Disclaimer: See chapter 1
A/N: I am working to button this fic up.
-oOo-
Chapter 19
-oOo-
September 19, 1997
Hogwarts, Scotland
Hermione drank her tea as the Headmistress looked over her weekly report. Once a week Headmistress McGonagall would meet with her head boy and head girl in individual and group meetings. "From this report, it looks like the first years are settling in nicely. No more rule breaking than normal. No issues in the married quarters?"
"None, Headmistress," she said.
"Good. I don't see anything to really take action on. Good job, Head Girl Granger."
"Thank you," Hermione replied.
McGonagall put down the two parchments. "Now, this meeting is as much about business as it is to see how you are doing. Do you feel like you are adjusting well to your increased responsibilities?"
Hermione thought about that for a moment. "I think I am. It's more work, but I find I like working with the other prefects and helping the fifth-years."
McGonagall nodded her head. "I hear that you have made some good impressions. Especially on Ms Galston."
Hermione was about to take a drink of her tea. She looked up to meet McGonagall's eyes. "You know?"
"I know you went to Professor Sprout to talk about a very sensitive subject and that you presented an option or two," McGonagall said.
"Thomas and I have done research into the covenants and I have friends that are willing to help," Hermione said a little cryptically.
McGonagall gave her a little bit of a severe look. "Do you mind if I call you Hermione?"
"No, ma'am."
"Good. When we have meetings like this, you can call me Minerva, or Minnie, like many of my head students have over the years. Now, I am in full support of you being Head girl this year. No one deserves it more, but with this responsibility I need to know I can trust you, Hermione. That means you need to report or you can ask advice of me when you get into situations that might be over your head," McGonagall... no... Minerva, told her.
"I didn't think this was beyond Trudy's head of house and I promised her I would only tell those that needed to know," Hermione replied with a frown.
"Hermione, I appreciate the way you are protecting her privacy, but this is an issue that should be resolved by the Professors. I am not going to bring this up to her parents. I had our solicitor look over the brief you put together and he thinks you have sound legal precedence and the law on your side. That being said, you expose yourself to great risk if you had done this on your own, not to mention Harry or Neville," Minerva told her. "Harry is going to be a father soon. He shouldn't be endangering himself like that."
Hermione felt a little chastised, but she wouldn't back down that she knew she had done the right thing. "Would you just have Trudy go through with the covenant then?"
Minerva gave her an indulgent smile. "Not at all. There is something in the works, but I must ask you to let the professors, and even the DMLE, work this out. If you come across others that truly want to leave or get out of the covenants, bring them to my attention."
Hermione regarded Minerva for a few. As the dots linked together in her mind, Hermione said, "She isn't the first one you have helped, is she?"
"Whether Ms Galston is or not, is not your concern. I just ask you to bring up future concerns to me," Minerva told her.
After a moment, Hermione nodded. "I will, Minerva."
"Thank you. You are doing the right thing, Hermione," Minerva assured her.
"Thank you," Hermione accepted.
-oOo-
October 7, 1997
Hogwarts, Scotland
Lavender was on her side, unable to sleep as the child growing inside her felt like she was dancing on her bladder. No one had ever told her how uncomfortable it could be once they started to quicken and then got larger. She still had almost a month and a half left.
Well, the non-warning wasn't exactly true. Her mother had told her about much of the joys and discomforts of pregnancy, but Lavender just hadn't understood. Or, well, believed it.
Getting up for the second time, she found the clock read two-thirteen. With a sigh, she relieved herself and came back to Harry's green eyes regarding her.
"The baby keeping you up?" he asked tiredly.
"She won't get off my bladder tonight," Lavender told him, gladly crawling into his arms and putting her head on his chest as a hand rubbed her belly.
"Can I do anything?" he asked sweetly.
"How about you carry her for a week?"
"If I could...," he told her.
She knew he would too. The sincerity in his voice was too much not to be true. Sighing contentedly, she nuzzled into his firm chest, enjoying his smell and strong arm around her. He may not be playing Quidditch this year, but he hadn't let up on his exercising, saying he liked how it made him feel. She had to admit she liked how he felt too.
"That is sweet, but maybe I can just get some more sleep," she told him, yawning.
"Whatever I can do for you," he promised, kissing the top of her head. The hand rubbing her back was helping.
"Tell your daughter to get off my bladder," she groused, already feeling like she had to go again.
"If she is anything like you, I don't think I can tell her to do anything," he quipped.
Lavender giggled, as tired as she was. "You are probably right. I can't wait to find out if she has your green eyes."
