Chapter 1 – Christmas Morning

It was early, too early. Dawn was breaking on the horizon and Ginny Weasley-Potter could see the sky go from navy to light grey to a beautiful shade of pink as the sun rose. She had stopped on the stairway landing and was looking out through a large picture window Harry had had installed just for this purpose.

Ginny heard a familiar murmur coming from the living room and remembered why she’d gotten up so early. That murmur was the sound of Harry turning over in his sleep. “Now why hadn’t he used the good sense he had to come up to bed last night?� Ginny thought.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs and walked softly to where he was laying she saw why he’d never made it bed last night. He’d fallen asleep under the Christmas tree after having wrapped several brooms.

As Ginny walked quietly around Harry, she saw that the brooms were addressed to their nieces and nephews. “That SNEEK!� she thought, “he knew full well that I’d already gotten those children their Christmas presents from us, not to mention the Father Christmas items that the little ones would find under their trees later this morning if the little dears weren’t already up and causing mayhem and destruction in their respective homes.

“Oh Harry love, you need proper rest before we go back out on the road. Why did you stay up so late?� Ginny whispered all the while giving her husband an adoring look.

Although come to think of it, Harry under the Christmas tree in a t-shirt and pajama bottoms did make for a delicious Christmas gift. Ginny smiled, and continued thinking to her self, “I wonder what his reaction will be to my gift?�

Ginny sat on the couch and watched, she was somewhat torn between allowing Harry to continue to sleep and waking him up in his favorite way.

Even though Harry had matured into a stunningly handsome man, when he slept he still looked like the teenage boy that had one day out of the blue plucked up the courage to ask her out.

They were sitting across from each other studying late one night in the Gryffindor Common Room during her 6th year three weeks into the term. Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been up late studying and once Ron and Hermione each went up to their respective dormitories Harry and Ginny were the last two in the Common Room.
Without a word, Harry looked up at her, smiled that smile that had quietly made her weak in the knees since she was ten, gently took her hand in his and quietly said “Gin, I know I’ve taken my time about this but you should know that I think you’re the prettiest girl at Hogwarts and well.. I was hoping that you’d go to Hogsmead with me this Saturday.� Harry held his breath not knowing what her reaction would be and hoping to no end that the advice Remus had given him would garner a yes from Ginny.

Ginny looked at him as if his was crazy, yet somehow managed to say in a barely audible voice, “I know I’m dreaming this conversation but yes Harry I’d like to go into Hogsmead with you.� “You’re not dreaming Gin, and to prove it I’d very much like to kiss you now.� “Ok.� With that Harry stood up, Ginny’s hand still in his, he indicated for her to stand with him and while still holding hands they met each other at the end of the table. Ginny still not believing what was happening, looked shyly down as Harry wrapped one arm around her small waist and used the other to gently lift her chin so he could look into her deep brown eyes and rested his forehead on hers. Ginny’s hands involuntary found themselves around Harry’s waist; she thought she was going to die right then and there, this was not happening. As if Harry had read her mind, he whispered, “I’m sorry I took so long about this Ginny� he lowered his head and gently pressed his lips to hers. He felt her go weak in the knees but then Ginny made a sound that made Harry’s heart skip a beat thinking that perhaps she did not like being kissed after all. So he broke off the kiss. Ginny said “wa- why did you stop?� “Oh� said Harry. “That sound you made, I thought maybe you wanted me to stop.� “No Harry, that was, that was the kind of sound you want a girl to make when you kiss her� Ginny said breathlessly. “Oh Ok� Harry leaned in a kissed her again.

Once Ginny came back to the present, she lay down next to Harry on the floor and as she leaned in to kiss him, Harry reached up, grabbed Ginny around the waist and rolled them so he was stretched out on top of her and started laughing. Ginny shrieked “You rat! You saw me come down the stairs didn’t you?� “Yes� replied Harry I’ve been waiting to see what you would do.� “And do you like the choice I made?� “Yes Mrs. Potter, I certainly do.�

Sometime later Ginny and Harry found themselves naked and cuddled up under a blanket under the tree. Ginny was quietly scolding him for adding the brooms to the presents she had already purchased in their names. “Well love� Harry retorted, “as we don’t have any children of our own and considering that you make quite a bit of gold as Team Mediwitch and I make even more as Team Captain it is our duty as the caring, loving auntie and uncle that we are to spoil the little buggers rotten. Let their parents discipline them.�

Ginny knew that despite the comment, Harry adored his nieces and nephews, most particularly little Jane who was the spitting image of her mother in intellect and looks with the exception of her ginger colored hair. That was pure Weasley. The child Ginny mused, was wicked smart for a five year old. Jane also had her father’s wit and love for the Chuddly Cannons. If Ginny let Harry, he’d buy Jane the world. As it was little Miss Jane knew that if there was something she wanted and her mummy and daddy would not get it for her all she had to was ask Uncle Harry and it was hers.

