AN: Thank you all. Sorry for the wait. To LovelyAgnes who reviewed "The Boat House", chapter 2... 47 years ago, I watched my mother waltz with the vacuum cleaner to that song. Years later, I did the same. It was her imagination that nurtured mine.

FAMILY TIES

Chapter 25

Finding The Answer

"Haloooooo?"

A familiar voice echoed from the floo in Hermione's office bringing the quick, deliberate footfalls of one Minerva McGonagall. A dark eyebrow quirked as the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry recognized the voice, "George Weasley?"

Stepping closer to the fireplace, she leaned down a bit as the voice replied, "I'm sorry McG, may I come through?"

"You may."

With that, the red haired Weasley man stepped through the fireplace and in to her and Hermione's quarters. With a wave of his wand, George banished the soot from his person and turned to address the tall, green eyed witch, "Is Hermione about?"

Shaking her head, the older woman replied with a sigh, "She is at St. Mungo's."

Clear blue eyes widened in concern as he questioned, "Is she alright?"

Nodding, the Headmistress turned and walked out of the office and into the sitting room. Moving to the sofa in front of a brightly burning fireplace, she seated herself and indicated that George do the same.

After she saw him settled, she spoke, "She is meeting with several healers regarding the ailment at the prison."

Taking a deep breath, George stated, "That's why I'm here. I have some items that she requested." As he spoke, he pulled a small box from his robes. It was the same box that Marcus Flint had given him the day prior. Placing it on the low table in front of the sofa, he added, "She thinks that this will help."

A curious expression appeared on the elegant features of the ebony haired witch, "What is it?"

George grinned as he replied, "Body fluids." He snickered as immediately a disgusted expression replaced the curious one.

Minerva eye'd the box with a combination of revulsion and fascination, "Why does she need these..." She paused, taking a deep resigned breath, "...items?"

"If I'm going to solve this problem, I need information." Hermione spoke as she exited her office and walked over to sit next to her wife.

"And you think bringing this...malady into our home will help solve the problem?" Minerva snarked. She and her wife had been sniping at each other over this very issue for weeks now.

Hermione was done arguing with her wife and wasn't about to take the bait that Minerva was obviously dangling in front of her. Based on the information Doctor Pennyworth had relayed to her, she was furious with her wife. She had stopped at the hospital wing to confer with Poppy Pomfrey before returning to their quarters. She wasn't just furious, she was livid.

Standing, she motioned for George to follow her saying, "No dear wife I wouldn't DREAM of bringing infection into our home." Her nostrils flared as she continued, "I've just come from a meeting at St. Mungo's and checking in with Poppy."

At hearing this, the Headmistress blanched. Her thoughts flew back to earlier in the day when said medi-witch had informed her of the status of the hospital wing.

Narrowed chocolate eyes bore into emerald ones as she angrily hissed, "It has been discovered that not only have you allowed the infected children of the Azkaban guards into this school but Kirby Flint, Marcus Flint's younger brother is currently lying in the hospital wing suffering from this same malady as you so kindly put it." Pointing a finger at her wide eyed wife, she continued her rant, "Thank God Poppy had sense enough to put a bubble charm around him otherwise this school would be faced with an epidemic. If anyone is guilty of infecting Hogwarts and by extension our children, then it is you dear wife!"

With that, she pulled an open mouthed George Weasley into her office and to the floo. Stepping into the green flames, she muttered, "My clinic dammit."

The Headmistress buried her face in her hands whispering, "What have I done?"

Two days later found Hermione McGonagall bent over a microscope in her lab at the clinic in Hogsmeade. She and Minerva had not been speaking. The result of that being Hermione sleeping in the nursery with the children. Very early each morning, she would get up, do a diagnostic spell to check for the sickness, then feed the babies. Afterward she would have a bit of breakfast courtesy of Izer and finally floo to the clinic to continue her research.

