AN: For my Tan.

THE TIES THAT BIND

Chapter 34

These Are The Ties That Bind

Poppy waved her wand desperately over the still form of her dear friend, "She's not breathing!"

"Noooooooo!"

"Her heart has stopped!" Poppy exclaimed as she touched the tip of her wand to Minerva's forehead, "Enervate!"

Jean Granger's mocha eyes widened as she watched Minerva McGonagall die from the trauma of using her bonding with Hermione to take the ripping pain of child birth away from her young wife and into herself. It was the single most unselfish act the elder Granger had ever witnessed.

And the stupidest.

Jean knew that Hermione was right. Her young body had been preparing for this moment for nine months. Minerva's had not. She shook her head as she watched Poppy frantically trying to revive the Headmistress using every magical technique she knew, "Enervate!"

An idea struck the squib. Sometimes it takes more than magic. Sometimes it takes something completely and utterly muggle. She hurried to the bedside and placed a steady hand on Poppy's shoulder, "Allow me."

"She's not breathing!"

"Noooooooo!"

Dumbledore stared in horror at the area where he knew Minerva, Hermione, Jean and Poppy to be. Poppy's desperate statement, followed by Hermione's anguished cry told him one thing.

The Gryffindor Lioness had made an appearance once again.

He turned back to see the fearful expression on Dawn's young face as well as Ron's wide eyed shock. Next to the young couple stood Molly with her hand over her mouth, large tears sliding down her rounded cheeks.

Harry and Ginny stood together. Hands tightly clasped. One might have missed the glimmer of gold on young Ginny's ring finger if one wasn't looking.

Dumbledore was always looking. He shot the young couple a raised eyebrow.

"I'm going down there." Dawn stated as she marched determinedly between the rows of overturned cots and broken bits. Her trainers crunching on glass from shattered windows and ruptured phials that were somehow missed when Poppy had cast her vanishing spells.

Dumbledore hurried after the errant young woman stopping her just before a series of medical texts leapt off of a nearby shelf and wildly careened passed. Both Dumbledore and Dawn felt the air stir as the books whooshed by. They watched as the tomes repositioned themselves against a dressing room door.

The elderly wizard tugged at his beard, awestruck at the sheer power in the incidental magic Hermione was generating. Noticing a reprieve in the chaos, he grabbed Dawn and trotted to the makeshift birthing room just in time to see Jean Granger give Minerva McGonagall a mighty whack with her small, closed fist.

The older Granger winced as her fist came in contact with the formidable witch's chin watching as Minerva's head snapped back.

THWACK!

The combination of Poppy's spells and Jean's flinty little fist served to quickly bring the Headmistress back to their plain of existence. The powerful witch took a deep inhalation of air and began to cough. Emerald eyes blinked in the light.

Michael Angus McGonagall chose that moment to make his appearance.

Hermione felt it. A powerful shifting, then an unbearable pressure and pain.

A lot of it.

"Ooohhh! Yeeeooowww!" The young witch gasped, her head abruptly flinging back and right into Minerva's abused chin.

"Ouch!" The older witch mumbled biting her tongue as she came back into full consciousness. She could see white spots floating in the air and her chin hurt and she wasn't entirely sure why.

The baby moved further down Hermione's body entering her birth canal. The young woman gasped, her face reddening as a painful flush engulfed her body. She could feel Minerva moving behind her. Through clenched teeth, the young healer hissed warningly, "Don't you dare try to enter our bond!"

Long arms slid down her own.

"I mean it dammit!" The young woman tensed as another contraction crashed through her. She felt lips on the back of her neck trying to soothe her. As the pain in her lower half engaged, she reached back and grabbed a handful of Minerva's hair. Ripping it out of it's confining bun.

"Rooowwwlllll!" Minerva yowled as Hermione tugged.

Jean's dark eyes crinkled with momentary amusement at her daughter's way of getting Minerva's attention.

"Promise me!" Hermione wheezed, sucking in air as fast as she could. She could feel the baby moving again.

Poppy glanced down between Hermione's thighs, "It's time. You're fully dilated."

Jean peeked around Poppy's shoulder at her daughter's sex.

Indignantly brown eyes widened as Hermione screeched, "Jeeze mum!"

