Chapter 9 Infantem Venit

Percy was coming down the stairs from changing Little Molly's nappy when he heard the fireplace flare as someone came through it. He descended the rest of the stairs and sent Molly to her mother before going to see who it was. Whoever it was, they were early for lunch. He had come with Audrey when she came to help Molly with lunch, making them and Ron the first to arrive.

He peeked into the sitting room and saw Harry helping Ginny out of the fireplace. He realized that Ginny was still heavily pregnant.

"Weren't you due on the ninth?" Percy asked Ginny, eyeing her as if she was going to explode at any moment.

"Percival," Audrey warned, from the kitchen.

"I so wish you hadn't said that," Harry deadpanned.

Ginny glared her brother. "Yes, Percival. I was due on the ninth. So, if you can count, today is the eleventh. Two days past!" Ginny all but snarled at Percy.

"I'm sorry, Ginny." Percy retreated to the kitchen quickly. Molly had warned him Ginny was feeling cranky. Audrey was at the end of her pregnancy with Molly. She nearly took his head off in the delivery room.

Ginny eased herself into a chair. Ron and Hermione came in just as Ginny was batting away Harry's hands as he tried to help her get comfortable.

"I'm pregnant, not crippled, you git," she groused. "I don't need help for every little thing."

"I never said you did," Harry said, trying to soothe her.

"I'm sorry," Ginny sighed. "I'm just getting tired of being pregnant. I'm dying to be able to wear knickers that don't ride up. To see my feet and not have to check in a mirror check my shoes and see if they match. To take a hot bath," she moaned, closing her eyes. "My body can't possibly stretch any further, my ankles are fat, my back hurts, and Harry would you quit breathing down my neck!"

Harry looked between his wife and best friend, standing off the side.

"I know, sweetie."

"You're doing this next time," Ginny growled, but without the heat, she unleashed on Percy.

"I'll see what I can do."

Ron tiptoed to the kitchen, patting Harry's shoulder on his way. When he came through the door, he jerked a thumb to the door. "If were you I wouldn't go in there," he told Molly and Audrey. He washed his hands in the sink and sat down at the table, snapping peas. "Ginny's liable to snap someone's head off."

Molly chuckled. "When I was pregnant with you, you were two weeks late. By the time you were born, I was ready to rip your father's head off." Molly pointed her wand at a mountain of carrots and they peeled and themselves and landed in a bowl.

Ron pointed his wand to the peas and let them snap themselves. "Hermione wants to have a baby. The more I see that." He pointed to the sitting room. "The more afraid I am," he admitted.

Audrey excused herself to go and take Molly into the sitting room to see her aunt and uncle, giving Molly some privacy to talk with Ron. She and Percy were trying for another baby and were having a hard time getting pregnant again.

"It's scary and you would be a fool to think otherwise," Molly admitted, smiling softly. She sat down in the chair next to Ron, running her hand down the back of his head. "Have you talked to Hermione about it?"

"No," Ron said. "I've only talked to Harry because I know I could confide in him my fears. Getting another man's view on it and no, I haven't talked to Hermione. I don't want to let her down. What if it's me that's the problem?"

Molly took Ron's hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She may not understand what Ron and Hermione were going through, but it made her feel helpless. All she could do was to encourage them to keep trying and to talk to Hermione about his fears. She never felt this helpless before, she wanted to fix it and this was something she couldn't.

"Talk to her, Ron. You will be letting her down if you don't talk to her how you feel." She gave Ron's shoulder a gentle squeeze. Why don't you take her on a walk after lunch? Get out of the madhouse for a little bit. We'll make sure the kids don't follow you, although with Harry still being here, that shouldn't be a problem."

"Thanks, Mum." Ron got up from his chair, kissing Molly's cheek before he went off to find Hermione to ask her about the walk after lunch. The weather was starting to get warm and it was going to be unusually warm for early April.

Molly checked on the cake she was going to serve for dessert in honor of George's birthday. She got it out of the oven to give it a chance to cool before she added the icing.

