A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Ron came through the kitchen door of the Burrow laughing his head off. Hermione, Ginny and Molly all looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"What is so funny, Ron?" Molly asked, standing near the stove with her hands on her hips. James, Albus and Rose were in the living room playing when the adults in the kitchen heard the floo activate and the kids say "Daddy!" and "Uncle Harry!"

A moment later, Harry entered the kitchen.

"Ron, it's not funny," Harry said, exasperated.

"Come on, it was kind of funny. Everyone in the office was laughing." And Ron burst into another laughing fit.

"What is he laughing at?" Hermione asked. "And what was so funny?"

"I wore two different shoes to work today because I can't see my feet," Harry mumbled.

Everyone's eyes, minus Ron's, went to Harry's feet. Sure enough, on one foot was black shoe and the left was a brown shoe.

Molly had to hide her amusement and Hermione and Ginny burst into laughter along with Ron.

Harry turned to his wife. "Thanks for telling me, honey. I figured you could have told me before I left for work."

The laughter continued for another minute or two.

"You know this isn't funny," Harry muttered as he lowered himself into a chair next to Ginny.

"Not as funny as watching him getting out of a chair," Ron muttered

At this point Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Molly were all laughing, Molly for a different reason.

"Harry, these things happen when you are approaching the end of your pregnancy."

Harry groaned and laid his head down on his arms. He felt Ginny rubbing his back.

"Harry, are you okay?" Ginny asked. Harry nodded and lifted his head. He made a mental note to thank Shanti during his next appointment for suggesting an early leave from work. Harry actually worked three weeks past his original planned date to take off. That day was his last day until September.

"I'm just sick of being pregnant."

Ginny smiled sympathetically. "I know, sweetheart." She got up to help her mother prepare dinner. Molly had invited Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione over for dinner so they could get a chance to talk without the chaos that was the rest of the family and since Hermione and Harry were getting closer to their due dates.

Harry looked at Hermione. "I must sound like a whiney baby to you. Here I am complaining and you haven't complained once."

"That's because this is my second baby, Harry." Hermione reached over and grabbed Harry's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. "This is the first time you had to carry a baby so even though it's your third, the pregnancy is most likely mimicking a first pregnancy."

Harry knew Hermione was right. He recalled Ginny's pregnancy with James. The fact that HE survived the nine month ordeal was nothing short of a miracle. Mainly it was because Ginny's temper was worse than Harry had ever seen it. He managed to avoid getting Bat Bogey hexed more times than he could count.

However, with this pregnancy, Harry's infamous temper that was known at Hogwarts and the Auror department had gotten worse with each passing month. There wasn't a person in the Auror department that Harry had told off one time or another.

Ginny had lost count of the times when Harry came home in a foul mood during the pregnancy.

"So, how does it feel to be off work for a while?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Ask me again on Sunday and I'll tell you," he mumbled, knowing his sons would cause him to want to pull his hair out.

Molly sat down the salad bowl and sat down at her place at the table while Ginny and Ron took the kids upstairs to wash up.

Ginny returned with James and Albus and placed Albus in his high chair and James in his seat across from his brother. Ron was next to Rose and Ginny was next to Albus. Their spouses were across from them with James in between Harry and Hermione.

Molly's spaghetti and meatballs were a hit with the kids and the adults. Ginny, Hermione and Molly discussed nursery decorating and what each girl had planned. Harry and Ron discussed what Ron's new duty was in the office since Harry would be gone from the office. Shanti had threatened many times to put Harry on bed rest, something that Harry AND Ginny didn't want.

Arthur silently observed his family, and looked at Hermione and Harry. There was a possibility that these two new grandbabies were going to be the last of the grandchildren. He turned and smiled at his youngest son and daughter. They turned out really well considering they grew up during the war. Arthur then looked at his grandchildren, smiling at Rose's attempts to stab a meatball, James slurping the noodles, and Albus forgoing the fork his mother gave him and eating the meal with his hands, thus getting sauce all over his face and hands.

He met Molly's eyes from across the table and they both thought the same thing. How did they get lucky and blessed with the family they had?

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Baby Watch round one began when Hermione passed thirty-six weeks. Hermione walked out of Shanti's office and met Harry and Ginny in the waiting room.

"Well?" Ginny asked.

"He'll be here soon, so we're still on Baby Watch." She turned to Harry who looked uncomfortable as all get out.

"You okay?" she asked.

Harry nodded. "Just peachy," he muttered sarcastically.