At that moment Dumbledore and Dawn stumbled into the room causing the mother-to-be to howl in rage, "Why don't we just invite the whole bloody school to see me having a baby?"

Minerva shot her friend the "fish eye" and roared, "GET OUT!"

Dumbledore took one look at what was happening between Hermione's legs and immediately left mumbling something about going blind.

Dawn, in the meantime, stayed. She stared at her sister's body, seeing how wide her opening was. She could see... something. "What is that?"

Poppy grinned at the young woman's interest. Hermione wasn't so amused!

"Dawn! Get out for God's sake!"

The young woman looked up into her sister's pain glazed chocolate eyes and said, "You are soooo wide open down there. You could birth a lorry!"

Hermione didn't get the chance to reply as Poppy exclaimed, "I can see a head!"

Immediately Dawn's eyes focussed back down and sure enough, there was a small head covered with a mass of jet black hair visible. "Wow Stick! It's got your hair!"

Poppy snorted at the young woman, "If you're going to be here, then help me. Grab that cloth and wipe some of the fluid away. I can't see what I'm doing."

Dawn immediately complied mumbling, "I can't bloody believe I'm wiping 'Mione's privates." She spied her mother grinning and added, "Here you do it." She handed her mum the cloth and followed in Dumbledore's wake.

Jean did as Poppy directed, watching as her grandchild came closer and closer to entering the world.

When Dumbledore arrived back at the waiting area, the others watched as the elderly wizard quietly sat down in a chair against the wall. He ran a trembling hand through his long silver hair. A rather queasy expression on his wrinkled face. He looked up at Molly, "I had no idea."

Somehow the red haired woman knew exactly what he meant. She nodded, a knowing twinkle in her blue eyes.

A moment later, Dawn entered the waiting area and moved to sit next to Ron.

"Alright then?" He inquired curiously a long arm sliding across her shoulder.

Dawn grinned, "Hermione is never gonna let me forget what I saw!"

A snicker came from Dumbledore's direction as well as from Harry.

Molly's eyes narrowed dangerously as she turned to her youngest child, "Where have you two been?" She spied the glimmer of gold on Ginny's finger, "What's that?"

The youngest Weasley gathered herself and stood to face her mother. Taking a deep breath, she replied, "We got married."

Minerva held her wife as tightly as she dared. She felt like she was in danger of ending up with a large bald spot where Hermione had her hair in a death grip. She wanted to try and relieve her wife's pain, but saw the wisdom in what both Poppy and Hermione had said.

She couldn't do it. Even if the Gryffindor in her screamed otherwise.

"I love you Kitten." She whispered in Hermione's ear and immediately felt the grip on her hair loosen a bit.

"I love yoUUUUU!" The young woman replied as another contraction interrupted her sentence.

"I want to help you." Minerva whispered.

Hermione's back arched as Poppy ordered her to bear down, "You are! Just by being here." Was gasped out of lips that were swollen from being bitten as pain wracked her body.

Tears trickled down high elegant cheeks, "I'm sorry." The Headmistress whispered brokenly.

Despite her pain, Hermione smiled. Perspiration had drenched her hair causing it to be plastered to her head, her gown stuck to her wet body, she smelled of blood and birthing fluids and sweat and yet...

She was giving birth to Minerva McGonagall's children.

Her dark eyes glowed with an inner light that brightened her whole being, "I love you Tabby Cat. Don't apologize for any of this. It's all part of the process and I would do every bit of it all over again." She gave a mighty heave and pushed as Poppy directed.

"The head is out!" Jean screamed joyfully. She watched as Poppy gently turned it to the side.

"The shoulders are next Hermione, you're going to have to push hard when I tell you." Poppy stated. Her face broke into a smile as she saw The Headmistress and The Witch of the Light engaged in some form of silent communication. The subject of their conversation was quite evident to both her and Jean.

It was the reaffirmation of their love.

Reluctantly, Hermione broke her intense gaze into those loving emerald orbs and focussed on the medi-witch.

Rolanda stood watching with a huge grin on her handsome face as Molly Weasley began interrogating both Harry and Ginny. Her yellow eyes gleamed as Molly began pacing back and forth.

"You just went off and got married?"

