A/N: Well, surprise! In honor of our beloved James Potter's birthday, I've decided to post the one-shots I've written here on wattpad too. Aside from this, I have two more completed extras I will post tomorrow and the day after. I do have a bunch of WIPs for this universe, so if I've finished them, I'll upload it here too.
And wow, I can't believe this fanfic is gaining more and more readers (and commenters) every day! I love you all so much and thank you for your unending love and support. Enjoy! I hope you all are staying happy and safe ❤️
_____
Summary: She was the brightest star in his eyes.
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Characters: Hermione Granger (Pettigrew/Potter), James Potter, Harry Potter, Pokey, Mary McDonald
_____
1.
this brilliant light is brighter than we've known
(You Are Enough by Sleeping at Last)
_____
February 10, 1983
James frowned when he walked out of their bathroom. Hermione was still lying on their bed. The comforter was drawn up to her chin, effectively burying almost all of herself underneath it. The only thing James could see was her riotous curls.
"Hermione?" he called, already walking towards their dresser to pull out his office clothes for the day. "Why aren't you up yet? I thought you said Professor Hypatia asked you to go to Hogwarts to sit in with her Arithmancy class today?"
Hermione slowly peeked her head out from under their comforter and grimaced. "I'm not feeling well," she simply said. "I already owled her to ask if I can do it some other time."
James' frown deepened. "What?" he worriedly asked, hastily throwing a plain shirt and a clean pair of trousers on before sauntering towards their bed. Up close, he saw how her cheeks were flushed red and there were already beads of sweat clinging onto the strands of hair stuck to her forehead.
He reached forward and touched her forehead. His eyes grew wide at noting that she was too warm to touch. He quickly grabbed onto his wand and made a series of simple wand movements. A small number projected upwards on the tip of his wand, stating that Hermione was running a fever.
"Bollocks," Hermione groaned as she tried to haul herself up. She propped against their headboard and grimaced. "Molly warned me I shouldn't drop by the Burrow yesterday because the twins were running a fever, but I still went anyway."
James looked down at Hermione disapprovingly. "You should have listened to Molly," he admonished, reaching forward once more to rest a hand on her swollen belly.
Hermione weakly smiled. "I told her in passing this second pregnancy was a bit more difficult than when I was carrying Harry," she explained. "Molly offered to give some potions to help."
She laughed and held his hand, noting the worry in his eyes. "I'm fine, love," she reassured. "It's nothing intolerable. I just need a few help to make me feel a bit better." Her eyes glinted as her hand rested on top of her belly. "I can already predict this little one will be a bigger handful than our Harry."
"Still," he insisted, "I think having a fever while you're six months pregnant isn't normal." He waved his wand and muttered a soft 'Accio parchment and quill'.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to owl Moody and tell him I can't go into work today," he explained.
"You don't have to do that," Hermione protested. "I can just owl Mum and—"
James cut her off with a sigh. "Let me take care of you today, Hermione," he said. "Besides, I think this is a perfect opportunity to ditch work." He gave her a wide grin when Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm sure Moody wouldn't like it if Anya got mad at him for refusing to give me a day off to take care of you."
"Moody wouldn't care what my mother thinks," she grumbled.
"Please, Hermione, that man's besotted," he snorted whilst he scribbled his letter on the parchment.
"It's so weird Mum's dating Moody," she pointed out, shifting back onto the bed to bury herself underneath their comforter.
James laughed and pulled the comforter up to her chin. "If it's weird for you, imagine how Wormtail feels," he said.
"You're still invited to our first-ever dinner with Moody next week, you know."
"Pass," he said with a grimace. "Although it would be mighty fun to watch Peter squirm, I'd rather not casually have dinner with my boss outside of work."
"I'm sure he isn't all bad," she said. "I mean, Mum likes him. As in really, really likes him. I've never seen her happy like that before. Even when she was with Dad or when she dated her boring ex."
James made another face. "It still beats me what she sees in him," he said, summoning another spare piece of parchment. "I'm going to write to Mary too so that she can drop by and check up on you." James placed a kiss on her burning forehead and said, "Rest for now, love. I'll bring you some soup later."
