"Honey, it's Ted's birthday!" Harry shook her awake.
Ginny rolled out of bed, scraping her red hair into a ponytail and rushing downstairs. It was rather early, so before Teddy woke up, they cooked him pancakes with rainbow sprinkled in them, and left his large pile of gifts on the kitchen table.
When they heard the pounding of footsteps on the stairs, they knew their boys were awake.
Teddy, James, and Al burst into the kitchen.
"Happy birthday, Teddy!" Harry and Ginny shouted, laughing. Ginny thought it was the absolute sweetest thing that Teddy had gotten Albus from his room and carried him downstairs. She wiped a tear from her eye and smiled.
"Don't cry, Ginny!" Teddy told her. She took Albus from his arms and handed him to Harry, then picked Teddy up in her arms and held him tight.
"Stop growing up, sweetheart," she murmured to him. He hugged her back.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear. Ginny suddenly felt her heart swell with undeniable love for her surrogate son. "Aw, baby, I love you too. So, so, so much."
After a couple more seconds, Ginny let him down, because she thought if she held him for much longer, she would burst into tears, and Ted didn't need that on his birthday. Harry hugged him as well, and the boys settled down at the table. Ginny dished out some pancakes, to which the boys squealed with excitement. Once the pancakes were gobbled down (which didn't take long), Teddy immediately starting tearing at his gifts.
"Wait, wait!" Harry began taking some wizard pictures. "Okay, go."
From Harry and Ginny, Teddy got some books, a new set of robes, a toy crystal ball, a load of Chocolate Frogs and Chocolate Cauldrons, and plenty more. Soon there was just one incredibly large package left.
"Can I open it?" Teddy asked, fingering the paper wrapping.
"Go ahead, honey," Ginny said, rubbing her belly, feeling her slight but growing bump.
Teddy ripped the paper and opened his eyes wide. His jaw dropped.
"Honestly?" He asked, his voice hoarse. Harry nodded.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He shouted, ecstatic.
"Open the rest of it so your brothers can see it," Ginny laughed at his excitement.
Teddy tore at the paper, which revealed a brand-new, newest edition, Firebolt 5000.
"A real broom?" James was in awe.
"I can't believe it! Thank you!" Teddy hugged his godparents.
"Let's go tell Victoire about it, okay?"
"Okay!" Teddy agreed, never taking his eyes off of his prized possession.
oOo
"Hello, everybody!" Ginny called once they had Floo'd to the Burrow.
"Where is everybody?" Teddy asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
The Potters walked slowly into the living room, Teddy dancing with anticipation. Suddenly the lights flicked on.
"Surprise!" The entire family shouted. Teddy let out a little shriek. Victoire ran over to him and gave him a hug. The rest of the family flooded around him.
"Guess what?" Teddy shouted. "Harry and Ginny gave me a real broom! A Firebolt 5000!"
"You are so lucky!" Victoire was like James, completely awed.
"Are you sure he's ready for that?" Grandmum Weasley asked nervously.
"Relax, Mum. He's ready for it." Ginny told her mother.
Teddy unwrapped dozens of gifts. He had gotten a broom care kit from Victoire and the rest of the family. From Hermione and Ron, the novel Quidditch Through the Ages and a box of chocolates from Honeydukes.From George, Angelina, and their children, Teddy had received mountains of products from WWW, including a purple Pygmy Puff, which Teddy had named Snuffles, to Harry's delight. From Percy and Audrey, a book about the Ministry (figures). Suddenly Kingsley burst through the fireplace.
"Hello, Kingsley," Arthur said, a bit confused. "Whatever is the matter?"
"May I speak to Harry and Ginny in the kitchen please?"
Harry eyed Ginny nervously and walked slowly to the kitchen. Kingsley cast a silencing charm and turned to Harry, his face weary.
"I regret to inform you that Andromeda Tonks has..unfortunately passed away."
Ginny turned to Harry and her eyes filled automatically with tears.
"What about Teddy? He lives with her too! And it's his birthday….. Who on earth will he live with?"
"Are you being thick, Ginny? He's ours. He'll live with us, we can adopt him." Harry's eyes brighten significantly.
