Chapter 8: The Day
Harry was late. It was the third of January and there had been no breaking of his waters or contractions, nothing that Harry knew to be the signs of labour. All he had were twinges in his back every now and again – he'd been having them all night and a particularly bad one had awoken him. Everyone that knew had been round yesterday for the entire day, but they had to all go to jobs and commitments today, but they were only an owl away, and he'd been left another four extra owls so he could owl everyone at the same time.
He had some ideas on names now. He hadn't told anyone, as he wanted it to be a surprise. He'd give his daughter the name either Persephone (A Goddess that had been kidnapped by Hades and been forced to marry him) or Isabelle, with the second name Lily. His son was to be Gregory or Sebastian, with the second name James. When Dean had suggested Sebastian he'd immediately thought of the crab in The Little Mermaid, but the name had grown on him and he was seriously considering it.
Godparents were proving to be a problem for Harry as well. If he was honest, he considered Sirius and Remus as Grandparents, not Godparents, and Snape, Seamus and Dean as Godfathers for both of them. He'd apparently had a Godmother himself, Alice Longbottom, which he didn't know, and he doubted Neville had known either. But her and Frank Longbottom were obviously in St Mungos now, and nothing could be done. He'd grown to really appreciate Snape over the last eight months, something he'd never managed in all his seven years at Hogwarts. The man really knew what he was talking about, and was very professional in everything he did.
He waddled through the hall, and clutched the stair rail very carefully. He was very wary of falling down the stairs, as he'd read in a book that if this happened late on in the pregnancy then there was a danger of the baby being still born. He slowly walked down the stairs, and was about half way down when a sudden sharp pain went through his stomach. He winced and quickly clutched his belly with his right hand, careful not to let go of the stair rail. He felt a wet sensation between his legs, and a wet patch began to form on his very large baggy jeans.
"Fuck," he muttered. His water had broken. It was really starting. He was in labour. His children were about to come. Fuck. He sped up his pace, and walked down the rest of the stairs, and waddled through to the kitchen. He quickly scribbled down some hasty notes, mostly containing four letter words, help me and get your asses here now. He attached the letters to the patiently waiting owls and let them out the window, completely ignoring the fact that it was the middle of the day and he'd just let five owls out in broad daylight.
"What the hell am I supposed to do know?" he yelled. He'd not read this far in the books. Where was he supposed to be? 'OK, right,' he thought 'Home birth. Not a water birth. Not in the bathroom. So... either to the kitchen table or the living room floor. It's the living room. I can move the table, and put that sheet down.'
He slowly walked through to the living room, clutching some sheets and tablecloths and threw them on the sofa. Very carefully he began to nudge the table from the middle of the room, to the side and pushed it against the wall. He spread the sheets on the floor – he didn't want to ruin his carpet with blood. Not that he'd ever admit that. Sounded a bit too gay for his liking... not that it mattered as he was very definitely gay... but... still. As his first contraction hit he pushed him hands to the wall and braced him self. He grabbed a cushion from the sofa and twisted it in his hands as the muscles in his stomach rippled. Damn he needed to cast the charm, this was completely killing. He knew it wasn't supposed to hurt this much at first.
"Shit!" he yelled. Where was everyone? Where was his wand. Upstairs. He groaned aloud, and the pain subsided. He glanced at the clock on the VCR. Twenty three minutes past eleven. He slid to the floor on top of the sheet, and caught his breath. He lifted his hips up slightly and pulled his over large trousers and boxers down. He threw them away hastily and pushed the last sheet over his knees as he leant against the sofa, his knees up. Where was everyone? He couldn't do this on his own.
He screwed up his face in concentration and attempted magic, which he hadn't performed in months. Since his 5th Year he had been able to perform wandless magic, becoming very proficient in it in his 7th Year when he had more time to study and practise, even though he didn't need it after he defeated Voldemort at the end of his 6th Year. He thought the incantation clearly and felt a tingle of magic. He opened one eye and lifted up the sheet and looked down.
'Ooh...' he thought, 'Definitely not mine. Must have worked then. Thank God... ohh fuck...'
Another contraction hit and he screwed up his face, "Ahhh!" he moaned and tried to remember what he was supposed to do. Deep breaths or something. He tried to regulate his breathing, although it didn't hurt quite as much as it did before. The pain dissipated and he looked at the clock again. Twelve minutes past twelve. Forty-nine minutes between contractions at the moment.
He heard a door slam, and he gave a sigh of relief. Hurried steps were heard along the hall and the living room door opened and Snape swept through the room.
"Where the hell have you been?" Harry snarled from the floor.
"I had lessons Potter. Believe me I came as fast as I could. Left a Gryffindor Slytherin class in Dumbledore's care. He was as bad at Potions as you, so no doubt there'll be many blown up cauldrons." Snape told him. He pulled off his robe, revealing a plain white shirt and black trousers. He pulled his wand out his robe and began to cast a spell.
"Wait, don't, I did that already," Harry said hurriedly as he saw the same incantation on Snape's lips.
"You did?" Snape asked curiously, "How? I see no wand?"
"Don't need a wand. Can do it without." Harry told him, wanting to chuckle at the astonished look on his Professors face but held off when he realised that Snape was the one who would give him drugs.
"I see," Snape said, obviously wanting more information.