Audrey came back in with Angelina following her. "I'll leave this to you," she said to Angelina, who took over the icing. Molly headed to the sitting room, stopping at the door. She watched her daughter, with her feet propped up in Harry's lap. Molly used this time to really get a good look at Ginny.

"Oh, my little James, maybe not today, but soon," she thought. "And Grandmum can't wait to meet you." She sighed. Then, like a tidal wave, it hit her. All of her babies were grown up and some with children of their own. She looked forward to more grandbabies. Soon, there will be a new baby in the family and Molly couldn't wait for him to get here.

She dabbed her eyes with the corner of her apron.

"Mum? Are you all right?" Ginny asked, bringing Molly back to the room.

She smiled at her daughter.

"I remember the day I brought you home. It seemed like it was yesterday. I couldn't believe how tiny you were."

"I'm not so tiny now," Ginny said, wryly. "I wish it over."

Molly smiled and patted her daughter's hand. "I know how you feel. I couldn't wait for it to be over neither. But he'll come when he's ready. Just take some time."

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Lunch had been over for over an hour and Molly had sent the kids outside to play. George was sitting on a blanket under the shade of the oak tree with Baby Fred, playing with him. Since he was away from Angelina's watchful, he tried tossing him in the air and catching him. The sound of a baby laughing made Arthur smile as he was watched his son and grandson from the doorway of the shed.

Turning his head, he watched Bill and Percy were discussing something between the two of them and watching their kids from afar.

Arthur turned towards the swing set he had bought for his grandchildren and smiled as he watched Harry push Molly and Dominique on the swings. The girls were soaking up all the time they could have with Uncle Harry. But Arthur knew, even when James was born, he would still make time for his nieces and nephews.

He walked back into the shed, having decided he was going to build a bassinet for Bill and Fleur's baby.

Victoire came out of the house after changing into play clothes. She tiptoed over to Ron and tapped his back. Ron chased her around the yard, all while calling "I'm going to get you."

Victoire ran around the shed, only to be caught by Ron when she came back around. They both laughed and Ron blew a raspberry on her cheek.

"Stop that Uncle Ron," the four-year-old requested. Ron obeyed her and then snuck up behind Molly as she got off the swing and was heading to the sandbox. Ron picked her up, causing her to squeal.

Harry continued to push Dominique on the swing, listening to her request to go higher.

"Uncle Harry?" Dominique asked, turning to her favorite uncle.

"What is it, Munchkin?"

"When will baby James get here?" she asked.

"Soon, Sweetie," Harry replied. He looked towards the house and from the open door could see Ginny, sitting at the table, talking to Molly. "Very soon."

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It was early Wednesday morning when Ginny woke up to a light pain in her back. She needed a warm compress. Reaching over, she shook Harry's shoulder.

"Harry," she whispered.

"What's the matter, Gin?" Harry asked his voice laced with sleep.

"I need a compress. My back hurts."

She heard Harry slip out of bed and pick up his glasses. Soon the light in the bathroom was turned on, but it didn't bother her as her back was to it.

Harry shuffled back to the bed, with the compress in hand. "Where does it hurt?" he inquired.

"Lower back," Ginny responded. She sighed when he felt the compress being pressed to her back and laid back, pressing it against the bed.

"How's that?" Harry asked, sitting down on the side of the bed.

"Good," Ginny sighed.

"Alright, wake me if your back still hurts."

Ginny nodded and watched as Harry got up and headed to the bathroom. She laid back down and went to sleep, hugging the body pillow she had since early on in her pregnancy.

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The sun was coming up when Ginny woke up again, this time with a strong cramp. This reminded her of menstrual cramps, ones she hadn't experienced since before she got pregnant.

She laid there quietly, trying to go back to sleep, thinking what she felt was another Braxton Hicks when she felt it again. Setting her hands on top of her stomach, she noticed it felt hard. After a while, she felt her stomach soften. She turned head on her pillow, glancing at Harry.

Should she wake him? Or should she wait? She decided to wait for now and wake him later.

Ginny pushed herself up to a sitting position on the bed and picked her wand and whispered the spell in which a timer appeared. Shanti had told her the spell that would help her time contractions, which would allow for Harry to leave her a moment to call the family or to collect something they need to bring.

