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Blaise sighed as he sat to the side of the baby shower, watching as Ginny opened the presents.
As a rather large box was pushed forward by Luna, someone took a seat next to Blaise. Turning slightly, Blaise raised an eyebrow when he spotted Ron sitting next to him with a glass of firewhiskey extended towards him.
“Take it, Zabini,” Ron stated, holding the glass out to Blaise again.
“Your sister will kill me if she sees me drinking that at her baby shower,” Blaise replied, causing Ron to shrug indifferently.
“She’s already mad at you though.”
“I suppose,” Blaise sighed, accepting the glass from Ron finally. “Though I’m not responsible if your wife catches you.”
“Everyone’s watching Ginny,” Ron pointed out before taking a sip of his own firewhiskey. The two men sat in silence for a moment before Blaise turned back to Ron.
“Somehow I feel that you’re not just here to offer me a drink, Weasley.”
“I’m not,” Ron admitted, nodding slightly as he swirled his drink around in its glass. “Just wanted to ask how you managed to get yourself kicked out of your own house.”
Blaise scoffed at the statement, though Ron’s gaze didn’t waver.
“I tried to help her.”
“You’re going to have to elaborate on that, Zabini.”
“I suggested that we move downstairs until the baby’s born,” Blaise explained, leaning back in his chair, and taking a sip of firewhiskey. “So that she wouldn’t have to go up and down the stairs.”
“And then what happened?” Ron pressed, knowing there was more to the story.
“Well, she disagreed and told me that I was being overprotective and that she could make the decisions for herself.” Blaise paused for a moment before shaking his head. “So, I may have gone slightly behind her back and gotten your mother involved.”
“And there it is,” Ron mused, glancing at Blaise over the rim of his glass.
“Your mum and I agreed that she shouldn’t be going up and down the stairs. She’s only two weeks away from her due date and I don’t want her to fall,” Blaise started to ramble, leaning back in his chair. “And she might have kicked me out after your mum let it slip that she came over to try and persuade Ginny at my request.”
“Yeah, Gin’s a bit stubborn,” Ron agreed, causing Blaise to glance over at his wife.
“I think that’s a bit of an understatement,” he sighed, taking another sip of his firewhiskey. Blaise took a moment to think before he turned back to Ron. “Is this the part where you give me the big brother speech about treating your sister right and threaten me?”
“No, because for once we agree on something, Zabini.”
“The world must be ending if we’re getting along,” Blaise joked half-heartedly. They both watched as Ginny unwrapped a mobile with little dragons attached to it from Charlie. Blaise glanced over at Hermione, who stood beside Ginny with the next present. “Though I suppose that you’ll understand in a few months.”
Ron nodded, glancing over at Hermione, whose own baby bump had just started to peek out.
“I don’t think that Hermione will bite my head off in the same way Ginny is with you, though.”
“Maybe, but Ginny never made me take an exam on pregnancy or childcare,” Blaise shot back at his brother-in-law.
“Hermione wouldn’t do that . . .” Ron chuckled nervously. Blaise raised an eyebrow, glancing between Hermione and Ron.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, mate. But don’t come Floo-ing to our house because you failed it,” Blaise replied calmly. Ron glanced over at his wife again before he shrugged.
“Harry’s couch is bigger anyways.”
The two soon-to-be fathers were pulled out of their conversation when Bill walked over with baby Louis resting in his arms.
“You’re drinking firewhiskey?” Bill asked, glancing between the two younger wizards.
“Just taking shelter from angry pregnant women,” Blaise supplied as Bill took a seat next to Ron.
“Yeah, Mum explained to me how Ginny kicked you out, Blaise,” Bill admitted, causing Blaise to sigh.
“Glad to know that news of our marital fights is being passed around at family events,” Blaise muttered, taking another sip of his firewhiskey.
“If it makes you feel better, most of the family took your side,” Bill offered, causing Blaise to turn to him. “Don’t tell Ginny I told you that though.”
“Your dad said that I should just wait it out,” Blaise sighed, leaning back in his chair.
