Puer Natus Est Nobis
A/N1—This is my first Harry Potter fanfiction. Please read and review. Yes, I have one unfinished story. I do plan on finishing it when the muse strikes me. This takes place right after TDH.
A/N2—I'm in the process of expanding some of the chapters because I thought some of them were a bit too short.
Thunder roars and lighting flashes against the night sky as rain rolls down the windows of Malfoy Manor. Narcissa sits by the window in the master bedroom, head in her hands, watching the rain, hoping her blasted headache would just go away. Stupid storm! She thinks to herself, giving me this blasted headache! Merlin, my head feels like it's going to explode!
She sighs and looks around the room. Where is that potion? I'd better look for it; it won't find itself. She stands up and sways, willing herself not to pass out from the pain. Soon, the room stops spinning and she makes her way to her vanity and finds various bottles of potions. She spies a bottle of ruby red potion. Ah! There it is! She picks up the bottle, which reads, "Capitis Potest Abiit", which means Headache Be Gone. Finally, some relief! She sighs as she reads the bottle:
Take 2 drops for headache, repeating 1 drop after two hours if necessary. Do not take more than six drops within a 24-hour period.
She uncorks the bottle, draws some liquid into the dropper, and is about to drop 2 drops on her tongue when she reads:
All potions may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your healer if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using this potion:
Dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; fatigue; nausea; weakness.
Again, she prepares to consume the dropper's contents, when she spies a yellow label, reading:
Certain potions should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other potions may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your healer if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any potion.
The safety of this potion for use during pregnancy has not been established. It is not recommended for use in pregnancy unless considered essential by your healer. Seek medical advice from your healer.
Great, she sighs to herself. Now, what am I supposed to use? She looks out the window; the storm does not seem to be letting up. I wish Lucius was home. She decides perhaps she can brew a potion that would work and grabs a nearby potions book. Where is that potion? She frantically says to herself, her search in vain.
She contemplates sending Fang, Draco's owl, with a note to her beloved, as her and Lucius's owls have just hatched a couple Owlets, but with the storm, decides against it. Instead, she opts to stretch out on the bed and hope her headache goes away.
As soon as she closes her eyes, she hears commotion downstairs. However, sleep is winning, and she can not open her eyes.
Lucius arrives at the manor floo with a whoosh! He steps out of the fireplace and dusts the soot off his coat. "Cissa?" he calls, looking around the foyer, and receiving no response. He climbs the stairs and calls again. "Cissa? I'm home!" Again, no response. He walks down the hall and quietly opens the bedroom door. He sees his beloved, asleep on the bed with the covers tucked around her. He walks over and places a gentle kiss on her cheek.
Narcissa's eyes flutter open. "Hi," she says meekly.
"Hey. I'm sorry I woke you."
"You didn't wake me." She begins to sit up when her headache overtakes her, and lies back down.
"You okay?" a concerned Lucius asks.
She shakes her head. "Headache."
"Why didn't you take some Capitis Potest Abiit? It's over there on your vanity."
"Can't." she states, closing her eyes again.
"Why not?"
"It says not to take it during pregnancy." she mumbles, with her eyes at half mast.
Lucius was not sure what he heard. "What was that?"
"It says," she replies a bit more emphatically, "not to take it during pregnancy."
"Why would that be an issue?" he asks, not comprehending why that would be a problem.
"BecauseI'mpregnant," she discloses, her voice trailing off.
"What was that?" he asks, laughing a bit and shaking his head in disbelief, "Because it sounded like you said you're pregnant."
Carefully sitting up, Narcissa looks her husband in the eye. "Because I am."
Lucius looked at his wife, stunned, feeling like someone just punched him in the gut or performed the Stupefy spell on him.
Because Lucius stood in shocked silence, Narcissa became concerned. "Lucius?"
"Wha?" he replies, snapping out of it.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he responds. "I'm just taking it in." He exhales, not realizing he'd been holding his breath. "How far a..along?"
"Six weeks. I...it happened the last night of the trial. You know, the night we received the verdict." She smiles and sighs in contentment, "Something for which we should be grateful to Harry Potter. If it wasn't for him coming to our defense..." she put his hand on her abdomen and continues, "then we wouldn't be having our daughter."
