"Harry," I whisper while shaking his shoulder, trying to jostle him awake. He groans, but doesn't move, so I call his name closer to his ear this time and he turns his head to face me.
"What?" he asks groggily, some of his curls falling over his forehead.
Just as I'm about to answer him, a sharp, sudden pain courses through my abdomen and I wince. Harry must see the pain in my face because his eyebrows knit together in concern as a frown forms on his face.
"What's wrong?" he asks, sitting up suddenly and putting a hand over my stomach. "Is it the baby?"
"Yeah," I say, scrunching my face up in pain as another flash of pain passes through me. "I think it's time."
"Oh... oh. Oh, God," Harry says, his eyes wide as he runs a nervous hand through his hair. "Okay... okay."
Harry throws the covers off of him and runs into the closet, grabbing a bag on the way. From what I can see, Harry's frantically looking around the closet. He looks back and forth between the shelves, tugging on his hair.
"Babe, what do I pack?" Harry asks from the closet, not bothering to hide the panic behind his voice.
"Harry, you don't need to pack anything. Why are you packing a bag anyway?"
"I don't know," he says, walking back into the bedroom. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? I mean, it's in all the movies."
"Harry," I say, my face tensing as another sharp pain radiates from my stomach. "This isn't a movie. This is real life, and your child is not going to wait for you to pack a bag."
"Right, sorry," Harry mumbles, rushing over to help me out of bed. I grip my stomach as another contraction begins. "Do you want me to carry you?" Harry asks, when he sees the discomfort on my face.
"No, I'm fine, just hurry."
Harry walks me to the car at a slightly faster pace and helps me into the passenger seat before jogging his way to the other side. Harry uses a shaking hand to put the key into the ignition and starts the car, taking off quickly down the street.
"Harry, slow down," I say when I see him accelerate to fifty as we pass a speed limit sign that reads thirty-five. "We don't need to get a ticket."
"Relax, babe," Harry says, his face calm, but his voice defying him. "They won't give us a ticket if they see you're in labor."
"Maybe not right away... but it doesn't mean they won't."
"Relax," Harry says again, removing one of his hands from the steering wheel to grip my hand. "We're almost there. All you need to do is relax."
I let out a sigh and lean my head back against the seat. I take a few deep breaths as another contraction passes through me, trying to keep my face neutral so I don't worry Harry, but it's extremely difficult not to contort my face at the excruciating pain radiating from my uterus.
"Almost there, babe," Harry reassures me, gripping my hand a little tighter.
Less than a minute later, Harry parks the car and takes the key out of the ignition. He helps me out of the car and into the hospital's waiting room.
"Wait here," Harry says, helping me sit down in an empty chair. "I'll be right back."
Harry walks through the relatively empty waiting area and over to the reception desk. There's only a few other people sitting in the large room, and all of them are watching a frantic Harry.
"How can I help you, sir?" the receptionist asks when she notices a fidgeting Harry standing in front of her.
"My wife... s-she's in labor."
The receptionist looks over Harry's shoulder at me, her face unchanging, obviously used to nervous first-time fathers. "How far apart are the contractions?"
"One minute."
"Okay," she says, waving over another nurse who brings over a wheelchair to me and wheels me down a hallway full of rooms.
"What are you having?" she ask me.
"A girl," I reply, wincing once again as another contraction passes.
"Your first?"
"Yeah... how'd you know?"
"The first-time fathers are always the ones who panic the most," she says with a slight laugh. "But they also make the best fathers because they care so much."
I smile for a moment, because she's probably right. Even though Harry's a nervous wreck, I know that he's going to make a great father. The momentary joy is short-lived as yet another contraction hits.
"Don't worry, we'll get you an epidural," she says calmly, wheeling me into a room at the end of the hallway.
"Thanks," I say as she helps me onto the bed.
Once the nurse leaves, Harry enters the room seconds later, looking even more nervous than before.
"You alright?" I ask, looking at him with concerned eyes.
"Yeah, it's just..." He pauses to run a hand through his hair. "I'm going to be a dad," he says softly, a bright smile forming on his face, causing two dimples to appear in his cheeks.
"And you're going to be a great one," I say with an easy smile, reaching my hand out to cup his cheek and run my thumb along his cheekbone. Harry turns his head slightly and places a kiss to my palm.
-
I stare over at Harry as he holds our newborn baby girl in his arms, wearing the widest grin on his face, like he's staring down at his entire world. I don't even try to stop the smile that forms on my face at the sight, thinking I could watch this moment forever.
"Hello, little one. Welcome to the world," he murmurs, placing a gentle kiss to her head.
Harry glances up, locking eyes with mine, and I notice his eyes are slightly red.
"What's wrong?" I ask, and he only shakes his head and looks back down to the sleeping baby cradled in his arms.
"Nothing, I'm just... happy."
"Me too," I say, sighing happily.
"She looks just like you," Harry muses, gently rocking her back and forth.
I hum thoughtfully. "Maybe. But she'll definitely have your hair," I say and Harry just smiles in response.
"I can't believe I'm a dad now," he says, standing up carefully so he doesn't wake the baby. He leans down to place a kiss to my lips and then to my forehead before saying, "I love you both, so much."
