A/N: Things are progressing for our Henrosian royals! I am actually still deciding about the pace of a few upcoming chapters but I think I'll figure it out by the time I get around to them... First we need to welcome a little prince, don't we?

And I will be on vacay so the next chapter will be on 10 July!

Thank you for coming back to read. I keep surprising myself with the word count on this one!

Ginny fully adjusted to her new role as reigning Queen the weeks after the weddings. Harry and Ginny got pretty good at dividing the tasks. Anything to do with the security of the castle, possible threats and guards were all for Ginny to manage. Treaties and negotiations were taken on by Harry most of the time since he had more experience with those.

The nice weather had them spend more time outside too. They could let the horses run about. Red was still running around and Lightning could only follow. Hermione and Ron eventually returned from their honeymoon, and Hermione came back with extensive reports on all her travels, and Ron quietly looked on with a fond look in his eyes as she talked.

Ginny knew how much Harry dreaded his birthday so she insisted on clearing their schedule. She insisted on dealing with urgent matters and he was completely free for the day. She prepared a picnic and then they went to their secret spot to enjoy the day.

"I love how many freckles you have now as opposed to last year," he told her, arms wrapped around her body while she leaned against him. "They're so pretty."

"Taking the armour off really makes all the difference," she said. She fed him a grape. "I do miss it a little. Adding the panels did help, but it's not really convenient to wear right now."

He nodded in agreement. "Cutest pregnant Knight I have ever seen."

She laughed. "That's not difficult, considering I'm the only one you've ever seen."

"Okay, but if there were more"—Ginny shut him up with a kiss.

He watched as she got up from the blanket they were on. She started pulling on the laces of her dress. She took off the dress and then quickly began taking off her stays.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

She tilted her head. "What does it look like I'm doing?" she teased. She took her stays off and then her shirt too.

His eyes tracked down her body in admiration. She turned around and walked towards the water, she put her feet in first and took a few steps deeper into the pond. She turned around and her hair swept around her. She was a perfect sight.

She tucked her hand against her belly and smiled. "I know you want to join."

"But the view…" he told her.

She shook her head. "View…" She took a few more steps and then dove into the water. She reappeared just a little further, hair wet. "It's so refreshing here."

As soon as he started taking his clothes off, she smiled widely. She watched as he finished taking everything off. He walked to the pond and put a toe in.

"That's cold."

"It's fine once you're in it," she told him.

He took a few more steps and Ginny giggled at his reaction to the cold water. When he was into the water to his middle, she walked back to him. He pulled her into his arms.

"How is your birthday going so far?" she asked softly.

His hand slipped down her waist. "Really good." He kissed her. "I don't think I have properly swam in this pond since I was a child."

She stepped away and pulled him along. "Then you should now." She sank back into the water. "This feels so nice. Don't have to carry the baby's weight for a moment."

"I can tell." He braced himself for more cold and got in the rest of the way.

He swam up to Ginny. She brushed her hair out of her face.

"Oh, our boy is liking swimming," Harry noted. "Shall we do this again on your birthday? I feel like we should."

"I'd like that," she said. "Last year's birthday was lovely—except you almost got killed."

He chuckled lightly. "We can't let that stop us from enjoying ourselves."

They rested on their blanket together after they were done swimming. Ginny shifted closer to him. She kissed him softly while her hand danced down his chest. Then she offered him an intense look.

"What? Out here?" he asked her.

She nodded. "For your birthday," she teased.

And that was all Harry needed to give in. When they came back to the castle by dinner, all they could say was that they had a great day.

Ginny's birthday had them visiting the clearing again and spending the day together. Ron and Hermione tried to figure out where exactly they went but didn't become any wiser by asking about it. Red and Lightning disappeared to the surrounding woods per usual and Harry and Ginny settled on their blanket. Harry kissed her slowly, and she hummed against his lips.

They parted and she beamed at him. He reached into the basket and took the food out, letting Ginny pick what she wanted to eat. She nibbled on some bread and then told him to pull up his sleeve. She pulled up her sleeve too and then fitted their soulmarks together again. It felt like a pleasant hum went through her body.

"This mark shows the first time we touched when we were in love, which means a year ago today we were in love, and it was just a matter of time."

"It was always a matter of time from the moment we met," Harry muttered. "I didn't consciously know it when I met you, but something always felt right with you."

She smiled at him. "Did it?" she asked.

"Yes." He grinned at her. "You don't believe me?"

Her hand slipped down his arm to his hand. "I don't."

He shrugged. "Your loss." He retrieved the butterbeer from the basket. "I believe this is for you."

"Good distraction tactic," she commented in amusement.

He nodded along. "For more distraction, I thought we could play a round of cards—like we did last year—on one condition."

"And what's that?" she asked.

He eyed the tree she climbed last year. "No tree climbing this time around."

"Ha!" She looked down at herself and laughed. "I will agree to that. I hope you're prepared to lose the game though."

Harry smiled. "You're on, my Queen." He kissed her lips. "I'll let you divide the cards." He took the pack and handed it to her. "I promise I won't go easy on you for being your birthday."

"Good idea, my King," she retorted. She began shuffling the deck. "Thank you."

He frowned at her. "For what?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Everything, us, what we've been through. We'll be parents soon to a tiny Prince. I can't wait to do that with you too."

"You're going to make me cry," he mumbled.

She smiled brightly at him. "I love you, and this is a wonderful birthday. That's all."

"I love you too." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, Gin."

Even with the added panels, the armour wouldn't fit her now. So she walked out with her dress anyway and yelled at the sweating guards in the summer sun.

