Sorry its a bit rushed..... and a little late..... sorry

A Dudley Story

Chapter 13

Pictures Fading

"Mom! Mom!" Dudley and Susan leaned over an unconscious Petunia, as Harry splashed water in her face.

"Maybe I shouldn't have started off the conversation with 'Hi Grandma,' oh dear." said Susan.

"Ya think?" asked Dudley, as he patted his mother's face.

"Aunt Petunia?" asked Harry as her eyes began to flutter.

"Mom?" asked Dudley, as his mother's eyes opened.

"Uh.... a....grandma?" asked Petunia, eyes wide as she looked at Susan.

"Yeah," said Susan, pushing her dress around her stomach to show.

"Oh..." Petunia fainted again.

"Merlin's beard." said Ginny crouching down and putting hot sauce in Petunia's mouth.

"Ahh!" Petunia spat.

"Ginny...." said Harry, as Ginny readied the bottle.

"I'm just preparing for when she does it again." said Ginny, though her eyes held a completely different story.

"How far are you?" asked Petunia, her face seemed conflicted.

"A few days short of six months, I know I don't show that much." said Susan, in reality, her stomach looked only around four months.

"Why, why didn't... Is that why you married?" asked Petunia, her eyes narrowed.

"No, we where engaged before we knew." said Dudley quickly.

A long awkward moment passed as the three sat at the table. Harry and Ginny had motioned they we're heading home. Petunia was staring at Susan't stomach, as if deciding if she should speak about it. Dudley was thinking of something to say, anything really. Just something, so the silence wasn't so dead sounding. It broke, Susan was the first to start.

"Listen, I know you don't exactly like me," she ignored Petunia's scoff, "But you should know that I am NOT going anywhere. I am your daughter-in-law and this will be your grandchild. Protest all you want. Dudley and I love each other, and your opinions of witches and wizards aside, I will not hate you. You and Vernon can have nothing to do with them if you'd like, but I beg you to think about it."

"...." Petunia was unreadable at the moment.

"You should also know, that the baby will most likely be a witch or wizard or in your words, a freak..." Susan was cut off.

"No." said Petunia, shaking her head, "I won't allow it."

"Allow what?" asked Dudley.

"Excuse me," Susan looked as if she was going to beat Petunia.

"I won't. The baby...." said Petunia, looking at the ground and shaking her head, "I will decide."

"You will not!" said Susan.

"Like hell I won't, it is my grandchild, I will see them whenever I damn well please!" yelled Petunia.

"What exactly are we talking about?" asked Dudley, Susan looked confused.

"The child, Dudley, the child." sighed Petunia, "Even if their one of her kind, the baby is still my grandchild. Your father will come around in due time."

"So... so you want to be in their life?" asked Susan, a slight smile on her lips.

"Of coarse. But I will not have them popping up in my chimney. I had quite enough of that with Harry's friends. You will use the door." said Petunia, a flicker of a smile.

"We're trying to make a joke right there?" asked Dudley.

"I don't care what your father decides, I will be there... Susan... are you okay?" asked Petunia.

Dudley looked at his wife, his smile fading. Her face looked pained, and she was clutching her stomach. She nodded, but the expression stayed. She gasped something that Dudley didn't quite hear as he leaned in and pulled her close to him. The second time, he heard it. 'Healer. Hospital. Now!' Dudley nodded, he knew the area he had to go too, but he needed Susan's eyes to see it. In a few short minutes, Dudley, Susan, and Petunia we're in his car, it was a very odd sight as he drove. His mother was comforting his wife, a few weeks ago this was the farthest thought from his mind. Dudley drove, every so often, Susan would shout a turn he had to take. His heart sunk with every cry of anguish Susan let out, the baby was coming too early, far too early.

Susan's hand wouldn't let go of Dudley's. He knew she was still crying, though she'd turned away. Her hair had come undone a fair amount and hid her well. Dudley knew his face was still wet with tears as well. He looked around the room, was their enough magic in the world right now. Even by wizarding standards the chances we're slim that the baby would survive. The images of the little girl in the witch hat faded, as Susan's hand tightened. She was sobbing, he pulled her close to him as her tears started up. The door to the room opened, the healer walked in, Dudley couldn't read his face. Dudley searched his expression, hoping for a glimmer of hope that their daughter was alive, anything. The Healer's expression changed.

TBC