Disclaimer: This is JK Rowling's material, not mine.
***
Keepsake
Discovery
Ginny never dreamt in her life that she would end up being a single mother. Despite the influence her mother had on her, having given birth to Bill somewhere around her age, she never aspired to travel in those footsteps. She was driven more by ambition and couldn’t think that at her young age, she would be slowed down by the demands of motherhood.
However, a test changed all that.
A few weeks passed since Harry’s departure, and Ginny had been feeling under the weather. Only Hermione noticed Ginny’s strange behavior; her frequent trips to the bathroom and her occasional lightheadedness even when the days were calm. However, even when Hermione confronted her, Ginny denied that there was anything unusual going on with her. But Hermione’s suspicions only grew.
Finally, one late night, Hermione spent her time waiting for Ginny to run across the hall to the toilet, just as she had been doing lately. Sure enough, around midnight, Hermione heard scampering noises on the way to the bathroom, prompting her to get out of bed and to go check.
When Hermione saw Ginny hunched over the toilet, weaker than ever before, Ginny was willing to confide in Hermione. She informed her of her escapade with Harry the night before he left and also filled her in on everything she had been feeling since then. Despite their unwillingness to see the possibility of things, they couldn’t deny what was right there in front of them. Eventually, Hermione convinced Ginny to take both a homemade test as well as a store-bought one.
Ginny sat on the lounge chair across the fire place, anxiously awaiting Hermione’s return. It had been ten more minutes longer than Hermione promised. It had been ten more minutes of twiddling her thumbs. It was ten more minutes of pushing out fears from her mind. It was ten more minutes of putting Harry out of her thoughts.
Soon, the fire place ignited with emerald flames and Hermione stepped out with a paper bag in her hand.
“Let’s go to the bathroom,” Ginny stated briskly, standing up.
No one else was at the Burrow; Fred and George were at their shop in Diagon Alley, Mr. Weasley accompanied his wife on her search for new potion ingredients that mysteriously went missing (which, coincidentally, were the ingredients Hermione needed for her potion), and Ron was out at the Ministry for Auror training. Now was the perfect time to do what they needed to.
Upstairs, Ginny and Hermione rushed into the bathroom as Hermione locked the door behind her for extra precaution. She pulled out a small box from the paper bag while Ginny pulled out a small vial from the medicine cabinet. Inside it was a violet liquid, sloshing around thickly like some type of gelatin. The two brewed it last night near midnight, the safest time to use Mrs. Weasley’s ingredient cabinet.
“Two choices before you, Ginny,” Hermione said. “One is the Muggle method, which is somewhat reliable. Two, on the other hand, seems to be the more sensible choice, because its results are almost always true. I think you should take both of them.”
“No problem,” Ginny said breathlessly. She still couldn’t believe she was about to do this. Considering the possibility was already a large step for her, and she wasn’t sure how many more leaps she would have to make. “How do you use this…stick?”
Hermione reached over and ripped the box open, taking the test out.
“It’s quite simple, actually, and it’s similar to the potion. All you have to do is…pee on this end here, and then wait five minutes for the result. One stripe indicates pregnancy, and two doesn’t. It’s the same with the potion. Just deliver your sample and blue is positive and red is negative.”
Ginny shook her head in resignation. “No matter how simple you say it is, Hermione, it is still more difficult than I could ever want it to be.”
Hermione sighed. Ginny was correct; she had no way of relating to her whatsoever, so who was she to say how easy this was. Of course it wasn’t going to be easy. Saying it might have made herself feel better, but it certainly wasn’t working on Ginny.
“I’ll be outside,” Hermione said. “Call me when you’re ready.”
***
In Harry’s arms, Ginny felt warm again, a distant feeling from the cold, emptiness she became used to. It was as though life breathed into her again. Being beside him, just being with him, it was a feeling unlike any other.
Ginny’s eyes were closed as she absorbed everything that just happened. It was wonderful and she felt lighter than air. All that it took to bring her back down was the loving kiss Harry planted on her forehead.
She shifted position under the blanket and turned to face him. He looked so serene in front of her, so confident. She kissed him back.
After pulling away, Harry sighed.
“I just wish…” He couldn’t say it without sounding like a pig.
“What?” Ginny asked, an eyebrow raised.
Harry laughed softly. “I just wish we could have done this more often instead of just one time.”
Ginny couldn’t help but laugh as well. The sound of their laughter together was ecstasy to her ears; a lot of time had passed since they had done so.
