Façades
Celebration?
~ Ginny ~
I looked across the table at the sea of smiling faces and did my best to calm the racing of my heart and the queasy feeling in my stomach.
"So have you guys thought of any names yet?" Neville asked with a grin.
I looked over at my husband and we shared a subtle smile.
"Not yet," Harry replied taking my hand and kissing it. "We decided to hold off until we know if it's a girl or a boy."
"Or at least till I'm out of my first trimester," I shrugged.
Luna nodded "Oh yes, definitely. I know that when I have a baby I'm going to wait until it's born to decide the name." She smiled, "You know, to give it a chance to tell me itself."
My mouth opened, then closed before I settled on a small nod. Smiling I turned my head slightly and shared a look with Hermione who was sitting across the table. She rolled her eyes and made a discreet circle at the side of her head to indicate that Luna was mental. I put a hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle when my brother lightly grabbed his wife's wrist and pulled it down before whispering something to her. It was odd, but very funny to see Ron lecturing Hermione instead of the other way around.
"You wanna share with the class, Weaslette?" Draco Malfoy inquired smoothly from his spot next to Neville.
I pulled a face at him and went back to my cobbler.
All of my closest friends are gathered here today for a celebration dinner to congratulate Harry and I on our first child. I found out last week that I was a little over two months along and when my mates heard about it they insisted upon a small get together to commemorate the event. So here we were at my favorite wizarding restaurant, the Witch's Wand, enjoying a quiet evening. I looked around the table, my eyes sliding over each of the couples in attendance. My brother Ron was here with one of my best girlfriends who happened to also be his wife, Hermione. Next to him were the newer additions to our little group. Pansy Malfoy and her husband Draco sat side by side, the dark haired woman nibbled lightly at a raspberry tart while her husband partook of a delicious looking chocolate cake.
Draco and Pansy had joined our group a little over three years ago after the blond former Slytherin had gotten a job as an Auror with my husband Harry. They had been in the same training class and obviously very competitive with one another. Since they pushed one another to do so well, after they graduated, top of their class of course, they were often paired together. And though they did make one hell of a team, the best in the unit with the most takedowns, they still fought like first years every time they were together. In fact, it was so bad I often wondered how they ever got anything done at all.
Next to Draco sat Neville and Luna Longbottom. The newest married couple to join our ranks though they had long been members of our group, Neville and Luna have been married for only a little over a year. Neville is actually another reason that Draco and Pansy are around. He and Pansy work together at the Wizarding Institute of Botanical Experimental Science; he is a botanist, one of the top in his field, and Pansy is a scientist. From what I understand she and her colleagues take the new plant species developed by the botanists and create potions and elixirs with them. Neville and Pansy became friends at work and he asked if perhaps she and Draco could join us for lunch one week, and the rest is history.
I placed my hand on my stomach as the smell of Harry's tangerine tart drifted up to my nostrils and grimaced slightly.
"Good God Potter, she's going to blow," drawled Draco.
I shot him a glower.
"Sod off," Harry told the blond before placing his hand lightly on my back and rubbing "Are you alright Gin? What's wrong?"
I gave a dismissive wave, "Nothing, I'm just a bit nauseous. I think I'm going to go to the loo for a moment. I'll be right back."
"Oh, we'll go with you," said Luna, Hermione and Pansy nodded in agreement.
I brushed them off, "No, you stay here and enjoy your desserts. You don't have to get up every time I go to the restroom. I mean, you guys have been three times already. I'll be fine and back in a few."
I made sure that I got their nods of agreement before standing and making my way to the ladies room in the back of the restaurant. I had the path more than memorized thanks to my many trips there tonight alone. Walking in, I went to the first stall, relieved that the place was kept very clean and didn't smell like anything but fresh flowers. After I finished emptying the contents of my dinner into the toilet and flushing I headed to the sink to rinse out my mouth and throw some cool water on my face. When I was done I dampened a napkin and softly patted the back of my neck with it. Closing my eyes I rolled my neck a few times to relieve some of the tension I felt. When I opened them once more I jumped, noticing another reflection in the mirror.
"What are you doing in here?!" I demanded not turning around.
"I wanted to make sure you were alright," Draco Malfoy shrugged, his hands resting lightly in his pockets.
I frowned at him "This is the ladies room Draco; you can't just come in here."
"Relax, Red, I put a small spell on the door -no one is coming in after me."
"What kind of spell?" I quizzed turning my head to look at him.
