the lucky one

bonus chapter: surprise!

Miranda walks over to Hermione's house, well, waddles is the more appropriate word. Her stomach has expanded to more than three time it size, her belly button peeking out of her cami. It is sweltering in the summer sun and sweat runs down her face. Her ankles are swollen and her back aches.

She bends down with great difficulty and takes the key out from under the frog, opening the door.

"Hermione!" She calls, searching the house, "Hermione! Are you here?"

Miranda feels a sharp pain in her gut. Great, she thinks to herself, more stomach problems, I swear today they've been worse the usual.

"McGonagall? Is that you?" Ron's voice says, the red head walking into the entryway.

"Hey Weasley, I'm looking for Hermione. She here?"

"She just popped out for a stroll, the doctor said she should-"

Miranda feels another pain and clutches her stomach, Ron peering at her with concern. "You all right McGonagall?"

"Fine, fine," she inhales deeply, "what were you saying about Hermione?"

"I can pass along the message if you need to-"

Miranda grips the banister, gasping. The pain is getting worse.

"Jesus Miranda are you-"

"Not okay," she shakes her head furiously, breathing hard, "not okay!" She hunches over in hurt, it feels like someone's stabbing her in the uterus over and over again. It's too early. It's too early. She's not even eight months. Her heart rattles in her ribcage.

"Oh my god!" Ron's face goes white as a sheet, "Tell me you're not-"

"I'M IN FUCKING LABOR RON!" She yells, feeling wetness between her thighs, water forming a puddle on the ground. "AND NOW MY FUCKING WATER BROKE" Two dots of blood follow, and Miranda's eyes widen, "I don't think that's supposed to happen." She whispers in fear, starting to hyperventilate.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." Ron wrings his hand frantically, "What do I do, what do I do, oh no, oh no, oh-"

"SNAP OUT OF IT WEASLEY!" Miranda roars, "YOU DO NOT GET TO PANIC! I NEED YOU TO TAKE ME TO ST. MUNGOS NOW!"

"St. Mungos, yes right, how do we get there?!" Ron pats his pockets, 'Where are my keys, where are my keys?!"

"YOU DON'T DRIVE A FUCKING CAR, WE'RE WIZARDS, APPARATE YOU IDIOT!"

"Right, right." Ron bangs into a wall, grabbing Miranda's hand and Disapprating to the hospital.

They immediately put Miranda on a wheelchair, and rush her down the hall, tears filling her eyes as the blood grows beneath her.

"Get Harry, Ron! Please!" She screams, "I need Harry!"

Ron immediately apparates to Harry and Miranda's house, "HARRY!! HARRY! YOU HAVE TO COME QUICK!" He bellows, pacing.

"What are you saying Ron? Slow down!" Harry rushes down the stairs.

"Miranda, she-and I- and labor- the baby's coming Harry, coming right now."

"It's not supposed to come for another month, no, no, Harry shake this head in denial. "We were supposed to have more time. We're not ready. I'm not ready-"

Ron grips Harry by the shoulders and shakes him, "Snap out of it mate! The baby's coming whether you're ready or not, and Miranda needs you. I think something bad is happening."

"What?" Harry's heart sinks, momentarily stopping his panic.

"There was blood Harry, a lot of blood." Ron replies gravely, and Harry doesn't waste a second before apparating to St. Mungo's, racing down the hall after his wife.

"Miranda!"

"HARRY!" Miranda cries, tears of relief streaming down her face, "Something's wrong Harry, something's-" Her voice breaks, and Harry strokes her hair.

The Healer enters, "Miranda McGonagall is it?"

"Yes, and I'm Harry Potter, the father." Harry holds out a hand.

"Harry Potter?! Like the Harry Potter?" The wizard looks at him in awe.

"Please sir," Miranda interjects, "is our baby okay? I'm bleeding, and my due date's not for another month."

"Let's have a look, shall we?" The doctor places his hands on her and whispers an incantation. "Ah yes looks like early labor, you'll have to push right now though, and the hemorrhaging should stop."

"Early labor?!" Miranda begins hyperventilating again, "Will the baby be ok?"

"It's quite common in cases like these, the doctor reassures, "twins are often early deliveries."

Miranda's mouth drops open, and Harry nearly chokes, "Twins?!"

"Were you not aware?"

"OOOOWWW FUCKING HELL!" Miranda feels the worst pain of all, crushing Harry's hand in her hold.

"Breathe through it Mrs. Potter, you're almost there."

Miranda's forehead is dotted with perspiration, she pushes and pushes. Her body screaming in protest. Harry pushes the damp hair off her face, "You've got this Mandy."

"I- she gasps- want- to punch you- in- the face." She growls through clenched teeth.

"I can see the head! Push Mrs. Potter!" The Healer instructs.

Miranda pushes as hard as she can, collapsing back onto the pillows in exhaustion, sobbing, "I can't, I can't, I can't do it."

"You have to push now Mrs. Potter, the babies are starting to have decels."

"Look at me Miranda, you are the strongest person I know, you can do this, we've survived so much, this is nothing. I believe in you. Just one more push darling, I promise."

Miranda groans, sitting up, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as she heaves. A baby's wail fills the room.

"It's a boy!" Harry exclaims with glee, "We have a boy, Mandy, a beautiful baby boy!"

"Okay Mrs. Potter, get ready to push again."

Miranda looks at Harry with murder in her eyes, "You promised."

Harry winces, "You know you can do it now love, only a few more minutes of pain, you can handle it."

Miranda steels herself determinedly, clenching Harry's hand, as she moans with exertion, a second cry wailing as she does. Miranda pants, throwing her head back as tears trickle down her cheeks. "Did I do it?" She whispers weakly, and Harry smiles down at her lovingly.

"You did it Mandy, you did it, it's all over."

"Here you go." The nurse places the two babies in Miranda's arms, one boy, one girl.

Miranda has never felt so instantly attached, it was love at first sight. Harry gazes at them with pure adoration on his face, "They're perfect." He breathes softly.

Miranda sighs contentedly, "I guess my twin genes are stronger than we thought." The tiny newborns both give a little sigh, nuzzling into their mother. Harry takes the little girl and cradles her in his arms delicately.

"I am never going to let anything bad happen to you." He whispers, holding the child close.

Soon, their visitors trickle in, a relieved Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Mateo. Mateo is instantly enamored with the babies, and all the friends coo and cuddle the tiny things. Harry and Miranda sleep at the hospital, Miranda getting some much needed rest, while Harry tends to the fussing babies.

The next morning they have more visitors, Evelyn, Sirius, and Teddy, the Weasleys, Luna and Neville, Dean and Seamus. BY the end of the day, it is just the six of them, Harry and Miranda's friends helping them pack up and get ready to return home.

"Have you decided on names yet?" Hermione asks, folding a yellow blanket.

"Actually," Miranda takes Harry's hand, "we have. Honey do you want to...?"

"Meet James Matthias Potter", Harry gestures to the baby in Matt's arms.

"And his sister," Miranda continues, stroking her daughter's sleeping face softly, "Juniper Lily Potter."