Fic: Four
Title: Four
Pairing: Harry/Hermione
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: This is a sequel to Remembrance, so you should read that first.
Harry Potter smiled as he sat on the verandah step, watching his six year old daughter frolic in their backyard. It was a warm summer’s day and Lauren was chasing butterflies.
“Look, Daddy!” she called out as she ran near the fence. “Did you see the flutterby?”
“It’s butterfly, Boo, and watch where you’re--”
Too late, Lauren tripped over a hole in the ground and fell to her knees, her hands going out to break her fall. She let out a loud wail as Harry strode across the lawn. Reaching her, he picked up her and cradled her in his arms. “I told you to watch where you were going, silly sausage,” he said soothingly. “Let’s get you inside so we can fix you up.”
Lauren cried as her father carried her inside, waving her hands about to show him her injury and resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head as he sat her on the counter in the bathroom. Lauren sniffed loudly and wiped the back of her nose with her hand.
Turning the tap on, Harry said, “First, we need to wash the dirt out, then Daddy will cast some charms to make it all better, okay?”
“Okay,” Lauren sniffled. “Where’s Mummy?”
Harry tried not to smile as he called out for Hermione. As their only child, Lauren was lavished with plenty of love and affection, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t take advantage of situations such as these to garner more.
Hermione came into the bathroom and frowned at Lauren’s face. “What happened to my Boo?”
“I felled over,” she wailed, holding her hands up.
“You fell over,” Hermione corrected. “Never mind, sweetie. Daddy will fix you up.” She stood back and allowed Harry to wash Lauren’s hands and knees with a washcloth, then cast a few charms to seal the wounds and ease the pain.
Once he was all done, he lifted Lauren’s newly healed hands up and kissed her palms softly. “There, all better now.”
Lauren smiled through her tears and looked up at him, her bushy brown hair falling out of her ponytail. “Thank you, Daddy. I love you.”
“I love you too, Boo.” He lifted her up to kiss her cheek and then set her down on the ground.
“Do you want to come and help me start dinner?” Hermione asked, holding out her hand.
Lauren nodded and took her mother’s hand, allowing herself to be led into the kitchen.
~*~
Once Lauren was sound asleep and safely tucked into bed, Harry made his way to the master bedroom where he found his wife of almost fifteen years sprawled seductively across it in obvious anticipation of his arrival.
“Hello, handsome,” she purred, beckoning him closer.
He smiled and kicked off his shoes, climbing onto the bed next to her. “Hello, beautiful,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her.
It was quite a few minutes later when they separated, their breathing shallow. “You ready to indulge in some baby making?” Hermione asked, undoing the buttons of his shirt.
After many weeks of discussion, Harry and Hermione had agreed to try for another baby. Lauren was now in school and, as much as they loved to dote on their daughter, Hermione had felt as though their family was incomplete in some way. They’d talked over the pros and cons of another child and had eventually agreed they’d like the opportunity to be blessed with another little one before they became too old to do so. Their efforts had so far gone unheeded in the six weeks they’d been trying, but seeing as how it had taken them eight months to conceive Lauren, neither were unduly concerned.
Harry kissed his way up her neck. “Mmmm, maybe. As long as you promise not to wear me out.”
Hermione grinned. “I shall make no promise of a sort, Mr. Potter. You’re much more fun when you do what you’re told.” She pushed him onto his back, his shirt unbuttoned, and kissed her way down his chest.
~*~
Summer merged into fall and life went on in the Potter household as normal. Lauren loved the constant stream of visitors and enjoyed telling her parents about her day at the dinner table. Her upcoming seventh birthday was also the topic of much discussion.
They’d just finished up a meal of chicken pot pie and vegetables when Hermione grabbed the table, her face turning white. “Hermione?” Harry said softly. “You okay?”
Hermione shook her head as Lauren chattered happily around them, oblivious to her parents. Hermione grabbed her stomach and stood, then ran out of the room without a word.
Lauren stopped her monologue. “What’s wrong with Mummy?”
Harry stared at the doorway Hermione had disappeared through. “I’m not sure, Boo. Why don’t you hop into the living room and read your book while I check on Mummy?”
“Okay.” Lauren put her plate in the sink and then, taking Harry at his word, proceeded to lift one leg up and hop out of the room. Harry laughed and shook his head as she left, then went to check on his wife.