Harry squeezed her a little. "As long as she has her mother's hair."
Lavender smiled. A green eyed dirty-blonde would have most men swooning. She liked that idea. Picturing the horrified looks on the boys' faces when they realized her father was Harry Potter was amusing as well. With that, the pressure on her bladder seemed to lessen and they both drifted back to sleep.
-oOo-
October 18, 1997
Hogwarts, Scotland
Hermione woke with Dean holding her. She had her head resting on his chest as he took in the deep, slow breaths of sleep. Dean was sleeping over most Friday and Saturday nights. She refused to let it happen all the time. She was head girl, and even though this was a privilege she had, she didn't like flaunting her privileges too much. She blinked a time or two, trying to figure out why she had woken up. It was still dark, but this time of year in Scotland it didn't really get light out until after seven.
"Miss Grangy," a soft voice whispered.
Hermione jolted, sitting up in her bed. Dean mumbled, but didn't wake.
Looking around, she caught a small house elf next to her bed. Hermione didn't recognize this elf. Rubbing her eyes, she asked, "What is it?"
"The Headmistress would like to see you as Head girl, Miss Grangy," the small elf said.
"Thank you. I'll be right up," she told the elf, who popped away with a soft sound.
Dean grumbled, "It's three in the morning, what's going on?"
She blinked the sleep out of her eyes. "I don't know. I have to go talk with the headmistress. Go back to sleep." She leaned over to peck his lips.
Dean gave a big yawn. "If you insist."
It was nearly fifteen minutes before she was knocking on the door to the headmistress's office. "Come in," Minerva called.
Walking in, Hermione blinked to see the headmistress, Trudy and a shorter man that looked like Tonks. Trudy had a broad smile on her face. "They did it!"
Hermione was a little confused at first, until she realized what was going on. "You mean you were granted your emancipation?"
Trudy came over and hugged Hermione. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," the girl said.
"Ms Galston wanted to thank you before she left and I have to inform you we need to appoint another fifth-year Hufflepuff prefect," Minerva said.
"You're leaving?" she asked, having grown fond of the girl over the last month and a half.
Trudy nodded. "Mr Tonks has booked me on a flight first thing in the morning. I'm not supposed to tell you where I'm going, but I was hoping you could give my sister this, and write to me, through Mr Tonks?"
Hermione took the thick envelope. "I can do that. Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye to your sister?"
Trudy looked like tears were welling in her eyes as she valiantly fought them down. "I can't. She would never let me go. Thank you," Trudy said, moving in to give Hermione a hug.
"Take care of yourself and I will write," Hermione said, feeling tears welling in her own eyes.
"We should get going, Ms Galston. We still need to visit Gringotts then get you to the airport. Your plane leaves in a little over three hours," Mr Tonks said.
"Thank you again," Trudy said and a moment later they were gone in a flare of green flames.
Hermione looked at the fireplace in the Headmistress' office. She was happy she could help, but felt like she was in a little bit of shock. She started when Headmistress McGonagall spoke up. "You did a good and brave thing, Hermione. Naming you Head Girl was the right decision this year. If you need to take some time off tomorrow to deliver that letter, let me know. I can give you Mrs Cootes address if you want."
Hermione looked at the package in her hand.
"I best do that," Hermione said. She knew if she had a sister, she would be besides herself if she just ran away.
"You may not want to mention that it was you that got her away," Headmistress McGonagall said softly.
"Perhaps not," Hermione agreed.
-oOo-
October 20, 1997
Hogwarts, Scotland
"Thanks, Hedwig," Harry told his owl as he took the letter from Gringotts off her leg. The more interesting thing was the Eurasian Eagle Owl that had followed her in. It held its leg out when Hedwig hopped over to Lavender for some water and bacon.
He took the letter off to see it addressed to him in a neat script he had not seen before. Looking at the back side he saw a dollop of wax that had two seals on it.
"Who's it from?" Lavender asked.
"I recognize the Weasley coat of arms, but I don't know that one. You think Fleur?" Harry asked, showing it to her.
"Most likely. You are the only other one that really has any status to use seals," she said, smiling when he grunted. Harry hated all that and she knew it.
Opening the letter, her soon found out that it was from Bill. They had gone to France as Fleur had gotten closer to be near her parents. "Renée Analise Weasley was born October 18. She's a healthy girl," Harry said with a smile.
Lavender smiled for the first time today. Her pregnancy was being rough on her. Harry was doing all he could, but it wasn't much, in his opinion. "How big was she?"
