Chapter 12 How Harry Got His Body Back
The sound of the alarm buzzing woke up Ginny the next morning. She reached over Harry and turned off the alarm before Harry could get the snooze button.
It was the morning of Harry's surgery, the excess skin on his abdomen would be gone after today and then he'll rest at home for a few weeks before returning to work. Ginny knew Harry was nervous about the surgery and dreaded to see this day come. But Healer Brown, the healer who was performing the surgery, had told them that no matter how many sit-ups, Harry did, the excess skin would still be there.
"Harry, sweetie, time to get up," she crooned. Soon his emerald eyes looked up into her brown ones.
"Can I sleep just a little longer?" He asked, hopefully. Ginny shook her head and tossed the covers off her husband.
"No, you've got to take a shower and wash your belly with that soap Healer Brown gave us. Up you get."
Harry grumbled his way to the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
Ginny shook her head as she got up from the bed and left the bedroom. She walked into the kids rooms, checking on each one. James and Albus were fast asleep, but Lily was wide awake.
"Good morning pretty girl, how did you sleep?"She cooed.
Lily woke up a few times in the night, needed to be changed or feed. Harry had got up with her, allowing Ginny to sleep and since he had trouble getting to sleep. He fed her, rocked her, changed her nappy and then when she went back to sleep, he put her back in her cot and returned to bed before Ginny could discover he was gone.
The sound of the floo brought Ginny's attention downstairs. She looked at the clock in the hallway and saw that it was after four in the morning.
"Granddad and Grandmum are here. They are going to stay with you and your brothers today while I'm with Daddy."
Ginny slowly walked downstairs, as she was carrying her daughter and was greeted by her parents when she reached the sitting room.
"Good morning, Ginny," Molly greeted as she sat her bags down on the couch. Ginny could tell that Molly brought her knitting with her and some food with her to fix. Apparently Ginny didn't have any food at the house, which she did, having gone to the store the day before.
"Good morning Mum," Ginny returned. Before Molly could reach her granddaughter, Arthur had a hold of Lily.
"Good morning princess," Arthur cooed his granddaughter. "How are you this morning?"
Molly and Ginny smiled as they watched Arthur held Lily and then slowly and gently walk to the armchair in the family room.
"How are you dear?" Molly asked. "Do you want me to fix you something?"
Ginny shook her head slightly. "I'll eat when Harry's allowed to."
"Ginny, at least eat some toast. I don't need you starving yourself because of Harry's restrictions," Molly all but begged.
"Okay". Ginny pointed her wand to the bread box and two slices of bread went into the toaster. She ate her toast in silence, watching her Dad coo Lily and her Mum putting up the food she had fixed and brought with her. Just like when Harry and Ginny brought Lily home, Molly fixed a lot of casseroles and quick fixes for Ginny so she wouldn't have to worry about dinner. Judging by the amount of food Molly was putting in the refrigerator, Ginny wouldn't have to worry about cooking for two weeks.
The creaking of the stairs brought Ginny's attention to the doorway. Harry shuffled into the kitchen, dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of his black sweatpants. Healer Brown recommended he wear something with a stretchy waist.
"Morning," he greeted, he sat beside Arthur.
"Nervous?" Arthur asked. Harry nodded his head slowly.
"More nervous about after the surgery than the surgery itself," Harry deadpanned.
Ginny came over and ran her fingers through Harry's damp hair. She knew how nervous and scared he was about the aftermath.
"I'm going to go shower, get dressed and check on the boys. We'll leave here at about 4:45. I was thinking about leaving Mum and Dad, my car and we'll drive yours. I figured you could get in and out of it easier," Ginny told her husband.
"Okay". Once Ginny left the kitchen, Molly headed to the scullery and began a load of laundry. Arthur handed Lily to Harry and told him that he would take a kip on the couch in the family room before the boys got up.
"Well, Lily, it will be a while before I can lift you. But that doesn't mean I can't hold you. I love you, baby girl".
Harry carried Lily upstairs to her room and set her down in the crib. He softly kissed her head and left the room quietly.
Molly came upstairs to collect the rest of the laundry.
"Arthur's asleep in the family room and I put Lily back in her cot. She's sound asleep. I'm going to check on the boys," he informed his mother in law.
