A Long Nine Months

9: Family

Lily used to love the silence. As a Gryffindor, silence was a commodity that was hard to come by. When it did come, even in brief spells, she would always freeze and appreciate the soft white noise of the castle that she usually couldn't discern over raucous parties, loud conversations, even the late night chatter of cram studying.

But now, she hates the silence. The way it closes in on you, pressing against your skin with more and more pressure until you might just cave in on yourself. Especially on this quiet street on a work day where children were playing inside to avoid the heat. Nothing could distract her from the emptiness of her home.

Her husband and friends were all attending to business for the Order in some regards and even though she knew James was just at a meeting, she also knew she wouldn't relax until he was in her sights one more, safe and in one piece. When she just couldn't stand the dominating silence, she pushed herself to her feet with a grunt and shuffled into the kitchen, one hand on her protruding stomach all the while. She set the kettle over the stove, just for something to do, and tapped her wand to its base, setting a small fire underneath it, waiting for it to whistle loudly and pierce the air.

She leaned heavily forward against the counter as she waited, dropping her chin into one hand, exhausted from the short walk across the two rooms. A bubble of guilt rose in her chest when she realized James was right--not that she would ever admit that out loud--but it probably was best she stayed home from today's meeting after all. Based on the fact that she could hardly round up the energy to stay awake for an hour and make herself a hot drink, she couldn't imagine how she would stay awake for an Order meeting. That and all of her pregnancy books told her specifically no apparating while this close to her due date.

With a sigh, she straightened her back as the kettle began to rumble, lamenting herself to life in this silent home for who knows how much longer. The kettle screeched loudly and she let it ring for longer than necessary, taking an odd amount of pleasure in the obnoxious noise. Anything was better than nothing in that category.

She smiled to herself and finally extinguished the flames so that the kettle calmed with a few peevish whimpers. She summoned a mug, then their box of tea bags and used her wand to pour the boiling water into the cup.

I really have reached a new level of laziness, she thought sourly to herself. Then she shrugged and decided that she was allowed to be lazy. She was nine months pregnant for Merlin's sake.

She clutched her hot mug between her hands then frowned. It really was too hot in here for this. Glancing at her wand lying beside her, she weighed her options of turning this into an iced tea or just letting it wait until it became bearably lukewarm. Based on her constant lethargy and pervading laziness, she decided on the latter and just set it back on the counter, picking up her wand instead.

Her hands naturally went to the top of her stomach once more as she began to waddle towards the armchair near the window where an open and unfinished book lay, taunting her. But before she could take a second step, she gasped and hunched over, a sharp pain cutting into her gut.

With wide eyes, she looked down and was not surprised to see a pool of liquid beneath her.

One word came to mind: shit.

Suddenly, all of her planning and all of her books and all of her muggle doctor appointments and scarce healer appointments that James insisted on flew out the window and her mind was a blank slate.

The tension eased and she straightened up with multiple deep breaths, apparently having to remind her body to breathe. The pain had all but receded but she knew that it was only a matter of time until it returned in full force and one thing was for sure; she was not doing this alone in an empty house.