Author: Lash_Larue
Title: "Regina"
Pairing:Ginny/Hermione
Rating: Adult
Summary: The Queen…
Warnings: Complicated relationships
Word Count: 1575
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for the couple that are mine. Four parts after this. Sorry about the errors posting, I'm not sure what's going on.
The Hunters Part 32
"Regina"
"Is that everything?" Hermione asked Fleur, Ginny, and Pansy. The four of them were assembled in the sitting room preparing to floo to Fleur's grandmother's home.
"I can't think of anything else," Ginny replied, "Xio and Minnie will check on the house if we're gone for more than a few days. Mum and Dad know they'll hear when they hear."
"I'm all set," Pansy added.
"We are ready," Fleur declared, and she grunted as the baby pressed on her bladder, "some of us more than others."
"Right then," Hermione said, and she broke the red vial. Ginny threw the powder into the fire, and they all filed into it, Fleur first.
"Welcome home, my grandchild," the queen greeted her. Gwen was there and had steadied her as she arrived.
"Thank you, Grandmere, and thank you for the assistance, Gwen. This child had better come soon or I am going to burst."
"We can't have that, let's get out of the way now, though."
Hermione came through next, followed by Pansy, with Ginny bringing up the rear.
"It is good to see you all again," the queen told them, "be welcome in my home. Gwen will show you to your rooms, and if the baby permits it we will have a small gathering at dinnertime. Please let us know if there is anything you desire during your stay."
"Mama!" Victoire cried, and she pulled away from Apolline and ran to her mother.
"Victoire my love! I have missed you so!" Fleur greeted her.
"You fat, Mama," Victoire told her seriously.
"Indeed I am, that means that your sister will be here soon, though. Come, put your hand here…"
Victoire's eyes grew round.
"Your tummy is moving, Mama."
"Oui, that is your baby sister. She is growing inside of me, just like you did," Fleur explained.
"Oh. Hermonkey read story? Please?"
"It's nice to see that someone is calm about all of this," Hermione said as she took Victoire by the hand. "I'm going to follow Victoire; I'll leave the sleeping arrangements to the rest of you. Would you show me to your room, Victoire?" Victoire tugged Hermione down a nearby hall.
"There are only two vacant rooms," Gwen explained.
"Not a problem, we all get along," Ginny assured her.
"Follow me please. Fleur, have you felt any contractions yet?"
"Very mild ones, and only occasionally," she answered.
"I expect that will change soon enough, I'll check things when we get to your room."
"Fleur looks well," the queen commented to her daughter.
"Yes, she does, her companions have done wonders for her," Apolline agreed.
"Fleur has been fortunate. I hope that you do not still feel disappointed over your own effort to birth a queen, my dear child."
"How could I? It gave me Fleur. Besides, I think that it shall be much more enjoyable to be the grandmother of a queen than the mother. I can always give her back to Fleur if she acts too willful."
xxxx
"Bollocks, the baby is arriving sooner than anticipated," Bill said, as he read the letter from Fleur.
"Well, we can try an emergency transport," Richardson suggested.
"Too risky. Fleur understands, she even suggested that I wait until we wrap this up. That makes sense actually; I think we can close this out in a few weeks. The archeologists think there is only one more chamber, and then we just restore the curses, remove the wards, and get the hell out of here."
"I'll not be sorry to see the end of it," Richardson admitted, "it's been fascinating, and we've found an astonishing amount of treasure, but I'm right tired of desert. Not to mention all of this muggle ruckus."
"True enough, well then, let's get back to it, shall we?"
xxxx
"Do you realize, Arthur my love, that we are soon to be grandparents to a queen?"
"Nice enough I suppose, still it's hard to get too fussed about it when we're parents to two of them, isn't it?" The twinkle in his eye saved him from more than a 'tut' from Molly. "Aye, it's a grand thing, not bad for a pair of old blood traitors, is it, Mollywobbles?"
"Indeed not, and Percy being Deputy Minister!"
"He'll have the top spot one day, and he's got it all the right way. He's worked hard and he's stood up for what he believed was right. He's earned it, Percy has. We've been fortunate in our children, even Ron," Arthur said thankfully.
