Chapter 2 Muggle hospital

Before I thought about what I was doing I sprinted to the kitchen. Not realising that the door had been shut so ended up colliding with it. Picking myself up from the floor I realised the voices inside the kitchen had faulted. I heard footsteps and then a shout.

"Cho are you okay?" Harry's voice came through the door.

"Fine," I muttered as I entered the small square room.

Ginny was sat in a seat at the far end of the oak table; a repaired plate lay beside her. Harry stood leaning on the fridge with a confused expression on his face. I moved to the smooth newly polished work top and hoisted my body on it.

"Why are you here? Without sounding rude," asked harry, breaking the awkward silence that had just started to form.

"I was asked to wait here until you got home to inform you that Hermione has gone into labour," said Ginny not bothering to pause when harry let out a loud gasp. "I've been here since about noon and must have fallen asleep and accidently knocked the plate off the table."

"Why couldn't you have sent us an owl," I tried not to put too much emphasis on the word us but it was hard.

She must have realised this because her reply was in an unfriendly tone. "You travelled home by knight bus so the owl would never know where you'd be."

I had just started to work on a truly sour retaliation when Harry cut across by asking, "Are they in St. Mungo's?"

"No, they are in a muggle hospital. St. Mungo's doesn't have a maternity ward" Ginny answered with a grin on her freckled face.

I hated the way she looked at him. I'd noticed at Ron and Hermione's wedding that her body language changed at the mere mention of Harry's name, but now every time he spoke or moved she would match this with an alluring Smile or an enticing flick of her long red hair. I'm not a violent person but at these moments I'd love to wipe that smirk of her face with a good hard punch. Couldn't she get over the fact that he was my husband now? She had had her chance and she blew it. When I thought I had blown my chance back in fifth year at Hogwarts I backed off and allowed him to be swarmed by other undeserving girls. But she would not back off, and I could feel that soon our love would be tested to the max by her and her feelings that would not die!

I was awoken from my trance by Harry who had grabbed my hand and was leading me out of the room. Soon I was back out in the sweat evening air breathing in honeysuckle and lavender. This time was short lived because I was soon clambering in the front of our silver grey golf. Ginny took to the seat behind the driver without complaint although I could see she had other plans by the expression on her face.

The engine was revved up and we were on our way. I had never been to a muggle hospital before so I didn't know whether to feel excited or nervous. These thoughts were whipped from my mind as Ginny leant forwards over Harrys left shoulder to speak the directions.

"Take the second right and keep going until the end of the road. It would have been so much easier to say these if I was sitting at the front but oh well I'm sure we'll still get there."

Harry laughed at this not realising it was a spiteful comment aimed at me. I didn't say anything in retaliation. What was the point? I'd just sound like a stupid child.

At long last we reached a rectangular car park situated in front of a large red bricked building with a sign saying visitor's entrance on the front and an arrow pointing to the left saying accident and emergency unit. I had nothing against muggles but they really did complain about minor things like broken legs. Even at 10 o'clock at night sirens rang out announcing the arrival of a new casualty.

"May I help you?" asked a plump woman with short brown hair and glasses that sat behind the desk saying reception.

"Yes, could you tell me which ward Mrs Hermione Weasley is in please?"

"She has just left the maternity ward and has been moved to a bed on ward 4 floor 2" said the women who had just done some quick typing on a computer.

"Thank you," Ginny smiled at the woman as she turned away.

"She must have had the baby then," Chimed Harry while bouncing up and down.

After getting lost about six times we finally found the ward where a woman with bushy hair lay on a bed with a lanky man standing beside her holding a bundle of blankets. Ginny let out a little scream and ran up to them.

"It's a girl, it's a girl," cried Ron showing us the pile of blankets that enclosed a baby.

Harry took a seat on a straight backed chair and Ginny perched herself at the end of Hermione's bed I stayed back not wanting to intrude. I had never been the best of friends with Ron but Hermione and me had managed to put most of our differences aside and had become quite close.

For half an hour the baby was passed around between the three as Hermione was still sleeping. I was offered a chance to hold the baby but I declined. At these moments Harry gave me a strange look but said nothing.

"Why did you keep refusing to hold the baby?" He asked on our journey home.

"emm...well...I...I...just..." was my answer. I couldn't bring myself to speak the real reason.

"What? Please tell me. Remember the day we got married and we swore we would never keep secrets from each other," Harry said while Concern filled his emerald eyes.

"When I was about 10 my aunt gave birth and it was the ugliest baby ever. I was always forced to hold it and say how cute it was. This made me upset and annoyed because I wanted children but I didn't want them to look like that. So I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't hold another baby until I had my own so I could totally appreciate the beauty and let the love fill me up. I know it's stupid but..." my voice trailed away as he gave my favourite smile.

"That's not stupid!" he said giving me a peck on the cheek with his soft lips.

Soon we were home and all thoughts of the day were striped from my mind. Harry had scooped me up in his arms and was carrying me over the threshold and up the stairs. He lay me gently on the quilt of our king sized bed and drew the curtains, blocking out the street lamps from outside. He then shut the door and dimmed the light coming from the tip of his phoenix feather wand. I felt his weight on the bed. Harry came close and started pressing his lips to my face and neck. He knew exactly where to place them to get the biggest reaction out of me. This was the second perfect moment of the evening. Luckily this one didn't get ruined and continued along the path in which the other one had started. I thought of nothing but the pleasure I was feeling being with the one I loved most.