Harry scratched his head. Ebony hair in it's usual riotous mess, "Yes ma'am... Well we kind of eloped really."

Outraged blue eyes flashed, "Eloped? Why on earth would you do that?" Molly looked at her only daughter, "I have been planning your wedding since you were born!"

Hooch grinned, "That's probably why they did it."

The Weasley matriarch shot her an evil look. Rolanda blushed a bit, then excused herself saying, "I think I'll go check on 'Mione."

Dawn commented after her mother's lover, "She's right gooey and pissed off!"

Ignoring the by-play, Molly continued to rant, "I can't bloody believe this! Why would you do something so selfish?"

Ginny made a face and looked at her husband. The latter smiled and said, "Elvis married us in a drive-thru wedding chapel." The horrified expression on Molly's face was enough for Ginny to add, "It was very convenient. Las Vegas is amazing! If you ask for a barrel of beer, they'll bring you a barrel of beer!"

"You were drunk?" Molly raged, her darkening gaze piercing a clueless Harry.

The young man took his wife's hand and answered, "She can't have alcohol. Not with the baby."

"BABY?" Came a flabbergasted squawk.

Hooch was nearly to the birthing room when she heard Molly's screech, then the sound of a body hitting the floor. Chuckling she realized that Molly Weasley had either fainted or hexed The Boy Who Would Live No Longer.

"This is it Hermione. The shoulders are where they need to be. When I say, I want you to push." Poppy's statement drew a nod from the red-faced young witch.

Minerva tightened her arms fractionally. Just enough to reassure her wife. This was it. Her children were being born. Children who, just a short while ago, she thought she'd never have. If not for Hermione's love, none of this would've ever happened. She owed this amazing young woman everything. Hermione Granger had given Minerva McGonagall another chance at living.

The Headmistress rededicated her heart and soul to her beloved wife, "Oh Kitten, I love you. Thank you, thank you."

She felt Hermione's small hand clasp her own and a whispered, "You are my life Minerva."

Sweet tears trickled down Jean Granger's cheeks. She glanced over to see that Poppy was also affected. The medi-witch wiped suspicious looking moisture from her eyes and patted Hermione's thigh, "Take deep breaths."

Rolanda Hooch took that moment to stroll in. She stopped dead in her tracks as she got a large look at Hermione's sex. A black haired head was poking out supported by Poppy's sure and gentle hands. Smiling, the Flying instructor stepped forward saying, "This is good practice for you Poppy."

The medi-witch didn't look up as she asked, "Why do you say that?"

Hermione, Minerva and Jean focussed on Hooch as she replied, "Harry and Ginny just got back from Las Vegas. They got married and Ginny is pregnant."

Hermione grinned, then gasped as another contraction hit. This one more powerful than the rest. It was time.

Poppy focussed kindly eyes on the young witch's face. Nodding, she ordered, "Push sweetheart."

Hermione took a deep breath and pushed with all of her might, "Ahhhhhhgggg!"

Dumbledore heard Hermione's strained cry, "It's time." He whispered. His gaze turned towards the back of the hospital ward.

He wasn't aware that the others had heard him and were also staring at the birthing room. They too heard Hermione's cry and Poppy's gentle commands.

Molly Weasley's eyes blinked open as she also heard. She wondered what the devil she was doing on the floor with a worried looking Ron holding her hand.

"Harder Hermione! He's nearly out!" Poppy ordered, her eyes twinkling as Michael McGonagall made his way into the world.

The young witch gave another mighty heave and the heir to the McGonagall legacy slid into the world and Poppy's sure hands with a sweet whimpering cry.

Hooch grinned as she watched as Poppy gently held the wriggling bundle. He was tiny, slightly wrinkled and covered with birthing fluids... and the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, "Oh Minerva! He's gorgeous!"

Jean crowded close to her lover gazing adoringly at her grandson. She held out her hands as Poppy said she needed to catch the birthing sac. Gladly, she accepted a swaddling cloth from Rolanda. Poppy gently placed the baby in Jean's arms. Then with a wave of her wand, she severed the umbilical cord neatly cauterizing both ends. Another wave of the wand and Michael McGonagall was clean as a whistle!

