One Veela's Fairy Tale

Bill knew that it wasn’t a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ one or both girls would get up in the middle of the night and find themselves in their parents’ bedroom. Nightmares were a common occurrence in their household, particularly for Dominique. He wasn’t sure why their youngest was so prone to nightmares, but, Bill was actively trying to instill in his daughter the tools to either overcome them or tolerate them. She was still too young to understand that, although very unpleasant, her dreams couldn’t hurt her. So she’d inevitably make her way into her parents’ room and wish to climb into bed with them.

“I know,” he took her hand, offering her support as he aided in lifting her up off the sofa. He knew that this pregnancy was rough on Fleur. This child was most certainly a Weasley based on all the trouble they were causing her, even before their birth. His mother hadn’t had such a difficult pregnancy before. Not once in the seven times she’d been pregnant had she had it as bad as Fleur. Even her medi-witch was at a loss as to why Fleur seemed to have such a rough go of it. She dismissed it as her Veela genetics, but, even that couldn’t be proven. It was just an assumption based on people’s limited knowledge of the part-Veela, part-human condition. Bill was more than happy to have this be their last pregnancy. He was perfectly content with their two, almost three, children. As far as he was concerned, they’d completed their family.

He rolled his eyes when she mentioned the two kittens who had moved into the shed. The girls had found the two kittens roaming on the beach: malnourished and in desperate need of sanctuary. They brought them into the shed, fitted them with an old blanket and a bowl of milk, and that’s where the cats had stayed the past few days. He knew that if they didn’t agree to the adoption, both girls would probably throw a fit. It was almost easier to allow them to bring the two kittens into their household, “I think that’s a discussion to be had in the morning,” he suggested as he helped Fleur ascend the staircase leading up to the second floor.

“Je sais,” Fleur muttered knowing they had not heard the last of the debate on their kittens stowed away in the shed. It wasn’t that she wasn’t a cat person, in a way they were easier than a dog and the girls could take them to school with them, but it was a pet thing Fleur supposed. Animals did nothing but dirty a house and require constant care and cleaning up after. With two kids and soon to be a third, they did not need the additional work. Yet, Fleur also knew that they seldom told their girls no, so soon they would have even more occupants in their tiny home.

Thankfully, their house was not that big which mean the walk up to their bedroom was not long nor too difficult. “Lets just go to sleep.” Tonight she did not want to stay up and stare out at the stars glistening over the water, fuss over details of what they needed to do or not do for the nursery. Tonight she wanted to rest and worry about everything in the morning. The girls surely would be pestering them soon enough.

It was getting late, and their two girls appeared to be defying their bedtime routine. Molly had spent the evening after dinner dispensing sweets to her grandchildren, very much against their parents’ wishes do to the high sugar content. Bill had foreseen this scenario before they returned home. Both girls were full of energy and running around in their nighties. He was sitting downstairs with Fleur, reading (or at least trying to read) the Daily Prophet in his big, leather armchair nearest the fireplace. He hoped that the girls would tire themselves out and carry themselves to bed willingly but, as the minutes passed, Bill was starting to lose hope. He continued to hear the pitter patter of their little feet and the last thing he wanted to do was get angry at his two children.

When Fleur requested that he wrangle them in, Bill nodded his head, folded up the Daily Prophet in his lap, and pushed himself out of the comfort of his chair, “Girls! C’mon, now! It’s bedtime!” He called up to them as he left the living room and ascended the stairs.

He found Victoire and Dominique chasing each other across the hallway, dodging each other and giggling and carrying on as if it were the middle of the afternoon. He scooped up Dominique by the waist and carried her under his arm while he reached for Victoire’s hand.

Bill wound up escorting them back to their shared bedroom. He lifted Dominique onto her bed and guided Victoire over to her’s across the room.

“Papa! Papa! Bedtime story!” Dominique demanded but, it was too late for that. He wanted to get the girls into bed as soon as possible so he could help Fleur into theirs. He knew that she was struggling, physically and emotionally, with this new pregnancy and she needed his support.

“Not tonight, Sweetie. It’s time to sleep,” he pulled the covers of Victoire’s bed back and tucked her in. Next was Dominique, who seemed to be exhibiting more energy than her big sister. He tucked her in and pressed and affectionate kiss to her forehead, “We’ll see you in the morning,” he promised them before he made his way towards the door and doused the light, blanketing the room in darkness. When it became clear that they were finally settling in, he pulled the door closed behind him and descended the staircase back to his pregnant wife.

