The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

Do You Want to Hold Her

Gideon Prewett had disapparated to St. Mungo's and hurried into the registration lobby. The line for the check-in desk was too long, and he decided to play his auror card - guilty as he felt about it as he passed by witches and wizards with maladies, he held up his badge at the witch at the counter and pushed his way past her, directly into the corridors of the hospital. He ran to the lift, but the thing was just closing, full up, and he looked about and then ran for the stairwell.

Sprinting like he'd never done before, Gideon Prewett was hurrying up those steps two or even three steps at a time, his heart pounding in his chest.

Who the bloody hell put the delivery ward at the very top, he didn't know - even the bleedin' waiting area and shops were below deliveries.

Six floors up.

He finally crested the top of the last landing, his breath coming in sharp, painful gasps, his lungs aching, a stitch in his side, and he pushed through the door into the delivery ward. People were rushing about, and a woman in a chair was pushed past, smiling and holding her child and Gideon felt a rush in his stomach as he pitched himself toward the nearest Mediwitch.

"Dorcas Meadows?" he asked, breathless. "My - my wife, she's here - she's - baby! I'm having a baby! She's going to be a father!"

The mediwitch laughed and pointed, "Just over that way dear. Third door."

Gideon suddenly found the energy to run again, and he was off, down the corridor where the witch had pointed, his eyes focused on the door she'd said - and he shoved his way into the room.

Dorcas was sobbing. "Please, no, make her stay in there until Gideon comes! Please!" but even as she sobbed, her contractions were too close to deny - the room was prepared, Lily Potter was there, wearing one of the medical gowns, standing beside Dorcas on one side, a mediwitch directing her lamaze breathing on the other. Dorcas was draped at the waist, her legs up in the stirrups, her face flushed deep reddish-purple as she cried and screamed - the mediwizard positioned between her knees, bent low, as she delivered the baby.

"We have a crown," the mediwizard announced.

Lily clutched her hand and whispered encouragements and drew the anxiety out of Dorcas as much as she could, taking it on herself. She found herself in tears, too, shaking as she held onto Dorcas and felt emotions that she could not explain, her hands shaking and body aching with an emptiness in her stomach that she'd never noticed before but knew she'd never be able to ignore again.

Gideon skid across the room, coming up beside the bed and nearly tumbling right onto it in his hurry. The mediwitchon that side saw him and smiled, "Dorcas, honey, Dorcas look who's made!" she hurriedly dropped Dorcas's hand into Gideon's and backed away, making room for him. He took Dorcas's hand in his and leaned over her as she opened her tear-filled eyes to focus on him.

"You made it!" she cried and her face showed so much relief and pain equally as she clutched onto his hand, their fingers laced together and she sobbed, "You made it, you made it!"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Gideon answered.

"Push!" the mediwizard directed.

And Dorcas let out a scream that shook the world at least as much as the giants' steps had done, Gideon's hand in hers, she took a deep breath and pushed.

Remus had no money, but he wandered around the gift shop just the same because he'd been sitting in the waiting room for well over an hour and heard nothing and he was anxious and getting bored and had to do something. Even if it was just walk to the end of the hall and wander in circles looking at shelves of knitted hippogriffs and houseelves, binkies, blankets, playing cards, snacks, balloons, flowers, and get-well-soon cards.