He found her on the floor of the bathroom, her head over the toilet and a hand towel in her hand. She wiped her mouth and took the glass of water Harry extended to her. “That’s the fourth time you’ve been sick today,” he commented. He crouched down next to her and wiped her face gently, placing the glass back up on the counter. “I think it’s time to see the healer, love, and find out how far along you are.”
Hermione managed a watery smile and took her husband’s hand, allowing him to pull her up. Harry wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly and kissing her head.
They stood silently for a few moments until Hermione burst into tears. She’d been feeling sick all day, every day for the last month or so, and there was no doubt in her mind she was pregnant again, but this pregnancy already seemed to be different. With Lauren, she’d had a bit of nausea in the mornings two to three times a week, but overall it had been a very easy pregnancy. This one seemed to make her feel sick all the time, and she was tired and miserable.
Harry rubbed her back soothingly. “Why don’t you go and lie down? I’ll get Lauren settled and I’ll make you a potion to ease the nausea.”
Hermione took slow, deep breaths, and then nodded her head, stepping out of Harry’s arms. “I’m so tired,” she said.
“I know,” Harry answered. He grabbed her hand as she moved passed him and lifted it to his lips, brushing a kiss against it. “I love you.”
Hermione gave him a tired smile. “I love you, too. I’ll go kiss Boo goodnight.” She detoured via the living room to kiss her daughter, then fell onto her bed, rubbing her abdomen and thanking her lucky stars she had such a wonderful husband.
~*~
After confirming her pregnancy and finding out she was six weeks along, Harry and Hermione talked it over and decided to wait until she was twelve weeks before telling their daughter. The time had passed quickly as they’d celebrated Lauren’s seventh birthday and their fifteenth wedding anniversary, which Lauren had been born a week shy of.
One night, the three of them were sitting on Harry and Hermione’s bed as they did every night while Harry told Lauren a bed time tale. Once he was done, they exchanged a glance and nodded at each other.
Harry sat up straight, moving Lauren around on his lap to face Hermione, who took her small hand. “Boo, we have something to tell you before you go to bed,” Hermione started. Lauren blinked and looked at her parents, waiting for them to go on.
“Well, Boo,” Harry took over. “In about six months time, you’re going to have a new baby brother or sister.”
Lauren looked from one parent to the other, her hair flying all over the place. “A baby?” she said in a hushed voice. “Where is it now?”
“Right now, it’s in Mummy’s tummy,” Harry said. They’d gone over every possible question they thought she might ask and had come up with what they believed would be suitable answers. While they didn’t want to lie to her, they didn’t think she was quite old enough yet to grasp the details.
Lauren’s eyes flew to the part of Hermione’s body in question. She leaned over and patted her mother’s tummy softly. “I can’t feel anything there.”
“That’s because the baby is only this big,” Hermione said, holding her thumb and forefinger a few centimetres apart.
Lauren wrapped her small hand around her mother’s fingers. “But how did it get there?” Her eyes were wide and full of questions.
Hermione waited for Harry to answer, but when silence ensued, she prompted him. “Yes, Daddy, how did the baby get in Mummy’s tummy?”
Harry tossed her a look that Hermione knew meant she would pay later. “Daddy helped put it there,” he said, clearing his throat as his face turned slightly red. Hermione unsuccessfully stifled a giggle.
Lauren looked at her father for a few seconds before breaking out into a huge grin, one of the many things she’d inherited from him. “Aren’t you clever, Daddy!” she said, patting his face. Hermione laughed, and together they watched as their child closed her eyes and opened her mouth, taking in a deep breath. They braced themselves for the onslaught of questions and took turns answering.
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
“We don’t know yet, darling.”
“Can I pick a name?”
“You can certainly help us choose one, yes.”
“Does Grandma and Grandpa know?”
“Not yet, we wanted you to be the first to know.”
“Can I tell everyone at school tomorrow?”
“Yes, if you want to.”
“Does Uncle Ron know?”
“No, but you can send him an owl tomorrow if you like.”
“Can the baby sleep in my room when it gets here?”
“The baby will sleep in with Mummy and Daddy when it’s first born so Mummy can feed him or her, but we’ll see when the baby is older.”
“Can I share my toys with the baby?”
“Of course you can, darling.”
“How does the baby eat?”
