No Time For Epilogues

Chapter 40

June 10, 2006,

10 a.m.

As active as she was, Hermione scoffed at the idea of bed rest the healer suggested months ago. The baby was larger than normal and the pregnancy was hard for the petite Hermione. She was due anytime now, and was supremely grateful for the bed rest. Her mother had taken an indefinite leave of absence to be there with her during the day while Ron was at work. If her mum wasn't there, Molly, Ginny, Luna, or Laura happily volunteered to be there. Now she had plenty of time on her hands to indulge in her guilty secret, something so secret that no one, not even Ron, her mum or Laura knew.

Nary a soul.

Because if someone found out her secret, she would never live it down. Never! No matter that this secret made good money, no matter that it had a world-wide following, no matter that many of the women she knew owned a few copies, Molly included. She wrote bodice rippers, tales of ridiculous romantic fantasy, with even more ridiculous pictures adorning the covers that made her cringe when she saw them on the shelves at Flourish and Blotts. It all started when she, Ron and Harry were on the search for the Horcruxes. She saw Ron returning from a creek one one day after a bath, shirtless and wet, and the fantasies began. They faced death, deprivation and confusion so much that year that the fantasies were her only mental escape, a welcome escape at that. The three she had written, under the pen name Haley Goodyear, were consistent sellers and one, The Sweetest Curse, had been on the Romance top ten best-seller list the past year. Thanks to confidentiality clauses from her solicitor, publisher, and Gringotts, no one would ever know that Haley Goodyear was really Hermione Weasley. So this day, propped on pillows, she was penning chapter four of her latest book, A Hexed Heart, when her mum came in with lunch. She muttered a charm to disguise the words and set the papers in her bedside drawer.

"Do you ever not work, pumpkin?" Elizabeth asked.

"I have to get the wording for the legislation just right," she fibbed. "Don't want to sound stupid in front of the Wizengamot, you know."

"I know you probably don't feel like eating, but I brought something anyway."

"Thanks," she said, taking a piece of bread from the tray.

"Hello?" a voice called from the hallway and Ginny swept into the room, now just over seven months pregnant with the second baby Potter.

"Where's Jamie?" Hermione asked.

"Harry likes to take him on his days off, so he took him to Hogwarts this morning," Ginny said. "How are you?"

She sighed and shrugged. "I just want it over. I'm tired of being...tired, fat and sore."

Elizabeth patted her hand and left the bedroom. "Soon enough."

"Mum was telling me again how happy she is to midwitch for you," Ginny said and settled in the settee beside the bed. "James came too quick for her to get there, but she's vowing to be there for this one," she said, patting her bump.

Hermione loved Molly as much as her own mum, and she was an incredible witch, but even she wouldn't be able to help the pain she knew she would be facing, the pain of an all natural birth. There were two events in a wizard or witch's life where magic wasn't used, at birth and death. Magic was deemed too unpredictable at the moment life left a magical being, and no one wanted to risk spell damage on a witch giving birth and harming a newborn wizard or witch. Molly had consulted over the months with Healer Hargrove about the large size of the baby and agreed on a pain drought that would numb the area the baby would make his or her entrance in case Hermione tore. The healer would make an appearance after the birth to make sure both mother and baby were fine. Molly had all her children at home and had been a midwitch fifteen times, which was more than Healer Hargrove had delivered, so Hermione would be in good hands.

Ginny took some books from her bag. "I know you think these things are best used for wiping your arse, but they really are entertaining, a good way to pass the time, you know?" She handed over the three Haley Goodyear books, Magic In the Moonlight, The French Sorcerer, and The Sweetest Curse.

"Entertaining you say?" she asked, considering that someone thought her books "entertaining" a compliment.

"Here, this one has a really good love scene in chapter five," Ginny said, indicating a page with the corner turned down. Hermione rolled her eyes. I know, I wrote it!

She flipped the covers off and swung her legs off the bed. "I have to use the loo, again."

Ginny helped her to her feet and she waddled to the loo across the hall. As she lifted her nightgown to take a seat, she felt as if something had shifted inside of her (that was kind of a relief, really) and looked down when she felt liquid running down her legs, some of it murky and pink.

