Chapter Forty-Two

Even with the potions prescribed by Healer Blishwick, that I was making myself now that I didn't trust the ones from St. Mungo's, pregnancy was awful. I was often sick, and rarely had energy. And Vernon wanted nothing more than to show me off to his coworkers and clients at all of the holiday parties he insisted we attend. He loved to show off his "lovely pregnant wife" at every chance he got, showing just what a family man he really was. And then the parties continued on well into the next year without an end in sight, and I still had to go, even as I got larger and larger, until I could no longer see my feet without the aid of a mirror.

Lily, who was just as ill as I was, put her Healer training on hold. "Just for a year or so, once the boys are old enough that it won't be awful for you to watch them both," she reminded, as she did every so often. "And only if you're sure you can watch them both."

"I offered, didn't I," I grumped from my seat next to her. Dudley was pushing on my rib cage and my bladder, something that was incredibly uncomfortable. I tried pushing him down with the heel of my palm, but since he was on the inside of my ribs, it didn't work terribly well.

"I know, but I still feel like I'm taking advantage of you," she protested.

I grimaced as the baby shifted again. "It's my auntly duty, not to mention godmotherly," I reminded. "And besides, you would do the same for me, if it were reversed. Have you picked out a middle name for Harry yet?"

Lily sighed. "I want James, for his daddy, but James laughs every time I mention it. He says that we should pick a better role model than him."

"Just make sure the Healers put it on the birth certificate when James isn't looking, then," I advised.

"That's what you'll do with Dudley?" she asked with a grin.

"Yes, Dudley Evan Dursley has such a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Dudley shifted again, this time removing his foot from my ribs, and I was able to relax a bit more.

"All except the last name," she muttered, aiming her wand at her face with a cooling charm. "I hate summer," she moaned, for the fourth time that day.

"It's only June," I reminded, though I grabbed my wand and did the same. If Vernon came home and saw me doing magic, well, I would face the consequences then, though it wasn't likely that he would come home in the middle of the morning.

"Don't say that! I don't want to think about it getting any hotter! How could I have been so stupid as to get pregnant when I would be the most miserable in the summer? Next time, I'm aiming for a spring baby."

A pang of envy hit me, even though I tried to swallow it down. I knew Vernon didn't want any more children, not after his one trophy of Dudley, but I wanted a whole gaggle of them. And it seemed that Lily and James would have that, since James wanted as many children as they could have. Lily had put her foot down at a possibility of five. Depending on how the birth process went, of course.

I shuddered a little at the thought of giving birth, and then another, sharper one caused my whole body to shake. Hunching over as much as I could, I breathed out a moan that sort of surprised me. The gush of wetness following also surprised me, but as least everything started making sense.

"Tuney? Are you alright?" Lily asked, anxiety coating her every word.

"Dudley's coming," I gasped. "Right now."

"Right now?!" she screeched. "What do we do?"

"I've got to get to St. Mungo's." I braced myself on the arms of my chair to lever myself out.

But Lily screeched again, scaring me back into my seat. "How? I can't take you! Neither of us can Apparate or Floo right now, and London's over an hour drive, so how are we supposed to get you to St. Mungo's?"

At a time when I wasn't concerned with pushing another human into the world, I would probably have laughed at my normally levelheaded sister acting so panicked, but I was mostly just irritated. "Call your husband. He should be at home, right?"

Relief flooded her face. "Right, call James. Right."

Lily waddled into the hallway where the telephone was, and I just knew it was a good thing I'd written down her number in case Vernon ever needed to call it, since she looked at the telephone for far too long before picking up the receiver and dialing. "C'mon, James, answer the bloody pho- Sirius! Perfect! You'll do nicely. Tuney's in labour, and we need you to come take her to St. Mungo's… Yes, right now! Did you think I meant in an hour?... Alright, I'll tell her."

As soon as she said Sirius's name, I groaned. It was bad enough to have to ask James for help, but Sirius? He'd already had to take me to St. Mungo's once, I didn't want to have to make him take me again. But it seemed like I didn't have much of a choice, especially when Sirius and James Apparated directly into the lounge a few seconds later. "Are you alright, Petal?" he asked me anxiously, taking my hand in his immediately.

"I just want to get this bloody baby out of me," I grunted, but I let him pull me up.

"Padfoot will take you, and I'll take Lils," James said, taking charge. And when I tried protesting that they didn't need to come with, he cut me off with a stern (and somehow slightly hurt) look. "We're your family, Pet. We're going to be there."

"Absolutely," Lily proclaimed. "There is no place I would rather be than with you right now."

Another contraction cut off any further protest, so I gave in and let Sirius scoop me into his arms. "Hold on tight, love," he said softly, then spun on his heel.