"Save the sac." Hermione gasped as Poppy began massaging her womb to help move the afterbirth out of the mother's body. Recognizing the magical properties of the birthing sac, Poppy nodded and summoned a sterile suspension bag. The blue bag floated through the doorway and landed beside Hermione's left foot.

Minerva frowned at her wife, "Why do you want that?" Her face was scrunching up in disgust.

Poppy snickered as Hermione replied, "There are countless medical uses for it. I can make so many different potions!"

Minerva rolled her eyes and snorted, "I knew there was a reason I detest potions!"

Meanwhile, Jean was staring down at her grandson. He was adorable! Tiny and still wriggling, the baby boy opened his eyes. They were startling emerald just like Minerva's. Grinning, with bright tears clouding her mocha eyes, the proud grandmother exclaimed, "Oh Minerva! He has your eyes!"

Jean walked the baby over to the wide eyed parents and gently placed him in his mother's arms.

Hermione gazed down at her son in wondrous awe, "He's gorgeous." She whispered, tears sliding down flushed cheeks. She felt Minerva squeeze her body slightly, then a strong arm reached down and a pale, long fingered hand tenderly palmed the black head of their new-born son.

Ron stared blue ice into his sister's round face, "You're pregnant?"

Ginny nodded, clasping her husband's hand.

"How did this happen?"

Dawn stared at her boyfriend, an incredulous look brewing in her mocha eyes, "Are you kidding?"

Ron flushed with embarrassment, "I know how that happened! I thought you were using protection?"

It was Harry and Ginny's turn to blush as they glanced at each other, then at the small group. Harry ran a hand through his mussed hair and said, "We were. We just... forgot."

"FORGOT?" Molly thundered as she stood herself up from the floor. "HOW CAN YOU BLOODY WELL FORGET THAT?"

Consternation coloured the youngest Weasley's face as she replied, "We were using a pensieve and pulled the memory of 'Mione and Minerva's wedding night out. You remember when that wave of sex magic blasted through?"

Everyone nodded as the memory of the McGonagall's wedding night and how the intense sexually charged magic that had permeated McGonagall Manor caused some... *ahem* ..side effects. Little blushes appeared as they remembered what had happened afterward.*

Poppy reached out and gently massaged Hermione's distended tummy. There was still one more McGonagall to be born. The medi-witch fastened the young mother with a caring look as she asked, "How are you feeling?"

Hermione smiled ruefully as she handed her son to her mother, "Rather like I just squeezed a watermelon through my nostril, but aside from that..." She flashed a pained grin.

Poppy nodded as she focussed her attention back to between Hermione's legs. The other child, Michaela, didn't seem too inclined to enter the world just yet. "It seems your daughter is taking her time."

Hermione grimaced up at her wife, "That's your daughter alright... stubborn!"

Minerva had the good grace to blush even as she replied, "You seem to have a rather strong stubborn streak as well."

Jean smirked as she handed Michael over to Rolanda and moved to stand beside Poppy. She bent low and addressed her daughter's birth canal, "Now see here young lady. This is your grandmother speaking and you will make an appearance this instant!"

There was an immediate reaction that Hermione wasn't prepared for.

"Ahhhh yikes!"

Six blocks slid out of a nearby wall, twirled about each other, then stacked themselves one on top of the other in the center of the room.

Poppy frowned as she watched Hermione's body prepare to birth the other child. Something wasn't quite right. She spied an object emerging from Hermione's womb.

A foot?

"Oh Merlin! She's coming out backwards!" The medi-witch exclaimed, moving forward to grasp the tiny foot. The other foot soon joined the first one as Michaela Dawn McGonagall chose that particular moment to enter the world... backwards.

"Oh she's gonna do this her own way!" Rolanda chuckled as the tiny baby in her arms gurgled. The Flying Instructor looked up at the Headmistress and added, "Definitely your child!"

Minerva shot an indignant glare at her friend and replied waspishly, "That just means she knows what she wants."

Hermione gasped in pain and wheezed, "Yeah... her own way."

This little one was going to be quite the handful if her birth was any indication. That thought caused Poppy's kind eyes to crinkle in amusement. She imagined for a moment what this little girl was going to grow up into. Apparently Minerva had the same thought as emerald eyes fixed on the medi-witch for a moment.