“Do you need help getting ready for bed?” He asked Fleur when he returned to the living room. He leaned some of his weight against the back of the sofa, waiting for her to hand him his duties for the rest of the night.

Fleur listened to the chaos upstairs hoping that it would abate rather quickly, however, she knew her girls. There were days when the pair of them would settle down and go right to sleep and others they would be up in twenty minutes clamoring for more attention and adventure. Normally, she would not mind them having their adventures, they were only young once, but tonight would not be one of those nights.

“I need help with everything,” Fleur muttered as she extended her hand out to her husband. It was still pretty early in her pregnancy and she already felt worn out, tired, and ready for it to be over. It was certainly going to be the last time she did this. She loved all three of their children but she did not want any more. Three was enough regardless of what Molly Weasley said. 

“Ne me fais pas te dire deux fois,” Fleur shouted upstairs knowing that she would, in fact, have to tell her girls a handful of more times to get ready for bed. It did not matter that they had spent the last week on vacation or most of the day playing with their cousins and were exhausted. Part of the normal routine lately was the struggle to get both girls into bed at a reasonable time. School was starting soon and they needed to get back in the habit of having a normal routine at a normal time.

“Victoire, Dominique...” Fleur shouted up the stairs hearing the patter of feet back and forth on the dated wooden planks. Each step echoing in her head causing her head to throb more than it already was. The girls were not the only ones who needed an early bedtime. Whoever said the second trimester was easier certainly had no idea what they were talking about. At least, not in regards with this pregnancy. Sixteen weeks in and she felt worse than she had the first trimester.

Bill remembered how Victoire behaved when Dominique was born. She was four years old, and frustrated that she couldn’t play with her baby sister the way she wanted to. Bill had to explain to her that Dominique was just a baby and it would be a while yet before she would be able to play the way her big sister wanted to. Rather than become more frustrated, she learned how to play with Dominique in a way that was comfortable for her little sister. Now that Dominique was older, and they could chase each other around, have tea parties and adventures. They were as thick as a pair of twins and Bill was so proud of his oldest for the kind of big sister that she was. Now that she had all this experience, she would know how to be a good big sister to this baby.

He was more concerned about Dominique. She was still very young and would need to learn the life lessons that her sister had. Her younger brother or sister was not a doll that she could carry around the house and play with. But, that discussion would be had at another place and time.

Victoire nodded her head enthusiastically. A third child was an additional responsibility that Bill and Fleur were ready to take on. They had been preparing for years without getting to actually do something. For years they had waited for the opportunity to make up the nursery but never had the chance. Now, he and Fleur had permission to do all the things that they wanted to.

“Your Maman is right. This is a big responsibility. When she’s waddling around the house asking you to do something then you do it. Okay? No arguing.” He didn’t need to lecture their children on decorum. Victoire never talked back or gave them a difficult time. He sincerely hoped that this pleasant attitude would follow her into her teenage years. Only time would tell.

Fleur raised an eyebrow but kept her thoughts to herself. One thing having children had taught her was patience. Her children were far from perfect but there were much better behaved than most. It was only occasionally they had to raise their voice let alone go as far as hand out punishments. The only thing Fleur worried about occasionally was the years they would spend away at school without their parents to watch over them. Kids would be kids, but sometimes kids took things a little too far.

“Anyhow,” Fleur started as she got up to clear the dishes off the table and put their kitchen back in order after the morning meal. “What do you girls want to do today?” Knowing their girls they would have an entire day worth of adventures or something they wanted to get done. However, while she was feeling relatively good for once, Fleur wanted to be able to indulge them in a little family time. It had been a while. Typically, Bill had been the one to entertain them lately.

Their dining room table had finally found its purpose. For the two years before Victoire was born, he and Fleur would occupy the farthest corner of the massive table in their spacious dining room. It was a rather lonely existence, but, once Victoire was born, and then Dominique a few years later, their family had grown big enough to need a table such as this. With Fleur on one side and their two girls on the other, it left Bill with a sense of completeness. He’d been used to eating meals alone or with co-workers and, during those meals, he had never sensed that he was missing something. Now, with their little family of five, Bill couldn’t imagine his life without them. He had become just as dependent on them as they needed him. The Bill that he was right after the war ended wouldn’t believe what he has today.

When he got the attention of their two girls, and Fleur gave him an accepted look, he started to speak again, “Your Maman is going to have another baby. In less than a year we’ll have another little one joining the family,” Victoire’s eyes lit up and she squealed a little, “A baby?” She repeated, “Are we getting a little brother or a little sister?” She asked, eager to know all the details, “It’s too early to know, Sweetheart. But, the moment we find out, we’ll tell you,” he reassured her, just as he had done when they were expecting Dominique.

