A Love Without Time (Remus Lupin)

Twenty-Eight.

There's a spy in The Order. We have no clue who it is, either. Sirius actually truly thinks that it might be Remus. He says that he would be better off if Voldemort took over. That he was promising the werewolves a better life. I told him that he was crazy for thinking that. There was no way that there was no way Remus would be dumb enough to fall for that.
   
I have become terrified to leave the house. It's getting terrible out there. More and more every day, and some of the order members have died. Not many, but even one death is one too many in our group.
   
If I'm being honest, I am not sure if it's the hormones from being pregnant or what but...Oh Merlin I can't believe I am saying this...I think I've fallen for Matt. He's been so amazing these past nine months that I've been pregnant. He's taken care of me, let me stay home and be pregnant and not worry about anything. It's a totally different side of him and I love seeing it.
   
I haven't told him yet. To be honest he's not really home much. The Cannons keep him busy. Molly was busier these days too since on March 1st she gave birth again to another redheaded bouncing baby boy that she and Arthur called Ron. I have yet to meet him. I haven't left the house in almost a month. Since we have a spy in our group I don't like to leave the house. Who knows who will be a target next.
   
On the night that I gave birth, I had no idea that I was even in labor. Matt was working so he had asked Archie to stay with me during an Order mission, they had gotten a lead on some Death Eaters, and Matt was hoping to bring them in, but when Archie didn't reply in a timely manner for Matt's liking, he asked Sirius and Marlene, who jumped at the opportunity. But then Archie replied, saying he'd love to come stay with me and said he'd be there, and Matt didn't have time to tell him he'd asked his sister and her boyfriend so it's the four of us tonight.
   
I hadn't seen any of them in so long, it was nice to see them. When Marlene arrived, she went straight for my big, swollen belly, placing both of her hands onto it and smiled so wide and happily. "I still can't believe that you're going to be a mum. You and Lily. It's so exciting."
   
"Yeah," I say, smiling too, "I'm ready for them to get here. They need to hurry up. I hit 36 weeks two days ago so it could happen any day now."
   
"Have you guys picked out any names?" Asked Sirius as he made himself at the kitchen table.
   
"Not really, we can't decide," I admit, "I don't like any names he suggests and he doesn't like my ideas. At this rate we'll just have to call them Thing One and Thing Two until they're old enough to pick their own names."
   
Sirius laughed at my joke. My brother smiled at me, too, and then said, "I'm sure you're going to be able to decide when they arrive."
   
"I sure hope so," I say, and then I am hit by a twinge of pain. It's normal at this stage of pregnancy to begin to have contractions. My brother asked me if I was okay, but I waved him off, saying that I was fine. But that one actually really hurt. Different from the other ones I have had. It probably meant that I was just getting closer to actual labor.
   
But then it happened. I felt a huge rush of pain, and something warm that felt like liquid ran down my legs and formed a puddle onto the floor. I looked down at it with wide eyes. "Oh no. I-I think that my water just broke."
   
"What?" Archie shrieked, standing up now.
   
Another contraction hit me like a truck, and I grabbed onto the counter for support. Marlene was at my side. Sirius was looking at Archie saying, "You get her to the Hospital, I'll write Matt and your families. I'll meet you there," and then he ran off into the other room.
   
Archie was at my side, holding me up better than Marlene was. Before I could register what happened next, I was at the hospital. They had apparated me to the Hospital. Archie was suddenly shouting, "Someone help! My sister has gone into labor!"
   
A nurse was suddenly next to me with a wheelchair, Marlene and Archie both lowered me down into it. Archie thanked the nurse as we began to head up the maternity ward of the Hospital. I was checked out, and I was told it was going to be a while still. We all sighed a sigh of relief. I didn't want Matt to miss this. I know he's so excited.
   
My brother had sat down, looking disheveled. Marlene asked, "How are you feeling?"
   
"I'm okay," I tell her, "I just hope Sirius is able to reach Matt in time."
   
"Me too," she admits, smiling. I felt another twinge of pain, another contraction. It came and went and then Sirius came into the room with great speed asking if he'd missed anything and calmed down when he realized he hadn't.
   
"I sent letters to your parents, and one to Matt," said Sirius as he had calmed down, even taking a seat next to Archie, "He should be here soon."
   
"Good," I said, nodding, "thank you."
   
For the better part of a half hour, we sat and talked to each other. Marlene was suggesting names for the babies. It was then that another contraction hit. Marlene went to tell my nurse that my contractions were getting less and less time apart. She reentered the room with the nurse, who checked me out once more and then said she was going to get my doctor because she could see one of their heads.
   
