A/N: We're back with more of baby June! After this we will speed up a little again but I wanted to pause at a few precious moments.

If you don't know what soaking means and you find out because of this chapter, I do formally apologise about that.

Ginny woke up as soon as June began to cry. She quickly sat up and then took a moment to find her bearings. She took a few steps towards June and picked her up.

"Mum's here. You're okay."

She crawled back on the bed and leaned against the headboard so she could nurse June. She got June suckling happily quite fast, but Harry still turned around to them, clearly awake.

"I'm sorry, I tried to be quick," she apologised.

He shook his head. "I was sleeping really light. You were very fast."

She only nodded, her gaze returning to June.

"I'll do her nappy," Harry mumbled with his eyes closed.

"Go back to sleep, Harry, I'll do it. You have to do the early one already," she told him.

Harry adjusted the duvet. "Okay."

Ginny freed up one hand and ran a finger up and down his nose. He smiled fondly and she continued for a moment before she had to readjust June. She finished feeding her and then did her nappy, hopeful that June would go back to sleep easily.

In the morning Ginny nursed June again. When she was done, Harry took her to change her nappy and then would start on breakfast and study until Ginny woke up again, giving her at least a bit of extra time to sleep, and she would do the same in the evenings. That way they had somewhat of a schedule, if only June would abide by it.

Hermione came to meet June too the day after they got home from the hospital. Ginny had just finished June's nappy when Hermione came in with Ron.

"This is your auntie Hermione," Ginny told June.

Hermione eagerly walked up to see the baby. "Hi, tiny one. Oh, she's even cuter in person!"

Ginny smiled. "Thank you, I worked hard on it."

"You did," Hermione agreed. "Can I hold her?"

"Yes, of course you can." She handed the baby over, watching June carefully.

Ron softly bumped his elbow against Harry. "You seem to be settling into your dad role well."

Harry tore his gaze away from June. "I try."

"I don't know if I ever said this, but if my sister was going to have kids with anyone… I am glad it's you," Ron told him.

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Aw, Ron!" He wrapped Ron in a hug.

Ron resisted. "Get off me!"

Harry squeezed a little closer before letting Ron go.

Ginny chuckled at the two of them. "Please be nice to each other, you're basically family now, and you're future brothers-in-law." She winked at Hermione.

Ron looked between the two of them. "You're not engaged, are you?"

"No," Harry confirmed. "We haven't gotten around to that yet."

Ginny snorted in amusement.

"But you're talking about it?" Ron said.

Harry shrugged. "We have been from the start. There hasn't been anything to change my mind since—quite the opposite."

Ginny smiled brightly at him.

"Just because you made a kid in five seconds, doesn't mean you have to rush through everything else," Ron commented, looking helplessly at Hermione, but she did nothing to help.

"It is not the time," Ginny told Ron. "We know that, but if we're both sure of something I don't see why we shouldn't talk about it. We've been friends for far too long to dance around the topic."

"Besides, apparently if you get a girl pregnant, you have to marry her," Harry continued.

"Hey." Ginny shook her head, biting back her smile. "You're starting to sound like our great-aunt Muriel."

"Now that's a proper insult," Ron said. "Still disowned?"

"Oh, yes," Ginny said. "You and Percy are her favourites now."

Ron shuddered, the disgust clear on his face. "No, thanks."

Harry sat down beside Ginny, a small frown had been settling between his brows for the better part of an hour.

"I know that look…" she poked.

"Hm." He offered her a small nod. "I am considering skipping out on the last exam. I am all set for the one on Tuesday so I'll go but… I don't want to spend all my time studying, I want more time with you and June."

"Can't believe you're considering giving up your perfect track record," Ginny teased him.

He looked down at June in her arms. "Suppose my priorities changed." He caressed June's head. "We can study together as usual later. That feels right."

"If that's what you want to do," she agreed. "More quality time could be good."

He smiled softly. "I don't want you to think I'm being overbearing or something."

As if he could ever be overbearing to her. "Not at all. In fact, let's just relax tonight. That lasagna your dad made looks really good. We'll pop that in the oven, we'll put on Da Vinci Code later and make out when the kiddo's asleep."

He winced playfully. "Now that we are parents, I think we should drastically cut down on the snogging."

"You better be joking, Harry James Potter."

He chuckled and placed a kiss on her lips.

"That's more like it."

Harry nodded and stood up to put the oven on for the lasagna.

"I don't really understand why we don't get warned about stuff like how much you'll bleed after giving birth," she complained. "Having babies is all about false advertising."

