The Potter/Black Romance

Disclaimer: I own some things, including the twins, well, one of them at least.

Thank yous: crescomellonnin, orlin, prongspadfoot2003, Miss Anonymous hp, redrose2310, Goddess of Gorgeousness, Sweet Mercy, and Ginny-and-Draco-fan.

Also just so you know, I have actually found a site that tells you all about being in labour and everything to help me along if I decide to go into the more technical details of it all. Also, it says first time mothers can be into labour for an average of up to 14 hours or more, but some are lucky enough for it to last only a few hours and so you know, Sirius will be in the 'only a few hours' minority.

But you still may be able to tell that I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about.

WARNING: 'Fuck' is going to be used a lot in this chapter, mainly by the dirty mouth of Dani Adamar.

Chapter 18: The One where Sirius Has the Babies

Before the end of the summer, James had been to see Dumbledore about getting the first half of the year off to be with Sirius for when the babies come. Dumbledore had actually wangled in maternity pay for James so he still got an income, even if it wasn't him who was carrying the baby.

But today, September 27th, James had been flooed by Dumbledore and asked to go to Hogwarts for a few hours to oversee the work of the Transfiguration relief teacher.

Sirius had only gotten up just before midday and he was still grumbling about how fat he looked. Mind you, James couldn't deny that Sirius hadn't gained more weight since the summer holidays ended, Sirius had started eating more.

James came back into the kitchen after running his fingers through his unruly hair in front of the downstairs bathroom mirror, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to Sirius' mouth, "I have to go out for a little while, Dumbledore wants me to oversee my relief teacher."

Sirius nodded, "When will you be back?"

James frowned, "God I don't know, he might want me to report back to him afterwards, and you know Dumbledore, he likes his leisurely chats." Sirius smirked. "So I'll see you when I see ya, but if you need anything, just floo the school and I'll come home straight away."

"OK."

James put his hands to Sirius' face and kissed him again, tenderly. "I'll see you."

"Bye."

And James was gone, he left the house and apparated to the Hogsmeade Apparition Point.

Sirius just sat at the table for about half an hour with a cup of tea, until he heard the front door opening.

"God I wish people would knock sometimes. What if I was naked?" said Sirius to himself in slight annoyance, although he figured he could do with some company. As the person entered the kitchen, Sirius spoke. "Don't you know how to knock?"

"Sorry," came a female voice. "But I bumped into James in Hogsmeade and he said you might like some company."

Sirius looked up and smiled at Dani, "Thanks."

Dani went and sat down opposite him after grabbing a cup and pouring herself some tea, "So, how are you?"

Sirius sighed, "I'm fine, my back is killing me but I'm fine otherwise."

Dani nodded thoughtfully, "So um, when exactly are they due?"

"Sometime within the week, that's what Irene said but she also said they can sometimes be overdue," replied Sirius; he sucked in a breath as a sharp pain jolted through his body.

"You ok?" asked Dani in concern.

Sirius nodded, it was a blatant lie, but he didn't want to worry her. He pulled himself up and went to the sink for a glass of water, he was now in a great deal of discomfort, it was the same sort of feeling that kept waking him up throughout all of last night.

"Sirius?" Dani could just see the side of his face and it looked quite pained.

Sirius rubbed his hand over his belly and tried to keep his breathing normal.

Dani got up quickly and went over to Sirius and put a hand on his shoulder, "Sirius, what's wrong?"

Sirius clutched the bench and suddenly felt something wet trickle down his leg. "Oh god…not now."

Dani furrowed her eyebrows and then her eyes widened in realisation, "Now?!"

Sirius nodded, his hand still on his stomach, "My water just broke."

Dani nodded slowly, "Oh fuck! What do I do?! We have to get to a hospital! I don't know what to do!"

"Stop shouting at me and call Irene!" shouted Sirius back at his friend. Dani shut up immediately and rushed to the phone.

