Make Me Happy
Chapter Fourteen: Don't Take The Girl
'Same old boy
Same sweet girl
Five years down the road
There's going to be a little one, and she says it's time to go
Doctor says the baby's fine but you'll have to leave
'Cause his momma's fading fast and Johnny hit his knees
And there he prayed
Take the very breath you gave me
Take the heart from my chest
I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me
Make this my last request
Take me out of this world
God, please don't take the girl'
-'Don't Take The Girl' by Tim McGraw
Author's Note: Gah! I think this is the final chapter unless I do an Epilogue… we will see! PLEASE REVIEW! I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT! This chapter was perfect for a favorite Tim McGraw song of mine so I had to stray from the Christina Aguilera and go with it… hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the Harry Potter character or any songs used.
"Hermione Weasley," Fred said in an antsy way, shuffling his feet.
"Six doors to the left down the east wing hallway right here."
"Thank you," Bill said quickly before they began sprinting down the hallway, narrowly avoiding a couple of Nurses standing in the hallway.
"Ginny!" Harry's voice choked as he saw his wife and they embraced quickly.
"Don't ever leave me again," Harry was wrapped around her as he buried his tear stained face into her red curls.
Harry didn't notice that Hermione was lying in the bed seemingly unconscious with a worried husband grasping her hand desperately. Or the four crying women standing in the room.
"What's going on?" Fred asked as he saw everyone's faces.
"They don't think she's going to make it," Molly cried out as she blew her nose on a large purple hankerchief.
"Amelia came by and has gone to tell Charlie and Gina… We won't let the kids come and see their Aunt in this stage…" Katie was also crying as she managed to speak full sentences.
"I-," Fred couldn't talk before a tear escaped his own eye. Harry looked at Ginny with a confused face as Ginny nodded her head in sorrow, confirming what he dreaded. "The baby?"
"Is fine, amazingly," Fleur muttered. "It'z a girl. Hermione went unconsciouz before anyone could dell her dat de child was fine."
George took Katie into his arms as they watched and waited.
"Arthur's on his way…" Molly blew her nose again before plopping down into a chair in the corner of the room.
Bill was whispering something into Fleur's ear as they stood in another corner, unwilling to move or make too much noise.
"I'm going to go check on Gina," Fred walked out of the room.
"Could I have some, erm, time alone with my wife?" Ron's usually loud, boisterous voice was now meager and fragile sounding.
Everyone made their way out into the hallway, leaving Ron clutching Hermione's hands and stroking her forehead with the thumb of his other hand.
"Hermione, you can't leave me. Not now, not here. I don't care if the child is mine or not… it doesn't matter. I just want you, me, and our little girl to live happily ever after with no worries. I'll love you and her no matter what and you know that. I just wish… oh, I don't know what I wish. I can't blame you for anything, it was all my fault." Ron sobbed steadily and buried his face into Hermione's bushy hair on the pillow.
"No it's not," She muttered, her eyes fluttering open, sending to tear drops down her own puffy, red cheeks.
"Hermione!" Ron kissed her lips gently, smiling through the tears.
Tears were flowing down her own cheeks as she managed to grin weakly.
"It's not your fault, Ron. It's mine," Hermione closed her eyes and sighed.
"But maybe if I hadn't been at work so much or-," His voice trailed off as Hermione shook her head looking up at him with those beautiful brown eyes he'd come to love so much.
"It was my fault. Just mine and mine alone." Ron started to talk, but Hermione cut him off immediately. "Don't question. Forgive and forget?" Her voice sounded hopeful as her hand was still entwined with his and his other hand still played with her hair.
He nodded and leaned down to kiss her as the door opened.
"Hermione!" Ginny shrieked, running over and gently hugging her best friend. "Are you okay?" Hermione nodded slowly, returning the embrace of her best friend.
The rest of the Weasley adults came into the room and each gave Hermione a hug. Everyone started to calm down as the doctors walked in, checking Hermione's pulse and all the machines she was attached to. Finally, a nurse came in with a small baby wrapped in a pink blanket and a pink hat. She handed it to Hermione, who was now sitting up in bed. She and Ron stared at the little girl they had brought into the world.
"She's beautiful." Ron said quietly.
"What do we call her?" Hermione murmured. She remembered the parchment she had unrolled which had been the very result she hadn't wanted.
Dear Mrs. Weasley,
The DNA results are as follows.
Gender: Female
Father: Kevin Morgan
Mother: Hermione Weasley
Hermione's heart sank. Could she bare tell Ron or would she just forgive and forget as he had? No, she couldn't forgive herself if she never told him. She touched the baby's nose with the hand that wasn't holding it to her chest and began to readjust the little pink cap. She peered under and saw red, curly hair protruding with those big almond brown eyes that undeniably makes a Weasley.
"Well, no doubt there," Ron laughed as he saw the small hair under the cap. "Definitely a Weasley."
Hermione's smiled. The DNA results had been wrong. She felt happiness flood her system.