"Been able to do it for ages. Taught myself how to do it in the summer holidays. You're the only one who knows to be honest," Harry said. Snape rolled his eyes and nodded.
"Have you owled everyone else?" he asked. He put a hand under the sheet and began to check how far he was dilated.
"Yeah," Harry said, "My waters broke on the stairs about an hour and a bit ago. Then I went to the kitchen and owled you, then the others. Then I got in here ready, as I didn't know where else really. I put the blankets down and that and then I had a contraction. Fucking killed, I hadn't done the charm."
"Well it would, wouldn't it? Your body wasn't really designed for this. How long ago was your last contraction, you're two centimetres dilated, you've got eight centimetres to go." Snape told him.
"Er... twenty minutes ago. There were forty nine minutes between the last two, so any minute really." Harry told him.
"I see," Snape said, "Do you want any ice?"
"Why the fuck would I want ice?" Harry asked wearily.
Snape sighed. There really was no point in answering that. Another door slammed, and Sirius came rushing through.
"Harry... Harry are you OK? We got here as fast as we could... sorry..." Sirius babbled, and he sat on the couch next to Harry and began to run his fingers through his hair. Remus came in and looked worriedly at Harry.
"Are you OK..."
"Yes, I'm bloody well fine. If you're both going to be all hysterical, you can sod off now. I can't handle you two blabbering on all fucking day. Sorry." Harry snapped.
Sirius and Remus glanced at each other before they shook their heads, "Sorry Harry..."
Harry nodded and winced. He grabbed the pillow again, "Aaah!!" He twisted the pillow fiercely and closed his eyes. He heard people panicking, and one calm voice telling him to breath. He wasn't listening at all. The pain stopped and he opened his eyes. Sirius wiped his forehead and Remus patted his hands. He and Snape rolled their eyes.
"I'm giving birth, I'm not about to break OK? I'm going to be fine, so I'd just leave it if I was you." Harry told them.
They nodded, and Snape smirked. Apparently Potter had grown a backbone when noone was watching. An hour later Seamus and Dean appeared during a contraction.
"Fuck!" exclaimed Seamus as he saw Harry straining and moaning at his contraction, "How far is he... it's going really fast isn't he?"
Snape nodded, "Yes. Suprisingly. Many first births are ten hours or more long... but he's only been at it two hours and he is suspiciously far along. You did owl me as soon as you felt a twinge didn't you?" Harry was currently clenching his teeth, and breaking Sirius' hand so he ignored him for a minute.
"No," Harry snapped, "I owled you when my water broke. I was having twinges as you call them, all night. Bloody things woke me up. I thought it was back ache to be honest, this bump is pretty heavy."
Snape rolled his eyes, "Potter, you should have owled us a lot faster. You've been in labour for hours with out realising it."
"Can't I just blame it on my Gryffindor tendencies?" Harry asked, as he took a long sip of water that Remus had just bought it.
"If you must," He felt under the sheet again, "You are five centimetres dilated now. Five more to go, it won't be that much longer hopefully."
"Hopefully? You're not the one trying to squeeze something the size of a grapefruit out of a hole the size of an egg," Harry said sarcastically, and he rested his head back against the cushions of the sofa.
Seamus and Dean snorted, and Harry glared at them fiercely, although it didn't do much good, seen as he was very flushed, sweaty, and completely tired, and completely naked apart from an artfully placed sheet over his knees. Sirius smoothed his hair back against his forehead, and Harry scowled at him and swatted him away.
Harry suddenly leant forwards on his knees again, and closed his eyes, concentrated on the pain, and waited for it to pass, "Aaahh," he moaned as the contraction ended and sank back into the couch, his eyes still closed.
"You OK Harry?" Sirius ventured.
"No, I fucking well am not. I'm starting to realise why the hell men aren't supposed to have children. Even with girls bits it hurts a fucking lot. And it's all his fault. If I ever see his scrawny arse again, I'm gonna kill him. This should of fucking well been him, sitting here in front of loads of people with his legs wide open, but no. Just because I have more magical power crap, I'm the one carrying them." Harry ranted, then he snatched the glass off Sirius and drank some more ice cold water before he gave it roughly back.
Snape rolled his eyes, Sirius and Remus looked a bit worried, and Dean and Seamus just looked amused. They knew who it was. And they guessed everyone else would as well by the time Harry finished.
"Who is it Harry?" Sirius asked.
Harry laughed harshly, "I'm not far enough along yet Sirius, for me not to take in what you're saying. Getting there, but for now, sod off, I'm not telling you!"
Remus silently laughed at Sirius' crestfallen expression, but noticed the looks on Dean and Seamus' faces. They looked amused. Not curious, just amused. Then it struck him. They knew. They knew who the father was. He shot them a look which clearly asked them. Dean looked at Seamus, who nodded at him smirking. Remus scowled, but didn't do anything. They'd know soon enough.
Harry lay back on the couch, resting his eyes. He was completely knackered already, and he still had a long way to go. The contractions were coming a lot closer together now, fifteen minutes or so, and he knew that soon he was going to have to start to push.
"Is he OK?" Sirius asked Snape, who was sat on the floor in front of Harry.
Harry listened intently to Snape and Sirius, he was very much going to look forward to hearing this.
Snape sighed, "Apart from being in labour he is fine."
"Yeah, but what's happening? Is he OK? How much longer is it going to be?" Sirius asked. Oooh, Sirius panicked when he was nervous.
