The summer arrived in England with all its strength. The british didn't see rain for days and days at a time and when it actually came, it was a real storm. Around the Auror Office, Harry had casted powerful refrigerating charms so they could work with no one passing out from the heat. The whole department ended up not leaving the office during their working hours since the rest of the Ministry was hell itself. Hermione enjoyed her breaks and lunch in Harry's office and one day almost cried when leaving back to work. She had accepted Kingsley offer and was supposed to start her new job in September.
Ginny thanked she wasn't pregnant anymore and pitied Angelina for suffering that much. Harry had also charmed their house so the temperature would be more enjoyable, which helped a lot handling a baby. Ron was working his ass off in both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade store so the latter could be ready before the coming school year started. Hannah visited regularly Ginny to take doubts concerning her wedding plans and even begged Ginny and Hermione to be her bridesmaids. Neville had asked Harry and Ron to be his groomsmen and Teddy would be the ring bearer.
Ron and Harry had started side-bets with George around Susan and Seamus and how long would they take to finally get together. As Head Auror, Harry shouldn't encourage intra-partner relationships, but he couldn't shake the feeling they were just meant to be. George had his hopes on Neville and Hannah's wedding and Harry placed his shots at the Ministry New Years' Party.
"I think it's going to be on Halloween." Ron guessed when they were discussing it one thursday evening they were at Ron and Hermione's flat having dinner. The women were discussing something in the kitchen and taking way too long with the food.
"Why Halloween? What's the occasion?" George asked, confused.
"A bit cliché, don't you think?" Harry teased.
"Not as cliché as New Years, mate!" Ron fought back. "And I'm thinking about doing a little Halloween party. We could go 'trick or treat' with the kids before and at night the adults party."
"And when you say 'I am thinking' you mean 'Hermione is thinking', right?" Harry made sure. Ron nodded with an embarrassed smile. "Ok, valid. But for the bet to be clean, it's NOT allowed to interfere with the future couple, deal?"
"Deal." Ron and George agreed together and they all exchanged handshakes, each one with a malefic idea forming on how to get the two together on when they bet.
Shortly after, their wives came back, levitating the trays with food. Ron, Harry and George rose from their seats in the couch and proceeded to the dining room, each one sitting next to the respective wife. Teddy, who was painting at the coffee table, also joined them and Ginny placed James in his high chair.
"So, Ron, George? How is the shop going in Hogsmeade?" Ginny started.
"It's underway, but there's a lot of work to be done yet." George enlightened her. Ginny nodded and returned to her peas. Hermione had insisted on feeding James, an offer which Ginny accepted gladly.
"And what about the new gossip after the last DA reunion?" Angelina turned out to be a very gossipy pregnant person.
"Did you see the tension around Corner/Chang/Weasley?" Harry joked with a laugh.
"Yeah, I saw that. The first reunion they both come, isn't?" George commented.
"Cho was really embarrassed. I was having internal laughs. You should have seen Michael's face when I told about James and how Cho delivered him!" Ginny stopped to laugh before continuing. "But Harry here became besties with Cho's fiancé, Travis, wasn't it, hon?"
"Nice bloke, actually. His face went white when I filled him in on our Hogwarts drama." Harry shared matter-of-factly. "But what else happened?"
"You didn't see wild Hermione doing shots?" Angelina screamed.
Harry's eyes slung as open as they could get and he chocked on his butterbeer. "WHAT?"
"How did we miss that?" Ginny cried.
"Stop it, you guys!" Hermione turned from James and had her face all red.
"It was so good to be the only one sober!" Angelina cheered. "You two," she pointed at Harry and Ginny. "were snogging each other senseless on a back booth while Ron was drowning with Finnegan. Katie and Oliver were almost conceiving a child near the bathroom, the boys were playing butterbeer pong and just looking ridiculous and finally Hermione was leading on the shots, Luna closed behind and Susan caught up with Hannah on a heartbeat. But that was NOT all..." And she left her words hanging in the air.
"Tell us already, Angie!" Ginny begged.
"Hermione danced on top of the bar counter!" Angelina spilled.
A silence was shared for a couple of seconds before everyone started laughing loudly and Hermione's face colored up in 50 shades of red. After what could have been hours of laughing, they started to lose their breaths.
