Erik was very close to strangling his dear friend Nadir's neck.

He was sure he meant well with his incessant nagging but it didn't do much to ingratiate him towards Erik.

Erik was tired. The Garnier had been taken under new management and the demands of the Opera ghost went ignored.

It didn't matter that the opera ghost had never failed to help bring in more money than he requested. His demands only meant for the betterment of the establishment, no, the fools ignored past results in favor for the newest trends. One of which was their new star, one Carlotta from Spain.

He'd been in the third cellar when he'd first heard her practice. A shiver ran down his spine as he wondered if perhaps the opera was haunted.

And yet there was no ingenue to replace her. He had tried to get the previous managers to recruit the Sweedish opera star Christine Nilson to no avail.

And now his opera was being desecrated by the Spanish banshee.

To make matters worse Nadir, his old friend from Persia, had moved to Paris 'to keep an eye on him'.

"Erik, you have so much potential surely you could find something to do rather than squandering your time in the bowels of the Opera."

Nadir had found him in the shadows of the flies of the Opera and had followed him home.

"What do you expect of me, daroga?" Erik seethed his teeth clenched as he rowed across his underground lake. "Shall I find myself a townhouse, a pretty wife to take out on Sunday walks, perhaps have a babe with her while I'm at it." He let out a sharp laugh, his head thrown back, before turning his narrowed golden gaze upon his old friend. His boat bumping against his dock. He disembarked quickly making his way to the secret entrance to his home upon the lake. "Yes, I wish I could just snap my fingers and get a wife and children with golden eyes."

As he slid his door open, he gave a mirthless grin at Nadir before snapping his fingers.

With a pop and a glimmer a being of golden light and iridescent wings came into existence. A mischievous smile upon her lips.

"As you wish, my favorite."

Erik's jaw dropped as a woman appeared behind the fairy of golden light her eyes blinking confused as she looked around. Her eyes widening as she looked at the fairy beside her.

With a giggle the fairy departed with one last phrase, "Yes, a true Death's Match."

The woman stared at the glitter littering Erik's crimson carpets her own jaw slack. Before she stumbled a whimper coming from her throat.

Erik wasn't sure what possessed him to do so but he darted forward catching before she fell, his eyes falling to her rounded belly. A shock of what seemed like electricity ran through him at their touch. Even in her state of pain he could see she was powerful, whoever she was.

"Oh no, this isn't happening right now."

She was English and very likely in labor from the fact her water just broke.

"Erik!" Nadir called him and he looked up to find his friend already taking charge. "Let's get her to your guest room."

Nadir took over helping the woman but Erik found quickly the woman held onto him and wouldn't let go. And even as she threw her head back in pain he marvelled how resilient she was, she didn't scream, tears fell down her cheeks and when he wiped her brow of sweat under Nadir's demands he found her eyes meeting his, a thought projected in his mind, 'Thank you.' It was when there was a resting period before another bout of pain that Erik discovered more about the mystery woman. As they helped her shed her heavy garment leaving her in a lighter shift, his eyes fell upon her he saw her scars. One across her neck and another that he knew had to be made with a cursed blade on her left arm, a slur he was unfamiliar with carved into her skin.

He heard Nadir briefly curse beneath his breath at the sight.

Her voice was quiet, her eyes closed as she rested, "My name is Hermione."

"Hermione, do you have anyone...?"

She shook her head, "All gone."

A gasp came from her as the labor started up full force again.

Hours seemed to have pass when finally a baby's cry filled the room.

Hermione fell back on her pillows with a relieved sigh before glancing at Nadir, "There's one more."

The baby was passed to a stock still Erik who froze as soon as the tiny bundle was placed in his arms. So tiny. So breakable. What if he moved wrong?

"Savior, what's your name?" Erik looked wide eyed at the woman in the bed. "Yes, you. Tall, dark and mysterious." She chuckled then winced.

"Erik." His voice cracked before he cleared it and said his name again.

Hermione smiled, "You are holding them just right. You are a natural."

Erik looked down and stared at the baby in his arms and as the baby's eyes fluttered open bright amber nearly golden orbs peered up at Erik's masked face.

And Erik remembered the fairy's promise, after his dismissive wish. Children with golden eyes like his.