EPILOGUE
July 31 dawned bright and clear as the wedding of the century took place on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A very nervous Harry and a very beautiful Hermione became husband and wife at noon that day and after the reception in the great hall, they made their way back to their new flat in Hogsmeade, getting things ready for their honeymoon to America, and of course to consummate their marriage.
Reporters had followed Harry around the castle for comments the day of the wedding to the point where Dumbledore
ordered them to leave as he was trying to get himself ready.
Aunt Petunia and Dudley had managed to make it to the wedding and Harry was happy that it seemed his aunt had finally come to terms with his life. He had shuddered when his aunt and Professor Snape actually had a dance together. Finally he had managed to piece together that his aunt actually met Snape at Kings Cross twice a year when Lily was being dropped off for the Hogwarts Express. They seemed to have a lot in common feeling like outsiders, but Harry got the feeling that Petunia couldn't get past the fact that Snape was a Wizard and Snape couldn't accept she was a Muggle. So, thankfully in Harry's head nothing came of whatever strange friendship they might have had.
Ron had actually cried after the "I do's" were said, incredibly happy that two of his closest friends had come out of the war alive and were celebrating life in style.
He and Samantha had decided a Christmastime wedding would be great and made plans to get married the Muggle way, much to Arthur Weasley's excitement, on New Year's Eve. Ron had gotten a job with the Sports section of the paper, following Quidditch which made Samantha happy that he wasn't on a broom but he could still watch what he loved.
He, Harry and some other of their friends from Hogwarts go together once a month for a game of Quidditch, usually against Draco and some of his old players.
During her seventh year, Ginny was made captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, per Harry's request and was
loving every minute of it.
Harry had told Fred and George that Grimmauld Place was theirs if they wanted to use it and a round of fire whiskey was brought in to thank Harry for his generosity. Bill and Fleur's wedding had ended a terrific school year and started the 7th year's new lives with a bang. Fred and George were in charge of entertainment and numerous fireworks were set off as their older brother left for the honeymoon to Australia.
Neville asked Luna to marry him as the summer faded into fall; he was working at the bank and she had one more year in school. Neville had moved into a tiny flat outside London. No date was set, but Neville's grandmother who was healthy again was overjoyed and talked to them almost every night.
Bill, Katharine and the twins were very happy and Ginny was smitten with her nieces. They were growing fast and even had all her uncles tied around their tiny fingers as well as both sets of Grandparents.
As Harry and Hermione came home from their honeymoon and began their new life together, Hermione got accepted to a position at St. Mungo's and Harry was so excited for her he managed to take her out and they both got quite drunk, then celebrated more at home and for the second time in their relationship neither one remembered the fertility charm.
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May 15 was a rainy spring morning and Harry had not been to sleep at all the previous night as he was pacing the hospital floor while Hermione slept fitfully in labor and delivery. Ron had come and stayed with Harry awhile until he had to go to work. Draco offered to take over his NEWT level DADA and Harry accepted, mentally making a note to thank him later. Harry turned his head away as a healer came in and checked Hermione's progress.
"Still only four centimeters, Mrs. Potter. If you don't make much more progress you know a C-Section will be needed," Healer Cuffton said and Hermione nodded, reaching for Harry's hand.
She had gone into labor at 2am that morning, waking up Harry while she was retching in the bathroom.
At 3am, he made the decision to bring her to the hospital and Apparated them there, having her checked in by 3:30am and from that point on she was being monitored and Harry would drift off to the steady beat of the baby's heart over the monitor.
Lunchtime came and went and Molly and Arthur stopped by and managed to get Harry to eat. Hermione hadn't progressed much since they had checked her two hours previously and were talking about doing a c-section since her water had broke shortly after she was admitted.
"Harry." Hermione called him away from the window and he turned around, seeing similar circles under her eyes. He too the few steps from the window to her bed, and reaching out, he brushed her hair away from her face and smiled down at her. "They are going to try more medicine to get the contractions to be more powerful, and then if that doesn't work they will do the C-Section."
"That's fine as long as you both are alright, I don't care how that baby comes out," he brushed a kiss across her forehead and felt her squeeze his hand hard as another contraction hit. He wished he could take her pain away but there was nothing he could do except hold her and brush her hair from her sweaty brow.
Thankfully medicine along with some purposeful wand movements progressed Hermione's labor and by 8pm that night she was yelling at everyone who wanted to touch her to leave her alone, then in the same breath yelled that she needed to push.
Harry never saw people move so fast; healers came rushing in, setting up lights and a baby warmer. He was told to go to the head of her bed and prop her up, and count to ten as she pushed. Harry knew his friends were outside pacing, just as anxious as he was.
Harry had no idea how much time has passed since she curled into her first push; it seemed like the clock moved slowly and nothing was happening. And then he heard it.
