Title: The Greatest Gift
Summary: Post DH, pre Epilogue. Nineteen years is a long time. What happened in between? The kids came of course! Ron and Hermione bring their second child into the world.
Rating: T [to be safe—scenes of childbirth (nothing graphic), a curse word or two
Pairing: R/Hr, H/G
Disclaimer: Thank you, Jo. Your world is awesome. I just like to play.
Author's Note: The way I figure, James is a year older than Al; Al and Rose are the same age; and Hugo and Lily are also the same age (two years younger than Al & Rose). That's my theory from what I've gleaned from the Epilogue.
Second Author's Note: I'm just cleaning this fic up a bit. Nothing new. And I'd like to address some concerns raised about the way Rosie talks. Having based her speech patterns on my actual experience working with two-year-olds, I find nothing wrong with the way I've written her. So I'll keep my "cave girl" Rosie. :) Ah well, to each his/her own I guess.
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He needed to hit something.
She was in pain and he could do nothing. They had gotten there too late. He had never felt more powerless.
"Daddy?" came a small voice from below him. Ron looked down and saw his Rosie staring back up at him. "Where Mummy?"
Ron scooped his little girl into his arms and cuddled her under his chin.
"Mummy's in the bedroom, honey," he replied.
"I see her?"
"Not now Rosie," Ron said. "Mummy's a little busy."
"I'd say she is," came a voice from behind them. "Head up mate, she'll be all right."
"Unca Harry!" Rosie squealed, reaching her arms toward him. Harry obligingly plucked the little girl from her father's arms and kissed her cheek, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"Don't worry, Ron," Harry said. "Your mum and Ginny are in with her and the midwife now. She'll come through this."
"I can't believe she kicked me out," Ron mumbled.
"She's not thinking straight, mate," Harry replied as he clapped Ron on the shoulder. "You remember what happened last time, don't you?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "Don't let Ginny catch you saying stuff like that, Harry. She still casts the best Bat-Bogey hex I've ever seen."
Rose chose that moment to remind them of her presence.
"Bat-Bogey! Bat-Bogey!" she squealed delightedly as she clapped her hands together.
"What has your wife been teaching my daughter?"
"Don't look at me for explanations. She's your sister."
"Come here, Rosie," Ron said as he reached to take his daughter back from Harry.
"No, Unca Harry," Rosie said adamantly. She wrapped her little arms around Harry's neck and hung on.
"It's okay Ron," Harry replied. "I'll keep her for a few minutes. I'm sure she'll want down as soon as James and Al get here. Bill was right behind us."
No sooner had he said the words than a faint rumbling reached their ears.
"And here they come now."
Two little bodies came flying through the door and attached themselves to Harry's legs. Rose squirmed in his arms, eager to get down and play with her cousins. After hugging his father, Al detached himself from Harry and flung himself at Ron.
"Hi, Unca Ron," Al said, squeezing Ron's legs in greeting.
"Hiya, Squirt," Ron said as he ruffled Al's hair.
Harry set Rosie down and all three kids ran off into the other room to play.
"They should keep each other busy for awhile," Bill said as he entered the room. "How is Hermione doing?"
"We don't know," said Harry. "She kicked Ron out of the room again. She's a little edgy; the midwife got here too late to administer the Pain-Block potion."
"What did you say this time?" asked Bill.
"Nothing!" exclaimed Ron. "I didn't say anything wrong! Can I help it if she took offense to a couple of curse words after she crushed my hand? I'm lucky I still have feeling in it."
"Oh grow up Ron."
All three men turned to face the speaker, who had just walked through the door. Ginny was standing there, hands folded protectively over her own swollen belly. She had a scowl on her face directed at her older brother.
"Hermione's going through pain that's about ten times worse than what she did to your hand. The least you can do is grin and bear it. She doesn't need you flinging curses left and right."
Ron deflated under his sister's hard gaze, thoroughly chastised. He knew he had to watch his mouth, but damn it, he just wanted to be in there with his wife!
"Ron! Ron!" Ginny said as she snapped her fingers in front of his face to get his attention. "Were you even listening to me? Hermione needs you to come back in. She's getting close."
Ron was a blur as he tore past Ginny and out the door. He took the stairs two at a time until he was standing in front of their bedroom door. He took a deep breath and knocked before he turned the knob and walked into the room.
Hermione was propped up against the headboard, panting softly as she worked through another contraction. Her hands fisted loosely in the sheets as she tried to breathe in spite of the pain. Ron heard a low whimper escape her lips and that was all he needed to spur him into action. He crossed the room in three strides and grasped her hand.
"Ron," she sobbed. "It hurts."
"I know, honey," he whispered. "But you're doing great. You're almost there."
"Ron, why don't you get up there and support her," his mother suggested. "She's ready to start pushing."
Ron climbed onto the bed and settled himself behind his wife. She grabbed both of his hands and squeezed tight. He squeezed back, reassuring Hermione that he wasn't going anywhere.