"He is having contractions Black. You know what they are yes? When they get about 60 seconds apart, he will get the urge to push. Then he will. He will have a baby. Then he will have another urge to push. And he'll have another baby. He's nearly there. He'll be about another two hours I should think." Snape told him.
"Two hours? He's going to be like this for another two hours?" Sirius asked incredulously.
Snape didn't dignify this with an answer and concentrated on Harry. He was due a contraction very soon. As he thought, Harry grabbed Sirius' hand and squeezed it. His fingers were clearly going white as Harry gripped them. Harry let out a long moan again and let go of his hand. He leant forwards on his knees and gritted his teeth. A moment later he sat back, his face even more flushed than before and his jet black hair was plastered against his forehead, covering his scar.
"So ... Harry...." Seamus said, trying to relieve the tension, "Thought of any names for the ickle munchkins?"
"You know it really pisses me off when you say that. Normally I wouldn't say anything, but life is too fucking short!" Harry snapped.
"Oh..." Seamus said. Snape rolled his eyes at the pair, and thought for a minute.
"Potter, I suggest you might want to put this on," he held out a thin cotton shirt that he had conjured a moment before.
"Why?" Harry asked wearily, taking the article of clothing off his Professor.
"I can guarantee that you are going to want to move around soon, to try and starve off the pains. I am really quite surprised you've stayed sat on the floor. It is advised to move around if it is wanted. But you appear not to..."
"I'm allowed to get up? I thought I had to stay on the bloody floor," Harry muttered, and he thrust the thin shirt over his head, and pushed him self up, and stood up.
Everyone was looking at him warily. If he wasn't so tired, Harry would have laughed at the looks on their faces. He sent them a scathing look, then winced as another contraction hit him. He leant against the back of the couch, his fingernails digging into the palm of his hand. The pain spread out inexorably from the centre of him, eating him up and he gritted his teeth. He felt like his body was mingling with itself. How did people do this everyday? Wasn't this pain too much for a human being to handle. It shouldn't be this painful. Just as he felt he could not stand the agony any longer, he felt the pain begin to ebb away. He opened his eyes which he had clenched shut at some time, and his vision began to clear.
"Drugs," he demanded, "Give me some sodding drugs. I need drugs."
Sirius and Remus looked at him pityingly and looked to Snape, who was fiddling in a bag he had brought along. He looked up at them.
"There is not much I can do for him. If he were in a hospital he could have legions of things done to help. But they all need specialist apparatus. All I can do is try and get your children here safely. He'll have to bear the pain." Snape explained. He looked almost sorry for Harry. He'd seen people give birth before and knew it was really painful, and he was very sorry that he didn't have the capabilities to help Harry from where he was.
"You mean he doesn't even get gas and air? Or an epidural... most women who have twins have a c-section don't they?" Seamus worried.
"What?" Remus asked, confused.
"Muggle things Seam," Harry spat out, "Wizards don't have them. Or witches. They have pain charms and specialist potions and shit."
"Why don't you know them then?" Sirius asked Snape.
Snape sighed, "Medi-witches and wizards are only taught a little over the basics to pass. If they wish to go into pregnancy further there are more courses that you need to complete."
Harry felt a stab of pain start again, and the beginnings of another contraction rising up like lava in a volcano and he interrupted them with a loud moan. He rested his hands on the back of the couch and leaned against it, moaning, trying to breathe through the pain.
"You want me to rub your back?" Sirius soothed at Harry, when he was finished.
Harry glared at him, "If anyone thinks they are ever touching me again they'll have to think again. You can touch me to get the damn things out of me, but screw it. I am never having sex again. I can't go through this ever again. I just want it over..." he moaned.
Seamus winced, "Never again? Harry you only did it once in the first place."
"Exactly. If it can happen after one time, who knows what could happen. I could only do it with someone more powerful than me, and what do you know. There isn't anyone. I am doomed for eternity. If I can live with it, you can. Although I'm gonna kill Malfoy if I ever see him again..." Harry ranted.
Snape, Sirius and Remus' eyes widened, and Dean and Seamus shook their heads at Harry's slip up. The black haired boy in question growled at himself and waddled around to the front of the couch and slid to the floor.
"Malfoy..." spluttered Sirius and Remus made faces like a goldfish. Snape looked merely amused, and slipped the sheet over Harry's knees.
"8 centimetres," he announced a moment later. No one else was yet to speak. Harry was obviously berating himself for letting it slip, and Dean and Seamus just looked on from the back of the room.
"Thank all the fricking Gods," Harry muttered, before he was thrown into a dark pit of pain again.
When the pain wore off again, Harry decided to fill them in on more than they wanted to know about their relationship, "This should have been him. He was first! Why are all the damn fates against me? He should be here. He deserves to be here in more pain than fucking imaginable. He left me, dumped me when I was pregnant with his bloody children! He was a traitor! He said he loved me, but no... he had to be the one. Sex was all that was in it for him. Although..."
"What?" Dean persisted.
"He never struck me as submissive... but he insisted. He wanted to be first. I don't understand. I need him... where is he... ahhh!" Harry screamed.
A contraction hit him out of nowhere. It was worse pain than he had ever thought possible. He blacked out momentarily, and flung himself on his hands and knees.
