Olivia stepped quietly into her flat, unsure of whether or not Remus was home. Her answer came when the unmistakeable smell of boiling potatoes met her nose, and the sound of Elton John on the radio fell on her ears. Remus truly was a creature of habit, something Olivia found to be very comforting about him. She shrugged off her coat and put on a smile, stepping into their kitchenette. "What, besides potatoes, are we having?" She ask, causing Remus to jump. He turned around and returned returned her friendly smile, then nodded toward the cold cabinet.
"Lamb. I pre-roasted it earlier, it just needs heating. I have the oven warming." Olivia's stomach growled. Though she hadn't met any morning sickness yet, she did have an increased appetite from her pregnancy.
"That sounds delightful." she sighed, feeling just a bit guilty. "Is Sirius still coming to eat?" She ask, fidgeting a bit with a frayed spot on her jumper.
"He is." Remus said, missing the apprehension in his wife's voice. "Did you ladies find some good dresses?" he ask. Olivia nodded and moved over into the living room, sitting down on the couch and drawing her legs up to her, curling up into a ball.
"Yes. Pale blue. And Hermione's was amazing." she added.
She turned on her television and flicked aimlessly though the channels, until she felt Remus sit down on the cushion next to her. "Is something bothering you, Olivia?" he ask, his voice gentle and sincere. Olivia held the remote forward and turned the tele off again.
"A bit." she offered up. Remus laid his hand gently on her thigh.
"Are you okay?" Olivia looked over and saw that he truly seemed concerned. "Is it about the wedding?" Olivia smiled. Sirius had told her that Remus was worried the wedding he and Hermione were having would make her sad because they didn't get one, though truthfully she didn't mind skipping all the fuss.
"No, it's not." she smiled, placing her hand on his. "Remus..." she began, but paused and took a deep breath. She allowed her eyes to flutter shut, not wanting to watch his face react. "We're, er-" She decided she couldn't keep her eyes closed and say the words. Her bright blue eyes met his deep green, and she felt his nervousness. "I'm pregnant." she said at last. Remus sprang away almost immediately, jumping to his feet. Olivia let a tear slide down her cheek, watching the werewolf before her pace back and forth. He didn't say anything, but ran his fingers through his hair several times, as if trying to wrap his head around what she had just said.
"I, er-" he said, the strode away.
"Where are you going?" Olivia turned around in panic, only to see him filling the kettle in their kitchenette.
"Tea calms me down." he replied, saying something at last. Olivia let out a puff of breath, thankful he hadn't left their flat.
"Say something." Olivia pleaded. Remus looked so distressed, she didn't know what to do.
"We're not going to prison." he replied, his voice dull. Olivia sighed and sank back into the cushion. "I'll be right back." he called, leaving the kettle to warm on the stove. Olivia heard him take his coat and go out the door, and when she was alone she wrapped both arms around her abdomen and cried.
Remus walked into Grimmauld Place in a fury, finding Sirius and Tonks sitting on either side of their grandfather's chess board in the third floor drawing room. Tonks' pawn had just been smashed when Remus walked into the room. 'Moony!' Sirius called from his seat, gesturing his friend to come closer, but seeing Tonks, Remus stayed near the door.
"Can't stay." Remus said, breathlessly. "Just needed to let you know, something came up, and we'll do dinner later this week. Alright?" Remus looked over at Sirius, who nodded, though he felt confused.
"Sure, mate. Whenever is fine with me." he said. Tonks kept her eyes on the chess board, waiting for the interaction to end. "Everything alright?" he ask, concerned for his fellow Marauder. Remus shrugged. Taking the hint, Sirius stood and excused himself from the game he and his cousin were playing, putting an arm around Remus and guiding him into another room. "Now, can you tell me?" Sirius grinned. "How far along is she?"
"How did you- nevermind. I don't know." Remus said. Sirius felt a deep dread wash over him.
"Did you just find out?" he ask, hoping that it had went alright at least for Olivia's sake. Remus nodded.
