Glow: A Harry Potter Fanfiction
By: TheWonderingWizard
Summary: Nope, not going to write one. Post-war Harmony. This is meant to be a follow-up to my story entitled "Cake". One needn't read that one for this to make sense, but they do take place sequentially. My standard disclaimer applies. Allons-y!
Rating: M for nudity, medical language, and references to sexual situations
Queen's Medical Centre
Nottingham, UK
04 October 2000
"Miss Jean Sinclair" the nurse called out, and a young woman stood up. She tucked a loose strand of her straight dirty blonde hair behind her ear. She smoothed her dress, adjusted her glasses, and smiled at the nurse.
"Yes, I'm Jean Sinclair" the young lady responded, and followed the nurse to an exam room.
The young lady in question was of average height and build. If the nurse had to guess, the age of her patient could range from nineteen at the youngest to twenty-five at the oldest. Fiona Power was a relatively new nurse, so estimating age was still a matter of guessing at this point. Fiona retrieved a set of hospital scrubs, and laid it on the exam table.
"Please remove your clothing and put these on. I will give you a few minutes to change. My name is Fiona, so just call my name when you're ready. I'll be on the other side of the curtains" the nurse told her patient, giving her a reassuring smile. The patient smiled back, and set her purse on the office desk as the nurse walked around the curtain.
Jean Sinclair started to undress as she was told. She took off her coat and hat, and put them on the provided hook on the wall She unbuckled, then removed her brown boots, and put them under the chair. Her indigo jeans and woolen came next, and she was thankful the room was warm. It was uncommonly cold at this point in the autumn, at least the cold rain held off for today. She took off her watch and her bracelets, laying them next to her puse. She shrugged out of her aran jumper, then undid her blouse and laid it on top of her jumper. Feeling just a tad exposed, Jean tied on the hospital scrubs for the added privacy. She reached up behind her back, and unhooked the clasps on her plain white cotton bra. She slid it down her arms, and felt bit of warm air on her enlarged and tender breasts. Then, she slid her plain cotton knickers down and laid them atop the pile of her clothes.
Thank Merlin I mastered full-body glamour charms, Hermione Potter thought as she continued to undress. I didn't have any Polyjuice at hand. That stuff makes me gag just thinking of the smell. That, and it only lasts about an hour. And, I don't know anyone I could have taken hairs from. A necklace with a lapis lazuli set into an encircled Trinity knot went onto the table with her other jewelry, a gift from her parents when she'd turned eighteen The two items of jewelry she did not set on the table were her engagement and wedding rings. The wedding and engagement rings were hit with a disillusionment charm so no one could see them. The engagement ring was 18K yellow gold with a diamond. The wedding ring was a stacked design that went around her engagement band. The yellow gold was beset with rubies, and reminded her of the house colours of Gryffindor.
The other piece of jewelry that would not be coming off today was a rather ornate golden ball suspended in the centre of her navel. She'd gotten the piercing done in Australia, and it was a major act of rebellion for her. It had hurt just a little bit to get the winged golden ball, but she loved it. Normally, the little golden ball had tiny silver wings and was a replica of a Golden Snitch. Thankfully, this model could hide its wings.
She had made her appearance as commonplace as possible, to avoid the possibility of being spotted and possibly recognised. The choice of a Muggle hospital nowhere near her home was also part of her plan. She did not want that uppity gossip queen Lavender Weasley getting wind of the heroine of the Wizarding War going to see a Healer. Knowing what kind of utter garbage her former roommate was capable of writing made Mrs Potter uneasy, and that was putting it mildly. Hermione and Harry had decided to "go Muggle" for their medical care to protect their privacy. Hermione really needed all the privacy she could get with this particular hospital visit. The last thing she wanted was to be on the front page of the Lifestyles section of the Daily Prophet after visiting a OB Healer at Saint Mungo's in London.
"Fiona? I'm all set" 'Jean' called through the curtains. The nurse came through, and washed her hands at the sink. Jean Sinclair was seated on the exam table with her spine straight and her shapely legs close together. Nurse Power began to examine the patient after the standard questionnaire .The patient was 175cm in height, weighing 65.77kg, body temperature was 37 degrees C. Pulse was a steady 62bpm, pulse ox was 95, blood pressure 110/70. Skin tone was normal, minimal blemishes. No history of skeletal or muscular issues. Heart sounding clear and strong. Lungs sound normal, slight wheeze. Patient has a history of asthma, but well controlled. Patient has been experiencing nausea, swollen and tender breasts, small weight gain, and slight mood swings.
