Chapter 65: Teddy

"Do you think you could move this along a bit?" the young man asked Tonks.

She caught his meaning immediately. "Are you seriously asking me that?" Tonks said through gritted teeth. She was laying on her back with her legs held up by magic as if in invisible stirrups.

The young man was a midwife and the only midwife they could get in the middle of a war who they felt safe asking to deliver the child of a werewolf. The midwife Andromeda had taken Tonks to the night she had bleed before the full moon had gone missing weeks ago.

Remus and Tonks had asked the healer Rose Rosamond whether she could deliver their child; they had become quite friendly with her and she had proven herself trustworthy. Rose had explained that midwifery was a specialty and that she had never delivered a baby before. She told them, apologetically, that she would if they had no other options but that they would be safer with an actual midwife.

So, they found Miles McMenamin, a young man who must not be more than twenty years old.

McMenamin and Tonks got off on the wrong foot when, in her discomfort and nervousness of impending childbirth, took one look at the man and had said, "You are the midwife? Really? But you're a bloke."

Now Tonks glared at McMenamin for his last comment.

McMenamin glared back. "I just thought that you could- you know, being that you are a metamorphmagus…"

"Do you think I'm enjoying how this feels?" Tonks explained angrily. "Don't you think if I could 'move this along' I would?"

Remus sat at the head of the bed, gripping Tonks's hand. Her grip was so tight that his fingers were going numb. She was terrified. She was trying to hide it, but Remus could tell that she was scared. He too was bloody horrified, but it was his moment to be the strong one.

"She can only morph from the neck up," Remus explained patiently.

"Well then," McMenamin said, sitting up straighter and snapping off a pair of gloves, "You need to dilate more before you can start pushing. It is usually a longer process with first time mothers." He waved his wand and Tonks's legs gently rested back on the mattress.

Remus adjusted the blankets to cover her.

"I will leave you to get some potions started for the pain," the midwife said.

"Thank you," Remus said kindly.

McMenamin left the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Remus could hear him speaking to Ted, Andromeda, and his father, giving them the update.

Tonks groaned and hid her face in Remus's side.

Remus stroked her hair gently. "This is all perfectly normal," he assured her, "and the potions will help."

It took all Tonks had not to bite Remus's head off. She didn't care that it was normal. It still bloody hurt!

About two months into her pregnancy, Remus had gotten his hands on several books on pregnancy and infancy, most he had purchased in a muggle shop. He had read them religiously every day. When he had realized that Tonks showed no interest in reading them as well, Remus had read aloud to her before they went to sleep each night.

From his tutelage, Tonks knew, in excruciating detail, what to expect from this impending birthing experience. She was uncomfortable now, but she knew that it was just going to get much, much worse.

She bit her tongue, determined not to complain about the pain to Remus. She knew that he would be unbelievably kind about it, but she could not bear to complain to him when he had endured horrible pain monthly most of his life.

"I love you," Remus said soothingly.

Tonks smiled slightly and looked up at him. "I love you too."

"Do you want me to help you sit up?"

She nodded and Remus carefully helped her into a sitting position, propping pillows behind her back.

Tonks snuggled against his side. "I'm glad you're here."

Her words sent a prang through his heart, reminding him that he might not have been if Harry did not knock some sense into him. "I am too, Dora," Remus assured her. "There is nowhere in the world I'd rather be."

"Get back to me later when I've cut off the circulation in your hand or screamed at you," she said teasingly.

Remus chuckled lightly. "Nothing will change." Remus thought for a moment. "Dora?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you thought as to who should be godfather or godmother?"

"No actually," Tonks said. "Have you?"

Remus had not given it much thought until the other day when Bill sent word that Harry, Ron and Hermione had come to Shell Cottage.

Remus might not have been with Tonks now if it was not for Harry and he saw so much of Lily and James in him.

"I was wondering if we might ask Harry to be godfather," Remus said.

"Harry?"

"Only if you agree," Remus said quickly.

"Of course, I agree," she said, smiling. "Blimey. Our baby will have 'the Boy Who Lived' as a godfather. That seems like a good omen to me."

"Thank you," Remus sighed.

"Sure thing," Tonks said. "I-" her words got cut off. She cringed as a contraction came on.

Remus took her hand again. "Breathe through it," he soothed as she crushed his fingers. He took in deliberate deep breaths, hoping she would match him.

Through the pain, Tonks narrowed her eyes at him.

Remus could not help but grin, pleased that she was feeling well enough to at least be irritated with him. "I'm sorry you're hurting," he said.

"It's passing," she managed. "I'm fine."

Remus slipped his hand behind her and started to knead her lower back with his thumb. Her body untensed slightly. She sighed and fell into him, kissing his shoulder.

"Perhaps we can just enjoy the last moments of peace," Remus said to her.

"Remus," Tonks said firmly, staring up at him, "there is a tiny human trying to escape from my body. There is no peace to be had."

Remus smirked. "Would you like me to tell you a story?" he suggested. "As a distraction."

Tonks thought about this for a moment. "You know I like stories," she said.

"Yes, I know," Remus replied with amusement.

"What kind of story?" Tonks asked, shifting slightly to make herself more comfortable.

"One you've never heard before."

"Okay," she said.

"About the first time we met," Remus told her.

"Well, I know that one, Remus," Tonks said.

Remus shook his head. "The first time I met you, you would have been too young to remember."

"What?" Tonks said with interest, forgetting her discomfort.

A small smile formed on Remus's lips. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against his chest.

"It was the summer before my seventh year at Hogwarts," Remus said. "James and Lily were spending more and more time together and Peter…well, I can't remember where he was that day. So, it was just me and Sirius. We went to Diagon Alley together to purchase our school things. We were just walking down the road when a very colorful little something came charging out of nowhere and headed straight for Sirius. Hit him right in the kneecaps actually."

