Put Your Curse In Reverse [Part 2]

Chapter 14 - Epilogue

"Are you having the baby right now, Nora?!" Albus asked.

"Hello," Scorpius greeted with a smile. Harry smiled back at him. Evvie reached over and gently patted his shoulder in greeting.

"Merlin, I wish," Nora told Albus. She reached up and took his offered hand. "The pain's ungodly and it's been going on for ages. James—why'd you stop reading?"

Nora looked back at James. James gave his head a small shake.

"Sorry, just having a difficult time focusing," James admitted. He grabbed a book that'd fallen between his hip and the chair. He lifted it up and took a deep breath. "Okay. Focusing. Transfiguration. Revising. Exams..." James trailed off, losing his focus once more. "Nope. Sorry, no. I only care about you and the baby right now." He carelessly dropped the school book to the floor; Dean inhaled sharply, leading Scorpius to believe the book had landed on Nora's father's toe. James set his hands on either side of Nora's stomach and grinned like an idiot, his eyes actually twinkling. He leaned over and whispered to her stomach: "Almost time, Baby Bear!"

"When do you think you'll have her?" Albus asked.

"Dunno—I need to have her right now. James and I have our Transfiguration N.E.W.T. in the morning! Evvie, do you love me?"

Nora turned and gave Evvie wide, pleading eyes. Evvie squinted hers in response.

"Whenever somebody asks me that question, it usually leads to an annoying and sometimes morally objectionable request."

"But do you?"

"You know I do...why?"

"Will you get me a coffee?"

"Another?" Evvie arched her left eyebrow. "Is that...medically advisable?"

"I don't know about that, Nora," Dean said quickly. "Water would be better."

"Water won't give me the energy to push a seven pound baby from my birth canal...please?"

"Eugh," Albus said. "Please don't ever say 'birth canal' ever again..."

"I'll get you a coffee," James offered. He leaned forward and kissed the side of her face. "Your usual? Cream, sugar, cinnamon?"

Nora reached down and wrapped her arms around her own stomach, trapping James's hands in place. "No, I don't want you to go anywhere."

"I really don't think another coffee is a good idea," Dean persisted. "Don't get her one, James."

"But...if she feels like it'll make her feel better, why can't she have one?" James demanded.

"Ginny would get me a coffee!" Nora added.

"Well, Ginny's not here!" Dean said. "And despite what she may sometimes believe, she is not a midwife or a Healer!"

"Okay," Evvie interjected firmly. "Everybody calm down. I'm going to go Floo Victoire. If she says it's okay, I'll bring back a coffee."

"Good thinking," Ben appreciated.

"Oh, could you bring your Transfiguration notes, too?" Nora asked.

"The color coded ones or the chronological ones?"

"Color coded."

Evvie nodded and headed towards the door. Dean heaved a loud sigh. His brow was furrowed with worry.

"I don't think you should even be thinking about revising, either," Dean told Nora, his voice tense. "You need to relax. You can sit for your Transfiguration make up exam. We all figured you would have to miss a few exams, anyway."