Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Katie Bell has been alone for the last four years. After the wedding of her best friend, she heads to the Leaky Cauldron. After she gets drunk, will she make some mistakes that she'll regret later? Oliver Wood/Katie Bell
Disclaimer: Jumping Jelly Beans. I will give twenty galleons to able write ONE chapter w/out this. But I suppose it is tradition now...
Chapter Fifteen: Love At First Sight
Oliver stared at me, panic in his brown eyes. "Oh please, don't panic on me, Oliver." I said quickly. "I'm perfectly able to do that myself."
"Right." Oliver said, though I didn't think he listened to a word I said. "Come on," he said, grabbing my hand. "We need to get you to St. Mungos." He pulled out his wand.
"No!" I cried out, throwing my hand out to stop him from muttering any Latin words underneath his breath. "We can't Apperate. The babies are fully grown...We'd leave them behind by accident if we do. We have to take the Floo Network."
Oliver nodded, tucking his wand away. "Where's your fireplace?" He asked, his arm around me, holding me.
"In the kitchen." I winced as I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. I realized that those had been contractions, not baby kicks, earlier today. "This way." I said, leading him into the kitchen.
Oliver conjured a fire with his wand and I found the cup of Floo Powder. I threw a handful of the green powder onto the fire and it roared loudly, turning green and leaping higher and spitting green sparks into the chimney. Oliver clasped my hand in his and we stepped into the fire together. "St. Mungos!" Oliver yelled loudly, clutching at my hand tightly.
Whirling around, I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch. We were falling faster than any other time I Flooed before. I could hear the voices of the families we passed other fireplaces, and snippets of conversations were heard, but I couldn't make sense of them, making me feel sick to my stomach. Finally we landed in the overlarge fireplace of S.t Mungos. Oliver put an arm around my waist and guided me out. "Somebody, help!" Oliver said loudly.
A Healer, about ten years older than me, with a bit of gray hairs sprouting from his temple, came rushing over. "What's the matter?" He asked calmly.
"What does it bloody look like?" I snarled, sweat staring to appear on my forehead. "I'm in labor."
The Healer turned around and yelled. "Stebens! Get your butt over here! We've got a 986!"
A blonde Healer came over, conjuring a stretcher as he did so. "How far along are you?" He asked, while the other Healer went to help a man with umbrella's coming out of his ears and was screaming painfully.
"Eight months or so." I said, as Oliver and the Healer helped me into the stretcher.
"How far away are the contractions?"
I thought for a moment. "About half an hour away from each other...I think."
The Healer nodded. "Okay, what's your name?"
"Katherine Bell." I said.
"Hang on..." The Healer said, finally good look at Oliver. "You're..." His eyes widened.
"Don't even go there." Oliver said in a low gravelly voice. I was even afraid of him in that moment. His dark brown eyes flashed dangerously.
The Healer gulped visibly. "Alright, then." He said weakly. He then waved his wand and the stretcher followed him into the lift. I couldn't see the button his pushed and it started moving. Oliver was still holding my hand. I didn't know if it was Oliver or me that didn't want to let go.
Frankly, I didn't care either.
We reached the correct floor and the Healer magiced me into the room and helped me onto the bed. "Who's your normal Healer?" He asked me, looking concerned.
"Dr. Soorenko." I said, easing myself against the pillows. They were cool, thank God. "She's a private Healer. She also holds credentials in Mugle medicine as well."
"Good, good." The Healer wrote something on a clipboard. "I'll get in touch with her as soon as I can. I'll also get Healer Fitting. She specializes in magical births." And he left without saying another word.
"Kates." Oliver asked softly. I looked him. He had found a chair in the room and moved it next to my bed and was sitting in it, his elbows on his knees so he could lean forward towards me. "How are you doing?" His brown eyes searched my face.
"Besides the face that the two little monsters are trying to push themselves out of my belly a month early?" I asked. "I'm peachy keen."
Oliver smiled widely at me. He stood up, took my face in his two hands and kissed my forehead. "Oliver?" I asked. "Can you do me a favor?"
