Title: Nine Long Months
Author: a muggle named Caity
Words: 1,689
Disclaimer: You know the drill, so I shouldn't have to repeat it for you.
A/N: Well, Chapter Six is finally here for us guys, so please enjoy. Oh, and please read my author's note at the end of the chapter. Thanks.
***
Chapter Six:
"Harry, I hate this." Hermione complained to her husband for the millionth time.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Look, sweetheart, I know you hate being on bed rest, you've only told me so a billion times." Hermione glared at him. "But, remember, it's for the-"
Hermione interrupted him. "Good of the babies. Yes, I know. But, it still doesn't mean I have to like it."
Hermione Potter had been on bed rest for the past four months. And she did not like it. Not one little bit. But she knew, in her heart, that Harry was right. After her pregnancy scare a few months back, she did not want to risk that happening again. Ever. The upcoming life of her children was one of the most important things in the world to her. She wanted them to have a chance to live full, healthy lives more than anything. But that still did not mean she liked being on bed rest.
Harry quietly chuckled. The bespectacled man knew that his cranky wife was not having the time of her life. Personally, he was glad that it was not him, and was tired of her constant bitching, but knew that it was no picnic to have to stay in bed for five months straight.
Harry grabbed his irritable wife's hand. "I'm sorry you have to go through this Hermione." Harry softly caressed her cheek with his other hand. "But, I'm happy that you are. Thanks to you, we are finally going to have the big family we always dreamed of."
Hermione softly began to cry, hearing her husband's kind words of thoughtfulness. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry. I mean, here I am, constantly complaining about such a stupid thing, when I should be thinking about how we are finally going to have that perfect family that we've always wanted." She placed her hand tenderly on her overly large belly.
The raven-haired man gently lifted his hand from Hermione's cheek to brush away her tears. "'Mione, I understand. I know this isn't easy for you. I mean, yes, you do sometimes make me want to straggle you." Hermione let out a soft giggle. "But, I don't blame you for complaining. What kind of overly pregnant woman would you be if you didn't?" He asked her, trying to make her laugh.
It worked. Hermione let out a genuine laugh for the first time in weeks. "Thank you Harry." She silently kissed him. "I love you."
Harry looked lovingly at his wife of four years. "And I love you." He lightly took a hold of her tear-stained face, and tenderly began to kiss her.
"Oh!" Hermione suddenly jumped, placing both her hands on her round midsection.
"What? What happened?" Harry frantically asked her.
"One of them kicked me." Hermione laughed. "It just surprised me is all."
Harry nodded. "I think I know why…"
Hermione looked strangely at her husband for a moment. "Because…they're babies…?"
Harry smiled, all the while shaking his head. "No." He told his wife. "Because I forgot to tell them something."
Hermione smiled knowingly.
"I love you guys too." Harry whispered to Hermione's excessively abundant stomach. "And I hope you never forget that."
***
The man called Wormtail watched silently as his master paced in front of him. "Milord, when are we going to kidnap the mudblood?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out, you idiot!" Severus Snape spat at his unworthy minion. "The timing has to be perfect."
Wormtail shrugged. "Well, we have everything ready. Shouldn't we go tonight? Before its too late and everything."
Snape discontinued his pacing and glared at his former classmate.
"Or maybe not." Wormtail squeaked, sheepishly bowing his head.
The former Potions Master resumed his pacing, only to stop again, and pondered the suggestion thoughtfully. "Actually Wormtail, that's not a bad idea…"
"Really?" The stubby man piped up.
Snape nodded his head. "That's not a bad idea at all." The greasy-haired man gave Wormtail a sickly smile before ushering him into the next room to prepare.
***
"…Hermione, I'll be home soon, I promise." The head of Harry Potter spoke through the bright red and yellow flames.
"Harry, that's what you've said the last two times I flooed you." His worried wife stated.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. Kingsley has me wrapped up in this Lucius Malfoy hunt." Hermione stared point-blankly at her husband. "Well, okay, I have myself wrapped up in it, but, Hermione, we're so close. It's been over four years now since Voldemort's downfall. Don't you want Lucius locked up in Azkaban where he rightfully belongs?" Harry asked her, seriously.
