until she asked why we were all drinking."

This was equally surprising. Dora had known for a long time that Ginny had counted the days since she'd been rescued... and now she didn't even know the anniversary of when she'd been taken? "Huh," she said stupidly. But really, what else could she say?

"And then she stayed," said Molly. "And drank with us, and made us laugh, and she was laughing. A lot. It was... it was like we'd gotten the Ginny we lost back again."

Dora could understand this well. "I didn't know Ginny very well before Malfoy Manor," Dora said quietly. "But I know that she came back a completely different person--"

"With good reason," Molly said.

"Absolutely," Dora agreed. She didn't even want to think about what had happened to Ginny; she'd only been fourteen years old, and the damage done to her body alone had been terrible.

"And I admit that I resented that she couldn't be herself," said Molly. "But only because I hated that she was still in so much pain so long after. And after Christmas... I didn't think she'd ever come out of it." Molly continued in this vein for several minutes, wrapping her fingers around the warm cup, and finally sitting down. It seemed as though she needed someone to listen to her amazement... and Dora was a willing listener. The Weasleys were not her family by blood, but all of the members of the Order of the Phoenix had become close during those frightening, tense years when Voldemort had ascended to power.

"That's really wonderful," Dora said, once Molly's words had wound down a little. But her brow furrowed in confusion. "But what brought Ginny home from Hogwarts?" she asked. "If she didn't intentionally come to see you?"

Molly snorted. "Well, I know what she says," Molly said. "And I almost believe her... but..."

"What was it?"

"She said that she'd been practicing a spell in the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office," Molly said. "And had accidentally banished all the stitching and buttons out of her clothes--"

"They teach those kinds of spells now?" Dora asked. "My Hogwarts boyfriend and I had to lurk in the adult section at Flourish and Blotts for those little gems."

Molly chuckled a little. "Arthur convinced Professor Kettleburn that he needed access to the Restricted Section at the Hogwarts library and -- but that's neither here nor there," Molly abruptly interrupted herself. "I know what it looked like -- she came tumbling out of the floo, clutching her clothes, and wearing a man's cloak. But... would Ginny actually be having sex?" she asked uncertainly.

That was true. But if Ginny's personality had made a complete turn... frankly, it was more astounding to Dora that Ginny had shown up and drank with her family, than if she was having sex. "What would you think if it had been Fred or George?" Dora asked. "Or Ron, or any of the other boys?"

"I would tell them in no uncertain terms that they aren't to shag in professors' offices," Molly said immediately.

"But anywhere else is all right?" Dora said slyly, grinning when Molly's cheeks flushed bright red.

"I wouldn't want to be a hypocrite," Molly said tartly.

The two of them subsided into companionable silence, sipping their tea. Dora looked out the window. In order to give Dora and Molly some alone time, Remus had taken Teddy outside to "hunt for gnomes." This activity apparently required both of them to cover themselves in dirt, and laugh quite a lot. A misty feeling that Dora wasn't sure was entirely due to pregnancy hormones rose up in her, and her eyes prickled a little from it.

"I can't wait to meet that young man," Molly said, finally breaking the silence. "She was sohappy..."

"How does Arthur feel about it?" Dora asked.

Something strange flickered across Molly's face. "Arthur hasn't... he hasn't been himself since Christmas," she said. "Of course. And hearing the truth about Malfoy Manor just made it worse. He won't talk about it, but I can tell he thinks about it all the time--"

"Does he... does he blame Harry?" Dora asked tentatively.

She expected Molly to reply with a firm negative, but the older witch said nothing.

"If he does, he won't talk about it," Molly said. "I don't think he ever would. I don't think he would," Molly added, sounding quite unsure. "But Harry's another child we lost, isn't he? There isn't much of a chance that he'd come around, so we may never know exactly how Arthur feels about him, and what happened." She drifted into silence again, and Dora didn't want to push it, considering the grim look on her face. "It's just strange," Molly said finally. "Arthur came home late a last week, and he said he'd been at work--"

"You don't believe him?" Dora asked.

"Kingsley stopped by the next day and said that Arthur hadn't been in the office for two days," said Molly. "But I don't want to press him on it. I'm thinking of asking Percy for my clock back..."

Dora could sense that Molly's good mood had all but disappeared and, desperate to have it return, she changed the subject. "Do you think you'll meet Ginny's boyfriend?" she asked.

Molly gave her a grateful look and a smile. "Soon, I hope. Maybe we'll all go surprise her at her next Hogsmeade weekend," she said. "Bill and Charlie are already claiming that it's their duty to make sure he's a decent young man, and good enough for her," she added. "But they're all bluster... Fred and George want to meet him, too, although I fear they have a prank in mind. I overheard them talking about yet."

Dora grinned at that. She imagined that the twins had several pranks in mind for Ginny's unsuspecting boyfriend.

"And Percy will, I'm sure, do a thorough background check on him," Molly continued. As she spoke, Dora could practically see the worry over her husband fading off of Molly's face.

"And Ron?" she prompted.

"Hasn't said anything except he thinks that we owe him a thank you," Molly said. "Hermione's been good for him, I think," she chuckled.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

17 April 2002

All through class, Ginny hovered constantly in the periphery of his mind. Yes, he was helping seventh year students master a particularly tricky hex; yes, he was almost constantly averting disasters; and yes, he was supposed to be teaching. But it was difficult to concentrate when she kept sending enticing glances his way, fingering her wand in ways that forcibly reminded Harry of several pleasant things, and adjusting her skirt beneath her robes.

Her skirt.

Harry really liked that she'd taken to wearing skirts.

