Fic: Pink or Blue
Today is not only Ron Weasley's birthday *squishes the Ron* but it's also midnight_ljc's birthday! Happy Birthday, Lola! Not only are you disgustingly talented, but you're also a wonderful person and I'm glad to call you a friend. Since you love trio-in-a-romantic-relationship-with-kids fic, that's what I wrote you. Oi. Extremely fluffy, but birthday fic should be, I think.
Title: Pink or Blue
Pairing: Harry/Ron/Hermione + kidlets
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: Thank you so much to aome for the always excellent beta. Toothbrushes not supplied. Feedback is appreciated.
It was a late Sunday afternoon when Harry Potter Apparated to the laneway that sat parallel to his house. He whistled a merry little tune as he closed the front gate behind him, and then walked up the front path. He could hear the sound of his children laughing in the backyard, and he smiled to himself as the wards surrounding his haven allowed him to go through the front door without being flung back out onto the road.
He dropped his suitcase by the door and shed his robes, hanging them on the rack that sat near the antique mirror adorning the foyer. Knowing that his family was outside enjoying the last light of the day, he didn’t bother checking any of the rooms for signs of life - which was why he was surprised to find Hermione in the kitchen. Harry leaned against the doorway and gazed at the witch he’d met so many years ago on the Hogwarts Express. Her bushy hair was messily tucked back off her face in a clip, and she was obviously lost in thought. The index finger of her right hand ran down the pages of the book she had opened on the counter, while her left hand rested gently on her rounded belly.
“Hello, beautiful,” Harry said quietly, not wanting to startle her.
It took a moment for Hermione to snap out of her trance. “Harry!” She crossed the room as quickly as her rapidly changing body would allow, and stepped into his open arms. “We weren’t expecting you back until tomorrow!”
“I know, but I decided to skip out early and come home. I missed everyone too much.”
Hermione rested her head against him, turning her face towards his. “We missed you, too. I’m glad you’re home.”
Harry kissed her then, slowly, relishing the familiar feel of her warmth and curves in his arms. He loved it when Hermione was pregnant; during her first pregnancy, he’d been constantly amazed at the changes in her body and the notion of a baby growing inside her. This was her third pregnancy (and her last if she had any say in it) and he still thought she was so incredibly sexy when she was pregnant. Not that Hermione was prone to believe him, but he and Ron had lots of fun trying to convince her otherwise.
When Hermione finally moved out of his embrace, she took his hand and tugged him towards the back door. “Come on, Ron and the kids are outside and they’ll want to see you.”
“How did the appointment go?” Two days previously, Hermione had visited the Healer who would deliver the baby. Harry had been loathe to miss it but had already committed to attending the conference in Paris long before they’d discovered she was pregnant again.
“Everything is fine. We’ll fill you in when the kids are in bed.” She led him outside onto the porch, and Harry stood behind her, his arms coming around her so his hands could rest on her belly. Hermione placed her hands on his and their fingers twined together as they watched their two children horsing around with Ron on the lawn. Ron was on his hands and knees, Audrey sitting on his back and Nicholas running around them both with a sword that Ron had conjured up. Ron was making growly noises; Harry wasn’t entirely sure what type of animal Ron was supposed to be, but the kids were obviously enjoying themselves immensely if their laughter was any measure to go by.
Ron’s head swung in the direction of the porch, and Harry saw his blue eyes widen at him. Ron carefully removed Audrey from his back, placing her upright on the ground, then sat back on his haunches and pointed towards Harry and Hermione.
“Look who’s home!”
Two little heads swiveled to the side, one right and one left, and two little faces lit up. “Daddy!” They ran over to the porch as Harry released Hermione and went down the few steps that led to the lawn. He crouched down, his arms open wide, and was rewarded with a hug from his son that almost knocked him backwards. Audrey, who at the age of three was a year younger than her brother, couldn’t run quite as fast as Nicholas, so Harry waited until she had hurled herself at him before standing up. Both children hugged him tightly and proceeded to fill him in on the minutiae of the last four days while he’d been gone, and he listened as he kissed them every few seconds.
Harry thought himself incredibly fortunate to find two loving partners in Ron and Hermione, both of whom had been willing to be his family. The family that was so precious to all three of them had only been enriched by the arrival of Nicholas and Audrey, two beautiful little beings who loved and adored their parents - all three of them. It was Mummy who made the rules and tried to ensure they stuck to them, but taught them so much; it was Pa who frequently broke said rules and made them laugh a lot; and it was Daddy who spoiled them rotten.