Molly nodded and headed on to the hall bathroom where the kids' laundry hamper was. Harry went into James's room first since it was closer. Harry silently watched James sleep for a minute before he bent down and kissed the top of his head.
"I love you, James. Be good for Grandmum and Granddad."
He repeated the same routine with Albus and then followed Ginny downstairs. Ginny had collected her bag and headed downstairs.
"We're leaving," Ginny told her mother. Molly embraced Harry with a tight hug.
"You'll do just fine, sweetheart," Molly whispered as she hugged him.
When they broke apart, Ginny hugged her mother, thanked for taking care of the kids and told her that she would keep her updated on how Harry was doing.
Harry and Ginny then walked out the front door, the outside lights on the porch and on the side of the garage were on and approached Harry's car as it was parked behind the SUV. Unlike Ginny's car, Harry's was a sedan. Ginny knew her father had a Muggle driver's license and decided to leave her car since it had all of the kids' car seats in it.
Harry had stopped himself from getting in the driver's side and walked around to the passenger's side. Ginny got in the driver's side and buckled her seat belt.
"You ready?" Ginny asked before she started the car.
"I'm ready," Harry responded, not sounding so sure.
Ginny reached for Harry's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "You'll be okay."
Harry nodded and buckled his seat belt. Ginny started the car and backed out of the driveway and headed towards London to St. Mungo's.
Ginny glanced at her husband, noticing that he seemed to be paler than normal. She reached over for his hand and gave him a comforting squeeze.
"It's going to be okay," she whispered, even if she didn't know it would be.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Ginny parked in the car park closest to St. Mungo's. In silence, they got out of the car and walked to the mannequin that was the entrance for St. Mungo's.
"Here to see Healer Brown for surgery," Ginny told the mannequin. A minute later, they entered the lobby of St. Mungo's.
"Hello, Harry Potter, Healer Brown's patient, we're here for surgery," Ginny said to the welcome witch.
"Is the surgery, outpatient?" She demanded.
"Yes," Harry and Ginny both answered.
"Go down the hall and the waiting room should be on your left," the welcome witch explained.
"Thank you." Ginny gently turned Harry to the right and they walked down the hallway to the outpatient surgery waiting room. When they reached the room with the wall to ceiling windows, Ginny opened the door and let Harry in first.
There was a man who looked to be Arthur's age sitting in the corner flipping through yesterday's Daily Prophet, and a few women and men sitting off to one side, talking quietly.
"Good morning, which one is our patient?" The witch at the desk asked.
"He is," Ginny responded, motioning to Harry before he said anything.
"Who is performing the surgery?" The witch asked, beginning to fill out a form.
"Healer Brown," Harry replied.
"Are you the eight o'clock abdominoplasty?"
"Yes," Ginny answered, noticing Harry suddenly became silent.
"Okay, I'll need some information. Name?"
"Harry James Potter," Harry answered.
"Age?"
"28"
"Date of Birth?"
"July 31st, 1980."
"Emergency contact?"
"My wife, Ginevra Potter."
After another twenty minutes of questions, Ginny sat down in the second seat, realizing when the witch asked about Harry's health history that they would be there awhile.
After ten minutes of explaining Harry's health history, (including pregnancy, labor, and delivery), the witch placed a hospital bracelet on Harry's wrist and they went into the main part of the waiting area and sat down.
"Nervous?" Ginny asked after some time had passed.
"Very," Harry answered. He looked at Ginny and leaned his head onto her shoulder. She wrapped a comforting arm around him and whispered words of comfort and telling him that everything is going to be okay.
"Harry Potter?"
Harry looked at Ginny for a second before he got up and followed the mediwitch to the pre-op area, Ginny following right behind him.
The mediwitch motioned for Harry to enter the small cubicle with a bed, two chairs, and medical equipment.
"Mrs. Potter, if you would wait out here until Mr. Potter changes," the mediwitch intoned to Ginny.
"Why?" Ginny asked. "I've seen him naked and it's nothing I haven't seen before". She smiled, smothering a giggle at the mediwitch's look of bewilderment.
"Healer Brown will be right with you as well as Healer Willis." The mediwitch left, blinking as if she was in a daze.
