Title: Nine Long Months
Author: a muggle named Caity
Words: 2,969
Disclaimer: You all know the drill… so I don't have to repeat it for you.
Author's Note: Sorry for the late update! I had writer's block and issues with my computer. My neighbor, who is really good with computers, had to strip my computer clean. So, I'm sorry about that.
Also, I'm stuck on names for two of Harry and Hermione's children, if anyone has any suggestions, I'll happily look them over and consider them. They would be preferably boys' names and maybe hold some meaning to them.
Anyway, here's chapter four; it's pretty much a filler, but needed nonetheless. Enjoy! R & R and don't forget to rate it for the competition when finished.
Chapter Four: A Scare
Hermione had been pregnant now for four months. She was happy that she hadn't miscarried, and now it seems that it's too late in her pregnancy for her to miscarry at all; that's what she was most happy about. 'I can't believe I'll finally get to bear Harry's children,' she thought happily to herself, 'but,' she began to think darkly, 'I look like a bus!'
This was indeed the topic Hermione was not happy about involving her pregnancy: her appearance. As said before, she is only four months pregnant and already looks and feels as if she'll burst.
As she looked at herself in the mirror hanging in the couple's elegant bathroom, she couldn't help feeling slightly insecure. She never had to worry about her appearance; she was always slender and petite. But, now? Now, she worried over it constantly. It's not like she's fat, she wasn't, she's pregnant, or as Harry told her all the time.
Still looking in the mirror, she slowly lifted her large, maternity shirt up to her breast line and ran her fingers softly over her large stretch marks that surrounded her overlarge abdomen. In many ways, she was overjoyed at having the stretch marks, like she earned them. But, then in other ways, she was still as insecure about them as ever.
As she continued to look at her colossal form in the mirror, she heard the distant sound of a door opening; it was Harry.
"Hermione?" he called out.
"In here, love," she called out her reply.
"Hey," Harry greeted her warmly, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her and her enormous belly, and beginning to caress it gently. "What are you doing?"
Hermione placed her hands over her husband's on her stomach. "Nothing, just admiring my lovely body," she replied sarcastically.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Hermione, how many times do I have to tell you? You're not fat, you're-"
Hermione cut him off, finishing his sentence for him, "pregnant."
"Yes, and you are still as beautiful as ever, even more so now I think." He opinionated.
Hermione couldn't help smiling. "Harry, I love you for trying, but let's face it, I'm four months pregnant with five babies and look like whale! Most women are only just beginning to show now, I however look as if I'll go into labor any minute!"
Harry chuckled. "Yes, but a very beautiful whale at that," he remarked cheekily.
Hermione turned around in his arms and glared at him.
Harry put his hands up in defense. "Ok, I'm sorry, that was uncalled for," Hermione huffed. "But, Hermione, try, please try to look at it from this perspective: you are having our children; the lives we made together, truly out of our complete and utter love for one another. And consider this: you are finally making my biggest dream come true. And I love you so god damn much for it. So, please stop thinking of yourself as fat, because you aren't, it's just the effect that our children are growing healthily and will be able to make it. And remember, we wanted many kids right? So, please stop thinking that way and please consider this ok?"
Hermione began to cry, and stepped back into Harry's warm embrace. "I'm sorry Harry! You're right and that's a beautiful way of looking at it, I guess I'm just insecure about my appearance, I mean, I never have been before!" She cried into his hard chest.
"It's ok 'Mione, I understand. And I've never been pregnant," Hermione let out a giggle, "and I don't know what it's like, so I won't argue, but I want you to at least consider it in that context from now on." Harry looked hopefully down at her.
Hermione smiled. "I will try Harry, I promise."
"I love you," Harry said softly.
"I love you too," Hermione replied, standing on her tiptoes to give her husband a kiss.
"You know 'Mione," Harry started after a few minutes silence. "I kind of like these stretch marks. They make you look all the more sexy." He turned Hermione around in his arms, and replaced his warm hands on her swollen belly, gently tracing the large stretch marks leading down from the top of her abdomen to her sides.
Hermione got a look of mischievousness in her eyes. "You think so, do you?"
"Oh yeah…" Harry purred seductively in her ear.
"Too bad you'll have to wait another six or seven months before you can have your way with me." she smirked.
Harry pouted. "Oh, come on Hermione! Just one shag, that's all I ask!"
"No Harry," Hermione chuckled at the sour look that became of his ever-so-happy face. "You heard what Healer Madley said. From now on, no sexual interludes, namely intercourse. I'm too pregnant and too at risk. You can wait? For me right?" She gave him her most innocent look.
"Of course I can," Harry said, lightly kissing the back of her neck.
Harry knelt down and slowly began to kiss his way up her belly. When he reached a certain spot, he stopped. "Thanks a lot guys," he added quietly, mock-angrily, speaking directly to Hermione's huge abdomen, hoping she wouldn't hear him.
"Harry James Potter!" she said defensively.
