Summary: Did you ever wonder why Harry and Ginny only had three children? Birth is as safe as life gets. A story about the eventful birth of Lily Potter.
Warning: There will be description of childbirth in later chapters, but nothing too shocking in my opinion.
Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 2
"Gin?"
"Coming!"
Putting little Albus down on the floor, Ginny waddled into the kitchen where Hermione was just stepping out of the fireplace. She was holding a large bag of groceries on one hip and her three-year old daughter Rose on the other.
Hermione placed the bag on the counter and put Rose down on the floor, then stretched her back, wincing slightly.
"You really shouldn't be lifting so much you know." Ginny said with a look at Hermione's five-month-pregnant belly.
"Ahem, I think I just heard the pot calling the kettle black. You are the one who shouldn't be lifting so much." Hermione said sternly, "Harry told me you still carry Albus up the stairs".
"Well, it's so much quicker than letting him climb, because unlike James, Albus likes to do things slowly. And not just climbing the stairs, getting dressed, washing and eating also takes ages." Ginny rolled her eyes. "But you do have a point, cause my back is killing me these days."
"I assumed as much, so I brought you some groceries."
"Ah, thank you so much Hermione!"
"No problem, I had to go to the store myself. So how is the- What is it sweetie?" Rose was tugging at her mothers robes. Hermione bent down to hear her daughter whisper shyly.
"Yes, you can go and play with Albus. Just ask auntie Ginny if that's alright."
Holding onto her mothers hand tightly, Rose looked up at Ginny but remained silent.
"Come on Rosie, it's only auntie Ginny, you can ask her." Hermione tried to encourage her daughter.
Ginny couldn't help but smile at the sight of her brothers ginger hair and freckles together with her friend's bushy curls and hazel eyes combined in her niece.
"Of course you can go and play with Albus," she said, ruffling the girl's hair. "He's in there."
"Ron used to be shy just like her." She added to Hermione.
Rose toddled off into the living room and immediately she and Albus were immersed in a game.
Ginny and Hermione listened for a moment to the incomprehensible, but seemingly serious conversation their children were having.
"Aren't they sweet?"
"They go on really well."
"Let's hope our next ones do so as well." Hermione gestured at both of their bellies.
"Speaking of which," she continued, "any signs of labour yet?"
Ginny's look immediately darkened. "So I'd wish… But no, only those tiring backaches that I've had for weeks now. Sometimes I imagine them to become stronger and more contraction-like but then they subside again. At this rate this baby's going to come out next year."
"Aw…poor you!" Hermione said with a sympathetic grin. "I know the last part is the hardest. But on the bright side: you will get this baby, and definitely before next year."
"I know…" Ginny sighed. "Just distract me with something, would you? I need to take my mind off"
"Ok, let me see. Did you hear that Luna has met someone?"
"What? No! Who?"
"Well, word is she met this guy while on an expedition in Malaysia, looking for some extremely rare bowtruckle species."
"How do you know?"
"Neville told me when he came round for dinner last week. One of his colleagues was on the same expedition and noticed them hanging out together all the time. When the expedition ended the two of them decided to extend their stay in Malaysia to visit some other special rainforest."
"Just the two of them? I'm not sure if that's a wise decision. How long does she know this guy! And who is he?"
"His name is Rolf Scamander and according to Neville's colleague he's a nice bloke. He's known him for years and from the stories it seems as he's just as fascinated by weird creatures as Luna is. Neville said he met Rolf a couple of times on parties. He described him as very friendly, thinks he and Luna are a good match."
"That's so nice! I'm so happy for her!"
"Yes, but you might want to wait till she tells her yourself. Neville said he wasn't sure if they are already a couple. It's more of a rumour yet. And speaking of rumours: I heard another one. Winsemius Marchbanks, who is on the department of magical games and sports, said there are plans to-. Are you all right?" Hermione suddenly noticed Ginny gripping the back of a chair and grimacing.
"Yeah, just a backache." Ginny managed to groan, while gripping the chair still harder.
"Are you sure?" Hermione looked concerned. "Because this looks rather like-…"
"No. It's just a backache." Ginny cut across her. "I'm not getting my hopes up again."
After a moment she relaxed again and let out a sigh. "See, it's gone already."
"Ok, if you say so…" Hermione said, but Ginny could tell she was not convinced.
After some fifteen minutes of drinking tea and sharing more rumours, Ginny felt the backache again. She tried not to let it show, but failed, causing Hermione to peer at her sternly.
"Tell me again that was not a contraction."
"It wasn't."
"Are you sure you don't need to Floo Harry?"
"Dead sure. I'm not going to alert anyone, only to discover that it's Braxton-Hicks again."
"Shall I stay here with you?"
"Nope. You're going to get home, cause its Rosies nap-time, and I have some laundry to do. You wouldn't believe how fast James and Albus can get their clothes dirty."
Hermione took one look at her friend and sister-in-law to know that she meant business. And she knew better than to reason with a Weasley who has an idea fixed in its mind.
So she started to round up her daughter, which, due to a final game of hide-and-seek took another ten minutes. The two women had just hugged and kissed each other and their children goodbye and Hermione turned with Rose to the fireplace as Ginny winced with another backache.
"Are you sure I don't need to take the boys with me? They can have dinner at our place, that leaves you some time to relax?"
"I'm going to do laundry. And I'm perfectly fine, remember?"
"All right, all right! I'm going!" Hermione hastily exclaimed when she saw Ginny's stern look. "But even so… Good luck tonight!" she added with a grin before stepping into the fireplace with Rose and vanishing from sight.
Lo
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love, Zimra