She watched the timer, her eyes on the glowing yellow numbers.

Over the next two hours, she had only felt six more twinges of cramps. It wasn't painful right now, but she knew it was only a matter of time. She decided to wake Harry when the pain got worse or if her water broke, whichever one came first.

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Harry woke up twenty minutes later, reaching for his glasses. He panicked at first when he noticed the time before realizing that he didn't need to go to work. Turning on his back, Harry noticed Ginny was sitting up in the bed.

"Good morning," she greeted, distractedly. Another twinge hit and Ginny glanced at the timer. They were now fifteen minutes part.

"Morning," Harry yawned. He got up and shuffled to the bathroom. When he returned and found Ginny in the same place as before, he asked her if she was okay.

"I'm fine."

Harry noticed the timer floating beside the bed. Pointing to it, he asked, "Is everything okay?"

"I'm having labor pains," Ginny replied.

Instantly awake, Harry asked her "How far apart?"

"Fifteen minutes."

"Why didn't you wake me earlier? Shouldn't we go to St. Mungo's?"

"Not yet. Shanti said that I didn't have to go until the contractions are around ten minutes apart. They've been fifteen for a solid two hours now. They were thirty when I first woke up around five this morning." Ginny glanced at the clock. "Are you hungry?"

"Are you?" Harry asked.

"I could eat a bite."

"What about the scones your Mum brought over yesterday?"

Ginny closed her eyes in bliss. "Yes," she sighed. "Chocolate chip."

"Do you want to move downstairs or stay here?"

Ginny didn't take long to decide. "Downstairs. Can we watch West Side Story?"

"Sure, anything you want."

Harry helped Ginny downstairs for breakfast, wondering if Ginny's labor would be short or long. He'll soon get his answer.

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Ginny sighed, leaning back against the couch. Four hours and the contractions were still fifteen minutes apart. She had had a shower, changed into clean clothes and watched West Side Story with Harry.

"Where does it hurt?" Harry asked, sitting down behind her.

"Low back," Ginny replied.

"Here?" Harry inquired, beginning to dig his thumbs into the space just above her hips.

"Yes," Ginny sighed, hissing in relief, as Harry dug his thumbs into the area just above her hips. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Ginny breathed through the pain until it subsided and leaned back against Harry, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What now? The Sound of Music?"

"I was thinking Grease."

Harry wordlessly summoned the tape and got up from the couch, switching the VCR on and popping in the tape.

Before sitting back down on the couch, he decided to go to the kitchen for something to drink.

"I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything?" Harry asked.

"Some water or juice would nice."

"Anything for you, my love." Harry headed into the kitchen and came back with two glasses of apple juice. Ginny sipped on the juice before sitting it down on the table in front of her and pulled herself to one side of the couch.

Ginny leaned her elbows on the arm of the couch, resting her forehead between them as the opening to Grease began. Shanti had warned her it might take more than twenty-four hours before she would deliver. Ginny had hoped she was joking and so had Harry. It was after two in the afternoon now. At five, she would hit the twelve-hour mark.

She glanced at Harry when the pain subsided. He was watching her closely, rubbing in between her shoulder blades one-handedly.

She was lucky to have him. He accompanied her to every appointment and asked just as many questions as she did.

"Are you getting hungry?" Ginny asked. "You should eat something. You've only eaten chocolate chip scones with some tea earlier. It's going to probably be a long night. I don't want Mum thinking that I starved you."

"I will in a minute. Do you want something? You've only eaten a scone too. You've got to be getting hungry."

"What about that soup I made last Thursday?" Ginny suggested.

"Is that what you want?" Harry asked, pushing himself up from the couch.

"Yes."

Harry got up and headed to the kitchen, fixing himself and Ginny some lunch. "Do you want just soup or do you want a sandwich?"

"Just the soup."

Ten minutes later, Harry came into the family room with a tray that held two bowls of soup and more apple juice.

"I just realized something," Harry said.

"What?"

"This time tomorrow, we're going to be parents."

