One Year

One Year

Chapter Twelve:

July

=====

Ginny opened her eyes to the bright sunlight that streamed into her room, temporarily blinding her. Looking up at the ceiling, she stretched her arms above her head and smiled broadly, happy to be home once again. It was strange, somehow, knowing that she would never have to share a room with five other girls, or have to eat at scheduled times anymore. She was finished with her education at Hogwarts. She was in love. Life couldn't get much better.

She rolled onto her stomach and noticed that Hedwig had once again taken roost on her bureau. The bird gave her a quiet hoot and flew over to the bed, landing softly on Ginny's shoulder.

"Morning, Hedwig," she whispered as she untied the note from the owl's leg. Hedwig hooted again and fluttered out the open window.

Morning Gin

I can't wait to see you. I finish up with my last class at eleven, and I'll Apparate right over.

Your mum said I could spend the month there until training starts up again, so we'll have the whole time together.

Hermione has your room ready for you to move into; so whenever you're all situated I'll help you get your things over there.

See you in a few hours,

Harry

With a broad smile, she added the letter to the collection that now filled the drawer of her bedside table to the brim. She would never throw these letters away and knew that she would read them over and over again in the future.

She swung her legs out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown, settling her feet on the cold wooden floor of her bedroom.

Her bedroom. It was the only room that she truly felt was her own, even though she loved her dorm at Hogwarts.

But soon, she would be leaving forever.

Well, not exactly forever, she knew that, of course. But her address would change in a matter of weeks, bringing about a certain sense of nostalgia that was rather persistent.

She remembered how Bill had helped her learn to play Exploding Snap when she was five. She only cried once when the cards exploded and after that, with Bill at her side, she'd proven to be a wicked player.

She smiled as she recalled how Charlie would sit and draw dragons with her for hours, describing them in vivid detail even before he started Hogwarts. It was evident, even then, that he would follow his passion.

She giggled at how Percy tried to teach her how to write letters and numbers when she was three. He was a patient teacher and by the time she was five, she was able to write a neat manuscript and began writing cursive.

Fred and George, of course, took her under their wing and taught her how to be devious and take care of herself. They never tried to protect her the way the others did, and for that, she would always be grateful.

Ron was more than a brother. He was her friend, and for the first ten years of her life he was also her confidant and protector. In a way, she was glad that she would still see him often, given the fact that they were each dating flatmates.

Her parents would have the hardest time letting her go, especially her mother. Ginny knew that she was the surprise of the family, and the fact that she was female made her parents want to protect her even more. While their protectiveness was irritating at best, she always knew that they loved her. She was encouraged to keep up with her brothers and not let them leave her out of things. Ginny had to admit that they did a wonderful job raising her to be the witch she was today.

A soft knock at the door tore her from her thoughts. Ginny looked up to find her mother standing in the door carrying a tray with a teapot and the French press Bill and Fleur had given Ginny for Christmas.

"Do you mind if we breakfast here together?" her mother asked. "Your father had to leave for the office early today." She set the tray on the bedside table and pulled the desk chair over.

"Oh that'd be great, Mum," Ginny answered with a smile. She sat back down on the bed and took the coffee mug handed to her.

Her nostrils filled with the aroma of the steaming liquid, and she smiled as she brought it to her lips.

"Did I make it right?"

"Mmm-hmm. I missed this at school. The house elves are great and all, but they can't make a cup of coffee to save their lives" Ginny chirped. It was true. Try as they may, the house elves messed up the coffee every time she tried to get some. Dobby and Winky hit themselves over the head numerous times and finally, Ginny just gave up trying to find good coffee at Hogwarts.

Ginny and her mother chuckled at her remark and each drank their beverage in companionable silence.

"Now, I know you didn't just come up here to drink coffee with me, Mum. What's going on?" Ginny set her cup on the bedside table and looked at her mother expectantly.

With a heavy sigh, her mother placed her tea on the desk. "Fine. I don't think you should move to London."

"Mum, we've talked about this," Ginny told her.

"No, you informed us in letters that you had already made up your mind." Her mother gave her a rather stern look that told Ginny that she was serious. "I don't like the idea of you out there on your own."

"But I won't BE alone, Mother. I'm going to be living with Hermione!"

