Wigtown Wanderers
Chaser 1
Prompt: Harry & Hermione
Additional Prompts: 6. (location) the Burrow, 7. (plot point) holding a baby, 10. (emotion) worry
Word Count: 2,199
Summer Bingo: E1 - Bundle
Team: Brilliant Snitch
Ship: Viktor Krum/Hermione Granger
Prompt List: SuMe02 - Cuddling
Warnings: the "miracle" of childbirth
~o0o~
Life after the war didn't turn out at all like Harry had expected. Yes, he and Ron went through Auror training, but after holding a number of tutoring and study sessions with the other applicants, Harry found that he truly enjoyed teaching. He had needed a couple more years in the field before he could officially take over the position, yes, but he felt that it was his calling. Nothing gave him more satisfaction than helping someone understand a topic. Ron diverged from the Auror path as well, becoming a Quidditch Journalist of all things after writing in a letter to Quidditch Pro correcting some of the statistics and strategies they were publishing. Harry also didn't expect Viktor Zdravkov (or as he was known on the Pitch: Viktor Krum) to come back into the picture, either. Nor was he expecting him to marry both Hermione and Ron.
Harry and Ginny ended up parting as just good friends and they always had a good laugh whenever they chatted at the weekly dinners at the Burrow.
Those dinners were the only consistency Harry had in his crazy life and he was looking forward to taking up the Professorship at Hogwarts that September. Hermione was keen on bringing him teaching books and ideas for lesson plans. She also had some ideas for actual educational reforms, but she wasn't high enough in the Ministry yet for anyone to take them seriously. That just made her all the more determined to push those through before her own children started Hogwarts.
Harry guessed she had about eleven years and two months to make that a possibility.
"Are you sure you should be using the floo in this condition?" he asked her when she arrived at the Burrow.
"Well, I can't exactly apparate now can I?" she retorted and leaned against the kitchen sink.
Mrs. Weasley quickly moved the lettuce she was washing out of the way.
Harry had known Hermione long enough that he could tell when something was wrong. Though she had mellowed out over the years, she had a certain way about her when things weren't following the plan. If there was no plan, she could roll with it, but if there was… She was stiff like all her energy was building up with no hope for release.
"What's wrong?" he asked, hurrying to her side.
Her brown skin had taken on a grey tinge and her hands were shaking so badly they were generating sparks of magic.
"Hermione," he said firmly and she inhaled sharply.
"I'm fine."
"I don't believe you," he replied. "At least take a seat. I'll get you a bucket if you're going to spew."
Harry guided her to the living room and used his wand to clean the soot off of her. Her breathing was odd, but when he pressed she claimed that her baby was pressing against all vital organs so obviously she would be breathing weird.
Bill, Fleur, and Victoire arrived just as Mrs. Weasley was putting dinner on the table.
"Ah, Hermione!" said Fleur, entering the living room. "You are glowing."
"That would be the sweat," Hermione grunted and released a shuddering breath.
Bill snapped his head towards her. "You're in labor, Hermione?"
Suddenly it all clicked. Her odd way of walking, the pained breathing, how profusely she was sweating.
"No, I'm not," she said. "I'm not due for another month. Besides, Ron and Viktor are out of town, remember? Ron has an all exclusive deal and is interviewing the Captains in the top ten leading countries and Viktor has an away game. I'm not supposed to go into labor until after the World Cup!" She hit the arm of the chair with her fist. "We had a plan."
Harry rested a hand on her shoulder and she leaned against him, pressing her cheek into his wrist.
"I want them here," she said. "We had a plan."
The only person who freaked out more was Mrs. Weasley.
"If you're in labor then we need to get to St. Mungo's right away!" she said and rushed to the fireplace. She opened the jar and huffed. "All out! I told Arthur to get more! The shops are closed. No matter, there's a Muggle hospital in town. I'm sure even that glorified butcher shop can deliver a baby. Come along, Hermione, we oughta leave now. I'm sure we can send a message to Ron and he will be here as soon as he can!"
"Ron and Viktor," Harry corrected. He loved Mrs. Weasley dearly, but she seemed to think that Viktor was just a friend. Surely she saw him kiss Ron and Hermione at their wedding.
"Yes, yes of course. But we shall still make an effort. Hm, the Diggorys moved away and Phil is off on an excursion. Ginny dear, why don't you go see if the Fawcetts have any floo powder. If Hermione gets too far into labor, she won't be able to travel by magic without causing harm to the baby!"
"Mother!" Bill yelled after repeating it twice during her rant. "I think it best you go check with the Fawcetts for floo powder. After all, you and Mrs. Fawcett play bridge every Sunday so she might be more willing to part with some."
"Ah, good idea Bill," she said and hurried out with her cloak.
Hermione whimpered and grabbed onto Harry's hand while clutching her stomach.
"Hermione, when did your contractions start?" Fleur asked, dabbing her forehead.
"This morning," she whimpered. "I was hoping they were false ones."
"Alright, so you're probably going into the second stage," said Bill. "Ginny, go see if Percy is at St. Mungo's. We can't get her there, so we'll bring a trained Healer to us. We need to get this place birth-ready. Fleur, can you make sure the guest bed is as ready as it can be?"
"Oui," she said, drawing her wand. Victoire toddled behind her mother.
"I can get the other stuff ready," said Charlie. "I've helped with loads of births!"
"Charlie," Bill sighed.
"What? There are dragons who give live births and it's the same basic principle!"
"Hermione is not a dragon!"
