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: Some description of childbirth in this chapter. As being a midwife myself, I choose to descripe all proceedings around childbirth as realistic as possible. Personally I think there's nothing wrong with that, but don't read it if you don't like it.

Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Harry Potter.

Thank you all for the reviews! Please keep them coming, they make it easier to write! :)

Chapter 4

Gulping for air, she saw black spots dance in front of her eyes. She gripped the table still harder and felt herself drowning in a wave of pain.

Then a warm, strong hand was on her back, stroking it in long, soothing circles.

"Breathe", whispered a voice in her ear. Followed by: "London Bridge is falling down".

Ginny's head snapped up to see her husband standing next to her, still stroking her back.

"Why… in Merlins name…. are you….singing…nursery…..rhymes!?", Ginny panted.

"To help you breathing! Don't you remember?" his green eyes looked warm and reassuring, albeit a little bit indignant. "You're supposed to blow out on every syllable. Lon-don Bridge is fall-ing down. Or do you prefer 'Mary had a little lamb'?"

Despite the pain, Ginny couldn't help but chuckle. She felt some of her tension and panic leave her as the contraction subsided.

"I'm so glad you're here. They are coming so fast, all of a sudden. How did you know I needed you?"

"A little bird told me your labour had started."

"Does that little bird by any chance listen to the name Hermione?"

"Off course. She also told me that you were a bit stubborn about not wanting to alert me."

"Well, I still wasn't sure if it was the real deal, and I didn't want to disturb you until I was."

The next contraction began to build and Ginny clenched her knuckles. "But now I'm sure it is the real deal, so you'd better call Meriam."

"Lon-don-Bridge-is-fall-ing-down, Lon-don-Bridge-is-fall-ing-down, Lon-don-Bridge-is-"

Ginny was too busy breathing away a contraction to notice her midwife stepping out of the fireplace.

As the contractions were coming closer, Harry had first flooed Meriam (who told them she'd pack her midwife-kit and be with them in 15 minutes), then fed their sons at top speed (not too hard if you could conjure a pizza out of thin air) and proceeded to bring them to bed. Ginny could hear him reading a very short and somewhat rushed bedside story to James. Thank Merlin her scheme to play quidditch with them had worked its way; both boys were too tired to notice their parents' strange behaviour or question the rushed bed-time-routine.

Breathing away the last of the contraction, Ginny looked up to see Meriam Pye putting her midwife-kit on the table and surveying her carefully.

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing ok." Ginny managed a smile, that somehow looked more like a grimace.

"How far apart are they now?"

"Only a few minutes. It feels like it's going fast again. Just like with Albus." Ginny's voice trembled a bit. "I only forgot how much it hurts." A tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

She felt Meriams soft, reassuring hands on her shoulders. "I know it hurts. But you are really strong, and you can do this."

Ginny leaned into her and breathed shakily. "I know. I know I can. It just really, bloody well, hu-" she broke of as a new contraction began and started her chanting of 'London Bridge' again.

"That's it, Ginny, very good. You're doing great." Meriam guided her through the contraction and as it subsided Harry came down the stairs.

"Looks like your third child is just as impatient to enter the world as both of your sons." Meriam announced. "How about, I set up my stuff and examine you to see how far you are exactly?"

As Meriam began to unpack her kit and spread out her utilities, Harry helped Ginny undress and lie down on the bed in the living room. This immediately triggered another contraction, through which Harry held her hand and breathed with her. Seeing Meriams familiar blonde figure shuffling in and out of her vision together with Harry's strong hand gripping her own made Ginny more calm than she had been in many days. She would finally have this baby, their third, much awaited child. Soon the urge to push would come over her, and despite the pain, she'd know what to do. And then her son would be placed on her belly. That's how it went with James and Albus, that's how it would go this time.

"Are you ready?"

Meriam had sat down on the edge of the mattress and was wearing sterile examination gloves.

Ginny nodded and tried to relax during the vaginal exam.

"I think you're nearly there." Meriam said with a concentrated look. "Only one more centimetre to go." Her fingers moved inside Ginny, who looked disappointed.

"I'm sorry Ginny, but that last centimetre needs to go away before you can push. The amniotic sac is still intact. I could break it as that usually speeds up the process. Or we could wait."

"No, it's fine. You can break it." Ginny panted as another contraction began to build.

"Ok. Then I'll do it during this contraction."

Meriam reached with her free hand for a thin, plastic instrument with a tiny hook at the end. Shielding it with her hand, she inserted the instrument and fumbled around while Ginny gripped Harry's hands and moaned.

A little 'pop' was followed by a wave of warm water rushing out from between her thighs. The familiar feeling heightened Ginny's anticipation. Not much longer now.

Her eyes sought Harry's, but found him staring at her crotch. That annoyed her. Not that he hadn't seen her naked before, but during delivery his view from the headboard was more than enough for her.

It was only when she heard his voice sounding higher than usual that she registered something was not all right.

"Is that blood?"

Okay, what do you think? Please let me know! :)

love, Zimra.