"Do you know that she and Ron are usually at her flat? Will you stay there when Ron stays over?"

"Er, well, I thought-"

"You will not be spending the night with Harry, my dear."

After their talk about this same subject back in January, Ginny couldn't believe that her mother was still harping about this. She'd told her that she and Harry had not slept together, and Ginny assumed that her mother believed her. Apparently, it only lasted while she attended Hogwarts.

"We haven't even done that, Mum," Ginny pointed out. "We talked about this before, and I thought you trusted me."

"I do. But you'll be in the same city and seeing each other more often and I'd just be more comfortable with you here, at The Burrow, that's all."

Ginny watched as her mother rose from her chair and began picking dirty clothes up off the floor.

"I don't believe you! You honestly have no faith in either one of us?" Ginny stared as her mother continued to straighten up the room. "Mum, look at me!"

"Ginevra, dear, I trust you. But I also know what runs through the minds of eighteen-year-old young men living on their own." Ginny's jaw dropped. "They get it in their heads that sex is the be all and end all of a relationship. I don't want to see either you or Harry make a mistake."

Ginny sprang from her bed. "Mother! I am not a child anymore. Please trust me!" She knelt on the floor in front of her mother and took her hands in her own. "Mum, I've always had people looking after me. Between you and Dad and the boys, I've never been on my own. Even at Hogwarts there was always someone there to keep an eye on me." She paused, thinking back to the poor example that was her first year. With a deep breath, she continued, "I can handle it. I'm strong, and I'm smart. I need to do this for myself, I really do." Ginny locked eyes with her mother, noticing the tears beginning to well in her eyes.

Ginny felt her mother's hand on her cheek gently stroking the fullness of her cheek with her thumb. "But remember, you'll always have a home here if things don't work out, alright?"

"Serious?" She couldn't believe her mother was agreeing with her.

"Yes, but don't keep pestering me, or I may just change my mind," her mother teased. "You're right. You've never really been on your own, and it would be more conducive to your training at St. Mungo's. Please be careful, love," she whispered huskily as tears began forming in her eyes.

"I will," she promised as her own tears began dripping down her cheeks. "I'll come home for Christmas and some weekends, I swear." She smiled weakly at her and found herself pulled into a Molly Weasley hug.

=====

Ginny stood outside The Burrow, anxiously awaiting Harry's arrival. According to his letter, he finished class at eleven that morning and was due to arrive any minute. Checking her watch again, she saw that it was fifteen minutes to twelve, and she was getting nervous. She kept telling herself that he wouldn't pull another stunt and not come today. She turned around to head back inside the house but before she got very far, a familiar crack caused her to turn on her heel.

"Harry!" She ran toward where he stood and flung herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs around him and meeting his lips in a crushing kiss.

Harry stumbled as she slammed into him and held on tight, returning her kisses until he couldn't breathe anymore.

"Hi," he said, in dazed sort of voice. Harry set her on the grass and took her hand in his. "I hear you nearly beat Hermione's marks."

"Not quite, but close enough," she stated proudly. "You're late. I'd thought you'd be here sooner."

"Did you want me all stinky and sweaty from combat training?"

"Uh, yes," she teased while she ran a hand through his hair. "I always liked looking at you after Quidditch, all manly and rugged. It's sexy." His eyes locked on hers as she spoke, and Ginny couldn't get over the look of raw desire she saw in his eyes. "Er, um, Mum's held lunch till you got here." She looked away and pulled Harry toward the house.

Once inside the kitchen of The Burrow, Ginny felt herself relax a bit more. Being around Harry these next few weeks was surely going to test her resolve, but she wanted to prove to her parents that she had her hormones under control.

"Harry, m'boy! Good to see you!" Ginny's father stood up, shook hands with Harry, and pulled him in for a quick man-hug. It was adorable the way her father had tried to teach Harry how to accept affection over the years. She had to admit that Harry'd come a long way from the shy, stand-offish boy that first walked through those doors seven years ago.

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley."

Ginny shook her head at Harry's remark. Her parents had been after him for a while now to call them by their given names but no matter how hard he tried, he maintained a formality that reflected his lonely and detached childhood. She silently hoped that some day, he would get past that and allow himself to truly become part of their family.

"Harry, my don't you look fit!"