He heard a calming voice telling him to breathe and he vaguely recollected himself telling that person to go and jump off a cliff. He couldn't handle this. He wasn't going to get through this. He couldn't have these babies, who was he kidding? Another voice told him to try and breathe, and that it would help. He really did try...but he felt it all slipping out of his control. The pain was at it's peak and he chanted under his breathe constantly, "Jesus... fuck... Jesus... help..."
Sirius started to tell him that this would all be over soon, that he would have his children, and everything would be fine. He concentrated all his energy on believing this, but it just wouldn't stick. He grabbed hold of a hand as the pain ebbed away, and felt someone rubbing his forehead with a cold, damp cloth as he sank back and leant against the couch.
"Harry?" someone ventured. Harry was too out of it to register who it was, "Are you OK?"
"No," he snarled, not opening his eyes.
"Harry, you're ten centimetres, you can start to push on the next contraction," Snape informed the exhausted boy in front of him after a quick exam.
Harry nodded wearily, and they sat in silent anticipation of the moment. He was helped into the birthing position, his chin digging into his chest, and his hands firmly grasped on the insides of thighs. Sirius and Remus sat at either side of him, Remus stroking his hair out of the way, Sirius; hands both on his shoulders, ready to urge him on. Dean and Seamus stood behind the couch they were all leaning on, ready to say encouraging things to the man giving birth.
The contraction slammed into him, and everyone started to yell push at him. He remembered what he had been told, to do one long push down. He concentrated with all his might and pushed. He vaguely heard the words of encouragement thrown at him, but he didn't register them.
"Keep going Harry! You're doing great!" Sirius encouraged, and Harry bore down again and pushed fiercely.
"OK, Harry relax," someone said, and Harry stopped. There were people talking to him, but he didn't hear, he just waited for the next contraction to come.
It did, as they all knew it would, and Harry pushed, as hard and as long as he possibly could. Fifteen minutes later, Harry could go on no more.
"I can't," he cried, tears slipping down his face, "I can't do this... where's Draco? I need him.. I miss him so much... where is he... Oh God," Harry braced himself and pushed again. His fingernails punctured his thighs and tiny droplets of blood slid down his tanned, strained thighs.
"I can see a head," Snape announced. This spurred Harry enormously, and he pushed harder, his chin digging into his chest. The contraction ended, but another started merely seconds later and he pushed again. A dark head of hair could be seen, and as Harry pushed a shoulder slid out, then another, and then in seconds Harry's baby was out, and crying in Snapes arms.
"It's a girl," he announced.
More tears slid down Harry's cheeks, as he looked at the baby in fascination. Snape held up the baby to drain any fluid away from the respiratory tract, and he cut and stapled the cord. But as he was doing so, another contraction hit Harry, and he began to push again.
Snape placed the baby in a conjured glass cot, and she lay, crying, but perfectly fine. A gauge on the cot revealed that she weighed five pounds two ounces, a fine weight. Then Harry screamed.
Snape quickly swivelled to look at Harry. He was straining against the hands that held him. He frowned and did an examination.
"Harry... the boy is breach... you can do it, you're just going to have to push a lot harder." Snape told him sympathetically.
Harry moaned from deep within his throat and began to push. Sirius was pale white, and looked scared. It was a wonder he hadn't fainted really. Remus looked very worried, unsure what to do. Dean and Seamus... well Seamus had actually fainted a quarter of an hour ago, when Harry had really began to push, and Dean was trying to revive him. Using 'enerverate' was usually only for emergencies, and could have consequences.
"Bloody hell!!" Harry yelled, "Malfoy, if you aren't dead by now, you bloody will be by the time I get my hands on you... ahhh!!" He screamed, another contraction started, and he gripped his thighs and pushed.
Ten minutes later, Snape saw the buttocks of the baby boy.
"OK Harry," Snape said. He'd verged into calling him his first name. He couldn't very go on calling him Harry, after, how did Harry put it? Ah, after him having his hand up his ass, "One final push, and you'll be done. OK, one push."
Everyone began to chant, and when Harry began to push, he was fully pumped up. He pushed. He dug his chin into his chest and gave a hoarse long shout as he squeezed downwards with all his might. Blood rushed to his head, and he fiercely hoped that nothing up there would burst.
"You're done," Snape announced as he held up the tiny baby. Harry sank back against the couch, feeling utterly exhausted. But it was strange, he felt excitement, energy and exhilaration.
"Are they OK?" Harry asked breathlessly. Sirius and Remus looked on beaming.
Snape nodded, "They are fine. Congratulations... Harry." He placed the blanket over Harry's knees, trying to preserve some of his dignity and modesty, but for all Harry cared he could have been live on MTV. The pain was too great to have caused him to care. He always thought he'd be terribly embarrassed when it came to giving birth, but he didn't have the time or energy to be humiliated.
A baby girl, with a thick head of black hair was laid on his bare chest, wrapped in a pink blanket. A second later a baby boy with fine blonde hair was laid next to his twin sister, on their fathers' chest. As Harry looked at his children through sparkling eyes and a tear trickled down his cheek, he decided it had all been worth it. He had his children. He had a new meaning in life.
A/N Don't worry. Draco will be back. Eventually. He is going to escape. Does Harry forgive him? What do you think? Sorry it's so late... but it's nice and long... does that make up for anything? Next chapter will be sooner, I promise!