Two tiny legs slid out of Hermione. Then small hips and a cute little tummy. Poppy traced the umbilical cord up the baby's body just to make sure it wasn't wrapped around her neck.

Luckily it wasn't.

"Get ready to bear down dear." Poppy ordered. "The shoulders are coming next."

The young mother took a deep breath preparing to push her daughter out into the waiting hands of a very dedicated medi-witch.

"So the memory of their wedding night caused you to forget a simple contraception charm?" Molly asked as she paced in front of her youngest child and her ...new husband. Her hands were clenched into fists and she was marching back and forth like a drill instructor.

Dawn and Ron stepped back a bit and watched. The young woman knew that sometimes just keeping your mouth shut was the best thing in the world. Apparently so did Ron. The tall man held her hand tightly.

Harry Potter shrugged, "Molly... you know I love Ginny. I was going to ask her to marry me anyway." He pushed his glasses up his nose a bit and continued, "We wanted to do the right thing."

"And running off to Las Vegas and being married by an Elvis Presley impersonator in a drive-thru wedding chapel was the right thing to do?" The Weasley matriarch asked, both eyebrows climbing up her forehead. "Wait till Arthur hears this." She mumbled as she resumed pacing.

"Oh he already knows..." Ginny spoke before realizing that wasn't something she should've said.

"HE WHAT?"

Everyone in the birthing room heard Molly's exclamation. It was Rolanda who thought of a way to calm the red-haired woman down. Grinning, she asked Hermione and Minerva, "May I borrow your son for a moment?"

Startled the two women blinked owlishly. It was Minerva who replied cautiously, "What do you have in mind?"

Grinning, Rolanda replied, "I'm going to let this little peace maker ease the tension out there."

In years to come, Rolanda Hooch would look back at this moment in time and grin at how prophetic her words had been.

Hermione and Minerva looked at each other in silent communication then nodded. Hermione arched as another birthing pain raced through her body. Minerva's eyes glazed over in sympathy for her wife.

The young woman gritted her teeth and hissed, "If we are going to have multiple births for any other children we decide to have I swear to the Gods that you ARE NEVER TOUCHING ME AGAIN!" That last bit came out as a screech as the pain of her contraction peaked.

Rolanda snickered as she headed out of the birthing room and back to where the others were. "Don't let mummy's words bother you sweet boy. She loves your mother."

Michael McGonagall let out a tiny yawn and closed his eyes.

"ARTHUR KNOWS?" Molly gasped, her blue eyes flashing as thoughts of what she was going to do to her husband appeared in her mind.

"Mum, he wasn't happy that I was pregnant before being married, but he agreed with us going off to elope." Ginny stated, defending her father. "He didn't want you to put yourself under too much stress. Especially with what's been going on with your heart. You know how you get." The young witch gazed imploringly into her mother's softening eyes.

It was at that moment that Rolanda appeared with a tiny bundle, "I would like to introduce you all to Michael Angus McGonagall."

Eagerly the small group crowded around her to gaze adoringly down at the sweet little boy in Rolanda's strong arms.

"Awwww he's soooo cute!"

"Look at that face!"

"He has Minerva's nose!"

"And her hair..."

Dumbledore leaned down to look at the boy. His long beard tickling baby Michaels's nose. The tiny lad scrunched up his face and let out a delicate sneeze. Much to the delight of the group.

The elderly wizard gathered his long whiskers into his hand with a sheepish grin and with a twinkle glowing in knowing eyes, he placed a gentle kiss on the smooth forehead of his best friend's new-born son. "You, young man, shall do great things someday."

Molly was next as she reached out and ran a tender finger down a tiny cheek, "You wonderful handsome lad. You will change the face of the wizarding world some day. I just know it!"

They all knew it.

Especially with Minerva McGonagall and Hermione Granger as his parents.

"Aieee!" Hermione yelped as Michaela entered the world with a loud wail.

"Definitely nothing wrong with those lungs." Jean commented as Poppy handed her the screaming baby. Dark eyes gazed down at the beautiful albeit loud baby with pure grandmotherly love. "Hush my sweet little girl. Gramma is here."