"Don't mind him, he hasn't been sleeping much," Ginny told her sister-in-law.

Harry hadn't been sleeping much because Lily had become more active and started using his bladder as a trampoline, increasing his trips to the bathroom.

"I can sympathize with you. I know what that's like. I'm meeting Ron for lunch, so I'll see you Sunday."

"Bye, Hermione!" Ginny said as Harry waved bye to her.

Harry and Ginny weren't waiting much longer until the welcome witch called them back. Ginny helped Harry out of the chair and he waddled to the welcome witch, following her to the exam room, with Ginny behind him.

"Change into the gown on the table and Shanti will be in shortly," the witch said as she shut the door.

Harry took off his T-shirt, tossing it to Ginny, and slipped on the gown. He then slipped off his pants and tossed them to Ginny before jerking on the scrub pants.

"That's the first time I've seen a gray gown. They're usually green," Ginny commented as Harry climbed up on the table.

They sat in silence for a while until Harry said, "Gin, I'm sorry if I wasn't sympathetic enough when you were pregnant with the boys."

Ginny got up from her chair in the corner and walked over to the table, Harry's feet rubbing against her leg.

"Don't have doubts that you were not caring enough when I was pregnant. You were. I couldn't have asked for better." She wrapped an arm around his neck, cupping the back of his head with her hand and holding his hand with the other.

"Thanks, Ginny," Harry said sincerely.

Ginny kissed his forehead before returning to her seat.

A knock came at the door and Shanti came in. "Hello, how are we doing today?"

"Good, I'm tired and she's been using my bladder as a trampoline, doubling my trips to the bathroom."

"That's all normal – you're nearing the end."

"So will it be like this until I deliver?" Harry asked, hoping to hear a no.

"Unfortunately, yes."

Shanti checked Harry's blood pressure and other vitals and as she did this she asked when they would like to discuss their options for delivery.

"Can we discuss that at the end?" Ginny asked, knowing Harry wanted to get the examination out of the way.

"Yes we can," Shanti replied and asked Harry to lie down on the table as she pulled up the gown. She waved her wand and the measuring tape came flying and measured the length of the baby in Harry's abdomen.

"She's going to be a tad shorter than the boys were at birth. James was twenty one inches long and Albus was nineteen. So far, she's about seventeen inches, but she might grow between now and when she's born," the healer explained as she drummed her fingers on Harry's lower abdomen, trying to figure out if she was feeling the baby's feet or head. She did the same drumming on top of the bump that was Harry's abdomen and tried to figure out if the baby was feet first or head first.

"She should be making a move to be head down soon."

"What happens if she isn't?" Ginny asked.

"She would be considered a breech baby. The position she is in now is a footling breech. A footling breech is where one or both feet are poised to come out first. Both of her feet are at the bottom."

"Is that the only breech position?" Ginny asked. She didn't know about this since James and Albus both were head down at the time of delivery.

"No. There's a Frank breech, which is bottom first with feet up near the head. There's a complete breech, which is bottom first with legs crossed Indian-style. In rare cases, a baby will be in they call a transverse lie. The baby is sideways in the uterus or in this case, uterus like sack, with his or her shoulder, back, or arm presenting first."

Harry finally found his voice when he asked "What happens if the baby is breeched?"

Shanti paused for a moment before she explained.

"Babies who are still breeched near term are unlikely to turn on their own, but there is a chance she will. If she doesn't by the time you deliver, I'll do what they call an external cephalic version. I will do this by applying pressure to your abdomen and manually manipulating the baby into a head-down position."

"Sounds like it will hurt," Harry muttered. Ginny moved to the chair next to the exam table and took Harry's hand, giving a light squeeze.

"It will be uncomfortable, but there are also risks in doing an ECV. The baby's heart rate could drop and the placenta could separate from the wall of the uterus like sack we implanted in your belly. A C-section is the only option if that happens."

Shanti started pressing on Harry's abdomen, checking to see if the baby was in the breech position she figured the baby was in. She was right when she found the baby's feet down in Harry's lower abdomen and the head in his upper abdomen.

"Because she is breeched I want to see you every week. We'll do an ultrasound to check on the baby's position and see where we stand."

Shanti waved her wand over Harry's protruding stomach, and the sound of the baby's heartbeat filled the tension-filled room.

When Shanti cancelled the spell and ran a few more scans, she told Harry he could sit up.