Hermione hummed her thanks, her eyes already fluttering close.
-ooo-
When James came back to their bedroom after sending out the letters, three-year-old Harry was in tow.
"Listen, mate, your Mum is not feeling well," he seriously told the tiny tot, who was adorably hugging his stag stuffed toy to his chest. Snowball was playfully darting around Harry's legs as she tried to grab onto the stag's tail, but Harry kept on incessantly pulling it away. "Both of us must stay very, very quiet so as not to disturb your mother, okay?"
"Okay," Harry said, his bottom lip protruding in worry.
James grinned and mussed up his messy hair. "Good lad," he complimented. "Now, come on."
Harry's small hand then clutched James' as his father led him into their bedroom.
Hermione was still buried under their comforter, her curls a messy halo around her head. Her blue eyes blinked open when their door creaked open, a small, sleepy smile stretching on her face upon seeing her family. "Hello," she said as she slowly sat up and leaned against their headboard.
"You okay, Mama?" Harry worriedly asked. The little boy tried to wriggle away from James' grasp, but his father's hold on him tightened to keep him in place.
"I'm okay, love," she reassured just to appease their worried son. Up close, however, James noted she looked worse than this morning. "I'm just not feeling well today." Her gaze shifted towards James, her smile now turning into a small frown. "I don't think Harry should be here. He might get sick too."
"I've owled the Snapes," James assured. "Lily's going to look after Harry today, anyway. I asked if she could take in Harry for the night."
Harry tugged his hand, prompting James to look down at him. "I don't want to go," he softly said.
James and Hermione exchanged an amused glance. "Well, too bad but you have to go, mate," his father said with a sigh, bending down to pick Harry up into his arms. "I have to take care of your mother for today and we don't want you to get sick too."
"But I want to take care of Mama too," Harry protested, tears now welling up in his eyes as he tried to reach for Hermione.
"Oh sweetheart," Hermione said with a fond smile, "I'd rather you don't get sick because of me. Your Aunt Lily will take care of you today. Besides, I thought you said you wanted to see Iris again and play with her?"
"But Uncle Sev is always grumpy," he grumbled.
James boisterously laughed and shifted Harry in his arms. "That's just the way he is, Harry," he explained. "I'm going to give you permission to stomp on his feet if he's being annoying."
"James!"
"Right, of course, that was a joke, love," James told Hermione while he threw a secret wink at his son. "Don't listen to me, Harry. That is a bad thing to do."
By that time, the door had creaked open once more and in came a primly dressed Pokey, who was currently balancing a tray of soup and a warm cup of water. "Is Mistress Hermione all right?" the small house-elf asked, pushing James out of the way so she could reach Hermione. "Pokey heard from Master James that Mistress Hermione isn't feeling well."
"I'm fine," she reassured, smiling in amusement as Pokey fussed over their bed by trying to make her pillows fluffier and smoothing out the creases in the comforter. "You didn't have to come over."
"I asked her to take Harry to the Snapes," James said, bending down once more to place Harry back onto his feet. "Thank you, Pokey. You've been a great help."
To their utmost surprise, Pokey turned to James and swatted his arm. "Why isn't Master James taking proper care of the Mistress of the House?" she shrilly cried.
"Merlin and Morgana, Pokey, calm down!" James sputtered, too dumbfounded that his house-elf had hit him. "She's just running a fever."
"While carrying another Potter!" Pokey bemoaned. Big, fat tears welled up in her tennis-ball eyes as she started to sob loudly with her face hidden behind her hands. "Oh, Mistress, forgive Pokey. It is Pokey's fault Master James isn't taking proper care of Mistress Hermione!"
"I am taking care of Hermione," James whined amidst Hermione's soft chuckles. "Why do I feel like you love Hermione more than me now?"
Pokey harrumphed and stomped towards Harry. "Come, Master Harry," she said, grasping onto Harry's hand. "Pokey must teach you how to take care of the future Mistress of the House."
"Merlin, Pokey, Harry's three!" James cried.
"Better to start them early, Master James," she sternly said. She then paused and craned her neck to look at Hermione again. "Pokey wishes Mistress Hermione to get better soon."