Her mother had entered the kitchen and for once didn't chastise him for being thin and not eating enough. She went over to Harry, pulled him into an embrace, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Mum, I think Ginny's supposed to notice that, not you," added George who sauntered in after his mother. "I do have to say, though, Potter, that you are no longer the scrawny kid I remember."

Harry looked down at the floor sheepishly, and Ginny took the opportunity to give Harry a good once over. What she finally noticed, took her by surprise.

Without her realising, Harry'd grown about three inches, now standing nearly a head taller than her. His face took on the look of a man now that he had matured, and if she wasn't' mistaken, he'd forgotten to shave that morning and had a day's growth on his face. His shoulders were broader, and she knew that his abdomen had to be more defined than back in November. His arms were more muscular, and she longed to have them wrapped around her again. She quickly closed her eyes and tried to rid herself of the image she'd just conjured.

In short, Harry looked even more luscious than before.

=====

Ginny and Harry spent most of their days relaxing by the pond and watching the garden gnomes traipse across the garden. They would often have their lunch out there, under a wide willow tree, and enjoy the quiet of the day and their time with one another.

Ron wasn't staying at The Burrow for the summer. Puddlemere was in the playoffs and Ron had to stay at the house the team had rented for daily training. The match was set for the following week, and it would be the first time that Ron and Hermione would be together since she'd left for Portugal. Ginny had teased Harry that their reunion would be spent in Ron's room, and Harry would end up playing house-elf.

"So, Ginny," Harry mused while he played with her hair and wrapped it around one of his fingers. "You wanna go fly?" He asked her this every day, and the answer was always the same.

"Not today, Harry." Ginny would never admit it to him, but she was dead frightened to get back on her broom since the accident that had left her with a concussion and temporary hearing loss. She snuggled back into his lap, hoping that he'd change the subject and not push it any more.

"But Ginny, it's been almost two months since you've been on your broom. You need to get back up there," he begged.

She knew he really wanted to go flying with her; she caught him cleaning her broom and fixing the twigs more than once, and each time she told him not to bother. She knew Harry was right, and that getting back on the broom would do her more good than anything. But she also couldn't shake the sense of trepidation that came over her whenever she thought about it.

"Don't you think I know that?" She sat up and looked at him with what she hoped was a fierce look in her eyes. "I was hit in the head with a Bludger and lost my hearing for hours at a time, Harry. I'm scared." There, she'd finally admitted it. She was scared to fly.

Harry pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair while she let tears escape her. Flying was always the one thing that made her forget her troubles and brought her more happiness than anything else. She hated being afraid of flying, and wanted to go with him, she really did.

"Ginny, how many times have I got hurt while flying? I broke my arm second year. I fell off after a Dementor tried to kiss me up in the sky. I got hit constantly with Bludgers in practise just because I was too busy looking at you." He took a breath, and put a finger to her mouth to keep her from answering. "Even after Umbridge forced me off the team, I never let her win. Flying is a part of me, just like it's a part of you. I want to take you flying, Ginny."

He stood up with a determined look on his face, holding out his hand in invitation for her to take it. His eyes held a determined look and she was torn between going and holding her ground.

"I don't know, Harry..."

"Ginny, there's nothing to be frightened of. I'll be right there with you. No Bludgers, I promise," he pleaded.

"I...I can't explain it, but I don't think I can," she told him and hung her head, looking to the ground.

"You're stronger than that, and you know it! You need to get back up on that broom. The longer you wait, the harder it will be." He sounded irritated and frustrated. When she just stared at him, saying nothing, Harry huffed, "You're going!"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her up to him. Before she could find her wand, he pulled it out of her pocket and banished it to Merlin knew where.

"Harry! Give me my wand back!" she screamed at him.

"Accio Firebolt!"

With a whoosh, Ginny saw Harry's broom zooming towards them and then hover above the ground. Despite the added weight of her body, Harry slid them both onto the broom, holding Ginny in front of him.

"Harry! Put me down!"

Before she could wiggle off the broom, he kicked off and they were soon up above The Burrow, zooming over the orchard and toward the paddock. Ginny closed her eyes tight and held onto Harry's arms, which were around her waist, even tighter. She felt him slow the broom down as they descended a bit.

"Shh, Ginny it's okay. I'm here," he whispered into her neck, his breath making her shiver. "Open your eyes. You love flying almost as much as you love me, remember?"