"Okay, birthing options. Believe it or not, but some of my male pregnancy patients have delivered naturally."

Harry looked at the healer with a shocked expression "Seriously?"

"Yes. What I would do if that's the route you want to go is I will make an incision in your lower abdomen and create a birth canal and you could try to push the baby out. If that fails, I will close up the incision and move you to the OR and perform a cesarean."

Ginny asked, "How would you do pain management?"

"Same way we did with you. It would be injected into the IV and if needed we would give you potions."

Harry looked and Ginny and then back to the Healer. "Would I feel anything if we did the cesarean?"

"No, I would place a numbing spell on your abdomen and will make the incision than. You might feel some pressure from where I pull the baby out."

"Okay" Harry replied shakily.

Shanti placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder.

"It's not as painful as it sounds. I'm sure Ginny would tell you about what to expect since a C-section is how we delivered Albus."

Harry turned to his wife, who laced her fingers with his and gave his hand a light squeeze. They looked at each other as if they were having a mental conversation. Finally Ginny spoke up.

"Okay, I think we have a birth plan then."

"Great. I'll see you next week. Make an appointment with the welcome witch on your way out."

Shanti left Harry and Ginny alone in the exam room until Ginny left to make the appointment while Harry got dressed. Once the appointment for next week was made, they flooed home.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Ginny sat on her bed, Indian style, flipping through the photo album she was using to document Harry's pregnancy.

In the front was a picture of Harry after they found out they was pregnant. Her eyes zoomed into his flat stomach. She knew that it would get back to that one day soon, after Lily was born and Harry lost the weight he had gained. Shanti mentioned to her during her yearly checkup a month ago that if the skin around Harry's abdomen didn't go back, she would recommend a healer who would take care of the extra skin. Something similar to what a muggle would call a tummy tuck.

It was still considered surgery since he would use his wand to remove the extra skin from Harry's stomach and they would need to put Harry to sleep to do the procedure. She didn't know how open Harry would be to that. Shanti also said that if Harry and her decided they was done having children and was positive that Lily would be their last one than when she removed the sack, she would remove the extra skin than with the other healer's assistance.

She continued to flip through the photo album, watching as Harry's stomach got bigger. She paused when she came to the one she took when James and Albus climbed on the couch and talked to the baby in their daddy's belly. She then came the copies of every ultrasound Harry had. She smiled when she saw the last picture. It was of her and Harry and Hermione and Ron. Harry and Hermione were in the middle and Ginny was on Harry's right with Ron on Hermione's left.

The four adults smiled at the camera as the two ladies shaded their eyes from the sun. It was taken in the garden at Ron and Hermione's during Rosie's birthday party last month.

Ginny smiled as she closed the album and with a wave of her wand, it returned to its place in the downstairs bookshelf were all the family pictures were kept. Her attention turned to the bathroom door when it opened and Harry stepped out.

"Gin, what was the cesarean like?" Harry asked out of the blue. Ginny looked at him and the look on his face made her recall how scared he was before he was taken into surgery when he had his appendectomy. Having never had surgery or better yet, surgery the magical way, it had been understandable for Harry be scared, despite the fact he had been sixteen years old.

Ginny thought for a moment. She didn't feel a thing when they delivered Albus. Maybe a pull or tug here or there, but nothing to say it was extremely painful. She knew despite the assurances from Shanti that everything will be okay and the delivery would go smoothly, Harry still had anxiety about the whole thing.

She looked at her husband, who had an extremely high pain tolerance and was referred to as her brave Auror. But there were occasions when the pain would be so bad that Harry would beg for something to help.

"You'll feel some pressure, maybe a tug or pull here or there, but it there is not a lot of pain involved."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, feeling scared just thinking about the procedure. "What about when they make the…?" Harry didn't continue, but Ginny knew what he was asking.

"That's where the pressure and tugging come from, the incision."

She crawled over to where Harry was sitting and wrapped her arms around him. He laid his head on her shoulder.

"It'll all be worth it once you're holding our precious little girl." Ginny placed her hand on Harry's stomach, smiling when she felt Lily moved under hand. "And I will be there. I promise you it's not so bad."

They sat in silence until….

"That ECV sounds scary and painful," Harry muttered.

Ginny's heart broke at the scared expression on Harry's face. She kissed his forehead and rubbed his arm.

"Let's hope she turns so you won't have to undergo that."

Harry soon laid down in the bed with Ginny curled against him. He felt her hand go under his shirt and start to rub soothing circles on Harry's stomach. The quick massage didn't only help Harry fall asleep, but it helped Lily relax as well.

