Love's Battle Revisited

Chapter 10 - Harry's Girls Meet Ginny

Once Ginny had gotten to her feet, she straightened and dusted off her clothing, then looked over the two nine-year-olds who stood before her. So these were Harry and Hermione's daughters. Beautiful, naturally; that was to be expected--but she smiled to herself at the thought of her own daughter with Harry, young Rose, just a few months older than these two. Just as beautiful, if not more so ... and the result of love, not simply strong hormones.

"Daddy's told us about you. He said you were once close friends," Helen said by way of starting a conversation.

"Before he and your mum got together, yes, that's true, we ... dated for a time. But now that he's split from her, we're back together," Ginny told the child. "We--he and I--have been meaning to bring the two of you and me together; we've just been too busy to do so, at least so far."

"Are you saying that you and Daddy are dating again?" Helen asked; Lily simply stood by, listening and taking it all in. "Is that why we seem to be spending so much time at the Burrow these days?"

"Part of the reason," Ginny confessed. "When a couple really likes each other, like me and your father, they like to spend as much time as they can alone, and children can be inhibiting." Ginny wasn't sure how much these girls could grasp of the concepts of romance, simply hoped that what she said wasn't too far over their heads. Neither would Harry be pleased if they bombarded him with questions about her later. But even now, she was convinced that young Helen was far more perceptive than her years might indicate, so she had to watch her step around her.

"I hope you don't mind my being here. I offered to look after you only to make your father feel better. He has to be with a friend of his, my brother Ron, right now, and he can't be having the two of you there at the moment. I'm sure he'll tell you ... us ... about it when he comes back. For now, though, it's best if he just has one thing at a time to concentrate on and doesn't have your safety to concern himself with."

"Is it true that you have six brothers? Daddy said you did," Lily finally piped up.

"I do. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George--they're identical twins--and Ron, who is Harry's friend. They met when they were eleven years old on the way to Hogwarts."

"Daddy said we'll probably be getting letters inviting us to attend Hogwarts in a couple of years, that he had already put in our names and birthday with the Headmistress there," the child continued.

"As far as I know, that's true. I think my daughter and sons will be going too. They're about the same age as you two."

"You have two sons and a daughter? Who did you marry?" Helen inquired as the girls followed Ginny to the living room and the three sat down together.

"Have you heard of Malfoy Enterprises?" The girls nodded. "I married the young man who is now head of that company, Draco Malfoy. I married him about six months after your father married your mum and bore him twin boys, David and Daryl. We ... Draco and I ... broke up last year because he met his old girlfriend again and realised he still loved her. But he and I still keep in touch because of our boys and I allow him to visit them periodically. After all, he's still their father and they love him."

"What about your daughter?"

Ginny hesitated. How would the girls react once they realised that her daughter was actually their half-sister, that Harry was also Rose's father as he was theirs? She would simply have to explain as best she could and hope they understood. "Before your father married your mum, as I said, he and I dated--but it wasn't simply ... dating. We were engaged and had planned to be married when he returned from fighting Voldemort, the Dark Lord. However, it wasn't long before we heard that he had decided to marry your mum instead and move to America. Even at that, he and I had been together several times before that and I found that I was pregnant not long after that. That's part of the reason I married Draco, to give her a father, since yours--and hers--wasn't around."

"Does Daddy know that you were pregnant?" Helen wondered. "And will we get to meet our sibling one day?"

"He does now. And it's a half-sibling, actually, but yes, your father and I are seriously considering bringing you together one day soon. Draco gave your ... half-sibling his name and they have affection for each other, but I recently gave your father a picture of your half-sibling, so when you feel you're ready, you may ask him about her."

"We have a half-sister?" Lily broke in again.

"Yes. Her name is Rose and she's just a few months older than you." Ginny smiled. "Which reminds me, I think I remember where your father put the picture I gave him. Would you like to see her?"

The girls nodded and the three went into Harry's bedroom, where the picture she had given him of Rose was sitting on his nightstand, alongside a picture of Lily and Helen. Ginny picked up the one of Rose and handed it to the nearest of the girls, who showed it to her sister. "She looks just like me," Lily opined.

