Betrayal

Life, Continued

Harry kept Ginny informed of the progress of the building of their new home; it was going as well as anyone could have expected--at least for the time being. But considering the way Harry's luck usually ran, he fully expected something to go wrong at some point ... and most likely something significant which would delay the finished product several weeks, at the very least. Harry didn't want to impose on the Weasleys' generous hospitality any more than absolutely necessary, and even though he knew well that he had indeed imposed on them, he also knew that they would vehemently deny it. He was considered family--had been from day one--and to do things for family was no imposition. His marriage to Ginny would only make official what had always been unspoken and accepted from the moment he had met them.

The latest he had heard in regards to wedding procedures was Molly working with Ginny to see how she could get her wedding gown to fit her now very pregnant daughter. Harry had no doubt that they would figure something between them, if not call Hermione in for a consultation since they had had to come up with a maternity wedding dress then as well. Finally it was decided that Molly charm it so it automatically adjusted for any changes in her body because of her advancing pregnancy. Ginny had been unable to believe her very "full-figured" mother could ever have fit into that tiny dress she had brought out to show her but Molly informed her that at the time of her own wedding, she had been built much the same way as Ginny herself, so she had nothing to worry about. Ginny also definitely wanted her parents to give her away and for all their family who was able to come to be present.

They had also contacted the one responsible for Wizarding marriages at the Ministry and obtained his consent to marry them. The couple had originally wanted to marry on Valentine's Day but that was way too busy a day for the Head of the Department for Marriage and Children to do it, so they discussed several other options, such as the day they had met, the day they'd realised they were in love, one another's birthdays ... not to mention where, such as the Burrow or Hogwarts or even Kings Cross Station. They hadn't definitely decided yet, although they were seriously leaning toward the Burrow for the reception and Hogwarts for the wedding.

It was truly incredible how many details there were to arranging a wedding--something Ginny frankly never imagined she would ever have, especially with Harry, especially considering the fact of what he had had to do in order to legitimise Hermione's pregnancy. Fortunately for her, Hermione had realised that the marriage had served its purpose upon the safe and healthy birth of her child and was generous enough to let Harry go to Ginny, whom he truly loved, and return to Ron, whom she, Hermione, truly loved. A most fortuitous occurrence, since it enabled not only two couples who loved each other to be together, but to once again legitimise the fruit of the union of one of them.

* * * * *

As expected, the snag came a bare week before the house was due to be completed--they had run out of wood to complete the last room of the house--the master bedroom. Harry and Ginny could not move in until it was completed and furnished, and from what Faber had told him, it would be the better part of a month before the proper amount and grade of wood could be readied. Harry could not help but swear mightily upon hearing this, as did Ginny, but in her own way even as she did her best to soothe him.

"What matters is that the house is nearly complete, beloved. Our own home is well worth waiting for, however long that period must be."

"But I wanted--" Harry began.

Ginny put a finger on his lips to stop him. "I know what you wanted, and we will be in residence, very soon. Just somewhat later than we expected." Just then, she felt her first labour pain ... and from that moment on, they were too occupied with the impending birth of their own child to worry about such a minor inconven-ience as having to wait another month or more before being able to move into their new home.

* * * * *

It was only a matter of days before this that they had married at Hogwarts, on the anniversary of the day they had first met, as was finally agreed--with McGonagall presiding, but the official from the Ministry standing by--then, leaving the school grounds, they all Apparated to the Burrow, where the reception took place in the flower-bedecked garden behind the house. Hermione was bridesmaid, while Ron was best man; little Solomon was in Molly's care while his mother performed her wedding duties. The usual gifts were given, just as the newlywed couple had the traditional dance and toast, not to mention the first bite of wedding cake. But this was not to be the most memorable moment of their lives ... by no means. Instead, something far more miraculous would soon take place, scarcely another week after their marriage.

* * * * *

Shortly after they had reached St. Mungo's and Ginny was being prepped, Harry fought back his rising nervousness and made himself owl the necessary people, informing them of what was presently transpiring and that he expected whoever could make it to join him--if only for moral support while waiting for Ginny to give birth. Fortunately, he did not have to wait long for that support, and when he received it, he welcomed it with open arms and all his heart.