Dominique’s excitement was a little more muted than Victoire’s, but it was still there as she had yet to touch the food that her mother prepared on her plate, “Maman, Maman I get to be a big sister!” She declared, finally allowing the excitement to bubble over.

Fleur gave their girls a smile happy to see them excited about a new addition. Time would tell if this would carry over when there was a baby crying non-stop, preventing them from sleeping at night, and when the baby got old enough to steal their toys when they were not looking. Victoire was adapted to life as an older sister but Dominique had yet to experience. Still, she had some experience with sharing having several younger cousins.

“It won’t be long,” Fleur told her oldest knowing she was excited to know if she would be having a baby brother or sister. Though Fleur hadn’t actually decided if she wanted to know ahead of time or not. All she really wanted at this point was a healthy baby. Then again, part of her assumed they would have another girl, as they already had two girls. Boy or girl, their child would never hurt for love or family considering the size of their family and extended family.

Their children were remarkably well-behaved. Even Bill couldn’t believe it. He’d heard nightmares about the ‘Terrible Twos,’ and all the other mischief that babies and toddlers could get up to. His own house growing up had been a circus, and his mother was the ringmaster. She was able to catch her children off guard. She always knew what they were up to when they felt they were being sneaky, especially the twins. Maybe it was the difference between boys and girls. Molly once declared that Ginny was her favorite child because of how well-mannered she was. She didn’t start getting into trouble herself until she became a teenager. And it wasn’t every day that one found themselves in the Chamber of Secrets. She’d certainly endured more insanity in school than Bill ever had.

“Crepes,” Bill repeated, correcting himself. That was a French word that didn’t give him too much trouble, “What a treat. You’re getting some of your Maman’s French cooking this morning. You’re very lucky.” He spoke to both his children. Victoire moved to stand next to her mother, observing her culinary skills while her father charmed a carton of Molly’s chicken eggs to appear from the fridge. He used magic to crack each egg into a bowl while he continued to cut fruits. The pan was buttered and placed over one of the open flames on the stove. The eggs cooked while Bill sent the bowl of fruit into the dining room.

Using a spatula, Bill scooped the fried eggs onto a dish and sent it through the air, landing on the dining room table, “It’s time for breakfast. Everyone in the dining room,” Bill called out to his family. Victoire helped to carry the dish of freshly made crepes and carefully lifted it onto the table. Dominique and Victoire sat opposite their mother’s usual seat and Bill sat at the foot of the table. Cutlery and other utensils floated through the air and helped to dispense the proper amount of food onto each empty plate, “Your Maman and I have something to tell you…”

Fleur moved over a bit to allow Victoire to both watch and assist with the cooking of breakfast. Their oldest was certainly old enough to start learning the basics of cooking, even if in a few years she wouldn’t need them at school. Beauxbatons was much like Hogwarts, with the sense they had a culinary staff (albeit not house elves) to prepare most meals. Still, they had a day or two the students would be taught to prepare meals and cooked as a tribute of thanks to the staff that cared for most of their food needs. It was just one way Beauxbatons was more “structured” than Hogwarts in both running in general and more structured in academics.

Once they were settled, Fleur sat down and begin to cut Dominique’s food up a little bit more for her. She didn’t really need her to, but she did for her own piece of mind. Five was a wonderful age where she was learning her independence but needed a little help with some things. Dominique wasn’t as quick to find her independence as their oldest, but it was okay. Fleur kind of liked having one of their girls that still needed help with things. Victoire was all about adventures, clothes, and growing up way too fast.

“Well, it’s been a while since we’ve taken the girls into Tinworth. We could take them to the park, then do the necessary shopping for school on our way home.” Of course, that entirely depended on how the girls would react to the news. This would be Dominique’s first time confronting baby news. Bill already knew how Victoire would act: she’d clap her hands and ask to touch Maman’s belly, just as she did when her mother was pregnant with Dominique. She had been in utter disbelief when her Uncle Charlie explained where babies came from. It was a treat for her to watch her mother get bigger and bigger with each passing day. She was afraid her mother would burst.