"I don't know." Oliver said with a wicked smile, sitting back down again. "Can I?"
I gave Oliver a dirty look. "That doesn't make any sense."
Oliver smirked at me. "What is it?"
"Could you please owl Susan, Mya and Ginny and tell them I've gone into labor? I promised I'd get word to them the minute I could." I smiled at him.
"No problem." Oliver told me. "I'll go get Elmo. He's back at my flat. Stay out of trouble."
"You don't know me at all." I said, trying to look mad at him.
Oliver grinned at me and with a loud 'pop'! he Disapperated.
I yawned, feeling my eyes droop. It was only 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and yet, I felt like I wanted to sleep forever.
*+*
I woke up to a sharp pain in my stomach. I cried out loudly and sat up straight in th4e bed. Oliver nearly jumped out of his skin. "Katie!" He exclaimed. "What's wrong?!"
"Nothing." I scrunched up my face, as the contraction ripped through my stomach. "It's just another contraction." As it subsided, I was able to look back at Oliver. "When did you get back?"
"About five minutes ago." Oliver said. "I sent Elmo off to Susan and told her to tell Ginny and Mya, since I know how often you four go off to lunch." He smiled, a very Dumbledore like twinkle in his eyes. He came over and sat on my bed, holding my hand. "I've missed you." He said with an impish smile that I didn't trust for a minute.
"I've missed you, too." I said, holding his hand tightly.
"I've been meaning to give you this." Oliver said, his wicked smiled growing and he began tickling me.
"Agh! Oliver!" I screamed with laughter. "No..! Stop! Ofph!" I giggled and struggled to get away from him. "Ollie!" I laughed, realizing that Oliver had the upper hand in this battle. I was confined to a bed, while he was in peak condition to defend himself from my fists.
"Pardon me." A soft voice came from the door.
Oliver desisted in his attacks against me, and my laughter faded into silence. Dr. Soorenko was at the door, with a pleasant smile on her face. Her black frizzy hair was pulled into a messy braid and hazel eyes danced as she looked over the pair of us. "Hello, Katie." She said, walking over to me until she was next to the bed. "So the big time has come?" She held a clipboard in her right hand.
"I think so." I said. "Unless it's false labor, but then..."
"Shush." Dr. Soorenko silenced me. "I'll be the judge of that. Healer Fitting told me that she came in to check on you, and you were asleep. Are your contractions far enough apart that you can rest awhile between each one?"
"Only half an hour apart now I think. Or maybe twenty minutes." I said, pondering.
"Okay." Dr. Soorenko said, pulling a hospital gown out of a closet on the other side of the room. The gown had the crest of St. Mungo's on the shoulder. "You'll want to put this on after I leave to make the birthing easier. Lie down, I need to perform a couple spells to make sure everything is progressing smoothly." She turned to Oliver. "Are you the father?" She asked him smoothly.
Oliver looked taken aback. He looked at me, and I nodded my head ever so slightly, a smile growing on my lips. "Yes I am." Oliver said, slowly, looking back at Dr. Soorenko.
"Will you want to be present at the birth?" Dr. Soorenko asked, scribbling something down on the clipboard.
"Of course!" Oliver exclaimed, with a little too much force.
Dr. Soorenko smiled knowingly. "No need to get offended young man." I saw Oliver bristle slightly, and I laughed inwardly. I was betting no one had called him 'young man' in a very long time. "You wouldn't fathom the number of would-be fathers that can't handle the sight of blood."
Dr. Soorenko muttered some words to herself and started the spells on me, making me fee a little woozy. "Alright then." Dr. Soorenko said finally after about ten minutes of checking me. "You're doing quite nicely for a first time mother. You've dilated to about 4 centimeters now, and you have to be about 9 or 10 centimeters for the baby's head to get through. Judging by what you've told me, it probably won't me a long drawn out labor. You're extremely lucky."
"Says you." I muttered under my breathe as Dr. Soorenko left the room, clipboard in hand. I groaned, knowing that another contraction would be along soon.
