The next few days were miserable for Ginny. Harry contacted her by owl daily, asking if she needed anything. She didn't want him to come over and see her in tears and her daggiest clothes, as she could barely bother getting out of bed these days. So she always sent back a reply, telling him no, but thanks. Hedwig hooted at both of them in rebuke when she delivered the letters.
Violet had told her Harry had recovered well, and seemed surprised that Ginny hadn't seen him. She had told Ginny he had stayed close to Godric's Hollow, but was returning to work the following day, and that had been a week ago. She hadn't encouraged any visitors since then.
One morning she woke, and had an unusual burst of energy. She didn't even cry after Harry's daily owl, telling her his work roster for the coming week. Her due date was now only days away, and Lily, Mia, Violet and Bill had taken to firecalling her daily, to see how she was. While she loved that they cared, there was only one person she wanted with her, and he was seemingly too busy.
Arthur was the only one she really didn't mind coming to the flat and staying for company. He told her many stories about her mother and her pregnancies, and with a start, Ginny realised her mother's birthday was coming up in a couple of days.
She scrubbed her little flat from top to bottom, and washed her bedding, tearing up when she found a pair of Harry's boxers amidst the sheets. She checked her baby bag was ready, and used Hedwig to owl order a few bags of groceries.
The next day was spent cooking. She made soups and stews, and froze them. She baked a loaf of bread, which made the flat smell wonderful. She even made a treacle tart and an apple pie. By the time she was finished, she felt she had accomplished a lot over the last two days. After a slice of bread and a bowl of stew, she fell into bed, absolutely exhausted.
She woke late the next morning, and immediately felt something was off. She rolled around till she could get out of bed, then went to use the loo and shower. She answered her dad's morning firecall, and he told her he was going to the cemetery to visit her mum.
The weather was a gloomy grey outside when Hedwig came, with Harry's daily notice that he was on the early shift at work. He wrote that he would like to stop by and see her after work, if that was convenient. Ginny both ached to see him, but feared he was going to tell her he only wanted the baby, when she was born. So she simply replied that she planned to go to Devon later, and he could stop by after work, 'if he wanted to'.
As soon as Hedwig flew off, she wanted to call her back. She was so stupid, she had no room for pride anymore. She loved Harry and would take any moments she could get with him. She vowed that, no matter what he was going to tell her tonight, he had to know she loved him. She fell asleep as she was devising the best way to tell him.
Her back was aching as she bundled up with scarves and hats and her warmest jacket in the late afternoon. She had already arranged to Floo to Luna's old home, and walk the well worn short path to the cemetery in Devon, where Luna's mother was buried too.
Ginny pulled some flowers from the Lovegood's overgrown garden bed to lay on Pandora Lovegood's grave. She barely remembered the older woman, but knew old Xeno often said Luna resembled her mother strongly.
Ginny removed the flowers on Pandora's grave that must have been there from the last time Luna was home; around the time of her baby shower. Then she laid the fresh bouquet on the grave and moved on to her mother's.
She was surprised that there weren't any other red heads already here. She knew her father had been, but his was the only bouquet there. Ginny carefully laid her bouquet next to her father's, and while she knelt, she brushed off some light snow flakes.
"Happy Birthday, Mum," she whispered. "I miss you more than ever, especially now." She ran her hand over her large bump, feeling a wave roll over her. "Ooh, little Molly's active today," she said. "Mum...oh, Mum, I wish you were here."
She felt the tears run down her face, and she swiped them away angrily, before rubbing her back. "I'm so tired of crying. I never used to cry, but now I'm a bloody hosepipe. No wonder Harry's tired of me," she said.
Tired of kneeling, she sat on the ground, casting a cushioning charm for her butt. She had no idea how she was going to get back up, but she'd worry about that later. Hopefully one of her brothers would come by. It was getting darker as the late afternoon drifted on towards the evening.
"I wish you could have met Harry, Mum, I think you would have loved him," she said, now that she was comfortable. She ignored the spasm of pain in her back by shifting again. "He's going to be a great dad to our little girl. He'll spoil her rotten, and she'll be a real daddy's girl."
