Regulus leaned against the doorframe and grinned as he watch Hannah exclaim over everything in sight.
"Just look at the fireplace, and the window frames. Oh Regulus! It is the most beautiful place in the world."
His smile widened as she turned to face him. He had always been confused when people described pregnant women as glowing. But looking at Hannah he finally saw what they meant. She got more beautiful every day and today she was stunning. Her brown hair was pulled back into a messy pony tail with random strands falling around her face. Her cheeks were a delicate shade of pink and her red coat made her skin look creamy.
"So, you won't mind the commute to work?"
"I swear I will never complain about having to get up at six if I can wake up to the view outside this window. Can we get it?" she asked sweetly walking towards him. "I mean, can we even afford it?"
Regulus smiled widely and shrugged his shoulders, "Are you sure you definitely want it?"
"Who wouldn't? I love it."
"Great. Because I already bought it."
"What?" she squealed. "Are you kidding me?"
"Nope. I signed the contract this morning. I cannot tell you how relieved I am you like it."
Hannah laughed and rushed over to kiss him.
"So I was thinking, the room facing the back garden could be the nursery and the room next door could be our room."
"I like that idea. And I can grow my own fruit in the vegetable patch and make jam from it, sell it in the bakery."
"And I can chop wood from the dead trees in the forest and make log fires in winter."
"Like you are going to chop a tree. You'll just summon the wood."
"Ruining a very cheesy moment here Hannah,"
"Oh yeah, sorry," She giggled. "I think we are going to be very happy here."
"Me too Mrs Black."
"Oh I feel so old when you call me Mrs Black."
"Well I like it. And I think I will keep calling you that. Maybe for the rest of our lives."
"Or until I divorce you," She teased.
"Like you're going to divorce me. I am a catch, what with my charm and good looks. And my conjure up the apples you are craving"
Regulus had been joking but he was a little insulted when she sniggered.
"What's so funny. There is bound to be something that attracted me to you?"
"Yeah, your ability to buy me a country mansion disguised as a farm house."
"Well, it wasn't technically me who bought it. It was a wedding present from Nana Melania."
"Remind me to thank her."
"Don't worry, I don't think it's actually for us. She is very excited at the prospect of a new great grandchild."
"Have you thought about telling the rest of your family?"
"I can't Hannah, you know that."
"Ok, it's just, how are we going to explain things to the baby and how are you going to explain to your mother why you smell of baby puke, why you don't have time to visit her, why you aren't dating. Or what if you slip up, forget to take your wedding ring off one day?"
"Hannah, you are worrying too much. It will all be ok." She nodded her head as he wrapped his arms around her. He was lying. It wouldn't be ok. Some mornings he woke up regretting everything. Regretting that he had ever went into that bakery in Manchester, regretting every date, every letter, every kiss, their wedding, more. He had put her and their baby in danger. This wasn't just a house. This was a hiding place, surrounded with magical re-enforcement. He had to go back to old largely forgotten spells to get the right one. He was sure that she would be ok when he died.
He had thought back to the day after three muggle pregnancy tests confirmed he was going to be dad, when he had told Nana Melania. When he described in detail how he was going to help destroy Voldemort, he wouldn't be able to do it himself but he could facilitate it. But it was likely it would cost him his life. His grandmother had protested, argued there was another way, argued that it wasn't his duty to do this. But eventually she had agreed to his plan. She would look after Hannah no matter what happened. She had already started, complicated ancient magic had changed the Black Family tree, no new additions would be added under Regulus's name. And her new grandchild would want for nothing, he or she would grow up in a nice house, safe from the dangers of the world. Or at least as safe as Regulus and Melania could remember. And if it was a witch or a wizard they would go away for school so no one would find it's ancestory, Nana Melania was routing for New Zealand or Canada and had planned a trip there to visit the schools. It was all set in place.
Nana Melania had even planned the wedding. It had just been the two of them, Nana Melania, Thomas, Hannah's parents and stepparents, brothers and half siblings and her best friend Paula. Hannah had worn a pale pink wedding dress, rebelling against tradition, her step mother had criticised it, but she couldn't have looked more beautiful, at least to Regulus.
The only thing Regulus had left to do was go to the cave and get the horcrux. He had a plan, but he put it off, "one more week", "when we get married" "when we move into the house."
"How about Eridanus if it is a boy?"
"What?" he said, brought back from his thoughts by the sound of her voice.
"A constellation name, like everyone in your family."
"We don't have to do that. We can call him whatever you like."
"Maybe I want him to fit into your family, you know, if they ever accept us."
He nodded his head, this was never going to happen. All being well they would never find out about Hannah or the baby. "We can talk about it later, in the meantime why don't we take a walk round our new garden?"
"Regulus it is December, are you trying to freeze me to death? Anyway when are we moving in?"
"Next week, I want us to be in and settled for our first Christmas as a married couple."
"Lets hope it goes better than the only other Christmas we have spent as a couple." Regulus still cringed at the memory of their boxing day fight. "Of course it will be better."