Ginny let out a snort of laughter and opened her eyes. They were circling the pond behind her house, and she noticed that the lily pads were in bloom. Their soft, delicate pink flowers were a strong contrast to the murky green of the pond. Harry pointed the broom downward, and she felt her bare toes skim across the cool water. He lowered the broom so that their feet were dragging in the water as he leaned down to pluck a flower from one of the lily pads. They ascended again, and he placed the flower behind her ear.

"Are you okay, Gin?" he whispered before dragging his lips down her neck, stopping at her collarbone and sending another shiver down her spine.

Sitting there on Harry's broom, with his arms around her, she never felt safer. She sighed and savoured the feel of being held by him. She was more than fine. This is where she wanted to stay.

"Gin?" He reached around and turned her face toward his and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "Is this okay? We can land if you want."

"It's fine, Harry. I'm okay." She kissed him this time, letting him know that what he did for her was just what she'd needed.

=====

The third Saturday of July was Ron's final Quidditch match of the season, and as it happened, it was the English League Championship Match: Puddlemere versus Wimbourne. Wimbourne was favoured to win the championship, and the week prior to the match was very reminiscent of the World Cup five years ago, with the twins making bets with anyone that mentioned Quidditch.

Harry was in for ten Galleons for a Puddlemere victory, while Ginny put twelve Sickles on Wimbourne. It wasn't that she didn't believe in her brother, but she knew that Ron was overly anxious about the whole thing and his nerves made him insecure and that meant losing. Even though he had a good season, big matches were some of his worst performances.

"Harry, don't forget the Omnioculars! Ron wasn't able to get us very good seats, remember?" Ginny shouted over her shoulder.

"Got 'em!" Harry dashed from the house and ran to catch up with Ginny and the rest of her family. "I don't know why he wouldn't let me get the tickets. I could have got us in a lot better section," Harry mumbled.

For all she loved him, Ginny couldn't understand his obsession with the sport. She didn't need the best seats in the stadium to watch a match; the experience was the most important thing in her opinion. Besides, everyone would expect Harry Potter to sit in the Top Box. If he wanted to 'hide' from people, the cheap seats were the best place. As an added assurance that he wouldn't be noticed, Harry donned his Yankee cap, which he wore to The Three Broomsticks in November, and a pair of sunglasses. Ginny shook her head at him. Yeah, all wizards wear that.

Once outside the boundary wards of The Burrow, the group Apparated, one after another, to the stadium outside of Manchester. The crowd, while not as large as that from the '94 World Cup, was just as noisy. Ginny had a difficult time hearing the security wizard's instructions and had to step aside to have her rucksack inspected. Unfortunately, the guard confiscated her stash of Every Flavour Beans and the bottles of Coca-Cola that she'd brought along. With a stern warning to remember that "No outside food or beverage is to be brought into the stadium," Ginny was finally able to rejoin her family.

"I told you to leave that stuff at home," George teased her. "I thought you were a smart witch, Ginevra." He gave her a sly look, and she knew he was up to something.

"Apparently," Fred chimed in, "our dear sister has forgotten who we are."

"And that we are masters of sneakitude." Fred and George grinned widely at each other while they walked alongside Ginny.

"Sneakitude? You just made up that word, didn't you?" Ginny said in an irritated tone.

The twins stopped and turned out their pockets to reveal what looked like four miniature bottles of Muggle fizzy drinks. "When you get thirsty during the match, take one of these and say 'Engorgio'. They'll go back to their original size," instructed Fred, shoving two of the small bottles into Ginny's pockets. "Enjoy!"

The match was fabulous, and Ginny couldn't believe that it lasted nearly six hours. The Chasers on both teams were more skilled than any she'd ever seen. The Puddlemere Chasers flew seamlessly, something that amazed and astonished her in much the same way when she saw Angelina, Katie, and Alicia fly and worked together back at Hogwarts. And the Beaters were ruthless. Even though she still cringed whenever the Bludgers zoomed too close to any of the players, she marvelled at the accuracy achieved. The Seekers, however, were rubbish. Both she and Harry, on a number of occasions found the Snitch before either professional player did. They both agreed that had one or both Seekers been any better, the match would have ended quicker than it did.