Harry was late. It was the third of January and there had been no breaking of his waters or contractions, nothing that Harry knew to be the signs of labour. All he had were twinges in his back every now and again – he'd been having them all night and a particularly bad one had awoken him. Everyone that knew had been round yesterday for the entire day, but they had to all go to jobs and commitments today, but they were only an owl away, and he'd been left another four extra owls so he could owl everyone at the same time.
He had some ideas on names now. He hadn't told anyone, as he wanted it to be a surprise. He'd give his daughter the name either Persephone (A Goddess that had been kidnapped by Hades and been forced to marry him) or Isabelle, with the second name Lily. His son was to be Gregory or Sebastian, with the second name James. When Dean had suggested Sebastian he'd immediately thought of the crab in The Little Mermaid, but the name had grown on him and he was seriously considering it.
Godparents were proving to be a problem for Harry as well. If he was honest, he considered Sirius and Remus as Grandparents, not Godparents, and Snape, Seamus and Dean as Godfathers for both of them. He'd apparently had a Godmother himself, Alice Longbottom, which he didn't know, and he doubted Neville had known either. But her and Frank Longbottom were obviously in St Mungos now, and nothing could be done. He'd grown to really appreciate Snape over the last eight months, something he'd never managed in all his seven years at Hogwarts. The man really knew what he was talking about, and was very professional in everything he did.
He waddled through the hall, and clutched the stair rail very carefully. He was very wary of falling down the stairs, as he'd read in a book that if this happened late on in the pregnancy then there was a danger of the baby being still born. He slowly walked down the stairs, and was about half way down when a sudden sharp pain went through his stomach. He winced and quickly clutched his belly with his right hand, careful not to let go of the stair rail. He felt a wet sensation between his legs, and a wet patch began to form on his very large baggy jeans.
"Fuck," he muttered. His water had broken. It was really starting. He was in labour. His children were about to come. Fuck. He sped up his pace, and walked down the rest of the stairs, and waddled through to the kitchen. He quickly scribbled down some hasty notes, mostly containing four letter words, help me and get your asses here now. He attached the letters to the patiently waiting owls and let them out the window, completely ignoring the fact that it was the middle of the day and he'd just let five owls out in broad daylight.
"What the hell am I supposed to do know?" he yelled. He'd not read this far in the books. Where was he supposed to be? 'OK, right,' he thought 'Home birth. Not a water birth. Not in the bathroom. So... either to the kitchen table or the living room floor. It's the living room. I can move the table, and put that sheet down.'
He slowly walked through to the living room, clutching some sheets and tablecloths and threw them on the sofa. Very carefully he began to nudge the table from the middle of the room, to the side and pushed it against the wall. He spread the sheets on the floor – he didn't want to ruin his carpet with blood. Not that he'd ever admit that. Sounded a bit too gay for his liking... not that it mattered as he was very definitely gay... but... still. As his first contraction hit he pushed him hands to the wall and braced him self. He grabbed a cushion from the sofa and twisted it in his hands as the muscles in his stomach rippled. Damn he needed to cast the charm, this was completely killing. He knew it wasn't supposed to hurt this much at first.
"Shit!" he yelled. Where was everyone? Where was his wand. Upstairs. He groaned aloud, and the pain subsided. He glanced at the clock on the VCR. Twenty three minutes past eleven. He slid to the floor on top of the sheet, and caught his breath. He lifted his hips up slightly and pulled his over large trousers and boxers down. He threw them away hastily and pushed the last sheet over his knees as he leant against the sofa, his knees up. Where was everyone? He couldn't do this on his own.
He screwed up his face in concentration and attempted magic, which he hadn't performed in months. Since his 5th Year he had been able to perform wandless magic, becoming very proficient in it in his 7th Year when he had more time to study and practise, even though he didn't need it after he defeated Voldemort at the end of his 6th Year. He thought the incantation clearly and felt a tingle of magic. He opened one eye and lifted up the sheet and looked down.
'Ooh...' he thought, 'Definitely not mine. Must have worked then. Thank God... ohh fuck...'
Another contraction hit and he screwed up his face, "Ahhh!" he moaned and tried to remember what he was supposed to do. Deep breaths or something. He tried to regulate his breathing, although it didn't hurt quite as much as it did before. The pain dissipated and he looked at the clock again. Twelve minutes past twelve. Forty-nine minutes between contractions at the moment.
He heard a door slam, and he gave a sigh of relief. Hurried steps were heard along the hall and the living room door opened and Snape swept through the room.
"Where the hell have you been?" Harry snarled from the floor.
"I had lessons Potter. Believe me I came as fast as I could. Left a Gryffindor Slytherin class in Dumbledore's care. He was as bad at Potions as you, so no doubt there'll be many blown up cauldrons." Snape told him. He pulled off his robe, revealing a plain white shirt and black trousers. He pulled his wand out his robe and began to cast a spell.
"Wait, don't, I did that already," Harry said hurriedly as he saw the same incantation on Snape's lips.
"You did?" Snape asked curiously, "How? I see no wand?"
"Don't need a wand. Can do it without." Harry told him, wanting to chuckle at the astonished look on his Professors face but held off when he realised that Snape was the one who would give him drugs.
"I see," Snape said, obviously wanting more information.
