B
She watched the fire, rubbing her comically swollen stomach with a peaceful smile playing at the corners of her mouth- the fire casting long shadows on the bordeaux walls despite it being in the middle of the day. If her husband had been there, he would tease her for having it lit when it was perfectly warm, but she liked watching it dance. Euphemia leaned her head on the back of the chaise she was stretching out on, a gentle spring breeze blowing through the open French doors. She only had a few minutes before she was sure that Cinsy the house elf would be along to shut them, all the while scolding her that she might get too cold and chill the child. Not even born yet, and her little lion was causing her trouble.
"My bonny lass," she heard her favorite voice in the world say, her husband's face suddenly appearing as he leaned over the chaise to grin at her. She opened her eyes and smiled back, feeling her eyes adopt the dreamy expression they always had when he was around.
"Beautiful?" She asked lightly, standing up with some small difficulty. Pregnancy, it seemed, meant always feeling as though you might tip over. "Me? I think you must be blind."
"And I think," he replied as he gently kissed her, "you can stop your pretense of self-deprecation now. You look lovely, my heart."
He held up a bouquet of ivory colored flowers between them when she stepped closer, the petals seeming to reach out to her face. She laughed heartily, taking them from him so that she could kiss him again. Having given him sufficient attention, her mother had always said men were much like pets in that aspects, she smelled at them. Rich fragrance flooded her nostrils and she smiled in them, the petals soft on her face.
"They're lovely, Fleamont," she said. "You know lilies are my favorite."
She felt a strange pressure on her stomach and gasped, looking down with a grin and trying desperately to feel for another. "Love, come, feel!"
Euphemia grabbed his hand and pressed it to spot. Wait. "There! Did you feel it?"
He was looking at her in awe, kneeling down to place both hands on her stomach. "That's amazing," he croaked tearfully. "That's- I love you. What are we going to name him?"
"Or her," she reminded absently, though she knew in her soul it would be a boy.
"Or her," he agreed, grinning at her.
"Well," she said thoughtfully, rubbing the top of her bump. "I kind of like- James."