“Probably for the best,” Bill agreed as Louis grabbed the end of his ponytail. “She’s ready to pop. At this point any slight inconvenience or argument is a big deal to her because she’s so uncomfortable already. And you’re kind of at fault for that.”
“Did Fleur ever kick you out while she was pregnant?”
“Once or twice,” Bill admitted with a sheepish smile. “But she got over it. Ginny will too. But probably not if your breath smells like firewhiskey.”
“Good point.” Blaise pulled out his wand, muttering a quick charm on his mouth, before standing up. Handing Ron his remaining firewhiskey, Blaise straightened up. “Now, I should probably help her get everything packed away.”
“It was nice knowing you, Zabini,” Ron joked, causing Bill to shake his head.
Blaise cautiously walked over to Ginny, who was in the middle of a conversation with Luna and Hermione about the nursery. Hermione was the first to spot his approach and got to her feet.
“I should go check on the cake,” she lied, sharing a look with Luna, who also got to her feet.
“I’ll come with you.”
Ginny glared at her friends, who made quick exits, before turning to Blaise. Her husband and father of her child waited patiently for Ginny to acknowledge him. But she took her sweet ass time in doing that, letting him sweat for a bit.
“You’re here,” she stated, pursing her lips together.
“I was invited. It is my baby after all,” Blaise replied calmly before plopping into the seat next to Ginny. “Did you get everything that you wanted?”
Ginny nodded with her arms crossed over her chest.
“We can start setting up the nursery tomorrow then.” Ginny nodded again, though the sour look remained on her face. “Ginny, can we talk about all of this?” Blaise sighed, trying to hide his exasperation.
“About what? About how you went behind my back and told on me to my mother?” Ginny snapped, glaring at Blaise, who held up his hands innocently.
“That was wrong, and I admit that. I’m sorry for going behind your back.”
“And?”
“For lying to you.”
“And?”
“For getting your mother involved.”
“And?”
“Trying to tell you how to handle your own pregnancy.”
“And?”
“Trying to tell you . . . what to do?”
“And?”
“Not getting you the right kind of ice cream from the store?” Blaise tried, starting to run out of things.
“And?”
“And . . . I don’t know what else,” Blaise replied honestly before leaning forward and grabbing her hand. “But I’m sorry for that as well, whatever it was.”
“I just wanted to see how many things you would apologize for,” Ginny admitted jokingly, resting a hand on her bump.
“I swear, Ginny,” Blaise huffed, shaking his head.
“Hey, I’m growing your child. Consider this payback,” she spoke, jabbing him in the side. “I could rip my vagina to bring your spawn into the world—”
“—Bloody hell, Gin,” Fred gagged from a few feet over. “Did not need to hear those words coming out of my little sister’s mouth.”
“Then don’t listen in, you prat,” Ginny snapped before turning back to Blaise. “I could rip my vagina, my bloody nipples hurt against every fabric that I own, and I can’t even see my fucking toes anymore,” Ginny continued to list off. Blaise nodded along, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand. “And it’s all your fault.”
“It is my fault,” Blaise agreed, pressing a kiss to her palm. “And for the record, I don’t want anything bad to happen to your lovely vagina—”
“—People are trying to eat over here!” George added, causing Ginny to flip him off.
“Ginevra!” Molly Weasley scolded, shaking her head at her daughter. “You’re a grown woman now, stop flipping off your brother!”
“How about we cut the cake?” Blaise suggested, trying to diffuse the situation. “Will that make you feel better?”
“What flavor is it?” Ginny asked softly. Blaise glanced over at Molly for help.
“Chocolate, dear,” Molly answered, earning a thankful nod from Blaise.
“Okay,” Ginny conceded, holding out her hands for Blaise to help her stand up.
Blaise didn’t question how one day Ginny wanted to bite his head off for trying to help her to requesting his help with something as simple as getting up the next. He wanted to sleep in his own bed.
“Let’s go eat some cake,” Blaise stated, leading her inside with an arm wrapped around her waist.