“Gin?�

“Humm?�

“It’s getting late love; we need to be at the Burrow in less than an hour.�

“Ok. I’ll shower first.�

“How about we share?�

“Not if you want to be on time we won’t.�

A half hour later Harry complimented his wife as she emerged from the bedroom dressed and ready to go.

“You look lovely as always Gin.�

“Thanks, how are we going to handle getting all these presents to the Burrow?� She asked.

“Well I figured you could floo over with half and I’d follow with the rest.�

“Sounds like a plan. Have you already put the first batch in the fire place?

“Yes, say Gin, that really tiny box, who is it for?�

“Oh it’s for you.�

“Should I ask what it is?�

“Not if you’d like to be hexed into tomorrow� she retorted with a playful grin.

“Yes ma’am, point taken and off you go.�

A/N All characters belong to J.K. Rowling

Chapter 2 – Good Things Come In Small Packages

“Ginny! Happy Christmas!� “Happy Christmas Ron, Mum!� Ron proceeded to ask Ginny where Harry was. “He’s giving me a few minutes to get the fireplace cleared before arriving through the floo.�

“Right� said Ron, “I’ll get these to the tree then.� Ron took out his wand, pointed it at the pile of packages and said “locomoto boxes� and directed the mass to the living room and placed them under the tree.

Ginny kept the little box for Harry in her cloak pocket, hung up the cloak and saw that the clock showed that Harry was traveling. Ginny smiled as she saw that all the other hands were pointing to home and thinking of all the people her dad had had to add to that clock over the past few years.

As she turned to start helping her Mum and Hermione, who’d walked in as she was hanging her cloak Harry appeared. “Happy Christmas Mum, Hermione!� Happy Christmas Harry!� Molly and Hermione replied as they hugged him together.

Harry then charmed the packages he’d brought with him into the living room and added them to the other gifts.

The other women in the Weasley family entered the kitchen and started preparing the huge amount of food that was going to be needed in order to the feed the army known as the Weasley family.

Four hours later Molly and Arthur Weasley and their extended brood sat down to Christmas dinner out in the orchard as the kitchen was entirely too small to hold such a large crowd. Mrs. Weasley proudly looked around the table which had been enchanted to fit everyone

This was the first time in seven years that the entire family had been able to make it home for Christmas.

On Molly’s side of the table was Arthur, Bill his wife Anne and their daughter Diana. Next was Charlie, Fluer and their triplets Rubeus, Brian, and Sirius who were followed by Percy, Penelope and their twins Elizabeth and Barrett. On the opposite side of the table were Fred and Katie (with twins on the way) and their son Albus. Next were George and Angelina with their girls Emma and Alicia then there was Ron, Hermione, Jane, Harry, Ginny, and lastly Remus and his wife Nymphadora, who much to Molly’s annoyance still insisted on being called Tonks.

Once everyone had had their fill, it was time to open gifts. Needless to say the children were especially wild for their new brooms with the exception of Jane. Harry knew that she’d be very cross with him as he’d not gotten her a broom.

Currently Jane was sitting on Harry’s lap demanding an explanation for what she saw as a great injustice.

Harry was trying to explain; “but Jane love you are only five, I swear on Merlin’s beard that I will personally take you to pick out any broom you want next Christmas.�

“But why not this year Uncle Harry?� she pleaded with tears in her eyes.

“Because love, your Mum wants you to want until you get a little bigger and if I gave you a broom now� Harry lowered his voice and whispered “your Mum would hex me so badly it would take Saint Mungo’s a month to sort me out. You wouldn’t want that would you?�

Jane took her time formulating answer. “I guess not, although Mummy has some really funny hexes she uses on Daddy when she’s cross with him.�

“I just bet she does� muttered Harry.

“Ok, next Christmas then.� Jane replied giving Harry a hug and jumping off his lap and went to play with the doll he’d given her.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Jane had not put up as much of a fight as he'd expected.

