The Birth - Harry and Ginny

Curled up on the sofa Harry Potter smiled to himself. He had a perfect house, a beautiful wife who any day now would give birth to their first child, amazing friends and a great job. Did life get any better than this? Looking down at his sleeping wife he brushed a strand of her shocking red hair off her face, Ginny stirred slightly in her sleep but didn’t wake. Harry spent several minutes watching her bump move up and down in time with her breathing. Harry smiled, kissed the top of Ginny’s head and picked up his book and began to read.
“Harry?” Ginny mumbled.
“Hey hon, did I wake you?” Harry said, setting down his book again.
“No, the baby’s just kicking really hard. Feel” she said guiding Harry’s hand across her stomach. Harry kept very still feeling for the kick. He had felt it before of course but every time was just as exciting! For a minute Harry could feel nothing, then all of a sudden... “There we go” Ginny smiled, moving Harry’s hand around to her waist. As Harry leaned in to kiss her Ginny let out an ear splitting screech!
“What’s happened?!” Harry exclaimed, looking at Ginny seriously.
“I.. I..” She said, her face contorted with the pain.
“Ginny? What’s wrong?” Harry said, getting more and more worried by the second.
“I think I’m in labour!” She whispered barely audible.
“Seriously!?” Harry shouted, jumping up off the couch. Ginny nodded unable to speak. “Right” Harry said, shifting into autopilot. “I’ll get the bags and start up the car you stay there.” With that he ran upstairs and began to pack Ginny’s hospital bag. Pulling things out of the wardrobe and stuffing them into a luggage holdall he reached for the phone on the bedside table. Automatically dialling in the number of Ron and Hermione he listened to the dial tone while ramming nightgowns and toiletries into the bag.
“Hello?” Hermione said.
“Hermione! Where’s Ron?” Harry asked.
“In the kitchen why?” She replied quizzically.
“I need you to get Ron and the rest of the Weasley’s to Saint Mungo’s a.s.a.p.!” Harry said, zipping up the holdall.
“Why? Is someone hurt? What’s wrong?” Hermione said, getting panicked.
“It’s Ginny! She’s gone into labour, we’re about to leave now!”
“Oh My God! I’ll get Ron and the rest of them and we’ll be right there!” Harry could hear Ron asking the questions at the end of the phone.
“Hurry Hermione!” Harry said before hanging up. Running down the stairs he saw Ginny sat on the floor of the living room.
“Harry, my waters have broken!” She panted.
“It’s okay hon c’mon.” Harry said, propping Ginny up against him and leading her towards the car. “We’ll have to go by car I’m afraid, we’re not gonna get you on a broom and it’s dangerous to apparate in your condition!” As soon as they reached the car Harry seated Ginny in the back and strapped her in. Climbing into the front he chucked the holdall into the passenger seat and reversed out of the garage. Putting his foot down Harry and Ginny reached Saint Mungo’s within minutes. Ginny was admitted instantly and Harry followed her into the maternity ward. As Ginny lay in the bed screaming Harry turned to the nurse. “Isn’t there anything you can do to ease the pain?” he asked.
“Other than the traditionally muggle method’s I’m afraid we don’t. We feel it puts mother and baby under strain and we prefer to do it naturally.” She answered.
“Well how long will it be now then?”
       “Well she’s about seven centimetres dilated at the moment so not too much longer I don’t think.” Harry took Ginny’s hand and let her squeeze it as the next wave came and went. Turning around he saw Mr and Mrs Weasley peering through the door. He turned to the nurse who nodded, Harry then motioned for them to come in. They did so, so fast that before Harry had chance to blink they were by Ginny’s side.
       “How’re you feeling sweetie?” Molly Weasley asked her daughter.
       “I’m okay” Ginny replied. Mr Weasley sat in a chair in the corner looking paler than ever.
       “You alright Harry?” He asked.
       Harry nodded, but he wasn’t paying that much attention to Mr Weasley he was more interested in helping Ginny through the next set of contractions.
       “Honey, your brothers and Hermione want to come in so we’re gonna go. We’ll be right outside if you need us.” She bent down and kissed Ginny’s head, Mr Weasley did the same, but afterwards he gripped Harry’s hand and nodded. Harry took that to mean something along the lines of good luck or congratulations. Just seconds after Mr and Mrs Weasley had left Ron and Hermione came in.
       “Ginny!” Ron exclaimed, hugging his sister.
       “Hi Ron” She replied weakly.
       “You okay?” Hermione asked.
       “Yeah tha-AHHHHHH” Ginny replied with another scream. Ron looked horrified.
       “What’s the matter with her!?” He said panicked. “Is she okay?”
       “She’s having contractions” Harry explained.
       “Oh” Ron said, not looking as if he understood at all. “And that’s normal right?”
       “Yes” Harry said, he was holding in a chuckle now, unlike Hermione who was having a mini laughing fit in the corner.
“Okay, we’re gonna go now Ginny and the boys are gonna come in, okay?” she said, her voice still quaking from her laughter. Ginny nodded.
After they’d left the rest of the Weasley clan came in offerening entertainment (George) and experience (Fleur and Angelina) before being ushered out by the nurse.
“Okay Ginny” she said. “You’re approximately ten centimetres dilated. We’re going to take you to the delivery room now, okay?” Ginny grabbed Harry’s hand and didn’t let go all the way to the delivery room.
“Right Ginny when the next contraction comes I need you to push for me okay?”
“Okay.” She said, beginning to push as hard as possible.
The next few hours passed in a blur of screaming, pushing and more screaming. Finally it was time to give the final push.
“C’mon Gin!” Harry said, squeezing Ginny’s hand. “One more push, you can do it!” Moments later the cry of a baby filled the room.
“Congratulations!” The nurse said “You’ve got a little boy!” she handed a tiny little bundle wrapped in a blue blanket to Ginny. Harry sat next to her on the bed and peeled back the blankets. His son had the exact same colour hair as him but he had Ginny’s brown eyes.
“He’s gorgeous” he said, his eyes welling up.
“I know!” Ginny said, tears streaming down her face.
“Have we got a name yet then?” The nurse asked. Harry shook his head but Ginny nodded.
“James. James Sirius Potter.” She smiled at Harry, who beamed back at her.
“Hello James.” He said. Smiling as his son grabbed hold of his finger.
“Hello handsome!” Ginny cried “I love you so much! Even more than I love your daddy”
“Hey!” Harry exclaimed poking Ginny. “Don’t listen to mummy James!”
“I think daddy’s a bit full of himself!” Ginny giggled, kissing Harry on the cheek and James on the nose.
“You have visitors!” The nurse said. At that very moment the entire Weasley family and Hermione piled into the room.
“Oh my God” Hermione said softly.
“He’s beautiful!” Mrs Weasley whispered.
“Can I hold him?” Hermione asked.
“Sure” Ginny said, handing him over
“What’s his name?” Charlie asked.
“James. James Sirius Potter.” Ginny said, keeping her eye on Hermione and Ron who were cooing over James. Bill came over and gave his little sister a hug.
       “Congratulations sis!” He said, before turning around and shaking Harry’s hand. “Your dad and Sirius would be honoured.”
       “Thanks mate” Harry smiled. Taking baby James from Hermione he turned to Ginny. “Well done love” he said, kissing her passionately.
       He was mildly aware of the “aww’s” from Mrs Weasley and Hermione and the sniggers from Ron and George but he didn’t care. He was far too happy for anything to bother him right now.