Ron lifted Nicholas out of Harry’s arms and placed the boy on his hip, then leaned over and kissed Harry hello. “How was the conference?”
“Long and boring.” Audrey wrapped her arms and legs around Harry, and he kissed the top of her head as he and Ron climbed the stairs to where Hermione waited for them. Everybody went inside and the kids sat at the table while Ron got them a glass of milk and a biscuit each. Harry filled his family in briefly and then presented the children with the gifts he’d bought for them, which resulted in another round of kisses for him, kisses that always warmed his heart.
Hermione started to accio ingredients out of the pantry while pots and pans flew out of cupboards. She hummed to herself as she half-listened to the voices she knew as well as her own.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Harry came over to her and took the wooden spoon she was brandishing out of her hand. “You sit down and relax, I’ll cook dinner tonight.”
“But you just got home, I can do it.”
“I’m fine, love. Go and rest, I can whip up something delicious in no time.”
Hermione reluctantly acquiesced without further protest, knowing that arguing would get her nowhere, and let go of the spoon. Harry grinned and kissed her, then shooed her away. He snuck glances at his family as they sat at the dinner table, and knew there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be than with them.
~*~
“Did you put the washing away?”
“Yes, love. I put the washing away.” Ron glanced at Hermione and grinned; she was stretched out on the lounge next to him, her tired feet and swollen ankles on his lap. He was massaging her feet while Harry was reading the children a bedtime story.
“Thank you, Ron.” She reached out for his hand, and he grabbed hers and squeezed it gently. “I’m glad Harry’s home.”
“Me too.” Ron looked at Hermione slyly. “Are you going to tell him you know the sex of the baby?”
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. “You know full well I’m not, Ronald Bilius, and you’ll do well to keep that to yourself.”
“Keep what to himself?” Harry breezed into the room and perched himself on the edge of the lounge next to Hermione.
“Nothing you need to know about!” Hermione said shrilly.
Harry gazed at Ron inquisitively, his eyebrows raised. Ron grinned at Hermione and her heart sank.
“She found out the sex of the baby.” He patted her feet and stood up.
Hermione threw Ron a murderous glance and eased herself up out of the seat with Harry’s assistance. “I know we agreed to keep it a surprise this time,” Hermione started as she led the way to the bedroom, “but I thought it would be so much easier to know if we could keep the nursery pink or if we needed to change it back to blue.”
Harry pulled his jumper up over his head as he stepped into their bedroom, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor. “Do you know?” he asked Ron.
“Nope,” Ron said loftily as he stripped to his boxers. “I know how to keep my word.”
He was rewarded by a pillow to the head, courtesy of Hermione, who was scowling at him. Harry, ever the peacemaker, went over to her and placed his hand on her cheek. “It doesn’t really matter, Hermione,” he said. “You know we don’t care. And you’re right, it will make it easier to get everything ready.”
Ron jumped onto the bed and stretched out. “Traitor,” he said, wagging a finger at Harry.
“Well,” Hermione sniffed, naked except for her knickers as she pulled a nightgown over her head, “since you don’t want to know, Ron, I’ll just tell Harry.” She beckoned Harry closer and whispered something in his ear, and Ron could tell by the enormous grin on Harry’s face that Hermione had just spilled the beans. He watched them embrace, Harry kissing Hermione gently as he kept one arm around her.
“Oi,” Ron said, “there’ll be none of that. Share.” He clambered over the bed and perched on the edge in front of Hermione, so that he could place a hand on her belly. “What are we doing?” he murmured. “Keeping the nursery pink or changing it back to blue?”
Hermione smiled down at him, running a hand through his hair. “Keeping it pink.”
Ron leaned forward and kissed her belly. “Hi, little girl,” he said. They all exchanged grins and kisses at the news of a new daughter.
Once they’d all changed into their sleepwear, they settled into bed. Ron and Hermione told Harry all about the visit to the Healer and assured him once again that their daughter was perfectly healthy and would be joining their family in approximately three months time. What Hermione didn’t tell either of the men was that she knew who the biological father of this child was, just as she knew who had fathered Nicholas and Audrey. There had been no need to tell either of them, however, for it only took even the casual observer a moment to know. With his beautiful green eyes, Nicholas was obviously Harry’s son, and it was clear that with red hair and freckles, Audrey was a Weasley. Hermione was pleased that each child had something of her, too - Nicholas had her brown hair, and Audrey her brown eyes. As she lay back against the pillows, trying to get comfortable, Hermione couldn’t help but wonder what colouring their new arrival would inherit from her father.