Once the children managed to calm down after assurances that they would have some time later in the day to test the brooms, Ginny stood up and said “ok everyone, there is actually one more gift to hand out.� “Harry this is for you with all my heart, body and soul.�

Everyone looked at Ginny with puzzled looks wondering what could be in the tiny box she held out. Harry took the box and slowly opened it to reveal a back velvet ring box. He then opened the black box to find a piece of parchment perfectly folded to fit inside. Harry plucked out the piece of parchment and unfolded it. He became warm with the knowledge that the whole room was looking at him and waiting. As Harry read the parchment, his face became bright red and said he croaked out “I’m sorry?� and looked at Ginny.

Ginny grinned. The women in the room had started to giggle as they figured out what might be happening. Jane spoke up and asked Harry what was wrong. Harry ignored her, walked over to Ginny placed one arm around her shoulders, the other arm behind her knees and swept her up off her feet. Ginny squealed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?� he whispered

“I think I just did� she replied.

At this George piped up “Oyi Harry, what are you two on about?�

Fred having picked up the piece of parchment Harry had dropped answered with a very mischievous grin.

“Well, looks like there will be another Potter for Christmas dinner next year. The idiot’s gone and got his wife knocked up!�

“FRED WEASLEY I WILL NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF LANGUAE IN THIS HOUSE!� yelled Molly.

“But Mum, its true she’s expecting!�

At that the whole room erupted with noise that would rival a stadium full of raid Qudditich fans.

Harry, still holding Ginny accepted the slaps on the back from the men and the congratulations for the women. Even with all the excited talking of the adults and Molly’s crying and the giggles of the children Harry would not put Ginny down.

Ginny looked at Harry wondering what he was thinking was he really happy about this? She knew that as much as he wanted to be the father of her children he was terrified that he would not be able to love them. He still bore some emotional scares from his time with the Dursleys. Ginny knew that if Harry could love the daughter for his two best friends the way he did he’d do just fine with his own children, he just had to realize it.

Ginny said to Harry “you can put me down now dad.�

With that Harry turned and quickly carried Ginny out of the room, up the stairs and into her old bedroom. He closed the door and placed her gently on the bed and recited a spell that would lock the door and then placed a silencing spell around the room. Then he turned to face his wife and knelt on the floor next to the bed looking up at her.

Suddenly Ginny became worried that Harry was in fact not happy about the pregnancy.

Chapter 3 – A Conversation Between Husband & Wife

“Oh Ginny, how, when, and why on earth did you allow me to make love to you much less on the floor this morning if you knew you were pregnant?" Harry admonished quietly with a look of panic on his face thinking that he’d possibly done something to physically hurt either Ginny or the baby.

Ginevra Molly Weasley-Potter looked at her heart and soul, took his face in her hands and began to kiss him passionately while pulling him into the bed with her. Harry hesitated but continued the kiss as he climbed into the bed and stretched out along side her while placing his hand on her abdomen.

Once he broke off the kiss he said “I love you too but you haven’t answered my questions� he whispered.

“Alright, as for how, you’re a big boy you should know how by now. As for when, I’m two months along, and we’ve been making love all this time because being pregnant does not mean we can’t be intimate and as for the floor..� Ginny shrugged “it was convenient and quite fun. There is nothing to worry about when it comes to that, for now anyway�.

“Wait, hang on a minute you’ve been on the road for two months and pregnant?� Harry asked rather loudly and wanting to throttle her. “Ginny you are also on the reserve team you played in two matches last month. You could have; I don’t want to think of what would have happened had you fallen off your broom or been hit by a bludger. Why did you wait so long to tell me?�

“Harry love, calm down before you have a fit.� Ginny smiled.

“I only suspected I was pregnant once we got home for the holiday break last week at which point I went to see a Medi-Witch at Saint Mungo’s. I got the report in the post two mornings ago. As for work, I can still fly for another month or two and I’m not the only person on the reserves so the team will be covered and I can work as the team Medi-Witch right through the end of the season in June and I’ll still be a month away from delivering. So relax, I’ll be fine.�

“NO, absolutely not� Harry was on the verge of yelling. “I’d rather you quit now and stay here with your Mum and be close to the rest of the family until I get back in June�.

“Well I choose to be where you are, I CHOOSE TO WORK�. Ginny too was now on the cusp of yelling. “I’ll keep working and playing and you can’t stop me.� It did occur to Ginny that as team captain he could in fact keep her from playing but not from performing her duties as team Medi-witch. She held her breath in hopes that Harry wouldn’t realize this very quickly.

