Baby

Carolina Zabini

I stood in my blade room appraising my collection. It had grown very vast. Almost every time I did a successful shoot, or a particularly good job, I would treat myself and buy another. I had hundreds, ranging from basic wooden handled knives, to the most extravagant ruby encrusted, pure gold monstrosity of a sword that Blaise bought me for our first anniversary.

I didn't turn as he entered, didn't acknowledge him as he snaked his arms around my waist, didn't react as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. I stared blankly at my blades.

"I'm going to have a baby."

Blaise let out a sound that was half a sob, then swung me into his arms, kissing me and calling me his beautiful Regina. Joy filled me and my numb façade crumbled. I was to have Blaise's child! Blaise's child. Our child.

x-CZ-x

"Mama?"

"Pretty-Girl! Aldo come quick, our famous daughter has condescended to visit us for the first time in Merlin knows how many weeks!"

I smiled at her biting sarcasm. She was happy to see me.

Poor Mama. Three daughters living in Italy, me often too busy to visit, and her son...

Papa clasped my head in his hands and smiled softly at me. He missed his family just as much as Mama. Isabella, Amata-Maria and Verdette lived too far away for him to visit his grandchildren as regularly as he would have wanted and I was such an infrequent visitor. For the hundredth time I resolved to visit more often.

"I'm going to have a baby."

Their reactions were as elated and violent as Blaise's. Mama all but leapt across the kitchen and I was enveloped in a bone crunching hug, by both my parents.

I pressed a hand to my flat stomach.

You see how many people love you bambino?

x-CZ-x

I curled up beside Blaise on the rug in front of the fire as he stroked my belly. I was finally beginning to show a little. I had worried about having to give up modeling for a while, but Signore Lombardi, my agent, had instead managed to temporarily increase my work load .He made my new baby big news, and lots of people searching for models seemed delighted to take a new twist and have a pregnant one.

"Just the early stages, cara mia," he assured. "We won't make you do too much nearer the time."

Lazily I traced Blaise's fingers with my nails. Life was good.

x-CZ-x

I retched loudly in the toilet as Blaise held my hair.

"There, there Regina."

"Shut up!"

I retched again.

"You know nothing my Blaise! Nothing! You don't know what I'm going through!"

"Yes, yes, I'm just an ignorant man."

"Shut up!"

x-CZ-x

I stormed angrily out of the floo, trailing ash on to Narcissa's spotless rug. Behind me Blaise's voice called "Regina, please! There's no ne-"

An ornament smashed over his head.

"Oh hello Blaise."

Cissy appeared in the doorway, hand on her own bump, smiling serenely as if I hadn't just started throwing her possessions at my husband. I glared at her.

"Don't be nice to him."

"Oh?" Her voice took on that amused quality she had recently adopted around me.

"He's being mean!"

"No! What did he do?"

I sat down violently on a nearby chair.

"He won't go out and buy me a rose scented sponge."

"How awful of him!" A smile flickered at the corners of her mouth.

"It is! I need a rose scented sponge and he won't get it for me!"

I threw a sulky pout in Blaise's direction. He looked as if he was restraining himself, with great difficulty, from rolling his eyes.

Why did no one take me seriously anymore! I made legitimate requests, just like I always had, and was duly upset if they weren't met. And they had the nerve to laugh patronisingly at my "unreasonable demands" and "little fits" and put it down to my hormones going crazy! Cissy was pregnant too! And anyway it had nothing to do with my pregnancy, I just really needed a rose scented sponge... to gnaw on.

x-CZ-x

I nuzzled into Blaise's neck. He didn't look up from the parchments he was reading, but he did smile. I took it as a sign I should snatch them and throw them away.

"Regina!"

I smirked flirtatiously into his annoyed face, and dotted butterfly kisses on his nose and cheeks.

"I'm not going to get any work done am I?

"Work doesn't belong in bed."

"Mmmm."

"Besides, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"Baby names."

"Oh?"

"Yes. And I've decided what I want if it's a boy."

"You've decided? In other words I have no say?"

"Exactly."

"Oh! So what name do you want then?"

"I want to call it Blaise."

"Blaise! Why on earth would you want to call it Blaise!"

"My favourite person in the world's called Blaise."

His expression softened and he pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Okay. If that's what you want, we'll call him Blaise."

I returned his kiss, on his neck.

"But I get to give him a name too."

I smiled into shoulder.

"A middle name you mean?"

"No. His surname."

I leaned back confused.

"But his surname will be Pascal. Your name's Pascal and you're his Father."

"Yes Regina, but you're his Mother."

"But-"

"And this way he gets one name from each of us. I'll give him Blaise and you give him Zabini. Blaise Zabini. It's wonderful. Unique!"

"Blaise Zabini."

It rolled off my tongue.

"I like it."

x-CZ-x

Cossette had been moaning again.

I shouldn't be modelling at seven months, I was going to hurt the baby.

That bitch! How dare she! I would never do anything to hurt my precious bambino! I was always very careful. I took breaks. I drank water. I made everyone stop if I felt even the slightest bit uncomfortable.

I spat fire at her. I called her every spiteful name I could remember, while Blaise held my arms to stop me going for her with my wand.

"Just leave Cossette. You're overexciting her."

"I'm not overexcited! I'm angry! Let me go Blaise, I'm going to teach her a lesson!"

x-CZ-x

I stared at my bare midriff in the mirror. It was a neat little bump. Attractive even. Right on cue, Blaise appeared behind me.

"You look good enough to eat, Regina," he breathed as his tongue flicked the shell of my ear.

"As do you, my Blaise. As do you."

x-CZ-x

It really was the most awkward time.

I was just about to crawl into bed when my waters broke. And boy did it gush. I thought I'd wet myself.

"Blaise!"

"Shhh Regina. Don't panic."

He stayed calm. He put my dressing gown on my, guided me to the floo and didn't even flinch when I gripped his hand so hard my nails left indents.

"I love you Blaise, I love you!" whimpered incoherently holding on to him as we swirled with the fire.

As I lay on the bed at St Mungos, I regained coherency.

"I HATE YOU! YOU BASTARD! YOU DID THIS TO ME! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT YOU- YOU- OOOOH!"

Blaise just stroked my hair and kissed my hand, taking my screams as if I were murmuring sweet nothings to him.

"It's a boy!"

I gaped at the Healer. Hand bleeding in my grasp Blaise gave a sob. One great heaving sob that made my breath catch in my throat.

"A boy! Carolina we have a boy! A beautiful baby boy! Oh Regina!"

The fatigue of labour disappeared. I sat up instantly and demanded my son.

The Healer placed a tiny little creature, wrapped in a blue blanket into my arms. It was surreal. He was so... perfect. His tiny mouth opened and closed silently showing us his tiny gums. His dark, wispy hair brushed the tips of his tiny ears. Tiny hands waved through the air searching for his Mama.

"Mama's here," I cooed. "Mama's here, bambino-mia."

My eyes sought Blaise's. They were full of adoration and love for this tiny little being we had created.

"And here's Papa."

Wordlessly, Blaise held out his arms for our son.

Gently I passed over the delicate little bundle. For a moment he couldn't speak and merely stared in awe at our baby. Finally he found his voice.

"Welcome to the family, Blaise Zabini. We've been waiting for you."