Harry turned back around to her, his head tilting to the side. "I'm pretty sure you didn't read the ad."

"I did not," Ginny replied, biting back her grin. "The sales guy had a really good pitch."

Harry cleared his throat. "Right."

"Harry, you're going to be late for your exam, go," she insisted gently.

He kissed June's forehead again. "I know, I am going." He met Ginny's eyes. "She's just really cute and hard to say goodbye to."

"Leave now or I'll kick your ass."

"Fine, fine." He picked up his bag by the door. "Bye, love of my life!"

"Go."

He opened the door and paused. "Say you love me!"

"No, come back quickly and I'll tell you," she teased. She smiled at him and watched as he closed the door.

When Harry had finally left, she put June down in her cot. Her mum texted, letting her know she had arrived. Ginny was about to buzz her in when she heard a knock at the door.

"Mum!"

"Harry let me in." She walked in and put her bag down.

She opened her arms and Ginny happily hugged her close.

"How are you doing?" Molly said.

She sighed. "Tired."

"It'll pass," Molly said. She released Ginny and walked over to the baby. "Oh, she's so precious."

Ginny stood beside her. "She's pretty dang cute, but then I think I'm biased."

"No, she's very cute," Molly agreed. "Or am I also biased?"

"I think so," Ginny agreed with a chuckle. "How did you do it? With so many kids?"

Molly shrugged. "It becomes routine, even if it's tiring. Babies are a challenge, but they also want only three things. Kids who make 700 demands I always found harder to balance, but then you did keep each other occupied."

"It does sound nice if she can actually tell me what she wants, you know?" Ginny muttered.

"You're still getting to know each other." Molly looked around. "Are there chores you need doing? Some cooking? I can do a few things, you can take a shower or a nap."

Ginny smiled at her mum. "Thank you. I think I'll take a shower." She sniffed herself. "Definitely." She glanced at June. "She just went back to sleep, so she should be good at least for a little bit."

"I'll do some cleaning?" Molly offered.

Ginny nodded. "Whatever you see needs doing can help, honestly."

She took her time to shower, knowing her mum knew how to take care of babies quite well. She wrapped her hair in a towel, not even bothering to dry it and walked back out.

Her mum was folding the rest of her laundry. "Better?"

"Loads… until she throws up on me again," Ginny muttered. "Can I help?"

"No, you rest, it's okay."

When Harry eventually came back, she stood up and greeted him by the door.

"Hey, love of my life," she said.

Harry wrapped her in his arms. "How's our Junebug?"

"Still breathing. Mum's doing her nappy," she said. "How did your exam go?"

Harry shrugged. "Alright, I think. Everyone was asking about you. They send their warm hugs, greetings and…" He frowned. "Congratulations? Yes, I think that covers it."

Molly walked out with June.

"Oh, I missed that little kid so much," Harry said.

Molly easily handed her over. "Back to dad."

"Oh." Harry held out his hands and then quickly tucked June against him. "Did you have fun with grandma? I bet you did."

Ginny took the stairs, Harry behind her cradling June to his chest. She knocked on the door and then waited for her upstairs neighbours to open.

Richard opened the door and then smiled brightly. "You've had the baby? Oh, how wonderful!"

"The baby?" Doris' voice came from inside. "Let them in!"

Ginny walked in with Harry in tow. Doris set down her knitting and walked up to them.

"This is little June," she told them. "She was born on the 9th."

Both of them looked at the baby quietly.

"Oh, she's a cute one!" Doris said. "She'll be charming all the boys before you know it!"

Richard shook his head. "Poor thing was just born, leave her alone!"

"Are you well, dear? Did everything go well?" Doris asked her.

"All went well," Ginny said. "I was eight days overdue so I was quite glad to be able to go in."

"I can imagine! You were very round at the end," Doris said. "What a relief you're both healthy." She turned around. "Hang on just a moment." She walked up to her cupboard and opened it. She took out knit socks and a hat. "It's still so cold, I bet she'll get some use out of those. I used really soft wool."

"Aw! Doris, you shouldn't have," Ginny said.

Harry took the items from her. "Thank you so much, we'll definitely put it to good use."

Harry pointed out things to June from the window. She was tucked against his bare chest. "And that's the science building over there!"

Ginny made something of a mumbling noise behind him. He turned around to find she had washed up and put clean clothes on ahead of the visitors.

"What's that?" he asked.

She pursed her lips. "You need to stop that."

"Stop what?" He looked down at himself to see if anything was wrong but couldn't find anything offending.

