A Godfather's Love (aka The Other Side of the Coin)

16 - January 2000: Ginny and Harry Find Out the Sexes of Their Children

Both Ginny and Harry had been hard-pressed to wait until now, but they'd managed it. It was now only a matter of minutes until they would know the genders of their unborn children. Both liked to think they would have children the same gender as themselves, although that was by no means guaranteed. It depended largely on the kind of seed that had impregnated them in the first place--and there was one of each kind. Even at that, they both loved children enough to like the possibility of having one child of each gender.

Technically, Ginny knew the procedure regarding the Gender Detection spell, but she was not nearly experienced enough in her position as Healer for any results she might come up with to be official. For that, it would take someone from St. Mungo's who'd had years of experience in the subject. With all the children Molly Weasley had had, she had a friend at the wizarding hospital that she trusted implicitly and who also knew all about pregnancy and the possibilities regarding the gender of unborn children. She also assured her daughter and son-in-law that her friend would keep her silence about their pregnancies until and unless they said otherwise.

Molly had made an appointment with her Healer friend for them both, and at present, both of them were waiting in the Healer's sitting room, holding hands and exchanging glances full of love and apprehension. Since they wanted to know and yet didn't want to know what sort of children they could expect, they considered it par for the course to be sharing such conflicting emotions. They looked up when the mediwitch (nursing assistant) called out their names. Ordinarily the policy was that patients did not come in together, but due to Harry's fame, it was decided that it was best he not be put on display by being seen in a medical sitting room, either with or without his wife. They were even set up in the same examination room. Once they entered, the mediwitch, who had magically expanded the room to accommodate them, told them to undress, put on special robes, and then sit on adjoining tables. About twenty minutes passed before a kindly looking, middle-aged witch dressed in Healer's robes entered and smiled at the young couple waiting for her.

"Well, it's not every day I have two patients sitting in one room waiting for me--but I promised Molly I'd do it this way, so we might as well get started. She said you both were pregnant. How did that happen, if I may ask? Don't worry, whatever you tell me will remain confidential; it's part of my job."

Harry explained as best he could, sometimes reaching for Ginny's hand to squeeze it for strength, sometimes simply looking in her direction and the two exchanged smiles. "I see. Well, let's get on with the examinations, then. Will both of you lie down, please?"

After they had done so, the Healer waved her wand, murmured an incantation too soft for either Harry or Ginny to pick up, first over her, then over him. The procedure didn't take long, and within ten minutes, the Healer said, "You may sit up now." Harry and Ginny again exchanged looks full of both anticipation and apprehension, then returned their gazes to the Healer.

"Before I give you the results, I need a bit more information. I'm given to understand that the two of you are married," she remarked.

"Yes. We've been married a little over three months," Ginny explained.

"And when did you believe you had become pregnant?" the Healer asked.

"Shortly before we got married," came the reply. "However, my husband's relationship with his ... other lover started about a month before that. But strangely enough, we seemed to both have become pregnant at about the same time."

The Healer then turned to Harry. "Molly tells me that your ... other lover is of the same sex as you. Do you ... consider yourself gay, bisexual, or what?"

"For the most part, I consider myself bisexual, even though I've not had any gay relationships prior to my current one and have no plans for further, similar relationships."

"So you consider both your relationships ... monogamous?"

"I do," said Harry. "I love both my partners equally."

The Healer smiled indulgently. "I'm glad to hear that. I'll tell you the results of your examinations now. Does it make any difference who I tell first?"

"No," Ginny said before Harry could draw breath to reply. "We'll discuss our results among ourselves anyway, so it really doesn't matter who goes first."

"Very well. Young Mister Potter, you are approximately thirteen weeks pregnant with a baby girl." Harry and Ginny exchanged shocked glances and then returned to face the Healer. "As for you, young Mrs. Potter, you are approximately thirteen weeks pregnant with twins!"

There was a long moment of stunned silence, then Ginny said, "Oh, my God." After another silence, she said, "Do you know whether they're fraternal or identical?"

"Before I answer, may I inquire as to whether or not there are twins in your family?"

"Yes. I have twin brothers, Fred and George, three years older than me. They're identical."

"Yes, that's right. I should have remembered that. Too many Obliviating Charms, I guess. As for the type of twins you are carrying, they are fraternal, one boy and one girl."

"Can you give me some idea of when my due date will be?" Ginny asked then.

"If our mutual calculations are correct, it should be approximately September 26th. However, with twins, you may give birth before that, since it is the nature of multiple births for children to be born earlier than in a regular single pregnancy."

"What about me?" Harry interjected. "When may I expect my child to be born?"

The Healer turned her attention back to her other patient. "As for you, I believe you may expect your due date to be around mid-August."

