That was such a sweet story :) I really enjoyed it! Your writing is so good!
The first part, in Ron's POV was excellent (so was the second part, actually...overall awesomeness!); I thought your characterization of Ron was really well done. The humour was there, and his relationship with Hermione seemed very realistic. Arthur and Molly were also well done...their experience in all things baby was sweet. I did think though (just to give some constructive criticism) that Hermione was a little off, characterwise. I'm not sure why...she seemed a little too naive, I think. Then again, the story didn't focus too deeply on her, so it might just be an interpretation on my part :)
I really, really liked the mob scene (that sounds weird but you know what I mean!). I think that Harry and Ginny would be under constant scrutiny, especially at such a crucial point of their life. You portrayed this very well! That part in particular struck me.
I liked the Harry/Ginny relationship; Ginny's sarcasm, and the way she managed Harry was very true to the books. And Harry's such a sweetie.
I'm a sucker for first-birth-of- canon-couple stories, and this one got me. I loved it! Great work!!

Author's Response: Hi, there!

Thanks so much for all of the compliments. I really try hard to put everything in the character's own voice and think about how they behave and react, so I'm really glad that they worked well for you. I take your point on Hermione. I felt like she was pretty far out of her comfort zone, so she was behaving a bit off. I could see how it might look strange.

I have to imagine that all of the "heroes" of the war would have to deal with a lot of media scrutiny and interference in their lives. A momentous occasion like the birth of Harry and Ginny's first child definitely would have brought out the jackals.

Aww, I'm really glad you liked Harry and Ginny. They were so much fun to write!

Thanks so much for the surprise review. It definitely made my day!

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Hello! Here from the forums for your review. I am SO sorry it's taken me this long to get around to doing it, it was my birthday over the weekend and I got a little distracted!

I think your characterisation is perfect in this, as with the other story of yours that I reviewed. I can just picture Ron pacing and fidgeting in frustration and his mum and dad sitting calmly humouring him. The part where Molly and Arthur are explaining how their lives are going to change was lovely, I love how Ron immediately became defensive, it's so like him!

It's not often that fanfiction makes me cry but I totally teared up at Harry talking to James, Ginny too. Their first moments with their son is just so perfect, everything they do, say and worry about is exactly as I would have imagined from them.

Again, your ability to write a women's perspective amazes me, as a mother myself, Ginny's behaviour and comments after having the baby were both incredibly accurate and hilarious, I particularly loved the end line!
I can only assume that you have children yourself, if not I'm even more amazed at how well you've managed to capture the behaviour of new parents.

As for your areas for concern: the two parts hold together brilliantly, they really compliment each other and it flowed from one to the other really well. It's not too soppy at all, parenthood is never too soppy! And as I've already mentioned, I adored Harry's conversation with James.
Another beautifully written story, feel free to request again. Well done and thank you for requesting :)

Author's Response: Hi, there! Like I said before, please don't worry about how long it takes you go get to my requests. I always appreciate the offer.

I'm really glad that it was easy to picture the characters behaving the way that I have them. It's important to me that they sound real and natural. Poor Ron and Hermione are more than a little out of their element here. The world is growing up too fast around them.

Aww, I never like to make anyone cry, but I'm glad that you felt that way about Harry and Ginny's first moments alone as a family. I have 5-year-old twin boys, and I tapped into a lot of what I remember -- memory is a bit fuzzy, of course -- to write this. As far as Ginny's experience, well, I got to hear a lot about that. ;)

I'm really pleased that it all holds together well for you. That has always been my biggest concern.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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REVIEW TAG!

GAH!!! THIS IS SO CUTE! It's almost two in the morning in my neck of the global woods, and I have more than half an essay to write, which is due in tomorrow, but WHO CARES BECAUSE HARRY AND GINNY HAD A BABY!

Sorry about that - I think I got a little carried away, there. But really, this story is such a wonderful read!

First off, let me start with Ron and Hermione. I thought your take on Hermione was a bit more uptight than what I had expected, but it worked well within the story. I guess when they have kids of their own, she might loosen up a little! Ron was typically Ron. He was pretty ignorant of the magnitude of what having a baby entails, but was still very loyal towards Harry and Ginny when all those crazy people came out of nowhere. To be fair though, Hermione didn't seem to get how big of a deal a baby was, either!

Molly and Arthur were adorable! I guess it wasn't much of a surprise that two pretty decent parents would make two pretty decent grandparents, as well, and it showed. Molly acted like the maternity ward was her second home, and Arthur was a very calm and wise force in the room.

Harry and Ginny's reactions to becoming parents seemed really in character and very realistic in the setting. Even heroes don't know what to do when it comes to parenting! I liked how you showed their insecurities, fears, and general noobness in such a light and humorous way!

Actually, the entire piece was so light and funny - it was a delight! In my opinion, you handled a very monumental occasion with the right amount of humour, so that the entire piece came off as being very poignant and sweet!

I don't think I can say this enough, but this really was a really nice read!

Author's Response: Hi, there!

Sorry to keep you up so late and I hope your essay turned out alright.