"You need to stop being so handsome and sexy and perfectly cute with our daughter." She crossed her arms. "You're giving me baby fever."

"There is no need for that," Harry told her. He squeezed June's cheeks. "Baby, right here. Ours ."

She closed her eyes for a moment as if it pained her to even look. "You're not exactly helping."

"I do recall you saying you're never having sex again," he told her, now determined to tease her.

"I did say that," she replied.

He readjusted his hold on June. "Unless we have some kind of fertility issue, which I sincerely suspect we don't"—he nodded towards June to prove his point—"we are having kids the natural way. So, you better make up your mind about that."

Her jaw dropped. "Is that so?"

"We could compromise, and try soaking but that's as far as I'll go." He bit back his smile.

"Please never say soaking again in that context." She shook her head. "Just go put a damn shirt on before our guests arrive. You can do that, right?"

Harry nodded. He walked up to Ginny and handed over June. He kissed Ginny's cheek. Her gaze was a mix between fondness and annoyance.

"Alright, my love," he said, walking into the bedroom. "I'm just being a good dad and future husband!"

"Fuck off!"

He popped his head back out and grinned at her. She walked up to him and kissed him softly.

"Shirt, Potter."

"Yes, yes." He walked to the closet and grabbed a shirt. When he had pulled it on, he walked back out. "All ready."

"Good job, darling."

They waited until their friends arrived, Harry eagerly opened the door to them. Ron and Hermione had joined again, just to be able to be present for the moment. They filed in uncharacteristically quiet.

"Come on closer, she doesn't bite," Ginny told them. She stood up from the couch. "This is our June."

"She is adorable," Luna said quietly.

Cho pouted. "How cute."

"Wow, she's tiny!" Seamus said.

Neville took a hesitant step closer. "Cutest former dorm-mate I've met."

Dean looked over at Harry. They shared a look of mutual understanding and Harry smiled at him. Dean returned it and then turned his attention back to June.

"Sit down, guys," Harry offered. "I'll get you some drinks."

Ron helped Harry grab drinks for everyone, walking back and forth with the glasses while proudly explaining he had been the first apart from her parents to hold June.

"How are you recovering? Cho asked.

Ginny shrugged. "Slowly but surely. Most of the pain has gone, apart from the breastfeeding… but the tiredness is really something else. You can't not take care of her, you always have to be there. It's been a bit of a learning curve."

"A steep one," Harry agreed. "You just don't get a chance to catch up on your sleep. I can't wait until she sleeps in bigger blocks."

"Alright. Who wants to hold her?" Ginny offered. "She doesn't have teeth yet so no worries about any biting," she joked. "Neville. You've earned it, you had to deal with us a lot."

"I think I do."

Ginny walked up to him and handed her over. "And support her head. Babies have shit neck muscles."

Neville nodded and carefully held the baby. "Hi June." He looked up. "Genetics are strong… she looks just like you!"

"So I've heard," Ginny said with a fond smile. "I don't think I was ever this cute."

Ron snorted. "You definitely weren't. You looked like a little troll."

Ginny turned to Harry. "Remind me who your second choice was for godfather?"

"Ron knows," Harry said with a smile. "Sirius will not hesitate to accept."

Ron grumbled. "Fine, I take it back."

Luna stood beside Neville to look at June. "Being honest, are you still mad at us for putting you together?"

"If we're being honest," Harry started, "no. Initially we were, but not by the time we found out about the baby. In the end we are adults… we could have waited until the relationship wasn't so fresh, we could have been more careful." His gaze slipped to Ginny. "And even if this part is difficult, I am happy."

Ginny smiled brightly at him.

"We were actually wondering if we went on another trip to the cottage, if you'd like to join again," Cho said.

Ginny's gaze turned to her. "You understand we would be bringing the kid?"

"Yes, of course!" Luna said. "We'd have plenty of adults to keep an eye on her. You don't need to join everything, and we can adapt our schedule."

Harry exchanged a look with Ginny. "Then I don't see why not."

"Do you promise not to multiply again on vacation?" Ron asked.

Ginny's head whipped towards her brother. "Hey! We're not the only couple anymore. Keep it in your own pants first—sorry, Hermione, but it has to be said—and then we'll talk. Accidents happen."

Seamus snorted. "At least that can't happen to us, huh, Dean?"

Suddenly everyone was quiet again. They turned around to look at the two men.

Dean turned to him. "Seamus."

"Oh. Shite. I forgot."

Harry swiftly took June back from Neville before the commotion started.

