Birth-done

Astor screamed in pain his hands gripping the bed post. Draco rubbed Astors belly, he pressed his own belly into Astors back. “You can do it. I know you can..” he reassured.

“It’s only a bloody contraction” Astor swore.

“I know, and you handle them so well” Draco offered. Astor shot him a piercing look. “Perhaps that’s unhelpful.”

“You think?” Astor said groaning.

“Let’s get you to bed” Draco suggested.

“Draco” Astor said eyes tearing up. “It’s too soon. I’m three weeks off my due date” he groaned.

“I know but” Draco paused and saw the fear in Astors eyes. “St Mungo’s then” he decided.

“If I get Lyndon and Reggie up, will you be okay for a few minutes” Draco checked.

Astor bit his lip nodding, trying to bite through his pain.

0o0o0

Draco rushed through the fireplace into St Mungo’s Foyer. One very tired toddler in his arms sucking his thump while Reggie was yawning in his pyjamas and slippers. As Astor gripped Draco’s other arm tightly.

They moved quickly to the reception desk, “How can I direct you” She asked in a nasally voice.

“My husband is pregnant, he’s not due yet but we think something is wrong.“

“St-Mungo’s doesn’t have a midwifery, perhaps you could contact one from home” She said in a sarcastic tone.

“It’s 2am” Draco said eyes narrowing. “We would like to see a qualified Healer, that can’t be that difficult given the amount of money my family has given to this hospital over the years?” Draco said glaring.

The receptionist blanched, “Let me just ask the supervising Healer.”

“If you could” Draco said with a polite but firm smile.

“Take a seat” She gestured to the waiting area.

A healer arrived with a wheelchair moments later, Draco helped Astor into the chair. The healer who was white with dark hair, hairy with a bit of gut. “Thank you for coming, I’m Healer Adamos. The baby needs to come out now” he said firmly.

Draco felt sick. “Is there somewhere I can make a couple of fire calls” he asked nervously.

“There’s a waiting room upstairs”

Astor was wheeled upstairs, Draco waddling after him. Fear starting to take a hold of him.

What if he lost Astor? What would he do then…

0o0o0

The light flicked on in the dormitory, there was an audible groan from the five boys. Beds creaking pillows moving to cover their faces like Vampires in daylight.

“Sir? What the hell” Groaned Cyrus Flint.

“Sorry boys. Scorpius, you need to get dressed and come with me” Professor name insisted. His large belly filling the doorway, lumbering slowly into the room.

Scorpius yawned and sat up climbing out of bed and slowly moving to his trunk. Albus reached over and sleepily squeezed Scorpius ass. Scorpius smiled as he realised Albus was still half asleep.

“I’ll meet you in the common room. Quick as you can please” The Professor commented wheezing as he waddled out.

Scorpius stretched, yawned and began to get dressed. He wandered out to the common room, where Professor name was waiting.

“What’s going on?” Augustus yawned as he slowly trudged in. Cepheus following behind, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Your Mum has been admitted to St-Mungo’s. Your father asked for you all” Professor said honestly.

“Is that all?” Augustus groaned. “Mums giving birth. Yeah I’m going back to bed, wake me when I have another sibling” he yawned.

“Dude” Cepheus said elbowing him.

“St Mungo’s doesn’t have a maternity ward. Or a paternity ward for that matter, something must be serious” Scorpius said uncertain.

“Quite. Let’s get a move on” Professor encouraged.

“What. Is mum going to die or something?” Augustus said shaking his head and then caught Cepheus and Scorpius expressions. The fear in their eyes. “That’s not. No..Mum won’t..” Augustus insisted although didn’t sound as reassuring. “He won’t.”

They were lead through the silent corridors of Hogwarts the only sound their footsteps echoing and the occasional ghost straying across their path. The staircase to the Headmistress office was already unwound as the three boys headed up. A nervous silence falling over them.

Cassie and Hercules were waiting for them, Professor Longbottom sipping a cup of tea. Professor Mcgonagall at her desk in a nightgown.

“Hey” Scorpius smiled nervously. Cassie hugged him tightly, her round body pushing against him. “Mum will be okay right?”

“I don’t know” Scorpius said wishing he could be more reassuring.

“Best you all get a move on” Professor Mcgonagall encouraged opening an urn of floo powder.

Each sibling took a handful and was ushered into a belch of green flames.

Hercules the last to use the floo landed with a thump on the tiled reception of St-Mungo’s. Scorpius was already over at the reception desk. Hercules tried to heave himself up, puffing as he struggled with his heavy body, his gut weighing him down. He tried to propel himself

He looked up and saw Cassie offering her plump hand. He gripped it and she pulled. Hercules managed to steady his feet as he got up puffing out of breath. “Thanks” Hercules wheezed.

“It took me a minute to get up and those two just watched” Cassie commented shooting them a look.

“What you need the exercise” Augustus grinned. “Your both in the fattest house at Hogwarts.”

