This World Keeps on Spinning

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!" the little girl screamed as her father carried her through the doorway.

"You do not hate your cousin, you're just mad at him, love" he replied gently to the child who was hanging upside down over his shoulder. He wasn't quite sure how she had ended up this way. He had picked her up quickly to keep her from attacking her cousin Harry and then retreated to their home. Evelyn was still lying over his shoulder, her hazel eyes blazing at him from near his stomach, her red curls bouncing gently with his every step. "If I put you down, will you behave yourself and not attack people?"

"Yes,'" she pouted.

He flipped her over and set her on her feet. "Child, what in heaven's name is all over your dress?"

At this she burst into tears. "I told you I hated him! He threw mud at me. All over my dress that Daddy brought me from France. Daddy is going to be so mad!"

Percy Weasley grabbed his wand and was about clean her dress when a gentle voice interrupted them from the other end of the room. He looked up to see his lover's sweet hazel eyes, the ones that matched their daughter's so perfectly.

"Ev, don't worry about the dress, baby. I don't care. But you really shouldn't say such mean things about your cousin."

"Ol, I didn't know you were home."

"Daddy!" the child shouted as she saw her father grinning at her.

"Just got here. And mum just yelled over the fence that she wants to talk to you. I take it that it has something to do with this?"

Percy shrugged. "Probably."

"Go see her, while I clean this urchin up, " Oliver Wood chuckled as he scooped Evy into his arms, hugging her tightly. Percy smiled and attempted to pass through the doorway when Oliver caught his arm and pulled him back, planting a kiss on his lips. He responded whole-heartedly. Oliver had been gone for six days for a Quidditch match on the continent and Percy had missed him so much. Their kiss grew deeper and more passionate until they were interrupted by a whiney voice.

"Ewwwww!" the child, still in Oliver's arms, cried. "Kissing is yucky!"

The two men broke apart, laughing. Percy whispered, 'Later' in his husband's ear and then went out the door. Oliver spun Evy around and then levitated her to her bedroom. This was their secret. They both knew that Percy would have a fit about Oliver levitating their child if he knew about it. So they only did it when Percy wasn't around. The child was born to fly, though, thought Oliver as he settled her down on her floor, leaving the muddy dress in the air. He couldn't wait to get her on a broomstick, but they had agreed that she wouldn't have a chance on a real broom until she was five. Only six months to go, he thought. Oliver wouldn't tell Percy what he was giving their daughter for her birthday, just that he had already picked it out and had it on reserve. He was aware that Percy had figured out that it was a broom. He was also aware that he knew he couldn't stop him. They had agreed when the child was born that Oliver could teach her to fly when she was 5. All Percy could do was pray that his Quidditch-crazy husband had at least had the sense to stay away from the Nimbus and Firebolt series of brooms.

While the tub filled, Oliver and Evy went through her dresser to find something for her to put on. Oliver was in favor of pajamas, hoping that the child would go to bed early that night so that he and Percy could have some quality time. Evy wanted to wear a party dress that her Aunt Ginny had given her. They finally agreed on jeans and tee-shirt. As Oliver ushered her into the tub to scrub the mud off, he finally asked her. "So why did Harry throw mud at you, darling?"

"Dunno" she replied, washing her arms thoroughly with a squashy, duck shaped scrubber. She rubbed until her skin was nearly raw, attempting to get every trace of contact with the little boy off of her skin.

Oliver took the sponge from her and washed her back. "You are going make yourself bleed if you scrub that hard." Oliver grinned at her. Although she looked like Percy, Evelyn Olivia Wood-Weasley was Oliver's child, through and through. Loud, confident and in love with Quidditch. She was outgoing and loved to be around people. "You didn't do anything to Harry to make him mad at you?"

"Nope!"

Oliver looked at her with a bit of skepticism. He knew Molly would give Percy the whole story and he'd find out soon enough. Although Evy was his little angel, he knew her well enough to know that she probably wasn't as innocent as she proclaimed to be. But then again, neither was his nephew, Harry.

