Secrets to Keep 6
Title: Secrets to Keep 6
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry, Ginny, James, Minerva, OFC
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Subject matter
Word count: 890
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This was written for fun, not for profit.
Author's note: Seventh installment of an arc that began with Pixie Pox.
Summary: Harry has two serious discussions in one eventful afternoon.
Harry frowned at his oldest son. James was slumped in a chair in the Headmistress' office, sporting a scowl and a split lip. He had been stubbornly silent ever since Harry and Ginny had arrived via Floo. Harry sighed. "Minerva, is there a place where we can speak to James in private, please?"
Minerva rose stiffly to her feet. "Why don't I get us some tea?" she suggested before making her way out of the office.
Harry turned his attention to his son. "Alright, let's hear it," he demanded. "Why did you get in a fight, and with your own Housemates, no less?"
"They were picking on Geoff Haverkamp, and I couldn't just sit back and let them, Dad," James said.
"Teenage boys tease one another all the time, James," Ginny pointed out in a gentle tone.
Harry was beginning to think he knew what the problem was. "Is Geoff gay?" he asked. "Is that why the others were harassing him?"
James shook his head. "No, but Geoff's fathers are," he replied. Then, as if the flood gates had been opened, the story tumbled from him in a torrent. "Patrick Finnegan and Corey Dunbar wouldn't leave him alone about it," James growled. "They kept calling him a freak because one of his fathers gave birth to him, and they were asking if his dad wore skirts and frilly knickers, and I just couldn't stand back and listen to it anymore, and-"
Harry held up his hand. "James," he said sternly. "I am not pleased that you got into a fight at school and even less pleased that it was with members of your own House." James flushed and looked down. "However," Harry continued, "I am proud of you for standing up for someone else. That's the spirit of a true Gryffindor." James glanced up with a shy grin. "For that reason, we're not going to punish you, but I expect you to apologize to Headmistress McGonagall and your Head of House, Professor Longbottom. You must also accept any punishment that they see fit to mete out."
"Yes, sir," James sighed.
~*~
Harry and Ginny made the return trip home in thoughtful silence. When they arrived, Ginny's girlfriend Karin greeted her with a quick kiss. Karin's brown hair was disheveled, as if she'd been plowing her hands through it in worry. "Is everything alright?" she asked.
Ginny explained the situation as succinctly as possible while Harry went to fetch some tea for them. By the time he returned, Karin and Ginny were seated side by side on the sofa and talking quietly. The sight made him long for Draco, and he knew his lover would be anxious for word of their son. He sat and sipped at his tea a moment before saying, "Thank you for accompanying me to Hogwarts, Ginny. I should go now; Draco will want to know what's going on with James."
"Harry?"
He paused and looked expectantly at his wife. Something in Ginny's tone had set off Harry's internal alarms.
Ginny shared a long look with her lover, giving Karin's hand a squeeze when she rose and left the room. She then turned her attention to her husband. "Harry, Karin and I have been talking, and there is something I need to discuss with you."
Harry felt his heart sink. From the furtive looks he'd seen her exchange with Karin, he was afraid that Ginny wanted to be free to spend more time with her lover and would be asking him for an annulment of their marriage of convenience. Harry couldn't begrudge her that, but he was feeling sick at the thought of what it would mean for the children, especially in light of the treatment Geoff Haverkamp had been subjected to.
"Harry, are you alright?"
Ginny was snapping her fingers in front of his face, and Harry finally glanced up at his wife's concerned countenance. "Do you want a divorce?" he asked bluntly.
Ginny plopped back onto the sofa. "A divorce?!" she parroted. "Merlin, no!"
"I...but you...the way you said you and Karin...all serious, and-" Harry shut his mouth when he saw Ginny's shoulders were shaking as she fought to contain her laughter. "You. Are a menace," he grumped.
Ginny giggled and patted the sofa next to her. "Come sit beside me," she invited. "I do have something very serious to discuss with you."
Harry sat next to her, not quite touching. Ginny reached for his hand and clasped it in her own, and Harry gave her fingers an encouraging squeeze. He did love his wife, after all, but not in a romantic manner.
Ginny took a breath and began. "Karin and I have been talking more and more about family, and we would like to have children of our own some day," she told Harry. "That's where you come in."
"Excuse me?"
"I want to have a baby, Harry, and I want you to be the father."