He gave a crooked smirk "A `forgot it' spell. Whenever someone gets too close to the door they'll think they've forgotten something and rush back to their table to find it."
I tilted my head. "Where did you learn that?"
I grinned, "You learn a lot of things as an Auror, Red. So… are you alright?"
I grimaced and turned towards the mirror once more, frowning at my pale reflection. "Yeah, it was just that Harry's dessert made me just a bit queasy."
"Then tell him to get rid of it," Draco stated sauntering forward.
I rolled my eyes, "It's not that easy Blondie."
"Of course it is Red; all you have to do is ask. I'm sure Potter will get rid of it for you," he replied coming to a halt behind me.
I sighed and looked at his reflection. He was dressed to perfection as usual. Like Harry and most other Aurors, Draco had taken to wearing black most of the time. His black suit was tailor made for his lean form, hugging and falling at all the right places. His ice blond hair fell into his rich gray eyes and his soft looking lips were pulled into his typical and annoyingly cute crooked smirk. I felt like a limp rag next to him.
Draco caught and held my gaze for a few moments before cocking a single brow. "Like what you see, Red?" he asked, placing his hands on either side of the counter in front of me."
"Maybe," I shrugged, suppressing a smile.
He rested his chin on my shoulder. "Just maybe?"
I bit my lip and shrugged. "What about you? Do you like what you see?" I inquired holding his gaze.
His smirk returned, "I always like what I see when I look at you Red, you know that," he murmured kissing my neck lightly. I felt pleasure flow through me at the compliment. "Though I admit, now you have this amazing glow to you; pregnancy suits you."
I blushed. "Thanks."
He rested his chin on my shoulder once more. "So… are you going to tell him?"
"Tell who what?" I replied looking down at my hands.
"Tell your husband," Draco answered placing his hands lightly on my slightly rounded belly.
"Tell him what?" I inquired looking back up at our reflection.
He arched a brow at me and gave a slow crooked smile. "That the baby is mine."
I looked away.
*************
~ Harry ~
I chuckled at my mate as he downed another butterbeer in a single gulp and released a large belch.
"Disgusting Ronald," frowned Hermione, slapping her husband upside his head.
I laughed and Ron shot me a dirty look. "You're not helping Harry."
"How can I help your manners mate? That's something you've got to do on your own," I shrugged, taking another sip of my drink.
"Whatever," the other man grumbled, grabbing his twelfth cookie off the plate.
It was the night of a celebration dinner for my wife and I to commemorate the forthcoming addition to our family. Earlier the gang had met at the Witch's Wand for a long dinner then we had all come to Ron and Hermione's for some beers and just to hang out after. Eventually everyone had grown tired and retired to their own homes. Ginny had been the last to leave about thirty minutes ago, claiming fatigue. I offered to go with her but she had said that she was fine and insisted that I stay, so I did. Now it was just Ron, Hermione and myself, the golden trio together once more. I chuckled when Hermione snatched Ron's fourth butterbeer out of his hand.
"I think you've reached your limit," she reprimanded.
He rolled his eyes. "Come on Mione, there aren't limits on butterbeer. They don't do anything but taste good."
"Ron," she warned.
"What?" he sighed. "I'm a grown arse man Hermione, not a house elf; a few butterbeers won't hurt me."
His wife scoffed. "Need I remind you of Neville's New Year's Eve party two years ago?"
I snorted, wincing when Ron kicked my shin under the table.
"No," he grumbled.
Hermione gave him a stiff nod before going back to the dishes that had accumulated from the earlier guests. I laughed to myself at the memory of the party in question. Last year at Neville's New Year's Eve party, Fred and George had challenged Ron fifty galleons to drink twenty five butterbeers. They called it a "social experiment" and it was social alright. People talked about it so much that Ron still hadn't lived it down. It seemed that with enough butterbeers even a fully-grown Quidditch player like Ron could get completely pissed from the little elf --> [Author:AL] drink.
The evening ended with Ron wearing nothing but his boxers, a feather boa from Luna's closet, and a pair of Neville's old work boots singing "I'm Every Woman" at the top of his lungs on the balcony. It had been a night to remember at that, but when he switched to the song YMCA only to spew over the side of the balcony when he reached the `A' and cover a poor unsuspecting couple who were sharing a romantic New Year's snog under the moonlight - well, then it became legend.
"It was only four," Ron muttered just loud enough for Hermione to hear.
