No Time For Epilogues
Chapter 39- Let's Talk Babies
For the most part the next few years passed happily for the families of our story. After the release of her book, she went on a six-month lecture circuit to Ministries for Magic around the globe. Upon return, she was made head of Centaur Liason Office, now recognized as a legitimate entity. As one of the heads in a division, her exposure to the Wizengamot increased, as did her interest in the Council of Magical Law. She even kept up with her twice-monthly football matches.
While Hermione was on her lecture circuit, Harry used the time to try and woo Ron into the Aurors. Reforming the Ministry was not an easy task, but having Harry Potter there was a step in the right direction. Magical Law Enforcement, the face of the Ministry, was the best place to start. Harry and his class were almost through with training, so Kingsley encouraged this group to recruit like-minded wizards and witches. Ron and Neville were Harry's first choices.
October 2004, The Burrow
For years now, Molly had insisted that the family gather for lunch every other Sunday at The Burrow. So on this particular Sunday, Hermione observed the goings-on with a smile. 7 year-old Teddy and 6 year-old Victoire were discussing the intricacies of something they invented, "the box game," while Bill put his second daughter, Dominique back on her feet after falling on her bottom. She was just learning to walk, with her grandparents looking on proudly. Ron saw Hermione watching the children and went to her.
"Okay love?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she said, waving him off, but he wasn't fooled. He bent over and whispered, "Soon enough, we'll have our own to add to this brood."
For almost a year now, Hermione had been trying to get pregnant, to no avail. They had seen a healer those first few months, an older one, who told them to "don't worry, keep trying, let nature take its course."
Ron wanted a second opinion, from a younger healer perhaps, who might have some insight beyond the early nineteen-fifties in regard to reproductive issues. They did seek out a younger healer, sympathetic to the young couple, who ran a full battery of tests on both Ron and Hermione. Both were pronounced healthy, except that Hermione's monthly cycles were very irregular, which might be contributing to her inability to conceive. She was put on a potion regimen to regulate her hormones, but to no avail. It was starting to take a toll on her.
In October 2004, when everyone was seated for lunch at The Burrow, Ginny tapped her glass to get everyone's attention and announced that she was retiring from professional Quidditch. Silence ensued for a few seconds then the comments and questions started.
"You're in your prime!"
"Why? The Harpies are in second place in the league!"
"Are you hurt?"
"Did they want to trade you?"
"Is McClennan still bothering you?"
Ginny held up her hands to silence them. Harry was hiding a smile behind a hand.
"I told the team yesterday after practice, and the press conference will be held tomorrow."
"But why?" Molly asked. "It's all you've wanted to do! You're one of the best chasers in the league!"
"Something better came along," Ginny said and squeezed Harry's hand. At that point, Hermione knew. "I'm pregnant."
Molly gasped then squealed "My baby!" The dining room was soon filled with congratulatory hugs for the couple, speculations about who the baby would take after, and advice. Ginny saw Hermione standing off to the side, gazing at Ginny with tearful eyes, a bittersweet smile on her face, but something was still off. Ginny knew her too well.
"Hermione?" she asked.
Everyone turned to look at Hermione, who quickly wiped her eyes and continued to wring a napkin. "I-I'm happy for you...this is wonderful news...excuse me," she said and left the house. Everyone looked at Ron.
"Ginny, we really are happy for you. It's just...she's been trying to get pregnant for almost a year now," Ron said and slid into a chair with a sigh.
He explained the visits to the healers and the difficulties the past eleven months.
"And you've said nothing?" Molly asked.
"Mum, everyone, this is very personal to us, so please understand that we just don't want to blurt out hey, we can't get pregnant, any advice? She feels like a failure. You don't see it, because of the brave face she puts on, but she gets so depressed sometimes."
Ron leaned back in his chair and looked outside. Hermione was sitting by a tree, crying and looking at the sky.
"Surely there's something that can be done," Molly said.
"Our healer is doing everything he can," Ron said and rose from the chair.
"I'm taking her home."
On July 10, 2005, James Sirius Potter was welcomed to the world. When Harry emerged from the delivery ward with a little blue bundle, he went straight for Hermione. Everyone understood why.
"Meet your nephew, James," he said and laid him in Hermione's arms.
