A/N: Brace yourself! This is by far the longest chapter I have ever written.
Date: September 19, 2005
Chapter 11: Hope
The road to recovery wasn't nearly as bad as it had been the first time.
Hermione was still in pain, so she refused to try again until she had fully healed. She wasn't even sure she wanted to try again, at first. But then she remembered the births of Lucy and Louis and realized it would be worth it to try one more time.
So they tried again, and made it last.
It had been incredible. But Hermione didn't feel incredible at the moment. No, at the moment she was noisily throwing up in the toilet.
It had been about six weeks, and Ron and Hermione's schedules were so busy they hardly had time for each other anymore. In fact, they hadn't done it since that night.
Not that Hermione was feeling up to it. She'd been throwing up for the past week and felt horrible in every way possible. These seemed to be symptoms of pregnancy, but Hermione hadn't checked just yet. She wasn't sure if she was ready for the news.
She flushed the toilet and leaned back, sweeping her hair back and resolving to check that afternoon when she came home. She still had a little of the pregnancy potion left. She could feel the hope inside her for another baby, and that this one would be perfect.
Hermione arrived home at a quarter past four. Putting her purse down, she headed straight for the potions cabinet. She pulled down the pregnancy potion, which had congealed slightly but was still usable. She took a swig and went to start supper.
A little while later, Hermione felt the need to go to the bathroom. She urinated, stood up, and looked in the bowl.
It was not green. It was the ordinary colour of her urine. She wasn't pregnant.
Puzzled and slightly disappointed, Hermione left the bathroom. If she wasn't pregnant, why was she having all these symptoms? She decided it was probably just the flu, which had been going around, and went about her business.
The next day, Ron and Hermione were in the middle of dinner when the phone rang. Ron went to pick it up. 'Hello?' Someone spoke quickly on the other end.
'Who is it?' Hermione mouthed.
Ron mouthed back, 'Just a minute,' and listened to the person. 'She is? Oh good Lord. Alright, we'll be there soon.' He hung up. 'That was Harry. Ginny's in labour.' His face looked white.
Hermione laughed. 'Calm down, Ron. Ginny's tougher than she looks.' Ron nodded nervously and sat down to finish dinner.
As soon as they were done, Hermione grabbed her purse and they Apparated to St Mungo's. Hermione looked around. Molly paced the floor worriedly. 'How is she?' she asked.
'She's been asking for you, actually. She wants you in there,' Arthur told her. 'She's trying to be tough. She won't even let Molly in.' Hermione kissed Ron, handed him her purse, and stalked off to Ginny's room.
She knocked lightly on the door and Harry opened it. 'Hi, Hermione. Please help me.'
She laughed and entered the room. 'Hi, Ginny. How are you?'
'Just wonderful,' Ginny replied calmly. 'I am absolutely - Oh! OH! HARRY YOU ARSE!' Ginny screamed as a contraction hit her hard.
'Breathe, love!' Harry coached, squeezing her hand.
'DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT TO DO, HARRY POTTER! OH, I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS - oh, it's over.' And just like that, Ginny was cool as a cucumber again.
Hermione wet a cloth with cold water and wiped Ginny's forehead. 'That's alright. You're doing amazing, Ginny. Oh, I don't know how I would ever survive this in your position.'
Healer Smith entered the room just then. 'Hello Mrs Potter. Mr Potter, Mrs Weasley.' They nodded back. 'Let me just see how you're doing, Ginny.' The Healer peeked under Ginny's gown. 'Well, you're progressing nicely. I'd say you can deliver in about six hours.'
'Six...six hours?' Ginny repeated faintly.
'That's right. Just six more hours before you can see your baby!' Healer Smith said cheerfully, leaving the room.
'Oh, what am I going to do? I don't know if I can survive six more hours of this!' Ginny wailed. 'And-Oh! OW! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!' Ginny squeezed Harry's hand, and Hermione thought she heard a crack as Harry yelped.
'Ginny, dear, you're crushing my hand,' Harry gasped through the pain.
'WELL YOUR DAMN BABY IS CRUSHING MY PELVIS! I SWEAR THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT YOU - ahh, that's better.' Ginny released Harry's hand, who winced as he gingerly moved it.
'Here,' Hermione said, pointing her wand at Harry's hand. 'Episkey!'
There was a pop, and then Harry flexed his fingers. 'Much better. Thanks, Hermione.' She nodded, and they turned their attention back to Ginny, who was whimpering slightly.
'Oh, I don't want to do this anymore. How about we trade places, Harry? You can give birth, and I'll shout meaningless things at you,' Ginny said hopefully.
'If I could relieve your pain, I would do it in a heartbeat, love, I really would,' Harry replied soothingly, rubbing her back.
'Oh, Harry, keep doing that, it's wonderful,' Ginny said, sighing in relief.
'Erm, Ginny, you don't have to give birth naturally. You can have a spell,' Hermione piped up. 'You know, to relieve your pain?'
'I don't want it,' Ginny gasped back, arching her back to prepare for another contraction. 'Natural birth is a wonderful - OW! MAKE IT STOP!'
Ginny cried, and Harry rubbed circles on her back. 'OW!' she screamed, sobbing hard. 'I want my mummy! Get my mummy!'
