Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to JKR, anything you don't is mine.
A/N: Thanks to PenNameless1994, Blizzen, and sheeiilaa for the reviews!
This is back in Nicole's POV. We're headed back to what happened while Regulus was out for so long! Don't worry, we'll be back in Regulus' POV for his reaction to the news soon.
Chapter 25
I couldn't help but stare at him for a long moment before I slammed the door loudly and started to walk slowly up to his still body, all the while I kept silently pleading, begging to Merlin for him to be alright, or at least to be alive.
It was near silent in the entire room except the sounds of my hells clicking against the ground, reverberating against the stone walls, and echoing down the hallway. I walked around his still body slowly so I could see the bottom half of his face – the top half was concealed by his falling, knotting hair.
I knelt down beside him, my heart beating obnoxiously loud and ringing through my ears, and reached my hand down his shirt to feel for a heartbeat.
"C'mon, Regulus, don't be dead…please don't be dead…please…" I muttered while I put my hands in several different positions, searching frantically for that steady beat.
I felt nothing.
My hand started to shake violently. No…he can't be…he has to be alive…c'mon, Regulus, please…c'mon…I thought, unable to stop my eyes from filling with tears.
"Nicki…"
I froze at the sound of his strained, hoarse voice, and caught my breath. My eyes found his half-open ones.
"Reg," I said, letting out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I pulled my hand out from beneath his shirt and used it to brush his hair out of his face, revealing a giant gash that was gushing blood on the side of his face. "Regulus, I'm so sorry…" I muttered.
He stared at me, most likely unable to say anything, while I whispered, "It's going to be okay. I promise…I'll get you out of here…trust me, okay?"
His eyes slowly slid shut – he had lost consciousness, but I could tell by the rise and fall of his chest that he was alright.
This is where it's going to get tough…I thought. How the hell am I supposed to get us both out of here?
The first thing I did was threw a Disillusionment Charm over Regulus. But then I could only stand there and stare, unsure where to go from there, until I finally decided to levitate Regulus' limp body in the air close to the high ceilings, so nobody would run into him, and started toward the exit.
It seemed to be easy enough. Should've known my luck would run out.
I was close to the exit. Close enough to consider myself out of the Manor. But then I rounded a corner and found myself face-to-face with Riddle.
He was walking in my direction when he saw me standing there, horrified, and he stopped in his tracks.
"I thought I told to leave," he snarled, walking slowly towards me. I made sure to hover Regulus just a bit higher.
"I…I…"
"Without even thinking about finding your fiancé," he continued.
"I had to see him," I muttered quietly. "I just…I had to just make sure he was alive…"
Riddle's face was inches from mine. I was slightly terrified that he was going to torture me or something – instead, he set his lips against mine briefly.
"Leave. Now."
"Can…can I use the Floo Network? I…I have to go see Madam Pomfrey for a…a check-up and it's easier to get there by Flooing." Riddle stared at me before he turned around and started walking away. Taking it as a no, I sighed and started for the opposite direction when Riddle said,
"Are you coming or not?" I turned around and quickly followed him down several hallways before we entered an amazingly fancy and huge Drawing Room with a fireplace on the opposite side. Riddle grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the fireplace.
"You're lucky I love you," he muttered, grabbing a pot full of Floo Powder. "Or else I would just make you Apparate." Before he let me throw the Powder into the fireplace, he pulled me into yet another kiss – though this one was longer, more intimate.
Finally, he took a handful of Floo Powder and threw it into the fireplace, turning the flames green. I climbed in – all the while hovering Regulus in first – and closed my eyes while I said, "Hogwarts!"
I flew out of the fireplace into Dumbledore's office and found myself on the floor – well, I was on top of Regulus, so I quickly climbed off of him so I didn't hurt him even more and removed the Disillusionment Charm.
Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, staring at me oddly as I sat on my knees next to Regulus and felt tears start falling down my cheeks.
"Nicole? What's going on? What happened to Regulus?" Dumbledore had stood up and was now kneeling down next to me.
"I don't know," I said, almost sobbing. "He…he…Riddle sent him a letter. He – he lied to him. He said that he had me…that he was going to kill me…if…if he didn't come…so…so…so he went…and…I don't know what he did to him…"
Dumbledore pulled out his wand and levitated Regulus up before he stood up and started for the door. I followed numbly.