Startling green eyes opened and fastened onto Jean's loving face. A tiny hand clenched into a fist waved in the air.

Minerva watched from her place supporting Hermione. Her daughter was quite ...enthusiastic in her gusto to let the world know that she had arrived. A huge smile graced the Headmistress's face as she watched Jean lean down and place a sweet kiss on the baby's nose.

The unhappy wailing of a new-born echoed throughout the hospital wing causing the group surrounding Hooch to pause.

Dawn smiled down at her nephew and whispered, "Sounds like your sister has arrived."

Michael seemed to understand because his tiny face broke into a smile causing another round of Oooohs and Ahhhhs.

Dumbledore listened to the cries coming from the birthing room. He raised a bushy eyebrow as Minerva's daughter proclaimed to the world that she was here!

"That one is going to be a spitfire for sure."

Knowing looks were passed around the group as they listened.

Hermione raised her head from it's place against her wife's chest to gaze at her daughter. The little girl had a mass of riotous curly jet black hair. Hair that was currently covered in birthing fluid but the young mother could see that her daughter was going to have hair just like she did.

Minerva had the same thought, because she whispered into her wife's ear, "Got your hair she does." A gentle kiss on the tip of her ear caused a broad smile to appear on her birth weary face.

Poppy finished encasing the second birth sac into the stasis bag and sealed it. "I'll hang onto this until you're ready for it."

The young witch nodded thinking of all the potions she could create with the powerful substance. She had an idea about an agricultural growth potion and wondered if birthing fluid could help. She was pulled from her thoughts by a snort from her wife.

Minerva knew Hermione's wheels were turning. She wondered what other odd substances her wife would insist on collecting for potions in the years to come. Snorting, she shook her head and closed her eyes. Somehow she really did not want to know. When she re-opened her eyes, she saw Hermione gazing up at her grinning like a fool, "I know that look young lady."

Hermione snickered but didn't reply. Instead she gazed back at her mother and held out her arms, "Mum?"

Jean looked up and saw that her daughter wanted the baby. Grinning madly, she walked over and gently placed the little girl into her mother's comforting embrace.

Poppy smiled at the heart-warming scene as she waved her wand and scourgified both Hermione and Michaela. She looked at Minerva and noticed that she too need a good scrubbing as well. Another wave of her wand and the Headmistress looked just as spiffy. The medi-witch patted Hermione's foot and said, "I'll be back with some healing potions."

Hermione nodded knowing that Poppy would bring back several elixers that would speed her body's recovery and ease her discomfort.

Minerva smiled down at her wife and daughter. Now that Michaela was cleaned and dry, that head full of curls was even more pronounced. The top of her head looked like a cotton bud. "Definitely has your hair." She whispered lovingly.

Hermione grimaced as she remembered all the teasing she went through over her hair. Somehow she knew that her little one would not tolerate any teasing what-so-ever.

Poppy returned with the potions and Hermione drank them down. Her face scrunched in disgust at the taste, "Remind me to replace this junk with something that tastes better."

The medi-witch shot the young healer a "look". She saw that Michaela was beginning to fuss, so she asked, "Are you lactating?"

Hermione grinned as she opened her gown and exposed her milk engorged breasts, "Painfully so."

Nodding Poppy helped Hermione position Michaela at a nipple, "I think you'll be able to produce enough milk. If not, Minerva might have to help."

The Headmistress was silent for a long moment. Enough to cause Poppy and Hermione to look up.

It was the wide eyed "deer in headlights" look and a mouth forming an "O" that caused the medi-witch and young mother to burst into laughter.

It was several hours later that found the new family in their quarters. Poppy having allowed Hermione to recover in the more familiar setting with the express promise from Minerva that the young mother rest.

The elder witch had tucked her wife into bed as Jean and Molly had tucked the babies snugly away in their baby beds. After the little ones were sleeping soundly, the older women exited. Molly heading for the living room where Dawn, Ron, Harry and Ginny sat talking in low tones.

Jean had found Rolanda in Hermione's office staring out of the huge octagonal window that dominated the room.

"This is an amazing view." Hooch commented as she felt Jean's arms encircle her waist from behind. Soft lips tickled the back of her neck, causing the Flying Instructor to tremble. She felt the lips turn up in a smile.

