Chapter 3 - Moments of Happiness and Worry

The year went by quickly enough, and Hermione received all Outstandings in her N.E.W.T.'s which pleased her future in-laws to no end and seemed to redeem some of her speculated value in the eyes of the Lestranges.

The wedding was a quiet, but elegant affair at Number 12 Grimmauld Place the day after they had come home from Hogwarts. The only ones in attendance were the Lestranges, the Blacks with the exception of Sirius, as was expected, Severus Snape and the Malfoys. Rabastan Lestrange was the officiant, something Hermione would have never imagined of her wedding.

Regulus felt nervous standing there in his family home's sitting room that had been decorated tastefully in white and silver. His best friend, Severus, was his best friend and now his best man, but the only one he was anxiously waiting for was still getting ready.

The he saw her, an angel with amber eyes and a cascade of brown curls wearing a simple white silk robe with yellow flowers in crochet along her neckline, sleeves and hem. It flowed around her like water. She had a bouquet of yellow flowers as she walked gracefully to stand next to him with Narcissa on her side.

He could not hear the words that Rabastan Lestrange spoke only seeing the beauty of the bride and feelings that he had never quite acknowledged swelled inside of him.

"Do you, Regulus Arcturus, take Herminia Jeanne as you lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," he answered without pausing to think.

"Do you, Herminia Jeanne, take Regulus Arcturus as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," she answered and he was pleased to note, without hesitation.

"You may say your vows."

It was the first time he said it to her knowing his words were true, but there was nothing more he could say.

"I love you, Herminia, you make me complete," were his simple words as he slipped on a ring. She smiled radiantly at him and answered in kind,

"I love you, Regulus Black, we are one," as she slipped the ring on his hand.

"Then I declare you bonded for life," Rabastan said and raised his wand high over their heads and a shower of silver stars fell upon them, spiralling around their now entwined figures. "You may kiss the bride."

And he did, like his life depended on it. The kiss was something new, because of the of shared love and Regulus felt that it was perfect. He felt he could do anything now. Anything and everything that he had to do, for her. When they broke apart Rabastan declared:

"I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Regulus Black."

And they were happy.

Perhaps it was a mutual understanding or Hermione's ignorance or Regulus forgetting, but on their wedding night, the night Hermione lost her virginity and they consummated their marriage in a beautiful dance as old as time pleasuring each other over and over. Regulus was experienced after his liaisons with other girls before he and his wife had become more, but Hermione could have cared less, since it had given him an intricate knowledge on what to do. They fit together perfectly they noted as he paused inside after rupturing her hymen. They felt complete, like one being. Then he moved inside her and the first time they came together.

What happened was that in September, after two months as man and wife, Hermione discovered she was pregnant and this made her very distressed. It was something they had never spoken of, having children, but they knew instinctually that they would have a family. But Hermione knew he was doing something that he did not expect to survive.

He had finally told her after many times of caring for him after the Dark revels that he was a high-ranking Death Eater. He had been afraid of how she would react, but she surprised him.

"I know, just be careful", she said and he nodded. "I love you. I couldn't bare to lose you, so don't you dare do anything dangerous."

The revels troubled him, she knew. She was safe at Grimmauld Place with Orion and Walburga. It was not in his nature to do the terrible things that the Death Eaters did. He refrained from raping and torturing too much. Voldemort didn't bother him too much about it knowing that Regulus had a young wife who satisfied him more than once a night.

"Still in their honeymoon stage," the Death Eaters would joke and he would smile, because it was expected of him. But he had his misgivings on the organisation and beliefs he had joined in youthful folly.

And that is why Hermione was so afraid, because he had become more and more drawn during when he came home. She would try to comfort him, but he barely made love to her anymore. He was distancing himself and she didn't know why. Smartest witch of her age and she couldn't figure it out. She did know that it wasn't because he had stopped loving her and she knew that he was not unfaithful to her, because when she looked in to his eyes she saw pain and desire there. Desire to touch her, but pain that he had to stop himself. It worried his parents as much as it did her.

She didn't know if she should tell him about the child. Would it push him away or bring him back to her? She resolved to consult his best friend who knew him best. She sent Severus Snape a letter by owl.