"Thank you, Pokey," she kindly said, eyes twinkling in amusement when James lightly scowled.
Before Pokey could pull him out of the bedroom, Harry dug his heels into the carpeted floor. He broke free from Pokey's grasp and toddled closer to his mother. Harry placed a kiss on top of his stag's head and extended it to Hermione. "He'll take care of you while I'm gone, Mama," Harry seriously said.
Hermione's smile turned warm. "Thank you, love," she said, grasping his toy and hugging it close to her chest. "Do have fun with the Snapes today. If Uncle Sev's being a sourpuss again, tell him I will send him a Bat-Bogey Hex when we see each other."
"Hermione!" James mockingly gasped, although his lips were stretched far and wide in amusement. At the same time, Harry mouthed the hex under his breath, as if really trying to burn the spell into his memory.
"Come, Master Harry," Pokey said, reaching for Harry again. They both bid their goodbyes and left the two adults alone.
As soon as Harry was gone, Hermione grimaced and slumped back onto the bed. James was instantly by her side and touching her forehead. "You're warmer than this morning," he pointed out with a frown.
"I feel worse," she grumbled, burying herself deeper under the comforter. "And very cold."
James waved his wand to give her a Warming Charm. Hermione smiled in gratitude.
"Sip some soup first, love," James urged, but Hermione's eyes were already fluttering close.
"Just a few more minutes," she sighed. Her hand shot out from the blanket and held onto James' hand. She then placed his hand against her cheek and expelled another sigh. "Please stay. You're warm."
His eyes turned fond as he fixed the blanket up to her chin. "All right," he said.
-ooo-
Mary came over that night after her shift and proceeded to kick James out of their bedroom.
"I don't want any hovering over my shoulder while I do my series of check-ups," she explained when James protested. She gave him a reassuring smile and patted his arm. "Don't worry. I'll be quick."
"Fine," he sighed in defeat.
"Be a dear James and prepare me some tea instead," she said. "It's been a really long day for me."
"I'm sorry for bothering you, Mary."
The Healer waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, bollocks," she said with a grin. "I'm glad you called me immediately. It's a bit worrisome when pregnant women get sick so I'd rather Hermione gets checked up immediately."
"Will she be all right?" he worriedly asked.
"We'll know soon," she reassured. "Go on. Prepare some tea."
By the time James returned, balancing a tray with a teapot and some teacups, their bedroom door was ajar. "May I come in now?" he asked.
Mary yanked the door wider and came into view, a small smile on her face. "Yes, come in," she said.
James sauntered inside, his eyes instantly latching onto his wife who was once again propped against their headboard. Hermione was sipping a potion when her eyes connected with his.
"So?" the bespectacled wizard asked, watching as Mary proceeded to help herself to some tea.
"Oh, Hermione will be fine," the Healer reassured. "It's nothing serious. Just simple flu. We just have to keep her temperature down and she'll be back to normal."
"And our baby?"
"She's going to be fine," Mary continued, unable to see the panicked glance Hermione had shot at her back. Her back was also turned from James, and thus, she was unable to see how he stiffened at her claim. "Your little girl will be out and about in no time."
The Healer flinched in surprise and swivelled around to look at James, when said wizard's grip slackened and his wand clattered to the floor. Mary's eyebrows knitted in confusion, before realisation dawned, her eyes now growing wide. "Oh!" she cried, shifting her gaze towards an amused Hermione. "Oh, he doesn't know yet?"
The brunette shook her head. "It was supposed to be a surprise," she said with a laugh. Her eyes then landed on her frozen husband, her lips stretching into a huge grin. "Err... surprise."
James was instantly beside her, pulling her into a tight hug. "A girl!" he exclaimed, his eyes turning starry as he glanced at her swollen belly.
"I knew you'd be over the moon," she chuckled, placing a kiss on his cheek.
_____
May 7, 1983
"Mary—"
"No, James."
