Author's Notes: These characters belong to their creators.
Chapter Inspiration: With Arms Wide Open by Creed
Chapter 13
The ground came up fast and hard under Dean's feet. It had been a while since he'd apparated, so he was definitely out of practice. In fact, he'd nearly fallen over, so he'd let go of Hermione so he wouldn't accidentally pull her over. He was attempting to behave himself. He looked to Hermione who was studying building in front of her. They were standing between two shops on a busy street in London.
"Uh, where's the doctor's office?" Dean asked looking around.
"You can't see it because you're a muggle." Hermione informed him still gazing at the blank wall that Dean could see.
"So are you." He pointed out.
"I mean, you're a non-magical muggle." Hermione clarified. She was reading the instructions for bringing a non-magical muggle inside the office.
"You mean a no-maj?" Dean replied, in an attempt to be funny.
"You think you're funny." Hermione quipped, kissing him on the cheek lightly. She found him funnier than she would let on.
"So, what's the deal? How do we get in?" Dean asked.
"Technically, I could go in now, and leave you standing here. However, I'm not that kind of person, so I'm reading the instructions as to how to get you in." Hermione informed him.
"Oh, all right." Dean replied. He was starting to get nervous. This would make things a little bit more real to him.
Dean was shifting around from one foot to the other beside Hermione, who continued to read. The process seemed easy enough, she was just nervous. This would be the first time she had Dean with her, and she was still unsure how he would react. Sure, he said he wanted to be involved, but he could always change his mind. The memory of how his fingertips had caressed her belly just a little bit ago filtered through her mind. Somehow it gave her the confidence to grab the charm hanging from a golden hook beside the entrance. She held it out to Dean who eyed it suspiciously.
"What is that?" He questioned, emphasizing the 'that.'
Rolling her eyes, Hermione explained. "It's the charm that will allow you to enter the healer's office."
"I have to wear a necklace?" Dean asked.
"Dean Winchester, if you don't put the necklace on, you can't come in, and I won't tell you what the baby is. I'll make you wait until it's born!" She threatened.
"Fine." Dean relented, holding his hands up in the gesture of surrender for the second time since they'd woken up.
He took the gold necklace from her fingertips and pulled it on over his head. As soon as it was situated under the collar of his t-shirt, he turned to the building once again. This time, instead of seeing a blank wall, he saw steps leading down to double glass doors with writing etched in the surface of the glass: Luna Lovegood, Healer.
"Luna's your healer?" Dean asked, his mind easily recalling the small blond haired witch he'd met during the Battle of Hogwarts.
"Yeah. You met Luna?" Hermione asked.
"I did, when I was with Harry, while you were off with Ron." Dean explained, still a little freaked at the appearance of an entrance in the middle of a solid building.
"Oh, brilliant." Was all Hermione replied. Deciding that stalling was no longer an option, Hermione gently took Dean's hand and pulled him along with her. They descended the steps, and walked through the glass door. Hermione kept her hand in Dean's as she walked up to the receptionist window.
"Name?" The receptionist asked in a bored tone of voice.
"Hermione Granger."
With a flick of the wand, the receptionist summoned Hermione's file to the desk. "You're a prenatal patient, correct?" The woman asked, never once looking at the very obviously pregnant witch.
"Correct." Hermione responded quickly when she heard Dean's sharp inhale.
"Any changes to report?" The woman asked again.
"This will be my last appointment with Luna. I'm going to be seeing an American doctor after this." Hermione informed the woman, much to Dean's satisfaction.
A quill took the information down, word for word. Once Hermione had finished speaking, it put itself, tip down, back in the bottle of ink. Dean watched it wide eyed. He still wasn't used to much in the magical world. "Very well. I'll let Ms. Lovegood know you're here." The receptionist said, still not looking up from the book she had open on the desk.