That heart swelled with love and affection for all assembled before him--Ron and Hermione, his two closest friends and the child in her arms, his first-born, Solomon; Ron's parents, the closest Harry had ever had to parents, Arthur and Molly Weasley; and finally, Fred and George, the closest he had ever had to siblings.

The other brothers had been owled and would come as soon as they could. Harry's adopted family all hugged him in order to give him strength to endure both the coming birth and his subsequent fatherhood.

He smiled at them all and said, "I've got to go now. I promised Gin I would be with her."

They all wished him the best of luck even as he turned and made his way into the delivery room, murmuring concernedly among themselves as to their doubts regarding whether or not Harry could handle it. He had handled a lot of difficult things in his short lifetime, but never anything like this--the birth of a child-- and what's more, his own child. Even with Hermione, he had not been present in the delivery room; he had chosen to wait until the mediwitch had brought him his newborn son. Only time would tell how this day would turn out.

* * * * *

However, Harry was scrubbed, gowned and masked before he would be allowed near his wife. Even at that, he didn't let it stop him from raising her hand to his lips and kissing it several times, quite passionately. "I'm here, Gin. Everything's going to be fine."

"Harry ..." she moaned, clutching his hand tightly upon mimicking his earlier action. "Help me, love. Help me ... it hurts so much ..."

"I know. I won't leave you, not until it's all over. I promise you that with every ounce of my being." Ginny smiled softly and seemed to ease into her next contraction, despite the fact that up to this point, the labour had been hard and painful for her. It was as though his love had literally become part of her and helped her to give birth. After this, it was still painful, despite the painkilling potion and the episiotomy which had been performed to ease the child's emergence--but by comparison, the rest of the childbirth had become almost effortless.

It was still some hours later before the child was born, but Harry never left Ginny's side the whole time, which ended up being twelve hours--and he knew his hand wouldn't be useful for much of anything for several days following this, but it would be worth it. She finally gave one last push and the child was out-- out and being vigorously rubbed to get her circulation going. When the couple heard the cry of their child, a child with Harry's green eyes but Ginny's red hair and freckles, tears of happiness began to stream down both their cheeks. Neither of them could stop smiling, either--especially when the child was put into Ginny's arms and was showed off to her proud father by her exhausted but ecstatically happy mother.

"Oh, Harry, love, she's so beautiful. So very beautiful. Little Rosalind Megan," Ginny rhapsodised as she hugged and kissed her child. "Truly a miracle of love."

"Every bit as beautiful as her mother, who is every inch a miracle herself," Harry replied, feeling such love for both his ladies that he felt certain that his heart would burst right out of his chest even as he gathered them both close and dared anyone else in the room to disturb them--even the Healer who had just delivered the child. She stepped back to give them a bit of privacy, but after about half an hour, knew her work was not finished.

She spoke quietly but firmly and with authority, "Mr. Potter, I must finish my work. I will come for you to be with your wife and child when I am finished." Harry's eyes momentarily blazed with indignation, but he knew she was right, so he backed off after giving one last kiss to Ginny and his child. He left the room and rejoined his adopted family; all saw he had been crying, but it was Molly who reached his side first and gathered him into her strong, loving arms.

"Harry, dear, you've been crying. Is everything all right?"

Tears of happiness again filled Harry Potter's eyes as he smiled at his surrogate mother. "Everything's perfect, Molly. I have a daughter ... the most beautiful daughter in the world! The most beautiful wife in the world! A wife and daughter I would never have had without you and Arthur. For that, I can never be grateful enough to you--both of you--not for as long as I live!" He hugged her tightly and buried his face in her shoulder, sobbing unashamedly in his great happiness.

It was truly the most wonderful day of his life, now or ever, and he couldn't ask for better people to celebrate it with--all those whom he loved best, with a few notable exceptions. But even at that, he was sure they too were all looking down upon him at this very moment and smiling.