She had just gotten out of an exhausting battle with none other than Draco Malfoy

She had just gotten out of an exhausting battle with none other than Draco Malfoy. Her red hair cascading down her shoulders, looking down upon the pale boy's unconscious form. She wanted to kill him for what he had put Harry and Hermione through . . . but lucky for him she wasn't that gruesome. A life sentence to Askaban Prison should do the trick.

Dodging spells and sprinting across the grounds she saw a lone figure on top of a nearby hill. The figure looked like a woman scarcely out of breath and was clutching her sides in what seemed to be pain. Ginny was curious as to why this woman was out of the battle, so she walked forward towards her.

Just as she reached the hill, the woman fell forward onto the ground. It was then that Ginny recognized the cinnamon curls on her face, and the now very noticeable bulge on her stomach. Hermione.

"Oh God" she whispered as she fell forward and held Hermione's limp form to her. She was unconscious and had a deep crease in her brow. She saw liquid on the grass beneath them. Her mother taught her well . . . Hermione was in labor . . . on the battlefield. Not good. Not good at all!

She cast a strong shielding spell over Hermione's body and ran to get Harry. She didn't care if he was battling Voldermort at this very second; he was going to be at his child's birth. The spells overwhelmed her again as she re-entered the grounds, but her adrenaline was more powerful. She sprinted until she saw a tuff of ebony hair running through the crowd. Ginny quickened her pace and finally caught up with him. She placed a hand on his shoulder as she caught her breath.

Harry turned around and looked at Ginny's bruised face as she took quick, erratic breaths. "Are you alright, Gin?"

"I-I'm . . . fine." She said.

"Good . . . now if you don't mind . . . I have a Dark Lord to kill." Harry said with slight humor.

When he turned around again she grabbed his arm and tugged it so he faced her again. "H-Hermione . . . hill . . . labor . . . now!" she panted.

Harry tried to make sense of her lack of words and pieced it together within seconds. Hermione was here. And in labor. Shit. "Which hill?!" he asked in panic.

"I'll show you."

Ginny started to sprint to the hill where Hermione was, grabbing Ron's arm on the way. He ran next to her with a confused look on his face, "What gives? I was about to kick some guys a—"

"Hermione." Ginny stated.

Ron immediately shut his mouth and continued to run. They reached the hill and saw Hermione's body, along with the charm that held her. Harry knelt next to her and removed the charm. "Why would she go out into battle, when I told her not too?!"

"She's a fighter, Harry." Ron said.

"Wither way, we have to get her to the Hospital Wing . . . and fast." Ginny said.

Harry nodded furiously and lifted Hermione off of the ground, "Wait . . . she's . . . she's . . ."

"Yes, Harry. That's why I said now!"

The three ran through the crowd and heard a voice behind them, "HARRY POTTER!"

"Shit." Harry said, turning around. He saw the snake-like figure of Voldermort coming up on their tail. He knows. "Run!"

Spells erupted from the Dark Wizard's wand and Harry, Ginny, and Ron, did their best to block them. "Harry." Ron panted to him. "Get Hermione to the castle, we'll fend off this bugger."

"But Ron . . ."

"No, Harry. Listen to me. Get Hermione out of here and into the Hospital Wing. We'll be there in a minute, okay?"

Harry looked reproachful for a moment, "Harry. Go." Ginny said.

Finally Harry gave in and ran the rest of the way towards the castle. He locked the doors of the castle wandlessly and made his way to the Hospital Wing. When he arrived it was already half-full with victims of the battle. Some barely alive . . . and some not so lucky.

"MADAME POMFREY!" Harry yelled to the room.

The matron came bustling forward, "Oh thank Merlin, I was worried sick about—"

"Madame Pomfrey, she's in labor."

"Oh dear." She gasped, "put her on the bed over there."

Harry complied and set Hermione down gently. He nudged Hermione a bit, trying to wake her out of her stupor. But she wouldn't budge. He tried a few more time with no avail, either. "Why won't she wake?"