Hermione tiredly sighed. "Harry…of course I do, but, like you said, it's been over four years since he escaped. You aren't going to catch him in one night. And you've been working on this since you got to work this morning."
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "So? It's my job."
Hermione rolled her eyes, on the verge of exasperation. "I know Harry. I mean, you got to work this morning at seven." Harry shrugged again. "Its now midnight. You've been working on this for seventeen hours straight. Don't you think its time to come home now?"
Harry sighed. "I promise I'll be home shortly."
Hermione stared at her husband for a moment, before sighing.
"'Mione, just go to bed and I promise I'll make it up to you in the morning. I'll even pick up some of that Oreo ice cream that you like so much to have tomorrow for dessert." Harry offered.
Hermione smirked. "With pickles?"
Harry made a gag-face and responded, "Fine, but I'm not eating it with you."
Hermione laughed. "Okay. But, Harry, promise me you won't work like this everyday?"
Harry shook his head. "I won't, I promise. I just feel like I'm getting really close. I just want this guy locked up Hermione. For what he's done to everyone; you, me, Draco…"
Hermione smiled at her stubborn husband. "I know you do Harry. And I hope you find him. I just don't want you working like this all the time. Especially since these little monsters will be making their debut soon." She fondly smiled as she looked down, and rubbed, her enormous midsection.
Harry returned her smile. "I'll be home soon. I promise. Now get some rest."
Hermione irritably rolled her eyes. "I've been getting nothing but."
Harry chuckled. He knew this mood of hers would show up sometime in their conversation. "I love you Hermione. And tell those "little monsters" that I love them too."
Hermione giggled. "I love you too Harry. And, don't worry, I will."
"And I expect that ice cream tomorrow." She added expectantly.
Harry playfully rolled his eyes. "Your wish is my command, milady. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." Hermione stepped away from the fireplace, grabbed her current book she had been reading, and carefully got into bed.
At half past twelve, Hermione decided to go to sleep. She anticipated Harry probably would not be home for a little while longer, so gave up waiting for him.
The bushy-haired woman turned off the light as she exited her bathroom. She pulled back the covers of her and Harry's king size bed, and made herself comfortable, well, as comfortable as an overly pregnant woman could get. As she began to drift off to sleep, she heard the sound of a door opening. Harry? She sat up in bed, and called out her husband's name. "Harry? Is that you?"
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared by her bedside…and it was not Harry. "Honey, I'm home."
Hermione screamed, but before she could attempt to try and get away, the figure grabbed her by the forearm, and with a CRACK they were gone.
***
Harry arrived back home at around three in the morning. He did not get any farther with the hunt for Lucius Malfoy, but knew that tomorrow was another day. When he apparated into his living room of his modest home, he immediately sensed something was wrong. The house seemed eerier, and darker, than it usually did. Harry suspicions grew when he walked into the kitchen, to put the ice cream away, and noticed the back door of their home was slightly ajar. Fearing the worst, Harry raced up the stairs to his and Hermione's bedroom.
Once he stepped over the threshold, saw that their bed was empty. Harry's heart began to beat faster as he immediately began checking every room in the house for Hermione. When he came upon the last room in the whole house, and saw that Hermione was not there, he fell to his knees and put his head in his hands.
"What have I done?" He asked himself quietly. "I just had to stay at the office tonight. The one night my wife was kidnapped…" Harry rolled on his side, and began to sob uncontrollably. After a couple minutes, he wiped his eyes, got up and apparated back to his office. If he was going to find his wife, he was going to need a plan.
A/N: Okay, I know this chapter was lame; you don't have to tell me twice, but know that I'm just getting back into writing this story. Hopefully, I'll be able to make the next chapter better, and a little longer than this one.
You guys now have what you've all wanted for the last year, so please show some appreciation by leaving me a quick review. It doesn't have to be long or anything, just something that tells me what you thought.
Also, I'll try to get the next chapter out soon. I go back to school in less than a month and I probably won't have time to write then. So, I'm going to try to have this finished, or close to finished, by the middle of August. But, we'll see.
Thanks for reading. :]]