"Mum, I ruined everything. I was unsure how I felt about him, yet he says he knew from the moment he saw me. Why didn't I feel the same, Mum? I kept telling myself I needed to focus on Quidditch, but I've barely given the Harpies any thoughts since I left," she confessed. "All that matters to me now is Harry and this baby."
She sighed as she rubbed her back; her bladder felt full too. She knew her time was running out.
"I never thought I'd be happy, just being at home with a husband and baby, like you were, Mum. I imagined a great career, winning games, flying for England...but none of those things matter much anymore. Making a home, being surrounded by family, is what really makes me happy now."
Her back was really aching now. "The baby's due any day now. I'm ready for her to come, but I'm scared about the actual delivery. I want Harry to be there with me, and I'm going to tell him tonight," she said.
She groaned as her back ached badly, and a wave of pain gripped her belly. "Mum, I think I have to go. I love you. H-happy birthday," she said.
She spent the next several minutes, trying desperately to stand on her own. Eventually she rolled over to a nearby headstone, and somehow managed to pull her self up. She huffed, then gasped as her belly rippled with pain.
"Got to pee, got to pee," she chanted, hopping from one foot to the other. She drew the jacket tighter around her, and took a couple of steps back towards the Lovegood's. She then stopped and gasped.
"Oh, Merlin," she cried out. Her bladder emptied, and was now running down her leg. "Ugh!" she cried, before nearly doubling over in pain. She grabbed her belly. "Not yet, please, baby. Not yet." For she had realised that her waters had broken.
The baby replied by wriggling into place, preparing for it's exit. "No!" cried Ginny. She thought of her mother, she thought of Harry, and then pulled out her wand and sent her Patronus off to Harry, her father, her brothers and her midwitch. Eight mares darted off in different directions, and Ginny breathed deeply, leaning against a headstone.
It was only then she became aware of a dog barking. Faint at first, but louder and louder each time. "Sirius," she called weakly, already gripped in the middle of a spasm of pain. "Sirius, I'm here," she called.
With relief she saw the big black dog enter the cemetery through the gates. "Over here, Sirius, I'm here," she called.
He bounded to her, ever grateful for his four legs, then quickly transformed. "Merlin, Gin, are-are you in labour?"
"No, I just peed my pants and am about to push a watermelon through my lady parts for fun," she snarled. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her so their faces were inches apart. "Where's Harry?"
"He's at work. Honestly woman, why can't you stay in one place? When you told Harry you be in Devon, he thought you meant your dad's place. I went spare looking for you," he admitted.
"You've been watching me...for Harry?" Her eyes filled with tears. "That's so sweet."
"We need to get you to St Mungo's," said Sirius, seeing her grab her belly as another wave of pain rode through her body.
"No...time," panted Ginny.
"What?" Sirius paled.
Ginny groaned and nearly fell to her knees. "Can't go...any further. You'll have...to do it," she said, gritting her teeth.
"Do what?" asked Sirius.
"What do you think, have a tea party?" growled Ginny. "You'll need to deliver the baby." She grabbed his hand.
"Owwww!" howled Sirius. "Oh no, I signed up to watch you, not deliver any baby," he said, shaking his hand to get the blood circulating in it again.
"Aaagh. You (pant pant) love Harry, don't you," said Ginny, breathing heavily.
"You know I do," said Sirius.
"This is Harry's baby," she said, pointing to her rippling belly. "And you're going to love her even more, for that reason alone. So man up and help me get my pants off, damnit," she yelled.
He shakily spelled her pants off and then hurriedly grabbed her, as she just needed to lay down. "Oh no," he said, shaking his head. He picked her up in his arms and started to run towards the path.
"Promise me...you'll love...the baby," panted Ginny. "Protect her...and Harry...always."
"Of course I will," said Sirius, indignantly. He looked down worriedly at her. "Hey, stay with me here," he said, as her eyes rolled back in her head.
"Sirius!"
Sirius looked up to see Harry and Bill running towards them. "Thank Merlin," he sighed. "Help has arrived, Ginny," he told her.
But when he looked down, Ginny had passed out.
~00~
Harry's POV
Harry didn't have much recollection of the incident that landed him in St Mungo's, but he did recognise the touch of fingers through his hair and her gentle hand caressing his cheek.