"I think my water just broke!" she called out shrilly.

Seconds later, her mum and Ginny appeared at the bathroom door.

"I'll get mum and Ron," Ginny said with a encouraging smile and left.

"Let's get you back to the bedroom," Elizabeth said. "I need to prepare it. Are you ready?"

"I'm not sure-oww-now I'm scared," she said and put a hand to her back.

Molly, Ginny and Ron returned twenty minutes later. Elizabeth had put a plastic mattress cover and a spare sheet on the bed, a bowl of ice chips, towels, and washcloths next to the bed and some rubber balls for Hermione to squeeze. She was nude under a sheet, deciding that clothing was too hot and uncomfortable. Ron hurried to the bed, sat beside her and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hurt bad?" he asked.

"Not so much right now," she said.

"She's in the early phase of labor, contractions are about twenty minutes apart," Elizabeth said.

Molly took a seat on the settee and started making notes, asking Hermione questions and offering suggestions. She took some knitting from her bag.

"Can I stay?" Ron asked, brushing his wife's hair from her face and kissing her forehead.

"For now, but when the active labor phase starts, no. A birthing room is no place for men," Molly said in a no-nonsense voice. No one argued with the veteran midwitch.

"I'm glad I'm having it here, at home, in our bed," Hermione said and winced when a contraction hit. Molly looked at her watch and made more notes.

"Want me to read to you?" he asked and picked up the copy of The Sweetest Curse from the bedside table.

"Ron, the last thing I want to hear right now is romance," she said, wanting snatch the book from him and toss it across the room. "Just turn on the telly, there might be a football match showing."

More people arrived over the next few hours. Laura came with a camera and a figurine of Legolas, "the yummy Orlando Bloom flavor" she commented, and placed it on the chest of drawers across the room for a focal point. Her mum, Ginny, Molly would be there for the birth.

5 p.m.

Ron was reading from Hogwarts: A History when Hermione gasped "SHITE!" and gripped the sheet. Ron hopped from the bed. It was the worst contraction so far.

"Son, step aside," Molly said, looked under the sheet and did a quick examination. "Good, there's some dilation," she said and squeezed Ron's hand. "You'd better join the others."

He nodded and bent over to give Hermione a kiss, holding her face in his hands. "I'm so proud of you, you're going to be a brilliant mum."

When he opened the door to leave, Ian was there, with Ian Jr. peeking from behind his legs.

"Hi Daddy, hi short stuff," she said with a pained smile.

"Need anything pumpkin?" he asked.

"Where do I start?" she choked as a contraction hit.

Ian Jr. looked at his dad with wide, tearful eyes. "Sissy hurt?" he asked.

"Come on short stuff, why don't you show me your new dragon," Harry said and took the boy away with a quick wink of encouragement for Hermione.

6 p.m.

Ron gripped the chair, paced and ran his hands through his hair as another shriek and curse was heard from the bedroom. How much longer? It sounds like torture! I can't believe mum did this so many times!

"Yes, she certainly did," Arthur said with a chuckle. Ron looked at his dad, not realizing he voiced his thoughts.

"I hate not being in there."

"Ron, she has plenty of help, and face it, there's not much you can do," Harry said and both winced when "That's it, push, you can do it!" was heard then a muted scream.

In the bedroom, Ginny was behind Hermione, supporting her shoulders, encouraging her to "push that kid out and scream all you like!"

Elizabeth was holding her hand and wiping the dripping sweat from her face. "Come on pumpkin, you can do it, you won't remember the pain once the baby is in your arms," she assured her.

Hermione barely heard any of it. She felt like she was being tortured all over again. She was glad Ron wasn't here, not wanting him to see this agonizing mess.

"It's so hard," she panted and arched her back as another contraction hit. She then felt like curling up when the next wave of pain hit, but Elizabeth and Molly held her legs. "I see the top of the head, come now, push hard!" Molly shouted.

