A Mother's Bond

Harry walked through the front door of his home in Godric's Hollow, shutting it behind him and leaned back against the door, letting his head fall back. It had been a long day at the Auror office with a mountain of paperwork, long meetings, stakeout updates, and Auror trainee reviews. The cycle repeated its self every Monday, making Harry hate the day all the more.

He was about to call out he was home but had stopped himself. The last time he did that, Ginny bat bogey hexed him for waking up James.

Harry made his way to his home office and dropped his bag off, passing the living room on the search of his wife. She wasn't in the living room or the kitchen, but he found dinner cooking its self.

His stomach let out a loud growl, his workload that day didn't allow time for a lunch break and he had got called into the office six that morning. It had been almost twelve hours since he'd eaten.

Making his way towards the stairs, he heard James upstairs and Ginny's voice and her laugh coming from the nursery. He walked up the stairs, stopping outside James's nursery, leaning against the door frame and smiled at the scene before him.

Ginny was lying on her side, James lying on a blanket on a floor. James was lying on his back looking up at his mother, kicking his little legs. Ginny was walking her fingers up to his chin and tickling his neck, making him laugh. She moved on to tickling James's stomach a few times and elevated his little shirt and blew a raspberry on his stomach. James let out a cute baby laugh.

"You think that's funny? Let me share something with you. Daddy is also ticklish on his stomach. I usually tickle Daddy when he needs to loosen up or to cheer him up."

Harry kept himself from making a comment and continued to watch his wife and son.

"I love you, Jamie, always remember that Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you, all your aunts and uncles, cousins, Grandma and Granddad love you," Ginny said to her son.

James cooed at his mother.

"You know one day, we'll tell you about the two men that you're named after, and I'm leaving that job to Daddy because he was close to both of them. He'll also tell you about your other grandparents."

Ginny smiled at her son as he stretched his arms and his little legs and rolled over on his stomach. James has been rolling over for a while now. Ginny smiled at her son, trying to fix his hair.

"You got Daddy's hair. I don't guess I've ever seen look like something, even when we got married it was a mess."

James smiled and cooed again.

"But that's one of the things I love about your daddy. I hope you know that you're a loved and well cared for child. I don't know if Daddy will share his childhood with you, but I know you'll have a better one than he did."

Harry made a promise to himself when Ginny announced her pregnancy with James that his children will have a better childhood than the one he had. At least, his children will be loved and cared for in the ways Harry wasn't, that was until he met the Weasleys who all but adopted Harry and treated him like he was their own. When he and Ginny discussed having children, he shared his childhood with her. She realized then why Harry had fears of being a daddy. Other than Arthur and Sirius, there was no one to give him guidance or comfort when he needed it.

"You're lucky that Uncle Ron became friends with Daddy, otherwise, he might not have met and fallen in love with Mummy. Then we wouldn't have you."

Ginny picked up her son and placed him in her arms. "Let's go and check on dinner, Daddy will be home soon."

Ginny turned and found Harry standing there.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long," Harry admitted, he walked over and taking his son as he reached for his daddy. "Hi pup, were you a good boy for mummy?"

Harry held his son close as Ginny filled him in on their day at home. She'd fed James before starting on her and Harry's dinner. He'll play in the playpen while they ate.

"Let me take James, and you change, I'll go and check on dinner."

Harry made his way to his and Ginny's bedroom. "What are we having?" Harry asked as Ginny headed downstairs.

"You'll see," she called over her shoulder.

Harry changed out of his work clothed and in his old shirt and jeans. Barefooted Harry went downstairs and found James his playpen. As he went into the kitchen, Ginny was putting the finishing touches on their dinner.

Ginny answered Harry's earlier question. "Roasted chicken with potatoes, peas, carrots, steamed tomatoes, a new recipe Hermione gave me and I decided to try and make some of Mum's homemade rolls, Hungry?"

Harry's stomach answered for him with a loud growl.

Ginny giggled. "Long day?"

Harry nodded. "I barely found time for a bathroom break, let alone lunch".

He took off his glasses and scrubbed his face with his hands. Ginny went to fix plates and asked Harry, "Double on your portions?"

"Yes please," Harry sighed.

They ate in silence until Ginny asked suddenly, "How much of my talk with James did you hear?"

Harry swallowed. "I hear you tell him that he got my hair and ticklish stomach, I listened from there, and which I may add I'm not that ticklish".

Ginny looked up at her husband. "Still in denial, huh," she said as she took a bite of her chicken. "Did you just call our son Sirius's nickname for you?"

Harry paused, taking a bite of his roasted potato. "I guess I did, Sirius called me pup or Prongslet because Dad was Prongs, and Remus called me Cub."

Ginny broke her roll in half and buttered one side. "We'll need to show him pictures of your Mum and Dad one day."

Harry nodded, agreeing, waiting until his mouth wasn't full when he answered, "I have Sirius and Remus to thank for that and what few I've found in the house and in the vault."

The topic took a turn when Ginny said, "You know I thought I wouldn't be a good mother and I feel that I'm not bonding with James…."

"Gin, you're a great Mum. James is alive, right?"

That earned Harry a smack on the arm.

"You seem to be bonding with James, he's healthy, he's happy. You should never question whether or not you're a good mother."

Harry's words echoed in Ginny's head as she rocked James to sleep that night. She rocked him to sleep, singing a lullaby.

"I love you a bushel and a peck

A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck

A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap

A barrel and a heap and I'm talkin' in my sleep

About you, about you

'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck

You bet your purdy neck I do"

Ginny glanced down at her sleeping son. Gently, stood up and laid him in his cot. She leaned in and kissed him on the head and wrapped a blanket around him.

"Good night, James, I love you."

Harry had said goodnight James when he finished with his bath and handed him off to Ginny to dress and finish getting him ready for bed. She leaned against the door for a second, thinking about her life.

She had a son and a husband who loves her, a wonderful godson who she and Harry would take in if they ever needed to in a heartbeat. She quietly changed clothes and slipped into bed. Leaning over, she placed a kiss on Harry's cheek. Harry responded sleepily, wrapping his arm around Ginny and snuggling her close. Ginny snuggled into Harry's bare shoulder.

"Goodnight Harry," she whispered.

Harry kissed Ginny's forehead, "Good night, Ginny. I love you."

She could never get used to hearing that from her husband. "I love you too."

From that day on Ginny never questioned being a good mother again.