“The baby has a small cord called the placenta which links him or her to Mummy, so that when Mummy eats, the baby eats too.”
“Will the baby grow in your tummy, Mummy?”
“Yes, Boo. The baby will get much bigger before he or she is born.”
“I--” Here Lauren stopped talking. “I have many more questions but my brain has forgotten them,” she said woefully.
Her parents laughed. “You’ll think of them tomorrow, I’m sure,” Harry said, still chuckling. “Now it’s time for bed, princess. Kiss Mummy good night.” Lauren dutifully leaned over and kissed her mother, and then allowed Harry to pick her up.
They got to the doorway when Lauren spoke. “Wait! Can I kiss the baby good night too?” Hermione smiled and nodded, and Harry let her down. She scarpered over to where Hermione lay on the bed and lifted her mother’s shirt just far enough to expose her tummy. Lauren leaned in and placed a gentle kiss there, then patted it. “Good night, baby,” she said. “I can’t wait to meet you.”
Hermione’s eyes welled with tears as Lauren skipped back over to her father. When he came back into the bedroom ten minutes later, she was still teary. Harry climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms.
“We have a great kid, Harry.”
He kissed her forehead as she settled against him. “We sure do. You realise this means this next one will be a little monster?”
Hermione laughed. “With you as a father? I doubt it.” She sobered and stroked his cheek gently with the back of her hand. “You’re a wonderful father. Lauren absolutely adores you.”
Harry was silent for a long time. The prospect of fatherhood had scared him so badly it had taken him seven years of marriage to settle him enough to consider it. While he had never truly believed in himself as much as Hermione had, he couldn’t imagine not having Lauren in his life. She was, apart from Hermione, the best thing that had ever happened to him and he loved his little girl with everything he had.
“She’s a very easy child to raise.”
“That’s because she knows she is very much loved, and that her parents are very much in love with each other.” Hermione turned Harry’s face around to face her, even though she couldn’t really see him in the dark. “I love you, Harry Potter.”
Harry couldn’t find the words to respond in the way he wanted to, so he let his body show her instead.
~*~
Hermione’s pregnancy progressed without a hitch and as the months flew by, she got bigger and bigger, much to Lauren’s delight. Lauren had gotten Harry to buy her a diary and she kept a log of her thoughts and feelings about the new arrival. All the names she liked were also listed, and when she brought it out one night to show her parents, Harry had gaped at the sheer number -- Lauren had covered almost seven pages.
“Got a few names there you like, Boo?” he asked wryly as she paraded the diary in front of his face.
“I asked all my friends what they liked and wrote ‘em all down. Can we pick a name now?”
Hermione heaved her eight months pregnant figure onto the lounge next to Harry. “You generally wait until the baby is born, Boo, to see what they look like.”
Lauren frowned. “But I’m ready to pick one now! Can’t the baby just come now?”
“No, Boo,” Harry said, smiling. “The baby’s not ready to come out yet, it still has to grow.”
Lauren’s eyes widened in almost comical surprise. “Does that mean Mummy is going to get even bigger?”
“Most probably, yes,” Hermione muttered, manoeuvring around to try and get comfortable. Harry placed a pillow behind her back to help and she settled back against it.
“But it’s not long now, right? The baby will be here soon?”
“Yes, princess,” Harry said. “The baby will be here soon. Only a few more weeks.”
Lauren clapped her hands in delight. “Yay!” She plopped down onto the floor at their feet and proceeded to play with her Teen Witch Tessa dolls.
The family stayed in the living room for twenty minutes or so, Lauren amusing herself with her dolls, Hermione reading a book and Harry going over some work. When the clock struck 7.30pm, Lauren packed up her dolls neatly and put them back in her toy box, then waited as her father helped her mother off the lounge and they each took a hand.
After story time and kisses good night, Lauren was settled in bed and fast asleep. Harry waited until he heard her steady breathing, then blew her a kiss in the dark and went back to Hermione, who was trying to get comfortable without much success. He changed into his pyjamas and climbed on the bed next to her, cuddling up behind her.
“I think she’s more excited than we are about this baby,” Hermione said in the dark.
Harry curled a hand around her belly and rubbed it gently. “It will be nice for her to have a sibling. I love her list of names.”
