Chapter 20

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"Oh HELL NO!" Draco yelled. His eyes were wide as he watched his former schoolmate struggle with the pain he could no longer hide. Only Neville's hand on his shoulder kept him in his seat.

"Dray, shush!" Hermione snapped, as she gave him a no-nonsense look that clearly said, 'stay put'.

Ron suddenly reached out and grabbed the nearest hand, which just happened to be Severus', and let out a wail, as he squeezed said hand in a viselike grip. To the Potion Master's credit, he barely winced. Remus' Were hearing just caught Severus' hiss--Lucius gaze following his mates. Both men struggled to contain their amusement at their friend's predicament.

Albus' eyes were twinkling madly as he watched his friends. "A baby! What a splendid event for a Saturday afternoon! And we came only expecting tea, good food, and good company!"

"Would you like to trade places, Albus? I'm sure Ronald would appreciate your help more than mine!" Severus murmured through gritted teeth.

"When Luna is done, I will contact the twins. Where is Arthur? Is he working?" Hermione rose from her chair.

"No need dear." Molly reached up and touched the hands of the family clock, tapping the ones for each member who wasn't currently at home. Her finger passed over Ron's, and then her daughter's, knowing the girl's presence would only upset her Ronnie. She turned around and smiled at Hermione. "They all know now."

Molly moved around the table to help Viktor get Ron to his feet, so they could walk him to the guest room off the lounge. She had, with Luna's help, just finished setting it up the previous day, just in case. All they needed now was the Healer.

"He's a bit early isn't he?" Neville asked, clearly not ruffled by the situation. Instead, he was curious.

Luna answered. "Actually, as of last week, the Healer said it could be anytime. There's a fortnight leeway either way of the due date."

"Ah." Neville answered, before turning to watch Ron being guided down the hall. Severus was shaking his hand and flexing his fingers, trying to get the blood and feeling back into them, as he scowled at a smirking Albus.

"We were having such a nice quiet tea...Now this!" Draco's face took on a pouty appearance.

"Draconis Lucian Alexander Malfoy-Lupin." Remus chided firmly; his voice low. "This is something very special. You should feel honored to be here to share in the experience."

Just then, another loud moan echoed down the hall into the kitchen, causing Draco to cringe. Lucius smirked as he watched his son's reaction. Remus just shook his head.

"Special bloody experience, my arse!" He mumbled under his breath as he put another sandwich on his plate. "Ow!" he yelped when he was cuffed on the head.

"Dray, behave!" Hermione glared at him, as Neville silently looked over her shoulder at him, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Just then, the Healer arrived with his assistant, a young athletic-looking medi-wizard. Luna let them in and directed them to the room where Ron was. As they stepped out of the room, everyone turned when the door opened again, and four redheads entered the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, Weasleys! Hello everyone!" Arthur smiled and nodded at the seated guests. "It seems we will have another Weasley tonight. You're all staying, yes?"

"Of course they're staying Arthur." Molly hurried back into the kitchen, stopping long enough to kiss her husband and hug Percy, and the twins who were standing beside their Father. "I'll just start things for dinner then. Hermione. Luna. Would you help me please?"

Percy gave Luna a hug and a kiss as she passed him on the way to help Molly. He then slid into the seat that Viktor had vacated, and Arthur took the one next to him. Neville summoned four more teacups, plates, and forks, and Levitated the tea tray down the table to them. The twins grabbed two more chairs from the corner and sat on the other side of their father.

"So, how long--" Began George.

"--has dear Ronniekins--" Fred continued.

"--been wailing?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she turned, a huge bowl of potatoes in her arms. "We aren't sure, but he made his discomfort known approximately twenty to twenty-five minutes ago."

"It will be a long night for Ronald, regardless." Lucius added. Arthur, Albus, and Severus nodded silently in agreement.

The twins grinned at each other.

"Maybe--"

"--we could--"

"--distract poor Ronniekins--"

"--from the pain."

