Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K. Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Epilogue

"Emma!" called Mrs. Weasley. "Emma, don't do that sweetie." She stood halfway in her chair, ready to run towards the girl. Emma, still on a recent high from the fact that she was now five years old, was walking along the chairs in the waiting room at St. Mungo's.

"I'm bored," she said as she hopped off the seats and walked over to her grandmother. "How long is this going to take?"

"Come on, sweetie," Mrs. Weasley said, and she lifted Emma into her lap. "These things take time, you know."

"How much time?" Emma asked.

"I can't really tell you that," Mrs. Weasley answered. "Everybody's different."

"Did it take this long when I was born?" Emma asked.

"Longer," Mrs. Weasley said simply.

"And Olivia?" Emma looked down at her sister, who would be two in just a few short months, sleeping in a portable crib Mrs. Weasley had set up.

"Not this long," said Mrs. Weasley.

"But I can see the new baby soon, right?" Emma asked.

"Yes, soon," Mrs. Weasley assured her.

"When?"

"I don't know, Emma," said Mrs. Weasley, "but I do know that we won't be here forever."

"How is everything going?" came a new voice from the doorway. Mrs. Weasley and Emma looked up to see Harry and James standing there.

"Yay! James is here!" Emma exclaimed, and she hopped off Mrs. Weasley's lap and ran to her cousin. The two children quickly moved to two chairs on their own and started looking at the magazines the hospital provided. Harry sat down next to Mrs. Weasley.

"No news just yet," said Mrs. Weasley. "We saw Ron a little while ago. Poor thing is absolutely exhausted. And Emma is getting antsy waiting for her new brother or sister."

"How about I take them downstairs for a snack?" Harry asked his mother-in- law. "Ginny should be here any moment to keep you company."

"Don't worry about me," said Mrs. Weasley. "I expect Arthur soon. But take the kids. I'll enjoy the quiet."

Harry smiled and gestured for James and Emma to follow him. "You want to get something to eat?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled and sighed as they left the room. She was the only person left in the waiting room, aside from Olivia (who in her state of sleep was not much company). She glanced at the doors Ron had come through earlier, hoping to see him coming again. She was certainly used to waiting for her grandchildren to be born, and she experienced the same feelings each time. To Mrs. Weasley, every new child born into the family was a blessing and a miracle, and she intended to be there to greet her grandchildren on the day they were born. So far she had been successful. She had been present when all her grandchildren were born, and she was excited to now be waiting for her twelfth grandchild.

Arthur Weasley walked into the waiting room and watched his wife. It still amazed him that she could take his breath away. He love catching her during these rare quiet moments, when she was off in her own world, thinking. After so many years together, he had come to be able to know almost every thought his wife had, and today was no exception.

He took a seat beside his wife. "Thinking about how your little boy is all grown up?" he asked.

Mrs. Weasley started, having not seen her husband enter the room or sit next to her. She calmed immediately when she knew it was him, and she smiled. "You know me too well, Arthur," she said. "Can you believe that our youngest son is about to become a father again?"

Mr. Weasley took his wife's hand. "I know. It's hard to think that little Ron is all grown up and has a family of his own. Or any of our children, for that matter."

"I'm just glad he found the right person to have his family with," said Mrs. Weasley. "You know, I always knew Ron and Hermione were meant for each other."

Mr. Weasley laughed and asked, "Is that why you got so mad when "Witch Weekly" said Hermione was dating Harry?" Mrs. Weasley blushed and remembered years earlier when she had acted so cold towards Hermione.

"Not my finest hour," Mrs. Weasley said, but she was happy to note that she was not able to smile about the situation. "But, I really have known for quite some time that those two would get together. I saw the way they used to look at each other."

Mr. Weasley smiled again. "Well, then, it's a good thing Ron finally noticed one of his best friends was a girl now, wasn't it?"

* * *

"So, Emma, are you excited to a big sister again?" Harry asked, once he had gotten the children settled in the cafeteria of the hospital.