"What?" Harry asked his obviously upset wife, trying to look innocent. "I didn't say anything."
"Those are our children in there Harry! And you cannot go blaming them for your lack of sex!" she shouted at him.
Harry was taken aback. He seriously didn't mean it, he was just joking around. As he backed away from his wife, he was about to apologize when he saw Hermione's lips curl up and she burst into a fit of laughter.
"You should have seen your face!" she had to clutch tightly to her stomach as her body shook with laughter.
Harry frowned at her. "Ha ha, very funny."
"I'm sorry, but I had to say it!" Hermione said, still shaking with laughter.
Harry's frown turned upside down and he smiled. "It's ok. I really don't blame them; I love them too much to do that."
Hermione's laughter subsided as she smiled warmly back at her husband. "I know… me too."
Harry again pulled Hermione back into his arms and gently rubbed her stomach as they rocked back and forth silently, each enjoying just being in each other's arms during this wonderful time in their lives.
***
"Mornin' Harry!" the Auror Division guard greeted the raven-haired man brightly.
"Morning Lorrie!" Harry replied tiredly as he instinctively handed over his wand for checking. The guard handed Harry back his wand when the checking over was complete. They exchanged good-byes as Harry headed off for his office.
Upon entering, he was greeted by Kingsley Shacklebolt; his boss. "Morning Harry. I trust you slept well." he added half jokingly.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Hermione made me get up four times last night, four for her nightly cravings and they are bloody nasty ones. The first one was pickles and Oreo ice cream, the second was nachos, hot nachos with blue cheese and fish oil, third were bon bons and hot sauce, then at 3:30 in the morning, she woke me up to get her American French fries, and she wouldn't let me summon them either, I had to Apparate to America to get them, then when I got back, she made me get her something called A.1. Sauce for them. I swear, the whole having quints business is making her cravings go up majorly in quantity, and double in disgusting."
Kingsley chuckled. "Well, there's pregnancy for you son." He patted Harry fatherly on the arm.
Harry yawned. "I didn't know it was so damn tiring… especially before the babies where born."
Kingsley continued to laugh. "Well, I've never had quints, but again, that's still pregnancy for you."
"Yeah…" Harry yawned again.
"Need a nap son?" Kingsley jokingly asked.
Harry shook his head. "Nah, let's just get down to business. So, have you any leads on Lucius Malfoy?"
Kingsley sadly shook his head. "No, nothing; hasn't been heard from or seen since the last mission we were on in Sweden."
"I thought as much." Harry sighed. "Can we start up that one again?"
"Nope. He'll be long gone from there. I don't know what else to do, it's like he's irretraceable." Kingsley looked defeated.
"No, we can't give up. This man I want dead, and it's going to end that way." Harry demanded darkly.
"Harry," Kingsley began exasperatedly, "We've been looking for this guy for years and then every time we think we have him, he disappears again."
"Come on, we're Aurors, we've got to get them all, we can't just give up when it gets too tough." Harry stared incredulously at his leader.
Kingsley nodded. "I know Harry, but this guy is good, too good for my taste…"
"Well," Harry began, "Do we have any leads on the other remaining Death Eaters?"
"Actually, yes. While you were gone these past couple of days, we got the Senior Crabbe and Goyle. But, we can't find the younger ones on the Death Eater database." Kingsley told him.
"That's because they weren't Death Eaters," Harry said matter-of-factly. "As you should know, they weren't the brightest blokes on the street. I don't think Voldemort even considered them for it."
Kingsley nodded his understanding. "Also, we have a direct lead on Dolohov, you know, the man that attacked Hermione back in your 5th year."
Harry's look turned dark. "How could I forget?"
"Well, we found out where he's been hiding… he's been living as a muggle on your old street in Surrey; Privet Drive. I sent out some of our men earlier to retrieve him. His trial will be on the 17th, we need you there as one of the guards."
Harry nodded. "So, I suppose-"
He was cut by a shrieking redheaded girl popping into the fireplace. "Ginny?" he asked uncertainly.
"Harry!" she began frantically. "Harry, you've got to get to Diagon Alley, quick!"
"What's wrong?" Harry concernedly asked.
Harry heard a blood-chilling scream as Ginny breathlessly continued, "It's Hermione."
Before anyone knew what was going on, Harry had Apparated away.
***
Earlier….
"Here Hermione, try this on, it'll look so cute!" Luna gushed; pushing a long, pink maternity shirt into Hermione's already overstuffed hands.
Ginny and Luna had planned out an entire day of baby/maternity clothes shopping for Hermione. They had both taken off work, found sitters, and planned out the whole day. And, no guys, just a girl's day out.
When both women had told her of their plan, Hermione cried. She was so happy to have such nice, good friends that would do this kind of stuff for her. She also hadn't gotten to do this kind of thing in a while, seeing as Ginny and Luna's lives were pretty preoccupied nowadays. They both had their jobs to do, and young children to take care of. So, she jumped at the opportunity to do this with them. It also let her get out and about before being on bed rest and gave her time to do her maternity and baby shopping.
