16-Births

It took only a few days for everybody to get back into the rhythm of school life. The Potters got a large apartment with the pregnant girls getting smaller ones in the same corridor. After some initial confusion, Harry found that his house-elves were quite eager to help the pregnant young women join them whenever they wanted and move them back to their places in the morning, with nobody being able to notice. While none of them considered keeping their relations secret, the headmistress insisted on everything looking proper. In her words, "I don't mind what you do, but each of you should be seen coming out of her own apartment in the morning and returning there after dinner. I don't want to hear of any inappropriate behaviour!"

Despite his busy nights and his Head Boy duties, Harry felt quite relaxed, now that he needed to face no major threat. It also helped that Ginny and Jonathan took most of the responsibilities, since Hermione's pregnancy started showing. She still insisted on taking part in planning whatever needed planning and doing as much as her situation would allow. At first, her pregnancy didn't really limit her, but as time passed and she started feeling heavier and clumsier, she was forced to reduce her participation in anything requiring walking. The other expecting mothers were also feeling that effect, and especially Luna, who was carrying twins.

Hermione wouldn't let that interfere with her studies, of course. She enlisted Harry's help in bringing the appropriate books from the library and continued to study as a group with the other expecting mothers. Just like during the summer, Neville and Ginny joined them, with Hannah, Tracy and even Pansy joining them occasionally. At the end of term exams, Harry felt that he was well prepared, and his scores proved it. He got almost as good marks as Hermione, surpassing her only at DADA. The others got very good marks too.

Before they even knew it, the winter holidays arrived. They spent most of the winter vacation at the same house they had inhabited in the summer, inviting Hermione's and Daphne's parents to visit. Xeno stayed with them most of the time. He'd been missing his daughter a lot, and he needed her close presence. It helped heal his mind, that wasn't yet fully healed. Despite all the enticing shops at this season, the girls all felt too heavy to go shopping more than once, when each bought the presents for the rest of their extended family. Luckily, with family and friends dropping in to visit, they didn't need to go out more often than that.

Back at Hogwarts, the girls were finding the stairs too much. Even with the help provided by the house-elves, they gradually stopped attending classes. This didn't mean that they gave up their studies. None of them would even consider it! Harry (with Neville helping) made sure to write down everything with as much detail as he could. The girls studied his notes and the books and had him submit their homework.

"I'm feeling like an errand boy," Harry complained to Neville. "It's not only their studies, you should know. They wake up in the middle of the night with bizarre cravings and I have to find something to satisfy them. Luckily, the house-elves are very cooperative. Where could I find some strawberries in the middle of the winter otherwise?"

Neville just chuckled, thinking that he was in no hurry to get married and expect children.

By the end of January, Luna was no longer able to leave her apartment. Madam Pomfrey made it clear that she should stay in bed and only leave it for the loo or for a shower. By mid-February, none of the other expecting mothers was leaving her apartment either. They even gave up sex, despite feeling very horny, since they could no longer participate in it the way they liked. They could barely sleep, as no position felt comfortable enough for more than a few minutes.

Harry wasn't sure what he was feeling about all this. Sure, the constant demands of four pregnant women were more than he thought any man should suffer, yet the expected five babies were more than an appropriate reward for that. He just hoped he would survive the nagging to see them all.

Surprisingly, Susan gave birth first. It was in the middle of the night when a house-elf awakened Harry. "Lady Bones is giving birth. She wants you at her side," he was told.

By the time he arrived, Madam Pomfrey was already busy at Susan's side. She motioned Harry to sit on a chair near Susan's head. He took the girl's hand and tried to talk soothingly at her. It only helped for a few minutes, until another contraction came. Susan pressed his hand so tightly that he was sure she'd broken something. She also started spouting curses that Harry couldn't believe she even knew, threatening to castrate him if he ever approached her. Madam Pomfrey, seeing his frightened and confused expression, explained, "Women giving birth suffer intense pains and their judgment is non-existent at the time. Don't pay attention to it. She will forget she even said that by the time she has the baby in her arms."

Harry really hoped she was right.

Susan was almost ready when a house-elf popped into that room. "Miss Greengrass's water broke," it said.

They couldn't leave Susan at this stage. Madam Pomfrey made a quick call to St. Mungos, asking for help, and sent the midwife that arrived to look after Daphne while she stayed with Susan. Harry felt torn between these two mothers to be of his children. He then heard Daphne's mother arrive. That made him stay with Susan, who had no family.

Things started to move quite quickly after that. It only took Susan a short while to push the baby out, giving Harry his first child – a redhead baby girl. Madam Pomfrey checked the newborn, cleaned her and clothed her. "Take your daughter to her mother," she told Harry.

He looked at the small bundle in his arms and his heart went to the little girl. He tenderly put her in her mother's arms, where she fussed a little before latching on an offered nipple. Susan caressed her daughter and then looked up at Harry. "Thank you, Harry. You've given me the most precious present possible. I also hope you make sure she has some siblings in a few years."

It really seemed like she no longer remembered what she'd said to him just a short time earlier. He kissed her tenderly and then excused himself. "Daphne is now starting her delivery. I think she expects me at her side."

Susan smiled tiredly. "Go to her, then. I think I'm going to sleep for a while."

He kissed her cheek again and caressed the baby's cheek with a finger before leaving Susan's apartment.

When he reached Daphne's bed, he wished he stayed with Susan. Daphne had lost any pretence of being an "ice queen." She was screaming and cursing worse than a sailor, making her mother, who was sitting at her side, blush with embarrassment. "That's alright, Lady Greengrass. Madam Pomfrey has already explained this to me," Harry told her. He still made sure to give Daphne his other hand. Although Madam Pomfrey had checked his hands, finding nothing amiss, he didn't dare put the same hand to another punishment.