Molly whirled from where she'd been working at the counter, and shook the spoon in her hand at them. "You boys will do no such thing! The last thing Ronnie needs is the kind of distraction you two are so fond of!" She then cast a serious eye toward her husband before returning to her task.

Arthur turned a serious face to his twins. "Your mother's right. Distracting a laboring parent-to-be is not wise--and can be painful--for both the laboring parent and anyone nearby." He was rubbing his left hand as he spoke.

Draco's eyes widened. "W-Why?"

Molly's voice echoed in the large kitchen. She didn't bother turning around this time. "Because he tried to talk to me during contractions when I was having Bill. I broke his fingers and hexed him--wandlessly."

The younger Malfoy paled and shifted in his seat. Arthur chuckled.

"Wandlessly? I wasn't aware you could perform wandless magic, Molly." Severus' expression was surprised but curious.

"Normally, I can't." She turned and tapped two large pots on the stove with her wand. "But while I'm pregnant, for some reason I can. And evidently, so can Ronnie, according to Viktor."

"Isn't that unusual?" Hermione asked.

"Not as much as you might think, Hermione." Lucius answered. "My Uncle Ambrosius didn't require a wand during any of his pregnancies."

"Ah, yes, Ambrosius. Delightful man. Three sets of twins--all boys if I remember correctly." Albus commented with a smile. Lucius nodded.

Draco suddenly looked very confused. "Uncle Am--I thought--he--Aunt Josette. Aw hell, I thought he just ate too much pastry!!"

There was laughter and snickers all around the table. Lucius raised an eyebrow at his son, then shook his head.

"Hmmm... really. A Malfoy giving birth to twins just like the Weasley's..." Hermione's voice trailed off as she sat back down between her men. "I'll have to research that."

Neville nodded in agreement.

Draco looked to his lovers, "I want an heir, or two, or even three, and I love the both of you very much. I'll gladly help any other way... but I draw the line at giving birth!"

Hermione looked hurt. They both knew that it might be impossible for her to carry, let alone give birth to children because of her war injuries. Their Healer was still researching. Neville wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. Draco gave her a sideways look and at least had the decency to look ashamed of his outburst.

Molly set a fresh tea tray on the table and asked who wanted a fresh cuppa.

**

Meanwhile, at the other end of the house...

Ron had pulled his husband down till they were nose to nose, gritting his teeth through a contraction, "I. Want. A. Pain. Potion. Now! And not just any pain potion. I WANT SNAPE'S PAIN POTION!"

Healer Smythe stood at the end of the bed, a look of understanding in his eyes. "Now Mr. Weasley-Krum. Ron, it's much too soon for that. Your contractions are still at a mild level for a male labor. If you would just lie in one of the positions we discussed and try to relax, they wouldn't hurt as much. You are fighting against what your body is trying to do. And if you don't stop, your body will not make the necessary changes and the labor will be much longer. I know you don't want that."

"Ronald, my Luv. Please listen to da Healer. He knows vat iz best." Viktor gently pried his husband's fingers from the front of his robes as he spoke.

"I'm never having sex again!" Ron growled when his contraction finally abated.

Viktor brushed the sweaty red hair away from the face he loved so much. "I know it hurts. But in a few hours ve'll be holding our child. Born of our love. Molly Elisbeth Louise vill be da center of our world and proof of our love."

Ron turned pleading eyes toward his mate. "I know. But it Hurts!"

Viktor sat on the edge of the bed, brushing the mop of bright red hair out of his husband's eyes. "Yes. Ve talked of dis. Many times. You can do dis. You are strong vizard. Now, let me help you get comfortable, then I vill massage your back."

Ron smiled. "Together."

"Together."

"I wish Harry was here," Ron whispered. "He would be one of her godfathers."

"Ven he iz found, he vill still be Elisbeth's Boteza." Viktor leaned down and brushed his lips across Ron's, before encouraging him to roll to his side and arranging pillows around him so he could relax.

