Ad rem: without digressing; in a straightforward manner

February 22, 2005

Ginny collapsed into the armchair with a groan. Her round belly ballooned out in front of her, eight months pregnant.

"There's no way you're going to be able to get me out of this chair," she groaned. "I hope you don't mind me giving birth in your living room. You'll hardly even notice, I promise."

"Of course you had to pick the best armchair for your month-long camp," Ron mock-grumbled, throwing himself onto the couch.

"Two votes to one," Ginny smirked, rubbing her stomach. She winced. "Alright, alright. No one can feel you agreeing with me but me," she grumbled.

"Is he kicking?" Hermione asked, perching on the edge of Ginny's armchair and hovering her hand tentatively over Ginny's stomach.

Ginny grabbed her hand and pressed the palm over her bellybutton for answer. Hermione let her breath out in a little "oh".

"Now imagine that on your bladder. All the time," said Ginny.

"One more month, love," Harry reminded her, squeezing her hand as he dropped into the chair on her other side.

"Don't think I haven't forgotten who did this to me," Ginny said, narrowing her eyes at her husband. "It's your genes that have him ready to come out fighting."

Harry smothered a laugh in his cup of coffee.

"I want a baby," Hermione announced suddenly.

Ron nearly fell off the sofa and Harry choked on his coffee.

"A w-what?"

"A baby," Hermione repeated calmly, sliding over to the arm of the sofa and looking earnestly down at her own husband. "We've been married a year and a half. I think it's about time."

"Definitely a conversation I'm not comfortably hearing," Harry muttered, shoving his mug aside and leaping to his feet.

"Don't even think about leaving me here, Potter," said Ginny, crabbing his elbow.

"You're the one that knocked up my sister," Ron called as Harry half-carried his wife out of the room. "I've got to see the evidence every day! Come on, no leaving a man behind!"

But the kitchen door had already closed. Swallowing hard, Ron turned his eyes back to Hermione. He tried to smile.

"You – you're just saying that because you went shopping for baby stuff with Gin today," he tried nervously. "Just wait until the kid actually comes – all screaming and gooey and completely unorganized. You don't want that right now."

He looked a strange mixture of cornered and hopeful. Hermione laughed. She slid under his arm.

"It's different when it's your screaming, gooey, completely unorganized responsibility," she told him. "I'm not saying I want one this very moment…."

Ron visibly sagged.

"…But someday – soonish – I think I'd like a baby. It took us seven years to kiss, five to get married…. Ron, if we don't start talking about this soon, it could be ten years before we get around to it. My parents aren't exactly young, you know. And they haven't got as long as your parents do."

"But – but a baby?" Ron almost whimpered.

"There not so terrifying, really," Hermione assured him amusedly. She rubbed his arm. "All I'm saying is maybe we could start thinking about it."

He looked at her eyes, dancing with the excitement of their futures.

"Think about it. Yeah, yeah, we can start there. But – blimey, Hermione, warn a bloke before you go springing something like that on him next time," he grumbled.

"It would be appreciated," Harry's muffled voice came from the kitchen, over the noise of the kettle whistling, dishes clanking, and chairs scuffing the floor.

"Best to get straight to the point," Hermione laughed, raising her voice loud enough for Harry and Ginny, hiding in the kitchen, to hear.

A/N: There you have it. Back to today's word. I'll have to catch up with the rest soon. Perhaps a bit abrupt here, but that was the point. Hope you liked it. Read and review? :D