A/N: just this chapter Fleur's thoughts are underlined
This chapter is dedicated to my mate, my wife, my love of 14 years. I am happy to announce that she is 18 weeks pregnant and we are expecting our first baby in our little family. A little girl will greet us in the new year if everything goes right, I couldn't be more nervous…not sure what kind of ma I'll be, although my wife assures me I will be the fun ma, not the more serious mom she thinks she will be…only time will tell. She has had loads of input on this chapter, as she is the one carrying our little cub. So again huge thanks for her inspiration.
Without further ado, happy Friday update day! Back to the story!
Fleur
-Un bébé…
Fleur caressed her stomach, she thought to herself, thinking back upon when night turned into day in the cave. The colors that surrounded them, such an afterthought then to their passionate love making, but so much more now. She had no idea then that they were making a new life force, created by their magic and their love.
-My Hermione, my heart I miss you. Please be ok, we will get through this love. I know your wolf is hurting, I wish I could soothe your wounds. I wish you knew about the little one…our little one…
A lone tear escaped the sitting Veela's eye.
-We made a little life together… The perfect little being would have part of her mate's amazing soul, perhaps her kind eyes, her tenacious spirit…
Crying more, Fleur cursed her pregnant hormones on not being able to control her emotions better.
She had taken stock of everything she had socked away in her extendable boot. The most immediately valuable items she had with her was: her invisibility cloak that, while not as powerful as her mate's brother Harry's it did the job; as well as her potions ingredients. With the two of these items combined she could set up her laboratory and brew anything she needed under the cloak.
As her pregnancy was to progress she was sure that she would have more morning sickness, as well as need for other healing potions, not to mention a way to supplement nutrients she would not be able to get here in capture.
Fleur definitely had warring emotions, because on one hand, she was ecstatic that they made a child with just their love and magic, a life they would be able to share together, Merlin willing. This was most definitely her Veela side showing through. That side was possessive of her booming life, rage over anyone whom would dare harm her little one.
However on the other, more human side, she was nervous and scared.
-Sweet Merlin what did we do! I'm not old enough to be a parent, I'm still a youngling myself…what if Hermione hates me…what if she leaves me…what if she thinks I cheated on her when she sees my condition after being gone so long…I will be so alone…
However that line of thinking was quickly shut down, when she logically thought about her mate, her loving, fiercely protective, bookworm wolf.
She couldn't stop the spiraling thoughts however.
-Our life is going to change so much, I don't know if I'll be able to handle this…are we ready for this?
Sure, they had several discussions about having a few liters of pups, but that was all academic, and wistful soft conversations of hopeful youth speaking on the very distant future.
This was real, this was permanent…this was sudden…
She could not deny that she felt the little life growing inside of her. The feeling was odd, and yet full of such wonder. Fleur had already noticed her stomach growing these past few weeks in captivity, her hips and breasts ached…
-I'm sure my mate would be all too enthusiastic to offer and massage…
Fleur thought with a chuckle to herself.
Not everything was filled with wonderment at the amazing creation of life. She often had gas at the weirdest of times, morning sickness began rearing its ugly head if she did not feed the beast when its first request would be made. Potions only went so far…and she was uncomfortable. She felt fat, unattractive…often she could not sleep because of the acid feeling down her throat, even muggle tums didn't seem to soothe her aching belly.
Fleur envisioned her child tugging on the umbilical chord when it wanted "womb service" as she called it. She thought it comical to think the youngling would be tugging hard on the chord when the babe didn't get fed immediately, so much like her other mother already...
Her cravings hadn't been too crazy as of yet, and only seemed to be wanting tacos, tacos, and more tacos. Such an odd thing to want, especially being French, but her mate had introduced her to the muggle concoction and she loved it.
Fleur had been treated fairly, she was fed plenty, and even given anything she requested food wise. She had even had gotten a copy of the Daily Prophet, well daily. She surmised that the latter was given to disparage the French witch.
