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[thecoolone]

He would pick her up and carry her over the threshold, but that's for newlyweds.

He would bring her tea and sandwiches, but he suspects she's not hungry.

He would shower her with kisses.

I can do that. But first, he closes the door behind them and walks her over to their bed and pats the spot beside him as he sits. "Tell me, love: tell me everything." Already, in his mind, he's seeing the world's most beautiful, radiant child. Of course he is: his little girl in his mind's eye looks just like her mother.

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[leplusbeau]

"No, shut up a moment."

And she pulls his head down and fits their mouths together, pouring herself into him, and one leg comes up to curl over his lap. When she pulls back, she dives back in with a much softer, shorter kiss. Then a kiss to both his eyelids. Fleur finally leans back and wraps her arms around his neck.

"It waz Valentine'z day. I think. I mean, we have to do all the official testz and thingz to know more exact thingz. But."

She looks down at her belly.

"...Merlin. There iz someone in there."

She hasn't poked it yet. She's still a bit afraid to because that makes it real.

[thecoolone]

He looks down at her belly too. Six siblings later, and still, he feels he was too young to remember what it was like for his mum. But it doesn't matter; this will be whatever it is for them. Unique, different, and entirely theirs.

"And... are you all right with this?"

She was the one who never wanted children; they discussed this before they married. They discussed it before they even got back together, in fact. Part of him thinks that he couldn't be more thrilled. After growing up in a large family, he's always thought to have one of his own.

If something's changed for Fleur, he wants to know. He needs to know.

[leplusbeau]

She looks at him a long moment.

Then, takes up his hand. Her shirt is a little short, and she pulls it up and places Bill's hand just above her naval. He has a thick splash of freckles across his knuckles that goes all the way up his arm, and he has a nice, slight tan especially compared to her.

Tracing patterns on the back of his wrist, "There iz someone in there. That lookz like you and me. I thought...I thought I would have more time to think about it. Get used to it. ...that I could think of what to say if they ever hated me because I gave him--her--them my bloodline." She looks up and into his eyes. "There iz someone in there. We put them there. I will, I will be all right."


"I will juste whine about it. Often." She offers a half smile.

[thecoolone]

There's something about the mere thought of a tiny helpless being in there that gives him pause. Since his two youngest siblings were born, he's always had an unapologetic desire to have a family of his own but when Fleur said she never wanted children, his love for her overshadowed that unapologetic desire.

Now, clearly, she's changed her mind. He doubts this is an accidental happening; the spells work very well. That's not the only consideration, though: not only has Fleur expressed multiple concerns about her Veela heritage, but there's an unknown in him. He's been bit by a werewolf -- albeit an untransformed one -- and there's no scientific evidence of what might happen to that child. He knows enough about the success (failure) rate of bringing lycanthropic children to term, and he knows it's low at best. What might be in his DNA now to affect that? He doesn't know.

These are all unknowns. Clearly, human and Veela genes are compatible: he happens to think Fleur is the ideal woman.

Bill also has the suspicion that every new parent-to-be has concerns, although of a different nature. And they've only just found out. There will be time to talk about it and think it over. So for the moment, he simply looks down at his hand against her stomach and grins. They've overcome such great odds already, the both of them. Why should this prove to be any more difficult?

"You have my express permission to whine as frequently as you see fit, love. We should probably see a Healer?" It's not as much of a question as it seems. No: it's really not a question at all.

[leplusbeau]

"Oui. I have no idea who but. Oui. Someone. --we can go shopping! Something for both of us!"

Her face falls because the thought finally occurred to her. Healer. Seeing. Health things. Problems.

"I have to stop smoking." She hides her face in Bill's shoulder, still all wrapped around him.


"Fuck!"

[thecoolone]

He stifles a laugh.

At least, he tries very hard to stifle it, but fails miserably. After allowing himself a hearty snicker, he runs his hands up and down her arms. "I'm sorry, love. I'm sorry. It's just..."

He can't stop laughing. It's anxiety and joy and shock all rolled into one moment, capped off by her little French "fuck!"

And it's all just as it's supposed to be.

"I very much adore you."

[leplusbeau]

Fleur babbles on because OH NO! "I have smoked since I waz twelve! And I cut back but I have to stop! I have to stop! No drinking, no smoking! --SEX!" She grabs Bill by his collar. "What if we nevah have sex again!?"