Minerva had wisely left her alone. The Headmistress had taken to using the elves to keep an eye on her headstrong wife. The news that Hermione had imparted to her regarding the possibly infected children had caused her to order Poppy to begin testing ALL of the students at the school. So far, only Kirby Flint was diagnosed positive for the ailment. The other children of the guards were tested as well. She had relayed the information via Izer to her wife.

The young doctor had found the information that Minerva had sent over rather interesting. She had researched the families of the four children attending Hogwarts to discover if there was a connection in some way. The only thing she'd discovered was that three of the children were half bloods and one was a quarter blood. Not quite muggleborn but close. One of the children had a very mild cold; the other three were fine.

Kirby Flint, however, was now in isolation as he had fallen deathly ill. She had ordered Poppy to place a stasis charm over the boy. Thus placing him in a magical form of suspended animation. In her opinion that was currently the only way to keep the infected people alive. As she sat at her desk looking over her notes, Susan Bones tapped on the door frame saying, "Hey... Sorry to interrupt, but you need to come out here."

Dark eyebrows met in a frown as she queried, "What's up?"

A pained scream echoed throughout the clinic. Hermione recognized the voice, "Oh my God... Ginny!" She followed Susan as both women bolted up the short hallway and into the waiting room.

There stood a wide eyed Harry Potter with an arm around his wife as she groaned in pain. Hermione instantly spotted a large wet patch darkening the crotch of her friend's jeans.

"Your water has broken!" Hermione stated as she moved to take Harry's place. "We've got to get you in to the birthing chamber."

Hearing this, Susan stepped to Ginny's other side and reached around the red haired witch to help support her. Slowly both witches led the youngest Weasley into a special room set up to function as a maternity chamber.

Gently they settled Ginny into the birthing chair as Harry asked, "What can I do?"

Hermione turned to her worried friend and replied, "Keep your mouth shut, eyes open and hold her hand. Do not let go no matter what she calls you." She turned to Susan who had just finished vanishing Ginny's clothes and ordered, "Put out an all call. Her magic is going be wicked."

She smirked for a moment as she remembered what was told to her by Rosmerta when she was in labour with the twins. Grinning, she placed a blanket over her friend and said, "You're going be just fine."

Wide blue eyes gazed painfully at her friend. "It hurts!"

Compassion glowed in chocolate orbs as they fastened on Ginny's face, "It's going to hurt a bunch. Hold on to Harry's hand and don't let go. Remember the breathing I taught you?"

The red head nodded as she wiped a trickle of sweat away from her cheek. Hermione summoned a damp cloth and carefully wiped the remainder of the perspiration from her friend's face. Groaning, Ginny gasped, "I'm sweating like some kind of farm animal." Chuckling the young doctor ordered, "Just take deep breaths."

Meanwhile Susan Bones had cast her patronus in three directions. One to the Burrow, one to Rosmerta's telling her to secure the glassware and one to Poppy Pomfrey explaining the situation. Hermione had met with the mediwitch and outlined all the steps needed to take when dealing with a magical birth involving a powerful witch and the effects of the incidental magic that was bound to be generated. There was no question in anyone's mind just how powerful Ginny Potter truly was.

As she was returning to the birthing chamber, she heard Hermione call out, "Susan seal the floo! I don't want anyone bringing infection into the clinic!"

There was a tone in Hermione's voice that brokered no discussion. Remembering the notes her boss had shared with her, she realized that Hermione was being pro-active and immediately sealed off the floo. She also locked the door to the clinic for good measure.

As Hermione settled Ginny into the birthing chair, she turned to Harry, "Send your Patronus to the Burrow and ask them to stay put for now."

Harry narrowed olive eyes at his friend, "Why?"

Grimly, chocolate eyes bore into his own as he answered, "George has been traipsing around Azkaban for the last few weeks. If he didn't take the precautions I told him about, then I have no doubt that he's brought the sickness home."