Next thing I knew, I was sitting on a white bed beside Regulus' still body. Madam Pomfrey had performed some of her magic, and I now knew some things that had happened to Regulus – his right ankle had been broken, as had his left wrist, he had had the same spell that I had said was worst than the Cruciatus Curse put on him for even longer than I had, and who knows what else.
All I could think about was that. Even when Severus and Draco showed up, I showed no interest in them. It wasn't until Harry came that I broke down.
"Nicki, he's okay," Harry said soothingly, rubbing my back in gentle, soothing circles while I cried gently into his chest. "Why are you so depressed?" When I was finally able to form coherent words without chocking on my sobs, I spit it out without even thinking,
"I-I'm so upset because…because I…I'm pregnant."
For I second, I reprimanded myself for being so tactless, then I was mad at myself for not telling Regulus first…well, second…but I didn't even care.
Harry's hand stopped against my back. I knew he was shocked – how could he have expected this? Even I hadn't expected it. It was so sudden.
"W…what?" Harry asked after several minutes of complete and utter silence. "Are you…are you sure?" I nodded slowly.
"Well…mostly. Madam Pomfrey told me that I should take a pregnancy test but I haven't had the time to go get one yet." Harry sighed and stared at his hands for a long moment before he moved his hand from my back to my hand and squeezed it gently.
"If you swear to stay here and not do something irrational, I'll go get you one right now."
"You know I wont leave while Regulus is here," I pointed out. "But you don't have to –"
"I want to, alright?" he said, obviously trying to convince me to let him go. I know he just wanted to know and, to be honest, I sorta did too. But I was more worried about Regulus at the moment…
Harry made to stand up, but I pulled him back down onto the bed.
"Don't leave me here alone, please," I begged. He hesitated before he agreed.
"Who else knows?"
"Besides you and Madam Pomfrey? Nobody," I replied. "Well…I accidentally let it slip to Riddle…" Harry groaned, shaking his head slowly at me in exasperation.
"Nicki…why, pray tell, would you ever tell Riddle before Regulus?" Suddenly, he frowned. "Nick, please, oh please, tell me Regulus is the father?"
"Yes, yes, Regulus is the father," I said quickly, dismissing his theory that Riddle was the father. "There's no way Riddle could be it, I swear. I just…let it slip. That's the only reason he knows when Regulus doesn't." Harry, still looking a little skeptical, sighed again.
"Nick, please let me go get you a test. I'll be right back, I swear –"
But I didn't have time to reply before the Hospital doors flung open. Harry and I looked around to see Sirius come marching in, looking both angry and upset and flanked by Remus, James, and Lily.
"What the hell is going on?" Sirius exclaimed as soon as he saw Regulus lying on the bed. "Why the hell was I the last one to know that my own brother was inches from death?"
"Sirius –" Remus said quietly, trying to calm him down, sensing that Harry and I weren't in the mood, but it didn't work. He was soon standing over us, looking more upset than I could ever remember seeing him.
"Six hours after he gets here and I'm just now learning that he was almost murdered?"
"Sirius, I think –" Remus tried again, but Sirius kept ranting.
"After losing him once before, I'd love to know when I almost lose him again –!"
"Sirius!" James exclaimed, finally catching up to him and noticing how upset I already was. "Don't you think Nick's upset about this too? She was probably too upset to think about telling you! If you had found Regulus, what do you think your first reaction would be? Calling Nicki, or worrying about him?"
Sirius, still fuming, sat down on the same bed as Harry and I, but toward the foot of it, and stared at Regulus limp, scarred body.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, not looking away. "I'm just…worried."
"We know," Harry replied quietly. "We are too."
It was silent in the room. I stared at my feet, unsure what to say or do, until Harry suddenly stood up quickly and made for the door.
"Where are you going?" I asked, confused.
"To get you…" he hesitated. "…what I said I was going to."
"Huh?" James muttered, bewildered.
"She knows what I'm talking about," Harry said, nodding towards me. I started to shake my head hastily.
"Harry," I said. "Please…no…"
"What's going on?" Lily asked. Harry shrugged her off and, after one more glance back at me, walked right out of the room. I sighed, irritated and slightly worried. I didn't want to take a pregnancy test – I was almost one hundred percent sure it would say positive. There was almost no way it couldn't.
