A/N: At the end.
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Friday the Thirteenth/Epilogue
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He grinned as they cuddled in bed.
"What?" She asked.
"I think the twins have grown…"
"Tw-twins?" She stuttered.
"Mhmm."
"But…..I'm….I'm having twins?"
He chuckled and shook his head.
"No. I meant these twins…" He said, bringing a hand up and caressing her breast.
She squeaked in surprise and blushed furiously.
"Remus!" She scolded.
He laughed.
"You're incorrigible."
"But it's true, Dora."
"That's not the point! You…..you….you're never this lecherous."
"I haven't been able to hold you close for far too long, Dora. That has induced the natural effect and affected me."
She shook her head and smiled.
"You talked your way out of quite a few detentions at school, didn't you?"
He smiled.
"Had to earn my Marauder membership somehow."
She snuggled into his hold and sighed, resting her head on his chest.
"Love?"
"I'm sorry Remus. I didn't mean to yell before….I don't mind you being lecherous either…..I'm just glad to have you back."
He kissed her head.
"That makes two of us, little nymph."
"Remus?"
"Hmm?"
"You know what today is?"
"Tell me."
"Two months."
He lifted her face and brushed his lips to hers.
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"Can you feel it?" She asked.
"Yes…." He smiled, his hand over her growing belly, and he leaned close, pressing a kiss to it.
She giggled.
"It won't be long now…." He said.
"No, it won't. Are you nervous?"
He smiled again.
"A bit. Are you?"
"More excited, I think."
"Have you thought of any names?"
"A couple. Procyon, Pollux, Castor, Aldebaran….Alnatak. What about you?"
"Artemis, Selena, Celeste….."
She wrinkled her nose.
"None of them sound quite right….Maybe we shouldn't keep with tradition and choose a star name…."
He sighed and nodded.
"I think we're going to need to see the baby before we can choose a name, regardless of whether or not we follow tradition."
"Yeah….but it's nice to brainstorm…."
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"Dora, are you feeling well?"
"Yeah, yeah…..I'm just a little tired." She smiled.
"At least the transformations are easier for you than me….I was worried that they would be hard for you. "
"Sometimes it's good to be a bit of a freak….or a metamorphmagus. Which ever way you want to put it."
"You are not a freak, Dora."
"Mmm. Then Metamorphmagusssss……" She hissed.
"Love?"
"I…..ow….I think…..mmmm….I think my contractions started."
"You're joking."
"'Fraid not." She said, her hands grasping her abdomen.
"Damn it!"
"Remus…."
"Dora, I need to get help….."
"No! You can't. We'll transform any minute."
"But you…."
"Stay with me."
"Dora…."
She looked at him pleadingly.
"I won't be able to do anything for you, love…"
"I know. But I don't think the baby will be born before morning. There's nothing anyone can do."
"Dora…."
She fell to her knees, her form beginning to change.
He dropped down beside her, his own shape altering.
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The female whined in pain and he nuzzled her muzzle affectionately, hoping to comfort her.
Her whines were growing louder and her breath was becoming shallower.
She buried her face in his neck.
Hopefully it would be over soon.
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The sun rose slowly and the first thing he heard was her scream.
"Dora, love….?"
"Remus, it hurts. It hurts….." She moaned.
"Shhh…shhh… I know, Dora. I know." He said, kneeling beside her and wrapping his arms securely around her. "Put your arm around my neck and we'll get you in bed. You'll be more comfortable there."
"But….the bed will be ruined……"
"I don't care about the stupid bed. My only concern is you." He said, wrapping her arm around his neck for her and he lifted her from the floor.
He carried her into their bedroom, placed her in bed and covered her with the blankets.
"Dora, I'm going to go and get help."
"No! I don't want you to leave me!" She said, clutching his arm.
"But…."
"No, don't go. Don't."
"You need help, Dora, and I have no idea what to do."
"Just…..just sit with me and hold my hand."
"But when…."
"Please…."
Her wide eyes convinced him to stay, despite that he wanted someone there who knew what they were doing….
"Al…..all right. I'll stay." He said and when she let go of his arm he moved away.
"What are you….?"
"Putting some pants on, love. I don't know about you, but I prefer not to be starkers." He smiled.
She rolled her eyes.
Of course he would think of clothes…..
"Do me a favor and toss me a shirt? I don't feel like being completely starkers either."
He found a shirt for her and then put on pajama bottoms and sat down beside her.
"Can I get you anything, love?"
She shook her head, then flinched.
"Another one?"
"Yeah. They're getting sharper…" She told him, her eyes closed tightly.
