Disclaimer: I am a Harry/Hermione shipper. Ergo I am not JKR and do not own the anything Harry Potter related...except the dirty things I'm gonna make them do!
A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I'm really glad you all like this. This chapter deals with Harry's reaction to the news, which I know you've all been waiting for. I know some of you are hoping I'll write all the way through to the delivery...not to disappoint but this story is only going to deal with Harry and Hermione finding out the news and their reactions. I am working on a number of other fics, some of which may include pregnancies and warrant more detail, but this isn't gonna be one of them - sorry folks! Anyway, enough exposition - here's chapter 2...
I solemnly swear that I am up to no good...
***
At about a quarter to six, Hermione was finally able to make her escape.
When she arrived home after her quick stop, she prepared the leg of lamb and put it in the oven, before going upstairs to have a bath and wash her hair. After undressing, she stood in front of the mirror and examined her body, noticing now what she had neglected to see before - that her breasts were slightly fuller and her normally flat stomach was protruding slightly.
After her bath, she performed a drying charm and then pulled on a pair of jeans, which she noticed with a smile were a little on the tight side, and pale pink sweater. She left her curly hair loose and went downstairs to check on the dinner.
The lamb was cooking nicely and seeing that it was twenty to eight, she used her wand to quickly prepare the potatoes and vegetables.
Five minutes later, she heard a key turning in the lock and realised he was early. After a quick glance at the vegetables to make sure they were cooking themselves nicely, she ran to meet him, barely giving him a chance to drop his bags or close the door before she launched herself into his arms and kissed him. His response was instantaneous - his hands found her tight bum and his tongue met hers. When she finally pulled away, she met his raised eyebrow with a grin.
"Well, Mrs Potter, I would've settled for a nice hello."
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to settle, Mr Potter?" She pressed another light kiss to his mouth.
"Good advice," he said, returning and deepening her kiss and turning around so that he could press her against the wall, his hands slipping under her sweater and upwards to cup her breasts. She gasped against his mouth at the contact, her breasts more sensitive than usual owing to her current condition and rubbed herself against the hard bulge in Harry's jeans.
"Mione, baby...want you," Harry groaned against her mouth.
She wanted him too more than anything - six weeks was too long to be separated from him. But she had planned this dinner, including Harry's favourite roast lamb, so that she could tell him the good news about the baby and they could celebrate together.
She pulled away from him with a sigh and slid her feet to the floor. "Dinner first, me later," she said, taking his hand.
He pouted but followed her into the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively. "Smells fantastic," he said as she took the lamb out of the oven and levitated it onto the table. While Harry carved the meat, Hermione dished out the vegetables and then they sat down to eat.
"God, love, I reckon I missed your cooking almost as much as I missed you," Harry said when he finally put down his knife and fork.
"Well I have to make up for the fact that you never eat properly when you're away," Hermione replied with a smile.
Harry grinned sheepishly. "Well I spoke to Kingsley earlier and he's agreed to take me off the field work roster for the next couple of months, so I'll be able to enjoy your culinary skills on a more regular basis."
Hermione frowned at the news. "But I don't understand - you love the Auror missions. And paperwork bores you silly."
"It won't just be paperwork - I've been asked to devise a new training program for this year's recruits." Harry took a sip from his glass of pumpkin juice, before putting it down and taking Hermione's hand. "And yes I love the missions, but I also love my wife...and I miss her when I'm away."
Still holding his hand, Hermione stood up, crossed the distance between them and sat down on his lap, pressing a light kiss to his mouth. "I've missed you too."
Lifting his free hand up, Harry tucked a solitary curl behind her ear and then ran the back of his hand down across her cheek. "Also, I've been thinking a lot about what we talked about the night before I left. About starting a family."
Hermione's mouth curved into a grin. She couldn't wait to see his reaction when she told him the good news.
"Now I may not be as brainy as my beautiful wife, but even I know it won't be easy getting you knocked up if I'm away all the time." He grinned and brought the hand that was still linked to his to his lips and kissed it. "So what do you say? Wanna make a baby?"
Hermione smiled and pressed another kiss to his mouth. "I'd love to, but I'm afraid you're too late." At his frown, she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "Your reproductive cells are way ahead of you."
Harry's face lit up as realisation dawned. He looked down at his hand and then up at her face. "You mean..."
"I'm pregnant."
The look of sheer delight on Harry's face almost brought tears to Hermione's eyes, before his free hand tangled in her hair and pulled her to him, his mouth engaging hers in a passionate kiss. Just as she felt him harden beneath her, he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. "I love you," he said softly.
"I love you too and as much as I'm enjoying sitting here..." She wriggled her bum against Harry's groin earning herself a gasp from her husband and the unmistakable thrust of his erection against her. "...these dishes are not going to wash themselves - at least not without a good Scourgify."
But as she got up, Harry stood up too and pulled her back. "Oh no you don't, love. I'm going to see to the dishes. You are going to go and put your feet up. You need to start looking after yourself...and our son."
Hermione raised her eyebrow. "What makes you think it's going to be a boy?"
"Just a feeling," he said with a grin. "Now go and sit down. Husband's orders."
Knowing it was futile to protest when Harry went into protection mode, Hermione did as she was told and went through to the den and laid down on the sofa. She relaxed against the cushions and closed her eyes, smiling at how much she loved her husband and how happy she was that she was going to give him the family he'd always longed for.
"Mummy, Mummy."
Hermione turned to see a young girl with bushy brown hair run into the kitchen, her green eyes lit up.
"Mummy, it's arrived, it's arrived!" the girl said breathlessly, tugging on her mother's sleeve.
"Ok, Lily, I'm coming," she said. With a flick of her wand, she cleared away the last of the breakfast things and followed her daughter into the den, where a black haired boy sat next to his father, holding a thick envelope bearing a familiar crest with a lion, an eagle, a badger and a serpent united around a large letter `H'.
"Go on, James, open it," Harry said.
Breaking open the seal, James, pulled out the contents of the envelope and unfolded the letter.
"Dear Mr Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
As he continued reading, his sister climbed onto her father's lap.
"I wish I was old enough to go to Hogwarts," she said, sadly.
"Sorry Lilybug, you've got another three years to go yet," Harry said, ruffling her hair.
"But I want to see the moving staircases. I've read all about them in Hogwarts, A History. And I can't wait to see the library. Mummy says there are thousands of books in there on every single magical subject."
Hermione smiled. Harry was always saying how much their daughter reminded him of her when they first met.
"I'm going to be taking enough books with me," James said gesturing to his list of school supplies. "I just wish that I could take my broomstick. Then maybe they'd let me play Quidditch like dad did."
Hermione caught Harry's eye and he grinned at her. If Lily reminded him of her then James was undoubtedly his father's son. Hermione had lost count of the number of times schoolwork had come second to Quidditch for her husband.
Leaving their children talking excitedly about Hogwarts, she and Harry went through to the kitchen where he perched on the edge of the table and pulled her into his arms.
"I never imagined this day would come so quickly," she said with a rueful smile. "It's gonna be hard to watch him go."
"I know," Harry said, stroking up and down her back. "But James is smart - he'll be ok."
"You know, it feels like only yesterday that I found out I was pregnant with him."
"Yeah," he said. "I remember that day. It was the happiest I've ever felt. Up until James and Lily were born. I knew I was finally getting the one thing I'd always dreamed of - a family of my own. And it was all because of you."
He brushed a curl back from her face - something he always did before he kissed her and she both heard and felt him breathe "I love you," against her lips as his mouth descended...
***
Mischief managed!
I love Harry in this one! If you did too, you know what to do!
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