Despite what some might believe, I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters and placesassociated with J.K. Rowling's magical world.

Chapter 2: An Eventful Morning

"Ron." Hermione tilted her face close to his in the dark as she shook his shoulder gently. "Ron wake up."

"Five more minutes Mione," Ron rolled away from her in his sleep. "Potions doesn't start 'till a quarter after."

Hermione tried to stifle her laughter but failed. It didn't happen very often but every once in a while when she woke Ron up abruptly he was confused enough to believe that they were back at Hogwarts again and that she was waking him up for class that he was going to be late for.

"Ron." She shook his shoulder with more force. "Ron, please wake up." She gave him a final push that jerked him out of his sleep.

"W-wha…" He cleared the sleep from his throat. "Mione what is it?" He asked with a sleep gruff voice.

"Ron," She asked prettily her lips close to his ear so that they grazed against it. "Will you help me get dressed?"

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes the red head turned over and peered into the darkness at the clock mounted on the wall. "Mione," he groaned as he collapsed back on his pillows, "It's three in the morning. Why would you want to get dressed now?"

"Ron please, just do this for me."

Rubbing his face in aggravation and fatigue he threw his legs ceremoniously over the side of the bed. His mouth spread wide in a large yawn. Rising to his feet, he scratched at his stomach as he made his way across the room to the bureau that held Hermione's clothes. "What do you want to wear today, love?" He asked through a yawn.

"Something loose please."

"Would you like to be more specific?" He asked slightly annoyed but making an effort to hide it. With Hermione's unpredictable hormones he never knew exactly what might set her off.

Hermione bit her bottom lip a moment in thought. "My favourite Chuddly shirt and the green flannels."

Ron looked over at his wife in surprise. She wanted her comfy shirt, or rather his comfy shirt that she had stole from him, and his plaid flannels. Normally his wife never dressed for the day so informally, even while pregnant she had insisted on being dressed impeccably. Instead of questioning her he shook his head and pulled the items from the drawer where she had stored them. He brought them over to the bed and began helping her dress.

When she was fully clad Ron stretched to his full height. "Now that you're dressed do you mind if I go back to sleep?"

"Actually Ron, I was hoping you would come with me downstairs."

"Mione," Ron groaned, "it's three in the morning. Can't we go back to sleep?"

"I suppose," Hermione conceded as she watched Ron climb back under the covers. Rather then joining her husband, she shimmied to her feet and waddled towards the door. She pulled open the heavy oak panel and stepped into the hall at the sound of Ron's sigh. She pocked her head around the doorframe and looked back at his prone form. "I just thought you might want to be there when your child is born."

Hermione's bushy hair disappeared from the room before Ron had a chance to react. He bolted up right in bed mind racing frantically. It took a minute more for his sleep drugged mind to comprehend what she had said, but when the meaning finally hit him he flung himself out of bed and towards the door. Halfway there though he turned back to get dressed. He was pulling open a drawer when he decided he should go see if Hermione was all right instead.

Hermione, who was sitting at the bottom of the stairs waiting, could imagine Ron's frantic dash about the room. "Change first Ron!" She yelled up to him as if she were reading his mind. Seconds later she heard the distinct sound of a drawer opening and closing. Five minutes passed and Ron was scampering down the steps, nearly knocking Hermione over in his haste.

"Oh my god, Mione. I'm so sorry." He said as he reached out to try and steady her.

"It's all right, Ron." She assured him by lovingly cup his cheek. "Just go get my bag."

Hermione's touch had a soothing affect on him. Besides, if Hermione wasn't panicked why should he be? Of course Hermione had gone through this once before, he reminded himself, and it was only his first time. Leaning in he kissed her lips in gratitude.

"How are you feeling?"

Hermione placed a small hand to her swollen stomach. "It's not too bad yet. I'd say we have quite a few hours ahead of us."

Ron leaned his brow lovingly against his wife's. They sat there a moment like that until Hermione winced and clutched at his arms which her hands had been resting on. His concern mounting Ron moved more fully in front of her.

"Where does it hurt, love?"

"My back." She moaned through deep breaths.

Nodding Ron reached behind her and using his long, strong fingers he began to message her lower back. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as some of the pain began to leave her body.

"Ron, that feels like heaven." She let her head fall on his shoulder until the pain past. "We should probably get to St. Mungo's before I have another contraction."

Ron nodded as he took her hands in his and gently pulled her to her feet. Slipping her arm through his they walked together to the fireplace where Hermione's bag was already waiting.

Ron tossed the bag over his shoulder as Hermione took a pinch of floo powder from the flowerpot they kept it in. Tossing it into the barley glowing flames the fire burst with bright green light. The couple stepped into the hearth together and Ron called out their destination. In a flash of green they disappeared from their home and were whirling past fireplaces.


