Delicate - eng version

Blood, Sweat and Tears

"Get the bag! And my keys! Where's Hermione? GET HERMIONE!"

"Bag...bag...BAG! Found the bag! Where are the keys...THERE! Keys! H-Hermione?! She's at work, Ron – SHE'S AT WORK!"

"Hermione!" Dad cries, "I can't do this without Hermione!"

"Just breathe, Ron, it'll be alright...in...and out...and in...that's good..." Teddy says in soothing tones as Dad breathes deeply, the wooden spoon and bowl of pancake batter still in his arms.

Are they for real?

"When you two have quite finished," I snap, "I'm going to go have a baby." I pull myself up off the couch.

"R-right!" Dad drops the bowl all over the carpet, "Let's do this!"

I walk myself out to the car while Teddy and Dad panic some more. The contractions aren't even that bad yet, so I really can't see what the fuss is about. Dad is on his phone to Mum shouting at her to meet us at St Mungo's. Teddy and Dad climb into the car after me and as soon as Dad pulls himself together enough to put the keys in the ignition, we set off for St Mungo's.

"It'll be okay...it'll be fine," says Teddy nervously over and over again, "You'll do just fine, Rose. You'll be grand..."

"Teddy, calm down," I say, annoyed, "You're making me nervous."

Teddy gives me an apologetic look, but it doesn't stop him from worrying.

"WHY AREN'T YOU MOVING?!" Dad screams at the car in front as soon as the lights go green, "WHAT BLOODY SHADE OF GREEN ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!"

Another contraction. It's worse than the others. I grab Teddy's hand and squeeze for dear life.

"I don't understand..." Dad says frantically, "Did your waters even break?"

I think about it – I can't really remember. I mean, I don't remember wetting myself. It's not exactly the kind of thing you'd forget. But then there was that funny popping feeling I got when I was in the bath last night...I thought that was just the bath's jets acting up. And I did start getting the occasional cramp after that, sort of like period cramps. I didn't really think much of them though.

"I think so," I say. Am I the first person in the history of women not to feel her waters break?

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Dad cries, "Your waters broke and you didn't even –"

"Dad! Stop! I didn't even realise they broke until now! OW! Can you drive this thing any faster?!"

Dad starts beeping the horn every time we slow down even a little bit. Teddy is so pale it looks like he's going to pass out. What's he going to be like when it's his own child?

Which reminds me. Scorpius.

"Scorpius!" I cry, "Someone has to get in contact with Scorpius!"

"What's his number?" Teddy asks, grabbing Dad's phone.

"He doesn't have a phone! Write him a speed-letter, floo him, I don't care just GET HIM HERE!"

When we finally arrive at the hospital, Dad abandons the car on double yellow lines and helps me inside. Teddy grabs the bag in one hand and I now notice that he's still holding the frying pan. Good God men really are useless in crisis situations.

"BABY! There's a baby coming!" Dad shouts dramatically to the woman behind the receptionist's desk. A passing Healer stops and looks at me.

"What's your name?" she asks kindly.