A/N: I'm really sorry it's later than I expected; I got caught up in a new book…you know how it goes. Anyway, the next chapter is already written, I should be able to get it out either later tonight or tomorrow night. Forgive me and review! I beg of you!

Karen crashed to her feet, trying to control her anger. Her shoulders were locked in tension and her mouth was open, gaping. Dudley stood only a second behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. He wasn't angry; he was mortified. He knew that he and his actions had brought this on.

Karen spoke. "I know that the two of you think that this is best, and you really are trying to help, but," She bit back the spiteful words that rose to her mouth. Harry interrupted before she could finish.

"Please understand," he said a begging expression in his eyes, "we only want what's best for us all, and especially for any children." Ginny put her hand on her stomach.

I know," said Karen, perhaps a little shorter than she should have been. "It's obvious that you care," she hesitated and glanced at Dudley. She looked away and continued forcefully. "But no matter what my husband feels, I will love any children of mine, whether they have magic or not."

Dudley breathed a sigh of relief and touched his wife's face. "Karen, I agree."

Harry looked shocked, whereas Karen was delighted. Dudley smiled at her before turning to face his cousin. He tried to take a deep breath before speaking, but it caught in his throat. "Harry…My parents were unnecessarily cruel to you. At the time I…I didn't think so. When I graduated University, I took a job as a social worker. Both of those may come as a surprise to you, the graduation especially," he grinned ruefully, "but they're true. I see a lot of cases of child abuse, mental and physical, and that," he turned to grab his wife's hand, "and meeting Karen changed the way I saw a lot of things."

Harry looked hard at his cousin, and saw only sincerity in his eyes. Walking across the room he held out his hand. Dudley stared cautiously at him, ready for the rebuke he knew he deserved. Harry stopped in front of him and held out his hand again, waiting. Dudley looked at his cousin, whose face had haunted him since he had realized the similarities in his work, and hoped that this wasn't too good to be true. Suddenly, in a movement neither of the women saw, the pair were hugging, finally at peace with each other.

The two men stood there a while, and when they broke apart, their faces were alight with smiles, identical to the other. And the two women beamed at their beloveds, thinking only of the happiness this would bring both families. Finally Ginny cleared her throat, and said, "Well, if it's alright by you lot, I think we might as well start on that dinner we made." Karen released Dudley's hand and walked over to the pregnant woman. She too held out her hand.

"Can I help?" she asked simply. Ginny grinned at her.

"Well, you can help me up, but I think I'll make Harry set the table and serve." Harry fake grimaced at her words.

The two couples made their way into the original hallway and past the stairs; Ginny opened the other door, and they all walked down the stairs into what appeared to be a kitchen.

Harry looked at the Dursleys and grimaced, why, Karen couldn't tell.

"I'm sure since they're already here, it won't matter," Ginny said, apparently much to Harry's relief.

And then the two muggles gasped in awe as the previously normal seeming man took out a wand, and began flicking it at cupboards. This wouldn't be too amazing; except for the fact that now porcelain pieces were flying about the room and organizing themselves on a mahogany table. Then there was a crack, which by now the Dursley couple recognized.

"Master should have summoned Kreacher," said the wrinkled house-elf, in his croaking voice.

"It's quite alright Kreacher, we've already taken care of it," assured Ginny.

"Mistress, Kreacher lives to serve," the elf argued.

"Kreacher, why don't you serve the soup, then?" Harry interrupted before his wife could continue the argument with the aged elf. She opened her mouth to tell Kreacher otherwise, but Harry shushed her. Dudley noticed the elf walk over to a large pot, a cauldron, he corrected mentally, and then turned his attention back to Harry.

"Alright then, why don't we all sit down?" Harry suggested before he pulled out a chair for his wife. Dudley mirrored the gesture, and then sat down to the left of Karen, across from Ginny.

Karen smiled tentatively at Harry, and then sat across from him. She tried to start up a conversation; she congratulated Ginny and asked what she planned to name her child.

"Oh we haven't decided yet," she said with a chuckle. "I was tossing around a few names, but I think we'll wait to see what he looks like first."

Karen was surprised. "You know what gender the baby is?"

Ginny smiled and had a twinkle in her eye. "My mother had a…feeling."

"Oh," Karen said. "Oh."

Harry sat down next to his wife and explained to Dudley. "Besides being able to use a wand, some wizards and witches find they have other powers. Like speaking to snakes," Dudley's eyes widened as he remembered a trip to a zoo a long time ago, "Or seeing the future-or knowing the sex of a baby before it's born." He snickered as he saw the flashback in Dudley's eyes.

"And my mother has had seven children, so it might not be all magic." Ginny finished.

Karen was again surprised. "Seven?"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and Harry replied, "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are wonderful people, they just wanted a large family."

"Oh, no offense meant!" Karen said hurriedly, "My parents had five, I was just surprised."

Ginny looked at the woman with interest. "Really? I was the youngest and the only girl."

"Me too," Karen said. The two women smiled at each other in comradeship.

The rest of the dinner passed uneventfully, but the two cousins had a laugh at a seemingly familiar pudding for desert, levitated into the room by the house-elf.