Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter XLIV: Lysandra Leighton Potter

The months seemed to pass by very quickly for Luna Potter, and her stomach soon looked like it was holding half a dozen Quaffles. Her breathing was labored most days, but Harry had been very good about taking care of her every need.

On this day however, Luna had a very critical need, she needed to get to Saint Mungo's Hospital, because her water had just broken.

"Harry, oh Harry dear!" Luna called from where she sat, comfortably arranged on a stack of pillows on their bed.

Harry was beet red as he came rushing into their room, holding his hand above his heart as though he might keel over at the slightest breeze. "What is it dear? Is it time?"

"Yes. This should be exciting."

Harry swooped over to her and cradled his wife in his arms, he took each step carefully as he made his way out of the house.

"Knoby! It's time, I'll be back …er…" Harry searched his mind…"Sometime!"

"Very well, Master Harry! My heart goes with you, Miss Luna!" cried the excited house elf, who was rolling merrily on the balls of his feet.

The apparition to Saint Mungo's caused Harry a bit of trouble, for never had it been so important. He closed his eyes until his very face hurt, and concentrated on Saint Mungo's. He felt his lungs compress as he turned, and felt his ears POP! as he landed in front of the vacant window, which was the hiding place to Saint Mungo's.

"Out of my way! I'm Harry Potter! Slayer of the dark lord and my child comes quickly! Make way!" he dodged around the line of people waiting to be admitted and hailed the assistant. "Miss! Oh miss! My wife, she needs to be seen, I am fairly certain she is in labor…Luna?"

Harry looked at his wife who was wearing a most peculiar expression, her eyes widened to the size of Galleons and her mouth was frozen in a comical O shape.

"Luna! Are you ok?" Harry asked urgently.

"I swallowed a bug." Luna said vacantly.

Harry cocked his head, then looked at the attendant. "I assure you she is in labor! Her water just broke. Please?"

"Right this way, place her on this gurney and we'll see to her at once Sir." Said the medical aide, and Harry did as he was instructed.

A contraction seized Luna and she clutched at Harry's shirt, eyeing him with a certain degree of hatred. "I am going to kill you Harry, if you leave my side once, I'm going to kill you." She slammed her head against the pillow of her gurney and was wheeled into the passageways of Saint Mungo's.

#

Harry had the joy of donning a blue overcoat, the sort which never quite ties in the back. He was sanitized at least twice, during which time he had to separate from Luna's company under the direct orders of the head midwife.

He returned to her as soon as he possibly could, and it was good that he did, Luna was looking most fierce.

"Harry, darling,…I would very much like a cheering charm right now. Can you administer one, before I tear off your testicles?" Luna asked him straight faced.

There was a scattered bit of chuckling from the handful of attendants and nurses in the room, and the doctor looked at Luna with a wry smile. "I have never heard anyone threaten their husband so calmly, and yet you made it sound so sinister as well. I'm going to enjoy this one I think. Luna, I am Doctor River, I'll be making this miracle happen."

"That's nice doctor…Yei! Can we make this happen a little quicker? I have a husband to torture…" Luna gripped Harry's hand so he wouldn't dare leave her again.

"Of course, that's what I'm here for. In no time at all you'll be dilated enough for us to work our magic. When compared to Muggle birthings you're really quite lucky. The Muggle deliveries usually take anywhere from nine to forty-eight hours…or so I've been told by the magda zeens I've picked up in medical offices.

"Magazines…they're called magazines." Harry corrected the doctor , who looked flummoxed.

"Harry, don't fuck with the man delivering our child! He can call the magazines any thing he wants. Now let's do this pleeeeeeeeeease!" Luna shrieked as her body was wracked by the sharp pain of childbirth.

When asked about how the delivery was, Harry always spoke of how much the doctor sweated as he peered between Luna's legs, and of how Luna's fingernails had nearly made him bleed. Never did he recall exactly how much his ears had hurt, it was likely his memory blocking that part out. He did , however, always remember that first scream from little Lysandra, as she came into the world.

Her with her little grey eyes, and her perfectly button sized nose. Her wrinkled little hands, Harry remembered those well, the way they were drawn to her chest. Her tiny head, matted with dark hair. He remembered her first minutes of life, and to him, they were more real than any magic taught at Hogwarts.

Luna had sweat rolling down her face, but to Harry, she had never looked more gorgeous than she did that day.

He kissed her forehead and tasted her sweat, his lips pressed firmly against her. "I love you."

AN: Sorry for the lenghty time in updating. Reviews are loved.

TowerMage