He knew full well that as team captain he could overrule her wishes and simply keep her off the match roster whenever she was needed as a reserve player. She was bluffing on that point and he knew it. However, taking that route would not only land him in hot water but he’d also be banned from sleeping anywhere near her until she cooled down and truth be told, Harry liked sleeping with Ginny way too much to ever allow that to happen again. Having her cross with him was one thing, being banned from the bedroom was entirely another.

She was going to be stubborn about this so he decided to have to take a different tack in order to get to her to acquiesce to what he wanted and he definitely did not want her playing even one more game while pregnant. She’d never fallen but she’d been injured several times. Injuries came with the game and although he worried with each injury, he knew that Ginny would take care of her self on the pitch. The only way was to offer a compromise.

Harry offered; "what about if you work until the end of the season or until you’re ready to come home but you remove your name from the reserve list." Ginny started to tell him where to go but Harry gently cut her off. "Shh, let me finish. I know you've never fallen off your broom during a game Gin, but you've taken a fair few bludger hits. What if you took one to the chest or back? I won't be able to concentrate on the snitch if I'm worried about what could happen to the baby if you got hurt. Ginny, please don’t play while your pregnant?" Harry was trying not to shed the tears that were welling up in his eyes. "I couldn't live with myself if, if something happened to you and the baby during a game" he ended with a whisper.

Ginny, seeing the look of worry on Harry’s face and hearing the pleading tone of his voice decided that for his sake she should agree, at least he was ok with her continuing to work and travel.

"Ok love. You may consider this my official request to the team captain to place me on the unable to play list but I'm NOT giving up my spot on the reserves. I’ll want to be able to play next season."

"Thank you love, you’ve taken a load off my mind."

"Anything for my Husband and Team Captain." She grinned.

Ginny leaned into him and gently kissed him.

Harry broke off the kiss and said "I guess we should get back down stairs."

"We're fine for now. And by the way how about making love to the mother of your child?"

"Now? Here?"

"Yes here and now."

Harry was not by any means thrilled with shagging Ginny under her parent’s roof even if they were married so he said “I'll make a deal with you.�

"What's that?

"If you wait until we get home I'll shag you thoroughly and all night."

"Promise?"

"Would I lie?"

"You'd better not."

“Harry?�

“Yes Ginny?�

“You haven’t said if your happy about this or not.�

"Oh Ginny you have no idea just how happy I am about the baby. I'm just hope that I don’t make any mistakes."

"We'll have lots of advice and help.�

“Yes I know� Harry whispered.

“We'll be fine." Ginny replied with a smile.

"How can you be sure? That worried look came across his face again.

"We went through hell to be able to live without fear, we'll get through this. We're only having a baby, women have them everyday sweet."

"Ginny?"

"Yes Harry?"

“Are we really having a baby?� Harry asked as he rubbed her abdomen.

“Yes my love we are.�

Harry looked at Ginny with awe and said "I hope it's a girl and I want her to look just like you."

"As long as she has your beautiful green eyes."

“Ginny?�

“Yes Harry� she answered wondering what he was going to ask now.

“Err.. when did I knock you up anyway?� At that Ginny took the decorative pillow off the bed and started a pillow fight that lasted a few minutes until they settled back down and they held each other for a while before rejoining the family to celebrate their future child.

Chapter 4 – Harry Remembers

It was just after dawn on Boxing Day and as tired as Harry was he’d been watching Ginny sleep for close to an hour now. Once they’d gotten home last night she’d held him to his promise. Her need for him was not exhausted until after the third time they’d made love. Harry mused slyly to himself, “if this is what it is to have a pregnant wife then I’ll take it!�

As Harry continued to watch Ginny, he still could not quite believe that she was now carrying their child. He wondered, “she’s so tiny, physically powerful yes, but what if the baby’s too big? Considering... Oh Merlin, what if it’s too big?�

The thought of this possibility brought tears to Harry’s eyes as he began to remember…

Harry, Ron, and Arthur had already been pacing in Harry and Ginny’s living room for several hours when a piercing scream startled the three men so badly that it made Arthur swear and forced Harry with Ron behind him to tear up the stairs and bolt through the door to Harry and Ginny’s bedroom.