I think Ron and Hermione are both a little out of sorts because they can feel life changing around them and they aren't quite sure what to make of it. Ron comes from a large family and Hermione understands what children are in an academic sort of way, but suddenly it's happening to (gasp!) people their own age. It's an unsettling feeling, from what I recall.

Molly and Arthur have now been through this six times with their own children and twice with Victoire and Dominique, so there aren't really any surprises left for them. I'm glad you liked them in this.

Harry and Ginny's reactions are more or less exactly what I remember feeling after my boys were born. Once we were back in our hospital room and the nurse walked out the door, we suddenly looked at each other and had no idea what to do next. You figure it out, obviously, but it's a very weird feeling!

I'm really glad that you liked the story. It was a lot of fun to write. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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"He felt an odd sort of anxiety looking at his wife, as though eye contact might result in an unplanned pregnancy."

haha. that was so Ron. :D

I have so many favourite lines. This is one of the cutest Ginny and Harry one shots ever. I absolutely love how you write about this two. The story was amazing. I felt fuzzy and warm inside. It almost 5 in the morning right now and I can't stop smiling.

As always, thank you.

Author's Response: Hi, there! It's really nice to see you back!

Of all the stories I've written, this is one of my absolute favorites. It was so rewarding to capture these characters in the middle of a life-changing moment that was free of any sort of sadness or loss. That doesn't happen very often in HP canon.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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Hi Dan! It seems to be a curse, really, that I read your stories without ever reviewing them...

Anyway. The first thing that strikes me when reading this story is the amount of personal experience you've included in it -- I think? This was so detailed and accurate, much more precise than all the pregnancy/giving birth scenes found around here, and wonderful to read.

The relationship between all the characters is spot on. You've got Ginny's independance, Harry's helplessness at how a real family functions, and the general 'Oh God, what do we do now?' state of mind, that, again, tends to be overlooked because for some reason all fanfiction female characters have a maternal instinct (I'm guilty of this, by the way).

So. I really loved every bit of this story, and Ginny's line at the end had me on the floor.

Great piece of writing again!

Author's Response: That's a pretty nasty curse. Good thing you found the counter-curse. ;)

There is a lot of personal experience in this one. Going to the hospital and having a child (children) for the first time is most assuredly one of the most surreal things you will ever experience. In Harry and Ginny's case, the attention they're drawing makes it even more so. I'm glad you enjoyed the reality (surreality) of the moment. To be fair, I doubt that most people who write these scenes on HPFF have ever lived them.

I'm glad you liked the way I wrote the characters. I tried really hard to stick with the way I thought of them from the books. And the, "Oh, god, what do we do now?" moment is one that I remember well.

I'm happy that you got a charge out of Ginny's closing line and that you enjoyed the story. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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Hi! Since we're having a Valentine's day Review-a-Thon, I thought I'd take the opportunity to come look at your story. And I am so glad I did!

This just made me feel so warm and fuzzy from start to finish. I love to read about families and how they work, and this look at Harry's new family was just beautiful. I can see how much it means to him to be able to give James the life he never had as a child. His "conversation" with his son was probably my favorite part of this chapter. It just really tugged at my heartstrings, and even though I've never had children, it made me think about what I might say to them when I do. You just made it so easy to put myself in Harry's position, which is a sign of a very skilled writer.

The other thing I loved was how real everything seemed. I mean, it was very heartwarming, but not in a cheesy way. Harry and Ginny are so comfortable with each other, and I love that you show us their everyday banter as well as the tender moments between them. Molly and Arthur are clearly veterans in this area, and their wisdom makes me smile. And their scene with Ron and Hermione is another high point for me, because it brings up an idea that I had never thought about. When the world around you changes, you change with it. I loved watching Ron and Hermione's apprehensive reaction to that idea, and they add a great little dose of comedy to the serious subject matter.

I'm so glad I read this; you did a great job with it! Good luck in the ship-off!

--Maggie

Author's Response: Hi, there!

I'm glad that the story resonated with you. For me, it was really rewarding to capture Harry and Ginny in this very special, very happy moment. All of the canon characters go through so many awful things in the book and more generally in fan fiction. The good times deserve a bit of play, I think too.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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Cam,

Congrats on your nomination.
This story is really sweet. I do love this conversation between Harry and his newborn. I especially liked that he mentioned so many things about his history and how it was all worth it. Awe...

And truly, Ginny is so right about his modesty.

I also liked the Weasley's insights and about choked when Hermione speaks of her experience with children as "one afternoon" with Teddy... hahaha! Funny.

Best wishes on the Valentine's poll.
Dark Whisper

Author's Response: Hi, there.

Thank for the congratulations and well-wishes. I was really proud that so many people enjoyed the story.

I wanted to capture a happy moment in Harry and Ginny's life and write the story as a gift to my beta reader. The two of them are in a difficult stretch in her story at the moment. Being able to catch Ron and Hermione in a funny moment was an added bonus.

I'm really glad you liked it. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Your style of writing is amazing! It's funny but sweet at the same time and very interesting to read. I love the way you represent Harry and Ginny. This is great!