*+*
I spent the rest of the day in the hospital bed, fuming because Healer Fitting, an old tightly wound old healer, with her gray hair tied back so tightly that it made Professor McGonagall's hair look loose and flowing, refused to let me out of bed due to my 'condition'.
When will all these bloody blasted people learn that being pregnant is NOT a condition!!?
Judging by my luck...never.
Oliver had made a run home for me to grab my toothbrush, a change of clothes, hairbrush, and other random things that I had taken for granted when I was at home. Dr. Soorenko had recommended to me that I make an overnight kit, but I didn't think I was about to go into premature labor, so I hadn't packed it yet. Stupid me. Very stupid me.
It had been about three hours and I had a total of seven contractions, each a little more powerful than the last one. It was around 5:30, I stared out the window, which Oliver had been so kind enough to open the shades so I could have a look at Muggle London. The sun was setting below the buildings. Oliver had gone out to get a small snack, since had had not had anything to eat since breakfast this morning. I ran a hand over my stomach, unconsciously. I was wondering about names. I hadn't really thought about names for the twins. Well I had thought about, but it had not been a huge priority to me. I was thinking about names of my ancestors, when the door burst open.
"Katie!" Susan exclaimed, running over to me with a bouquet of flowers in hand and wrapped me in a bone breaking hug. "Merlin's Beard, what a day you've had!" She sat next to me, her arms still around me. "Your babies will be so beautiful, and gorgeous..."
"Oh stuff it, Susan." Ginny's good natured voice came from the end of my bed.
I managed to escaped Susan's arms for a moment and saw a small crowd of people now in my room. Harry had his arm around Ginny, smiling, his hair looking windswept and the white snowflakes contrasting greatly with his black hair. Hermione was next to my bedside table, placing another arrangement of flowers there, with my favorite, yellow roses. Ron was standing on the other side of his younger sister, looking worried for me, but trying to hide it. They all had either balloons, flowers and Ginny was carrying two teddy bears, on pink and one blue. "What are you all doing here?" I asked, sitting up.
"You didn't think that you've have to go through this alone with Ollie, did you?" Susan asked, she was lying on the bed next to me. "Sorry, but Kevin wouldn't let us off early, even though he knew that you'd gone into labor."
"I don't blame him." I said, grinning at her. "Just because I'm giving birth does not mean that you can skip out of assignments, Susan." I smiled at her.
Susan gasped, good-natured. "I'm appalled at your accusations, Katherine Bell!" I raised an eyebrow at her, and she blushed. "Okay, just one or two cases, but that's it."
I giggled. "So how are you feeling?" Hermione asked me, pushing a lock of brown hair away from her face.
"Like something is tearing my insides apart when I get a contraction." I said grumpily. "Other than that, perfect."
Oliver came back into the room, and jerked back at the sight of everyone surrounding my bed. "Hiya Ollie!" Susan said brightly.
Oliver smiled vaguely. "Do I know you?" He asked slowly.
"Oopsy..." Susan said, covering her mouth and gigging embarrassed. She flushed a unnatural shade of pink.
"I'm sorry." I said, laughing as well. "I've never really introduced you guys. Oliver, this is Susan Bones," I pointed to Susan, who was still lying next to me, "Mya, you know her, and everyone else really."
"Harry, mate, it's good to see you again!" Oliver went over to clap Harry on the shoulder and faster than you could say 'Golden Snidget went to London,' they were talking about Puddlemere United's chances of winning the League. I rolled my eyes. Boys and Quidditch. You never really get away from it, no matter where you are.
*+*
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Susan and Ginny all stayed for a couple of hours, baring with me when I had my contractions, until about 8 o'clock when Healer Fitting booted them off the island, and I was alone with Oliver. The contractions were getting closer and closer together, and more painful each time. I started feeling a constant sheen of sweat on my forehead and began crying out loudly whenever a contraction hit. It was about two more hours when the contractions began hitting only a couple minutes apart, to the point that I couldn't get a decent rest in between each one. Dr. Soorenko came in, holding the clipboard that I had come to hate dearly.
"Are you doing alright?" She asked in a calm tone as if she was asking the weather.
