Twenty- Six

A/N: I really don't have much of an excuse for why this has taken so long for me to update. Lack of inspiration, school, home life, life in general…..everything really. I am sorry; I didn't mean to leave you all hanging like that. If anyone is still interested in this story, then I am truly honored. And as always, I'd like to thank the reviewers and those who followed and favorited this story. You're all so wonderful. Now, on with the story.

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July 31, 2006

"I still don't see how you do it," Ron complains half-heartedly from his seat at the dining table. "I can't get Rosie to stop crying when Hermione's not there and here you are as some Super Dad or something."

Harry rolls his eyes at his brother-in-law. "It's not like it's second nature, Ron. When James was born you should have seen me try to take care of him. If it hadn't been for Ginny, Jamie wouldn't have made it past week one. You learn as you go. It's much easier with Al, but only because I've already done this all before." What he doesn't mention are all the sleepless nights he had in the beginning after James was born, always wondering if he would manage to screw this up like so many other things in his life. He owes Ginny and her saint-like patience with his cripplingly low self-esteem, because she never once yelled when he fumbled something up. She taught him how to be a good father while simultaneously adjusting to being a first-time mother.

He stills wonders how on Earth he managed to marry someone who just understands him like Ginny.

"Sometimes I think Hermione gets frustrated with how much better my brothers are with their children," Ron admits quietly.

Harry pauses in spreading jam on his toast to turn and look at Ron properly. If his self-conscious, slightly egotistical (and isn't that a fascinating dichotomy) best mate is willingly admitting his fears, then things must be worse than Harry had thought. He feels a brief flash of guilt that he hadn't been paying close enough attention of his best friend's life if he managed to miss this.

Placing the toast and the jam-covered butter knife on the kitchen counter, he walks over and sits in the chair beside Ron. "Look mate," he says carefully, "Hermione's just stressed out because she's probably not sleeping well, and we both know how difficult being new parents are. She's probably just venting her frustration because she's worried about being a new mother." Ginny had been frazzled and nearly fallen to pieces in the first few days, but thankfully they'd both had the support of their large (and occasionally smothering) family, Weasleys and extended. "And you're brothers are used to taking care of younger children. I mean, they had you and Ginny to look after when you were babies, right? Look at Bill, he grew up with six younger siblings, it's no wonder he can probably change a nappy in his sleep."

Ron tips his head to the side contemplatively. "I guess I never thought of that," he admits grudgingly.

Harry smiles. "It's difficult right now, yeah, but it'll get easier. By the time you have your next baby, you'll be pros."

Ron immediately looks horrified. "Next baby? You're barking, mate. There's no way we're going through this again. I mean I love Rose to death, but blimey, I'd go mad."

"I thought the same after we had Jamie, but look at me now. We have two boys, and hopefully we'll have a third soon." His heart stutters at the thought of a new baby. Even after going through two pregnancies and gradually becoming used to being a father, it stills takes his breath away to think of bringing new life into the world.

Ron raises an eyebrow. "You and Ginny are trying again? But Albus is only three and a half months old."

"And how much older than Ginny are you?" He retorts dryly. "And anyways, Ginny and I've talked about it. We've decided three is a good number for us. We're hoping for a girl this time." Secretly he's a little afraid of having a daughter, but more than a little thrilled at the prospect.

Ron shrugs, and then frowns. "But isn't Gin at a job interview? She quit her last job because she got pregnant."

"She was a professional Quidditch player, she couldn't very well continue on while pregnant," he says in exasperation. "And the job she's interviewing for would mean she could work from home. She'd be working for the Daily Prophet, writing about Quidditch. She's pretty well-versed in the topic," he adds wryly.

Ron sighs. "I wish Hermione would agree to take a stay at home job. She's going to work herself to collapsing at this rate."

"Staying out of work isn't possible for Hermione; she's not programmed like that. She would hate staying out of the action." She'd probably go mad if she had nothing to do all day long, he muses.

"Yeah," Ron says fondly, "she's strong like that."

Harry grins at the dopey expression on Ron's face. He has it bad. Not, he adds mentally, that I'm any better. It's a bloody good thing Ron'll never read the 'poetry' I wrote for Ginny back when we were dating. He'd laugh his arse off at me. He had been so terrible that he and Ginny had made a game of writing increasing awful and cheesy poems for each other. And here he had thought 'His eyes are as green as a fresh-pickled toad' was the end-all be-all to awful poetry.

Glancing at the clock, he stands up. "C'mon mate, we're meant to be leaving soon. Let's eat so we can get to the Burrow soon. I miss my family."

Ron rolls his eyes. "You saw them a few hours ago. And they're at Mum's house. You know how she loves to baby her grandkids."

"Yeah, but I bet you miss 'Mione and Rose too, right?" He shoots back.

Ron grins. "Fair enough, mate. Fair enough."

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A/N: A very short, drabbley chapter in which Harry reassures Ron about being a new father. I don't particularly like this chapter, but it needed to be written and this is the best it's going to get. Review if you want, but I hope you enjoyed the story. Hopefully my updates will be more frequent now that my life seems to be more on schedule, but I make no promises. I do apologize for the crappy writing. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer. I'm open to ideas for the next chapter. Should Lily be born yet? Should Ginny be pregnant? Should it be just Ginny and Harry and the kids, or should there be more of the family? Should Teddy be in it? Should there be more Auror!Harry? What do you want to see?

-HF