AN: A tribute to Mother's everywhere. This collection will cover thirteen prompts created by Neon Domino, a mother, and will hopefully help children and fathers alike better understand and appreciate the grueling things our Mothers do for us. Thank you, on behalf of all the children out there.

Word Count: 1,133

Prompt 13: A mother finds out she's pregnant.

~~o-O-o~~

Walburga stares at the thin tube in front of her, her face blank. Surely, this couldn't be happening. Her, pregnant? What kind of joke was this?

Reaching for another pregnancy test, she frowns when, to her horror, a small line is etched into the small hole.

Hand hesitantly going to her stomach, she can't help but fear her husband's reaction.

Once upon a time, Orion had been sweet and caring. He would have been ecstatic to know that she was pregnant, to know that he had done his family proud by continuing their line, but times have long since changed his views.

Whereas he once would have been happy, he would be furious. He was not prepared to have a child. There were too many things to be done, to many people who knew too much. They would be vulnerable with a child, to the point that she was certain he'd want her to abort it.

These thoughts, these horrible, horrible, thoughts, plagued Walburga, causing her frown to morph into an even deeper one, her eyes wide with panic and terror.

This baby was a symbol of their love. Surely Orion wouldn't kill it? Despite her wishful thinking, she knew he would.

Clutching her stomach protectively, Walburga looks up, fiery determination in her eyes. She wouldn't allow Orion to kill their precious baby, wouldn't allow him to go off the deep end once and for all.

No, she'd protect the baby. Even if it was the last thing she did.

Having found her purpose, Walburga stands up and flushes the toilet. After washing her hands, she strides out of the bathroom, her arms still wrapped around her stomach.

~~o-O-o~~

Months have passed since that day. Walburga knows that she is beginning to show, knows that Orion will soon notice the life growing inside of her. With each passing day, she can feel her heart grow heavier and heavier, anticipation mixing with dread.

Their home, which used to be filled with so much love, had become a war zone. Ever since she pledged to protect their child, they had been getting in more and more arguments. She was concerned of how each decision they made affected the baby, and Orion, oblivious, fought her on every front.

After months, she couldn't help but feel beaten down. It got to the point that Walburga was seriously contemplating leaving their house entirely, venturing off to raise their baby on their own. So deep in her misery, Walburga called upon the girl she had alienated all those years ago, the girl who had once been her closest friend.

"Euphie," Walburga questions softly, shifting from her place at the door. Euphemia Potter looks upon her with shock in her eyes.

"Walburga?" Euphemia says, startled. She opens her arms, as if to hug her, but she pauses. "What are you doing here?" she asks instead.

"Can we talk privately?" Walburga begs. Euphemia looks at her, as if evaluating her, and then nods sharply. She opens the door wider, allowing the other woman to walk through. Working on pure reflex, Walburga makes her way through the small cottage and goes to the living room, sitting down carefully. From her place near the door, Euphemia's lips twitch upwards slightly. She moves into the room and sits across from Walburga, eyeing her with curiosity and a hint of dread.

"What's wrong?" she asks softly. Walburga looks at her and gulps, her eyes abruptly looking down.

"…," she mumbles. Euphemia, having not heard her, asks her to repeat it.

"I'm pregnant," she finally says. A weight seems to lift itself off her shoulders, and she can't help but continue. "I can't tell, Orion. He'll want me to abort it."

Walburga can tell Euphemia wants to say "I told you so", but she holds back.

"What do you want me to about it?" Euphie asks instead. She sounds tired, almost defeated, and Walburga hates that she's the one that did that to her.

"Nothing," she says. "I just needed my best friend."

"When I needed you," Euphemia begins, unimpressed, "you left me for him."

"I was in love, Euphie," Walburga protests. "At the time, I thought you were crazy; that you were just jealous that I had found love in an arranged marriage. I hadn't thought you were right about him, hadn't thought that I was making a big mistake… Look, I'm sorry, okay? But I can't change the past. I was stupid."

"You were," Euphemia agrees without hesitation. "But, I understand that you felt strongly about him. Sometimes, love can blind us."

"I never understood what my mother meant when she said, "Love is the thing that enables a woman to sing while she mops the floor after her husband has walked across it in his barn boots. At the time, it had been inconceivable to me. After all, why would a woman ever let herself be so disrespected, but now I understand. When you're faced with putting up with disrespect and receiving love or receiving none, nine times out of ten, you'll put up with the disrespect."

"How far along are you?" Euphemia asks tenderly. For the first time during her visit, she reaches out, her hand hesitantly wrapping around Walburga's own. She smiles softly, enticing a grin out of Walburga, as well.

"3 months," she tells her. "I'll be showing soon, and I'm scared he's going to do something to it."

"Has he done anything to make you think so?"

"Our arguments are getting more heated, Euphie. It's gotten to the point that I'm scared of him. Earlier on, I had gone outside and tried to tell myself that I was being ridiculous. I told myself that, if I sit in the rain, maybe I can drown in something other than my own thoughts? It never worked."

"I don't imagine it would have," Euphemia says softly. Standing up from her spot, she moves closer to Walburga, letting go of the other's hand.

"Can I touch it?" she asks, gesturing towards the slightly protruding stomach. At Walburga's encouraging smile, she gently caresses the small bulge, smiling when she imagined the tiny child growing inside.

"While I can't give you amazing advice, if you ever need to get away, my door is always open," she whispers. She looks up and gazes into Walburga's eyes, fondness floating within her own.

"Don't be a stranger, Wally," she insists. Smiling at the old nickname, Walburga nods and gathers her things. She must go, lest she be questioned by her husband.

"See you later?" she questions. Euphemia smiles brightly and nods, walking her to the door. When she finally leaves, a sense of confidence has pervaded her thoughts. For the first time in a while, she feels like everything is going to be okay.

(1/15)

Gringotts Prompts: 1. Quotes (angsty/tragic) - Unknown - "If I sit in the rain, maybe I can drown in something other than my own thoughts." 2. Quotes (love/romantic) - Relationship Quotes - "Love is the thing that enables a woman to sing while she mops up the floor after her husband has walked across it in his barn boots."