Counting Fingers, Counting Toes | By : ssdawn Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Cedric Views: 3797 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter, it's characters, nor make money from writing this. |
Counting Fingers Counting Toes Chapter 5:
"Yikes, where did they disappear to?" Hermione said quite loudly when waking.
Cedric woke up quickly at hearing Hermione's loud exclamation. "Is it time? Do we need to get to St Mungos? "
She looked over at him with a disgusted look on her face, "It's not that; it's something much worse!"
Cedric, looking more confused, asked, "What could be worse than childbirth? Ron and Harry said it is one of the most horrendous things they have ever seen."
Leaning back on her elbows, she shook her head, "I can't find my feet", Hermione sniffed out. She looked thoroughly miserable. Cedric, realizing where this conversation was heading, tried to hold back his snickers. "You see, I know I have feet by how bloody swollen they are when I stand on them." Hermione not noticing Cedric's attempt at keeping a straight face, continued on, "But when I stand up and look down, I can't see my feet. Then when I lie here and look down, still no feet, just boobs and belly."
Cedric leaned over and with his hand caressed her for mentioned body parts, "I happen to like your boobs and belly." He leaned his head down into her cleavage and nuzzled her.
"You are just saying that to make me feel better. " Hermione continued to hold back the tears. She was in no mood to be placated at the moment. It felt good to complain about something she had no power to change.
"No my love, I am saying that because I believe with 100% certainty that I love your boobs and belly." The smile on Hermione's face made Cedric giddy also. As the clock wound down to their child's birth, tension had been running high. How could one little embryonic creature cause so much chaos in their lives? At the same time, they both were beyond euphoric at the thought of soon holding their long awaited child.
Cedric took hold of Hermione's feet, "Look what I found!" he held her feet up high, "You are in luck. I found your beautiful feet." He smiled at her while rubbing Hermione's swollen feet. She stuck her tongue out at him "Why don't you get up now. After you shower and dress we have a party to attend." Cedric helped lift her up off of the bed. He swatted her backside as she waddled slowly to the shower.
"I am so nervous." Hermione squeezed Cedric's hand as she shifted anxiously beside him.
"You don't need to feel nervous. Today is your day! We are here to celebrate you and this baby." Cedric leaned over to kiss her and hold her for a moment. They were at Harry and Ginny's house for a family baby shower.
"What if everyone thinks I am huge?" Hermione motioned with her hands around her huge stomach. Cedric felt like he was trapped. How was he supposed to answer this question without getting himself in big trouble? If he said she wasn't that big she would accuse him of lying. If he said the truth and claimed that yes, indeed, she was enormous, she would be highly offended. Maybe not answering would be the best action at the moment.
"What if they keep bothering me about how I feel and if I think the baby is ready to be born? How am I supposed to answer that question? " Hermione kept talking a mile a minute. "I have never had a baby before. This is all new to me. Just because Molly has birthed seven babies and knows everything about having a baby, that doesn't mean that all of us…"
"Hermione, take a deep breath and blow it out." Cedric knew he needed to calm her before the party or she would go in labor standing out here on the Potter's front porch. "No one is going to judge you in any way. They are all here for us and very happy that our baby is about ready to be born"
Hermione took a deep breath while meeting Cedric's eyes. His eyes were locked with hers as she calmed down enough to head inside. Nodding her head she took one last deep breath, "I am ready Ced, let's go party."
"That's my girl. We will have a fun evening." Cedric knocked on the front door and it suddenly opened to reveal a room full of pink and blue balloons scattered about. There, also in the room, stood their family and friends. Many smiles greeted them as Hermione toddled into the room with Cedric at her side. Hermione was now thirty-nine weeks pregnant. The normally petite witch that everyone knew and loved, was no longer tiny. "Where's the cake?" Hermione called out loudly. Snickers could be heard from the corner from where Ron and Harry stood.
Hermione was sitting, back in the corner with her feet up on a stool. The throbbing that radiated from toe tips to her neck was giving her a headache. She sat there with her huge belly observing the conversations taking place in the room. The twins were off in one corner telling a small group about their newest products that they knew would be a success. Cedric, Ron, and Harry were close by drinking butterbeer and discussing the newest seeker for the Chudley Cannons. Ginny, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione and Cedric's parents, were listening to Molly brag about all of the many Weasley grandchildren.
Only Lavender sat near Hermione, feeding her baby daughter. "Isn't it funny?" Lavender smiled as she looked down at her nursing daughter.
"What's funny Lavender?" Hermione glanced at her quizzically wondering what was on her mind.
"Well, this is a party to celebrate you and that baby ready to make its entrance. Just listening to the lot of them chatting about Quidditch, Weasley products and babies already born, seems to be more of interest than you the star of this party. " Lavender shook her head at the end of her gripe, obviously irritated at most of the people in the room, except the pregnant woman sitting next to her.
Hermione just laughed, "That's fine Lavender. I would just rather sit back here and stay out of the lime light. " Lavender cocked an eyebrow at Hermione's response. "I have spent too many years of my life having my every move scrutinized. It's nice to sit back and be anonymous." Hermione grimaced and then moaned grabbing onto her stomach. "Oh, that hurt!"
Lavender sat up and leaned towards Hermione, "Is that the first pain that you've had today?" Her baby jumped awake in her arms at her loud voice.
