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mollywheezyTitle: Time to Talk
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, Arthur/Molly
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,039
Summary: Growing up is hard. Talking to children about "growing up" is even harder.
A/N: Better late than never. ;)
"That one looks like a hippogriff."
"How do you see that?"
"Here." Ginny put her hands on either side of Harry's head and gently turned him to the correct position.
"Oh! I see it now. You're right. It is a hippogriff."
Ginny settled back onto the blanket next to Harry with a happy sigh. She took his hand as she cuddled up next to him. "This trip was a brilliant birthday present, Harry."
"I'm glad you liked my idea. I thought we could both use a break."
"I don't see how Mum managed with seven of us. She and Dad didn't have money to take holidays, and they didn't have anyone to leave us with, either."
"Well, it was extremely generous of your parents to offer to watch the kids for us. I think this is the first time in over a year that I can see clearly—my glasses are usually spotted with strained pumpkin or strained peas or . . ."
" . . .strained whatever." Ginny laughed. "I didn't think I would ever get that creamed spinach out of my hair!"
"I can't believe you tried to feed our daughter creamed spinach. Yuck. That stuff even smells awful. I'd never feed it to her."
"Aha! Now I see. Lily's being finicky must be from the Potter side of the family.
Jamie and Al never spit their food out like Lily does. They'll eat anything like proper Weasleys."
"Must I remind you, Mrs Potter, that all three of our children are Potters?"
"Must I remind you, Mr Potter, that whatever surname our children use, they are still half Weasley?"
Harry and Ginny both chuckled and lapsed into a comfortable silence, enjoying the warm sun, and the pleasant breeze.
"I saw Andromeda at the shop last week—she was there to buy Teddy a treat for when he starts Hogwarts."
"You see Andromeda all the time, Harry. Any reason this time was different?"
"She wants me to talk to him," Harry whispered, and clutched Ginny's hand tightly.
"You're his Godfather, Harry. You and Teddy talk constantly. I don't under . . ."
"She wants me to TALK to Teddy," Harry interrupted. "You know . . . about . . ." Harry gestured vaguely.
Ginny was silent while she tried to suss out Harry's meaning. "Oh! You mean she wants you to give Teddy The Talk?" Ginny felt rather than saw Harry's nod. "Well, that makes sense. My Dad gave all of my brothers The Talk the summer before they started at Hogwarts."
Harry didn't say anything.
"Harry? What's the matter?" Ginny turned on her side to look at her husband. "You did have someone give you The Talk didn't you?"
Harry nodded and laughed weakly. "I have managed to father three children, haven't I?"
Ginny gently nudged his shoulder with hers, as she chuckled. "Who?"
"Who are our children? Their names are James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. I didn't think we'd been away long enough for you to forget who our children are."
This time Ginny punched his shoulder. "Prat! You know I meant who gave you The Talk. Not your uncle?!"
"Of course not!"
"Sirius?"
Harry shook his head. "I guess he didn't have time before . . ."
"Who then?"
Harry sighed and glanced beseechingly at Ginny.
"Harry, I'm your wife. We don't keep secrets from each other." Ginny rested her hand on his arm.
Harry took a deep breath and said, "Your Dad."
"My Dad gave you The Talk? When?"
"The first time I came to The Burrow. I mean, not the first day or anything . . ." Harry shrugged.
Ginny waited quietly, looking expectantly at Harry.
Harry sighed. "It was one of the most embarrassing experiences of my life, at least at the time. I don't think I even said anything at all to him, and I'm sure I was blushing as much as any Weasley." Harry paused in thought. "At the same time, though, I really appreciated your dad. Even then, I knew he cared about me like no other adult ever had. Now that I'm faced with doing the same thing, I appreciate it even more." Harry attempted a laugh.
"You'll do fine, love. Teddy adores you."
"Isn't he too young for The Talk though? I was twelve. I think I should wait for next summer. I could get some books . . ." Harry trailed off at Ginny's glare.
"Don't try to procrastinate by channeling Hermione. Eleven is plenty old enough. Anyway, it's better to be early than late."
"What are you talking about, Ginny?"
Ginny sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ginny, I'm your husband. We don't keep secrets from each other." Harry smirked as he parroted Ginny's earlier words.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's too embarrassing."