The young couple again exchanged shocked looks. "Why such a discrepancy? We became pregnant about the same time," Harry pointed out.

"Many factors," the Healer explained. "The main one being gender. Male pregnancies are traditionally a month shorter than female ones due to the physiology and construction of the male body. The child also develops faster because of this, but it's basically the same amount of fetal development as in a female pregnancy, just in a shorter amount of time."

"How long may we expect to experience morning sickness?" was the young man's next question.

"It varies with the individual; some experience it for the duration of the pregnancy, others stop around the fourth month. I really couldn't pinpoint just when it will stop for either of you; it depends on your individual body chemistry." The Healer looked thoughtful. "Which reminds me--which kind of birth did you both want? I can do either the Caesarean, which involves surgically removing the child, or deliver the regular way. It's really up to the two of you, so I suggest you discuss it between yourselves and your family and get back to me with your decisions at your earliest convenience."

"We'll do that. Thank you, Healer. May we get dressed now?"

"Of course," the Healer said with a smile. "If either of you have any problems, make sure to contact me--or have Molly contact me if you are unable to do so."

"Thank you, we will," Harry assured her.

"If all goes well, I'll expect to see one of you in August, the other in September. Until then." With that, the Healer smiled and departed to give her patients a chance to dress.

Once they were ready to leave, Harry paid the Healer's bill and they left the hospital, Disapparating back to the Burrow. However, both kept in mind that they wouldn't be able to Apparate after the sixth month of pregnancy; it was just too dangerous, both for the parent and the child.

Molly was waiting in the kitchen, having some tea, when the couple returned. She smiled upon seeing them. "Well? What's the verdict?"

"Let's wait on that until we can sit down, all right?" Ginny sat down first, and then Harry seated himself beside her.

"All right, give," came the older woman's voice ... and the couple did.

* * * * *

"Well, I can tell the family if you two don't want to ... about Ginny's pregnancy, I mean. But you, Harry ..." Molly's voice trailed off. "You had best tell Sirius at your earliest opportunity so you may plan accordingly."

"Oh, I fully intend to, I assure you. The next time I see him, in fact, which is tomorrow."

"Does he intend to assist you in raising the child?" Molly inquired.

"I assume so," Harry replied. "We'll be discussing everything at length then."

Molly then turned back to her daughter. "I can't say I'm surprised to hear you're carrying twins, dear. It definitely runs in the family, and I can imagine how everyone else is going to react once they hear!" It was then that she looked up and noticed that both of the young couple looked pale. "Do you feel all right, Harry? Ginny?"

The pair shook their heads.

"You didn't take your Anti-Nausea Potion today, did you?"

"No," Ginny replied. "Remember, you said not to since we were seeing the Healer today."

"Well, now that your appointment's behind you, I suggest you both do so, then lie down and get some rest. I'll make sure no one disturbs you. Now, go on."

She kissed both of them on the cheek and sent them to the upstairs bathroom, where they found a newly brewed batch of potion all ready for them. Her mother's doing, Ginny was sure, although she herself was equally adept at brewing potions. At the same time, she really didn't feel up to doing it, so she was thankful that Molly had had the presence of mind to do so. After she and Harry had taken their regular dose of potion, both removed their shoes and clothing, leaving on just their undergarments, they slid beneath the covers of Ginny's old bed, which she had magically enlarged some time ago to accommodate both her and Harry whenever he stayed with her. They decided to spend the night here, then return to their own home in the morning.

* * * * *

By some strange quirk of fate, Harry happened to awaken earlier than Ginny did and spent most of the next half hour just holding her as she slept, making a mental note to owl Sirius at the earliest opportunity and tell him what the Healer had told him about their child ...and his and Ginny's children, the fraternal twins. He was glad to discover that he did not feel ill, but knew both he and Gin would have to take some more of the Anti-Nausea Potion before too much longer. It was another half hour, in fact, before she stirred, awakened and smiled sleepily at him.

He gave her a gentle good-morning kiss, stroked her tousled hair with his nearest hand and crooned, "Good morning, luv."

"Good morning to you," she replied. "How do you feel?"

"Okay, for the moment--but we'd better take some more potion after we get up so we can eat breakfast with some certainty of keeping it down long enough to do us good."

"Do you intend to tell Sirius what the Healer said?"

"Of course, but at the moment, Hedwig is out hunting, so I can't do it until she gets back."

"You know you can use one of our owls if necessary," Ginny pointed out.

"I know, and the offer is appreciated, but Hedwig knows how to deliver directly to Padfoot. Remember, she had to learn while he was in hiding all those months. She also knows the quickest way to Grimmauld Place, so she's really the best choice."

"Well, since I don't intend to go back to sleep, we might as well get up and take some more of that potion. If I know Mum, she'll be calling us to breakfast in the not-too-distant future."

