Growing Pains

Chapter Eighteen

**SIX WEEKS LATER**

Ginny moaned and rolled to her side. The baby was kicking furiously from her abdomen, and her back was so sore she could hardly move.

A searing pain tore at her stomach, making her inhale sharply. She held the air for a moment, then blew it out in a long, even breath like the Healer had suggested for when she was battling Braxton Hicks.

Ginny threw the covers off of her legs and struggled to get to her feet. It was almost two in the afternoon and Harry was downstairs in the study working on some late paperwork. He had decided to take the next few weeks off to be with Ginny when she went into labour, and to stay at home with her and the baby for a while, but this wasn't keeping Hermione from sending him plenty of work he could do from home.

Ginny waddled into the bathroom with her 39 week pregnant belly. It was a rather warm day in March, so she was wearing only an old pair of Harry's boxers as shorts, and an old grey t-shirt that most likely had belonged to Dudley at one point.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her red hair was in a messy ponytail, several strands pulled out and ruffled up from laying in bed all day. There were large, dark bags under her eyes from lack of sleep due to the baby's constant activity, and her face was covered in red blemishes.

Ginny sighed and bent over as best she could over the sink, and splashed cool water against her flaming skin.

Another pain ripped through her abdomen, this one making her double over. These were the worst Braxton Hicks she had experienced yet.

She began walking towards the doorway when suddenly she had a weird sensation, then water was splashing at her bare feet.

"Harry!" Ginny yelled, a hint of panic in her voice. "Harry!"

There was a thunderous rumble as Harry ran up the stairs, and then Harry was standing in the doorway, bracing himself in the doorframe. He was panting, his hair disheveled and his glasses askew. He looked such a mess, Ginny couldn't help but chuckle.

"What? What happened? Are you okay?" He rushed towards her.

"Harry, I need you to calm down," Ginny began as he stepped towards her and wrapped his hands around her stomach. He gasped and looked down.

"Ginny? Why is the floor wet?!" He exclaimed, looking up at her with his eyes wide.

"My water just broke dear," Ginny raised her eyebrows, gave him a tightlipped smile, and blinked twice.

"HOLY SHIT! BLOODY HELL! WHAT DO WE DO? WE NEED TO GET YOU TO ST. MUNGO'S NOW!"

Harry ran his hands through his hair, looking around the room.

"We- we don't even have a bag packed!" He exclaimed. Ginny reached into her back pocket and wove her wand lazily. Clothes began flying out of drawers and into a duffle bag, which was at her side in a matter of seconds.

"Harry. Calm down. You've been through many more higher stress situations than this. I think we will be fine."

"BUT THOSE DIDN'T COME WITH A BABY! I'M NOT READY!" Harry cried.

"Well, ready or not, here it comes," Ginny doubled over with another contraction. Tears sprung to her eyes, but none managed to escape.

A hand began rubbing her back, and Harry made a light 'shh' sound until the contraction was over.

"How far apart are they?" Harry asked more calmly.

"About four or five minutes," Ginny replied. "I've been feeling them for a while but I figured they were just Braxton Hicks, but then my water broke so..."

"Let's get to St. Mungo's," Harry placed his hand on her back and guided her as she waddled towards the fireplace.

"Wait!" Ginny cried.

"What? Are you okay?" Harry stopped, his hand gently touching her stomach.

"I'm fine, I just can't go to the hospital like this!" Ginny gestured down at her outfit. The hem of the large, holed t-shirt was wet, and the boxers she was wearing as shorts (with tiny quaffles and broomsticks on them) were soaking wet.

Harry took a deep breath and rolled his eyes.

"Gin, you're in labour! We need to get to St. Mungo's!"

She crossed her arms over her chest, resting them on her oversized belly, and raised an eyebrow.

Harry tried to maintain eye contact for as long as he could to make his point, but once again, Ginny beat him.

"Fine, but you have three minutes before I'm dragging you to the hospital," Harry grumbled reluctantly.

Ginny waved her wand and a comfortable pair of maternity leggings and a long sleeve shirt came flying towards her, landing on the bed. She quickly changed, then turned to Harry with a smug grin on her face.

"You ready now?"

"Yes," another contraction hit her and she exhaled loudly, gasping at the force of it. She let out a whimper of pain.

"Gin? Are you okay?" Harry asked softly, bending down so he could look his wife in the face. Their eyes met, and Harry watched as fear filled her eyes.

That's when the tears began to drip down Ginny's face.

"Hey, shh, it's okay. You're going to be okay," Harry cradled her face into his chest, holding her as close as he possibly could.

"We're going to be parents! That's so exciting Gin," he pulled her back and cupped her cheeks in his hands, wiping the tears away.

"Harry, I'm scared," she whispered.

"I am too. I'm terrified. But I know that you're going to be a terrific mother, and that's what keeps me from being paralyzed in terror right now."

She gave a short bark of laughter and leaned into Harry's shoulder.

"But we should probably get going before we have to learn how to deliver a baby on our bedroom floor," Harry pointed out.

Ginny nodded and pulled away from Harry, grabbing a handful of Floo Powder, throwing it into the fireplace.

"St. Mungo's Maternity Ward!" She called, pronouncing every syllable of her words crisply (they had no time to end up at the mango orchard again, as they had last time with Harry yelling- Ginny would have thought he would have learned to pronunciate clearer by now).

They crossed through the flames and into a bustling lobby. Harry told Ginny to stand where she was, then strode up to the front desk.

"My wife, Ginny Potter-Weasley, is in labour," Harry said, and the medi-witch behind the desk nodded, summoning a wheelchair with her wand.

Ginny took a seat, just as another contraction hit. A Healer came up behind her and began wheeling her into a room. Harry hurried behind them, fishing in his pocket for his phone so he could alert the rest of the family as to what was going on.

Gin hosp. Bby cmng.

Harry addressed the text to Hermione, knowing she would understand the jumbled mess of letters and abbreviations and tell the others, then hit send.

This was it. They were having a baby.