• 1-After The War
• 2-Brothers and Ex-Lovers

Comments: e-mail at sstar_luna@yahoo.co.uk or Review button below.

Rating: R. contains Slash. HP/?, HP/GW, HP/others.

Spoilers: Books 1-5. Do not read unless you have FINISHED The Order of the Phoenix.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot. All Harry Potter™ characters and settings are the sole intellectual property of JK Rowling, Warner Bros. and various others who all aren't connected to me in any way. No money is being made with this fanfiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

The reaction to Harry and Ginny's announcement had caused a great deal of excitement. As Sirius had predicted, Molly Weasley had burst into tears before engulfing her only daughter in a fierce hug. In between her joyful tears, Harry and the others eventually managed to discern something along the lines of '…how grown up you've become…' and '…my first grandchild.'

Hermione, after hearing the news, had immediately run over to hug Harry and offered her congratulations. After finally releasing him, Hermione had then hustled the two other female Weasleys out of the door.

Mrs Weasley's parting words had hung in the silence of the room. "Now Ginny dear, I always thought about cream and lilac for the wedding robes, but then those would make you look a bit washed out, perhaps…"

Harry had given a mental groan. In all honesty, he would have preferred to have a small no-frills wedding. Well actually, he would have preferred that Ginny had not been pregnant with his child and soon to become his wife, because he knew in his heart that she was not the one. Unfortunately, due to his fame and Mr Weasley's position as Minister of Magic, it would prove to be almost impossible to keep this whole matter discreet and low-key.

Harry made a mental note to speak to Ginny about keeping the wedding plans simple, though on second thoughts, he really did not want to get involved into that side of things … well any of it actually. He was getting married and soon to be a father. He still couldn't believe this was all happening. It was so surreal … it felt so wrong!

Harry had pushed those thoughts aside and brought himself back to the present, where he had been standing in a room filled with the Weasley men as well as Remus, Minerva, Severus, and the constantly reassuring presence of Sirius. Mr Weasley seemed to be caught between shock and confusion. Strangely enough, Bill, Charlie, and the Twins had looks of shock with hints of disbelief on their faces, while though Ron was beaming with happiness, he was also stunned into immobility by the news. It had appeared that Remus, Minerva, and Sev had taken the news rather well, though it had gone unnoticed by Harry that all three had looked between himself and Sirius several times before coming to a silent mutual decision.

Severus decided to break the silence. "Minerva. I believe you shall need to find a new Deputy Headmaster in 11 years time," he announced.

"Why?" asked the current Headmistress of Hogwarts, arching her dark eyebrow.

"I do not intend on having to put up with a third generation of arrogant, rule-breaking Potters" he sneered, though a faint smile teased his lips. "The first two were more than enough for any sane wizard's lifetime."

"And you consider yourself still sane?" Remus had dryly asked.

"More so than Black, or Potter" Severus had stated with a sniff.

**********

Harry walked towards the staff wing, after a long hard day's work preparing for the start of a new school year in a couple of day's time. He walked past Remus, who was having a conversation with Sprout, and who looked equally tired. His dear friend had sent him a quick smile and a sympathetic look, one that had confused Harry, but he was too tired to care.

The announcement of his impending wedding had been published in the Daily Prophet and the other publications had quickly picked it up. Harry had spent a moment considering who had been stupid enough to announce the news, but had quickly given up. He knew that no one at Hogwarts would have told the papers, nor would his best friends, especially since they knew how much he hated the attention. Then again, the Weasleys also knew how he hated the publicity.

It wouldn't have been all that surprising if it had been Fred and George, but forgetting the fact that Harry was their investor and close friend, it seemed so … unoriginal. No, Harry would have expected something with a bit more flair if it had been the Twins. Nor would Bill, Harry just knew it wasn't him, there was just something about the eldest Weasley. However, that had left Ginny and Harry could not believe that she would have done such a thing. No … there had to be another explanation, maybe Mr Weasley had told someone in the Ministry or Mrs Weasley mentioned it to a friend. Harry had not been able to think on the matter any further since a flock of owls had just then entered the Hall bearing gifts and letters of congratulations.

That had been two mornings ago and still a sizeable number of owls had arrived that very morning. Frankly, Harry was getting sick of the whole matter and had thrown himself headfirst into the many small tasks that had yet to be accomplished before Hogwarts could re-open it's doors.

He walked into his personal quarters, fully intent on taking a hot, relaxing shower, but stopped at the sight that lay before him. "Charlie!" he exclaimed. "At least now I know what that look Remus gave me was about."

"What, no hello for us?" said one of the twins, George.

"Oh!" Fred cried, holding his heart in mock hurt. "How you wound us."

"Yes, yes" Harry said, allowing a cautious grin to form on his face. "Hey Bill, Fred, George. Is this where you beat me up, 'cause if it is, I want to get some backup here."

Bill smiled from his seat. "No Harry. Nothing like that."

"We thought we'd just stuff you with some of our sweets instead" Fred said, a wicked glint in his eyes.

