"HARRY!"
The man in question looked up in alarm as he heard his wife screaming from the house. He frantically looked at his best friend Ron, whose face mirrored his in shock.
"Blimey. You don't think...?"
The rest of Ron's sentence was left hanging as he and Harry ran quickly through the back door. Ginny was nowhere to be seen.
"Ginny?"
"I'm in the bathroom!"
Harry wasted no time sprinting up the stairs towards her voice, Ron following closely behind. They stopped at the door to the bathroom, surveying the sight in front of them.
Ginny sat on the edge of the bathtub, glaring at the floor. She was holding her swollen abdomen with one hand as her other hand ran through her sweaty hair. She looked up at the sound of the two men at the doorway and Harry was startled to see tears in her eyes.
Harry ran over to her and put a supporting arm around her waist.
"Ginny, what's wrong? Is it the baby? Is it time?"
Wordlessly Ginny pointed at the floor. Harry followed her glare to the bottle of shampoo that lay on the floor. Confused, Harry looked back at Ginny.
"I dropped it and I couldn't bend over to pick it back up!" Ginny growled in frustration.
There was silence for a few seconds as Harry breathed a silent sigh of relief and Ginny glared. That is, until Ron started laughing so hard that he had to hold himself up by the doorframe.
"That's it? That's what we got our knickers in a twist for?" Ron's voice trailed off as another peal of laughter hit him.
Harry looked at him in amusement. Ginny looked at him in shock, and then anger.
"THIS IS NOT A LAUGHING MATTER, RONALD WEASLEY! I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU PREGNANT SO YOU CAN BE TWO WEEKS OVERDUE. YOU CAN LOOK LIKE A BEACHED WHALE. YOU CAN HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TIE YOUR SHOES BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE, LET ALONE REACH YOUR FEET!"
Ginny ended her heated speech by promptly bursting into tears. It was all Harry could do to keep rubbing Ginny's shoulders reassuringly, while shooting warning glances at Ron who continued to chortle at his sister.
"Ron, I think you should go home now." Harry didn't look at Ron, instead choosing to keep a careful eye on his wife who was now weeping hysterically on his shoulder.
"Hmmm? Blimey Harry, did you not listen to one word I said to you earlier? Hermione's turned into Bridezilla!"
Harry shot a look at him and Ron made his way downstairs.
He looked down at Ginny who had thankfully stopped crying and was now just resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead and she looked at him with red-rimmed eyes.
Harry smiled softly. "You know you don't look like a beached whale, don't you?"
Ginny smiled back. "No. But thank you for telling me."
"Anytime." He laughed and kissed her again.
They sat peacefully together for a few minutes.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"I'm hungry."
Harry laughed again and suppressed an eye roll. This fact didn't even surprise him.
He led Ginny down the stairs, walking in front of her in case she fell (she really couldn't see her feet). He left her on the living-room sofa with her feet propped up.
"What are you in the mood for today?"
Ginny wrinkled up her nose as she thought. "Spinach omelette" she decided.
Harry walked into the kitchen and pulled out his wand. During Ginny's pregnancy Harry had become rather accomplished at cooking due to her cravings. Once she had asked for pickled onion and had called him insensitive towards her body's demands when it wasn't homemade. Harry had slaved away in the kitchen for an hour, consulting many cookbooks and even Mrs. Weasley until he had mastered the art of pickling. Feeling extremely proud of himself, he had presented an entire plate of the stuff to Ginny, only for her to ask for potato salad instead.
He chuckled at the memory. Ginny always could wrap him round his little finger.
Out in the living-room, Ginny was feeling content despite her outburst this morning. So she was overdue and extremely uncomfortable in the midsummer heat. She was married to Harry and was soon going to have a baby with him. Her life would be perfect once the blasted baby arrived, she thought with a grumble.
She banished the thought once it entered her head. She loved being pregnant. Harry treated her as if she was precious and fragile, even more so than usual. He attended to her every need even if it was something as mundane as picking something up for her.
Ginny was aware though of how demanding and difficult she could be. She had thought long and hard about how she could repay him, but could think of nothing.
I guess it will have to wait until later, she thought, resigned to the fact she would have to continue to wear Harry out. Until her eyes caught on a piece of parchment lying on the coffee table.
She picked it up and read it.
