Written for: The Word Limit Competition - Round 1 Posted! xD

Round 1
Word Limit: 500 Words
Prompt: Breathe In, Breathe Out
Due Date: April 1st (Aka. April Fools Day)

Breathe in.

Hermione watched him through watery eyes. Her lips trembled, failing to keep back the emotion that engulfed her rational thought.

She despised this.

Pain racketed her body and she shot her hand out in desperate search of his strengthening hold. She nearly sobbed when she felt his steady fingers curl around hers with a force that fought through the haze of her agony. She grit her teeth as the torment swelled again and she couldn't fight the need to cry out.

At the sound of her suffering, he firmed his grip her hand. His expression mirrored hers, but was bathed in worry. He longed to bark out orders at the mediwitches assigned to her care, despite knowing they were doing all that they could considering her condition.

Words of comfort would no longer do. He'd tried telling her earlier that she would be alright and that he knew her torment. Hermione had nearly killed him with a look that, had she been a Basilisk, would have ended him on the spot. Tightening his lips, he simply caught her eye and gave her a supportive smile, making her see that he was there with her and not planning on letting go.

Hermione whimpered up at him, disliking the helplessness that her traitorous body had her feeling. She clutched at the bed railing, ripping her gaze from the man beside her, only to blink up at the whitewashed ceiling. She called for strength. She would get through this, she thought determinedly. Come hell or high water, she was Hermione J. Granger and she could bloody well do just about anything she pleased.

At the foot of her bed, a loud commotion among the Healers alarmed the suffering couple. Unfortunately, husband and wife could do little more than clutch hands while waiting for the verdict. Another wave of unbearable pain coursed through her.

Hermione's next shriek shook the rafters and she felt a masculine hand reach out to gently wipe the perspiration from her brow.

"I'm so sorry," he couldn't help but whisper. His hand shook against her sweat-slicked skin. His worried gaze, full of anguish and apology, had Hermione nearly swearing aloud. If only she had the strength, she'd properly lambaste him for trying to take all of the blame for this.

This time, Hermione knew, she was the one at fault. If she hadn't gone to find him, none of this would have happened and they would never have ended up together, bathed in the sheer terror of having to deal with the consequences of what had then been her rash decision to play the hero... for the love of him.

He gulped, wishing to take on the pain she bore for his sake... for their sake. He cursed the gods for putting her through this which he could not bear to witness nor raise a wand to ease.

"Do something!" he bellowed at the frazzled Healer at the edge of the bed. "She hurting!"

"Don't yell," Hermione pleaded at him, pressing her fingers into his. "It's not her fault. Let her work." As she said this, another wave of pain shot through her and Hermione swore she would die if it got any worse. She shut her eyes and clenched her teeth against her voice, too hoarse to let out the primal scream that tore from her throat anyway.

"It's time," the Healer said sternly. "Do it now."

Hermione felt the man she'd saved, the one who, in turn, saved her, at last speak the command he'd long practiced for this moment. She was more than happy to do his bidding.

"One more time," she heard them all urge, quite sure she would pass out if they asked her to do any more than this.

"Breathe out, Hermione!"

Her forceful exhale was meet with the heart rendering sound of a newborn baby's wail, and Hermione's fatigued gaze sought out the man she loved, only to find him weeping at the sight of their brand new little son.