Teen Ink

A Pleasant Surprise

Harry and Ginny were doing some thinking in the next room too. They lay perfectly curled up against one another, Harry’s face deep in Ginny’s sweet smelling hair.
“Harry, I know why Ron’s all upset.” Ginny said quietly.
“Yeah, me too. Knowing Ron for that long…not hard to guess.”
Ginny turned to face him. “You knew?”
“ ’Course.”
“For someone so smart, Hermione is quite daft around relationship stuff, you know.”
“She’ll get it. She catches onto things pretty quickly.” Harry though of the time when Hermione finally realized that Harry liked Ginny.
Ginny was thinking along the same lines but neither spoke.
“Ginny, I wanted to ask you about something.”
“Hmm?”
“Well, Draco Malfoy told me something yesterday. He gave me the names of the Death Eaters that were still in hiding. I guess Lucius has his connections. Well, I have to go find them. I can’t have them living out there. I know they can’t harm anyone otherwise they would be noticed, but still. I feel that there needs to be some sort of justice here. Those people-no, creatures-killed innocent witches and wizards. They need to be avenged. The ministry needs to imprison them somehow…soon…”
“Harry, I fully support your decision, but wouldn’t it be dangerous? I mean, what if…”
“Ginny, I’ve faced much worse than this. I really need your support ‘cause…”
“Mum and dad, right? And Ron and Hermione? You know mum won’t let you go.”
“They’re going to have to! Think of all those innocent people put to rest…Sirius…Neville’s parents…Fred…Lupin…Tonks…I know they’d all want me to go.”
“I’ll support you on one condition.”
“Go on.”
“Take me with you.”
“No. Absolutely not. I won’t have you risk your life just to go with-”
“Fine. Then, no support. At all.” Ginny said firmly. She turned over away from Harry.
“Ginny…” Harry said painfully. Half of him wanted Ginny to be there at his side, but the other half warned him of the dangers involved.
“Ginny, please…don’t do this to me…”
“One condition. And one condition only. You can’t even promise me that? Do you think you want me to stay here all by myself and wait in anxiety for your return. Every single moment I’ll be worried and scared that…Harry do you realize that you were so close to death every single time you faced Voldemort and his Death Eaters? Do you? Do you want your son to not have a father?” Ginny exclaimed, then widened her eyes. She clapped a hand over her mouth and looked away from Harry’s piercing green eyes.
“Ginny…” Harry said slowly. “What did you say?”
“Nothing…I…nothing.” Ginny mumbled.
“When did you find out? Ginny…” Joy washed over Harry as he held his wife close.
“I didn’t…I…no…”
There a brief silence.
“A few days ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t exactly sure…”
“Ginny that’s…that’s…brilliant…I don’t even know what to say…” Harry got light in his eyes that Ginny had never seen before.
Suddenly, Harry jumped out of bed, pulling Ginny along with him.
“Harry…what’re doing…” Ginny asked, bewildered.
When Harry got to the stairs he started to shout.
“Mrs. Weasely! Mr. Weasley! George! Xiyin! Hermione! Ron! Percy! Get out of bed!”
Mrs. Weasley was the first to get downstairs.
“What happened? Is everything alright?” She shouted to Harry, alarmed.
“Yes, yes, mum, everything’s alright!” Laughed Ginny.
“Bloody hell, what’s all this racket about, Harry?” Ron mumbled grumpily, tugging a very sleepy Hermione.
“Harry, this’d better be good. I was just about to kill Professor Umbridge when you woke me up. Good dream, good dream…” George said longingly, hand in hand with a surprisingly not sleepy Xiyin.
“Harry, tell us!” Mr. Weasley called out.
“Yeah, c’mon Harry, dad and I have to leave for the ministry early in the morning.” Percy grumbled.
Harry held the suspense a bit longer and then finally-
“Ginny has a baby!”
Surprised looks overcame everyone’s expressions. Clearly, they were expecting everything but this.
“Oh, Harry, Ginny come here! Congratulations, congratulations, my dears!” Mrs. Weasley cried, throwing her arms open wide. Tears leaked down her face as she pulled both of them into a fierce hug.
“Congrats, Harry! A bouncing baby boy! Or maybe a wee little female baby?” George laughed and Xiyin offered well wishes to the happy couple.
