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Hey, hey baby I want to know if you'll be my girl. When you turned and walked away that's when I wanna say come on baby, give me a whirl. BRUCE CHANNEL
"We're pregnant!" The announcement came from Harry and Ginny to the table full of friends. It was one of their usual Saturday get togethers, that seemed to keep growing. A total of 35 people were sitting around the tables. They had finally outgrown Grimmauld Place years ago, and started renting out the back room of the Leaky Cauldron.
"Congratulations!" Everyone in the room jumped up to hug and celebrate with the happily newly married couple. Well, the wedding was a year ago. Hermione and Sirius, having been at the same table, were the first to reach the happy couple. "Proud of you, Son." Sirius whispered to Harry, pounding him on the back.
"Oh, it's so wonderful, Ginny!" Hermione was truly happy for her friends. It seemed baby fever had been in the air for the past year or so. Luna had given birth to her twins, Lorcan and Lysander. Hannah and Neville were pregnant with their child, who they planned to name Alice. Fred and Katie had year old twins of their own, Macy and George II. George and Angelina had a daughter with the same birthday, Roxanne. They had a son who was a year older, Fred II. Tonks and Remus had even announced their third pregnancy a week ago, Hope being five and Teddy nine. The most surprising child of the group was Kingsley and Cissa having a daughter named Lacerta.
That night, as they lay in bed wrapped up in each other, Sirius broached the subject that could still be touchy at times. "Do you have any regrets having your hysterectomy?"
"No. And I do still have my right ovary. Actually, I've been researching something that I want to talk to you about."
"What's that, Kitten?"
"In the muggle world they have this process called surrogate mother. Basically, another woman would get pregnant with our child, carry and give birth to it, and we'd raise the child."
Sirius sat up straight. "I'm not having sex with another woman!"
"Calm down," Hermione said, rubbing a hand down his chest. "The doctor takes your sperm and my egg and fertilizes them, implanting them into the surrogate mother and she gets pregnant that way. There is no sex involved."
"That sounds like a very clinical way to bring new life to being."
"Yes, but it is still a miracle. I've talked to Poppy about it, and she's been researching a magical equivalent. I received a mirror call from her earlier telling me she had the answers, and she would like to meet with us to go over them."
"Seems like you've thought this through."
"Please don't be mad. I wanted to have all the answers before I got your hopes up about it."
"I'm not mad. I'm excited. You know I'd love to have children with you. I was about to suggest adoption, but I love this idea even better." Sirius laid back down and pulled Hermione back to lay on his chest.
"So, it's a deal then?"
"Who would we choose?"
"That I don't know. I was going to suggest Tonks, but she's pregnant now. So is Ginny." Hermione said.
"I'm sure any one of our friends would be willing to do this for us."
"Well, I think we should talk to Poppy and see what she says before we decide on the next step."
"Ok." Sirius agreed, though he couldn't help but go through the mental list of available females who might be willing to do this for them.
Sirius and Hermione were sitting in the drawing room, waiting for Poppy to join them. They were discussing ways to keep Harry and Ginny from moving out now that they were pregnant. In the end they could understand why they might want their own space to grow their family, but that didn't mean that they weren't wanted to stay at Grimmauld. If everything went to plan, they'd be able to raise their children together.
The floo turned green and Sirius stood to greet Poppy. That wasn't who stepped through though. Luna dusted herself off and walked up to greet Sirius and Hermione with a hug each.
"Luna! What are you doing here?"
"Having a baby." She replied with a shrug. The couple stared at her in shock, wondering how she always knew. "Though I'm not having sexual relations with you Sirius. I'm not sure about any of the details of this, I just know I'm needed."
"No sex required." Hermione told her. She explained what she knew so far about surrogate motherhood. The floo turned green again just as she was finishing up, and Poppy walked into the room this time.
"Welcome Poppy!" Sirius greeted jovially.
"Thank you, Sirius." After social niceties had been observed Poppy got straight to business. "I've been researching this surrogate motherhood business as you asked Hermione. And I've found the spells required. I'm assuming by Luna being her that she is your choice for surrogate?"
"Yes, if she consents after hearing everything."
"Ok, well basically, Luna I would cast a spell on you, making you fertile. Then a spell on Hermione, collecting one of her eggs, and a spell on Sirius taking his sperm and fertilizing said egg. Then another spell would implant them in Luna's womb, causing her to be pregnant immediately. The pregnancy would progress as normal from there, culminating in the birth, at which time Hermione and Sirius would be listed on the birth certificate as the birth parents. Luna would give up all rights to the child, and Hermione would be the mother in blood and law."
