Chapter Twenty-Six: Working it Out.
Harry went to bed before Ginny that night; he couldn't stand the tension that had suddenly sprang up between them. He pretended to be asleep when she came in even though she had whispered his name as she entered the room, he didn't want to talk right then.
Sirius was there by lunchtime the next day. He looked so much better than Harry had ever seen him, his hair was short, he wasn't so skinny, even his face had changed from a sunken looking skull to a filled out face with rosy cheeks, he was waring new robes. Harry greeted his Godfather warmly, Sirius smiled widely at him.
After lunch was over Sirius and Harry went outside where no one could over-hear them.
'What's wrong Harry? You've seemed down about something ever since I got here' Sirius said.
'It's me and Ginny' Harry replied.
'Are you two fighting about something?' Sirius asked.
'No, not exactly, things are just weird between us… You see Mr and Mrs Weasley are letting Ginny and I share a… a bed while I'm here and well we've never… You know' Harry replied.
'I understand Harry. Do you just feel uncomfortable when you go to bed or do you feel uncomfortable around her full stop?' Sirius asked.
'Not uncomfortable so much now, but there's all this tension between us, I've tried to talk to her about it but every time I suggest we go away and talk she makes up some excuse to get out of it' Harry said.
'You both want to… don't you?' Sirius asked looking slightly uncomfortable at the conversation with his Godson.
'I think so, I love her so much but all this tension between us is doing my head in, I think it's just weird because we're sharing a bed for the first time and it's in her parents house, they're like family to me too really' Harry replied.
'I really think you should just go and talk to her, I don't know what else to tell you other than that really, sorry' Sirius said 'don't take any of her excuses' he added.
'Thanks Sirius, I'm going to go and find her,' Harry said.
'No problem Harry, good luck' Sirius said.
Harry went back in to the house. Ginny wasn't in the kitchen, living room or their bedroom, Harry went up to the attic. There she was, sitting on the old sofa cross-legged, her face in her hands, crying.
'What's wrong Ginny? Have I done something?' Harry asked.
She nodded, then shook her head, and then shrugged.
Harry sat down beside her 'tell me what's wrong Ginny,' He said gently, reaching for her hand. She pulled it away 'what have I done? Harry tried again.
She took a deep, steadying breath 'it's not you really, it's us more than anything' Ginny's voice was calm despite the tears still falling down her cheeks.
'I know Gin; things haven't been right between us since we got here, since we started sharing a bed. Do you want me to ask if I could share with Fred and George or Charlie?' He asked.
'No Harry I don't want you to, I love sharing with you it's just a big step, even though we're engaged it's got me a little confused. I think that we should wait until we're married before anything more happens, it'll be more special then, is that ok with you?' Ginny asked.
'It's fine with me Gin, I agree, it would be more special, it's a good idea' Harry said nodding his head as he spoke.
'But until then d'you think… it's going to sound really cheesy… Could we maybe… snuggle in a bit when we go to bed?' Ginny said blushing.
Harry couldn't help but smile at her red face 'it's not cheesy Gin, it'd probably be more comfortable than how we're sleeping now' Harry said.
The both stood up and hugged each other, then kissed for the first time since their awkward kisses of their first night, both a lot happier than they had been since arriving at the Burrow.
Everyone sat around talking that night; Sirius was staying until after Easter so they all talked about what had happened in Sirius's absence, he was looking forward to working again, he couldn't wait until he started. It wasn't until Hermione fell asleep in her chair that everyone went to bed.
Harry and Ginny climbed in to their bed together, Harry put his arm around her and she snuggled in to his side, they got comfortable and fell asleep.
There was absolutely no tension between Harry and Ginny after they had talked. On Easter Sunday everyone gorged on chocolate, lazing around playing chess and exploding snap they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
The day after Easter Ron took Hermione out for the day so that everything could be set up for the baby shower. Harry grudgingly helped, glad that he would only be going out to the backyard to eat; it would give the women time to cool down and stop talking about baby stuff as much.
People started showing up at about two o'clock all carrying presents wrapped in paper that was covered with ducks, bottles and various other baby related pictures. Harry retreated in to his and Ginny's bedroom.
About half an hour later Harry heard the unmistakable sound of about twenty women shouting 'SURPRISE!' Hermione had obviously just arrived; sure enough Ron came in to the room two minuets later.
'Hiding are you?' Ron asked.
Harry nodded.
'You'd better watch Ginny mate I think she's getting a bit clucky' Ron said.
'Yeah I've noticed' Harry said, Ginny had been talking about babies a lot lately and he swore he'd seen her look longingly at a pair of booties the other day. She'd already finished both the blue and the pink blankets. Harry hadn't even thought any more about presents for his friends and Godchild yet.