Harry took a step back towards the door. "Uh…"

"Fred!" George chastised, before approaching Harry and hugging him. "That's not a nice thing to do with our wonderful, generous, good looking, future brother-in-law investor!"

"Careful now. You know not to annoy Harry when he's in his pissed mood, and I promise you he is" Charlie laughed.

Harry growled. "Charlie!"

"What!" Charlie asked, an innocent expression painted on his face. "I wasn't the one ready to hex those poor innocent owls this morning. I swear, if Sirius hadn't managed to calm you down, there would be some poor heartbroken witches out there who would have to buy a new pet!"

George asked the question the other three wizards were all wondering. "What have you got against owls?"

"Nothing" Harry said mulishly.

Charlie chuckled and received a dark look from Harry in return. "Well I suppose that is true … it's not really the owls he has a problem with. It's what they're carrying!"

"Still not following" Bill stated.

"The owls" Harry spat. "Have been coming none-bloody-stop ever since that damned announcement in the Daily Prophet. Letters of congratulations, begging letters, and letters asking me what the baby will be called. Some are gifts and I've even had a few nasty letters from the whole 'Justin debacle' who are annoyed at my marrying!"

The four Weasleys burst out in laughter at the expression on Harry's face, lessening the tension in the room. George tried to sympathise with the annoyed green-eyed wizard. "Sorry Harry, it was just the look on your face … anyway, who leaked the news about the marriage and the baby? I'm guessing it wasn't you. Is he still alive?"

"I don't know who did, any ideas?" Harry asked in reply.

"Well it wasn't any of us, right?" Fred said, checking his brother's faces before carrying on. "Thought so. It wasn't Dad either, he knows how much you hate it all. Maybe it was Mom or Ginny."

"Ginny wouldn't tell anyone, she knows how much I hate people knowing about my life" Harry protested.

"Hey!" Fred said, hands up in defence. "It was probably a mistake, you know with the planning the women do. They probably didn't mean to say anything, but I'll check with Mum, just in case. Better make sure, rather then find out that you've got someone spying on you."

"Yeah, haven’t you still got some pesky idiotic Death Eaters still out to get you after killing their much vaulted master" George asked.

"Well yes I do" Harry admitted, "it doesn't matter much though. The Aurors are still looking for them and Sev, Remus and Minerva are here as well as Charlie, and Sirius would hurt anyone who goes after me first! Anyway, the leak, it couldn't have been Ginny. Now, as lovely as this all is and I really don't mean to be rude guys, but I've been working all day, and then Sirius tricked me into helping him sort out his new classroom and all I really want is a shower!" he moaned. "However, I assume you want to talk about Ginny and I"

"Yes," Bill affirmed as the Twins sat down on Harry's plushy sofa, dragging him down with them. "First things first. Is there a Ginny and you?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked. "I'm marrying her, you were there when she told you that."

"What we mean is … well, look Harry. It's just that this is all so sudden" George explained.

"You've never given any indication that you fancied Ginny" Fred continued. "Even at school and when she had that crush on you."

"The one she never really grew out of" Charlie muttered, drawing a chagrined look from his older brother.

"It's just a bit suspicious," Bill said, looking at Harry as if expecting an explanation.

Harry bit his lip before finally answering the four redheads currently sat in his room. "I know it's all a bit sudden, it is to me as well, but I told you the other night at the Burrow. I offered to marry Ginny because the baby shouldn't have to grow up without both parents, without a family. I know about that and I know how it feels."

"I understand that Harry" Bill replied. "I can't imagine what it was like for you, but you've already told us that. We want to know why?"

"Why what?"

"Why you're marrying our little sister when you don't love her," George asked sadly.

"Of course I love her!" Harry protested.

"Like a sister!" Charlie retorted. "Look, I don't think Mom or Ron understand the difference, and Dad's got his suspicions but he's too busy with the Ministry to worry about it."

"We however, know you better than most people, especially since you went all hermit on everyone. We love Ginny to bits, none of us will deny that, but we love you like a brother as well. You're a part of our family!" Fred explained.

"Well, not quite so much brotherly on my side!" Charlie said with a smirk while George blushed and kept his eyes on the floor, not noticing the knowing look on Fred or Bill's face.

"Anyway, that's not the point" Bill said, before turning more serious. "We want to know, I want to know why you're doing this to yourself. Ginny isn't your true love and you know it, so why do this?"

"It's not like it's completely unheard of. We can cope with the press and the gossip. Its not like we've had no experience there and we have Dad's position to protect us somewhat and you'll still be around for the baby. Why give up your happiness?" George pressed.

"What are you all on about!" Harry exclaimed as he stood up and began to pace the room, a habit he had picked up from Sirius. "For starters, the press would have had a field day if they discovered that the Minister's daughter was pregnant and the father wouldn't marry her, so don't give me that crap. Besides this is Ginny you're talking about. She's pregnant! I'm the father and you're asking me why I'm going to marry her?"

"Listen to yourself Harry" Charlie asked. "You're talking about obligation, not lov>.">."