Hearing that Ginny gasped, "Oh my God!" She began to sit up.

Leaping to her side, Hermione growled, "What are you doing?"

"I have to get to mum!"

"No you don't, you have to birth your son!" Hermione screeched inadvertently telling the expectant parents the gender of their child. A gender they had decided to wait to discover.

Harry grinned, "A boy?" He gazed at his wife with all the love he felt for her shining in his olive coloured eyes.

Gritting her teeth as a contraction swept through her body, Ginny replied with glazed eyes, "I'm a Weasley. What did you expect?"

Harry frowned, "I thought the male determined the gender?"

"Shut up Harry!"

Molly was sitting at the dining room table working on another of Dawn's designs when Harry's stag appeared in the dining room stating that Ginny had gone into labour but they must stay away. Shaking her head, the Weasley matriarch muttered, "The hell I will!"

George barreled into the room screaming, "You cannot go to the clinic under any circumstances!"

"Why?"

Lowering his eyes, he whispered, "Because I may have brought this God awful disease here." He was holding a piece of parchment sent to him by Susan Bones explaining what must be done in order to halt the spread of the ailment.

Large blue eyes reflected fear and horror at George's statement. "What have you done?" A gasping whisper escaped Molly's trembling lips as those all seeing eyes clouded over with tears.

Running a hand through his shoulder length copper hued hair, the tall man quietly replied, "I didn't realize... Hermione told me to take precautions. She told me what to do, but I just thought that was a bunch of tosh." Wearily, he settled himself onto a kitchen chair letting out a long sigh in the process.

"What happens now?"

"We pray to Merlin that Hermione can find a cure."

"AHHHHHHHH!"

"Just breathe." Hermione instructed in a calm voice.

"You breathe dammit! This bloody hurts!" Ginny screeched as she focused hazy eyes on her husband, "You are never touching me again!"

Harry's eyes bugged as the pressure increased on the hand clasped by his wife, "Easy Gin... just do what Hermione says and take deep breaths." He winced as the pain increased with the build up of another contraction in his wife.

Hermione was focused on the tiny head she could see just emerging from Ginny's birth canal, "Ohhhh he's got a head full of black hair."

"Gave me frightful heartburn." Bitched Ginny as another wave of pain engulfed her, Gritting her teeth she growled, "Mum never told me it would hurt so much!" She looked down at her best friend who's eyes were riveted on the tiny head, "And having your face in my bits isn't helping!"

Hermione smirked as she looked up, "My face in your bits is just part of being a healer. Would you rather have Poppy Pomfrey's face in your bits?"

"Ewwwww!" Harry shook his head, the picture of that in his mind turning his face slightly green.

Hermione squeezed her friend's knee and stated, "Give me another good push. When I say... three... two... PUSH!"

Ginny took a deep breath and pushed with all her might, "AAAAAAIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!"

The ancient call of females giving birth the world over erupting from Ginny Potter's lips.

Harry shook his head a bit as his ears began ringing. He watched as Hermione pulled an earplug out of her left ear, then re-inserted it.

"Why didn't you give me earplugs?" He whined much to his wife's ire, An invisible hand slapped the back of his head, "OW!"

Ignoring her whiney friend, the young doctor instructed her patient, "The head is out. We're going for the shoulders next and this is really going to hurt!" The evil blue glare shot her way was ignored has the chestnut haired witch gently supported the baby's head. Focusing chocolate eyes on blazing blue, she ordered, "When you feel the next contraction starting, take a deep breath and focus on pushing him out."

Ginny nodded as a tear slipped down her cheek. She felt Harry wipe it away and looked into caring green eyes. Her husband smiled and said, "I love you Gin."

More tears fell as she replied, "I love you too."

The tender moment was interrupted as Ginny felt another wave of pain rip through her body. Vaguely she heard Hermione yelling, "PUSH!"

And push she did.

-to be continued

AN: Thanks for sticking with me y'all. It means a lot.