Dear readers, I am sorry that I've not posted anything in a while. I have moved to Vietnam! I've got a new home, a new job, new friends, a new life. It's taken a while to settle in and now that I have some semblance of stability I've started writing again. I will be updating both this story and The Patronus far more regularly than I have in the past. I'm so glad to be back! I hope you enjoy this chapter 3 xx

The dinner was as usual, delicious. Ginny always thought that Harry was an easy man to please when it came to cooking for and that night was no different. Even Ron was complimentary, perhaps not in words, but in the way he mopped up the sauce first with the last slice of bread, then with his finger. Conversation flowed, alternating between the politics of the new bill Hermione was able to subsidise Wolfsbane potions and good natured ribbing.

After dinner, Hermione tried to teach Ginny and Ron a muggle game, 'Charades'. Hermione went first to show them how to play. Ginny noted sadly that Harry had heard of the game, but had never played it as a child. He managed to pick it up fairly quickly, and Ginny seemed to understand the clues he was trying to act out.

Ron, on the other hand, was terrible. He could not figure out how to decipher the clues, and got redder and redder the longer they played. A few rounds in Hermione gave Harry a significant look who nodded, and winked at Ginny. She started waving her arms about; a game, one word.

"Oh, so it's got two syllables," Harry said. Hermione touched her nose in agreement.

"Two arm," Ron said. "That doesn't make any sense. How did you get 'syllable' from that?"

"That's how you know how many syllables there are in the word. She's done that twice, so she wants you to think about the second syllable." Hermione touched her nose again, then scratched at her arm.

"Scratch?" Ginny asked. "No, that's not right."

"Itch?" Harry said. Hermione touched her nose.

"So the second part of the word has 'itch' in it?" Ron said slowly.

"Yes," Ginny nodded in time with Hermione.

"But why does she keep touching her nose? Every time I think I'm close and that I've got it, she touches her nose and it throws me off again."

"She's agreeing with you. It means 'you know'."

"Oh," Ron said looking contemplative. "I think I've got this game now. Is she saying she wants to do the first syllable now?"

"Yup."

Hermione reached into her pocket at pulled out a pound coin. She held it in one hand, and pointed urgently at it with the other.

Ginny giggled. She knew what the answer was. "It's a pound. I can't think of a game that's called 'pound-scratch' though.

Harry chuckled. "No, neither can I. But the second syllable was 'itch'. Perhaps she means 'coinitch'?"

Hermione shook her head and looked pointedly at Ron.

"Merlin's beard! She told me a word for muggle money just on the way here."

Hermione nodded vigorously, her curls finally winning the fight against whatever she'd used to tie them down.

Ron stood, excitement getting the better of him. "Erm, erm, a plid? No, that's not right. A quod? A quid? A quid!"

Hermione smiled and waved her arms in a big circle. She then repeated the motions, waving the pound coin then scratching her arm.

"Quidditch! I've got it! The answer is quidditch!" He threw his arms up in the air, fists pumping furiously.

Hermione stepped around the coffee table to where he stood and put her arms around him. "Well done," she said.

Ron lowered his arms around her and kissed her. Ginny rolled her eyes at his overt display. She thought he was sweet, until his hands started traveling elsewhere.

"Ronald!" Hermione slapped away his hands, grinning as she did so.

"Right, company. Sorry," Ron said, not looking remotely apologetic.

Ginny leaned into Harry and asked, "Do you think he celebrates like that after? You know."

"Oi! Ginny!" Ron shouted.

Harry laughed loudly. Hermione blushed and looked around. She began collecting the dirty glasses and coffee mugs onto a tray. "It's time to go, Ron. We shouldn't leave a mess."

Harry stood up and waved her off. "Don't be silly, Hermione. We've got this. A simple wave of the wand can sort this out. Besides, if we don't give Kreacher something to do, he'll be very upset."

She frowned at him, but the mention of the house elf got her to forget her embarrassment.

"It's ok, Hermione," Ron said. "Harry's right, we can do this. Come on, mate." He pulled out his wand and, with a wink at his wife said, "Wingardium leviosa!"

Ginny watched in amusement as Ron and Harry carefully levitated the remains of their drinks from the living room to the kitchen. She stretched luxuriously on the sofa, kicking off her slippers and resting her feet on the coffee table.

Not long now, she thought, till they get swollen and sore.

"Could you ever have imagined them doing anything like this?" said Hermione. "If you had told me a few years ago that this was possible, I wouldn't have believed it."

"Ah, yes! But a few years ago, we didn't have the same reward system in place." Ginny winked suggestively at Hermione, earning herself a gasp and a pillow to the face. "Oi! There'll be no more of that in a few weeks' time! The Chosen One's unborn child must not have objects thrown at it."

"Oh, you are such a filthy woman. And a pillow is hardly going to hurt you, let alone the baby. And I'm fairly sure you were at least 3 weeks pregnant when you were hit with that Bludger in the Arrows match. And four weeks when you made that ridiculous jump from your broom."

Ginny sighed. "I needed to try that move at least once before my career ended."

"More importantly, before Harry found out you were pregnant." Hermione smirked knowingly.