"Okay, Miss Sinclair. Lay back with your head on the pillow, please. I need to examine your abdomen." Rolling the scrub top up to midway on the ribcage, Fiona began the next portion of her exam. A faint scar was running across the ribcage to her left hip, and it appeared to originate near the right shoulder and run through the right breast and sternum. There was a bit of softness to her abdomen, but also some very healthy muscles. Right around the navel, Fiona could see a piercing that looked familiar. There was a slight curve to the lower belly, below the navel and above the pubic mound.
"Miss Sinclair, are you sexually active?" the nurse asked her patient. With the slight curve and swell to her belly, and the other symptoms the patient was experiencing, it was likely the patient was pregnant. The nurse put an estimate of eight weeks gestational age, possibly more.
"Yes, I am. I'm in a monogamous relationship with a boyfriend. We've been together for five years, starting when I was seventeen. We started having sex about a year into our relationship, and I was on birth control. This past year, I told my boyfriend that I wanted a baby. He could not have been happier when I told him, and he wants very much to be a daddy as I want to be a mother. I love him more than life itself, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him."
Miss Sinclair was glowing, no doubt about that, Nurse Power decided. "Miss Sinclair, put your feet in the stirrups, please. The next part is to examine your vagina and cervix."
Hermione gently placed her feet into the stirrups, and she heard the nurse don a pair of exam gloves. The speculum was warm, which was a relief. Hermione thought back to the first time her family doctor did a gynecological exam, and the speculum was quite cold. Hermione had "the talk" with her mother when her monthlies had started at Easter in third year, and she asked her family physician about birth control when she was fifteen. She told the doctor she wasn't planning on becoming sexually active until after she turned seventeen if she had a serious boyfriend. However, some birth control methods helped the menstrual cycle. She started on the pill that summer.
Returning to Hogwarts the following September, she had her yearly exam with Madam Pomfrey. It was then that she found out witches can't take Muggle birth control, it was not effective The way the school Healer explained it, there was something with how a witch's body worked that rendered the contraceptive portion of Muggle treatments inert. Yes, it would help ease monthly cycles, but it was still quite possible to conceive. Hermione listened to the Healer, and she brewed her own Contraceptive Draught that weekend. She took the first dose, and kept vials of it in her trunk under a stasis charm. She needed a vial each week for it to work, and she took it when she woke up every Monday.
"Miss Evans, you can sit up now. I am all set" Fiona told her patient as she took off her gloves and washed her hands again. Hermione sat up, and Fiona brought over a needle and some blood phials, as well as a cup for a urine sample. "When was the last time you had your period, dear" she asked the young lady.
"My period seems to follow the lunar cycle exactly. I always get it the same week as the full moon, and has been like that for a couple of years. I went off of birth control back in mid-May, after my boyfriend and I decided we wanted to try to make a baby. I started keeping track of my cycles in my diary when I first got them, and the last time I bled was towards the end of August. " Miss Sinclair said.
"Well, your symptoms and what I've observed in my exam indicate that you might be pregnant. However, I can draw a blood sample to confirm it if you wish, or you can provide a urine sample. The urine test is similar to the one you can get at your local chemist, but more accurate. The blood test is more accurate than the urine test, but some of my patients are not fans of needles. It's up to you which test we do today. I'll give you a couple of minutes to think about it, okay?"
"That won't be necessary, Nurse Power. I'd like to take the blood test." Miss Sinclair replied, with a broad smile."How long do results take?"
"Oh, the equipment is on this floor, miss. I can have the results back to you very quickly. I think it will be about the amount of time it took Harry to catch the Snitch in his first game at Hogwarts" the nurse smiled at her patient."Your secret is safe with me, Mrs Potter." The nurse brought what was unmistakably a wand from a holster up her right sleeve. "I, Susan Amelia Bones, do solemnly swear upon my magic that I will keep what I learn about my patient in the strictest confidences. So I speak it, so mote it be. Expecto Patronum!"A glowing badger leapt from the tip of the ash wand, and coiled around Hermione, warming her from head to foot with its happy energy.
"Susan?!" Hermione exclaimed with a look of shock on her face. "I didn't know you became a nurse! Why the false name and altered appearance? And how did you know it was me?! My glamour charmwork is normally flawless!"
It was a joy to see one of her classmates and member of the DA again. The two had worked on their studies together from third year on, and the redhead Hufflepuff became a close friend and confidante to the Muggleborn witch.
"I wanted to try something new, y'know? Get away from our world for a little while, and live a different life. I found a time dilation chamber underneath The Boneyard after first year, and was able to use it to great advantage. Every summer, I would spend a month in the chamber. A month in real time was a full academic term in the Muggle world. I used that time to learn everything Muggles our age were learning. After Hogwarts, I was able to attend university, and got my nursing degree. I've been a nurse for three years now, and plan on going back for my Advance Practice Nurse programme in another year or two. The name and appearance were so our kind wouldn't treat me as some kind of celebrity. I'm only Fiona Powers here at the hospital and to my neighbours. Auntie Amelia has hinted that I should find a wizard and settle down, and she's right. All in due time, though. Our kind have more time than Muggles for having babies, anyway. As for how I knew it was you, Dolohov hexed you at the Ministry in fifth year. I remember you covering it with a conservative one-piece bathing suit in the Prefects' bath. Your piercing is also normally the Golden Snitch, but I can see why you'd disguise it when going Muggle."