~tbc~
Secrets to Keep 7
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry, Ginny, James, Minerva, OFC
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Subject matter
Word count: 890
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This was written for fun, not for profit.
Author's note: Seventh installment of an arc that began with Pixie Pox.
Summary: Harry has two serious discussions in one eventful afternoon.
Harry frowned at his oldest son. James was slumped in a chair in the Headmistress' office, sporting a scowl and a split lip. He had been stubbornly silent ever since Harry and Ginny had arrived via Floo. Harry sighed. "Minerva, is there a place where we can speak to James in private, please?"
Minerva rose stiffly to her feet. "Why don't I get us some tea?" she suggested before making her way out of the office.
Harry turned his attention to his son. "Alright, let's hear it," he demanded. "Why did you get in a fight, and with your own Housemates, no less?"
"They were picking on Geoff Haverkamp, and I couldn't just sit back and let them, Dad," James said.
"Teenage boys tease one another all the time, James," Ginny pointed out in a gentle tone.
Harry was beginning to think he knew what the problem was. "Is Geoff gay?" he asked. "Is that why the others were harassing him?"
James shook his head. "No, but Geoff's fathers are," he replied. Then, as if the flood gates had been opened, the story tumbled from him in a torrent. "Patrick Finnegan and Corey Dunbar wouldn't leave him alone about it," James growled. "They kept calling him a freak because one of his fathers gave birth to him, and they were asking if his dad wore skirts and frilly knickers, and I just couldn't stand back and listen to it anymore, and-"
Harry held up his hand. "James," he said sternly. "I am not pleased that you got into a fight at school and even less pleased that it was with members of your own House." James flushed and looked down. "However," Harry continued, "I am proud of you for standing up for someone else. That's the spirit of a true Gryffindor." James glanced up with a shy grin. "For that reason, we're not going to punish you, but I expect you to apologize to Headmistress McGonagall and your Head of House, Professor Longbottom. You must also accept any punishment that they see fit to mete out."
"Yes, sir," James sighed.
~*~
Harry and Ginny made the return trip home in thoughtful silence. When they arrived, Ginny's girlfriend Karin greeted her with a quick kiss. Karin's brown hair was disheveled, as if she'd been plowing her hands through it in worry. "Is everything alright?" she asked.
Ginny explained the situation as succinctly as possible while Harry went to fetch some tea for them. By the time he returned, Karin and Ginny were seated side by side on the sofa and talking quietly. The sight made him long for Draco, and he knew his lover would be anxious for word of their son. He sat and sipped at his tea a moment before saying, "Thank you for accompanying me to Hogwarts, Ginny. I should go now; Draco will want to know what's going on with James."
"Harry?"
He paused and looked expectantly at his wife. Something in Ginny's tone had set off Harry's internal alarms.
Ginny shared a long look with her lover, giving Karin's hand a squeeze when she rose and left the room. She then turned her attention to her husband. "Harry, Karin and I have been talking, and there is something I need to discuss with you."
Harry felt his heart sink. From the furtive looks he'd seen her exchange with Karin, he was afraid that Ginny wanted to be free to spend more time with her lover and would be asking him for an annulment of their marriage of convenience. Harry couldn't begrudge her that, but he was feeling sick at the thought of what it would mean for the children, especially in light of the treatment Geoff Haverkamp had been subjected to.
"Harry, are you alright?"
Ginny was snapping her fingers in front of his face, and Harry finally glanced up at his wife's concerned countenance. "Do you want a divorce?" he asked bluntly.
Ginny plopped back onto the sofa. "A divorce?!" she parroted. "Merlin, no!"
"I...but you...the way you said you and Karin...all serious, and-" Harry shut his mouth when he saw Ginny's shoulders were shaking as she fought to contain her laughter. "You. Are a menace," he grumped.
Ginny giggled and patted the sofa next to her. "Come sit beside me," she invited. "I do have something very serious to discuss with you."
Harry sat next to her, not quite touching. Ginny reached for his hand and clasped it in her own, and Harry gave her fingers an encouraging squeeze. He did love his wife, after all, but not in a romantic manner.
Ginny took a breath and began. "Karin and I have been talking more and more about family, and we would like to have children of our own some day," she told Harry. "That's where you come in."
"Excuse me?"
"I want to have a baby, Harry, and I want you to be the father."
~tbc~
Secrets to Keep 7