Dani dialled the Potters' number (burnt into her memory from years of knowing James) and waited for it to be answered.

"Hello?"

It was a male voice. "Hi, its Dani, um, is Irene there?"

"No she isn't, she's at work."

"Fuck!"

"What's the matter, Dani?"

"Sirius is going into labour and I don't know what to do!"

"OK, I'll be there in a minute and we'll get him to St. Mungos."

Dani nodded, "OK. Hurry."

"I will."

They both hung up the phone.

Dani turned to see Sirius trying not to cry from the sharp pains shooting through him, "Michael's on his way, don't worry. We'll get you to the hospital."

Sirius nodded, breathing heavily, "…James, I need James."

Dani nodded, "I know, we'll contact him when we get to the hospital, but right now, try and concentrate on your breathing." Sirius nodded, Dani put an arm around his back and let him use her for support just as Michael Potter came sprinting into the kitchen.

As soon as he stopped, Michael took control. "Dani, go ahead to the hospital and tell them we're on our way."

Dani nodded and ran out of the house and apparated straight to St. Mungos hospital to tell the administration desk that Sirius Black was on his way and he was in labour.

…

James in the mean time was none the wiser, he was sitting at the back of his classroom with his feet on a desk watching as the relief teacher taught his class (surprisingly) exactly what was on his schedule. James knew from experience of having relief teachers that they very rarely usually taught what the real Professor wanted them to teach. In fact, they usually ended up sending students out and gossiping with the rest.

James spent the next three hours sitting there at the back of the classroom making notes on the relief teacher and trying not to nod off to sleep. Because the discomfort had kept Sirius up most of the night it had also caused him to wake James up on more than one occasion so he was really tired.

……

Sirius was by now, lying in the maternity ward, Dani and Remus were with him, mainly because they had already been named the Godparents of the yet to be born Potter twins. Michael and Irene were out in the corridor.

"Right, I'll go and floo Hogwarts and get James," said Irene, she then headed off to the Hospital's Floo Room to look for her son. Irene grabbed a handful of Floo powder and through it into the fire. "Hogwarts!"

It took a moment for someone to appear at what must have been the staffroom fire, a tall thin man, with greying dark hair, a pale complexion and a nasty look about him answered. "Yes?"

Irene smiled kindly, "I was wondering if James Potter is there? I'm his mother."

Professor Theodore Eston raised an eyebrow slightly; "I am not sure where he is at the moment." He then reluctantly added. "But I can take a message."

Irene nodded, "Eh, can you tell him that Sirius has gone into labour and he should get to St. Mungos immediately."

Eston nodded, "Of course. I'll make sure he gets the message." He won't be getting it if I can help it; little brat deserves a bit of trial in his life.

Irene smiled gratefully, "Thank you so much." She then cut the connection and got off her knees. It was fairly obvious that Irene Potter had never met Theodore Eston or listened to her son and Sirius bitch about the evil potions master.

When the connection was cut, Eston smirked, "Looks like Potter will have some explaining to do to his little bitch." This man was a good friend of the Blacks, he wasn't a Deatheater but he definitely supported Voldemort's 'Erase all Half and Mudbloods idea'.

"Ow…It hurts…" cried Sirius as he had another contraction. "Where's James?"

"I left a message with one of the Professors, he should be here very soon," reassure Irene, she didn't know how wrong she was.

The doctor who had just come into the room started to speak, "Now Mr. Black, I'm just going to spend a few minutes telling you what you should expect during your labour."

"I've read books," replied Sirius leaning back against some pillows.

The doctor nodded, "Well they have probably told you most of what you need to know, but, male labours tend to be a lot quicker than female ones. Currently you are already dilated at three centimetres, which is leading you into the active phase, so your contractions will be getting a lot more frequent."

Sirius nodded.

…

James sat at the back of his classroom rubbing his right wrist, he had recently gotten a new tattoo, it was a one centimetre wide Celtic pattern that went right around his right wrist. Because it was so new it still hurt. He pulled his sleeve up to give it some air and rubbed his thumb over a bit of red enflamed skin under part of it.