"Susan, can anyone hear us right now? I'm trying to keep a low profile here, and I can't imagine that the hospital would be too thrilled that they have a witch under a false identity on staff." Hermione was wide-eyed at her realisation, and had a twinge of anxiety.
"Hermione, you're well within your rights to be wary. You need not worry,though. This is my personal exam room. None of the other nurses in this department use it. I've got privacy wards that are on par with what Auntie uses at the Ministry. No one outside this room can hear what we are discussing, and the wards also act as dampeners. So, that Patronus I cast would show up like a Lumos if someone were snooping. I'm also not the only magical working here. A full quarter of the staff here are magicals, and another third are Squibs or have relatives that are magicals. There's a good community of witches and wizards here, Hermione You're among friends. What few members of the Dark Alliance that live in the county keep to themselves. We both know all the Death Eaters either died with their Dark Lord, or were tossed through the Veil within a year of the Battle of Hogwarts. You're safe here, Mrs. Potter" the redheaded nurse assured her patient with a warm smile.
The former Hufflepuff resumed her work. Rolling up the sleeve on Hermione's blouse, she cleaned a patch of skin near the crook of her arm with an alcohol pad.
"This might pinch just a bit, 'Mione. Think of the smell of new parchment and good ink if that helps."
'Mione. Susan had called her 'Mione, just like Harry does. It was so pleasant hearing it from her classmate and confidante that she didn't even notice the needle pierce her vein and Susan collecting the phials of blood
."I'll bring these to run my tests, and will have the results back to you in no time, Miss Sinclair. You can put your clothes back on now that the exam is done" 'Fiona' said before walking through the curtains and going out the door, which she closed behind her.
After putting her clothes back on and dropping the glamour charms, Hermione sat in the exam room, giddy as possible. She and Harry were going to be parents! Hermione was going to be a mother! She and Harry had been planning on this, and now their plans and efforts were going to bear fruit. Well, Hermione was going to be doing the bearing. Harry had been reading every book about fatherhood he could get his hands on, just as she'd blazed through every tome on motherhood, both Muggle and magical. Her job at the Ministry was in the Wizengamot Administrative Services, and she was the Chief Paralegal and Archivist. She was also apprenticing with Ted Tonks to get her Wizarding law degree. She could continue to work almost as normal through her pregnancy with few complications. The one task that could pose an issue was in retrieving and shelving some of the larger law books or Wizengamot archives. Then again, she had been quite skilled with Levitation charms since First Year.
Harry worked with Witchcraft and Wizarding Educational Services, helping Muggleborn children and their families acclimate to the magical world. Hogwarts might be the best magical school in the United Kingdom, but by no means the only one. Saint David's in the Welsh countryside was a day school, as were Blackthorn in Country Antrim, Northern Ireland, and Saint George's in Glastonbury. Both Potters had jobs that allowed them to have a normal life, home for supper about the same time every night. Harry sat as Lord Potter during all Wizengamot sessions on a quarterly basis for legislative sessions, and other occasions when called for.
The curtains parted slightly, and Fiona/Susan walked in,smiling ear to ear. "I ran the blood tests, 'Mione, and I have the results. You are indeed pregnant, and I estimate you're a full nine weeks" she said, the smile showing no sign of waning.
"I can show you a way that will be like a Muggle ultrasound if you like. your shirt. The spellwork perform best when the instrument can rest on the skin of your belly. One of the Healers at Saint Mungo's patented this, and it's become an invaluable tool for the Healer community. You can use it at home, and show Harry. " Hermione smiled from ear to ear, and nodded her head eagerly.
Opening a drawer of the desk, Susan retrieved a flat circle of polished dark blue glass, about 8 cm across, and had a rune sequence carved on its edge. Showing the runes to her brunette classmate, Susan put the small disk in between her hands.
"Okay, lay back on the table and roll up your shirt. The sonogram disc can work best when the instrument can rest on the skin of your belly. My patients have found that the disc is a little chilly, so I'll warm it a bit for you.
Susan raised the exam table to have Hermione laying at a slight angle. Hermione lay back with her head on the pillow. She then rolled up a bit of her top, and pushed the waistline of her jeans down to her hips, so the disk could rest right above her womb. Susan moved her wand downwards slightly while pointed at the wall light switch. The lights in the exam room dimmed to a dim candlelight glow.