"Did you really have to do that?" Harry asked when Ginny pulled the curtain to give Harry some privacy.
"Hey, you did that the mediwitches and the welcome witches in Shanti's office," Ginny said, defensively.
"I only did that to toughen them up for the barbarian horde that is the rest of the family. Especially Bill and George. Those two could turn anyone into a pile of goo with their verbal sparring ability," Harry explained.
Harry took off his trainers and then his socks. His sweatpants and T-shirt followed and slipped the gown on.
"Are you feeling okay?" Ginny asked, noticing how quiet Harry was.
Harry leaned back against the pillows, looking down at his bare feet, wiggling his toes. "I'm okay."
Before Ginny could say anything else, Shanti came into the cubicle.
"Good morning," the healer greeted. "How are we doing?"
"Fine, nervous, ready for it to be over," Harry answered, laughing nervously.
"You're not the first patient to be nervous. We'll get you a calming draught if you need one?"
Harry shook his head slowly. "I'm good."
Healer Brown entered the cubicle, carrying Harry's thick file.
"Good morning, Hello Healer Willis," he greeted. "Are we ready for today?"
"Yeah," Harry deadpanned.
"Okay, if you could, stand in front of me and I'll mark you for the surgery."
Harry stood up from the bed and walked to where the healer was sitting on the rolling stool. Healer Brown pulled up the gown and Harry held it up so the healers could discuss their plan.
"Healer Willis, you'll begin with the removal of the uterus like sack?"
Shanti nodded. "It's located, right here." She placed her hand under Harry's navel. "I'll let you make the incision where you need to and then I'll make an incision in the muscle underneath and remove the sack. That part should take thirty to forty-five minutes. Then I'll let you tighten the muscle since I'm making a vertical incision."
"Then I'll take over and Shanti will come out and talk to you to let you know that that part of the operation is over and I've begun the tummy tuck," Healer Brown informed Ginny. He picked up his marker and lifted up the saggy skin of Harry's belly.
"We'll make the incision here and circle around to pull down the skin. The bonus is that the scars from the cesarean and the birth canal will be gone. After Healer Willis is finished as she said, I'll tighten the muscles and then remove the excess skin. Then I'll make a new hole for the navel and close the incision," Healer Brown explained, as he drew the line for the incision on Harry's lower abdomen.
"Any questions?"
Harry shook his head and Ginny said that she didn't have any she could conceive of.
"Okay, we'll get ready to head back in about ten minutes."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Ten minutes later found Harry and Ginny, waiting in the pre-op holding room where they were waiting for Harry to be taken in for surgery.
After Shanti and Healer Brown, left, a mediwitch came in and began an IV in Harry's right hand. Then another healer came in and discussed anesthesia or sleeping draught options.
After that, another mediwitch came in and moved them to the pre-op holding room.
"Ginny?"
"What is it, sweetie?" Ginny replied softly.
"I'm scared."
Ginny looked at her husband and the look on his face was enough to tell her that he was scared to have the surgery.
"It's alright. You'll be just fine. You've made through surgeries before. And I'll take care of you."
Harry swallowed thickly and turned to look at Ginny. "I think the calming draught is kicking in now." A calming draught was injected into Harry's IV when the mediwitch began the IV.
"Are you scared now?" she asked.
"Not really."
Ginny leaned over and kissed Harry on the forehead, crinkling the blue surgical cap was on his head.
"Are you ready Mr. Potter?" a mediwitch asked.
"As I'm going to be," Harry intoned. He looked up at Ginny, "I love you."
"I love you too." Ginny kissed him and took his glasses and placed them in his case she had in her purse.
"We'll take good care of him," Shanti said to Ginny before she followed the floating stretcher.
"I know."
A second mediwitch asked Ginny to follow her and she led Ginny to the surgery waiting room, a different waiting room than the one, Harry and Ginny were in earlier.
"You'll wait in here while your husband is in surgery."
"Thank you." Before the mediwitch said anything else, Ginny added, "and I know where the tea room is. I've been here more times than I care to count." The downside of being married to an Auror and having an accident-prone husband.
Ginny found a seat in the middle of the room and sat down. She leaned over, placing her head in her hands and hoped that everything will be alright and that Harry did fine in the surgery.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Ginny?"
