Chapter Three
A/N: Thanks to my reviewers for the last chapter, ClaireBear1982 and purplecookie1405. Virtual cookies to all of you! Also, I am the youngest in my family, so I have no idea how a baby is born, but I tried to imagine it as well as possible. Please excuse any inaccuracies.
The Potter family had been living in their new home for three weeks now, and they still loved it as much as the day they set eyes on it. Harry had returned to work in the Auror office and Ginny spent every other day at the Burrow with Fleur, Molly and the kids. That particular day, she had decided to stay at home, while the boys went to play with Rose and Hugo at their home. Ron had his day off and wanted to spend it with his children and his nephews, thus allowing Hermione to go and have a coffee with her best friend.
Ginny had gone to get the pair another cappuccino when she suddenly stopped, a sharp pain rushing through her stomach. She cried out slightly, her hands automatically clutching at her abdomen as she bit her lip. Hermione heard this and came out to the kitchen.
"Ginny? Ginny, are you alright? What's the matter?" When she saw her best friend, she crossed the room to where Ginny was leaning heavily on the kitchen counter, her breaths coming out in short pants.
"It's alright, Mi. I just had a little bit of a...ooh!" Her face contorted again, something which didn't escape Hermione's notice.
"Is it there again?" she asked. Ginny nodded quickly.
"Ginny, we should call Harry." suggested Hermione, reaching for her wand, which was resting on the lounge table.
"No!" cried Ginny, cradling her stomach and forcing an unconvincing smile onto her face. "There's no need to. Besides, it's probably nothing, and I don't want to bother him at work." Almost immediately after, Ginny seethed once more, while Hermione clasped her fingers around her wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" cast Hermione, causing a glowing blue otter to appear in mid-air. Hermione relayed her message and the otter disappeared to seek out it's recipient.
"It's alright, Ginny. He'll be here soon. I hope."
A few moments later, the Patronus materialised in the Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic, catching the attention of Harry and Ron. The twirling otter opened it's mouth and began to speak.
"Harry, Ginny's having contractions. They've only just started, but they're getting quite intense now and they're getting closer together each time. I think you should get down here quickly."
Both Harry and Ron lept from their seats and Apparated to the Potter home, being greeted with the sight of Ginny sitting very heavily on the sofa. Ron walked over to Hermione and gave her a kiss on the cheek, while Harry ran over to his wife.
"Ginny, are you alright? How are you feeling?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. She smiled, then groaned again.
"Not too bad, Harry. It probably could have been worse." she laughed, screwing her face up once more as Harry kissed her again and grasped her hand.
"Hermione, can you call St. Mungo's and ask them to send the Medi-Witch for Ginevra Potter, please."
Hermione left and sent a Patronus to St. Mungo's repeating Harry's instructions. They heard a whooshing sound outside the house a few minutes later and a knock came on the door, which Ron went to answer. He came back with an amused expression on his face, popping his head around the door.
"Well, we're definitely in the best hands, aren't we, Harry?" he smiled, stepping to the side to allow the Medi-Witch to enter. Poppy Pomfrey.
"Hello, Ginny, how are you?"
"Been better, Madame Pomfrey, to be honest." groaned Ginny, squeezing Harry's hand again.
"Yes, well, you clearly haven't changed your attitude much since your Hogwarts days, have you?" commented the nurse, smiling fondly at the redhead, then waving her wand, muttering a few undistinguishable words under her breath. The tip of her wand glowed a slowly brightening green and she returned her gaze to the pair on the sofa, her expression one of amused surprise.
"Well, it seems that this little lady is ready to come out now." Both of the Potters' mouths dropped open in shock.
"Little lady?" breathed Harry, a smile creeping onto his face as he turned to his wife, whose mouth was still wide open in shock.
"Now?!" she cried, clutching onto Harry.
"Yes. This can happen sometimes with premature magical births. How early is she?"
"Four weeks, maybe five. I'm not quite sure." answered Harry, his gaze not averting from his wife, who was gritting her teeth in pain once more.
"Right, well, that shouldn't be a very complicated delivery, Ginny, my dear, so don't worry. Ron, Hermione, could you both please go to the Burrow and inform Molly and Arthur that their new granddaughter shall be making her first appearance in the world very soon."
"Of course we can, Madam Pomfrey. I'll see you soon, Ginny. Just trust Harry, he'll get you through. He's never let you down before and he won't start now." said Hermione, smiling at the pair before walking to the doorway. Ron soon followed, turning to Ginny before he did.
"Don't worry, Gin. I'm sure that the Harpies will be able to fail the League without you."
"Ron!" cried the remaining three, the Potters glaring and Hermione hitting him with the book she had been looking at with Ginny. They all laughed then, before Ron and Hermione left. Ginny suddenly got a much worse pain surging through her stomach, crushing Harry's hand for a few seconds before the pain began to ebb away a little, before hitting her again. Madam Pomfrey waved her wand again and it was glowing bright green.
"Right, Ginny, it won't take long, but you're going to have to push now."
"No! No, I'm not ready yet, no."
"Ginny, you don't have a choice. If you don't, there is a very good chance that this baby could be seriously harmed. Now push!"
Ginny did as she was told and pushed for a few minutes. At this point, she was in so much pain that she was sure that she had broken Harry's hand several times over. Poppy was leaning over and gave an approving nod.
"Right, Ginny, one more now. Just one more and it'll all be over." So Ginny did what she was told. She screamed and crushed Harry's hand, but she did it. And as she lay back panting against the arm of the sofa, she wasn't really sure if all the pain had been worth it. But one sound assured her that it was. A cry. The cry of her little baby girl.
"Congratulations!" smiled Poppy, handing the pink blanketed bundle to Ginny, who slightly pulled back the edge of the blanket, looking at her daughter's face and smiling as Harry pulled her close and kissed her forehead, looking down with her.
"So, Gin, are we going with the name we originally chose?" Ginny was about to say yes when she noticed something about their baby daughter. Aside from the tiny tuft of red hair, she had just opened her tiny eyes a little. And unlike James and Albus', they were a sparkling green.
"Actually, Harry, no. I mean, I loved Tonks, and I still think that Dora is a brilliant name, but I know what I want to call her."
"What do you want to call her, love?" asked Harry, looking at his wife in slight confusion.
"Lily. I want to call her Lily, after your mother. I just feel like it's right."
"Oh, Ginny. Thank you, love." he smiled, kissing her on the head.
"It's alright. I think she likes it anyway, and Tonks would've killed us if we'd named her Nymphadora!" she added, leaving the pair in stitches.
"Yeah, she would've. Now, what should her middle name be?"
Suddenly, a crash came from outside and what seemed to be a heated argument sprung up.
"I'm telling you, Ron, it wasn't my fault. The Nargles intercepted my Apparation." came a very familiar voice from outside, drawing a small happy cry from the bundle.
"Well, that solves that problem, doesn't it?" they laughed as Ron, Hermione and the voice in question entered the room, smiling at Ginny leant back into Harry's arms, whispering to her daughter
"Welcome to the family, my little Lily Luna."
A/N: She was finally born. If I got anything wrong, forgive me, but also remember that magical births would be a bit different. Please review!