'You do want kids don't you? Because I think Ginny would kill you if you didn't' Ron said.
'Of course I want kids just not right now, we've decided to wait until we're married' Harry confided in his friend.
'Wish Hermione and I had thought of that,' Ron said.
'What? Are you regretting it now?' Harry asked.
'No way, I can't wait. It's just all this would have been more special if we'd been married first' Ron replied.
'You're freaking out a bit now that she's only got five weeks to go aren't you?' Harry said.
'I think so, just a little bit. But I honestly can't wait, poor Hermione she's so uncomfortable at the moment, we're both loosing sleep because she keeps on tossing and turning when we're in bed, she'll be happy when this is all over and so will I' Ron said.
'You'll be fine' Harry said clapping his friend on the shoulder.
Ron nodded 'should we go out there?' He asked indicating the window.
'Nah, let's play chess for a while, give them some time to settle down a bit' Harry replied.
They played chess for an hour before going downstairs and outside. The decorations hit Harry as soon as he walked out the door. Pink and blue balloons and streamers were strung up everywhere, there were a few small tables scattered around each with a pink or blue tablecloth and a pink and blue flower arrangement set in the centre. There were two large tables set to the side, one covered in blue, the other in pink; on one of these tables sat the arrangement of presents on the other was an assortment of food with a big cake decorated like an ABC block the icing to was pink and blue to match the decorations.
Harry and Ron noticed that everyone seemed to be making their way towards the food table so they grabbed plates and joined the line, each piling their plates with sandwiches, sausage rolls and other bits and pieces. The boys sat down at a table covered in a blue tablecloth with Hermione and Ginny.
'Having fun?' Ron asked.
'Yeah, it's great, I never expected this' Hermione replied.
Harry and Ron nodded, both stuffing their faces with food.
'That's attractive' Ginny said to them.
They ignored her.
After everyone had eaten Hermione stood up, her pregnant belly protruding in front of her 'I'd like to thank everyone for all of this, in a minute I'll cut the cake and then we'll open the presents' she said.
Hermione cut up the cake (chocolate mud). When everyone was done Hermione coaxed Ron in to helping her unwrap the presents. Before opening each one Hermione read out the card attached, after about ten minuets there was a pile of wrapping paper next to them, on the table now stood most of the opened presents. Baby clothes, toys, blankets and three boxes, a baby play gym, a bouncer and a rocker/swing that Harry and Ginny had got them. When all of the presents were open Mrs Weasley said there were two more to come yet, she went in to the house and came back with a brand new pram tied with a big pink and blue ribbon. Hermione hugged her mother-in-law tightly 'this is from Arthur and I, the other one if from everyone in the family but you'll have to go upstairs to see it. We'd like you to wait until everyone is gone before you see it though, no offence everyone but we'd like it just to be the family for the unveiling' Mrs Weasley said.
After everyone had left and everything was cleared up they sat down to have dinner together, when this was over, as well as desert (left over cake and home-made vanilla ice cream) Mrs Weasley said, 'Well shall we all go upstairs now?'
Everyone agreed and followed her up the stairs to the floor where Hermione and Ron's bedroom was situated; there was a door opposite their door with a big blue and pink bow on it like the one that had been around the pram.
'We used this room as a store room but we've moved everything out. We thought you could use it more than us,' Mr Weasley said. He opened the door.
'SURPRISE!' Everyone said, Harry knew about this room, he'd helped with it.
Inside was a fully furnished nursery, the walls were painted mint green as a base, there was a mural of an enchanted forest across each of them, that could be suited for a girl or a boy, the furniture was all wooden and painted white, the cot had a big mobile hanging over it, inside a net that was draped over it that matched the walls, there was a rocking chair in a corner padded with big, fluffy mint green cushions, the change table was situated beside a large wardrobe standing on the left wall, there were shelves all around stacked with nappy's, wipes, potions to stop colic or nappy rash and soft toys, a large toy box was placed at the end of the cot, in the middle of the floor on top of a mushroom shaped mat stood a small table and chair set and there was a small table by the door with a lamp on it. Hermione started crying.
'Don't you like it? Ron said mesmerised by the room (he hadn't known anything about it).
Hermione shook her head 'I love it, you didn't have to do this, you paid for our wedding' she said through her tears.
'We wanted to dear, we love you and we want you to feel free to stay here as long as you want to' Mrs Weasley said, she also had tears running down her cheeks.
'Thank you, everyone… so much, this is really great, we love you all' Ron said.
There was a huge group hug in which Hermione and Ron were lost in the middle.