At the sound of her name, she looked up and found Hermione, standing beside her with a to-go tray of tea and a bag that had a smell of something from a bakery.
"Hey Hermione," Ginny greeted. They had done this routine dozen of times. The downside of being an Auror's wife.
"When did they take him back?"
"Five minutes ago." Ginny moved her bag and coat out of the way and the bag with Harry's clothes in the chair to her right so Hermione could sit down.
"I stopped at the coffee shop and got us some tea and something to nibble on."
Ginny laughed softly. Hermione and Ginny visited the coffee shop down the street from St. Mungo's whenever Harry or Ron was taken to the hospital.
Hermione and Ginny settled into their seats, drinking their tea and munching on the mini muffins that Hermione had picked up with the tea.
"How was last night?" Hermione asked curiously. She and Ginny were in the same boat, having a newborn at home. It's been an adjustment for everyone.
"Well, James and Albus went to sleep quickly and stayed asleep. Lily was up and down half the night, Harry got up with her. He thinks I don't know that, but I did. Lily was awake and alert this morning when I checked on her."
Hermione listened, nodded every now and then. "Are Molly and Arthur watching them?"
Ginny nodded, stifling a yawn. "Yeah, Mum and Dad arrived at my house at four this morning."
Hermione sipped on her tea she had brought with her that morning, bringing a cup for Ginny. The tea at St. Mungo's left something to be desired.
"Mum's got my two. I didn't want to overwhelm Molly by adding my two to the mix," Hermione mused.
"Mum wouldn't have cared. If all of us dropped the kids off at the Burrow and went out to dinner, she would love it," Ginny laughed. It was no secret that Molly loved being a grandmother.
Hermione and Ginny sat in silence for a while until Hermione said, "So Mum's decided to retire."
Ginny looked at Hermione, a look of surprise on her face. "What brought this one?"
Hermione sighed and said, "She says it's time. She's having a hard time, letting go of the practice, but she wants to retire. I've talked to a few of her clients and they've told me that Mum's heart doesn't seem to be in it since Dad died. That's why she's having a hard time selling the practice. It's something she and Dad built from the ground up."
Ginny listened to Hermione talk. If it wasn't Harry or Ron that Hermione would talk to, it was Ginny.
"Didn't she have a hard time selling her house for the same reason?" Ginny asked gently.
"Yes. She kept seeing Dad in his chair in the sitting room or at the dining table. She couldn't sleep in her bedroom, she had moved to the guest room. After Ron and I got married and had Rosie, she decided that the house was too big for just her. Luckily, my cousin and her husband were looking for a house and offered to buy it. This way, Mum could go visit and see Dad's garden. Denise keeps it up as Dad did."
"Has she found a place yet?" Ginny asked Hermione. Jane had moved in with Ron and Hermione, at their invitation and had searched for a place of her own since. Rosie was just a month old when Jane moved into Ron and Hermione's house.
"She found a small house, actually down the road from me. I could walk there in fifteen minutes and be there five in the car. It's perfect for her and if Ron, me and the kids had to stay with her, there would be room. It's three bedrooms."
"Oh, so is she ready to move?"
Hermione paused, finding her words. "She's been slowly packing when she has time. She told me that she's going to miss living with us and it will be an adjustment, especially for Rosie. She's used to Mum giving her a bath and spending time with her in the evenings. She'll miss her
Nana time."
"How do you feel about it?"
"I'm happy for her. I've loved having her at home. She's been a huge help, cooking, cleaning. She said that when she retires, she wants to watch Rosie and Hugo full time. Maybe let Molly watch them when she can't or she's unable to."
Ginny nodded, "I could understand that. Mum and Dad are the only grandparents, my kids have. But you still have your Mum, so you have someone to fall back on."
"I know." Hermione knew how hard it was for Harry to not have his parents see his children grow up. But Harry had plenty of stories people have told him about his parents to share with his children.
The two women sat in silence; the only sound was the quiet conversations from the other occupants of the waiting room and the scratching of a quill on the welcome witch's desk.
"So, is Harry also having that...?" Hermione trailed off.
"Yes, Shanti's doing it first and then Healer Brown was going to do his procedure."
