Suffering Part 4: New Blood

January 24, 1999 Part 1: Arrival

It was about 5 in the morning when Y/N woke up in Severus' arms. The man had his usual iron grip on her. She laid there feeling small contractions taking over her body. “I think you need to go get Netty,” she whispered to him and she shook him softly. “Huh?” he said sleepily. 

Y/N rolled over on her back, placing his hand on her contracting belly, “It’s starting,” she replied. Severus sat up immediately realizing what she was saying.

 He quickly got up from the bed, throwing his clothing on. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’ll get your grandmother as well,” he replied as he hurried out the bedroom door. “I love you,” she told him before he left. “I love you too, Princess. I’ll be right back,” he yelled from the hallway.

Even the early contractions were more intense than Y/N had anticipated. She moved from the bed slowly rising and picking up her walkman. She took it to the bathroom where she drew herself a warm shallow bath to lay in.

 Slowly she lowered herself into it. She started the walkman with a tape of old timey hits, first song “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield. She laid back in the water, not letting the headphone cord get into the water as the walkman sat on a stool.

 Her hands covered her face trying to come to terms with how bad these early contractions were starting to hurt. Without warning, it felt like the tiniest pop inside beside her cervix during one of the contractions. 

She felt a small trickle of warm water flowing out of her, “Great,” she replied sarcastically as her water broke. It was a couple of songs later when Severus came back into the room and leaned over the tub, “Are you ok? They are here,” he asked softly. 

 Y/N lifted the headphone from her ear briefly, replying, “Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes, stroll around the grounds until you feel at home (Mrs. Robinson, Simon & Garfunkel),” she laughed. 

The man took her singing as a good sign replying, “Ok, we are going to go downstairs quickly to talk. We will be right back,” he told her. “My water broke a few minutes ago,” she announced as he walked out the door. “I’ll tell her,” he replied. 

The truth was that her laughter was that of the nervous and scared kind. The pain had gotten rather intense, much more so than any period she had gotten before.

 A few minutes later, Netty came in leaning down over the tub, “I’m here, love. We were just making plans for once the babies start coming out. We will need someone to hold one, while we get ready for the next. I’ve told Severus he’s going to continue to hold you until it’s over. I’m going to have you sit back against his lap to help soothe you ok?” Netty asked her calmly. 

“Did you bring Monty?” Y/N asked through her deep breaths. “Yes, but he can’t be in here while we are doing this. I need to keep the room clean. Did you understand what I said?” Netty asked again. “Aye aye Captain. I understand,” Y/N giggled back. Netty was setting up plastic on the floor to catch any medical waste. 

Severus came in, in sock feet, leaning over the bathtub with Y/N’s collar. “I already told them you are going to wear it, so you won’t feel weird about it,” he whispered as he placed it on her neck.

 Y/N was half asleep in the moments where her contractions had eased. A little “uh huh” is all that escaped her as she laid back in the warm water. “Is it really bad?” asked hesitantly. A little smirk appeared in the corners of her mouth, replying “Yup.” It was very obvious she was down playing how bad it was hurting.