Dean was about to retort that she should be paying attention, and do her job, until he felt Hermione's hand press on his chest. She moved him so they could go sit in uncomfortable looking plastic chairs. "She wasn't even paying attention to anything." Dean whispered once they were sitting.
"I know. I'm used to it since I've been coming here for a while now. Luna says that as soon as she can replace her, she's going to." Hermione whispered back.
"Good." Dean agreed. Just then a wooden door opened, and Luna peeked around it to see them sitting there.
"Hermione! Dean!" Luna greeted sunnily.
"Hi Luna." Hermione greeted lively.
"How's it going? Dean, I'm happy to see you again. I see you still have very few nargles." Luna rambled, not allowing a second for either to answer her initial question. She was leading them down a hallway as she talked. "I'm assuming, since Dean's here, he's the father? Oh, what a good looking baby this is going to be." She continued talking as she opened an exam room door for them to enter. Hermione immediately went over to the exam table and sat on it, Dean stood beside her, a little shell shocked at Luna's rambling. "At least today, you'll be able to find out what you're having, that is if you want to know. If you don't, I don't have to run the charm. I mean, I can if you want me to. I also want to listen to the heartbeat, just to make sure everything is as it should be."
"Luna, breathe." Hermione finally interrupted with a laugh.
"I apologize for my rambling." Luna finally said. "Hermione, how are you feeling?"
"Other than tired and hungry all of the time?" Hermione asked with a laugh. Dean frowned, he'd seen her eat meals since she showed back up, and they were normal sized at reasonable times. Was she not eating when she was hungry between meals? This was something he resolved to talk to her about once they got back to Bobby's.
"That's completely normal. Your morning sickness gone?" Luna asked.
"For the most part. Every once in a while, I still feel nauseous, but that's only when I'm stressed." Hermione replied.
Dean absorbed everything Hermione was telling Luna. He resolved to make extra sure he wasn't putting her under any stress.
"That's good. First, some measurements." Luna said, her voice completely professional, but kind. With a flick of her wand, measurements appeared in the air. Another magical quill took down the information, without Luna manipulating it.
"Well?" Dean asked once the numbers had dissipated.
"All's normal Dean. I have no concerns based off her measurements. In fact, she measures where she should for being six months along." Luna reassured him kindly. Hermione squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"Good." He replied, squeezing Hermione's hand back.
"Before I listen to the heartbeat, are you guys finding out the sex?" Luna asked them.
"Yes." Both Hermione and Dean replied at the same time.
"Okay then." Luna replied with a laugh. "Hermione, you know the drill."
Hermione laid on her back on the table, and unbuttoned the buttons of Dean's plaid, just to under her breasts. Dean tried hard not to stare at every inch of skin revealed. Once she was positioned, she reached out to Dean. He didn't hesitate to take her hand in both of his. He moved so he was standing right next to her head. Once they were ready, Luna approached the exam table with her wand.
"You may want to explain to Dean what you're doing. I may be familiar with all of this, but he's not." Hermione warned, sneaking a look at Dean's apprehensive face.
"Not a problem. What I'm going to do first is an amplifying charm. It will allow the heartbeat to be audible to our ears." Luna explained. She mumbled something in Latin, pointing the wand at Hermione's stomach. Almost immediately, a steady noise filled the room. Hermione's eyes welled up with tears at the familiar sound. Looking to Dean she saw that his eyes had gone wide. Shock registered across his features, saturating his brilliant green eyes.
"That's awfully fast, isn't it?" He asked Luna, his voice taking on an unusual breathy tone.
"Actually, it's rather perfect. Very healthy heartbeat." Luna replied, her blue eyes sparkling as she smiled comfortingly at Dean. He felt Hermione squeeze his hand again in a comforting gesture.
Another flick of the wand, and the sound stopped. Dean blinked, recording the sound to memory. He would never admit it out loud, but it had been the most amazing sound he'd ever heard. His eyes were drawn to the quill that had started writing again on its own. He was excited for the next part though.
