𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕕 [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 3]

࿔ Danica ࿔

Danica is at the decorator's shop in the village, flicking through colour pallets of paint for the nursery. Regulus agreed on a grey scheme with fairy lights hanging from the walls. Then there will be two cribs. Danica smiles to herself and rubs her stomach as she walks to the counter to get the paint pot. She hands over the colour and the man goes into the back to get the paint. He comes back and she pays, thanks him and leaves, feeling herself becoming tired now.

She takes her time walking home but the sun is out and it is surprisingly warm for March so it doesn't matter that she is walking slowly. Eventually, she arrives home and sets the tin down on the kitchen table as she sits to catch her breath. Danica pulls her wand from her pocket and waves it at the kettle.

Thank Merlin for magic, she thinks as she tries not to let her mind wander to Regulus and what he is doing.

The kettle clicks off and she gets up, liking to do the rest without magic. Then she walks into the sitting room and places her boiling hot tea on the coffee table before stretching her legs out on the sofa, sighing in relief as her muscles relax into the cushions. She closes her eyes, feeling the pull of sleep.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

"Hey," a voice brings Danica back to the world. "Hey, gorgeous."

She opens her eyes and looks up at Regulus before reaching out and bringing him into her arms.

"Hey," she whispers. "How was it?"

"Good," he says and kisses her cheek. "We got the diadem."

"Really?" Danica sits up and looks at him then her face falls. "Please don't tell me that it's in our house."

Regulus looks away.

"Sorry," he says.

Danica sighs and gets up, marching into the kitchen.

"Get it out," she says.

"Danica," Sirius says. "It's fine, it's not gonna do anything."

Danica chews on her cheek and then huffs, throwing her hands in the air.

"Fine! Whatever!" She shakes her head and walks over to the counter, leaning on it and looking out the window.

"We need to destroy them," Regulus says.

Danica has her back turned away from them, focusing on the view from the window: birds in the clear blue sky; the long grass blowing in the wind; a grey rabbit hopping through the undergrowth.

"We'll take them back home," James says. "We'll keep them safe until we have something to destroy them with."

"Thank you," Regulus replies. Then his arms are around Danica's waist and he's kissing the nape of her neck.

She sighs and leans her back against him.

"No luck on the cup then?" She asks quietly.

"No sadly," he says and his lips brush on the back of her ear.

Danica closes her eyes and her breathing hitches. How does he still have the same effect on her?

"Oh well," she says and twists in his arms, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck. "Keep looking."

"We need to have a think though," he murmurs. "Where would Voldemort hide a part of his soul?"

"The locket was in that cave," Danica says and sees a flash behind Regulus's eyes, making her feel guilty immediately so she hurries on. "It was in a place that meant something to him... what if all the others are hidden somewhere with a meaning?"