"Hey," George said quietly as he came inside the room Fred and Maddie were in. "I figured the two of you could be hungry so I got you some food."
"Thanks mate," Fred smiled tiredly and accepted the large paper bag George was holding, "she can't eat anything until the babies are born but she'll appreciate it once they're out."
"How is she doing?" George asked and pulled up a chair to sit next to Fred, who was holding a sleeping Madeleine's hand.
"Putting on a brave face, I know her too well and I know she's in so much pain but every time they ask she says she isn't in any," Fred sighed.
"Classic Mads," George chuckled lightly.
"Yeah, luckily I was able to get her to sleep a bit but the healers say it'll take a while before the babies are born
"Figured," George nodded, "she looks exhausted."
"Yeah, we've been here for like eight hours already and I know she just wants to go home," Fred looked at her and then back at his twin.
"Don't you think it's crazy that when you do go home, you'll be crossing that door with two babies?"
"Yeah, it feel surreal but no matter how scared I am, I'm so excited to meet them," Fred smiled. "What about your baby mate, how's Liz feeling?"
"She's feeling fine, she's always been a tough girl," George said proudly.
"That she is, I can't believe that in four months you'll be in the same position that I am," Fred patted George's back.
"Yeah, tell me about it," he grinned. "Life went by pretty quickly, don't you think? One day we were pranking half the school and now you're hours away of having your babies."
"It's crazy mate, I'm glad that the babies will have each other like you and me," Fred nudged George gently. "Can you stay with her while I use to loo?"
"Yeah, it's fine," George nodded and switched places with Fred so that he could be next to the blonde.
Not even two minutes had passed since Fred left the room when Maddie woke up from what felt like the shortest nap in the world, when the strongest contraction yet took over her. Not even noticing that it was George's hand who she was squeezing impossibly tight rather than Fred's. George, not really sure of what to say to make her feel better, only let her grip his hand even though he was certain his bones were to break in any given second.
"For someone so tiny you sure do have a strong grip," he chuckled and rubbed her shoulder once it was over.
"Not that I don't appreciate having you here Georgie," she opened her eyes and smiled exhaustedly, "but do you happen to know where exactly is my husband?"
"Taking a shit most likely," George said playfully. "How are you feeling?"
"Do you want the honest version or the sugar coated one?" she raised her brows.
"The honest one, obviously," he rolled his eyes.
"I feel like my insides are being pulled out of my body, which has been set on fire by a dragon and ran over by the Knight Bus," she said nonchalantly. "And instead of just letting me die in peace, I'm being tortured over and over again every time I have a contraction."
"Damn," George snorted. "That's a graphic description."
"You wanted the honest version," she shrugged.
"What did I miss?" Fred asked as he rushed to her side.
"Just another taste of my slow death," she grinned and patted the space next to her so that Fred could sit on the bed.
"It was a long one," George said and looked at his watch, "it was about ninety seconds long."
"How long was I asleep for?" she yawned.
"About fifteen minutes," Fred kissed her cheek. "Do you want anything darling?"
"Cold apple juice would be nice," she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I'll go get it," George smiled and left the room.
When George returned with Madeleine's juice, Lee, Alicia and Lizzie also came into the room to keep the blonde and Fred company. Maddie was now swaying back and forth with Fred's help on a chair, the redhead who insisted in her switching positions every thirty minutes to ease the contractions' pain slightly. His hands were always placed on her body, either if it was holding her hand, letting her lean against him or applying pressure on the low of her back when the pain became unbearable. Lee kept filming the video, moving the camera around so that everyone could say something to the babies for them to see in a future.
"I've come to a conclusion," Maddie yelped after another contraction was over.
"A conclusion of what?" Alicia asked.
"That I would rather get stabbed, cursed with that dark lacerating curse and get tortured for weeks all over again than keep doing this," Maddie huffed.
"How reassuring," both Lizzie and Alicia muttered.
"How is it possible that the three of you are so connected that you got all knocked up in less than a year?" Lee laughed loudly.
"Don't look at me," Fred shrugged. "One of ours was at least planned."
"I'm just so happy that our babies will get to grow up together," Lizzie sighed dreamily.