"If the recipient of the potion is under stress of any sort, they will become unconscious. She'll come too in a moment." Madame Pomfrey explained.

At that exact moment, Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She quickly realized where she was, how she got there, what condition she was in, and whom she was with. She closed her eyes and feigned sleep. It worked, until she felt another stab of pain inside of her, causing her to moan.

"'Mione?" Harry asked.

She opened her eyes a little, "Yeah?"

"You're awake, thank Merlin!" he said while enveloping her in a tight embrace. She thanked the Gods that he wasn't mad . . . that is . . . until he pulled away.

"What gave you the idea that you could leave this room?!"

"Uhh . . . well . . . I . . ."

"I told you not too, and now look what's happened."

"I-I'm sorry Harry, I couldn't help it."

He looked into her pained face and immediately his anger was gone. She was a fighter, even he couldn't deny that. "I'm sorry 'Mione . . . it's just . . ."

Hermione put a finger to his lips, "I know."

They smiled at each other. Harry leaned forward and captured her lips with his. Both of them reveled in the memory of their last kiss like this. Harry placed a hand behind her neck and held her to him. He was never going to let her go. Hermione begged to differ.

She pulled away and had another rush of pain. This one brought tears to her eyes. "The contractions are getting closer." Madame Pomfrey said from behind the two, "Another effect of the potion, the labor will last less."

"Well that's a relief. My mum was in labor with me for twelve hours. I don't think I could last that long." Hermione said with a smile.

"There is no doubt in my mind that you could, Miss Granger. You are the strongest witch I have seen in a long time . . . one I haven't seen the likes of since . . ."

"Since what?" Harry asked.

The matron smiled, "Since your mother was completing her schooling here."

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. Lily was a very talented witch, top of her class . . . Head Girl . . . and had a taste for trouble hidden beneath her bookish features."

The three smiled.

"Ahh!" Hermione screamed. This was surely the most painful of the contractions. Hermione thought her stomach was being ripped open. She wanted the pain to be over.

Hermione's contraction seemed to last longer than the rest, and after it was done, she was left with a sweating brow. Harry wanted to help with the pain . . . but he didn't know how to.

"Miss Granger, I'm going to have to as you to spread your legs for me."

Hermione nodded and did as the matron told. Madame Pomfrey looked underneath Hermione's skirt with a smile. "It's time."

"N-now?" Hermione asked.

"Yes now. Don't worry, it'll be fine."

Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. "Harry?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can you hold my hand?"

Harry smiled, "Of course."

Harry's hand in hers, she looked at Madame Pomfrey. "I'm going to have to ask you to push."

Hermione remembered her dream when she was in the dungeon cell. Harry was dead. And their child taken. But this was different. Harry was by her side, and it was a certified matron delivering her baby, and not a Dark Lord.

Hermione pushed as she had done in her dream. But the pain was more unbearable then she originally thought. She was being ripped in half, she was sure of it. Screaming, she pushed again, meeting Madame Pomfrey's calls. Poor Harry thought his hand was being broken. But he didn't care. It wasn't even half of what Hermione was feeling.

"Push again, Miss Granger. This is the last one, I promise."

Hermione nodded tearfully and pushed with all of her might. She collapsed onto the bed and took deep, ragged breaths. Her eyes closed. But when she heard a baby's cry, she sat forward with a smile plastered onto her face. She looked at Harry and he mirrored her look.

Madame Pomfrey came to her with a bundle of blue blankets in her arms. "Congratulations, Miss Granger and Mister Potter, you have yourself a healthy baby boy." She handed the bundle to Hermione and she took it with ease.

Hermione removed the blanket from her son's face and came face-to-face with a tuff of ebony locks. The baby opened his small eyes, and they were in for another surprise . . . they were a shocking shade of emerald.

"He looks just like you." Hermione said to Harry, holding the baby out to him.

