Epilogue

Ten Months Later…

Ginny walked through the Ministry Atrium with a screaming child. She had just left St. Mungo's for Lily's one year check up and Holly had given Lily a few immunizations.

Ginny had tried to comfort her daughter, only managing to calm her enough for a few seconds of quiet before Lily started again. Getting desperate she drove to the car park near the visitor's entrance and parked the car. She got in the booth and dialed the number.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business," the cool witch's voice said through the earpiece.

"Ginny Potter, visiting Harry Potter," Ginny shouted over her wailing child.

"Thank you," the witch returned. Ginny grabbed the badge and slipped it on her shirt one-handedly and rode to the entrance.

The security guards stationed there took pity on her and let her through. Ginny was often allowed to go through security due to Harry's status in the ministry. It was just one of the few perks of being married to the Savior of the Wizarding world that Ginny liked, especially on days when the kids accompanied her.

One of the security guards looked at the other one. He was new in the ministry and it was his first day on the job.

"That was Potter's wife," the veteran security guard explained to the newbie.

"Head Auror Potter?" the new security asked.

The security guard nodded and sighed as the silence was returned.

However, the Atrium wasn't as peaceful as Ginny entered with her unhappy child. Ginny crossed the Atrium to the lifts and waited five minutes for a lift and when one came, she jumped on it.

"What level?" an old wizard with a hat asked.

"Two," Ginny replied.

"What a cute little girl!" an elderly witch said beside Ginny.

"Thank you," Ginny said, remembering her manners. "Sorry for the noise, we just came from St. Mungo's and they gave her some shots."

"Aw, poor little thing," the old witch cooed.

When the witch in the elevator announced level two, Ginny got off. She was walking to the Auror office when she heard.

"Ginny, what's wrong with Lily?"

Ginny turned and seen her father standing there. Arthur was heading back to his office after dropping off some paperwork from the raid he had done a week ago and had called Harry requesting Aurors. That meant arrests and more paperwork for Harry and Arthur.

"Hi Dad, I had to take her to Holly this morning and she was updated on her immunizations," Ginny explained.

Arthur reached for Lily. "Come here, pretty girl." Lily went to Arthur, now only whimpering.

"It's okay, Granddad's got you," he soothed, careful not to touch where one of his little princesses was given her shots.

Lily seemed to calm for a minute or so, long enough for Ginny to use the restroom and to fix Lily's hair.

Arthur held Lily for a few more minutes before returning her to Ginny.

"Go to Mummy, I think you'll see Daddy soon," Arthur told her. "I just came from there, he's in his office," he added.

Arthur kissed her and Ginny bye and returned to his office. Ginny walked to the Auror Department. By the time she made to the front desk of Auror Headquarters, Lily had returned to full volume.

Ginny walked pass the witch at the front desk and to Harry's office.

"Hi Maisy," Ginny greeted Harry's secretary.

"Immunizations?" Maisy asked.

Ginny shifted Lily to her other hip. "Yes, her one-year shots," she explained. "Dad told me Harry's in his office."

Maisy swiveled in her chair, turning towards Harry's office. "He was when I was in there a minute ago."

"Thank you." Ginny walked passed Maisy's desk and headed to Harry's office.

Ron was standing outside Harry's door. He saw them coming or rather, heard Lily before he saw them.

"I told you Lily got Ginny's lungs," he commented to Harry.

Ginny approached her brother and used her free hand to whack Ron in the head.

"She does not," Ginny retorted. Harry kept his comment to himself. He didn't want to end up sleeping up in the attic in Teddy's room because Ginny kicked him out of the bed.

Ron then noticed that Lily hadn't calmed down yet.

"What's wrong with her?" Ron asked.

"We got shots this morning," Ginny explained.

Ron turned his attention to Peters, who had come to see what the commotion was about.

"Watch this," Ron told him. The two Aurors stood there and watched the show.

Ginny stood there for a minute with a screaming Lily. Harry handed a file he was holding to another Auror and turned to Ginny.