Soon his light snores filled the room. Ginny waved her wand and the lights in their bedroom went off. She snuggled against Harry and fell asleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Baby Watch round one was still in effect the following Sunday morning. Shanti had told Ron and Hermione that Hugo could come anytime. Since then, anytime Ron would floo the Burrow, Molly would rush around the house to get ready to leave for the hospital, only for Ron to ask her if she and Arthur could keep Rosie or if she had a casserole fixed. Molly's nerves so were nearly shot that she taken to watching Harry and Hermione closely when they were at the Burrow for any signs of labor. Although, she didn't know what to watch for with Harry, except for signs of pain.

It wasn't until one night, three weeks later, at midnight, that Ron flooed the Burrow in a panic with Rosie. Hermione had gone into labor. Molly had taken the sleeping toddler from Ron and sent him back to Hermione. She knew Hermione's mother, Jane, was staying with them temporarily until she found a new place to live. Jane had stayed with her daughter while Ron went to get his parents.

Arthur flooed Harry and Ginny's first, not needing to go far because Ginny was in the kitchen getting another stomach soother for Harry. He told her that Hermione was in labor and they needed to head to St. Mungo's.

Ginny went upstairs, gave Harry the stomach soother and gathered up the bag of toys she prepared in the event of Harry or Hermione going into labor. She managed to get her three boys up and dressed despite Harry's slight stomach upset and they headed to St. Mungo's.

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Shanti shook her head as she picked up Hermione's file. She had been a healer and midwife for over ten years, yet she never saw a couple that bickered like Ron and Hermione. Jane stood off the side with Rosie in her arms.

Ginny was standing beside Molly, who was next to Jane. Jane would accompany Hermione and Ron in the delivery room. Since the death of her husband just before Hermione and Ron got married, she thought she would never find joy in her life again. But when Hermione and Ron announced after three years of trying Hermione was finally pregnant, that all changed.

Now the little girl she was holding, who looked like her mother and had her father's red hair and blue eyes, was the joy of Jane's life. Words couldn't describe how she felt when she watched her only daughter give her grandchildren.

Shanti looked at Ginny.

"Déjà view, huh? It's like a floor show," the healer muttered to Ginny. Ron and Hermione were known as the bickering couple in the maternity ward since Rose was born.

"I still don't know how Harry could stand this," Molly motioned to her son and daughter-in-law.

When Shanti and a mediwitch began pushing Hermione's wheelchair to Labor and Delivery, Jane handed her granddaughter to Molly.

Rose instantly woke up started crying for Ron and Hermione. When she seen Arthur come up behind Molly, she reached for him shrieking, "Granddad!"

Arthur took the crying toddler and managed to calm her down enough that she was quietly whimpering. After Molly fished out her pink bunny "Pinky" from her bag, she managed to calm down more.

Since the day Rose was born, it was Arthur who could calm her down just by holding her and gently rocking her. It was needless to say that of all the granddaughters Arthur and Molly had, Rosie was the "granddad's girl" of the bunch. She was also, out of all her uncles, closest to her Uncle Harry. He had gotten the favorite uncle title by simply playing with her and letting her crawl and climb all over him. Rosie was where his wish for a daughter had come from.

Ginny, Molly and Arthur all headed back to the waiting room. Arthur gently sat down, so as not to disturb his granddaughter, in the seat next to Molly. Molly picked up her basket and started knitting her Christmas sweaters and by the size of the one she was working on, it was for the new grandbaby who was about to make his entrance into the world.

Ginny found James and Albus on the floor next to Victoire, Dominique, Molly, Lucy and Freddie on a blanket with pillows and more blankets. James had Paddy, his stuff black dog, and Albus had his stuffed hippogriff named Buckbeak. She had lost count the amount of times since he gotten it at Christmas that Harry would either lay on it or sat on it, causing the hard beak to dig into his skin.

She looked up, doing a small circle of the room and found her husband sprawled out in one of the chairs in a corner. He wasn't too far off from the rest of the family, just close enough that if he turned his head to the right, stretching a bit, he could see the boys.

Ginny approached him and gently snaked her hands under his armpits and pulled him up and sat down in the chair. Fleur brought over a pillow and a blanket.

With Harry's head in her lap, Ginny reached into her bag and pulled out the novel she been reading.

If this birth was going to be anything like when Rose was born it would be a while.