"Probably a good idea," Harry agreed; after helping Ginny to her feet, he got to his own and they dressed, then went into the bathroom and took the necessary dose of potion. Good thing they did, too, because almost literally the next thing they knew, they heard Molly calling all inhabitants of the Burrow to breakfast ... and if they didn't get a move on, she'd start shouting--and Harry privately swore more than once that when she did that, she could be heard in the next town, if not the next province.

Molly was pleased to see Harry and Ginny enter the dining room and seat themselves. Arthur was already there and smiled a greeting to his daughter and son-in-law in the midst of eating. A few minutes later, Molly levitated full plates of Harry and Ginny's favourite breakfast foods and set them down before them as neat as you please. Of course, she'd been doing such things for years, so it was only natural that she would have the technique perfected down to a fine art.

Arthur was nearly finished with his breakfast when he looked up and caught his daughter's eye. "I understand you're carrying twins, love."

"That's right, Daddy. Fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. The Healer says I should deliver in late September."

"What about you, Harry my boy? How do you feel about your impending fatherhood of twins?"

"I'm happy, of course. Who wouldn't be?"

"What if Ginny ends up as prolific as her mum? What will you do then?"

"I'm not too worried. I have the money to support a whole bunch of kids."

"What about your own ... affliction?"

Harry exchanged glances with his wife, noting the distinct difference in the way Arthur asked questions about their pregnancies, making another mental note to discuss it with her privately at the first opportunity after they went back home. Meanwhile, he decided to answer as if the manner were the same, if only to make sure that Arthur didn't realise that he'd noticed.

"The Healer said around the middle of August. And don't worry, I intend to tell Sirius all about it."

"How do you both feel right now?"

"Obviously, pretty good, or else we wouldn't have been able to eat breakfast, much less keep any food down," Ginny replied, a telltale bite in her voice that everyone in the room noticed but that no one commented on--at least not in mixed company. As a result, the younger pair ended up making their farewells sooner than they'd expected ... mainly because Harry had been giving her looks that told her he had to speak with her alone. If they stayed much longer, they could easily get into a nasty confrontation that was neither wanted nor was anyone prepared for.

"Thanks for the breakfast, Mum," she sent in Molly's direction, hoping she couldn't tell that her smile was somewhat forced. "We'll see you both later."

With that, Harry and Ginny Disapparated back to their Hogsmeade home, and the older woman could guess why. She glared at her husband, and he returned an innocent look, although she was sure he knew just why she'd done it; he'd been married to her too long not to know what glares like that signified. He made a mental note to be as prepared as he could be for her to confront him when they prepared for bed that night. For the time being, he had better things to do, such as finish his breakfast and get to work.

* * * * *

Almost as soon as Harry and Ginny had reappeared in their living room, he turned on her, eyes a blaze of green. "Did you see the way your father addressed my pregnancy?"

"I did, luv, I assure you. You've got to make at least some allowances; you know Mum and Dad are from the old school. It's not every day they run into such a thing as male pregnancy. I'm sure they were always taught it was impossible for one wizard to impregnate another--but now that we know otherwise ..." Her voice trailed off. "I understand just how you feel, luv, so kindly don't take it out on me. Remember, I'm on your side. Not to mention just as pregnant as you are."

"I know. Sorry. It just got to me to have the same thing you're going through treated like a communicable disease when it comes to discussing it with me." Just then, Harry yawned deeply, which prompted Ginny to do the same.

"I think we're both still tired, so we'd better go back to bed."

Harry could tell how difficult it was for her to deal with his other relationship and loved her all the more for being so tolerant of his other romance. He frankly doubted he could have done the same in her position, remembering how jealous he had been seeing her snog her former boyfriend Dean Thomas when he and Ron had once come upon them unexpectedly. But what had really gotten to Harry was the way he had acted upon recalling the incident, picturing himself in Dean's place, kissing her, holding her, touching her ... It was because of this that in spite of his weariness, Harry was unable to help feeling desire for his beautiful young wife. But at this point in time, he just didn't feel up to doing anything more physical than kissing or holding. Serious fun and games would no doubt come fairly soon, their health and the individual situation permitting, be it with her or with Sirius.

They just barely had enough energy to Apparate upstairs, then lie down on top of the bed covers with a spare blanket over them. The only thing they removed this time was their shoes, but they were both out like the proverbial light nonetheless and didn't awaken until early evening. He was frankly glad that she was still asleep when he awakened and it was time for him to leave to see Sirius. He got up carefully, slipped on his shoes, and kissed Ginny on the forehead after scribbling a short note to her: "Went to see Sirius. Will be back ASAP and tell you what happened. Love, Harry." He then got out his Firebolt and flew to Grimmauld Place.