Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! I'm past five hundred! YAY! I never thought that so many people would review and like this story. It's wonderful. I'm not going to say that this is going to be the past chapter, because, honestly, I've expected the last four to be the last chapter, and, seeing as I'm still typing away, I apparently haven't gotten what I expected. So, while I would like for this to be the last chapter, I'm not promising anything. If this is it…tomorrow will be an epilogue. And I'll let you in on a little secret. My muse says that I can't retire, and that school work can wait. That I am going to continue to write, thought updates will not be this frequent. Maybe a chapter or two a week. And the secret is one word. It starts with an s, ends in an l and has a eque in the middle. Sequel. Stay tuned. And VOTE!!!!!!!!!!! Epilogue tomorrow.
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Draco arrived at the Quidditch pitch and, to his horror, landed in James' lap. He leapt up and grabbed the older man's arm. "Lily and Hermione and Luna are all in labor. We have to stop this game!"
James dragged Draco down the steps to the field, and grabbed a couple of brooms. "I can't believe we're going to do this. You get Ron, I'll get Harry."
Draco mounted the broom and zoomed toward the red headed Keeper. "Ron!" he yelled, dodging a Bludger, and the referee. "Ron!"
Ron looked at Draco as he blocked a shot. "What the hell are you doing here, Malfoy?"
"Your wife! She's in labor!"
Ron stopped in mid motion, turned his broom around and Apparated. With a hiss of exasperation, Draco followed. Two brooms dropped onto the Quidditch pitch and broke into splinters. Soon after that, two more from the opposite end joined them.
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Hermione held Ginny's hand and screamed. Her forehead was drenched in sweat, tears were rolling down her face and she was on the verge of cracking bones. The contractions were strong, not easing up, and becoming pretty well continuous. Ginny furtively wished that Hermione was having as easy a time of it as Luna.
Luna was sitting up in bed, reading a magazine and barely noticing her contractions. Lily was due to deliver absolutely any second. But Ginny was the only MediWizard there, and the two on call had yet to arrive. She desperately wanted to deliver all three women herself, but she knew her efforts were best concentrated on Hermione, since she was having a hard time with the labor.
"Okay, sweetie, it's almost over." Ginny crooned to her friend, watching the monitors. "There, it's easing. You've got a minute. Herms, we need to talk about an epidural and a Caesarean. You're having too many problems to make me comfortable with delivering this baby naturally."
Hermione shook her head. "I want to try."
Ginny took a look at all the monitors again. "Your heart beat is at one twenty. That's too fast. Your blood pressure is fifty over thirty two. That's way too low. The baby is strong and healthy, but we know he's turned the wrong way. He's butt first. You knew there was a good chance that you'd have to do a C-section."
"I know, but I want to try."
Ginny shook her head. "It's too dangerous. I'm going to call the doctor I've got on standby. He's a Squib, and a Muggle MD. He'll take care of you."
Hermione shrieked as another contraction tore through her. Ginny let the older woman crush her hand and helped her ride through the contraction. Hermione nodded as soon as it was over. "I want Harry first."
Ginny nodded. "He'll be here, I'm certain, and I want to get you closer to delivery before we do the caesarian anyway."
Hermione nodded. "Okay."
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Ginny collided with Harry in the hall. He started to move past her, but she grabbed him and held him still. "Hold on a second."
"Is something wrong? Where's Hermione? Why didn't you come and get me as soon as she went into labor?"
Ginny placed a hand over his mouth to stem the flow of words. "Shut up. No, nothing's wrong. Just the risks I warned you both about four months ago. With a breech baby, the labor is more intensive. That means her body has to work harder to get the result. You also knew that a breech baby was hard to deliver. That there was a good chance that we would need to do a C-section. Her pulse is high, and her blood pressure is low. That means that she isn't getting good circulation of blood. It's common for first deliveries. So nothing to panic about. We're going to let labor continue for a couple more hours, then do a Caesarian. Though it's a routine procedure, Hermione is at greater risk. She'll be given an epidural and kept in a twilight state. You will be able to go in, but not until the procedure has begun."
Harry nodded. Ginny had gone through all of that with him when they'd first realized the baby was breech. "This won't affect us having other kids though, right?"
Ginny shook her head. "No. She'll be able to have a dozen more if she wants."
"How're Mom and Luna?"
"They're troopers. Having a much easier time of it than Hermione. Luna is reading and writing her article on child birth for the Quibbler, and your mother is just laying still and remembering her breathing while watching the latest sappy girly movie on cable."
Harry laughed. "I want to check in on Hermione, but I want to see them too. Is that all right?"
"Perfectly. Luna's in the room right next to Hermione, and Lily is directly across the hall."