Harry,
Hopefully you'll find this before tonight, but if you don't I don't care, you're not going to use it as an excuse! It's my stag do tonight! Well, not really seeing as the wedding's not for another 63 days (Hermione has a countdown chart). So tonight is more of a trial run, just me and you hanging out like we used to, with no obsessed brides or hysterical mothers-to-be. I need a night out! I'll be at yours at 9pm sharp so be there!
Ron.
Ginny set down the letter and felt a smile appear on her face. As hard as it was to admit, Ron was a genius. Harry would go out tonight and tomorrow he would be a new man.
She was still smiling to herself when Harry walked in with a plate in his hand. He set it in front of her on the table and turned to her.
"What are you smiling about?" he asked.
Ginny could only smile as she pulled his head towards her and kiss him passionately. It was a few minutes before they came up for air, chests heaving as they tried to get their breath back.
"Harry?"
"Mmm?"
"You're not allowed stay in this house tonight." Ginny almost giggled at the shocked and confused expression on Harry's face.
"I don't understand. What did I do?" he asked the shock still apparent in his voice.
She smiled and handed him Ron's letter. It only took him a few seconds to read it and when he was done he threw the letter back on the table.
"No." He said it forcefully.
Ginny blinked once, surprised. "No? What do you mean, no?"
Harry looked at her. "I mean no. You're two weeks past your due date. The baby could arrive at any minute! Do you think I'm going to leave you here by yourself while I go off with Ron?"
Ginny glared at him. "That's exactly what I think! Do you realise how tired you look recently? Granted, I've not helped but if the baby did arrive tonight of all nights, do you think you'll be much help to me when you collapse of pure exhaustion?"
Harry could only stare at her steadily so she continued.
"One night, Harry. It won't kill you to relax for once. The baby has been perfectly happy where he is for the past nine months."
They continued to glower at each other for a minute until Harry relented. "One hour."
Ginny smiled. She had him wrapped round her little finger, she thought.
Harry was not enjoying his night off one bit.
"And Harry! Every single minute she's on about ceremonies, receptions, flowers and dresses until I want to go insult a Hippogriff just to escape..."
The past hour and a half had passed in a similar fashion. Ron had complained about Hermione's enthusiasm since they arrived at The Three Broomsticks. After several Butterbeers, Ron's mood had only steadily declined into depression.
Eventually Harry could take it no more. "Another drink?" he said, not waiting for an answer.
As he waited at the bar he thought about Ginny at home with unease. He should have asked Hermione or Molly to stay with her, he realised. He considered Apparating home to see how she was, but decided against it. Ginny had threatened to hex him if he set foot in their house tonight.
The new barmaid made her way over to him. "What are you having?" she asked.
Harry could still hear Ron droning on and on in the background.
"Two Firewhiskeys please."
Ginny woke up with a start in the dark room. She instinctively reached for Harry in the bed beside her until she realised he wasn't there. She sat up panicked and then remembered where he was. He was with Ron, she told herself, he's ok.
She lay back down and began absent-mindedly stroking her bump, her little boy. Her and Harry and debated for a long time about what to name him. There was so many choices, so many people's memories to honour. They had finally decided on James Sirius.
She didn't know how long she lay there in the dark. All Ginny knew was that she was finally drifting off to sleep when she realised that her lower body was wet. This confused her for a while until she sat up straight in the bed. Her waters had broke.
Shit, she thought. What do I do?
She climbed carefully out of the bed and into the bathroom. She cleaned herself with her wand and sat on the edge of the bathtub, trying to think clearly.
Where were her contractions? If what the Healer said was true, then there should be contractions around the same time as-
Oh. There they are. Ginny gasped as she felt the strength of the contraction take over her body. She curled up over her bump, taking shallow breaths. Merlin, it felt like some giant invisible hand had grabbed her insides and was twisting them around mercilessly. She was panting when the pain faded slightly, thinking that was the first one? It gets worse?
She was too busy wondering about her first contraction when the next one hit her. Ginny couldn't help but cry out as the pain radiated out from her abdomen. Harry, she thought. I need Harry. She grabbed her wand and quickly summoned her Patronus. When the horse's light had faded into the distance, she tried to stand. She hobbled towards the bed as white-hot knives punctured her stomach.
Ginny had just reached the door when another contraction started. She leaned against the doorframe and gasped frantically. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! They're not supposed to be this close together!
She realised with horror that this contraction wasn't going away. It kept building and building until her legs wouldn't support her anymore. Ginny slid to the floor and felt an intense pressure inside her.
Her baby was coming now and Harry wasn't here. No-one was here.