"Yeah, I bet they're gonna give all of us hell though," George added.
"Not me," Lee smirked. "I'll be the cool uncle who spoils them rotten."
"Another one's coming," Maddie hissed and hid her face in Fred's chest as he rubbed her back.
"Those two were really close together Mads," George gulped after the blonde had let out a loud pained scream when it was over.
"I noticed," she breathed and changed positions again when she felt the pain again not even five minutes later. "Not again."
"Breathe in and breathe out love," Fred applied pressure on her sides as she leaned against him. "You're doing so good, I love you so much."
Just after the contraction stopped, Morgan came into the room with a bright smile on her face and asked Madeleine to lie on the bed again. "Okay, everyone but the father and Bennet out."
"Is it time already?" Maddie asked hopefully
"That's what I'm gonna check," Morgan said.
"Contractions have been every five minutes and approximately fifty seconds each but the last one was three minutes after the previous one and was way stronger-"
"I can see why," Morgan beamed and pulled Maddie's robe back down. "You're seven centimeters dilated now Madeleine and things are moving faster now."
"Only three more?" Maddie smiled weakly.
"Only three more and you'll be able to push Mads," Lizzie grinned.
"Shit," Maddie grunted and shut her eyes closed when the pain returned.
"Almost there angel, you got this," Fred kissed her temple.
To try and keep her mind distracted, which truly was the only other thing he could do besides hold her hand and tell her how much he loved her, Fred thought it would be a fun idea to play guessing games between contracions to in his own way, encourage her towards the finish line. "What time do you say they'll be here?" he caressed her cheek with his thumb.
"I think that the first one will be born at 12:37 and the other one at 12:45," she said breathily after the pain subsided again.
"I'd say one will be here at 12:42 and the other one at 12:51," Fred smiled. "You're doing so well my love-"
"Fucking hell," she gumbled and held tightly to his body, this time the contraction being longer and even more painful than what she though was even humanly possible.
A couple of hours had gone by and even though things were progressing, which in theory was a good thing, but Madeleine simply wanted to die. The pain was so excruciating and so agonizing that she felt as if her entire body was on fire. Every minute stretched into a horribly painful eternity as she waited for what felt like a never ending pain to take over her body once again. It had taken three more hours for Maddie to be nine centimeters dilated and truly, she was done. She wanted no more of it, she just wanted for the pain to be gone. Her entire body felt exhausted and on edge at the same time. Fred's arms and hands were bruised, as well as Lee's and George's who had also been victims of her strong grip when they were the ones close everytime she had another contraction. Alicia wasn't sure if her morning sickness had been triggered by seeing what possibly expected her in a couple of months or if it was due by something else. The blonde had already thrown up twice because of the pain, heavy tears falling down her cheeks and Fred's heart ached because he knew there was nothing he could do to take the pain away.
"FRED I NEED TO PUSH!" she shouted at him after another contraction. "GO GET THAT FUCKING BITCH BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I'm here," Lizzie held Maddie's hand. "I'm here and-"
"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Maddie yelled as Morgan came back into the room with Fred and with two mediwitches.
"Let's get you checked up Madeleine," Morgan said calmly and did the routine checking procedure. "Okay honey, it's official now and you're ten centimeters dilated. Are you ready to push?"
"JUST GET THEM OUT OF ME!"
"Will do baby, just keep breathing," Morgan said reassuringly. "Bennet, come and stand next to me because I'll need your help to deliver them. Madeleine, these are Casey and Monica and they'll be the ones making sure the babies are okay and healthy once they're here-"
"I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME FREDERICK WEASLEY!" Maddie screamed and snapped her head around to look at the redhead.
"She's as warm as the sun when you get to know her," he muttered and wrapped his hand under her thigh, keeping her leg up like the healer had asked earlier. "I love you so, so much angel."
"SHUT UP!"
"Okay people, let's deliver these babies shall we?" Morgan smiled. "It's currently midnight Maddie, the next contraction I need you to push for me okay?"
"YOU DID THIS TO ME!" Maddie screamed at Fred after pushing through another contraction, unable to keep her loud sobs and heart-wrenching pained screams at bay. "YOU DID THIS TO ME AND I HATE YOU SO MUCH FOR IT FRED!"