"How close do they have to be before you can begin pushing?"
"About a minute apart, I guess."
"And they're about three minutes now…."
"Mhmm."
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When her labor moved into a more active stage, she sat up and he sat behind her in bed, letting her lean back against him.
"Damn!" She groaned.
"Dora?"
She reached down and looked back at him.
"I can feel the head. It's right there…."
He nodded.
She screamed and pressed against him.
"Push, Dora. Push love." He coached.
She quieted and then groaned.
"Good girl. Again, push again, love."
She groaned again and slumped in his arms.
He reached down and felt the head.
"The head's out, love. Push again. You're almost done."
She took a few deep breaths and pushed again.
"One more, one more time." He whispered.
She pushed and he checked again.
"One last time." He said.
"You said that last time, liar." She muttered.
"I know, love. But I think one more will do the trick. Push again."
She listened and whined as she leaned back into his chest.
The shoulders emerged and he smiled.
"Here, love, reach down."
She reached and they both pulled the baby out.
She cradled the baby in her arms and took the blanket beside her, beginning to clean the small form. It coughed and began to cry.
He smiled and kissed her head.
"You did wonderfully, love." He whispered as their child cried.
"And I probably look like hell." She murmured with an amused smile.
"No. You're beautiful."
She looked back at him appraisingly to see if he was being sincere.
He was.
And he pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss.
"You've never looked more lovely, Dora." He whispered.
She gave a genuine brilliant smile that caused his breath to catch before she looked down at the baby.
"I know, little tyke, I know." She whispered, gently rocking the baby in her arms. "You've had a busy day, haven't you? But you're all right now. You're daddy and I've got you. You don't need to cry." She assured.
He wrapped his arms around her and placed a hand on the baby's back.
"Happy birthday, little one." He said, smiling down at the tiny bundle.
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Nymphadora was sleeping peacefully.
He didn't want to wake her. She deserved her rest.
She was up all night and then this morning……I don't know how she did it…. She didn't seem tired at all…..
He bent down and lifted the bundle of blankets from the crib and smiled.
"Shhh…..little one, shhh. I'm here. Daddy's here."
The baby continued to cry.
"Shhh….it's all right now, shhh." He whispered, cradling the bundle close.
The baby quieted and he chuckled.
Bright little eyes looked up at him.
"You have no idea how much your mum went through to bring you into this world, little one, how much I would risk to keep you safe."
The baby smiled.
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
Someday you might know what I'm going through
When a miracle smiles up at you
Now I know how Ted felt…….
Words can't describe……
"You're our little miracle." He said, tears in his amber eyes. "My little baby-girl." He smiled, kissing her tiny forehead.
Her eyes changed as he looked down at her, from newborn blue to his own shade of amber.
He chuckled.
"Looks like you're your mum's daughter."
And as he said it, her fluffy brown hair turned turquoise.
"Definitely Dora's daughter." He smiled. "And as beautiful as your mum, too."
"Remus?"
He looked up and saw Nymphadora standing in the doorway.
"Did I wake you?"
She shook her head.
"How's she doing?"
He grinned.
"Come and see."
She came over and examined the bundle in his arms.
She laughed.
"She's quick. It took me almost a full day before I started morphing. Only took her a few hours."
"Is that why Ann and Ted named you Nymphadora? Because you could change your appearance?"
"Yeah, but what really did it was the hair. They thought I looked like a nymph."
He looked down at the baby and smiled.
"Ella suits her quite well, don't you think?"
Nymphadora smiled.
"'Beautiful fairy woman'. Yes, I think it suits. And Phaet sounds pretty with it."
He nodded.
"The tradition goes on."
"Yes, but as a middle name." She said.
"Phaet Ella would be pretty too…."
"Doesn't sound right though." She told him.
Agreed.
Silence fell between them for a long moment as they looked down at the baby.
"Do you know what today is, Dora?"
"Friday the thirteenth."
"I'd say today's been a very lucky day."
"Me too."
"Dora?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for being so stubborn and persistent. If you wouldn't have been…."
"We wouldn't have Ella."
"I love you, little nymph." He whispered leaning close.
"I love you too."
He pressed his lips to hers and she smiled against them.
"She's already got you wrapped around her finger, you know." She chuckled.
He laughed.
"As I said, she's her mother's daughter."
She leaned against him and he wrapped his free arm around her.
"So, I was thinking…."
"Oh dear……" He murmured.
"Why don't we have a cup of tea?"
He blinked in surprise and then laughed.
"All right."
