Breath of Life
by ChatterChick
Summary: They were happy. They were healthy. Their lives were coming beautifully together. Follow Neville and Hannah Longbottom on their journey to start their family.
***updated version as of 04/05/15***
Alright, time for some FLUFF! Because you deserve seeing some happy Hannah and Neville for a change :D
Chapter 3: Delicate
Early March 2007
Hannah hummed to herself as she set their little two-person table for supper that night.
She smiled as she looked at the table, realizing they would need a bigger one in the not-so-distant future. She could just picture her little family gathered around it now. The thought was just enough to make her start weeping again with joy.
Hannah summoned the cutlery from the drawers and they settled into place before being followed by the plates.
Neville would be floo-ing home to the Leaky any minute now, and she wanted things to be set up for when he walked upstairs to their flat. She still hadn't thought of an appropriately witty way to tell Neville he was going to be a Daddy. Although she supposed it wouldn't really matter in the long run and he'd be just as excited if she just blurted it out.
Hannah waved her hand over the candles on the table and they crackled to life. With her wand she dimmed the rest of the lights and gave the tiny dining room area a romantic glow.
She was glad today had been her day off, she didn't think she would have been able to concentrate at work. As it were, she overcooked the chicken and forgot to light the top burner to boil the potatoes.
She put two champagne glasses out to celebrate, although she'd be filling them with sparkling water instead. Neville wouldn't be fazed by her lack of alcohol. She hadn't had any since New Years, and even that was a splurge after being sober for several months prior. She and Neville were never as rowdy as the Daily Prophet would have you believe, but they enjoyed a bottle of wine with supper or a glass of firewhiskey in the evenings. Being alcohol-free had definitely been an adjustment over the past year and she knew it would be one of many.
She and Michael had talked for an hour about prenatal vitamins, future healer visits and what she could and could not do during her pregnancy. Apparently apparation was out in case of splinching and she would have to adjust to travelling by other means.
Her hand fluttered down to her stomach as she thought of the baby. She had been doing that all day, completely in awe.
She heard the doorknob to their flat twist and removed her hand just in time to not give away the surprise.
"Neville!" She greeted, rushing forward to give him a kiss. Feeling overjoyed, she deepened it, wrapping her arms around his neck and sucking on his lower lip. Neville responded just as passionately, walking her backwards until she hit a wall, and then trapping her there with his hips. Hannah gasped his name as he started making his way down her jaw and down her neck with his mouth. She was tempted to let him take her up against the wall, but wanted to share the news first. She half-heartedly stopped him and pushed on his chest to get him to back up.
Neville's eyes twinkled as he pulled back, wiping his mouth with the edge of his sleeve.
"You seem very happy," Neville observed. "Was everything okay at the appointment then?"
"Everything was great," she confirmed.
"Does Michael think we might conceive one this month?" Neville asked, playfully dragging a finger across from her lower hip to her belly button. "We could get a head start - "
"Oh, no we won't be able to this month," she said, suddenly feeling inspired. "Or the month after that either. It might take us a very long time. You can't really conceive a baby when you're already pregnant."
"You're - " Neville's hands were suddenly on her hips again and he was peppering her face with kisses. "You're pregnant! Oh Merlin, you're pregnant, Hannah this is wonderful!"
"I know," she laughed between kisses. "We're going to be parents, Nev! You're going to be a Daddy!"
The light, feathered kisses quickly turned more fierce as Neville attacked her lips with his own. She was against the wall once more, quite literally swept off her feet. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him and he carried her down the hall towards their bedroom. Before long, she was laying naked in their bed, crying out in ecstasy as her husband made love to her.
Later, Hannah felt completely at peace as they spooned in bed. Neville had propped himself up with one arm while the other was draped over her hip, his fingers lightly tracing patterns over her stomach.
"I wasn't too rough with you, was I?" he worried, "I got a bit carried away."
"I'm not made of glass," she reassured him.