"HEY!" Teddy yelled. "What's so funny?"
"Adults, Ted. Adults are funny." George replied.
"Not very much." Teddy said under his breath which took everyone to another session of laughter.
Their dinner progressed with lots of talking and joking around. Ginny couldn't shake her gratitude for having such an amazing family and friends. She thought back to her Hogwarts days and compared to now. How amazing it was that people that weren't even in the same circles as her were now great friends she cared so much about.
~
July came knocking on everybody's door and the wedding was getting closer. Although Hannah had become some what of a bridezilla, her taste had not been altered. For much of Ginny and Hermione's relief, she chose a quite beautiful dress for them. It was a simple, long gown with the straps doing a crossed pattern on their backs. The color was light blue which didn't crash at all with Ginny's red hair.
Another thing on the gang's mind was the bachelorette and stag parties that Ginny and Harry were responsible to plan. She was considering a full muggle party and was researching for the best club in muggle London where she and the girls would go crazy for the night. Harry was thinking a little outside the box and was planning a whole 'fishing trip' to Ireland.
"DUBLIN?" Ginny yelled when Harry told her about his plans one night during dinner. "ARE FUCKING MAD, POTTER?"
"What's wrong, Gin? The lake we'll be going has lots of magical plants and stuff. Neville will love it!!"
"Gosh, Harry, can't you think of something more normal? I'm open to even let you go to strip clubs but at least on an apparating distance! You have a son and a godson, or have you forgotten that?"
Teddy was looking to one side to another like he was watching a tennis match, in silence, while the grown-ups fought, but he soon lost interest on the conversation. He had learned that it was best to not get involved when his godparents were on a row. They soon would figure themselves out and everything would go back to normal.
"What has James and Teddy got to do with anything?"
"It means you can't go to another COUNTRY to party and get wasted and whatever you guys do on stag parties. Are you seriously thinking I'm buying the whole 'fishing trip' bullshit you're telling me? What if something happens to you? What if something happens here?" Ginny pointed dramatically to Teddy on one side of the table and James on his high chair, who was laughing away at Teddy that was keeping him entertained by changing his hair colors several times.
"Are you accusing me of LYING, GINNY?" Harry rose from his seat and had a pitch louder on the last couple of words.
Ginny also left her seat and went to face him, standing right in front of him, defying him to say something. She knew him too well. Of course the whole fishing trip was just a decoy for them to go to Ireland.
"Well, duhh! And I'm not upset about it, Harry." Ginny started, looking deeply into Harry's eyes. "I understand how precious your little 'stag secrets' are. You all come back from them full of weird behaviors." Harry swallowed and she noticed. Grabbing his shoulder, she continued. "And, love, I get it, I swear to Merlin, I get it. We girls also have our hand full of mischief too." Ginny sighed and lowered her voice. "I just really don't like the idea of you lot going wild in FREAKING IRELAND!"
Harry lowered his head in face of losing the battle. He sighed loudly. "OK, GIN! I'll think of something else, alright?"
Ginny's eyes lightened up and her lips turned into a smile while she hugged Harry and kissed him lightly. "Thank you!"
Both sat back to their seats. Harry proceeded to continue feeding James and Ginny gave Teddy a little apologetic hug. They were quiet for a bit longer than usual. Ginny started a conversation with Teddy while Harry drifted on his own thoughts and Ginny's words. He then cleared his throat loudly to get attention.
"Yeah?" Ginny turned from Teddy to Harry.
"Two things." Harry commented holding two fingers out in the air. Ginny nodded and waited for him to complete whatever he wanted to say. "First, what do you mean with 'hand full of mischief', honey?" Harry tried his best to talk with a neutral voice and not the desperate tone that probably matched best with his inner feeling. Ginny was chewing her food when Harry asked his question and nearly choked with it. But she was better than Harry with these stuff. She controlled herself and didn't let her face turn red, for much of Harry’s disappointment.
"It's really not your place to ask that, sweetie!" She shot back, trying a nice and cute voice.
"How isn't my place? I'm your husband."
"Ow, you're using the husband card! Really, Potter?" Ginny teased him. "Well, fine, I'm your wife, then. What went down on yours and George's and Ron's stag parties?"