"Yes, definitely a Weasley." Hermione nodded, still looking down at her first born child.
"What do you want to name her?" Hermione looked up at her husband as he leaned over the bed, still staring at the creature in his wife's arm.
"She's just as much yours as mine… I'll pick one name, you pick the other." They nodded in agreement.
"Sidney," Hermione said aloud, looking up at her husband.
"Michelle." They smiled at each other. They were in a world of their own as many family members including Arthur came up and tried to talk to or play with the infant.
"What's her name?" Molly's words invaded their private conversation abruptly.
"Sidney Michelle Weasley." Hermione said.
"Sid… what a cute name!" Ginny exclaimed. The room was filled with more chat and laughter, but to Hermione and Ron, their newly created family was the only thing that mattered.
Nearly one year later, they found that the doctors had been wrong about three things. Ginny didn't have a horrible pregnancy, never having another attack or fall-out like the first again and Ginny and Harry were blessed with a beautiful little girl with fire engine, straight red hair named Audrey in late September; Hermione did make it through and she, Sidney, and Ron are still going strong; Sid was Ron's as a matter-of-fact. Hermione had had the test done one more time when Sidney turned six months and was relieved to hear the nurse say they'd made a mistake which had been a first in medical history. Kevin had ended up in the mental ward at St. Mungo's, Fred had explained everything to the ministry and Samantha Conan who had suspected something all along. Sam broke off their engagement as soon as he ended up in the ward. Fred made sure Kevin would never set foot outside of the ward again. Samantha ended up getting engaged to Seamus Finnigan not soon after. Hermione continued to work at the hospital even after Sidney was born. She delivered Ginny's baby and had been promoted to head healer. Everything was going to be just fine.
"I promise, Harry, you'll love it!" Hermione laughed ecstatically as she watched Harry opening the Christmas present she'd gotten him. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were all seated in the leaving room of the Burrow, all the kids outside with the rest of the adults.
He pulled out a large crystal ball from the big gold box previously wrapped in a big red ribbon.
"Uh… thanks," as Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all burst into laughter.
"I just figured you might be able to see the future better than Professor Trelawney ever could and I thought it was kinda pretty. I mean, after all, you are 'the boy who lived' so why not take a peak into the future?"
Harry gazed into the fog swarming in the ball. He didn't see anything and he didn't try to.
"I can see a big happy family with too many children and lots of red hair." He laughed as did the rest.
"I can see that, too," Ron said nodding toward the window behind Harry and Ginny where everyone was outside playing Quidditch, tag, etc. and eating.
"Think we should join 'em?" Ron asked.
"I guess so." Ginny replied, standing up.
"Thanks for everything, you guys." Hermione hugged Ginny, then Harry.
"Yeah, thanks." Ginny hugged her brother.
Harry shook Ron's hand.
Once outside, Harry and Ron wandered off to walk.
"It's about time everything started to come together." Harry said as they strolled around the large, snow-covered backyard.
"Yeah… I couldn't ask for more. Nothing could be better." Ron said, sighing and rubbing his hands together, trying to keep warm.
"Me either," They walked in silence for a minute.
"Harry, I don't know what I would have done without you during all that crap right before Sid was born. If I had done something stupid… I wouldn't be where I am now and my life wouldn't be as perfect as it is. It' just what I want and I wouldn't have it if you hadn't talked some sense into me." Harry wasn't looking at Ron as they walked, but stared intently at his wife, holding their three month old daughter, talking to Hermione who was also holding a very bundled up Sidney.
"We're both lucky," Harry said, still staring.
"Yeah," Ron nodded his head.
"Promise me something, Ron," Harry looked at his best friend now.
"What?" Ron stopped as Harry did.
"Make her happy, okay? She deserves it more than anyone else I know."
"I will, Harry. I will," Ron said as they started to walk back towards the family again.
Harry watched as Ron took Sidney from Hermione and the three of them wander off into the woods behind the Burrow, content with the feeling that his two best friends had started the family they'd always wanted and everything had worked out for the best. The rest of the family started to go in for Christmas Dinner, but Harry remained standing on the wooden porch behind the house, staring into the woods, thinking about everything.
"Honey," Ginny's breath made Harry's ear warm as she whispered into his ear, place her arms around his waist, leaning her had on his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"What are you thinking about?" She asked quietly.
"You," He turned around and looked down at her. Ginny smiled uncontrollably, stood on her tip toes and kissed her husband passionately. They broke away a little later. Ginny nudged her head to the backdoor.
"Ready to go eat?"
Harry nodded in return with one last look out into the woods before following the love of his life back into the warm, family-filled home he loved with all his heart.
Ron was right.
Nothing could be better.
[Author's Note~~ Okay, so it's over! Please I need feedback! I'm so sad to say I finished, yet so glad I did. I hope this is a good ending. I don't think I'll write a sequel to this one… this is a good ending and I think I'm very satisfied with it. I hope you are, too! Thanks again. I love you guys! Peace, 3, & pineapples – Hannah Holt]