Will I

CHAPTER-7

"Ginny, come on dunderhead, wake up!" Ron woke her the next morning.

"What happened?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"It's 10 in the morning, Ginny. By the way, Harry was seriously injured a few days ago in his last case and is going to recuperate in our house. He's coming today."

Ginny tensed. "Thanks Ron, for informing me. Why the hell didn't anyone of you tell me before?" she shouted the words so loud that Ron visibly winced at the words.

"This is exactly the reason we didn't tell you about it before. Hermione said it would excite you more than necessary," he said calmly, though.

Ginny breathed deeply. "How is he?"

Ron was thoughtful. "He was pretty bad the first two days. He had quite a few broken bones and loads of bruises. Apparently he met a match there. But he's alright now; he'll be joining his office today in a few hours and staying here until he finds his new home."

"Okay," she said and got ready. She planned to go to shopping today. She was much too bored alone in the house. And she needed to roam alone to think about that dream she'd seen yesterday. Her pulse roared whenever she remembered it.

"And I am taking Hermione out on a two day holiday. So you and Harry will be alone here for two days. Don't worry, it will be okay. Harry's not of a much diversion!" Ron announced as she was about to drink some water. She stopped at his words.

Wouldn't he be a diversion?

***

She let out a shriek as she saw a dark figure looming out from the hallway.

"Harry, you scared the hell out of me..." she began, put a hand on her hammering heart.

"I came from the front; you can hardly say I sneaked upon you," Harry put in logically. He continued, "That's not the point here. You are avoiding me."

"Well, I was busy," she replied. Well, she was busy, wasn't she?

Harry's gaze went to her hand. "What is this? You're not allowed to carry heavy loads, are you?" he asked her, snatching the polybag politely away from her and keeping it on the table. He moved from the back door towards her and looked at the back seat of her car.

"You've gone shopping without telling me. You don't want me involved with my own child's life." There was dejection in his voice.

She tried to reason with him. "Well, you have to go to the office and I was bored, so I went shopping. It has nothing to do with your involvement with my child."

Harry nodded lamely and carried the two prams into the apartment. After the long silence, he suddenly spoke, "Gin, we need to finalise it."

"What?" Ginny asked, trying to bury the panic rising inside her. He wasn't going to take her child away from her, was he?

"We have to marry."

Ginny was shocked for a few minutes and then laughed. Harry had strange ways to say such things. "Why's there the 'have to' in between? When you don't want to marry me for love but only for my child-"

"It's my child too," he interjected. Ginny's anger flared off suddenly.

"Whatever! I don't want a marriage not based on love. Even when I marry later, my husband would be the one who loves me and my child," Ginny retorted, controlling her anger. "I need a marriage which is based on trust -not on unfounded accusations about lying or hiding the facts. Anyways, you are engaged to Harriet."

He ignored the topic of Harriet. "Don't you realize how hard it is for single working women to take care of their child on their own? Especially with a demanding career like yours?" Harry tried his logics.

"I'll think about it when the matter comes. But I refuse to marry just for the sake of the upbringing of my child," Ginny retorted, moving towards the fridge. Harry followed her. "By the time of my delivery, I plan to tell everything to Ma, except that you are the father." She took out a water bottle and drank some. Ron and Hermione were already gone so Ginny attempted to think of something to cook that would stay in her stomach.

"Does anyone else know about it?" he asked. Ginny went over the sofa and sat down. He again followed her and sat beside her. Trying to avoid the warmth that flowed through her, Ginny stood up jerkily.

"Will you stop following me?" she snapped, but fell silent as a threatening wave of dizziness hit her.

Harry immediately stood and supported her. "I told Joy you are not well enough. And still you go shopping. You need rest, Gin," he said quietly. Ginny breathed deeply.

"I'm fine," she said as steadily as she could. With Harry nearby, it was hard for her to be steady.

"No, you're not!" he said resolutely. He heaved her in his arms and started towards her room.

"Harry, what are you doing?" she asked wriggling, stunned at his action, and also her reactions.

