Chapter 44- Waiting
Ruby woke up feeling mildly better, she opened her eyes and saw that her Dad was sleeping on a chair next to her bed. The clock on the wall said it was almost three in the morning.
"Dad?" Ruby whispered, nudging him. He woke up quickly and blinked in confusion for a moment.
"Any news on Hamish?" She asked, her father shook his head.
"You're looking better though, let's go and find out, then you can go home and get a couple of hours sleep before you start work." Ruby nodded and sat up slowly.
As they exited the office they saw Penny walking past with a clipboard.
"Oh, good, you're up. I'm just going home."
"It's a bit late, isn't it?" Her father asked.
"Yes, I had some paperwork to do." Penny gave Ruby a significant look and the young trainee knew immediately that Penny had been doing a write-up on the Longbottoms.
"We're just going to see about Hamish."
Penny nodded but didn't say anything.
When Ruby and her father arrived in the relatives' room they were slightly surprised to see that the two families had combined, Ruby thought that must be a good sign.
"He's out of surgery, still sedated though." Scorpius reported, with a grimace on his face.
"That's good." Said Ruby quietly.
"You look like crap, Rubes." Said James, yawning.
"Thanks James, you sure know how to charm a…"
"He's right Ruby, you look like you've been throwing up for hours!" Alice said, looking confused.
"Nope, just doing some paperwork. I'm going to head home…"
"Go to the manor, no arguments." Her father said sternly, Ruby wished she could kick him for being so obvious. Instead she nodded and smiled.
"Yes, I want to check on Mom, I'll see you all in a few hours, I'm in a six." Scorpius walked with her to the Floo point, during which time Ruby complained about her father.
"…couldn't argue with him, could I?"
"He just doesn't want you to be alone, I was going to suggest it anyway."
"I'm pregnant, not ill!"
"You're both but I still love you." Ruby huffed indignantly but when she turned to kiss him goodbye she saw how tired and stressed he looked and her anger melted away.
"I'm sorry, I'm being unreasonable. I love you, try and get some sleep." Scorpius nodded and Ruby kissed him softly and then floo-ed to the manor.
She threw up the very second her feet touched the marble floor. She was about to vanish the evidence when she heaved again and dropped her wand which clattered loudly to the floor.
"Ruby?" Ruby felt herself heave again and a bucket appeared in the perfect place. When she looked up she saw her Aunt Minnie stood at the bottom on the stairs, wand out, looking very concerned.
"Hi, can I stop the night?" Ruby asked, conjuring a tissue and wiping her mouth trying to look much better than she felt, floo-ing had not been a good idea.
"Of course, but what…?"
"Ruby, are Teddy and Hamish alright?" Ruby looked up and saw her mother standing at the top of the stairs with the Moonstone blanket wrapped around her.
"Yeah, Teddy's the same and Hamish made it out of surgery."
"Oh good, I was worried."
"But…what's wrong with you?" Her Godmother asked, pointing to the bucket.
"I'm fine."
"You're sick."
"Dodgy landing." Ruby replied, avoiding her godmother's eye.
"You're pregnant!" Ruby heard her mother snort and looked up at her for help.
"Sorry poppet, out of my hands."
"How did you know?" Ruby asked with a sigh, looking to Aunt Minnie.
"Eliza." Aunt Minnie replied simply.
"I didn't say anything!" Her mother said indignantly.
"As usual with you, Eliza, it's what you don't say that speaks volumes."
"What?" Her mother asked, leaning on the bannister and looking confused.
"Your daughter had thrown up and you don't seem concerned."
"Oh, true, sorry Ruby."
"It's alright, James gave me a muffin, I've been up all night in Paeds with Dad, Penny let me use a spare room."
"How far along?"
"Ten weeks, well, nearly eleven." Ruby said, yawning.
"Congratulations Ruby." Ruby found herself embraced by her godmother and within half an hour she was tucked up in bed with her mother, both sharing the Moonstone blanket.
"You're sure he'll be okay?"
"We wouldn't put your husband in any harm, Mrs Lupin."
"Ruby?"
"Vic, just let us do our job, please." Ruby said with a sigh, they had spent the past twenty minutes trying to convince Vic that reducing the sedation was the best course of action.
"Come on, Vic, Ruby and Healer Kyle know what they're doing." Said Uncle Harry, his hand on Vic's shoulder. Ruby's mother was also in the room, sitting on the other side of the bed.
"Okay." Vic said, her lip trembling. Kyle nodded at Ruby and she pointed her wand at the drip stand and started the process.
"How long will it take?" Uncle Harry asked.
"Anything up to an hour, I'll stay and watch him."
"Give me a shout when he's awake, Ruby." Kyle left the room and Ruby conjured herself a chair at the foot of the bed and sat down. She put her hand in her pocket and felt the chocolate frog card with trembling fingers.
"When will you wake Hamish up?" Vic asked, not moving her eyes away from Teddy.
"That's not up to us, he's under Spanswick's team now." Ruby replied, her own eyes flicking between the three monitors that were attached to Teddy.
