"Mum and Dad are delighted that we had a vampire," I say, folding their letter up and looking over to where George is cradling Aurora.
"Are they coming to visit?" he asks, as I hold my arms out for her.
"No, not until we're back home," I say, taking my daughter, "I told them I don't want to see them yet."
"Don't worry," George says, "just look at her. She's so beautiful."
A healer knocks and pokes his head in.
"You have visitors," he says, "shall I let them in?"
"That'll be Mum and Dad," George says, "and... Probably everyone else."
"Yeah, it's fine," I tell the healer. He disappears and I look down at Aurora. She's a little over one day old and adorable. She has chubby cheeks, thick, black curls and tiny little fangs. Right now she's sleeping, but when she opens her eyes, they're black and sparkly. When she yawns her nose crinkles up and her eyebrows get all arched.
The door opens and a flood of red heads rushes in.
"Oh, she's beautiful!" Mrs Weasley says, leaning over to look at her, "what did you name her?"
"Aurora Charlotte Hope Weasley," George says proudly.
"I claim first hold," Fred says, stepping passed his father and holding his arms out.
"Just hold her neck," I say, "and keep one arm under her. Here, let me show you-"
"I've done this before," he says, taking her from me, "see?"
She stirs and looks up at Fred. I quickly take her back.
"She can't bite you," I say, "it'll kill her if she drinks your blood."
"Aurelia, she's fine," George says, "she can't bite yet."
I hand her back to Fred reluctantly, hovering over them.
"She has your ears," Fred says, "and your looming presence."
"She's a new mother," Mrs Weasley admonishes, "she's meant to be nervous and protective."
I grow increasingly edgy as she's passed around and don't relax until she's safely back in my arms. The family says goodbye and promises to visit once we're home and settled in.
"You were really nervous, huh?" George asks as I lay Aurora on the bed to change her.
"I just don't want anyone to hurt her," I say, as her fingers curl around one of mine. George kisses me on the cheek.
"Let me," he says. I hesitate, then let him finish changing her.
"You won't ever hurt her, will you?" I ask him. He looks at me, shocked and a little angry.
"Of course not, not on purpose," he says, picking her up and holding her to his chest, "why would you even ask that?"
"Well, my parents did," I say, "I don't want her to be afraid of us like I was of them."
"She won't be," George says, "we won't be getting a piranha tank anytime soon."
***
We go home a few days later and the next weekend my parents come to visit. Both of them are enamored with Aurora. I won't let either of them hold her yet, but that doesn't stop them from cooing from afar, or stop dad from hurrying out of the room to hide his crying.
We fall into a routine with her quickly and she grows, hitting all her milestones, until she's six months old and it's time for me to go back to work. My first day I take her to The Burrow and I'm full of nerves about leaving her. I have a detailed schedule for Molly as well as all her favourite toys.
"Are you sure she'll be okay?" I ask anxiously.
"Absolutely sure," Molly says patiently, "I've raised seven children before."
"But never a vampire," I point out. Molly laughs and shifts Aurora to her either side.
"Say bye bye to Mummy," she says, holding Aurora's hand to make her wave.
"Bye, baby," I say, then hurry away to hide my tears.
After work I fly home, not literally, I actually apparate, but I go as fast as I can, to see her.
"Is she here?" I ask as soon as I walk in, "is she okay?"
"Shh!" George shushes me, "she's fine. She's conked out."
I hurry up to the nursery and see Aurora snuggled under her blankets, her lashes fanned across her little cheeks. I kneel beside the crib and watch her sleep, her little chest rising and falling. George comes in and beckons me out.
"Mum said she was good," he says, "ten minutes of sun, just like you instructed, plenty of floor time, she drank all her blood. She seemed happy when I picked her up."
"I just worry about her," I say, "she's so little."
"She's in good hands," George says, "come on, she's fed, let's get us fed."
***
"George! Where's Aurora?"
"I thought she was with you?"
"Shit!"
"Don't, she'll copy you!"
I climb awkwardly over the baby gate, run down the stairs and climb over the other one. George is in the living room, searching for our now one year old.
"Rory! Where are you?"
I start helping him search and eventually find her in the guest room, chewing on the curtain tie.
"Silly," I say, scooping her up, "times like this, Mummy wishes you couldn't walk yet."
"Dada," she says, stretching her arms out to George. He takes her and tucks her onto his hip.
"Ready for your party?" I ask her. She stretches her arms out to me.
"I guess so," I laugh, "come on."
"Her first birthday," George says, following me into the kitchen, "how did she get so big?"
"Beats me," I say. I suddenly feel my eyes fill with tears and hug her tightly.
"She's growing up too fast!" I cry. Aurora starts to cry too and George takes her, holding me in his other arm.
"My girls," he says, laughing, "come on, you two, game faces on!"
I wipe my eyes and pick up the cake.
"Let's do this," I say, smiling.
We walk outside to where our family and friends are waiting for us.
***
"George?"
"Mm?"
"I think we need to drop Rory off at your Mums."
George sits up and looks at me, his eyes wide.
"Like... Now."
"Right, I'll go and get her.
"You get the bags, I'll get her," I say, wriggling out of bed and stumbling down to Aurora's room. I pause at the door and look at her, in her new 'big girl bed'. Her little four-year old body barely taking up any space in it. I walk over and sit on the side of the bed.
"Rory," I say softly, "wake up, sweetie."
"Mummy?" she blinks sleepily, "what's going on?"
"We've got to go see Nana," I say, "come on."
George comes in and picks her up, carrying her down to the car. She falls back asleep. We drive in silence to the Burrow and George carries her in. I see a few lights flick on, then George comes back out.
"How're you going?" he asks.
"Fine," I smile, "but let's get going."
We arrive at St Mungo's and I sigh, remembering when we came here four and a half years ago.
"You're so much calmer this time," George says.
"I'm not as worried this time," I say, "this time I don't have to think about boy or girl, human or vampire. Just boy or girl."
"Boy," George says with a smile. I shake my head.
"It's another girl," I say, "I can tell."
"Let's find out," Healer Grace says, walking in.
Four hours later, at five fifteen in the morning, Healer Grace hands me my son.
Seven hours later, after a bath and a sleep, Molly brings Aurora to meet her brother.
"Mummy!" she runs in and I pick her up, cuddling her onto the bed with me, "Nana said you had the baby!"
"I did!" I say, "it's a boy!"
"Aw, no!" she pouts, "I wanted a girl."
"But look," I say, "isn't he sweet?"
"He looks squashed."
"She'll warm up to him," George laughs, "Aurora, do you want to know what names we picked?"
"Is it Rosie?" she asks hopefully.
"No, sweetie, that's a girl name," he laughs, "his name is Edward Fred Ricard Weasley."
"Uncle Fred is Fred."
I exchange an amused look with George.
"Well, his name is Edward," I say.
"Edward," she repeat, looking at him, "can we swap him for a girl?"
"No," I laugh, "he's our boy."
"Okay, we should put him back," she says.
"Sorry, kiddo, that's a one-way street," I say, "do you want to hold him?"
"No thanks."
"At least she's using manners," George says, picking Edward up and cuddling him. I kiss Aurora on the top of the head.
"They'll warm up to each other," I say, stroking her hair.