"Will you stop wriggling as if Voldemort has just taken you in his arms?" Ginny went absolutely still. "I am not that weak that I can't carry to your own bed at least." He set her gently on her bed and pinned her down by settling her down both his hands on her either side and leaned down on her. Ginny was having a sudden trouble to breathe. "I think you ought to eat something nutritional. You look as is you haven't eaten for weeks," he said softly, after looking at her thoroughly.

"The steak didn't stay," she replied lamely.

"Want to have a sandwich?" He suddenly sounded young and grinned mischievously, taking Ginny off her guard. "I am dying to have a peanut butter one."

Ginny licked her lips jokingly in reply. "Sounds delicious... as long as I don't throw up," she said.

He nodded and went out towards the kitchen. "Want it crunchy or smooth?" he asked suddenly.

She was thinking something else and the words 'crunchy' and 'smooth' associated with her thoughts made her blush. "I would like crunchy, but we don't have any. I guess smooth will do," she replied to his question.

Harry winked and called back as he turned. "Expecting mothers should not be disappointed!"

Ginny was confused but later understood as a few minutes later Harry returned with a bottle of crunchy peanut butter, bread and cut fruits and vegetables with a glass of orange juice.

"You have to join me!" Ginny laid her condition.

So they had a wonderful (but tensed in its own way) time together, having dinner and laughing together. After a few hours, Ginny said to Harry, "This dose of laughter is enough for today, let's go to bed...in our respective beds, now. If we don't, I will drop on this bed."

Harry laughed softly, as if he could see what she wanted to avoid, but helped Ginny get to her bed and switched off the lights, to go into the quiet and solitude of his own room.

***

It was still dark outside and Harry couldn't understand what woke him up. All he knew that his sheet slipped down and he had pulled it up back in his sleep, before waking up with a jolt the next and grasping his wand tightly in his right hand, while fumbling on the side table with his left hand.

Only to find it missing.

He tried to focus in the dark, his power extended to the maximum. His view was extremely blurred. He sat on the bed, darted his eyes everywhere.

"WOOOOH!"

"AARRGH!"

Loud laughter followed the screams next instant, with Harry having his hand on his chest and trying to breathe. The lights switched on.

"Crap! Ron, you prat! Why did you do that for?" Harry moaned, trying breathing deeply.

Ron had suddenly jumped on Harry (narrowly missing his stomach), knocking the air out of him. Harry was just about to curse him back, when the light was switched on and Harry saw it was Ron, and Hermione and Ginny standing by the light switch, laughing at the scene.

"But it's worth it. Look at your face! It's whiter than your bedsheet!" Ron rolled down the bed, laughing like a lunatic.

"You gave me a heart attack! You nearly missed my stomach and, I could have cursed you." Harry tried logic with him.

"No, you wouldn't have!"

"How come you know that?"

"Ginny told me." He pointed at Ginny. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Then I guess this whole thing was also her idea," Harry asked, a humorous glint in his eyes.

Ginny willed herself not to blush and shook her head. "Yes, but not originally. Fred and George initially wanted to do it, but had to go out on some important business deal and I liked the idea immensely." She shrugged. "So I gave it to Ron, who was more than happy to do it. And here we are!"

"But why tonigtht?" Harry asked perplexed and looked at his watch. It was exactly midnight.

Ron gave him a dirty look. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Harry Potter!"

"Why? Did I forget something?"

Hermione interrupted, looking mockingly sympathetic. "Harry, you sure you didn't get a head injury?"

Harry's eyebrows contracted in confusion.

"IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY, YOU MORON!" all three of them shouted together.

"Oh!"

Ron huffed. "See, Hermione, I told you Harry has lost his marbles. He doesn't even remember his own birthday." He waved his hands in exasperation. "I mean, how dumb can a man be?"

Harry laughed. "Okay, okay. Thank you my dears. Now may I know what plans we have for today?"

Ron quipped up. "I planned to have a bashing party and go to some nice disco or something, but Hermione put it down for home-made dinner and a nice chat."

"Just us?"

Ron's face dropped a little at this and Hermione glared at him murderously. He went on, "We thought so, but Ginny said it would be better to invite Harriet. She'll be here soon."