"You are the sexiest grandmother I've ever met." Rolanda murmured as she turned in her lover's arms. Facing Jean, she saw mocha eyes had darkened a bit. "I'm the luckiest witch in the world to have found you."

Jean grinned as she replied softly, "We have Minerva and 'Mione to thank for that you as you well know."

Soft lips connected in a intensely emotional kiss. A kiss that swiftly deepened as tongues met and danced against each other.

There was a soft snicker at the door that caused the lover's to break their kiss. Seeing Hermione standing there, Jean frowned, "You're supposed to be in bed."

Chocolate eyes glowed as the young mother replied, "They're beginning to stir. I can feel it." A mother witch's magic was a powerful thing. Hermione was discovering this with delight. Shooting the couple a smile, she turned and slowly made her way to the nursery.

Curiously, Rolanda and Jean followed at a discreet distance.

Molly Weasley sat morosely on the sofa staring at Harry and Ginny. The one thing that she wanted more than anything was to be able to give her daughter a wedding to remember. Now she couldn't even do that.

A drive-thru Elvis had taken care of it for her.

That and Harry Potter.

She shot the young man a withering glare causing the him to visibly shrink a bit.

With a snort, she stated, "I understand your reasoning but that doesn't mean that I have to like it." She pointed a finger at her daughter and added, "Some day you'll understand exactly how I'm feeling."

Harry leaned forward a bit on his chair, "But Molly, it's better this way."

"Better for whom? You? No, it was selfish in the extreme!" She shot back at the young man pulling her wand. Before anyone could react, she pointed it at the young man and hissed a spell she'd learned last year at McGonagall Manor, "Bitacaca!"

Instantly a fresh pile of dragon dung appeared on Harry's head. Molly grinned and muttered as she stood, "My work here is done."

She moved towards Hermione's office where the floo was located. Stopping when she saw Jean and Rolanda following a very slowly moving Hermione into the nursery. Raising an eyebrow, she moved towards the couple just as Harry began whimpering.

"She put shite on my head!"

Raucous laughter could be heard from Ron and Dawn. Even Ginny added a snicker or two before scourgifying her husband.

Hermione opened the door to the nursery just as Harry let out his screech. The young mother grinned at what he said as she entered the warmly decorated room only to find her wife standing over the babies' beds watching her children.

So like her Tabby to watch over her cubs.

Minerva turned at the sound, frowning as she saw her wife out of bed, "What are you doing up?"

"They're becoming restless."

Minerva turned her head back to gaze at her children and sure enough Michaela was stirring.

The little girl's face was grimacing. Her tiny nose twitching as whimpers began.

"I think she might be hungry." Hermione commented as she settled on the comfortable sofa that Minerva had purchased a few weeks prior. "Give her to me."

Minerva leaned over and gently picked her daughter up. The little girl was light as a feather and the older woman held the child as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

Carefully balancing the baby, Minerva carried her to Hermione. Noting that her wife's chocolate eyes were twinkling with amusement, "What are you thinking?"

Grinning, Hermione accepted the baby from her wife saying, "You are adorable with them." She opened her robe exposing her ample breast. Placing her daughter at the hardened nipple, she made a face as Michaela latched on and immediately began to suckle. "That hurts a bit."

Minerva cocked her head, "I thought it felt good?"

Grinning the young witch answered, "When you do it, it's lovely... this is different. It's supposed to hurt in the beginning. Then it settles a bit."

"Ah." Minerva replied filing that one away for future reference. Especially if she was going to have to nurse the babies as well.

The older witch settled next to her wife and watched with deep fascination as Hermione nursed Michaela. Their son had other ideas for what his mother should be doing. He chose that moment to begin whimpering.

Minerva rose with a rueful smile saying, "We might need to get an elf to assist with things." She moved to her son's bed and gently lifted him out in much the same way she'd picked up her daughter.

Hermione's eyes glowed with love as she watched her wife being so gentle with the children. She KNEW Minerva would be a good mother. When the older woman tried to hand her the boy as well, Hermione shook her head, "One at a time love. Just hold on to him for me. O.K.?"

Nodding, Minerva cuddled Michael close to her body and gently settled back on the sofa next to Hermione, "He is so small."

