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I Loved Her First

"It gives me great pleasure to present to you Mr.  and Mrs. Harry Potter."

The minister's words came back to Arthur as he watched the Great Hall at Hogwarts fill up.  They'd had the wedding and reception at Hogwarts in hopes of keeping away the press and any unsavoury characters.  Even though Voldemort was dead, there were still plenty of Death Eaters who had, in spite of the Ministry's efforts, evaded capture.  Hogwarts was the safest place to have it.

When everyone had finally gathered and Harry and Ginny walked into the center of the room, his eyes misted over.   The music started and Harry took her in his arms and he felt Molly squeezing his hand.  He turned to her and smiled

"Our little girl has grown up."

Look at the two of you dancing that way
Lost in the moment and each others face
So much in love your alone in this place
Like there's nobody else in the world

"I love you Daddy," Ginny's small face beamed as she saw Arthur coming in the door."I love you too, Ginny," Arthur said, picking up his little girl in his arms and spinning around with her.

"You know, I love you more than anyone else in the whole wide world," Ginny said, throwing her arms around his neck.

I was enough for her not long ago
I was her number one
She told me so
And she still means the world to me
Just so you know

"I know that it's hard to let her go, Arthur," Molly said smiling at her husband.

"It is, but they deserve this happiness.  Look at how much they have been through.  I wish them all the best."

So be careful when you hold my girl
Time changes everything
Life must go on
And I'm not gonna stand in your way

August 11, 1981

"Come on, Molly, one more push!" The healer's voice was all that Arthur could hear over the grunts and moans of his wife.  He bent down to kiss her sweaty face and push the ginger locks from her forehead.

"You're doing wonderfully, sweetheart. One more push and we'll have another son," he said, figuring that it was a pretty safe bet since they had six others.

A couple of minutes later, a baby's cry filled the room.  "Would you listen to those lungs? He really sounds healthy."

The healer smiled at the new father and held out the baby for him to take. "Mr. Weasley, I would like you to meet your daughter."

Arthur looked at the tiny baby in his arms in wonder.  They had been hoping that someday they would have a daughter, but they had had son after son.  He loved his sons, that was a fact, but a part of his heart had been hoping for a little girl.

"Molly, we have a little girl," he said quietly, almost reverently. Taking the baby over to his wife, he laid his daughter on her chest.

But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me

Arthur watched with amusement as his daughter fumbled with everything at the breakfast table.  It was obvious that she had a huge crush on Harry Potter.  Harry seemed to be oblivious.  He was being nice, to be sure, but also trying hard to ignore the giggling, fumbling redhead beside him.

"I hope that she finds someone special one day," Arthur thought to himself.  "Not too soon, but someday the right man will come along."

I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But it's still hard to give her away
I loved her first

Arthur watched Harry and Ginny swaying to the music.  By now the other members of the wedding party had joined them.  Ron and Hermione, who had been married last year, Bill and Fleur, Neville and Luna, George and Katie Bell, and countless others. 

He sighed wistfully.  It was hard to believe that his little girl was a woman now. He remembered so long ago, when...

"Read me a story, Daddy?" Ginny's voice pleaded with him

Arthur looked into those big brown eyes and knew that he couldn't resist. "What would you like to hear tonight?"

"How about Cinderella?"

Arthur smiled.  Ginny loved hearing Muggle fairy tales; he supposed that she had a little bit of him in her.  He was only halfway through the story before he saw that she had fallen asleep.  Kissing her gently on the forehead, he tucked the covers around her sleeping body.

How could that beautiful woman with you
Be the same freckle face kid that I knew
The one that I read all those fairy tales to
And tucked into bed all those nights

Arthur thought back over the years, about all the times he had seen them spend time together, and how he realized that he knew even then that this day would come.  Even though Harry and Ginny hadn't; they had both dated other people, he had known.  He had known all along.

He knew that Harry loved Ginny and would take care of her.  He was a lucky man. All of his children were happy and that made him and Molly happy. 

And I knew the first time I saw you with her
It was only a matter of time

Arthur smiled.  That was three years ago.  Now the family was gathered for another occasion, but a special occasion nonetheless.  The waiting room was packed with friends and family, waiting with baited breath.

The door opened and Harry came out with a small bundle in his arms.  The family gathered around to see.   Swaddled in a pink blanket was a tiny baby with red hair.

"It's a girl," Harry said proudly. "Jennifer Molly Potter."

From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
Someday you might know what I'm going through
When a miracle smiles up at you
I loved her first

 

A/N: Thank you to Arnel, my wonderful beta reader and thank you to Heartland, for this wonderful song which fits so well for a H/G songfic.