The Flight Of The Vulture

Chapter 25: From The Beginning

February 12th, 2005

"Mum!" Samantha festively called into the shop on a chilly afternoon, making Belle look up cautiously. Samantha stepped inside followed by Hermione and Ginny. Ginny had her little boy in her arms.

"Hello baby girl! Hello Hermione and Ginny, and James too." Belle called back to her. "What can I do for you lovely ladies?"

"Hermione here, the greatest Magical Representation in history, needs your help mummy." Samantha called making Hermione cross her arms playfully. Ginny was giggling exponentially.

"Is it something for the trial?" Belle asked cautiously approaching.

"No," Samantha was giggling with Ginny now.

"I wanted to see if I could get some Maternity clothing." Hermione admitted with a meager smile.

Belle practically squealed making the very reserved Hermione jump a little. "Oh my goodness! Congratulations!" Duke the dragon left Samantha's shoulder and began flying around the store between her mannequins.

"Samantha says you make outfits that grow with you." Hermione mentioned.

"Of course I do." Belle laughed, she'd invented the charm while she was pregnant with Samantha.

Ginny proclaimed with a small groan sitting down onto a sofa with little James, "And they are amazing! Softest clothes I've ever owned."

"And it's on me!" Samantha insisted, "Payment for her wonderful work representing Jack."

"I wouldn't dare charge her full price for the same reason. I'll let you pay for the fabric Samantha." Belle insisted taking Hermione's hands. "How far along are you?"

"About two months." Hermione was practically glowing. "I can pay for it."

"Don't you dare think about it!" Belle insisted helping Hermione up onto the little pedestal."Let's get your measurements."

Belle felt a little nostalgic as she listened to the three women giggling together. It was nice to have the laughter of three young friends in similar phases of life surrounding her.

"It still feels like yesterday that I was helping you three get ready for the Yule Ball, now here you three are, quite grown up." Belle said as she grabbed her favorite tape measure and bewitched it to begin its' work.

"Besides my wedding dress, I don't believe I've never felt more beautiful Mrs. Fyre." Ginny exclaimed, "That green really did offset my eyes and hair perfectly."

"And Mione and I ended up doing each other's hair a lot because of that night." Samantha laughed but stopped midway, "Colin said I looked like a princess."

Her hands began shaking, which Ginny noticed. Ginny put her one free hand upon Samantha's in an instinctive act.

"Honestly, it was simultaneously one of the best nights of my life and the worst." Hermione admitted, with Samantha and Ginny agreeing.

"Considering you spent what should have been an amazing night, dancing with your world famous Quidditch star who worshipped your every movement, sobbing over my git of a brother." Ginny admonished putting a hand to her forehead. "Sam and I came to the rescue of course."

"No surprises there." Belle laughed as her tape measure finished her work. She reached for her sketchbook, "Are we thinking your regular minimalist style with a maternity twist?"

Hermione nodded, "I just want to feel comfortable and to have people take me seriously. Just because I am a mother now, doesn't mean I can't be a professional woman."