"Yes, she does," Ginny had to agree. "You could almost be twins. The boys, on the other hand, look like miniatures of their father, Draco, even though they are also your half-siblings. Half-siblings happen when parents have children with different partners as your father and I did. The two of you and Rose share a father, as she and the boys share a mother--me." Ginny checked her watch and said, "I think we'd better get back to the living room. Your father said he'd give me updates on Ron's condition and we need to be there to catch him when he Floos me."

The three then left Harry's room after Ginny replaced the picture of Rose on the bedside table, unable to help recalling all the tenderly passionate interludes she and Harry had shared, both here in this bed and in her own, and in spite of herself couldn't help blushing at the prospect of the upcoming one the following night--most likely here again. With luck, they would actually get married this time and she would be able to share Harry's bed for the rest of her life and perhaps even have more children ... but that was getting a bit ahead of herself. If it was meant to be, it would happen. For the time being, it was best that she get to know the girls as best she could in the time they had.

"But enough about me. Tell me about yourselves. What do you like to do, both by yourselves and with your father--or parents?" That was when both Lily and Helen began talking at once and Ginny had to hold up a hand to stop them. "One at a time! How about you go first, Lily?" Ginny suggested, and Lily smiled and did so, Ginny spending the next couple of hours learning all she could about Harry's younger daughter. They periodically checked the fire, but hadn't seen Harry's head there yet, so she continued her talks ... with Helen this time.

By the time the talks wound down, Ginny looked at her watch and couldn't help seeing how late it was. Eleven o'clock and still no word from Harry. She began to get worried. If he didn't call soon, she would have to owl the hospital to find out what was going on. Lily was already curled up next to her, asleep. Ginny was struck at how much she resembled her own daughter, and Helen had been nodding off more and more often. Even at that, Ginny was reluctant to leave the room for fear of missing Harry, so she remained on the sofa with the girls, and eventually Helen fell asleep as well. It wasn't until eleven-thirty that a faint crackle and pop indicated that someone had entered the fire. Ginny looked up through sleepy eyes to see Harry's concerned yet tired face looking back at her.

"Sorry to take so long, Gin, but it was touch-and-go with Ron for a while. He's definitely going to be okay, but the Healers say he's going to have to spend more time in Rehab again ... probably about three months or so, at least, so we're going to have to help Luna out for a while."

"That's good that Ron's going to be all right, but it's not going to be easy to balance our work, home life and helping Luna out. By the way, can you come home yet? I've been waiting here by the fire for hours, afraid to leave or even put the girls down for fear of missing you," Ginny informed him.

"I noticed," Harry returned dryly. "Thanks for waiting, luv, but feel free to put the girls down. I'll wait." Harry smiled warmly, his gaze full of both love and desire. "Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I know," Ginny assured him. "It's just not easy to have to wait for news."

"I know what you mean. As I said, I'll give you all the details when I get back. Go on, put the girls down now."

"All right." With that, Ginny gently awakened the girls long enough to get them into bed, and not knowing where their PJs were, just removed their shoes and put them into their beds, smoothing their hair back and kissing their foreheads, then waving her hand to turn out the light and closing the door before returning to Harry in the living room.

"Good to see you again, Gin. Missed you. Girls asleep?"

Ginny smiled, nodded and curled up near the fire, wishing she could touch Harry but having to settle for talking to him. "I wish I could touch you, luv."

"I know. I wish I could touch you, too," he confessed. "Don't worry; we'll be together tomorrow."

"An eternity," she groused.

"Tell me about it. Which reminds me--how did you and the girls get along?"

"Okay. We've spent the last several hours getting to know each other. It's incredible how much your Lily looks like ours. They could almost be twins."

"That's the Potter genes for you." Harry chuckled softly. "Dominant as all hell. Watch out for my Lily's temper, though ... Remus says it reminds him of my mum's."

"Are you reconciled with Remus yet?"

"We're corresponding, and it looks promising, but he's still adamant about reinstating me as his and Sirius's godson until I've ... proven myself. But I've been telling him about my girls and that's what he said about Lily in his last letter."

