Chapter 14

Neville did as he was told, but not before he stopped in the sitting area where Draco and Harry were sitting relaxing. They both looked up as he ran from down the hallway. Harry sat up more, "Neville, what's wrong?" Neville slightly out of breath said, "It's Hermione…her water just broke." That made both of her other husbands leap up and Neville asked them to go be with her while he went to go get Pomphrey. They nodded and headed back there while Neville left the apartment and ran down the halls to get Pomphrey. He ran into McGonagall and asked if Pomphrey was still in the hospital wing she answered, "Why yes she is…why what is wrong?" Neville then added, "Hermione's water has broken," McGonagall nodded and let him on his way as she made her way to their apartment. Her kids had grown up by now and lived far away. She knew Hermione would need her, so she got there as fast as she could. Her maternal instincts kicked in as she made her way to their apartment.

Meanwhile, Harry and Draco made it too her and Neville's bedroom. They knocked and told them to come in. They came in one on either side of her as they help her with her breathing and made sure she was comfortable. She couldn't seem to get comfortable and grabbed hold of the sheets every time she had a contraction. She whimpered and they could both see tears in her eyes as their hearts sunk. Harry went and got her some ice chips to suck on and brushed the hair out of her face while Draco dapped at her forehead with a cold damp compress. None of her husbands had witnessed a birth before, for they had all been only children. Harry told her that she was doing a great job and that he and Draco were both here for her. Draco nodded as he gave her another cup of ice chips and dabbed at her forehead.

In the meantime Neville had reached the medical wing and burst in through the doors. Pomphrey looked up from her desk, "What's the matter my boy? Is it Hermione?" He nodded and slightly out of breath replied, "Yes…her water just broke." Madam Pomphrey nodded and gathered up her things before leaving some other medi witches handle the medical wing. Neville went ahead of her to open up the portrait and they entered together. He heard Hermione hollering and saw McGonagall enter right after they did. Pomphrey then asked her if she could help her with the delivery. McGonagall nodded and soon Neville joined his wife's side as Harry and Draco backed up. The excused themselves and headed out to the sitting area while wishing Neville good luck and told Hermione she was beautiful and doing a great good.

Pomphrey checked how far along she was while McGonagall went to the other side of her and tried to soothe her while Neville let her lean against him as he massaged her lower back. Pomphrey said that she was about centimeters dilated and explained to both Hermione and Neville that she would be pushing at 10. They nodded and Hermione relaxed some while she was in between contractions. Pomphrey gave her a pain reducing potion and after about minutes it took most of the pain away without her going completely numb. Neville told his wife that she was doing a great job and that he was so proud of her. She smiled and leaned back against him. She thanked him before drifting off to get some much need rest before the impending delivery. McGonagall volunteered to be the go between until the delivery then hand it over to Neville to say the good news. She entered the main sitting area and both boys jumped up, "Professor, how is she doing?" Draco asked as he had been running his fingers through his hair. Harry and Draco both listened as she answered with a smile, "She's fine Pomphrey gave her a pain reducing potion and she is resting. She is at about 5 to 6 centimeters dilated and she will be pushing at 10." Both men looked shocked and then Harry asked slightly puzzled, "I always thought the first child took the longest to deliver." She smiled sweetly, "Not always Mr. Potter…it varies with each child."

After about 30 minutes Pomphrey checked her again and told her and Neville that she was at 6 centimeters now. Hermione sighed and wondered how long the labor would last. Neville had wished his parents had survived and that his mom could have been here for Hermione. Neville continued to massage her lower back as needed and she rested every so often. They had just finished the nursery just two weeks ago, so she was glad they had it ready. Pomphrey put a warming blanket in the bassinette to help keep baby Alice warm when she arrived. Neville rocked Hermione back and forth and she moaned through some contraction. Molly soon arrived and talked with the Harry, Draco, and McGonagall. Draco had owled his parents and let them knew that Hermione was in labor. Narcissa and Lucius knew that it was Neville's and Hermione's daughter, but they considered her their step granddaughter and replied saying that they were on their way. The rest of the Weasleys arrived not counting Ron, for his was not welcome. Everyone was in the sitting area talking as McGonagall came back every so often to give them updates. Hermione had asked that McGonagall and Molly stay back there with her through the delivery. She considered Molly as her mom and McGonagall as her grandmother. Neville stayed right at her side giving her all the husband/ father support that he knew to give.