Harry opened the door Ginny pointed at and found Draco sitting beside Hermione's bed, holding her hand, and coaxing her through a contraction. Hermione looked up, and her sharp gaze fastened on Harry.
"I swear, if you ever come near me again, I will hex you."
Draco soothed Hermione. "You know you don't mean that, love. Harry isn't responsible for the pain. Sebastian is."
Hermione wasn't to be consoled. "I mean it right now!" she fell back against the pillows, getting a very short break between contractions. Harry crossed the room and took her other hand.
"How is she?"
Hermione glared. "I can speak for myself, Potter."
"Okay." Amenable, Harry turned to his wife. "How are you?"
"Terrible! I'm in pain, I have to have surgery, and while I would very much like to do this naturally, I WANT DRUGS!" Hermione's voice rose a whole octave on the last three words. "There is no pain on all the planet that can compare to giving birth. None! Not even the Cruciatus curse."
At the realization that the Cruciatus hurt worse than what his wife was going through, Harry dropped into the chair and stroked her hair. "I'm sorry, darling. No more kids, okay? Get through this one, and that's enough. Nothing is worth seeing you in this much pain."
Hermione softened. But just a little. Enough so that she took his hand. She figured Draco had had enough bone crushing. "No. I'm sorry, Harry. I'm being a bitch."
Draco laughed. "You haven't seen anything yet. Ginny did hex me. I thought she'd killed me at first. The woman knows a spell to make me feel labor pains."
Hermione laughed. "Oh, go get her. I want that curse to use later."
Harry glared at Draco, and Draco thought that his best chance of survival was to leave immediately. He dashed from the room, and ran into his wife coming from Lily's room. Ginny grabbed his arm. "You may want to go sit with Hermione for a little bit. Lily's fully dilated. She's going to deliver in the next twenty minutes. I'm sure Harry will want to be in there. I know James and Lily would like for him to be."
Draco opened Hermione's door again. "Harry, your mom is getting ready to deliver. They need you across the hall."
Harry stopped for a moment in the door way. "Thanks, Malfoy."
Draco lifted an eyebrow. "For what?"
"Taking care of my family."
The men exchanged their version of a hug and then Harry ran across the hall. He pushed open the door to see his parents. Ginny had been right. His mother didn't seem to be in much distress, and was showing no signs of throwing curses every which way.
"Harry." Lily held out a hand for her son as Ginny came in, pushing two bassinets and a tray of instruments. A nurse came in behind her. "Come over here."
Harry crossed the room and took his mother's hand, bent and kissed her cheek. "How are you?"
Lily nodded. "Good. Less pain than I remember with you. And that's a good thing."
James was grinning from ear to ear. "She's doing wonderfully. Couldn't be doing better. How's Hermione?"
"All right. She's in a lot of pain. Draco's with her now. She has to have a C- section. The baby's breech and her labor is rougher than Ginny would like for it to be. They say that the best thing is to operate."
James looked at Ginny. "But they'll both be all right?"
Ginny nodded. "They'll be fine. Okay, Lily, on the next contraction, I want you to push. The first baby is in the birth canal, and the second is right behind it. Three or four pushes and you're parents. James, would you like to watch?"
Lily answered. "No. He has to stay up here unless you want another patient. He fainted when Harry was being born."
James was debating. "But that was a long time ago, Lily. Harry's almost twenty two now. I've changed a lot. I can take the gross factor now."
Lily and Harry exchanged looks. They both doubted it. Lily nodded. "Okay. Go ahead. Harry can hold my hand."
Harry took his mother's hand, sat down on the edge of the bed. The contraction hit Lily and she pushed, her face screwing up with concentration and pain. "Five, four, three, two, one, relax." Ginny counted, and Lily laid back. "The head is crowning. One more and the head and shoulders will be free. Here comes the contraction. Push!"
Seconds later, Gwydion Anastasia, named after a Celtic goddess, and powerful witch, let out her first blood curdling cries. James fainted. Ginny simply stepped over him while the nurse cleaned the baby. Lily was anxiously looking at her small, red daughter.
"Is she okay?"
Ginny grinned. "Perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, six and a half pounds. She's beautiful, Lily."
Lily was sidetracked as the contractions started again. Ginny coached her through three more before Artemis Piper made her first appearance. She had received Lily's red hair, while Gwydion had James' black. Artemis was named after the goddess of the moon. James had picked the names, claiming that both his daughters were worthy of worship. Lily had laughed and let him, mindful that he didn't decide to name one Aphrodite.
"Great job, Lily!"
