"This is wild," Ron commented, handing three cups of coffee round to Hermione, Harry and Ginny.
"Shut up," Ginny said bitterly, shifting in her seat as she took her tea from her brother, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the decaffeinated liquid. "I can't wait 'til I can have the real stuff again..."
It was New Years Day, just. James was asleep in Ron's arms and Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny had brought in the New Year over four cups of hot coffee.
"Gin?" Harry asked, as Ginny moved in discomfort again. "Are you okay?"
"Fine, fine," Ginny nodded, standing up and moving in circles around the room, breathing slowly. "I just... My back hurts, that's all. Been sitting still for too long."
"Are you sure?" Harry looked concerned.
"Really, I'm fine," Ginny nodded, letting another deep breath pass through her lips. "I'll just go and get a glass of water."
"No," Harry said firmly. "I'll get it." He jumped out of his chair darted past Ginny and went into the kitchen.
"Are you sure you're alright, Gin-Gin?" Ron asked. "You look a bit pale..."
"Fine!" Ginny snapped, forgetting that James, who was the lightest sleeper the world had ever seen, was asleep in front of her.
Harry listened from the kitchen as his son's wails began to fill the house. He turned off the tap and half-ran back into the living room, handing Ginny a glass and taking James off Ron, who was trying – in vain – to comfort him.
Ginny sipped at the water, shivering slightly as the cool liquid hit her teeth. The pain in her back reached a level she could no longer stand and she collapsed into an armchair, blocking out the sound of her son crying.
"Come on, Jamie," Harry was saying, "James, shh, come on, buddy, shh."
Ginny closed her eyes, arching her back against the pain. "Harry," She murmured.
He didn't hear her, but left the room, continuing to stroke James' back up and down in an attempt to quieten him.
"Harry," She said again, her voice weak. "Harry."
Hermione turned to look at her, although unable to hear her over James' cries. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at her sister-in-law. Ginny's eyes were shut tight and she was bent over her stomach, cradling the bump.
"Ginny?" She said loudly. "Ginny?"
Ron too, noticed his sister and crouched down in front of her. "Gin? Are you okay? Is it the baby?"
"No – no I'm fine," Ginny said through gritted teeth. This could not be happening she thought. Then she felt a vaguely familiar gush of water.
"Wha-oh!" Ron jumped up hastily, moving away from Ginny. "Erm, I'll just – just go get Harry."
Ginny closed her eyes again as Ron darted from the room.
"How long have you been having contractions?" Hermione whispered.
"I haven't," Ginny moaned, leaning back in the chair as the pain in her back subsided slightly. "It's not supposed to happen this way!"
"Gin?" Harry came into the room and bent down next to Ginny, taking her hands. "Ron said your waters had broken."
"Well, aren't you a smart one?" She said dryly. "Harry, I'm not getting contractions. It's not meant to happen this way round – you need to ask a healer what to do."
Harry stood up from the fireplace, rubbing his knees slightly from where he had been kneeling.
"Well," He said. "The Healer wants me to bring you in so she can examine you, but it could be a while yet. Are you alright to floo?"
Ginny paused and then nodded, taking Harry's hand as he pulled her up.
"OW!" She screamed as she left the chair.
"What's wrong?" Harry's voice was urgent as he lowered his wife back into the chair.
"Can't – stand," Ginny panted, her eyes shut.
"Err – okay – err," Harry's eyes were widened in panic.
"Take her upstairs," Hermione said. "I'll send Ron to St Mungo's to bring the Healer here. What's her name?"
"Mindy," Ginny gasped.
"Alright," Hermione said, "Go and get comfortable upstairs, Ron and I will take James back to ours for the night. Go! Go!" She shooed them from the room, watching as Harry lifted Ginny into his arms and began the walk up the stairs. Once they were gone, she ran into the kitchen.
"Ron," She said, taking James out of his arms. "Ron, Floo to St. Mungo's now. Find Harry and Ginny's Healer – she's called Mindy – and tell her Ginny's here. Tell her she couldn't stand up so Harry's put her in the spare room. She'll have to come to the house or send someone here."
"Right," He said, pushing past her back into the living room.
Ron knocked on the door to Harry and Ginny's bedroom.
"Come in," Harry called from inside.
"I've been to St Mungo's," Ron said, trying to avoid looking at his sister lying on the bed. "Mindy said she'd be here in a few moments. Hermione and I will stay for a bit, then we'll pack up some things for James and take him to our place until you're ready to have him back."
"Thanks, Ron," Ginny breathed, whilst Harry nodded at her side. "You're a star."
"I'll send Mindy up when she gets here," Ron smiled sheepishly and then left the room.