Sirius left the room, saying he'd come back in once it was over. My brother was at my side holding my hand, but not looking. Just looking at the wall and at my face, but that was it. Marlene was on the other side, holding my hand as well. She was so excited, but I suddenly wasn't. This was going to hurt. This wasn't going to be fun.
   
The nurse and the doctor came back, and it was time. The doctor told me to push, and I did. Marlene and Archie held one of my legs up as I did because the nurse told them too. The first one came out in a few pushes. Marlene gasped and said, "It's a boy, Ellie," in a very happy voice.
   
"I don't think I can do that again," I say through pant breaths.
   
"Well you don't really have a choice about that, do you, Ellie?" Said Archie.
   
Five minutes later, I was in striking pain again. The other baby was coming. I squeezed my brother's hand tightly. The doctor shouted for me to push again and Marlene and Archie grabbed one of my legs again. This one took a little longer than the first one. But then it was over, and Marlene had excitedly announced it was a girl. One of the nurses handed my brother something to wipe the sweat off my forehead. The nurses took the boy had come back from being cleaned off and checked over and was handed to me for some skin-to-skin.
   
I wish he had a proper name, so I didn't have to call him The Boy but that's what he was for now, until Matt got here and we could decide on names. Sirius entered the room again all smiles, Marlene had told him that it was over and he could come in again, and he looked happier than I had seen him in a long time.
   
"Awe look at him. He's adorable," he smiled, patting my head, "You did good, kid."
   
"Matt is going to be so mad he missed it," Marlene said, shaking her head.
   
The babies were fast asleep when Matt arrived. He said the owl must've gotten lost, and he came as soon as he heard. "I can't believe I missed it," he said, shaking his head like his sister did.
   
"It's okay," I tell him, "You're here now. We have to name them."
   
"We do," he agrees, nodding.
   
"Marlene and I have been throwing out names. We were thinking maybe Bradley for the boy."
   
"Bradley Matthew McKinnon," he repeated the name, "Yeah, I think that I like that."
   
"Bradley it is!" Exclaims Sirius, happily, "I can't wait to tell little Brad all about how awesome his parents are as he gets older. What about the little lady? What are we going to call her?"
   
"Well, Marlene suggested the name Lyanna," I say, looking at Matt now, "I actually quite like that."
   
"Lyanna Eloise McKinnon," said Matt, sounding approving.
   
"Not Eloise," I say, shaking my head. "If you want Bradley to have your name that's fine but I'd like to name my daughter after someone else."
   
"Who are you thinking, then?"
   
"Your sister, of course," I smile looking at Marlene. Matt smiled too.
   
"Lyanna Marlene McKinnon," he says, then looks down at our daughter in his arms, "What do you think? Do you like that?" The sleeping baby in his arms didn't make a sound. "Well she didn't protest. Lyanna Marlene it is."
   
"Oh thank you," said Marlene, who now had tears in her eyes. It was a sweet moment. She came over to us and hugged us both.
   
Archie left not soon after we named the twins, saying he was going to tell our mum everything. He kissed me on the head and told me I did a great job before he left, and I thanked him for being there for me tonight. Matt all but kicked himself for not being there, saying that I was so close to being in labor he should have stayed home. I told him not to beat himself up about it, that he was here now, and that's what counted.
   
When Sirius and Marlene left, Matt took the babies one by one and put them to sleep so I could also get some rest. A nurse came in to check the three of us out, and she was glad to see Matt had finally made it. Once she left again, Matt climbed into bed with me wrapping an arm around my shoulders and I put my head onto his chest.
   
"You did so good. They're absolutely perfect. And I'm glad all three of you are okay."
   
"Me too," I agree.
   
"I love you so much," he breathes, holding me close to him.
   
"Matt," I breathe, he knows how I feel when he says that. But right now, I think I am feeling the same way. "I love you, too."
   
He kisses me on the lips, usually we don't do this, but right now it just felt right. I wanted to kiss him and I was happy that he was kissing me. I kissed him back for a good moment. When he pulled back he smiled at me.
   
"Marry me," he says, that smile still on his face.
   
"What?" I ask, surprised by this.
   
"Marry me," he says again. "We already have kids, Ellie, and we live together. It's just the next step. Please, Ellie, marry me."
   
You know what? Why not? He was right. We lived together, and we had kids, it was the next step. There was no reason not to marry him. "Yes, I will marry you."

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Here's part 28!

The babies are here, I repeat the babies are here! I've had this chapter written for so long.

The boys name was always Bradley, but the girl's first name was Danielle, then it was Jolie, and then finally I changed it to Lyanna.

And now that it's published I can't change it again.

-Emily Winchester.