Chapter 41
July 10th, 2007
Kingsley raised his arms to quiet the reporters who had gathered in the Ministry atrium for that morning's news conference.
"Thank all of you for coming this morning. The purpose of this press conference is to dispel the rumors and gossip these many months passed regarding the Auror division. So I'm here to tell you, as of today, Harry Potter is indeed the new Head of the Auror Division. As such, I defer the remainder of this press conference to him."
Twenty-seven year old Harry Potter stepped to the podium, raising his arms as Kingsley did to quiet the shouted questions and comments. As always, Ron and Hermione were there for support, giving him smiles of encouragement among the noisy crowd.
"I am proud to be taking the reigns of a division composed of the best and bravest wizards and witches our world has to offer. These individuals face the darkness, willingly, to ensure that our world remains free of the fear that gripped our world for far too long."
He would be forever grateful to Hermione and Ginny for the help with his speeches over the years.
"I am also aware that I'm the youngest Head of the Auror Division in Ministry history. As of today, the division employs 517 Aurors, not to include support personnel. Over sixty-percent of the division are under forty years of age. What does all this mean? Simply put, we are the youngest division in the Ministry. This means that the youth and enthusiasm this division possesses will be better able to serve the needs of our world for many, many years to come."
He again took in the proud, smiling faces of his family and friends in the crowd.
"As such, I plan to implement sweeping changes to the division to enable it to function more efficiently as a whole. The new Auror Division Charter of 2007 will be made available to all the news organizations at the conclusion of this press conference, as well as being available for viewing at any time at the Ministry in accordance with the new Magical Civil Liberties Act of 2006. An era of lies, confusion and secrecy ends today."
Everyone that knew Harry recognized the look resolve in his eyes when he made his next statement, the same look he had the moment he faced Voldemort that day at Hogwarts.
"A new generation stands ready. Ready, willing and able to face whatever challenges lay ahead. I hope this is clear to any who wishes to do evil and bring harm to a world that wants to live in peace. To quote a famous muggle: evil triumphs when good men do nothing. We are here and we will not back down." He unconsciously rubbed his scar and adjusted his glasses. "That's all for today. Now I'm going to celebrate the second birthday of my son James. Thank you for your patient attention."
Later that day, Ginny wiped the cake from 14 month old Albus' face. Ron was holding Rosie, again regaling whoever would listen about the latest intellectual development of the 13 month old. Harry was helping 2-year old James flip through his new Hippogriff pop-up picture book, a gift courtesy of Auntie Hermione. Ginny put Albus in a playpen, put her hand to her stomach and sigh. Hermione waded through gift wrap to her sister-in-law.
"Feeling all right?"
"Upset stomach."
"Something you ate?"
Ginny shrugged. "I think I might be pregnant," she said quietly.
"This is a good thing, right?"
Ginny shrugged again. "Can we go outside and talk?"
Outside, Ginny sighed as another wave of nausea hit and the two took a seat at the picnic table. Hermione rubbed her back in encouragement. "Take your time," she said.
Ginny started. "I love my mum, she's the best there is, but I'm afraid of turning into her."
Hermione chuckled. "Ginny, you may not see it, but the only thing you have in common with your mum is the hair," she said.
"Do you have any regrets?" Ginny asked.
"Some, but I don't dwell on them," Hermione answered. "Why?"
She had never, in all the years she had known her had such a cryptic conversation with Ginny. Like Hermione, she had a way with words and wasn't afraid to express them.
"Gin, you're kind of worrying me. What's wrong?"
"Do you and Ron plan on having more kids?"
"Yeah, we're going try again for a boy."
"Harry keeps hinting at trying again for a girl. That's what mum and dad did, they kept trying for a girl."
Hermione still didn't know where the conversation was leading, so she just let her continue.
"Jamie and Albus are still babies, and here I am possibly pregnant again, the Weasley fertility curse and all," Ginny said lightly. "With Harry taking on the Head Auror job, he'll be around even less, meaning me with three babies to look after. What if my work at the Prophet suffers? What if I start resenting the choices I made?"
"Have you talked to Harry about this?"
Ginny shook her head. "It'll just make him feel guilty."
"You're feeling a little overwhelmed, aren't you? Wait here."
Hermione went inside and returned with Harry. "You two need to talk."