"No, they've been happening the past two or three days. Oh, oh…" she screamed even louder as she leaned over. Cedric hearing her scream ran to her side, "Aw, aw, that one really hurt." Now every guest at the baby shower was gathered around Hermione. She looked around at all of the bodies surrounding her. With big eyes she looked up at Cedric, "I can't breathe."
Cedric with great worry asked, "What can I do to help you?" He'd been worrying about this time coming when there would be nothing he could truly do to help her. When it came to birthing this baby, it would be all Hermione's job. He would just be there for moral support.
With a scowl on her face, she hissed out, "Please make everyone take a step back…I have no air. I feel claustrophobic!"
Cedric stood and with a booming voice announced, "Everyone take three steps back from Hermione." Everyone jumped back as if they had been bitten by a Chimaera. No one had seen Cedric this serious since the Tri-Wizard Tournament back at Hogwarts. You would have thought that he was yelling at a group of Death Eaters instead of a room full of family and friends.
Hermione let out another full blown groan, "Oh Gods this hurts!" Cedric looked at her like she was about to break and didn't dare touch her. He was frozen in place and looked scared to death.
Molly Weasley hopped back over to Hermione and helped pull her up out of the chair, "Get this girl to St. Mungos…Now Cedric!" He looked at Molly with a petrified gaze.
"You best do what Mum says, " Ron piped up in the crowd, "You are bound to get a cuff up the side of the head if you don't listen to her." Molly turned back and leaned towards Ron, swatting him upside the head.
Ow, Mum, what did I do? I was only telling the truth." Snickers could be heard from the other Weasley children scattered about the room.
"Ow, I am still here in pain!" The attention turned back to Hermione. She stood there holding her heavy belly. "Let's go, Cedric!" She looked at him questioning why he wasn't moving. "Well, are we going or not? Would you rather I have this baby in a room full of Weasleys and Potters?" Harry stood there grinning from ear to ear. He loved it when Hermione forgot about being polite and proper. It was those times through the years that he loved Hermione the most. Just like third year when she hit Draco Malfoy, or encouraged all of them to break school rules during their fifth year when Umbridge terrorized Hogwarts. Cedric could see how worked up Hermione was and quickly maneuvered her to the fireplace to floo to St. Mungos. As he shouted out, "St. Mungo's" he saw the many waving hands and knowing smiles at what lay ahead for the unsuspecting couple.
In record time St. Mungos was inundated with Weasleys, Potters, Grangers and Diggorys. The waiting room was magically expanded to fit the influx of anxious people waiting for the birth of the Diggory baby. Besides the Grangers, the most restless person there was Harry Potter. One of his best friends was in the other room, going through one of the hardest things women have to endure in life. Harry had been there as Ginny had given birth to both of their boys. He had gained a new appreciation for his wife after James was born.
One hour later the talk and laughter had died down. As Harry glanced around the room, others made eye contact and then quickly looked away. No one wanted to think about the possibility that anything could truly be wrong with Hermione or the baby.
Harry finally stood up to head over to the nurses' station. All eyes followed him as he went to the counter. "We're all waiting anxiously to hear word about the Diggory baby. Has the baby been born yet?"
The nurse looked up, "I can find out that information Mr. Potter. It may take a few minutes, but I will get back to you as soon as I can."
"Yes, thank you so much. I'll be waiting right here." She left the station and turned the corner, leaving Harry fretfully standing there with his hands in his pockets. After all this time that Hermione and Cedric had waited to have children, it would be so unfair to have anything happened to their baby now.
After five minutes the nurse had not returned. Harry felt a hand gently pulling on his arm. There stood James tugging on his daddy's arm, "Where is Auntie Hermione? Has she had her baby yet? When can we see it?"
Harry bent down to pick up the two-year-old James. His son put his arms around his daddy's neck. "Auntie Hermione is right now having her baby. I bet we'll get to see the baby very soon." Harry tried his best to smile and not show any concern.
James put his hands on his daddy's cheeks, "You love Auntie Hermione right?" James squished Harry's cheeks together making fishie lips. James squealed in delight seeing his dad's funny face.
"Yesh, I wuv her. She wis one of mys best fwends" Harry answered him as James laughed again at his Dad talking so funny. James let go of Harry's cheeks then he wrapped his arms around him. Harry loved his children. They always had a way of making him feel better. This is what he wanted for Hermione also, to feel this same joy that came from being a parent.
As he set James down, his young son went running back to his Grandpa Weasley, jumping up onto his lap. As he turned back around he saw the nurse coming back down the hallway. She walked up to him and stopped, looking down at her shoes. As she looked up, Harry could tell something was wrong. "What happened? I can tell that something is wrong?"
The nurse bit her lip and fidgeted as she wrung her hands. "Mr. Potter, there have been some complications…"
Harry looked back to the others in the waiting room and noticed that they were all watching him. As they saw the look on his face, Ginny jumped up and ran over to Harry. The Grangers and the Diggorys were the next to come over.
"These are Hermione and Cedric's parents; please tell all of us what complications there are?" Harry held tightly to Ginny's hand waiting for whatever news the nurse was going to tell them.
Jean Granger started crying softly as they all stood silently waiting to hear the worse.
If you've ever been through infertility or a high-risk pregnancy you can relate to much in this story. Please leave your thoughts about the story. It's been one of my favorites to write!
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