A/N: This is just a short chapter because I am very focused on writing Knight of Mine's wedding chapters right now but I don't know how long that will take. I thought it was better to give you a baby-nugget-sized chapter (get it?) rather than making you wait for a longer chapter. So you get a little bit of Ron being Ron...
"I am just dropping by Hermione for a minute, I'll be right back," Ginny said as they walked to her dorm.
Harry walked into her dorm as Ginny went into Hermione's. He was surprised to find Ron there, looking rather pale.
"Ron?" he asked cautiously.
"Why … is there a paternity test?" Ron asked coldly, pointing at Ginny's open laptop.
Harry's stomach dropped. They had put it behind them and no one else was supposed to find out about it. He had no good reply; he had not expected the question. "Why are you snooping around Ginny's laptop?" he retorted.
"I wasn't! It was open, I just … scrolled…" Ron admitted.
Harry's brows knitted together as he folded his arms. "Maybe don't do that."
"Stop avoiding the question," Ron snapped.
"That's pretty standard, you know," Harry tried now, hoping for some miracle and Ron would buy it. His heart was beating rapidly.
"No, it isn't." Ron looked upset. His brow furrowed and Harry had never seen Ron look at him so hostile. "Why are you lying?"
"Look, this is between Ginny and I, you don't—" Harry stopped abruptly as Ron approached him, his shoulders wide, his expression intense.
"Did you ask her to?" he said, his voice growing louder with every word. "Don't you trust my sister? Who has been your best friend for years! Is that it?!"
"Ron, calm down!" Harry hissed, the last thing they needed was the whole floor overhearing this.
"I can't believe you!" Ron was shouting now.
Ginny stormed in and closed the door. "I don't care what the yelling is about, but I could hear you from across the hall!"
"I just found out about the paternity test! I can't believe Harry would—" Ron was shut up as Ginny grabbed onto him and covered his mouth.
"For fuck's sake, Ron! Say it any louder, I don't think the rest of Britain heard you." Ginny's eyes met Harry's.
They had to tell him; he was assuming worse anyway. Harry nodded at her.
"Of course Harry trusts me. He did not ask to take a paternity test, I did. Because I wasn't sure..." She sighed. "It was my mistake."
Ron looked at her with shock in his eyes, but he raised his hands in defeat, indicating he was done yelling. Ginny let her brother go and stepped back.
"Did you cheat on Harry?" Ron asked, clearly trying his best to contain his anger. He looked from Ginny to Harry.
She shook her head rapidly. "No, of course not."
Harry came to stand beside Ginny and squeezed her hand.
"You know I got pregnant right as we started dating…" She held his hand tighter. "But we weren't together at the beginning of that week; and I, unfortunately, had sex with someone else. We had to check to be sure."
"Gin told me about that before we found out she was pregnant, so I knew right off the bat there was a chance the baby wasn't mine," Harry added.
Ron looked between them, gawking.
"Although considering timing and frequency… it was always more likely to be Harry's," she said as she looked up at him.
"I don't think he needs to know the details," Harry told her.
"I really don't." Ron sounded uncomfortable. "Wait. That same week..." His eyes widened. "We were at the cottage!"
"Yes…" Ginny said with a grimace.
"Then who…?" Ron asked, knowing it had to be one of their friends.
"Can I just say in my defence, I was drunk and so was he. It never meant anything," Ginny tried.
"And don't go yelling at him. We're all on good terms and you have nothing to do with it," Harry added, in the hopes of avoiding a scene with Dean.
"Fine," Ron agreed, though he still looked shocked.
"It's Dean," Ginny admitted. She pulled the laptop closer and scrolled down further. "Zero per cent probability of being the father. Very definitely Harry's."
"Jesus, that's…" Ron rubbed across his jaw absent-mindedly.
Ginny nodded. "I know, it was a mess to start with but that made it worse. It's all cleared up now though."