Hermione shifted James in her arms, so she could pull her wand out of her pocket. Giving it a quick flick towards the centre of the room, she conjured a travel cot and placed James in it.
"Now then, Jamie," She said, stroking his hair. "Uncle Ron's just gone to get you some clothes, but he's not very good at this kind of thing, bless him, so I'll go and help him. I'll be back in a minute, sweetheart."
She pulled herself up the stairs, fighting the oncoming sleep. Grateful Harry had placed silencing charms around the master bedroom where Ginny was, she opened the door to James' room, where Ron was frowning at a chest of draws.
Hermione laughed softly, walking to the centre of the room and pushing Ron aside with a light swat on the back of his head. She bent over the draws and quickly picked out a couple of different outfits, then took a large wad of nappies and ointments from a changing table in the corner.
"Anything else?" Ron asked, watching Hermione throw the stuff into a bag. "Does he need some toys?"
"We'll get some stuff from your Mum," Hermione said. "But we should probably get something... What does he play with a lot?"
"The building blocks," Ron said thoughtfully, "Have you got Snuffles?"
Hermione shook her head. "James is asleep with him in the cot, isn't he?" She said, referring to the stuffed black dog James carried with him everywhere.
"We'll grab that on the way out," Ron muttered. "Just grab some stuff from that crate," He added, indicating a toy box Arthur had made James that sat next to the cot. Arthur had made each of his children a toy box to use for their children, his grandchildren, whilst Molly made them all Weasley jumpers at Christmas. Arthur had proudly informed Ron last week that he was in the process of making one for him and Hermione's child.
"Have you heard anything?" Hermione asked, handing Ron a cup of coffee.
"No," Ron said, clutching the mug in his hands.
It was four o'clock in the morning. Hermione had finally managed to get James to sleep in what would soon be becoming the baby's room; he rarely settled without Harry or Ginny present.
Hermione sat down on the sofa, lying back against the soft cushions.
"Go to sleep, love," Ron said softly. "Go to bed. It's not good for you or the baby."
"M'alrigh'" Hermione murmured sleepily.
"Hermione," Ron said, more firmly this time. "Go to bed. I promise I'll wake you up if I hear anything."
"'Kay," She said, lifting herself off the sofa.
Hermione reached out and grabbed her alarm clock, waiting for her eyes to focus so she could see the time. She sat bolt upright when she realised it was gone eleven. Wondering if Ron had heard anything from Harry, she went to the bathroom and slipped into the shower. Rinsing the shampoo out of her hair, she realised she hadn't checked on James.
Fastening a towel around her, Hermione stepped out of the steamy bathroom into the cold landing. She went into her room and pushed her feet into her slippers. When she found James' cot deserted, she frowned and made her way downstairs.
Ron dabbed at James' mouth with a cloth, getting the most of the strained fruit off of his face.
"There you are, Jamie," He said, throwing the cloth next to the sink. "Shall we go and get you washed up?"
James merely laughed and held up his arms for Ron to lift him out of his high chair.
"Cor'" Ron groaned, bouncing James on his hip. "You're getting heavy."
"There you are," Hermione smiled. She padded into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, leaning against the counter.
"Sleep alright?" Ron asked, holding one of James' balled fists.
"Like a log," Hermione said happily. "First time in ages I've had a good night's sleep."
"Wasn't really night though, was it?" Ron winked. "Four 'til eleven. You're getting wreckless."
"It's old age," Hermione smiled.
Ron snorted, "You're twenty-five. I blame hormones."
"All right," Hermione said, rolling her head to ease the tension from her neck. "Hormones. What time did you wake up, anyway?"
"Six-ish. Thanks to this one," He nodded his head at the baby in his arms.
"Six!" Hermione said incredulously. "Ron – go back to bed!
"Can't, can I?" He said. "I've got to get James sorted and we're due at my parents' in half an hour."
Hermione clapped a hand to her mouth. "Sunday lunch! I completely forgot! Maybe you can kip upstairs after lunch for a bit."
"Maybe," Ron said. "I'll go get James ready. Get dressed, love."
Arthur looked up from the copy of the Daily Prophet he was reading. Hermione and Ron had walked into his living room, James in Hermione's arms.
"Why've you got James?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowing.
"Err..." Ron looked at Hermione, then back to his father. "Ginny went into labour late last night. Or early this morning, depends how you look at it."
"Did I hear that right?" Molly asked, bolting into the living room from the kitchen. "Ginny went into labour?"
"Yes," Hermione said, talking over the level of excitement that had risen around the family. "Yes, she's gone into labour. But it went a bit wrong... She's at the house, she's at home with Harry. They couldn't get her to St Mungo's."
