Just Another Normal Day in Diagon Alley

Part 3

Saturday morning dawned crisp and clear, and the newly married Longbottoms were enjoying a leisurely ramble through the streets of London. They were on their way toward the Leaky Cauldron and from there to the magical district that lies hidden behind a dingy brick wall. Since the morning was so pretty according to Ginny, she decided that the couple would walk from their very muggle flat that was happily situated in the middle of London.

As the couple walked, Neville listened to his wife talk of her most recent conversation that she had with her mother. Muggle couples passed by them on the street, some laughing while others seemed to be deep in conversation. They closer they got to the Leaky Cauldron, the more Ginny kept snuggling into her husband's right shoulder. Neville squeezed her hand as she repeated this action. He held the door open for her while they entered the dark pub.

Tom, the pub owner, greeted them as they entered. "Hullo."

Ginny returned the greeting and lead them toward the back of the pub. Whilst walking through the tables and chairs littering the floor, Ginny stopped at one particular table that had two people, a male and female, seated at it. The woman was scolding her male companion in a right fashion. During the scolding of him, the man just lifted his eyes to the dirty ceiling above his head and rolled his eyes again and again. In the firelight, an object upon the woman's left hand glittered, Ginny grabbed the hand and rolled it to the left and right in her own hand examining the beautiful circle that looped around the woman's third finger.

Ginny's interest in the hand brought the woman before her out of her rant, she smiled at the couple standing in front of the table. Pushing back her bushy brown hair and laughing at Ginny's shocked expression, she finally spoke.

"Surprise."

Ginny just shook her head at the other woman. "I'll say. So exactly when were we going to hear about this charming new development?"

Hermione's cheeks took on a light blush. "Probably as soon as Ron decided to owl his parents and invite the entire family including the Malfoys and Potters over to the house for dinner." Ron's face took an expression of hurt prior to him voicing his thoughts. "Back me up, Neville, why should I have to owl and invite. Considering this is Herm's idea."

Neville held his hands before his chest in mock defense and also took a step back. "Hey, Ron. I like sleeping in the same bed as my wife, so I'm not getting involved. This is between the both of you." Ginny grinned at Neville and laid a chaste kiss on his cheek. "And mom said that they can't be taught anything." Her husband's face gave a wounded expression. "Thanks a lot, Ginny. I'm just loving your faith in me." All Ginny could do was just giggle at him in response.

Ron sat rocking back and forth mumbling a string of words that resembled, 'I'm not listening to this. My sister isn't sharing a bed with one of my best friends. They have separate beds in separate rooms on the opposite sides of the flat.' Hermione patted and rubbed his head in a comforting gesture. While she tried to comfort her fiancé, Neville motioned that they should really be going. The couples bid their goodbyes to one another, and Ginny and Neville continued to the brick wall.

Once they had stepped pass the passageway into Diagon Alley. Ginny lead the way toward Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, Neville followed behind grumbling as he went about how he didn't need new robes. She patted his shoulder and assured him as they walked that he did need new robes.

Madam Malkin's greeted the pair with a cheery 'Hullo' and a smile. Neville returned the greeting this time whilst she directed him towards one of the stools. Ginny paced the length of the small shop, touching and looking at the various yards of fabric that hung on display. The seamstress took his measurements. During this time, Neville stood still even as the magical tape measure whirled around him. After the measurements were completed, Ginny and Madam Malkin gushed in regard to what fabrics and colors Neville would be best suited for. The chatting went on for what seemed like forever to Neville, but he kept quiet and kept sinking further and further toward the floor.

From his position on the floor, Neville could hear that Ginny and Madam Malkin had finally agreed that he would look the best in a deep royal set of robes made of a velvety material. Madam Malkin toddled to the counter and made out a bill of sale and the order form. Ginny was unbroken in her gazing of the shop as the purchase was calculated. Noticing for the first time that she couldn't find Neville, she launched into a search for him. The redhead woman was stopped short of moving after she felt something tug at the end of her skirt's hem. Looking down, Ginny's sight fell to her husband's position on the floorboards. Sinking down to his level, she hugged him and kissed him. Neville just took the hug and kiss, but as she made to move back, Neville held her firmly to him as he pulled them both to their feet.

Madam Malkin came back to the pair once both were on their feet she handed Ginny a parchment in the same motion of Neville's paying of her for her services. She smiled graciously at the duo in turn. Madam Malkin furnished them with a goodbye preceding her disappearance into the back room of the shop. Neville held out his arm to Ginny, which she gladly took and they left the shop arm in arm.

Seeing as they were close to Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Neville settled on visiting it to retrieve some extra money for their Saturday outing. Climbing the marble stairs that lead to the inside of the bank, Ginny turned her head to watch as Luna ran past the building and through the crowds with Harry on her heels. Luna face was pink with her laughing and the exercise that she was receiving. Harry's hair was windblown and as messy as ever. Neville shrugged at Ginny as she continued up the marble stairs beside him.

Goblins watched from their counters as the pair approached. Neville presented one of the goblins with his keys, who lead them toward the vaults. The trip took them to the Longbottom vault, where Neville pulled out roughly an amount that equaled 5 galleons all together. When they finally left Gringotts, Ginny spoke.

"Since we're close to Florean Fortesque's Ice Cream Parlor, let's go inside and get a banana split. I haven't had one in a while, and we can split it." Neville nodded his head at the idea and entwined his fingers with hers as they walked toward the business.

The shop's bells tingled to announce their entrance; Ginny spotted Ophelia smiling at her as she walked toward a table that was close by the other couple. Neville had left her side to order their banana split. Taking the seat that would place her diagonal to the other woman, she sat down. Draco nodded his head in a silent greeting. Ginny wanted gossip so she talked.

"Did you see Harry chasing Luna through the streets?"

"No. I was in Flourish and Blotts at the time, but I did see the end of it. Luna ran into Draco, and he stopped her long enough for Harry to come get her. I realize that the healer told her to exercise during her pregnancy but running through Diagon Alley is a little extreme even for her."

Ginny laughed. "What are you saying; this is actually what Harry was expecting from her. Actually, I think we were all expecting this from her. I glad Harry married her, she keeps him on his toes."

Neville came at the time carrying the couple's banana split. He sat opposite of his wife and dug in straight away to the cold sweet. Both pairs mentioned little things as they sat in the parlor till Draco reminded Ophelia that they had to pick up their four-year-old son from his mother's. The two couples bid goodbye to the other and the Malfoys left after that.

Ginny face took a dreamy expression, and Neville just finished the half eaten split, while Neville swallowed the last of the ice cream, Ginny's statement almost made him choke on it.

"Neville, I want a baby."

Neville's eyes were near popping out of their sockets. But Ginny just continued on with her voiced thoughts.

"I mean not right now. But I would like one eventually. I know that I'm ready to raise a little baby; I'm still getting the hang of this whole marriage thing. But having one in the next couple of years would be wonderful. My mother would be happy. She would have another grandchild to spoil and make things for. What do you think, Neville?"

Neville looked at her happy face and smiled, "Ginny, I would love to give a baby, but I agree with you, we're not ready yet maybe in a couple of years. Besides, I'm still kind of wary of your brothers-especially the twins-on what they would do to me." Ginny touched his arm in mock sympathy at his predicament.

The couple sat at the table for a little longer, enjoying the silence that it brought. But the night was approaching and Ginny wanted to go home to the flat and cook super for the two of them. Deciding that the walk would be good for the two of them, they walked back to their flat retracing the steps that had taken them to the ice cream parlor.