"Nicki, what's going on?" Lily asked again. I shook my head.
"It's nothing," I muttered.
"No, it's not," James said suddenly and sternly. I looked up at him, shocked. "Something's been going on lately, and I'll be damned if I don't find out what it is." I was silent, so he continued.
"You were in the Hospital Wing a couple days ago, but Regulus told me us it was just because of some Dark Magic when you were undercover but that you weren't harmed, so I let it go. And then you're there again, just yesterday morning, apparently. And when you come home, you and Regulus just disappear off the face of the earth! Something you aren't telling us about has been going on, and you're going to tell me what it is right now young lady."
I sighed. I should've known from the beginning that keeping this from James when he's my own father wasn't going to work. I know how fathers – and mothers – are; they all want to know exactly what's going in their children's lives, especially their daughters'.
"Do you really want to know?" I asked quietly. He nodded slowly. I could see Lily, Remus, and Sirius watching us both closely. "You're not going to like it."
"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.
"Well…obviously you know about my…situation as spy under Draco's order," I said. They nodded, clearly confused. "Well…a few weeks ago, Riddle told him that he was annoyed with having to…control…me through him, so he, uh…he…"
"Did Riddle give you the potion too?" Lily asked, clearly moments away from freaking out. I shook my head quickly.
"Not quite," I said quietly. "He just told Draco to make me follow his instructions too." Lily sighed, obviously not too worried.
"Well that's not too bad," she said. "At least you can just, not obey him if you have to."
"Come on, Lil, this is Nicki we're talking about," James said, not convinced. "She'll do anything to not blow her cover."
"That doesn't explain everything," Remus pointed out. "There's got to be more to it than that." I nodded.
"There is," I muttered. "But I…I really don't want to go into it right now…"
Lily gave me a stern look that said silently, "You're going to, whether you want to or not." I sighed and bit my bottom lip for a second before I said quietly, looking at my hands,
"I've been having one-on-one meetings with Riddle for a week or so now…"
"Wait…you mean just you and Riddle?" Sirius asked, sounded confused, but also slightly pissed. Lily shushed him – she could tell there was something worse.
"Yeah, Sirius, that's right," I said, still extremely quiet. "Well…I think…well, I know…Riddle…he's in love with me…"
There was silence. I know for a fact that they did not expect that. I didn't dare look up to see their reactions. I don't know which was more terrifying; telling them, telling Regulus, or telling Harry. They were all pretty terrifying, more so than telling Riddle himself had been.
"Are…are you in love with him, too?" Remus asked after several minutes of silence, nobody knowing what else to say. I looked up at him finally, sure that my face was full of shock.
"No, no, definitely not! I could never!" I stared at him for a moment. "Do you really think so low of me, as to fall in love with my worst enemy? The man who had ruined so many lives, including my own?"
"Well…he fell in love with you, and you've ruined his life more than once," Sirius pointed out. I turned to glare at him.
"Well that's Riddle. If you really think about it, I would've expected him to stoop that low. But you expected that of me, too? I love Regulus, you know, your brother? The one who you came here to see?"
"Nicki, we would never think so low of you," Lily said, trying to remain calm and to keep me from getting upset. "It's just…we had to ask, just to be sure. You understand, don't you?" Let's be honest – yes, I understood, I just didn't want to admit it. But I had more pressing matters at hand, so I merely nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I suppose."
"But that doesn't explain everything," James said after a moment. "Why have you been in the Hospital Wing so often lately? "Riddle hasn't…hurt you at all, has he?" By the tone of his voice, I could tell he was expecting the worst, like rape or something.
"No, no, no, he hasn't hurt me at all, I swear," I lied quickly. I felt horrible for lying, but it was better that James didn't know how close Riddle had actually come to raping me. He, like Regulus or Harry if they knew, would lose it and try to kill him, which would be a horrible idea.
"Then what's going on?" Lily asked, getting annoyed with me avoiding the question. I looked at Regulus and said quietly,
"I…I don't think it's a good idea for you to know before Regulus knows."
"I don't give a damn if Regulus knows or not!" Lily yelled suddenly, causing each one of us in the room to jump from shock. "You've been acting so weird lately –!"
"You don't know a thing about what's been going on in my life lately!" I exclaimed, getting upset.