“Second floor? Terrific thank you” Scorpius nodded. “Come on!” Scorpius said striding toward the elevators and realised he wasn’t being followed. “Ahem…” he gestured to the lifts.

It wasn’t long before the five were squeezed into the lift. That slowly rose up two floors. The doors opened and they spilled out into the corridor. Scorpius noticed the sign on the wall, ‘reception desk’ sign pointed that way, while other signs pointed to various departments on this floor.

Scorpius made a b-line for the nurses station. The tired looking nurses directed him to the surgical wing. Scorpius hurried determinedly leading the quintet. Hercules waddled behind all his siblings, watching them charge ahead determinedly.

He couldn’t stop thinking about that terrifying thought, what if Mum died. What if he was already gone.

Hercules spotted his littlest siblings sitting on a bench. Reggie was swinging his legs back and forth, a picture book on his lap and a chocolate bar in his mouth. Typical Dad distraction technique.

Lyndon was curled up in what Hercules guessed was Dads jacket.

Lyndon sat down in the empty spot between them, he offered an arm to Reggie who cuddled up to him. “Is Mum okay?” He whispered.

“Dad said Mum not be okay. Or the baby might not come. So we have to be brave” Reggie explained, there was a determined attitude, like he was trying to be strong. But didn’t quite know how to protect himself.

“Well” Hercules began wanting to offer words of comfort. when the truth was he didn’t know anymore than Reggie did. “We’ll all have to be brave together then.”

“But you’ll go away again?” Reggie replied.

Hercules winced, that felt like a kick in the stomach. Reggie wasn’t exactly wrong, they hardly visited during the school year. He hadn’t even gone home for Christmas during first year.

Lyndon stirred in the coat and Reggie started rubbing his tummy like Mum would when he had a stomach ache.

“There you all are” Draco said with a smile, he looked exhausted. Scorpius, Augustus, Cassie and Cepheus barraged him with questions.

Draco didn’t answer and hugged them tightly. “Your Mum is in surgery. We won’t know anything until the healers tell us” Draco explained. “But I want you all here.”

“Does Grandma and Grandad know?” Scorpius asked.

“They were asleep” Draco admitted.

“Did you send a Patronous?” Scorpius suggested.

“I was never any good at them” Draco murmured quietly. He caught the eye of Hercules, “Always the quiet one, where’s my hug” Draco said as he embraced him tightly.

Hercules hugged his Dads big heavy belly. Pressing his face into its warmth. “Mum will be okay right?”

“I don’t know. I hope so. I really hope so” Draco said rubbing Hercules head.

And so the waiting began. The quiet mournful silence, Cepheus was the first to wander off. Disappearing upstairs and returning with two chocolate muffins, a coffee and six chocolate blocks.

“You gonna share that?” Augustus said raising an eyebrow.

“No” Cepheus replied. Taking a sip of his coffee and biting of a chunk of the block of chocolate.

“Da..”

“It’s fine” Draco said calmly. “If your hungry there’s a cafe on the sixth floor.”

“I’m good” Augustus muttered crossing his arm. Eyeing Cepheus suspiciously as he shoved a muffin into his mouth.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, “typical. Hercules? Cassie? Wanna get some food?” He suggested.

“Yeah okay” Hercules answered quietly.

Scorpius and Cassie got up looking across at Reggie, who shook his head and yawned.

When they all returned paper bags of jam donuts and hot chocolates. Hercules handed one to Dad and one to Reggie.

“I’m not Hungry, here Cepheus you can have mine” Draco offered handing him the paper bag. Cepheus bit into the Jam donut quickly. But all Hercules could notice was how Dad was watching Cepheus eat another Jam donut.

A door marked staff only opened and a healer in long pale blue robes. And a mask over his mouth approached the group. “Malfoys?” He asked confirming.

“Yes” Draco said getting up so quickly Hercules thought Dad might topple over.

“Astor has got out of surgery. Both he and the baby is fine” The healer reassured.

Draco audibly sighed in relief, “Oh thank Merlin.”

The healer looked over at the seven children sitting around. “Oh. You have a lot of children.”

“Yes I do” Draco said with a wry smile. He walked close to the healer, “What happened?”

“The baby was born premature, he’s on the smaller side. So we’ve rounded up an incubator from a muggle hospital and set it up. So it’ll be a longer stay until we think it’s safe for the baby to go home.”

“Thankyou. I know St Mungo’s doesn’t deal with pregnancy” Draco admitted.

“We will in emergency’s” The healer reassured.

“When can we go see Mum?” Scorpius asked worried.

“Soon. He’s being transferred to a room now” The healer smiled.

“Thankyou, Healer?” Draco asked uncertain.

“Martinez” He smiled with a nod. “And it’s my job.”

0o0o0

Ten minutes later Draco followed the healer down the corridor. Leaving Hercules and his siblings alone.

“So do you think they had a boy or a girl?” Augustus asked.