James had another tattoo on his left shoulder blade; it was the head and neck of black dog with piercing blue eyes. Of course, it was a dedication to the love of his life. James was also going to get a piercing a little while ago but when he saw just how painful it could be he wimped out and went straight back home. He didn't care if he was a fearless Gryffindor, having something sharp poked through his nipple was bound to hurt like hell.

Sirius had never wanted any tattoos or piercings, he said he loved his body the way it was and he didn't want to spoil it by poking holes through it and getting things tattooed onto his skin.

…

"Eight centimetres dilated already?" repeated Irene in shock an hour later. "This is happening far quicker than you said it would."

"I realise that, Ma'am," replied the doctor, "But male pregnancies are still not that common, and they are very unpredictable, we have no idea when the baby will just start coming but if we don't prep him now it'll be too late."

Dani and Remus didn't have enough time to cover Sirius' ears so he didn't hear that. First his bottom lip trembled and then his eyes started to tear up and then he just started crying, Remus and Dani both put their arms around him and he bawled into Remus' robes.

They kept hearing pitiful cries for James as well.

"Where is he?" questioned Dani, about 15 minutes later when Sirius' crying had subsided.

"I have no idea," said Irene shaking her head with her arms crossed, worry lines ageing her barely 40 year old face. She was only twenty when she had James, Michael was twenty-one.

Remus had his chin resting on top of Sirius' head, which was on his shoulders. "Who did you leave the message with?"

"I don't know," replied Irene worriedly.

Dani raised an eyebrow, "What did he look like then?"

"Um, thin, pale, greyish hair, rather evil look to him…"

"Oh shit, no wonder he isn't here," said Remus, "That was Eston, he hates James, he's not going to pass the message on."

"Go get him then!" shouted Sirius as he was hit with another contraction. "Please…"

"I'll go," said Dani, with that she left the now private ward quickly and apparated to Hogsmeade.

Sirius kept banging his head back against the pillows with his eyes squeezed shut.

Remus looked on in slight fear, "God I hope Dani never gets pregnant-" He was immediately cut off by a very strong punch to his stomach that sent him down to his knees winded.

"You're not helping, you stupid moron!" cried Sirius, not sure if he was angry or just in a lot of pain.

Michael went and helped Remus up and over to the opposite side of the room, so he could sit in a chair and get over his loss of breath.

…

Dani sprinted up to Hogwarts; barely managing to keep her balance because she was wearing heeled boots. She ran into the Entrance Hall and straight passed a grumbling Filch, she headed straight for the Transfiguration classroom in hopes that James might still be there, even though classes finished about fifteen minutes ago.

Dammit, he's not here! Exclaimed Dani in her mind. Eh…staffroom!

Dani took off down corridors and stairs barely missing several smaller students and skidded to a halt once she got outside the staffroom and then burst in. She scanned the heads of the surprised teachers and saw no unruly hair. "Fuck! Where's James?!"

Karliya Lupin, she had recently joined the Hogwarts faculty, looked up and raised her eyebrows at her very flustered sister-in-law to be. "Last I saw him, he was on his way to Dumbledore's. Why?"

Dani sighed, "Sirius has gone into labour, Irene left a message here about three hours ago with…" She trailed off when her eyes settled on the nonchalant Eston. "You! Why the hell didn't you pass that message onto James?!"

Eston looked up from what he was doing and arched his eyebrows slightly, "What message, Adamar?"

"Don't fuck with me!"

Someone behind Dani cleared their throat. She spun around and came face to face with Albus Dumbledore, if anything he looked quite amused at her outburst at the Potions Master.

"Professor Dumbledore. Hi." Dani's voice was higher than usual. "You don't happen to know where James is, do you?"

Dumbledore nodded, "Indeed I do, Dani. He left my office about twenty minutes ago, he mentioned something about going for a drink in Hogsmeade before going home."