"I'm going to visit," Molly said firmly, throwing her apron aside.
"No, Mum, please," Ron said, grabbing her elbow. "She's still in labour. Nothing's happened yet but she wasn't in a brilliant way. Harry knows I'm here, if anything happens we'll be the first to know."
"I want to see my daughter," Molly said, somewhat coldly, shrugging off Ron's grip and grabbing a handful of Floo powder from the flowerpot next to the fireplace.
"Molly!" Arthur said sternly. "You heard Ron. And you know Gin. She won't want visitors right now. You can visit once the baby's born."
Molly looked reluctantly from the fireplace to Arthur. Sighing, she emptied her hand back into the flowerpot and headed into the kitchen, pulling on her apron without another word.
"Night-night, Jamie," Hermione smiled. She tucked the blankets around James and nestled Snuffles the dog into the cot next to him. She stroked her nephew's jet black hair, but he refused to settle.
"Come on, sweetie," She whispered, gently moving his arms away from the edge of the cot.
"M'uy!" James whined. "Where M'uy?"
"Mummy's a bit busy at the moment," Hermione coaxed. "So you're staying with Uncle Ron and me, yeah?"
"Wan' Mu'y," James whimpered, rubbing his face against Snuffles.
"I know you do, darling," Hermione said, sitting down next to the cot, still stroking James' head. "I promise you can go and see Mummy tomorrow. And Daddy."
"Da'y," James said, his voice muffled by the dog.
"Tomorrow, darling," Hermione repeated. "Go to sleep now, and you'll see them really, really soon, sweetheart, I promise."
James planted his thumb in his mouth, a sign he was truly upset. Hermione continued to stroke the tufts of black hair that covered his head, hoping some kind of repetitive movement would help James fall into a sleep.
Ron awoke the morning of the second of January to find Hermione fast asleep in the bed next to him. He picked up his watch which lay discarded on the bedside table. It was half six. James would probably be up.
Rubbing his eyes, Ron pulled the covers off his body and swung his legs around so dangled off the bed, hitting the soft carpet. He brushed a hand over Hermione's forehead as he moved past her, moving the hair that fell on her face every night without fail. Smiling, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, hoping he wouldn't wake her.
Ron opened the door to James' room as quietly as he could, to find his nephew sleeping soundly in his cot. Knowing how hard it had been to get him to sleep, Ron shut the door again and went into the bathroom, turning on the shower.
He padded back into the bedroom, grabbing his wand from the dresser. Once he was back in the bathroom, he shut the door and tapped the towels hanging up on the rack with his wand, ensuring they would be warm when he came out of the shower.
He worked the shampoo through his hair, trying to plan his day. He couldn't take the day off work – Kenny and Melissa didn't work on Mondays and George wouldn't be able to handle everything alone. He knew Hermione wouldn't be willing to take the day off work so close to the start of her maternity leave – she was already fretting about being at a loose end once she'd had the baby. He could take James to the Burrow, but he had a feeling his nephew wouldn't tolerate being shifted around the family so much.
He bit the inside of his cheek as he stepped out of the shower into the warm towels, quickly drying himself and rushing into the bedroom. He pulled on a pair of jeans and his newest maroon jumper, then went into the room where James was sleeping.
James had awoken whilst Ron was in the shower. He was sitting in silence, gazing around the room with his mouth hanging open.
"Do you like the room?" Ron asked, lowering the bars of the cot and scooping James into his arms. "This is going to be your cousin's room soon, James. You're going to have a new baby cousin. And a new baby brother or sister! You're going to be the big boy soon, Jamie. You'll have to help your Mummy and Daddy look after the baby, won't you? Yes you will, yes you will!"
"How does your voice go that high?" Hermione drawled.
Ron turned around with a start. Hermione was leaning against the bedroom door. "How long have you been there?" He asked defensively. Foolish as he knew it sounded, he felt his conversation with James had been rather private.
"Somewhere around 'big boy soon'," Hermione mocked. "What are we going to do with James today?" She added soberly, "Take him to the Burrow?"
Ron shook his head. "No. I don't want him to go around the family because everyone's too busy to look after him. I'll take him to work."
"Won't George mind?" Hermione asked dubiously.
"Nah," Ron said, taking off the baby-grow James had slept in. "I can put him in the sling or the travel cot, can't I? George'll be fine with it, he's had Fred there a couple of times."
Ron changed James' nappy and proceeded to put on a bright blue jumper knitted by Molly and some trousers.
"If you're sure," Hermione said, moving away from the door and opening it to let Ron through. "I'll go have a shower."