"I know love, I'm so, so sorry my love," he kissed her hairline and wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead with a damp towel. "I'm so proud of you angel, you're doing so well."
"I can't do it, I can't!" Maddie panted and pushed Fred's hand away from her face. "I can't do it anymore-"
"Can she take a break?" Fred asked worriedly as he looked at the state she was in.
"Of course," Morgan nodded. "Let's take five minutes and then we'll try pushing again."
"I want my mum," Maddie whispered to Fred.
"Liz can you-"
"I'll be right back," Liz nodded and left, quickly returning with Cressida who rushed to her daughter's side.
"Mum I don't wanna do it," Maddie sobbed. "I can't do it, it hurts too much."
"I know it hurt ma petite étoile, I know it does but you're so strong and you're doing so, so good and it will be over sooner than you expect," Cressida said comfortingly and pushed back the hairs that had stuck to Maddie's forehead. "This is the last of it my baby girl, it will be done soon and you will get to hold those pretty little babies forever ma belle. You're doing so beautifully chérie, you're almost there."
"I'm almost there?"
"That you are Madeleine, the babies will be here in no time okay," Morgan smiled.
"I wanna go again," Maddie nodded and looked at her mum again.
"That's my sweet brave girl," Cressida kissed the top of her head. "I'll be right outside with Molly and I can come back as many times as you need me okay."
After twenty more minutes of pushing and cursing at Fred for getting her pregnant in the first place, Maddie found an inhumane strength later to hearing her mum's words and everything started feeling like a blur since. "Baby A is crowning Mads, you're almost there!" Lizzie said loudly.
"Fucking hell, I can see the baby's head love," Fred grinned and kissed her cheek. "Keep going love, just a bit more!"
"And happy birthday baby boy," Morgan smiled as she received the first baby. "Monday, April 7th, 2001 at 12:37 am."
"It's a boy?" Maddie asked out of breath, tears running down her and Fred's cheeks as they heard the baby's cries.
"It's a boy," Fred laughed and brushed the tears from her face, followed by his.
"Give him to me," Maddie said quickly once she saw that one of the mediwitches whose name she had already forgotten was about to pick him up, "don't take him away from me."
Without contradicting her, Morgan placed the baby on Madeleine's bare chest, the blonde not even caring that he wasn't clean yet. The moment she felt her baby's skin pressed against hers, everything changed in that instant. She no longer cared about herself, she didn't care about Fred in that moment either. Everything that mattered to her was that baby on her chest who immediately recognized his mum's tender loving touch as she held him. "I know, I know baby," Maddie shushed and gently kissed the top of his head, managing to get him to stop crying. "Mumma's here and you're safe with me, my sweet angel."
"Fred, would you like to cut the umbilical cord?" one of the mediwitches asked, snapping him away from the trance of seeing Madeleine with their first-born on her chest.
"Fuck yeah," he laughed and followed the instructions he was given, which Madeleine didn't even pay attention to since all of her focus was now on her baby.
"Looks like baby B want to join his or her big brother," Morgan added. "You ready to go again Maddie?"
"Yeah," Maddie nodded and bit her lip to not make any noise that could startle the baby on her chest after another contraction hit her.
"Monica will take the baby to check his vitals and to make sure he's just a healthy as he looks-"
"Liz, go check on him," Fred blurted as the baby was gently picked from Maddie's are chest.
"Okay," Lizzie laughed breathily and wiped tears from her face as well.
"And don't you dare leave his side Elizabeth," Maddie demanded.
"Wasn't planning on it!" the curly-haired girl called as she followed the mediwitch to the other side of the room.
"Okay Madeleine, you've done it before so you know what to expect," Morgan said, "next contraction you push alright."
A couple of more pushes and more tears of pain or joy, and maybe both, the healer received the second baby and the tears rolled down for her and Fred again. "And, it's another boy," Morgan smiled and placed him on Maddie's chest, just like she had asked. "Monday, April 7th, 2001 at 12:51 am!"