Harry looked hurt. "What could be more embarrassing than my admitting that your dad gave me The Talk? I've never told anyone that, not even Ron." Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny." We don't keep secrets from each other, do we?"
"Not unless it's your birthday." Ginny leaned backwards and winked at Harry.
"Don't change the subject, Ginny."
"Fine. I was ten . . ."
***
Ginny awoke before dawn, and as was her habit since she was six, she sneaked out to the broom shed, picked the lock like Fred and George had taught her to do, and took out one of the brooms to fly before anyone saw her. She flew for a bit, put the broom away, relocked the shed, and crept back to her room, where she watched the sunrise from her bedroom window, and then went back to bed until her mum woke her for breakfast. Her mum always teased Ginny about being such a sleepy head in the mornings. If she only knew the truth . . .
Ginny heard her mum calling her for breakfast and got out of bed. There was a dark splotch on the sheets, and when she looked around she found a similar dark splotch on the back of her nightdress. What in the world? She took off her nightdress and realized there was blood in her knickers. What had she done to herself? She must have hurt herself when she was flying, but how could she not have noticed? She did sort of have a stomach ache, but she couldn't ask her mum for anything to help it or she'd get in trouble for flying without permission. The injury, whatever it was, would heal on its own, right?
Ginny tucked her stained nightgown under her pillow to hide it and made her bed very carefully, so her mum wouldn't have any reason to remake it. She got dressed in a pair of red shorts which she thought would hide it if her injury kept bleeding. She stuck some tissues in her knickers, too, just in case. She certainly wasn't going to put a bandage there. She'd have to steal one of her brothers' wands so she could clean the sheets before laundry day and make sure her mum never found out she'd hurt herself flying.
Ginny hurried downstairs, acting as normally as possible. She joked and laughed with Fred and George as always, while her dad chuckled behind The Daily Prophet and pretended he wasn't listening to them. Her mum scolded Ron for talking with his mouth full and told him to close his mouth when he chewed. He was too excited about starting Hogwarts soon to care. Percy went on and on about how his being a prefect would have positive implications for his future career choices (for about the hundredth time). It was a normal Weasley breakfast until everyone finished eating, and Ginny got up to put her plate in the sink.
"What's that on your chair Ginny?" asked Ron. Fred and George sat up straighter and peered over the table to look, too.
"There's nothing on my chair," Ginny stated firmly. She fervently wished she could do wandless magic and make the blood on her chair disappear. She hoped Ron would shut it.
"Yes, there is—right there."
"No, there isn't!"
"Yes there is!" Ron stared at the chair, then stared at Ginny. Ginny just glared at him. "You peed on the chair! Ginny peed on her chair!"
Ginny screamed, "I did not pee on my chair!" Fred, George, and Percy all stood up so they could see Ginny's chair. Ginny's Dad put down his newspaper.
Percy spoke up. "Ronald, Ginevra did not erm . . . pee . . .on her chair." Ginny was surprised by Percy's standing up for her.
"Then what's on her chair?!" Ron yelled. Percy blushed and didn't answer. The twins looked rather disgusted, but didn't say anything.
To her horror, Ginny burst into hysterical sobs. She never cried! What in Merlin's name was wrong with her? "I-did-not-pee-on-my-chair!" She wailed. She knew she had bled on the chair, but didn't want to admit she hurt herself flying, and didn't know what to do.
"Ron, let's go outside and fly for a bit." Dad put his hand on Ron's back and guided him out the door.
Ginny was confused. Her dad often flew with her brothers, sometimes one-on-one, but never on a workday.
Her mum glanced at Ginny's chair, waved her wand to vanish the blood, and said, "Ginny, love, come with me. We'll have a little chat."
Fred said, "George and I are going to go feed the chickens." Fred and George never offered to do Ginny's chores for her unless they'd lost a bet!
Mum said, "Thank you, dears." She put her arm around Ginny.
"I will wash the dishes, Mother." Everyone was always responsible for their own plates! What was going on?
"Thank you, Percy."