Hermione nodded and sipped at her tea. Ginny looked at the table across the room and went over to look at the magazine selection. She picked up a Good Witchkeeping and a Witch Weekly.
Hermione snorted, remembering something.
"Do you know what Harry and Ron do with those magazines Shanti has in her office?"
"No," Ginny answered.
"They compare which one has, the more unrealistic view of parenthood and then draw, the more realistic things like spit up stains, toys on the floor, and any or all manner of chaos that comes with having a child."
Ginny laughed. She remembered looking through her parenting magazine she had picked up at the grocery store and when she flipped through the second time, Harry had drawn on nearly every picture, including dark circles under the mother's eyes that graced the cover.
"I know. We've had to wait on Shanti a few times and I would flip through one and Harry and I would discuss how realistic the pictures were."
The women got quiet again, flipping through the magazines, often commenting on an article or an advertisement.
Ginny happened to look at the clock and realized that she had been sitting there for an hour.
"Shanti said her part should only take thirty to forty-five minutes and then she was going to come and speak with me while Healer Brown took over."
Hermione looked at the clock and then to the door that leads to the recovery and pre-op area. The door opened and Shanti stepped out in surgical scrubs and scanned the room for Ginny.
"Ginny." Hermione tapped Ginny's shoulder. The red-headed witch looked up and let out a small sigh of relief. Shanti walked over and pulled the chair across from Ginny.
"Hello, Hermione, I didn't know you would be here."
"I thought I'd keep Ginny company," the bushy headed witch explained.
Before Ginny asked, Shanti said, "Harry did good in my part of the surgery, I removed the sack. It came out with no problems. Healer Brown was started his part and he should be done in about two hours or so."
"Okay." Ginny let out the breath she had been holding.
"There was no damage to his bowels or other organs and the sack came out smoothly. Healer Brown closed the incision since he was tightening Harry's abdominal muscles."
"Thanks, Shanti."
"You're welcome, I'll check on him before you take him home."
After Shanti left, Ginny felt that part of a weight had been lifted. Then she remembered what Harry had asked Healer Brown during his consultation appointment and busted out laughing, causing Hermione to look her sister in law, puzzled.
"What's so funny?" She demanded.
"Shanti mentioned Healer Brown tightening Harry's abdominal muscles. Harry asked Healer Brown when he was examining his abdomen if he could create a six pack."
Hermione smothered a laugh, her lips curving into a smile. She may not have been laughing, but her shoulders were shaking.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
It had been an hour since Shanti came out and talked to Ginny after she completed her part of the procedure. Hermione had visited the gift shop to pick up a more up to date copy of Good Witchkeeping, Witch Weekly, Quidditch Weekly, and Which Broomstick.
Another hour passed as Ginny and Hermione sat in their seats, flipping through magazines or reading a book (in Hermione's case). The door from the main corridor opened and Angelina came in.
"Hey, do we know anything?" She asked as she sat down across from Hermione and Ginny. She stopped by to see if there was any news on Harry. She had been in contact with Molly and there had been no update since Ginny had talked to Shanti. Ginny had floo, Molly, to let her know that one procedure was complete and they were waiting for the second to finish.
"No, no one has told me anything new," Ginny answered. Angelina had also stopped and got some tea at the same coffee shop.
"You know what this reminds me of?" Hermione began, accepting tea from Angelina.
"What?" Ginny asked her.
"This reminds me of that mission the boys went on when they arrested you know who."
Ginny nodded, knowing what Hermione was talking about. She would never forget the hours of waiting her and Hermione had spent in the other surgery waiting room, awaiting word on their husbands.
Angelina leaned over and whispered, "Was this when they arrested Rita Skeeter?"
Both Hermione and Ginny nodded. Angelina sat back, flipping through the Quidditch magazine that Ginny had handed her.
The three women enjoyed each other's company until Angelina had to get back to her children whom she left with George at the joke shop.
Ginny told her that she would firecall her when they got home and if she needed anything.
Hermione glanced at her watch and realized that Angelina had been there for an hour and a half. She told Ginny this and they started to do the math on how long Harry's surgery had been and how much longer it would be.
"Potter?"
Ginny got up and walked to the welcome witch.