Ron, much to Ginny's delight and chagrin, was flawless. He had got so confident on his broom over the past year that he didn't need to hang onto the broom handle whenever the opposing Chasers flew his way, and used it to his advantage mercilessly. The other Keeper, while not as skilled on the broom as Ron, was also a tremendous player and neither team allowed in many goals. In fact, before the Snitch was caught, the score was an impressive 60-70, in favour of Wimbourne. But it was Julian Whitmore, the Puddlemere Seeker, who finally ended the game after a daring catch while flying in reverse.

The Weasleys exploded in screams as they watched the team circle the stadium in a victory lap, arms punching the sky in victory. Ginny watched excitedly as the team made their way to the centre of the pitch, where the award presentation was to be held. Ginny felt a tug on her arm and turned to find Harry trying to lead her away.

"Come on! We get to go onto the pitch!" His voice was drowned out by the shouts from the crowd.

She followed him eagerly and held his hand tightly, trying to avoid getting separated by the mob that was surrounding her. They ran down the three flights of stairs and before they could catch their breath, the entire Weasley family was whisked away by team officials and brought out onto the pitch where they were greeted by the families of the other players, all anxiously waiting to be joined by the tired members of Puddlemere United.

"Ginny!" came a shout from behind her, causing both her and Harry to turn around.

"Hermione!"

The three of them held one another in a massive hug and tried to speak at the same time before Hermione put her hands over both Harry and Ginny's mouths.

"Where's Ron? I miss him!" she pleaded. Ginny could tell that she was anxious to see Ron. After all, they had been apart for nearly two months. She had only just arrived a few hours ago, and had watched the remainder of the match from the lower bleachers.

"We haven't seen him yet," Harry told her. "We're waiting for the team." Harry put one of his arms around Ginny's waist and the other around Hermione's shoulder.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" a voice from the centre of the pitch boomed, calming everyone down. "I am honoured to present the championship trophy to the captain of Puddlemere United, Seth Condon!"

The crowd cheered as the sandy-haired captain climbed the stairs to the newly-conjured stage area and shook hands with Joseph Dolan, head of the Department of Magical Games, a tall wizard that Ginny recognised from some of Ron's Quidditch matches.

Seth Condon held the trophy aloft in the air for all to see amidst chants of "Champions! Champions!" At his behest, the rest of the team joined him on the platform and there was another throng of cheers.

"Here to present the award for Player of the Match is none other than world-renown Seeker, Viktor Krum!" the disembodied voice boomed.

Ron, Ginny noticed, tensed as Viktor climbed the stairs. She had a feeling that Ron was trying desperately to ignore the fact that Hermione returned the same day Viktor showed up at the Quidditch Pitch.

The years, unfortunately, were not kind to Viktor Krum. Ginny knew that he was injured during the war and now walked with a noticeable limp. His face looked haggard and his ever-present scowl was even more noticeable. He looked even more grumpy than usual.

"Qvidditch is the one thing dat brings Vizarding Vorld together, in good times as vell as in bad. I pleased to announce dat the Player of the Match is Charlene Bellamy!"

The female Chaser's hands went to her mouth as she stepped forward to receive the plaque from Viktor. Flash bulbs went off around the platform for team photos and individual ones with the trophy.

Ginny beamed with pride as she took in the momentous occasion before her. There had been only one female Player of the Match before, and that was Gwenog Jones. Charlene played a wonderful game and scored all but one of Puddlemere's goals. In fact, Ginny speculated that Charlene was the lead candidate for Player of the Year.

Charlene, Ron and the rest of the team gathered for numerous photographs. Ron, she noticed, kept scanning the crowd, no doubt looking for Hermione. A wide smile spread across his face as his eyes stopped toward the area around Ginny.

At that, Ron leapt off the stage and strode across the grass while the crowd parted for him until he stopped right in front of Hermione. With a look of lust and sheer joy, he swept Hermione up into his arms and swung her around, kissing her deeply before walking away from the crowd with Hermione still in his arms, legs wrapped around his waist.

=====

"What do you want for your birthday?" Ginny asked Harry.

It was a cool afternoon, a few days before Harry's birthday, and Ginny had Apparated to London for a dinner date with Ron and Hermione. She sat cuddled up with Harry on a comfortable sofa in his sitting room, waiting for Ron and Hermione to arrive. The two of them hadn't had much time together since the Quidditch match.