She cooed over the baby and ran her fingers lightly over the soft auburn fuzz atop his head and gave him to Molly. Over the past months, being with a pregnant Ginny helped her through the depression and her practical side of took over. She was starting to accept the fact that she just wouldn't be able to conceive, so she and Ron were looking into adoption and at her mother's suggestion, exploring Muggle methods of infertility treatments. In August 2005, Hermione's healer asked for her permission to show her case to a healer visiting from America.
"The President of the North American Magical Administration is coming for a visit, and his personal healer is tagging along. He's an old colleague, and I've heard of a new fertility treatment they've been using over there. I want him to see your case."
"Of course, I'm willing to do just about anything at this point," Hermione said.
The first week of September found our couple in their healer's office once again. He welcomed them with a smile.
"How are you both?"
"Fine, thanks."
"Well, I have some promising news. Do you remember the fertility treatment I mentioned last month? I've seen the case studies and reviewed the treatment and believe it could be successful in your case. You would be the first British witch to try it. Are you game?"
He was asking two Gryffindors if they were game? "Of course," they answered.
He continued. "They went back to the basics and examined the hormones of cats in heat and applied it to various existing fertility potions. I won't go into the science of it all, but all told they've had a seventy percent success rate with the treatment, and of that seventy percent, 45 percent resulted in multiple pregnancies."
"Do you really think it can work for me?"
"I wouldn't have you in here, telling you about this if I didn't think so."
His heart truly went out to this obviously loving young couple.
"Okay, what do we have to do?"
Two hours later, Hermione was at her parent's house, with her five year old brother, Ian Jr. in her lap. He was excitedly telling her of his first week of primary school while the Grangers were looking over the literature for the new fertility treatment. They looked pointedly at her every once in a while while she nodded and commented in points in the conversation with her little brother. She was already starting to feel the effects of the draught she had taken in the healer's office two hours ago. Ron was at The Burrow telling the Weasleys what she was telling the Grangers.
"Ian, could you go play with the new dragon your sister brought so we can talk with her?"
The little boy shrugged, said "sure!" and jumped from her lap.
Ian cleared his throat and began. "So basically...you'll be in heat?" he asked, making a monumental effort to keep a straight face.
Hermione nodded, rolled her neck and shifted in her seat.
"How will Ron be able to-?" he started to ask but stopped when he saw the flush travel up his daughter's neck to her face, then her nostrils flare.
"He's been given some stamina elixirs," Hermione said, took a sip of water and wiped the sheen of perspiration off her forehead.
"Are you feeling the effects of the treatment right now?" Elizabeth asked.
Hermione sighed and nodded. "I wanted to stop by and let you know what's going on, we'll be out of the loop for a few days."
At The Burrow, there was absolute silence when Ron finished telling them about the visit with the healer.
"Of all the new-fangled notions...why, I've never heard of such a thing," Molly declared. "This sounds like some kind of lust potion."
"I'm sure it's not like that," Ginny offered, giving her brother an encouraging smile.
"You don't know how bad we want a baby. It was easy for you, mum, so you can't imagine how it is for us. Look at the papers, see for yourself. They've had a seventy percent success rate with this in America. It's not a lust potion, it'll just give her reproductive system a boost."
"I only have one question," George said. "How will you...keep up?"
The women in the room snorted and commented "of course, leave it to the bloke to ask that!" while the men waited for an answer. They really wanted to know. Ron blushed redder than his hair.
"The healer prescribed some stamina potions," he mumbled.
"Stop it! You're embarrassing him!" Ginny scolded. She really didn't see anything wrong with the proposed treatment. If it would help her brother and sister-in-law have a baby, she was all for it. So what if it made Hermione a little randier for a few days? If I could be the fly on the wall for that...well, maybe not. Hermione was passionate enough as it was, so it was safe to say a randier Hermione meant that Ron was in for the ride of his life.
Over the course of the next three days, Ron went through the entire dozen vials of stamina potion the healer had given him. He had no choice, Hermione had been absolutely insatiable. He had no idea it would be like this. It wasn't a bad thing, it was very good rather, but he was exhausted, starving and sore. He thought that he might make a dash to the healer for more stamina drought while she was sleeping, but she stirred and groaned. There would be no leaving once she woke. He propped up on an elbow and watched her wake. She sighed, licked her lips and stretched. When she opened her eyes and looked at him, the "feral" look she had the past three days wasn't there, a faint frown appearing instead. She hopped from the bed made a mad dash for the loo. He followed and held her hair while she wretched.
"I hope this is morning sickness, not something I ate," she said after she brushed her teeth. "Right then, to the healer we go!"