"I don't know what to say to her. You're supposed to be happy to find out you're going to be a father, aren't you?" Remus looked to his friend, his eyes seemed so hopeless and lost. Sirius shrugged.
"No one can tell you how to feel. But I can tell you that there is a woman who really needs you to come home, she probably feels just as lost as you do, or even more so since you left." Sirius pulled his old friend into a hug.
"I should go." he said with a nod. "I told her I'd be right back." Remus said, and Sirius agreed. He walked back to the front door with Remus, slapping him on the back as he left.
"Congrats, mate." he called, getting a rather exasperated look from Remus before he disapperated with a 'pop'. Sirius walked back into the house, and up to the drawing room, only to find that Tonks had left. He sighed and settled at his desk, opting to write to Hermione with his newly freed time.
It only took Remus about ten minutes to return home, and Olivia felt extremely relieved when she heard the door open and shut once more. The kettle had sounded since he left, and Olivia had moved it to another burner, but the water was still plenty hot. He made himself a cup of tea and came into the living room, opting to sit on the floor beside the couch, as Olivia had stretched out, facing the back of the sofa. He sat beside her in silence, sipping his tea, wracking his brain for the right thing to say. It had never occurred to him he might have a family, so he wasn't sure what to say now that he had one like it or not.
"How far along are you?" he ask after some time, breaking the silence like a stone through a window.
"Five weeks." Olivia replied, her voice raspy from where she'd been crying. Remus nodded, though why he didn't know. There was nobody to see as she was still facing away. Remus rose and walked into the kitchen, and Olivia heard several things opening and moving, then she felt Remus retake his place.
"I told Sirius we'd reschedule." he informed his wife, and he heard her let a deep breath out slowly.
"You didn't have to." she replied softly. Remus sighed and rubbed his hands roughly over his face.
"I just thought it would be better." He admitted. He could feel a dull ache in his chest from her emotions, and he knew he needed to do something. "Olivia?" he asked gently.
"Hmm?" she hummed, rolling over to face him. He grabbed her face and gently pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
"We'll get through it." he said. Olivia smiled, putting her own hand over his.
"I know." she said with a nod. We'll need to tell my mum sometime." she added, sitting up a bit.
"We could go now, if you like- or have them come for dinner?" Remus offered, lacing his fingers through hers. "You could give them a call, we do have the extra food." Olivia agreed, and her mother and sister were knocking at the door within thirty minutes.
"You sounded strange on the phone." Her mother commented rather than greeting Olivia and Remus as she came through the door. Susan came into the flat after her mother, a smirk already spread on her face. Remus appeared right beside Olivia, and true to form when in front of her mother, he wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his chin on her shoulder.
"Don't take all night love, tell her." Remus said. Her mother turned from her place near the door where she was hanging both her's and Susan's coats on the hook. Her eyes were wide and accusing.
"Mum, we're having a baby!" Olivia said, putting her best smile forward. Susan shouted something along the lines of 'I knew it!' but their mother's jaw nearly hit the floor at the news.
Harry laid an envelope beside Hermione, one he had taken out of his own that Hedwig delivered at the beginning of dinner that evening. "This was in with mine." he said. "You know who from." he added. Hermione nodded and slipped her letter into her bag as she stood to leave from the dinner table. She'd made up her mind to talk to Ron after they got through eating, because she was supposed to help he and Harry on some Charms assignments anyway after dinner. She left before both boys so that she could have the Common Room to herself for the moment, and have a moment to compose her thoughts. She opened the letter Sirius had sent and read the contents.
Dearest Fiancee,
Hope things are well for you and that the toad isn't giving you too much grief. I heard you found a wedding dress worthy of your beauty, and cannot wait to see it. Though I truly doubt that any such fabric will do you justice. Do not roll your eyes at me, little witch, and don't pretend you didn't. I know I wrote to you just this morning, and you've not yet replied, but I found myself with a bit of time. My dearest Moony is going to be a father, but then I suppose you know that. Liv is quite fond of you, and I know you are of her, so it's probably safe that I assume you knew about the dear pup before its father, am I wrong?
