A Bellamort Tale

Part 16

Tom grabbed the witch's hand again, then bent down to kiss her lips very softly.

"You are wasting your strength like that, dear. Stop fighting it. You must use the space between the contractions to recover and gather new strength. I am here now and I will do whatever I can to make it easier on you. But you need to listen and try to do what I or Narcissa tell you. Do you understand me?"

Bellatrix wanted to answer when another pain hit her and she rolled back onto her left side, still clinging on to his hand, her head landing in his lap.

As soon as she felt the contraction being over, she wanted to apologise, while quickly pulling away from him, but he held her in place, saying.

"If you can cope with the pain like this, it's fine, Bella. Tonight I am here for you. You are allowed to do everything you would do to any other man in this situation. Yell at me, insult me, hit me, even jinx me. If you wanted to use a curse, it would also be fine. Just do what helps you get through this birth."

The pregnant woman gasped.

"My lord, I..."

He shut her up with another kiss.

"There is no lord today, Bella. Just your child's father and the man you're in love with. Whatever you might need from me you can have it. So just come here and let me hold you. If that's what you want."

"Thank you, my... love. I... oh fuck, it just won't stop. The cruciatus curse is fun compared to this." She whined and buried her face in agony into his stomach.

He felt helpless. He hated it to see her in pain and he also hated to feel compassionate. He wanted to go back to his old self and be the cold and heartless dark wizard he had been. But this woman, who was about to give birth to their child, had changed that. She had found a way into his heart and had hooked her claws into it so he wasn't capable of pushing her out again.

He grinned lewdly when his own thoughts reminded him of moments when she had dug her fingernails into his back and how much he had enjoyed the pleasure that came with the slight pain.

"What made you smile?" Bellatrix asked when she looked back up, the pain bearable for the moment.

"You. I just remembered how your fingernails scratched the skin on my back and how I loved it and can't wait for you to do it again." He explained.

"Oh, I see. I'd like that too. Oh damn it, I can't... it's too much!"

Another wave of agonising pain hit her and she wanted to scream yet she didn't. Never would she show so much weakness in front of her lord and master.

He noticed that with a proud smile.

"You're doing so good, my dear. But if you want to scream, just do it. It's not weakness, it's just normal." He inhaled deeply, seeing her about to pass out. At the same moment he noticed that she was holding her breath and shouted at her.

"Damn it, woman, breathe! Bella! Look at me!"

She took a deep breath, just as the world around her was turning black.

Panting she was lying in his lap, while Tom Riddle, who never knew love all his life, was gently stroking her hair.

"Stop scaring me like that, Bella."

"I'm sorry!" She said weakly, her voice raspy from the lack of fluid. He grabbed the glass from her nightstand and without his wand said.

"Aquamenti!"

It instantly filled with water and he held it to her lips so she could drink.

"Thanks!" She mumbled, sounding a little better already.