"Why can't I be inside?" he cried. "Is it because I'm a man? And I can't tolerate watching childbirth? Mary, listen—"
But the Healer cut him off with a loud snort. "James, please, don't be ridiculous," she said, already pushing James aside so she could enter their bedroom. "I know you and Hermione have reasons why you want her labour to happen in your home. Many Wizarding families actually opt to do that instead of venturing to St. Mungo's. Did you know the maternity ward is the most recently established section in the hospital? I mean really recent. Ancient, wrinkly wizards thought they shouldn't bother building one because, as I said, witches opted to do their childbirth at home. Loads of codswallop, if you ask me. Terribly sexist too because they thought childbirth shouldn't be done in the hospital. Merlin, you should have been there when they were lecturing us about assisting the births of witches. I was about to explode from the ridiculousness of it all."
"Mary," James exclaimed in exasperation.
Mary's cheeks bloomed red as a sheepish smile grew on her face. "Right," she continued, "the point is, I want to make the room as sterile as possible. Meaning, no unnecessary people hovering around, undoubtedly bringing in horrible contamination that may put the mother and child at risk. Besides, you'll just get in the way and I don't need a panicky husband demanding me to do my job properly, which mind you, I've trained in for years, especially if an emergency arises." When James visibly paled, she hastily added, "Which won't happen at all if I don't get distracted from my job."
The Healer made a series of complicated spells towards herself while motioning with her other hand for James to back a few steps away from her. She then crossed the threshold of their bedroom, where Hermione was already waiting for Mary's assistance and held up a hand when James tried to follow.
"I've already made myself sterile enough and you are not," she said. "You're not allowed beyond this point until I've safely delivered your daughter."
"Mary," he pleaded, "please. Let me stay beside Hermione. I promise I'll be a good man and not get in your way. It's just that—" James worriedly darted a glance over Mary's shoulder and caught a glimpse of Hermione's curly hair. "This pregnancy is more difficult than her first. Hermione often gotten sick. You said this pregnancy is riskier too. If something happens I just want..." James puffed out a breath, his hazel eyes colouring with worry. "I just want to be beside my wife."
The Healer looked contemplative for a moment before she finally expelled a humongous sigh. "Merlin Almighty, I can't believe I'm breaching protocol," she said, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
Despite his worry, James gave her a weak, lopsided smile. "I'm a Marauder, Mary," he said. "You know I like breaking protocols."
"Fine, Godric," she exclaimed, now pointing her wand at James.
"What are you—"
"Just stay put, Potter, and let me do my job."
James' eyes widened, surprised that the normally sweet Mary really turned terrifying when she was wearing her lime green robes. He stiffened when Mary made a series of complicated wand movements directed at James, and by the time she was finished, the bespectacled wizard actually felt clean.
Mary then summoned spare lime green robes and offered them to James. "Wear this," she ordered.
He glanced at his own Auror robes and blinked. "I'm good," he haltingly said.
She rolled her eyes and pressed the robes into his hands. "Healer robes are designed with the most advanced magic to be impenetrable to contamination. I've already made a series of spells to make you sterile, but I don't trust you enough that you won't touch any filthy things lying around."
"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence," he sarcastically quipped.
"Just wear it, James," she insisted. James was about to quip another snarky remark but was reduced to silence when Hermione released a pained cry from inside. "Come on. Wear this now. Hermione's about to go into labour."
The wizard hastily shrugged his Auror robes off and wore Mary's spare Healer robes. It instantly lengthened to fit his height and build, and James briefly wondered what other secret spells Healer robes had. He was soon distracted when Hermione made another soft cry, propelling him forward until he was standing beside his wife.
"James?" she asked, eyes squinting a bit because of pain. "What are you doing here?"
"He begged to stay," Mary sighed, her eyes melting in understanding as she gazed at the worried wizard. "No, wait!"
James flinched, his fingers a few inches away from Hermione's hand, and paused. "What?"
Mary summoned a small vial from her bag and gave it to James. "Pour some of this onto your hands first," she said.
"Mary, I'm already bloody sterile enough," he cried in exasperation.
"Not enough," Mary insisted. "Did you know the hands are one of the dirtiest parts of the body?"
"Frankly, Mary, I don't really care."
"James," Hermione admonished through gritted teeth.
"Just slather some on your hands and you can touch Hermione wherever for all I care," Mary shrieked.