"Your husband is out of surgery and Healer Brown will be out to talk to you in a minute."
"Thank you," Ginny breathed. She walked back to Hermione to tell her that Harry's surgery was over.
Ginny had just sat back down when Healer Brown came out and Ginny stood up again. Healer Brown walked over to where Ginny and Hermione was sitting.
"Hello Ginny," the healer greeted, like Shanti, he was dressed in surgical scrubs.
"Hello. This is my sister in law, Hermione," Ginny introduced the healer to Hermione.
"Hello. Can we talk?" He asked Ginny.
"Sure," Ginny nodded.
"The surgery was a success. We had no problems whatsoever. We took off about two in a half pounds of skin, tighten and repaired his abdominal muscle and made a new hole for his navel. He's in recovery now, we'll let you know when he's been moved to the post-op room."
"Okay, thank you."
Once the healer left, Ginny turned to Hermione and let out a sigh of relief. They settled back in their seats and waited until they were called back to see Harry.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
An hour later, the welcome witch called, "Family of Harry Potter."
Ginny collected her bags and followed the healer with Hermione behind her. The witch led them a cubicle, like the one Harry was in earlier. Ginny walked in and sighed in relief.
Harry was still asleep, his hair was wilder than she had ever seen it and he propped up on pillows. Ginny walked over to Harry's right side and gently ran her fingers through his hair. Harry cracked his eyes up at the contact.
"Hello sweetheart," she greeted.
"Hi," Harry replied, groggily.
"Are you feeling?" She asked softly.
"Like I've been run over by the Knight Bus. My stomach feels like Yonas used it has a punching bag."
Ginny winced at the pained expression on her husband's face as he tried to move to a more comfortable position. He laid back against the pillows and closed his eyes.
"Ginny," Harry croaked.
"Yes?"
"I'm going to be sick."
Ginny grabbed the basin Hermione rushed to her and got it under Harry's chin just before he started throwing up.
Once Harry was done, Ginny moved the basin out of the way, but still in her reach and handed Harry a cup of water.
"Rinse your mouth out and I'll get you some water to drink."
Harry rinsed his mouth out and handed the cup back Ginny. Ginny gave Harry another cup of water and helped him take slow sips.
Healer Brown walked in and looked over Harry's chart and then looked at his patient, noticing the green tinge.
"Post-op nausea?"
Ginny nodded yes. "It should be in his file."
Healer Brown flipped through Harry's file and nodded. "Yes, it says prone to extreme nausea and vomiting after sleeping draught or anesthesia."
Ginny watched Healer Brown make a few notes in Harry's file before he approached the bed and pulled up Harry's hospital gown.
"I'm going to have a quick look and when we'll let you rest here for a little bit before we let you go home."
Healer Brown gently pulled back the bandage and Ginny let her jaw drop at the sight of her husband's now flat belly.
"He'll need to wear a compression garment for a while. He'll need to sleep like this," the healer motioned to how Harry was positioned in the bed. "And he'll need to take it easy. The first week is the toughest."
Healer Brown made a final note and closed Harry's file, replacing it in the holder on the wall.
"I'll see you in an hour. We'll let him rest, see how well he's doing before we let him go home."
Ginny nodded and settled in the seat beside Harry's bed. She watched as Harry drifted off to sleep.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Harry's sleep, as it transpired, only lasted five minutes when a wave of nausea washed over him and he got Ginny's attention to hand him a basin.
Ginny soothingly rubbed her husband's back as he threw up in the basin. When Harry finished, he leaned against Ginny's shoulder, allowing her to clean his face off.
The mediwitch who was in charge of Harry's care had informed Ginny that Harry had vomited three times in recovery. Since Harry seemed to be fully awake, to help settle his stomach, the mediwitch gave Harry a stomach calmer, which helped a lot.
"How's your stomach feeling?" Ginny asked an hour after Harry took the stomach calmer.
"Still a little queasy."
Healer Brown and Shanti came in and checked on Harry once an hour, checking to see if Harry was bleeding from his incision.
Hermione had left, telling Ginny to let her know if she needed anything, heading to the Ministry to update Ron in person and to meet him for lunch before returning home.
