There was a knock on her bedroom door. "Molly, Molly?" came a voice breathing heavily. She jump and ran to the door, throwing on her pink robe as she went.
"What? What's wrong?" Molly cracked the door and poked her head out. Tonks was leaning on the doorframe holding her seven-months-pregnant belly. She threw the door open completely and stepped into the hall.
Tonks let out a long slow breath, "I think it's time. The contractions are irregular but they seem to be getting closer together." She grit her teeth as another one came. "Not that bad really," she tried to smile.
"But, it's too early! You aren't due for another two months and this is just you're first! Both Bill and Charlie were at least a week late." Despite the fact that Mrs. Weasley could be considered nearly professional at labor, having had done it six times herself; she was still nervous now that it was happening to someone else and two months early.
"You try telling it that," Tonks gestured at her stomach. Just as she did her water broke, wetting her nightdress and puddling on the floor. "Argh!"
"Oh, yes, I guess it really is time. Let's get you're things dear." Molly grabbed hold of Tonks' arm, suddenly changing demeanor and taking charge. She waved her wand with the other hand and a small bag zoomed from the room that Tonks was staying in and landed on the landing at the top of the stairs. "Ginny! Luna! It's time let's go!" There was a rustling from the bedroom and the door banged open, both girls ran out hastily putting on their jackets.
"Time for what?" Ginny asked nervously. "Has there been an attack? Are they close?"
"No, no, no dear. Tonks is in labor. We need to get to St. Mungo's."
"What? Already?"
"Yes; come on." Mrs. Weasley had already guided Tonks halfway down the stairs. "Ginny, you grab the bag; and Luna would you mind terribly timing her contractions?"
"Of course I will," she replied airily. With a second flick of her wand Molly had summoned a small clock for Luna.
"Right then; all set. Let's go." She grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fire as she squeezed both herself and Tonks in together. "St. Mungo's!" Ginny and Luna followed suit.
They entered threw the fire places in the lobby. "Pregnant woman, coming through," Mrs. Weasley dragged Tonks along wiping the soot off of both of them. Seeing Molly on a mission was enough to make everyone scramble out of the way. She walked straight past the reception desk heading straight for the maternity ward. "It feels like ages since I've been in this part of the hospital. Sixteen years!"
An older witch sat at the desk in the waiting room of the ward. "Molly good to see you!" She obviously knew Mrs. Weasley. "How have you been? I remember when you cam in pregnant with your first, Bill. And you're second—and third…and seventh for that matter. Goodness this isn't one of yours already is it?" She was referring to Tonks' baby.
"No, no. A family friend whose been staying with us, Carina. The father is…out of town."
"Ah, well then, how close are the contractions, dear?" She peered over her glasses at Tonks.
"About five minutes," Luna answered.
"Good, we have some time to start the paperwork then." She summoned a chair so that Tonks could sit down just in time for another contraction. The chair floated in the air as if on invisible wheels.
The woman flipped through a filing cabinet and took out a rather hefty stack of papers. "First, what's your name? First, middle initial, last."
"Nymphadora A. Tonks."
"And now the father, please."
"Remus J. Lupin."
"Oh," the witch looked suddenly startled and leaned away slightly. She had obviously heard about him being a werewolf and the rumors after the year he taught at Hogwarts.
"Yes," smiling broadly to clearly show she had understood what was meant by the 'Oh'.
"And you're date of birth?"
"Its---OH!" she clutched her stomach.
"That's only 2 minutes," Luna said dreamily as if not affected by the fact that Tonks was about to have a baby.
"Oh!" Mrs. Weasley jumped out of the chair she was in and went over to Tonks. "Alright I think we'll have to finish the paperwork later on. We need a maternity healer now."
The witch behind the desk quickly dropped her quill and lifted her wand to her neck to amplify her voice. "WE NEED A HEALER IN THE WAITING ROOM IMMEDIETLY!" A young blond witch ran through the doors and came over to them. "Tonks?" she said in disbelief.
"Shannon!" Now it was there turn to exchange 'how are you's' and so forth. "I didn't know you were a healer?"
"Just in training actually, I'll be taking into your room and getting you all set before the maternity healer comes in." She guided the chair to through the doors she had just come out of. The two Weasleys and Luna followed. The stopped at room three and Shannon helped Tonks into the bed then left.
"Ginny would you please go to the lobby and find out where you can get an owl and send a message to Remus?" Ginny left and returned within fifteen minutes have sent the owl off as fast as she could. It took another ten minutes for the maternity witch to make it to the room and by that time Tonks was almost in constant pain. After a quick charm however the healer was able to get rid of most of the pain. She sent the three extra women out so she could examine Tonks and the baby.
"It also seems that the baby's in perfectly fine condition, everything seems developed and the weight is good" she ushered them back in.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Ginny asked immediately.
