MetaFic

Ginny noticed her mother standing outside the kitchen door and waved her in with a smile.

Mrs. Weasley stepped into the kitchen and surveyed their work. Her daughter and soon to be son-in-law were cleaning up the kitchen after everyone had finished breakfast. Molly had half expected to find them all eating nothing but toast, as she was unsure of the cooking skills of the male members of the household. However, her youngest had clearly risen to the occasion and claimed the kitchen as her own. It was enough to make a mother misty-eyed. Her little girl all grown up. Mrs. Weasley looked at the young couple and smiled.

"I thought perhaps everyone would like to come over for dinner this evening." She looked at her daughter’s raised eyebrow. "It's always polite to invite the new neighbors over, and I thought it would be pleasant for everyone to have a meal together."

"Plus it would be the perfect time to break the news," Ginny retorted.

"What news?" Remus Lupin had returned, carrying a trunk full of his belongings.

"All in good time," Ginny smiled impishly at him, hoping her nerves would not show.

He looked from Ginny to Harry and back to Ginny. He narrowed his eyes. "Why do I have an impending sense of doom?"

Harry decided it was time to speak up. He turned to Mrs. Weasley. "We'd be delighted to have dinner at the Weasleys’ tonight. I'll tell everyone else."

After Mrs. Weasley left, and after they managed to avoid the questioning of one curious werewolf, Ginny and Harry sat down and wrote Dumbledore a letter explaining that they had talked about their situation. They told him what they planned and made it clear that they wish to be separated as little as possible during term. They sent the note off with Hedwig and then decided they should act as normal as they could for the rest of the day.

Harry managed to round up all the Weasley boys except Percy, who had gone to visit his fiancée Penelope Clearwater and would not be returning until nearly dinner time, and started a game of Quidditch. This lasted until Mrs. Weasley asked the boys to get the table and chairs from the shed and set them up in the backyard.

Ginny had a bit of a talk with Hermione in which she explained in graphic detail the joys of morning sickness, general nausea, and insomnia followed by the inability to stay awake and her newest friend, swelling of the ankles. Hermione seemed to get the message, and then the two giggled at the thought of Harry having a similar conversation with Ron.

That evening the two households gathered in the backyard of the Burrow for a dinner feast. Everyone agreed it was one of the greatest feasts ever produced by the worthy Molly Weasley. Ginny and Harry sat next to each other, nervous but determined to get it over with and face the consequences. They had decided to wait until after dinner but before dessert. Finally Harry stood and spoke.

"Um, everyone, um, Ginny and I have something to tell you."

The silence was frightening as all heads swiveled to regard him. Harry turned pale and swallowed, but he pushed on when he felt Ginny stand up next to him and give his hand a squeeze. He took a deep breath.

"Ginny and I are engaged, and we're having a baby."

The Weasley parents, Hermione, and Jeren prepared to intervene on the young couple's behalf if it proved necessary.

After what to Ginny seemed an eternity of silence, Bill turned to Charlie and held out his hand. With a large smile on his face he said, "Pay up."

Charlie started counting coins into Bill's hand. Indignant, Ginny looked at her oldest brother and yelled, "You had a bet on me?"

Bill smiled at her as a disgruntled Charlie counted out the last galleon. "Sorry Sprite, but you seemed like the best bet."

Ginny sputtered. "Best bet? But I'm the youngest."

The twins had started singing "Harry and Ginny sittin' in a tree–,"

Bill shrugged but was unapologetic. "I knew it wouldn't be me, and Charlie loves his dragons too much. The twins would have to find girls crazy enough to actually want them."

This caused Fred and George to stop singing and yell, "Hey!" in unison.

Bill smiled at them and continued. "I'll admit Percy had me scared, what with a steady girl in Penelope."

"That's who my money was on," chuckled Charlie.

At the other end of the table, Percy and Penelope both blushed.

Bill laughed again. "And Ron's, well, Ron. You, on the other hand, are a hopeless romantic, Sprite. I knew you'd give your heart away early. Granted, not this early, but still– Oh and thanks, by the way."

"Thanks? For what?" Ginny was genuinely confused.

Bill and Charlie both were laughing now. It was Charlie who spoke up. "Well Sis, this takes all the pressure off of us, you see. With you to fuss over Mum will quit dropping hints at us and worry over you."

Molly Weasley looked murderously at her two oldest children.

Sirius Black was looking at the two youngsters with concerned and fear written all over his face. "Do you two have any idea how difficult this going to make your lives! It's bad enough you have the Dark Lord and every Death Eater in England trying to kill Harry! It's bad enough Ginny's in danger just because she was born a Weasley, but now you've brought a child into the mix!"

It was obvious to everyone who knew Sirius that, while he may have been looking at Ginny and Harry standing there holding hands, he was seeing James and Lily, his beloved friends. His friends who, in dark times, had dared to love, dared to start a family, and had died.

Remus Lupin put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Easy, Padfoot." He said to his long time friend.

Remus, unlike the other Marauders, was cursed with a logical, thoughtful streak. He had been watching the young couple closely all morning and come to some conclusions. He had been pretty sure what was going on before the announcement. He remembered Ginny being in Dumbledore's office the day they discussed the death of the Dursleys. He actually admired the young woman's courage. She had risked everything - her future, her love for Harry, her relationship with her family, everything - on a gamble to save Harry.

Sirius sighed. He hated the look of disappointment on Harry's face. He suddenly felt very, very old. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm just frightened for you both, that's all."

Harry gave his godfather a small smile. "Well stop it. Ginny and I are scared enough for everybody here, so just stop it."

Arthur Weasley cleared his throat. "Well, I can't say I'm happy about Ginny being a mother so young, but I trust both of you will have enough sense to allow the rest of us to help you from here out."

Ginny smiled at her father and wished she could take away the obvious pain in his eyes. She realized it must be difficult for him to see his little girl growing up. She went to her father and gave him a hug. "I don't think we can do this without the rest of you."

It was Penelope who spoke next. "So Ginny, when are you due? And I assume there's going to be a wedding?"

Ginny released her father and faced the group again. "I'm due in December, sometime around Christmas. We thought we'd marry shortly after."

Penelope seemed puzzled. "Why after?"

Ginny looked at the assemblage and told them the same thing she'd told Harry and her mother. The look on her face practically dared anyone to argue with her. Penelope and Hermione both nodded their heads in understanding.

"What about school?" Lupin asked.

"We've written Dumbledore," Harry stated calmly. "I'm sure between the lot of us we can figure out a way for both Ginny and I to finish Hogwarts. We realize this isn't going to be easy, but we'll find a way."

During all this Ginny had noticed Ron sitting quietly in his chair. The look on his face kept changing as he tried to work everything out. Finally Ron stood and walked over the person who had been his best friend since they'd begun school together.

Ginny saw Harry turn to face Ron. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach. She saw Harry quickly take off his glasses, as if he could guess what was coming. Before anyone could stop him, Ron hit Harry squarely on the mouth, knocking the smaller boy to the ground.

"Ron!" several voices cried in unison.

Ginny started to go to her fiancé, but her father held her hand tightly. When she looked at him in panic, he shook his head, and his eyes told her to wait.

"Bloody hell, Ron!" Harry said around his split lip. "Did you have hit me that hard?"

Ron held out his hand to his friend. Harry took it and was immediately hauled to his feet by the larger boy. The two young men locked eyes for a moment and then smiled at each other. Ron pulled Harry into a fierce hug.

"Welcome to the family, mate!"