Emma looked up between bites of the ice cream sundae she was eating and smiled at her uncle. "Yup!" she said.

"Are you going to help take care of the baby? I'm sure your mum and dad would appreciate it," Harry said.

"She's gonna change diapers!" James exclaimed with a laugh, as though it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

"I am not!" Emma argued with him. "Mummy told daddy that's HIS job!"

Harry stifled a laugh and stopped the children's argument before it could go any further. "James, why don't you tell Emma about what happened today."

James' eyes lit up. "Dad and I were playing Quidditch!" James exclaimed happily. "And I caught the snitch!" Emma, though very occupied with her ice cream, listened intently to her cousin's story.

"Can I play next time?" she asked.

"Quidditch is for boys," James said adamantly.

"James," Harry warned. "You know that's not true. For your information, your own mum played Quidditch when she was at Hogwarts. AS did your Aunt Angelina and Aunt Katie, for that matter. We were all on the Gryffindor team, at some point or another."

"Really?" James asked, suddenly intrigued. "Did mum REALLY play Quidditch?"

"I swear," said Harry. "You can ask her yourself."

"Will the new baby be able to play Quidditch?" James asked his father.

Harry smiled at his son. "In a couple of years, sure," he said. "But someone will have to teach the baby how to play."

"Can I?" James asked.

"Of course," said Harry. "The new baby is going to need everyone around it to teach it lots of different things."

"You think I get to see the baby soon?" Emma asked, this time trying to get a different answer from a different person.

"Soon," Harry said, and Emma sighed in frustration.

* * *

"You're almost there, Mrs. Weasley," the Healer said. Hermione gripped Ron's hand and groaned.

"You're doing great, love," Ron said, somewhat uncomfortably. Even though he had witnessed the births of his daughters, and coached Hermione through the whole process of labor, he hated to see her in pain - physical or otherwise. With a smile he remembered the time he had thrown up slugs, all for her. To show her that she wasn't - could never be - the filthy thing Draco Malfoy had called her.

"Ron!" he suddenly heard Hermione call out, and his focus was shifted back to the task at hand. Hermione groaned and pushed again.

"It's a boy!" the Healer called out, and at the same time the couple heard the first cry of their son. Hermione lay back on the pillows and held her arms out to support the baby as the Healer placed him on her stomach.

Ron moved his chair so that he and Hermione could look at the newest member of their family together. The baby's eyes were open and he was looking at Ron. Hermione shifted the baby in her arms so that he could see both of his parents.

Once again, Ron and Hermione felt the old feelings they had had when Emma and Olivia were born come rushing back. At the same time, they shifted their gaze from the baby to each other, and they both smiled, needing no words to tell each other all the feelings they were experiencing at that moment.

Ron reached a hand out and stroked the baby's cheek. "I can't believe I have a son," he said. Hermione beamed at him, and even more when she saw the look of pride in his eyes. She knew he loved his daughters more than anything in the world, but there was something special to him about having a son, a boy that he could pass all his "manly knowledge" to, a boy that would carry on the proud name of Weasley.

"I hate to interrupt," the Healer said to them, "but we need to take this little guy and get his all cleaned up. You want him to be presentable for all that family in the waiting room, don't you?"

Hermione and Ron smiled at the Healer, and reluctantly allowed him to take the baby. They watched as he got cleaned up. "Are we settled on the name, then?" Ron asked, before leaning forward and kissing Hermione on the cheek.

"I think so," she said. "We only settled on the one boy's name."

"Jack," they said together.

"It definitely fits," Hermione said, looking at her son again, who was being dressed now.

"I'd like his middle name to be Arthur," Ron said, taking Hermione's hand. "If you don't mind."

"Of course not," said Hermione. "I think it's perfect. Jack Arthur Weasley."

"And here he is," the Healer said, turning around and presenting the baby to the couple.

"You want to hold him, Ron?" Hermione asked, and Ron nodded. He reached his arms out and took his son from the Healer, and once again the couple watched their new baby proudly.