Hermione laughed, despite her discomfort. “I think she’s just written down every name she’s come across.” She sighed. “I’m so pleased she’s happy about it. I was reading a book and it said that a lot of older siblings can be terribly jealous about a new baby, but I don’t think that will be the case with her at all.”
Harry lifted his head slightly to drop a light kiss on the back of her neck. “No, she’ll be like a second mother. What a lucky baby.”
Hermione placed her hand over her husband’s and smiled. “Yes, it is a lucky baby indeed.”
~*~
Three weeks later, Lauren Potter could barely contain her excitement as her father carried her towards the suite where her mother and new baby brother were currently awaiting her arrival. Although she was a big girl and able to walk, her excitement had overwhelmed her and she’d taken off down the corridor, forcing Harry to run after her. Once he’d caught her, he’d hoisted her up into the air and carried her the rest of the way.
When they reached the door, Lauren gave it an almighty push and beamed at the sight of her mother sitting up in bed, her brother nestled safely in her arms. “Mummy!”
“Hey, Boo!” Hermione said with a tired smile. “There’s somebody here who wants to meet you.”
Harry carried Lauren over to the bed and placed her down next to Hermione. Lauren got up on her knees to examine her brother properly. “Oh, Mummy, Daddy, he’s beautiful!” She tentatively reached out a hand and patted his tiny face very gently.
“Do you want to hold him?”
Lauren nodded with giddy excitement. “Can I?”
“Sit back properly next to Mummy,” Harry said. Lauren did as she was told and Hermione carefully placed the baby in her arms after making sure to remind her to cradle his head.
Lauren stared at her brother. He had soft, wispy black hair and his hands and fingers were so tiny. His skin was all pink and wrinkly and his eyes shut tightly. “Is he sleeping?” she asked in a hushed tone.
Hermione nodded and placed her arm around her daughter. “He needs a name, don’t you think?” Lauren looked up at her mother and nodded. “Daddy and I wondered what you thought of Luke.”
Lauren looked back down at her brother. “Luke,” she repeated. “I like that. He looks like a Luke. And he has a L name like me!”
“Luke it is then,” Harry said. He perched on the edge of the bed next to Lauren and together, the Potter family watched young Luke Sirius as he slept.
Pairing: Harry/Hermione
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: This is a sequel to Remembrance, so you should read that first.
Harry Potter smiled as he sat on the verandah step, watching his six year old daughter frolic in their backyard. It was a warm summer’s day and Lauren was chasing butterflies.
“Look, Daddy!” she called out as she ran near the fence. “Did you see the flutterby?”
“It’s butterfly, Boo, and watch where you’re--”
Too late, Lauren tripped over a hole in the ground and fell to her knees, her hands going out to break her fall. She let out a loud wail as Harry strode across the lawn. Reaching her, he picked up her and cradled her in his arms. “I told you to watch where you were going, silly sausage,” he said soothingly. “Let’s get you inside so we can fix you up.”
Lauren cried as her father carried her inside, waving her hands about to show him her injury and resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head as he sat her on the counter in the bathroom. Lauren sniffed loudly and wiped the back of her nose with her hand.
Turning the tap on, Harry said, “First, we need to wash the dirt out, then Daddy will cast some charms to make it all better, okay?”
“Okay,” Lauren sniffled. “Where’s Mummy?”
Harry tried not to smile as he called out for Hermione. As their only child, Lauren was lavished with plenty of love and affection, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t take advantage of situations such as these to garner more.
Hermione came into the bathroom and frowned at Lauren’s face. “What happened to my Boo?”
“I felled over,” she wailed, holding her hands up.
“You fell over,” Hermione corrected. “Never mind, sweetie. Daddy will fix you up.” She stood back and allowed Harry to wash Lauren’s hands and knees with a washcloth, then cast a few charms to seal the wounds and ease the pain.
Once he was all done, he lifted Lauren’s newly healed hands up and kissed her palms softly. “There, all better now.”
Lauren smiled through her tears and looked up at him, her bushy brown hair falling out of her ponytail. “Thank you, Daddy. I love you.”
“I love you too, Boo.” He lifted her up to kiss her cheek and then set her down on the ground.
“Do you want to come and help me start dinner?” Hermione asked, holding out her hand.
Lauren nodded and took her mother’s hand, allowing herself to be led into the kitchen.
