Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Joyous Event!
Harry returned to Hogwarts and a big pile of homework that he was sure he'd never finish. The exam season was upon them, the fifth and seventh years were swamped with revision, most nights up until past midnight to complete essays and practice exams that they'd been set, Hermione was so stressed out that Madam Pomfrey had put her on a tablespoon of calming draught a day so that the baby wouldn't get stressed too.
Three weeks later while having breakfast Hermione was in a bad mood 'today is my due date but I bet this kid will not be born today, trust it to be just like its father, always late!'
Ron looked hurt 'I am not….
'Ron, don't start' Ginny said in a warning tone to her brother 'It won't be long now,' she said to Hermione reassuringly.
The last class of the day was double potions for Harry, Ron and Hermione while Ginny had that lesson off. Hermione had been irritable the whole day and Harry just wanted to get away from her, he had a feeling Ron did to.
After class Hermione pulled them aside, both groaned inside 'Um, Ron' she said.
'What?' Ron said, somewhat touchy.
'Well I wanted to tell you that I've been having some mild pains… But if you're going to be like that,' Hermione replied, her eyes welling up with tears, she turned to leave.
Ron caught her by the elbow and softened immediately 'You should have said something Hermione,' Ron said.
'I didn't want to leave class,' Hermione answered, sniffing.
'Trust you to not want to leave class just for the small task of having a baby,' Ron said in disbelief.
'Not now Ron, can we please just go already?' She replied.
Harry was dumbfounded, Hermione was in labour and he still couldn't quite believe she was pregnant even though he'd seen her belly growing and felt the baby kicking.
'Harry?' Ron said waving his hand in front of Harry's face.
Harry ran all the way to the common room and burst through the portrait hole 'Hermione… having… baby' Harry said to Ginny, gasping for breath.
Ginny looked excited 'Really… right now?' She said.
At that moment the portrait hole opened, 'no, false alarm,' Hermione said sitting down on a couch almost crying, Ron joined her.
'It's ok, it'll be really soon I bet,' Ginny said sitting beside Hermione and rubbing her arm.
Hermione started crying, Ron wrapped his arms around her.
A while later everyone else had gone to bed except for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Harry and Ron were working on a Defence Against the Dark Arts essay, Ginny was working on a Potions essay and Hermione was dozing on the couch.
'Do you think I should wake her and send her to bed?' Ron asked.
Ginny shook her head, 'let her rest a little bit longer,' she replied.
There was a very sharp intake of breath from Hermione's direction 'OW!' was followed shortly after as she gripped her abdomen. 'My water broke,' Hermione said panicked.
'It's ok hon, we'll get you to the hospital wing,' Ron said.
'No time,' she said breathlessly.
'What do you mean?' Ginny asked, very alarmed.
'I mean no time, I can feel the head, I need to push,' Hermione replied.
Ron was dumbstruck, as was Harry but Ginny sprang right in to action. 'Ron go upstairs and get some clean towels and blankets and get back down here quickly, Harry go and get Madam Pomfrey as fast as you can,' she directed.
'What do you mean?' Harry asked his fiancé.
'I have to deliver this baby, she's ready. Hermione breathe in and out, lay down here on the floor…'
Ron and Harry were up like a flash, Harry out the portrait hole, Ron up the stairs. Ginny propped her sister-in-law up on some cushions and tried to make her as comfortable as the common room floor would allow. Ron was back in record time to support his wife.
'Ok Hermione on three push hard… One, two, three' Ginny directed.
Hermione pushed with all her might, the baby's head was out. One push later and the Gryffindor common room filled with the cries of a tiny baby.
Ginny used a severing charm to cut the umbilical chord, cleared the baby's nose and mouth and wrapped it up in a blanket, she handed the bundle to Hermione with tear filled eyes.
'It's a girl, congratulations you guys,' She said.
Madam Pomfrey and Harry were back a minute later and the matron took over. 'Who delivered the baby?' She asked.
'I did,' Ginny answered timidly.
'You did? Well you did a fine job miss Weasley; most students would freeze up in this situation. Congratulations to all of you, but we must get miss Granger, sorry… Mrs Weasley to the hospital wing so her and the baby can be properly assessed, and also so they can get some rest, it's almost 1am,' Madam Pomfrey said.
So Hermione, Ron and their daughter left for the hospital wing behind the matron. Harry collapsed in to an armchair.
'I can't believe those two are parents now, you did a great job Gin,' he said to the young woman still sitting on the floor where she had just delivered her own niece.
Ginny nodded. 'The baby is a girl by the way,' she said a few moments later.
'I was wondering about that, wow, you're not the only Weasley girl now Gin,' Harry replied.
Ginny finally got up after using a cleaning charm to tidy the floor where the baby was born and to wash the muck of her hands. Harry folded her in to his arms and kissed the top of her head. They fell asleep like that.
After Hermione and the baby had both been given clean bills of health Ron sat down on the edge of his wife's bed, she had tears in her eyes, as did Ron, they gazed down at their daughter transfixed by her wonder 'Thank you Hermione, I love you so much, I'm so proud of you' Ron said kissing Hermione on the forehead, she shifted her eyes off the baby in her arms to kiss her husband on the lips.
'I love you too, she's perfect isn't she?' Hermione said running the back of her index finger over her daughter's smooth, tiny cheek.
'She's an angel,' Ron said
Ron slept in the hospital wing that night to be near his little family. In the morning he left to thank his friends.
'I should go thank Harry and Ginny, I'll be back in a minute,' He added kissing Hermione on the lips and kissing his daughter on the forehead 'don't go away' he said to them.
'We won't daddy' Hermione said, Ron's heart melted 'go get them already' she added.
Ron left the hospital wing floating on air all the way to the portrait of the fat lady.
'I have it on good authority,' the portrait said, 'that congratulations are in order'
'Thank you. Blubberdinger' Ron said.
Harry and Ginny were awake now.
'It's a girl!' Ron said failing to keep the pride and excitement out of his voice.
'We know,' Harry and Ginny said together, each hugging him.
'Yeah I know but I haven't said it yet, I wanted to see how it sounded. Thank you guys so much for last night you were great.'
'Can we see them?' Ginny asked.
'Sure, come on' Ron replied.
They were back in the hospital wing within five minuets. Hermione was again staring down at her baby 'hi guys, come here' she said looking up at them.
They walked over to her bedside; Ron lifted the baby from Hermione's arms 'this is Isabella Ginervera-Mae. Izzy, this is your Auntie Ginny and Uncle Harry,' he said.
'You didn't have to name her after me guys,' Ginny said, her eyes welling up.
'We wanted to Ginny, you deserve it after how well you did last night.'
'Thank you,' she turned to the baby 'Hi baby' Ginny said to her niece 'can I please hold her?' she asked.
'Of course, you delivered her for goodness sake,' Ron, said grinning and handing the baby to Ginny.
'She's so pretty guys, I love her. She's just perfect, you did well,' she said 'you're the most beautiful baby I've ever seen,' she added to Isabella.
Ginny reluctantly handed the baby to Harry, he looked down at his Goddaughter, his niece, she was gorgeous 'hi Isabella, you're a cutie aren't you? Congrats guys, she's a keeper'
'Thank you, Ron you should go and tell your parents!' Hermione said.
'Yeah, what about your parents?' Ron asked.
Hermione shook her head 'I'm not going to bother, they don't care anyways' she said sounding disappointed.
Ron understood 'ok, well I'll be back in a while, Pomfrey said I could use the fire in her office' he said kissing Hermione and then Isabella.