Chapter Twenty-Seven

It had been six long months since Frollo had been defeated and Kezia had been put to rest. Hermione was pleased with how well things had gone from then. It took some time for her to recover from her brush with death and to let herself grieve for Kezia. Now though, her people were thriving.

The Parisians no longer looked down on the gypsies. They were no longer seen as outcasts. It had taken a while to get used to it but it was a nice change. One that she was grateful for when she stepped out of the wizarding hospital.

Hermione hadn't been feeling very well for the past few months, and whilst she had a feeling that she knew why, she had wanted to make certain. Clopin had all but demanded she go to the hospital after she had been sick a few times, but couldn't go with her due to a disagreement between some gypsies that he had to sort out. Grinning widely, Hermione felt thrilled by the news but she couldn't help but wonder what Clopin would think. Perhaps she should ease him into it. After all, it wasn't every day you found out you were going to be a father.

Biting her lip, she tried to think of various ways she could tell him. She had heard from Molly that she had handed Arthur another hand for their family clock whenever she was pregnant. Hermione had also heard from Tonks that she had given Remus a pair of small baby boots. She didn't think any of those ideas would work though.

Tilting her head as she walked the streets of Paris, waving to anyone who called out their greetings to her, she decided to take a stroll and let herself think about how to tell him. Lost in thought, it shouldn't have surprised her that she arrived at the same spot where Clopin had taken her on their first date and then later proposed. Smiling softly, Hermione sat down on the dry grass and stared out at the river, soaking up the sun.

Perhaps she should just sit him down and blurt it out. As easy as that would be, Hermione wanted to come up with a special way to tell him. Thinking about it, she found herself picking at a hole in her skirt. She really needed to sew it back up. Hermione felt as though a lightbulb had just shone above her head. She could slowly start sewing baby clothes and see if he realised on his own.

Grinning, she mentally wondered how long it would take him to twig. Hermione wasn't sure if he would guess that she was pregnant but she was sure that he would think something was going on and try to get an explanation out of her. Making her way home, she was pleased that they were still using the Court of Miracles for now. A fair few gypsies had decided to buy their own houses but she and Clopin wanted to wait until they had plenty of money saved up.

True, they could use the money in the Gringotts vault, but they decided to use that if they needed it in the future. Lightly brushing her fingertips against her stomach, Hermione grinned even brighter. They would be using it if the baby showed signs of magic. Hermione had a feeling they would be attending Beauxbaton but she didn't care either way.

The excitement was bubbling inside her as she stepped into the Court. She felt the need to tell someone but really wanted Clopin to figure it out for himself. She was saved from her thoughts by a certain friend of hers rushing towards her.

"Esmeralda! Clopin said you weren't well, are you alright?"

The concern on Selina's face touched Hermione. Biting her lip, she gestured for Selina to follow her into her old tent. Why she still had her own tent, she didn't rightly know. There was no need for it anymore but at that moment, Hermione was glad she still had it. Spinning around, all Hermione had to do was grin knowingly at her friend. Selina looked confused for a moment before she mentally went over the symptoms Clopin had told her about.

Selina's eyes went wide with realisation.

"No! Really? You're..." She gestured to Hermione's stomach. A nod from the young witch had the older woman squealing. Throwing her arms around her, Selina gushed about being an auntie, making Hermione chuckle.

"Don't say anything to anyone though. I want Clopin to figure it out for himself." Selina raised an eyebrow.

"You'll be giving birth before he figures it out, Esmeralda." Chuckling, Hermione nodded.

"Yes, probably. I'm planning on slowly sewing baby clothes to try and hint at it. You know how he gets when I won't tell him something."

Selina and Hermione shared a long, loud fit of laughter at the thought. The two women were practically in hysterics by the time they left the tent. Looking around, the women were surprised by the strange looks they were getting off their fellow gypsies. Turning to look at one another, they found themselves in tears, sides aching from laughing too hard.

Falling into a heap on the stone ground, the two leaned on each other whilst giggling. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Hermione spotted a familiar pair of boots stood before her. Looking up, she spotted her husband's smirk as he raised an eyebrow at them both.

"Care to share with the class?" Hermione and Selina looked at each other before promptly giggling once again. Clopin shook his head at them. Gasping for breath, Hermione shook her head.

"Girl talk, mon amour. Not for male ears." She spotted Clopin shudder at the thought before he focused on her.

"Are you alright, chérie?"

Beaming, Hermione nodded.

