𝑩𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 | 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚 | 𝟑

| seventeen |

Chapter seventeen; November rising

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Hermione was on watch a few nights later with the Horcrux while the others slept. She was due to wake Olivia in just under an hour so they could switch. They had moved again, this time to a more secure location back in a forest.

Inside the tent, within the comfort of her own covers Olivia slept. For the first time in weeks, she slept. And she slept properly. She had a dream that wasn't a nightmare, it was a vision. Nothing of the present however, but something of the past and it was what she needed at the time.

'Rain came down on the windows of the apartment but the sound of heavy breathing and screams overpowered it. Outside it was dark, almost pitch black and the only source of light was the occasional bolts of lightning scattering in the sky. Cecelia Black hadn't expected to go into labour so early, the day before her husbands birthday — her daughter wasn't due for another four weeks.

In the comfort of her own room, during the stages of her labour her help laid solely on her best friends. Lily Potter; dragged the wet cloth across her forehead as she blew out sharp ragged breaths following another contraction and Mary soon-to-be Warwick; pacing around at the foot of her bed.

'Where are they?' Cecelia snapped, gripping to the sheets of her bed.

'I'm not sure, I sent the patronus to them. I still think you should let us take you to St. Mungo's 'Lia it's unnatural for you to have the baby this early.' Mary told her, gripping onto the metal frame at the bottom of the bed.

Cecelia seethed as another painful contraction came, 'Just you wait, when I get my hands on them I will kill them. How dare they miss this? How dare Sirius miss the birth of his own daughter?'

Lily stifled a small laugh, 'Could you please at least wait until I've given birth before murdering my husband?'

'Yeah and my fiancé.' Mary muttered.

'Of course but after that they're goners.'

Just then a familiar 'crack' echoed throughout the flat. Too busy with her screaming, Cecelia paid no mind to the person who had arrived until they presented themselves in her doorway. Hope and Lyall Lupin looked beyond flustered and panic-stricken as they rushed to be around the mother-to-be.

'What happened?' Hope had asked suddenly, sitting on the left side of Cecelia.

'I—I don't know, it happened quickly. Sirius said she had been complaining of cramp since late last night and asked us to keep a watchful eye this morning before he left. Around an hour ago she said it got worse and then her waters broke.' Lily rushed to explain.

'Well where is Sirius, James, Jackson, Merlin Remus?' Lyall asked in utter confusion, 'out of them all I'm sure we can agree if they received the Patronus, Remus would be chasing them back any minute.'

Another powerful contraction came too quickly for Cecelia's liking and she screamed again with the sudden intensity. Hope's eyes widened in a panic and she looked to either woman, 'How far apart are the contractions?'

Lily allowed her best friend to squeeze her free hand while she placed the cool cloth to her forehead. Mary looked to Hope and shook her head, 'They started at seven minutes but that must of been at least half an hour ago. The last one was only seconds before you came .. so two maybe three minutes?'