A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I've really neglected fanfiction for months now, particularly Fred and Vi, and I'm so sorry! I really hope this chapter makes up for my absence. Please review and thank you for reading (if you can still be bothered :P)
Nevermore alone
Nevermore apart
You have warmed my heart like the sun.
You have brought the gift of life
And love so long denied me.
Suddenly I see
What I could not see
Something suddenly
Has begun – Suddenly, Les Miserables (2012 movie)
Viria had reached nine months into her pregnancy – at long last. She felt a strange mixture of relief and fear – and exasperation.
"Fred, seriously, it's not necessary" she protested, "I'm not sick, I don't need people to watch over me all the time!"
"But I've made a rota!" Fred replied eagerly, showing her his colour-coded schedule, "You'll have two people with you all the time. We're already one member of staff down because you can't work now – "
"I want to work, though, I – "
"No way! What I was saying is that I can't take any more time off of work to stay with you, and at least if you have two people with you one of them can come and fetch me when you go into labour. It's a win-win situation"
"I could just make my voice louder so you could hear me" she reached behind her for her wand on the arm of the sofa and pointed the tip at her throat, "Sonorus!"
"SEE?" her voice echoed round the flat, and she smiled triumphantly at him, before bellowing, "Quietus!" and returning to normal.
"No" said Fred firmly, "You'll be screaming anyway, if you use sonorus as well you'll scare the lives out of all our customers. You'll have two people with you"
"Fine" she conceded, "At least I won't be bored. But why, why, did you put my mother on the rota?"
Fred looked decidedly abashed, "Sorry about that. I did leave her off initially, but then I was worried she might be offended. And I needed one extra person"
Viria scowled at him, "If she's here when the baby comes, I swear to God I will kill you with my bare hands"
Fred gulped, "I know. That's what's worrying me"
"Can I get you anything?" Frank asked anxiously, plumping the pillows behind his daughter's back – his daughter, who was beginning to enjoy the fact that she basically had servants until the baby's arrival – "Anything at all?"
Viria stretched languidly, "No, thank you, Papa. Hermione, can you carry on?"
Hermione was home for Easter and reading aloud to Viria from the pile of Muggle 'classics' she had bought from home. They were currently on 'Pride and Prejudice', which Viria already adored.
"My feelings cannot be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you – "
Viria closed her eyes and let Hermione's voice wash over her, trying to ignore the twinge in her belly. The pains were getting worse. She knew what was coming – and she'd have to tell them, sooner or later – but she was determined to be brave. She didn't want to say a word. The thought of her father and Fred panicking was completely off-putting. But maybe if she could get Hermione alone...
"Actually, Papa, I've got a craving for some pancakes" she fluttered her eyelashes at him, smiling blandly, "If you don't mind...?"
"I'll get straight on to it" Frank bounced to his feet, kissed her on the forehead as he walked towards the kitchen. As soon as he had his back turned, another pain gripped Viria – this one worse than the last – and she grabbed Hermione by the hem of her jumper to hiss in her ear.
"I'm in labour"
She had never seen anyone look so frightened in her life. Hermione stared at her with huge brown eyes, mouth sagging slightly, horror-struck. Viria glared at her, and winced.
"I thought you were the least likely to freak out! Come on, Hermione, I need you to be the calm, practical one. Now just go downstairs and tell Fred, calmly, that I think I – oh shit"
They both froze for the moment after Viria's waters broke, eyes fixed on the pool of liquid that was expanding across the sofa cushions and Viria's dress. Their eyes met.
"Oh shit" Hermione echoed; the book fell to the floor with a thud.
Viria bit down hard on her fist, letting out a louder moan – that next pain was the worst yet. Hermione's eyes grew wider – and suddenly she was gone, racing down the stairs and shrieking Fred's name at the top of her voice. Viria rolled her eyes. So much for being the calm, sensible one!
She moaned again, now doubled over, and Frank couldn't fail to hear all of the noise. He came dashing in and gawped down at her. She noticed that his hand was shaking when he reached out to take her hand and kiss her forehead.
"Hermione's getting Fred?"
Viria nodded, groaned, grimaced.
"Right. Okay. Good" he squeezed her hand, "You want me to get your mother?"
Viria shook her head frantically; a smile tugged at Frank's lips, "I thought not. You're going to be okay, Vee. My brave girl. My angel" he stroked her hair gently, and Viria almost smiled.
"Oh crap. Oh. Papa, it hurts, it really hurts"
"It's okay, darling, it's okay...breathe...that's a good girl..." he was stroking her hair more rhythmically now, a gentle pattern that Viria remembered from childhood, something that soothed her despite the pain.
"VI!"