"All right, now let's see what you're having." Luna announced. "Dean, this is a spell that can sense the DNA code. It'll pull the information and form it into a hair like wisp, when I touch the wand to Hermione's stomach, the wisp will attach to the tip of it. Once it's removed, it'll either turn pink or blue. Pink for a girl, blue for a boy, obviously."
"Is it going to hurt either of them?" Dean asked. He was pretty sure he liked the non-magical way of discovering the gender of a baby better, after hearing that explanation.
"No, there's no pain for Hermione, and it won't harm the baby at all." Luna assured him.
"Okay." Dean replied skeptically.
"Luna, the only way you'll convince him is to prove it. Go ahead." Hermione told the witch.
Luna smiled. "Very well." She spoke another charm over Hermione's stomach, then lightly touched the tip of her wand to the center of Hermione's stomach. Dean squeezed Hermione's hand when he saw the tip light up. Pulling the wand away, he saw the wisp Luna had described. It glowed a white color.
"What does white mean?" Dean asked fearfully.
"Give it a minute." Luna gently scolded.
About thirty seconds passed before there was a change in the color of the wisp. The white glow faded, and color replaced the white. Dean's face paled, and Hermione's eyes widened, tears filling anew.
"Congratulations mom and dad, it seems you're having a girl!" Luna announced happily.
Hermione's tears overflowed down her cheeks. Dean however, was frozen. Of all the things that had happened to him over the years, this was probably the most wonderful, and terrifying thing of them all. How in the world was he, Dean Winchester, supposed to handle a daughter? Hermione looked to Dean, and her joy instantly faded. He was standing so still, face white as a ghost. He most certainly did not look happy.
"Dean?" Hermione asked softly, fearfully.
Hearing the fear in Hermione's voice, Dean shook himself from the stupor the news had put him in. He gave her a reassuring smile as Luna bustled around the room. She was giving Hermione some kind of talk, but neither were hearing it. When she was done, she left them in the room, inviting the young parents to stay for as long as they needed. Once the door was closed, Hermione sat up to rebutton the shirt she was wearing.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Dean brushed off the shock.
"You're lying." Hermione said bluntly.
"I'm surprised, that's all." He told her, stepping closer to press a kiss to the top of her head. "I never thought this would ever happen to me, let alone that I'd be outnumbered by girls." He smirked, giving Hermione a wink.
"Outnumbered by girls, huh?" Hermione joked, sliding her arms around Dean's waist.
"Yeah, you'll just gang up on me." Dean predicted with a laugh, one arm wrapping around Hermione's shoulders.
"I bet she's going to have you, her Uncle Sam, and Grandpa Bobby all wrapped around her tiny little fingers." Hermione smiled as she said that.
"Sam and Bobby, definitely." Dean partially agreed.
"Uh huh." Hermione decided to humor him. Dean helped her down from the exam table, and dropped an arm over her shoulders. "Would you mind if we made a stop before we go back to Bobby's?"
"It's fine. You're the one transporting us around magically." Dean replied with a shrug.
"I just want to stop at Hogwarts. I want to tell Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hannah, and Professor McGonagall." Hermione replied.
When they'd stepped into the waiting room, Dean pulled Hermione so she was facing him. Placing his hands over where his daughter lay, he pressed a soft, meaningful kiss to Hermione's lips.
"What was that for?" Hermione asked gently. She knew Dean didn't do the feely stuff. He showed more than he said. His kiss the night prior spoke volumes about what he couldn't say, the way he'd been with her six months ago, said things to her that he had never vocalized. She knew her hunter, and he was likely about to blow off the kiss, but it had meant something. She just had to read it like she was learning how.
"Everything." Dean replied. He half hated himself, and half praised himself for not putting his feelings into articulated words. It was dangerous in his line of work to say such things out loud. That, and he considered it a threat to his macho exterior. He hoped his vague reply would speak more to her. Little did he know, it had, and Hermione fell for him just a little bit more.