Before he could reach for her, Lily reached for Harry. "Come here princess," Harry murmured. As soon as Lily was in Harry's arms, she stopped crying. No whimpering, no tears, no nothing. She was happy as a clam.

Peters laughed. "Wrapped around her little finger, huh boss?"

Harry turned to Peters, balancing Lily on a hip. "Come talk to me when Bianca has your little girl."

Ron nodded. "She will at birth," he added. "She'll have you wrapped around her little finger."

Since her hands were free, Ginny massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"Do you have anything for a headache in your office?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Help yourself," Harry told her. As she entered his office, he called over his shoulder, "Could you pick me up more thought?"

He heard Ginny mutter something and he looked down at Lily.

"You gave Mummy a hard a time today didn't you?" Lily's response was to stick out her tongue and blew a raspberry at her Daddy. That made Harry and Ron laugh, breaking some of the tension from that morning briefing.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Ginny walked out of Harry's office with a sigh. "That's better."

"Did you hear me when I asked you to pick me up…?"

"More headache potion," Ginny finished. "Yes, I did. I made a list of the potions you're out of and I'll pick it tomorrow when Mum has the kids."

Harry walked back into his office, Lily laid her head on his shoulder, dozing. A quick glance at the clock on his desk told him it was almost two, Lily's usual nap time.

"I'll help you take her to the car, I could get her in without waking her up," Harry whispered to Ginny, who nodded gratefully. The last time she had visited Harry with Lily close to nap time, Harry had made the mistake of handing her off to Ginny, waking her up in the process.

It took Ginny an hour to get Lily back to sleep because she wanted her daddy. The result later was Lily was extra clingy to Harry.

Ginny visited with Harry for another minute discussing the plans for Lily's birthday party that weekend.

As with all Weasley grandchildren, Lily's first birthday will be celebrated at the Burrow. Ginny managed to convince her mother to let her bake the cake Lily will smash and the one that everyone will eat. Molly agreed since Ginny had insisted.

Harry's only request was that the day be only about Lily and wait to celebrate his birthday later. Molly quickly agreed, having discussed that very topic with Ginny.

Ginny knew that Harry wanted to give his children the childhood he was so badly neglected. When the kids birthdays came up, even Teddy's, Harry would go all out, without going overboard. Even though he wanted to give his children everything he didn't have and not turn them into spoiled rotten children like his cousin.

"I think I better get her home," Ginny whispered when she saw that it was past two.

Gently as he could, Harry got out of his chair and followed Ginny to the lifts.

"Maisy, I'm going to help Ginny with Lily. I'll be back in ten minutes," Harry informed his secretary.

Maisy nodded and went back to her filing.

Harry followed Ginny to the lifts and then to the visitor's exit. It was similar to the entrance and they rode the phone booth up to the streets of London. Harry followed her to the car where Ginny opened the back door for Harry. He gently sat her in her car seat and buckled her in. He kissed her forehead softly and then quietly shut the door.

"I should be home early. Kingsley's head meeting is at three and it should only be an hour."

Ginny nodded, "Okay, I'm thinking about fixing that pasta dish Hermione gave me the recipe for and garlic bread for supper," she informed her husband.

"Sounds good," Harry replied.

They kissed each other goodbye and Harry watched as Ginny got in the car, started the engine and drove away, heading home to Godric's Hollow.

Harry returned to the Atrium by apparition and headed back to his office and collected his stuff.

He had slung his bag over his shoulder as he knocked on Ron's office door.

"Come on, Ron. Kingsley needs a word before the meeting starts," Harry called through the closed door.

Ron opened the door, his messenger bag slung over his shoulder. He closed his door and tapped his wand to the knob.

"What does Kingsley want?"

"I'm not sure," Harry answered. They headed for the lifts and to Kingsley's office.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Harry came through the back door that evening, having apparated to the backyard. The smell of tomato sauce and basil greeted him when opened the door and entered the scullery. He stepped over the overflowing pile of laundry and entered the kitchen.

"Hey Babe," Ginny greeted, shutting the oven door. She wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him in greeting.

"How was Lily when you got home?" Harry asked.

"Still sleeping."

Harry nodded and headed into the family room.