Bill charmed the chopped fruit into the bowl on the counter when their littlest girl stepped into the kitchen, “Papa, Maman, I’m hungry,” she whined, wiping the sleep away from her eyes. She approached her Papa and reached up to grab at the hem of his shirt, “We’re almost done, Honey. Here,” he extended to her half a banana from his cutting board, “Let’s wait for your sister to get up. She must be really tired.” He observed, it not necessarily being out of the ordinary for either girl to sleep in on the weekends. Contented, Dominique chewed on her half of the banana as she made her way towards the kitchen bench. She climbed up onto the chair and sat patiently, hoping her big sister would get up soon so they could have breakfast.

Less than ten minutes had passed and Victoire descended the stairs. She had emerged in the kitchen with full bed head, an indication that she slept well, “Good morning, Sleepyhead,” Bill teased her before he pulled her to his side and gave her a hug and a kiss, “I hope you’re hungry for your Maman’s pancakes.”

Fleur nodded because it would be a nice way to spend the afternoon. The could wander about the park, do the swings, and whatever else the girls wanted to do. Then they could hop into town and do their shopping and a bit of window shopping. Fall was certainly one thing that was better up in the north. In the southern part of France things got a little cooler but never quite had the crispy air, color changing brilliance they got in England.

“Here mon amour,” Fleur told her daughter as she passed her some of the strawberries to go with her half of banana. It would keep Dominique pacified for a little while. She was sure Victoire wouldn’t sleep much longer because even if she wanted to, eventually, her sister would go and wake her up. Dominique didn’t have all that much patience when it came to waiting. Kind of like Fleur herself at that age.

Bill knew that once Victoire and Dominique heard the news, their families wouldn’t be far behind. Bill just hoped that feeling so full of hope would backfire on them. It wouldn’t be the first time. He and Fleur were too familiar with the grief of losing a child. Every morning Bill arose out of bed he expected to wake up from this happy dream. To his relief, he hadn’t yet. He wanted the chance to celebrate this pregnancy with his family. If the past taught him anything, it was to enjoy the good days and steel yourself against the bad.

He knew that Fleur wasn’t very fond of the attention that a pregnant individual often received. His mother in particular made a big deal of every pregnancy in the family: from Fleur’s first to Ginny’s last. His mother cherished her family like any good matriarch would. Who was he to tell her ‘enough?’ And this news would probably be no different. After all the years that he and Fleur struggled to conceive, Molly would, no doubt, make a big deal about it. She’d be spreading herself thin by distributing some attention to Fleur to give Ginny some relief.

“That entirely depends: how are you feeling?” He asked while he wrapped his fingers around the fruit and started to cut it into chunks. Normally he’d use magic, but, he wanted to appreciate everything that morning. Even the little things.

Fleur knew she would deal with the attention when she had to. Thankfully, by now most in their family knew to curb their overly enthusiastic excitement and need to be overly touchy. She never understood why people felt the need to touch pregnant people or their stomach. It was a sure way to get their hand hexed off. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones or just Fleur being overly formal and French.

She shrugged her shoulders. “Not too bad,” she told her husband. For now, Fleur felt better than she had in a while, but not a hundred percent. However, she would take what she could get. She wasn’t sick to her stomach and that was a big win all in itself.

Their little Victoire was hurrying to grow up. She was dreaming about going to Hogwarts. Bill wasn’t so keen to see his daughter sprout up like a flower, leaning into the sun to nurture her growth. She asked to borrow some of her father’s records from the 80s, she asked her mother for make-up tips… It broke his heart, and caused it to swell when he noticed how independent Victoire was becoming. She was at an age where she was determining what she wanted out of life. He just wanted to scoop her up into his arms and hold onto her tightly to prevent her from getting any bigger. He yearned for the baby that she was was. She was his first born child. The child that made him a father for the very first time. He grew as a man as Victoire grew older. And now his oldest child was developing a taste for tea. She’d watched all the adults in her family gather in the Burrow’s sitting room while a kettle of tea floated between all of them. She wanted to be counted as one of the adults.

Bill stood in front of the stove and prepared the decaffeinated tea that Victoire would drink from. The last thing he wanted that Saturday morning was to give their daughter an incentive to go crazy. He’d learned that from the first time she asked to sample her father’s thermos of Earl Grey. Her energy level appeared to match that of her toddler sister and the two of them got into mischief together. In general Dominique seemed to have that effect on her older sister.

“Are we going to tell them about the baby this morning?” They’d been sitting on this news for a couple weeks now. They had been waiting to pass into the ‘safe’ zone of her pregnancy, and they had reached and exceeded that milestone. Bill was eager to share the news with their daughters, who had been just as enthusiastic about adding to their family.

