A/N: Apologizing at this point isn't even enough. *hangs head in shame* To those that kept writing and asking me to continue, many thanks. To those of you that waited patiently, also many thanks. My sincerest apologies for taking so long with the update. Chapter 11 is half way done as well and I'm hoping to finish it this week. After that, just one more closing chapter and the story is done. Hope you enjoy this one. This wasn't beta'd, so please forgive any and all mistakes.
HERMIONE'S BABY
CHAPTER 10: GETTING READY FOR BABY
"I love you."
"I love you, too, darling man. Thanks for making all my wishes come true!"
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About a month later, Harry and Hermione were cuddling on the couch, with her nestled against his chest while Harry played with one of her curls. Hermione lifted her head and looked at him.
"Harry, since I'm starting to show, do you think we should make an official announcement? The robes can only cover me for so long and I usually wear Muggle clothing when I'm not at work. Besides, I don't really want to hide the fact that we're having a baby."
Harry smiled at her. "If it was up to me, I would shout it from rooftops, I'm so happy about it. I was just waiting for you to give me the go ahead to let others know."
"You should have mentioned something before. We haven't discussed how we're going to tell others."
"How about an announcement in The Quibbler? I'm sure we can write a short statement and Luna can arrange for it to be published. She's still running the show over there."
"That would probably be best. And we'll include something about us not giving any interviews about it. I'd hate for Witches Weekly or The Prophet to make a circus out of the news."
"They will, regardless of what we say, love."
"Then someone else will get a good hexing and that will stop it," she told him with a mischievous smile.
"How about our wedding? When do you want to have it?"
"Soon as well. I'd like us to be married before the baby comes if that's okay with you, darling."
"I've been wanting to marry you since they day you accepted just to make sure you don't change your mind about it."
"I won't change my mind, Harry James. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life at your side. I thought you knew that."
"I do, but a little reassurance now and again never hurts!"
Hermione patted his cheek lovingly. "There's no way I'm letting you go. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I want to keep it that way."
"Good, because I was planning on spending eternity with you anyways!"
He gave her a deep kiss just for good measure. Then they used the floo network to call Luna and she told them she would be over shortly.
Once she arrived, she suggested it would be better to do an entire interview and cover all of the bases at once and then it would be easier to ignore the rest of the press. Harry and Hermione agreed with her and they spent the rest of the afternoon putting together the interview that would appear on the front page of The Quibbler's very next issue.
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First the Marauders, then came the Golden Trio, and now the next generation begins
By Luna Lovegood-Weasley
I got a call from two of my closest friends yesterday, something that always makes me happy. When they said they needed a favor, I was more than willing to do it, even before I knew what they wanted. The favor is this article you're reading now. They have some news and they want to share them with the wizarding world. Even though they are both popular and famous, they are also very private and don't like the limelight. They figured their news was so monumental that it was easier to have it in writing for all to see at once. This is, therefore, an exclusive interview and no one else will have this privilege. In case you haven't guessed who I'm talking about yet, it's Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. What you are about to read is exactly how it happened while we chatted.
LLW: So you have some news to share with the wizarding world, eh?
HP: We do, Luna, and we choose your magazine since we trust you to print things just as we tell you, without adding rubbish to it to sell more copies.
HG: Yeah, we don't want anyone to ruin this or to turn it into a circus. It's too dear to us.
LLW: You do realize that no matter what, people will still want to talk to you?
HP: We figured as much, but it's still not going to happen. This is the only interview we are giving. And Hermione's already told me she'll hex whoever persists on following us or asking more questions.
Hermione laughs merrily at this, I notice.
LLW: I know some pesky reporter that was following you around got a good hexing already, so let this be a warning to all of you out there. Hermione's hexes are usually well placed and she never misses her target.
HG: I don't want to do it, believe me. But when it comes to those whom I love and my sanity, I will do whatever it takes to assure that privacy.
LLW: Now that we have that cleared and the warning has been properly given, how about we talk about the big announcement?
HP: Our happy news is that we're getting married!
HG: And having a baby!
HP: We've actually been together for several months but kept it quiet because we wanted to enjoy our time together. We love each other deeply and we're looking forward to our marriage and our baby.
LLW: Congratulations to you both! When is the big event?
HP: You, of course, will know the minute this interview is over. But we're keeping the day, time and place a secret because it's going to be a very private affair, with only family and close friends present. Our wedding or the birth of our first child is not going to be turned into a big spectacle.
HG: The baby is due in a few months but we don't know the sex yet, in case anyone's wondering. This is something we've both wanted for a while and our dream is finally becoming a reality.
LLW: I guess I'm lucky to be attending such a joyous event. Anything else you want to share?
HP: Not at this time. As soon as our nuptials are performed, an announcement will appear on your magazine and the same with the baby. I hope everyone will respect our privacy during this time and wish us well. I love Hermione with all of my heart and this is a special moment in our lives and we want to fully enjoy it.
HG: Again, I really don't want to hex anyone, but I will if it means reporters will leave us alone. I'm going to marry the man of my dreams and we're going to have a child together. I'm a very happy woman at this point in my life and I don't want anyone to ruin that for me.
LLW: You know these news are going to break many hearts, right? Both of you have plenty of admirers.
HP: Hermione has been the love of my life for a long time, so no one else had a chance.
HG: I know how lucky I am to have Harry in my life. Sorry, girls, but he's mine now!
I have to admit that I've known about their relationship from the beginning, since I had a hand in making it happen! Ronald and I were also their first friends to know about the baby. As many of you already know, I'm also pregnant with twins! Therefore, the new generation of Potter, Weasley and Malfoy kids is in the making and things should get interesting again from here on out. While Harry and Ronald have been discussing House Cups and Quidditch games, Hermione and I have been going over books and trying to predict which house our little ones will end up in. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are our two picks, but strangest things have happened. Our only hope is that Headmistress Minerva McGonagall is retired by the time our kids make it to school!
