Chapter Seventeen – Life After Hogwarts

After graduation, Harry, Hermione and Rae moved into Grimmauld Place, permanently. They had already, through the course of the last year, fixed up and redecorated the house but now they had one more room to complete.

They had chosen a large, sunny room on the second floor for the nursery. It had panelled windows that looked out over the backyard. Today, as Hermione sat in a comfortable chair, Harry and Rae were painting. They had enchanted the paint brushes to paint the walls a golden yellow and all three were chatting away as they watched the brushes work.

"Our party last Saturday was really fun, wasn't it?" Rae commented.

"Well we weren't just celebrating our 18th birthdays were we?" Harry replied.

"Yeah, I still can't believe that me and Ron both got into the Chudley Canons!" Rae grinned, unable to hide her excitement, "And I can't believe you knocked back Seeker for Puddlemere United!"

"Too much travel," Harry shrugged, "I want to be home with Hermione. Besides Head of the Department of Unspeakables is a good job too."

"I guess…" Rae grinned.

"You guess?" Hermione piped in, "He's the youngest Ministry official ever!" She boasted proudly.

"What about you? Decided what you want to do yet?" Rae challenged.

"Be a mum to my kids. And I was thinking of maybe writing a book or something."

The paint brushes were now painting a deep red trim around the middle of the wall. Harry had insisted they incorporate the Gryffindor colours into the room. Harry followed the emerging red trim, prodding his wand at the wall. In the wake of his wand, were little gold figures on broomsticks with stars surrounding them.

"Well I better get to training," Rae announced clapping her hands together once for emphasis, "First game on Friday night."

"Ok, see ya," Harry said as Rae disapparated.

***

"What do you think?" Harry asked ten minutes later as he sat on the ground to admire his paint job.

"I think…um I think it's time Harry," Hermione said quietly.

"What?"

"I think the babies are coming!"

"Is that why you've been less talkative this afternoon? Have you been getting contractions?"

"I think so. Ahh – Oww," Hermione grabbed her stomach and tried to steady her breathing.

"Ok, hospital," Harry said, helping Hermione to her feet, "Floo probably isn't a good idea in your condition and you haven't been able to Apparate for weeks. Broom – no. Um, the Knight Bus! We'll have to."

Harry lead Hermione outside and locked the door with his wand. They walked to the street and Harry flagged down the triple decker bus. Within seconds they were speeding towards St Mungo's.
Upon arriving at the hospital Harry walked up to the reception desk and was shocked to see Ginny behind the counter.

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed questioningly.

"Hey Harry, I'm doing a summer internship here – decided to be a Healer."

"Cool. Um, where's the maternity ward?"

Ginny caught sight of Hermione, "Oh Merlin! Now? Yay! Oh, sorry, 3rd floor, ward 51 Harry. Your healer will be Anita Brooks."

***

Hermione was settled into a bed by another intern who told them that Healer Brooks would be along soon.

"Harry can you contact Ron and Rae and my parents?" Hermione asked.

Harry headed back downstairs where he was promised by Ginny that all parties would be notified immediately.

On his way back to the room, he met Healer Brooks, "You're Harry Potter, right?" said the young mediwitch, "My mother delivered you!"

Harry recalled the memory and smiled at the fiery mediwitch.

"This is great," Brooks said, as they walked back to ward 51 and Hermione, "The last baby I cared for was abandoned here with an instructional letter about six months ago. Poor thing. Just checked him over and then he got sent to an orphanage. Father and mother dead – dreadful start to a life don't you think?"

"Yeah," Harry muttered as he mulled over this information.

They arrived back at Hermione's room, "How are you feeling ms Potter?" Brooks asked.

"Fairly good. The contractions are about two minutes apart."

"Ok, it's time then!" Healer Brooks appeared to be in a rather excited mood, "I can't believe I'm delivering Harry and Hermione Potter's kids!"

Harry smiled wanly.

"Ready Harry?" Hermione smiled. She seemed so calm, just as Lily had been in the memory.

Harry nodded, "You can do this Mi," Harry coached, as Hermione began to push.

Twenty minutes later, the first baby was born.

"A boy. It's a boy!" Harry exclaimed in an ecstatic whisper as Brooks wrapped the baby in a blue blanket and placed him in a crib.

"Ok, Mione. How you doing?" Harry asked.

"Good," Hermione breathed, "All good."

There was a knock at the door, and the intern who helped Hermione before ducked her head in, "Sorry just letting you know that your families are here."

Hermione nodded, "Ahhh!"

Another few minutes passed and welcomed a second baby boy.

"Identical," Brooks said, performing a quick charm to identify this fact.

"One more," Hermione breathed.

Several minutes later, for a third time cries filled the room as a baby girl was born.

"Two boys and a girl!" Harry announced with a grin and leaning over he kissed Hermione.

Healer Brooks, wrapped a pink blanket around their daughter and handed her to Harry, "I'll leave you two alone for a while."

Harry looked down at his daughter. She was the most beautiful little thing Harry had ever seen. He couldn't believe he had helped make this baby. He kissed her nose, just as Lily had done to him a little over 18 years ago, "I don't care what you say Mi, this angel is Lily Hermione Potter."

Hermione smiled as she picked up both her sons and rested back on the pillows with one boy in each arm. She understood that Harry's first born daughter would always be Lily. She looked down at her sleeping first born, "Only if we can name this little guy James Harry and his brother Sirius Ronald."

Harry grinned, "Deal!"

"They're perfect, aren't they Harry?" Hermione had tears in her eyes.

"Yep! Ready to introduce them?"

Hermione nodded.

Harry shifted Lily in his arms as he walked to the door and opened it. He stepped into the hall to see all the Weasleys, Rae, Remus and Tonks and Hermione's parents. None of them had noticed him yet, they were talking in soft whispers amongst themselves.

"I don't think they're very interested in meeting you princess," Harry cooed.

At the sound of his voice they all turned and smiles appeared on every face. Ginny squealed as the girls all started cooing at Lily. Ron clapped Harry on the back and Remus ruffled Harry's already messy hair in a rare show of fatherly affection.

"What's her name?" Fred asked.

"Lily," Harry, Ron, Rae and Remus answered.

Fred looked at the two, "How did you know that?"

"We know Harry." Everyone laughed.

"C'mon, I want you to meet James and Sirius," Harry said leading them back into the room.

"They'd be really proud Harry," Remus said, "all three of them."

"Hey Hermione!" Ron greeted as the group crowded around the new mother and her sleeping boys.

"Oh bless them," Mrs Weasley sobbed.

"Yeah, they need blessing!" Rae teased, nudging Harry, "They've all got Harry's hair!"