"Harry? Love, where's Hermione?" Lily Potter asked.
"Reading another chapter of that bloody book," Harry muttered as he tinkered with the wireless. "She thinks that there's something wrong because she's past her due date."
"Really?" Lily asked. "I think it's perfectly normal."
"She's freaking out because all the articles she's read say that firstborns are usually early and not late."
"You were born exactly on your due date," his mother smiled as she patted his head. "And now twenty-three years later you're getting ready to have your own baby," she sniffled.
"Mum," Harry sighed. "Enough with the waterworks. Please. It's all I get at home these days. I mean, I love my wife. I really do. But does she have to cry all the time?"
"Emily did," Michael said as he walked into the room. "Hermione was about ten days late and every day past Emily would burst into tears."
"Probably because she thought she'd never go into labor," Lily said.
"Thank goodness this will all be over soon. 'Mione's threatening to go have a muggle c-section if she doesn't have the baby soon."
"Wouldn't be the worst idea," Emily muttered.
The five sat in a comfortable silence (minus Harry's muttered curses as he tried to fix the wireless) until Ethan came in.
"What in the name of Merlin is wrong with her now?" the youngest Potter asked. "She's just standing over a puddle of bleedin' water. She could ask for help to clean it up … or just use her bloody wand …"
Emily's head snapped up a fraction of a second before Lily's. Harry zapped his finger on a loose wire. "Did you say she was standing over a puddle?" he asked.
"You bloody well heard me the …" but his voice was drowned out by Harry rushing from the room. "What's going on?"
"Get the floo powder ready!" Harry shouted over his shoulder. "We need to get to St. Mungo's!"
"Right then," James said as he took charge. "I'll get the floo ready. We'll send Harry and Hermione first, then Lily, you and Emily go through. Michael and I will make sure everything's set and well come through shortly after."
"What about me?" Ethan asked. "And what's going on? Why's Hermione need to go to St. Mungo's?"
"She's in labor, you idiot," Harry proclaimed as he slowly walked his wife into the lounge. "Keep breathing, love, you're doing great."
"Harry, it'll be hours before I go into active labor," Hermione said with a long-suffering sigh. "We don't need to go right away."
"Yes, love, we do. They told you the last time we were in that it'll go quickly after your water breaks because you're past your due date."
"I don't remember that," Hermione frowned as her hands held her stomach possessively.
"We had a fight about getting a new cat," Harry sighed.
"Right," she said with a slight nod. "Now I remember."
"Can we please just go, Hermione? I need to make sure I'm taking care of you."
Hermione smiled and moved her right hand to her husband's cheek. "You always take care of me, Harry James. Ever since that Halloween night so many years ago."
"I just love you so much," Harry sighed. "More than you can imagine. Just, please let's go."
Hermione laughed a slightly before pressing a kiss to his cheek (after much difficulty) and nodding in agreement. She allowed him to lead her to the floo and climb inside with her.
"Make sure you say the right now. We wouldn't want to end up in some church somewhere," Hermione warned laughingly.
"It was one time!" Harry nearly screeched before throwing down the floo powder and calling out for St. Mungo's.
They slowly walked out of the fireplace at their destination and Hermione waddled to the desk. Harry looked at exactly how many people had chosen today of all days to get injured.
"Hermione Potter," she told the witch. "I'm in labor."
The welcome witch looked up at the name and her eyes widened. "Oh my goodness. Yes, yes. Of course. Please, follow me. Wait. No. Don't walk. Let me get you a wheelchair!"
Hermione opened her mouth to protest but the nervous young woman just ran off.
"You'd think it was the first time a witch in labor came through here," Harry heard someone mutter from his left.
The raven haired man turned and saw Draco Malfoy pacing slightly.
"What's wrong with you?" Harry asked.
"My fiancé's in there," Malfoy muttered.
"What happened?" Hermione asked.
"Same thing that's happening with you," the blonde retorted.
"Aww," Hermione smiled. "That's wonderful. Congratulations, Draco. Really."
"Right," he said. His eyes then wandered to Harry. "They won't let me back."
"Why not?" Harry asked him. "Is it because you're not married?"
"No, it's because I've got a - ."
"Language, Mr. Malfoy!" the welcome witch shouted at him. "You're just going to have to sit here and wait for news." She watched as Harry helped Hermione into the chair. "We'll let you know when we have news."
"Great," Harry said with a smile as he walked with them towards the doors.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, but you'll have to stay here."
"What?" Harry asked.
Draco snickered in the background.
Lily and Emily came through the floo and told the witch who they were.
The women went into the back with Hermione.
Harry and Draco, all scowls, plopped down into the uncomfortable chairs. "You'd think we had no part in the whole thing," the blonde muttered.
