*All the characters in this one-shot was created by Queen Rowling*

Parenting

Harry walked into the living room upon seeing Ginny sitting on the couch with 3-year-old James Sirius beside her and 1-year-old Albus Severus sleeping soundly in her arms, his mouth slightly open and snoring softly. Ginny and James were watching Tom and Jerry on the television. It was James' favourite Muggle cartoon.

Harry approached and sat down on the left of James. The little guy had begun to jump up and down on the plush cushion of the couch. He always does that when Tom was about to catch Jerry. Ginny glanced over at him and smiled. 'He won't stay still for a moment, Harry,' she said.

'I know, and he doesn't eat much,' replied Harry, 'I can't figure out where he gets his energy from.'

As if to prove Harry and Ginny's point, James jumped down from the couch and started running frantically around the living room, ducking here and there and screaming all the while. Before stopping, James looked around a little and decided that the safest place to hide was in the cupboard underneath the television set where Ginny kept some of the flower vases she got from her friends, the collapsible baby stroller that she used to carry James and now Albus, and some trophies that she received from when she was a Quidditch player. With little effort and time James threw open the cupboard door, pushed out the stroller and some vases, which rolled out with loud clangs but luckily didn't, and soon he was inside it. After a moment, James threw out his tiny hand, grasped for the door and slowly, carefully, pulled it in.

Harry and Ginny, both whom had never witnessed this before, sat stunned on the couch. They had always kept all the doors of the cupboards and counters locked, especially those that contains highly fragile things, such as glasses and china plates and vases. They'd have to, since James was such a mischievous kid. Yet they seemed to miss out this one. Harry looked at Ginny to find her face full of astonishment as well as amusement. He then went the cupboard, set the vases and stroller out of the way, and knocked on the door.

'James?' He called.

James didn't reply.

'I know you're in there,' Harry said, his voice low and husky, like how grownups pretend to sound like a wolf preying on a kid in the deep, dark wood. He knew liked to play this kind of hide-and-seek, and he was just inspired by how Jerry the mouse hid from Tom the cat. 'Come out now or I'll tear these doors out!'

James, however, didn't come out. He didn't even make a sound. Harry growled like a lion and was getting ready to get the cupboard opened.

'Just so you know, Harry, you're not tearing out any cupboard door,' Ginny grinned and said softly.

'But wouldn't that be dramatic and amazing?'

Ginny glared warningly at Harry, her bright brown eyes saying 'you'll regret ever bringing up this matter of cupboard doors if start discussing now.' Harry sighed and nodded.

'Here I come, James,' Harry said as he quickly pulled open the doors of the cupboard, expecting to see James giggling behind them. Obviously, a hairy coal-black spider as big as his hand with snapping pincers and eight long, also hairy legs was the last thing he had thought he'd see. Harry let out a scream and quickly jerked back. After the first few seconds of absolute shock, Harry came back to his sense and quickly grabbed his wand and blasted on the creature a Stunning Spell.

'What is it?' Ginny said, a little confused of what had happened. And as Harry use the tip of his wand to flick the spider away, her heart dropped a beat. She held tighter onto Albus and hurried towards Harry. 'Harry, is James okay? Did it bite him? Get him out, Harry!'

If Ginny wasn't holding Albus, she would've went straight in and pull James out herself. Surprisingly, as Harry got hold of James' hand and pulled him out, they found that he was giggling rather loudly and happily.

Harry picked the 3-year-old up, looked at his arms, legs, neck, face, anywhere not covered by clothes and then, after find not bites, he took the still-soundly-asleep Albus from Ginny's arms and told Ginny to check James again. Ginny was more thorough and careful in doing it. She not only looked but pressed her thumb lightly on anywhere suspicious and asked whether James felt anything weird when she did so. James, however, didn't want to cooperate with his agitated parents. He didn't say he was okay, neither did he say that anything was wrong. He kept on giggling and was constantly attempting to run away from his mother's grasp.

'Just sit still for a moment, James!' Ginny said while she was looking through James' untidy jet black hair for any sign of a spider bite. 'You know, Harry, I think it's time we give James a haircut.'

'We just did last week!' Harry said exasperatedly.

'But look at this!' Ginny said she ruffled James' hair a bit too violently. James grunted and pouted at his mother's suddenly aggressive action. 'Sorry, dear,' – Ginny gave James a kiss on his forehead in apology and then turned back to Harry – 'anyway, no spider bite anywhere. I think he's fine.'

Harry gave a sigh of relief. Then he turned onto James, 'What was that?' he asked. 'Did you not see the big, fat spider James?' Harry went on to pinching James' tiny nose, which, despite the size, looked unbelievably like Harry's.

'Oh – I put it there, Daddy,' James said, his face lighting up with naughtiness.

'WHAT?' Harry and Ginny looked outrageously at their oldest son, who's only three. 'Where did you get it from? Why would you put it there? HOW could you put it there?' Harry asked with disbelief.

'Uncle Ron was scared of it,' James said joyfully, disregarding his parents' looks of incredulity. 'We were in the backyard and the spider came out and Uncle Ron was really scared. He said everyone should be scared of spiders. But I don't feel scared. So I picked it up and brought it in here.'

'Ron?' Ginny said. 'He visited yesterday…'

'Because he and Hermione had an argument again, right? I was in the backyard with James when he came.' Harry continued.

'Yeah, and in the end I had to go and talk to Hermione,' Ginny sighed. 'You know, Ron is a bit childish sometimes. Hermione only accidentally threw away some of his old Chudley Cannons posters. What with all work she has to do and little Rosie to care for, I'd be surprised if she didn't mess things up a bit. Also, the Cannons aren't that good anymore, are they?' Ginny turned to Harry. Harry just shrugged and smiled. He had learnt that taking sides in the discussion of Quidditch teams between the Weasleys might be one of the last things he would ever do.

'Anyway, James, do you think stuffing spiders into our home is a nice thing?' Harry immediately turned on James and hoped that would distract Ginny from Quidditch teams.

'Yes, Daddy. It is funny to see you and Mommy scared.'

'We're not scared of spiders –' Harry began.

'You screamed, Daddy,' James smiled.

'I didn't.'

'You did, Harry,' Ginny was grinning.

'I was afraid that James would be bitten!' Harry argued back.

'Right,' Ginny suddenly looked at James. 'It wasn't funny, dear, and it's dangerous playing with animals like that. The last thing you want on your handsome face is a big, red, painful spider bite. Am I right?'

James stared thoughtfully into his mother's eyes before nodding in agreement. 'I'm handsome.'

'And you don't want a big spider bite, do you?'

'No.' James shook his head.

'Then are you going to mess around with spiders anymore?' Ginny asked kindly.

James didn't answer but merely smiled and was back on the couch watching Tom chasing Jerry.

'He's definitely going to mess around with spiders again,' Ginny shook her head as she looked at her little, laughing son. She then removed her glare from James and looked into Harry's emerald green eyes. He was staring at her, his bespectacled almond-shaped eyes full of warmth and affection. He leaned in and gave her a long kiss.

'Do you know how amazing you are as a mother?' he asked her.

'Hm – ' Ginny looked away thoughtfully and smirked. 'Yes.'

'Well, you're even more wonderful as a wife,' Harry smiled and kissed her again.

A/N: I hope that was nice. Feel free to comment on anything at all, even my crappy spelling and grammar. All will be appreciated.

Tea Xx