Had he dreamed her saying those magical words. After all, he'd waited so long to hear them. The last few weeks, since Hermione's party, had seen them become closer than ever. They'd shared an intimacy he'd longed for since he first heard of the Potter Legend. It was all Harry had hoped for, to enjoy these last few weeks, just the two of them, before their baby arrived, to make them a family.
He'd seen it happen for his sisters, and he couldn't wait for it to happen to him. He knew he was a bit of an anomaly. He had no big career aspirations, nor wanted to follow his father and Uncle Frank as leaders of the Auror department. All he had wanted was to have a family of his own.
He was a lucky one; brought up in a loving, large extended family. He was adored by his sisters, and had good male role models in his father's best friends. His own best friend, Neville, having grown up secure in the knowledge of already being claimed by Violet, was a steady, sensible boy who felt the same as Harry. Family was everything to them both.
So while he thrilled to hear Ginny's words, at the back of his mind was the need to provide for his family. He knew she had been worrying about the smallness of her flat, and his parents first cottage was sitting there, empty, in Godric's Hollow.
So he returned to his parents place to recover, not wanting Ginny to have to worry or wait on him. He roped in Neville, and his dad, Sirius, Uncle Frank and Uncle Moony to help him get the house up to scratch. His mum and Tonks came over to help with cleaning spells, and Aunt Alice baked up a storm. It thrilled Harry to see his nieces and Teddy romping through the house, and Mia feeding little Cassie in the rocking chair in the corner near the fireplace. He imagined it was Ginny feeding little Molly and his heart was fit to bursting.
He stayed away from Ginny, determined to get this all ready for her so she didn't have to worry. When he returned to work, he spoke to his dad about cutting back on his hours, and taking leave when the baby came. He owled her every day, letting her know where he could find him if she needed him, but she always told him she was fine. He missed her terribly and ached to see her, but he needed to do this for her, for their baby.
He was surprised to get a reply to his letter that morning, and relieved that she was spending some time with her dad, for he guessed that, being this close to the birth, she was thinking more and more about her mum. Tonight he planned to tell her everything, but for now, he owled Sirius to watch over Ginny at her dad's, and then he owled Bill to come to Godric's Hollow to put up the best wards he could. He had his dad and Uncle Frank help him add the initial familial wards, but Bill, a professional curse-breaker, would add the extra charms he wanted.
Father Oldman was visiting a neighbour who had been poorly, and stopped to enquire about the state of the house. He offered to bless the house for them when he, Ginny and the baby came to live in it.
They had just finished the outside charms when Teddy giggled and pointed. He was excited that Harry, Ginny and the new baby would soon live real close to him, and had been spending time with Harry while he'd been home.
Harry and Bill turned to see two mares bounding towards them. Harry gasped, recognising it was the mate to his own Patronus.
"That's Ginny!" cried Bill.
Both mares stood in front of their intended recipients. They heard Ginny's voice. "I'm in labour...Devon cemetery...need help...need Harry...please, come quick."
"Shit," cried Harry. "I thought she was going to be at the Burrow all day. Sirius was supposed to be watching her. I told her I was working, but I wanted to get this all finished before I saw her tonight."
Bill's face was grim. "It's Mum's birthday. I was going to swing by Ginny's place after this to see if she wanted to go with me to the cemetery, " he said.
Teddy called out excitedly. "Can I come and see Ginny? Is the baby coming?" he asked.
Luckily, at that moment, Remus appeared. "Teddy, Grandma Andi and Grandpa Ted are here," he called, beckoning the boy to come to him.
"Don't care, wanna see the new baby," pouted Teddy.
"Didn't Andromeda used to be a healer?" asked Harry.
Remus nodded. "She specialised in witches health," he said, proud of his mother-in-law.
"I need her," said Harry, urgently. "Ginny's in labour, and it sounds like things are happening quickly."
"Tell her to Floo to the Burrow," Bill told Remus, who picked Teddy up and rushed back to his own house.
"Come on, I know where the cemetery is, I'll Apparate us," said Bill.
Harry nodded, desperate to get to Ginny.
"I'll alert your parents, Harry," offered Father Oldman.
Harry and Bill arrived in Devon within seconds, and Harry followed Bill's lead, running slightly behind him as he searched for Ginny.