Author's Response: I'm really glad that you enjoyed it. This was a lot of fun to write. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Hi! I am so sorry that it took me this long to leave a review on this story for you, but I've just been so very busy lately...

Excuses aside, here I am with the long-awaited review!!

I really loved this. You seem to write a lot of very dark and mysterious stuff, but this was quite fluffy and light. It was a nice change of pace, and it proves that yes, you really are the God of Harry Potter Fanfiction, because let's be honest: What CAN'T you write?! :)

I especially enjoyed Harry's characterization. I have trouble visualizing him as that totally goofy, doting, silly father, because he's been through a whole lifetime of hurt, and I thought that the little monologue he was having with baby James was very in-tune with his character after the war. Of course, he IS a loving dad, but he still remembers and is haunted by the horrors that he once faced. The story he tells is also indicative of the way your version of James will be raised: He'll grow up hearing stories about death and magic and (most of all) love, so hopefully he'll be a different guy than the people who live vicariously through fanfiction wish him to be (if you know what I mean!!).

Anyway, excellent work, as usual!! :)

~UnluckyStar57

Author's Response: Hi, there! Please don't worry about the timing. Everyone is busy and you're doing such a service to the community by offering up your time to help other authors out! I really appreciate it.

I wrote this story as a gift to my beta reader, who asked me to "write something that shows Ginny and Harry in a happy time." In her WIP, they're going through a rather dark time in their relationship and I think it's weighing on her a bit. So I went for arguably the happiest moment in any young couple's life.

What can't I write? Well, I haven't tried any song fics. And I'm not sure how slash would turn out for me, since I don't have any first-hand experience. But I'm willing to give anything a try.

I do think that Harry will be fairly doting, but more because he's trying to give his children the childhood that he never had. Ginny is more likely to be the one who metes out discipline in that household, because she doesn't want the children to grow up spoiled, like all of the nasty Slytherin kids who used to tease and bully her and Ron. Overall, I think they probably find a good balance.

I'm glad that you enjoyed this. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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HELLO!

HEY! Hey. Its me, Gabbie with your requested review and I'm done yelling for no reason at all. Hehe. So, this was the sweetest little one-shot ever! I still haven't gotten the hang of writing them myself but it was great reading this, it really took me away for a moment. The opening bits with Ron and Hermione were a surprise, since I thought you'd do the obvious thing and have it being Harry. But the conversations between Ron, Hermione, Molly and Arthur were funny and enlightening. It seems as if those two aren't really inclined on having babies just yet and I loved how you had them still like they were in canon. For some reason, I'd like to see Hermione suffering from labor pains, that's something that she wouldn't be able to control and plus, it'd just be funny to see Ron suffering a little. Heehehe. >:D
So, onto the baby and the news! How unsurprising that they were getting so much press and rude of them, if you ask me. Can't Harry and Ginny procreate without all the fuss?
I absolutely adored what you did with Harry and Ginny's relationship, I was able to gather quite a bit about it from the way they spoke with one another. I always found them so hard to write for and avoid them, Dumbledore and Snape like the plague. What you've done here shows how much they've grown and how much they've really grown to care for one another even more that they have a little baby. :3
I love kids, so excuse me for blabbering on about how adorable imagining a baby James is. I thought their moment of freaking out was pretty hilarious too and relatable, I know quite a few friends who would have done the same thing. But James was only making spit bubbles, not dying, hahaha.
So, I'm going to skip ahead a little to my favorite part of this! The ending! Haha, I'm kidding. I actually really, really appreciated and loved Harry's conversation with his son. It was probably the most touching thing I've ever read about his life and how much stronger he is for it. I don't even have proper words to go on and on about it, just know that it was lovely.
No CC's for this either, I thought you did a wonderful job! :D
And that last line? Hilarious! Hahah. I should read more of your work on my own, you're pretty darn fantastic.
Much love and thanks for the great read!
Gabbie

Author's Response: Hi, there! Sorry to take so long to respond.

I'm really glad that you enjoyed it and thought it was sweet. I guess it wasn't so hard for me to write, but I've been through the experience so I think that helped a lot.

I really try not to do obvious things at the beginning of my stories. I think it grabs the reader's interest a little more if they have to guess for a while to figure out what's going on. Anyway, I'm pleased that you liked the conversation between the four Weasleys because I was worried that it didn't fit well with the rest of the story.

I don't think there's much that Harry and Ginny *can do* without there being a fuss, but the situation in the hospital definitely got out of control. Good thing the nurse was there to restore order.

I see Harry and Ginny as both being "family people", but in different ways. Ginny has never known anything but a loving, supporting family. It's just "normal" to her. Harry craves a normal, loving family more than anything because he never had one.

I'm happy to excuse your blabbering. I was happy that you liked it so much. To me, Harry's words to James, especially the ones near the end, were straight from the heart. He finally has the thing that he's wanted for as long as he can remember. The thing that he suffered and fought and literally died for.