Harry took his son in his arms and looked into his face. He was the spitting image of him. Harry felt himself form tears in his eyes. But for the fist time in his life . . . they were tears of joy and not fear or pain. He had a son. A son.

"Do you have a name?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

Hermione looked at Harry and their son and was struck with a thought, "James." She said, "James Joseph Potter."

Harry looked at her with a confused look, which she answered with a smile, "James after your father, and Joseph after mine."

Harry smiled in understanding. Madame Pomfrey conjured a clipboard and copied the name onto it in neat script. "It has a nice ring to it. And I have a feeling I'm going to be seeing a lot of him if he is anything like his father and grandfather."

Hermione giggled, she knew it was true.

Hermione and Harry were sitting on the bed together, their son between them. Hermione had her eyes shut lazily and Harry looked at her with a great appreciation in his eyes. She was clearly the strongest person he knew. She brought their son, James, into the world. And he was forever grateful for that fact. He didn't know how someone could give up a child; like he had seen some people do in some muggle soap opera's his Aunt Petunia used to watch.

Their son was so beautiful. He had Harry's eyes and hair . . . but Hermione's cute button nose and curiosity. He couldn't wait to watch him grow up and teach him to play Quidditch, and of course, pull some wicked pranks with his invisibility cloak. The baby squirmed in between them and Harry looked at him.

Following his instincts, he picked James up and took him to the window of the Wing. The battle was still going strong and he knew he had to leave soon. But he could not find the strength to leave his newborn child and Hermione now.

The door to the Wing opened and in came Ginny, her face battered and scarred. She had tears in here eyes and was clutching her side. She came limping over to him, and immediately ceased when she saw the bundle in his arms.

"I missed it?!" she yelled.

"Shh!" Harry scolded, motioning over to Hermione's sleeping form.

"Oh." Ginny whispered, "Sorry." Ginny again, looked at the bundle in his arms.

"Do you want to hold him?"

"Him?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Okay." She smiled.

Harry placed James in her arms and she looked at him lovingly, "What's his name?"

"James Joseph Potter."

"That's such a beautiful name." She commented.

"Hermione came up with it . . . it's both of our father's names."

Ginny smiled and continued to stare at him, cooing him softly under her breath. Who knew fiery Ginny Weasley could be so loving? Certainly not Harry. It was then, Harry thought of something. "Ginny?" he asked.

She looked up from James, "Yes?"

"Would you . . . like to be the Godmother to James?" Harry asked her.

Ginny's eyes widened, "Uh . . . y-you really mean it?"

Harry smiled at her, "I think we" —he looked over at Hermione— "would love you to be."

Ginny grinned, "Then of course!"

It was then, he was reminded of the tears Ginny had when she first entered the room. "Uhh . . . Gin?"

"Yeah?"

"Why were you crying earlier?"

"Oh . . . that."

"Yeah, that."

Ginny looked down at James, "H-he's looking for you, Harry . . . and . . . he has Ron."

"Who has Ron?" Harry asked, although he had a pretty good idea.

"V-Voldermort."

Harry's opinion on the battle turned in that second. "Ginny . . . I need you to stay here and look after Hermione and James for me. Can you do that?"

Ginny nodded, "Yeah."

Harry went to the table beside Hermione's bed and began to write something on a piece of parchment. He then reached in his pocket and pulled out a box and ribbon. He rolled up the parchment, ties the ribbon, and put the box beside it.

He looked down at Hermione and kissed her forehead tenderly, brushing a few locks in the process. He made his way over to Ginny and gave her a friendly hug, making sure that James wasn't crushed. He kissed his son's nose and smiled down at him.

Harry then began walking out of the Hospital. "Harry!" Ginny called to him.

He turned around, "Yeah?"

She smiled, "Good luck."

He smiled back, "Thank-you. I'll need it."

Harry then closed the door behind him and left Ginny with James in her arms, and Hermione peacefully sleeping. Ginny looked down at James and whispered, "Your dad . . . is the bravest man I know."