"Been able to do it for ages. Taught myself how to do it in the summer holidays. You're the only one who knows to be honest," Harry said. Snape rolled his eyes and nodded.
"Have you owled everyone else?" he asked. He put a hand under the sheet and began to check how far he was dilated.
"Yeah," Harry said, "My waters broke on the stairs about an hour and a bit ago. Then I went to the kitchen and owled you, then the others. Then I got in here ready, as I didn't know where else really. I put the blankets down and that and then I had a contraction. Fucking killed, I hadn't done the charm."
"Well it would, wouldn't it? Your body wasn't really designed for this. How long ago was your last contraction, you're two centimetres dilated, you've got eight centimetres to go." Snape told him.
"Er... twenty minutes ago. There were forty nine minutes between the last two, so any minute really." Harry told him.
"I see," Snape said, "Do you want any ice?"
"Why the fuck would I want ice?" Harry asked wearily.
Snape sighed. There really was no point in answering that. Another door slammed, and Sirius came rushing through.
"Harry... Harry are you OK? We got here as fast as we could... sorry..." Sirius babbled, and he sat on the couch next to Harry and began to run his fingers through his hair. Remus came in and looked worriedly at Harry.
"Are you OK..."
"Yes, I'm bloody well fine. If you're both going to be all hysterical, you can sod off now. I can't handle you two blabbering on all fucking day. Sorry." Harry snapped.
Sirius and Remus glanced at each other before they shook their heads, "Sorry Harry..."
Harry nodded and winced. He grabbed the pillow again, "Aaah!!" He twisted the pillow fiercely and closed his eyes. He heard people panicking, and one calm voice telling him to breath. He wasn't listening at all. The pain stopped and he opened his eyes. Sirius wiped his forehead and Remus patted his hands. He and Snape rolled their eyes.
"I'm giving birth, I'm not about to break OK? I'm going to be fine, so I'd just leave it if I was you." Harry told them.
They nodded, and Snape smirked. Apparently Potter had grown a backbone when noone was watching. An hour later Seamus and Dean appeared during a contraction.
"Fuck!" exclaimed Seamus as he saw Harry straining and moaning at his contraction, "How far is he... it's going really fast isn't he?"
Snape nodded, "Yes. Suprisingly. Many first births are ten hours or more long... but he's only been at it two hours and he is suspiciously far along. You did owl me as soon as you felt a twinge didn't you?" Harry was currently clenching his teeth, and breaking Sirius' hand so he ignored him for a minute.
"No," Harry snapped, "I owled you when my water broke. I was having twinges as you call them, all night. Bloody things woke me up. I thought it was back ache to be honest, this bump is pretty heavy."
Snape rolled his eyes, "Potter, you should have owled us a lot faster. You've been in labour for hours with out realising it."
"Can't I just blame it on my Gryffindor tendencies?" Harry asked, as he took a long sip of water that Remus had just bought it.
"If you must," He felt under the sheet again, "You are five centimetres dilated now. Five more to go, it won't be that much longer hopefully."
"Hopefully? You're not the one trying to squeeze something the size of a grapefruit out of a hole the size of an egg," Harry said sarcastically, and he rested his head back against the cushions of the sofa.
Seamus and Dean snorted, and Harry glared at them fiercely, although it didn't do much good, seen as he was very flushed, sweaty, and completely tired, and completely naked apart from an artfully placed sheet over his knees. Sirius smoothed his hair back against his forehead, and Harry scowled at him and swatted him away.
Harry suddenly leant forwards on his knees again, and closed his eyes, concentrated on the pain, and waited for it to pass, "Aaahh," he moaned as the contraction ended and sank back into the couch, his eyes still closed.
"You OK Harry?" Sirius ventured.
"No, I fucking well am not. I'm starting to realise why the hell men aren't supposed to have children. Even with girls bits it hurts a fucking lot. And it's all his fault. If I ever see his scrawny arse again, I'm gonna kill him. This should of fucking well been him, sitting here in front of loads of people with his legs wide open, but no. Just because I have more magical power crap, I'm the one carrying them." Harry ranted, then he snatched the glass off Sirius and drank some more ice cold water before he gave it roughly back.
Snape rolled his eyes, Sirius and Remus looked a bit worried, and Dean and Seamus just looked amused. They knew who it was. And they guessed everyone else would as well by the time Harry finished.
"Who is it Harry?" Sirius asked.
Harry laughed harshly, "I'm not far enough along yet Sirius, for me not to take in what you're saying. Getting there, but for now, sod off, I'm not telling you!"
Remus silently laughed at Sirius' crestfallen expression, but noticed the looks on Dean and Seamus' faces. They looked amused. Not curious, just amused. Then it struck him. They knew. They knew who the father was. He shot them a look which clearly asked them. Dean looked at Seamus, who nodded at him smirking. Remus scowled, but didn't do anything. They'd know soon enough.
Harry lay back on the couch, resting his eyes. He was completely knackered already, and he still had a long way to go. The contractions were coming a lot closer together now, fifteen minutes or so, and he knew that soon he was going to have to start to push.
"Is he OK?" Sirius asked Snape, who was sat on the floor in front of Harry.
Harry listened intently to Snape and Sirius, he was very much going to look forward to hearing this.
Snape sighed, "Apart from being in labour he is fine."
"Yeah, but what's happening? Is he OK? How much longer is it going to be?" Sirius asked. Oooh, Sirius panicked when he was nervous.