Both men stood horrified at what they saw. Harry had never seen a baby delivered before, yet something told him that there was entirely too much blood on the sheets. Molly was kneeling behind Ginny and holding her up at forty-five degree angle. Hermione, who was in her last weeks of healer training was helping the midwife with the delivery, none of the women paid much attention to the two men standing in the doorway. The last contraction must have been what prompted the scream because all three women were trying to convince Ginny that she still had to keep pushing. Another contraction ripped through her and she screamed again. The look of terror and pain on her face made Ron want to move heaven and earth to take the pain away for her, she was his little sister and since they were the closest in age the older Weasley children had looked to Ron to be Ginny’s primary protector, now she was trying to deliver a baby who was taking a very long time about joining the world and there was nothing he could do to spare her this pain. He could not begin to fathom what was going through Harry’s mind just now. Ron placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder squeezed it and while he’d never prayed before he prayed now.

Another scream pierced through Ron’s thoughts and snapped him back to the room. Harry, who had been stonily silent from the shock of what he’d seen upon entering the room, started growling in anguish “WHAT’S WRONG? WHAT’S HAPPENING TO MY WIFE? SHE’S BEEN IN LABOR FOR OVER 7 HOURS! TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING!" Ron was now restraining Harry from lurching toward the bed, however Harry continued to rant at the top of his lungs. Hermione rushed over and slapped Harry so hard that a loud crack was heard as her hand made contact with his cheek. Ron was sure the crack was the sound of something, like Harry’s jaw breaking. Harry became quiet.

Hermione looked at both men and whispered in a deadly voice, “the baby is too big for her. She is frightened and beyond exhausted. Molly has to hold her up so she can push." Hermione lowered her voice further, “if we don’t get the baby out soon we’ll not only loose the baby we’ll loose Ginny too.�

Harry started ranting again, “oh no, no, no. This is my fault. I got her pregnant, Oh Merlin no, no, no please?� He had sunk to the floor and was rocking back and forth crying. “This is my fault.� His voice became louder as he yelled, “Ginny, I love you, I’m sorry I did this to you.�

Hermione knelt in front of Harry although her heart was breaking for him she knew she had to be stern with him. “Harry if you don’t clam down and get back downstairs I’ll slap you again.�

He growled again “I’M NOT LEAVING HER!�

“Yes you are. Ron, get him out of here.� Hermione spat. Ron lifted Harry bodily from the floor and dragged him from the room.

Once downstairs, Ron explained to his father what was happening. Arthur lost the ability to stand and fell into an armchair. Harry, racked with guilt and pain was no longer able to hold himself up so he crumpled to the floor and started muttering again that this was his fault because he was so much taller and out weighed Ginny by a considerable amount. He kept repeating this over and over while rocking back and forth. He started crying again when another scream cut through the house. Arthur turned white and became sick while Ron joined Harry on the floor wrapped his arms around his best friend and started to say “she will be fine, the baby will be fine." Ron continued to repeat the statement until all three men were saying it together repeatedly.

Ginny’s screams were almost non stop for the next fifteen minutes until suddenly, the house went deadly silent and Hermione’s voice rang out “HARRY! RON! DAD!" All three men raced to the bedroom. As they barged in they could see Molly gently laying the limp form of Ginny back onto the bed. Ron could see the terror in Harry’s eyes as he, Harry, rushed to his wife’s side.

Arthur spoke first. “What, what’s happened? Is she, are they?� He could not bring himself to finish the question. Hermione walked over to them with a bundle in her hands.

“Ginny is going to be just fine, she is going to have to rest for a while but otherwise, she will be alright.� Hermione hesitated. This is when Ron noticed two things; one that she did not mention that the baby was going to be ok and two that the bundle in her arms was completely covered. He swallowed as Hermione looked at her husband and father-in-law. Very quietly she said “we lost the baby�. At that moment Harry let out a howl that broke the heart of even the season midwife. Ginny had weakly whispered to Harry that they’d had a son who’d been stillborn. He could do nothing other than hold his wife in his arms and cry along with her.

Ginny turned over in her sleep. Harry found himself praying to whatever powers that oversaw such things that this delivery would not be as difficult and most of all that this child would survive. “We are both strong people,� he said to himself “but I don’t know that either of us could live through again what we went through after losing James.�

Chapter 5 – Lily’s Birthday

“MUMMY! DADDY! WAKE UP!�

Harry groaned as he rolled over and reached out for his wife only to be met with emptiness. “MUMMY! MUMMY! DADDY! THE POST IS HERE!� Harry sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes wondering what all the yelling was about and where Ginny had gotten to, he’d been dreaming about making love to her and wanted the dream to come to fruition.