“You know that doesn’t matter, Mum and Dad let us decide for ourselves” Cassie huffed. “We’re very lucky you know.”

“Yeah, yeah” Augustus said rolling his eyes. “But none of us are trans” he looked over at Lyndon. “Yet..”

“Stop it” Scorpius growled. “Cassie is right. It doesn’t matter, and Lyndon is a toddler, Mum and Dad are letting him figure out how he chooses to be.”

“Nah. They call him boy all the time” Reggie commented.

“What?” Everyone looked over at Reggie.

“Mum calls him baby boy…”

“Hah” Augustus grinned. “Sooo I ask again.”

“A boy. I’m not holding my breath over having another girl” Cassie commented.

“I’m going to ask Mum why they started referring to his gender” Scorpius commented quietly.

“They probably got..mhmm. Lazy” Cepheus said polishing off a chocolate bar and licking his fingers.

“You okay there?” Hercules said raising an eyebrow at his brother who’d been eating greedily for a while now.

“Peachy” Cepheus said chocolate being mashed in his mouth.

Everyone grimaced, “gross” Augustus sniggered.

Scorpius shook his head, “I’m still going to ask.”

Hercules reached over and gently patted Lyndon. “Lyndon, we’re gonna see the new baby?” He coaxed.

The toddler yawned, unhappy about his sleep being cut short. Started to whine, Hercules heaved him into his lap, holding him against his gut. “I know. You can sleep soon” He reassured.

“I can take him” Cassie offered.

“I’ve got him. He’s just grumpy, I don’t blame him” Hercules smiled.

The healer appeared again, “follow me” he instructed.

They all got up out of the chairs. Hercules carrying Lyndon as they followed the Healer as he led them down a corridor. Eventually they were led through an open door, Astor was in bed covered over his belly by a blanket. Draco was by his side rubbing Astors shoulders, quietly weeping.

“Why in Merlin’s name are all our children here. Oh you know what I’m so high on whatever they gave me I don’t even care” Astor smiled looking back at Draco. “You big fat softie. I missed your big pillow belly. Nothing like giving birth next to you” Astor said.

“Quite. Perhaps less detail, you will traumatise the children” Draco said going red.

“Pft. They’ll cope” Astor smiled.

“Dad, where’s the baby?” Cassie asked gently.

“Being tended to by the healers” Draco reassured.

“He’s not done yet. They have to bake him a little longer” Astor grinned.

Reggie gasped horrified.

“Mum was joking” Cepheus said rolling his eyes.

“Mumma” Lyndon said pointing. As he gripped onto one of Hercules fat rolls.

“Come here. I want to cuddle my little baby boy” Astor said. Hercules waddled over and Lyndon practically jumped into Astors arms.

Although Hercules grabbed him first, “gentle” He whispered. Hercules put him on the bed and Lyndon was pulled into a cuddle by Astor.

“Gentle I have a giant scar on my fat tummy now” Astor told Hercules. “But I’m okay now. Not that I recommend it”

“Dad how come your not raising Lyndon gender free” Scorpius frowned. He ignored the rolled eyes he received from his siblings.

“Because we’re old and lazy, and we realised after having Reggie after a gap, that it didn’t matter as long as we’re supportive. So you have a baby brother, although if I chooses to identify differently we’ll love him either way” Astor smiled.

“Although the photos of you boys in your dresses is so cute. Did we keep those.”

“We did” Draco grinned.

“You loved the lace. Do you remember how we had to be careful with Herkie and dresses because he loved them and would take of his nappy and walk around without pants” Astor grinned.

“I do” Draco chuckled.

Hercules looked horrified. “I did that?”

“I can see it” Cassie commented wryly.

“Have you decided a name?” Reggie asked.

“We have” Draco smiled. “Perseus Septimus Malfoy”

There was a series of groans. “Couldn’t you pick something normal” Augustus declared.

“His family are traditionalists, and anyway if we gave him a normal name you’d all be resentful” Astor answered.

“Now I want hugs, and then I want you to go back to school” Astor said shooting a look at Draco.

“Not leaving until we see the baby” Cepheus answered in pain, as his trousers popped open.

Draco raised an eyebrow, “Well. We can’t make any promises. But perhaps we’ll send you back to the manor to have some sleep before going back to school?” Draco suggested.

“We have a Malfoy baby” a nurse said bringing him in. He needs to stay in this for now. In a Perspex box lay a small red baby eyes tightly shut.

“Woah. He’s tiny, are we sure he’s Dad’s?” Augustus grinned.

“He was born premature. Of course he’s small” Draco smiled approaching. “Glad you made it. I was getting worried” Draco smiled. “Couldn’t loose you and your Mum.”

“If you want to touch him, you need to use these gloves.” the nurse explained.

“Of course” Draco said putting his hands through the gloves and stroking the infants head. “Little Perseus. Fighting bravely before you even arrived” Draco smiled. “Come have a look, this is your baby brother.”