"Again!" she ordered after they had taken a much-needed water break.

Casper looked helplessly at Ernest, who patted his arm in sympathy and then picked his sword up again.

Finlay was struggling with his offensive skills. She walked up to them and told Seamus to stand aside.

"Let me show you," she said.

Seamus looked at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." She turned to Finlay. "And if you go easy on me I will make you do it again."

Ernest turned to Seamus. "If she goes into labour from this I think the Prince should be called Finlay."

She whipped around to them. "Are you done?"

Ernest and Seamus smiled innocently and took two steps back to give her the space she needed.

"Finlay," she said gently. "You need to diversify your aim. If you always for the same three points, they're going to know!"

"Can't I just use bow and arrow?" Finlay complained.

She shook her head. "Not in close combat, you can't."

Finlay nodded and readied himself.

"Try to attack me, full force. If you do it once properly, we both can rest," she told him as she gripped her sword.

"Fine," Finlay said.

She told him to attack. She easily dodged them but she was glad he was no longer aiming for the same three points.

"Good," she said, catching her breath. "Once more with Seamus and then we can move on to the next exercise."

"What?!" half the guards let out in surprise.

She turned around to them. "I am joking! Just finish this one and we can all go back into the castle."

"Thank fuck," Seamus let out. "Sorry," he muttered a second later.

When the guards all started to make their way inside, she did too pretending she wasn't out of breath. Harry walked up to her.

"Are you trying to go into labour?" he asked while raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

She blinked at him. "That wouldn't be the worst thing." She wiped the sweaty strands of hair off her face. "I'll go wash up."

"Give him a bit more time, hm?" he suggested gently.

"I am," she told him, walking past him. "Nothing happened, because he isn't ready yet. It's all good." She waved at him and then went upstairs to wash and get changed.

Greta was waiting for them when they arrived at the hospital wing. She led them inside and to the bed.

"And how are you feeling?" Greta asked.

Ginny settled down on the bed. "Fine. Better if you tell me he is ready to come out. He is in the way of everything."

Greta smiled at her. "I understand. Let's see how the little Prince is doing."

Harry stood by the side as Greta examined her. When it was done, the Healer told her to sit up.

"You're doing well," Greta said. "I expect the baby to be here within a fortnight, but you'll have to be patient."

"I was afraid you were going to say that," Ginny muttered.

Greta smiled. "Please take it easy, walks are okay but I'd advise against horse rides at this point. And no more fighting."

"Fine," Ginny gave in reluctantly. "It all requires too much energy anyway."

"When you go into labour, have someone sent for me right away so we can keep an eye on the progress. There will always be a Healer available, and I'll try to arrive as quickly as I can."

"Yes, Greta. I'll try to give birth indoors too," she quipped.

Harry chuckled "If you don't mind."

"If there are any concerns in the meanwhile, you know where to find me." Greta offered a comforting smile.

"Thank you." Ginny held out her hands so Harry could pull her up.

They walked out together and made their way to their office.

"A fortnight, Harry. That's not too far off. I am counting down." She looked down. "I want to meet our precious boy."

"Me too." Harry looked at her. "I am going to miss that glow. It looks good on you."

She tilted her head. "Yes, you've said." She guided his hand to her belly. "But it doesn't outweigh little princes."

"That's true." He pulled her close and kissed her.

Ginny closed the sliding panels towards Harry's desk as Seamus came in. He took the chair opposite her at her desk.

"As you know, I will go into labour soon," she started.

He glanced down. "You don't say."

"Remind me why I made you Deputy?" she retorted.

Seamus fixed his expression. "I am sorry. Do continue." He smiled at her.

"When I go into labour I will be incapacitated somewhat, so at that moment I expect you to manage the guards on your own. The schedule is set but if any changes are necessary, I expect you to handle it." She inhaled as deeply as she could. "They may find it a good time to attack, so be extra cautious."

Seamus nodded in understanding.

"Once the baby is born, I expect an update about once a day for anything significant until I am able to take up my tasks again, and of course, if there is anything urgent, you come right away no matter what," she continued. This was important.

"Understood," he confirmed.

"And once the baby is born, I need at least one guard to have eyes on that baby at all times when Harry and I are not with him," Ginny continued. "I need to know this baby will be safe."

Seamus smiled softly. "We are very dedicated to our job. We won't let anything happen to the Prince. You can be sure of that."

The certainty in his voice put her at ease. She wondered briefly if she should explain to him that if something went wrong, he had to be Head Guard, but she decided against it. He was Deputy, and it would be a given.

"Do you have any questions for me?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "You have been training me well these last few months. Thanks to that I feel quite confident."

"How's Colin?" she asked then. "I think he's making good progress."

Seamus smiled. "He was very skilled before he started. Ernest has really brought him into the group by being the one to train him. I think you did that on purpose."

"Did I?" she replied, quirking an eyebrow.

Ernest was often not very welcoming of newcomers, but by putting him in charge of them, he was eager to get to know them and bring them into the group. It had been successful both for Casper and Colin, and he was surprisingly helpful once he got to know them.

"I think you did," Seamus said. "Colin is going to get far in life, I think."

Ginny nodded. "I hope so. That'll be all."

Seamus got up from his seat and left the office. A moment later Harry pushed the panels open. She smiled at him.

"I am tired, how about we go enjoy the sun for a bit instead of work?" he suggested.

"I'd like that." She got up with some effort.

Harry offered his arm to her and she took it. He kissed her cheek and they walked out to the grounds together.