Daphne's delivery went much slower than Susan's. Although it started in the early morning, there was not much change by lunchtime, and as dinner approached, nothing seemed to really change.

And then it changed all at once. Daphne's contractions came so close to each other that they seemed like one, pushing the baby out in almost no time at all, rewarding her and Harry with a baby boy. He had a tuft of blond hair but his eyes were unmistakably green, like his father's. Harry put his new son on Daphne's chest, where he was quick to grab a nipple and suckle, making all present smile. Daphne could barely keep her eyes open. She just whispered, "Thank you, Harry," before letting sleep take her. With nothing else to do for the new mothers, Harry returned to Hermione's side, where a house-elf served them both dinner, which Harry ate ravenously, having skipped both breakfast and lunch.

After making sure Hermione was comfortable, he visited Luna shortly and then went to see the two new mothers and their children. They were all still asleep, recuperating from the stressful birth process, although Susan had already fed her baby twice since he'd left her side.

That night, it took Hermione a long time to make Harry relax. Seeing the birth process, the pains that the mothers suffered, the blood, and then – the baby being born, made him so excited that he just couldn't relax enough to fall asleep, despite needing it. He kept wondering about the miracle of new life coming out of the mothers and of how quickly he felt a bond form between him and the babies. Hermione eventually put his head on her chest and let him caress her swollen breasts. This seemed to calm him down enough to let his tiredness take control and push him to sleep.

Since Hermione was staying in their apartment, he made it his custom to eat breakfast and dinner with her (and whichever of the other expecting girls wanted to join them) and only eat lunch in the Great Hall. He skipped the morning lessons that day, relying on Neville, Ginny, Hannah and Tracey to cover the note-taking for him. He simply was too excited to sit in class and was sure he would be unable to concentrate on anything. He still went to the Great Hall for lunch, letting all his friends congratulate him, and many more. None of the girls kept his part secret, so they all treated him as a new father, despite not being married to any of them.

He was on his way back from lunch when a house-elf popped at his side. "Lady Luna is giving birth," the house-elf told him. "Should I take you there?"

Harry nodded. A moment later he was at Luna's side. She didn't seem to be in pains. She just smiled at him. "I'm glad you could come. You were there to put them in, so it's just right to be there when they come out."

Looking at her, Harry kept wondering how two babies could have room in such a small body, and yet he was assured both twins were in perfect health, as Madam Pomfrey was checking on Luna daily. He took her small hand in his and pressed reassuringly. She pressed lightly back, yet he barely refrained from grimacing. Both his hands were still hurting from being pressed so hard the previous day. "I'd like you to hold my shoulders when it starts in earnest," Luna told him. "Once they're out, I think you should tell my father. I'd really like to see him when this is over."

"I'll call him," he promised.

They chatted for a while. Luna grimaced every few minutes but showed no other sign of her contractions. Poppy was sitting nearby, paying close attention to the labouring mother. Harry didn't know, but after the torture she had suffered during her captivity, the birthing pains were insignificant. He was actually surprised when Poppy told him to move back and let Luna push. He held her shoulders comfortingly. Luna pushed several times, bringing out a baby boy. A few more pushes brought a baby girl. Both looked well-formed and alert. Harry had tears in his eyes when he looked at these two wonders. He then gave them to Luna, who put each to a breast, sighing contentedly when they started suckling.

She looked at Harry and whispered "Thanks!" he kissed her brow. "I'll go call your father," he said as he caressed both babies and left.

By the time he returned with Xeno, Ginny was waiting for him. "Hermione's water broke. Go stay with her. I'll go to Luna."

He didn't need to be told twice, as he immediately rushed to Hermione's side. It looked like her contractions started in earnest as soon as her water broke. She was just thrashing on her bed when he came. Without even speaking, she grabbed his arm. This seemed to calm her down, although Harry felt as if she broke his arm. He wondered where these girls suddenly found such immense powers. Weren't they supposed to be the weaker gender?

He had no time to wonder. The door burst open and Jean came in to support her daughter, followed by Headmistress McGonagall, who had evidently called her and helped her reach Hogwarts so quickly. Harry made a mental note to thank her.

The contraction seemed to be quite long and painful, but it ended after a while. Hermione had some tears in her eyes. She looked at her mother accusingly. "You never told me how painful it is to give birth."

"You never really asked, and you read quite enough books about that. You probably discarded the information as irrelevant. Can't you get something to relieve the pain?"

Hermione shook her head. "It looks like I'm going to give birth any moment now – too late for a pain potion to have any effect. The healer cast a few numbing spells, but they don't seem to do much. I..."

Her face contorted in pain and she grabbed Harry's arm even tighter than before. Harry bent down and kissed her brow and her cheek. He didn't know if that could help, but even if it only slightly distracted her from the pain, it was worth it. Besides, he liked kissing Hermione. "My wife..." he said, not even thinking.

Poppy intervened. "Next time, push as hard as you can. Although it's your first time, it seems to go much quicker than usual. I've cast some spells to help you with the delivery."

Hermione nodded once before the next contraction came. She pushed hard and Harry could see some change down her belly, although he didn't understand what it meant.

"You're doing fine, dear. Another push or two, and the baby will crown, I think," her mother told her.

It went quite quickly, so it seemed. Hermione gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Once checked, cleaned and bundled, he cradled the baby in his arms and put him gently on Hermione's chest, where the baby tried to raise his head and look around, but gave up after a second or two, staying content with the offered nipple.

Harry sat down at Hermione's side and looked at the peaceful scene when it suddenly hit him. "I'm a father of five, now!" he said, not quite believing his words. As the meaning finally got in, it became too much for him to handle at the moment. He simply fainted.