Chapter 48- Uncle Ron's Mistake
Ruby landed awkwardly in the kitchen of the Burrow and would have fallen if her father hadn't been so quick at catching falling people.
"Steady on, Rubes." He said, balancing her.
"Thanks Dad, I hiccupped in the journey." Ruby explained, taking a gulping breath.
"Oh wonderful, that means the baby will have lots of hair!" Grandma Molly gushed, Ruby thought best not to correct her, it was far too early for the baby to have hair.
"We're just about to start, Scorpius not coming?" Her father asked, as Grandma Molly left the kitchen levitating salads.
"No, he's starting his finals tomorrow."
"And I bet he didn't want the stress of being cornered by Ron."
"Probably, is Teddy here?"
"Yeah, everyone is, come on." Ruby followed her father into the dining area and was immediately greeted by the family, after hugging most of them she found a seat in between her mother and Teddy, who was propped up with cushions, although he looked like he was not enjoying the attention one bit.
It took a few minutes for Ruby to notice that there was a new person at the table. Poppy the Muggle was sat next to James, watching the food fly around the table with amazement.
"Hello Poppy, it's nice to see you again." Ruby said when she caught Poppy's eye.
"Oh, yes, it's…wonderful." Poppy said, watching Rosie and Al fighting to catch a chocolate frog.
"You'll get used to it."
"I hope so, James told me about the baby, congratulations."
"Thank you." Ruby replied, they were interrupted by Grandpa announcing that it was time to eat. Ruby looked at the food and felt her hunger disappear so fast it was like it had apparated.
She watched her family attack the food and leaned back in her chair wishing she could join them.
"Have you seen Alice?" Teddy asked, Ruby nodded and looked at him.
"Of course I have."
"I'm going to visit Hamish tomorrow, I'll knock some sense into him." Teddy replied, Ruby nodded, thinking about how depressed her usually ridiculously-happy friend was.
"Have you sent your application off yet, Ruby?" Uncle Charlie asked from down the table. Ruby huffed.
"Are there no secrets in this family? No privacy? No discretion?"
"Well, there would have been but Lily found out." Uncle Harry replied.
"How did she find out?"
"Eliza told her." Harry replied, Ruby rounded on her mother, this was no doubt a tactical move on her part.
"It just slipped out." Her mother mumbled, blushing slightly.
"Just slipped out? Nothing just slips out with you, Mom!" Her father snorted.
"So have you sent in the application?" Her mother replied.
"No." Ruby sighed, leaning back and feeling sick.
"Why not? There's only a week until the deadline." Teddy said, Ruby glared at him and then stood up and stormed into the house. She had intended to sulk in the living room but half way through the kitchen she threw up, quite spectacularly, over the kitchen table, and all the puddings.
Before she could even curse, Katie entered the kitchen, returning from her frequent trips to the bathroom and gasped at the scene.
"Oh dear." She said, waddling over to Ruby.
"Fuck, they're going to kill me!"
"I'll get Molly, she knows all the food charms known to wizard-kind, and she won't yell at you."
"She will!" Ruby croaked, still feeling sick.
"You're pregnant, she won't." Ruby still shook her head but Katie nodded and waddled into the dining area and returned a moment later with Grandma.
"Oh Merlin! Ruby dear, are you alright?"
"I'm so sorry, Grandma!"
"Don't worry, I'll whip up some extras."
"I'll help…"
"You will not, go and have a lie down." Grandma said firmly. "Do you want a Potion?" Ruby started to shake her head but then, for some unknown reason, burst into tears.
Ruby was pulled into a hug and then guided upstairs like a toddler. Her grandma tucked her into bed in her father's old room and then gave her a mild nausea Potion and left her to sleep.
She was woken, hours later, by Scorpius gently calling her name.
"…eat something, Rubes." Ruby opened her eyes and saw that it was dark outside, it must have been very late.
"Scorpius? What are you doing here?"
"I was summoned, you feeling better?" Ruby sat up, the sickness was still there but nowhere near as severe.
"Yeah, a bit, what time is it?"
"Almost ten, come downstairs, there's a surprise waiting for you." Scorpius left the room and Ruby slowly woke herself up, went to the bathroom to wash her face, and then walked downstairs.
Her parents were still there, and Charlie who was holding Sam, and Katie was snoozing in the rocking chair by the fireplace.
"Feeling better, Poppet?" Her father asked, standing up and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Yeah, sorry I ruined pudding…"
"You didn't, Grandma always has spare pudding…"
"Oh good Ruby, let me get you some tea and food, sit down, sit down!" Her Grandma said, walking in from the living room and flapping at Ruby to sit down.
Ruby sat next to her Uncle Charlie and looked sleepily at Sam.
"Where's Lizzie?"
"Godric's Hollow." Her father answered with an amused smile.
"Oh, why did they leave Sam here?"
"They didn't." Uncle Charlie replied, looking up from the baby with an almost painful looking smile.
"But…what?"
"This is my son, Ruby." He said, looking overwhelmed with emotion.