She sounded like a child, but Hermione went out to the ward and called Molly in, who jumped up and ran to her daughter. 'My poor darling!' she cried, bursting into the room.
'Mum! Make it stop, please!' Ginny wailed.
'I can't sweetheart. But just think, soon enough you can hold your little baby!' Molly soothed her daughter, wiping her forehead with the cloth Hermione handed her. 'Have you picked a name yet?'
'We thought about it,' Harry answered, still rubbing Ginny's back. 'James Sirius for a boy, and Lily Luna for a girl.'
Hermione's eyes welled with tears at the beautiful names they had picked out. They were perfect for Ginny and Harry's child.
Ginny groaned as another contraction hit. Soon she was screaming again. 'HARRY YOU ARE THE MOST TERRIBLE HUSBAND EVER! YOU DID THIS TO ME! I SWEAR IF YOU COME ANYWHERE NEAR ME AGAIN I WILL HEX YOUR BITS OFF AND SEND THEM TO AFRICA!'
Harry looked very frightened, but Molly assured him, 'She doesn't mean it. I told Arthur the same thing when Bill was being born, and I still had more children. She'll forget the pain soon.'
'I WILL VERY WELL NOT FORGET THE PAIN ANYTIME SOON!' Ginny shouted. 'OW! Oh, Mummy, it hurts so bad!
'Are you sure you wouldn't like to reconsider that spell, Ginny?' Hermione asked cautiously. Ginny seemed liable to explode any moment.
'No! I want a natural - OW! OW! GIVE ME THE SPELL RIGHT NOW!'
Hermione ran to call Healer Smith, who came into the room just as the contraction was ending. 'Ginny, let me see if you're not too far to have an Epidural spell.' She looked under Ginny's gown again. 'Well, lucky for you, it's not too late,' Healer Smith told Ginny, drawing her wand.
'Oh, thank God. Give it to me now, please!' The Healer performed the spell, and Ginny relaxed. 'Oh...so much better,' she said, sighing.
Harry rubbed her enormous belly. 'Just a few more hours, love,' he told her.
The labour progressed well past midnight. By two o'clock in the morning Ginny was still in labour. Unfortunately for the eardrums of the people in the room, the Epidural was wearing off.
'Oh!' Ginny cried, leaning forward. 'OW! Why does it hurt again?'
'The Epidural is wearing off. It must mean you're almost ready for the birth!' Molly said joyfully.
'But why can't I have it during the birth?' Ginny wailed.
'If you had it while giving birth, you wouldn't know when to push,' Molly told her gently.
'But it hurts! I don't want to give birth anymore! I'm sure the baby doesn't mind being in there, does she?' Ginny said, groaning with the pain.
'He'll have to come out eventually, Ginny,' Harry said mildly. 'He's not going to stay in there forever. Besides, you're almost there! Just another hour or so, right?' He rubbed her back again.
Ginny answered with another scream. 'OW! OW, OW, OW, OW!' Molly wiped her forehead again. 'NO! I DON'T WANT TO GIVE BIRTH!' Ginny screamed.
'Sweetheart, we're almost there. Just keep going!' Harry said encouragingly.
Healer Smith entered again. 'Let me check and see how far you are,' she said, looking underneath. 'I'd say you're at 10 centimetres!'
'What does that mean?' Ginny asked nervously.
'It means you're ready to deliver!' The Healer said happily. 'We'll just move you to a different room, and then you'll be ready. I'll go and get the other Healers.' She left the room again.
'Hear that, Ginny? It's almost over!' Harry said, kissing her cheek. 'In just a little bit we can hold our little son!'
'Our daughter is stubborn, like you, Harry!' Ginny replied. 'She's just going to make me have terrible pain on purpose, and then come out very slowly to maximize the pain. I swear, this child is part demon.'
Harry laughed as the Healers came back in. They moved Ginny to another room, and got everyone ready for the birth. Ginny whimpered with anticipation of the pain to come.
Healer Smith peeked under Ginny's gown. 'She's crowning!' she yelled to the other Healers. Everyone got into position. 'Now, Ginny, when you feel this next contraction, I need you to push really hard, okay?' Ginny nodded. 'Alright...push!'
Ginny screamed and pushed. Everyone was yelling encouragement at her, squeezing her hand, and cheering her on.
'We've got a head!' yelled one of the Healers.
'Did you hear that, Ginny?' Harry cried.
'Push!' Healer Smith said again, and Ginny pushed, wailing loudly.
This went on for another thirty minutes, and then the Healer gave one last command to push.
Putting her chin against her chest, Ginny pushed as hard as she could. Harry was still cheering her on, Hermione was encouraging her, and Molly was praising her.
And in a split second it was done, and Ginny pushed a baby into the world. 'It's a boy!' Healer Smith cried. 'Daddy, would you like to cut the cord?'
Harry swallowed and pulled out his wand. 'Diffindo,' he murmured, slicing the cord neatly.
Ginny was crying. 'Harry! It's a boy!'
'I know,' Harry said. 'James Sirius Potter. You did beautifully, love.' She smiled at him and they kissed.
And looking at the new life the couple had brought into the world, Hermione had hope for her family.