~*~
Once Lauren was sound asleep and safely tucked into bed, Harry made his way to the master bedroom where he found his wife of almost fifteen years sprawled seductively across it in obvious anticipation of his arrival.
“Hello, handsome,” she purred, beckoning him closer.
He smiled and kicked off his shoes, climbing onto the bed next to her. “Hello, beautiful,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her.
It was quite a few minutes later when they separated, their breathing shallow. “You ready to indulge in some baby making?” Hermione asked, undoing the buttons of his shirt.
After many weeks of discussion, Harry and Hermione had agreed to try for another baby. Lauren was now in school and, as much as they loved to dote on their daughter, Hermione had felt as though their family was incomplete in some way. They’d talked over the pros and cons of another child and had eventually agreed they’d like the opportunity to be blessed with another little one before they became too old to do so. Their efforts had so far gone unheeded in the six weeks they’d been trying, but seeing as how it had taken them eight months to conceive Lauren, neither were unduly concerned.
Harry kissed his way up her neck. “Mmmm, maybe. As long as you promise not to wear me out.”
Hermione grinned. “I shall make no promise of a sort, Mr. Potter. You’re much more fun when you do what you’re told.” She pushed him onto his back, his shirt unbuttoned, and kissed her way down his chest.
~*~
Summer merged into fall and life went on in the Potter household as normal. Lauren loved the constant stream of visitors and enjoyed telling her parents about her day at the dinner table. Her upcoming seventh birthday was also the topic of much discussion.
They’d just finished up a meal of chicken pot pie and vegetables when Hermione grabbed the table, her face turning white. “Hermione?” Harry said softly. “You okay?”
Hermione shook her head as Lauren chattered happily around them, oblivious to her parents. Hermione grabbed her stomach and stood, then ran out of the room without a word.
Lauren stopped her monologue. “What’s wrong with Mummy?”
Harry stared at the doorway Hermione had disappeared through. “I’m not sure, Boo. Why don’t you hop into the living room and read your book while I check on Mummy?”
“Okay.” Lauren put her plate in the sink and then, taking Harry at his word, proceeded to lift one leg up and hop out of the room. Harry laughed and shook his head as she left, then went to check on his wife.
He found her on the floor of the bathroom, her head over the toilet and a hand towel in her hand. She wiped her mouth and took the glass of water Harry extended to her. “That’s the fourth time you’ve been sick today,” he commented. He crouched down next to her and wiped her face gently, placing the glass back up on the counter. “I think it’s time to see the healer, love, and find out how far along you are.”
Hermione managed a watery smile and took her husband’s hand, allowing him to pull her up. Harry wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly and kissing her head.
They stood silently for a few moments until Hermione burst into tears. She’d been feeling sick all day, every day for the last month or so, and there was no doubt in her mind she was pregnant again, but this pregnancy already seemed to be different. With Lauren, she’d had a bit of nausea in the mornings two to three times a week, but overall it had been a very easy pregnancy. This one seemed to make her feel sick all the time, and she was tired and miserable.
Harry rubbed her back soothingly. “Why don’t you go and lie down? I’ll get Lauren settled and I’ll make you a potion to ease the nausea.”
Hermione took slow, deep breaths, and then nodded her head, stepping out of Harry’s arms. “I’m so tired,” she said.
“I know,” Harry answered. He grabbed her hand as she moved passed him and lifted it to his lips, brushing a kiss against it. “I love you.”
Hermione gave him a tired smile. “I love you, too. I’ll go kiss Boo goodnight.” She detoured via the living room to kiss her daughter, then fell onto her bed, rubbing her abdomen and thanking her lucky stars she had such a wonderful husband.
~*~
After confirming her pregnancy and finding out she was six weeks along, Harry and Hermione talked it over and decided to wait until she was twelve weeks before telling their daughter. The time had passed quickly as they’d celebrated Lauren’s seventh birthday and their fifteenth wedding anniversary, which Lauren had been born a week shy of.
One night, the three of them were sitting on Harry and Hermione’s bed as they did every night while Harry told Lauren a bed time tale. Once he was done, they exchanged a glance and nodded at each other.
Harry sat up straight, moving Lauren around on his lap to face Hermione, who took her small hand. “Boo, we have something to tell you before you go to bed,” Hermione started. Lauren blinked and looked at her parents, waiting for them to go on.