Mum guided Ginny out of the room. Ginny was now certain that not only was she going to be in horrible trouble, she must be dying, too, or her brothers, other than Ron, would not be being so nice to her. And why was Ron being rewarded for teasing her when she was dying? Her entire family had gone insane.
***
"So Ron and I both got rather unplanned versions of The Talk." Ginny chuckled. "That's what Dad was doing when he took Ron flying. Mum felt really guilty I had to go through so much worry. She even let me go flying with Dad when he came home from work."
"That might be a good idea for me to take Teddy flying. He loves it when we fly together." Harry stared off into space, thinking. "So if girls need The Talk earlier than boys, why did your mum wait so long?"
"She had planned to give me The Talk when I was eleven like my dad did for my brothers. Since she started very late herself, she didn't expect me to be so early."
"I really didn't need to know that about your mum, Ginny." Harry looked a bit sick. "So Percy, Fred, and George figured out what had happened?"
Ginny laughed. "Yes, and they really were nice about it. They never said anything, of course, but they acted just like always and didn't make things all weird. Ron, on the other hand . . ."
"Ron made things all weird?" Harry grinned.
"Yes. He avoided me for several days and blushed whenever he saw me."
"How'd he get over it?"
"Mum and Dad took both of us flying, and we played two-a-side Quidditch together."
"I didn't know your mum liked to fly!"
"Of course she does! She was offered a chance to play for the Harpies straight out of Hogwarts, but she decided she'd rather marry Dad."
Harry laughed in surprise. "So I gather you weren't in trouble for flying without permission?"
"No! That was really funny. Mum had seen me one day months before and never said anything. So after this, I was able to fly whenever I wanted to. But to this day, Mum does not know that I had been flying since I was six."
Harry smiled and leaned in to kiss his wife, whispering "Then that will just be our secret."
And now for the recommendation of the wonderful gift I received . . .(drum roll, please)
Title: James Sirius, Spy Extraordinaire
Author: DukeBrymin
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, minor Ron/Hermione, Molly/Arthur, Percy/Audrey, Bill/Fleur
Rating: PG
Word Count: 7415
Summary: Something's going on in the Potter household, and James Sirius is just the person to find out what it is.
James Sirius, Spy Extraordinaire
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, Arthur/Molly
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,039
Summary: Growing up is hard. Talking to children about "growing up" is even harder.
A/N: Better late than never. ;)
"That one looks like a hippogriff."
"How do you see that?"
"Here." Ginny put her hands on either side of Harry's head and gently turned him to the correct position.
"Oh! I see it now. You're right. It is a hippogriff."
Ginny settled back onto the blanket next to Harry with a happy sigh. She took his hand as she cuddled up next to him. "This trip was a brilliant birthday present, Harry."
"I'm glad you liked my idea. I thought we could both use a break."
"I don't see how Mum managed with seven of us. She and Dad didn't have money to take holidays, and they didn't have anyone to leave us with, either."
"Well, it was extremely generous of your parents to offer to watch the kids for us. I think this is the first time in over a year that I can see clearly—my glasses are usually spotted with strained pumpkin or strained peas or . . ."
" . . .strained whatever." Ginny laughed. "I didn't think I would ever get that creamed spinach out of my hair!"
"I can't believe you tried to feed our daughter creamed spinach. Yuck. That stuff even smells awful. I'd never feed it to her."
"Aha! Now I see. Lily's being finicky must be from the Potter side of the family.
Jamie and Al never spit their food out like Lily does. They'll eat anything like proper Weasleys."
"Must I remind you, Mrs Potter, that all three of our children are Potters?"
"Must I remind you, Mr Potter, that whatever surname our children use, they are still half Weasley?"
Harry and Ginny both chuckled and lapsed into a comfortable silence, enjoying the warm sun, and the pleasant breeze.
"I saw Andromeda at the shop last week—she was there to buy Teddy a treat for when he starts Hogwarts."
"You see Andromeda all the time, Harry. Any reason this time was different?"
"She wants me to talk to him," Harry whispered, and clutched Ginny's hand tightly.
"You're his Godfather, Harry. You and Teddy talk constantly. I don't under . . ."
"She wants me to TALK to Teddy," Harry interrupted. "You know . . . about . . ." Harry gestured vaguely.
