For several seconds Harry thought Mrs Weasley was about to explode from what appeared to be an information overload. Her entire face seemed to go slack and her mouth opened and shut slackly as though she were a fish gasping for air. Then clearly deciding upon the most critical piece of information she suddenly jumped back to life, emitting a girlish squeal that would have made Lavender and Parvati proud.
"A baby! Ooh at last!" Having clearly forgotten all about Harry and his revelation she shoved him out of the way as she barrelled round the table to deliver her son and daughter-in-law a crushing hug each. Once she released them she began to jabber at Fleur at a million miles an hour, questioning her on everything from baby names to whether or not she had gotten enough sleep last night. Ignoring the young woman's protests that she was fine she lead her away into the living room with the order that she looked peaky and needed to sit down.
Once they were gone everyone remaining in the kitchen crowded around Bill offering congratulations and asking how long they'd known for.
"About a week or two," he answered grinning deliriously, "we wanted to let the news sink in before we told you all."
As Harry, Ron and Hermione shook hands with him, they all expressed their heartfelt thanks for revealing the news when he had.
"That reminds me," George said loudly from behind Harry, "there are more congratulations in order. So when did you two finally join the human race then?" He grinned mischievously at them whilst Angelina gave him a dig in the ribs. "And Ickle Ronniekins, who would have thought he could grow up so fast?" With a laugh he disappeared out the room dragging Angelina with him as Ron's ears coloured and he drew his wand.
"Perhaps I had better go and rescue Fleur from Mum." Bill looked terrified at the prospect.
Clapping him on the back Arthur followed him. "I'll come with you son, and congratulations again I couldn't be prouder of you."
This left the trio in the kitchen with Percy who glanced around at the uncomfortably. He was, Harry reflected, very different from the Percy he had encountered just a year ago. He was still as pompous as ever, but there seemed to be less arrogance ad confidence underlying it than there had been before. But they had all been through so much, that he doubted any of them had come through the war unscathed.
"Well… I suppose this means we'll be uncles now."
"Yeah." Ron seemed slightly dazed by the news, "I suppose we will be."
Hermione caught Harry's eye and the two of them grinned over their friend's disbelief. Ron seemed to be rather overwhelmed by the news. "Ron," she laughed, "if you're this stressed when Bill's going to be a father, what are you going to be like when it happens to you?"
At this Ron paled and looked as though someone had hit him with a slug vomiting hex again. "Me…?" He looked appalled. "I… I... Percy do you fancy a game of chess?" Ron decided the best approach was to ignore Hermione altogether.
As the brothers turned to go up the stairs Harry felt his girlfriend move beside him and slip her hand into his. Harry glanced down at her to see her staring in the direction that Bill and Fleur had gone with a rather misty expression on her face. Smiling affectionately at her he squeezed her hand gently. "I think it's wonderful, don't you?"
Startled from her reverie she looked at him questioningly. Obligingly he responded, "after everything that's happened they're finding happiness." He paused thoughtfully, "they'll be wonderful parents."
"You will be too some day." Hermione leant against his shoulder.
Something strange thumped in Harry's chest. "Do you want children?"
Suddenly Hermione looked unsure of herself, pulling nervously at her lip with her teeth she turned towards him with her head down so that he couldn't see her face. "I… yes someday, I suppose - I mean, I always imagined that one day I would… But that doesn't mean -" she rushed to a stop staring up at him pleadingly. "I'm not trying to pressure you or anything. I mean we only just started dating"
Harry pulled her into a hug. "I love you `Mione." After a moment standing like that he spoke to the top of a bushy head of hair. "Do you want to go for a walk? Get out of the house for a bit."
"Get out of Molly's way you mean?" Hermione smirked up at him and he grinned in response.
As they walked to the end of the garden Harry considered their conversation. He'd never really given serious thought about having a family, hadn't even realised it was possible until recently. Family was just one of the things he'd accepted he would never have, it was as much a part of him as the scar on his forehead. Belonging somewhere was something he'd always yearned for, to have a place to call home that wasn't his school, or the Burrow. Could he have that? More importantly could he have that with Hermione? She was walking just a few feet away from him, the autumn sunset through the trees cast dappled light on her short hair and she had a happy contented smile on her face as she gazed at something that he couldn't see. Suddenly it Harry that she was the only person that he ever wanted to have a family with, he wanted his children to have her fuzzy brown curls and smoky brown eyes, her passion for books and learning and her kind smile.