"We have two baby boys Freddie," she laughed and found odd that the baby on her chest barely even cried as he settled down immediately after being placed on his mum's chest. "I love you so, so much my little bean. And mumma will always take care of you, and love you and protect you."
Fred cut the second baby's umbilical cord as well and for one of the first times ever in his twenty-three years of life, he was complete and utterly speechless. Liz carefully took the second baby to get him cleaned and checked, but not before placing the first baby back on a sobbing Madeleine's chest. Fred's forehead was pressed against her temple as she gently craddled both babies on her chest, unable to move her sight that was fixated on the most perfect things she had ever laid eyes on.
"There is some tearing but it's nothing we can't sort out in a heartbeat and you already delivered the placenta, everything is looking perfect and-"
"Do whatever you need to do," Maddie interrupted the healer, not even daring to move her eyes from the sleeping babies on her bare chest. "I don't give a fuck anymore, I have more important things to worry about."
"Mads, do you wanna try nursing them?" Lizzie asked.
"Yeah," she nodded and looked back at Fred. "Don't you wanna hold them first Freddie?"
"It's your turn, you deserve it," he kissed her jawline and watched as Lizzie helped Madeleine put each baby in a comfortable position to feed them.
"Okay, they have good latches," Liz said impressively. "They're two hungry babies, classic Weasleys."
"How does it feel?" Fred asked curiously and sat on the bed next to her, arm thrown under her head for support.
"It feels funny, but like a good funny," Maddie giggled and looked down at them, smiling as she saw their big eyes peering up into hers as if they were amused of seeing their mum.
"You should take your shirt off Fred," Liz suggested after both babies were done with their first feeding.
"Liz, I love you but may I remind you that my twin is your husband and my wife just delivered my two baby boys into the world-"
"To do skin on skin idiot, it creates a bond with the babies," Liz chuckled.
"Just don't be a wuss a take your shirt off, my bleeding and destroyed vagina is in display for the world to see and you don't see me complaining," Maddie teased and kissed the top of each baby's head.
"Fine," Fred chortled, "I'll do it but don't enjoy the show too much ladies, I'm a married man and a father."
"Your daddy is so hot by the way," Maddie leaned her head down and whispered to the cooing, almost asleep babies as she clearly enjoyed the show of seeing a shirtless Fred.
"Here," Liz said quietly and took one of them, placing it on Fred's arm and doing the same with the other baby with his other free arm.
"Support their heads chéri," Maddie sat a bit straighter and winced at the ache all over her body.
"Oh wow," Fred mumbled and began crying silently again. "This feels great."
"I think I just fell in love with you all over again," Maddie whispered and looked at him adoringly as he held their babies for the first time.
"We'll let the two of you have some time alone," Lizzie beamed and kissed Maddie's cheek. "You were great Mads, set up some pretty high standards for me and Ali."
"You will be more than great," she chuckled. "Liz, don't say anything about them yet please."
"Won't do," Lizzie smiled. "Congrats you two."
"Thanks," Fred and Maddie sniffled, the redhead making his way over to lie on the bed again with the babies on his bare chest.
"You fucking did it angel," Fred turned his head around to look at her. "I'm so fucking proud of you my love, thank you."
"I'd do it all over again," she said truthfully and lightly traced each baby's feautures with her fingertip.
"You would?" Fred grinned.
"It was worth it," she yawned and nuzzled his neck.
"What are we supposed to do now?" he asked quietly.
"I don't know," she snorted.
"They're perfect," he kissed their heads and Maddie's lips tenderly.
"I know and they're ours," she breathed.
"What you did was incredible my love, you're truly the strongest woman I know," he whispered in her ear. "I love you."
"I love you more."
"Can we make more?" he teased.
"Only if they look like these," she snickered. "You were right, they're Weasleys through and through."
"Oh they definitely will look like these," he laughed, "with the Weasley charm and your looks all of our babies will be unstoppable."
"We haven't discussed names though," realization fell upon her. "We had nine months and didn't think about names-"
"We actually have," he shrugged.
"What are you on about?" she frowned.
"We were seventeen-"
"You want to name our babies after the stars?" her eyes lit up with happy tears.