Harry nodded. "That's good!" he exclained, pushing his sheets and getting up to wear a shirt over his pyjamas. Ginny turned away, not wanting to see the naked torso of Harry. Harry didn't notice it, but Ron sniggered innocently at it and Hermione hit him with her elbow and he winced, casting a disdainful expression at her.

Just as Harry got out of the bathroom, the burglar alarm went off. Harry and Ron pulled out their wand and Harry indicated the two ladies to stay.

They moved quickly to the door. And suddenly there was loud laughter from the halls. Confused, Ginny and Hermione too went outside. Ron and Harry were laughing uncontrollably with Harriet in a low neck calf length gown, standing there indignant between them.

On seeing Hermione and Ginny, she strode over to them.

"Oh god, 'Mione, that alarm literally stupefied me!" rushed Harriet, planting a wet kiss on Hermione. Hermione winced, though Harriet didn't see. Ginny raised her eyebrows at 'mione and Hermione gave her a desperate look.

"Why have you put up that stupid Muggle alarm, for Merlin's sake? Muggles and their items are just useless, and both of them just create havoc," Harriet announced, flipping her hair back, huffing.

There was a sudden silent in the room. Ron glared at her openly; Ginny looked shocked, Hermione tried to look impassive and Harry looked uncomfortable.

"Hermione's parents were Muggles, Harriet. I told you that," he said to her in an undertone, standing still at the doorway along with Ron.

Harriet looked unabashed. "But she must have realized what a mess of a life they live in!" she waved her hand around. "No magic at all..."

Harry opened his mouth to retaliate, but Hermione cut in sharply, "That's all right. There's no need to fight over this," she said putting her one hand on Harriet's shoulders and turning her, while waving her other hand to Harry to remain calm in her usual no-nonsense way. Harry followed them and Ginny and Ron came last. Ron made a rude face at Harriet's back.

"Well, all of you sit down, Ginny and I will bring out the food," Hermione said to them. Harriet moved to help but Hermione shook her head.

"When did anyone call you 'Mione?" Ginny asked Hermione.

Hermione sighed. "She did that since the first time we met and I didn't say anything because I didn't want to hurt Harry's feelings." She picked up the champagne bottle and floated the dishes out.

Ginny picked up the glasses. "How the hell did Harry fall for her?" she asked, disgusted.

Hermione shrugged. "I say he was a bit disturbed after our marriage and she was the outlet," she shook her head and looked at Ginny. "I'm not implying anything Ginny, but it's always so hard to understand Harry, and you were the closest one of us to get to Harry since our sixth year. He's been so closed after that night he killed Voldemort. And he's also so disturbed since he got hurt in that case."

Ginny's hand stopped in mid-air, on its way to the cabinet above. "What do you mean?"

Hermione cast her an odd look. "Ron again forgot to tell you? Oh god, what will happen to him? Anyways, when Ron was there with Harry in the hospitals during the nights, he heard Harry muttering in his sleep. Just incoherent words like... 'I didn't-Sirius-mum-kill-please don't leave me' and stuff," Hermione bit her lip. "I interrogated that dunderhead Faggy The Foul about what happened that day between him and Harry and he told me all those creepy things he blamed on Harry about his responsibility in his parent's death and of Lupin's and Sirius' and everyone who died in the second war. God knows how and where he learnt about all this but it sure has racked Harry to the inner core. And now I think he's having those nightmares about his parents again," Hermione finished.

Ginny was stunned. "He's having the nightmares again? Now? After so many years?" she asked incredulously.

"You still hold yourself responsible for Dean's death and still have those nightmares about your first year, don't you Ginny?" Hermione commented.

"That's different," Ginny cut in quietly, an ominous warning in her voice.

Hermione moved towards her, but suddenly Ron shouted from the dining hall.

"Are you two ladies ever going to serve us food or are we supposed to look at the dishes until dawn?"

Hermione heaved an angry sigh and moved out of the kitchen. "No, Ron. And if you don't stop your childish behaviour, I won't hesitate to put a nice Silencing charm on you!" Hermione waved her wand threateningly.