His heart burst as he saw Sirius had Ginny in his arms, but when they reached them both and saw that Ginny had passed out, it nearly stopped.
"We'll have to run to the Lovegood's home," said Bill, worriedly.
"It'll take too long," protested Harry.
"We can't Apparate or take a Portkey, even if we had one. Floo is the only safe travel for pregnant witches, and the Lovegood's is the closest place," said Bill.
Ginny moaned and clutched her stomach.
"Her waters have broken," said Sirius.
Bill cursed. "Shit! We'll have to get her to the Burrow, there's no time to get her to St Mungo's." He sent his Patronus off to his dad, telling them to get a room ready, that they'd be bringing Ginny through very soon.
"Andi was visiting Tonks was visiting so she's waiting for us there," explained Harry to Sirius.
Sirius was ashen. "I'm sorry, Harry, I thought she was safe at the Burrow."
"It's okay, Sirius. Thank you for finding her and staying with her," said Harry, shakily. He wasn't even thinking about the fact that soon his child would be with them, his concern was all about Ginny.
Thankfully it didn't seem to take them too long to get to the Lovegood's, although for Harry, every second seemed like hours. Bill knew Xeno wouldn't mind them bursting in to use their Floo, the two families were close. They all stood aside for Sirius to go through first with Ginny.
Harry followed next, then Bill.
"In here," pointed Arthur, to the makeshift bedroom they'd set up on the ground floor when Molly had been too ill to climb the stairs. "Andromeda is with her, too," he said.
Harry raced to the room while Bill stayed with his dad.
"I've sent off my Patronus to your brothers, letting them know she's here," said Arthur, sinking onto the couch.
The Floo lit up, and James, Lily and another man stepped out. "Where are they?" asked Lily, with no time for greetings. When Arthur told her, she headed to the bedroom.
"Hello, Arthur. This is Father Oldman, our minister in Godric's Hollow. He was at Harry and Ginny's new house when we heard about Ginny," introduced James.
Arthur nodded a polite greeting, but was too worried about his daughter. However, Molly's host duty habits kicked in, and he asked politely. "Cup of tea?"
"Lovely. Reckon all we can do now is wait," sighed James. He rubbed his hands together. "Sometimes I think this is the hardest part."
Arthur chuckled. "Best not let your wife and daughters hear that, James," he said.
James laughed too. "Merlin, you're right. Mum's the word, right fellas."
Sirius came down the hall, shaken. "Ginny's awake," he said, in relief.
They heard a crash and a cry. "That would be her now," he said dryly. "Poor Harry."
"Cup of tea, Sirius?" asked Arthur.
"Merlin, no, I need something stronger," said Sirius. "I've seen things today I never thought I'd see," he said, shuddering.
James and Arthur laughed, with the latter bringing out four glasses and a bottle of elf made wine. "Father?" he asked, holding up the bottle.
Father Oldman nodded. "Many thanks. A nice tipple will warm the insides nicely," he said. Arthur added another glass.
"I can't even hold the glass, I think Ginny broke my hand," said Sirius, holding it up and looking for sympathy.
"Andi can probably fix it," said James, shrugging.
They heard another cry, and they all looked at each other anxiously.
"I thought it was bad enough when it was Fleur, but this is hell," said Bill, skolling his drink. He poured some more, and re-filled Sirius' glass.
Lily came out, pale but in control. "Father, we need you in here," she said.
Father Oldman put his glass down and nodded, his face serious. He followed Lily back to the bedroom.
"What does he need to be there for?" asked Sirius, puzzled. James, Bill and Arthur's faces were pale and tight, and they avoided his eyes.
"Fellas?" asked Sirius.
They were saved from answering by the arrival of Percy, Ron, and the twins. "Dad, what's going on?" asked Percy. He saw the glasses and bottle on the table. "Are you drinking?"
"Are we celebrating? Is the baby here?" asked George, then they winced when they heard a strangled cry and what sounded like a growl.
Arthur stood and walked over to the window, looking out over Molly's garden. She should be here, in there with their daughter.
They all looked up as Lily came out. She wearily sat at the table, and skolled a hastily poured glass of wine.
"All we can now is wait," she said, solemnly.