Harry blinked a few times. He didn't have the heart to lie (Umbridge would be proud) and couldn't even externalize "Nothing" because that was a big fat lie.
"Ok, fair enough, you got me there." He resolved instead. Ginny put a quick devilish smile on which Harry noticed but decided not to extend the subject any further. "Secondly, did I hear you right? You'd let me go to strip clubs?"
Ginny shivered with the thought of Harry on a filthy strip club, but if that was the price for him to stay within apparating distance so be it. He couldn't do that much wrong anyways: he would be with her brothers.
"Yy-yes." She stuttered.
"What's a strip club?" Teddy innocently asked.
Ginny had finished her dinner and rose from the table, picking up the dishes and placing them on the sink. Flory would do them the next day. She picked James from his high chair and before she left the kitchen she bent down to Harry's ear and whispered.
"If you can answer Teddy, you're free to go." She kissed his cheek and proceeded to the nursery where she would bathe James and put him down to sleep. Harry swallowed for the second time in the evening and locked eyes with Teddy how was still sitting there, waiting for an answer, looking rather confused.
That girl will be the death of me, Harry thought before taking a deep breath and starting to think of a good explanation for Teddy.
~
Like Teddy had predicted, after Harry and Ginny's row, they both returned to the normal loving way they always were. They had a silent understanding of never again discussing about bachelorette and stag parties with each other. It would be better in the long run of their marriage to just don't know. They trusted each other enough so nothing like cheating would happen, and the couple let it go. The last about the subject was when each one would hold the event. Ginny took the friday before the wedding as Harry got the saturday.
Neville went to see his grandmother so the girls (Hannah, Ginny, Hermione, Luna, Susan, Angelina, Katie and Alicia) all could gather at the bride's flat above the Leaky Cauldron. They all got ready together, discussing outfits, hairdo's and make up. Since the party's theme was muggle fun, they decided to only drink muggle alcohol as well.
Angelina was, obviously, the responsible for everyone's safety. Because she was pushing the eighth month of pregnancy, Ginny borrowed the two-way mirror to Angelina and Molly. If anything were to happen, Angelina could get an hold of Mrs. Weasley and she would help them. Harry had the night to spend with his boys all by himself and he actually was quite excited about that and Ron went to an exhibition Quidditch game with George and Oliver.
Hermione was the last one to arrive. She didn't bother knocking and just barged in Hannah's flat. Katie was just leaving the bathroom, rolled up on a towel and rapidly explained she had come straight from work and didn't have time to shower before. Hermione greeted everyone and then made it to the middle of the living room and called everyone's attention.
"Girls!" She shouted. "I've brought my purse with Undetectable Expanding Charm, so everything you need to take with you tonight may be put in here, including our wands. Like Ginny and I discussed before, Angelina is the only one to keep her wand with her since she's the only one to be sober."
Everyone nodded and Katie buffed. "We know, Hermione!"
Hermione dismissed Katie's comment and yelled excitedly, grabbing a bottle from inside her purse, showing it to everyone while holding it above her head. "LET'S GET THIS BACHELORETTE PARTY UNDERWAY, THEN"
"What's that?" Luna gasped.
"Ow, this?" Hermione pointed matter-of-factly. "This is vodka! My parents gave it to me on my last birthday and I think tonight is a great night to drink it." Hermione made her way to the kitchen, getting glasses and pumpkin juice to mix with the vodka. She later handed out the drinks to everyone.
After an hour or so, everyone was ready to go and the girls walked a bit to get to the muggle London and grab a couple of cabs to take them to the club. The security guard was confused by Angelina and let them all pass without checking their ID's.
The party was already loud inside the disco and some of the girls went straight to the dance floor. Angelina, Hermione, Ginny and Luna headed to the bar instead. Angelina asked for a glass and simply casted Aguamenti for water. Hermione rose her brows to her for a second but didn't bother saying anything. Ginny ordered three shots of tequila each (she had been researching about muggle booze too). With the salt and lemon in place, the three friends drowned their shots with Angelina copying them but with water instead of tequila.
