The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.
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A/N: Please forgive the tardiness. Spring allergies are a bear to live with!
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"Well you know what I think…do you? I think you should both paint the nurseries orange!" Hermione realized that Ron must be very drunk to be giving both her and Ginny ideas for their respective nurseries. Just as Hermione had suspected the family dinner idea that Ginny had suggested to Molly was just a ploy to get the entire family together. Everyone was sitting round the dining table and the plates had just been served to everyone when Harry pushed his chair back and stood up to get everyone's attention.
Tapping on the water glass a fidgety Harry loudly cleared his throat and said, "This may come a great shock to you but, yes, I, Harry 'save the wizarding world' Potter was finally able to get your beloved Ginny knocked up!"
The table erupted into a joyous tumult. However, Harry was not finished speaking and despite his efforts to silence the family, it took a loud sharp whistle from Ginny to get everyone's attention for the second time. Harry looked down lovingly at his wife.
"Yes, thank you for that, Gin, as I was saying Ginny and I are expecting and I just wanted let you boys know that I will no longer be needing your 'tips'. So please stop sending owls." Harry sat down as Mr. Weasley chocked on his water. Bill began to laugh as he patted his chocking father on the back.
The rest of the dinner conversation centered on babies, getting ready for babies, taking care of babies, best way to cure colic and as the evening wore on and the fire whiskey bottle made its appearance, how to make babies. When the inebriated brothers sat in the garden, smoked cigars, and discuss that particular aspect of babies Ginny and Hermione decided to wandered into the kitchen of the Burrow and join Molly for a cup of tea.
Despite the fact that she and Harry had been trying for a year to get pregnant Ginny was very nervous and unsure bout the whole situation and full of questions for the women.
"I cannot feel the baby!" she exclaimed with tears. "I know that I won't be able to feel the baby move for months I just thought I would feel more pregnant."
Hermione smiled with a distant look in her eye. "Gin, I was almost five months along the first time before I even found out I was pregnant. I don't think it is something you necessarily feel right away."
Molly sat quietly and listened to her daughter and her daughter in law. This was a conversation that every generation of women had and Molly knew she was privileged to participate in this one. She did not feel the need to impart her wisdom but rather she felt she should just give advice when asked. It was a new feeling for Molly Weasley.
"William!" Hermione shouted from the bedroom. She waited for less than fifteen seconds before she shouted again, "William Weasley!" nothing.
Hermione whimpered, the pain was worse and she was getting scared. She tried for the fifth time to move her leg but it hurt too much. Bill was ignoring her. Tears began to stream down her face, Hermione knew that she was going to be stuck standing in the closet doorway for hours or until her husband noticed she was missing.
"Bill! Please."
Bill Weasley had heard the first two pleas for him but truth be told he was enjoying frustrating his wife too much to answer. The couple had been irritating each other off and on for weeks. During the rare moments when they were able to have a civil conversation, they both admitted it was just stress. Hermione felt completely overwhelmed and nervous, whereas Bill admitted that he too was nervous and apprehensive about being in the delivery room. He had explained that nothing would keep him from being with Hermione during the birth of their child but the idea of an entire human being shooting out of her private parts was weird.
It was Hermione's third plea that finally got Bill's attention. It sounded weak and scared.
"Coco what is it this time?" Bill yelled back as he reluctantly got up from the sofa and walked into the bedroom.
The first thing Bill saw was Hermione holding on to the doorframe of the closet. She was standing on one leg with the other held at a strange angle. Bill noticed that one supporting leg was shaking from the effort. When Hermione looked up Bill saw that her face contorted in pain.
"Coco! Coco!" Bill's heart almost stopped and then began to race. "Coco is it the baby?"
Hermione shook her head and groaned, "No, it is my leg if I move it hurts."
Bill grabbed her around the waist picked her up. Hermione screamed in pain. Bill cradled her to his chest and ran for the fireplace. Bill yelled "St. Mungo's" as they stepped in.
It was almost three hours later and visits from virtually every family member before Bill and Hermione were released. Bill began to collect their belongings he was ready to leave and go home. Only Ron and Mrs. Weasley had stayed and were waiting in the lobby to escort them home.
Bill was holding a small paper bag with potions for Hermione and was standing next to his wife. Bill gently rubbing her eight month belly and listening to healer explain again to Hermione that the baby was fine and that it was safe for them to go home.
