𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕕 [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 3]

࿔ Danica ࿔

"I think it's happening-"

Danica can feel the contractions starting now she is fully awake; the spread of pain throughout her abdomen.

"Okay," Regulus says calmly as she grits her teeth.

Why the fuck is he being so calm?

He pulls the covers off her and cups her face.

"I'm gonna send a Patronus to Marlene," he says. "Take deep breaths, flower."

They agreed to call Marlene as soon as Danica went into labour. She's an excellent healer so they can hope that she is available tonight.

Regulus leaves her and goes to the window, casting a Patronus and sending it out into the night.

"Ah!" Danica grips the sheets as feels another soft contraction.

Then her waters break.

"REG!" She whines as the sheets soak through.

Why did they agree to have kids?

Regulus comes rushing to her side, kneeling on the bed and taking her hand in his. With his spare hand, he pulls her pyjama shorts down for her. She squeezes his hand and closes her eyes tight as a greater wave of pain passes through her.

"Fuck!" She cries and doesn't hear the crack of Apparation from outside.

"That must be Marlene," Regulus says.

"What?" Danica says in a strained voice before crying out again.

"Breathe," Regulus strokes her hair back and she takes deep breaths, hearing the front door open and close.

Marlene is one of the few people that had to be told that Regulus wasn't dead. And thank merlin for her.

"Danica," she says, her calm manner filling her with confidence that everything will be fine as she enters the room.

Danica looks over at her. She has short blonde hair, she must have cut it since the last time she saw her: the day Regulus and the others came back with the cup. Danica focuses on these details between the contractions.

"You came fast," Regulus says, still stroking her hair.

"Of course I did," Marlene says, placing a bag on the bedside table. "I'm about to deliver twins..."

"Don't remind me-" Danica says wearily as her contractions start again.

"Breath hun," she says before everything else drains out and there's more and more pain.

In the lull between contractions, Marlene tells her that Sirius and Remus have been called and Jackson knows. They set about making Danica as comfortable as possible before the pain begins again.

"Fuck!" She groans and grabs Regulus's hand, squeezing hard.

"You're doing so well, hun," Marlene says.

Danica is blind with pain now, her back aching, her contractions becoming more and more frequent. It started this morning but she ignored it. The low rumblings of early labour. But then she woke with the pain of stronger contractions.

And now she's here, sweat building on her upper lip and forehead. Regulus and Marlene enthusiastically encourage her to push through the pain. Marlene gave her a potion at some point to numb it but it feels like it's done nothing.

After more and more pain, it could be hours, it could be minutes, Danica doesn't know, Marlene finally tells her to push.

And the pain gets worse.