"Naming him Godfather anyhow. He'll know--somehow." Ron muttered more to himself than to anyone in particular, as he wrapped his arms around one of the pillows.

Viktor listened as his husband continued to mumble. This wasn't a new conversation between them. When they'd learned they were going to be parents, Ron had cried for two days because he couldn't share the news with his best mate. If it hadn't been for that Vrăjitoare, and her evil plans, Ron's best friend would be here to share in their joy.

"Yes, he vill know. Now breath." Viktor agreed quietly as he firmly massaged Ron's back through the next contraction.

**

Hermione squeezed the pendant she wore around her neck. It was nothing fancy or expensive, but it was her last link to Harry. She and Ron both wore one. Harry had found a dragon scale on one of his excursions with Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest. At the end of their Sixth Year, He'd given them each a piece of it with their initials on it, and they hung on a necklace of woven leather. He'd said it wasn't much, but the dragon scale was as hard as Muggle steel, just like their friendship.

She stood up, slipped off her heels, and walked towards the bedroom. Harry couldn't be here for Ron, so she would be--with Harry along in spirit. She said a silent prayer with her whole heart to the Goddess that somehow he would know.

She'd been about to enter the room when she'd stopped to listen to their conversation, and heard them talking about Harry. Hermione covered her mouth as a sob almost escaped. She knocked lightly on the door frame.

"Ron," she called. "I'm here. And between the both of us, so is Harry." She stepped into the room and held up her pendant as he raised his head to look at her.

Ron took her hand, as she sat in the chair next to the bed, opposite Viktor. "Together, Mione."

Hermione looked to Viktor and smiled. "If your husband doesn't mind?"

Viktor smiled. "If it makes my Ronald happy, it iz acceptable to me."

She nodded then looked into the blue eyes of one of her best friends. "Then Ron, lets have a baby, shall we?"

Ron's answer was a pained whine as another contraction took hold. Hermione reached out with her other hand and gently rubbed up and down his arm, whispering words of encouragement while Viktor proceeded to massage more deeply in the right spots to help ease the pain a bit. They sat relatively silent through the next hour and a half, and a half dozen contractions, while Ron tried to relax and rest in between.

Hermione shifted as the most recent contraction seemed to be easing. "Is there anything else I can do to help? I read and researched everything I could on male pregnancies. And, on labor and birth too. The information all indicated that if you try to relax as much as possible, your magic will help and between it and your body, they will do all the work. You supposed to try not to fight against it and kind of--go along for the ride, so to speak. Your breathing, by the way, is splendid--just like the books described."

He smiled weakly at her. "Oh, Mione. Never change. Did those books tell you anything else that would help the pain?"

"Probably nothing your Healer hasn't already told you."

"Bugger. I still want one of Snape's Pain Potions!"

Hermione gave Ron an odd look then began to giggle, uncontrollably. Ron leaned up a bit on one arm as Viktor watched silently, trying to follow their conversation.

"What? Moine?" Ron asked.

Hermione hiccupped and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Ron, have you forgotten? There was a time you would do anything rather then take one of Severus' potions. You swore he was out to poison all of us!" She stifled another giggle.

"I'm older. I'm wiser. And, I'm bloody pregnant and in labor! I'm also not stupid when it comes to the best in the business. That man... is the best Potions Master in all of Britain. And when I'm in real pain, I want his stuff!"

"I know, Ron, I know. I am sorry. It just struck me as funny, is all." She turned to the medi-wizard standing by the desk in the corner, making notations in a thick file. "Can Ron have a Pain Potion?"

The young man turned after setting down his quill, and gave her a pleasant smile. "Healer Smythe will allow the Pain Potion at the appropriate time, but, Ron and Viktor have both been informed that it will only take the edge off the pain. Stronger Pain Potions would interfere with Ron's magic during the birth."