“DADDY! MUMMY! GET UP THE POST IS HERE!� Wondering why Lily was shouting about the bleeding post Harry shook the last vestiges of sleep off and remembered that today was not only his birthday but Lily’s eleventh birthday. “Ahh� Harry thought. “Her Hogwarts letter would be the reason for the yelling which means she’ll charge in here in a moment or two.� Harry reached over to the nightstand, picked up his glasses and put them on as he listened to his daughter nosily ascended the stairs at a run. Lily burst into the bedroom and skidded to a halt in front of Harry just as Ginny walked out of their private loo.

At eleven years old Lily Evans Potter had grown to be a very pretty girl. From her mother she’d gotten her long loosely curled ginger hair, freckles, the trademark Weasley temper and wicked streak and her love of learning. From Harry she’d gotten the shape and color of her eyes, knobby knees, unruly hair, her penchant for getting into trouble and a of flying and Quidditch.

“Mummy, Daddy the post is here� she said trying to catch her breath. Ginny was the first to speak “Lily Evans Potter, how many times have I told you that you are to knock before entering a room, particularly before entering this room?� “Sorry Mum I forgot.� “We can see that� Ginny replied as she joined Harry on the bed and winked at him.

Harry looked at his daughter, suppressed the smile that tugged on his lips and motioned for her to sit on the bed with them while asking.

“Elly love, what is all the yelling about?�

“Daddy, the post is here.�

Ginny and Harry had expected some form of racket from Lily over the significance of this day so last night before bed they’d decided to needle her a bit.

While trying very hard to keep herself from laughing out loud Ginny responded for Harry, “and what is so special about today’s post that you felt it necessary to wake your father and I up by yelling and stomping up the stairs?. Oh and have you forgotten to say something to your father?�

“Well Mummy, first you were already awake so I only woke Daddy and yes I’m sorry daddy, happy birthday.� Lily leaned over and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek and and hugged him.

“Thanks Lily and happy birthday to you too love.� Harry turned and looked at his wife with his biggest smile and a wink. Ginny then gave her daughter a hug and a kiss and wished both a happy birthday.

Not to be so easily deterred Lily continued; “Mum, Dad, the post is here.� Ginny replied “and was there something in the post that you wanted us to see?�

Lily’s eyes flashed as she jumped off the bed and turned to her parents, both of whom were ready for what was about to happen. Lily wasn’t a Weasley for nothing.

He glared at her parents, “I know you know what’s in today’s post WHY are you acting like nothing special is happening today?� I got my Hogwarts letter and you know it!

At that Harry and Ginny lost their composer and started giggling which lead to out right laughter.

Lily placed her hands on her hips, stomped her right foot and let out an exasperated “OOOOOH!� as she realized that her parents had been having fun with her.

“You two are absolute nutters! Why are you laughing at me?�

Ginny took Lily’s hand and pulled her back onto the bed. “Clam down sweet, we were just having a bit of a go at you. That’s all, we’re done now. So let’s see the letter then?�

Lilly settled in between her parents and all three leaned back against the headboard. In her excitement she’d not yet open the long awaited letter. As she unfolded the yellow parchment addressed to her in the familiar green ink Lily squealed in her excitement and started reading aloud.

Dear Miss Potter,

We are please to inform you that you…

As Lily read her letter Harry thought about how quickly time had passed since the birth of their only child. He thought about the hours he spent in fear and anguish while Ginny was in labor, he thought about the sudden and intense waves of love and joy that had washed over him as he held his new daughter and exhausted wife, he thought about the additional pain at having lost Lily’s twin, he thought about Lily’s naming ceremony, her first attempts at walking, talking and flying.

one cauldron…

As Harry listened to Lily read the list of items she would need through out the coming year he came to the full realization that their baby girl, his little girl was now old enough to go to Hogwarts and have lots of adventures in breaking school rules; she is after all a direct descendant of a Marauder, as long as the rule breaking did not involve boys to whom she was not related. Harry inwardly groaned at the thought of boys looking at Lily in the same way he’d looked at Ginny once he’d finally noticed her, he knew she’d have the time of her life at Hogwarts.

Lily finished reading and asked her mother to describe the sorting ceremony. Harry smiled at his wife and daughter and all he could do was be thankful for the way his life had turned out and acknowledge that he was so truly happy he knew that if at that moment he were to look upon himself in the Mirror of Erised only his reflection would look back.

-Fin-