"THANK GOD AUDREY IS NOT HERE!" Ginny yelled over the music, while dancing to it, having the night of her life. They had moved from the bar to a table with a couch and some chairs around it. Angelina sat on the couch, making herself as comfortable as possible.
“Why does Percy date her? She’s not exactly the greatest person.” Angelina commented, while Hermione threw herself next to Angelina on the couch. Ginny and Luna sat on the other chairs.
“Well, Percy is our brother-in-law, but I don’t see him with another type of woman.” Hermione opinionated, although her words weren’t as well-structured as when she’s sober.
“When do you think Percy will finally ask her to marry him, anyways?” Ginny asked.
“I don’t know, but we could make a bet out of it.” Angelina proposed with a nasty grin. “I bet nine months.”
“I bet one year, give or take.” Ginny guessed.
“I think it will be six months.” Hermione guessed.
“Pleeeease.” Luna screamed, taking her time with only one word. “Percy must be more clueless than Rolf. I believe it will still take one year and an half.” The four girls shock their hands, agreeing to a three galleons bet.
Susan and Hannah left Katie and Alicia on the dance floor to get the other ones to dance. Ginny and Luna went back with crazy Hannah while Susan sat on the chair Ginny was once sitting.
“Hermioooone. Muggle parties are the BEST.” Susan confessed. She was shifting her head according to the music, or so she thought it was according to it. Angelina was internally giggling with how pathetic it was. “And these muggles… they are really hooooot!”
“YEAH, THEY ARE” Hermione agreed. She lifted her up the couch and grabbed Susan’s hand. “I’m married so let’s get YOU someone to snog.”
Susan hesitated a bit, coming to her senses for some moments before allowing herself to be pulled away. Angelina could have sworn she heard Susan say “If Seamus doesn’t want me” under her breath.
Hannah, Ginny and Alicia went back to the bar and drank two more tequilas shots and went back to meet Angelina. They weren’t making much sense anymore and the pregnant girl was just laughing and registering everything so she could tell them the next day. Alicia turned down a couple of guys hitting on her, before she accepted going to dance with a very cute blond man. Hannah was spilling about Neville and how he liked to have his ear bitten when shagging. Ginny laughed at the information while Angelina shrugged.
“ANGIEEEEE,” Ginny shouted.
“GIIIINNNYY” She replied back.
“Why aren’t you dancing and drinking?” Ginny certainly wasn't seeing things very clearly already.
“Gin, I’m pregnant!” She calmly explained.
“Ow, right. That reminds me: I want Harry!” She paused, thinking about something. She opened her month but didn’t say anything. Angelina just rolled her eyes but was pulled to the dance floor by her sister-in-law. What the hell, Angelina thought, a little dancing never hurt anyone. Angelina grabbed Hannah and then all six girls were dancing together (Susan and Alicia were somewhere snogging a stranger).
The bachelorette party was being a great success until a very suspicious guy tried flirting with Ginny while she was at the bar ordering a whiskey she would definitely regret the next morning. Like Angelina agreed to, she was watching over everyone and hadn't seen danger with the guys that Susan and Alicia went about with. But that jerk flirting with Ginny made Angelina jumpy. Ginny started to look annoyed with the man and tried for her wand before she remembered she didn’t have it with her. Angelina pulled Katie (who had herself together the most) and went over to the bar.
“Everything ok here, Gin?” Angelina said on her ear.
“NO!” Ginny cried. “He doesn’t leave me alone, Angieeee! He’s asking if I can go with him home.”
Angelina turned to the man and eyed him suspiciously. She took a step back when she realized she recognized him. Yeah, he was a Slytherin two years above her. Then it clicked her: he was a Prophet reporter. Shit, Angelina screamed to herself.
“Kat, take her back to our table and get the other girls together, we are leaving.” Angelina ordered Katie so only she could hear her, then turned to the wizard who had a huge grin on his stupid face. Angelina grabbed his shirt’s collar and stood face to face. “I know who you are, Haxley.” Angelina screamed. “And if I see a word about this on tomorrow’s Prophet I will end your life myself. No one messes with my family and friends and lives to see the next day, are we clear?”
“And what are you going to do, Johnson?” Haxley pressed, challenging Angelina with his eyes. “What would your pregnant arse possibly do to keep me from writing about little precious wasted Potter’s wife and mother of his son and her drunken friends on a muggle club? It’s just a too valuable story!”