While Oliver and his daughter played with the bath toys, Percy was talking to his mother and trying to persuade Fred's son George to eat some mashed up carrots. The twins, Kristina and Carolyn, Katie and George's contribution to the newest generation of Weasleys, were attempting to climb into his lap. He gazed at them wistfully. His heart ached as the little red-headed twins gazed up at him. He thought of Evy when she was two. Thoughts of all of the children he had planned to have swelled up from where he had been trying to hide them.

"You want another one, don't you?" Molly asked him gently.

"Yeah, Mum, I do. But you know we can't. I nearly died with Evelyn and Oliver can't carry a baby; we knew that before."

Molly smiled at him. She had never pictured Percy or Oliver as parents, but they were wonderful. She had been shocked when they had announced that they were going to have a baby. There were new magical technologies that would allow two men to have a baby and they planned to do it. Little Evelyn had become their world. It had been common knowledge in the family that they had planned to have at least one more after her, but when they almost lost Percy, Oliver refused to let him try again. He said he needed Percy more than he needed a houseful of children.

Percy frowned up at his mother. "It seems that my one is more than enough trouble. What exactly was going on when I picked her up?"

At this his mother beamed. "Well, it wasn't Harry's fault about her dress, not really anyway. I hope it comes clean. She told me that Ollie brought it from France for her. I guess Harry was making mud pies and Evy put some slugs in them. Harry got so mad at her that, oh, it's just so exciting! Well, he was so mad that the mud just flew out of the pans and hit Evy! He didn't throw it, Percy! It was his first unintentional magic!"

"Oh! Well, that is exciting. Don't worry about the dress. I'm sure we can clean it. Ron and Hermione will be excited. Now, I'm jealous. Evy hasn't shown any signs yet. She better soon, though. Ollie is determined to teach her to fly when she turns 5. I don't know what he'll do if she doesn't have enough magic yet."

"Don't fret, Percy. She'll be fine. Besides, if Harry makes her as mad as he did today, she'll be wreaking havoc before we know it. If you hadn't caught her and taken her home when you did, she might have responded similarly. She may act like Oliver, but that child of yours certainly got the Weasley temper."

"Alright mum, I'm going to go. I haven't seen my husband in six days and who knows how much he and Ev have wrecked my house while I've been over here. I'll see you later." He extricated himself from his nieces; Ron's daughter Elisa had joined the twins in climbing him now, and kissed his mother on the cheek. In the backyard he found Ron's son, Harry still hard at work on his mud pies.

"Hiya, Harry," Percy called to him as he walked over.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Percy." The little boy with wild red hair and big blue eyes answered.

"For what, dear?"

"Throwing the mud at Evy. I din't mean to. I promise." The child looked almost tearful.

"Hey, Harry, it's okay. I'm not mad at you. And Evy won't be after we get her dress cleaned. Did Grandma explain it to you? About the mud?"

Harry's blue eyes looked up questioningly. "She asked me if I threw it and when I said that I didn't, that it just flew out, she started crying and went inside."

Percy laughed. "She was crying because she was happy. Harry, do you know that this means that you are a wizard?"

"Of course I'm a wizard, Uncle Percy. Daddy tells me that all the time."

"Yes, but now its official. Before you know it, you will be off to Hogwarts! And a Gryffindor to be sure!"

Harry beamed at his uncle and smoothed down another mud pie. He really was adorable, Percy thought. It would be wonderful to have a son, crossed his mind. No, he thought fiercely to himself, you can't think thoughts like that. You are never going to have a son. Percy ruffled his hair and told him to be good. Then he crossed the yard to the gate and went through into his own backyard. This was one of those days that he was glad that he and Oliver had built their home right next door to his parents. Forcing himself to cheer up and put on a smile for his family, he entered the back door.

Inside the kitchen door he paused. Oliver was dancing around the kitchen with Evy in his arms. They were giggling and adding things to a pot of soup on the stove. She was clean and wearing fresh clothes, but Oliver's tee-shirt was damp and spotted with purple bubble bath. Percy watched them for a moment until he couldn't help but laugh out loud at his love's off-key singing.