After he had been in post-op for an hour, Shanti said that they would try to see if Harry could walk to the bathroom. Ginny moved the pillows out of the way, gently helping Harry turn to the side so he could stand up.
"Easy," Ginny soothed. Harry wrapped his arm around Ginny's and gripped her upper arm.
Harry gasped at the sharp pain in his stomach. "Gin, can we go slowly?"
Ginny nodded and slowly helped Harry to stand and lead him to the bathroom.
Now that the surgery was behind them, Ginny now had to take care of Harry as he recovered. She just hoped that his recovery was quick.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
"His vitals have been stable for two hours, he's not bleeding now and he doesn't seem to be in a lot of pain," Healer Brown informed Ginny. "He's ready to go home."
Ginny then listened to Healer Brown's instructions on taking care of Harry for the next week.
As Healer Brown was giving Ginny the aftercare instructions, a mediwitch was unhooking Harry's IV.
"These are some pain relieving potions for pain, he can take a dose every six hours if needed," Healer Brown explained, handing her the bag of potions. "Owl me or floo me if you need something stronger than that or if it causes any stomach distress."
Ginny put the bag of potions in her purse, along with the parchment with the aftercare instructions.
"Thank you."
Ginny helped Harry change back into his sweatpants and his oversized tee shirt. Once he was dressed and got his socks and shoes on, Harry moved to the armchair, waiting for Healer Brown to bring the discharge papers.
"Ready to go home?" The healer asked, signing the form and handing it to Ginny for her to sign.
"Yes!" Harry exclaimed. Ginny helped him get up from the bed and they walked slowly down the hall to the exit and the car park.
Ginny opened the passenger door and helped Harry in the car. She walked around the car and got in the driver's side, getting in and drove home to Godric's Hollow
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Molly had taken Lily and Albus home with her, while Angelina volunteered to take James. They would keep them for a week to give allow Harry to have Ginny's full attention.
Ginny parked the car behind the SUV and got out. "Wait for me to get around before you get out," she told Harry.
She walked around the car and helped Harry out of the car. Slowly they walked to the front door and Ginny unlocked the house, opening the door. She led Harry to the couch in the sitting room.
"Sit there for a second while I unload the car and I'll help you to the couch in the family room."
"I'll be here," Harry told her.
Ginny went out to the car, collected her bags and the bucket she brought with her in case Harry got sick on the way home. She placed the bucket on the kitchen table and sat her bags down. She walked back into the sitting room and approached her husband.
"Okay, on the count of three, you're going to stand up, ready?" She asked. Harry nodded. "One, two, three," She counted. On three, Harry slowly and gently lifted himself off the couch and they shuffled to the family room.
"Need anything?" Ginny asked, covering Harry up with the blanket.
"I'm okay," Harry responded. He propped himself up on some pillows and laid back, falling asleep.
Ginny went into the kitchen and fixed herself a quick lunch and brought Harry some water. She then went into the family room, turning the TV on low and started watching a midday talk show.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Harry woke up, needing to use the bathroom. "Ginny?!" He called, wincing at the sharp pain in his abdomen.
"Yes?" Ginny asked as she came back from unpacking her bags she had taken with her to the hospital.
"I need to use the bathroom," Harry informed her. Ginny walked over and moved the pillow she placed under his knees.
"Go slowly, it hurts," Harry requested.
"Are you ready?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah."
"Okay, one, two, three," Ginny helped slowly pull Harry into a sitting position. Harry winced at the pain and slowly turned his body to the left to get off the couch. Ginny helped him stand up.
"I think I can manage by myself." Ginny nodded, following him a few steps behind Harry. She closed the door to the bathroom, letting Harry know she'll be outside the door if she needed him.
Harry came out a few minutes later and shuffled back to the couch.
"Anyone home?" Someone called from the back door.
"Family room!" Ginny called back. She heard footsteps and then saw her brother standing in the doorway
Ron came in the family room as Harry sat back down on the couch.
"Hi Ginny, I thought I'd come by and check on Harry."
"How sweet of you," Ginny commented. "I'll leave you two alone."
"How are you feeling?" Ron asked as he sat down on the couch across from Harry.
"I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach. I have muscle spasms and cramps and they hurt. I also have incision pain, feels like thousands of little needles are poking me," Harry explained.