"And this just occurred to you?"

"No, but this time tomorrow, James will be here."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed. "Our last day alone."

They sat in silence, watching the movie. When they finished lunch and Harry took the dishes back to the kitchen, Ginny smiled at him when he came back.

"Want to make another bet?" she asked.

"On what? There's already one on whether or not I faint and how much James would weigh." Harry didn't know what else there was to bet on.

"Whether or not James has your hair?"Ginny said, chuckling.

"I thought you like my hair!" Harry exclaimed, running his finger through it out of habit.

Ginny suddenly tensed, her hand gripping Harry's. "Breathe, baby. Slow deep breaths," he soothed.

"Yeah, I know." They glanced at the timer. "Thirteen minutes," she murmured.

It was going to be a long night and Harry wished that, for Ginny's sake, it would be over soon.

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Ginny got up to go to the bathroom and decided to use one the downstairs as it was closer. She really needed to go. Shutting the door behind her, she began to pull down her pants and knickers. She barely sat down on the toilet when she heard a pop and felt a gush of liquid in between her legs.

She looked down in the toilet. That wasn't….. Realization dawned on her, she dried herself and pulled her pants up and washed her hands before heading out of the bathroom.

"Harry?" she called.

"Yeah?"

"We need to go. It's time."

"WHAT!"

"My water just broke!"

Silence followed, then the sound of pounding footsteps. "Okay, first call Shanti, then Molly and we'll go," Harry chanted himself.

He rushed over to the floo, picking up a handful of powder and threw it in, calling for Shanti's office.

Once again, Shanti answered the floo. Before the healer could say anything, Harry blurted "Her water just broke."

Shanti nodded, apparently calm. "Okay, come on. I'll get her a room ready. Will it be about an hour?"

"Or less," Harry added.

"Okay, we'll see you soon."

Disconnecting from the floo, Harry rushed upstairs, grabbing the bag he had packed for himself so he wouldn't have to come home. He grabbed the changing bag from the nursery and the bag with clothes for James and other first day necessities for a newborn.

He came downstairs with his arms full of bags and ran out the door after flinging it open. He returned a minute later, grabbing Ginny's bag and summoned her purse for her before returning to the car.

Opening the driver's door, he poked in long enough to stick the key in the ignition and start the car.

He double checked to see if he had put in the car seat and ran back in the house.

Ginny stood beside the front door when he came back. "I called the Burrow, couldn't get Mum, we'll call her when we get to the hospital."

"Alright." Harry helped her to the car and in the passenger seat. Driving to the hospital was the preferred method of transporting a woman in labor. But in case of emergency, Shanti had given Ginny, like many of her other patients, an emergency portkey that would bring them to St. Mungo's instantly and would alert them of their arrival.

Once Ginny was in the car, Harry got in the car and was about to back out of the driveway when he turned to Ginny. "Ready?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes."

Harry pulled out the driveway and sped off towards London.

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Shanti was the welcome desk when Ginny and Harry walked in. She looked up when she heard someone approach the desk and smiled when she realized it was her own patient.

"Are we ready to have this baby?" she asked.

"Yes," Ginny said without preamble.

Shanti glanced at the clock. It had been a half hour since Harry had flooed her. At her questioning look, Harry explained that he had taken a shortcut. Because he knew that he would have to drive Ginny to St. Mungo's, he and Ron had spent the last month, finding different routes to London from Godric's Hollow. The one Harry took that day was the shortest.

"Alright, let's get you settled." Shanti led them to the room down the corridor and motioned for them to go in.

Harry followed Ginny into the room and dropped the bags on the built-in bench in the corner.

"I will go and get your file and I will be right back." Shanti left the young couple alone, allowing them a moment together.

"Want me to call the family?" Harry asked as he helped Ginny change into the gown.

"Mum, call Mum first. Dad will call the rest of them."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Harry kissed her forehead before leaving the room.

Ginny eased herself onto the bed, slowly. This really was starting to hurt. She leaned back against the pillows, breathing in deeply like she had been doing all day. She hoped Harry will be back soon, she didn't want to be alone right now.