Catching him watching her she showed off that last feature, "what is it?"
Harry found himself oddly emotional and had to clear his throat before answering. "Nothing, I was just thinking how beautiful you look and how lucky I am." He grinned, he couldn't tell her what he was really going through his mind. As she'd said herself, they'd only been officially dating for two days. He didn't want to totally freak her out.
"Smooth move Potter," she reached up to ruffle his hair playfully, "but I can read you better than that, when you're eloquent you're usually hiding something, now spill."
Harry feigned hurt at her comments whilst quickly deciding how not to lie without telling the truth. Realising the futility of this thought process he decided on a modicum of truth. "I was just thinking about the future, I mean I can actually have one now. Obsessive evil guy free and all that."
Pulling him close she wrapped his arms around her waist, "and no on deserves one more than you Harry." Their kiss was tentative at first - it was still a fairly new experience for both of them, but became more heated as they stood there, lost in each other. Finally Hermione broke the kiss, slightly breathless, and squinted up at him suspiciously. "What about the future?"
He winked conspiratorially at her and kissed her swiftly before she could protest.
Eventually it began to get dark and they had to return to the house. It was with not a little trepidation that Harry opened the kitchen door and stuck his head round it to check the coast was clear before pulling Hermione in after him and quickly shutting the door.
"I was wondering where you two had gotten to."
The two of them jumped guiltily and spun around, but it was only Ron who had just entered the kitchen carrying a tray laden with cups.
"We were in the garden," Hermione quickly supplied.
"Oh… I thought that was where you must be." He paused for a moment before pulling a face. "Mum's being unbearable, you'd think Fleur was the first person ever to get knocked up - pregnant," he amended after catching Hermione's disapproving look. "Seriously though, one mention of baby's she gets all gooey eyed and fanatical. It's scary."
"Has she said anything else about…" Harry waved his hand vaguely between himself and Hermione.
"Nah mate, I reckon you two are in the clear for now, Mum's not going to be thinking of anything other than woolly bootees for the next nine months at least. Speaking of which do you want to head off, I don't think I could stand much more."
Harry laughed as Hermione muttered "honestly Ron."
Taking that as assent he stuck his head though the door. "Right that's us off then." Several people shouted farewells through to the kitchen but he found themselves being dragged back into the living room by Mrs Weasley anyway.
"Mum, do you have to -" Ron was protesting as Harry and Hermione followed him. His mother was in the process of affectionately straightening his shirt and neatening up his hair, you could almost see her envisioning a pair of scissors, whilst he tried desperately to fend her off. Mrs Weasley just laughed and kissed him on the jaw.
"Muuuum!"
"Make sure you eat properly and come round to visit us soon, the house isn't the same without you." Emotion flickered across her face briefly before she concealed it again and turned with a slightly forced smile towards Harry and Hermione. "And you two are always welcome too of course."
They smiled nervously back, but Harry was just thankful that she was speaking to them and not shouting. Clearly Hermione felt the same as she stepped carefully forwards, "yes, dinner was lovely, thank you so much." Her hopeful smile was met with a frosty stare.
Feeling it was his turn to try and rescue the situation, either that or his saving-people-thing had kicked in again, Harry turned to Bill and Fleur who were seated on the sofa with their arms around each other. "Well congratulations again you two, I'm really happy for you both, we'll have to have you all round for dinner some time," he spoke to the rest of the family, "as soon as we get the house finished, we'll let you know when."
The three of them hurriedly said goodbye and dissapparated with a series of loud cracks. Reappearing outside number 12 Harry quickly checked that no one had seen them before running up the steps and letting them into the house. They moved in silence to the drawing room and collapsed onto the sofa with relief. Rolling out the tension he hadn't realised had built up in his shoulders he looked at his friends. Hermione had her head resting on the back of the sofa with her eyes shut whilst Ron glanced across at him, blue eyes dancing.
"Well that was fun, we should do that again sometime."
Hermione cracked one eyelid and looked from Ron who was trying to keep a straight face to her boyfriend and the corner of her mouth twitched. For several seconds they all tried to remain serious, but it was a losing battle and when Hermione snorted in mirth the three of them burst out laughing. All the adrenaline that had been rushing through their systems all day was released as though someone had opened a pressure valve. They laughed until the tears were streaming down their faces and Harry had to hold his sides to stop them from hurting.
"I think," he finally managed to gasp out, "that that was probably the most awkward afternoon of my entire life."
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