"Hello, love. Dinner is just about ready. Chef Evelyn has prepared a lovely chicken noodle soup and loaf of Italian bread, brought fresh from Italy." The little girl giggled and Oliver placed her on the floor. Percy scooped her up and sat down at the kitchen table with her on his lap. Her flame red curls, exactly like his, were still damp and smelling of baby shampoo. Percy raked through them, trying to make them all go the same direction.

She looked up at him and asked, "Daddy, do I really have to go to bed early tonight?"

"No, dear, why do you ask?"

"Daddy said it was an early bed night."

Percy looked up at Oliver expectantly. The tan skin didn't hide the blush that crept across his cheeks as he ducked his head. "Can't blame a guy for trying, can you?" he whispered.

Chuckling quietly, Percy spoke to Evy, "Well, as Daddy has been away, I'm sure he's very tired and should probably go to bed early, but you and I are going to go over to Grandma and Grandpa's for some homemade apple pie later."

"I like apple pie, too." Oliver pouted.

Evelyn, too young to realize that her fathers were teasing quickly offered to bring Oliver a piece of pie.

"You are a doll baby, Evy-love, but I can probably stay awake for apple pie, 'specially if it's Grandma's," Oliver placated her while placing bowls of soup on the table. Percy moved Evy to her chair and buttered a piece of the bread that Oliver had brought home for them. The happy little family chatted while they ate their dinner. They could hear Hermione's shrieks of delight from the next house.

"Mum just told them, then," Percy observed.

"Hm? Told them what, dear?"

"That Harry didn't throw the mud at Evy; it was his first unintentional magic. Evy made him mad and the mud just flew out of the pans and hit her."

"Excellent! I mean, Harry is only a few days younger than Evy, so she should be doing something soon, right? Four and a half is about the right age, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It tends to run in families, too. How old were you?"

"I don't know...I'll owl my mum and ask. Do you know how old you were?"

"I was 3. Charlie scared me and I managed to send him flying across the room and into Mum's china cabinet. Dad laughed hysterically, Bill cheered, and Mum went back and forth between worrying about repairing her antiques and being excited for me. Poor Charlie was unconscious for 3 hours."

"That's my Percy. Younger than average and better than most."

"Shut up, Oliver."

"Perce! Such language in front our child!"

At this they both began laughing and Evy, who had been struggling to stab a noodle with a spoon, looked up, puzzled. She gazed at her daddies. Sometimes she wondered if it would be fun to have a mommy, like Harry and Elisa did, but then again, they only had one daddy and she wouldn't want to give up either of hers. Besides, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione yelled a lot. Daddy Percy never yelled and Daddy Ollie only yelled at the Quidditch scores. "Daddy?"

"Yes, dear?" both men responded. Harry Potter had once asked why they hadn't used different names for each other so she didn't call both of them Daddy. They hadn't thought of it before and now she was so used to calling both of them Daddy it didn't matter. She had recently experimented with calling Oliver Dad, so it seemed like that might work for awhile, until she was too 'cool' to call Percy Daddy anymore.

"Can I go over to Grandma's now? You two are gonna kiss again and I want to see Kristi and Cari. I'm teaching them a song."

Percy smiled, realizing that somehow he had ended up on Oliver's lap and was feeding him. He nodded saying, "'Tell Grandma we'll be over in a minute."

As soon as the backdoor slammed shut, Oliver's arms wrapped around Percy and pulled him in close, "God, how I missed you!" he exclaimed. Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Percy's lips traveled across Oliver's face and down to his neck where he kissed and nibbled in all the right places. Oliver's hands had moved to Percy's arse and were caressing him. "Percy," he asked breathlessly, "'do we have time before we go next door."

Percy pulled back and looked at him, eyes full of lust. 'Unfortunately, no. I'm not going to pawn our child off on my parents just so we can shag. Besides, Fred and George are over there as well and they'll all know what we've been doing if we show up a half hour after Evy, all flushed and sweaty.'

"You're right. One more kiss before we go, then?" Percy couldn't argue with that. Even after seven years there was nothing in this world that he enjoyed more than kissing Oliver. Both men could completely lose themselves in each other's mouths. Most of their friends and relatives had given up trying to distract them and Evy had learned at a very young age that she had to be really loud to get their attention. Percy finally broke the kiss and stood up.