Despite the number of times she had spent in the hospital for herself or with Harry, she wasn't a fan of hospitals. Especially with the memories of the long hours she had spent in a waiting room waiting on news about Harry or at Harry's bedside.

"I'm back," Shanti announced coming in the room. "How are you doing?"

"Harry told you that my water broke?" Shanti nodded. "The contractions are ten minutes apart and they really hurt."

"Alright, lie back and I'll check and see how you're progressing." Shanti pulled on a pair of rubber gloves.

"I think another contraction is coming," Ginny warned. "Ow."

"Breathe, Ginny," Shanti soothed. "Deep slow breathes. That's it." As the contraction faded, Shanti quickly examined Ginny.

"And?" Ginny asked.

"You're doing great, it won't be much longer," Shanti assured her. Ginny had been in labor for twelve hours now and was glad to hear that it won't be much longer now.

Shanti stepped out of the room, slipping off the gloves. She met Harry at the door.

"Not much longer, a few hours, maybe," she said.

"Okay," Harry breathed.

"Have you called Molly?" Shanti asked.

"Yes, I did. She should be here..." The slam of a door opening brought their attention to the end of the hall. Molly came running down the hall, weaving through medical equipment and healers alike. She nearly flattened one poor healer as he came out of a room. He pressed himself against the wall when the redheaded hurricane came through.

Harry had never seen Molly run this fast in the years he had known his mother in law.

Molly had stopped at the desk in the middle of the maternity ward.

"Molly," Harry called.

Molly turned to the voice and found Harry waving at her. She ran towards him and Shanti.

"How is she?" she asked.

"She's fine," Shanti began. "Not much longer."

"Okay." Molly entered the room, leaving Harry in the hall.

Harry was about to follow her when Shanti said, "Need me for anything, find my mediwitch."

"Um," Harry began. "When can she get something for the pain?"

"When she wants it," Shanti replied.

Harry went into the room, hoping for Ginny's sake that this was a quick and easy delivery.

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Harry leaned against the wall across the corridor, waiting to be allowed to come back in. He had been kicked out so Shanti could check her progress. He understood what Bill and George were talking about now. He hated it out here.

"How's it going?"

Harry turned at the voice and found Bill standing beside him. Harry figured he or George would show up at one point and offer advice.

"How did you do it?" Harry asked. "I can't stand being out here. I don't know what's going on in there. I'd rather be with Ginny and not out here."

Bill chuckled softly. "I know how you feel. I hated being out here too. But you'll get a front-row seat soon enough."

Harry nodded silently. "Is it wrong of me to admit that I'm scared?" he whispered.

"No. Because all of us were, me, Percy, George, even Dad said he was. It's okay. And you're not alone. You have Ginny and in there, you'll have Mum."

Harry knew he was lucky that Ginny asked Molly to be in the room with them when she delivered James. It was more than wanting Molly there just for the sake of it, it was to share the experience with her as Molly had mentioned once that she wished her own mother was there when she had Ginny.

"She's going to say a lot of stuff. Just ignore it," Bill advised. "She won't remember most of it anyway."

Harry nodded, swallowing thickly.

The door to Ginny's room opened. "You may come in now Harry."

Bill squeezed Harry shoulder reassuringly. "Good luck," he whispered.

"Thanks." Harry stepped back into the room.

There was a possibility that within the hour, they would have a baby.

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Shanti said they could walk the halls, so when, an hour had passed and no baby, Ginny decided to walk the halls.

They walked up and down the hall in front of the room. When a contraction hit, Ginny would stop, holding on to the rail along the wall. When she felt safe, she would turn and wrap her arms around Harry's neck while his arms went around her waist.

It was while walking the halls that Ginny noticed the intensity of the contractions increased as well as how often they occurred.

"They're five minutes apart now," Ginny murmured, his voice muffled by Harry's shoulder.

"Want to head back to the room?" Harry asked.

"Yes, we'll stay in the room and walk around. I'm not ready to lie down yet."

Harry hid a yawn behind his hand. It was now eleven at night. "Eighteen hours," Harry mused.