"Indeed we have," agreed Molly, "and they've all found fine people to love."
"Aye, and that's been some comfort, but the hole left by Fred's death is still open. I swear I still check inside my shoes before I put them on in the morning."
"One doesn't get over the loss of a child," Molly conceded, "one just presses on and takes the good that is left. And we have had our share of that, no doubt of it."
"Molly," Arthur began softly, "do you ever wish you'd made the other choice? Do you wonder if your life would have been better if you'd chosen her?" Molly was silent for a time; this was something that Arthur had never asked her in all of their years together.
"Not for one moment," she said at last, and she realized with some surprise that it was true. She had on occasion wondered what her life might have been like, but better? Hardly.
"Really?"
"Really, now why don't you just pretend you've only had one dose today and down this strengthening solution? We'll soon have a new grandchild, we should celebrate!"
xxxx
"I have been mauled," Fleur moaned as Hermione helped her down the hall towards her room. "My stomach has never had so many hands on it! It was as if they didn't believe I was pregnant until they had felt her move for themselves."
"They're just excited," Hermione explained, "this is a very big thing for them. Now the flock will stay together."
"Oui, I know that you are right, I am just uncomfortable and feel like complaining. Will you stay with me tonight? I do not want to be alone."
"Of course, if that's what you want," Hermione agreed. "That's okay with you and Pansy, isn't it Gin?"
"Fine by me," Ginny agreed, "with Pansy out of commission I might even get some sleep."
"Mama wee-wee!" Victoire said gleefully.
"So much for sleep," Hermione said as she watched the spreading puddle at Fleur's feet.
"It was all that handling – ahhh!" Fleur gasped.
"I'll get Gwen," Pansy said, and she ran back towards the dining room.
"Should I boil water or something?" Ginny asked anxiously.
"Let's get Fleur settled and then we'll see," Hermione suggested. "Vicky honey, you need to be a big girl for Mama, okay?"
"Okay Hermonkey," she promised.
Ginny and Hermione helped Fleur to her bath, and Hermione gave her a quick sponging off and helped her into a loose gown. Gwen was in the bedroom when they emerged.
"Told you she was ready," Gwen said in greeting.
"How very clever you are," Fleur said through gritted teeth as a contraction rippled over her belly.
"I will care for Victoire," Apolline said as she entered the room. She kissed Fleur and hugged her gently. "I am so proud of you, my child," she whispered to her. "If you need me send for me, otherwise I shall keep Victoire entertained until she sleeps. Do not worry about her."
"Thank you, mother, that will help me more than anything else. Victoire, Grandmere is going to stay with you for a while, we shall call you when your sister arrives, is that okay with you?"
"Yes Mama," Victoire said as she reached for Apolline's hand. "I love you Mama," she called over her shoulder, and Fleur burst into tears.
"All right now, little mother," Gwen said as she took charge, "let's get you as comfortable as we can, and see what's going on, shall we?"
"I'll send an owl to Mum and Dad," Ginny informed them, "they'll handle notifying everyone else."
"I'll guard the door," Pansy volunteered, "who gets in?"
"Fleur? What do you say?" Gwen asked her.
"No one but Ginny, Hermione, and Pansy," Fleur decided, "apart from you. I have shared quite enough of myself this evening. We shall all greet the flock during the Blessed Hour, but until then I want only those closest to me in attendance."
"Not to worry," Pansy promised her, and she gave Fleur a quick kiss. "Nobody else will get by me."
Several curious flock members started down the hall that evening, but Midnight's baleful glare reminded them that they really had other things to do.
xxxx
"We decided no kids, right, 'Mione?" Ginny asked across Fleur's straining middle.
"Indeed," Hermione promised.
"One more big push, Fleur my lovely," coaxed Gwen, "now!"
And in a slippery moment another person was in the room.
"Pansy!" called Ginny, and Midnight altered to Pansy mid-stride as she entered the room.
There was no crying, but the newborn was looking about the room with a startlingly aware gaze, and as they all watched Gwen cleaning her off, the eyes that had looked so like Fleur's own turned silver, and a rich, full, woman's voice echoed in all of their heads.
"I am Palustris Regina, and I am happy to see you all at last. Thank you for my life."