Neville kissed her where the base of her neck met her shoulder. He chuckled as he responded, "I know, but I'm going to worry anyway. You and the baby, you're my life now and I'm going to take care of you."
"I love you," she whispered.
Neville traced a heart over her stomach in response. "And I love you both so very much."
xXxXx
Hannah stood at the counter of her bar, watching over her customers. Her hand would absent-mindedly drift towards her stomach as she got lost in thought. The past month had been absolutely perfect. It felt like she and Neville shared a secret, one they were about to give up to the world at the rate they were going. They shared brief glances, excited smiles and gentle touches. Neville couldn't help but rub her stomach every time he saw her. Hannah was surprised the whole world couldn't guess her secret just by looking at her, her smile was so wide these days.
They had debated when would be a good time to share the news with their family and friends. Both of them were bursting with joy, and wanted to share the news with every person they knew. But at the same time, they were both quite nervous over the still early pregnancy, terrified at the prospect of loosing the baby and then having the whole world inquire over their private grief. In the end, they came to the decision that they'd share the news with family soon, and then tell their friends after Hannah was a bit further along.
A pair of hands suddenly covered her face. Hannah let out an indignant squeak, not liking having someone sneak up behind her. She elbowed the person in the stomach and quickly spun around, her wand poised to hex.
Her assailant had his hands raised in surrender, an amused smirk splashed across his face. He looked like the male version of Hannah. He had the same curly blond hair, the same blue eyes and heart-shaped face. He had a few inches on her and was broader, although that was to be expected with the different sexes. One would assume them to be twins, although Luke Abbott was actually four years younger than his sister.
"Oh, you," she accused.
Luke's face twisted even more into his shit-eating grin. "Yes, me."
After her grandfather, Tom Abbott, had passed away he left the Leaky Cauldron to Hannah and Luke. They shared ownership of the pub and inn and divided the work between them. Luke had insisted that she take the flat above the Leaky while he took one of the larger guest rooms. Of course, Luke's room was more a storage space than a personal living space these days. He spent most of his free time at his girlfriend's flat in Birmingham.
"You wouldn't really hex your baby brother, would you Hannah?"
"I just might! You gave me quite the scare."
"The odd scare is good for you," Luke retorted. "Really gets the blood pumping, the adrenaline going, keeps your reflexes strong."
"You might want to be more careful," said Hannah. "I'm delicate."
Luke rolled his eyes. "I grew up with you, remember? I know you're not that delicate."
"Well these days I am." She tried to hint it by putting a hand on her stomach, but apparently Luke needed everything spelled out because he only looked confused. "For the next several months anyway."
"Ohh, you're pregnant." He sat on the counter, surveying the crowd at the Leaky. His eyes then returned to her and he was smiling that irritating little brother grin. "Neville finally figured out where to stick it then?"
He leaned away as she swatted at him, his joy evident on his face.
Luke swung around and jumped down on the other side. He looked back at his rather exasperated sister and said, "Well congratulations then. You'll be a good mum, I suppose, you certainly love nagging me!"
With that, he joined the crowds in the pub, greeting patrons as he went.
xXxXx
Hannah caught herself from falling, still not used to portkey travel after so many years of having her apparation licence.
She had to go to the ministry to get special permission to have a number of them registered for her use. They gave her a muggle set of keys, but each one was a different colour and would take her to a different place if she tapped it with her wand. She had ones for The Leaky, for the hospital and for a few of her friends and family's homes.
The yellow portkey had taken her next to a sign that read Sunnyside in the little wizarding community of Eastwitch. It was hardly more than a row of houses just outside of Inverness with muggle-repelling charms over the area, but it was a nice little community where young witches and wizards could run around without worry of revealing too much.
It was also where her best friends, Ernie and Susan Macmillan, lived.
She let herself into the gate and walked up the dirt path that led to a cheery sunshine yellow two-storey house. The house was very prim and proper, with everything perfectly orderly and maintained. The white fence around the property looked as if it were freshly charmed and Susan's gardens were starting to return to life after the winter months.