That night from the parlor, Ron heard Rosie's squeal of glee and Hermione's agreement from the bathroom. He went there and fell in love all over again with "his girls." Hermione took Rosie into the bath with her and the two were having the time of their life it seemed. Rosie babbled and slapped the water, eliciting a squeal of glee each time the pink bubbles flew.
"Enjoying your bath, I take it?" he asked.
"Yes, we are," Hermione said and shaped the baby's hair into a mohawk. When Rosie saw her dad, she babbled, pointed and held out her arms. Ron got a towel and took the baby from his wife. When she started to rise from the tub, he beckoned her to stay put.
"I'll get her ready for bed, you finish your bath."
A few minutes later, she couldn't help but leave the bath when she heard Rosie's happy babbling and giggling at Ron's sweet, silly baby talk. Wrapped in a towel, she leaned against the door jam and watched the precious scene. Getting the baby into pajamas was usually a chore, but Ron was patient as
he gently coaxed her kicking and waving limbs into the little pink and yellow pajamas. He cuddled her a few minutes more and laid her in her crib. The baby knew the routine and curled up with her thumb in her mouth, her little stuffed hippogrif in the other hand. Ron wiggled his wand at the mobile above the crib. The soft music and flying baby unicorns lulled the baby into a peaceful sleep.
"Time to get my other little lady to bed," he whispered and led her to their bedroom.
Ron knew that as long as he lived he would never tire of this. When she took the initiative with him as she was doing now, it took all his willpower not to sweep her under him and ravish her the way she loved, the way she wanted.
He sighed as her soft lips caressed his face, neck and chest with slow, teasing kisses meant to draw out his arousal.
She was straddling him, her hair tickling his chest and stomach as she flicked his nipples with her tongue and stroked his throbbing, rock-hard cock. She worked her way back to his neck, her breasts rubbing against his chest and sank to the hilt with a hiss and sigh.
"Like that do you?" he asked.
Her eyes closed, she nodded and rocked back and forth slowly until he said,
"Look at us, love."
She slowly opened her eyes, her desire darkening the chocolate depths when she looked him in the eyes then where their bodies connected. She felt drunk from lust and need. He took hold of her hips and drove up when she sank down, their bodies moving in perfect union as they lost themselves to each others moans and cries of passion.
At the next Weasley Sunday lunch, Ginny told the family that she was again pregnant. They all glanced at the two year old and one year old Jamie and Albus.
November 12, 2007
"The prosecution rests."
"Very well, Prosecutor Weasley."
Hermione took her seat as another wave of nausea hit. Again? That milk did taste funny this morning. Kingsley announced to the Wizengamot that the punishment phase for the defendant, a minor Death Eater recently captured, would be the next afternoon. Hermione had been a prosecutor for two years, the youngest in the Council of Magical Law and in her short time there, established herself as a no-nonsense, tenacious prosecutor. She also lobbied for changes in all areas of the law concerning the rights of werewolves, Centaurs and other disenchanted beings. She was extremely happy with the course her life was taking. She was making a difference, doing what she loved, and more importantly, still deeply in love with her husband. Everyone who knew her was proud of her. She often took part in, as Ron put it, "putting away the bad guys" that he and Harry caught, and woe be to any Ministry employee accused of wrongdoing.
She returned to her department, briefed her boss about the morning's successful proceedings and returned to her office, suddenly feeling dead-tired. She put her head on her desk, intending to just rest her eyes for a minute or two. She felt gentle shaking of her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes to find Ron and two other prosecutors looking at her.
"Love, it's after lunch, you slept straight through."
"What?" she asked, looking at her watch in disbelief.
"Congratulations on the conviction, however."
Kyle, one of the other prosecutors, spoke. "The boss said for you to go home, think of it as a reward for this morning's successful prosecution."
"For once, I agree. I'm just dead-tired," she said.
"We'll get some take-away and pick up Rosie from mum's," he said.
"Sounds good."
At the Burrow, Jamie and Rosie were napping in their playpens while Albus was awake but quietly amusing himself.
"He's such a good baby," Molly remarked.
They settled at the table and talked about the day's happenings. When Hermione took another inhumanly large bite of her sandwich and quickly drained a large glass of milk, Ron said, "Hungry much? The last time I saw you eat like that you were preg-"
The room fell silent and Hermione felt the tell-tale tingle of a charm pass over her body. She saw Molly looking at her with a wistful smile and place her wand back in her apron pocket. "You had best make an appointment with a healer," she said.