Not that it mattered in their family who had fathered which child; both children were loved equally by all three parents, just as all three parents loved each other. They may not have been a conventional family, but they were a family nonetheless, and Hermione knew that neither she, nor Ron, nor Harry - especially Harry - would want it any other way.
Title: Pink or Blue
Pairing: Harry/Ron/Hermione + kidlets
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: Thank you so much to aome for the always excellent beta. Toothbrushes not supplied. Feedback is appreciated.
It was a late Sunday afternoon when Harry Potter Apparated to the laneway that sat parallel to his house. He whistled a merry little tune as he closed the front gate behind him, and then walked up the front path. He could hear the sound of his children laughing in the backyard, and he smiled to himself as the wards surrounding his haven allowed him to go through the front door without being flung back out onto the road.
He dropped his suitcase by the door and shed his robes, hanging them on the rack that sat near the antique mirror adorning the foyer. Knowing that his family was outside enjoying the last light of the day, he didn’t bother checking any of the rooms for signs of life - which was why he was surprised to find Hermione in the kitchen. Harry leaned against the doorway and gazed at the witch he’d met so many years ago on the Hogwarts Express. Her bushy hair was messily tucked back off her face in a clip, and she was obviously lost in thought. The index finger of her right hand ran down the pages of the book she had opened on the counter, while her left hand rested gently on her rounded belly.
“Hello, beautiful,” Harry said quietly, not wanting to startle her.
It took a moment for Hermione to snap out of her trance. “Harry!” She crossed the room as quickly as her rapidly changing body would allow, and stepped into his open arms. “We weren’t expecting you back until tomorrow!”
“I know, but I decided to skip out early and come home. I missed everyone too much.”
Hermione rested her head against him, turning her face towards his. “We missed you, too. I’m glad you’re home.”
Harry kissed her then, slowly, relishing the familiar feel of her warmth and curves in his arms. He loved it when Hermione was pregnant; during her first pregnancy, he’d been constantly amazed at the changes in her body and the notion of a baby growing inside her. This was her third pregnancy (and her last if she had any say in it) and he still thought she was so incredibly sexy when she was pregnant. Not that Hermione was prone to believe him, but he and Ron had lots of fun trying to convince her otherwise.
When Hermione finally moved out of his embrace, she took his hand and tugged him towards the back door. “Come on, Ron and the kids are outside and they’ll want to see you.”
“How did the appointment go?” Two days previously, Hermione had visited the Healer who would deliver the baby. Harry had been loathe to miss it but had already committed to attending the conference in Paris long before they’d discovered she was pregnant again.
“Everything is fine. We’ll fill you in when the kids are in bed.” She led him outside onto the porch, and Harry stood behind her, his arms coming around her so his hands could rest on her belly. Hermione placed her hands on his and their fingers twined together as they watched their two children horsing around with Ron on the lawn. Ron was on his hands and knees, Audrey sitting on his back and Nicholas running around them both with a sword that Ron had conjured up. Ron was making growly noises; Harry wasn’t entirely sure what type of animal Ron was supposed to be, but the kids were obviously enjoying themselves immensely if their laughter was any measure to go by.
Ron’s head swung in the direction of the porch, and Harry saw his blue eyes widen at him. Ron carefully removed Audrey from his back, placing her upright on the ground, then sat back on his haunches and pointed towards Harry and Hermione.
“Look who’s home!”
Two little heads swiveled to the side, one right and one left, and two little faces lit up. “Daddy!” They ran over to the porch as Harry released Hermione and went down the few steps that led to the lawn. He crouched down, his arms open wide, and was rewarded with a hug from his son that almost knocked him backwards. Audrey, who at the age of three was a year younger than her brother, couldn’t run quite as fast as Nicholas, so Harry waited until she had hurled herself at him before standing up. Both children hugged him tightly and proceeded to fill him in on the minutiae of the last four days while he’d been gone, and he listened as he kissed them every few seconds.
Harry thought himself incredibly fortunate to find two loving partners in Ron and Hermione, both of whom had been willing to be his family. The family that was so precious to all three of them had only been enriched by the arrival of Nicholas and Audrey, two beautiful little beings who loved and adored their parents - all three of them. It was Mummy who made the rules and tried to ensure they stuck to them, but taught them so much; it was Pa who frequently broke said rules and made them laugh a lot; and it was Daddy who spoiled them rotten.
Ron lifted Nicholas out of Harry’s arms and placed the boy on his hip, then leaned over and kissed Harry hello. “How was the conference?”