Ginny clasped her hands. "Oh, yes! Would that be possible?"
"I can have that arranged almost immediately. If I were you, I'd break the news to Teddy as soon as possible, so that he isn't wondering when he will see her next."
"Alright, of course. Thank you, Kingsley."
They returned to the living room, where there was a layer of awkward silence covering the room.
"What was that about?" George asks, breaking the silence. Ginny knelt in front of Teddy.
"Sweetie, we need to tell you something sad." He nodded. "Your grandmum Andromeda just died, honey."
Teddy's eyes watered. He leaned into Ginny, and she could hear him sniffle. Hermione looked down and tears fell into her lap, and George hugged Angelina to him.
"But this means we're going to adopt you, if that's okay with you, Ted," Harry says softly. Teddy nods.
"I'd love that. Really, I would love it." Vicky ran over to Teddy and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm real sorry, Teddy Bear." She put her head on his shoulder.
"Zey are such cuteez," Fleur murmured.
"I'm gonna be your real brother?" James smiled happily. "Yeah! We can play forever now!"
"We have some happier news, if anyone wants to hear it," Hermione said. Her tears had dried and she was glowing.
"We're pregnant!"
Everyone surrounded Hermione with hugs and congratulations.
"Oh, Hermione! I'm so happy for you!" Angelina cheered.
"This is amazing! Another grandbaby!" Molly wiped tears from her face.
"My ickle Ronniekins is growing up!" George flicked Ron with his wand, laughing. Ron turned scarlet red.
"Zees eez so exciting!" Fleur drawled, clapping her hands.
"It's about time," Percy claps Ron's shoulder.
"You are so lucky, congratulations!" Ginny hugged Hermione. "How far along are you?"
"Two weeks," Hermione beamed. Ginny could tell Harry wanted to reveal that Ginny was four and a half weeks pregnant, but she stopped him.
"Shush," she said, barely audible. "Let them have this."
oOo
Later on, Al was napping on Harry's lap, Victoire and Teddy had started a game of hide-and-seek, and all the other kids were playing, though Roxanne was yawning. Dominique had proceeded to hide under a blanket, giggling softly until Teddy had pulled the sheet off.
"Here I am!" she declared.
"You're not supposed to tell us where you are!" Teddy exclaimed, his hair green.
In the end, James won, since Harry had tossed his Invisibility Cloak over him when no one was looking. Even amidst shouting protesting cheating, Ginny heard sounds of arguing coming from the kitchen.
"Why in Merlin would you tell them?" It was Ron.
"Why would I tell them?! Ron, you're the thickest-headed man I've ever met! They are our family, and they have a right to know!"
"They are going to invade our privacy!"
"I can't stand when you're like this! This is our baby! This is our baby's family!" Hermione's voice was raising steadily.
"We all know this baby will die just like the others." His voice was icily cold.
Ginny was appalled. That her brother could say such a thing?
"I know we're having this baby to save our marriage, but if you're right, and I can't hope enough that you're not….. I want a divorce. If this baby dies, I want a divorce." If Ginny was correct, she could hear that Hermione's voice was tearful and there was a lump in her throat.
Ginny couldn't believe it. A divorce? She nudged Harry.
"Listen, I think we should"- she stopped, got up, and ran out of the room. Harry could hear sounds of vomiting.
"Vat eez wrong weeth Ginny?" Fleur asked Harry. Knowing she didn't want the family to know yet, he fabricated a lie.
"Oh, she's, er, been feeling rather sick lately, but she couldn't miss Teddy's birthday." Harry told her, which wasn't technically lying.
Fleur nodded, but Mrs. Weasley looked suspicious. After a few more minutes, Ginny returned, looking a tad green.
"I think it's time to go, love," Harry whispered, looking at the old gold watch he still wore. "It's nearly eleven. Al is sleeping, and James looks like he's about to fall asleep on the spot."
Ginny looked lovingly at her young son, who's eyes were half-closed and his black hair was mussed.
"Alright," she whispered to her husband, who she loved more than words could say. "Let's go home."