"He is having contractions Black. You know what they are yes? When they get about 60 seconds apart, he will get the urge to push. Then he will. He will have a baby. Then he will have another urge to push. And he'll have another baby. He's nearly there. He'll be about another two hours I should think." Snape told him.
"Two hours? He's going to be like this for another two hours?" Sirius asked incredulously.
Snape didn't dignify this with an answer and concentrated on Harry. He was due a contraction very soon. As he thought, Harry grabbed Sirius' hand and squeezed it. His fingers were clearly going white as Harry gripped them. Harry let out a long moan again and let go of his hand. He leant forwards on his knees and gritted his teeth. A moment later he sat back, his face even more flushed than before and his jet black hair was plastered against his forehead, covering his scar.
"So ... Harry...." Seamus said, trying to relieve the tension, "Thought of any names for the ickle munchkins?"
"You know it really pisses me off when you say that. Normally I wouldn't say anything, but life is too fucking short!" Harry snapped.
"Oh..." Seamus said. Snape rolled his eyes at the pair, and thought for a minute.
"Potter, I suggest you might want to put this on," he held out a thin cotton shirt that he had conjured a moment before.
"Why?" Harry asked wearily, taking the article of clothing off his Professor.
"I can guarantee that you are going to want to move around soon, to try and starve off the pains. I am really quite surprised you've stayed sat on the floor. It is advised to move around if it is wanted. But you appear not to..."
"I'm allowed to get up? I thought I had to stay on the bloody floor," Harry muttered, and he thrust the thin shirt over his head, and pushed him self up, and stood up.
Everyone was looking at him warily. If he wasn't so tired, Harry would have laughed at the looks on their faces. He sent them a scathing look, then winced as another contraction hit him. He leant against the back of the couch, his fingernails digging into the palm of his hand. The pain spread out inexorably from the centre of him, eating him up and he gritted his teeth. He felt like his body was mingling with itself. How did people do this everyday? Wasn't this pain too much for a human being to handle. It shouldn't be this painful. Just as he felt he could not stand the agony any longer, he felt the pain begin to ebb away. He opened his eyes which he had clenched shut at some time, and his vision began to clear.
"Drugs," he demanded, "Give me some sodding drugs. I need drugs."
Sirius and Remus looked at him pityingly and looked to Snape, who was fiddling in a bag he had brought along. He looked up at them.
"There is not much I can do for him. If he were in a hospital he could have legions of things done to help. But they all need specialist apparatus. All I can do is try and get your children here safely. He'll have to bear the pain." Snape explained. He looked almost sorry for Harry. He'd seen people give birth before and knew it was really painful, and he was very sorry that he didn't have the capabilities to help Harry from where he was.
"You mean he doesn't even get gas and air? Or an epidural... most women who have twins have a c-section don't they?" Seamus worried.
"What?" Remus asked, confused.
"Muggle things Seam," Harry spat out, "Wizards don't have them. Or witches. They have pain charms and specialist potions and shit."
"Why don't you know them then?" Sirius asked Snape.
Snape sighed, "Medi-witches and wizards are only taught a little over the basics to pass. If they wish to go into pregnancy further there are more courses that you need to complete."
Harry felt a stab of pain start again, and the beginnings of another contraction rising up like lava in a volcano and he interrupted them with a loud moan. He rested his hands on the back of the couch and leaned against it, moaning, trying to breathe through the pain.
"You want me to rub your back?" Sirius soothed at Harry, when he was finished.
Harry glared at him, "If anyone thinks they are ever touching me again they'll have to think again. You can touch me to get the damn things out of me, but screw it. I am never having sex again. I can't go through this ever again. I just want it over..." he moaned.
Seamus winced, "Never again? Harry you only did it once in the first place."
"Exactly. If it can happen after one time, who knows what could happen. I could only do it with someone more powerful than me, and what do you know. There isn't anyone. I am doomed for eternity. If I can live with it, you can. Although I'm gonna kill Malfoy if I ever see him again..." Harry ranted.
Snape, Sirius and Remus' eyes widened, and Dean and Seamus shook their heads at Harry's slip up. The black haired boy in question growled at himself and waddled around to the front of the couch and slid to the floor.
"Malfoy..." spluttered Sirius and Remus made faces like a goldfish. Snape looked merely amused, and slipped the sheet over Harry's knees.
"8 centimetres," he announced a moment later. No one else was yet to speak. Harry was obviously berating himself for letting it slip, and Dean and Seamus just looked on from the back of the room.
"Thank all the fricking Gods," Harry muttered, before he was thrown into a dark pit of pain again.
When the pain wore off again, Harry decided to fill them in on more than they wanted to know about their relationship, "This should have been him. He was first! Why are all the damn fates against me? He should be here. He deserves to be here in more pain than fucking imaginable. He left me, dumped me when I was pregnant with his bloody children! He was a traitor! He said he loved me, but no... he had to be the one. Sex was all that was in it for him. Although..."
"What?" Dean persisted.
"He never struck me as submissive... but he insisted. He wanted to be first. I don't understand. I need him... where is he... ahhh!" Harry screamed.
A contraction hit him out of nowhere. It was worse pain than he had ever thought possible. He blacked out momentarily, and flung himself on his hands and knees.