The pain had her convulsing on the floor and she screamed for Harry.
Harry threw open the door of the pub and meandered outside. His plan had worked. After buying Ron those Firewhiskeys his best mate had loosened up quite a bit. Their non-stag do now included the entire pub, where Ron and a wizard named Dave were singing "Odo the Hero" to the delight of the patrons.
The atmosphere of the pub was getting a little crowded for his taste, so he went outside for some fresh air.
Harry was leaning against the wall outside the Three Broomsticks when Ginny's Patronus materialised in front of him.
"Harry! The baby's on his way, you need to get back here now!" said Ginny's voice and then the horse vanished.
Harry stood frozen and then ran into the pub. He grabbed Ron, who was standing on the bar learning the Hokey Pokey from Dave, and dragged him outside.
"Harry? What...the...bloody hell!.." Ron spluttered as he was unceremoniously manhandled from his bachelor party (in his view).
"Ginny's in labour. You need to get Madame Pomfrey now."
With that, Harry Apparated to Godric's Hollow. Ron stared at the empty space he left behind. He shrugged and walked back into the pub. "Poor guy's gone mental..." he said.
Harry appeared in the living-room. "Ginny!"
"Harry!"
He ran up the stairs, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. He found Ginny on the floor outside the bathroom, tears running down her face.
Harry ran to her and helped her stand. Ginny slumped against him as she cried out in pain.
"Harry, it hurts too much to walk! Put me on the bed!" she cried.
Harry helped her to the bed and laid her on it. He stared at her in alarm. "Ginny we need to get you to 's, Madame Pomfrey's already on her way there!"
Ginny shook her head. Her damp hair stuck to her wet face. "It's too late, the baby's coming now, I can feel him!" With that she began to grit her teeth against the screams that were building up in her throat. Harry watched helplessly as she gripped his hand tightly.
"Harry, please...please..." She let loose the screams.
"HARRY GET JAMES OUT OF ME NOW!"
Harry gulped and moved around to the bottom of the bed. His eyes widened as he spotted a dark patch between her legs.
"Um Ginny? I-I can see the head."
The only response Ginny could give was to moan in pain.
"He has hair." Harry couldn't stop looking at it.
"Ginny? What do I do?" Harry was starting to feel very nervous
Ginny gritted her teeth. "You? You don't do anything but sit there while I'M IN AGONY!"
Harry was panicking. "Ginny, I can't do this! I'm not a Healer! We need Madame Pomfrey! Or Molly, what about Molly?"
Ginny looked at him in disbelief.
"HARRY, YOU'VE KILLED THE DARKEST WIZARD OF ALL TIME! HOW THE HELL CAN YOU BE SCARED OF THIS!"
Harry felt like he was going to be sick. None of the baby books mentioned that he would have to deliver his own baby. Facing Voldemort was nothing compared to this!
He looked on as Ginny arched her back as she fought through another bout of pain.
He looked at his baby's head.
"Ginny, sit up and grab your knees."
Ginny met his gaze, which wasn't panicked anymore. He thought she was going to start shouting again but to his surprise she did as he asked, wincing as she did so.
"Alright when you feel the next contraction, you're going to push as hard as you can. Understand?"
Ginny nodded weakly.
Harry summoned a towel from the bathroom.
Ginny groaned. "Harry..." she whimpered.
"OK push!"
Ginny started to scream as she gripped her legs. Harry watched as the baby began to emerge from Ginny's body.
"Come on Ginny!"
Harry saw the baby's face. "Ginny he's got a head!"
"SHUT UP HARRY!"
She pushed again and suddenly slumped back on the pillows, exhausted as the baby began to cry.
Harry looked at the newborn boy wrapped in the towel in his arms.
"James Sirius Potter" he whispered, stroking the little boy's head.
"Let me see him" Ginny murmured. Harry carried the bundle over to her and laid him on her chest.
"He has your hair" she whispered, smiling slightly.
Harry could only smile as they both watched their son in his mother's arms.
Ron woke up the next morning with a thumping headache, a rolling stomach and a tongue that felt like sandpaper. He groaned and rolled over, opening his eyes. He saw a pair of beautiful brown eyes looking back at him. He smiled.
"Mornin'."
"Morning Ron. Did you have a good night?" Hermione asked him.
Ron didn't answer straight away and thought back to the previous night. He vaguely remembered a dance called the Hokey Pokey and Harry saying something about Ginny being in labour...
"SHIT!"