The last line, as well as all of Ginny's other commentary about her, um, condition, was something that I felt like I needed to keep this story realistic. Having a baby isn't all joy and cuteness and snuggles. There are some fairly gross realities that go along with the experience.

Wow. I'm tickled pink with this review. Thanks so much!

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Hello!

I'm introducing myself to everyone as the crazy girl who wants to give out 100 reviews by the end of the month. But I think we both know that I'm just a crazy girl. End of story. :P

Anywho...

This was so fluffy, Dan! I can't believe I've only seen this now. Why haven't you told me about this?! Argh. I love it!

Everything in the story melted my heart! Oh my gosh! Harry telling little James the story of everything he's been through while they were alone, I thought that was just such a perfect moment. Also, I know you're a parent, so I'm pretty sure that a part of this story was probably based on that. Maybe that's why it feels so real...so canon. :P

I noticed that the story isn't just fluff there was also humour in it like the bit where James was apparently chocking. Not that there's anything funny about a newborn child choking (but here wasn't even choking!), but it was more of Harry and Ginny's reaction. Nonetheless, them panicking like that just shows you how much they care for their son. And now I'm starting wonder, whether you panicked like Harry and Ginny did in those first few months with the twins. Every parent probably did.

And then there's Ron, Hermione! Those too are such a cute couple, but I have to admit, I found it SO weird (and funny) when Ron thought about unplanned pregnancy through eye-contact with his wife. Is that what waiting for your sister's baby does to you brain? In puts in weird thoughts? O.o

I just realised how much of a ramble this review is, but I can't help it. I like to ramble too much. D: Anyway, this was a really amazing story! I wish you'd write more fluffy stories in the near future! -nudge, nudge- wink, wink-

I'll be back soon to review more!
~Izzy

12 reviews out of 100. Will I accomplish this? O.o

Author's Response: Oh, Izzy, I've missed you!

I, um, don't know how you missed it. Maybe I've been subconsciously hiding stories from you. Bad Dan, bad!

There were parts of this that were fun to write and parts that were warm and emotional to write. James and Harry's "conversation" was a little of both.

Large parts of this were based on my own experiences, so it was pretty easy to write, actually. I'm pleased as can be that it felt very real to you. It's good to know that all the feelings came across.

Of course there's a bit of humor in it. This is me, after all. :-P I think every parent goes through that "is the baby choking?!?!?!" moment a few times before everything settles down in your brain. They seem incredibly fragile in the beginning, to the point where you wonder how they can survive. But survive they do.

I really worried about whether the first section with the four Weasleys was sufficiently connected to the second section for the story to be coherent. But I really loved putting Ron and Hermione through that odd moment of realization. I wouldn't know about waiting for a sibling's baby to be born, but I definitely think that Ron and Hermione weren't ready to be parents yet before James was born.

I'll probably write more fluffy stuff again some time. It's pretty easy to write and sometimes it clears out your brain when you've got writer's block.

Thanks so much for offering to read and review! I always love reading your thoughts and reactions. Don't be a stranger!

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On the twelfth day of Christmas...

Betcha think I wasn't going to be able to do it...

I just had to see what fluffy CambAngst was all about, so I went over to this story and...

Awww! There were some really touching moments here. Everything from Ron and Hermione trying to figure out what Molly and Arthur were up to to Harry and Ginny having their first moment with their son, you captured a very precious time for all of them.

Ron was perfect here:

"He felt an odd sort of anxiety looking at his wife, as though eye contact might result in an unplanned pregnancy."

I'll have to tell you a funny story that came to mind when I read that. I loved Molly's and Arthur's patience through all of it and the way that Ron was so impatient, but he didn't have a clue why. I'm glad the chief maternity nurse had everything well in hand, or it would have been a right mess out there, with Ron attempting to do what he thought was right at the time. As much fun as a battle scene would have been in the maternity ward, I'm sure that wasn't what you were going for.

The uncertainty and awe of both Harry and Ginny was beautifully captured. The sense of panic too, which made it all real, that, "what the heck do we do now??" moment when their baby does, well, anything really. I wonder if Ginny was regretting not reading the "boring" parts of those books that Hermione gave her. Harry, in particular, couldn't imagine what his life was going to be like, especially since he didn't have any real experiences to fall back on, which was a sad and touching point to make. It just makes me feel so glad that his story had a happy ending and that he has so many wonderful people around him to help him through this next great adventure in his life. He said some lovely things to James that I hope he ends up repeating to him when the little guy becomes more self aware. These are the things that a child never tires of hearing from his parents.

As for the ending, it was a good thing that Harry didn't have a clue what Ginny was up to in that shower. Some things don't need to be shared. Regardless, I think you covered just about all of it with her last line. ;)

Fluffy, wholesome goodness, with a touch of poignant warmth. Perfect for the season. Happy Holidays!

Author's Response: Hello, again! I am feeling so marvelously spoiled at this point, I don't quite know what to say about it. :)

Yep, this one's fluffy as can be. Obviously, I tapped into a lot of my own recollections of the day our boys were born. It all felt oddly fresh in my mind, considering the first 6 months flew by like a blur.