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"Hey, mate," Ron said as he sat next to Harry at the bar.
Ever since finding out Hermione and Luna were pregnant, they had taken to meeting once a week at their local pub to share a few beers while their significant others spent some time together talking babies. It was their time to vent, grumble, and share good news.
"Hey. How's is it going?"
"Okay, I guess. How about you?"
"Tired, but otherwise okay. How's Luna?"
Ron ran a hand through his hair and mussed it up more than it was already. "Luna is just fine."
"Why the long face then?"
"Mate, she keeps getting all these bloody urges to eat the strangest foods in the middle of the night, every night and she's driving me mad! It was never this bad with Mathew and I'm bloody exhausted!"
Harry had the nerve to laugh. "And I thought I had it bad with Hermione reading more than ever. I swear she's read every book on the planet about babies and parenting. And not only that, but she's told me all about them as well."
"You still sleep at night, though, so excuse me if I don't feel your pain," Ron told him.
"Well, she's been getting food cravings as well, of the Muggle kind, so those are sometimes hard to find, too. And she's only six months along."
"Same thing I keep thinking, mate. There're still three months of this and I don't know how I'm going to survive."
"Oh, you know you will. Time's been flying by already."
"Ever since the article came out last month Luna has been inundated with letters demanding she print pictures of the wedding and the baby once it's born."
"We're married already, so it's a little late for that. And I don't think Hermione will want a picture of the baby in the paper."
"You might as well, mate, otherwise they'll be following her around just to take one. You don't want her to end up in a situation that could get ugly if she has the baby with her."
"You're right. I'll have a talk with her about it. I don't want to spend the rest of my life locked up in Azkaban for murdering the son of a bitch that dared to touch my wife and baby."
"Exactly. I'd be right along with you because I'd help. Of course, I might not make it to Azkaban since Luna will have my hide first."
"You know something, mate? Sometimes I wish Hermione and I could live in the Muggle world and forget all about magic. Just live a boring life out in the suburbs and raise our kids in peace."
"At some point, it will get better. Once the hoopla dies down, people will move on to other things, you'll see. We just have to deal with it for a little longer."
"I hope you're right about that. I'm not going to let anyone hurt my family, Ron."
"Neither will I, mate. I'm too happy and content at this point in my life."
"We should finish and head back home. Our wives should be expecting us by now."
"Let's pick vanilla ice cream and pickles on the way, though. Luna might want some later."
"And peanut butter and bananas. Hermione is always craving a sandwich with those as the main ingredients."
"Urgh, I think the twins are going to be my last kids!"
"Not for me, though, I want a couple more as well."
"Hope for twins next time! It'll be done in less time."
"Don't think I'd be that lucky. Craving and long nights aside, this is the happiest time of my life."
"Yeah, we're a couple of lucky bastards, Harry, and we should be grateful that we have such great wives."
"I know, mate. We're two lucky bastards, indeed!"
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"Got names for the babies yet?"
"We've been discussing a few, but nothing for sure yet. We don't know their sexes either, so it makes it difficult to pick. How about you?"
"If it's a boy we want to name him Andrew James. If it's a girl we'll name her Alyson Kaeli."
"They have nice rings to them. Do you have a preference? I wouldn't mind having girls, or a pair. Too many male Weasley's in one household is probably going to be chaotic."
"I'd love a little boy and then a little girl. I love Mathew to pieces and I think it would be wonderful if Harry could experience having a son of his own. Even though he had a bad childhood, he's going to be a wonderful dad."
"As much as he's going to enjoy having a little boy to teach him how to play quidditch, having a little girl would do him so good as well."
"She'd have him wrapped around her little finger in no time."
"She would and he'll also keep the boys at bay. Same as Ronald would."
"Luna, I think it's so wonderful that we're going to have babies around the same time. To be honest, I'm a little scared and having someone go through the same thing with me makes it a little easier."
"Are you afraid because it's your first or because it's a magical child?"
"Both. As much as I've read about it, nothing will fully prepare me for when the time comes."
"My advice, having been there once already, is to stay calm and relaxed. The minute you tense up or let your fears get in the way, you'll be in trouble and it'll be more difficult. It hurts like all hell when the baby is coming out, I won't lie to you about that, but the minute you hear it cry for the first time you'll forget all about it. The love you feel is so intense and so pure, you won't regret a single second of it. And most likely than not, I'll be at your side with Harry."
Hermione squeezed Luna's hand and smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Luna. For everything."
"Hey, that's what friends are for."
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Harry and Ron made it back and watched in horror as their wives ate their late evening snacks. Luna kept dipping her pickle into the vanilla ice cream while Hermione enjoyed her banana and peanut butter sandwich. She had added potato crisps to it to make it crunchy.
They spent a couple of hours together, talking babies and making plans. Harry ordered a huge pizza loaded with all of the ingredients they had available and Hermione and Luna ate half of it. Harry was amazed that they could eat so much and not gain weight, but then he remembered that they were walking and exercising together at a Muggle gym and didn't bother to mention anything.
All in all, life couldn't be better and he was loving every minute of it. He couldn't wait for the babies to be born. He was more than ready to be a dad and it meant the world to him that Hermione would be the mother of his children.
The only thing he wished for was having his parents witness all of it, but he knew that they were watching him from heaven and would guard his kids throughout their lives. He wasn't a big believer in Holy things, but in his heart he just knew that and it was enough.
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