A/N: Cygnus wished for a heir to carry his name. And more Bella love (baby Bella) RxR. FxF. AU
Submission for:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt - Cygnus Black
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Cygnus had always wanted an heir. As a pureblood and a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, the passing of the name from father to son was the most important rite within the family. He would mould his son into the perfect man and teach him everything he would need to know to get by in the world.
As soon as he had been married, he had been trying with his wife to make such a thing happen. After two months, Druella came to him and announced her pregnancy. That night, they celebrated within the privacy of their home, and then hosted a lovely gathering with the family a few days after. Alphard could care less, he wasn't even married yet, but he still smiled at Walburga's red face when she found out that he would be a father before she would have a child. He would have the Black Heir, not her. He couldn't help but feel smug. Walburga had always lauded everything over him and now he had something to laud over her.
It had been an arduous pregnancy with many bumps and scares along the road, but he and Druella weathered through it together. She took her necessary potions and the nursery was decorated in varying shades of blue and silver. The perfect colours for a newborn baby boy.
She went into labour unexpectedly and neither were prepared as it was month too early. He rushed her to St Mungo's, shoving everyone out of the way to ensure his wife and unborn son was attended to immediately.
She was taken into one of the emergency rooms where the healer told them she had gone into an early pregnancy. The baby was struggling within her womb and needed to be born now. He had a 95% of surviving, which were good odds but would have been better had he gone to full term. However, they didn't really have a choice. The newest Black was on his way.
It took two hours for the baby to be born and Cygnus stood outside in the hallway pacing. He wondered who the baby would look like. Would he have his black hair or Druella's blonde, his grey eyes or Druella's blue, his nose or hers? Would he be a good father? Would the baby even like him?
The door opened and the healer ushered him inside. He gazed upon his wife's tired but smiling face. "Most babies born this early are usually very weak," the healer said, "but she's definitely a fighter."
Cygnus who had been about to rush to his wife's side froze in his place. "She?" he asked, spinning on the healer. She shrunk under his stare but he couldn't care that he may have scared her with his sudden movement. He had a daughter!?
He strode up to his wife and squeezed her hand tightly, causing her to grimace. He hissed, "You gave me a daughter."
She looked at him fearfully. "I'm so sorry, Cygnus. I know you wanted a son," she said.
He closed his eyes and counted to ten.
One... Two...
This was not Druella's fault...
Three... Four...
This was not his fault...
Five... Six...
This was nature's fault...
He stopped before seven. He threw his wife's hand away. "You gave me a daughter!" he roared.
Tears fell from Druella's eyes and she sobbed into her hands, muttering her apology over and over. He paced beside her bed with his hand fisting his hair. A daughter? A daughter!
He spun on the healer once more and she took a step back. "Where is she?" he said, trying to refrain from shouting.
Another healer came into the room with a bundle in his hands and took in the scene before him: a crying mother, his scared healer and a fuming man. He held the baby protectively against him, "What seems to be the problem, Sir?"
"Give me my baby," Cygnus screamed, reaching his hands out for the bundle.
The healer moved the baby away. "I don't think so, Sir. Maybe when you've calmed down-"
"Give me my daughter!" he screamed, the last word said with disgust.
The healers looked at each other, knowing that it was a bad idea but they couldn't deny the man his newborn. The healer handed the bundle over to the man slowly, while they both held their wands out in case any harm came to the child.
Cygnus held his daughter out in front of his face and looked into her eyes. She had his black hair, though curly like Druella's, and his grey eyes. A spitting image of a Black. She was looking straight at him with such concentration for an infant, analysing his every facial movement. He frowned at her. She was a girl!
Boop! The baby reached out and bopped him on the nose and then smirked.
Cygnus blinked. Weren't babies quieter? weaker? innocent? This little one was already picking fights and...smirking?
"Cygnus?" his wife's quiet voice asked from the bed, her eyes peaking between her fingers. It had been silent once he had been handed his daughter and everyone was still tense. They all wondered what he was going to do with the little girl.
Cygnus took a deep breath and counted to ten once more, calming the last of his nerves, able to because of her. This little girl had accomplished what many could not and she had only been a few minutes old.
He turned to his wife and there was a faint smile on his face. She returned it nervously as he handed their daughter to her. The healers lowered their wands when they saw the infant now in her mother's care.
Druella looked at her daughter for the first time, the baby giving her the same slanted smile and grabbing at the finger held before her face. "She's a fighter," Druella murmured.
"She's a warrior," Cygnus said. "And she's a Black. She'll go far."