"You're together?!" Cho asked.

Luna gasped. "No way!"

Dean rolled his eyes in amusement and threw a fond look at Seamus. "Yes, we are."

Luna hugged both of them at the same time. "I'm so excited for you!"

Ginny met Harry's eye and smiled, because she had now been completely correct about her predictions.

"How long have you been together?" Hermione asked.

Seamus grimaced and, after a nod from Dean, he said, "Since summer."

"All this time?!" Cho said.

Dean shot her a look. "I still had to come out to my parents, it took a little bit of time… And then everyone was busy."

"Oh, did it go okay?" Luna asked gently.

Seamus nodded. "His mum said she had known for a while he was into me."

"She was actually really nice about it," Dean said. He smiled at Seamus again. "Thankfully."

"How have we gone from everyone single to so many couples in less than a year?" Cho said.

"Neville, do you want to give it a try with Cho?" Harry joked.

Neville shook his head. "Actually, I don't. I'm casually seeing someone… I think it's progressing well."

Cho gasped. "Am I the last single of the group?"

"Unless you have any news?" Ginny asked.

Cho shook his head. "I went out with this bloke called Michael Corner, but he—"

"No!" Ginny went.

Harry's eyes widened. "You didn't."

"What? You know him?" Cho asked.

Ron nodded. "Michael was Ginny's first real boyfriend."

"Oh. Oh my god, that explains so much," Cho let out. "He was complaining about an ex who was having a baby, I thought he was being petty… I didn't realise he was talking about you!"

"Fucking piece of work, that guy," Harry said.

Ron turned to him and frowned. "Wait, wait. Did I miss something?"

"Harry told me a few months ago that Michael broke up with me because Harry caught him making out with another girl," Ginny told him. "Gave him an ultimatum."

"And you didn't tell me?" Ron sounded offended.

"I didn't tell Ginny, what makes you think I would've told you?" Harry replied.

Ron shook his head. "She was dumped right before graduation!"

"And I had a great night regardless," she said with a fond look at Harry.

He pulled June up closer against his chest. "Of course."

The first week of classes was hard. Ginny was still home with the baby, but Harry was going to classes, taking diligent notes so Ginny could use them to study later. It felt weird to go to class without her, and even weirder to know he had his daughter waiting, but he was never away for long.

However when he came home on Friday, feeling properly exhausted, he knew something was wrong because he could hear June crying before he was at the door.

He opened it and found Ginny looking incredibly distressed as she rocked the baby gently, but nothing made the wails stop.

"She's been crying like that since you left and nothing helps, I don't know what to do!" she told him, looking close to tears.

Harry put his bag down. "You should've called. I would've come back."

"No. Then it's both of us with a crying baby and you miss out on class, how does that help anyone?" Ginny searched his eyes.

Harry walked closer to her. "Help you, take turns." He took June out of her arms.

There was a slight hiccup from his daughter before she started wailing again. Ginny looked at them anxiously.

"Breathe, Gin," he told her. "I've got her."

He walked into their bedroom and closed the door so the sound was at least somewhat muted for Ginny.

"Come on, June. I know you're just overtired, go to sleep, darling," he tried. "I know you're stubborn like your mum, but this is helping no one."

It still took him a good while before June finally calmed down, and he felt awful Ginny had been trying to calm her for ages before he arrived. He wished she would have simply let him know.

When June finally quieted down, he tried to put her in the crib, but she immediately squirmed.

"No, no. Please, June," he begged. "Don't do this. You'll feel better after a nap."

He reached out and caressed her head for a moment. Then his thumb ran up and down her nose. She seemed to like that and so he repeated it until her eyes slipped close.

"Yeah, dad likes that too," he told her gently. "Have sweet dreams, my June."

He sat there for a few minutes more, his finger running down her tiny nose until he was sure she was properly asleep.

He walked out as quietly as he could. Ginny was lying on the couch. She made space for him when she saw him walk and he settled beside her, pulling her into his embrace.

Tears began to drop down her cheeks. He held her close and didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He pressed a kiss to her hair. "You're fine."

She took another few moments, taking deep breaths. Then she moved so she could look at him.

"June has a strong will like her mum," Harry told her. "Thankfully I've had years of practice."

Ginny smiled weakly.

"No, you did 90% of the work, I just got the final 10." He brushed a comforting hand through her hair.

Ginny shook her head. "I'm failing at this."

"No, you're not," he told her immediately. "You have the toughest task, and you need a break. That's okay."

Ginny swallowed hard. "It sucks."