"Well, we made two little stars of our own so I figured that it would suit them," Fred grinned.
"What on Earth did I ever do to fucking to deserve you?" she started crying again. "Fucking postpartum hormones."
Fred and Maddie stayed together on the bed, wanting to soak up the first moments of their sons' lives alone before introducing them to the rest of the family. They were quietly discussing baby names, doing their best not to be loud to not disturb the newborns until they finally came up with the names for their children, getting themselves used to them first as well.
"Hey everyone," Fred grinned tiredly as he came out of the room, only to be met with his entire family who had now returned, all wearing their sleep clothes besides the ones who had stayed the whole time.
"Oh Freddie!" Molly squealed and flung her arms around him.
"Mum, you're strangling me," he chuckled and hugged his mother back. "Do you want to come meet them you lot?"
"What kind of question is even that wanker!" George said excitedly.
"Alright," Fred chortled. "But I want you all to wash your dirty hands because there is now way in hell that I'll let you touch my babies with germ-filled hands."
After a meticulous hand washing session complied by everyone and supervised by Fred himself, he ushered the large crowd mainly composed by redheads into the wide room Maddie was in. She was holding both babies in her arms, looking down at them adoringly, not really knowing how it was possible that her heart opened to love two more little people with every atom of her being.
"Oh my Merlin," Cressida let the tears fall freely at the sight of an exhausted Madeleine rocking her first grand-children.
"Missed me too much bitches?" Maddie smirked when she saw that everyone's faces were either lit up with happiness or stained with tears.
"Should you be cussing while holding them?" Tim snickered.
"I just spent twelve hours giving birth to them so I say that I have the right to say whatever the fuck I want," she said playfully. "Who wants to hold them?"
"I'm the oldest so I get to do it," Bill said.
"Fuck off, I'm their godfather so I get to do it first," George huffed.
"I'm their maternal uncle so it's only fair that's me who does it," Tim scoffed.
"I'm their aunt so I should fucking do it," Ginny hissed and pushed George away.
"Harry and I can probably go last," Ron said nervously and went to the back of the crowd with Harry.
"I just apparated and ran all the way here," Charlie panted as he stormed into the room.
"They're so tiny," Hermione giggled when she finally took a look at them.
"I call dibs on holding them!" George said loudly.
"You're too late already," Fred laughed from his spot next to Madeleine on the bed, seeing everyone else huff in annoyance since Cressida and Molly took advantage of their discussion to scoop a baby each into their arms.
"You haven't told us if they're boys or girls," Percy looked at the one Molly was holding.
"They're both boys," Fred beamed.
"You motherfucker," George laughed and hugged Fred tightly, ignoring the stern glance sent her way by none other than his mother.
"What about their names?" Alicia asked.
"The one you're holding mum, is Altair Philippe Weasley-"
"Archambeau," Fred added.
"Altair as in-"
"As in dad's favorite star," Maddie nodded.
"Brightest star in Aquila," Mamie said and looked at her granddaughter with prideful eyes.
"And the one you're holding mum, is Regulus Arthur Weasley-Archambeau," Fred grinned.
"Regulus?" Sirius' eyes went wide.
"I have my reasons," Maddie smiled tiredly. "And Arthur is for more obvious ones."
"You named him after me?" Arthur beamed.
"Of course we did dad, we don't know any other Arthur," Fred joked.
"Who's the oldest?" Ginny asked.
"Reggie is the oldest by fourteen minutes," Fred said. "Alt barely cried but he stopped when Mads held him."
"Teddy is gonna go ballistic when he meets them," George laughed as he held both babies in his arms, smiling for the video that a now crying Lee was still recording.
"Who would have thought that the biggest commitment phobes at Hogwarts would end up marrying and having two kids together," Alicia laughed as she was handed one of the babies to hold.
"New rule from now on," Maddie yawned and Fred instantly read her mind.
"Everyone in this room is forever forbidden of telling these two babies, Teddy, and any other baby we have in a future the story of how we got together," Fred said solemnly and placed a kiss on Maddie's knuckles.
AN: one more part and the two epilogues and the book will be over. i'm not crying, you are. love you all and tpwk <3