The ever horrible Rita Skeeter had gone on non stop about the light side's losses. She relentlessly focused on discounting her wolfy mate. Daily accounts of Goblins and the dark side imposing their will and taking over many aspects of wizarding life was hard to take. The unregistered animingus obviously still resented Hermione for capturing her in that jar for a month in her beetle form. Not to mention the open threats at the Tri-Wizard tournament her brave lioness threw at the reporter.
Rita was not the only witch or wizard giving one-sided reporting of the war. The ministry officials had been overrun by Death Eaters and apparently that control stretched to the newspaper as well.
Fleur did not know if the ministry had completely fallen, but she had a feeling it was no longer a safe place for the masses.
Word had gotten out that Goblins now had the one thing that had been denied them since the last Goblin Wars.
They had wands.
This thought chilled the Veela to the bone. Goblins were shrewd, peculiar creatures, as well as very powerful. Their magical power had been mighty in the last wars, so much so that all wizarding kind had been wary of the little creatures having wands once more.
Post Goblin War Britain had been a tough pill for the proud creatures to swallow. Their lands had been confiscated, their magic limited to wandless, not allowed to ever form any armed forces, and they had faced joblessness at the beginning that incited more rage, humiliation, and hopelessness than they had ever experienced.
It was a stroke of genius that a former Ravenclaw had, to put them in charge of the financial systems with overwatch at the beginning. The jobless Goblins had always loved the art of deal making and were shrewd businessmen. The jobs seemed to subdue the angry creatures, but apparently that was not to be for long.
The creatures had apparently had the last laugh recently, because they had used their contacts in the Daily Prophet to put out a false report of a slew of break-ins at Gringots. The call to come and claim the remnants of their vaults had lured many a witch and wizard to their death and/or imprisonment. Those who arrived were trapped in their own vault, left to die slowly of starvation or madness, whichever came first. Their new allies the acromantula were put to good use in some vaults of those they especially despised… Apparently the Goblins didn't care about blood status, and had harmed each wizard equally…such was their cruel rage.
Fleur had never been more happy at her once thought muggle born wife. She knew the wolf had diversified their wealth and the wealth of those closest to her. The order, as of this year had withdrawn almost completely out of Gringots and their galleons were invested and grew exponentially in the muggle stocks and safe bonds.
Jareth had taken to a daily lunch brag session with the young mother to be, and boasted about many things that had been happening since her capture. Goblins had, in years past had a long standing deal with grave diggers, galleons for wands, had been the name of the operation. The shear number of wands at their disposal was astounding, wizarding greed seemed to outweigh their good sense.
-what have we done all this time? If we had only learned from our history, perhaps we would not be doomed now to repeat it…
Fleur thought to herself.
Jareth would often be found saying
'Forget about the baby'
Or counting down audibly the months and days until the child would enter the world and as he put it
'…and you'll be mine'. He would maniacally laugh each time towards her belly.
She had almost transformed too many times at these statements, her rage was palpable these afternoons she shared with the loathsome Goblin King.
True to his word, however she had not been assaulted, or treated ill by any of the surrounding troops. Fleur counted herself lucky that the one thing that most women whom were captured had feared the most would not happen to her for the time being.
Her wife needed to find her…
She needed to escape…
She needed to keep her baby safe and out of the hands of anyone whom would ever do them harm…
It was in this desperation that she hatched a plan. She thought this through, minding every eventuality she could think of. Two weeks later she finalized everything. This would not be a short goal, nor easy one to accomplish. The dangers were untold, and hardships unnumbered, but she knew in the end the Goblin King would hold no power over her.
Her plan would take six months to come to fruition, that would leave one month left of her pregnancy so she would not give birth while in capture. She could not lose her baby…her world…even though she had not yet meet the child, she loved it with all of her being. Without hesitation she would die to make sure her babe would live, something she never thought she would say. This plan had to work, if her love could not rescue her in time. All of her previous escape attempts had failed...This was the backup plan to end all backup plans.
Fleur began inventorying everything she had again, and made a list of the things she needed. She could do this, there was no other option. Her life was not nearly as important now as her little one, her cub…
She allowed one final tear to escape, before she lost herself to her task. She rubbed her belly lovingly, cooing softly in French.
Soon baby, you will meet your other mother and she will shower you with love. You are so loved young one. My little miracle.
Un bébé…