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Harry laid sprawled out in a row of chairs with his head in Ginny's lap. He had taken his stomach soother and fallen asleep an hour after arriving. The waiting room was full of the Weasley family. Rosie was sleeping in her grandfather's arms because she had started crying when Ron and Hermione went down the hall to the maternity ward. The rest of the kids were either on the big blanket in the corner or in their parents' laps.

Molly was knitting a Christmas jumper while Arthur snoozed beside her with Rosie in his arms. Bill had found an ottoman and stretched out in a chair asleep with Louis on his chest. Fleur was knitting her traditional hats for the girls. She was working on one that would most likely be Lily's. Charlie was unable to come, but asked to be kept updated on how things were going.

Percy and George were quietly talking, not to disturb the kids or Roxanne, who was sleeping in her father's arms, while their wives flipped through a Witch Weekly, occasionally looking over at the kids to see if they were still sleeping.

Ginny was reading her book, absent-mindedly running her fingers through Harry's hair. He hadn't moved or woken up since he fell asleep. He didn't budge when Ginny lifted him up to sit down in the chair.

The hours ticked by slowly and there was no news about Hermione or the baby. Harry had slept for an hour and an half when he woke up to use the bathroom. When he returned to the waiting room, Ginny had gotten up to stretch and check on the boys.

Harry curled back up in the chairs. Ginny conjured a pillow and placed it on Harry's back. When Harry laid down again, he felt Lily kick.

Ginny placed her hand on his stomach and started to slowly rub his swollen belly.

Harry looked up at her and Ginny smiled back at him.

The doors to the waiting room opened and Ron stepped in.

As one the family stood up waiting for Harry and Ginny to get up before he spoke.

"Eight pounds, eleven ounces, twenty inches long. Mummy and baby are doing fine."

The family broke out into cheers, not loud enough to wake the kids.

"What's my grandson's name?" Molly asked.

"Hugo, after her father" Ron answered as he approached his dad. He asked his father, "Do you want to meet your namesake?"

Arthur looked at Ron in shock. "What?" he exclaimed.

"His name is Hugo Arthur Weasley. Hermione wanted to honor her dad, only he's Hugo instead of Hugh and I picked Arthur for his middle name. This way, we're honoring Hugh and you, Dad."

Arthur handed Rosie to Molly, stood up, and hugged Ron. "I'm honored, son."

Ginny approached Molly to take Rosie to allow the grandparents to visit first. After Arthur and Molly left to see the new addition, Rosie walked with Ginny back to where Harry was sitting.

"Uncle Harry?" the little girl asked.

"What's up, munchkin?" he replied.

"When is the baby in your tummy coming out?"

"Soon, peanut, very soon."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

After seeing Hermione and Hugo and talking with Shanti about the next appointment, Ginny flooed home to get the car and drove back to St. Mungo's. They were going to take Jane and Rosie home to Ron and Hermione's and Jane didn't feel comfortable about flooing. That and James and Albus had fallen back asleep and Harry was dead on his feet.

Ginny drove to St. Mungo's and parked in the nearby car park. She parked and entered St. Mungo's and returned to Hermione's room.

Hugo was a splitting image of his father. Blue eyes, red hair and all. When the rest of the family had left for the night, Harry, James and Albus were the ones remaining in the waiting room, apparently waiting on Ginny.

Ron had thought once about flooing Harry and the boys home himself but he didn't feel comfortable leaving Hermione in case Ginny got back with the car before he returned.

Jane picked up a sleeping Rosie and her bag. Ginny had packed up the bags she brought for the boys, leaving the bag with nappies and wipes for Harry. Jane kissed her daughter and new grandson and hugged Ron before following Ginny out the door.

Jane followed Ginny to the waiting room where she found her sons awake and quietly playing in the corner. Harry was snoozing in a nearby chair.

Ginny motioned for the boys to come to her and woke up Harry.

"Ready to go home?"

Harry got up, picking up Albus and carrying him to the car.

"I drove my car," Ginny informed her husband. Ginny's car was an SUV, a mom car. Because they had Teddy a lot and would often drive to the muggle attractions, they required a vehicle with a third row. Ginny placed James back there with Harry and Albus and Rosie in the second row, allowing Jane to sit up front with her.

On the ride to Ron and Hermione's Jane asked Ginny about how Harry was doing. Hermione had told her mother about what happened after Albus's birth and how Ginny wouldn't be able to carry another baby, ending the conversation telling her that Harry agreed to carry the baby.

