Having Both is a Blessing - A Harry Potter Story - HP/AU 7th year

Chapter 19 : Now. Now? Now! NOW? NOW!!!

Chapter 19 : Now.   Now?   Now! NOW? NOW!!!

 “Special Delivery!”  So much for that secret.   Ah well, it would have all been found out eventually. 

 Chapter 19 : Now.   Now?   Now!  Now?   NOW!!!

 The door to the Room of Requirement opened and Albus Dumbledore entered.  Gwen walked over, threw her arms around him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

 “Professor . . . . Albus, thank you so much for all of your help with this visit.”

“Oh, just my ways of spreading some Christmas cheer, Gwen, my dear.”  Albus was blushing.  “But, I’m afraid we’ve run out of time. So . . . . ”

 Draco relinquished his little sister to Narcissa, but Lyn fussed losing her new playmate.  She reached for him and screwed up her face.

 “Now, don’t you cry, young lady,” Narcissa warned her daughter.  “Draco has to get back downstairs.  We’ll see him again and soon, I hope.”

 “You be a good baby, okay?”  Draco gave her fat little cheek a peck and she smiled up at him.

 Anna and Severus sat looking deeply into each other’s eyes.  She smiled at him and he leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

 “Alright, Prince Charming, help me up.”

Severus stood and grasping her hands, pulled her gently to her feet.

 “Thanks.  I thought for a bit I would never get out of that chair.  Very cushy furniture, Albus.”

 “Thank you.  I enjoy cushy myself, so I thought you might be more comfortable with these.”

 Remus stood with Gwen, arms around each other as Severus walked over to the Headmaster, holding Anna’s hand.

 “You and I are going to have a small chat, Headmaster, about you not telling me the fact that Narcissa was with Anna.  I’d have rested easier, had I known.”

 “Probably, but at the time, we thought the secret should be on a need to know basis.  So, just Gwen, Anna, Dobby and Winky knew, besides yours truly, of course.”

 “Dobby?”  Draco looked at Narcissa. “He’s with you?”

“Yes, and he’s been a dear; loves watching over Lyn, just as he did with you.”

 “Oh, excellent; he always was a good house-elf.”

 “Wait a minute!”  Severus turned to look at Draco.  “You weren’t surprised to see your mother with Anna and Gwen.  You knew?”

“Yes, Mother told me just before she had Lyn.  I was worried about her going into labor, thinking she was all alone.  So, she told me with whom she was hiding.  I can keep secrets, too, even from you!”

 “Apparently.  I had dismissed the notion months ago; it was too wildly improbable.  I should have known, given the circumstances. You,” he said, turning to Anna, “can keep a secret, too, it seems . . . . ” But he stopped suddenly, seeing the grimace on Anna’s face.  “What is it?  What’s wrong?”

 “It’s nothing, just a contraction.”

 “WHAT?”  Panic showed on Severus’ face.  “You’re in labor?”

 “No, no, not yet.  It’s just Braxton-Hicks.”

 “What?”

 “Braxton-Hicks – false labor – practice contractions. But they’re just as attention grabbing as the real thing, I’m assuming?” explained Anna, looking to Cissa.