"What? Is it still Sunday?"
"Of course it is, it was all so quick and we didn't want to wake you." Grandma Molly said, coming and standing by Charlie and looking at the baby.
"Oh, wow! Congratulations! Sorry, I thought it was Sam!"
"Well, George here has blue eyes." Charlie said, with a smile.
"George?" Ruby asked, her voice cracking slightly.
"Yes, George Rubeus Weasley."
Ruby planned on repeating the name but instead she burst into tears, so loud that they woke Katie up.
"…sorry…God…don't know…"
"Oh, hello Ruby, did you ask her then?" Katie asked, putting her hand out so that Scorpius could help her up and then walking to sit at the table, she sat with a wince.
"No, we haven't even got that far." Charlie replied, passing George to his mother.
It took Ruby at least five minutes to get her tears under control, Scorpius stood behind her and squeezed her shoulders in support.
"I'm sorry…"
"It's hormones dear, nothing to be ashamed of." Grandma Molly said, putting a plate of food the size of a quaffle in front of Ruby. "Eat up."
Ruby started eating slowly, then sped up, and then stopped, all within two minutes. She put down her fork and closed her eyes, willing herself not to be sick.
"We better get you home, Rubes." Scorpius said, Ruby nodded.
"But first, I have a question to ask you." Uncle Charlie said, looking serious.
"What?"
"Will you be George's godmother?" Ruby gasped.
"What? Seriously?"
"Of course, Ginny wanted to have you for one of the twins, seeing as you delivered them but I told her that you were already taken."
"Really?"
"Well, if you want to."
"Of course, wow, that's amazing!"
"And just think, if you get the job at Hogwarts you'll see him growing up." Charlie added, Ruby glared at him.
"Fine, I'll finish the application tomorrow!" She snapped, standing up.
"Finish your…"
"I'm going to throw up." Ruby interrupted, Scorpius moved out of the way quickly and Ruby dashed to the bathroom.
Ruby sealed the application and sent it through the Floo network before she could change her mind. She did want the job, she did, did she?
Pox jumped up onto the sofa and looked at his owner with yellow eyes. They were at Scorpius' flat which Ruby kept trying to think of as her new home. Scorpius was studying at the hospital and Ruby had called in sick, well she would have done if Scorpius hadn't beaten her to it.
She only had one month left of Healer training, then she would be a Healer, something she had wanted to be since she was nine. And at Christmas she would be a mother, she wasn't sure which one was more terrifying.
Ruby pulled the blanket that was on her over her head and let out a sound similar to a wounded puppy. Pox started barked so she pulled him in with her and he proceeded to lick her face.
After a few more minutes of freaking out Ruby emerged from her blanket cell and went to get dressed, she wasn't sure where she was going but she needed to get out of the flat.
Ten minutes later she found herself at her father's shop in Hogsmeade. The shop was fairly quiet and Uncle Ron spotted her enter.
"Hey Rubes, Fred's in Diagon Alley."
"That's okay, I wasn't really looking for him." Ruby replied, glancing around at some of the new products.
"Cup of tea?" Ron asked, Ruby nodded and made her was to the back of the shop.
She sat on the sofa and a few minutes later Ron came in with the tea.
"Thanks."
"I thought you were working today?"
"Scorpius told Kyle I was sick."
"Hmm…he's starting to grow on me. You do look like crap…"
"I'm pregnant Uncle Ron, not ill!"
"I know, I can see the bump." Ron said, looking unsure.
"Are you calling me fat?"
"No! I'm…"
"Did you talk to Aunt Hermione like this when she was pregnant? Actually, I don't want to know!" Ruby yelled, standing up and pulling her jacket back on.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere where you're not!"
"Jeez Rubes, talk about hormones!" Ruby fired a curse at him, causing his skin to erupt into hives, and then flooed from the shop.
She arrived at McGonagall Manor and to her great surprise found her mother walking through the hallway, levitating a tray of tea.
"Ruby! Are you alright?" Her mother said, jumping slightly.
"Uncle Ron called me fat!"
"Did he?" Her mother asked, her face darkening in anger.
"Yes, and he said I looked horrible!"
"Where is he?" Eliza asked, putting the tea tray on one of the side tables and pulling out her wand. Ruby's Aunt Minnie came out of the living room, carrying a stack of parchment.
"Uncle Ron said I was fat and that I looked horrible!" Ruby repeated.
"Where is he, Ruby?"
"More to the point, Eliza, how is he? What did you curse him with?" Aunt Minnie asked, with a knowing smile.
"Nothing!"
"Really?" Aunt Minnie asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Fine, I might have given him hives."
"Which kind?" Her mother asked, looking amused.
"I dunno, it was one of Dad's curses." Ruby mumbled.
"Oh, that will do then, I taught him that one. Cup of tea?" Her mother asked, picking up the tray again. Ruby nodded and followed her mother, with an amused godmother trailing behind.
A/N So very very very sorry for the delay! Life got busy! Please let me know that you're all still there!