Pickles and Ice Cream

~~~~~

Ginny sighed. It was really getting a tad annoying. Yes, she was pregnant, and yes, she was only sixteen, and yes, she was his only sister, but did Ron really need to baby her so much? Every time she so much as suggested that she had a slight craving for anything, he would go and get it for her within minutes. He was starting to walk her to class, holding her hand on stairways. And he refused to let her play Quidditch in her ‘condition’. He wouldn’t even let her go outside to watch the matches because ‘the cold was damaging to her health.’ It was ridiculous! Ever since he had decided to be their Secret-Keeper, he had apparently put aside his hatred of Malfoy and focused on helping his little sister. But this was going a tad overboard. Finally, she just couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’ll be right back. I’m in the mood for some chocolate ice cream and a dill pickles. I’ll just go make a quick trip to the kitchens,” Ginny said to anyone who happened to be listening as she got up from the Gryffindor common room couch. She had to struggle just slightly to stand, as her rounded belly was starting to show.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it!” Ron said as he eagerly jumped up and walked to the portrait hole.

“No need. I can go,” she replied.

“I insist. You should be resting, after all.”

“Ron, I am four months pregnant, not weak and diseased. Now let me go get my food.”

“But it’s really no trouble at all. Don’t worry about it.”

“Argh! Stop worrying about me so much! It is Draco’s job to do all of this pampering stuff, not yours. You know, if you don’t cool off, people will start to think that you’re the father.”

Ron just stood there, his whole face turning bright red. Harry and Colin Creevey were clutching their sides in laughter, hardly able to keep from falling out of their chairs. Even Hermione was trying to stifle a small giggle. Ginny left them like that as she went to get her ice cream.

~~~~~

“I heard about your little conversation with your brother in your common room yesterday,” Draco said with a smirk later that night as Ginny sat on his lap in the Greenhouse. It was too cold for them to be outside, but they didn’t want to be in the castle with everyone else. This was their time to be alone and just talk.

“Oh, you did, did you?”

“Yes. Rather amusing, that comment about Ron being the father of the baby. That’s my Ginny,” he said proudly, patting her on the knee.

“Wipe that smirk off your face. How do you know it’s not true?” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Because that would be icky.”

Ginny laughed. “It’s so good to be able to talk with you. The people in my house are so, well, boring.”

“I know. You will never find anyone as interesting as me,” he said playfully.

“Oh, shut it. Don’t be so arrogant.”

“But you love me anyways,” he said with a grin.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, the smile on her face not faltering.

“Actually, I thought we should talk about what happened.”                                                  

“What is this? A Slytherin wanting to talk it through? What has happened to the world as we know it?” she said, in mock surprise.

“Oh, you shut it. I just don’t like the thought of Ron being the one to get my love her ice cream when she needs it.”

“Aww, poor Drakie’s jealous!”

“I just want you to be cared for properly. And don’t call me that!”

“Oh, and Ron couldn’t take care of me, Drakie?” She giggled as she emphasized his name.

He scowled, choosing to ignore the ‘Drakie’ comment. He had learned the hard way that girls were not pleasant if you really crossed them when they were pregnant. “Yes, but I could do it better. I don’t like you only having him to rely on when you need something. That’s why I got you this.” He held out an absolutely gorgeous necklace. The pendant was a sideways figure eight with a gem set in each half. One was an emerald, the other was a ruby. It hung on a fine silver chain. The whole piece sparkled in the fading daylight.

“I had it made special for you,” he explained. “It symbolizes you and me, together forever. See the infinity sign it makes?”

“Infini-what?”

“Nevermind.” He had forgotten her low exposure to things like math. “Anyways, all you have to do is hold the pendant in your hand if you need me, and I’ll come. It’s charmed to send me a signal.”

“Draco, I love it! It’s beautiful! Thank you so much!” she gushed.

“Allow me to put it on,” he said before placing it around her neck. “You’re welcome, but please don’t tell anyone I gave it to you. I do still have a reputation, you know.” He grinned as she gave him a playful smack on the shoulder.

~~~~~

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