"What would you have done if it wasn't Harry's?" Ron asked, glancing between them too.
Harry shrugged. "I'd still be the kid's dad, I'd raise her, just that she'd have another dad too."
"Well, you're a better person than I am." He shook his head warily. "I'd have gone straight for his head if I were you." He was almost smiling.
"You wouldn't say," Harry retorted dryly. They both chuckled.
"Ron, outside the three of us, you are the only person who knows," Ginny said firmly. "You can't tell anyone, if only for my dignity." Ginny went up to Ron and grabbed onto his arms. "And I really want to put that behind me."
"No, I understand that. I was just a bit surprised is all," Ron defended his previous actions.
"And if I ever see you touching my laptop again, I will kill you." She smiled sweetly, which made it all the more threatening.
"Noted."
"Good." She hugged her brother but quickly let go of him. She squinted. "Wait, why were you even here in the first place?"
"Mum couldn't get hold of you and now that you are not only the youngest but also pregnant, all her emergency sirens are going off." He rolled his eyes. "I had to check if you were still alive and breathing. Please call her back, she's driving me nuts."
Ginny nodded. "I meant to call her back yesterday, but it slipped my mind."
"Just give her my number, that saves everyone the hassle," Harry suggested.
"Oh, you're going to regret that in about five seconds," Ginny said.
"I just want Ron out of my hair, really." He grinned.
"Right and with that I am going to go." Ron walked towards the door. "Nice to feel welcome!"
"Bye Ron, we love you!" Harry said.
Ron shook his head and left.
Ginny walked to the couch and planted herself on it, face down. "I am going to live in the wilderness by myself, I can't take this anymore."
"Can I come?" Harry asked.
"No!" she said into the cushion. "I'll pop out the baby, hand it over and then I'm off on my own."
"I mean that's fine by me," Harry said, knowing he'd provoke a reaction. "I am sure being a charming single dad can get me girls."
Ginny sat up so fast, she almost fell off the couch. "They can't have you!"
"Possessive, are we?" he said with a smirk, crossing his arms.
She slumped back against the couch. "Well, look at you! Put a baby in your arms and you will be practically irresistible."
Harry chuckled and sat down beside her. "All yours, babe."
Ginny placed a kiss against his temple. "Good."
"I do think we need a little escape," he said as tucked closer to her.
She frowned. "Into the wilderness?"
Harry laughed. "No, I meant a little staycation. We don't exactly have the money to travel far but we can... take a moment with the two of us, relax a little for a week. We have enough shit to figure out, but we need a breather too." He squeezed her knee. "Something tells me going on vacation with a baby isn't quite the same."
She shook her head smiling. "How is this already our last childless vacation? It's only our first."
"I do think we have established by now we're going about this a little backwards," he said. "So, do you want to go on a staycation with me? We can go hiking, visit some museums, swim in the pool..."
"Yes, of course," she said. "It will be good to get some proper quality time in."
"Have to be careful, though. Last vacation's quality time got us a baby," he told her as he smiled.
She nodded. "There are worse things to get from a vacation. I read an article the other day, about that man who got a fish up his—"
"Why would you say that!" Harry interrupted her, feeling the urge to cross his legs. "I had only just forgotten about that."
"Do I get points for that?" she asked, her hand teasing his thigh.
After mentioning the fish, the hand on his thigh didn't help. He shook his head. "You get one point for it and a five-point deduction for causing me distress."
"You can retaliate with mythical childbirth stories," she suggested.
He scoffed. "That is just cruel, I would never do that to you. I am a nice person." He counted. "That is 148 points for me and 147 points for you."
"No!" She dramatically buried her face in her hands. "My years-long streak! Gone!" She looked up at him, slightly pouting. "Can I claim pregnancy brain?"
"No." He chuckled. "I don't think so."
She groaned. "I can't believe I have been defeated by a stupid penis fish."
He patted her knee. "You brought this upon yourself."