"No." I grunted, wincing, hoping dearly another contraction wouldn't be on its way. "They're only minutes apart now...It hurts like a bloody...AGH!" I scrunched up my eyes, and screamed as a particularly hard contraction hit my belly. Oliver's hand was in mine, and I think I might have broken a couple of his bones. Serves him right, since I was going through all the pains of labor, when he only had to sit there and watch!
"Alright, we need to get you to the Birthing Room." Dr. Soorenko said when the contraction had subsided. "You're almost fully dilated. When they're about a minute apart, we'll need you to start pushing, and that shouldn't be long." Dr. Soorenko took out her wand and waved it, muttering some funny words and a stretcher was conjured out of thin air. "Now, Katie, don't make any sudden movements, it could disrupt the spell. I'm going to magic you onto the stretcher, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." I said, distractedly. I was a little bit preoccupied wondering when the next contraction would hit. I barely felt myself being lifted into the air and then onto the stretcher. On the way to the Birthing Room was when another contraction hit and I cried out in pain. "Stupid mother..." And I let off a couple of swear words. Oliver looked surprised at me.
"What?" I spat. "You didn't think I could swear too?"
"No..." Oliver said, looking only slightly fearful. He gave a worried glance at Dr. Soorenko, who looked like she was about to crack up with laughter. "What's so funny?" He inquired.
"You don't know how much pain a woman goes through during labor, do you, Mr. Wood?" Dr. Soorenko asked, pushing open some doors.
"No, I don't." Oliver said defensively.
"Then prepare yourself for more swearing." Dr. Soorenko said, waving her wand at me and onto a bed that had two leg holders to prop my legs up so it would make the birthing easier for me. Dr. Soorenko helped me place my legs into them. The bed was inclinded so I had to sit up. Oliver was still next to me, holding my hand. "At the time I've been here, I've heard some strange things being yelled. I seem to remember a woman swearing at her husband in Spanish. I couldn't really understand the words though." She smiled knowingly at him. "I'll be right back." And she left for a minute.
Oliver was starting to looking panic stricken. I couldn't really notice that much, you know, I was trying to bring life into this world, not worry about him. Dr. Soorenko came back into the room with several other Healers. Only about four or five, I couldn't keep count. I knew they were here to help. "Why can't we do this with magic?" I asked, making a face. "It would save me a lot of pain."
"We can't." Dr. Soorenko said calmly, like she had explained this a million times to other soon-to-be mothers. "Any magic that we use can disrupt the delicate condition of the fetus. Even if we were trying to help it, the magic we used might rupture a lung, or break the baby's skull. Personally, I don't want to take any chances."
"If you put it that way, I don't either." I said, laying my head down. But not two seconds after I did so, a contraction hit and I cried out in pain, nearly launching out of the bed, but Oliver kept me down. Only Healer with curly blonde hair came rushing over to me and instructed me on how to breath during the contractions. She held my other hand while Oliver kept his on mine the entire time.
"Okay, Katie." Dr. Soorenko said, pulling on gloves and some other Healer casting a spell to keep them bacteria free. "On the next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can. Can you do that?"
"Yeah..." I panted as the contraction faded away. Dr. Soorenko was placing on a Muggle doctor's mask on. I was vaguely surprised that St. Mungo's used Muggle inventions.
It wasn't long before the next contraction hit. "Katie, push!" Dr. Soorenko exclaimed. I started pushing and I screamed out. It was bloody painful! I could use so much more colorful language to describe it, but near all words were erased from my mind as the eletric pain shot through my lower body as I pushed. By the end of it, I felt like I was going to faint.
"It's okay, sweetie." The Healer holding my hand, wiped my face with a cool washcloth and reassured me. "Just keep breathing, okay? We don't want you to faint on us in the middle of it all." She somehow disentangled herself from my hand and went away to do something else.
Oliver pushed away from hair from my face and smiled. "You're beautiful, you know that right?"
"Oh bullocks." I said, panting. "You're just saying that so I'll try harder not the break your hands."