“Well, Boo,” Harry took over. “In about six months time, you’re going to have a new baby brother or sister.”
Lauren looked from one parent to the other, her hair flying all over the place. “A baby?” she said in a hushed voice. “Where is it now?”
“Right now, it’s in Mummy’s tummy,” Harry said. They’d gone over every possible question they thought she might ask and had come up with what they believed would be suitable answers. While they didn’t want to lie to her, they didn’t think she was quite old enough yet to grasp the details.
Lauren’s eyes flew to the part of Hermione’s body in question. She leaned over and patted her mother’s tummy softly. “I can’t feel anything there.”
“That’s because the baby is only this big,” Hermione said, holding her thumb and forefinger a few centimetres apart.
Lauren wrapped her small hand around her mother’s fingers. “But how did it get there?” Her eyes were wide and full of questions.
Hermione waited for Harry to answer, but when silence ensued, she prompted him. “Yes, Daddy, how did the baby get in Mummy’s tummy?”
Harry tossed her a look that Hermione knew meant she would pay later. “Daddy helped put it there,” he said, clearing his throat as his face turned slightly red. Hermione unsuccessfully stifled a giggle.
Lauren looked at her father for a few seconds before breaking out into a huge grin, one of the many things she’d inherited from him. “Aren’t you clever, Daddy!” she said, patting his face. Hermione laughed, and together they watched as their child closed her eyes and opened her mouth, taking in a deep breath. They braced themselves for the onslaught of questions and took turns answering.
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
“We don’t know yet, darling.”
“Can I pick a name?”
“You can certainly help us choose one, yes.”
“Does Grandma and Grandpa know?”
“Not yet, we wanted you to be the first to know.”
“Can I tell everyone at school tomorrow?”
“Yes, if you want to.”
“Does Uncle Ron know?”
“No, but you can send him an owl tomorrow if you like.”
“Can the baby sleep in my room when it gets here?”
“The baby will sleep in with Mummy and Daddy when it’s first born so Mummy can feed him or her, but we’ll see when the baby is older.”
“Can I share my toys with the baby?”
“Of course you can, darling.”
“How does the baby eat?”
“The baby has a small cord called the placenta which links him or her to Mummy, so that when Mummy eats, the baby eats too.”
“Will the baby grow in your tummy, Mummy?”
“Yes, Boo. The baby will get much bigger before he or she is born.”
“I--” Here Lauren stopped talking. “I have many more questions but my brain has forgotten them,” she said woefully.
Her parents laughed. “You’ll think of them tomorrow, I’m sure,” Harry said, still chuckling. “Now it’s time for bed, princess. Kiss Mummy good night.” Lauren dutifully leaned over and kissed her mother, and then allowed Harry to pick her up.
They got to the doorway when Lauren spoke. “Wait! Can I kiss the baby good night too?” Hermione smiled and nodded, and Harry let her down. She scarpered over to where Hermione lay on the bed and lifted her mother’s shirt just far enough to expose her tummy. Lauren leaned in and placed a gentle kiss there, then patted it. “Good night, baby,” she said. “I can’t wait to meet you.”
Hermione’s eyes welled with tears as Lauren skipped back over to her father. When he came back into the bedroom ten minutes later, she was still teary. Harry climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms.
“We have a great kid, Harry.”
He kissed her forehead as she settled against him. “We sure do. You realise this means this next one will be a little monster?”
Hermione laughed. “With you as a father? I doubt it.” She sobered and stroked his cheek gently with the back of her hand. “You’re a wonderful father. Lauren absolutely adores you.”
Harry was silent for a long time. The prospect of fatherhood had scared him so badly it had taken him seven years of marriage to settle him enough to consider it. While he had never truly believed in himself as much as Hermione had, he couldn’t imagine not having Lauren in his life. She was, apart from Hermione, the best thing that had ever happened to him and he loved his little girl with everything he had.
“She’s a very easy child to raise.”
“That’s because she knows she is very much loved, and that her parents are very much in love with each other.” Hermione turned Harry’s face around to face her, even though she couldn’t really see him in the dark. “I love you, Harry Potter.”
Harry couldn’t find the words to respond in the way he wanted to, so he let his body show her instead.