Ron winced as Harry talked, feeling sorry that Harry was in from what it sounds like, a lot of pain.
"Is it worth it?" Ron asked, finding a new found respect for his best mate, not for the first time.
Harry thought for a moment before he answered, "Yes, it's worth it."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Harry looked around his office one final time before zipping his bag shut. He picked it up and placed it next to his boots by the door.
Tomorrow will be his first day back to work since before Lily was born. When his paternity leave ended, he switched to medical leave due to recovering from the tummy tuck. He was looking forward to going back to work, after being away for so long.
Luckily Ron was kind enough to bring paperwork to Harry from the office or Harry would send Ginny to the Ministry for any work regardless of what it was. But it was because of the fact that Harry had worked on some things from home that it lessened his workload when he did return to the office.
He would have been back sooner, but Shanti, Holly, and Healer Brown all suggested that he take as much time as necessary. It didn't help that Kingsley, Ron, and Ginny were on the same page as the healers.
Harry climbed the stairs heading to his bedroom, but he paused when he walked up the stairs. Lily's room was the first door on the right. A habit Harry had picked up was to check on the kids before he went to bed himself when he came home from missions.
He walked quietly in the baby's room and smiled gently at his snoozing daughter. He still couldn't believe he had a daughter, a little girl of his own. He never will admit to anyone how jealous he felt as he watched his brother in laws with their daughters. Arthur had told him once that a father's relationship with his daughter will be the most special one of all.
Just when Harry thought that he would never have a daughter, fate stepped in and gave him one. Ginny never could thank him enough for carrying her. Lily will never really know the sacrifices Harry had made and how much he went through to bring her into the world.
He leaned over the side of the cot and softly kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Good night, princess. Daddy loves you."
He quietly left Lily's room and went next door to James's room.
Harry walked quietly to James's bed, where the boy was sprawled out on the bed, his dragon bedspread over him. Harry knew, despite the fact that James was four years old, he would be a combination of his namesakes and his father. He had already seen the troublemaker come out in his eldest son. Harry never thought he'd see the day he would have a child, let alone a son.
Ginny knew of his dream of having a family. She decided when her contract came up for renewal after a total of four years with the Harpies that she would move on and write about Quidditch instead of playing it. When asked why she decided to quit playing Quidditch, Ginny responded by saying that she felt that it was time and that she was ready to start a family. Harry had no idea that that was the reason why Ginny decided to retire. To say that Harry was stunned by Ginny's decision, would be an understatement.
Harry pushed back the fringe on James's head and kissed his forehead. "Good night, buddy. Daddy loves you."
After tucking in James's blanket, Harry headed towards Albus's room. He backtracked to Lily's room, crossing the corridor to his and Ginny's room, passing the kid's bathroom and into Albus's room.
Albus was the splitting image of his father. When Harry went back to the house in Godric's Hollow, he recovered some baby pictures of himself. He boxed them up and moved them to the attic upstairs. Ginny had found one of Harry when he was just a few days old and compared it to Albus. Unfortunately for Ginny, Albus was all Harry, personality and all. But Albus was clingy to Ginny, the apparent "Mama's boy."That didn't mean though, that would let Harry cuddle, snuggle or hug him.
"Good night, kiddo. Daddy loves you." Harry kissed his forehead and left the room quietly. He didn't have Teddy, so there was no need to trek up the stairs to the attic.
He quietly went into his bedroom, where Ginny was propped up against the pillows, reading a parenting book.
"The kids are asleep," Harry informed her. Ginny pushed back the cover and Harry climbed into bed. He turned over to face Ginny.
"Nervous about returning to work?" Ginny asked him, curiously.
"Not really."
Ginny marked her place in her book and placed it on her nightstand. She flicked her wand at the lights and the room went dark with only the dim light from the master bathroom and the moonlight from the windows.
"Good night, Harry. I love you."
Ginny leaned over and kissed Harry good night, "Sleep well."
"I think I will," Harry stated. "I love you too. Good night."
Harry turned over, checked the alarm on his side of the bed and laid there until his eyes got droopy and he fell asleep.
AN: For more on Harry's recovery, stay tuned for the one shot in A Long Nine Months- One-shots, coming soon.