"Luna," Hermione laughed. "I can't see anything."
Luna turned around to face Hermione and winced at all the clothes she'd stuffed into Hermione's arms. "I'm so sorry," she apologized sheepishly, grabbing about half the clothes.
Hermione just laughed. "It's ok. I can't see anything anymore really anyway."
Ginny shook her head. "Geez Hermione, you look like you're about to give birth in the next five seconds instead of the next five months."
Hermione scrunched up her face. "Do I really look that large?"
"No!" Ginny quickly assured her. "It's just that that's what I looked like right before I went into labor."
Hermione grimaced. "And I'm only going to get bigger."
"What does Harry say when you tell him you look too big? When I was pregnant with the boys, I used to ask Ron all the time and he'd say that I wasn't fat, I was pregnant and to get over it." Luna told the other two women, rolling her eyes at the memory.
"That's so sensitive of him," Hermione said, revolted.
"Remind me to have a nice little chat with my brother involving a thing or two about pregnancy!" Ginny remarked angrily.
Luna shrugged it off. "Don't worry, I gave him a piece of my mind in the Delivery Room." she smirked.
"Anyway, what does Harry say?" Luna added, addressing the question to Hermione as she looked through a couple racks of motherhood clothing.
"Well," Hermione began, "he tells me to stop thinking of myself in that way. He wants me to consider my being so large as the result of our babies growing healthily and that they will actually make it this time."
"And he thinks I look more beautiful then ever," she added in as she concluded.
Both women looked teary eyed. "Aww!!" they both said simultaneously. "Harry is so sweet!"
"I should have expected as much," Ginny said. "He was always the sweet, sensitive type. When we were dating back at Hogwarts, he would always ask if I was cold and needed a jacket, or if I was hungry and wanted something from the kitchens. And when I wasn't feeling well, he'd always sit with me and hold my hand until I felt better… you sure are lucky Hermione."
Hermione smiled wide. "I know."
After a few moments of silence, Luna left the group to see over any other clothes in the shop.
"So," Ginny started out, "do you guys know the babies genders yet?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, Harry wants it to be a surprise."
"Do you want to know?" Ginny asked, shuffling through the shirts on the rack closest to her.
Hermione thought about that for a moment. "Well, in one way, yes, because then we can paint certain colors in the nursery and I can pick out certain clothes for them now. But, in another way, no, I don't. I would like to be surprised."
Ginny nodded her understanding as she moved on to the rack next to her.
Soon, Luna returned with an armful of maternity shirts and pants. She had picked out many weird ones; one was yellow with polka dots, another was mixture of strange colors, and the pants looked as thought they were from the 1960's…. 'Some things never change,' Hermione thought bemusedly, shaking her head.
"Here Hermione, I found these and I thought they looked interesting, care to try them on?"
Hermione chuckled. "I guess-" she stopped mid-sentence and winced, tightly grabbing a hold to her huge midsection.
Ginny and Luna's eyes widened. "Are you ok?" They both rushed to her side as she sank to the floor of the shop, still holding her stomach tightly and beginning to cry.
"It hurts," she cried out as another pain shot through her abdomen and her muscles tightened.
"What's going on here?" the manager of the shop asked, coming over to see what was happening.
"I think she's going into premature labor," Ginny said thoughtfully.
Hermione continued to roll around on the cold, hard floor, clutching her swollen belly tightly to herself, tears streaming down her face. "I need Harry… someone get Harry…." she ragged out in-between jolts of unbearable pain.
Ginny looked around at the already crowded room forming a circle around her best friend. Ginny's eyes widened in disbelief as everyone just stood there, watching.
"Is anyone going to call for help?" When no one answered, frustrated, Ginny yelled, "Where's the fireplace here?!"
The shocked shop manager pointed her towards the back. Ginny got up in a flash and ran into the back of the shop. When she entered the back room, she saw the fireplace right in the very back, up against the wall.
Moving boxes out of her way, she sprinted towards the pile of bricks, grabbed a handful of floo powder and quickly tossed it in the fireplace. As she stuck her head in, she shouted urgently, "Auror Headquarters, Ministry of Magic!"
When the room came into focus, she spotted two men; one she recognized as Kingsley Shacklebolt, and the other-
"Harry!" she began frantically. "Harry, you've got to come to Diagon Alley, quick!"
"What's wrong?" he concernedly asked her.
Suddenly, Ginny heard Hermione scream painfully and knew that there was no time to waste. "It's Hermione."
***
A/N: Ok, I know this wasn't my best chapter, but like I said, it was basically a filler chapter. But, I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless.
Also, remember about the names; give me your suggestions, I could really use them.
And just so you all know, if I get my next chapter out this week, it won't be until Saturday or Sunday because I start school again tomorrow. And (this sucks!) I'll probably get homework the first day, so I'll be trying really hard to get both done, so please bear with me!
Until next time… Oh, and don't forget to vote for my story in the FFF competition!