"Rabastan… wake up, please."
The whisper was barely a breath, yet it carried a desperation that cut through the quiet of the dimly lit room.
Rabastan stirred, groggy, his mind sluggish from sleep. "Rodolphus?" His voice was thick, slow. "What's wrong?"
The response was almost a whimper, brittle and raw. "I don't feel well… Something's wrong."
The words sent a jolt of fear through Rabastan, clearing his sleep-hazed mind in an instant. He sat up abruptly, his heart hammering. "Are you in pain?" His eyes swept over Rodolphus, and dread curled in his gut. His brother was pale—too pale—his brow slick with sweat, his body curled in on itself as if trying to contain the agony.
"My back… my stomach…" Rodolphus's voice wavered, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "It hurts so much."
Panic flared in Rabastan's chest. "Stay here! I'll get Narcissa." He barely registered throwing off the covers before he was tearing down the corridor, his heartbeat a frantic drumbeat in his ears.
He pounded on Lucius's door with desperate urgency.
The door creaked open, revealing Lucius, hair tousled, blinking blearily. "What—?" His words cut off as he took in Rabastan's expression.
"It's Rodolphus," Rabastan rasped, his voice nearly breaking. "He's in pain, Lucius. He's clutching his stomach, and Harry isn't here, and I—" His breath hitched. "I don't know what to do."
Lucius's face hardened instantly, all traces of sleep vanishing. He turned back into the room, shaking Narcissa awake with urgency. "Narcissa, love, Rodolphus needs you."
She stirred, immediately sensing the tension. "What happened?"
"He's in pain," Lucius said grimly. "Severe pain."
Narcissa was already moving, her healer instincts kicking in. "Take me to him."
Rabastan practically ran back to the room, Narcissa close behind.
Rodolphus lay curled in on himself, his body wracked with shudders, his breathing uneven. A pained whimper escaped his lips, barely audible yet heart-wrenching.
Narcissa knelt beside him, placing a cool hand on his forehead, then gently pressing against his stomach. "Rodolphus, tell me exactly what you're feeling."
His eyes were hazy with pain, his lips trembling. "It's… it's like something inside me is twisting. It won't stop."
Narcissa's hands moved with expertise, feeling for anything abnormal. And then—her breath caught. The unmistakable firmness beneath her fingers sent a shock through her.
Her gaze lifted, sharp and urgent. "Rodolphus… why didn't you tell us you were pregnant?"
The room fell into stunned silence.
Rodolphus's eyes flew open, wild with disbelief. "What?" His voice cracked. "No, I—I can't be—" His breathing grew erratic, panic overtaking the pain. "I would have known! I'm not even—"
Narcissa's tone softened, but there was no room for doubt. "Rodolphus, these are contractions. You're in labor."
Shock, terror, confusion—all collided at once, leaving him gasping. "No. No, I—I don't understand."
A fresh wave of pain crashed over him, tearing a strangled cry from his throat. Rabastan paled. "I—I'll get Lucius and Tom." He turned and bolted from the room.
Narcissa stayed, gripping Rodolphus's trembling hand. "Breathe, Rodolphus. We need to stay calm. You're going to be okay. You'll be holding your baby soon."
His breath hitched, tears spilling over his lashes. "I—I'm not ready…" His voice broke on the last word, raw with fear.
An hour passed in a blur of pain and whispered reassurances. Rodolphus was drenched in sweat, his fingers white-knuckled around Rabastan's hand. His body trembled with exhaustion, yet the contractions only grew more relentless.
Lucius paced at the foot of the bed, his jaw tight with frustration. "Where is Harry?" he muttered. "He should have been back by now."
"We don't know," Tom said grimly.
"Focus!" Narcissa snapped, her tone sharp. "Right now, we need to help Rodolphus."
A ragged sob tore from Rodolphus's throat as another contraction slammed through him. His body jerked with the force of it, his nails digging into Rabastan's skin. "It—it hurts—"
Rabastan swallowed hard, his own eyes shining with unshed tears. "I know, brother. I know."
Another wave hit, sharper, more brutal than before. Rodolphus let out a strangled scream, his entire body seizing. "Narcissa—" He gasped, his eyes wide. "Something's—"
A sudden rush of warmth flooded between his legs. He sucked in a sharp breath. "I—I think my water just broke."
Before anyone could respond, his body convulsed, and he collapsed forward, vomiting from the sheer intensity of the pain.
Lucius was at his side in seconds, steadying him, his normally composed face a mask of distress. "We need to get him back on the bed."
Rabastan and Tom helped lift Rodolphus, his body trembling violently. Narcissa worked quickly, checking his progress, her hands gentle yet firm.
"You're at eight centimeters," she announced. "You're so close, Rodolphus. Just a little longer."
But the minutes dragged into an eternity. The pain was unbearable, his body breaking under the strain. Tears streaked his flushed cheeks.
Rabastan brushed damp hair from his forehead, his own voice shaking. "You're so strong, Rodolphus. You've got this."
Another contraction hit like a tidal wave, and Rodolphus sobbed, his entire frame wracked with pain. "I can't do this," he gasped. "I can't."
Narcissa's voice was fierce yet filled with warmth. "Yes, you can. One more push. Just one more."
Through the blinding pain, through the sheer exhaustion pulling him under, Rodolphus gathered every last ounce of strength he had.
And then—
A sharp cry filled the air.
Everything stilled.
A strangled sob tore from Rodolphus's throat as he collapsed back onto the pillows. Tears streamed down his face, relief and disbelief intertwining.
Lucius leaned down, his voice thick with emotion. "You did it."
The baby—tiny, warm, perfect—was placed in his trembling arms. Rodolphus let out a broken laugh, his fingers brushing over impossibly soft skin. "I… I didn't even know…" His voice was barely a whisper, reverent, awed.
Rabastan swallowed hard, blinking back tears as he pressed a gentle hand to his brother's shoulder. "You're incredible."
Narcissa, exhausted yet smiling, tucked a blanket around the newborn. "Rest, Rodolphus. You did beautifully."
As the room settled into quiet, as his baby's breath warmed his chest, Rodolphus finally let himself close his eyes.
Whatever came next… they would face it together.