Author's Note: I almost didn't notice that it's been a full year since I published this story! Thank you to everyone for your continued support! Warning: This is a short chapter after a long hiatus again, and I do apologize, but I promise that the next one will be longer. That said, this story is coming to a close very soon.

Trigger Warning: Infertility, miscarriage, and premature labor is mentioned and talked about in-depth in this chapter and again in later chapters. This warning will be in all chapters where these subjects are explored.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter book series or movie adaptations.

Chapter Fifteen: Lightning

12 February 2026

Rose,

I know you said that today would be the thirteen-week checkup for your little bean. Is everything doing okay? This will be the first checkup for the second trimester, obviously, which I know you were looking forward to. How are you handling everything? Is Scorpius being supportive? If he isn't, just send him over to me and I'll set him straight.

On another note, I can't wait for lunch today. Your mum can't, either. All of us are very excited for news.

Again, I'm always here if you need anything.

Astoria

Astoria was right of course. I had been looking forward to this appointment since Healer Jane told me that I was expecting. The risk for miscarriage significantly decreases after the first trimester, which is something that would take a load off of my mind. The risk wasn't entirely gone, of course, but this was at least something to ease my stress somewhat.

Scorpius stood from his place on the library sofa as I peered into the room. "I'm ready to go when you are," I said. My voice shook.

He stood up and came over to place a kiss on my forehead. "Everything will be fine," he said.

I willed myself to believe him. The floo over to the appointment happened in a blur, as did the waiting room stint. The next thing I knew, I laid down on the hospital bed while Healer Jane waved her wand over my stomach.

I breathed out a sigh of relief as the tiny whooshing sound of a fetal heartbeat began to fill the room. I looked over at Scorpius. "That's our bean," I breathed. Tears pricked at my eyes.

Scorpius kissed my forehead again. "That's our bean," he echoed.

Healer Jane smiled at us both. "He or she is very healthy," she said. "Your little bean is progressing exactly how we would expect at this stage." She muttered a counter-incantation and that beautiful sound faded. "There are some tests I'd like to run before you leave, but they're to check on your health, not your bean's."

"Thank you," I said with a smile.

I looked over at Scorpius. His face was paler than normal, as it always was at these appointments, but he had the barest hint of a smile on his otherwise stoic face. He squeezed my hand almost imperceptibly.

The rest of the appointment went smoothly, the routine testing going as well as could be expected. My bean was safe and, as far as we or the Healer could be concerned, so was I.

Scorpius and I left the Healer's office quickly after that, and we walked to the tiny cafe where his mother and mine had requested we meet them for lunch. We were, unsurprisingly, the last ones to arrive.

Both women stood to hug me as I reached the table, and Scorpius pulled my chair out for me. I didn't know if it was more annoying or endearing how everyone had felt the need to baby me these last few months.

Narcissa's absence was notable but purposeful. After the fiasco with the baby announcement, she had quietly distanced herself from the whole affair so as to not further embarrass herself. Apparently all it took to calm her down was a stern talking-to from her son.

"So," Mum said as I sat down, "Any news on our bean?"

I smiled and rubbed my still nearly flat belly, but it was Scorpius who answered. "All is well," he said, the tiniest trace of happiness in his tone.

Both of our mothers all but squealed, and within a few moments they had pulled us into a conversation about nurseries and names. I placed my hand on my stomach and hoped and prayed that these conversations wouldn't become a redundancy.

The following weeks passed in a blur of doctor's appointments and plans and conversations, and as my belly grew I couldn't help but feel my excitement do the same. I was twenty weeks along, the Healer proudly proclaiming that my bean would be a girl, when I felt myself take perhaps the first breath of fresh air since I'd begun my pregnancy.

"Cassiopeia," Scorpius said one night, out of nowhere, as we laid in bed. I'd been reading when he said it, and I shook myself a little as I looked over at him confusedly. "For her name," he clarified. "It's kind of a tradition in my family, naming babies after constellations."

I weighed the concept in my head for a moment. "Cassiopeia," I said slowly, feeling the weight of the word on my tongue. My bean flipped in my belly, and I gasped, clutching my stomach.

Scorpius grinned. "She likes it," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll put it on the list," I said, "But I can't promise I like it enough to put it on a baby."

"What's wrong with it?"

I raised my eyebrow. "It's a bit of a mouthful, love."

He chuckled. "So is Scorpius," he said, "But I've managed well enough. We could call her Cassie, if you want."

I smiled, mulling it over. "I like that," I said.

"You could come up with the middle name, if you like," Scorpius mused. "I'm sure you've got ideas." I looked down at my hands, resting on top of my belly, and his smile dropped. "Nothing?" he asked with confusion.

I shrugged. "That can't be surprising," I responded. "I haven't exactly been ahead of schedule with planning for her."

Scorpius grabbed her hand and kissed it. "It's alright, love. I'm sure you'll come up with something."

On the morning of my twenty-four week appointment, Healer Jane informed us that the pregnancy had progressed passed my second trimester and into my third, her only concern was the possibility of a premature labor. While the thought of this fairly devastated me, Scorpius seemed to take it as a notice that everything that needed done before Cassie arrived should be done immediately, if not sooner. His first task, it seemed, was setting up the nursery.

The Haven was quickly transformed into a work environment, family members and random workspeople alike coming inside to assist my husband in his renovation of a room into a nursery. We'd settled on lavender and sky blue for the colors, as I insisted that pink was far too obvious (and besides, I didn't like it enough to see it every day all over a room).

By the time I'd hit twenty-nine weeks, Scorpius had managed to set up the entire nursery, including painting walls and doors, setting up a rocking chair, a changing station, a dresser, and a bassinet, fully stocking the changing station and dresser with every baby essential he could think of. The room we'd chosen as a nursery happened to be right next to ours, so we'd placed a door between them for easier access to the baby.

The only thing that hadn't been fully decided by the time the nursery was finished was what we'd be naming our bean. We'd settled on Cassiopeia for a first name, but no matter what I tried, nothing seemed fitting for a middle. I half gave up, resolving to decide later.

Later, as it turned out, did not end up being an option.