As Ginny sat inside, happily ate her second slice of cake, and chatted with Fleur and Angelina about the nursery, Blaise was approached by a rather amused Arthur Weasley.
“Have you been let back in?” he joked at Blaise’s expense.
“I’ll just keep sliding her slices of cake until she agrees to take me back.”
Arthur spared Blaise a chuckle as he glanced over at his daughter.
“It’ll get better, Blaise. This last stage of pregnancy is always the hardest. For both of you,” Arthur Weasley advised his son-in-law. And if there was anyone in the room who Blaise trusted to give him fatherly advice, it was Arthur Weasley. “But soon you’ll have your child and then you two can start the next chapter of your lives together.”
Before Blaise could respond, Ginny’s startled yelp caused the party to go silent. Blaise rushed over to her as Ginny held her bump with a nervous expression on her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked urgently, kneeling beside her.
“Just some false labor pains again,” she wheezed out. Blaise nodded and held out his hands.
“Let’s get you up. Standing up helped last time,” Blaise reminded her.
Ginny took his hands and allowed him to pull her up. She groaned again, leaning slightly on Blaise. He held her in his arms, massaging her sore and tired muscles. But after a few moments and a couple deep breaths, Ginny sighed in relief.
“Gone?” Blaise suggested.
“Gone,” she agreed, standing up straighter.
Blaise smiled and nodded in relief until Ginny gasped out. Her grip on his arms tightened suddenly. Before Blaise could even ask what was wrong, the ground underneath Ginny suddenly became soaked with amniotic fluid, causing Blaise’s eyes to widen.
“Shit,” Blaise cursed, before looking up at Ginny. “We should get you home.”
“Is it even safe to go?” Ginny whimpered as Molly rushed over to her duaghter.
“You’re still early enough along that you can go by Floo. But Blaise should hold you up,” Molly explained, taking charge. Blaise wrapped an arm around Ginny’s waist again.
“Come on, let’s get moving.”
“They weren’t supposed to come yet,” Ginny whispered out, concerned.
Blaise nodded along, leading her towards the Floo as the Weasley’s scrambled behind them. Luna had already run off to grab the midwife for them and Hermione stood beside Ginny as they walked along, supporting her.
“They were just so excited by everything going on,” Hermione tried to soothe her friend.
“I don’t want to rip my vagina,” Ginny whimpered, causing Blaise to share a look with Hermione. “I just know this baby has your fat head, Blaise.”
“The midwife can place a charm so that you don’t rip,” Blaise reminded Ginny gently as they entered the living room. “You’ll be alright.”
“Easy for you to say,” Ginny scoffed as Blaise reached for some Floo powder. “No vagina, no opinion.”
“Noted. Can we please get you home now?” Blaise asked with some urgency.
Eight hours and one non-ripped vagina later, Ginny sat up in her bed with her daughter suckling happily from her breast. Blaise stared down with an amazed look and dreamy smile still plastered across his face as he took in the image of his daughter.
“Have you two decided on a name yet?” Molly questioned with a proud smile from the end of their bed. “The midwife has the birth certificate ready. All we need is the baby’s name.”
“Chiara,” Ginny answered immediately.
Blaise stared at her with surprise. That was the first name, and secretly his favorite, that he suggested when they were first debating baby names. Ginny shot it down rather quickly and Blaise didn’t fight her on it too hard despite his liking towards the name. He just assumed that she forgot about it.
“You’re sure?” he whispered to his wife. Ginny nodded and pressed a kiss to Blaise’s cheek.
“I’m sure.” Ginny smiled before turning back to their daughter. “Chiara Luna Zabini.”
“It’s perfect,” Blaise replied softly. He pressed a kiss to Ginny’s head and placed his hand against his daughter’s back. “She’s perfect.”
Molly crept quietly out of the room to inform the midwife of the baby’s name as Blaise and Ginny enjoyed the quiet moment with their daughter. Their earlier arguments were completely forgotten as they focused on their little girl, who continued to happily suckle with one of her little hands curled around her father’s pinky finger.