"Hi boys," Harry called into the room over the cartoon on the television.

"Daddy!" the boys exclaimed.

"Have you been good for Mummy and Grandmum?"

"Uh huh," James replied, while Albus nodded.

"Supper's ready."

Harry led the boys into the bathroom where they washed their hands and headed back to the dining area of the kitchen.

"Where's Lily?"

No sooner than Harry got the question out, he felt little hands pull on his pants. He looked down and was met with the giggles of his little girl.

"There you are." He bent to pick her up and carried her to her highchair near Ginny's place at the table.

Harry listened to James and Albus recapped their day. Ginny stifled giggles when James told Harry about the mud fight in the backyard and how Molly was left to clean up both the boys and the mess they made from tracking the mud in from the side door in the scullery to the upstairs bathroom.

Molly had just finished cleaning the bathroom and put the boys down their nap when Ginny returned home with Lily.

"Mum stayed with them while I ran some errands and headed to the grocery," Ginny informed her husband. "I also ran into Diagon Alley, picked up the potions we needed and you needed at work from the apothecary. They're in a separate bag, remind me and I'll give them to after supper."

"Alright." Harry began wiping the tomato sauce off Albus's face. The two-year-old howled in fury. "Too bad, buddy," he uttered, unsympathetically.

He lifted Albus out of his toddler chair. "Follow James to the family room and you can play until bath time," he told his offspring, sending off with a swat to his patted bum.

Ginny lifted Lily out of her high chair and handed her to Harry. He carried her into the family room and placed her in her playpen while Ginny cleaned the kitchen.

"How was work?" Ginny asked, trying to make conversation while washing the dishes.

"We had the head meeting today. Kingsley had asked Ron and me to meet with him before the meeting."

"What did he want?" Ginny asked, giving Lily a bite of some of the pasta.

"He wanted to meet to discuss the Muggle Baiting case. As of right now, we got all those involved in Azkaban."

"Great," Ginny nearly squealed.

"There's a chance that it could crop up again, but not for a while. The trials will begin next week, so I'll be home late most likely," Harry told her, replacing the milk in the refrigerator.

"I'll remember to have a dinner plate ready for you."

The rest of the conversation they had while the kids were playing was about Lily's birthday party.

After they finished cleaning the kitchen and getting some things ready for the next day, they headed to the family where Harry went to the couch and Ginny headed to the playpen.

"Alright, Lily. It's bath time for you."

The nightly routine they developed was Ginny would bath Lily, while Harry watched the boys. Then they would switch after Ginny brushed Lily's teeth and dressed her.

By the time, Ginny was done, it was bath time for the boys. Ginny would have cuddle time with Lily while giving her the last bottle of the night. She could hear the boys laughing from the bathroom. Harry often told the boys stories during their bath, either from his life or something he made up.

Tonight was the story of when Uncle Ron, Uncle George, and Uncle Fred saved their daddy from his evil uncle.

Ginny listened to the story closely, her heartbreaking as she remembered that Harry didn't have a happy childhood like she did.

When the boy's bath was finished, they would head to James's room and story time continued, this time from a book or Harry would tell them another story.

"Again," she heard Harry say to his son. James must have asked Harry to read the Tale of Peter Rabbit again. Harry must have read the book a hundred times and she wouldn't be surprised if Harry could quote it without the book.

"Okay, Mama, your turn."

Ginny nearly jumped at Harry's voice. She wordlessly handed Lily to Harry and headed to James's room.

"Good night, Sweetheart. I love you," she murmured, kissing James's head.

"Night, Mummy." James was asleep before Ginny had picked up Albus and carried him to his bedroom.

"Did you like the story Daddy read tonight?" she asked, as she lowered Albus onto his bed.

"Yeah, is it my turn tomorrow night?"

"Yes, it is sweetheart. Good night. I love you," she cooed.

Albus was asleep as soon as Ginny handed him his stuffed hippogriff. She tucked him with his blanket and kissed his cheek.

She backtracked to James's room and found him asleep. She tucked the blankets around him and handed him the stuffed black dog. James snuggled with the dog without waking up.