If she hadn't been in so much pain, Viria might have rolled her eyes. She'd known Fred would overreact, it was so typical of him. He looked in an even worse state that Hermione, whose jaw was still sagging open.
"Vi...oh shit, Vi, are you okay?"
She shot him a withering glance that quickly changed into a grimace of pain, "What-do-you-think?"
"Okay, I'm sorry, stupid question. Shit" he grabbed her hand and clasped it in his, "It's gonna be okay, it's...Hermione, you need to send a Patronus to Mum. Now"
"She needs to hurry" Frank said warily; Viria was panting through clenched teeth, already drenched in sweat, her hand already crushing Fred's. He tried not to show how much it was hurting.
"Maybe we should go to the hospital instead, I know you don't like them, but – "
"No" Viria growled, "No, no way. Your Mum is delivering this baby, and I swear to God if you try to change my mind now – "
Fred backed off, alarmed, "I won't, I won't, I swear...is it supposed to be happening this fast?"
"I don't know, do I – I – never - had a baby before!"Viria came close to yelling, and the yell came moments later with yet another harsh contraction.
"Fuck" she groaned, teeth still gritted hard, causing her all the more pain, "Oh God, Fred, I don't want to do this"
"Do you want me to carry you to the bed?"
"I don't want you to-touch-me ever again, let alone put me to bed"
If he hadn't been so panicked, Fred would have laughed. Hermione turned back to them as her silver otter shot away in a light, shimmering cloud of grey-blue smoke, her cheeks even paler than before.
"I sent one to Ginny, too"
Viria gasped in relief, "Thank – OW, you little – "
"Don't curse at the baby"
"I wasn't going to! Mnnnmmmaaaahhhhhh"
"At least your Mum isn't here" Fred said cheerfully, earning himself yet another glare.
"That is the only positive thing about this entire situation. Oh shit"
"Um...Fred?" Hermione squeaked, "Shouldn't someone check to see how, um...how far dilated she is?"
Frank looked close to vomiting at the suggestion; Fred's face grew even paler than Hermione's.
"You are NOT looking down there" Viria hissed between gasps of agony, gripping Fred by the collar of his shirt, "If you do, you will never want to have sex with me again – not that that would be a bad thing, if this is the bloody result!"
"Viria, sweetheart, please" Frank looked even queasier at the thought of Fred and Viria sleeping together; it was his turn to receive a glare.
"How do you think I got pregnant in the first place?!"
"I tend not to think about it"
"Is anyone actually going to look, or not?" Hermione snapped, regaining some of her usual organised composure.
"NO!" Fred and Frank chorused louder. Viria moaned and clutched her belly.
"You're the girl, you look" Fred retorted. Hermione's face coloured, her hands went straight to her hips.
"What, so just because I'm a girl I'm expected to deal with childbirth? She's your wife!"
"HERMIONE!" Viria screamed, "NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO GO ON A FEMINIST RANT!"
There was silence for a time, punctuated only by Viria's sounds of pain. Fred was concerned by how long it was taking Molly to arrive – surely she would have hurried?
"Fine" Hermione said curtly, wincing a little at the thought, "Fine, I'll...I'll check...if I must. Oh dear. Oh – "
"Viria! Goodness, dear, you do look in a state!"
Molly Weasley had appeared in their fireplace in a cloud of Floo powder, Ginny close behind her, looking excited. Fred had never been so glad to see his mother in his life; as a matter of fact, neither had Hermione, who now deemed herself relieved of birthing duties.
"Oh, thank God" Viria gasped, "Oh, Molly, help"
"Of course, dearest, of course. Ginny, get a cool cloth for Viria's face. Fred, do not let go of her hand, she'll need it. Frank, try and keep her calm, won't you – and Hermione, for goodness sakes, go down to the shop and tell George to get rid of the customers, we don't need them listening in!"
Hermione and Ginny scurried off obediently as Molly lifted Viria's skirt; Frank resumed his stroking of her hair; Fred tried to ignore the growing pressure on his hand.
"You can do this, Vi" he murmured, "You are brave and strong and wonderful, and I love you, and you can do this"
He'd expected her to make some snappy retort about not needing a pep talk, but behind the pain he saw the merest hint of a grateful smile on her lips. Molly gasped.
"No wonder you're in pain, Viria, I can see the head!"
"Already?!" Viria cried shrilly, then cried out again, "Oh God, do I start pushing now? Oh, please say yes, this is killing me"
"Yes, yes, start pushing! Ginny, hurry up with that cloth!"
Ginny reappeared and placed an ice-cold purple flannel on Viria's damp and burning forehead.
"Come on, Vee. You're going to be great"
Viria felt like she pushed for years; in reality, it took half an hour for the small, wailing bundle that was Bonnie Viola Weasley to emerge into the world.
And, subsequently, change it forever.