"I guess I hadn't really thought about it," Harry answered, his mouth up against her ear. The combination of his arms around her and his breath on her skin made her heart skip a beat. She knew what he was doing, and she was happy to oblige.

She turned her head towards him and Harry's lips claimed hers in a deep, languorous kiss that sent tingles through her body. His tongue entered her mouth and set about on its task of teasing her own tongue into following his lead. She gladly gave in, and settled into his arms as he pulled her across his chest.

His hands went to her hair and gently caressed her scalp, relaxing her even more and turning her knees to jelly. His mouth left hers and began blazing a trail of hot kisses along her jaw line and down toward her neck and collarbone. She let out a groan as his hands left her hair and travelled down her arms before softly touching her waist and easing his fingers inside her shirt.

"You feel so good, Ginny," he moaned. Harry began kissing the skin of her shoulder and stroking the underside of her breast with eager fingers.

"Oh," she eked out, and her own hands pulled Harry's shirt from his trousers and found entrance to run her fingers through the soft hair of his torso and chest. She hastily went to work unbuttoning his crisp oxford shirt, and fought the urge to drag it off his shoulders.

Their kisses grew frantic, just like their hands, and soon Ginny was breathless, lying underneath him, his thigh between her legs while she rubbed against him trying to satisfy a need that roared in her ears. She had long lost the cardigan sweater she was wearing, leaving her only with a light shell, which was now hiked up around her armpits. Harry was in a similar state of dishevelment with his shirt open and half-way down his shoulders.

"Gin..." Harry's voice came from deep in his throat, and she knew what he was asking. "Please..."

"Yes," she whispered and pulled on his earlobe with her teeth, making him groan again. It was the sexiest sound she'd ever heard.

"Wha-what?" Harry's head emerged from between her breasts, his glasses askew on his face and his lips puffy. He'd never looked hotter. "Did, did you say..."

CRACK!

The unmistakable sound of Apparition drove all sexual thoughts out of Ginny's head, and she and Harry were greeted with Ron's horrified look and Hermione's highly embarrassed expression.

"Shit, Ron!" Harry sat up and tried to concentrate on redoing his buttons and shielding Ginny from her brother's eyes. "Don't you knock?"

"You're in the blasted sitting room, Harry!" Ron bent over and tossed Ginny her sweater. "You knew we'd be here." Ron stormed out of the room and headed toward the entry hall, swearing to himself along the way.

"Come on, Ginny. Let's fix your hair," Hermione urged. Ginny followed her up the stairs and gave Harry one last wistful look.

=====

With much negotiating, Harry convinced Ginny's mother to have his birthday party at his house rather than at The Burrow. He kept reminding her that his classes started again on the first and he didn't want to have to be up too late. Ginny was amazed at how well Harry had developed his own puppy dog look; more surprising was that it actually worked on her mother.

Ginny stood in the back garden, one hand clasped in Harry's and the other holding a bottle of Butterbeer. They were chatting with a now very pregnant Tonks and a very over-protective Remus.

"Are you sure you're fine to stand, Dora? You hadn't been feeling well earlier," Remus asked her after she groaned and put a hand to her back. Ginny smiled as she watched Remus caress the small of his wife's back.

"I'm fine, Moony," Tonks answered in a harsh tone, which was quite out of character for her. "It's just a backache!" She was getting downright snippy now.

"We should go. You look so tired," Remus pleaded with his wife. "You've been complaining about your back all day." Ginny couldn't help but notice the look of concern on his face. Perhaps there was something wrong with her.

"You do, Tonks," Ginny added, placing a hand on her friends shoulder. "Go, sit down."

"I don't bloody well want to sit down! I have a fucking backache that's all!" Tonks shouted, turning heads and causing several curious looks.

"Dora!" Remus hissed.

"Tonks, dear, are you alright?" Ginny's mother walked next to Tonks and began stroking her back. "Is anything wrong?"

"I don't kn...OW!" Tonks winced and doubled-over, making Remus lurch forward and put his arms around her shoulders.

Before Ginny could get to Tonks' side, Amanda and Fleur were there alongside Ginny's mother. Was it time?