Fleur reached for the knife to begin cutting the fruit. Sure she could use magic, but there was something relaxing about preparing food by hand. Sometimes she preferred it over magic as long as it wasn’t a big job. There was no world in which she would want to help prepare holiday feasts by hands. Although, they would have plenty of hands should the need ever arise.

Fleur nodded. “We can,” she agreed. It wasn’t their daughters she was at unease about. Fleur loved their family but some of them could be a bit much over babies, namely Molly. Fleur, despite what most people in their family thought, didn’t like or want all the attention. There had been enough attention when she had been pregnant with Victoire, the first child in a long time on either side of the family, to last a lifetime. It wasn’t so bad with Dominique and she hoped not with this pregnancy. Once their girls knew, however, everyone in their family would know.

Bill followed Fleur’s voice into the kitchen. The curtains had been drawn up, filling the room with natural light. He was surprised to find Fleur in the kitchen, presumably to prepare to make food for their family. Normally, that was Bill’s responsibility, particularly during the week. He’d prepare the morning meal for the family, eat with them, then head off to work with a fresh apple and a thermos of coffee. He wasn’t going to lie, it was nice to be relieved of his duties as husband and father every once in a while. But, he felt more normal when he was the one sweating in front of the stove, with Dominique’s arms wrapped around his leg while she waited to be served.

“What’re you making?” He asked as he approached her. He returned her kiss and brought his hand up to rest on the small of her back, “Do you need help?” If Fleur was preparing a traditional English breakfast, there’d be room for Bill’s help. However, if it was a French dish, he’d probably opt to just set the table and wait for the girls to get up. If Victoire were to wake up and find her sibling missing from the room, she’d get up and investigate for herself and, hopefully before that would happen, there would be breakfast on the table for them.

“Yeah, but, I’ll get that…” he used his wand to summon the mug from the cupboard. The kettle floated from its spot on the stove to the kitchen bench where it dispensed the tea into the waiting mug.

Fleur surveyed the food scattered around their countertops; various fruits, milk, flour, and all the fixings they would need to make a proper breakfast. What was she thinking of making? Her thoughts had been a little mixture of one thing, morphed into something else, and then morphed again into something else. She wasn’t sure what she was in the mood for but it typically wasn’t up to her. Whatever the girls were feeling like was typically what they had. Without another one they would truly be outnumbered.

“I do not know, yet.” Fleur answered honestly. “Crepes maybe...” It was a lot of work but they did not have anything planned for today. She could take some extra time and make them a nice breakfast, but did they really need them when pancakes with fruit would be just as good. English food was awful heavy though. Even after all these years she could not really get past feeling that way. Most of it was very delicious but heavy.

Bill slept in much longer than he meant to. Normally it was his responsibility to get the morning meal in the bellies of their two young girls, but, he kept on sleeping. He had rolled over onto his chest with his face buried in his feather pillow. It was probably the full moon of last Friday that left him feeling so lethargic. The full moon depleted him of his strength, and it often took him a few days to fully recover from. However, fatherhood didn’t stop when Bill was unwell. He needed to rear and be present for his two daughters, regardless of what he was suffering. Dominique, their curious little one, climbed down from her bed and out of the room she shared with her older sister. Like a quiet little gentle lady, she tiptoed to her parents’ bedroom where the door had been left ajar. She saw her father lying alone in bed and climbed up to slither onto the chasm left behind by her mother. She climbed under the blanket and cuddled up to her Papa.

It took another ten minute or so before Bill stirred. Expecting to see his wife asleep next to him, he was pleasantly surprised to see his youngest daughter sleeping soundly instead. He knew that Dominique slept better in their bed. They were at this stage where they were rearing her to sleep independently. Watching his daughter’s sleep difficulties and making them worse went against every instinct Bill had as a father, but, his mother reassured them that they were doing Dominique a favor. She would eventually leave for Hogwarts and they couldn’t be there with her. Victoire, on the other hand, was so independent that Bill wanted to reel her in before she got too far away, but, he wasn’t going to stunt her growth just because he wanted his little girl back.

He smoothed Dominique’s hair out of her face and placed a big kiss on her forehead. Carefully, he climbed out of bed, not wanting to disturb Dominique as he went looking for Fleur, “Sweetheart?” He called out to Fleur as he descended the staircase and moved into the light from the kitchen windows.

Fleur had stood there another moment marveling at the outdoor world which had already begun to make the transition into fall. The morning air was crisp until the sun warmed it, the tip tops of the trees had started to slowly inch out a trace of orange, and even the waves seemed a little rougher than the calmness of the summer waves. There was just something about the change of the season and fall itself that seemed to transfix Fleur. Even in France, autumn had been a beautiful season.