* * *

It was a full forty five minutes later when Ron appeared in the waiting room. Emma was the first one to spot him. "Daddy!" she called back, and she bolted off of her chair and ran to Ron, wrapping her arms tightly around his legs.

Emma's outburst caused the rest of the waiting family to turn in Ron's direction, questioning him with their eyes. When she saw her father, Olivia squirmed in Mr. Weasley's lap and was placed on the floor, where she toddled quickly to Ron. He picked her up and faced the rest of the family.

"Well?" Ginny asked quickly.

"How's Hermione?" was Harry's question.

"Is the new baby here?" Emma asked.

Ron smiled widely. "Hermione's wonderful. We have a new member of the family. A boy. Jack Arthur Weasley."

"Can we see him?" This question came from Mrs. Weasley, whose eyes were already shining with tears.

"Soon," said Ron. "Soon. I want to take the girls back first."

"Certainly," said Mr. Weasley, and when he saw the disappointed look on his wife's face, he added, "Let's let the new family get used to each other." Ron nodded his thanks, and took Emma's hand and led his daughters back.

The door to the room was open, and Ron saw Hermione holding Jack, talking softly to him. She didn't notice her family walk quietly into the room until, "Mummy!" Olivia squealed, and she now squirmed in Ron's arms. He, however, held onto her tightly for the moment.

"I found these two lovely ladies in the waiting room," Ron said. "They seemed quite eager to see their mum and meet their new little brother."

Hermione smiled. "Hello loves," she said, and she patted the bed next to her, gesturing that the family should sit. Emma rushed over and hopped up, kissing Hermione on the cheek before leaning down and kissing her brother on the forehead.

"Careful, Em," Ron cautioned, and he walked over to the bed himself and sat down. Olivia reached for Hermione again, and Ron finally let her go. She moved so that she was closer to her mother and settled herself in her lap. Now with Emma on her left, Olivia in her lap, and Jack cradled on her arm, Hermione smiled.

"Girls," said Hermione, "this is your new baby brother, Jack."

"Ack," Olivia tried out.

"No, Olivia. Jack," Emma told her sister. "J-ack. With a J."

"Ack," Olivia said again.

"You're impossible," Emma said, exasperated. Ron and Hermione laughed.

"She'll learn how to say it the right way soon," Ron assured his oldest child. He looked at Hermione, whose face showed a mix of love, pride and (above all) fatigue. He watched as the three women in his life all looked over at the youngest member of the family. He quietly walked to where he had laid the camera, and pointed it at his family, unnoticed.

CLICK!

The three women looked up at the sound, and at the sight of the flash. "Sorry," said Ron. "But it was a perfect moment."

"Don't you think you should be in the picture too?" came a voice from the doorway, and Ron turned to see Harry standing there. "I just came to see if you were ready for the rest of us yet, but I see I might be able to offer my services."

Ron handed Harry the camera and then joined his family, leaning on the bed to the right of Hermione. "You ready?" Harry asked.

"Ready!" Emma called out.

"Okay then, here we go!" said Harry, and on the count of three he snapped the picture, preserving the moment in time.

"You can send the rest of the family in now," said Hermione. "I think we're ready for them."

Harry nodded, and turned and left the room. Ron and Hermione took advantage of the small window they would have with just the five members of their family. "I love you," Ron whispered in Hermione's ear.

"I love you too," said Hermione.

THE END

Author's Note: Thanks SO much to all of you who have read and reviewed "Hogwarts Reunion" (and "The Last Two Years" for that matter). I had so much fun writing about the "adult" lives of Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny. You can continue to read about them in the third story, "The Weasley Kids," which I hope to have on the site soon. It will be stories and flashbacks (but not as much as in THIS story), and it will focus mainly on James, Lily, Emma, Olivia, Jack and Charlotte (Hermione and Ron's fourth child; she will come sometime during the new story). Again, thank you so much for reading and I'm so happy that you enjoyed the story!