For the next several hours, he walked Ginny around the room. She would try to sleep when she lied down in the bed, with Harry beside her. Molly sat in the chair, sleeping off and on. She had made Harry promise her to wake her when it was time.

Harry would stop walking each time a contraction wracked her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck or his waist, leaning her head on his chest. She felt his hands running up and down her back, rubbing slowly. A few times as they walked around the room, he stood behind her, their hands entwined. He gritted his teeth against the pain she caused, crushing his fingers in a death grip that he didn't know she possessed.

He could have sworn she cracked a bone or two in his hand.

When the contractions passed, she would tell him how much she loved him and if she squeezed his hand, she would kiss each finger as if it would make it better.

Ginny was getting tired. She was tired of being pregnant, she was tired of being in labor, and she was just plain tired. Exhausted, was a better word for how she was feeling.

She looked Harry over and noticed that he was looking just as exhausted as she was. He didn't hide the yawns anymore. She had asked him at least once an hour if he wanted to eat something and he assured her he was fine after the last time she asked.

"I'm okay, Gin. I'll eat later."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

He entertained her with stories he made up as he did with the kids. Some of them were based on his adventures at Hogwarts and others, he made them up. The amazing part to Ginny was Harry could remember every story he ever told the kids, even the ones he made up as they went along.

"Harry?" Ginny broke off, just as Harry was telling her a version of him rescuing her from the Chamber of Secrets.

"Yes, Dear?"

"I know this one. Tell me one I haven't heard before?" She requested.

"Okay," Harry said, slowly. He thought over the stories when he realized he hadn't told the story of a brave boy and girl rescuing an animal before it was killed. In reality, it was the story of him and Hermione rescuing Buckbeak.

Molly watched them from a chair in the corner. She hoped it wouldn't be much longer. But luckily for both of them, it wouldn't be much longer.

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"Are you ready to push Ginny?" Shanti asked. Ginny was now fully dilated, meaning it was baby time.

"Merlin, yes," she breathed. "It's about time," she thought.

"Alright, first, where do you want Harry?"

Harry stood beside the bed, on her right. Ginny pointed behind her.

"Behind me, and Mum can be where ever she wants to be," Ginny replied, adding where she wanted Molly before she was asked.

Molly took her left side, while Harry primarily was on her right side.

"Harry, you can hold her up and Molly you can support her left side," Shanti directed as she situated Ginny so that she was in a semi-sitting position. Her back was against Harry with her knees spread.

"You do this, Gin-bug," Molly whispered, taking her hand.

"Ready, Gin?" Harry asked, pushing back hair that was plastered to her forehead. Ginny nodded, feeling too tired to say anything.

Shanti sat down on a rolling stool in front Ginny. A mediwitch was on either side, one of them ready to take the baby and other to assist Shanti if the need arose.

"Okay, Ginny. When I tell you to 'push', push until I tell you to stop, all right?"

"Okay," she said, feeling adrenaline snaking through her veins.

"Okay, now and push, Ginny. 1...2...3...4"

She felt like she was pushing for hours, but really she was only pushing for ten seconds. When Shanti told her to stop, Ginny slumped back against Harry, leaning her head to his shoulder. He rubbed her back, murmuring words of comfort and encouragement.

"Ready Ginny?" Shanti asked a few minutes later. Ginny nodded. "And push. 1...2...3..."

Using the energy she had, Ginny pushed as hard as she could. She squeezed the life out of Harry's hand.

The only sound she heard was Shanti counting and Molly and Harry's words of encouragement.

After almost an hour of pushing, Shanti looked up at Harry, Ginny, and Molly.

"We have a head. One more push and he'll be here. One more push, Ginny and it's all over."

"Alright," Ginny breathed. She drew in a deep breath, trying to find the strength to push one final time.

"You can do it, Gin," Harry whispered.

"Just one more push, Ginny," Molly assured her. She glanced down and saw the top of her new grandbaby's head. He was this close to coming out.

She gripped Harry's hand, exhaled and pushed when Shanti said to.

Soon, the sound of a baby crying filled the room.