Harry Potter yawned loudly as he closed the door to his and Ginny's bedroom. Upon awaking Harry had found his wife's side of the bed empty. He thought nothing of it of course. Sirius James, their one year old son, never slept past six in the morning. Harry and Ginny tried everything they could think of to make him sleep later, but nothing worked. Not keeping him up later, wearing him out before bed, ignoring his protests for a few minutes more sleep. It seemed there young son was bound and determined to get an early start on his day.

Walking down the stairs Harry heard the sound of happy chatter coming from the kitchen. His lips quirked up at the corner. The twins were awake as well. He could only imagine the handful those two had caused his wife.

"Helena Weasley!" Came Ginny's infuriated voice. "What did I tell you? Wait until I bring you your bowl. I promise you you'll get your breakfast soon enough." Harry stepped into the kitchen and watched amusedly as Ginny tried to snatch a bowl of oatmeal out of the air. Finally managing to grasp the bowl she walked it over to the disgruntle two and a half year old. "You're just as impatient as your father." Ginny murmured as she watched Helena pick up her spoon and begin to cram the tasty food into her mouth.

"Having troubles Gin?" Harry asked as he took in the mess around him. The three children were seated around the table, Hero and Helena on chairs, Sirius in a booster-seat. There was oatmeal everywhere. Apparently Ginny had been struggling with them for a while.

His ginger haired wife whirled around and glared at her him. "Do you think this is funny Potter? If that's the case you can handle the kids while I go take a shower. Nothing short of a thorough scrubbing is going to get this mess out of my hair"

"What are they up to?" Harry smirked as a glop of oatmeal slithered down the bridge of her nose. "The usual?"

Ginny rolled her eyes as she whipped the off-white mush from her face. "Everything was fine until Helena decided she had had enough of waiting for her food and took matters into her own hands. She didn't even wait for a bowl." She flung the towel aside in her annoyance. "No, she just summons the oatmeal right out of the pot. And as if that weren't enough, I had the misfortune of turning around at exactly the wrong moment and getting a face full of it."

Stepping close to his wife Harry saw remnants of their breakfast close to her ear. Grinning mischievously he pressed a kiss to her cheek before turning his head and licking the gooey residue off her skin. "Umm." He licked his lips as he pulled just far enough a way to stare deep into her coffee brown eyes. "You taste delicious."

Ginny tried to maintain her stern face but found herself melting under his warm smile and bright emerald green eyes. Finally she rolled her own and called over her shoulder as she strode away. "Watch them as I go take a shower."

Harry turned back to the kitchen and clapped his hands excitedly. "So moppets, what's for breakfast?"

The three children who had been happily munching on their food turned their heads to look at him. Hero and Helena's faces lit up into bright smiles. "Uncle Harry!" They called out excitedly at the sight of their favourite uncle.

Ginny sighed with satisfaction as she stepped out of the warm shower towelling off her hair. She wrapped the soggy strands in the dampened material and flung it over her head so that it slightly resembled a turban. Taking another soft towel off the rack she towelled away all the drops of moisture that clung to her skin. She was just slipping a soft, enveloping robe over her arms when she felt a lurch in the pit of her stomach.

Tossing up the lid of the toilet she leaned over and retched, reliving her stomach of the small amount of food she had managed to eat this morning before the twins woke up. Falling to her knees, Ginny held back her makeshift turban with one hand as the other gripped tightly to the toilet rim.

When the queasiness finally ended she pulled the lever causing the toilet to flush. Sinking back against the wall she placed a tender hand to her abdomen and smiled. Up until that morning she hadn't been positive, but now she knew. She was going to have another baby. She and Harry were going to be parents again.

She let her head lean back against the wall and her eyes drifted closed as she let warm thoughts of a bigger family invade her brain. She could see her, Harry, Sirius and…hmm she paused, not knowing whether she should be picturing a boy or a girl in the image of her family. If asked Ginny would say she couldn't care less either way, though if she were being completely honest she would admit that she had loved growing up with brothers and found that she enjoyed the company of males in general far better than females. Her lips twitched at the corner. Besides she loved the idea of looking after a clan of raven haired boys with green eyes like their father's.

Ginny rubbed her flat abdomen. But she wouldn't mind having a girl. Not an entire clan of them. Living in an all female dorm for seven years had cured her long ago of her longing for sisters. But she'd like to have at least one. And she knew for a fact that Harry wanted a little girl. Ginny smiled as she rose to her feet. Yes, she knew Harry wanted a little girl, one that he could pamper and adore like a princess.

Ginny looped the belt tight around her waist and made a quick job of brushing her teeth and drying her hair before she made her way to her and Harry's room to change. She slipped on a loose pare of jeans and a comfy jumper that she snitched from Harry's drawer. Just as she was tying her hair up in a high ponytail she heard a crash come from the vicinity of the kitchen.

Rushing from the bedroom and down the stairs she slid to a halt at the entrance. She couldn't help but laugh. A large bowl of oatmeal lay shattered on the warm tile floor. Sirius clapped merrily from his booster seat as he watched as his cousins seemed to magically pass their uncle's glasses back and forth over his head. Ginny crossed one arm over her stomach and pressed the other hand to her lips as she watched Harry jump and grasp blindly in the air for his glasses as they whizzed past.