"Somethingelse weshouldbe gratefultotheohsofamous HarryPotter," he mumbles.
"Wha?" giving him the stink eye.
Lucius regroups, "A daughter!"
"Yes," she smiles.
"H...how do you know?"
"I wanted to know, so I asked the healer to do a gender spell."
Another clap of thunder roars and a bolt of lightning streaks across the sky. Narcissa winces in pain.
"Your head still hurts?"
"Yeah." she whispers.
"Here, lay back down," he suggests as he tucks her in bed, "and I'll go find a healer."
She nods, closes her eyes and snuggles into the covers.
"I'll be back soon." he states as he grabs a pinch of floo powder and steps into the bedroom fireplace. "St. Mungo's" he announces and disappears with a flash.
At St. Mungo's
A frantic Lucius Malfoy races out of the fireplace to the front desk. "I...I need a healer. M...m...my wife...pregnant...baby...headache!" He shouts, in panic to the twenty-something woman at the front desk.
"Slow down, sir," the woman at the front desk instructs.
"My wife needs a healer," he exhales. "She's umm six weeks pregnant and has a severe headache." Panic still shows on his face.
"And you are?" she asks.
"Malfoy, you impudent child," he spits, regaining his composure.
Defensively, the woman continues, "Don't be such a wanker. I'll see if Healer Sorin's around." Before he could respond, she disappears from the room.
Almost immediately after the woman leaves the room, a tall willowy redhead woman, looking a lot like that snot-nosed brat Ginny Weasley, appears. He shakes off his disgust and looks at the woman.
"Lucius Malfoy? I'm Healer Carys Sorin." She extends her hand, but puts it down when he does not return the gesture. "What can I do for you?"
"My wife, Narcissa, is six weeks pregnant and has a severe headache. She says she can't take Capitis Potest Abiit because she says it can't be taken if you're p...pregnant."
"That's correct," she replies. "What kind of headache is it?"
"What do you mean? It's a headache. Her head hurts." He is getting frustrated.
"I need to know if it's from the storm or if it's something else."
"The storm," he retorts. "She gets these sometimes."
"Okay. Let me get my bag and I'll come with you."
She aparates to her office, grabs a few potions, stuffs them in her bag, and aparates back to the lobby. "Shall we?"
Lucius grabs a pinch of floo powder and steps into the fire-place. "Malfoy Manor!" He disappears in a flash of green light. Healer Sorin follows.
At Malfoy Manor
Lucius steps out of the fireplace and spots his wife in bed, with an expression of pain across her face. "Cissa," he whispers as he places a soft kiss on her cheek. Her eyes flutter open. "This is Healer Sorin. She's come to help."
"Hi," she whispers.
"Mrs. Malfoy," the healer begins. "Your husband says you're six weeks pregnant."
"I am."
"Do you get these headaches often?"
"Sometimes," she responds, not bothering to open her eyes, "especially when there's a major storm system."
"Is this your first or second child?"
"Third. My...our son, Draco, he's eighteen. I had a bad miscarriage when he was two. The Healer said I wouldn't be able to have any more kids."
The healer notices a sad expression on Lucius's face.
"Okay," Carys states, "Let me check you and then we can figure out something for you." She begins her examination. "Other than your headache, you seem healthy."
"And the baby?" he asks, trying to keep the worry from his voice.
"The baby looks just fine," the healer answers.
"Is it a girl?" he continues. "Narcissa said it's a girl. We'd like a girl, but a boy is fine too."
"Lucius," Narcissa groans, "you're babbling."
Healer Sorin tries not to laugh. "Yes, it's a girl."
A smile crosses his lips.
"Okay," the healer begins, as she looks in her bag and pulls out a bottle of bright blue liquid. "I've got some Ire Capitis." (which means, go away headache) "That should take care of it."
"It's safe for her and the baby?" Lucius asks.