"I know," Harry agreed. "When I laid her down, I thought she was about to start again. You know what I did?"

"What?" she asked softly, wiping her tears.

Harry smiled at her. "Rubbed that tiny nose of hers."

"Oh." Ginny's expression softened. "That is your daughter."

"That she is," Harry agreed. "It helped her doze off completely."

Ginny nodded. "I'll give that a try."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Next time you text or call, okay? I don't care if I'm on the bloody moon."

"Okay," Ginny said.

"I think she'll be out for a while, try to nap," he suggested gently.

"Okay." Her hand cupped his jaw. "What will you do?"

"What do you mean? I'm napping with you? I'm dead tired."

Ginny chuckled lightly. "Oh. Okay." She snuggled closer to him.

He smiled and held her close. It was good to get a quiet moment in.

It was a good while later when June woke up. Harry moved to go get her but Ginny patted his chest.

"I've got her."

She was off the couch before Harry could offer to go. Ginny walked back in with June against her. Harry sat up enough to make space for Ginny on the couch. The nap seemed to have rejuvenated her. She freed up one breast to nurse June and then settled against the back of the couch. The sunset lit both Ginny and June in a warm glow. Harry could not get enough of the sight.

Ginny's eyes darted to him and he smiled.

"You two are the most precious…" he told her softly.

Ginny really should get more credit for not mocking his sappy arse, but he could not help himself. Instead she smiled fondly at him. He sat up and scooted a little closer to them.

"Sometimes I wished we had started dating when we met," Ginny told him.

He looked from June to her. "Me too. Then again, maybe we just weren't ready for each other."

"I sincerely doubt that." She offered him an intense look that showed how sure she was of that.

He frowned at her. "See, if we want to wait to propose until she learns to walk, you should really consider keeping those things as inside thoughts." He raised an eyebrow at her.

She chuckled at him. "Yes, I am sorry. I'll stop."

"No, you can't," he teased. "You have to tell me."

She smiled wider at him. He kissed the top of her head and then stood up to start on the food.

The drive to her parents was a bit stressful—June had never been in the car that long before—but she ended up sleeping most of the way. Harry pulled the carrier out of the car and Ginny walked up to the door. June had three more uncles to meet.

She greeted her parents first.

"She grew again! Hi little June!" Molly said.

Harry took June out of the carrier and handed her over to Arthur. Her grandpa looked fondly at her and then walked into the living room, Ginny ahead of them.

Fred and George were uncharacteristically quiet as Arthur walked up with June.

"She's way smaller than I expected," Fred said.

"She grew a lot since she was born though," Harry told them.

Percy walked in and greeted their mother. Ginny walked to the kitchen and pulled him along.

"You need to meet your niece," she told him.

Percy came to a halt beside his father. "That's a baby."

"Perce…" George said. "How apt of you."

Fred looked over at Ginny. "Have you heard? You gave birth to a baby ."

Ginny threw a teasing look towards Percy. "It's a relief to us all."

"I'm sorry, I'm not good with words."

"—Or babies," Fred cut in. "Apparently."

"I'm glad you made it," Ginny told him. "Yes, that's a baby."

George reached out to Harry and pulled him to their side. He gestured towards June. "How does it feel to be a father to a Weasley?"

"Right now we're pretty in the clear because it's winter and Ginny is doing all the feeding, but I'm making sure to stock up on food for as soon as she starts eating solids, and I'm investing in sunscreen."

Arthur chuckled. "Those are the essentials for a Weasley for sure."

"You think he's joking," Ginny said "But he has started reading up on sunscreens and which are safest for babies and how much SPF they have."

"Hey, it's not my fault half of the sunscreens appear to be a scam," he responded.

George patted his shoulder. "You're adorable." He turned to Ginny. "Please let us know when we can take him out for a round of football. I think he needs it."

"Sure. Go on…" Ginny told them.

Fred glanced outside. "Maybe when the weather is a bit warmer…"

Their gazes turned back to the baby.

"So, does it do anything?" George asked.

Ginny glared at them. " She is growing and learning, and producing nuclear waste in nappies, leave her alone."

"I suppose she is pretty cute," Fred said, tilting his head. "I want one of those sometime."

George looked at him in surprise. "Do you?"

"Yeah, how hard can it be when these two can manage it?"

Arthur shook his head. "Don't underestimate it."

"You can babysit her," Ginny said. "Give it a little trial run."

Fred's eyebrows rose. "You make it sound like a threat."

"Oh, trust me, it is," Ginny said with a wink.