Angelina searched her mind for something she could use against him, until she got it and opened a big satisfied grin. “I don’t think your boss or the Head Auror himself will like to know you used Unforgivable Curses on a third year, don’t you think?”
“You’re bluffing!” He yelled.
“Try me.” Angelina threatened.
Angelina let the bloke go and he stormed out of the club. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and went back to the girls. Ginny was crying with Susan (why Susan was also crying was beyond Angelina understanding), Luna was still dancing with Hannah, while Hermione was trying to pull Alicia from the bloke she was snogging. Katie was sitting in the couch looking worried and got up as Angelina came back.
“What happened?” Katie wanted to know.
“That jerk was a reporter but I handled him just fine. GIRLS, LET’S GO.”
Angelina, with some difficulty, managed to lead everyone outside and got two cabs to take them back to Hermione’s flat which was in muggle London so it was the easiest to get to by cab. Twenty minutes later, Angelina was knocking on the door. Hermione was taking too long searching for her wand on the bag. Ron opened the door on his boxers and looked surprised to see eight girls on his doorstep.
“RONALD!” Hermione screamed, letting her purse fall on the floor and going to hug her husband. Katie bent down to catch the purse.
“Shh, Mione. The neighbors.” He let everyone else in and led them to the living room. He would have laughed at them if he hadn’t noticed Ginny and Susan swollen faces and red eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Too long of a story. We just need to send them home.” Angelina simply said. Katie helped Ginny and Hannah through the floo while Ron took Hermione to bed. Angelina grabbed Luna and Alicia next. When Ron came back, he noticed Susan curled up on the his couch. He sat beside her while he noticed Katie flooing herself home.
“Susan, do you want to crash here, tonight?” Ron offered. The girl just nodded and Ron conjured a blanket for her, before rising and meeting Angelina back in the kitchen. “Thanks for taking care of them, Angie.”
“Thank Merlin I was, Ron.” Her eyes started to fill with water. “I can’t even picture what would had happened if I was wasted like them and wasn't as vigilant as I was.”
Ron pulled her for a hug. He knew it was best to not press her to what happened. Angelina shot him a thankful smile before turning to floo home as well.
~
Harry jumped in surprise when Ginny got home, smelling like alcohol, her hair all messed up but her eyes swollen red and her mascara running down her face. Ginny had, literately, jumped on Harry and started kissing him. But Harry, noticing her state, pushed her back and held her shoulder on a way he could see her face better.
“Gin, what happened?”
When Ginny seemed like she was going to answer she attempted to vomit. Harry was faster and reached for his wand and conjured a bucket for her just in time for her to actually vomit her insides out. Harry sighed and took Ginny to the toilet and stayed with her until she was done. He was so worried something terrible had happened but she looked so bad in so many ways, he thought best not to ask. Harry brought her to the shower and bathed her. Luckily Ginny had already lost her baby pounds and was quite light which helped Harry a lot on moving her around. Finally he managed to put on her sleeping gown and put her in bed. He lay beside her, cuddling her softly. Before he even tried to say something she was already gone.
~
Ginny woke up with a pounding head and a screaming baby. She shifted in bed and noticed Harry wasn’t there anymore. She tried to lift her head but couldn’t. A few minutes later Harry came back with baby James with him, laughing. She shrugged to the little noise her son was doing.
“Hangover potion” was all she could say.
Harry placed James on their bed and kissed Ginny’s forehead. “Flory is on her way with that.”
They remained silent while Flory didn’t get there. As soon as Ginny drank the potion, she sighed in great relief. “Thank you, Flory!” She looked down at her baby boy and gave him a huge smile, grabbing his little feet. “How was the night with daddy, hah, honey?”
“We had lots of fun, actually” Harry grinned at her before turning serious again. “But, Gin, why did you come home last night with red crying eyes?”
“I did?” Ginny locked eyes with Harry. He was really worried. “I don’t recall much about last night actually… WAIT! There was this guy and he didn’t leave me alone. That’s all I remember.”
Angelina dropped by before lunch to tell Harry and Ginny about Haxley. Ginny looked fit for murder and had a whole revenge planned out for the second she started working for the Prophet. Angelina’s threat must've worked because there wasn’t anything on the Prophet that day.