"Pie-" he said, wanting to lure his husband to his parents.

"Is good, but not as good as you, pumpkin-cake," Oliver interrupted, his hazel eyes flashing enticingly.

"As always, don't call me pumpkin-cake, and the sooner we go to my parents, the sooner we can come home and go to bed," he finished coyly.

"Let's go, then!" Oliver dragged Percy out the back door before he even had a chance to charm the dishes to wash themselves.

Percy stopped to straighten his robes outside their backdoor. "Oliver Wood, I swear, your sex drive is going to kill me."

"Shall I remind you, Percy Weasley, that you were the one in my lap at dinner?"

Percy offered a wry smile as he took Oliver's hand and they walked towards the glowing lights from next door. Children's voices could be heard in the early October evening. Percy sighed as he reflected on the current situation. His family was sprawled on lawn furniture, trying to enjoy what would probably be one of the last nice evenings of the year. Oliver flung himself to the ground and Percy chose a lawn chair. From a dark copse of trees they could hear the high, sweet voices of three little girls singing. Oliver grinned. "I taught Evy that song," he whispered to Percy.

The singing was broken by Evy's tyrannical shout. "No! You are doing it all wrong!" she was yelling at her little cousins, who weren't quite two years old and really didn't care if they were singing it wrong. Fred started laughing, "Oliver may have taught her the song, but that was Percy directing there."

George struggled up from the lounge chair he was reclining in. "I'll get them. Perce, you want yours as well?" Percy nodded. Just as George returned with the three girls, Katie and Molly appeared from the kitchen carrying trays laden with apple pie. The Wood-Weasley family snuggled on the grass while they ate their pie. Percy had finished his and offered to hold baby George so that Fred could eat as well. George was going through a phase where he screamed when he was put down. Fred and Angelina both looked exhausted and even Molly, who had raised 7 children of her own and now baby-sat all 6 of her grandchildren every day was starting to look a little haggard by George's constant wails. Contentment filled the family as well as Molly's excellent pie. Percy brushed the baby's wild dark red hair back and cooed at him. Despite all of the different genetic influences introduced in this generation, the Weasley's were still red-heads. Oliver and Katie's dark brown hair, Hermione's bushy brown mop, even Angelina's African heritage had not been able to dissuade those Weasley hair genes. It hadn't been tested against blond yet, but Bill's wife Lynette was a platinum blonde and was due around Christmas. The twins and Oliver were betting on the baby's hair color; with Oliver placing 30 galleons on pink.

After the pie was gone, Evy had climbed into her Grandpa Arthur's lap for a story. Normally she had to share this time with Harry, but Ron and Hermione had gone home, as Hermione hadn't been feeling well after work.

"I bet Hermione is pregnant again, that's why she's been so sick the last couple weeks. She and Ron are gonna beat you yet, Mum," Oliver commented, his head laid in Percy's lap. Ron and Hermione had married as soon as they left Hogwarts and little Harry Arthur had been born 9 months later. Elisa Jane had followed two years after. Oliver felt Percy sigh and looked up at him. He was gazing at the baby in his arms and Oliver instantly felt the hurt radiating from him. "Perce, babe, I'm sorry," he whispered so no one else could hear him.

"S'alright, Ol," he said. "Ready to go home? Evy is almost asleep on Dad there and George is asleep now. And, well, I'm quite ready to go to bed myself." He winked down at Oliver, who returned a randy grin. They stood and Angelina took George from Percy. Oliver gathered Evelyn from Arthur, who was also almost asleep. Angelina took Percy's arm for a moment.

"Percy, do you two have any plans for your anniversary? If not, Fred, Katie, George and I wanted to take you guys out. No kids-Ginny and Seamus will baby-sit. Its six years, right?"

'Thanks, Ang. That sounds great. It is six years that we've been married, seven since we got together,' he said with a smile, remembering their small, but beautiful commitment ceremony. He and Oliver had gotten married exactly a year after Oliver had told Percy he loved him in the hallway of St. Mungo's after a Quidditch accident. They had decided to try for a child within the year and Percy had gotten pregnant right about the same time as Hermione. They had even shared a hospital room when their children were born.

