Those Crazy Nine Months

CHAPTER EIGHT

"Hermione fetch the kit from the kitchen and set the pot to boil. The bracelet has turned green," Molly instructs, gesturing for Neville to follow her back into the room where Harry is.

"Already? But isn't it too early?" Neville asks worriedly as Hermione runs off to the kitchen.

"Hardly, Fred and George came early, too. Most twins do," Molly says, a hint of mischief twinkling in her eye as she turns and reenters the birthing room.

"Twins...," Neville says softly, following Mrs. Weasley into the room. Quickly he hurries to Harry's side.

"Hallo love." Harry says, smiling charmingly to his fiance. "Sounds like we'll need to buy another bracelet for our babies."

Neville smiles brightly at the confirmation of Molly's teasing words. "Twins huh? That's wonderful." Neville bends down and captures Harry's mouth in a sweet kiss, pouring all of his love and adoration into it.

Just before Neville pulls away, Harry flinches and the charms flash red again.

"Another one already, Harry?" Molly says as Neville jumps back, afraid he's done something wrong. "Looks as if they're a bit impatient. It's only been ten minutes since the last one."

"Only ten minutes between contractions?" Hermione asks as she enters the room, her arms laden with the various instruments they will need to deliver the babies.

Neville takes a heavy basket full of blankets and towels from Hermione's right arm, and Molly takes the pot of boiling water from her left. Neville sets the basket on the floor next to a large table, as the women set the pot and the small, black medical bag that Hermione was still carrying on the top of the table. Working efficiently, Hermione takes all of the instruments out of the bag. A medium size potion bottle, which Neville recognizes as a disinfectant, two scalpels, and a pair of scissors lie on the table next to the hot water when she is done.

"Harry, I'm going to give you a charm that will make your lower body go numb so you won't feel anything. We will need to deliver these babies by cutting open your stomach and the womb they are in. The charm is temporary and will start to wear off after you have been sealed back up. Do you understand?" Hermione says in a strict tone of voice, pulling her wand from her belt.

Harry moans loudly, placing a hand on his stomach as the charms flash red again. After the pain subsides he says, "Love your bedside manner, Herm. No need to talk to me like I'm some kind of raving lunatic."

Hermione blushes a bit, her face softening. "Sorry Harry, you understand though, don't you?"

Harry nods as Neville moves to the other side of the bed and holds his hand.

Hermione and Molly stand at Harry's side, murmuring the spell that will keep him from feeling the delivery. After a moment a flood of soft yellow light pours from their wands and over his body, from his torso down. Harry glances about, startled for a moment at the loss of feeling before settling down again.

"We're going to need to undress you the rest of the way, Harry," Molly says as Hermione moves to take off Harry's shoes. After setting his shoes and socks underneath the table, Hermione and Neville slide Harry's pants and underwear the rest of the way off, having been only slid down enough to reveal his belly for the examination. As Neville folds Harry's clothes and sets them on a chair, Hermione covers Harry's legs and genitals with a sheet.

"I'm going to make it so your penis stays out of the way by sticking it to your leg with a small sticking charm. Wouldn't want it to get cut off, now would we?" Molly says, her eyes shining with laughter.

The pregnant boy blushes softly in response, chuckling.

The charms flash red once more, and Molly looks over at Hermione. "It's time," she says, reaching over for one of the small towels and the bottle of disinfectant. After pouring some of the liquid onto the towel, she hands it to Hermione. Then she picks up one of the scalpels and rinses it in the disinfectant and hot water.

Before starting the surgery she casts a shielding charm so that all the men can see is a blurry blob where Harry's stomach should be. A quick charm rids Harry's stomach and groin area of hair. Swift, but gentle hands slice open the boy's abdomen.

Hermione stands next to Molly throughout the surgery, ready to help in any way possible and smiling comfortingly to the boys. A few minutes later Hermione grabs up one of the largest towels and Molly hands one of the babies to the bushy haired young woman. Setting the babe on Harry's legs, she reaches her finger gently into the baby's mouth and pulls out the mucus and other fluids blocking the baby's air pipe. A moment later a soft cry splits the tension in the air as the eldest of the two babies breathes its first breath.

Tying and cutting the umbilical cord, Hermione says, "Congratulations, Mr. Potter. It's a girl." A low powered cleaning charm cleans the baby and Hermione changes the color of one of the blankets to a soft Gryffindor red. Wrapping the newborn in the blanket, she hands it to Neville so she can help Molly with the second baby.

Repeating the process she went through with the first baby, Hermione moments later presents the boys with a second baby girl as Molly closes the incisions. A spell from Molly ends the sticking charm, and the shield; another sets the no-feeling charm to start wearing off.

"Very well done Harry, perfect little angels they are. What will you name them?" Molly says, wiping her hands on a clean towel as Hermione covers Harry with a blanket.