Having Bellatrix and the girls here, made dealing with my emotions— and the visions I kept having for the next three months— somewhat more manageable.
By some miracle, I had made it to full term. It was exactly two days before Christmas, and eight days before Tom's birthday, and I was due any day now.
I realized that this would be the first Christmas that we spent apart since we met.
Yet, still I decided to send him a small gift with Chloe. Despite not being able to see him physically.
It's early in the morning, I sat staring out the kitchen window towards the dark greenery that spread into the horizon.
"Good morning, Sophie," Grisha said, waddling into the kitchen, looking tiredly at me, as she rubbed her swollen stomach.
She is due two months after I am, if not earlier, so watching my aunt waddle was rather amusing to me. Especially since she's half-asleep, despite looking like she's already showered.
"Good morning, Aunt Gri," I replied, sipping my orange juice.
She mumbled a quiet greeting, and then sighed, "When are you supposed to go grocery shopping again? We need to get more fruit. There's hardly any grapes or honeydew melon left." She told me, pouting, as she began to sip a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Late this afternoon. Lily said she wanted to help with the cooking since we've been living here. Though why she even bothers is beyond me." I said as I began munching on a handful of grapes.
"Well, I completely agree with her. We should all contribute since we are staying in your house." She said, looking down at her bowl of porridge and fruits.
"I like cooking and baking, there is nothing wrong with doing so," I said, as I walked over to the oven and pulling out a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies.
"Something smells amazing in here," Bastan said as he walked in after Bellatrix.
I smiled at them as they slowly made their way towards the warm cookies.
Within seconds more than half the dozen disappeared from the plate.
I raised an eyebrow at them before sitting down again.
"What? Don't look at me like that. You know, I love it when you bake these cookies." Bella said as she sat down with a plateful of cookies.
"Save some for everybody else, Bella," Bastan said as he rubbed the hand that got slapped away as he reached to snatch a cookie from her plate.
"Calm down. There are three more batches in the warming drawer, over there." I said as I ate my fruit bowl, pointing my spoon in the direction of the drawer.
"Warming what?" James asked as everyone else walked in.
"Warming drawer," I said.
"It's a drawer that keeps food warm, James, let it go," Lily said, as she filled a bowl with fruits.
"Ahh... more muggle gadgets that I'll never understand." He muttered into his cup of coffee.
"What's there to understand? It's a drawer that keeps food warm the muggle way." Bastan said, sliding it open and taking out the cookies.
"Do you still feel up for a trip to the store?" Lily asked me, eyeing me curiously.
"Yes, I'm ready when you are," I said, as I finished washing my dishes.
Lily and I decided to go to the store that was within walking distance.
We had just gotten to the store when I began to feel the familiar tightening in my stomach and back.
As I began walking the twinge began to grow, causing me to gasp, before turning to Lily, "Lily?" I calmly said, as I turned to get there attention.
"Hm?" She replied as she looked at the fruit display.
"Lily, I think this is it," I whispered to her, as the pain disappeared, only to come back once more.
"What? Here? Now? Are you sure? Maybe it's a false alarm again." She whispered nervously.
I gripped the small trolley, breathing in through my nose, before, nodding at her through the pain.
"Yes, I am. I havebeen getting the pains throughout most of the night. They seem to be getting in closer. I think I have a couple of hours before anything happens, though." I said as I began walking slowly through the store entrance.
"Alright, I'll go get James and Bastan just to be safe." She said, disappearing through the door.
I slowly made my way through the store, breathing slowly trying to ignore as the pains came and went.
It took me a while before I gathered everything from the list I had made in the morning.
By the time I finally finished gathering everything, I felt a sharper pain hit, this time I felt as if something from inside of me burst.
I froze in shock and pain as I stared down at my feet; I stared down at my feet as clear bloody fluids ran down my legs and began to gather in a puddle at my feet.
Just as I was about to utter anything, I heard Lily, James, and Bastian run towards me.
"What-- took-- you— so —long?" I breathed, feeling the perspiration begin to gather at the base of my neck.
"James and Bastan decided to bring the car James acquired last month." She said, rolling her eyes.
"Please— pay for all the —food— and bring it —home," I told them breathlessly, as Bastan helped me walk towards the door.
When we reached the door, he pulled me into his arms, bridal style, and swiftly walked out of the door.
"Where do you hide all of the food we've seen you scarf down?" He wondered out loud, as he walked towards the car that was parked across the street.
A moment later, James and Lily ran out of the store with bags full of the food I gathered and slid into the car.
She turned back to look at me, worriedly.
"You know, Bastan, if I wasn't in so much pain at the moment, I would've ended you for that comment you said back there," I said through a clenched jaw.
"Breathe, Anna, Breathe." Lily comforted.
"W-who is getting the midwife and doctor? I-I can't do this alone! I need Tom! He needs to be here!" I cried as I felt another pain hit.
"No. No. No. Calm down, Torin had just arrived for a visit with Billy when I rushed in. It's fine." Lily said, patting my hand.
"Anna, calm down, you know why Tom isn't here. Just breathe. Calm down. You can do this. We're all here for you." Bastan said, patting my arm lightly.
"Oh, Merlin! This hurts so much!" I whimpered, gasping, holding onto my tightening belly.
We arrived at the house moments later, Bastan and James quickly helped me out of the car and rushed me into the house.
We barely made it into the foyer when I let out a high-pitched scream.
"Oh, bloody Merlin's beard! If I ever see Tom again, I will kill him for this! I swear on Merlin's beard." I cried as they laid me down on a bed.
"...there now he's doomed us all," Bastan muttered after he propped two pillows behind me.
I growled at him in response, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Woah! Easy. I was just yanking your cha-innn..." He said, his eyes widening in response, and his hands lifting in response as he slowly backed away.
"Get —out!" I growled, watching as three vases flew across the room hitting the wall around him and shattering into pieces.
I could hear them chuckle as the doctor and midwife turned towards me.