She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, she leaned back smiling; "And mum and Landon can come for the day? I can cook dinner! Oh this will be wonderful."
Regulus zoned out a little while Hannah debarred with herself over honey roast parsnips or normal roasted parsnips. After a few minutes lost in his own thoughts the doorbell rang.
"I wonder who that is?" he asked.
"I will get it."
Regulus watched as Hannah walked out of the room and turned around to consider where they should put the Christmas tree. In the background he heard Hannah open the door and his grandmother exclaim "My darling! How are you? Is the morning sickness getting better now?"
He heard Hannah mutter an answer and a few seconds later the two of them emerged into the living room. "Nana!
"Darling Regulus!" she glided across the room and kissed him on the cheek. "Give me a tour of your new home." She looped her arm round his and did the same with Hannah and dragged them round the house.
If Regulus didn't see the broad smile on her face he would have assumed that Hannah was stressed. She was frantically hand whipping cream for the Pavlova while the mixer broke up bread crumbs for the stuffing. In the oven the turkey and ham were roasting and the entire house smelt wonderful from the massive Christmas tree that Regulus had found in the woods behind the tree. They could hear Landon squealing with excitement at his new toys in the living room. All in all it was 9am and it was already the perfect Christmas.
"Can I help?"
"No I think everything is on track. Is mum alright or is she doing your head in?"
"She is fine, it is your dad who hates me." He replied massaging her back.
"He doesn't hate you, he just doesn't know you yet."
"No he hates me. I knocked up his 18 year old daughter and then married her after just a few months of dating. If you were my daughter I would hate you."
She giggled, "Ok. But he will see how happy we are, how much you love me. The house has already helped to win him over. It worked with Cara anyhow. Last night she congratulated me on successful trapping such a wealthy man. I almost hit her."
"yeah, that probably won't help your relationship with her though would it? And you want to keep Nina and Antony in your life. I know you care about them."
"Of course I do they are my half brother and sister. But Nina is Cara's daughter, she has been a right wee madam since she got here and I can't imagine her manners improving. Of course Antony is fine, he's only a few months younger than Landon."
Just then Russ walked in and seeing Regulus with his arms wrapped around his older sister exclaimed "get a room",
Jack who was walking just behind him pointed at Hannah's stomach, "too late for that Russ."
"Jack! Don't be so rude, and watch yourself with the stomach pointing. I have barely started to show."
Jack just laughed in response and grabbed a gingerbread man from the counter. "Can we hang in here for a while, Cara is a nightmare."
"You should have heard her this morning "Russell! Russell! I do not feel that your behaviour warrants such a present" she is ridiculous" Russell's impression of her made Regulus laugh loudly, it reminded him of Sirius's impression of Narcissa when they were younger. Russ sighed, "She is actually awful."
"I don't know what dad sees in her." Jack agreed.
"And to think she hates me twice as much."
"not anymore, now that you have got yourself knocked up Nina is dad's favourite daughter, which she is delighted at and she thinks Regulus is so wealthy dad will never have to leave you any money when he dies, more for her and her precious babies."
"Well it is mum I feel sorry for," Hannah piped in, "it must be awful seeing her husband with the woman he spent most of their marriage cheating with." She turned to Regulus, "Cara was 6 months pregnant with Nina when dad left mum. If you ever do that to me I will kill you."
She looked so fierce when she said it Regulus could well believe that she would kill him but he replied "that is never going to happen. I am too scared of you. Remember that time you broke half of our possessions throwing them at me?" Her younger brothers laughed as he retold the story (leaving out that the argument had been caused by him being a wizard).
The rest of the morning passed quickly. Hannah continued to cook with some limited help from her mother. Landon, Nina and Antony played happily in the living room while Cara looked on disapproving of everything Landon did ("horrible baby"). And Regulus went outside to collect fire wood with his two brothers in law. The banter they all had together made him pine for Sirius for the first time in years.
They eventually gathered around the dinner table at 2pm to the feast that Hannah had prepared, it rivalled all Christmas dinners Regulus had ever seen before, even Kreachers paled in comparison. As the pulled their (non-magical) crackers and joked Hannah's mother proposed a toast.
"To my newest son, Regulus, my most beautiful daughter Hannah and their baby, Thank you for bringing us together."
"Here here!" said Russ and Jack cheerfully, Hannah's father simply nodded and Cara guffed in disgust.
After they had all eaten as much as was humanly possible they slogged towards the living room where, too tired to move they indulged in mulled wine and settled down to watch the end of the Queens speech.
Regulus wrapped his arms round his wife and felt contented. This had been the best Christmas he had had in years, he didn't even miss his mother or the Black family, who all believed he was travelling in Estonia over Christmas. No this was perfect and he was glad, with the uncertain future that he faced that he could have moments of perfection just like this one.
Thanks to everyone who has been favoriting and adding this to alerts, it really does brighten up my day. Massive thanks to GlidingOne, Dracarot and KittyHawk09 for reviewing.