Ginny was silent while she tried to suss out Harry's meaning. "Oh! You mean she wants you to give Teddy The Talk?" Ginny felt rather than saw Harry's nod. "Well, that makes sense. My Dad gave all of my brothers The Talk the summer before they started at Hogwarts."
Harry didn't say anything.
"Harry? What's the matter?" Ginny turned on her side to look at her husband. "You did have someone give you The Talk didn't you?"
Harry nodded and laughed weakly. "I have managed to father three children, haven't I?"
Ginny gently nudged his shoulder with hers, as she chuckled. "Who?"
"Who are our children? Their names are James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. I didn't think we'd been away long enough for you to forget who our children are."
This time Ginny punched his shoulder. "Prat! You know I meant who gave you The Talk. Not your uncle?!"
"Of course not!"
"Sirius?"
Harry shook his head. "I guess he didn't have time before . . ."
"Who then?"
Harry sighed and glanced beseechingly at Ginny.
"Harry, I'm your wife. We don't keep secrets from each other." Ginny rested her hand on his arm.
Harry took a deep breath and said, "Your Dad."
"My Dad gave you The Talk? When?"
"The first time I came to The Burrow. I mean, not the first day or anything . . ." Harry shrugged.
Ginny waited quietly, looking expectantly at Harry.
Harry sighed. "It was one of the most embarrassing experiences of my life, at least at the time. I don't think I even said anything at all to him, and I'm sure I was blushing as much as any Weasley." Harry paused in thought. "At the same time, though, I really appreciated your dad. Even then, I knew he cared about me like no other adult ever had. Now that I'm faced with doing the same thing, I appreciate it even more." Harry attempted a laugh.
"You'll do fine, love. Teddy adores you."
"Isn't he too young for The Talk though? I was twelve. I think I should wait for next summer. I could get some books . . ." Harry trailed off at Ginny's glare.
"Don't try to procrastinate by channeling Hermione. Eleven is plenty old enough. Anyway, it's better to be early than late."
"What are you talking about, Ginny?"
Ginny sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ginny, I'm your husband. We don't keep secrets from each other." Harry smirked as he parroted Ginny's earlier words.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's too embarrassing."
Harry looked hurt. "What could be more embarrassing than my admitting that your dad gave me The Talk? I've never told anyone that, not even Ron." Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny." We don't keep secrets from each other, do we?"
"Not unless it's your birthday." Ginny leaned backwards and winked at Harry.
"Don't change the subject, Ginny."
"Fine. I was ten . . ."
***
Ginny awoke before dawn, and as was her habit since she was six, she sneaked out to the broom shed, picked the lock like Fred and George had taught her to do, and took out one of the brooms to fly before anyone saw her. She flew for a bit, put the broom away, relocked the shed, and crept back to her room, where she watched the sunrise from her bedroom window, and then went back to bed until her mum woke her for breakfast. Her mum always teased Ginny about being such a sleepy head in the mornings. If she only knew the truth . . .
Ginny heard her mum calling her for breakfast and got out of bed. There was a dark splotch on the sheets, and when she looked around she found a similar dark splotch on the back of her nightdress. What in the world? She took off her nightdress and realized there was blood in her knickers. What had she done to herself? She must have hurt herself when she was flying, but how could she not have noticed? She did sort of have a stomach ache, but she couldn't ask her mum for anything to help it or she'd get in trouble for flying without permission. The injury, whatever it was, would heal on its own, right?
Ginny tucked her stained nightgown under her pillow to hide it and made her bed very carefully, so her mum wouldn't have any reason to remake it. She got dressed in a pair of red shorts which she thought would hide it if her injury kept bleeding. She stuck some tissues in her knickers, too, just in case. She certainly wasn't going to put a bandage there. She'd have to steal one of her brothers' wands so she could clean the sheets before laundry day and make sure her mum never found out she'd hurt herself flying.
Ginny hurried downstairs, acting as normally as possible. She joked and laughed with Fred and George as always, while her dad chuckled behind The Daily Prophet and pretended he wasn't listening to them. Her mum scolded Ron for talking with his mouth full and told him to close his mouth when he chewed. He was too excited about starting Hogwarts soon to care. Percy went on and on about how his being a prefect would have positive implications for his future career choices (for about the hundredth time). It was a normal Weasley breakfast until everyone finished eating, and Ginny got up to put her plate in the sink.