Harry was amazed. He watched Ginny and the nurse each bring one baby over. Lily took them both, and started to cry. Harry slowly reached out and touched one tiny, perfect hand. "My God, they're beautiful, Mom." He laughed. "It's a little late to make me a big brother, but I'm glad that you did."
Lily smiled at her son. "So am I, Harry. Now get your father off the floor and get back to your wife. She needs you much more than I do right now."
Harry kissed his mother, hefted his father to his feet and walked out the door, just as Ron skidded to a stop. "Luna's having the triplets, Ginny, and she's having them now!"
Ginny stripped off her gloves, grabbed a fresh pair and darted across the hall and into Luna's room. Harry found himself being dragged along. He didn't think Hermione would mind, seeing as their God children were being born. After all, she had Draco's hands to crush, and his pretty boy face to scream into. Satisfied, Harry took his place on one side of Luna.
Ginny's head nurse brought in all the equipment she would need and addressed her brother. "You stay right there. You can see them once they're born. James just passed out, and you're more squeamish than he is. On the next contraction, Luna, I want you to push."
Luna gave birth to three healthy boys. Joshua Ronald, which meant savior, Noah Nicholas, which meant peace, and king - Luna had thought Nicholas would carry on the Weasley is our king tradition with the meaning of his name - and Caleb Jonathon, which meant faithful and bold. Ron took one look at his sons, all three with the Weasley hair, and burst into tears.
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Hermione gripped Draco's arm and screamed. The contractions were pretty much constant, and getting no better. Draco was coaching her through each one of them, rubbing her back, wiping her brow, keeping her in a constant supply of ice chips. Hermione was seriously considering divorcing Harry, and stealing Draco by the time her husband made his next appearance.
"Mom has two healthy girls, each six and a half pounds. Gwydion was first, and Artemis followed six minutes later. Luna gave birth to three boys, all with the Weasley hair. Joshua, Noah and Jonathon, all weighing in at five pounds. Joshua was five even, Noah was two ounces shy, and Jonathon was three ounces over. Dad passed out."
Hermione forgave her husband and held out her hand for him. She dragged him in close. "Go get Ginny, and tell her if I am not numb from the waist down in ten minutes, I am going to hex her into next year!"
Harry nodded, absolutely terrified of his wife. "I'll be right back."
He hadn't gotten very far when Ginny walked in. "Okay, Hermione. We're going to take you into the operating room, and numb you up."
Hermione looked at Harry. "You are a miracle worker."
Harry decided not to tell her that he hadn't done a thing. Draco stood, kissed Hermione's forehead and touched Harry's shoulder. Ginny spoke before Harry could say anything to the other man. "Harry, go down the hall and get robed up. We'll have you in typical Muggle medical garb, and you need to scrub. Draco, go with him. You know where the scrubbing station is, and I don't have time to show him."
Draco led the way down the hall and into a large white room with sinks along two walls. He took a gown from a shelf, and grabbed a mask from a drawer. "Here. Put these on and then scrub from your hands clear to your elbows. They'll give you gloves once you get in there."
Harry did as he was told. "Draco, you know Ginny better than all of us. IS she worried?"
Draco shook his head. "Not that I can tell. She seems to be pretty confident that everything is going to be absolutely fine." He paused, trying to decide just what he wanted to say. "Look, Harry, Hermione has gone through a lot worse, and she's done fine. She'll get through this too. She won't let herself fail at anything." He laughed. "She's the most determined woman I've met in all my life."
Harry nodded in absolute agreement. "Stubborn too. She decides she wants something, and she gets it." Harry looked over his shoulder. "Like you. She got determined that she was going to get you to work with us and get you to trust us."
Draco chuckled as he remembered everything they'd gone through after that afternoon in Ollivander's. "I never could figure out why you three didn't just curse me that day."
Harry smiled. "Well, remember that old saying? Keep your enemies close…"
Draco nodded. "Yeah. But I haven't been your enemy for a long time. I don't know how you do it, Harry. I spent seven years trying to kill you. Or at least make your life hell. I very nearly did kill you a couple times. And with who my father is, and what he did to your family, I don't know how you can trust me with your wife, and your child."
Harry looked Draco in the eye. "There's another half of that saying, Malfoy."
Draco's brow furrowed. "Keep your enemies close…"
Harry put his hand on Draco's shoulder. "And your friends closer."
Draco was serious for a moment, as he acknowledged what Harry meant. Then he grinned and slapped Harry on the back. "Okay. Enough of acting like a girl for today." He slung an arm around Harry and led him from the room. "Let's go have a baby."
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Twenty minutes later Sebastian Albus Finn Potter took his first breath and let out a howl that made Harry cover his ears. His godfather was the first one to hold him. Draco swore up and down that relation or not, the kid had his eyes.
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