The terrible squeeze of Apparition made me vomit on the spot as we landed in the lobby of St. Mungo's, but the welcome witch merely Vanished it without a word. "Labor and Delivery?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We know where to go," Sirius answered, not even waiting for James and Lily before heading to the lift.

Healer Blishwick was waiting for us when we arrived. "Just a few weeks early, and with how you were measuring, it's not surprising at all, Petunia," she said soothingly as she helped Sirius arrange me on the bed. She gave me a potion to help with the pain, and the next few hours were a blur of people swirling around me. But with Lily on one side and Sirius on the other, I never felt alone. And at three-forty-seven in the afternoon, with one last push, Dudley came squalling into the world.

"You have a beautiful baby boy," Healer Blishwick said, laying him gently into my arms.

As she helped me settle Dudley onto my chest, a flood of emotions crashed down on me. Love and awe at this tiny human I had created. Fear and anxiety at what the future would hold for him, for all of us. Gratitude and love for Lily, James, and Sirius helping me through everything. Heartache and sorrow than Mum and Dad weren't there. Anger and hatred toward Vernon, and then regret and guilt because without him, I wouldn't have Dudley. Exhaustion and pain from the delivery. Everything was too much, especially as I'd tried for so long to push all these emotions away, that I could do nothing but burst into loud sobs.

"It's completely normal, dear," Healer Blishwick said kindly, as Lily threw her arms around me, as much as she could, anyway. "Birth is a beautiful process, but also very overwhelming. You just cry as much as you need to."

I cried for what seemed forever, with Lily holding onto me and Dudley. But after I finally cried myself out, Sirius conjured a handkerchief for me, and Lily wiped my tears. "I love you, Tuney, and I am so proud of you," she whispered, kissing first my forehead, then Dudley's. "And you have made such a beautiful baby."

That nearly brought me to tears again, but I looked down at my little boy in awe. Miraculously, he had slept on my chest the entire time I'd been crying, and I took in his tiny features. His tiny nose and mouth, those perfect lashes against his cheeks, even the miniature fingernails. "He's perfect," I breathed, awe momentarily drowning out all the other emotions.

And then he opened his eyes, startling me. He fluttered those lashes of his, and my heart swelled with love. "Hello, Dudley," I told him, tearing up again. "I'm your mummy, and I'm so happy to meet you."

Everyone backed up and gave us a moment, just me and my tiny, perfect baby boy. But eventually, Healer Blishwick said she needed to check on me, and I could see Lily itching to hold Dudley, anyway, so I carefully passed him over. "This is your Auntie Lily, Dudley," I introduced, "and she loves you almost as much as Mummy does."

"Yes, I do," Lily said, tears sparkling in her own eyes. "I do, Dudley, and I'm going to have a baby soon, too, your cousin, Harry, and you two are going to be the very best of friends."

"And I'm your Uncle James, and I'm going to teach you and Harry all sorts of pranks." James nearly bounced as he said this, but he calmed enough to lightly brush a finger against Dudley's. "With the rest of the Marauders, of course. Uncle Sirius is here, too. Come say hello, Padfoot."

Sirius seemed hesitant, but I nodded and smiled his way, and he joined the other two. "Hello, Dudley. Did you know that you have your Mummy's nose?" he asked, looking down at my boy. "Yes, just like your Mummy. Well, it's a bit red and scrunchy right now, what with just being born, but I can still tell."

James sent him a sharp look, though I didn't know why, but Sirius just ignored him. "Me and Uncle James, and Uncle Remus and Uncle Pete, too, we'll teach you all sorts of pranks. And when you get to Hogwarts, you'll know all about the secret passages before you even start your lessons."

"Please tell me you're not corrupting my nephew before I've even had a chance to hold him," Nic said, startling all of us as he and Danae came in the room, both holding a toy.

"Of course, we are," James said cheerfully, "as he's my nephew, too."

Lottie and Tina trailed in with flowers in their hands. "You look radiant, Pet," Tina told me with a kiss to my cheek.

"I look a mess," I laughed.

"But a radiant mess," Lottie countered. "Now, it's Auntie Lottie's turn to hold the little bundle of joy. You really do need to share, Lils."

As I watched my friends, my chosen family, surround me and my brand-new baby boy, I felt an immense swelling of gratitude and joy. And so much love. I knew as long as I had them, I could handle whatever life threw at me.

AN: It's been forever, I know. I'm so sorry! I've been struggling with writing, anything at all, really, for the past few months. Anxiety is a real thrill, let me tell you. But I've got the next chapter up, and Dudley is here! So we had some happiness to break up the ongoing depression Petunia is dealing with. I'm aiming at finishing this story soon, but I have no real timeline for that. Thanks for sticking with me and Petunia, though, and a big thanks to lrsch13, SapphireSkys001, and Brooklyns Finest Hufflepuff for your lovely reviews! They make my day! And yes, lrsch13, I will be working on What Now Is once I'm done with this one!