“In the kitchen,” she called out to Bill hearing both his call and his footsteps on the stairs. It wasn’t too often that the girls didn’t beat them both up. Dominique would sleep longer than Victoire, but one didn’t usually get out of the room without the other following. It was heartwarming to see, but Fleur hoped it wouldn’t bother their youngest too much when her sister went to school.

“Was just thinking about breakfast,” she told him as he walked in. Fleur had gotten so far as to get the things out but hadn’t actually started prepping what was needed yet before she got sidetracked with watching things outside the window. It was Saturday so there was no need to rush.

Instead, she stood there staring out at the waves crashing gently on the store while she nursed her decaffeinated cup of coffee. Soon the rest of her family would be up but Fleur wanted to enjoy the quite before the chaos that came with having two little girls. Victoire could be cajoled into reading a book or some kind of quiet activity, but Dominique typically could not.

“Very,” her medi-witch reassured them both. Bill became an exceptional patient when there were babies involved. He was very active in the rearing of his children, from the moment their little bean bodies showed up on the medi-witch’s screen. He was aware of the fact that his constant fears and needing reassurance from the healer was driving their medi-witch mad. She was probably relieved to get a four year break from the Weasleys, she was just far too polite and professional to say as such. Hell, their world could probably do with a Weasley or two less, but, here they were, ushering in another little Weasley to cause the world havoc. The family may be full of war heroes, but this next generation will certainly cause some instability. With no war to fight, they’d put all their energy into mischief.

The medi-witch seemed to give them permission to celebrate, after so many years of uncertainty. Their little bean had progressed into the ‘safe’ stage of the pregnancy and it was just short of being written in stone that this baby was coming. It was time to make room for a nursery again. The girls had shared a bedroom since Dominique was two years old and, since then, it had been Fleur’s private office. Bill didn’t want Fleur to have to go without a work space at home in order to favor their youngest child. They had waited on pins and needles these past few years, waiting to turn their lives upside down but it hadn’t come until today.

“No, Fleur. You’re having a baby,” her medi-witch had reminded her. She could tell that this couple appeared to be very skeptical of their good fortune. It were as if they were expecting a storm when there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Who could blame them? They’d had rotten luck in the past, what made these circumstances immune to that?

Fleur was quiet a moment while she let it full sink in. Sure they had been well aware that they were having a baby since those first positive tests, but they hadn’t fully (or she hadn’t fully) allowed herself to appreciate the facts of it. In six and a half months they would have another member of their little family. It was kind of overwhelming if she let it be. They had wanted it, planned for it, and then not achieved it until now. They still had a while before they found out the sex of the baby, but it didn’t matter to Fleur. Long as the baby was healthy she would considered them blessed either way.

Even after the medi-witch left the room, Fleur was quiet for a moment. There was so much they were going to have to figure out now that things were more set in stone. “Should we have lunch?” It seemed like a little thing but Fleur knew they were going to have to enjoy what little alone time they could etch out. Once there was a newborn around there would be precious few moment to themselves for a while. Fleur had nearly forgotten what it was like to have a newborn baby crying every couple hours.

It never got old. Listening to the little pitter patter of his son or daughter’s heartbeat sent butterflies flying in his stomach. He never thought he’d get to enjoy the sound of his child’s heartbeat for the very first time again. He thought all that was over. He’d made peace with it several months prior. He felt blessed to say the least. He felt weightless as he sat up on cloud nine, relieved that their little bean was growing and developing as they should. It was something so simple but meant so much. Fleur’s medi-witch was more than aware of their fertility troubles. She had offered up her two cents and attempted to guide the couple through the countless procedures Fleur had to endure before they gave up. She was beaming almost as brightly as Bill was.

Reaching for Fleur’s hand he clasped his fingers with her own and just stood next to her. He brought her hand up so he could press his lips against her knuckles briefly. He could see the tears in her eyes and it made part of his heart ache. He felt embarrassed that, up until now, he had been unable to give her the child that she had so wanted these past four years. He felt like less of a man for his inability to provide her with the most basic of biology. He shared this feeling with Charlie and he was the one who convinced Bill that neither he nor Fleur were to blame for their circumstances. It was just one of those things. Bad things happening to good people.

“Would you like to see them?” She asked the couple with a smile.

“Please…” Bill replied before he reached up with his free hand and wiped away the stray tear that was lingering in the corner of his eye.