"I see the head. Come on Hermione, a few more good pushes," her friend and healer was telling her, at the foot of the bed. Hermione curled over her stomach as Harry steadily counted to ten listening to Hermione curse under her breath.
"Harry…do you want to see the head?" Harry quickly shook his head at Hermione's friend, knowing that he WOULD faint if he saw that. He felt Hermione stiffen up again and sat up with her, an arm behind her back he helped her push…this time she screamed probably loud enough for everyone down the hall to hear.
"Keep pushing, don't stop…the shoulders are coming out, hardest part, Hermione you know this…PUSH!"
And with that, Hermione felt the greatest release as the last tiny foot left her body and a watery wail was heard. Harry abruptly sat by Hermione's side as they laid a messy, wet and crying dark haired baby on her stomach. They asked Harry if he wanted to cut the cord and again he shook his head. Taking care of it, they wrapped it up quickly and Harry stared as it was handed to Hermione. She wiped the baby's face with the hospital blanket and looked up at Harry who looked as if he was going to pass out. He heard someone murmur the time as "9:07pm."
"Oh my God…," was all Harry could get out as he leaned over Hermione and stared at this crying baby. "Hermione…," Harry managed before tears starting pouring down his face. Hermione laughed and cried as the baby wriggled in her arms, not even aware of the healers down below finishing up the labor and cleaning Hermione up.
"We did it," whispered Hermione as she stroked her child's cheek and Harry just nodded, wiping tears off his cheeks with his hands.
"What is it?" he asked in a strangled voice and Hermione peeked through the blankets, fresh tears pouring down her face. Her secret hope had been answered.
"A boy, Harry…you have a son," she held their son out to Harry who sat in the chair and carefully took him from her, trying to clear his vision. A healer handed Hermione a blue hat, which she reached over and placed over the head of dark hair so much like his fathers.
Hermione watched Harry her heart soaring as he stared and stared at their son who slowly stopped crying and began to hiccup, making Harry smile at him. Tearing his eyes from his son he looked at Hermione, leaned over and kissed her tasting salty tears on her lips also.
"It's nice to finally see him," Harry whispered, his hands busy stroking the small fingers that lay near the tiny ear.
"You still like the name Brian James for him?" Hermione asked and Harry nodded.
The new family sat there until a healer came over and said they needed to weigh him and clean him up. Gently they took
him from Harry who immediately got up and followed them to the warmer watching their every move. He briefly heard
Hermione ask her friend to send her friends and cousin in to see the baby. He kept his eyes on his son as they made
notes, took footprints and poked and prodded at it.
A short time later, it was the sound of Molly and Ginny tumbling in to hug Hermione that made him turn around from his son. Ron made is way over with Samantha and they looked down at a very naked, very unhappy Brian.
"A boy! Congratulations!" Ron and Harry did the manly hug and Samantha planted a kiss on him, trying to keep tears from rolling down her face. Ron looked down at Brian.
"Merlin, Harry he looks just like you, especially the messy hair," Ron grinned as Harry shook his head watching the healers wrap him up. He gently took him and stood there quietly next to Ron looking down at his son.
"I can't believe you made a kid," Ron said in a somewhat awed voice as he touched the blue hat on his godson's head.
"Yea, me neither," Harry said in a far away voice, turning around to walk to the rocker in the corner next to Hermione's bed. A sleepy Brian was passed back and forth until Molly insisted they get some rest and with kisses to everyone, left with her daughter- in- law and son at her heels. Hermione closed her eyes, letting Harry rock Brian.
"Has he opened his eyes yet?" Hermione asked sleepily.
"No, think they will be dark like his "cousins"?" he asked referring to Jillian and Cassandra whom he considered his son's first set of cousins.
"Don't know; most are born with blue eyes," she said sleepily and was soon breathing deeply, her head turned towards Harry. He smiled to himself then looked down, startled to see Brian awake and staring intently at him. Harry shifted him so one hand was under his head and Brian's feet were against his chest. He peered into his son's eyes and felt a grin come across his face.
"Hey there mate," Harry whispered to him, brushing a kiss across his smooth forehead then pulled back a few inches and they stared into each other's eyes.
"I can't wait until your mum wakes up so you can see how happy she is!" Harry's eyes traveled over the perfect little face, watching him yawn and close his eyes for a minute then pop open again.
"Yes, Brian, you sure do have your mother's eyes."
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The End
Thanks so much for reading and for all my faithful reviewers. I had this last line for the ending of C.M. in my head since the first chapter and could hardly wait to get to it. Thanks everyone who passed the word along about "Crescent Moon" and please check the site for regular "Dragon Tears" updates if you like that ship. I had a great time writing this…thanks again for reading and reviewing!