"Oui, I'm fine. The doctor said I'm alright, but don't be surprised if I keep being sick and want to eat strange foods."

Hermione knew she was being obvious in her hint; however, she knew her husband. It would go right over his head. She was proven correct when he frowned but simply shrugged it off.

"Very well, chérie. Just be careful."

Without another word, Clopin left them to it. Feeling Selina's knowing gaze on her, Hermione rolled her eyes. Her friend sniggered before whispering.

"I'm telling you, Esmeralda. You'll have to pop the child out in your tent before he realises you were even pregnant."

Snorting, Hermione fell into another fit of giggles but nodded in agreement. Sighing, she turned to her friend.

"Want to come fabric shopping with me?"

Selina all but dragged Hermione out of the Court. Chuckling at her enthusiasm, Hermione was quick to grab her money before she let herself be pulled up to the surface. Strolling through the streets once again, her arm linked with Selina's, Hermione took a deep breath and sighed. She was so happy with how things were going. It almost felt as though all the bullshit with Frollo never happened.

Entering Aalis' shop, the two women may have gone a little over the top when buying so much fabric. They grabbed an assortment of colours since they had no idea what the gender of Hermione's baby was and wouldn't find out until the birth. Hermione knew a spell that would tell her but she wanted to be surprised.

It was Selina who recommended she bought some fabric for herself, after all, she wouldn't be able to wear her corset once her stomach grows. Blinking, Hermione was confused as to why she didn't think of it. She put it down to baby brain. She had heard a lot about it from Molly but had no idea how bad it could be. At least now she had an excuse if she kept forgetting things.

All too soon, the two women were once again headed for the Court. Selina was bouncing around with joy but was able to keep her mouth shut whilst other people were around. Grateful for that, Hermione turned to her just before they entered the catacombs.

"You can't tell Duke, you know he'll say something to Clopin."

Selina pouted but agreed not to tell her husband. The couple had gotten married two months after Kezia's funeral and were so happily in love that it almost made Hermione sick. Although, that could be due to the smell of the bakery now above them. Hermione really hoped that she and Clopin had never been as bad as Selina and Duke were.

Shaking her head, Hermione headed straight to her and Clopin's tent and put the fabric away. Biting her lip, she decided to get a head start on her maternity clothing, that way she was prepared. Smirking at how typical it was of her to be prepared, Hermione cracked on with the clothing well into the evening. Biting back a yawn, she rubbed her eyes before leaving the tent to grab some food.

Piling her plate with as much bread and cheese as she could get away with, she was greeted by Djali dancing around in front of her, but his expression was clearly annoyed. Smiling softly at him, she patted his head in apology.

"I'm sorry, Djali. Selina and I had somewhere to be."

Djali huffed but forgave her when she gave him a carrot off of Selina's plate. Smirking at the annoyed look off her friend, Hermione just shrugged innocently before diving into her food. Leaning on her elbows once finished, she looked around and was pleased to see so many happy faces. Everyone was a lot happier now that they didn't have to worry about Frollo having them killed.

Practically beaming, Hermione was given a fright when two large hands clasped her shoulders. Looking up, she threw Bartley an annoyed glance. He simply chuckled at her before joining the two women for some food. The conversation was light and Hermione found herself trying to stay awake. Giving her head a good shake, she spotted the confused look from Bartley and the sympathetic one from Selina. Leaning on her friend's shoulder, Hermione hadn't realised she had fallen asleep until she woke up just enough to realise she was being carried.

Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and looked up. Smiling softly at her husband, Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and promptly fell back asleep before they had entered their tent.

oOo

A few weeks later and Hermione was ready to burst. She had made sure that Clopin found her sewing children's clothes every night but he made no comment. He would scrunch his nose up at whatever particular craving she was having, but still no comment. Groaning, she wondered if Selina was right and she really would have to go into labour before he realised. She was developing quite the bump though. It surprised her that Clopin hadn't noticed yet. Huffing, she was sewing up a pair of boy's trousers, whilst sat on the floor, when he entered the tent.

Waiting patiently, she paused long enough for him to take in what she was doing and shrug. About ready to explode, Hermione took a long, deep breath before speaking.

"What's wrong, amour? You look like you have something on your mind."

Clopin looked at her for a long moment before sighing.

"I want you to go back to the doctors."

Frowning, she put her sewing down and turned to face him properly, resting her elbow on their bed and her head against her fist. Raising an eyebrow, she questioned him.

"Why is that?"