I really wasn't sure how well the first part of this story connected with the second part, so I'm glad that it didn't seem to bother anyone too much. I imagine Ron and Hermione getting a very different sort of "baby experience" from what Harry and Ginny are getting, but valuable nonetheless. And Molly and Arthur have obviously forgotten more about new babies than most people will ever know.

Oh, how I remember that feeling of, "ummm... what now?" It's universal, unless you come from one of those huge families full of aunts who just take over the show. Ginny and Harry both are probably wishing that they'd paid more attention to all the books and advice that people always lavish on first-time expecting parents. It doesn't make any difference, of course. Nothing can prepare you...

And no, Harry didn't have the foggiest idea what was going on with Ginny in the shower. And he's happier that way, believe me.

I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for all of your lovely, thoughtful and all-around wonderful reviews!

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There is nothing you can't write! I enjoy your lighter, happier stuff just as much as your dark dramas.

I can definitely tell that you've been through all this before, with the childbirth and what comes after. Brings all the memories of post-labor rushing back to me. D: Oh my god, Ginny had it exactly right with the word 'disgusting'. All that beautiful new joy, and then all of that...eww. *shudder* The details of Ginny needing help walking because she was still shaky, and her reaction to her...condition...it was all so realistic. Even though you're a guy and haven't delivered a child yourself, you've written it with more realism than I've ever seen on this archive, which is female-dominated and rampant with pregnancy stories. It was spectacularly done. You wrote it in such a way that it was impossible not to feel like I was right there with them.

You really have a knack for making characters sound like JKR wrote them. Like Hermione looking at Arthur with the expression in her eyes that she was going to argue her point no matter what he said.

A few of my favorite parts:

The idea of something so important happening without any ability to schedule and plan...it offended her sensibilities at a level so deep that her perfectly rational understanding of human biology couldn’t quite overcome it.
- Hermione. ♥ So, so, Hermione-ish.

He felt an odd sort of anxiety looking at his wife, as though eye contact might result in an unplanned pregnancy.
- This made me laugh out loud. Ron is one of my all-time favorite fictional people. His flaws make him so beloved.

All I have are a few old pictures that their friends saved for me and some really hazy memories that are more like feelings, really."
- I know that feeling exactly, having memories that are more so emotions. It was really impressive that you captured that and wrote it down, because it's such a human thing that we don't always really notice it.

Harry's story about his family to James made me smile. He has such a bittersweet history - lots and lots of sadness, and the bright spots mostly centering around the family he married into. A lot of people scoff at Harry ending up with Ginny, but I think it's the most natural thing in the world. Ginny embodies everything he ever wanted: family. He got his dream family at last, and Ginny's temper is the perfect match for someone who is being hailed as the savior of the wizarding world, and therefore susceptible to getting a very large head. And her easy-going-ness is good for someone who likes to blame himself and beat himself up. She is absolutely perfect for him.

What a heartwarming story. :) Thank you for participating in my challenge!

Author's Response: Hi!

First off, I'm so pleased that you found this all realistic, even the sort of yucky parts. I was going off of my own recollections from after our boys were born, and there are definitely a lot of things -- some less pleasant than others -- that tend to get glossed over in your average mismatched-couple-teen-unplanned-pregnancy-happy-ever-after fic that you find on HPFF. So I'm sorry if I took you down an unpleasant stretch of Memory Lane, but I couldn't be happier with your reaction.

When I tried to place Hermione in my own recollections of the process of having a baby, that was something that stuck out in my mind. She's so relentless with her timetables and schedules, yet here's something that simply can't be planned, organized or mapped out in advance. I bet it bugged the heck out of her! And poor Ron is struggling so badly in this. He's not quite ready to grow up that much and he's desperately hoping that Hermione isn't going to make him.

I imagine that the only memories Harry could possibly have of his parents are the emotional variety. Feelings of tenderness and security. Poor guy had to live without that for a long time...

I love your thought process on Harry and Ginny. Mostly because it's the exact same as mine!

I'm really glad that you enjoyed this. sophie seemed rather pleased with it, as well. Thanks again for organizing such a fun, rewarding challenge and thanks for reading and reviewing!

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I'm here! It took me a right minute, but I am here!

This was so, so cute! I was very pleasantly surprised that you succeeded in making it cute, but also respecting the canon characterizations, which was impressive!

I loved Arthur and Molly's little talk with Ron and Hermione. It was adorable, and I loved how Arthur and Molly acted like they were the only ones involved in a pleasant little secret. It was really cute, and it meant a lot that you involved Molly and Arthur. I know this seems silly but I've seen them forgotten, or worse, they play such unimportant part. I loved that you gave them a meaning and such a cute part to play!

The relationship that you described that Harry and James formed so quickly was very heartwarming. Not being a parent myself, I think you really described a wonderful insight. It was truly impressive.

I liked Ginny a lot. I'll admit I'm dreadfully picky when it comes to her characterization. I usually find her characterized in a way that makes her so easy to dislike, but you characterized her in a way that was likable as well as canon. I'm not particularly a stickler for canon, but I don't know if you are. If you so happen to be, you did well in keeping this canon:)

I enjoyed reading this! It was cute and heartwarming! I really hope you come back and rerequest!

xx

Ever

Author's Response: Hi, there!