"We'll get a better picture of the little one with the lights down. Are you okay with the level of light, Hermione?" The former Hufflepuff turned mediwitch and nurse asked.
Seeing her friend and patient nod, Susan pointed her wand at the middle of of the disc on Hermione's belly. Moving her wand in a circle, she intoned "Ostende Partum" and tapped the center of the disk. A cone of bluish light emanated from the disk. Hermione thought it looked like the same colour of a Patronus. There, hovering in the air about two feet above her, was a view into her womb. Lines of happy tears leaked from her eye at the sight. She was moved beyond words at the sight before her. She was prepared for one baby. What she saw in clear detail, was not one baby, but a pair of twins. Hermione was going to be having twins!
"Bedad! Would you get a look at that!" Susan exclaimed, smiling and covering her mouth with her free hand. She'd put her wand into the pocket of her lab coat, and Hermione had taken her hand. "Twins! Oh my, Hermione! Two of 'em. From the picture, it looks like they're identical twins. But, it's too early to be completely sure. They're just two little angels, right there in your womb. Oh, Harry is going to be so thrilled when you show him this!"
Hermione was torn between wanting to laugh or cry, so she did both. "Susan! Thank you! Thank you for showing me this" she gushed as she squeezed the hand of her classmate and confidante.
"Want to hear them, Hermione? I can get try to get their heartbeats" Susan need not have asked, Hermione was nodding enthusiastically. "Ostium secundum audire pulsatio" Susan intoned after touching the disk with the tip of her wand. "I used a spell that will let us hear their heartbeats without hearing yours."
Almost immediately after Susan said this, the echo of two fluttering heartbeats filled the room. "Oh, my! That is music! Hermione thought to herself. Susan moved her wand around the disk, and the image changed to a 3D. Both babies were visible now, in high detail. The sound of their heartbeats got louder and richer as well. After a few minutes, the picture faded out, and Susan slowly brought the lights back up. The glass disc was now clear, and the runes had faded. As Susan removed the used instrument, Hermione adjusted her clothes to cover her belly.
"What do you think, Mrs. Potter?" Susan asked. Hermione giggled and brought her friend into one of her famous Hermione hugs. Both Hogwarts graduates were weeping tears of joy now. Releasing Susan from the embrace, she kissed her cheek in thanks. She leaned back against the angled exam table, and brought Susan's right hand to the little swell in her belly.
"I think these two are going to need their Auntie Susie around. Wouldn't you agree?" The redhead smiled and drew her friend and former classmate into a hug.
"I would love to be Auntie Susie to your babies, 'Mione. I'd love to help spoil them and teach them about magic. With both of their parents being magical, I think it's almost certain they'll be magical. Susan was crying her own tears of joy now.
"Okay, I think that about does it for this visit. If you and Harry are okay with it, I can take you on as one of my patients. I can do housecalls, use a surgery where you live, or you can visit here. I'll leave that all up to the two of you."
The two friends exchanged contact information. Susan lived in a village outside Nottingham city, and could Floo or Apparate anywhere. Hermione gave their address in Grantchester, just outside Cambridge. It was the same village where Hermione had grown up, and the Potters wanted to have some peace and quiet and to raise their family. Floo addresses were given as well as telephone numbers and email addresses. Given that both villages were nearly all Muggle, it would be best to post a letter, phone, or email. The neighbours would get curious if owls were seen winging about in the daytime, bearing letters tied to their legs. Susan also gave Hermione two of the sono-discs and the instructions . The pair of friends shared another hug, and Fiona/Susan left the exam room.
Before she left the exam room to drive back home, Hermione reapplied her glamour charms. It would not do to have one patient walk in for an exam, and another seem to walk out. There might be witches and wizards on the staff at the medical centre, but Hermione treasured being able to remain anonymous when needed. As far as the staff at Queens' Medical Centre knew, Jean Sinclair had come in today for an appointment with an OB nurse. Lessons learnt the hard way in war time were hard to forget.
Arriving home about two hours later, Hermione was still aglow with the news. She put her hand on the slight bump in her belly, smiling now that she knew there was a new lives growing there. She sent up a prayer of thanks to the gods and goddesses for this miracle. A new Potter and Granger generation, beginning right now. She had known since she was seven or eight that no matter what else she would be doing in life, she would be a wife and mother. Her parents had difficulties in getting pregnant with her, and were unable to have any other children. Well, the Potters were going to have a house full of the laughter of children. Perhaps not as many as Arthur and Molly Weasley, but certainly at least two. Harry would be home in a couple of hours, and Hermione couldn't wait to tell him the latest news and show him their children. Her parents were coming over to have dinner in a few days. Maybe she would bake her famous chocolate cake for it, and Harry would cook a roast.