I laughed when a sponge flew from the other side of the room and bounced off his head.
"It doesn't matter, you know that too many make you sick nowadays and you have practice tomorrow," she called arching a brow.
The red haired man blushed, "Mood killer."
Hermione ignored him and continued to wash the various glasses while I shook my head lightly and sipped on my drink.
"She's just trying to look out for you mate," I grinned.
Ron discreetly slipped me the one-fingered salute and I snorted into my butterbeer when Hermione called him out.
"That's just rude and inappropriate Ronald. What are you, twelve?"
The other man pulled a face. "Bloody hell. What, do you have eyes in the back of your head?"
She threw him a look over her shoulder. "Like I would need them. It's not hard to figure out what you're doing Ron."
He sighed instead of replying, but when she turned back to her dishes he made a wanking off motion with his hand. I dropped my head to stifle my laughter and Ron wagged his brows at me.
"Well I'm going to go ahead and turn in, we've got an early practice tomorrow morning," Ron commented stretching then standing. "I'll catch you later mate."
I grinned, "Of course you will."
"Hey and congrats on the baby, I know that you and my sis will make great parents. Can you believe it? You're finally going to have what you always wanted: your own family. And I'm gonna be an uncle…er, again," he smiled.
I ginned wider and nodded. "I can't wait."
Ron patted me lightly on the shoulder before going past me and over to his wife. Hermione turned her head and they kissed lightly on the lips.
"Goodnight Mione, don't stay up too late, alright?"
She nodded. "Of course Ron."
He kissed her one more time and turned to head out of the kitchen. As he reached the doorway she called out. "Oh Ron?!"
He paused and we both turned to look at her.
She made a wanking off motion with her hand. "Too you too dear. Goodnight."
I snorted then burst into laughter while Ron groaned and rolled his eyes, stomping the rest of the way out of the room. "Bloody psychic, I can't believe she saw that. Ruddy well sees everything that one…" he muttered under his breath all the way down the hall and I'm sure well after I heard the bedroom door close.
"So…" I turned and looked at the witch at the sink.
"So?" Hermione inquired throwing me a look over her shoulder.
"How did you really know?"
She quirked a brow and motioned to a spot above her, I followed the direction and grinned as I saw a sterling silver tray placed there as part of decoration. Shaking my head I noticed my reflection do the same and gave a low chuckle.
"And Ron has never noticed that?"
Hermione quirked another brow "Did you?"
I shrugged. "I never do dishes here."
She smirked. "Nether does he."
I laughed and Hermione grabbed a towel, drying off her hands. "So how are you Harry, really?"
I sighed and shrugged. "Great. Like Ron said, I'm finally going to have the family I've been dreaming of."
Hermione frowned and walked over to the table, looking down at me. "Harry."
I looked down at the table, she always did know how to read me. "Honestly, I'm bloody well terrified. I mean I don't know the first thing about being a father Hermione; what if I botch the whole thing up?"
She gave me a small smile "You'll be a great dad Harry. I know you will."
"How? How do you know?"
She bit her lip. "Because you're you."
"What does that mean?" I frowned.
"You're you. You're Harry. You're loving and caring, devoted and loyal. Any child would be lucky to have you for a father and not just because of your name but because of who you are as a person. Harry, your life experiences have turned you into the type of man who appreciates everything and everyone in their life. Your child is lucky to have you for a father, just like Ginny is lucky to have you for a husband and I'm lucky to have you for a friend."
I stared at Hermione for a moment and gave her a weak smile. "Thanks Hermione, that was wonderful of you to say. I mean, sure, I'm still scared shiteless but the sentiment was awesome."
She rolled her eyes "You big baby," she muttered massaging my shoulders. "You need to relax Harry, you'll be fine."
I nodded lightly.
"Harry?"
"Hum?" I asked closing my eyes and relaxing under her touch.
"Are you happy?"
My eyes opened. "What do you mean?"
"About the baby? I mean your wife is pregnant, you're going to have a baby… are you happy?"
I sighed as my mind processed her meaning, lifting my hand I lightly caught her wrist. "Is Ron asleep?"
She chuckled, "You know he was asleep as soon as his head it the pillow. The guy is like the dead."
"Good," I replied, giving her wrist a tug.
Sussing my meaning Hermione came from around my back and took a seat on my lap. I tilted my head studying her face as my hand reached out and lightly traced her ear and chin.
"I'm excited about the baby, I'm scared about the baby, I'm happy and I'm sad. I'm a lot of things, Luv, and as much as I wish I could pick just one - I can't," I said answering her earlier question.
She nodded lightly then looked down. "I understand."
"Do you?" I tilted her head back and looked her in the eyes.
We stared at one another for a moment before I came forward and grazed her lips with my own.
"Harry we shouldn't," she murmured against my mouth.
"I know," I whispered back against hers, "but I can't help it. I have to touch you."
She pulled back and looked at me for a moment. "You're not mine Harry."
"Yes I am. I'm as much yours as you are mine."
Hermione stared at me for a moment longer before swooping forward and capturing my lips in a heated kiss. Her tongue delved into my mouth and my hands went to her hair, tangling in her curly locks. As I massaged the base of her neck her head fell back and my lips sought out her long soft neck. I trailed my tongue from her chin to her collarbone as my right hand came forward and cupped her supple breast.
"Harry," she moaned running her fingers through my hair.
Hearing my name whispered from her lips like that has the same effect on me every time; it makes me want her even more. It makes me rock hard and ready to be buried so deep within her that I can't tell where I end and she begins. No one says my name like she does - no one. Going into my back pocket with a shaky hand I pulled out my wand and said a quick silencing charm for the room before clearing the table with one flick of my wrist. Standing, I deposited Hermione on the now clean surface and immediately went to work on the buttons of her dress.
"You don't know how mad you drove me tonight," I breathed as my fingers jerkily undid her buttons.
"Yes I do, as mad as you drove me," she replied undoing my belt buckle.
"I doubt it," I groaned when her hand dipped into my pants and cupped me, massaging lightly. My head fell to the crook of her neck and I lightly licked her shoulder. "Did you have to order the ice-cream?"
Hermione gave a husky laugh. "Yes, it looked delicious. Not to mention," she pulled back and worked my shirt over my torso. "I love the way it feels going down my throat," she purred licking her lips.
I let out a strained laugh and ran my hands over her milky thighs. "I bet it doesn't taste as sweet as you," I replied licking my lips.
She hooked her right leg around me. "Maybe not, but you'll have to wait another night to see." Her hands unbuttoned and unzipped my slacks "I need you too bad tonight to wait."
I grinned and dipped my head. Pushing her bra out of the way I exposed a rose colored nipple and took it into my mouth, sucking gently. Hermione moaned and arched against me as I knew she would and when she did, I freed myself from my pants and slipped into her moist heat.
"Oh Harry," she moaned in that sexy way of hers.
"Hermione," I breathed back going to her mouth once more and kissing her deeply.
Her arms came to my shoulders, wrapping around them and pulling me closer. I braced my hands on either side of the round table and slid steadily in and out of her, my pace quick but firm. Her ankles hooked together around my back and I moved my hands from the table to her hips as I held her still, quickening my pace. Hermione mewled and panted underneath me, her hips shifting to match the pace of mine and I could feel myself reaching my limit. Holding her still with one hand and the tabletop with the other I started to pound harder. The table groaned and creaked under us, shifting a bit forward with each thrust of my hips. When Hermione began to gasp I squeezed my eyes shut willing my body to hold on just a bit longer, and when her whole body tensed up and she cried out my name I finally gave in to my own release. With one last horse cry I emptied myself into her, my whole body tightening for one blissful moment that I wish I could suspend forever in time, before going limp in her arms.
----
Twenty minutes later the kitchen was spotless and I was once again dressed. I looked over at my best mate's wife… my sister-in-law… my lover, one last time. Giving a sigh I threw the last bottle into the bin and walked up behind her, hugging her loosely.
"I should go. Ginny's going to wonder what's taking me so long," I said softly.
Hermione nodded and looked down at the sink where her hands were buried beneath a pile of bubbles. I kissed her lightly on the neck.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Luv," I laughed softly and cast a mirthful look at the clock, "or later today."
She nodded once more.
I frowned. "Hermione, are you alright?"
She nodded.
"Well can you say something?"
She gave a light chuckle and I relaxed. "I love you, Harry."
I exhaled and gave a small smile, kissing her temple lightly. "I love you too, Hermione."
A.N. That's it for Chappy one, things aren't always what they seem, ne? What do you think? Let me know, love it -hate it… are you like WTF? Hehe Please Review and tell me what you think! Special thanks to my beta for the awesome help and suggestions!
I don't get this reference
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