August 4th, 1997Dora was waiting on the porch for him when he Apparated through the wards.
Remus felt worse than he had ever felt before. Thankfully, Dora looked like she actually
felt bad for him, regardless of what had happened earlier that morning.
"I... I don't understand."
"I'm pregnant. Would you like me to draw you a diagram?"
It had been a rough couple of days. Bill and Fleur's wedding had been interrupted
by Death Eaters, the Order had scattered, Sirius and the trio were in hiding, and Dora's
parents had been tortured. The last thing Remus expected was a pregnancy in the middle
of a war. When he had apologised for ruining her life, sobbed and screamed, and then burst
out the front door, there had only been one place to go: Grimmauld Place.
It had been a mistake.
"I take it you found Sirius?" Dora asked with a raised brow, her focus on his jaw
where a bruise had quickly developed.
Remus frowned, looking down shamefully. "He says congratulations. Harry, Ron,
and Hermione send their best wishes as well. I'm to apologise for being the world's biggest
idiot, rub your feet, and buy you ice cream. That is... if I'm allowed back inside."
Dora smiled, endlessly forgiving and wonderful and perfect.
"Mum owes me five Galleons. She thought you'd make it home in a day or two. I
told her that if Sirius didn't knock you out cold, Hermione would send you back tonight."
"What can I do to make up for this?" he pleaded.
"Stop hating yourself because of who you are, for one," Dora said, grabbing his face
in her hands, none too gently. "I'll make a list of the rest of the things you'll need to do."
Remus fell into her arms the second she opened them, wrapping his own around
her waist and resting his cheek on her abdomen the way he had seen James do to Lily all
those years ago when she had been pregnant with Harry. He forced himself to put his fears
aside and embrace the still terrifying prospect of fatherhood.
"You know why I left, though, don't you?"
"You thought the baby would be infected."