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Bill didn't often feel shy.
To be honest, he wasn't sure if he'd ever felt that, whatever Mum said about his childhood. The thing about growing up with six rowdy younger siblings was that there was little opportunity for emotions like that.
Weasleys had always operated on a system of grab first and hard.
But now, standing on Grimmauld Place's doorstep, he felt shyer than he ever had before—even when he'd been inducted into the Order in this very place.
When he finally gathered the courage to go in, his brother's freckled face was the first thing he saw, tension that changed to bewilderment. He wondered if the baby would inherit the Weasley freckles, or if the Delacour perfection would cancel them out.
"Bill?" Ron questioned, hand on his wand. Being an Auror hadn't made him any less of a quick-draw or wary.
That wasn't a surprise. Bill didn't see his little brother and his best mate outside of the weekly dinners at the Burrow, the occasional party and the rare excursion to Shell Cottage for 'beach day' or to visit Dobby's grave.
"Is Harry home?" He asked, not commenting. They'd left security questions behind a while back.
"Yeah. Just got back, so he'll be arguing with Kreacher in the back." He jabbed a thumb vaguely in the direction. "See you around." He stepped out and disapparated.
Bill found Harry exactly there, with a still healing cut on his cheek. Kreacher disappeared in a huff as he turned to Bill. "Hey. What brings you here?"
"Wanted to talk to my kid brothers," he said, perching on a chair. That brought a flicker of a smile to Harry's face. "Ask for advice from one of them."
Now his eyebrows furrowed. "From me? What about?"
He took a deep breath, unable to believe the words even as he said them. "Fleur's pregnant."
Harry beamed, glowing almost as much as Fleur. "Wow! That's - congratulations!"
He grinned in return, nodding his thanks, before taking a breath and continuing: "And since you're the only one in the family who's a parent. . ."
His probably soon-to-be brother-in-law only looked confused for a moment, before realization dawned and reflexively: "I'm not Teddy's parent—"
"Maybe not, but you do have experience in the role," Bill pointed out. Then he sighed. "How did you cope? You're eighteen."
And he, almost a decade older, was quaking in his boots at the thought when he had half a year to prepare.
"I guess. . ." Harry said slowly. "It's about loving them. No matter what. That's the important part. The rest of it, the actual practicalities, you'll learn along the way. Especially when you have people with you, to support and teach. Like you have your parents. And Fleur, of course."
The way his gaze softened and flicked to a photo of Ginny on her broom, raising her fist in triumph and winking at the camera, it was fairly obvious who he was thinking of.
Bill hadn't known of their relationship until after the war. He hadn't realized the reason Ginny had been especially upset before his wedding, the reason she'd been targeted and dismissed by Death Eaters especially as the Chosen One's ex.
But it was impossible to miss after. They didn't overtly show it, didn't kiss or grope each other or anything in front of them, but the way they gravitated to one another was obvious. How when in vicinity they were always touching, light, comfortable. Pinkies joined, arm around the waist, leaning on each other, comforting presses, soft pecks to the forehead and cheek. How they looked at each other, soft and playful and communicating non-verbally through small tics.
How tactile Harry was with her, in ways he had never been with anyone. Not even Ron and Hermione, who had previously been the only ones who could touch him without prompting a flinch or discomfort.
Sometimes seeing all that felt more voyeuristic than if they'd caught sight of them actively having sex.
Harry had always been family, of course. Ever since Ron had sat in his compartment, probably.
But his relationship with Bill's little sister brought that more in focus than anything else.
He didn't think he could've approached anyone else Ginny might have dated for advice on something like this.
"And you?" He raised an eyebrow.
Harry blushed faintly, cleared his throat. "If I'm still around, absolutely."
"Don't see how you can get away from us now, really," he laughed.
"Good thing I don't want to, then." Harry grinned. He glanced at Uncle Fabian's watch. "If you stick around for a bit, you can see Teddy. Get some experience too."
Bill nodded. "And till then, you can tell me what Ginny's up to."
Harry raised a brow. "She writes to your mum. Don't tell me she doesn't discuss every detail with you lot."
"She does, but Ginny definitely tells you more. So. Out with it, Potter."
Harry laughed and obliged.