[thecoolone]

Now he's laughing outright. There's nothing to do but that, and to put his hands over hers on his collar. "Fleur, darling woman, I don't think we need to worry about that. Look at my mum and dad. I'm certain they had sex at least five times after I was born."

And he's relatively secure there were probably a few more instances than that over the course of the years. Never is a very long time.

[leplusbeau]

"But you have nevah seen me fat! I have nevah seen me fat! Oh, Merlin hopping a fucking broomstick! I will be the size of a hippogriff! And stretch marks! You will hate them!"

[thecoolone]

"But they'll be your stretch marks and I'll love them. You'll see."

If she thinks he only loves her for her body, she's wrong. She's beautiful and exotic, yes, but there's more going on than meets the eye. Much more. She's the world to him.

Still, he tries to imagine her the size of a hippogriff. "Although I have to say, if you do grow to the size of a hippogriff, we'll need a bigger bed."

[leplusbeau]

She pinches him. "That iz mean! I am nevah having your love child again!"

That made her look down. She pokes at one of her breasts and cups it. "These will be huge. And, and. All the stretch marks and scars. I will know they are there. And they will be there. Waiting. Until I take my clothes off again."

She rubs her eyes with the heel of her palm. "No wonder people spend so much time planning these thingz!"

[thecoolone]

Well... she's got it right there, right there in her hand, and what's he supposed to do? Be the epitome of restraint? He's not a monk, he's a curse-breaker. A man of action.

Reaching forward, he moves her hand out of the way before pulling off her shirt.

"If there are going to be scars and stretch marks, then I'd like to fix a good image in my mind of what they're like right now. So we can have a before-and-after sort of thing. I'll just go borrow a camera."

He's never been good at keeping a poker face; he's absolutely miserable at it now. Besides, the smile on his face betrays any seriousness.

[leplusbeau]

Fleur blinks.

"...huh?"

[thecoolone]

"I'm teasing. You're so lovely. You'll continue to be lovely." He wraps his arms round her, stroking her back. "I'll love you through stretch marks and scars and hugeness and discomfort and cravings and whatever else this might serve up for you."

Unexpectedly, his eyes fill with tears.

[leplusbeau]

"What? What? Did I say something? You can take dirty picturez of me all you want!" She hugs him, her face tucked under his chin. "You are having mood swingz too! Thiz iz what happenz when you are a good daddy. You feel thingz too. We will figure thiz out! We will! And we will be scared and I will cry too, but we will find a way! And we will be good at thiz because he--she--they will be like us, so it will not be so bad!"

"And. And. I will try not to smoke once--they are here! Oh Merlin. Fuck."

[thecoolone]

Blinking fiercely, he rubs his eyes. "It's... this is... all of it, it's..."

Oh Merlin. Fuck.

She said it.

"It's a little overwhelming just now. And thrilling."

And his arms go right back around her and he holds her as closely as he's ever done. "And I love you."

[leplusbeau]

"Oui. Love you. Alwayz."


Beat.


Into his chest, "You are going to be a daddy."

[thecoolone]

And she's going to be a mum: his eyes well up again.

"Our own child. Imagine that." Leaning forward, he kisses her.

And hands her back her shirt: he doesn't want her to catch a chill.

"And you wanted to... go shopping?"

[leplusbeau]

She takes it in an absent minded sort of way.

"Healer shopping. To find one we both like. I am a little picky about who pokez about under my skirt, you know."

She finally looks at her shirt. "Why did you give me thiz?"

[thecoolone]

"Because it doesn't fit me?"

He wonders absently how long it will continue to fit her.

"I don't think we need to interview Healers right this moment, do we?" One finger traces the line of her jaw: he'd rather prove her wrong about 'nevah.'

He'd like to prove her wrong about it right now, in fact.

[leplusbeau]

"Oh!"



Then, "Oh."

She actually blushes when he leans down to kiss her. Because she is pregnant and he still wants to.

Fleur wraps her arms around his neck. "Oh, Beel."

[thecoolone]

"I love you, my dear." With a flick of his wand the curtains close and the door locks. This, of all things, is just for the two of them.

No onlookers necessary.