"I am just so damn tired seeing them flirting!" Ron commented silently, pointing at the couple sitting beside them, even now grossed among themselves. Ginny suddenly felt terribly sick.

Sitting down at the dinner table with the others was the last thing she wanted. Watching Harriet and Harry together would be little short of unbearable, and listening to them discussing about the wedding plans with the stolen kisses here and there would be sheer torture. She shuddered as vivid pictures of them as bride and groom took form in her mind. Harry looked tall and lean and breathtakingly handsome in his tailored suit, and Harriet, extremely fragile in her white gown.

"Umm, I'll go upstairs," Ginny mumbled and tried to go upstairs, but Ron grabbed her arm.

"Why? You are not going anywhere," he commanded like a child.

"Surely I shouldn't be interfering in your personal dinner," she tried to reason.

This time Hermione's eyes flashed with anger. "Come on Ginny, you are among the closest of our friends and family," she glanced at Harriet, who was looking strangely at Ginny, "despite how much you try to deny it. Come and sit."

"But I'm a terrible company during meals," she added lamely.

Ron groaned and pulled her slightly towards the table. He sat at the head of the table, with Harriet and Hermione on his either side, leaving Ginny no choice but to sit opposite to Harry. Ginny avoided eye contact with Harry, feeling him looking at searchingly.

"How I wish I could kill him," Ron hissed suddenly in middle of the silent dinner.

"Now who is it?" asked Hermione, her tone indicating both weariness and amusement.

"The bastard who knocked up my sister!"

Harry coughed slightly and Ginny chocked terribly on her water and Hermione patted her back, while talking to Ron. "That's not a very charming thing to say," she reproached him. Harry stared unblinkingly at Ginny.

"Neither was what he did to her," he said, turning red from his years.

To make matters more ironical, Harriet joined his side.

"At least my Harry is not like that. He, like a gentleman proposed me!" She flashed her ring, a single large diamond. "It was wrong on the man's side to do that! He must obviously support his child and marry her," she added solemnly.

Ron looked delighted at having a supporter and opened his mouth to speak but Hermione interjected, slightly angry, "It's none of our or anybody else's business except Ginny's. It's her opinion which matters and only she will decide what to do and no one else." She looked pointedly at Ron and Harriet while saying so and her eyes blazed as she supported Ginny. Everybody's eyes riveted to see Ginny, who tried to keep her face neutral, fighting to stop flush creeping into her face.

Cutting off the unpleasant silence in the room, Ginny cleared her throat and said, "Well, I'm glad you all are so concerned about my child and me," she smiled at Ron, who grinned at her, getting her message. "But it's a topic I wish that people don't talk about neither behind nor in front of me. The only reason I am staying here is because I recently sold my apartment and am not in a state to move into a new one." She looked hard and determinedly at Harry.

"And regarding the father, and not the bastard as you call him Ron, I have no resentment and anger towards him," she could feel Harry trying Occlumency and looked earnestly into his eyes. "What he did, was a moment's impulse, though had a very serious consequence. But I don't blame him. We both just got carried away." She looked at Ron and he felt her eyes filled with infinite love "I am to be blamed as much as him. I don't want someone's support for raising my child or I would have already accepted the generous offer from Fred and George. The only reason I will marry a man is because he will love both me and my son." She felt tears in her eyes. She put her napkin down and rushed to her room.

Later when she came back down after composing herself, the atmosphere in the room was cheery, though she felt herself far from being cheery. They talked to great lengths about Quidditch and Ministry in the drawing room; Ginny sprawled lazily on the rug. It was about three by the time they stopped and Harriet left them.

As soon as she left, Ginny turned to her brother. "Ron, I have to tell you something," she said.

"About what?"

"About your nephew's father."

Hermione turned abruptly towards her and Harry went rigid. Ron tensed but remained calm.

"What about him?"

Ginny took a deep breath.

"I afraid I haven't been telling you the whole truth, Ron. I want you to be patient as I tell you everything. Only Hermione has known this until till now. Well, except for Harry."