"Right. Thanks." With that, Dani was off like a shot leaving quite a few stunned Professors, a glaring Eston, a hysterically laughing Karliya and an amused Dumbledore.

…

"Mrs. Potter! We can not delay this birth any longer!" shouted the doctor at Irene. "These babies want out, and they want out now! I have to set him up for the birth now!"

"All right!"

Sirius now had a steady stream of tears sliding down his face as each contraction hit harder and more painful than the last.

Dani burst into the Three Broomsticks and looked around and found no signs of James, she had already been to the Hogshead and he wasn't there either. She rushed up to the counter to speak to the barmaid, Madame Rosmerta.

"Hello Dani, I haven't seen you for a while," said Rosmerta smiling.

Dani gave half hearted smile, "Um look, have you seen James at all today? Its just I really need to find him otherwise it'll be too late."

Rosmerta frowned, "Too late? For what?"

Dani sighed and leaned forward on the bench, still trying to catch her breath, "Sirius has gone into labour, he was already eight centimetres dilated when I left and that was half an hour ago, but his labour is happening really fast."

"James left here about ten minutes ago, he said something about going shopping for Sirius."

"Fucking hell!"

Dani ran out of the pub and apparated to Sirius and James', desperately hoping she could find him there. But to no avail.

"JAMES!" She shrieked inside the house. Oh well, if James wasn't there to hear her, the neighbours definitely would.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" exclaimed Dani kicking the bottom step in frustration. "Dammit. Where the hell would James shop?" With that, she left the house and headed to the local mall.

…

"Make it stop!" cried Sirius, he was in so much pain and of course, being the true Gryffindor he is, he declined when he was offered pain relief thinking he could handle it. How wrong was he? "I want James…Ouch!"

Nearly five hours of labour and the first baby was already ready to come.

"OK Sirius, on the next one I want you to push." Said the doctor getting ready down the bottom of the delivery bed.

Michael and Irene were standing by next to Sirius, while Remus was outside in the corridor, mainly because he was too scared to go near his aggressive crying friend now.

"Oh Jesus Christ, where is he?" asked Dani to herself out loud, she had searched most of the mall and still not seen hide nor hair of James Potter. She went over to a group of women. "Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

"Um, I was wondering," started Dani, "Have you seen a man around here, tall, good looking, messy black hair and glasses? Possibly sporting a tattoo around his right wrist?"

The women thought for a moment and then the brunette replied, "That hot guy?" She replied smiling almost smugly. "Yeah, I saw him just down there." She pointed to the end of a row of shops. "Why? Are you his girlfriend or something?"

Dani raised an eyebrow, "No, no. I'm just a friend. But I have to find him, his wife's giving birth." With that she took off leaving the girl looking annoyed.

So what if she lied? She could hardly have said 'his husband is giving birth' could she?

…

The pain as he pushed was excruciating. The only coherent thought Sirius had was… I am never giving birth again. Then he realised he was having twins and that this was only the first baby. After realising that he burst into fresh tears as he squeezed Michael's hand even harder, causing his father-in-law to cry out in pain.

…

James was looking at a window display of jewellery when he nearly screamed like a girl as someone practically pounced on him. "What the fu-"

"Thank god I've found you at last," exclaimed Dani panting. "Where the fuck have you been? I've been looking all over for you for an hour now!"

…

A baby's cry rang out through the soundproof hospital ward.

"It's a boy."

A howl of pain and the doctor handed the first baby to a nurse to clean off as Sirius started to try and push the next one out.

…

James furrowed his eyebrows, "What? Why?"

Dani leaned on him for a moment to try and get her breathing back into rhythm. "Well, Sirius' water broke while I was there with him at lunchtime, we took him to St. Mungos, your mother flooed Hogwarts and told Eston to give you a message and of course, he hates you so you never got it and now you have most likely missed the births of your first two children so come on! Let's hurry!"