"And whose fault is that? Certainly not mine! I'm your mother; I deserve to know what's been going on –!"
The door banged open, once again cutting someone off, and Harry entered, looking down at something in his hand and saying loudly,
"Hey Nick, I've got the –" He looked up and stopped abruptly when he realized that they were still here, and I saw him ball his hand into a fist around whatever was in his hand. "Oh, you're still here."
"What do you have there?" Lily asked, taking a few steps toward him and pointing at his hand, which was still in a fist around what he was holding.
"N-nothing," Harry said quickly. But he gave away the fact that he was hiding something in his hand by putting his hands behind his back.
"Liar," Lily snarled. "What is it?" Harry stood very still with his mouth slightly open, unsure what to do. When he seemed to be on the verge of saying something, Lily snapped, "Don't you dare lie to me, I'm your mother!"
When Harry still didn't know what to say, Lily ran up to him and tried to grab it from his hand, but he yanked it up out of her reach.
"Harry, give it here!" she screeched, jumping up and trying to reach it. But Harry was too tall, or she was too short.
"I can't, it's not my information to give out!"
"Give it to her Harry."
I wasn't sure why I had said it. To be honest, I hadn't even wanted to say it, but it had slipped out.
Everybody turned to stare at me. Nobody had expected me to tell Harry to give it to her, especially Harry himself.
"Really?" he asked, sounding shocked. I nodded slowly, and he lowered his hand to give Lily the –
"Pregnancy test?" she muttered, confused. Remus and James turned to me automatically, their eyes wide, while Sirius and Lily paused for a minute, completely confused. Finally, they both turned to face me, their eyes widening like Remus' and James' previously had.
"Nicki, you're…you're pregnant?" James asked, sounding shocked and worried. I felt my eyes start to fill with tears again as I looked down at my hands and swallowed.
"I…I think so," I muttered, holding back the tears. "M-madam Pomfrey told me to…to take the test, just to be sure…"
It was silent in the room. Obviously, nobody seemed to have expected that…Well, maybe Harry did a little, but he didn't know what to say, so he was silent. But after a moment of complete silence, I heard soft footsteps coming toward me and the bed dipped slightly as Lily sat down beside me and held the test out to me.
"Hun, you need to take this," she said quietly. "You need to know whether you really are pregnant or not, Darling." I sighed and, after pausing for a moment to stare at it, I took the test from her.
There it was. About five minutes later. A little, pink plus sign, shining up at me. Madam Pomfrey checked me over – said I was about ten weeks along and that the baby was a healthy size at that age.
I don't even remember what happened after that point. Maybe I passed out, maybe I was just staring and completely forgot everything minutes later. All I know was that what seemed like a second later, Madam Pomfrey and Harry were the only ones left and were trying to convince me to go back to Grimmauld Place. All I could say was, "No."
I guess they figured out that I was too weak to physically fight them, though, because when Remus and Sirius showed up, Harry picked me up effortlessly and took me to Dumbledore's office, where we flooed to Grimmauld Place.
"I'm okay," I said to Harry once we arrived. "I can walk upstairs by myself."
"No, I'm going to come with you," he said. I shook my head and squirmed in his arms until he set me down and held my arms until I was steady on my feet. "Are you sure you're fine?" he asked apprehensively. I nodded.
"I am."
"And you won't go back?" I hesitated. "Madam Pomfrey said that he'd be better soon, if you take a nap I bet you he'll be back before you wake up," Harry added quickly in a move to try to get me to stay there. I sighed.
"Fine," I said. "I'll stay."
If he wasn't back, I didn't intend to keep that promise. And I think Harry knew that, but he let me head upstairs anyways.
I was on the first landing when I felt it. The food I had previously eaten was coming back up my throat. I had barely made it into the bathroom before I retched.
To be honest, I'm surprised I hadn't gotten morning sickness before that. The most ironic thing? It wasn't even morning. At this point, it was probably about three or four in the afternoon.
Once I had thrown up pretty much everything I had eaten in the past month, I slouched against the wall across from the toilet.
Next thing I knew, I felt someone touching my shoulders gently and jerked my head up to see Regulus sitting next to me.
A/N: Like it? Love it? Hate it? Leave me a review to tell me your opinions! Constructive criticism is appreciated! You can even tell me what you'd like to see happen later in the story if you want.