So fluffy and cute was definitely what I was going for here, so I'm glad it came across that way. But I try very hard to keep my stories canon, so overall I'm really happy with your reaction.

Arthur and Molly do find Ron and Hermione very amusing in this. Ron and Hermione are in that stage of adulthood and their relationship where kids are sort of a touchy topic. They know it's something they're probably going to do eventually, but they don't want to rush into it. I imagine that Molly and Arthur played a huge role in the lives of all of their grandchildren, so it made sense to have them there from the start.

I tend to think that Harry was totally gobsmacked by James from the moment he laid eyes on him. He's been through so much in his life and all he ever wanted was a normal, loving family like everybody else. James's birth was sort of the pinnacle of everything that he'd ever fought and suffered for.

I'm pretty picky about Ginny, too. To really enjoy her in a story, she has to have that spark of temperament but also the tenderness and loving side.

I'll certainly re-request at some point, although this is the only really fluffy, cute story I have right now. The rest are all more dramatic or angsty or in one case, humorous. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Tag!

This was a cute little one-shot. I liked your take on Harry & Ginny and their first kid. You got their characters crafted quite well. In the beginning, you got Ron & Hermione quite well too, though I'd think Ron would want a family too soon. But anyway, I liked the one-shot overall, and the way you wrote this. It made a sweet read :)

Good work! 10/10

Cheers!
AD
(AditiDraco95)

Author's Response: I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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What a cute, wonderful story! Harry and Ginny panicking over James was hilarious! I loved this from start to finish. Great job!

Author's Response: I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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That was lovely. The perfect fluffy story to suit my mood.

Author's Response: I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun to write. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Tag...

I thought this was a really nice little read, and I almost wished there was more to it. This was really nice.

Keep Writing.

Author's Response: Thanks for reviewing.

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Hello! Reviewing from the thread in the Gryffindor forum!

When I saw this on your author page I just had to read it, because I've really been looking for something like this, the way Harry feels when first becoming a parent.

I enjoyed it a lot. It's funny and sweet but at the same time it really dawns on you while reading that from this moment on everything will change for the characters, even for those that don't actually get to take care of a baby full time.

I loved the part where Harry is left alone with James and he talks to him. It was so emotional and sweet, you could actually feel his fatherly love growing as you read. And it was also a great way of expressing just how much Harry has gone through and the love he has for his family.

Lovely story, it was a fantastic read!

Author's Response: Hi, there!

I was able to draw on some personal experience for this, and it was fun to write. Once the ball got rolling, I think I finished the whole thing in 3 or 4 hours. It is a big change, and I'm glad that came across.

Harry's talk with James summed up a lot of what I think he would have felt after reaching yet another big life milestone that he never could have imagined as he trudged into the forest to meet Voldemort. When you put things in that context, it always gets my muse going.

So glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading and reviewing.

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It's Roots in Water here with your review!

One sentence pretty much sums up exactly how I feel about this story: I LOVED it. I think that you did a fabulous job with it; it's an adorable look into their first day as parents.

You characterized Ron wonderfully, as always. His comment about the nurses' annoying updates worked wonderfully with the situation and Hermione's comment about how they had once babysat Teddy "for a whole afternoon" was funny in its naivety.

Arthur and Molly were perfect in their roles as the experienced parents and grandparents that they are and I loved the glimpse into their relationship that you provided when they teamed up to explain to Ron and Hermione just how their lives would change.

The transition between the first section and the second worked well, especially since the crowd of orderlies was very similar to the crowd in the hallway just a few minutes previous. If, however, you wanted to make it smoother, I would add a small piece to the end of the sentence "The four Weasleys then made their way back down the hall" saying something along the lines of "leaving Harry and Ginny alone with their newborn son". Just a little something to make the transition that much smoother. :)

As well, I noticed that you ended the phrase "having a baby?" with a question mark. Should the question mark be a period because I'm pretty sure that they know that they're not having a baby. :)

Anyway, I love Harry and Ginny's worry when they're first left alone. Of course they wouldn't be confident of their abilities to be parents; of course they would panic. Their comments about how they wouldn't know about caring for a baby since they were the last/only child were nice additions to the chapter and their worries that James was choking was hilarious! Did you draw on personal experience for this scene?

I noticed one other quick thing: Harry said that he would tell James about his life before Hogwarts when he was older and then tells him about it a few paragraphs later... Harry's concluding speech about how his birth made everything worth it was very sweet, though.

All in all, I think that you did a fantastic job with this one-shot and I very much enjoyed reading it! Thanks so very much for requesting and I hope that my comments are helpful!

Author's Response: Hi, there! Sorry to take so long to get to responding. Busy weekend.

I'm really glad that you liked this story. When sophie asked for a happy Harry/Ginny story, I had a bunch of ideas but none of them really came to a particularly satisfying conclusion. Then this one popped into my head and the ball just started rolling. I think I wrote the whole thing in about 3 or 4 hours.

