Lasting Love (a Fred Weasley Fan Fiction)

Big Family

"I wanted to wear this one," Riley sniffed, she began to rub her eyes.

I quickly too out my wand and tapped the dress fabric, with a cough I wrapped my arms around Riley. "Let me see if I can zip it for you," I offered, Riley began shaking her head as I turned to the zipper and very slowly pulled it up. The zipper easily went up the length of the dress.

"Would you look at that? Just needed a second pair of hands," I grinned, flipping Riley's hair forward so it framed her face. "Now we can get going."

****
"Fred?" I looked over to Riley who was bouncing a laughing Oliver on her knees as we sat along our porch. Her stomach was bit large at this stage, still glowing as she laughed along with Oliver.

"Yes love?" I asked.

"What if we have twins again?"

I laughed, "that's unlikely," she looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "regardless if it happens we're already doing a bang up job with the twins now. We can handle it."

Oliver was laughing as he bounced, his blue eyes were dazzling in the sunlight. "Bet he can't wait to meet his new sibling," I grinned.

"I was thinking the name Maryann for a girl."

I smiled, "I love it."

Riley continued laughing with Oliver, her nose crinkling as Oliver tried to pat her stomach. "Not much longer now."

"I hope she has your hair," I mused as Riley shook her head.

"No the Weasley signature, Ollie has me covered."

"But then Ollie is the odd man out."

"He's the boy to two girls, he already is," Riley laughed.

"George and I are looking into another shop in Hogsmeade, might be a few meetings here and there and trips out..." I glanced over just to see Riley's smile falter.

"That's fine, it'll all work out," she nodded, "can you check on Nellie?"

I smiled slightly, getting up to go inside where I found Natalie fast asleep in her crib. Softly leaning forward I took her in my arms and sat in the chair beside the window, humming softly. Natalie's red hair was coming in curls and her eyes were a beautiful chocolate brown now, she was all of me except for the freckles.

****

"How's it going?" Ron mused as we walked down the long street of Hogsmeade on a breezey afternoon.

"You mean with Riley?" I snorted and sighed, "stressful really. George and I have meetings constantly for a new store and she stays up waiting for me and I feel like she resents me sometimes when I come back after midnight." I rubbed my neck as we passed the newest location I had just signed for with George, it was a small store but it was perfect. We also wanted to open one closer to other schools but first we wanted to have a location near Hogwarts.

"I try to take care of every little thing when I'm not running around for meetings. I'm doing my best to be there but I know it's not enough and I just know I'm no help at all," I continued with a sigh.

"Yeah, Hermione was saying things had been stressful according to Riley," Ron muttered as we passed the Three Broomsticks.

"Oh, did you hear that Oliver has tickets for one of his matches soon?" I rubbed my hands together and grinned before we turned a corner.

"Fantastic. Now if you have free time why are you spending it with me instead of your wife? She's eight months pregnant. Shouldn't you be with her?" Ron gave me an accusing look which I shrugged off as I sighed.

"I'm useless...I'll just get in the way," I shrugged slightly.

Ron snorted, "go. Riley probably needs you for something." I sighed as I waved to him before turning on the spot and appearing on my doorstep.

"Daddy!" I laughed as Natalie tried to walk toward me.

"Hey, Nellie. I missed you too," I smiled as I picked her up and we walked to the living room where I saw Riley sitting on the couch. Her back was to me as I approached and I noticed her hair was black, I paused for a moment-this wasn't good.

"Sweetie? How're you?" I asked cautiously as I approached her.

Riley looked up and grinned, "hello love, how was your lunch with Ron?"

"Great...is everything alright?" I nodded towards her hair as I inched closer.

Riley chuckled and waved me off, "I'm fine...its just....something happened."

"What happened?" I took her hands and scrutinized her features looking for any indicator to what happened.

"My water broke about a minute ago," Riley raised her eyebrows as she waited for my response.

"But, you're only eight months pregnant, did you owl my mum?" I started shooting off a thousand questions while Natalie situated into my lap, clinging on to my arm.

"An early labor is always probable love, and I sent an owl. I hope she'll be here soon," Riley said before she took in a sharp intake of air. She cluched a pillow in her hands and groaned in pain just as I heard a knock on the door.

"Grandma! Grandma! Play?" Natalie asked excitedly as she tugged at mum's skirt.

"I promise we'll play tonight, alright sweetheart?" mum said sweetly before she came over to Riley and I. "Alright dearie, Fred will get everything set up while I stay here with you and then everything should be fine," she smiled at Riley while handing me some sheets.

As I went to the office where I had set up an extra bed for guests, I could hear Riley's cries of pain from the living room. I cringed as mum helped Riley into the bed a moment later, I ducked out and took Natalie and Oliver outside to play. I took them to a small pond not far off from the house and we skipped rocks and I even set up a small swing for them to use. Mum didn't come back out for me hours later.

"It's a beautiful girl," mum smiled as she hugged me tightly. "Riley and the new born are asleep right now but if you'd like I'll take the twins for the night."

"No, they'll be fine, I'll stop by tomorrow," I smiled slightly before I took the twins back inside.

I tucked the twins into their beds and quietly walked into my room to find Riley sound asleep, her hair was back to the lovely shade of brown as she dozed. I walked over to the crib I had set up and smiled as I looked down at my daughter, her rosy cheeks were soft and she had light brown tuft of hair. I hoped she had green eyes. That was my dream to have a daughter that looked just like Riley-she'd be beautiful.

"Hello Maryann Emily Weasley," I whispered before changing into comfortable pants and climbed into bed next to Riley.

"Fred?" Riley whispered as I wrapped my arms around her.

"Hello sweetie, go back to bed," I whispered as I kissed her forehead.

"She looks like me," Riley grinned sleepily, I chuckled and nodded.

"She's going to be just as beautiful as you," I smiled before leaning into the plush pillows and closing my eyes. "She's just as beautiful as you and Nellie."

"Do you regret having another child?"

"No, I don't regret a thing," I opened one eye and studied her as she moved closer to me.

"Same here."

"So long as I have you I will never regret a thing."

~*~*~

Sorry its short. Just needed to get my mind off of school....I've been having the worst luck these past three weeks...I'll make the next chapter longer to make up for this.

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