Harry just scowled at the door.
James, Michael and Ethan came through a few moments later and stared at Draco and Harry. Those two had never been the greatest of friends but here they were, sharing the same experience.
"All right there, Harry?" James asked.
"Won't let me back."
"Of course not," Michael laughed. "Better this way anyhow. I mean, Emily was spitting mad in there, her mum said. Rather glad I wasn't in there."
"Lily would have hexed my bits off if I had been in there. I'm sure of it."
Both fathers-to-be chuckled a bit.
"Know what your kid is, Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"She's going to be a girl," Draco smiled. "First Malfoy girl born in a hundred years," he stated proudly. "Yours?"
"I asked Hermione not to tell me. I wanted it to be a surprise." He paused a moment. "Plus it's been killing her not to tell me. How long have you been here?"
"Just a few minutes before you," the blonde replied.
"I can't believe you gits are going to be in charge of kids," Ethan scowled before stomping from the room.
"You're just jealous that it's mine and not yours," Harry called after his brother.
"Your brother fancies your wife?" Malfoy snickered.
"You'd think once he got shagged himself that he would give it up," Harry sighed. "I think she's going to forever be his one who got away," he laughed.
All of the men, sans Ethan, held running conversations for the next couple of hours. Every once in a while, the door would open and the fathers-to-be would stand, but there was never any news.
Malfoy had gotten there at one o'clock and the Potters had gotten there at about one fifteen. It was now eleven at night and nothing had been said except for one mediwitch coming out and saying that both women were doing fine.
At eleven thirty, Lily and Narcissa both came out, eyes tired, and admitted that the girls looked to have a rather long night ahead of them. Both had been asking for their husbands but there was a strict "no men in the delivery room" policy – including male mediwizards. They spoke to the men for a few moments before heading back inside.
"This is bloody ridiculous," Draco muttered. "They've been in there for ages."
"It can take a long time," Harry told the other man. "The longest wizarding labor on record was in 1925 and it lasted over thirty six hours."
Draco stared open-mouthed at Harry for a few moments before bursting out laughing. "You really did marry Granger, didn't you?"
"You have no idea how many books we own," Harry said sagely.
At about two in the morning, two different mediwitches walked through the doors together. The women looked tired but satisfied. Draco and Harry immediately stood up.
The older of the two witches walked to Harry. "Mr. Potter, I'll need to do a sanitation charm and then you can go see your wife and meet your son."
"Son!" Harry shouted with a wide smile on his face. "I have a son!" he laughed, turning to Draco.
"I have a daughter," Malfoy responded in a quiet voice. "A little girl."
"Let's go meet our kids," Harry said.
As the four were walking back, Draco furrowed his brow. "Which baby was born first?" he asked.
"Baby Boy Potter by three minutes."
Harry pumped his fist in the air as his stopped in front of room three. "Congratulations, Malfoy."
"Same to you, Potter," Malfoy responded. "We should meet up at the pub in a couple of weeks – celebrate the birth of our kids."
"Sounds good," Harry smiled before pushing the door open and walking into his wife's room.
Hermione was propped up on the bed, a blue bundle in her arms. She looked exhausted but happier than he had ever seen her before. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were drooping but there was a twinkle in them like he had never seen before.
"Hey," he whispered as he leaned over her bed and placed a kiss on her lips.
"Hi, Daddy," she whispered with a wet smile. "Meet your son."
His arms shook slightly as he reached out and she placed the slumbering baby in his father's arms. "He's perfect," Harry whispered as he struggled to hold back a tear. He sniffed once and pressed a gentle kiss to the baby's forehead. "Does he have a name?"
Hermione's eyes drooped significantly. "You pick his first name and I'll pick his second," she replied.
"Matthias," Harry whispered after a long pause.
"Matthias Iain Potter," Hermione said.
"Good strong name for a future quidditch star," Harry smiled.
"Nice sophisticated name for Minister of Magic," Hermione replied.
"Yeah, this kid won't have any pressure," a voice said softly from the doorway.
Hermione and Harry looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing there, holding a pink bundle.
At their inquisitive looks, Malfoy shrugged as much as he could and said, "Figured they should meet, you know. Same birthday and all."
Harry motioned for Draco to come in. When the blonde was standing next to him, Harry pulled the blanket from Matthias' face and whispered, "Matthias, this is …"
"Abigail," Draco whispered. "Abigail Charlotte Malfoy."
The fathers shared a proud smile, each looking at his own child, neither really noticing that Hermione had slipped to sleep with a smile on her face.
"Let's not let them have the same kind of feud we had," Malfoy said tentatively.
"Agreed," Harry smiled.