"Three-point-nine kilos and fifty-two centimeters long. Looks like she will have strawberry blonde hair if the picture is accurate," he said, handing her a wizarding photo of Fleur kissing a fuzzy headed little girl. Renée's hair wasn't anywhere near the silvery blonde of her mother, nor carrot top red like many of the Weasley's.
"She's adorable," Lavender cooed.
"They'll be back around Christmas," Harry said, finishing the letter.
-oOo-
October 30, 1997
London, England
Lavender still looked a little unsteady after taking the portkey here. Harry was supporting her as she just about wobbled about. "We didn't need to do this," Harry told her, wishing Lavender had waited. Lavender was only a few weeks away from giving them their first child.
"I want to see my sister," Lavender defiantly told him.
Harry just supported her as they walked into St Mungo's. The line wasn't that long today. The ten minutes it took to get to the front desk allowed Lavender to recover. When they got to the desk, a nurse in dark green robes took one look at them and said, "Maternity is on the first floor. Do you need a Healer to escort you now?"
Lavender smiled. "I'm not in labour. We are here to see my mother."
"Oh, and who is she dear?"
"Rebecca Weasley," she told the woman.
The nurse flipped through a few pages on a clipboard. "Room 111. Just take these badges. May I have your names so I can put them in the guest book?"
"Lavender and Harry Potter," Harry spoke up.
The woman did the traditional double take to his forehead. Luckily his scar was just a very thin line now. "Right, Mr and Mrs Potter. Just sign here and you can use the elevator through those doors."
Once in the elevator, Lavender leaned against him. "You would figure by now I would be used to that."
"Used to what?" Harry asked her.
"Being called Mrs Potter," she said with a small smile. An uncomfortable look passed her face as she put a hand to her side. "I can't wait for her to come out. This gas is getting bad today."
"You could take some Tums," Harry told her. They had found that Lavender didn't respond well to potions while pregnant, but most muggle medicines worked fine.
"I did." The elevator stopped. Lavender took his hand. "Do you think he has red hair?"
"Your brother is a Weasley, so most likely," Harry said with a smirk.
"He's beautiful," he could hear Molly saying as they went to knock on the door.
Inside they could see Charlie standing at the end of a bed. He was holding a bundle as Molly and Arthur looked at their second grandchild. Harry knew they hadn't seen Renée yet, so Lavender's brother was going to get a lot of attention.
"You want to hold him, mum?" Charlie offered.
Lavender entered the room. "Can I hold him after?" his wife asked.
Charlie gave her a huge smile. "Looking big there, Lav," the man said, earning him a huff and a look from Molly.
"Lavender, is that you?" Rebecca asked from around a curtain.
Lavender looked uncomfortable as she moved to her mother. "Hey, mum. I hear we have a brother?"
Rebecca had had her new son last night. They had come as soon as their classes were done today. "It's so good to see you. Once Molly is done you can say hi to Ian. Hey, Harry, are you keeping this one in line?"
"I think it more like she is keeping me in line," Harry said easily, moving to hug his mother-in-law.
She laughed, even though she looked a little tired. "That I can believe."
Lavender had moved over the bundle in Molly's arms. Arthur moved to shake his hand. "It's nice to see you, Harry."
"It's nice to see you, Arthur. Where are the twins?"
"Back at the Burrow. Angelina and Yvonne offered to take the afternoon off so we could see our grandson," Arthur said. "How is Lavender doing?"
Harry shrugged. Rebecca sat up in bed. "I hear she's had a rough go?"
"I think that's for Lav to tell you, but yeah, it's been a little rough," Harry told them. Lavender looked to him. She didn't seem to mind him talking about her pregnancy with her mother or Arthur. "She is just looking forward to getting the baby out of her. She's been complaining about gas since last night."
Lavender had just looked uncomfortable again. Both Arthur and Rebecca looked a little closer at Lavender as she took her brother. "Are you sure it's gas?" her mother questioned.
Harry felt a little lost. "What else would it be?"
"Molly thought it was gas when Fred and George came. I almost didn't get the mid-wife in time," Arthur told him.
Harry felt a little confused. "She's not due for another three and a half weeks, according to Madam Pomfrey."
"That doesn't mean much, Harry," Rebecca said. "Babies tend to come when they are ready."
Lavender looked winced before she shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe you should take Ian," Lavender said to Charlie. Everyone was focused on her. Lavender winced again then made a strange sound. "Are you alright, Lav?" Rebecca said moving to get up. Harry rushed to her side as Molly put a hand on her arm. When he got to her, he just about fell when he slipped on some water on the floor.