Hannah hesitated slightly before tapping the polished brass knocker. It had been an unforgivably long time since she had last seen Susan.
It was sometimes hard to be around Susan and her perfect life, especially when Hannah's had gone off track so many times before.
Susan had been in love with Ernie since they were giggling second years and Hannah had had a huge crush on Justin Finch-Fletchley since first year. Hannah and Susan would stay up late, giggling in the Hufflepuff girls' dormitory as they planned their lives together. They'd go on double dates with Ernie and Justin when they were finally able to go to Hogsmeade in third year. They'd marry them in back-to-back summer weddings after graduating and have each other as maids of honour. They'd have their children the same year and their children would be best friends and go to Hogwarts.
It had been going to plan too; Hannah and Justin got together at the end of their fifth year and Susan and Ernie got together in the middle of their sixth. Everyone had predicted it as only a matter off time, the four of them were so close. Despite the war around them, the four of them were happy together.
Things started going south after Hannah's mother was killed in her sixth year.
And then the ministry fell before their seventh and Justin had to flee for his life. The hardest part that year was not having any contact with him, not knowing if he was dead or alive, if he had been captured by snatchers or was still on the run.
Hannah hadn't even known that her boyfriend had been dead for months until they made a positive identification on Justin's remains that were buried behind that wretched prison.
There was always a little sadness between the three friends now where their fourth, missing one should have been. It had been hard watching Susan and Ernie continue their relationship when Hannah was grieving for Justin. It had been hard again this past year to see their beautiful two daughters when Hannah struggled to get pregnant.
Hannah shook those thoughts out of her head. Somehow, through it all Ernie and Susan had never given up on her. They had been her silent pillars of strength after the war. Had gently encouraged her to find love and happiness again with Neville. She loved them more than she could ever express for that. They were her family in all but blood.
Okay, maybe there was a small amount of blood as she was distantly related to the Bones family. Still, the sentiment remained.
"Hannah!" Susan greeted her at the door. "I'm so glad you could come!"
Ernie appeared in the entranceway, hugging her the moment Susan let her go. A pair of red-haired little girls trailed behind him, clamouring to get her attention. Hannah bent down to greet them. Three-year-old Ainsley hugged her 'aunt', happily chattering the whole time. Eighteen-month-old Brianna toddled over, waving shyly at Hannah.
"Life's been busy at the Leaky?" Susan sympathized. She led her over to the sitting room. "Come, tell us everything."
Hannah nodded, grateful that Susan had provided her with an excuse for not visiting since the holidays.
There was a tea pot and a few cups set out, and with a wave of her wand, Susan poured three cups for them. She levitated one over to Hannah, who accepted it with a "Thanks". The girls retreated to their toy corner, as if they decided the grown-up talk around them was too boring.
Hannah shared how the Leaky was doing, the latest gossip she had heard around the pub, how Neville was making out at Hogwarts. In return, Susan and Ernie shared news of their lives, the girls and the latest run-in with Zacharias Smith at the ministry. Hannah was slowly making her way to her good news when Susan finally seemed to run out of patience.
She shared a glance with Ernie. "Hannah, at what point in this visit did you plan on telling us?"
"Excuse me?" Hannah innocently asked.
Susan just raised her eyebrow and Hannah broke into a smile. "Okay, I'm eleven weeks."
There was squealing from Susan and much hugging between all three of them.
"I knew it," Susan smugly retorted. "Merlin, you're glowing!"
"She is," Ernie agreed. "Congratulations, Hannah! You're going to be a fantastic mother!"
They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about the baby, and trying to guess the gender and what the baby would look like, what they would act like, which parent they'd take after.
"They'll be the best herbology student," Susan insisted. "How can they not with Neville and Hannah as parents?"
"Hufflepuff," Ernie declared. "They'll be sweet and gentle like their mum."
They parted ways late in the afternoon, Susan and Ernie insisting that Hannah come back later that week with Neville for supper. As she walked back up the dirt path to portkey home, Hannah couldn't imagine being any happier than this.