"I don't care." Ron whinged as the next contraction started. "I want one-nnnnnnnnggAAAHH!"

***

Draco's eyes widened when Ron's wail vibrated through the Burrow. "Can't they give him something?" He whispered in a straggled voice, clearly bothered by the pained cries.

"I have provided the Healer with the appropriate potions, but they will only dull the pain a bit, not remove it." Severus replied in a calm voice. Only the glint in his gaze indicated he was a bit amused by his godson's discomfiture.

"Explain! What do you mean by 'only dull it'?"

Lucius answered this time, drawing his son's attention. "Stronger Pain Potions--ones that would remove the pain, interfere with the father's magic and hence, the labor and birth. The pain is forgotten as soon as the newborn is held."

Draco looked to his father. "Was Mother in a lot of pain?"

"Your Mother bore you with pride and fierce determination. She screamed, she threatened, and she hexed, but in the end, she wept tears of joy the moment the Healer laid you in her arms."

Draco smiled and a bit of color returned to his face as he thought about what Lucius had told him. Lucius looked down, and appeared to fidget with his spoon, until Remus leaned over to whisper in his ear then kiss his cheek, causing him to smile.

"When Mum was giving birth to the twins, she fired hexes at Dad's feet. He was dancing all over next to the bed. Gramps Weasley sat out in the hallway laughing because every time he looked into the room, she would yell and shout curses at him as well." Percy said. "Oh, and Gramps' and Dad's hair were Slytherin green for a week too!"

"I should have known then, the Twins were going to be trouble." Arthur added. He looked up to see if Molly was still out of the room. "Don't tell her I told you, but, she was a bit of a prankster in school herself. After we married, it only showed itself when she was in labor."

"I heard that, Arthur Bilius Weasley!" Molly said as she swept into the room. "I only gave as good as I got. And I always gave harder."

"It's a wonder you didn't stop after having Bill, then." Remus commented.

"It certainly would have made My life much easier." Severus grumbled under his breath, causing Albus to begin chuckling.

Luna looked thoughtful for a moment, as she toyed with the odd necklace of old buttons she wore. "Danish wizards believe that the Mælkebøtte Pixies gather a special dew that is said to make a child's birth painless. And then, there is also the nectar gathered by the Peruvian Heliconia Beetle from the Peruvian Silver Moon Heliconia blooms. It is supposed to do the same."

Severus blinked. "My dear Luna, those facts are only found in the oldest of texts and studied only by Potions Masters. How--?"

Luna smiled warmly at Severus. "I found some old potions texts that evidently belonged to my mother's great-gran, in my Father's boxes in the attic. The reading was really very interesting."

Severus was thinking quickly, "Hildagaard Von Drake?"

"Why yes."

"I would be most appreciative if I could look at them some time." Severus looked almost--excited, as he spoke.

"I will bring them by your office next week then. We can discuss her theories."

Just then, another loud wail interrupted the conversation again, followed by several colorful expletives that normally were not heard at the Burrow.

Draco stood suddenly, pushing his chair out of the way. "I'm happy to see you are enjoying your little discussion about potion ingredients, Uncle Sev. But, can we Please do something for Wea-- Ron!?"

Severus looked almost apologetic. "Unfortunately, only the potion I provided. It has been several hours now. Healer Smythe should be administering it soon."

Molly set out a buffet of dishes on the counter, and several pitchers of beverages on the table. "Food is here for when everyone is hungry. I don't think that Viktor has eaten--"

Neville stood. "I'll go relieve him Molly and send him out here to eat. He could probably use a break anyway." He turned to Draco and cupped his cheek with his hand. "Come with me--please? Both Ron and 'Moine could use our support. You know they both miss Harry terribly."

Draco took Neville's hand and followed behind him, causing many shocked looks around the table. Albus just nodded his head knowingly, as the blue eyed twinkled madly.

Tbc...

*******

vrăjitoare -- Romanian for 'witch'.
boteza -- Romanian for 'godfather'