"Yes. It's perfectly safe. I used it myself when I was expecting my son Ackley." She uncorks the bottle. "Take two drops now and in two hours if you still have a severe headache, you can take another drop. Just don't take more than six in a day."
"Okay," Narcissa complies.
"Check in with your midwife tomorrow if you don't feel better," she instructs.
"I think we'll check in anyways just to be on the safe side," Lucius answers. "We don't want anything to happen to them."
"As you wish," the healer replies. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
The healer leaves and Lucius changes into his night-clothes.
"Come get in bed," his wife requests.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Hold me."
Lucius does as she asks.
"Are you excited about the baby?" she asks, eyes welling with tears.
"I...I am...or I will be. I'm just so surprised right now." He smooths a lock of hair away from her face.
"Me too. After Cygnus died, I accepted the fact that Draco would be our only child, and now..." she trails off.
"And now we're going to have a beautiful daughter." He plants a soft kiss on her cheek, over a tear. "She'll look just like her mother."
"When do you want to tell Draco?" she asks.
"We'll tell him as soon as term ends. There's no need to tell him before. It'll give us time to get used to the idea..."
"That we'll be parents again?" she finishes.
"Exactly." A wide smile grows on his face. "Now, let's get some sleep so you can feel better." He gives her a kiss on the lips. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Soon, the sound of faint thunder and lightning with the rain rolling down the windows lulls the couple to sleep.
The Next Morning
Sun shines through the window, washing over the sleeping forms of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. The Lord of the Manor wakes and watches his wife while she sleeps. She looks so beautiful! Even after all these years and everything we've experienced, she still manages to stay absolutely beautiful. I don't deserve her. Her eyes flutter open as she awakens. "Hi," he whispers.
"Have you been watching me this whole time?" She smiles as she brushes her fingers through a lock of his hair.
"How are you feeling? Headache gone?"
"Yes," she clips, as bile begins rising into her throat. "Excuse me!" She dashes into the bathroom and empties the contents of her stomach.
Lucius leaps out of bed and heads to the bathroom threshold. "Cissa? Are you all right?" He hears the toilet flush and the sink running.
"I'm okay," she replies, drying her face with a towel. "Just morning sickness."
"Would you like me to have Dippy bring you up some breakfast or toast or something?"
Her face turns green at the thought of food. "Ugh! No!" She exhales. "I'll eat later, when my stomach can handle it."
"All right," he replies, gently stroking a lock of her hair framing her face.
More bile begins to rise, but Narcissa manages to choke it back down. "I hope this doesn't last the whole pregnancy, like it did with Draco."
"Perhaps you'll be lucky this time," Lucius remarks as he wraps his arms loosely around his wife's waist.
"I hope so."
Lucius looks at his wife's abdomen and takes one hand from around her waist and places it over her still flat abdomen. He smiles. "We're having a baby!"
"Yes," she replies as she puts her hand on top of his. "our little girl."
"Who is going to be as beautiful as her mother."
Narcissa blushes.
"I need to go into the office this morning. We're having a board meeting, and I want to go a bit early, so I can get some work done before the meeting." He places his hand back around his wife, and holds her. "Are you sure your headache's gone?"
"It is." She smiles and gives her husband a quick peck on the lips. "And besides, I've got the Ire Capitis Healer Sorin gave me last night."
"All right," he smiles. "Why don't you get some more rest and then when you're feeling up to it, be sure to get some breakfast."
"I will," she chuckles. As Lucius departs, she slips back under the covers. She lays her hand on her still flat abdomen. "Oh baby girl, I can't believe you're here. I never thought I'd have a little girl."
Flashback Sequence (the day before)
For the second week in a row, Narcissa Malfoy found herself hunched over the toilet bowl in the Master suite. "Ugh!" she groans, as she wipes her mouth. Unsteady on her feet, she makes her way to the sink to rinse her mouth. Dark circles hang beneath her eyes. As she starts to leave the bathroom, her stomach lurches and she dashes back to the toilet, emptying the contents of her stomach.
Having quite enough, she decides she needs to see a Healer at St. Mungo's. Lucius won't be home until later that night. After changing into a set of robes, she makes her way to the floo. "St. Mungo's!" she directs, throwing a dash of floo powder, and she is whisked away in a flash.
