"Alone at last," Ginny whispers to her sleeping baby. "I never thought it would happen, did you?" She tucks the end of the blanket in my firmly as she leans back on the bed, cradling James in her arms.
The past week she hadn't been alone with him, not once, ever since she came home from St. Mungo's, every friend, relative, and neighbor has been over to see James. Her mum alone had been here every day, then Hermione every other, even Fleur was here three out of the seven days. Not that Ginny minded, it was work keeping up with the concept of motherhood, it was nice to have others around to help. On the other hand, she wanted time alone, so she could get to know James.
Mrs. Weasley was not short on giving helpful hints, or taking the baby out of her hands the moment he stated to cry. It was like magic, the way she could calm him instantly with her rocking and patting. After seven kids though, she was a pro after all. Hermione, on the other hand, played the dutiful role of "favorite aunt," bringing over toys that James couldn't quite play with yet, and making sure Ginny got the loads of gossip that was going on. It was nice, having a friend who wasn't a mother yet, it gave Ginny a chance, for once, to teach Hermione a few tricks. Then Fleur, she was a baby lover alright. Every time she was over, the whole time she held James, fed James, changed James, rocked James; it's like she couldn't take her eyes off him.
"Oh, how weird it feels to be alone, don't you think?" she asks, looking down at James again. "But Daddy will be back soon, and it won't feel so abnormal."
Harry. Harry was made to be a father, even if he didn't know it yet. If he was holding James and he so much as whimpered, Harry handed him over to one of the many others there. He had never been around babies, ever. Even with Teddy, he was only godfather after all, so he needn't actually take care of him. But every night when Ginny woke up, she'd roll over to Harry, and he wouldn't be there. He'd be sitting in the rocking chair at the end of the bed, looking into the cradle, intently watching James.
Ginny hears the door open and slowly stands up, pressing James gently to her chest as she goes and looks for Harry.
"Ginny," he softly yells from the kitchen, as he begins opens the box of pizza and puts a couple pieces of it onto a paper plate. "I brought home dinner," he says, as he sees her enter the room.
"Thanks." She smiles. "Would you mind holding James while I go take a shower?"
"Sure, but—"
"Try not to set him down if you don't have to," she recommends, "he's been a bit fussy whenever I've tried to today."
"Yeah, okay, but—"
Ginny kisses him, then hands James over, watching as he awkwardly adjusts his arms so James is held correctly.
After her shower, Ginny walks back downstairs into the kitchen to find Harry standing with the back door open, watching the wind blow autumn leaves around as he talks to James.
"You terrify me, you know that? I've gone up against the most evil wizard of all time, more than once, winning each time; and yet, you bring me to my knees. See, with him, I was only losing my life if I failed, but if I mess up with you, I lose so much more. You're…you're my son, I still can't wrap my mind around it."
He will be a great father, Ginny thinks as she smiles, and walks out of the room.