Either way, I was supposed to take supper with the Lupins, but because this news sprang up they're taking an evening to themselves, which is all in all very understandable. I do hope that you are alright, and that as the days draw closer to December you don't find yourself dreading the sight of my face. Can I admit something to you, dear fiancee? I miss having you here. I miss you scolding me for my pranks, telling me to grow up. I miss finding you curled up on the window seat in the library where you've fallen asleep reading. I've often found myself wondering what it will be like when I find you curled up next to me in the mornings... Is that absurd? It probably is, but I feel like this will only work if we're honest. Please, sweet witch, don't feel obligated to say such things back. Just trust that I am true with you. As I said before, my hands have been kept to myself and my thoughts only on you.
Until next time,
Your Betrothed xx
Hermione smiled, as she had indeed found herself rolling her eyes when he said, and her face flushing at others. If she was honest with herself she knew she missed Sirius as well, but she didn't want to make him feel like she was just saying it. She had to admit that there was a small worry in the back of her mind, that their ability to communicate fairly openly in their letters, which sometimes were exchanged twice in a day, would hinder their ability to talk face to face. She re-read the letter and laid it onto of some of her work she had sitting to the side, then began to lay out her notes and finished homework that she could use to compare the answers on Harry and Ron's homework to. Harry came into the Common Room first, giving her a reassuring smile before taking out his Charms essay, which was obviously only a quarter of the way completed, and set to work. They had been working for about twenty minutes and Harry had distracted Hermione by asking a question that they had too look up the answer to, and they didn't notice that Ron had come in and sat on the other side of Hermione until they heard him speak.
"What's this?" He ask, looking very much confused. He was holding up a piece of parchment, and when Hermione turned to look, she nearly fell out of her chair to get to Ron's hand, but he jerked out of her reach just as she swatted toward the letter.
"That's private." She said in an angered huff, reaching once more for the letter.
"Dearest Fiancee," Ron started to read. "Who the bloody hell is this from?"
"Ron, seriously." Hermione swung toward the letter again, then looked to Harry for help but found he seemed to be frozen in his seat taking in the scene. Ron seemed to continue to read, because his next words were "Mione, is this from Sirius?" There was a hate in his eyes, and a condescension to his voice that cut Hermione deep.
"Yes, Ron." she answered, trying to keep her own voice low.
"That's bloody disgusting!" Ron bellowed. "He's- blimey. He's old. He's Harry's Godfather!"
"Ron please, we can expl-" Hermione tried to plead, but she was unable to get a word in among Ron's yelling.
"Why he is talking about sleeping with you?" Ron demanded, waving the letter in Hermione's face. She took the opportunity he provided and stole the letter from his hand, smoothing out the wrinkles he'd put in it and folded the letter neatly.
"He talks about sleeping with you?" Harry piped in, but Hermione turned around and narrowed her eyes at Harry, letting him know that now was not the time to bring it up.
"Ron, please." She reached out toward her redheaded friend, but Ron took a step back.
"No." he said, raising his hands and shaking his head as he backed away and took off up toward the boy's dormitories. Hermione felt tears pressing on the backs of her eyes as she watched him run away, but she fought them back. She turned to face Harry, who was standing behind her, mouth agape.
"That could've gone better." Hermione said, flopping down onto the couch beside the fireplace. She laid her head back against the couch and closed her eyes. Harry sat gingerly down beside her, waiting until Hermione opened her eyes.
"He'll come around." Harry said, quietly speaking. Hermione shook her head.
"No, Harry. For some reason, I think this time it's a bit different."
Hello everyone! Here is the update for today, as promised! Thank you all for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I must give a special thanks and shout out to ForensicGeek2 for the ideas left in the reviews! Be sure to review, it makes the story come faster and can even help me write! They mean sooooo much to me!