"Harry," she exclaimed, trying to stop him.
"What is that?" Harry asked.
"Arthur, go get a Healer," Molly told her husband.
Charlie looked to them. Rebecca got up. "Ah, I think my water just broke," Lavender said. Harry and her had read the books and he knew what he was supposed to expect, but nothing could have prepared him for what was about to come.
-oOo-
October 31, 1997
London, England
It was the middle of the night. Lavender had fallen asleep, her right breast exposed to the world and a little girl with golden hair moving her mouth, trying to suckle on Lavender's tit. There was something so moving about the scene he didn't know how to express his emotions. Lavender had pushed the girl out a little past midnight. A healthy set of lungs had announced that she was here. Seven pounds, four ounces, nineteen and a half inches of the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
The Healer moved in to take the girl. "Here you go, dad. Why don't you take her and burp her. Do you know what you want to name her yet?"
Harry very tentatively took his daughter, holding him to his shoulder as the Healer put a burp blanket on it. "Aster," he told her. "How do I do this?"
"Just hold her like you are. Gently pat her back. That's it," the Healer told him.
Harry wasn't sure if he would break his daughter or not, so he was a little gentler than he probably needed to be. The Healer gave him a knowing smile. "You pat her back a little more. You want to make sure you get out any air she took in while feeding. Aster is a pretty name. Any middle?"
"Aster Lily Potter. Lavender and I thought it would be nice to use one of her grandmothers names as her middle," Harry explained. Aster jerked and a gurgly burp came out.
"There, that is good, isn't it?" the Healer asked the baby.
A knock at the door had him turning his head. Charlie poked his head around the curtain. "I thought I heard someone," he said.
"Hey, Charlie. You want to meet your step daughter?" Harry asked with a smile.
"I prefer to think of her as my niece," he said, coming into the room. "Lavender sleeping?"
"Yeah. I never thought I would ever hear her scream like that," Harry said a little worriedly.
Charlie chuckled. "You should have heard the mouth on Becky. I didn't know she knew half those swears. Hey there," the big man said. Harry had moved Aster to hold her in his arms as she slept. What looked like a small smile passed her face. The man's big hands gently moved in to touch her hand. "You and Lav make a pretty baby."
Harry chuckled. "If she looks anything like her mum, I'm in trouble."
"Probably already are. What's her name?"
"Aster Lily," Harry told him, starting to really like that Lavender wanted to use his mother's name. They would use her father's name if they had a son.
"A pretty name for a pretty girl," Charlie told him. "How are you doing?"
Harry yawned. "Is it possible to love someone when you've known them less than a... what time is it?"
Charlie looked at his watch. "Three-ten."
"It's been less than three hours," Harry said, lovingly looking at his daughter.
"The second I saw Ian I knew I would do anything for him," Charlie told him. They both looked at the sleeping girl for a few.
"It's Halloween, isn't it?" Harry asked.
"Think so," Charlie yawned himself.
Harry leaned down to kiss Aster on her head. "I never thought anything good would ever happen to me on Halloween."
Charlie gave him a smile and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know Ron said how moody you get on Halloween. I can't imagine what it would be like to know my parents were killed on this day. I think, though, they gave you a blessing. Keep my niece and sister safe. I better get back and get a little sleep. I hear you don't get much of that after the first kid comes."
Harry was grateful for Charlie's kind words, then apprehensive. "You mean those books actually meant the kids wake at all hours of the night?"
"If I remember correctly, Ron cried for hours many nights. I thought dad was going to splinch himself half the time he went to work with how tired her was," Charlie said with an evil grin. "Becky said Lav didn't sleep through the night for months once she started to teeth. Night, Harry. Congratulations. Aster is cute."
He left the room with Harry looking worriedly at his daughter while the Healer just shook her head, knowing the new redheaded father probably just cursed himself.
-oOo-
Later that day...
London, England
Ginny had decided to come with Ron, Susan and Hermione when they offered to take her to the hospital. She had a niece and nephew to meet. Somewhere in the last year she had moved from seeing Harry as someone she wanted, to now seeing him as another brother. Grant was probably the main reason. She also had to admit she wanted to go to see her parents, something that made her a little nervous.
The room was a little crowded as they came in. Charlie and Rebecca were here with their new son. Charlie was with her brothers and their wives. Angelina was holding him as Fred and George were entertaining him. Yvonne, a rather pretty blonde, was showing. She would be due in March. Angelina wasn't pregnant yet, but Ginny had a feeling it wouldn't be long. They still had another few months before she had to be.