“I love you,” he finally said, without a trace of humor or laughter in his tone.
“I love you, too,” she whispered, sliding one hand into his. “I love you tremendously, Harry.”
“Lucky us,” he said smiling as he leaned in for another kiss. “Love is something we could all use.”
Ginny thought Harry sounded so wise and profound.
“If you love me…”she began, fighting off the tears she knew would be soon to come, “then why don’t you stay? If we love each other as much as we do…why do you have to leave?”
“Ginny-” Harry began.
“No,” she intervened, placing a finger on his lips. “No, I can’t let you leave, Harry. Can’t you see? Things have changed. You don’t have to leave anymore. We both know that we love each other, so why do you need to go? Now that we’re back together, things are finally right again!”
“I can’t just stay because of this,” Harry uttered softly.
Ginny felt as though a dagger pierced her heart.
“You mean you can’t stay just because of me.”
“You know damn well that that’s not the reason, Ginny. I love you. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t leave you at all.”
“Then why do you have to?” she exclaimed, pulling away from Harry’s arms. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming sense of bareness. “You have a choice: don’t leave!”
“I have to, Ginny! I need time by myself! I need time to finally get used to normality. Don’t you see how long it’s been for me without being The Boy Who Lived? Don’t you see that for once in my life, I can be regular and not be a hero? I enjoy this feeling, Ginny, and I think that I would enjoy it more if I took time off by myself without pressure from you or anyone else!”
Ginny slid off the side of the bed, taking the blanket along with her. Harry frantically rushed across the room to get into clothing.
“I pressure you?” she asked sullenly. “I cause this in you?”
Harry furiously shook his head.
“Why did you have to go and turn this wonderful thing into something horrible and monstrous?” she continued, her voice faltering. “Why did you have to go and lie to me?”
“How did I lie to you?” he asked, shocked at her words.
“You told me that you loved me!” she exclaimed at him, warm tears now streaming down her cheeks. “You told me the most important words in my life and then you took them away like some sort of Vanishing Charm!”
“I never took them away, Ginny! I do love you! Why can’t you see that?”
Ginny shook her head as she put on her top. The tears wouldn’t stop now. She looked at him with a heartbroken stare.
“No, Harry. If you loved me, you would stay. If you loved me, I wouldn’t have to worry about what would come tomorrow and the rest of the days after you left. If you loved me, you wouldn’t let me cry.”
“Ginny!” He was speechless.
“Enjoy all the time in the world you want, Harry!” she cried, now fully clothed. “I won’t stand around anymore waiting for you to grow up.”
She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
And now, even with the window open letting in the warm summer air, Harry felt colder than he ever felt before.
***
Hermione knocked on the door; two minutes passed and she was already impatient.
“Can I come in now?”
Ginny opened the door. “Come in; I’m done.”
On the counter were the two tests. The Muggle pregnancy test lay on top of a paper towel while the potion, once purple and now white, sat beside it bubbling and fizzing around.
“I’m scared, Hermione,” Ginny admitted. “No, I’m petrified with fear.”
Hermione gave Ginny a warm hug. “I know, Ginny. But just know that if you…are, then we’ll work through it with everyone. We all love you, Ginny. And we would never abandon you.”
Ginny sniffled as she wiped away a tear; she was surprised that she had anymore tears to cry.
The next five minutes dragged on for eternities. It was the longest wait that either of the girls had ever experienced. Hermione was already thinking up of ways to console Ginny for either outcome and Ginny was busy avoiding thoughts of their last night by thinking about what she would do if either of the tests were positive. By the third minute, tears were nonexistent and only a void remained deeply etched into her heart. Finally, Hermione looked at her clock to see that the five minute mark was passed.
“Which one do you want to look at first?” Hermione asked, her throat exceedingly dry.
“Can you…look at the Muggle one for me, Hermione?”
Hermione nodded and looked down at the Muggle test. She showed no sign of emotion on her face whatsoever.
“Well?” Ginny asked, afraid to know the answer.
“Why don’t we wait first for the potion to finish up for confirmation?” Hermione suggested. Ginny only nodded.
Finally, after a few more seconds passed, the potion suddenly stopped fizzing and bubbling. All the sparks that spewed from the surface dissipated and the liquid inside remained white and still.
After a couple breathless moments, the potion churned, launching a few sparks out into the air. And almost as fast as it started it became still once more.
Only this time, the potion was a dark navy blue.
A/N: I hope you liked it.