The medi-witch wordlessly recited a charm while directing her wand over Fleur’s tummy. Suddenly, the shape of a little lima bean appeared on the screen that was hanging against the wall.

Bill’s eyes followed the shape of the little bean and tightened his grip around Fleur’s fingers. He was on the verge of collapse.

It was a feeling that was incomprehensible known only to those who had experiences getting to see their child for the first time. Fleur thought she could have imagined what it was like to see the very first picture of what would be your child, but the mind was unable to completely fathom it. Even now, after two children, she felt just as amazed as she had the first time. The potential a baby brought to the world was only matched by the happiness.

“The baby is healthy?” Fleur asked knowing she could never have enough reassurances when it came to the health and well-being of any of her children. She would suffer whatever sickness, bear whatever crosses, she had to if it meant her child would be happy and healthy when they arrived in this world.

Now that they were assured things were progressing as they should, Fleur felt more at ease. More like running out of there so they could celebrate their long over due success. Celebrate a life that would be full of love and happiness. She knew without a doubt their families would be as happy as they were. Especially, Dominique and Victoire whether it be a little brother or a little sister.

“Should I worry?”

It never got old. Listening to the little pitter patter of his son or daughter’s heartbeat sent butterflies flying in his stomach. He never thought he’d get to enjoy the sound of his child’s heartbeat for the very first time again. He thought all that was over. He’d made peace with it several months prior. He felt blessed to say the least. He felt weightless as he sat up on cloud nine, relieved that their little bean was growing and developing as they should. It was something so simple but meant so much. Fleur’s medi-witch was more than aware of their fertility troubles. She had offered up her two cents and attempted to guide the couple through the countless procedures Fleur had to endure before they gave up. She was beaming almost as brightly as Bill was.

Reaching for Fleur’s hand he clasped his fingers with her own and just stood next to her. He brought her hand up so he could press his lips against her knuckles briefly. He could see the tears in her eyes and it made part of his heart ache. He felt embarrassed that, up until now, he had been unable to give her the child that she had so wanted these past four years. He felt like less of a man for his inability to provide her with the most basic of biology. He shared this feeling with Charlie and he was the one who convinced Bill that neither he nor Fleur were to blame for their circumstances. It was just one of those things. Bad things happening to good people.

“Would you like to see them?” She asked the couple with a smile.

“Please…” Bill replied before he reached up with his free hand and wiped away the stray tear that was lingering in the corner of his eye.

The medi-witch wordlessly recited a charm while directing her wand over Fleur’s tummy. Suddenly, the shape of a little lima bean appeared on the screen that was hanging against the wall.

Bill’s eyes followed the shape of the little bean and tightened his grip around Fleur’s fingers. He was on the verge of collapse.

Fleur squeezed Bill’s hand as she tried to take in all of what they were experience. It was surreal and earth-shattering at the same time. Instead of trying to process it, Fleur just wanted to take it in. Later she could look back at it and process it. They were finally getting the baby they had wanted for so long; one they had thought would never come. This child would certainly be their last. Fleur knew that already.

Once the medi-witch was done Fleur sat up knowing now was the time they would get the run down. What was expected and what they should and shouldn’t do. Most of it was the same but every pregnancy was different. She knew that already. She wasn’t prepared for the medi-witch to classify this pregnancy as a high-risk one, but she wasn’t overly surprised considering everything they had been through to get there.

All she could do was squeeze Bill’s hand while they got the run down. Eat more food was an easy request but Fleur wasn’t sure how well that was going to go down. Her stomach was upset more than it was normal, but she wanted to avoid having to come in for IV fluids if she couldn’t keep anything down much longer. If she couldn’t get nutrients their baby wouldn’t either. It was her biggest concern. Fleur wasn’t so much worried about avoiding things like heavy lifting, avoiding stress, and getting plenty of rest. All of that they could work out between the two of them.

When her name was called, he followed Fleur down the corridor and into a private examination room.

Standing on the opposite side of the examination table, Bill watched as the medi-witch did her usual: taking vitals, asking about her general health, etc. He had two children prior so he had quite a bit of experience in this room. This was the same room where they became acquainted with Victoire and Dominique. A lot of firsts happened in this room, so it held a special significance for them.

Bill smirked a little when the medi-witch suggested what her continued morning sickness could mean for her. There was a history of twins in Bill’s family, but he highly doubted that they would get ‘blessed’ with two babies after suffering through four years of infertility. Of course they would love whatever they were given, even if that was a set of twins with wolf tails. However, Bill wasn’t concerned. They’d cross that bridge if they came to it, like they approached every hardship in their lives.