I was a little worried that the first section didn't connect well with the rest, so I'm glad that didn't bother you. Ron and Hermione are a lot of fun to write in this situation. It's clearly an awkward topic for both of them, and I liked tormenting the two of them for just a bit before moving on into the major part of this.

That's not a bad idea on the transition between sections. I struggled with that part. I didn't want to make it more drawn out than it needed to be, but it felt pretty inadequate. I'll also hunt down that bit about having a baby.

Oh, there is a lot of personal experience being tapped into for Harry and Ginny's section. ;) It's a very surreal thing, suddenly finding yourselves all along with a newborn baby and realizing that the care of said baby is now your responsibility. With Harry and Ginny both being so young, relatively speaking, I have to imagine it's even more strange for the two of them.

Eh, I wasn't totally thrilled with that disconnect in Harry's speech, either. My thought was that talking to James at this age is really more like talking to himself. I'll have another look at it.

Again, I'm really pleased that you enjoyed it. This was my first foray into writing something that was purely feel-good fluff, and I wondered how it was going to turn out. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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So I've been lacking in my reading/reviewing and writing so I figured I should start out with your one-shot before moving on to Jami! XD

Hello again! :D

I can already relate to this story. Specially Hermione at the beginning. Ron makes me laugh and it felt that his character was very spot on. I always thought of Ron as a guy who never wanted to have children due to the way he was raised, you know. After seeing his parents struggle with all the children he seems to be deterred from having some of his own. Until James is born. Haha. In a way this story is like my head canon.

Just so you know, you made my ovaries hurt with this story! hahaha!I know, TMI but still! I want kids so bad already but alas, the both of us are not on the same page yet. However, funny enough...I'm afraid of holding newborns. I get this paranoid feeling and I'm like Harry..."what if I drop him/her?"

"Just not your Uncle Ron. I try not to point it out, but he's even more confused than I am. It's a good thing your Aunt Hermione is crazy about him."--I just had to laugh at that because it is true. I don't think Ron could've managed to speak to a girl in a proper way let alone go on a date until his early twenties.

"I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, but it was all worth it. Because I'm here now with you and your mother." He stared at James's tiny face peeking out from the blue bundle in his lap and felt a tear slide down his cheek. "I'd do it all over again, every awful moment of it, to have what I have now."--You got me teary eyed right there.

The one thing I wish to have seen is Molly and the other three coming in to meet James. Hermione gushing over the child and looking over at Ron almost saying "I'm ready, let's have kids!" while Ron runs away. Hahaha! But that's just me and my imagination. XD

As always this was a great read! Can't wait to see what else you're going to do!

Author's Response: Hi, there!

I think you've got Ron just about right. At least *my* Ron, anyway. The poor guy is about to have a major change of heart, though, and Hermione will obviously play a major role in that, as will James.

Let's see, since you've started reading my writing, I've put smiles on your face, brought tears to your eyes, and now I'm making your ovaries hurt. For my next act, I'm thinking of something involving your liver or possibly your spleen. ;) The only counsel I can offer on when to have kids is that I personally feel kind of glad that I waited until I was in my 30's. I'm not sure I was mature enough in my 20's to have handled it. But that's just me. To each their own.

Harry's trying to set James up with the right perspective on his relatives from an early age. And Ron is definitely not the right guy to ask about girls.

Aww, I made you cry again. I was so hoping that would affect your small intestine somehow. ;) That line is actually my favorite in the entire piece and one of the things I had written in my notes for this before I even started to write the rest of it. I think it captures something essential about Harry.

I really gave a lot of thought to rounding this out with the four Weasleys fussing over little James, but somehow that just seemed a bit anticlimactic after Harry and Ginny's big ending. Another story, perhaps...

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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too cute! having thoroughly stalked down your authors page after reading CoB, I can guess that some of this was inspired by personal experience ;) well it seems that way, because it's brilliantly portrayed and it certainly did come across as a bit more than meaningless fluff :)) good job as always!

Author's Response: Hi, there.

Well, I don't have any personal experience with being hounded by autograph-seeking fans, but most of what happened after Harry and Ginny make it to their room was inspired by my own experience after my kids were born. I'm glad it seemed like more than meaningless fluff, but fluff was the best category choice I could find.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Hi there! My apologies for the lateness of this review; I've been feeling a bit under the weather as of late.

First off, I think your characterization of everyone is spot-on. I really admire a fanfiction author who can stay true to canon and have it be realistic--I *loved* Ron in particular, and the moment when he looked at Hermione to be sure that she didn't want to start a family right away either. That could've been bad! :)

I also love your characterization of Ginny and Harry as young parents, and how Harry was essentially saying, "So, what now?" haha. Perfect. I think it's very easy to make moments like these almost horribly sappy or sentimental, and I think that yours strays from that and is entirely realistic. Especially how panicked they got when they thought he was choking. So realistic.

Your ending was really cute, too. I like your portrayal of Ginny, even a bit more than JKR's XD Nice work!

