They walked, hand in hand as they covered the distance to the courtyard. Their reveries matched each others as they thought about their child, what would become of them at the school, who they would grow to be. Catching sight of Hagrids newly restored hut, he smiled. Oh, the memories their children would have with him, hopefully getting into all the same trouble he had. It was, in fact, a great deal of the memories he had at the school, even if the trouble he had gotten himself into had been for the greater good.

"Oh, there you two are." Molly said, once they reached the others. Her smile was wide, and her arms outstretched to greet them once more.

"Fine thing you two did for our home," Arthur began, adding to his wife's joy. "Molly is particularly ecstatic about the return of her music player." in a lower voice he asked, "But did you have to-- oh!" Molly had elbowed him in the rib, effectively ending his statements.

"We are all very thankful dear." Molly said instead, still narrowing her eyes at her now sheepish husband. Arthur's smile had returned, though he was still rubbing at his side.

"We were glad to do it," Heremione began, and Harry looked to her then. Her smile was bright and warm, and had not surprisingly lacked any tone of pride. "after all, you've done more for us than we could ever repay."

Molly waved her hand dismissively, muttering something about how they had helped her family more, but quickly covered it with a "Now, how about we have a small chat."

Hermione looked to Harry, uneasy. The woman had the most notable expression of knowing far too much more than she should. Nevertheless, the two nodded, and Molly escorted the couple to a nearby bench. Hermione noted that the bench was far enough away from anyone else to allow a rather private conversation.

Although Hermione chose to sit on the cool stone bench, Harry stood. He was stationed beside her and had her hand clamped tightly within his. He was worried too, and she could tell by the stature in which he stood, as well as the ever growing pressure in which he held her hand.

Molly positioned herself beside Hermione on the bench and had turned to face her, their knees touching. Taking Hermione's unoccupied hand within both of hers, she patted it sweetly.

"Now, I don't mean to be forward, but I must say that a fellow mother recognizes another's maternal glow."

Hermione tried hard for words, but none came. Instead, Harry answered for her and she let out a small breath, grateful for his rescue, though she was surprised when he let out a low chuckle and the pressure in his grip had loosened.

She looked up at him and found that his eyes were on her, and perhaps they had been the entire time, she didn't know. The look of ease on his face allowed her to calm more as well, more assured that everything would be just fine.

"Yes, I was curious as to when you would notice. It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" He told Molly, his voice filled with pride and admiration.

"It is," she replied, smiling warmly at the both of them. "but it makes me wonder when you had planned on telling us!" she added, reaching over Hermione to swat him on the arm.

"Well, I was thinking we would give a few weeks at least, we only just found out ourselves." he was rubbing is arm as he said it, though Hermione was quite certain she hadn't hurt him in the slightest.

"Mm, I'm sure... well. Now that that's been settled--"

"What, exactl, has been settled?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Oh, I simply wanted to prove Arthur right of course, he told me that I was over reacting and assuming things. Can you believe that!?"

"No, not at all." Harry said seriously, though he was quite amused by the scene of such events playing out in his mind. He wondered how badly Arthur was hurt in the aftermath.

Standing, the two women departed, joining the others to confirm Molly's assumptions. Well, all aside from Arthur who was then walking toward Harry. When he reached his side, he pulled him in for a familiarly tight hug.

"Congratulations son, we couldn't be more pleased. You two will make wonderful parents. "

Many months had passed in which the two prepared their home for a new child, setting up their bedroom with muted tones of grey and blue, suitable for either a boy or a girl, considering they had chosen to wait for its birth to know. Hermione had gone through the expected phase of cleaning every inch of their home, but for some reason she had chosen to do it by hand.

"It's calming." was all she had said on the matter at the time. Harry had just shook his head smiled, unwilling to face the consequences if he had chosen to dispute her actions. Honestly, he had thought it unwise to see his wife, and her growing belly, to be on her hands and knees, but he knew better than to tell her so.

Finally the day had come, and they had taken their "necessary" packed bags to the school so that Madam Pomfrey could assist Hermione in her giving birth. Harry thought of the word "necessary" very lightly, seeing as he thought they could surely do with just magic alone, but Hermione had fought him on the subject.

"Magic? And risk the safety of our unborn child doing so? Certainly not." she had said to him, with clear disdain coating her tone. She had been rather moody that day, Harry thought.

Now however, she was quite calm and felt more than prepared for their new child's arrival as she had been laid in the medical ward, Madam Pomfrey dutifully at her side. Hermione was dressed in a simple white gown, her red hair spilled out against her pillow as she fought the waves of pain coursing through her body.

It had only been an hour of labor, but Hermione's wretched face and moans of pain made Harry positively pained. Nonetheless, he stayed at her side soothing her with words of encouragement and soft touches against her skin.

Molly had come as well, as they both expected she would insist upon doing. In her presence, she had offered advice in Hermione's efforts to push the child from her, all the while dabbing a cool wet cloth to her forehead and neck to try and keep her comfortable. They had both been extremely grateful for her presence as it seemed to calm them both significantly more.

Visiting a few times each week during the later months of her pregnancy, Molly assisted in making their meals, cleaning, laundry, and overall setting both of their minds at ease in their constant worries of being new parents.

As their child arrived in the world, they were swaddled carefully into a thin cloth and given to their mother for contact and comfort, their small cries and coos immediately warming them both. When Hermione had fell into exhaustion, she finally handed the small bundle to Harry, who had his arms outstretched in a cradled position, prepared to hold their beautiful baby.

Looking down at them, Harry beamed. The moment couldn't have been more perfect, and part of him knew that each loved one that had passed were looking down on them now, surely pleased. Jostling Hermione awake, Madam Pomfrey asked her a question.

"Now dear, what would you like to name them?"

Hermione looked groggily up at Harry, her eyes searching his as she said,

"James, Sirius, Potter."

And then he smiled, their new son's hand firmly grasped around his finger.

Short, I know. I simply saw it coming to an end this way I do hope you've enjoyed it. I've edited chapters 5 6 so that Elizabeth is no longer a part of the story, you were all right ofcourse.

@Soulofarthur, I had based her birth year from the one listed for Harry, which was 1980. If there is information supporting otherwise, I just wasn't aware of it, but good point you made!

As for other confusing aspect of her place, I'm aware of where I had let holes fill her story and would have filled those in during the next story if I had kept her.

The first 2 chapters of the next 2 stories are now posted.

The dance is a Harry/Hermione fic in which Ron and Hermione had never been a couple, and a masquerade is held. It is unrelated to this story.

First year is about just that, the first year, of Harry and Hermione's son at the school, and is a second part directly correlated with this one.