Hermione grinned, "Look at his hands and feet. He's going to be a big man."

How Hermione could tell that from looking at the impossibly tiny feet and hands Minerva wasn't quite sure but if she said so, than it was so. Smirking, Minerva commented, "My father was a big man, so was Keegan."

Molly joined Ro and Jean as they unobtrusively peered into the nursery. Whispering, she asked, "What's going on?"

Turning, the couple replied as one, "Hermione's feeding the babies."

"Where's Minerva?"

Jean's eyes softened, "Right there with her."

Molly shot them a knowing smile and turned, "I'd better get back."

"Did you shoot dung at Harry?" Hooch asked in a mischievous whisper.

Molly shot her an evil smirk, "He deserved it dammit. I've been planning Ginny's wedding since her birth and they both knew it!"

"Did I hear that Arthur knew about it?" Jean questioned unknowingly stoking Molly's ire once again.

"Don't think that will go unanswered either." The red haired woman muttered as she headed back to the living room. As she entered the large room, she immediately began snarking at the clueless Harry and the defiant Ginny.

Ro grinned as she listened to the voices sniping back and forth. She wrapped her arms around her lover from behind resting her head on Jean's shoulder and went back to watching the heart warming scene in the nursery.

Michaela had finished nursing and was now being held by Minerva as Michael went to work on the other ample offering from his mummy.

Minerva gazed down at her still restless daughter, "You my little girl are going to be..."

She didn't finish as Hermione interrupted by saying, "Exactly like you my dear."

Emerald eyes shot up and met knowing chocolate. With a sigh, the Headmistresss realized that Hermione was probably right. Instead of retorting, she focussed her gaze back to her daughter and began softly humming to the baby.

Hermione frowned trying to place the tune, "What is that? I know it?"

Minerva glanced up with a smile and began to sing...

"Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Remember me to one who lives there.

She once was a true love of mine."

In the hall outside the nursery, tears slid down Jean Granger's face. Her lover's arms tightened protectively.

Minerva's voice drifted out to the living room stilling the arguing...

"Tell her to make me a cambric shirt.

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Without no seams or needlework.

Then she'll be a true love of mine."

Hermione felt her love for the magnificent woman before her grow even deeper. There were so many facets to the amazing Minerva McGonagall.

"Tell her to find me a acre of land.

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Between the salt water and the sea sky.

Then she'll be a true love of mine."

Rolanda felt her heart pound with love for the woman she held in her arms. A woman she would've never met if not for her dear friend and her wife. "I love you Jean Granger." She whispered, placing a soft kiss against her lover's neck. "I never want to be parted from you. Will you marry me?"

Both Hermione and Minerva heard the whispered question but chose not to turn and gape. Instead, the older witch continued her song with a knowing smile being directed at her beautiful wife...

"Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather.

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

And gather it all in a bunch of heather.

Then she'll be a true love of mine..."**

Jean gazed into the earnest yellow eyes of the woman who had come to mean so much to her. A woman who had shown her the kind of love she'd only ever read about in story books. A woman that, yes.. she did want to spend the rest of her life loving. Mocha eyes fastened on that compelling yellow as she smiled and answered, "Yes. I will marry you Rolanda Hooch."

There was loud whooping and hollering in the living room as that group had heard as well.

Minerva grinned at her wife. Listening to the noise coming from the hall along with what was coming from the living room, she realized that this was what family was all about. Eyes glistening brightly, she gazed deeply into warm chocolate and said full of feeling, "And this..." She waved her hand, "These activities going on around us.." She paused and looked down at her now sleeping daughter. A tear slowly meandered down a high boned cheek.

"These my love, these are the ties that bind."

THE END

AN: This truly has been a labour of love and I want to thank all of you who've stuck by me from the beginning. Now... Sybil's prediction calls for 4 children to be born and so far we have only two. I'm going to continue this series of tales in the wonderful AU created by ButterflyRainbow in pieces. For now, this bit of work is done and I plan on taking care of a few plot bunnies before I begin work on the next segment.

Again, thank you so very much.

*-see chapters 19 & 20.

** "Scarborough Fair" adapted by Paul Simon in 1965 from an earlier Scottish balland called "The Elfin Knight".