Oliver laughed, but it was cut off by my yells as yet another contraction washed over me. "Katie, keep pushing!" Dr. Soorenko said, now looking in between my legs. "I can see the crest of one of the baby's head." She noted to one of the Healers and then smiled at me.
"What?" I said in astonishment. "This quickly?"
"It's rare, but it happens, Katie." Dr. Soorenko said. "Just keep pushing when contractions come."
It came to a point where contractions were almost indistinguishable from each other. It felt like my body was about to split in two. Dr. Soorenko told me to keep pushing every so often, and my grip on Oliver's hand never lessened, and I was sure that I had shattered some of his fingers. Sweat was coming down my face and I knew in my hear that I must look like the creature from the black lagoon. "God damnit!" I screamed after a while, I didn't know how long, I didn't have my watch anymore and I wasn't about to ask the time. "How could you put me through this?!" I cried at Oliver, as I tried to push again, but my muscles were turning to water.
Oliver's mouth gapped, and he opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, there was a sharp cry and it turned into a wail. Tears started forming at my eyes, from pain or disbelief, I couldn't tell, but I saw Dr. Soorenko's hands in between my legs and came back into sight with a tiny baby boy, covered in blood, but crying his little lungs out. "Oh Goddess..." I whispered, holding Oliver's hand, holding back tears. "Is that..."
"Yes." Dr. Soorenko's eyes crinkled in the corners, and even though her mouth was hidden, I knew she was smiling. "One's over with. Meet your baby boy." She held him up and then gave him to another Healer. "Now we've got to get the other one out, okay Katie?"
"Oh no..." I said, realizing that it was only half over. The joy of having given birth to one child was slowly dissolving and I could feel the pain contorting my body. I knew I had to get the girl out soon. "Shit." I muttered underneath my breath. I wanted to go to sleep. Sleep sounded really good about now. I closed my eyes.
"You can do this, Kates." I heard Oliver's voice pierce the fog that was my mind. "I know you can. C'mon, Kates." I opened my eyes and stared into Oliver's eyes. "I believe in you. You're almost there."
Slowly, but surely, I drew up my strength and when I felt the pain surge, I pushed hard, screaming as I did so. My throat felt completely raw from all the yelling I had done today. I almost couldn't stand it. "Katie, you're doing great." Dr. Soorenko said. "She's coming along nicely...give it another good push."
"I'm pushing as hard as I freaking can!" I yelled, pushing again.
Minutes passed like a glacier moving at super-slow speed. I kept pushing away and then finally, I felt something slip out of my body and another cry sounded. Dr. Soorenko held up a beautiful baby girl for me to see and then gave it to the same Healer that had taken my son. "Congratulations, Katie." Dr. Soorenko said brightly, removing the mask. "You did it."
"I...never...ever...want...to...do...that...again..." I said slowly, closing my eyes and breathing deeply, free from pain for the first time in hours.
Dr. Soorenko smiled, and then turned to take something from a healer. She turned around and I opened my eyes and saw she held my babies in her arms. One was wrapped in a blue blanket, and she handed him to Oliver and gave me the one wrapped in a pink blanket. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at my daughter. Oliver's eyes betrayed a wonderful expression of wonderment, adornment and awe at the tiny life he held in his hands. He sat down next to me and we looked at our children. I took a deep breath and said to both of them, "You are magical, you are safe...and you are loved. Welcome." I kissed them both on the top of their heads. My daughter whimpered slightly and I rocked her slightly. Her bright blue eyes stared up at me and I looked at my son, and he had the same blue eyes. I smiled widely and I looked up at Oliver, who looked just as enthralled at the appearance of the two little children with us. "I love you." I whispered.
"I love you too." Oliver said, giving me a kiss on the forehead. "You are amazing. I don't think I could handle that much pain." He looked back at our little boy. "How can I love someone so much so fast?"
"And they said love at first sight was impossible..." I mumbled, feeling my grip on consciousness loosening. I heard Oliver calling for Dr. Soorenko and I felt our daughter be taken from my arms and I fell asleep.