Hermione was having trouble accepting that the horrific pain was a result of 'Baby Weasley' shifting and pressing on her sciatic nerve. After a lengthy question and answer session, Hermione finally sighed and agreed that the healer's diagnosis made sense. The baby was getting bigger and more active but space was limited. Bill chuckled as Hermione made a face at the healer as he left the examination room.
"Coco - behave! You know that the healer is right." Bill was smiling as he helped her step into her shoes. Hermione had not been able to see her feet from standing position for quite a while.
"Bill, you have some nerve. You know that you are just as worried about all of this as I am!" Hermione whined as they began to walk to the lobby.
"Coco you are right I have concerns but I believe the healer. Bill Junior was trying out his Quidditch moves." Bill slowed his pace to accommodate Hermione.
"But okay look I will make you this promise Coco, I will be with you no matter what I will right next you okay? We will get through this together." Bill's arm pulled Hermione to his side. "Do you trust me?"
Hermione looked into his eyes and nodded.
"Here they are Mum!" Ron stood up from the bank of chairs in the St. Mungo's lobby and walked toward the couple.
"Ron, you are still here? I thought you had to go home and check on your wife." Bill was surprised to see his youngest brother.
"Please do not mention her. I have petitioned the Minister of Magic, the Wizegomot, even the Department for Care of Magical Creatures for an annulment. There should some loophole I can slip through – she was crazy way before we even met." Ron had turned a bright red from his anger.
"My bet is on the Department for Care of Magical Creatures," Bill responded, "but that still does not explain why you are still here."
Molly answered, "He wanted to make sure Hermione was out of danger. He checked in on Veronique about an hour ago."
Molly moved to stand next to Hermione. "Are you sure they said you could leave?"
Hermione was just about to answer when there was a loud shout from the lobby door.
"Let go of me you idiot! I can walk." A female voice yelled at the security guards.
"Mrs. Weasley, you called the emergency healer complaining of chest pains", the older of the two guards was yelling right back at the crazed witch, "and then you refused to be treated at home. You insisted on being brought here to St. Mungo's because you were so sick and now you are acting as if you are fine!"
Veronique Weasley turned away from the guard and scanned the lobby. Her eyes lit up when she saw Ron. "Ron, darling, thank goodness you are here! Please tell these fools to leave me alone!"
Ron did not have a chance to say anything because that moment Veronique saw Hermione standing between the Weasley brothers.
"You filthy little cu…" Veronique did not finish she sentence. Instead, she ripped the young guard's wand out of his hand and aimed it at Hermione's heart.
"I told you but you refused to listen to me. I simply cannot have such a whore interfering with my marriage anymore I will not tolerate it! I told you before but now I realize you are too stupid to understand. I am forced to teach you another lesson. Believe me when I tell you that you and your bastard are going to pay." Veronique smiled a sick little smile. "Truly I think I should get a medal for this…it really is a public service."
Bill pushed Hermione behind him and put out his arm. "Veronique put down the wand. It is not what you think. You know that Ron has been faithful to you. As a matter of fact he was telling me right before you came how much you mean to him."
This seemed to surprise the crazed witch. Veronique tilted her head and a little drool poured out of the side of her mouth as she smiled. "Really? Ron you still love me?" She eyes were unfocused and her wand hand shook.
Ron took a step toward his insane spouse. "Come on now, put down the wand Veronique and we can go home and discuss this."
Something in Veronique snapped. "Say it!" She screeched "Say you love me!!!"
Ron took another step closer and stretched out his arm. "Just give me the wand Veronique and then we will…"
"No! Say you love me!" Tears were pouring down Veronique's face. In a small whisper she repeated, "Say you love me."
Ron did not answer.
Veronique roared and aimed the stolen wand at Hermione and Bill.
Bill pushed Hermione farther behind him as the sickly yellow stream of light struck him in the arm.
Hermione screamed and Bill crumbled to the lobby floor.
As the guards and Ron tackled Veronique to the ground, Hermione watched emergency healers converge on her husband.
"He is still breathing!"
"We have to get him to stasis."
"Some one call Healer Smythe we are going to need her."
Hermione watched the healers take Bill away and then she collapsed.
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Hope you forgive the length. The next chapter should the last and I am having trouble finishing the story. Not because I do not know how it ends but rather I have enjoyed writing it so much.
THANKS FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS!