Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Alternate Epilogue ❯ Chapter 3

Sorry the last chapter was über short (and in many ways inferior to this one and the first part), but I wanted to start this particular part of the story fresh. Hope you enjoy this!

 

“Harry, could you please answer that door?” Ginny shrieked from the next room. Having a baby was hard on the couple, despite having a good five years to themselves before finally tying the knot.

It had been a year since their wedding and having James had worn both Harry and Ginny out. But James was an absolute joy. A mischievous boy from the start, James had both father's and grandfather's knack for causing trouble, and it seemed their flying abilities. James also had inherited mischievous skills from Ginny's side of the family: Fred lived on in James, and George (who was a regular visitor) made sure that he taught the baby how to play those annoying games that babies sometimes play. James had lately taken to tossing his rattle on the floor and crying until the nearest person would give it back to him, shaking their head and finger while saying, “Now, James, don't do that again…” James of course, had a different plan, and would always proceed to throw the rattle again.

Harry headed towards the door, knowing that when Ginny started shrieking it was because James was trying her last nerve. And of course, that she needed sleep. They always needed more sleep. When he answered it, he was extremely happy to see that Ron and Hermione had dropped by to visit. “Hey guys, Ginny's having a meltdown in the other room, so feel free to come in and poke about. I'll be right back.” And Harry rushed to go see exactly what had Ginny so frazzled.

“It's no wonder why Ginny has meltdowns, James is Fred reincarnated,” Ron whispered to Hermione.

“James is a sweet boy… when he wants to be,” Hermione whispered back. They giggled because no matter how much they wanted to be frustrated with James' behavior, they knew that no matter what he did, he always somehow (despite his young age) put it right again.

Five minutes later, Ginny and Harry walked into the living room and in unison, Ginny and Hermione exclaimed, “We have big news!”

Both Ron and Harry replied, “Oh yeah? What?”

Ginny and Hermione yelled, “WE'RE PREGNANT!”

The couples were silent for a moment while each backtracked and caught up with the other's statements. Then a group light bulb turned on because everyone started congratulating the other and how exciting, a baby!

Ginny's shrieks from earlier turned out to be anxiety from receiving St. Mungo's results of her pregnancy test that she'd taken without Harry's knowledge.

Ginny and Hermione soon separated themselves from their husbands and talked about “Secret mummy things.” Both girls were excited that they would be pregnant together, finally someone would understand those urges and mood swings. Ginny recalled during her pregnancy with James that although Harry was supportive and attentive, it would have helped to have someone who had already been pregnant visiting more frequently than Fleur. It also helped that Ginny got on loads better with Hermione than she ever could have with Fleur.

Once Ron and Harry were left alone at the table, both admitted being extremely scared. Harry, of the demon woman that Ginny became during her moments of estrogen-induced Moments, and Ron of seeing a child come out of Hermione. Ron feared that the sight of Hermione giving birth would ruin their relationship. Once Harry heard this though, he laughed, admitting that it was a fear of his originally but that once it had happened it had been easy to block out the offending images and retain the beautiful ones.

“I really hope you're right,” was all Ron could muster.

Suddenly, in the middle of everyone's conversations, James started crying. Ginny said, “Harry, it's your turn!” and went back to her conversation with Hermione.

Harry snorted with laughter and said, “Her expression whenever she says that never gets old! It's like she's hoping I come back emotionally scarred or something!”

Ron looked at him warily and said, “I think I'd better come with you… I'd better practice.”

And the two went off to see what had started James off.