"I need to check the baby's position," the midwife explained as she gently pressed on Hermione's stomach. "He's ready. Scoot down a little and get ready to push, Mrs. Weasley."
Hermione shifted her position on the bed and prepared to bring their little boy into the world. Ron held onto her tightly, preparing himself for more hand crushing. He would keep his mouth shut this time.
"Mrs. Weasley, when you feel the next contraction coming on I want you to bear down and push for as long as you can and then relax. Repeat the cycle when you feel another contraction. Try to keep breathing throughout. It will help. Your labor is progressing quickly, so a couple pushes may be all you need."
"Here comes one," Hermione said, sucking in her breath. She braced herself against Ron and prepared to push.
Ron felt her hands flex against his and concentrated on staying strong. He would not pass out like last time. Harry would never let him live it down. He still hadn't let Ron forget about what happened when Rose was born. And Hermione would kill him. He had to stay conscious.
Hermione's grip suddenly tightened, bringing Ron out of his thoughts.
"Keep breathing," the midwife encouraged. "You're doing great. I can see his head. Okay, now relax."
Hermione slumped into Ron's body, taking the precious few minutes between contractions to rest and regain her strength. Ron brushed his lips against her hair and murmured encouraging words into her ear.
"You're amazing," he whispered. "You've never been more beautiful to me."
"Really?" Hermione asked, wincing at the start of the next contraction.
Ron couldn't help but notice the smile on her face. He smiled back.
"Always the tone of surprise," Ron murmured.
Hermione let out a short laugh and squeezed his hands tightly.
"Get ready for the next round," she said. "He wants to come out and meet his Daddy."
Ron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Not going to pass out. Not going to pass out," he chanted in his head. "I'll make it through this."
"Push hard, Mrs. Weasley," the midwife said. "He's almost here."
Hermione yelled and then collapsed back against Ron.
"His shoulders are out," Molly said. "One more push and he'll slip right out, dear."
"This is it," Hermione moaned.
She gave one final push, squeezing Ron's hands so hard he thought he was going to yell right along with her.
"I've got him," the midwife said. She handed him off to Molly to clean up and swaddle.
Hermione relaxed and Ron turned her face to kiss her.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Hermione smiled as he wiped the sweat of her brow. She was exhausted but happy. She never dreamed that things would work out as they had. She had Ron. She had a great career. And now she had two beautiful children.
"Here he is," Molly said. She brought the swaddled baby over and placed him in his mother's arms.
"He's perfect," Hermione murmured. She traced her finger over the little boy's face. "Ron, he has your nose."
Ron was speechless as he stared at the perfect little bundle that was his son. He felt his eyes begin to tear up and quickly swiped at them.
"What did you decide to name him?" Molly asked.
"Hugo," Hermione replied. "We decided on Hugo."
"I'll go tell the others and give you three some time alone," Molly said as she headed toward the door. The midwife slipped out after her to wait downstairs. She would allow Hermione a few hours to recover before giving her instructions about getting through the next few days.
"He is perfect," Ron whispered as soon as they were alone. "He and Rosie are the best things you've ever given me."
They heard the patter of little feet coming up the stairs, so they were ready when their two-year-old daughter came bursting into the room.
"Brother?" she asked as she climbed onto the bed.
"Yes Rosie, you have a brother," Ron said, helping his daughter up next to him and Hermione. "You're a big sister now."
Rose stared at her baby brother, and deciding that he was sadly lacking, announced her disappointment.
"He ugly."
Ron and Hermione burst out laughing. Rose was confused at her parents' reaction, but joined them in laughing anyway. That's how Harry, Ginny, Bill, and Molly found them when they all walked in a few seconds later.
"Rose, he was just born," Hermione explained to her daughter with a smile on her face. Ron was no help. He was still snickering. "Give him a little time."
"Oh," said Rose. "Play me then?"
"No, honey. He's still too little to play with you. Maybe when he starts crawling."
"Go play Al," Rose said, getting down from the bed. She didn't have time for something that couldn't play with her now.
"I'll take her back downstairs," Bill said. "Congratulations, you two."
Harry, Ginny, and Molly all took turns holding and cooing over baby Hugo and then went back downstairs, leaving the happy parents alone once again.
Ron took his tiny son from Hermione's arms and placed him in the cradle next to the bed. He grabbed his wand from the nightstand and murmured a quick cleaning spell to refresh the sheets and Hermione, and then pulled the covers up over her.
"Get some sleep," he whispered as he kissed her softly. "You've more than earned it."
"Love you, Ron," Hermione mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.
"Love you too," he said as he kissed her forehead.
Ron moved back toward the cradle and picked up his son. As he held Hugo in his arms, he felt a sense of peace steal over him. He had his wife; he had his children; he was loved. He recognized the feeling—he was content. And that, he thought, was the greatest gift any man could ever hope to receive.