7 hours now after her water broke and Pomphrey checked her once again and said that she was now at 8 ½ centimeters dilated and that things should move along more quickly now. She continued napping off and on while she still could. After another couple of hours Hermione said she had the urge to push. Pomphrey checked and said that she was indeed 10 centimeters dilated and to push at the next contraction. Soon a contraction hit her and she screamed through her gritted teeth. Draco and Harry heard it and jumped up looking down the hall. Narcissa and Fleur did their best to calm them down and said that everything was moving along beautifully. Neville cheered his wife on as he watched her push. She took a deep breath and pushed again as soon the head was crowning. Pomphrey smiled, "Ahhhh I see she will heave her daddy's hair color." She continued to push and soon Neville continued to cheer her on and congratulate her on doing an amazing job. He soon saw as the head came out and was amazed. Pomphrey told her to stop pushing while she magically cleared the nose and mouth. Soon Hermione was told to push again and after 45 minutes of pushing and 9 hours after her water broke little Alice Luna Longbottom entered the world on April 17th, 2002. After a minute she began crying and Neville kissed his wife's forehead, "You did amazing honey…we have a daughter." Hermione smiled tiredly and laid back in her bed while Neville cut the cord and walked over with their daughter. He handed her to Hermione and they smiled looking at their newborn daughter. Neville soon excused himself for a minute and showed up in the sitting area. "Harry…Draco…want to come see your stepdaughter?" Harry and Draco jumped up when they saw Neville enter the room and smiled as he asked if they wanted to meet their stepdaughter. The others smiled and congratulated the three of them and stayed behind till it was their time to go back. They soon followed Neville back congratulating him as they headed back there. They soon entered the room and Neville joined Hermione on their bed as Draco and Harry smiled seeing the pink bundle in Hermione's arms. They walked over slowly and quietly as they saw that she had her daddy's hair color. As they soon got to the side of the bed Hermione looked up at them and smiled, "Hey you two…thank you for earlier." They smiled and replied, "Hey we were just glad we could help so how." Hermione smiled and asked if they wanted to hold her. Harry piped up first and reached over and held her supporting her head. He smiled as Alice opened her eyes. He smiled and whispered, "Hi there I'm daddy Harry…you're mommy and daddy who you have already met have been excited to meet you and so have I and daddy Draco. Draco smiled kissed Hermione's head, "You did great my love." She smiled and thanked him as they watched Harry lightly bounce little newborn Alice who was cradle in his arms. Soon he handed her over to Draco and Draco smiled, "Hey there little one it's finally nice to meet you…I'm daddy Draco." He rocked her in his arms as Harry smiled at Hermione and Neville, "She has her daddy's hair, but her mommy's chocolate brown eyes…I have a feeling that as her daddies we are doing to have our hands full." Everyone chuckled quietly and watched as Draco held her before handing her back to her daddy, "Okay little one I'm going to hand you back to your daddy now." Harry kissed Hermione's forehead, "You did a great job Hermione." Neville chuckled and playfully said, "Hey what about me?" Harry chuckled and played along as he playfully waved at Neville, "Ahhhh you just supplied the means." Everyone laughed slightly louder now.

Soon everyone else was allowed back and each one took and turn hold her and congratulated the couple. Everyone remarked about how beautiful she was and the Weasley boys all said they were proud uncles as Hermione was pretty much a Weasley just without the name change. After everyone else held her it was Narcissa and Lucius's turn. Narcissa held her first and congratulated the couple and then turned down too little Alice. "Hey there Alice…I'm grandma Narcissa…I'm daddy Draco's mom." Hermione and Neville smiled as did Harry and Draco. She then added, "You are the spitting image of your parents, so that means you'll become a beautiful young lady." Alice just moved her lips some and moved her arms around a little. Everyone smiled and soon Narcissa handed her off to Lucius. Lucius hadn't held a baby since his own son was born and smiled as the beautiful bundle of pink was handed to him. He held her and rocked and bounced her like a pro. Draco smiled and said, "Wow dad you are good at that." Lucius smiled and said, "Well I've had lots of practice with you…" Everyone smiled and it was finally proven to everyone that the elder Malfoys had truly changed their ways for the better. Lucius then looked back down at the little bundle in pink, "Hey there princess, "I'm grandpa Lucius...I want you to know you have amazing parents and you'll be just fine. Plus, you have an extended family who love you just as much. She grabbed hold of his right index finger and he smiled, "Woah, you've got quite the grip for a little one, "Everyone smiled as Lucius got a tear in his eye as looked down at little Alice.

Soon everyone said their goodbyes to new family and Hermione watched as Alice got weighed and measured. All three men were right there watching as well. Pomphrey smiled and since it was Neville's daughter she replied using his last name, "Well Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom it looks like you got a healthy 7 pounds 1 ¾ ounces baby girl. She's also 19 inches long. They all smiled as Pomphrey gave both her and her mother a clean bill of health. Hermione thanked her along with Neville, Harry, and Draco. She smiled back, "Glad that I could help and be of service to you. It's been an honor to deliver her." She soon left as Draco and Harry walked her out. Neville stayed with Hermione and their new daughter Alice. He smiled as he watched Hermione feed her and then he checked her diaper before they gave her her first bath and then got her dressed in one of her newborn nightgowns. Hermione put her in her bassinette that still had the warmer spell on it to help keep her warm while she was still small and a newborn. Hermione and Neville tucked her in and both gave her a kiss good night before they watched their daughter drift off into her first night's sleep.