Author's Note: This is just a short story that was prompted by Nanjo54. Being a mother myself now, I thought it would be fun to write about pregnancy and delivery, but what about no magic to help out a witch in labor? Hmm…
All Harry Potter characters are property of J.K. Rowling, and no money is being made.
You can reach me at sindie11(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Deliver Me
By Sindie
Chapter One
The pitter-patter of raindrops could be heard on the thinly paned window of the hotel room. In the early hours of the morning, a dim light filtered through the slightly parted curtains, the light pouring over a mound in the middle of the bed.
Suddenly, the mound shifted, and a groan elicited from its owner. A young woman with untamable hair sat up in bed and rubbed at her eyes, trying to clear the cobwebs from her tired brain, a mind she usually was pleased to have because it was bright and quick, but pregnancy had muddled her easily brilliant brain.
She hoped that would only be temporary.
Shifting her third trimester weight and eventually swinging her legs over the side of the bed, the woman eased herself off the mattress and slowly allowed the excess weight to transfer to her swollen ankles. She shook her head. She had known this would be a bad idea – traveling this late in her pregnancy, but her husband had insisted that after the baby came, there would be no more opportunities like this for many years to come.
She sidled across the poorly lit room, wishing to turn on the overhead light, but she didn't think her husband would appreciate that very much at this early hour. As she near the bathroom, she could still hear his soft snores coming from the bed.
Shaking her head bemusedly, she entered the bathroom and turned on the light. Wincing briefly at the brightness, she finally felt her brain begin to awaken as the last of the fogginess abated. Staring at her reflection, she frowned.
He must be mental to find me still beautiful, even and especially now. Hermione, you're a right mess, you are.
Hermione had never considered herself attractive, but her husband reminded her every day otherwise. She wasn't ugly, but she knew she would never be a beauty like Ginny Weasley… er, Potter. It still took some getting used to thinking of Harry and Ginny as married, but then again, she was married, too, wasn't she?
The dark circles around her eyes didn't match the paleness of the rest of her face, which like her ankles, was somewhat swollen. She stood back and regarded her whole body's reflection. Pregnancy looked lovely on some women. They glowed or whatever such nonsense, but Hermione didn't think she glowed… more like simply took much more space like a truck with a "wide load" sign on it. She sincerely hoped she would lose the "baby weight" after she delivered. Even as a witch, there was little magic could do to help a woman through the pains of pregnancy. Like most Muggle medicines, potions and spells were simply too dangerous or at least questionable for pregnant woman to take… even in the twenty-first century.
She sighed as she realized she had to pee… again. She still had four weeks until her due date, but that seemed an eternity away. She tried to focus on seeing her son or daughter, for she wanted to be surprised, knowing everything she had been experiencing these past eight months would be worth it the moment she gazed into those sweet, innocent eyes on that new face. She allowed herself to relax and smile… That could have something to do with the fact that she had also just emptied her bladder.
She reflected back on her marriage these past couple of years and was happier than she had been in a long time. Even after the war, the rebuilding process had been slow, painful at times, and full of grief over lost friends. At least her mum and dad had returned to England a year after the war, but sometimes the effects of her memory charms on them still surfaced. She should have spent more time with them, but she was building a life for herself in a different world, and talk of Muggle things just didn't fit into her life much… sadly.
The holiday she was on now had been fun, but seeing Muggle France meant limited magic. She was currently staying in Chartres, a medieval town that still felt like it probably had a thousand years ago, were it not for the cars.
They would be leaving for the countryside today, perhaps to take in some ruins of castles, or should she have thought chateaux? Her limited French was helpful, but her accent was horrid. Just as she set about to dress for the day ahead, she felt a tightening in her womb.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Hermione tried not to cry out in pain. Was that a contraction? She gripped the edge of the sink and stared at her reflection. Just as she got her breathing under control, she felt the same agonizing sensation again.
Mustering her self-control, Hermione stepped out of the loo and shouted, "I think we need to get to a hospital!"
Author's Note: Now, the question I pose for you dear readers: Should I keep this canon, have Hermione married to Ron, and have her deliver Rose, or should this be fanon, have Hermione married to Severus, and have her deliver… hmm, a son or a daughter? ;)