Chapter 2 - Let's hope it's a boy.
Summer was approaching, Ginny was entering her seventh month and, after having suffered heavily with sickness the firsts few months, now she was feeling well. Back in her usual positive frame of a mind, busy as a bee with her job, her fitness and all her teas with her girlfriends.
The baby was growing healthy and was moving continuously at Ginny's dismay, who had trouble sleeping, and for Harry's joy, who slept very well and could just enjoy all the kicks when caressing her belly or talking to it.
They were discovering pregnancy's delights all over again. Harry felt elated. He couldn't wait to have the baby in the family.
The news had created a wave of joy in the Weasley circle. Molly had started to sob uncontrollably when she was told, and it took the whole family almost half an hour to calm her down.
It hadn't been the same with the boys. They wrote to them as soon as the pregnancy was stable and confirmed. They received an answer full of excitement by Albus but nothing from James for several days. When they did finally receive one it was colder than usual and no mention of the baby at all.
It didn't bode well. They didn't point it out however, agreeing that it was an issue better to confront in person when he would be at home for summer holidays.
On the other side they had received already two letters from McGonagall. In the first one she was informing that James, after being in detention twice for having duelled with some fifth years between classes, had thrown dungbombs during lunch time in the dining room and the whole school had to evacuate it, the caretaker had an hysteric fit, and some of the students who hadn't evacuated in time were in the hospital wing isolated, waiting for the strong smell to subside. She kindly had decided not to punish him too hardly considering the family situation.
Harry had gone berserk, and Ginny had to restrain him ready to storm to Hogwarts to drag him away.
But receiving the second one he had grown worried. James had been caught at three o'clock at night in the trophies room trying to encourage Peeves in smashing the cabinets inside it. Peeves had got the hint even too enthusiastically and not happy just with the trophies had instigated a fight between the armours. She had found James making bet on the winner with Nearly Headless Nick.
McGonagall was livid, clearly deducible from the general tone of the letter and moreover stated that if he would cross the line again, there was no choice but to punish him severely, expulsion was mildly hinted as well.
Harry, thinking about the cloak he had given him for Christmas, wondered how he could possibly be caught. He probably hadn't used it. And he understood. James was doing it on purpose to be caught, perhaps unconsciously but twice in two months did mean something.
There was a big issue to address once he would be back home.
The baby was still called just "baby" in the meanwhile. They had decided not to be told the sex opting for a surprise.
Harry didn't know Ginny's reason behind that choice but his own was sprung by his dread of it being a girl. After Lily's death, he couldn't bear the idea of having another one.
His feelings on it were complicated and painful and he didn't like to dwell on them. All he knew was that he deeply hoped it would be a boy not to have to confront himself with all these confused emotions.
He hadn't revealed his fears to Ginny and never asked her if she had any preference, avoiding the topic as much as possible.
The sorrow had finally quietened but it was still there, and it was still difficult for Harry to pronounce Lily's name.
They scarcely ever talked about her. The pictures were back on the walls ready to give an appearance of normality to the house because of the kids getting back, but Harry avoided to look at that freckly beaming face that waived at him anytime he passed by; it was tormenting, and he was trying his best not to think about it and leave everything behind his shoulders.
One morning during the weekend they were in bed chatting about the baby and Ginny asked him
'What name would you like?'
They strangely hadn't approached the subject yet, but Harry had thought about it a few times.
'Well, you choose all our kids' names to please me so now I think I can return the favour' he replied playfully.
Ginny had indeed chosen all the names, fulfilling wishes that Harry hadn't been able to speak. He had felt grateful for it and now it was his turn.
'We could call him Fred. What do you think?'
She lighted up immediately and threw her arms around his neck smacking a loud kiss on his cheek 'I think it is a lovely idea! Mum and George would be so pleased!'
Harry had prepared breakfast and they were having it in bed. They were taking advantage of every minute of their life alone, enjoying these kind of luxuries they both knew would be at an end in a few days once the kids would be back and once the baby would be born in September.
Harry was chewing his toast with marmalade very satisfied with his choice of a name totally unaware of what was obviously about to come.
'What if it's a girl?' Ginny continued in a faltering tone.
His throat constringed immediately making impossible to swallow the mouthful any longer.
He could just think of one name and he would never and ever have to use it again.
He took a sip of his coffee to help the swallowing and didn't answer.
Ginny then added 'You always speak of it as if it were a boy…'
Harry hadn't replied to this affirmation either, feeling at this point very uncomfortable.
'But it could be a girl…' she concluded.
The silence lasted a few minutes. Harry was drinking his coffee, gaze lost trying to fight the distress that this conversation was causing him. He knew he had to familiarize with the idea of another girl, but he preferred to avoid thinking about it pretending to feel sure they were going to have a boy.
Ginny sensing his distress took away the cup from his hand leaving it on the bedside table.
Soothing caresses started to pour from her hands 'Harry, should it be a girl, we wouldn't be replacing her. She would be a completely different girl; another wonderful little girl and you will love her as much as you loved Lily and doing that you wouldn't be diminishing in any way what you felt for her. All right?'
Oppression enveloping him, he couldn't meet her gaze. She was right of course, but despite the knowledge of it, it was still something to dread.
He forced a nod 'I know…' he said taking one of her caressing hand and kissing it. 'I'll think about a name…' he added but knowing very well that he wouldn't have been able to.
Let's hope is a boy.