Clumping footsteps announced their husbands' return.

"Who's pregnant?" Ron asked. A suspicious smudge of what appeared to be chocolate had appeared at the side of his mouth.

"Your sister, dear. Or had you already forgotten?" Hermione wiped away the smudge with her thumb and caressed his cheek. "Have you been at the chocolate pudding again?"

"You know I can't help it. I love your pudding."

Ginny snorted.

"What?" Harry sat next to Ginny and tucked her securely into his side.

She leaned her head on his shoulder and said, "Nothing. Everything comment sounds like it has another, filthy meaning to it today. It must be my hormones acting up."

Harry smiled and brought his lips close to her ear. "Want me to get rid of them?"

Ginny lifted her head and turned to face him. She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "You know I do."

He stood up immediately. "Alright, you two. I love you both but you have to leave. Now."

Ron looked confused. "Why?"

Hermione put her arms around him. "I think they might want some alone time."

He shuddered dramatically. "Ugh! I did not need to know that."

"I'm pregnant, you imbecile! How did you think that happened?"

"I think you are right, Hermione love." Ron put his arms around Hermione and started walking towards the fireplace. "It is definitely time to go. No, no! Don't get up we can let ourselves out."

Harry and Ginny made no move to get up. "Goodnight!"

In a flash of green, they disappeared.

Harry and Ginny didn't move for a while, content in each other's warmth. They sat in silence, while the rhythm of their soft breathing started lulling Ginny to sleep, hormones or no hormones.

After a while, Harry stirred and asked, "Gin, why are you with me?"

"Why do you ask?"

Harry sighed. "No reason."

Ginny pulled herself away from him slightly, enough to face him. She put her hands around his neck, her fingers grazing the too-long hairs at the nape of his neck. He needs a haircut. "Tell me."

"Well, Ron and I were talking in the kitchen," he said. "He was saying how proud he was of Hermione and the work that she is doing for werewolf rights. Her drive and her need to stand up for others is what he says he needs. That without her he would just stagnate and would never amount to anything."

"That's sweet." Gin said.

He snorted. "Maybe. I think he's needed her for a very long time. He never would have passed any of his exams without her."

"I suppose that's true," Ginny said. "But why are you asking about me?"

"Well after what Ron said, I thought about what Hermione needs. I figured that what she needs is a man who won't mind having an incredibly successful wife who probably makes more money than him. Someone who appreciates her brilliance and her passionate support of the causes she picks up. And most importantly, someone who isn't going to feel insecure about it."

Ginny thought for a moment. Ron certainly would be very proud of her but of all the people she knew, he was most likely to feel insecure. But no, when it came to Hermione, Ron wouldn't get resentful. She still didn't know how to answer Harry's question so she deflected.

"What do you need? Why are you with me?"

"Well that's easy," Harry said. "I need someone who doesn't try to coddle me or treat me special. I want someone who isn't afraid to kick my arse if I need it. And baby," he pressed his lips firmly to hers for a quick kiss. "You are perfect for me."

She laughed. "This is very profound, Mr Potter. Did you really think of this all by yourself?"

He blushed. "You know me too well, Mrs Potter. It was Ron. He said that he thought I needed a strong woman to keep me in hand, and one who wouldn't be threatened by all the…" he trailed off.

"Weirdos? Adoring fans?" Ginny suggested.

"Yeah, them."

They fell silent again while she gathered her thoughts.

"You know I've loved you for a very long time," she began.

He smiled and kissed her temple. "I know. Godric, we were so young when we met."

"We were. And I had no idea what kind of man you would be. But I stayed in love with you because of who you are. I don't mean the Saviour of Wizarding Britain or the Boy Who Lived or any of that nonsense." She paused before carrying on. Harry let her think for a moment, only taking her hand and rubbing circles with his thumb over the top of her hand.

"I mean the kind of man who is inherently good. I knew that you would respect my dreams, my independence. I knew that you would accept and love my family, as weird and different and as poor as we were."

"Of course I do," he said, pulling her back into a hug. "Anyone who wouldn't is a moron and I am thankful every day that I am the lucky guy who got to marry you."

She squeezed him back. "Though, it doesn't hurt that you are a badass hero who saved Wizarding Britain and possibly the whole world from Voldemort."

"Oh really?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Do you like it when I am heroic?"

"Very much," she covered her mouth and giggled in a very un-Ginnylike manner.

He leaned towards her and bit her neck softly. "Can I be your hero, Ginny?"

She groaned loudly and pushed him away. "Dammit, Harry. You've killed the mood."

"What?" he asked, confused.

"That stupid muggle song. By the poncy guy."

"What song? What guy?"

"When dad got mum the muggle radio, she fell in love with a song so she charmed the damned thing to repeat the song over and over again." Ginny cringed. "It was so much worse when she asked Hermione what he looked like. I've never seen so much swooning. And I knew Lavender Brown."

Harry sighed. "I really did kill the mood."

"Yup," said Ginny. "Let's go to bed then. We've both got work in the morning."

He stood up and held out a hand for her. "After you, my love."

She took his hand and they went to bed. They found that the mood wasn't ruined after all.