"Are you sure about that?" Harry asked, earning him a swat. At least she had the strength to do that. He knew there was a risk with an at-home birth. "Anything I can do?"
"Yes, keep Hermione calm."
"I can't do this," said Hermione. "I don't want to do this!"
"It's a little late for that," Harry teased and knelt down so he could take her hands and look her in the eye. "Hermione… you are the bravest witch I've ever known. You have faced trolls, a living chessboard, a Basilisk, dementors, and dozens of dangerous wixen. You can do anything you put your mind to and you're going to be strong for this kid. Ron and Viktor will be here as soon as they can. You know they would drop everything to be here for you if they knew. I promise, I'll be here for you in their stead."
She nodded slowly. "Okay."
The door flung open and Percy came in with a bag tucked under his arm.
"Ginny is stalling Mum in the garden," he said. "Hermione, how far apart are your contractions?"
"Five minutes," she said.
Harry supported Hermione and only turned his back so she could change into the robes Percy brought and set up curtains for her privacy. He conjured a chair and sat down, taking her hand once more.
"Ow!" he yelled when she squeezed it too hard.
She sent him a withering scowl. "Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt?"
Harry grinned sheepishly and decided to keep his mouth shut even if she broke his fingers.
~Four hours later~
Fleur cleaned the first child in a basin and wrapped him up in a blanket. Victoire, ever clever, managed to rope her grandmother into telling her stories to pass the time and keep her out of the guest room. Harry, meanwhile, patted Hermione's frizzed hair.
"Almost done," he said.
"Twins," she muttered. "I told Ron I wanted to get a proper sonogram, but noo… and Viktor was all 'Oh, my family doctor will help us along the way!' If I ever—"
Whatever she was going to say was interrupted as she pushed for the second child. Harry cringed as she screamed. He hadn't heard her make that horrific sound since she was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he held her the best he could.
"Almost there," he said. "You're doing great."
"I want my husbands here," she sobbed. "I want them here!"
"I know." Harry wished more than anything he could magic them into existence for her.
"PUSH!"
Percy declared it a girl and passed her over to Charlie before going about cleanup. There was more to childbirth than Harry ever wanted to know, and he couldn't blame television for leaving out some of the details. As neither father was present, Hermione cut the umbilical cords herself. She asked Harry if he wanted to and he nearly fainted.
He was reminded of the thing he saw in limbo that was Voldemort's soul; tiny, fragile, and covered in… well, he wasn't about to tell Hermione any of that. She'd probably hex him into next week if he implied her children looked a bit like a horcrux.
"Well, there weren't any complications," said Percy, washing his hands in the bathroom. "Both children look healthy, you can start nursing as soon as you're ready, Hermione. It's best if you start right away even for a couple minutes." He exhaled shakily. "I'm going to get a cup of tea."
"I will join you," said Charlie, looking slightly shell-shocked. "Here, Harry!"
Harry took the baby boy from him and held him just as Andromeda had shown him when he met Teddy. From what he could see, both children had Hermione's medium-brown skin. The child in his arms had dark eyes like obsidian and, upon seeing Harry, stopped crying and furrowed her brow in a scowl Harry had seen on posters and magazines. Guess that answered that. Harry looked over at the boy in Fleur's arms and did a double-take.
"Huh!"
The boy had startling blue eyes and the few tufts of hair on his head were definitely auburn.
"What?" Hermione asked. "Are they alright?"
"They are just fine," said Fleur, passing the boy to her. She held a bit of excitement unrelated to the "miracle" of childbirth. "Bond with your children, rest up. We will give you a moment alone."
Harry nodded and passed over the girl, making sure Hermione had them both cradled securely to her chest.
"Thank you, Harry," she said. "I know you've got Teddy, but you will be their godfather won't you?"
"Yes, of course," he said and smiled. "You did great, Hermione."
She returned the smile. "I don't think I tell you enough how much I appreciate you."
He pecked her on the forehead. "I know you do. I'll just go get you something to drink."
"Thank you."
Harry went into the living room to see the family passing gold over to Fleur who looked very pleased with herself.
"What's this?" he asked.
"We all had bets going on about the gender and father of the child," said Ginny sourly. "Fleur's was the only one who guessed both would be the biological father."
"Well, do we know for sure that Viktor fathered one of them?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "What would people think? What will Ron do when he finds out?"
Harry made eye contact with Ginny who just rolled her eyes. There was just no use explaining was there?
As he fixed Hermione a cold glass of juice, two cracks came from the garden and harried voices drew closer to the door. It flung open and Viktor and Ron squeezed in, Ron in his reporter's suit and Viktor in his Quidditch robes. The latter had a swelling cheek, no doubt contact from a bludger.
"Hermione!" Ron gasped.
"Is she—?"
"Is our kid?"
"They're in the guest room," said Harry, grinning.
"We missed it," said Viktor, shoulders sagging.
"Yeah, you two are in a heap of trouble," said Harry, guiding them to the room. "You'll have to make it up to her. Grovelling, sucking up, probably should send her to a fancy spa for the weekend after the World Cup is over. Can't be helped that you two missed the birth, but having to go back to work at this time?" He clucked his tongue. "Can't find replacements this late in the game."
The two men paled at the thought. Viktor conjured a bouquet of sunflowers while Ron took the juice from Harry. They joined hands and entered the room to meet their children. Harry lingered outside the door and watched as they embraced Hermione and marveled over their son and daughter. He felt a sense of satisfaction that the girl who had been like a sister to him all these years had some good men to be there for her. And if they happened to be late, he was more than happy to step up to the plate.