"And he's here," Shanti said, turning to Harry she asked if he had his wand.

"Yeah," Harry replied.

"Severing charm. Right there," Shanti indicated a spot on the umbilical cord.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm Positive," Shanti assured him.

Harry gulped and rested the tip of his wand where Shanti pointed, muttering the charm. Shanti lifted the baby, handing him to mediwitch to check him over and clean him up. He looked over at Ginny, who was leaning against Molly, smiling in relief.

The mediwitch wrapped James in a hospital blanket and placed him in Ginny's arms.

"Congratulations," she said.

"Thank you," Ginny whispered, her eyes never leaving her son.

"I'll give you two a moment alone," Molly said, bending over and kissing James's head. "Grandmum will hold you later," she whispered to the baby before leaving the room.

Ginny's eyes left the baby long enough to look up at Harry.

"We did it," she whispered.

"We did," he agreed. He looked down at his son, just as his eyes opened. They were Ginny's brown eyes.

"He's got your eyes."

Ginny looked at his head. "He's got your hair!"

"Poor kid," Harry murmured. He looked at Ginny and then to James.

"Want to hold him?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded wordlessly. Ginny gently transferred James to Harry's arms. His brown eyes looked up at Harry's and Harry felt his heart melt.

"Hey little guy, I'm your Dad," Harry murmured. He looked at his wife and kissed Ginny's forehead one more time. "Thank you."

"For what?" Ginny asked.

Looking down at James, Harry ran his finger along his cheek. "For giving me a son."

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Molly burst into the waiting room with such a force the door ricocheted from the wall.

"Arthur!"

"Mum!"

"Is he here?"

"Is it over?"

Molly held a hand up, silencing her family's questions. "All I'm going to say that I saw the top of its head." With the giddiness of a school girl, Molly approached her smiling husband. "It was the cutest top of the head, I have ever seen."

Harry came in while Molly was talking. Hermione noticed and walked over to him,

"Well?" she asked.

Everyone by this point turned around and saw Harry. They waited for a second before Harry said, "Eight pounds, nine ounces, twenty-two inches long. He's healthy, and he and Ginny are just fine."

"Can we see him?" Hermione asked.

"Follow me," Harry said. He led the family towards the room, with Molly and Arthur right behind them. The family had done this many times that they knew the order. Molly, Arthur, the Godparents, in this case, Ron and Hermione, then Bill all the down to George, as they went from oldest to youngest.

Shanti came out of Ginny's room just as Harry approached with the family.

"You can visit for a little bit. Mum and Dad need some rest."

"We won't be that long," Arthur assured her.

They entered the room and Molly scooped her newest grandchild in her arms. Knowing she would have plenty of time to cuddle her new grandson later, she handed him off to Arthur, who rocked him gently with practiced ease.

He handed him to Hermione, who wiped tears from her eyes before taking her godson. She held him for a little bit before handing him to Ron with a kiss on its head.

"He's got your hair," Ron said to his best friend.

"I noticed," Harry sighed.

James was passed on to family member to family member before being handed back, Harry.

Everyone told them congratulations and all of Ginny's brothers hugged and kissed her.

Molly and Arthur left not long later.

"Good night, James, Grandmum loves you," Molly murmured as she kissed James's head. She hugged Harry and Ginny before following Arthur out the door.

Harry laid James in his bassinet beside their bed. He wearily sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed and kicked off his trainers. He had emptied his pockets in the side pocket of Ginny's purse and laid his wand down on the nightstand.

With a groan, he carefully laid down beside Ginny, spooning her gently. She was asleep already. He kissed her cheek and settled back down in the bed.

He looked up at the ceiling. "Mum, Dad, you have a grandson," he whispered. "I have a son."

He glanced at James once more and let himself fall into a deep sleep, dreaming of the wonderful joys of fatherhood.

AN: Just a little FYI: The title for this chapter is Latin for The Baby Comes, or at least according to Google. James's birthday is April fifteen at two in the morning (if you wanted to know the time). One more chapter after this, maybe and then I'll be moving on Albus's Birth story.

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