She didn't know how much more she could take. She felt nauseous and dizzy, but knew she had to keep pushing as she heard, "shoulders are out, one last big push now!" With a groaning, grunting effort the final push was made. A flash of light was seen between her legs and a the loud wail of a baby was heard. Molly held up the squalling, wriggling baby. Cheering was heard outside.

"Congratulations Hermione, you've got a little witch!" Molly declared and passed the baby to Elizabeth, who hurried her to the waiting bassinet. Hermione gave her a weak smile then passed out.

"Hermione!" Ginny shouted and laid her down, gently patting her cheeks.

Molly lifted her eyelids and felt her pulse. "She's fine, it was a big baby for such a small woman," she said and performed cleaning spells on her and the bed. Elizabeth was cooing and tending to the baby. Frantic knocks were heard on the door.

"Better let the new father in," Molly said. Ron came in and Elizabeth placed the baby girl in his arms.

"Congratulations, you've got a daughter."

He looked to the bed. "Is she all right?"

"It was hard for her, but she'll be all right."

Ron sat on the bed next to his wife, his baby in his arms. He felt his eyes welling with tears. Laura took a picture of the scene.

"We'll just give you some time alone," Molly said and the three left.

"Look what we made," he whispered to Hermione. "Rose Elizabeth Weasley."

The next day, households across England read the birth announcement that was at the bottom of the front page of The Daily Prophet.

War Heroine Delivery!

On June 10, 2006, war heroes Ronald and Hermione Weasley welcomed the birth

of their first child, Rose Elizabeth, at 6:20 p.m. Mrs. Weasley, Head of the Centaur

Liaison Office, opted for a home birth and was attended by family and midwitch.

Mrs. Weasley's healer states that mother and baby are doing fine and that the baby

appears to be a pretty mix of both parents. Harry Potter, close personal friend

of Hermione Weasley and himself a new father, was quoted as saying, "I'm very

happy for my friends and was thrilled to be named Godfather to Rose. She's an

adorable little girl lucky to have Ron and Hermione for parents."

August 20, 2006

Potter Hill

Two months later, Molly, Hermione and Luna were on hand for the birth of the second Potter baby. Like James, they opted to leave the sex of the baby unknown until the day of delivery. As with Hermione, Molly sat and knitted while the other three chatted. Every once in a while, a contraction would hit and Ginny would groan, grunt or slap the bed in consternation.

"Go ahead and let it out, let Harry hear the results of getting you preggers so soon after James," Hermione said lightly. Molly chuckled.

"I have to agree with Hermione on this one," Luna said.

"Look you two, I didn't get pregnant all on my own, all right? How long are you gonna take the mickey out of him?"

They shrugged.

"Oh, never mind...shite, that hurt!"

"Like I said, let it out," Hermione said lightly.

Harry sat in the parlor and winced as an other round of shrieks came from the bedroom. There was never a more conflicted man on Earth at that point in time than Harry. He was thrilled to be adding to his growing family, a family he had dreamed of and cherished; but felt horrible for impregnating Ginny so soon after James. He was still a baby, still nursing and here she was about to add another baby to the mix. He thought back to the morning he was sure conception happened.

It had been months since he and Ginny had been able to make love. She was so much more beautiful and sexy to him after having James. The morning in question, she had just nursed the baby, who promptly spit most of it back up on her, so she took a shower after putting him down. He had just got off the night watch and walked into the bedroom as she was exiting the bathroom in just a towel. He forgot all about the maddening shift he had just finished.

"Hey love, how was work?" she asked and felt his strong arms wrap around her and drop the towel.

So nine months and five hours later, Ginny delivered Albus Severus Potter. He was all Harry, evident at birth, with black hair and emerald green eyes and another birth announcement made the front page.

Another Potter Born!

On August 20 at 3:20 p.m., Ginevra (Ginny) Potter, retired

Quidditch star and Chief Quidditch reporter for this very

paper, gave birth to a second child, Albus Severus, namesake

of two former Hogwarts Headmasters. The proud father, Harry

Potter, declined to comment; however, close friends of the

couple state that Harry is delighted with his growing family.

For more about Harry Potter, please see page 3.

For more about Ginny Potter, please see page 4.

:)