"Luna, you need to be absolutely sure about this. I couldn't imagine going through that bonding process with a child and not being their mother."
"Well, she would be Godmother." Sirius added to the conversation.
"I know the bond that comes with giving birth. I wouldn't lie, there would always be a bond between me and your child, but it would be just that, your child. And as Sirius just said, I would be Godmother, so it's not as if there wouldn't still be a bond of sorts between us. I wouldn't be mother though, and I am ok with that."
"Are you sure you don't need to take time to think it over?"
"No, it's meant to be. I promise, I'm completely on board with this. We will even sign a magical contract."
"If you are sure," Poppy continued, "I do have a surprise for you Hermione."
"What's that?"
"There is a spell that I would cast on you and Luna both. It would allow you to experience the pregnancy without actually being pregnant. All the way up through the birth. You would feel the moment that conception took, until the exact moment that Luna gave birth." At the shocked silence in the room Poppy continued. "You would only feel pregnancy related things from Luna, but when she feels morning sickness, so will you. It is designed to form the bond between you and the fetus. The baby will feel the connection to you. It also allows your milk to develop, so that you will be able to breast feed your own baby."
"Basically, it would be like both of them are giving birth to the same baby?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes. Both of them would have to consent in the contract for me to cast the spell, but yes. Actually, all three of you need to consent for this to work."
"Wow. Magic is an amazing thing."
"Yes, it is." Luna agreed. "Not only has it blessed both of our relationships, now it is blessing a child coming into the world and righting a very dark wrong done to you. I consent completely. I think the bond will be so important, and amazing." She added.
"I consent as well. I had never dreamed of hoping for something like this. I had given up on the miracle of motherhood in its entirety."
"As had I, from a father's perspective. I want this too." Sirius added in.
"When would you like to do this?" Poppy asked.
"Now?" Luna asked. Hermione and Sirius nodded, overcome by emotions between the two.
"What about Rolf?"
"I've already told him that I'm supposed to have your baby, and he is feeling my emotions. I feel acceptance from him, so we are good to continue there."
"Then let's have a baby." Hermione said. Poppy got up and waved her wand to produce a magical contract. After everything was signed with magical signatures, she started casting the series of spells. The feeling of conception fell over Hermione and Luna, and the last spell Poppy cast was a pregnancy confirming spell.
"You know, I just thought of this... There will be a Black, Lupin and Potter attending Hogwarts at the same time again. Not to mention they will have Weasley and Granger blood. It's another generation of the Marauders in the making!" Sirius said in excitement.
"It is officially time for me to retire." Poppy said in reply. "I will have to warn Headmistress McGonagall and the rest of the staff."
The pregnancy progressed normally, morning sickness, mood swings, food cravings, the baby kicking their internal organs, and even false contractions, plus much more shared between the witches. Except for her milk coming into her breast, Hermione's body never physically changed to match her pregnancy symptoms, but she felt every twinge and flutter that came with the pregnancy. Often, she would be woken up at night, the feeling of the baby kicking, or an odd craving for raspberry sherbet or peanut butter pickles eating at her.
By extension Sirius got to experience impending fatherhood. When Hermione's stomach would flutter with the baby kicking Sirius was able to put his hand there and feel it. When she craved her odd mixtures, he would get up in the middle of the night to retrieve them for her. They prepared Sirius's childhood bedroom for the nursery, deciding to keep the baby close to them. It was already a heavily warded room, and a perfect choice to house their coming child.
Finally, eight and a half months later, little Regulus Orion Black was born at 8 pounds and 9 ounces, and 22 inches long. He was born two weeks after James Sirius Potter, who was two weeks behind Geri Remus Lupin. Reggie shared a special bond with his Godmother, but was his mother made over, though he was the spitting image of his father. He was studious, organized, mischievous, and oh so intelligent. He was the planner of the trouble that the Mini Marauders, all Gryffindors, got up to. Geri was the voice of reason, and James the instigator, but Reggie was the one that made sure their plans were successful and they didn't get caught most of the time. Sirius and Hermione couldn't be prouder or more in love with their child.
Cassiopeia Jean Black was born three years later, and the spitting image of her mother. Again, Luna was the Godmother, and gave birth to the girl. They shared the same bond, though Cassi was more of her father than her mother. She had her same studious personality, but she was rasher and more prone to getting in trouble than Reggie was. Cassi was the apple of her brother's eye, and the princess of the house. She had everyone wrapped around her little finger from the moment of her birth, but wasn't a spoiled brat, despite that. She was sorted into Gryffindor as well, carrying on the new family tradition of bravery and mischief.