Dear Monsieur Snape,

Regulus retreats into himself more and more every day. I don't know how to bring him back. Something seems to be bothering him. I would like to ask you if you had any knowledge to what is the thing that is troubling him, since you know him?

Furthermore, I have something very important to tell him, but I know not if it is wise. I need your advise.

With hopes for a safer future,

Madame Black

She never received an answer, but the next day when Regulus was out on business, Severus Snape appeared in the sitting room of Grimmauld Place.

"I thought it better to discuss this in person," he said as an explanation and Hermione ordered tea and biscuits which Kreacher brought with a bow. She thanked him and sent him away and they sat down.

Severus observed her carefully sipping his tea before he put it down and said,

"I am very sorry, but I don't know what is wrong with him. He has seemed his usual self when I have met him. But if you suspect that he is..."

"I don't. It is not in his nature," Hermione interrupted.

"Indeed," he agreed.

"I know that he loves me, but... It pains me to see him like that. Anything I do, anything I say doesn't help me. He won't confide in me, but... I have my suspicions on what he is about, but I don't know if you are trustworthy," she explained. Hermione knew exactly what Regulus was doing, but she was afraid to change the timeline more than she already had. There was no record in her time about there being a Madame Regulus Black or him having a child.

"I can assure, I vow on my wand and magic by wizard's oath that nothing you tell me in this room today shall pass on unless it is your wish to do so," Severus said. Hermione nodded satisfied.

"I know some things of the Dark Lord that are not common knowledge. I know why he is immortal or believes he is," she finally stated.

"How do you know this?" Severus said sharply.

"I am not at liberty tell, but believe me, you are the first I have told this."

Snape nodded and silence fell.

"I think Regulus knows and is attempting to... Find them."

"Find them?" Severus sounded confused.

"Yes, them. Quite formidable of the Dark Lord to make so many, pieces of the foulest of Dark magic. I will tell you one day about them. In some years it will be safe to speak of such things," she tried.

"How do you know that? Are you a Seer?" Severus sounded contemptuous.

"No, never believed in Divination. It is the only thing, in addition to fling with a broom, that I failed at in my studies," she said with an amused grin, but she soon turned serious again. "Call it intuition. I sometimes have a feeling in my gut that something will happen and many times it will, in some way or another. It's not very exact."

"So, what is the thing you wish to tell Regulus?" he inquired. Hermione hesitated truly the first time during the conversation.

"I... He is to be a father," she finally said.

"A father?" said a familiar voice from the doorway. She turned to see her husband there watching them. Regulus was filthy and careworn, but he seemed to forget everything and came across the room to her joining her on the settee. "Are you... Are you pregnant?" he faltered.

"Yes," she answered and her husband looked at her like a worshipper. Severus cleared his throat.

"I should be going. Potions to brew, mastery to gain and all that," he said a bit clumsily. Regulus nodded ignoring his mate and Snape Floo'd out calling out Spinner's End.

"When did you know? How long are you?" Regulus asked eagerly returning to himself. Hermione smiled tenderly.

"I've known for some time know. I'm on my second month," Hermione answered a bit anxiously, but Regulus didn't seem angry that she had kept it from him, only in awe. He reached out and touched her stomach carefully seeming a bit disappointed.

"There is nothing there," he said a bit sadly.

"Of course there is, silly. It's too early to see or feel yet. Here, look," she said and cast the charm that showed the foetus.

"It doesn't really look like anything."

"Like I said, its's too early, but if you want I can cast a spell that reveals his gender," Hermione offered.

"His? Did you cast already without me?" There was a small anger behind his words. She shook her head.

"No, I wouldn't do that. I just have a feeling. It's another one of those woman's intuition things."

His anger abated, Regulus' smile returned and Hermione cast the spell. It was indeed a he, like Hermione had thought.

"You were right. Name him Cepheus Orion," Regulus requested.

"All right, but why must we decide the name now?" she asked dreading his answer.

"I want to know him by his name, not later," he answered simply. There was a feeling of impending doom behind his words. She didn't what to do about it. "We should tell mother and father."

And that is what they did.