Mum and dad were by the bed with her two sisters. They were three months old now with the same Weasley red hair. Small bows had been put in their short hair as they babbled with each other. Harry was happily showing his new daughter to her parents as Lavender talked with her mum.
"Oh, she is beautiful," Hermione said as she got a look at the little girl, breaking up Harry and her parents. Harry gave Hermione a one arm hug as he moved his daughter to show Hermione. "Oh, and she has your eyes."
"Yeah, Lav says all the boys will love them. Aster Lily Potter, meet your Aunt Hermione," Harry said, one of the most joyous smiles she had ever seen on his face. Ginny felt a small tinge of jealousy. That was before she realized that if she had married Harry, that would have been her in the bed, having a kid at sixteen. It sent a small tinge of panic through her at what she had to tell her parents.
Susan had moved to them and gave Harry a small hug. "Congratulations. Aster is a pretty name. Her hair is blonde."
"Isn't she the most beautiful person you have ever seen?" Lavender said, holding out her arms. Harry put their daughter into her arms.
"Congratulations, Harry," Ron said, holding out his hand.
"Thanks. I can't wait to say the same to you and Susan," Harry said.
"That's still a little ways off," Ron told him. "Nev and Hannah should be here later. Hannah was having a rough morning."
Harry had an understanding look. "If I could have taken that from Lav, I would have."
Ginny moved over to Fred, George and Charlie. Hannah was due in June. "Hey, Gin," they said, all of them giving her a hug before Yvonne did the same.
"Want to meet your nephew?" Charlie asked in a proud voice.
She moved over to Angelina. The small boy looked to be sleeping. His hair was already red. "Ian Arthur Weasley," Charlie told her.
"Ian? I like it," Ginny said, moving to touch his hand. After seeing Eunice and Ericka coming into the world, she could find baby's cute, but she wasn't looking forward to having her own. It scared her some with what happened to her mum.
"It fits. I can't wait to have my own," Angelina said.
"Something you aren't telling us?" Charlie asked.
"Many things..." George said.
"Bigger brother..." Fred added.
"Something when you get older..." George.
"You'll understand... OI!" Fred complained as Charlie hit them both off the back of their heads.
"Don't use that same line of crap I used on you," Charlie said.
Yvonne laughed. "It's only you and Bill that can keep them in line."
Ginny smiled. This was the family she had grown up with. "Bill scares us all and Charley could snap us like twigs," Ginny pipped up.
"I would never touch you, Gin. Besides, Bill dotes on you almost as much as he does Fleur and Renée," Charlie said.
"One would think little Gin," George started.
"Is the favoured sibling," Fred.
"Well, she was the only girl," George.
"Right, brother, she now has competition," Fred.
Ginny laughed. "If you think I'm going to be jealous of our sisters, you two are mental."
"I tell them that all the time," Angelina said. "You want to hold your nephew?"
Ginny hesitated for just a moment before taking him.
"Now, what are you not telling us," Charlie enquired.
"Like we said... abuse!" George snapped, his hand going to rub the back of his head.
Angelina just shook her head. "When you start it don't complain. We don't want to take away from any of you today."
"Just tell him. I think everyone will want to know," Yvonne said.
Charlie raised a brow. "When?"
"August," Angelina said. Charlie moved in to hug his sister-in-law. "Congratulations. We'll be able to have a cousin quidditch team soon, maybe two."
Fred laughed. "If Aster is anything like her father, we claim her as seeker."
"Oi!" Charlie complained. "Ian will be a quidditch player. I was a good seeker too."
"Was, big brother. Was," George said, ducking Charlie's big hand. Ginny laughed at them then started when Ian moved in her arms.
She looked down at her nephew. A small smile came over his face. It was sweet enough that for a moment Ginny was happy to be holding him... that was until he farted and then it sounded like he filled his diaper. "Oh, ewww!" she complained.
Charlie laughed as he reached over for his son. "It's nothing much," her big brother told her. "I'll get him changed and then I think Becky and I will take Ian home. She is looking tired," he said, looking to his wife. Ginny looked over. Lavender and Rebecca both looked a little tired. Lavender was feeding Aster, a burp cloth over Aster to hide Lavender's breast. Harry was holding Eunice, seemingly enthralled by the three and a half month old girl.