"What time does the bonfire start on Friday?"
"Eight, Scorpius said to tell you that they'll be food provided." Uncle Harry nodded.
"Where's Uncle Fred?"
"He's at Malfoy Manor, sorting out the fireworks." Ruby's mother said, her lip trembling slightly.
"Is Aunt Ginny coming?"
"I told her not to but she's going, I don't want to argue with her at the moment, her magic is too volatile and I like all my limbs where they are." Uncle Harry replied.
"She wants to get out of the house, Harry, she's been cooped up for months."
"She's cooped up for her own good, she kept yelling at people at work, it was early maternity leave or sacking!"
One of the machines starting beeping lightly and Ruby glanced at it, flicked her wand and then yawned.
"What does it mean?" Asked Vic, jumping up and looking at the machine in horror.
"It's just on a timer, so we check it, don't worry, everything's fine."
"Oh, that's ridiculous it scared the bloody life out of me!"
"Sorry, that one will do it in a minute." Vic sat back down and started stroking her baby bump.
"Mom, are we working on the project this afternoon?"
"Yes, we've got a visitor coming in."
"I thought you weren't supposed to be working?" Uncle Harry asked.
"I'm not working, I'm watching Ruby and Penny work."
"Merlin's sake Eliza, can't you switch your brain off for five minutes?"
"No, it's already been lazy for a month."
"Does Minerva know?"
"Yep."
"And she's okay with it?"
"She understands." Ruby's mother answered vaguely.
"Eliza, you should be resting, it's just work!"
"Coming from you I find that highly amusing."
"I take holidays!" Uncle Harry said indignantly, all three women snorted.
"I'm taking paternity leave, for a month!"
"I give it a week until you pop into the office." Ruby's mother said.
"I give it two days." Came a familiar, yet groggy, voice from between the family.
"Teddy!" Vic said, standing up quickly.
Ruby glanced between the three monitors and then stood up, just as Vic was kissing Teddy all over his face.
"…ever…get hurt again…stupid job…worried…"
"I'll grab Kyle." Ruby said, dashing out of the room. She waited and took a deep breath before moving to find Kyle.
When the healers returned to the room Ruby's mother was kissing her adopted-son and holding Vic's hand tightly.
"Auror Lupin, how are you feeling?"
"Hey Healer Kyle, okay thanks, a bit stiff."
"Well if your family could step outside for a few minutes we'll check you over. Unless you'd prefer Ruby to leave as well?"
"Nah, she's already seen my bits a few times." Ruby blushed.
"Please don't remind me." Teddy laughed and the others left the room.
Kyle spent twenty minutes giving Teddy a thorough check up whilst Ruby took notes. When he was finally declared stable Kyle left to collect the family and Ruby stepped closer to the bed.
"I've got a present for you." She said, bending down and kissing his cheek.
"Really? What's it for?" Ruby shrugged and pulled the card out of her pocket and passed it to him. He flipped it over and swore loudly.
"Is it a real one?"
"Yep, I got it last night, Scorpius gave me a chocolate frog and that fell out." Ruby's mother, Uncle Harry and Vic returned to the room as Teddy read the card in disbelief.
"I…I can't believe it…"
"Oh, good, you told him about the baby, I'm rubbish at keeping secrets from him." Said Vic, sitting next to her husband.
"What baby?" Asked Uncle Harry and Teddy at the same time.
"Fuck, sorry!"
"Alice is having a baby." Ruby said instinctively.
"Really?" Asked Vic and Teddy at the same time. Ruby groaned and rubbed her forehead.
"That's why you disappeared when James gave you the muffin!" Uncle Harry said, pointing at Ruby.
"You're having a baby!" Teddy accused.
"Maybe."
"And Alice?"
"She might be…"
"She's not, honestly Ruby I thought you'd got my ability for a cover story!" Ruby's mother said with a laugh.
"I'm really tired!" Ruby moaned before standing up. "And I'm still at work, I'll see you all later."
"But…" Uncle Harry said, still pointing at Ruby's stomach.
"It's your fault, Uncle Harry, if you hadn't saved Draco Malfoy's life then he wouldn't have had Scorpius and I wouldn't be pregnant."
"Yes Harry, you should have thought about your future niece when you were being so noble." Ruby's mother said, laughing.
"Don't tell anyone, we're announcing it at the bonfire."
"What bonfire?" Teddy asked, Ruby let the others explain and returned to the office.
A/N I know it's a short chapter, the next one will be longer, I promise!
**New story- FAYZ-plus-one for any fans of the Gone series by Michael Grant (which I recommend to everyone because they are awesome!**
girlwholived- Haley Potter- James didn't suspect, they'll all find out soon. Hamish will live.
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks, I like to think that Harry's cards are really common and Eliza's are almost too rare.
Scorubes4life- Thanks, it's coming on, slowly!
Luna- Thanks, Hamish will live.
Mozie- Thanks, I was too lazy to look up the date so I guessed!