Ginny told her about how excited they were that the baby was a girl. After the passing of her husband, Jane had gotten a standing invitation to the Burrow for Sunday dinners, Christmas, Easter, or anytime. So, she would see little Lily after she was born.

It hadn't surprised Hermione how well Arthur and Molly had gotten along with her parents, even if Arthur could be a little too eager at times.

When they reached the two story brick house, Ginny pulled into the driveway beside Jane's car and behind Hermione's. It was a family joke that Ginny, Hermione, and Audrey had picked similar vehicles. Hermione had picked a wagon, while Audrey had picked a sedan.

Jane opened the door and got out while Ginny got out Rosie's bags so Jane could carry Rosie into the house.

"Thanks for the ride, Ginny!" Jane said as she walked in the house behind Ginny.

"No problem! If you need anything, Harry's mobile and the house number are on the fridge. I have three sleeping boys in the car so I'd better get home."

"Good night!" Jane called as Ginny walked out the door. Ginny replied with a wave and a good night.

The rest of the drive home was quiet with only the sounds of Harry's snores in the back.

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Ginny had read somewhere about activities that pregnant mums can do to involve their children in their pregnancy. She had looked into the belly casting and immediately forgotten that idea. It wasn't the mess as much as it was getting Harry to agree to it and plus, what would she want to have a cast of Harry's pregnant belly for?

She moved on to another idea she had overheard a woman at a previous healer's appointment with Harry talking about: her kids finger-painting on her belly. Ginny asked Hermione about it and later the same day Ginny had everything she needed to know about painting with kids and pregnant mum, or this case dad.

She went to the store for the paint and came home. She talked to Harry about it and since he was also thinking of ways to involve the boys, he agreed.

Ginny had Harry lying on the floor in the family room on old towels and in old clothes that Ginny didn't care about getting paint on. She dressed the boys in old clothes and herself in old shirt and shorts.

"Okay boys, stick your hands in the paint color of your choice and then stick your hand on Daddy's tummy."

Ginny showed them what they could do. She stuck her whole right hand in the red paint and her fingertips of the blue with the other. She then placed her hand flat on Harry's belly and then moved her fingertips along the middle of Harry's bulging stomach.

"Merlin's beard, why must it be so cold?" Harry asked, shivering.

Ginny muttered that it wasn't cold and helped Albus paint Harry's stomach.

"Where can I stick my hand Ginny?" Teddy asked. Ginny had decided to include Teddy in painting Harry's stomach. Even thought he lived with Andromeda most of the time, he was at Harry and Ginny's a lot.

"Right here?" She pointed to a spot low on Harry's abdomen.

"This is actually kind of fun!" Ginny said and the boys agreed.

"For whom?" Harry asked.

"Here, Grouch." Ginny picked up a paper plate that had green paint in it and stuck Harry's hand down in it. She then placed Harry's hand on his side, she repeated the process on Harry's left side so on both of his sides, he had a handprint.

"Having fun now?" Ginny asked. Harry sighed and laid there allowing the boys to paint his stomach.

After the boys finished, Ginny stuck her fingertips in the red paint and made a heart around Harry's belly.

Once they were done, Ginny helped Harry sit up. She had used a rubber band to hold the shirt up, thus exposing Harry's bulging stomach to the room. Teddy was behind Harry and the boys were on either side of him. Ginny snapped a few pictures before she helped Harry stand up. She did the weekly picture to see how much more Harry's stomach had grown since last week.

Ginny watched Harry waddle to the stairs and head to the master bathroom. She turned and looked at the calendar and noticed Harry's due date was a week away. Lily could come any time.

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Harry laid in bed later that night, running his hands along the bulge of his stomach. He could feel Lily move under his hand. Ginny had long since been asleep, having went to sleep after she soothingly rubbed Harry's belly in hopes Lily would calm down enough for him to fall asleep.

But Harry had woken up because of a dream he had. He dreamed of the birth. He dreamed that they didn't numb him enough and he felt everything. He dreamed that something had gone wrong and Lily didn't make it. He also dreamed of spending hours pushing the baby out of the canal Shanti made, but being unable to deliver, causing him to continue life with a baby in his belly.

He looked up at the ceiling, watching the shadows from the trees outside their bedroom window.

He soon let himself relax and he eventually went to sleep, dreaming of a healthy baby, wrapped in a pink bundle, red hair and brown eyes like her mother, drifting to sleep in his arms.