One by one they offered their best wishes, and then trudged up the stairs, sleep overcoming their eyes.
Finally, only Ron and Hermione remained.
“Well, congrats, mate. Didn’t really expect this soon…none of us did…” Ron said glancing at his little sister.
Ginny stuck out her tongue at Ron and smiled.
“Wow, Harry. Congratulations. I mean, wow…I don’t know what to say…Ginny…” Hermione hugged her tight and they smiled. Ron caught sight of Hermione’s wistful, longing look.
After an awkward moment, Ron said, “Guess little Ginny’s all grown up.”
“Oh shut up, Ron. You know you’re jealous.”
That last comment left Ron sputtering.
“Oh…by the way…I need to talk to you two about…”
“Muffliato.” Hermione whispered. “There. No one can hear us.”
“Thanks.” Harry smiled. Then he turned serious.
“I need to go somewhere. I think probably as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? That soon?” Ginny’s face turned white with shock.
“Go where, Harry?” Hermione asked suspiciously.
“Nevermind where. Just, I need to go. Alone.” He pointedly looked at the three of them.
“Harry you said…” Ginny started.
“Ginny, you need to stay home and rest. You’re carrying a baby. You can’t come with-”
“I can go wherever I want to!” Ginny said hotly.
“Yes, “ Harry said patiently. “But, it’s too dangerous. Stay home. Please. For me and…for him…or her.” Harry looked at Ginny’s stomach.
Ginny started to say something, then bit her comment back. “Fine. But I’m not happy about it.”
Harry kissed Ginny quickly on the forehead. “Thanks, Ginny.”
Ron idly reached for Hermione’s hand.
“So you two-”
“We’re coming. And don’t try to say anything more. We’re coming.” Hermione said stubbornly.
“We are?” Ron said, looking doubtful.
Hermione threw Ron a glare.
“I mean…er, yeah, we’re coming.”
“No, no…no…you can’t come. I’m sorry…it’s…”
“Harry, Harry, Harry. We’ve been through this plenty of times. I’m actually starting to get sick of it. We’re coming whether you like it or not. Harry, you don’t put us through years of hardships and dangers with you and tell us that we’re not coming with you to defeat a couple of Death Eaters. I don’t care what you say or how you say it, we are coming.”
“Yeah.” Ron echoed.
“Wait…how do you know about…Death Eaters…” Harry looked at Hermione’s guilty expression.
“Countercharm. Hermione told me.”
“Would you shut up?” Hermione whispered angrily.
“Oops…sorry.” Ron mumbled, turning bright red.
“Well…fine…so how do we tell-”
“You don’t.” Ginny said. “You just go. Leave it to me. I’ll make up something. Don’t worry.”
“You’re the best.” Harry smiled at Ginny.
“Well then. Bright and early tomorrow in front of the Burrow. Seven o’clock?”
“Sure.” Harry and Ron mumbled.
Harry and Ginny made their way up to their room. Hermione glanced at Ron swiftly, and then followed them up the stairs to their own room.
Hermione was already in bed when came up a moment later. He tiptoed to the bed and slowly climbed in.
“I’m not asleep, Ronald.” Hermione said.
Ron jumped.
“Yeah. Knew that.”
“Mm Hmm.”
“So…um…”
“It’s late and I’m tired, Ron. Goodnight.”
“G’night.”
Of course Ginny had to have the kid right now. Wrong timing. Damn it, Hermione was almost starting to forget the talk about the kid.
Truthfully, Ron didn’t want to have any kid that would distract Hermione. At first, he did, just because it seemed exciting. But, now he wasn’t so sure. Would it be worth it?
Ron thought that Harry looked extremely happy when he made the announcement. Would Hermione be happier than me? He could almost picture himself standing there, looking glum and sour while Hermione was beaming and smiling with a little baby bouncing on her lap.
Maybe Harry could tell him whether it was worth it or not. Of course, the first half of it would definitely be worth it-Ron blushed at his own thoughts-but, then the second half? Take all of it or leave it.
But Ron couldn’t leave it. It was lying at him like gold. Except, this brand of gold had bushy brown hair and a determined personality.
Ron smiled at the figure beside him. He made a mental note to himself, to never again speak harshly to this delicate strong-minded girl breathing softly next to him.