Cannons Chaser 3: Write about someone's first time in Knockturn Alley

1.(word) ambiguous

6.(image) art/A-family-of-folded-dragons-24110210

14.(quote) "Money is the root of all money."

Yule Ball: 17. Walking about the Rose Gardens - Write about listening to someone else's secret.

A/N: I've used the image as inspiration for the story. It is a picture of four origami dragons, two large and two small. Kinda like a little family! And it made me think about bonds between friends and bonds between family. So enjoy!

Beta'd By: Mama Sam and Grandma Lizzy ;) Love ya, Babes!

Word Count: 1,096


"I'm scared that something's wrong with me," Ginny whispered the words into the teacup her mother had handed her when she arrived in a panic. "What if I can't give him the family that he wants, that he deserves?"

"Oh, Ginny," Molly crooned as she settled onto the sofa next to her daughter. "I had the same problem when your father and I got married, deary."

Ginny shifted forward to set the cup down on the table before standing up to pace in front of her mother.

"This is different! He's already got a nursery set up 'just in case' that he adds to every other day!" Ginny let out a frustrated groan before collapsing onto the sofa once more, propping her head up in her hands. "He just… he makes me so happy, Mum. I just want to make him happy in return."

Molly stared at her daughter for a moment, her lips pressed together in a thin line. This was something she had vowed to never mention to anyone — but this was her child. She took a deep breath to brace herself before getting her wand out and flicking it quickly to put a barrier up. Ginny's head snapped up and matching brown eyes connected.

"Mum?"

"What I am about to tell you is something that cannot leave this room, Ginerva. Do you understand?"

"I — yes." Ginny swallowed harshly before straightening in her seat.

"When your father and I got married, we struggled to have kids." Molly closed her eyes as she lost herself in her memories. "That's when I learned that I was infertile due to spell damage that hadn't been repaired in time."

Ginny's breath froze in her chest. None of this was making any sense!

"But," she took a deep breath before continuing her sentence, "what about us? Me and the boys are here! There are pictures of you pregnant with us!"

"Because I took matters into my own hands," Molly said, spreading her hands in front of her. "No one else knows, and the place I went to isn't exactly known for its light and airy atmosphere. If you decide to go the route I did, you have to have a way to get in and out without alerting anyone."

Ginny searched her mother's eyes before nodding sharply.

"Anything for Harry."

"Ginny?" Hermione questioned. "Is everything alright?"

The two women stood in front of Potage's Cauldrons, cloaks swaying in the breeze created by the crowds of people scurrying past. Ginny was staring into the dark alleyway as Hermione stood tall next to her, glaring at any that sneered in their direction.

"I've never been down this way before. Mum would never let me out of her sight whenever we came here for school supplies." Ginny steeled herself before taking the first step into Knockturn Alley, Hermione at her side. Both women strode forward carefully but surely, keeping an eye on each other's backs as they walked. Empty bottles and torn papers littered the cobblestones, and Ginny grimaced as she stepped on something that squished under her boot.

"How much further is this place?" Hermione muttered the question under her breath as they ducked under an archway.

"It's right in front of us," Ginny said, shutting the soft chuckle that tried to rise up her throat down.

"'Life and Death.' Lovely." Ginny grinned at the sarcasm that dripped from her sister's words.

"I think it's rather catchy, we could put it on a t-shirt." It was nice, having a quiet giggle in the darkness of the alley. It brought back memories of when they would prank the boys back at Hogwarts.

"After you, Potter." Hermione dramatically yanked the door open as she deepened her voice.

The two women swept into the shabby store.

"We're closed!" A voice rasped from behind a half-eaten curtain.

"I'm here for Reaper's Breath. I was told it was available at all hours." Ginny spoke up as Hermione locked the door behind them. "Or was my informant in error?"

"Come to the back. The front is just a display."

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a glance before making their way back through the curtain. In the center of the room, a small man stood hunched over a boiling cauldron filled to the brim with a bright red liquid.

"Money is the root of all money, ladies." The man glanced at them before scoffing and turning back to his potion. "And you clearly do not have enough for this. Get out."

"You know not what you're doing, sir." Hermione glared at the man. "Nor do you know how much money we possess."

"Pah, two women dressed in pants and Muggle clothing? Both of you combined wouldn't have enough for two drops of the potion you seek."

Hermione turned to Ginny and raised an eyebrow. Ginny sighed, closing her eyes defeat. She knew that Hermione wouldn't work with people who treated her as lesser.

The two women left the shop and quickly made their way to the Apparating point.

"Do I want to know what that was about?" Hermione questioned as she removed her cloak.

"What was what about?" Ginny avoided her sister's eyes.

"The ambiguous creepy shop with the asshole? Reaper's Breath? All of it?" Hermione sat down on one of the kitchen chairs and stared her best female friend down.

"I needed a potion that is very hard to come by." Ginny stared at the floor as she leaned against the counter.

"I got that much," Hermione stated as she leaned back in her chair. "What I want to know, is why you needed a fertility potion in the first place."

Ginny's eyes fell closed and she felt tears prick the corners of her eyelids.

"I can't get pregnant, Hermione."

"You're kidding." Ginny's hair slapped her cheeks as she quickly turned her head to glare at the other woman.

"No, I'm not kidding. What the hell?!" Ginny hissed out.

"Ginny, you're pregnant right now. I've known for the past week!"

"...What?"

"Harry did the spell when you fell asleep on the couch two weeks ago. He's confirmed it every morning when he got up!" Hermione's gaze turned concerned as she stood up from her chair. "Did you not know?"

"No…." Ginny blinked the tears out of her eyes before laughter escaped her lips and her legs crumpled out from underneath her. Hermione rushed to catch her and the two women ended up in a pile on the kitchen floor. The brunette stared at Ginny, stunned, before bursting into giggles as the redhead kept laughing.

"I'm pregnant!"