"Hero and Helena." He snapped, "Give me my glasses back now."

A snort of laughter escaped Ginny as Harry jumped for his flying glasses once more and landed in a pile of oatmeal, causing him to loose his footing and crash to the ground with a loud "Umph." Harry glared up at his wife as she summoned his glasses and handed them to him before helping pull him back to his feet.

"Having a bit of trouble, are we?" Ginny smirked.

"You could say that." Harry moaned as he rubbed his bottom where he had landed.

Ginny rolled her eyes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before she turned to the two little girls with her hands on her hips perfecting a stance and glare that Molly Weasley had mastered on her own children years before.

"Hero Elizabeth and Helena Jane Weasley," Harry shivered, thankful that Ginny's wrath was turned on the twins instead of him. She was just as scary as her mother sometimes, though Harry was clever enough to never tell her that. "I am very disappointed in the both of you. One," she held up a single tapered finger, "I'm quiet positive your mother and father do not want you using magic. Two," a second finger shot up, "If you need to use magic it should not, under any circumstances, be used to play tricks on people. And three," a third and final finger shot up. Ginny tried to keep her lips firm and not let the smile she was trying to hide peek through. Those two were really far too cute for their own good. They lowered their heads in an ashamed fashion that she had seen Ron do far too many times in their lives, while their bottom lips quivered slightly as they stared up at her with bright blue eyes. "Your uncles George and Fred would be very proud of you."

"Ginny." Harry cried when the two little girl's faces lit into radiant smiles. "I thought we were supposed to be punishing them."

Ginny waved away Harry's concern. "They're not our children love, they're Ron and Hermione's. Let them do the parenting. But," she pointed a finger at the two little girls, pinning them with her most serious face. "There will be no more magic done by you two in this house. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Auntie Ginny." Hero nodded as she jumped down from her chair and ran on her sill podgy legs to her uncle Harry. "Sorry Uncle Harry."

Harry smiled down at the urchin. "It's all right Hero." Harry crouched down and scooped her up into his arms. "Helena." He called to the other child, holding out his hand. "Let's go get you two washed up. To look at you one would think you'd rather wear your food then eat it."

Helena smiled at Harry with a grin that reminded him so much of Ron before she two scooted off her chair and ran across the messy kitchen to take Harry's outstretched hand.

Ginny sighed as she looked around her once clean kitchen. There was oatmeal everywhere except, remarkably, on Sirius who was happily eating away at the mess poured in front of him on his tray. Shaking her head she pulled out her wand and with a few quick movements and some mumbled words the oatmeal disappeared. She mended the bowl and took it along with the pot she had used to make breakfast over to the sink where she set the rags to washing them spotless. Turning away from the sink while whipping her hands on a towel she was just about to check on Sirius when she heard a soft pecking at the window.

Turning around, Ginny saw a diminutive owl less the size of a fist hovering outside her window with a note attached to its leg. When she pushed open the window the bird zoomed inside and fluttered about the room like mad.

"Pig," Ginny called to the tinny owl, holding out her arm for the bird to perch on. Pig settled on her wrist just long enough for her to pull off the rolled note before he zoomed back out the window without stopping for water or for treats.

Ginny closed the window once again before she leaned against the counter and unrolled the missive. Her eyes scanned over Ron's hurried and so even messier then usual handwriting. It took her a few minutes to make out Ron's words and a few seconds more to put it all together.

Dropping the letter absently on the counter she called for Harry as she rushed to her son with a towel and attacked the mess on his face and hands with a vengeance. She was just taking him from his seat and settling him on her hip when Harry came into the room with a red headed child in each arm.

"What's the matter, Gin?" Harry asked upon seeing her flushed and anxious face.

Without stopping to explain, Ginny strode towards the sitting room where their fireplace was located. "Hermione's in labour." She called over her shoulder as she reached for the small cauldron that stood on their mantle with the floo powder inside it.

Harry rushed up behind her as she tossed a pinch of dust into the gentle flame causing it to change green. "Wa…wa…wait. Hermione's in labour? Now?"

"Yes. Pig just arrived with a message from Ron. She went into labour around three this morning."

Harry, who was still holding the twins, turned his wrist just enough so that he could see his watch face. It was slightly past ten. "Seven hours. And she's still in labour?" Ginny nodded. "I thought the second time went faster then the first."

The ginger haired girl rolled her eyes at Harry as she stepped up to the flames. "Every delivery is different Harry. It can take anywhere from a few hours to more then a day."

Harry's emerald eyes widened considerably. "A day? I pity the woman who has to go through labour for an entire day."

Suddenly Ginny's hand was over Harry's mouth stopping him from speaking. "Don't say that." She pulled her hand away. "Or you're going to jinx me."

"Jinx you?" Ginny stepped into the green flames ignoring Harry's question. "What do you mean jinx you?"

Ginny's lips parted and she called out. "St. Mungos."

"Ginny!" Harry called as the flames roared and his wife disappeared from sight.