Tonks gazed up at Remus, listening intently.

"It was a little girl," Remus said.

"Me?"

"You," Remus confirmed. "You were four and you had been out shopping with your mum and the moment you saw Sirius you took off running. This was after Sirius started staying with the Potters and was able to see your mum again. He would often go to your parents' place for dinner and you loved him. And he treated you like an amusing plaything…he loved to rile you up, you see. He absolutely adored you. He would tell us about silly things you would say and how you would follow him around during his visits."

"I remember when he started coming around, but I don't remember this?" Tonks said.

"You were so young, Dora," Remus said. "Anyway, you slipped away from your mum to come after Sirius and your mum was sprinting after you. She looked rather flustered, as I imagine she must have looked often during your childhood." He sent his wife a raised brow look and she laughed.

"Then what happen?"

"Well after the initial shock wore off, Sirius scooped you up and I remember you laughing like you were the happiest little thing in the whole world. Your mum came over and told you not to run off like that. You didn't seem to be listening at all. Sirius then offered to keep you busy while she finished the rest of her shopping."

"She left me alone with Sirius?" Tonks said skeptically.

"Oh, she was thrilled to be rid of you," Remus teased. "And it wasn't just with Sirius. I was there too. Sirius then told me that this was his little cousin, Nymphadora, who he had told me about. And you told him that you did not like that name, and you wanted to be called…" Remus paused to think. "You did not say Tonks, it was some kind of animal from a book you'd liked. It might have been kangaroo.

"I asked to be called kangaroo?"

"I think it was that," Remus mused.

"Still better than Nymphadora."

Remus shook his head. "Sirius suggested that we take you out for ice cream. But when we got to Fortescue's, Sirius immediately left you with me to go talk to a girl who had been a year above us at school. This was all either before or shortly after the full moon and I was in no mood to babysit. So, there we were, me, grumpy and having no idea what to talk about with a four-year-old and you, noisily eating your ice cream, staring at me, not seeming to know what to make of me."

"Did we talk?"

"You did," Remus said. "It took you a moment, perhaps it was the sugar that did it, but you started asking so many questions about my mum and dad and if I had a broomstick. You wanted to know about my pet dog because Sirius told you that I had one." Tonks laughed. "You were already an excellent interrogator. Then bold as anything, you hopped out of your seat and came and climbed into my lap. I remember you just staring up at my face and then you placed your little hand on my cheek and ran a finger along one of my scars." A smile tugged at Remus's lips. "You asked me if I fell down a lot like you did."

"Why have you never told me this before?" Tonks asked.

Remus shrugged. "I supposed you might have thought it strange that I met you when you were little. I've just been thinking a lot about that little girl lately. I hope our child is exactly like you."

"I don't think it's strange at all," Tonks said softly. She remembered when she had told Remus that she was pregnant, she had vocalized her wish for the child to be just like him. She had later taken it back, saying that she was concerned that if the child was too much like Remus than he would find fault in their baby as he so often found in himself.

Now as he held her and she gazed into his grey-blue eyes, Tonks wished more than anything that their child would be exactly like Remus.

It was several long hours before Tonks was fully dilated. Her legs were up again, and the midwife's hands were waiting beneath her.

Tonks gave in and began doing the breathing exercises that Remus had tried to make her practice weeks ago. "You sound ridiculous," she had told him.

But now she was breathing rhythmically through pursed lips with Remus. Her pink hair stuck to her wet forehead and tears poured from her eyes.

"Do you feel like you need to push?" The midwife asked.

Tonks nodded with wide, terrified eyes.

"Okay, breathe in," McMenamin instructed.

Tonks took in a sharp, shallow gulp of air.

"Deeply," McMenamin said.

Tonks let out a cry of pain.

"Push," the midwife demanded.

Tonks did, squeezing Remus's fingers tightly.

"Again," the midwife said before Tonks could catch her breath. "I see the top of the baby's head."

"That's bloody it!" Tonks exclaimed.

Remus gently wiped away the tears from her cheeks.

Tonks pressed herself deeper into the pillows and pushed again.

"Push!"

"No, I'm good thanks," Tonks sighed.

Remus tried to hide his amusement. "You are doing so well."

"The baby's coming," McMenamin cried. "Almost there. Just one more big push."

Tonks pushed with a final scream, but then it was not just her voice.

A shrill, beautiful voice filled the room. Then the midwife lifted a pink, wailing little something.

Remus went suddenly very still. His hand was limp in Tonks's.

Tonks let out a shaky laugh of relief, tears free flowing from her eyes.

"It's a boy," McMenamin announced.

"A boy," Remus said through numb lips.

McMenamin wiped the baby off briefly with a towel. "Mr. Lupin would you like to cut the cord?"

Using his wand, Remus severed the umbilical cord, and his infant son was laid across Tonks's chest.

Sensing the familiarity of his mother, the baby's crying began to cease. He seemed to be lulled by the sound of Tonks's beating heart.

Tonks looked up at Remus in disbelief.

The world was a rush of bright colors with only Tonks and the baby steadfast in front of Remus.

Tonks was crying and never had she looked so beautiful with her eyes shining with the purest happiness Remus had ever seen. "We have a son, Remus," she managed. The baby squirmed against her and she giggled at the feel of it.

"Edward Alastor Lupin," Remus said softly.

Tonks shook her head. "No," she cried. "Edward Remus. I don't think Mad-Eye would mind the change."

"Edward Remus?" Remus's heart felt so full it ached.

"Yes," Tonks said, looking down at their son. "Teddy Remus. You like that right, Little One? After your daddy."

Remus's eyes filled with tears. He leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss on Tonks's forehead. "Thank you," he breathed.

XXX

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