The Lady Malfoy arrives at St. Mungo's and steps out of the floo.
"May I help you?" the raven-haired receptionist, who looked to be about twenty-something, greeted.
"Yes," Narcissa states. "I need to see a Healer."
"Your name?"
"Narcissa Malfoy."
The receptionist writes her name down and looks up again. "What seems to be the problem?"
"I...I" she stammers, "I've been experiencing nausea for about two weeks."
"Lessee...:" the receptionist starts, looking at the schedule before her, "looks like Healer Ashdown is available to see you now." She rises, "If you'd come with me."
"Thank you."
She leads Narcissa to a room and directs her to sit on the examination table. "Besides nausea, what else is troubling you?"
"I can't stand the smell of some foods, I get up about three or four times a night, and..."
The receptionist nods and writes in a chart. "Any breast tenderness?"
"Yes, a...a...and I...I haven't had my cycle," the blonde witch stammers, softly, "for a couple months."
"Okay," the young woman responds. "Healer Ashdown will see you in a few minutes." She leaves the room, leaving Narcissa alone with her thoughts.
Soon, a large woman with short brown hair opens the door. "Narcissa Malfoy?"
"Yes."
"I'm Hannah Ashdown. I hear you've been having nausea."
"Yes," Narcissa answers, "it's mainly in the morning, and seems to go away by lunchtime."
"Okay," the Healer responds, as she reads through the chart. "Lie back on the table so I can examine you." Narcissa does as instructed and the Healer begins her examination. Healer Ashdown frowns. "When was your last cycle?"
"I missed last month," the blonde witch answers with a slight tremble. "...but I'm not always regular."
"I'd like to run a pregnancy test."
"I can't be pregnant," Narcissa laughs, as she tries to sit up. "I'm too old!"
"Actually, you're not too old. I see you're forty-two."
Narcissa raises an eyebrow.
"Now," the Healer continues, "lie back and let me run the test." Narcissa nods and rests on the table. Hannah Ashdown takes her wand, waving it clockwise "Ostendere Gravidate!"
Narcissa stares at the wand; her eyes growing larger in disbelief as the wand glows green.
"Congratulations," the healer remarks. "It looks like you're pregnant. About six weeks along" She allows this to sink in before continuing, "Would you like to know the gender?"
The Lady Malfoy, still in shock, slowly nods her head.
"A puero vel puella factum est hoc?" (Is it a boy or is it a girl?) The healer waves her wand. This time, the wand glows a brilliant pink. "It's a girl!"
A smile grows on Narcissa Malfoy's face. "I've always wanted a girl, but I never thought that would be a possibility."
"Oh?"
"I have a son, who is in his final year at Hogwarts, and I was pregnant a second time. It was a difficult pregnancy and he didn't survive. The healers said I'd never be able to have any more children."
"Well," Healer Ashdown begins, "everything looks good. There's no scarring nor structural defects that I can see, your hormone levels are perfect. I don't see why they told you that."
Narcissa sighs in relief.
The Healer finishes her examination and helps the blonde witch sit up. "You and the baby look healthy, and she'll probably make her appearance sometime in May. I'd like to see you in another month. Again, congratulations." Healer Ashdown bids her goodbye and leaves the room.
Narcissa absently pays the bill and floos back to the Manor. She strips off her outer robes and views herself in her full-length mirror. I can't believe I'm having a baby. This is absolutely absurd! Draco's grown. I can't start over again! Midnight feedings, diapers, stretch marks, UGH! She stops in mid-thought and calculates. Six weeks. Six weeks. Her eyes grow wide in realization. Six weeks ago, we were released from Azkaban. Merlin! She places her hand over her baby and looks down."You were conceived that night!" She smiles. "Wait until your father finds out. He's going to be quite surprised."
All of a sudden, a sharp stabbing pain hits behind her eyes. Thunder roars faintly in the distance.
End of Flashback
-End of Chapter 1
A/N3—I like Ginny Weasley, but calling her a snot-nosed brat works w/ this story. :0)