Author's Response: No worries on the timing! I really appreciate all the reviewers who offer up their time.

I write canon stories. It's my thing, so I'm really glad you thought it all sounded realistic. I used to be very intimidated by writing Ron. He's very tricky. It's hard to get him to sound right. But I learned to really enjoy it while I was in the middle of my long novel.

Ginny and Harry's first moments as new parents are pretty much exactly how I remember feeling after my sons were born, except for the part about being famous. There's really nothing sentimental about the feeling. You're just scared and overwhelmed.

The ending just felt right to me, so I'm glad you liked it.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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Me again. Brace yourself for the anticlimax, especially since I'm not sure how many months it's been since I last read a fic with Harry in it.

So I'm lying in bed with Victorian novel disease and this actually helped to cheer me up a bit, so well done you.

Ron is lovely in this fic. I liked him with Hermione and the awkward-yet-nice family dynamic they've got with his parents here, with the whole "you're gonna have babies soon!" thing and this line:
>He felt an odd sort of anxiety looking at his wife, as though eye contact might result in an unplanned pregnancy.
That was a fun mental image. Imagine if that really happened... O.o
I mean I know this fic is not about Ron at all, but I've got a soft spot for him, and... erm, yeah.

Anyway. Moving on. I'd have never have thought of the press turning up - how optimistic I am - but you and your OC have handled it well, so you've got that realism without letting go of the story. If that makes any sense at all. Honestly, I'd be surprised if it did.

Ginny and Harry are all kinds of adorable in this one, even if I usually ship Ginny/Luna and Ginny/Fleur and Ginny/Pansy and basically have her in my mind as a complete and utter lesbian. I can see why you ship Hinny (God, isn't that an awful name). I think it's safe to say that I wouldn't mind if you decided to become a romance writer.

But: gross is an Americanism & your Ginny uses it a lot. It was a bit distracting.

And you really shouldn't talk about your fic in your Author's Note as being your latest because you update so often by the time you've got upwards of three reviews you've written something else entirely. :P

Author's Response: Well, you know that I live to cheer you up, my friend!

The more I thing about this review, the better I feel. If the only two things you could take issue with were one word that's overly American and the content of the author's note, I must have done pretty well. As far as "gross" being overly American, what's your suggested replacement? Come on, now, you can't point out a problem that simple without telling me how to fix it!

The press has hounded Harry for most of his life since age 11, so I don't see why they would stop just because the war was over.

I love writing Ron. When I first started CoB, it was honestly very intimidating. It's hard to capture that essential... Ron-ness. To get that little bit of selfishness and immaturity that goes along with this very loyal, salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. And to not strand him in the Second Banana Zone behind Harry and Hermione. But the more I wrote him, the more I started to enjoy it. He's a lot of fun.

OK, if you ship Ginny with all of these other characters, why have we not seen this on your author's page? Because all of those sound like very interesting pairings. Pansy, especially. I really want to know how you get that one to work. And I completely loathe combo-names for ships like Hinny, Snily and the granddaddy of all awful ship names, Dramione. That turns me off as much as people who use the term "Wotter" in Next Gen fics. OK, it actually doesn't. Nothing turns me off as much as Wotter. Instant click on the Back button.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, at any rate. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Awww! So many happy feelings reading this story. It was so sweet, especially near the end, with the stories.

I loved the beginning, with Arthur telling Ron and Hermione they'd change their views because of the people around them. Because everything changes after a baby is born, it's only natural, and it was portrayed very well in this. I wonder what they'd say after meeting little James, that would be fun to see.

What I love most, though, is how you added all these different genres together to make this one perfect story; the cute fluff/romance with Harry, Ginny and James, the bit of drama with the staff in the middle, and the added humor, particularly Ron humor, that is my favorite (he deserves his own form of humor, Ron does :P)

This sentence in particular made me laugh: 'He felt an odd sort of anxiety looking at his wife, as though eye contact might result in an unplanned pregnancy.' It was just an 'oh, Ron' moment which I loved. :D

You write the 'Trio' character all really well, which I'm slightly jealous off (because I can only write Harry. Sometimes. :P). And it was great that I could 'see' this in my mind while reading. I love your writing.

Thank you for requesting this story for a review. It shall now be added to my favorites. :)

SamMalfoy.

Author's Response: Hi! First off, thanks so much for the offer! That was really nice of you and 500 reviews is an impressive accomplishment.

I'm kind of relieved that you liked the section with the four Weasleys at the beginning. As I was editing my first draft, I began to question whether it was connected *enough* to Harry and Ginny's section to feel like a natural part of the story. I liked it, though, so I decided that the theme of life transitions -- voluntary or not -- was enough to tie it all together.

I'm usually guilty of not being able to stick to a single genre. With these characters, it's just too much fun to put them in different types of situations and see how they respond.

By the time CoB was over, I'd had a lot of experience writing the trio. The author and story this is dedicated to are also very immersed in the trio right around this age. It's really what I enjoy doing most, so I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Once again, thanks so much for reviewing this. You gave me a really good feeling that I accomplished what I set out to!

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