Ginny bent down and kissed his cheek.

She returned to Lily's room and paused at the door. Harry was standing at the side of the cot, watching his daughter.

"Is she asleep?" Ginny whispered as she approached her husband.

"Yeah, she's asleep," Harry returned. He bent over the side and kissed her forehead. Ginny followed and then together they left the room, turning off the lights and headed to their bedroom.

Harry flopped on the bed. "Tired?" Ginny asked, approaching the bed.

"Yeah," Harry murmured, taking off his glasses and scrubbing his face with his hands.

"Is it hard to believe it's been a year since Lily was born?" Ginny pondered.

"Yes," Harry replied. "Seems like yesterday she was still in my belly."

Ginny climbed in the bed and crawled over to where Harry was lying. She laid down beside him, her hand going to his stomach.

A year ago, his stomach was swollen with child, and now a year later and his stomach had returned to the pre-pregnancy shape, thanks to Healer Dalton and Harry's punishing workouts.

Ginny smiled as she thought of a how much had changed in the last year. But she wouldn't change a thing.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Ginny opened the door to her daughter's bedroom to find Lily standing up in her crib.

"Happy birthday, Lily. Today's your birthday, you are one!" she told her.

She lifted her out of the cot and carried her over to the changing table.

"Let's get you a clean nappy before we wake up Daddy."

Ginny quickly changed her nappy and then carried her into her and Harry's bedroom.

Ginny smiled to see her husband sleep. Harry was sound asleep, lying on his stomach, a habit that he adopted when he younger that he never broke. It seemed like only yesterday Harry couldn't do that when his belly was full of the little girl she was carrying in her arms.

She sat Lily down on the bed. Harry had moved to the middle of the bed since she had woken up an hour ago to put finishing touching on the cake.

"Stay here and Mummy will be right back," Ginny ordered and headed to the bathroom, to wash her hands.

Lily looked around the room and found her father sleeping. She crawled over to where Harry was laying and climbed onto his back.

"Are you trying to wake up Daddy?"

Lily turned at her mother's voice and found Ginny standing next to the bed. She sat down on the bed and lifted Lily off Harry's back.

"Harry, baby, it's time to get up," Ginny soothed.

"Five more minutes," Harry grumbled.

"Okay," Ginny agreed. She turned to her daughter. "Come on birthday girl, we'll give Daddy five more minutes and then we'll send in James to wake up Daddy."

"I'm up," came Harry's voice from the bed. He pushed the covers back and sat up on his side of the bed.

"Good morning," Ginny greeted.

"Morning." He turned his attention to his daughter. "Good morning birthday girl, come here to Daddy."

Ginny transferred Lily into Harry's arms, so she could get a shower. Harry headed on downstairs.

Upon entering the kitchen he found two similar cakes, one smaller than the other.

"Looks like Mummy has your cakes ready," Harry noted.

The cakes were both chocolate with white icing. There were bags of changes of clothes for all the kids and Lily's present, wrapped and with protection charms around it waiting to be loaded in the car.

The ride to the Burrow would be about two hours, but thanks to the addition of the DVD player in the SUV, the boys would be entertained while Lily would sleep all the way there.

When Ginny came downstairs with the boys, Harry headed up to take a quick shower and to change clothes while Ginny made breakfast.

"Happy birthday Sissy," Albus told his sister.

"Happy birthday," James added when he saw his sister.

Ginny was serving breakfast when Harry returned.

"Mummy, when are we going to Grandma and Granddad's?" James asked.

"After breakfast," Ginny answered.

The family dug into their pancakes and sausage, discussing the plans for the day.

When breakfast was over, Harry cleaned the kitchen and the breakfast dishes with a flick of his wand.

"I'll load the car, hon," he called to Ginny as she headed upstairs with Lily.

"Can I help?" James asked.

"Sure, take this." Harry handed him a bag of clothes for the kids if the need should arise that they need to change.

