-UndoubtedlyYours-

-Chapter♛♚ThirtyEight-

✧MOVING FORWARD✧

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Alphard had successfully steered Rhea away from the baby path, though there were a few tearful sightings from the book she was reading.

It was adorable to see her so caught up into a fictional story, but it already pushed the boundaries of how far her empathy reached. So he soothed her worries and persuaded her with a few chocolate frogs because nothing hurt Alphard Black worse than seeing his little wife in tears.

The reminder was too much to bear.

The affection between the two hadn't ceased either, even if they weren't entirely intimate. It was new for him to see Rhea wearing her Ravenclaw sweat pants the following few nights because she didn't want to ruin the bed again.

But all he could think about was how absolutely adorable she looked in them, and he wondered for a good portion of the night—What he would think of Rhea had she been in his year.

He surely would've sought her out, without a doubt.

Then the thought beckoned him to ask questions of how she went through Hogwarts, and so there they were—Intertwined in bed, Rhea's eyes closed and humoring her husband as he asked question after question.

"...It's a shame you haven't tried riding a broom. I think you would enjoy it." Her body chuckled as she opened an eye to peek at him.
"Not sure with that, it gets rather violent for me. Especially the Gryffindor and Slytherin games. Though it's funny to watch Sirius and Regulus against one another." Alphard nodded his head, realizing that he had always promised his nephews that he would go and watch a game.

"This coming year, we should find time to go and see them play...I haven't managed to see them." She awoke now that quidditch was mentioned.

"Really? We can go and visit them?" He too found himself chuckling and thinking for the future. "We can stay the night in Hogsmead, then treat them and your brother to lunch." Alphard watched as Rhea's expressions continued to brighten at the mere mention of the plan.

"Tell me what you're thinking love..." He cooed against her neck and she hummed once his lips had made the connection.

"Can we go to the bookstore as well?"
"Oh believe me when I tell you, we won't leave until we have a few books and chocolate frogs." When Alphard pulled away he earned himself a rather saddened pout that he didn't go further, and her frustration had ended with her face planting into his chest.

"...This year we'll have so much to do. I promise you that."
"Let's get through the summer first, it's so private here that it'll be difficult having to be social again." Alphard couldn't help himself this time, his gut-filled laugh and Rhea groaned as she wasn't trying to be funny.

Half the time she didn't mean to do anything of the sort, though he had gotten a kick out of most things.

So she couldn't complain, he looked so pure when his smile grew.

Once it had died down, he had caught Rhea flinching under his touch—Not meaning to do it either, Alphard had placed his hand in a few places surrounding the last bit and he sighed. "Is the pain lessening at all?" Rhea hummed as she breathed through it, which ended in her having to get up to use the loo.

When she returned, Alphard was now sitting against the headboard and she sighed. "You haven't been sleeping Alfie, come now. I'm fine."

"This is new for me to worry about, and if it wasn't for the contraception it wouldn't be this bad. Now come back to bed, love." She rolled her eyes, but didn't deny the chance of getting a back massage.