If it were more possible, James' eyes had grown so wide they had almost popped out of their sockets. Judging from Hermione's bewildered face, he knew that she too was surprised by Mary's surprising attitude. The Healer seemed oblivious of their surprised faces as she was now busy preparing a basin and some dry towels.
"Is it just me or is Mary terrifying today?" James softly asked under his breath as he poured the potion onto his hands. He hissed a bit when it stung, but the pain was brief as the liquid coated every inch of his hand up to his fingertips. James looked at his hand in amazement. There was a thin sheen of glove-shaped liquid enveloping his whole hand.
"Peter once told me in passing Mary could be terrifying when she's in her lime green robes," Hermione whispered with a soft chuckle. A pained groan then dragged out of her lips as she placed a hand on her contracting belly. "Merlin, our girl's really ready to come out."
"Are the contractions now regularly constant, Hermione?" Mary asked, her tone of voice softer as she rounded back towards Hermione.
The brunette slightly nodded her head and grimaced again. James instantly held onto her hand.
"Hold onto my hand very, very tightly if the pain is unbearable," he seriously said. "In fact, I think I can transfer your pain to me, can I? Maybe I should—"
He was cut off when both witches simultaneously snorted. "What?" James asked, confused.
"Childbirth is bloody painful, which is why we've developed ways to numb the pain," Mary explained. "Don't worry. Her contractions are getting regular. I'll give her the Numbing Spell soon."
It didn't take too long as Hermione's pained cries became frequent. Mary made another series of complicated wand work and instantly, Hermione's face cleared.
"I can already see the crown of her head," Mary declared. James gazed at the Healer with wide, disbelieving eyes, before dumbly shifting his gaze back towards Hermione. "I'm going to need your help now, Hermione, all right?"
"All right," his wife faintly whispered.
Mary gave her a reassuring smile. "Very good," the Healer said. "I want you to take a deep breath, Hermione. That's it. Take a deep breath and push."
The brunette did as she was told and James held onto her hand tighter. He brought her knuckles to his lips and pressed a comforting kiss there. "That's it, love. Come on. You can do it."
Their mingled words of encouragement increased Hermione's vigour. James kept his eyes reverently glued on Hermione's face, trying to see if there was any hint of pain that could mean something worse. As he was too busy looking at Hermione, he wasn't able to see when their baby finally came out. His eyes only snapped towards their daughter when her loud cries filled their room.
James felt marvellously flummoxed, watching as Mary gently wiped the blood away from their baby's body and swaddled her in one of the dry blankets. Her eyes met James' and a bright smile appeared on her face. "Congratulations," she said. "It's a girl."
She then passed their baby into James' arms and the wizard dumbly stared down at his newborn. Beside him, Hermione started to cry happy tears, reaching forward to gently stroke the baby's head.
James knew he should pass the baby to Hermione. But for some strange reason, he felt frozen, his eyes unable to gaze away from their new baby.
She was so tiny and wrinkly, pink from crying. Her hair was the same shade as Hermione's and he could already see the curls on top of her small head. Her eyes were blue but James could already notice flecks of brown near her irises. Perhaps, he thought, she would grow up to have his eyes too.
When Harry was born, James instantly thought he was beautiful.
But this baby... this baby was so bright.
So, so bright.
"Stella," he breathed out, his eyes clouding with tears as he met Hermione's eyes. A silly grin stretched wide on his face, prompting Hermione to softly chuckle at the ridiculous look on his face.
"Stella," Hermione echoed back.
_____
See you all tomorrow! Follow me on tumblr if you haven't yet (kimmy-writes). You can drop questions there if you fancy hahaha. That is the only platform I truly answer questions lmao
Also do you wish to see a scene from the original HotS, or maybe post-HotS? How about this great "what if" that keeps on niggling at the back of your mind. Comment a prompt/suggestion here or on tumblr to inspire my muse!
And finally, a shameless plug for my James/Hermione three-shot on FFN or Ao3. I don't plan on posting it here on wattpad hahah but if you do wish to read it, the title is "Invisible" by WickedlyAwesomeMe (FFN) or kimmy_writes (Ao3). It's very, very sad tho, very different from HotS so you've been all warned hehe.