"I can imagine how his disowning you must have hurt," Ginny remarked sympathetically when she saw the pain in her beloved's eyes even through the fire.

"Big-time," Harry assured her. "It was almost as though one of my own parents had done it."

"By the way, how are you supposed to ... prove yourself?"

"He says I've got to marry you before he'll consider reinstating me," Harry quietly confessed. "I haven't asked because I don't think you're quite ready yet ... but I want you to know that I would still like very much to marry you."

Ginny was speechless for a long time, then said, "I still want that very much too, Harry, but I also don't want to have to worry about you dumping me for someone else again."

"No chance," Harry assured her. "For one thing, the circumstances are different."

"Not to mention the fact that we're both ten years older ... and hopefully wiser," she added quietly, hoping Harry hadn't heard, but his next statement proved that he had.

"I think I've definitely learned my lesson," Harry remarked softly. "'Mione was good for short stretches, but couldn't go the distance ... at least not with me. I should never have left you, Gin--and if you'll give me the chance, I promise I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

His sincerity and love for her was so obvious that Ginny couldn't help but be warmed by it. Unfortunately, he was too far away at the moment to warm her as she truly wanted. Tomorrow just wasn't quickly enough for her taste ... and she was sure it wasn't Harry's, either--but they would have to make the best of it.

"I love you," Harry crooned. "And I intend to make sure that you never doubt that fact again."

"I love you too, Harry--and I intend to show you just how much tomorrow night," Ginny crooned back.

"I look forward to it," he returned with a sly smile.

"And once we have the time, I intend to introduce you to our daughter," Ginny informed him.

"Draco's not going to like it," Harry reminded her.

"He's just going to have to not like it. I appreciate what he's done for Rose and always will, but you're her father--and you two deserve a chance to know each other."

Harry was effectively stunned speechless for a while, then said, "Thank you, Gin. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"Show me, then ... tomorrow," she purred. "Meanwhile, tell me about Ron."

However, just then, Harry said, "Somebody's coming. Be right back." His head pulled out of the fire, and Ginny waited anxiously for the next ten minutes or so until his head popped back in. "Sorry, luv. One of the orderlies came to tell me that Ron's had a combination Sleeping/Sober-Up Potion which should also help him avoid a bad hangover. Arthur and Molly are coming back in the morning and we can come visit him later in the day if you like. Fred and George have gone back to their flat, and I've been assured that Ron will be watched closely all night--so I should be able to come home soon. Just got to say goodnight to Arthur, Molly, and Luna, then I'll be right there. See you soon, luv." With that, Harry popped out of the fire again.

However, five minutes later, Harry stepped out of the fireplace, and Ginny almost literally leapt to meet him, then into his arms, holding him tightly as they kissed ... and kissed ... and kissed. They didn't come up for air for a long time, and it seemed that neither ever had any intention of doing so again before he finally released her. "Sorry, luv, I just couldn't resist," he told her as they reluctantly stepped apart.

"Don't apologise. I wanted it as much as you did."

"Thanks for looking after the girls," he returned with a smile.

"It was a pleasure. I wouldn't mind doing it again, although I don't think Helen was very enthusiastic at first."

"Not surprising. As I've said, she's always been self-sufficient for her age."

Ginny sighed and looked at her watch again. Midnight. Even as much as she wanted to stay, she knew she had to get home; Rose was there alone, having returned from her friend's house shortly before she had learned about Ron's ... predicament. She would be okay for a while, but Ginny didn't want to leave her alone any longer than absolutely necessary. "I'd better get home now. Lily--I mean Rose--came back from her friend's house a few hours ago and I don't want to leave her alone any longer than I have to."

"I understand," Harry returned quietly, although it was obvious just from the look in his eyes that he didn't want her to go.

Ginny placed a hand on his cheek; Harry covered it with his nearest one. "Don't worry, luv, you'll meet her very soon. It's just too late right now."

A short time later, Harry grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, his green eyes dark with yearning. "Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you. Good night."

With that, Ginny threw a handful of Floo powder into the fireplace and stepped into the fire. "The Ginevra Weasley residence!" She blew Harry a quick kiss, then was gone.