“Long and boring.” Audrey wrapped her arms and legs around Harry, and he kissed the top of her head as he and Ron climbed the stairs to where Hermione waited for them. Everybody went inside and the kids sat at the table while Ron got them a glass of milk and a biscuit each. Harry filled his family in briefly and then presented the children with the gifts he’d bought for them, which resulted in another round of kisses for him, kisses that always warmed his heart.
Hermione started to accio ingredients out of the pantry while pots and pans flew out of cupboards. She hummed to herself as she half-listened to the voices she knew as well as her own.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Harry came over to her and took the wooden spoon she was brandishing out of her hand. “You sit down and relax, I’ll cook dinner tonight.”
“But you just got home, I can do it.”
“I’m fine, love. Go and rest, I can whip up something delicious in no time.”
Hermione reluctantly acquiesced without further protest, knowing that arguing would get her nowhere, and let go of the spoon. Harry grinned and kissed her, then shooed her away. He snuck glances at his family as they sat at the dinner table, and knew there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be than with them.
~*~
“Did you put the washing away?”
“Yes, love. I put the washing away.” Ron glanced at Hermione and grinned; she was stretched out on the lounge next to him, her tired feet and swollen ankles on his lap. He was massaging her feet while Harry was reading the children a bedtime story.
“Thank you, Ron.” She reached out for his hand, and he grabbed hers and squeezed it gently. “I’m glad Harry’s home.”
“Me too.” Ron looked at Hermione slyly. “Are you going to tell him you know the sex of the baby?”
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. “You know full well I’m not, Ronald Bilius, and you’ll do well to keep that to yourself.”
“Keep what to himself?” Harry breezed into the room and perched himself on the edge of the lounge next to Hermione.
“Nothing you need to know about!” Hermione said shrilly.
Harry gazed at Ron inquisitively, his eyebrows raised. Ron grinned at Hermione and her heart sank.
“She found out the sex of the baby.” He patted her feet and stood up.
Hermione threw Ron a murderous glance and eased herself up out of the seat with Harry’s assistance. “I know we agreed to keep it a surprise this time,” Hermione started as she led the way to the bedroom, “but I thought it would be so much easier to know if we could keep the nursery pink or if we needed to change it back to blue.”
Harry pulled his jumper up over his head as he stepped into their bedroom, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor. “Do you know?” he asked Ron.
“Nope,” Ron said loftily as he stripped to his boxers. “I know how to keep my word.”
He was rewarded by a pillow to the head, courtesy of Hermione, who was scowling at him. Harry, ever the peacemaker, went over to her and placed his hand on her cheek. “It doesn’t really matter, Hermione,” he said. “You know we don’t care. And you’re right, it will make it easier to get everything ready.”
Ron jumped onto the bed and stretched out. “Traitor,” he said, wagging a finger at Harry.
“Well,” Hermione sniffed, naked except for her knickers as she pulled a nightgown over her head, “since you don’t want to know, Ron, I’ll just tell Harry.” She beckoned Harry closer and whispered something in his ear, and Ron could tell by the enormous grin on Harry’s face that Hermione had just spilled the beans. He watched them embrace, Harry kissing Hermione gently as he kept one arm around her.
“Oi,” Ron said, “there’ll be none of that. Share.” He clambered over the bed and perched on the edge in front of Hermione, so that he could place a hand on her belly. “What are we doing?” he murmured. “Keeping the nursery pink or changing it back to blue?”
Hermione smiled down at him, running a hand through his hair. “Keeping it pink.”
Ron leaned forward and kissed her belly. “Hi, little girl,” he said. They all exchanged grins and kisses at the news of a new daughter.
Once they’d all changed into their sleepwear, they settled into bed. Ron and Hermione told Harry all about the visit to the Healer and assured him once again that their daughter was perfectly healthy and would be joining their family in approximately three months time. What Hermione didn’t tell either of the men was that she knew who the biological father of this child was, just as she knew who had fathered Nicholas and Audrey. There had been no need to tell either of them, however, for it only took even the casual observer a moment to know. With his beautiful green eyes, Nicholas was obviously Harry’s son, and it was clear that with red hair and freckles, Audrey was a Weasley. Hermione was pleased that each child had something of her, too - Nicholas had her brown hair, and Audrey her brown eyes. As she lay back against the pillows, trying to get comfortable, Hermione couldn’t help but wonder what colouring their new arrival would inherit from her father.
Not that it mattered in their family who had fathered which child; both children were loved equally by all three parents, just as all three parents loved each other. They may not have been a conventional family, but they were a family nonetheless, and Hermione knew that neither she, nor Ron, nor Harry - especially Harry - would want it any other way.