"Tonks? Is...is it the...baby?" Harry's face had gone pale, and he looked utterly sick. Ginny had to stifle a giggle as he began to back away.

After that, it was a mad blur of activity. The women rushed Tonks inside to the study and began ordering the men around. Ginny tagged along out of curiosity, both medical and personal. She'd never seen a baby born and it fascinated her.

Tonks, for all her added weight and new centre of gravity, managed to fight off the arms of the women that surrounded her, knocking Fleur to the floor.

"Sacre bleu! 'ow dare you throw me to zee floor!" Fleur screamed at Tonks. "Ze bebe..." Her hands flew to her face and she blushed furiously.

The room went suddenly quiet as the women as well as Remus and Ginny's father stared at the blonde on the floor.

"Fleur? Are you..." Ginny watched as her mother flew to Fleur's side and helped her to stand.

"Oui, Mama."

Ginny groaned as Fleur was wrapped up in the arms of Amanda and her mother. The Apocalypse was at hand.

=====

"Get him the hell out of here before I skin the dog alive!" Tonks pointed a finger at her husband with a wild look in her eye. "For the love of Merlin, Remus, go get pissed or something!"

Harry pulled Remus out of the room and waved goodbye to Ginny with a grin on his face. Tonks was right. Remus was useless. She'd gone into active labour three hours earlier, right there in the middle of Harry's birthday party, and all Remus could do was ask if she was feeling alright. He was nervous and very much out of his element. In fact, Ginny was surprised that Tonks put up with it as long as she did.

Ginny's mother had gone ahead and examined Tonks once she was settled in the study and found that she was already dilating and that her water had broken. That was when Remus really lost it and nearly passed out. Tonks, Ginny swore, was a very mean person when experiencing pain and even managed to bring tears to Andromeda Tonks, her own mother, who was summoned immediately.

"Tonks, look at me," Ginny urged as she knelt in front of her on the floor. Tonks' eyes met hers and Ginny was shocked at the fear she saw in her friend. "Remember when you and Remus taught me yoga?"

Tonks nodded and winced as she was hit by another contraction.

"Breathe with me, okay, just like you taught me. Feel the air enter your body and flow all the way down to your toes." Ginny held her sweaty hands and exaggerated her own breathing in an attempt to calm Tonks down. She smiled as Tonks did what was asked, and they continued their breathing through the contraction. "Good, good. Now before the next one, I want you to find your centre and imagine yourself lying on a warm beach with the sun heating your skin..."

Ginny kept talking Tonks through the contractions and before either of them knew it, it was time for Tonks to get to work and meet her baby. Ginny never left her side and kept talking to her and reminding her to breathe; she'd never felt so confident or in control of a situation as she did at that moment, helping in Tonks' delivery.

After another four hours, Phoebe Estelle Lupin entered the world. Her mother, tired and sweaty, smiled and mouthed "Thank you" to Ginny as she left the room. On her way out, she paused at the door and took in the scene before her.

Remus sat on the edge of the bed, stroking his wife's bubble-gum pink hair and stared at the little bundle cradled in her arms. His hand left Tonks and went to stroke the downy light fuzz on his daughter's head, and Ginny noticed tears beginning to form in his eyes. Ginny had never seen a more beautiful sight.

"Hey, you," Harry whispered as he leaned against the doorframe of the study. "That was brilliant. You are brilliant." He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. "Come on. Let's leave 'em alone."

Ginny nodded and walked in silence with Harry out onto the flagstone patio in the back garden. It was nearly morning by now, but she was too wound up to sleep. He stopped at some chairs that were still left from the party and they sat down, hands still clasped.

"That's what I want to do, Harry." Ginny smiled widely at him, feeling the pride just pour off her. "I want to help mums deliver babies."

"Yeah? You did a great job with her." Harry pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Your mum did great, too. Looks like you and she can help Fleur, too," Harry teased.

"Oh, won't that be a joy." They both laughed softly. "Harry?"

"Yeah?" He kissed her hair again and hugged her tighter.

"It's been an odd year, hasn't it?" She felt him nod. "But we made it, didn't we?"

"Yep. I love you."

"I love you, too. Let's not worry about the future, okay? We'll make plans when we need to."

=====

Phoebe means 'Goddess of the Moon', and Estelle means 'Star.'

PS--There is an epilogue!!