*+*
I woke up in a hospital bed in a cheery room, sunlight streaming in through a window. I slowly pushed myself up, feeling aches and pains covering the lower part of my body. I was back in a single room, like the one Oliver had been in less than two week prior, but this one was the one I had been waiting for the contractions to speed up. Thinking of Oliver, I looked around and I saw him. He was asleep in an uncomfortable looking chair. I shifted my weight on the bed, wondering if it was okay for me to get out of bed. Hearing the bed creak, Oliver's eyes fluttered open. "Kates!" He exclaimed, rushing over to me. "How are you feeling?" He asked worriedly, stroking my hair and sitting down.
"I'm fine, fine!" I said, laughing, pushing his hand away. "Don't treat me like I'm about to break. I'm fine, really! You're going to make me sick from all this gooey, mushy stuff."
Oliver laughed. "Where are they?" I asked, looking around.
Oliver knew who I was talking about. "They're in the nursery. Do you want to see them?"
"Yes, please." I said earnestly. Oliver left the room and came back in about two minutes, holding our two children. He handed them to me, and I held them close to my heart. The little boy was asleep, but the girl's eyes were alert and watching my face intensely. "What are we going to name them?" I asked, feeling worried that I hadn't thought about this earlier.
Oliver's face showed surprised. "Gods, I didn't even think about that." He said, sitting down on the bed next to me. He took the little girl from my arms. I held my boy close, not wanting to let him go. His soft breathing made the blanket go up and down so slightly that I barely took note of it.
The girl gurgled and reached a hand up to grab at Oliver's shirt, no less than a Quidditch jersey. I smiled widely. "Why do I have this lurking feeling that she's going to grow up to be a Quidditch star?" I teased.
"Because she's got two excellent Quidditch playing parents." Oliver said, smiling down at his daughter and teasing her with a finger, which she grabbed onto with a strong fist. His face suddenly lit up. "How about we name her Prudence, after the Prudence McComant, the first female Quidditch player in the League?"
"Prudence Elizabeth." I said slowly, tasting the name out. At the look on Oliver's face, I continued. "After my great-grandmother. She died when I was five, and I was heartbroken. She always told the most amazing stories when I was younger. She and I both loved the realm of fantasy." I cooed down at my little girl.
"Prudence Elizabeth Wood." Oliver said, smiling. "I like it."
"And for you." I said, smiling, looking at out son, who was still blissfully asleep. "What shall your name be, huh?" I looked back at Oliver.
"I've always liked Ron's middle name, Asher. What do you think?" Oliver asked brightly.
"It's a nice name..." I said slowly. "Better for a middle name though....hmmm..." We both pondered for a moment.
I suddenly got an idea. "Nathaniel." I said.
"What?" Oliver asked, looking at me like I was mental.
"Nathaniel Asher." I said. "Nathaniel was a name I saw on one of trophies at Hogwarts, and it stuck with me. So, Nathaniel Asher Wood."
Oliver smiled secretly. "Nathaniel was the name of my father...and he won the Quidditch Cup at Hogwarts. Brilliant."
Prudence smiled up at her father and Nathaniel's eyes opened slightly, and he protested with a small cry to the bright sunlight. "Kates?" Oliver asked softly and I looked up at him. His face was contorted, like he was trying to make a decision.
"What's wrong?" I asked, but I heard a soft knocking on the door and I sighed inwardly. "Come in!" I called out.
As soon as the words left my mouth, Susan, Jake, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and Ron all came in. Jake's arm was hanging off of Susan's shoulder, while Harry and Ginny were holding hands. Hermione's arms were crossed over her chest and Ron was looking like he hadn't gotten any sleep. "Katie!" Ginny exclaimed. "You're alright!" She spotted the two bundles in our arms. "Is that..." She asked, her mouth hanging open.
"It is!" I said happily. "You guys, meet the newest members of the world, Prudence Elizabeth and Nathaniel Asher Wood." I held them up so they could see.
"Oh my word..." Hermione said, coming over and looking at them. "They're so tiny..."
"But they're going to grow up so fast." Susan retorted, coming over as well, with another arrangement of flowers and placed them delicately on the table next to the original flowers. "Good for you, Katie. You managed a pretty good delivery from what I hear."