James helped Harry take the bags to the car. The trunk space in the SUV was small due to the third row. But because they didn't have Teddy and he would be going to the Burrow with Andromeda, Harry took out of the third row last night and moved James's booster seat to behind the driver seat and Lily's car seat to the passenger side. Albus was moved to the middle and because his car seat was exactly the same as James's the two boys can take turns sitting in the middle.

The extra room in the back, allowed easy transportation for the cakes, along with all the gear and stuff Ginny had packed to take the Burrow. There was room to spare for the mountain of presents Lily would probably get.

Harry came back in the scullery where Ginny had everything, except for the cakes, ready to be loaded in the car.

Ginny returned downstairs with Lily dressed in a pair of denim shorts, sandals and a pink shirt that had a cupcake with the number one on it.

"Lily's ready to go," Ginny informed them. It was pressing ten o'clock and they needed to be at the Burrow by noon.

"James, Albus, we're leaving," Ginny called to the two boys who were running around the backyard.

After securing the cakes, buckling in the kids and giving Harry strict instructions to drive slowly, they were off to the Burrow for Lily's party.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

"We're here!" Ginny called into the house as she entered the back door with Lily on her hip.

Arthur was the first to greet them as he was helping Molly transport food from the kitchen to the backyard.

"There's the birthday girl," Arthur cooed, as Lily reached for her grandfather.

"Can you watch…."Ginny trailed off. Arthur knew what she was asking and nodded his head.

He headed into the kitchen with Lily on his hip.

"Look who I got," Arthur informed his wife.

Molly turned and smiled at the sight of her granddaughter. "Well, hello birthday girl," Molly greeted her granddaughter, kissing her cheek. "You're one already."

Ginny came into the kitchen with the cake Lily would smash, while Harry followed her with the big cake.

"Ginny, the cakes look wonderful," Molly complimented.

"Thanks, Mum."

Harry headed out to the car to get the rest of their stuff.

"Hello Harry," a dreamy voice said behind him.

"Hi Luna," Harry returned.

Ron and Hermione pulled in behind Harry and Ginny's car, having signaled their arrival by loud wailing.

"What happened?" Harry asked Ron when the redhead got out of the car.

"Hugo didn't want to be buckled into his seat and Rosie….." Ron trailed off as the two-year-old made a beeline for her uncle.

"Up, Uncle Harry," Rosie demanded. Harry swung the red-headed girl into his arms.

"Are you ready for Lily's party?" Harry asked his niece.

"Yeah," Rosie nodded and looked around the yard, looking for a big blown up house. "Did Granddad blow up the house yet?"

"Not yet," Harry told her. A tug at his shorts brought his attention to his youngest son.

"Up, Daddy," Albus requested.

With one arm, Harry picked up Albus. "Now what am I to do with you?" he asked the giggling toddlers. "Should I dump you in the pond?"

"NO!" the toddlers squealed.

"Then what?"

"Take us to the bounce house," Rosie said.

"Oh," Harry replied, pretending that he didn't know that. "Okay, I think Uncle Charlie has just finished it, want to go and play?"

"Yes," Rosie and Albus nearly shouted at the same time.

"Okay, go play," Harry told them, putting them down. He and Ron watched as Charlie was soon swarmed with kids.

Roxanne, Hugo, and Lucy choose to play in the sandbox, under the watchful eye of Angelina and Audrey.

"Hard to believe it's been a year hasn't it," Ron sighed.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I was in labor at this time last year."

"Weird, isn't it?" Ron asked.

"It is." Harry and Ron watched the kids play and helped sat up the tables and chairs when Molly noticed they weren't doing anything.

"Harry, Ron, set the tables up for me please."

Without needing to be told twice, Harry and Ron headed to the shaded area of the yard and set up the tables where the family would eat lunch, listening to the giggles and squeals from the kids in the bounce house.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Happy birthday to you…Happy birthday to you…Happy Birthday dear Lily…Happy birthday to you!"

After singing happy birthday to Lily, the family clapped and cheered as Lily (with Ginny's assistance) blew out the candle.

Harry was on the other side at Ginny's request, recording with the camera the blowing out the candle and digging into the cake.