Ginny smiled to see everyone so enthralled with the babies. It was a good site, but one she didn't want for herself for a few more years... twenty sounded good…
When her mum and dad said they were leaving, she asked to go with them. It felt nice to leave St. Mungo's and step inside the Burrow after her father side-a-long apparated her. Inside, her mum had taken the twins up to their room. With only Ginny living here, the twins had taken her older twin brother's rooms, but would be able to have their own as they grew up.
"Have a seat. Stay for a while, unless you want me to get you back to Hogwarts right away," her dad said. Ginny gave him a small smile as she sat at the table. "How has school been this term?"
Her father moved to get a kettle on the stove and rooted around for two mugs and a choice of tea.
"It's going well. We won our first game against Slytherin. We face Ravenclaw next weekend. Classes are going well, though I'm struggling a little in Advanced Arithmancy," she told him.
"Bill and Fleur will be moving back at Christmas. You can probably ask him for help. Minerva has approached him to become a Professor at Hogwarts. She wants to expand the runes program and look at technomancy," her dad said.
Ginny looked at him surprised. "Really? I didn't know Bill knew anything about technomancy," she said.
"He doesn't, but he's one of the top Rune Master's in the country. If he gets the offer, he'll leave Gringotts in January and then go to Japan for a few months with Fleur," her dad said with some pride. "It will be nice to have you all much closer soon."
Ginny smiled, knowing how much her parents had missed Charlie and Bill, even if they were proud of how her brothers were getting to the top of their fields.
A few minutes later her dad put a tea cup on a saucer before her. It had two sugars and some milk. It was just the way she liked it. "So, how are you?"
Ginny smiled at him. "I'm good, dad."
"And Grant? Are you still with him?" he queried.
The butterflies in her stomach all began to go wild. "Grant and I are doing well."
She squirmed a little under her dad's glare before she reached into her pocket. She took out a letter envelope, leaving the other parchment in her pocket. "Grant and I were tested," she said, handing the letter to him.
Arthur took the letter. After reading it, he nodded. "Those are high compatibility scores. Are you thinking about a betrothal or will you wait for the pairing at Christmas?"
She was happy her dad cared so much and that she was talking to him about this before mum. After hesitating for a moment, she reached into her pocket for the parchments. "Grant and I decided we want to get married," she told him, passing the contract to him. Grant and her had decided to sign it yesterday.
Arthur smiled. "I like Grant. Like I said, the Sparkfords are a good family. Do you know when?"
"We want to wait as long as we can. I'm not ready to have a kid and Grant would like to go pro. I would like to see if I could, even if it was for a season," she told him.
Her dad nodded, giving her a small smile. "I can get that. I hope you can, and you know your mother and I will support you in any way we can. So, next Christmas?"
Ginny let out a sigh. "New Year's Eve," Ginny said. "It would give us the longest time for when I have to be pregnant. Grant is going to tell his parents today and I was hoping you and mum would go to dinner tonight. I'm sure they will want to talk about this."
Her dad nodded his head, before giving her a searching look. "Is this what you really want, Ginny?"
She let out another sigh before giving him an uncertain smile. "I think so. I really just want to play Quidditch. There were three scouts at the first game I was captain, dad. I heard they were the to see me and Grant. I don't know if it's true, but if it is..." she trailed off.
Her dad chuckled. "You wouldn't be the first of my kids to want to play professionally but might be the first to make it. Is this what you really want? You have two weeks to decline this contract."
She took in a deep breath before meeting her dad's eyes. Was she a Gryffindor or not? She would move forward in the face of adversity. "I really like Grant, dad. I don't know if I love him yet, but I could. He's fun to be around. Loves quidditch. Wants me to do what I want to do. He's handsome too." She wouldn't say he was a great kisser and the way his hands could work her was nothing short of magical...
Her dad gave her a more genuine smile. "If this is what you want, I'll make sure your mum and I can go tonight. What time?"
"Seven. We can take the Floo," she told him.
"Let me see if Fred or George are busy tonight to watch the twins." Her dad put a hand over hers. "I don't know if we say it enough, but your mum and I are proud of you, Ginny. Making as many OWLs as Bill and…" there was a pause," …Percy, was no small feat, neither is making Captain your sixth year. Charlie was ecstatic to have it his seventh year. We're proud of all you, even if your mum won't admit it for Fred and George's choice of career."
She laughed. Mum still hated that they had wasted all their talent on jokes, even if they were potentially the most successful financially out of all of them. "Fred and George would love to know that."
"I'm sure they would never let her forget it, so let's keep it to ourselves. I would like them to get to know their children," he said in a joking tone before taking a sip of his tea.
She giggled at that.