At St. Mungo's, Healer Hargrove didn't expect to see them so soon. He hoped nothing was wrong. He told the receptionist he would be seeing them immediately and to push back the other appointments or reschedule them altogether. He went to the waiting room himself to greet the couple. Hermione was leaning on Ron, sleeping, while he flipped through an old magazine. He saw the healer approaching and gently nudged his dozing wife.
"Wake up love, healer's here."
Arthur's cell rang while he outside repairing a fence. Molly answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hey mum, it's Ron. Can you gather as much of the family as you can and come to the manor?"
"Is something wrong?"
"No mum, something's very right. Can you do it?"
"Of course, we'll be there as soon as we can."
He made the same call to the Grangers. "We'll pick Ian up from his play date and come right over."
Half an hour later, both families were gathered in the parlor of the manor. Ron brought in drinks and snacks for everyone.
"So, now that the whole gang is here, why are we here? And where is Hermione?" Elizabeth asked.
"She's sleeping, and I brought you here to tell you that we get to welcome the newest Weasley the second week of June," Ron proudly announced.
January 2006
2006 would prove to be a busy year for the Potters and Weasleys. In January, at a Sunday lunch at the Burrow, Hermione informed everyone that she would be starting Advocate training at the Ministry. She would still remain Head of the Centaur Liason Office, but spend part of her days at the Office of Magical Law.
"It's a dream come true. I'll be able to effect real change at the Ministry and help so many against so much unfairness," she said.
"Love, are you sure all that stuff won't be too stressful on you?" he asked.
Hermione was a vibrant, glowing 4 months pregnant. "I'm pregnant Ron, not crippled. If I thought for a minute it would be too much, I wouldn't be doing it. Pass the peas, please?" she asked.
A baby's cry was heard from upstairs. "I'll get him, you stay and eat," Molly said and returned with six month old James. "Time for a nappy change," she said.
"I'll do it," Harry said, took the baby from her and went to the sofa while everyone else talked.
"So Ginny, how are those trees doing?"
"Good, the apples are almost ready to pick."
"Can we have some?"
"Of course, missus all-you-do-is-eat."
"Hello, pregnant woman here!"
"Thought of any names for the baby?"
"We'll decide when the squirt's born."
"Ron, our baby is not a squirt!"
"Yes dear."
"Anyway, we thought maybe Rose or Hope for a girl."
"Boy?"
"Hmm...Alex or Hugo."
"Alex I get, but why Hugo?"
"That's our healer's name. He's our hero, no offense Harry."
"None taken. He's a hero for what he's done for you." And I'm called a hero for taking a life, go figure.
The next day, Ginny dropped by Hermione's cubicle for lunch.
"Hi there!" Hermione said, tossing aside her quill.
"I come bearing food," Ginny said and held up a bag of food. "I have the rest of the day free, just turned in the article for the Harpies-Appleby game."
When she retired from Quidditch, the Daily Prophet offered her a job as Head Quidditch reporter.
"Do you miss it?" Hermione asked, taking an inhumanly large bite of her sandwich.
Ginny shrugged. "Sometimes, but then I think of all the things I'd miss if I were still playing. I would be away so much and miss all the best, cute stuff with Jamie."
"I've read your articles, they're very good. You should write a book."
"Harry says the same thing, but honestly, a book?"
"I thought the same about my book before I started it. I thought who in the world would read this? Now look at it: six years later, it's still on the best seller list and the Hogwarts Board of Governors is thinking about using it at Hogwarts." My book at Hogwarts! To Hermione, that was the pinnacle of professional achievement.
A couple of minutes later, Hermione stood up and called out, "Someone summon a healer!" Ginny fainted as they were talking, and Hermione managed to catch her before she fell to the floor. She sent a note to Harry, who apparated in a minute later as a Healer was reviving Ginny.
"Harry, she just keeled over as we were talking," Hermione said and rubbed her now upset stomach. Ginny was dazed when she sat up, looking at Harry and Hermione in confusion.
"You passed out," Harry said. "We're going to St. Mungo's."
At the hospital, it didn't take long to find out what was wrong with Ginny. Well, nothing was wrong, per se. Ginny and Harry came from the emergency ward, both looking dazed.
"I'm two months pregnant," Ginny said.
"Wow, that was quick," Hermione quipped and hid her smile behind a hand. Little James would be 13 months old when this new baby was born. They would certainly have a lot on their plates.