Without prompting Lily stuck both hands in the cake and began to feed herself the cake while everyone else watched. Audrey and Hermione were cutting into the big cake to help Molly and Ginny out to serve the kids.

"Is it good, Lily Belle," Arthur asked, calling her by her pet name. Lily responded by getting a hand full of the cake and giving it to Arthur.

"Thank you, princess." Arthur kissed the top of her head. He looked up at Molly and they shared a smile. "Well, Molly, the last of our grandchildren turned one."

"I know," Molly said softly. She bent over to wipe off the chocolate Lily had gotten on her cheek.

Once Lily was done with the cake, Ginny took her into the house to clean her up. Molly followed to help.

"Hard to believe she's one isn't it?" Molly pondered.

"Harry was in labor with her at this time last year. I don't think I could thank him enough for…." Ginny trailed off, feeling the emotions well up in her.

"I know, Harry went through a lot to bring her into this world."

Molly smiled with Lily looked up at her Grandma and smiled. "Are you ready for presents?" she asked her granddaughter, picking her up.

"Well, let's go," Ginny cooed. "I think Daddy and Uncle Ron set them on the table in the shade."

Together the three Weasley women headed outside to where the rest of the family, ready for Lily to open presents.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Harry watched his daughter sleep, leaning against the side of the cot. He'd spent many hours looking at James after he was born, finding it hard to believe he had a son and that he was a father. Now, he gazed at the sleeping toddler, feeling the same feelings he had on that night when they brought James home from the hospital and again the night after his first birthday.

But something was different this time.

This time, the child he was watching sleep, was a child that he carried. It was him who suffered through morning sickness, watched as his belly grew bigger and bigger until he couldn't see his feet.

He suffered through almost nine hours of hard labor, after which he had a whole new found respect for every woman in the family and even said to Molly, "I don't know how you did that six times." Molly just smiled and patted his cheek.

He remembered the first time feeling her kick. When Ginny told her mother at the next Sunday lunch, Molly constantly was touching Harry's stomach (not that he minded considering all the kids had touched it as well). She smiled brightly and leaned down to the bump to say, "Hello sweet thing, this is your Grandma."

That brought tears to Ginny's eyes, and that was one thing that was different about Harry's pregnancy. He wasn't an emotional, blubbering mess like his wife and sister in laws were.

"Is she asleep?" a voice behind him whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Yeah, she's asleep."

Ginny stood beside him, watching their daughter. "I don't think I could ever thank you enough for bringing her into the world," she murmured.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Harry returned.

Ginny knew what Harry was referring to. The back rubs, words of encouraging, the gentle hands pushing back his sweaty hair, the comforting embrace when the contractions got hard.

One day, Lily will learn all of this and what all her father went through to bring her into the world.

Harry was serious about what he said at his parent's grave, he would go through the pain, the morning sickness, the torture, everything, to bring another child in this world.

But luckily for him, Lily would be their last child.

"Good night, Lily," Ginny whispered, leaning over the cot to kiss her daughter good night. "I love you."

Harry followed her to their bedroom, having said his good nights to the kids before he put Lily in the cot.

Ginny sat on the bed, pull her hair up in a short ponytail. Harry headed to his side of the bed, pulling his shirt off as he went.

"My stomach wasn't this flat a year ago," Harry muttered, looking down at his bare stomach.

"No, but it is now," Ginny replied.

Harry flicked the lights off with his wand and snuggled up next to Ginny. Smiling at her snoozing husband, Ginny settled in bed beside her husband and went to sleep, dreaming of the happy family she had today.

She had a great family, a wonderful husband whom she loved dearly, two sons that even though they test her patience and her sanity, she wouldn't trade them for anything in the world, and a daughter that she had dreamed of having, a beautiful, red-headed, little girl, who had her daddy wrapped around her finger.

She would always be grateful to Harry for carrying their daughter…..a long nine months.

AN: This is the end of A Long Nine Months. Thank you to everyone who added this story to their favorites lists, alerts, and have reviewed. Stay tuned for A Long Nine Months-The One-Shots.

I hope you've enjoyed reading A Long Nine Months as much as I did writing it.