Chapter 2: Becoming Uncle Harry
Harry was having a really good dream. He was flying across the Hogwarts lake on Buckbeak's back, whooping and laughing at the wind whipping by. Suddenly, another sound pierced his revelry - a sound so continuous it sounded like a bad fire alarm.
"Waaaaaaahhhhhhh…"
The dream suddenly faded, and Harry found himself in darkness - only the intruding sound did not fade. What the hell is that? Damn, it's probably James.
He shifted to look towards his wife…. and rolled right onto the floor that was inches, not feet, below him. Ginny wasn't there. And this definitely wasn't his bed. Where am I?
Then he remembered: he was still in the hospital. Memories of Hermione in labor and a hysterical Ron came flooding back to him. He had volunteered to stay behind for the night…. Ginny had gone home without him…..
Pushing himself to his knees, Harry then stood and turned to the sound. In the dim light of the room, he could see the little bassinet against the wall, under the window, that housed his new niece. Rose Hermione Weasley had been born the previous afternoon. And now she was wailing.
Harry scanned the room. Ron was conked out in the rocking chair in the corner; Hermione still in the hospital bed. He crossed to the bassinet and scooped Rose into his arms.
"OK, OK, I've got you…. Come on, let's go walk it off before Mummy and Daddy wake up, huh?" He quickly slipped out the door.
To the inexperienced observer, St. Mungo's could seem pretty spooky at night. But one of the advantages of being in a large family was that Harry had been here at least half a dozen times already, including for the birth of his own son. Frankly, he'd lost count. Any more babies came along, his or not, and he figured he would have to start living here as a permanent resident. Roaming the deserted halls, bouncing Rose in his arms, Harry actually felt a sense of peace connected with the night. He chanced a glance down at the baby. She had calmed substantially, but had not quite fallen asleep yet.
"You're quite loud, you know that?" he teased, even though he knew she couldn't answer him. "Though, to be honest, I couldn't tell you who you get that from. Your Mummy can be pretty loud when she's pissed, but sometimes, Ron's argued with me loud enough to wake the dead."
He fell silent, letting her absorb his words as he listened to the sound of his own footfalls.
"You've got great parents," he piped up. "The best people I've ever known. They've waited a long time for you; Hermione especially. They love you very much, Rosie. You mind if I call you that?"
Rose let out a snorty breath and Harry chuckled.
"I'll take that as a yes, then." Another pause while he rounded the bend into another corridor, and then he continued.
"You're right bloody lucky, you know - having The Chosen One as a godfather. I'm directly quoting your Dad's assessment, by the way; I, on the other hand, am still deciding whether to agree with him. But I promise I won't tease you or do any embarrassing things. Mind you, that stuff's for Teddy - you'll meet him soon enough."
"Right," and he paused at the final set of double doors that led out of the ward. "Let's get you back to bed." And he headed for the elevators.
Even in the middle of the night, the elevator music still played:
"And every time I've held a rose, it seems I've only felt the thorns. And so it goes, and so it goes. And you're the only one who knows…."
"Think that's a good omen, Rose?" Harry smiled down at his now fast asleep charge. "Even if it is Muggle music. Billy Joel is fine, but why can't they play a Weird Sisters ballad once in a while?….."
They finally arrived at their floor and Harry returned to Ron and Hermione's room. He tried the door, then again when it did not yield.
"Damn!" He cursed. "We're locked out." He peered through the slat in the doorway. Squinting, he could still see his brother-in-law and sister-in-law fast asleep. Harry sighed.
"I don't have the heart to wake them up, little one. Guess we'll have to sleep out here." And shifting Rose in his arms, he set to work on how to at least get himself comfortable.
The chirping off the birds brought Hermione Weasley out of sleep. Humming in contentment, she opened her eyes, which fell immediately on the bassinet.
Rose wasn't there. She could see it, even through the bars. Just a blanket.
"Rosie? Rosie?"
No answer; of course there wouldn't be one. Her gaze shifted to the floor and the vacated mattress.
"Harry?" Her panic grew. "Ron! Ron, wake up!"
Her husband snorted and shifted awake in the rocking chair. "What is it, love?"
"Rose and Harry are gone!"
Ron sprung to his feet as if given a booster shot. "Bloody hell! OK, stay here, I'm going to go look for them!"
Ron sprang to the door, opened it…. and had barely gone past the threshold when he burst out laughing.
"Oi, Hermione, you've got to come see this!"
Hermione huffed. "I bloody well can't, Ronald, I just had your baby yesterday!"
"Our baby," Ron corrected. "Who just happens to be asleep in the arms of our equally asleep best friend."
Indeed, Harry was still holding Rose, chin on his chest like some kind of bird, and leaning against the wall - asleep standing up!
Ron grinned. "They must have gone for a walk and gotten locked out…."
Hermione brightened. "Awwwwww….. well, take a picture or something! My phone's on the nightstand."
"Righto." Ron grabbed the phone and after remembering how to work it, snapped the adorable sight. "Totally texting this to Ginny!"
"Don't wake them up until after you've sent it!" Hermione giggled, eager to see the moment herself.