The evening came and it was Harry’s time to leave for Neville’s stag party. Ginny called Hermione, Angelina and Fleur in for a quiet night just the sisters-in-law (note Audrey was not invited; she’s not a in-law, Ginny justified), the kids, some food Flory prepared and wine. Ginny and Hermione were told about their wild night by Angelina. Fleur couldn't believe it herself, because apparently Luna had break-danced on the dance floor.
Harry kissed Ginny hard before apparating to where he would meet with Neville, Ron, George, Rolf (he was starting to grow on everyone’s heart), Seamus, Oliver and Wallace. Harry had asked if Neville wanted him to invite Dean as well, but Neville thought not. They hadn’t seen each other for ages, it didn’t seem right to have him at his stag party. The guys all met on the edge of a forest where a portkey was placed to take them to Dublin.
“Neville, just so you know, if anything goes wrong tonight and Ginny finds out, I’m dead, right?” Harry warned.
“It’s safe to say we are all dead if that happens.” George reassured him.
The portkey started glowing and everyone grabbed it tight. On a blink of an eye, the eight wizards were in Ireland, ready for a night full of memories.
~
The men were still acting suspicious when the wedding day came around. The ceremony was happening on a little muggle church where Hannah’s dad family was from. Her dad was muggle born, therefore half her family consisted on non-magical folk. Ginny and Hermione were dealing with a crying Hannah on the side room of the church, while Neville and Harry were greeting the guests. Mr. Abbott finally arrived at the room where his daughter was drowning her eyes out.
“Hey, sweetie,” The older man started. Ginny and Hermione took the lead and left the room, standing outside the door. “What’s wrong, pumpkin? You don’t want to marry Neville?”
“NO!” She shouted, leaving her dad’s chest. “I mean, yes, I mean, I want to marry Neville, daddy. I love him so much.” She took a breath and continued. “Mum is not here.” She admitted. Her dad’s eyes filled with water as he pulled her back to his chest, rocking her slightly.
“But, she is, darling. Mum must be really proud of you and she’s watching you wherever she is. I know you miss her. I do too.”
They remained hugged for a bit longer, before Hannah recomposed herself. Mr. Abbott smiled to his daughter and grabbed his wand, flicking it to her face, fixing her make up. He rose from the couch they were sitting and warned Ginny and Hermione everything was fine. Both girls sighed in relief and went to the church and get everyone in place. They found their husbands and George arguing in hushed tones.
“The deal is NO interfering, George.” Harry remembered angrily.
“Oh, like you don’t do anything in the office, Potter.” George accused back. Ron was shooting daggers with his eyes to his brother. Hermione and Ginny exchanged a confused glare before calling the guys’ attention.
“What’s going on here?” Hermione ordered.
They all looked to each other and nodded. Ron was the one to tell them about the bet they were currently on about Susan and Seamus. Harry told about Susan’s outburst and Ron spilled on Seamus confession both at the DA reunion. Ginny and Hermione looked incredulous to their husbands and brother-in-law.
“Ginny, before you say someth-“
“I want in.” Ginny interrupted. “James’ first birthday, that’s my bet.”
“Me too.” Hermione added. “Hogsmeade shop opening.”
Ron, Harry and George stared at the two girls, not believing their ears. They accepted and nodded. George took out a parchment where he wrote down their bets and then put it away again in his pocket.
“And I’ll be watching you, George. No cheating!” Ginny warned. “Now, to your places. Hannah is ready.”
Five minutes later, Neville was standing on the alter with Harry and Ron by his side and the guests were sat in their places. George was devilish smiling when he noticed Susan was sitting next to Seamus. But also Wallace was next to Kelly and that didn't mean anything.
The groom was grinning self-consciously when Teddy, Ginny and Hermione walked down the aisle. Neville was so happy it shouldn’t be allowed. Although he was as calm as anyone about to get married can get, his respiration ceased when Hannah stepped in the aisle, arms locked with Mr. Abbott. His eyes shined and he knew everything would turn out just fine ever since she stood by his side. Soon enough she would be his forever.
Mrs. Hannah Longbottom.