Growing Pains

Chapter Twenty One

Ginny awoke to a clattering that echoed throughout the house. Ginny rolled her eyes- Harry must be cooking again. He was always so noisy when he cooked.

Suddenly an arm was around her, making her flinch. She rolled over quickly and saw Harry, still fast asleep lying beside her. Ginny's eyes widened and she quickly hopped out of bed, grabbing her wand off of the nightstand.

She crept down the hallway carefully and down to the nursery. The door was ajar. Ginny inhaled sharply and pushed open the door to find a completely empty room. Ginny's heart pounded in her throat, and a combination of anger and fear flushed her cheeks.

Clutching her wand tightly in her hand, Ginny walked quietly down the stairs and into the kitchen, where the source of the noise was coming from.

She rounded the corner, her wand extended in front of her, prepared to strike the intruder.

Instead, she dropped the wand and narrowed her eyes at Ron, who was standing in the middle of their kitchen, wearing her apron. James was nestled in his swing in the corner, sleeping soundly.

"Dammit Ron, I thought you were an intruder!" Ginny grabbed an apple from the basket on the counter and chucked it at her brother, hard.

"Bloody hell Ginny!" Ron exclaimed, rubbing his face where the apple had hit him. "What was that for?"

"What are you doing in my house?"

"What does it look like? I'm making you and Harry breakfast and watching James so you guys could sleep in! Merlin, Ginny, that hurt!"

"Oh shut up you big git, just be glad I didn't hex you," Ginny rolled her eyes. "What are you doing in my apron?"

"Cooking?"

Ginny pinched the bridge of her nose, taking a seat on a barstool at the kitchen counter.

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

"Yeah, an idiot that is making you scones," Ron teased, going back to mixing a blob of dough in a bowl.

"Did you feed James?" Ginny asked, remembering the schedule they were on. James had been losing weight recently, and the Healers at St. Mungo's had told her to follow a schedule and feed James every two hours.

"Yes, I saw the schedule you had posted on the fridge, and found some pre-made bottles inside. And before you ask, yes, I did warm it up. I have had experience with babies before, you know."

"I'm sorry. I'm just in that Mama Bear stage, I suppose. I just want to make sure that he is healthy," Ginny sighed. "How long have you been here? I just realized I only woke up twice last night with him."

Ron looked down, frowning. "I've been here since about eleven thirty last night. Hermione and I had a fight and we both needed some space. I told her I would be here. Harry knows I'm here, he was up with James when I came through the Floo."

"That must have been quite the fight. I know you guys get in arguments and debates all the time, but usually they blow over within a few minutes because you both realize you're being silly. Can I ask what it was about?"

"Kids," Ron blurted.

"Did she say she didn't want kids?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow. James' swing stopped and he began to stir. Ginny got up and turned it back on using her foot before returning to her seat on the stool.

"No, she just said she doesn't want them for a while. I want to start a family now, Gin. But she doesn't want to have them until after her career has settled down a bit. I just lost it, and she blamed me for being jealous of her career, and I told her she was being selfish. Neither one of us meant anything by it, but it hurt just the same."

Ginny watched as her brother went back to stirring silently.

"Ron, I think you two just need to talk. I know Hermione, and she is hurting just as much, if not more than you are right now. She just wouldn't ever admit it. You're both too stubborn to admit anything like that. I think the best thing you can do is to just talk to her."

"You're right," Ron admitted. "Can I finish making these scones first though?"

"Please do. Also, would you mind saying that again? Maybe I can make it my ring tone."

They both laughed. The rest of the time that Ron cooked breakfast, the two sat in comfortable silence, minus the few sleepy gurgles James made from the corner.

Ron slid the scones out of the oven and wiped his hands on the apron, just as there was a chime from the living room fireplace's Floo alarm.

Ginny hopped off of the stool and walked around the corner to peer into the room where Hermione stood, awkwardly hugging herself.

A hand appeared on her shoulder, and Ginny glanced up at her brother, his hair ruffled from removing the apron.

"'Mione," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Ron. I shouldn't have said all that," they walked towards one another, and Ron wrapped his arms around her in a strong embrace, Hermione's face buried in his chest.

After a few moments, they broke apart and Ron cupped Hermione's face in his hands, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Hermione gave him a weak smile before turning to Ginny.

"Thank you Gin," she whispered to her best friend.

"Anytime," Ginny responded, giving Hermione a gentle smile. "Well, since Ron cooked such a delicious looking breakfast, and I might have hit him in the head with an apple, I suppose you two should stay for the meal."

"Do I smell scones?" Harry asked, rubbing his eyes as he appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"I swear Harry James Potter, the smell of food could bring you back from the dead," Ginny shook her head.

"Or, you know, a resurrection stone," Harry joked, giving everyone a foolish grin. Hermione and Ron laughed, and Ginny pinched the bridge of her nose in mock-exasperation.

"You're such a big git, you know that?" She looked at him and burst out laughing.

"Yes, but I'm your big git," he closer and wrapped his arms around her from the back.

"Merlin," Ginny sighed. "I hope your son takes after me and not you."

"Oh Merlin help us, I hope not! That kid would be a little fireball!" Ron exclaimed, and Hermione gave him a little swat on the arm.

"Now, are we going to stand here and make stupid jokes, or are we going to go eat some delicious scones?" Ron asked.