The medi-witch used the tip of her wand and guided it from Fleur’s pelvis and along her slightly enlarged tummy. A calm and steady beating noise started to sound throughout the room, “Good and strong,” the medi-witch spoke with a smile.

Until she was a parent, Fleur could not ever recall being nervous. As a child everything in life had been a grand adventure. If something did not turn out right, it was just another hill to figure out, a puzzle. In school, it was much the same. Exams had never made her nervous because she knew she would always ace them without much effort and she had never had a plethora of friends preferring the simplicity of being alone. Even with Bill she had never worried much, convinced things would always work out.

Children were another story completely. They were these tiny little humans that depended on them for everything. Not to mention they could get into a lot of trouble in a very short period of time without much effort. Fleur was nervous about everything their children did and everything they would in their lives. It was unsettling to say the least. Now she had another little human to worry about and it came easily being nervous over someone they had never even met. Someone that was just a tiny little bean.

Yet, she felt nothing but relief when she heard a strong healthy heartbeat. It brought tears to her eyes. This was what they had wanted for so long and it was finally starting to feel real; like they should be celebrating instead of walking around on egg shells.

Bill was nervous too every time they visited hospital to check on baby’s progress. They were insecurities magnified by the miscarriage of their very first child. Everything was fine until it wasn’t anymore. He was always afraid that the healers would give them bad news and send them down that oh too familiar road of grief. Bill used to be a very positive person. In his youth you might’ve heard him say, ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ He didn’t believe that anymore. He couldn’t. Not with all the horrors he’d witnessed in his life. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. He and Fleur were proof of that.

He averted his eyes down to the magazine in Fleur’s lap. Since it had been six years since they had their last baby, Bill wondered if Dominique’s old things were of any practical use. Victoire’s most certainly weren’t. She was ready to go to Hogwarts in a couple years time, and she would need a new wardrobe, books that weren’t tattered and falling apart, and, according to her, a broom. She was determined to make the Quidditch team in her first year like her Uncle Harry.

“Cool as a cucumber…” He joked, smiling a little. Today was the day that they would be hearing the heartbeat for the very first time. He was eager as he reached for one of Fleur’s hands and held it in her lap.

Sitting in those chairs, you would not be able to tell that Fleur was pregnant. Only Bill had truly noticed her tummy bulging out a little.

“Fleur Weasley?” The nurse called out.

Fleur gave him a smile as she squeezed his hand and continued to attempt to occupy herself with the magazine. It was overwhelming a bit to think about what a new baby would need. Sure they could reuse the larger items like the crib but they would need new clothes and whatnot. Their rather large family would surely offer plenty of hand-me-downs which would be welcomed happily but she wanted their child to have some things of their own. Everyone, even a child, needed things that were theirs and theirs alone. The nursery had also been converted to an office so she could work from home but Fleur supposed too that would have to be changed as well.

Fleur opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the nurse calling her name. No worries that had plenty of time still to hammer out the little details (and the big ones) surrounding their little one. They had not even begin to pick out names, always an adventure, or sure. Dominique and Victoire’s names had been easy to come by. Dominique’s having been picked out since she was a girl and Victoire’s being inspired by her birthday, there had not been any great need to search too hard. This time, however, they would be starting new, which felt a little daunting if she was being honest.

Like a dutiful patient and an experienced mama, Fleur knew where to sit and what to expect at these visits. Their always came the list of required vitals to be taken, questions to be asked, and expectations. Outside the never ending morning sickness she hoped there was not too much out of the ordinary. After her last two pregnancies all she wanted was a relatively quiet and normal pregnancy.

Fleur knew even before the medi-witch walked in she was going to give her a hard time about not actually having gained any weight yet, but Fleur figured even that was a victory. She was half surprised she hadn’t lost any weight with how little she had been able to eat the past two weeks. “Then give me something that actually works for the never-ending sickness,” Fleur told the woman point blank as she was not one for beating around the bush. How it would be lovely not to have to spend all her time in the bathroom even for one day.

“Non, do not even say it,” Fleur told the medi-witch as she pointed out women who were usually that sick with their pregnancies ended up with multiples. Fleur noticed her gaze flicker over to Bill knowing his mother had a set of twins herself. “One baby is enough,” Fleur told her hoping to bring the conversation back around to more ‘appropriate’ territory. She did not even want to entertain the thought, even if they would love and support whatever children they were blessed with.