"I don't want to know yet and I don't want anyone else to either! I want it to be a surprise!" Ginny looked disappointed, the healer spoke again.
"By the looks of everything, it should only be another few hours."
"Only?" Tonks yelled from the bed.
"Oh good," said Molly. Tonks gaped at her. "Usually it takes much longer for a first baby," she looked back at her mater-of-factly.
"Exactly. On a more important note, I understand that the father has lycanthropy and you are a metamorphmagus?"
"Yes," the rest answered at once in a 'so-what' sort of tone.
"Well it is unclear right now if these will also affect the baby. Most importantly the lycanthropy; there really haven't been many studied cases. I just wanted to tell you this, to prepare you for the worst."
"The worst?" Tonks was slightly taken aback. "I assure you that I will be able to handle it either way and it does not matter to me whether my child has it. I happen to know a few good men that have the affliction and complete control over it."
"Very well. I will be back to check on you shortly, I just have a few other patients to attend to. If you need anything at all, just of one the other ladies here send red sparks into the hall and someone will come in straight away."
Tonks let out a sigh and a tear; her emotions were starting to overcome her now. "I still haven't chosen a name. And Remus isn't here. Who knows where he is; what if something happened to him? What am I going to do? What if the baby is a werewolf and something happens to him, I won't know what to do by myself." Her hair began to turn from bubblegum pink to a mousy brown before their eyes.
"Goodness, dear, everything is going to be alright. Don't worry about anything." Molly had nothing else that she could say to console her, she knew that in times like this anything could happen to anyone. Tonks continued to cry a storm outside began to brew.
---
Three hours later the storm was at full force, and so was Tonks' labor. The maternity healer had just come back in for the fifth time. "Well are you ready, because I think it's about time for us to get this baby out."
Tonks' eyes went wide. "Already?" She suddenly wished the baby could stay inside. Mrs. Weasley smile. "It will be alight. It's nothing really."
"Right. Let's get on with it then."
"Right then, let me go get a few medi-witches for assistance and we'll get going."
Everything started to move very quickly around them; Ginny and Luna were hurried out of the way, 4 other witches had entered the room, Mrs. Weasley was at Tonks' side holding her hand for support. "Ready, when I say so: you push. One, T—"
There was a loud crash in the corridor outside the room, voices sounded panicked and irritated. "Sorry…sorry I need to—oops if I had time to I'd help you clean that up." There was knocking at there door now. A man flung it open without waiting for anyone to offer him entrance. His robes were very tattered and old looking, his hair was long and graying. His face was lined with worry but he smiled upon seeing the woman laying in the bed. "Sorry I'm late," he said simply as he took over Mrs. Weasley's position. She smiled at him.
At 4:37 on the morning of the 31st of December, A baby boy was born: Damion Faolan Lupin. Then, nine minutes later at 4:46, another baby, this time a girl, came into the world. They named her Sophia Calii-Lyall Lupin. "Two?" gasped their father as the healers wrapped the crying infants. "Why didn't you tell me? When did you find out?"
"I've known the whole time," their mother smiled. "I wanted it to be a surprise and I didn't want you to worry even more while you were gone."
"Did you know about this?" Lupin turned on Molly, Ginny and Luna in excited astonishment. Mrs. Weasley and the girls shook their heads in unison.
"I was slightly suspicious. I know a woman pregnant with twins when I see one."
"I didn't tell anyone. I wanted it to be a surprise." The healers handed the babies over their parents; Tonks held Damion while Lupin held Sophia.
"We'll go owl Arthur and some others to make the announcement," Molly said leading Ginny and Luna to the door. "They need their privacy," she whisper to the two girls and closed the door behind them.
Remus looked down at Sophia's delicate features. She had her mother's small nose and an almost purple tint to her thin, soft hair. Then he looked into her eyes and that's when it hit him, he was suddenly overcome with emotion 'this is my child' he though. She had his eyes, cool and grey but full of life. His eyes began to well with tears. It now didn't matter that there was a war going on or that all those around him were dying or disappearing or that they might not make it through—even that this child he was holding may be carrying the same affliction he was faced with, at least for now there was some happiness. 'We will end this war. My children need me; I will not let them grow up in fear or without parents.'
I hope you enjoyed that chapter, it was challenging to write because 1. I've never had a baby and 2. We really don't know how they go about it in the magical world. And if you're wondering where was Lupin that he made it there, that will be answered soon. We'll also find out if either of the children are werewolves or are a Metamorphmagus.
I chose the babies names based on meaning. "Damion Faolan" means "tame little wolf" and "Sophia Calii-Lyall" means the "wise and most beautiful wolf". I think since Lupin is a werewolf and his name means wolf, these are fitting. You would be surprised at how few names there are that mean "metamorphous" or "to change" (in reference to Tonks).