"What's that on your chair Ginny?" asked Ron. Fred and George sat up straighter and peered over the table to look, too.
"There's nothing on my chair," Ginny stated firmly. She fervently wished she could do wandless magic and make the blood on her chair disappear. She hoped Ron would shut it.
"Yes, there is—right there."
"No, there isn't!"
"Yes there is!" Ron stared at the chair, then stared at Ginny. Ginny just glared at him. "You peed on the chair! Ginny peed on her chair!"
Ginny screamed, "I did not pee on my chair!" Fred, George, and Percy all stood up so they could see Ginny's chair. Ginny's Dad put down his newspaper.
Percy spoke up. "Ronald, Ginevra did not erm . . . pee . . .on her chair." Ginny was surprised by Percy's standing up for her.
"Then what's on her chair?!" Ron yelled. Percy blushed and didn't answer. The twins looked rather disgusted, but didn't say anything.
To her horror, Ginny burst into hysterical sobs. She never cried! What in Merlin's name was wrong with her? "I-did-not-pee-on-my-chair!" She wailed. She knew she had bled on the chair, but didn't want to admit she hurt herself flying, and didn't know what to do.
"Ron, let's go outside and fly for a bit." Dad put his hand on Ron's back and guided him out the door.
Ginny was confused. Her dad often flew with her brothers, sometimes one-on-one, but never on a workday.
Her mum glanced at Ginny's chair, waved her wand to vanish the blood, and said, "Ginny, love, come with me. We'll have a little chat."
Fred said, "George and I are going to go feed the chickens." Fred and George never offered to do Ginny's chores for her unless they'd lost a bet!
Mum said, "Thank you, dears." She put her arm around Ginny.
"I will wash the dishes, Mother." Everyone was always responsible for their own plates! What was going on?
"Thank you, Percy."
Mum guided Ginny out of the room. Ginny was now certain that not only was she going to be in horrible trouble, she must be dying, too, or her brothers, other than Ron, would not be being so nice to her. And why was Ron being rewarded for teasing her when she was dying? Her entire family had gone insane.
***
"So Ron and I both got rather unplanned versions of The Talk." Ginny chuckled. "That's what Dad was doing when he took Ron flying. Mum felt really guilty I had to go through so much worry. She even let me go flying with Dad when he came home from work."
"That might be a good idea for me to take Teddy flying. He loves it when we fly together." Harry stared off into space, thinking. "So if girls need The Talk earlier than boys, why did your mum wait so long?"
"She had planned to give me The Talk when I was eleven like my dad did for my brothers. Since she started very late herself, she didn't expect me to be so early."
"I really didn't need to know that about your mum, Ginny." Harry looked a bit sick. "So Percy, Fred, and George figured out what had happened?"
Ginny laughed. "Yes, and they really were nice about it. They never said anything, of course, but they acted just like always and didn't make things all weird. Ron, on the other hand . . ."
"Ron made things all weird?" Harry grinned.
"Yes. He avoided me for several days and blushed whenever he saw me."
"How'd he get over it?"
"Mum and Dad took both of us flying, and we played two-a-side Quidditch together."
"I didn't know your mum liked to fly!"
"Of course she does! She was offered a chance to play for the Harpies straight out of Hogwarts, but she decided she'd rather marry Dad."
Harry laughed in surprise. "So I gather you weren't in trouble for flying without permission?"
"No! That was really funny. Mum had seen me one day months before and never said anything. So after this, I was able to fly whenever I wanted to. But to this day, Mum does not know that I had been flying since I was six."
Harry smiled and leaned in to kiss his wife, whispering "Then that will just be our secret."
And now for the recommendation of the wonderful gift I received . . .(drum roll, please)
Title: James Sirius, Spy Extraordinaire
Author: DukeBrymin
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, minor Ron/Hermione, Molly/Arthur, Percy/Audrey, Bill/Fleur
Rating: PG
Word Count: 7415
Summary: Something's going on in the Potter household, and James Sirius is just the person to find out what it is.
James Sirius, Spy Extraordinaire