~*~
Hermione’s pregnancy progressed without a hitch and as the months flew by, she got bigger and bigger, much to Lauren’s delight. Lauren had gotten Harry to buy her a diary and she kept a log of her thoughts and feelings about the new arrival. All the names she liked were also listed, and when she brought it out one night to show her parents, Harry had gaped at the sheer number -- Lauren had covered almost seven pages.
“Got a few names there you like, Boo?” he asked wryly as she paraded the diary in front of his face.
“I asked all my friends what they liked and wrote ‘em all down. Can we pick a name now?”
Hermione heaved her eight months pregnant figure onto the lounge next to Harry. “You generally wait until the baby is born, Boo, to see what they look like.”
Lauren frowned. “But I’m ready to pick one now! Can’t the baby just come now?”
“No, Boo,” Harry said, smiling. “The baby’s not ready to come out yet, it still has to grow.”
Lauren’s eyes widened in almost comical surprise. “Does that mean Mummy is going to get even bigger?”
“Most probably, yes,” Hermione muttered, manoeuvring around to try and get comfortable. Harry placed a pillow behind her back to help and she settled back against it.
“But it’s not long now, right? The baby will be here soon?”
“Yes, princess,” Harry said. “The baby will be here soon. Only a few more weeks.”
Lauren clapped her hands in delight. “Yay!” She plopped down onto the floor at their feet and proceeded to play with her Teen Witch Tessa dolls.
The family stayed in the living room for twenty minutes or so, Lauren amusing herself with her dolls, Hermione reading a book and Harry going over some work. When the clock struck 7.30pm, Lauren packed up her dolls neatly and put them back in her toy box, then waited as her father helped her mother off the lounge and they each took a hand.
After story time and kisses good night, Lauren was settled in bed and fast asleep. Harry waited until he heard her steady breathing, then blew her a kiss in the dark and went back to Hermione, who was trying to get comfortable without much success. He changed into his pyjamas and climbed on the bed next to her, cuddling up behind her.
“I think she’s more excited than we are about this baby,” Hermione said in the dark.
Harry curled a hand around her belly and rubbed it gently. “It will be nice for her to have a sibling. I love her list of names.”
Hermione laughed, despite her discomfort. “I think she’s just written down every name she’s come across.” She sighed. “I’m so pleased she’s happy about it. I was reading a book and it said that a lot of older siblings can be terribly jealous about a new baby, but I don’t think that will be the case with her at all.”
Harry lifted his head slightly to drop a light kiss on the back of her neck. “No, she’ll be like a second mother. What a lucky baby.”
Hermione placed her hand over her husband’s and smiled. “Yes, it is a lucky baby indeed.”
~*~
Three weeks later, Lauren Potter could barely contain her excitement as her father carried her towards the suite where her mother and new baby brother were currently awaiting her arrival. Although she was a big girl and able to walk, her excitement had overwhelmed her and she’d taken off down the corridor, forcing Harry to run after her. Once he’d caught her, he’d hoisted her up into the air and carried her the rest of the way.
When they reached the door, Lauren gave it an almighty push and beamed at the sight of her mother sitting up in bed, her brother nestled safely in her arms. “Mummy!”
“Hey, Boo!” Hermione said with a tired smile. “There’s somebody here who wants to meet you.”
Harry carried Lauren over to the bed and placed her down next to Hermione. Lauren got up on her knees to examine her brother properly. “Oh, Mummy, Daddy, he’s beautiful!” She tentatively reached out a hand and patted his tiny face very gently.
“Do you want to hold him?”
Lauren nodded with giddy excitement. “Can I?”
“Sit back properly next to Mummy,” Harry said. Lauren did as she was told and Hermione carefully placed the baby in her arms after making sure to remind her to cradle his head.
Lauren stared at her brother. He had soft, wispy black hair and his hands and fingers were so tiny. His skin was all pink and wrinkly and his eyes shut tightly. “Is he sleeping?” she asked in a hushed tone.
Hermione nodded and placed her arm around her daughter. “He needs a name, don’t you think?” Lauren looked up at her mother and nodded. “Daddy and I wondered what you thought of Luke.”
Lauren looked back down at her brother. “Luke,” she repeated. “I like that. He looks like a Luke. And he has a L name like me!”
“Luke it is then,” Harry said. He perched on the edge of the bed next to Lauren and together, the Potter family watched young Luke Sirius as he slept.