CHASING PAVEMENTS ⇒ wolfstar

FIFTEEN

Laying on Pomfrey's examination table, Remus rolls up his jumper just like always. It's almost a routine at this stage. Sirius sat by his side, gazing fondly, while Lily, Peter and James seem to have arranged themselves on the floor, no less. Their three heads tilted upwards to Remus.

"This is so exciting, I've never heard a baby's heartbeat before," Peter says.

"It sounds like drums, that's what me mum says," James adds. "Like a dum, dum, dum, type of sound," Euphemia Potter was rarely wrong. Lily laughs as James begins to mimic a motion of that of playing the drums. Remus considers that he wouldn't be a bad drummer, honestly.

"It does sound like that, a little bit," Remus replies. He glances down at the trio huddled on the hospital wing's floor, like three eager children awaiting their Christmas gifts or some sort of sugary surprise. He rubs a hand against his stomach. He looks to Sirius. "She's kicking a lot today," He informs with an amused smile.

With a large grin, Sirius replies, "Can I feel?" He asks.

Remus nods. "Fire away, she's kicking up a storm,"

Sirius smiles as he tugs his chair closer to the side of the bed, scooting close to Remus. He gently places his hand on Remus' bare skin. Grinning as he feels a strong kick to his palm. "Wow, that'll never get old," He mumbles in a soft tone. "Hey, little one, you're doing great in there, you know that right?" He says to Remus' tummy.

Remus grins at him. "Elliot is doing a lot more than great, aren't you baby?" He says. There's a few sharp kicks, of course its a coincidence, but Remus likes to imagine by now she can hear them. He likes to think she can recognize their voices. Her mummy and daddy.

"Okay, gentlemen. Let's get right into it," Pomfrey announces as Sirius and Remus both slip their hands away from Remus' exposed skin. "Nice of you both to bring an audience," She smiles wamrly down at the three students parked on the floor of her infirmary.

Lily grins. "We're just proud uncles and a proud aunt," She says with a sing song element to her tone. "Very proud, actually. I'm gonna teach her a lot," She announces.

Peter snorts. "Elliot'll be well looked after," He grins. "No doubt about that,"

Remus smiles at his friends as he feels the familiar sensation of the cold gel meet his skin. He shivers slightly.

"I know, it's cold, honey," Pomfrey muses. She gently applies pressure with her wand and the screen comes alive with Elliot's silhouette. "You're half way through your sixth month now, we're getting very close,"

"Very, very close," Sirius repeats in a low voice. He isn't sure if he's repeating it to the others or himself.

Pomfrey proceeds to rotate and move her wand around Remus' bump. "Growing really nicely," She comments softly. "May first isn't very far away," She smiles.

Remus grins as he watches Elliot twirl around the screen, his little girl. "She's gorgeous," It isn't Remus who speaks, but Sirius from his seat next to Remus. "Absolutely gorgeous," He smiles wildly.

"Proud daddy," James snorts from the ground. "Get a load of you," He laughs, almost endeared. "Dadfoot," He muses with a lazy grin. "But seriously, already my favorite baby in the entire world, she's great,"

Remus is about to reply when he notices Pomfrey's eyes dart to the doors of the hospital wing. "Oh, Merlin," She mutters as she watches a member of the Slytherin quidditch team, who's name escapes Remus, drag a half lidded Regulus Black into the room.

"Uh, Madame?" The freckled Slytherin keeper pipes. "Um,"His eyes linger on the older Gryffindors. He's nervous, Remus notices. Who wouldn't be nervous in the presence of Sirius Black while supporting a half conscious Regulus Black? "He's, um, had a fall on the field mid game," He explains.