He heard a calming voice telling him to breathe and he vaguely recollected himself telling that person to go and jump off a cliff. He couldn't handle this. He wasn't going to get through this. He couldn't have these babies, who was he kidding? Another voice told him to try and breathe, and that it would help. He really did try...but he felt it all slipping out of his control. The pain was at it's peak and he chanted under his breathe constantly, "Jesus... fuck... Jesus... help..."
Sirius started to tell him that this would all be over soon, that he would have his children, and everything would be fine. He concentrated all his energy on believing this, but it just wouldn't stick. He grabbed hold of a hand as the pain ebbed away, and felt someone rubbing his forehead with a cold, damp cloth as he sank back and leant against the couch.
"Harry?" someone ventured. Harry was too out of it to register who it was, "Are you OK?"
"No," he snarled, not opening his eyes.
"Harry, you're ten centimetres, you can start to push on the next contraction," Snape informed the exhausted boy in front of him after a quick exam.
Harry nodded wearily, and they sat in silent anticipation of the moment. He was helped into the birthing position, his chin digging into his chest, and his hands firmly grasped on the insides of thighs. Sirius and Remus sat at either side of him, Remus stroking his hair out of the way, Sirius; hands both on his shoulders, ready to urge him on. Dean and Seamus stood behind the couch they were all leaning on, ready to say encouraging things to the man giving birth.
The contraction slammed into him, and everyone started to yell push at him. He remembered what he had been told, to do one long push down. He concentrated with all his might and pushed. He vaguely heard the words of encouragement thrown at him, but he didn't register them.
"Keep going Harry! You're doing great!" Sirius encouraged, and Harry bore down again and pushed fiercely.
"OK, Harry relax," someone said, and Harry stopped. There were people talking to him, but he didn't hear, he just waited for the next contraction to come.
It did, as they all knew it would, and Harry pushed, as hard and as long as he possibly could. Fifteen minutes later, Harry could go on no more.
"I can't," he cried, tears slipping down his face, "I can't do this... where's Draco? I need him.. I miss him so much... where is he... Oh God," Harry braced himself and pushed again. His fingernails punctured his thighs and tiny droplets of blood slid down his tanned, strained thighs.
"I can see a head," Snape announced. This spurred Harry enormously, and he pushed harder, his chin digging into his chest. The contraction ended, but another started merely seconds later and he pushed again. A dark head of hair could be seen, and as Harry pushed a shoulder slid out, then another, and then in seconds Harry's baby was out, and crying in Snapes arms.
"It's a girl," he announced.
More tears slid down Harry's cheeks, as he looked at the baby in fascination. Snape held up the baby to drain any fluid away from the respiratory tract, and he cut and stapled the cord. But as he was doing so, another contraction hit Harry, and he began to push again.
Snape placed the baby in a conjured glass cot, and she lay, crying, but perfectly fine. A gauge on the cot revealed that she weighed five pounds two ounces, a fine weight. Then Harry screamed.
Snape quickly swivelled to look at Harry. He was straining against the hands that held him. He frowned and did an examination.
"Harry... the boy is breach... you can do it, you're just going to have to push a lot harder." Snape told him sympathetically.
Harry moaned from deep within his throat and began to push. Sirius was pale white, and looked scared. It was a wonder he hadn't fainted really. Remus looked very worried, unsure what to do. Dean and Seamus... well Seamus had actually fainted a quarter of an hour ago, when Harry had really began to push, and Dean was trying to revive him. Using 'enerverate' was usually only for emergencies, and could have consequences.
"Bloody hell!!" Harry yelled, "Malfoy, if you aren't dead by now, you bloody will be by the time I get my hands on you... ahhh!!" He screamed, another contraction started, and he gripped his thighs and pushed.
Ten minutes later, Snape saw the buttocks of the baby boy.
"OK Harry," Snape said. He'd verged into calling him his first name. He couldn't very go on calling him Harry, after, how did Harry put it? Ah, after him having his hand up his ass, "One final push, and you'll be done. OK, one push."
Everyone began to chant, and when Harry began to push, he was fully pumped up. He pushed. He dug his chin into his chest and gave a hoarse long shout as he squeezed downwards with all his might. Blood rushed to his head, and he fiercely hoped that nothing up there would burst.
"You're done," Snape announced as he held up the tiny baby. Harry sank back against the couch, feeling utterly exhausted. But it was strange, he felt excitement, energy and exhilaration.
"Are they OK?" Harry asked breathlessly. Sirius and Remus looked on beaming.
Snape nodded, "They are fine. Congratulations... Harry." He placed the blanket over Harry's knees, trying to preserve some of his dignity and modesty, but for all Harry cared he could have been live on MTV. The pain was too great to have caused him to care. He always thought he'd be terribly embarrassed when it came to giving birth, but he didn't have the time or energy to be humiliated.
A baby girl, with a thick head of black hair was laid on his bare chest, wrapped in a pink blanket. A second later a baby boy with fine blonde hair was laid next to his twin sister, on their fathers' chest. As Harry looked at his children through sparkling eyes and a tear trickled down his cheek, he decided it had all been worth it. He had his children. He had a new meaning in life.
A/N Don't worry. Draco will be back. Eventually. He is going to escape. Does Harry forgive him? What do you think? Sorry it's so late... but it's nice and long... does that make up for anything? Next chapter will be sooner, I promise!