Pretending to offer her advice, he jerked his wand and cast the Muffliato charm. "You're driving me crazy," he said.

Her expression remained neutral. "My knickers are damp," she told him casually.

The next ten minutes passed with almost agonizing slowness. Harry very much wanted to banish the few slugs -- students, he reminded himself -- who insisted on chatting mildly before gathering up their things and heading out the door. He adjusted some of the papers and pillows, very aware that Ginny was cooing to Arnold and pretending like nothing was out of the ordinary. Once the door shut and several moments had passed, Harry cast a locking charm so strong that the knob rattled. A silencing charm swiftly followed.

An instant later, he had his arms wrapped around her, sliding her robes up, and then lifting her, grinding against her.

"Feeling a little restless today?" she asked wickedly.

"Uh huh," he muttered. But in the feverish haze, he was struck with an idea. Gripping her bum firmly, he walked them both over to her chair, where she sat every single day. "But I can wait," he added, pulling away, and grinning. He set her down, and draped one of her legs over the back.

"What are you--"

"Keep in mind," Harry said, talking over her. "Just keep in mind that I want you to think of this every time you sit in this chair."

He knelt and bent over, carefully repositioning her skirt so that her little blue knickers showed. They were, indeed, damp, Harry was pleased to note, using one finger to trace the wet spot. She shivered.

Harry didn't even take her knickers off, just pushed them to the side and pressed his mouth against her, spreading her with his fingers. His thumb stroked over her clitoris while he used his tongue to taste her and thrust into her. Gently at first, but more vigorously as the moments passed. They didn't have much time... Dimly, he was aware that it hurt a little, where her fingers now gripped him fiercely. But he didn't care, because she was moaning and writhing.

"Don't stop," she ordered.

Harry had no intention of doing so. "I won't, as long as you promise."

"Anything," she groaned, rocking her hips.

"Think of me with my tongue inside you every -- time -- you -- sit -- down," he told her, mumbling against her heated flesh, using his fingers now to push inside her, while he sucked on her clitoris.

"Yes, yes," she hissed, pulling his head closer and arching her back. The chair rocked on its legs, threatening to topple over. But she was close.

One last thrust, and she climaxed, yelling his name.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

18 April 2002

Dear Ginny,

It was very wonderful to see you home so unexpectedly. If you get into any trouble at all over leaving school grounds, let me know, and I'll have a chat with Minerva. Given the circumstances, I'm sure that they will understand.

"Your mum isn't going to actually tell McGonagall the way you arrived, is she?" Harry asked, paling suddenly. He had been reading over her shoulder, and couldn't help but interject.

"I doubt it," Ginny murmured, though the idea did give her pause. They'd been very, very lucky, given how incautious they were about actually keeping things a secret. I really should sleep up at my dorm tonight, Ginny thought reluctantly. It didn't help that she'd caught Method, Barnett, and Powell following her around the castle every once in a while, suspicious looks written all over their young faces. But she slept better with Harry curled around her back, and she turned her attention back to her mother's letter.

It was really a pleasure to have you home and with us.

This line was followed by almost an inch of crossed-out lines and hatch marks from the quill. Ginny's stomach tightened. Here was yet another example of how hard her mother was trying to make things easier for Ginny. Why hadn't she noticed before? She was especially impressed because Molly had never been one to hold back...

Squinting, she tried to read what had been written and scratched out, but couldn't. She could guess, however, that her mum had been pleased to have her there, drinking with them. And everyone else -- except maybe her dad -- probably felt the same way Ginny did: that night had been the first time they'd really been a normal family again.

Harry, as though guessing the turn her thoughts had taken, dropped a kiss on her shoulder.

I had a nice visit with Tonks today. She's looking quite healthy. The baby isn't due for a little while yet, but she's gotten fairly big. Bigger than she was with Teddy. I teased her that she might be having twins. I'd forgotten how temperamental pregnant women are about those kinds of things. As a mother of twins, I really ought to have known better.

"Dora's pretty scary," Harry admitted. "Though she's scary even when she isn't having a baby."

While I was there, I got to thinking, about you and your Quidditch Captain--

"You and your what?!" Harry reeled back, aghast. "What the--"

"Calm down," Ginny told him, peeling Arnold away from her shirt and handing him to Harry. She'd noticed that her pygmy puff calmed him down. "Mum thinks I'm dating Jeremy -- I told you that."

"Right," Harry said. "Right. It just really jumped out at me..."

I got to thinking, about you and your Quidditch Captain. I'm sure he's a very nice boy, and we're all hoping to meet him soon. The reason why I mention him is that I'm just a little concerned. Humor your mother, please, and read this next bit. There are certain things about having an adult relationship that are necessary to know. And you may already know this, but if you don't. There are certain safety precautions that need to be taken before relaxing with someone you care for deeply. Contraceptive potions are very popular, but there are several charms that are more effective. If you feel any need for the potions or the charms, Madam Pomfrey, I'm sure, knows them all. And if you don't feel comfortable talking to anyone about this, I know for a fact that there are books in the Restricted Section in the library that deal with this subject.

Make sure you are eating enough -- you looked rather skinny. I'm sure you know how to get into the kitchens if you find yourself hungry. You are a Weasley, after all.

Love,
Mum

By the time Ginny finished reading her mother's letter, her eyeballs were almost popping out of her head. She kept rereading the sentences describing contraceptive measures... it was like watching a broom accident over and over again. She couldn't stop herself. Contraceptives. Babies. Babies!

Harry had frozen behind her. "Shit," he breathed, sounding shocked.

Ginny turned and stared at him; his green eyes were wide, and his mouth gaped open.

"How could I have forgotten that sex equals babies?" he asked blankly.