Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Ongoing - Gift Tag, and The Insane Prompt Challenge on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For Ongoing - Gift Tag I wrote for Amber's prompt of Neville/Hannah with lullaby. For The Insane Prompt Challenge I wrote for prompt #63. Character: Neville Longbottom. I hope you all enjoy Sing Softly.
"Are you sure?" Hannah asked in shock.
"I'm pretty sure," the healer told her. "The test we ran on your blood have come back and confirmed what we though originally." The woman smiled at both Hannah and Neville as she excused herself to give the couple sometime to let the news sink in.
Hannah felt the slight smile tug at the corner of her mouth. She hadn't expected when she and Neville came here to find out that she was expecting their first child together. From the look on Neville's face she could tell that he was just as shocked too. She put a hand on top of the dark haired boy's own hand.
"Are you alright, Neville?" Hannah asked concern coloring her voice.
Neville nodded his head slowly. "I...we weren't...we're having..."
Hannah watched as Neville seemed to be taking the information in. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. This was going to be one of the hardest things they'd ever done together. Especially considering that Neville just landed the post of Herbology teacher at Hogwarts. They'd be away from each for months on end each year. She could by the look on Neville's face that he was thinking along the same lines.
"I wasn't expecting..." Nevile whispered to himself.
"We can do this, Neville," Hannah told him.
Neville nodded not being able to form any more words. He got up from his seat as though in a daze. "I...I have to...go think about a few things," he whispered almost to himself as he walked out the door.
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Hannah watched as Neville walked out the door. She almost wished that they'd found something else seriously wrong with her. Anything that would take the almost hurt sound out her husband's voice. She quickly dressed brushing a few tears off her face as she did so. She was half hoping that Neville would be happy about starting their own little family. She knew that it would be difficult. What with Neville being gone for the school year but she also knew that they very well could do this.
"We've scheduled you for another appointment with one of our midwives for a few weeks time," the receptionist told Hannah as she handed her the appointment card. "And her some prenatal vitamins that you should take." The receptionist leaned across the desk and whispered, "He'll come around, dearie. Once they see their child's face for the first time all men come around to being father's."
"Thank you, ma'am," Hannah said taking the appointment card and vitamins. She hoped the kind receptionist was right. She doesn't want to think about arguing with Neville about this child. She already loves her baby so very much. Beginning the walk back to the Leaky Cauldron, and home, she decided that Nevile was right. She should do some thinking.
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Meanwhile Neville had been wandering around Muggle London deep in thought. The strange thing is that everywhere he looked he could see father's with their children. All of them seemed to be happy. Very happy. He wondered if he would be this happy as a father. But then again he'd only get to see his child over holiday breaks and during the summer and how fair would that be to a baby.
"Neville Longbottom?" a questioning voice came from somewhere ahead of him
Breaking out of his thoughts Neville saw Harry Potter standing in front of him. But that wasn't all Harry was pushing a stroller down the crowded streets of Muggle London. He then remembered that he'd read somewhere that Harry and Ginny had just had their first child.
"Harry," Neville smiled tiredly at his old school friend. "Is this your little one?" He pointed towards the stroller.
"Yeah. His name's James Sirius." Harry gave Neville a strange look. "Are you alright, Neville?"
"Yeah. I've just been thinking is all."
"About?"
"How I can split my time between Hogwarts and home? See...Well..." Neville figured he'd better just say because whether he said it or not he was going to be a father in nine months time. "Hannah's pregnant."
"Congratulations, Neville," Ginny exclaimed. She'd just walked over from one of the many shops for babies across the street. "Is Hannah excited about the baby? Are you?" She smiled at Neville. "You'll make a great father, Neville."
"Do you think so?" Neville asked worry lacing his voice.
Harry and Ginny shared a look before Ginny whispered to Harry, "Maybe you could help Neville with what he's worried about." She gave him a pointed looked before taking the stroller.
"What has you so worried, Neville?" Harry asked.
"It's the fact that I work in Hogwarts and have to be away from Hannah and the child for so long," Neville stated the stress evident in his voice. "But there has to be a way that I can do both right?" Neville could still see how happy Hannah had looked upon hearing the news about the baby.
Harry's eyes lit up. "I think I have an idea, Neville," he exclaimed excitedly.
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Hannah had been sitting on the couch for some time now wondering if Neville hadn't just run away from them. But the turning of the door knob made her look up. There stood Neville his hands behind his back.
"I think I've worked it out, Hannah," Neville told her with a huge smile. "I've told to Headmistress McGonagall and she said that when during the school year I can floo to work." He walked over and took Hannah in his arms. "I don't think I've said how happy I am about this baby yet. But I really am." He held out the bag of he'd been holding behind his back. "I hope he or she will like it."
Hannah opened the bag to find a big fluffy teddy bear with the words Baby's first Teddy written on the foot. Tears started to flow down her face as soon as she saw the message.
Neville helped Hannah back into her seat holding her close to him. He began to hum a lullaby that he vaguely remembers hear before. He thinks it was one his mother used to sing to him before she was tortured into insanity. He doesn't remember the words but the melody seems to be soothing Hannah to sleep. A smile spreads across his face as think perhaps Ginny Potter is right. He will make a great father. He can't wait find out if she's right.
I hope you all enjoyed Sing Softly.