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Epilogue
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"Remus? I'm home! Remu…" She said, coming into the living room to find him asleep in his chair.
Ella was in his lap, one hand clutching his sweater, the other clasped tightly around her stuffed bear.
She couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Ella was a daddy's girl and seeing her curled up in his lap…..
He opened his eyes and looked up at her.
"Hi." She smiled.
"Hello, love." He said and she leaned down and kissed him.
"How was shopping?" He asked.
"Alright. Mum insisted I buy a new set of maternity robes. And Rhea bought me a new birthing blanket. How was Ella?"
"Good, as always. She wanted me to tell her a story and she fell asleep before I finished."
She sat on the arm of the chair and sighed.
"Feeling alright, love?"
"Yes." She smiled. "This pregnancy's a bit easier, since I know what to expect."
He smiled.
"You're just two months along, Nym."
"I know, but still…." She smiled.
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes. We ate at the Leaky Cauldron. Have you two?"
He nodded.
"Hot chocolate?" She asked.
"No." He smiled.
"Care for some? I think I've finally gotten the hang of your recipe."
He chuckled.
"Let's put Ella to bed first."
"Here, I'll carry her…" She said.
"You shouldn't be lifting, Dora."
"Remus, she's just a year and a half old. She doesn't even weigh thirty pounds." She told him and she carefully picked the little girl up.
He sighed and stood up.
"I just don't want you to overdo it…."
"I won't, I promise." She smiled.
They tucked Ella in and she opened her amber eyes as Nymphadora adjusted her blankets.
"Mummy?"
"Yes, baby?"
"Night-night."
She smiled.
"Good night, sweetie." She whispered and brushed turquoise strands away before she kissed the child's forehead. "I love you."
"Daddy?"
"Yes, baby-girl?"
"Nighty-night."
"Sweet dreams, my little fairy." He told her, kissing her head.
She laid back and closed her eyes, falling back asleep almost instantly.
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She snuggled against him on the sofa and sighed.
"Yours is still better." She pouted.
"You're improving, love. Give it another few years. You'll master hot chocolate." He smiled.
A comfortable silence fell over them for several long moments.
"Remus?"
"Hmm?"
"Are…are you happy?"
"Am I happy? What sort of question is that?"
"An honest one."
He smiled.
"I've never been happier, love."
"So….no regrets?"
He looked down at her curiously, and then grinned.
"None." He told her, tightening his arm around her. "What about you?"
"I don't think I have any."
"Oh?"
"Well, things have happened that were horrible, but…….things have worked out too. So, I don't think I have any…."
"Not even one?"
She smiled.
"Just one."
"And what would that be?"
"That my husband isn't taking advantage of a golden opportunity and kissing me."
He chuckled.
"Little nymph." He whispered, drawing her into a deep kiss.
She fell into him, letting him envelope her in his arms.
When the kiss ended his eyebrow quirked.
"And now?"
She smirked.
"Not a one."
"You sure you don't have any regrets?" He asked seriously, touching his forehead to hers.
"I'm sure." She whispered, pressing her lips to his once more.
Fin
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A/N: Chapter 30 on the 30th...now that's timing! Firstly, I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed. You guys are the BEST! Secondly, no, Nymph didn't have twins. I know just about everyone wanted her to but that's not my story. However, you did get to hear some talk of 'twins', lol. Sorry about that. I couldn't stop myself from writing it.
On to fun info... Let's start with Astronomy. Procyon is the name of the brightest star in Canus Minor. Pollux and Castor are the stars in Gemini. Aldebaran, you'll know if you've read my other Remus and Tonks story or remember way back in chapter chapter 2, is the red eye of Taurus. And Alnatak is one of the stars that makes up Orion's belt. Artemis, Selena and Celeste are all names for the moon.
I decided on Ella Phaet because of the meaning. "Beautiful fairy woman" and "Dove". Phaet almost sounds like fate, too... almost like Remus and Tonks were fated to have her...And it is a star in the constellation Columba. Since she taks after Nymph...Fairies and Nymphs...You get the idea.
And I've always found Friday that 13th to be a lucky day. And in the case of Ella, it would be December 13th (my aunt's birthday, lol).
I really wanted Remus to have his father-daughter moment and remember the song from the wedding. That was why I picked that song in the first place. As I've said, I've had this story in my head for quite a while and I knew how I wanted it to end from the begining.
And I just had to have a little "tea scene" and a "hot chocolate" moment. Sorry, but they are rather adorable, at least I think they are and they crop up throughout the entire story.
I hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter and this story as much as I've enjoyed writing them.
And that's all she wrote.