"You're still ill. Every morning you have to run off to be sick. I know you said the doctor said to expect you eating strange things but the stuff you've been eating is just downright disgusting. Please, go back to the doctors."

Hermione waited for a long few moments, hoping that he would come to the right conclusion. Unfortunately for her patience, he didn't. Sighing, she rubbed her face, tired. Just when she opened her mouth, he interrupted her.

"You're also constantly falling asleep, mon amour. Come, we're going now."

Clopin pulled her up by her hand and proceeded to drag her out into the square of the Court of Miracles. Groaning loudly when she saw their people were gathered around them, Hermione huffed and pulled her hand from his. Hands on her hips, she glared at him, eyebrow twitching with irritation.

"Clopin, I don't need to see the doctor. He already said I was fine." He huffed back at her and folded his arms. An unusually stubborn look on his face had Hermione groaning once more.

"Yes, you do, mon amour. You're still ill! He needs to give you something!"

Rolling her eyes, she folded her arms across her chest. Staring at him for a full minute, she knew he wasn't about to let this go anytime soon. Before she could say anything, Selina came to her rescue.

"She said she's fine, Clopin. Leave her be!"

Clopin glared at the woman by Hermione's side before throwing his arms up in the air.

"How can she be fine, Selina? She's constantly tired, being sick every morning, eating the most disgusting things I have ever seen in my life as though they're God's gift! How exactly is that 'fine'?"

Hermione spotted most of the gypsy women staring at her in recognition. It would appear that practically half the gypsies realised she was pregnant before her husband. Slapping her forehead with her palm, an annoying habit she picked up thanks to Selina, Hermione sighed once more.

"Mon amour, think about it. What have I spent the past few weeks sewing?"

Clopin looked confused for a moment before thinking about it.

"Children's clothes." Hermione slowly nodded her head.

"Who wears children's clothes?" Clopin glared at her for speaking to him as though he were a child himself but Hermione just couldn't help it. He was being rather dense.

"Children, obviously! What does that have to do with anything?" Hermione sighed and closed her eyes.

"Think about it all, Clopin. Why I'm ill, why I'm sewing children's clothes. Just think about it."

Hermione slowly opened her eyes to see her husband was still confused whilst the rest of the gypsies had understood what was going on and smirked as their leader tried to work it out for himself. Groaning, she looked to Selina for help, but the woman just held her hands up and shook her head.

"For fuck sake, Esmeralda. I don't know why you're sick! That's why I'm trying to get you to go to the doctor!' He then tilted his head as he stared at her. 'Why are you sewing children's clothes anyway?"

Hermione looked him dead in the eye before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Well our child will need something to wear."

Clopin just nodded before shrugging.

"Ahh, well, that makes sense."

Clopin then headed back to their tent as though nothing had happened. Hermione smirked whilst the other gypsies had to pick up their jaws from the floor. They all turned to her, wondering what the hell their King was doing.

Hermione raised three fingers and slowly lowered them one at a time. Once she had lowered all three, she pointed to the tent where they all heard a loud shout.

"WHAT?!"

Hermione chuckled loudly as Clopin burst out of their tent, searching for her with wide, excited eyes. Practically running towards her, he stopped only a step away. He searched her face for any sign of it being a joke. Finding none, he whispered.

"Tell me." Grinning, Hermione spoke loud enough for all to hear.

"I'm pregnant, Clopin."

The effect was instantaneous. Clopin grinned from ear to ear and swooped her up by her waist, forcing her to place her hands on his shoulders for balance with a squeak, spinning her around in the air whilst the crowd cheered for them.

Laughing loudly as he put her down, Hermione grinned at how happy Clopin was. He rested his forehead against hers and beamed brightly. Biting his lip, he hesitantly raised his hand to her stomach. Rolling her eyes, Hermione grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. The second he touched it, he blinked at the size of her bump but grinned. A slight blush decorated his cheeks.

"As nicely as possible, mon amour, I did think you were eating quite a bit."

Hermione's eye twitched but she sighed. Giving him a stern look, she huffed.

"You might want to be careful with what you say, mon amour. I will be breaking your hand in around four months."

Clopin blinked before giving her a terrified look.

"Only four months? You're already five months along? Holy fuck!"

Hermione smirked as Clopin started panicking. When he turned towards the other men to find out what their wives had gone through, Hermione lost it. Bursting out laughing, she had to lean against Selina as she also fell apart. Chuckling, she shook her head. The next few months were going to be interesting indeed.