It took a moment for that to register in James' mind before he grabbed Dani's hand and they took off sprinting to somewhere private to apparate to St. Mungos.

…

Sirius had fainted from the pain, but luckily, he had managed to push the second baby out before unconsciousness took over. The doctor said it was so painful on him especially because men just were not built for this kind of thing. They didn't have the right body shape or even the right external organs to push the baby through.

…

Dani had to stop for a drink when they got back to St. Mungos; she was absolutely stuffed from all the running. Why did so many places have to be apparition proof?

James' footsteps thundered along the maternity corridor and as Remus was pacing he was nearly bowled over by his messy haired friend.

"Is he ok? What's happened? Has he had the babies? Can I go in?!"

Remus put his hands on James' shoulders to try and calm him down a bit. "It was very quick, quicker than anyone even the doctor expected. But you have two healthy new borns. As for him being ok, I think he fainted."

James whimpered slightly, "God he's going to hate me. I swear I didn't know he was in labour until Dani told me when she found me."

"Don't worry about it, he knows you probably never got that message. Just go in and stay with him," said Remus reassuringly.

James nodded and smiled weakly, he turned to the door and looked through the window, he saw his dad smiling as he held one of his new grandchildren and saw his mother handing another little bundle to Sirius who was now awake again. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open and went in.

"James," said Irene in relief. "Where have you been?"

"At school, then I went to Hogsmeade and then shopping at the mall," replied James quietly, his eyes glued to Sirius who hadn't yet looked up at him.

Michael put the baby he was holding down into the hospital crib beside the bed as Irene indicated for them to leave. They both left quietly leaving the new parents alone.

Sirius finally looked up as James moved over to him. His eyes were brimming with tears, his lightly tanned skin flushed and his hair soaked with sweat. The bed had been magically cleaned, as had the babies to get rid of all signs of birthing fluids.

James felt so guilty, he leant down and pressed tiny kisses all over Sirius' face and hair before pulling him into his arms, careful not to crush the little baby Sirius was still holding. "Oh god baby, I am so sorry. I am so sorry I wasn't here with you, to help you. I will do anything to make it up to you, I swear."

Sirius pressed a kiss to the side of James' head, "Just pick up your son and come and sit beside me."

James pulled away from Sirius; "Will you forgive me?"

Sirius smiled slightly and brushed a few stray strands of hair off James' face, "It wasn't your fault, I know you never got that message. Your mum said it was Eston she spoke to, you're not to blame, he is. But I swear, once I'm able to walk properly again, I will kill 'im."

James grinned slightly and kissed Sirius' forehead, "Cause I'd really hate for you to be angry at me." He went over to the crib and looked down at his son. The little baby was fast asleep, wrapped in a light blue blanket with a tuft of jet-black hair right on the top of his head. "He has our hair."

Sirius laughed quietly, "So does this one."

James carefully picked up the little bundle that was his son and went over to the bed and sat down in the space Sirius had made for him and leaned back against the pillows. He pressed a kiss to Sirius' temple and lingered there as he spoke, "I love you, Sirius."

Sirius smiled tiredly, "I love you, too." He caught James' lips with his and they kissed gently. Then Sirius rested his head on James' shoulder and gazed at their children.

James leaned his head against the top of Sirius', "I was right, any kid we had would be perfect, they're not even crying."

Sirius snorted quietly, "They're asleep, James." He yawned. "As I need to be."

"Well you should get some sleep then," said James kissing the top of his head. "Then we can discuss names."

"Harry and Elizabeth."

"Or you can decide on the final pick without me," said James smirking slightly. He looked down at the two little babies. "Harry and Elizabeth it is then."

……………………………………………………………………………………

A/N: Ah! That was quick I know! The labour especially, but as you can probably tell, I wouldn't have a clue about childbirth.

Read And Review please!

NEXT CHAPTER: The babies come home. Crying, sleepless nights, feeding, nappy changing. Oh James and Sirius are in for some fun!