Percy slipped his arm around Oliver's back and they bade everyone a goodnight. "Early day at the ministry tomorrow, you know." Percy made their excuses.

Fred grinned, "And late night with a Quidditch player tonight, right?"

Oliver kicked Fred as he passed. "Hey!" Fred exclaimed, "I married one as well, I know all about those Gryffindor plays in bed."

"Fred! Not in front of the children!" his mother admonished. Percy and Oliver grinned at each other and headed home, Evy asleep on Oliver's shoulder.

They tucked the child into bed together, each kissing her and telling her that they loved her. Percy lit her nightlight and Oliver turned off the light. With her door shut their lips met again in a long kiss.

"Bed?" Percy asked, in a whisper.

"Yeah, there aren't soundproofing charms out here, and I'm thinking we'll need them tonight."

"We'll? You are the loud one, Ol, not me.'

Oliver was half naked by the time they got to the bedroom, mostly from Percy's handiwork.

"Perce?" he stopped him by grabbing his hands just before they unbuttoned Oliver's jeans.

"What?" Percy was fighting to free his hands so he could finish divesting Oliver of his clothing.

"Stop for a second, please? I want to talk to you."

With a pout, Percy stopped fighting and looked at him.

"When I said I was sorry earlier, I wasn't apologizing for the baby comment that I made. I was apologizing for us not being able to have anymore."

"And I said it was alright."

"No, it isn't. Listen, Percy, if you want to look into adoption, I'm all for it. You know I would have a baby for you if I could."

Wrapping his arms around his partner and relaxing against him, Percy remained silent for a few moments. Memories of the evening with his husband and daughter washed over him and he considered what Oliver had said. The idea had crossed his mind several times and this wasn't the first time that Oliver had mentioned it, but never this seriously. But somehow it just didn't seem right. Evy was their child. A perfect blend of Percy and Oliver. An adopted baby wouldn't be the same. It would be them. But there was always that glimmer of hope on the horizon. He couldn't rule that out. Percy smiled. 'I love you, Oliver. And I know you would. Really, though, I think I'm quite happy with what we have here.

"You think you are happy? Percy, I don't want you think you are happy. I want you to be happy. If adopting a baby will do that, then I want to do it."

Percy took a deep breath. He just wasn't sure how to explain this. Whenever he tried to put his feelings about another child into words for Oliver, they just got mixed up. He didn't want to think about it anymore tonight, besides. He pulled away from Oliver and looked him in the eye.

"We are so blessed with each other and with Evy. But thank you. If I don't pull out of my 'baby fever' soon, that might be something to consider. Or we'll just take Hermione's next one. They'll have so many they'll never miss one."

"As long as it isn't Harry. Evy would run away from home!" The men collapsed into laughter at their tiny daughter's fierce temper. Oliver regained his composure first and quickly launched himself at his husband, succeeding in removing most of his clothing before Percy could stop laughing. It really was quite a late night as they finally gave into the lust that had been consuming them since the late afternoon.

Exhausted, and remembering that Percy had to work and Oliver had Quidditch practice in the morning, Oliver curled into a ball against his love's stomach and drifted off to sleep. Percy sighed, playing with Oliver's hair. As he thought about it, he realized that life really was good to him. He was with a man that he loved with all his heart and soul. They had a beautiful, healthy child who was a joy. And they had their family. The Weasley's, ever growing and loving, and the Wood's. Not quite as close as Percy's family, but quite wonderful in their own way. Oliver and his mum had patched up their differences shortly before Percy married him. Oliver moved suddenly, nearly hitting Percy in the face. He jerked out of the way and caught the stray arm, placing it back beside Oliver. The restless sleep was nothing new and Percy was quite used it. Back when they were at school, Oliver often woke up his roommates when he fell out of bed.

All of the longing and sadness that had filled Percy for some time now evaporated as he watched Oliver sleep. They didn't need another child. He had everything he could ever want, right here. He would no longer feel sorry for himself. He would enjoy what he had. And it was going to start right now.

He snuggled down next to Oliver, enveloping him in his arms and whispered, "I love you, Ol."

"Mmm," was the response he received as he pulled the comforter over them and fell into a deep, relaxed sleep.