Ron was staring at me funnily. "You named him Asher?" He asked finally.
"Yeah." I said. "It's a good name. Thank your mother for me." I smiled at him.
Ron smiled back at me, grinning proudly. "So have you decided on Godparents yet?" Hermione asked.
"Not yet." I said, looking worriedly at Oliver. "I have a feeling that Alicia will be the godmother though."
I noticed out of the corner of my eye, that Hermione was looking furtively at Ron several times during the course of our conversation. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes in frustration. Why hadn't she told him yet? If they didn't realize it yet, I might just have to shoot the pair of them for being complete and total idiots. We started talking about the girl's in the lobby that wanted to see Oliver Wood's offspring. I didn't know how the word had gotten out, but I had a sinking feeling it had to do with Healer Stebens. Ron started going off on Rita Skeeter.
"That little bug! I can't believe she sunk so low as to do something like this!" Ron exclaimed. "I wouldn't have just sent her to Azkaban...I would have sent her to Harry's aunt and uncle and she how well she dealt with them. I certainly wouldn't want to piss off that Vernon character."
"Ron, shut up." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.
"Make me. Or better, give her to Fred and George as a test subject. They happen to be in a market for a new batch of testers...I don't know what happened to the last group of 'em..." Ron's statement was cut off abruptly as Hermione walked over to him and gave him a rather big kiss on the lips. When she pulled away, Ron looked completely bewildered, shocked, and possibly, a little bit happy.
"What in Merlin's Beard was that for?" Ron said hoarsely.
"That..." Hermione said stiffly, looking like she couldn't believe she just did that. "Was to shut you up."
Ron's mouth was hanging open, but indeed, he was quiet. Ginny was convulsing with silent laughter. Harry was looking particularly proud of Hermione, and Susan was staring open-mouthed at the pair of them. Jake was looking rather confused, probably not knowing the whole history behind Ron and Hermione, considering he probably didn't know them at Hogwarts and the fact that he doesn't have to work with both of them.
Slowly, one by one, all of us started laughing.
*+*
By the time they had all left, Ron had left with his arm around Hermione and they were talking in low tones. I was just so happy that I didn't have to bash Ron's head in for being a thick-headed mule. Oliver took Prue and Nathaniel back to the nursery. I was staring out at the night sky, watching the frost form on the windowsill when Oliver came back in. "Goddess, so many things have happened in the past week." I said quietly. "It feels like my head is going to explode from trying to process it."
"You're dealing extremely well." Oliver said, kissing the top of my head and sitting next to me and I cuddled up to his chest. "Considering the circumstances."
"Thank you." I mumbled, feeling warm and fuzzy all over. I had given birth to two beautiful children, and my boyfriend wasn't mad at me anymore. The world looked wonderful.
"Katie?" Oliver said into my hair.
"Yeah?" I asked, looking up at him and sitting up straighter.
"Well...I...erm." He said, fumbling with his words. I saw his hand shovel into his pockets and I felt my heart quicken slightly. "Look. I wanted to do this the minute I came home from the World Tour...and well...this seems like the best time." He pulled out a small square jewelry box from his box, and my breath caught in my throat. He opened it slowly and revealed a beautiful silver band with a small yet exquisite diamond on the top of it. The diamond was surrounded by a small gold ring that glinted in the light of the room. "Katie, will you please do me the honors of being my wife, and...well you already are the mother of my children, so that's a little redundant..." He was rambling and looking helpless. I put a finger to his lips, quieting him.
I whispered my answer.
"Yes."
Oliver looked happier than I had ever seen him. The smile dawning on his face made me laugh. He wrapped me in a tight hug and we both started laughing madly. My hand was shaking when he tried to put the ring on my finger. Finally he did so and I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. "I love you." Oliver said, pulling away and touching his nose to mine.
"I love you, too." I said, smiling and pulling him into another kiss.
Author's Note: OHMIGOD!! IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED!!! Awwwww...babies are always so cute. If you're still sad that the story is over...IT'S NOT! Have no fear! The Epilogue is still on the way!!