Birds of a feather

[Athena Zhefarovich]

It was just about dinner time, the time when Athena almost felt human again. She knew that whatever she ate would remain down, so she felt comfortable heading out of her house and heading for the nearest floo. Her morning sickness had gotten loads better this month almost as if the baby had decided to stop rejecting the food she was eating and get on her side of things. The woman had made a promise to her father and boyfriend to refrain from apparating because it could damage the baby, and she actually planned to stick to it. Athena still couldn’t believe it. She was having a baby, had a human being growing inside of her at this very moment. It’d taken residence just about four and a half months ago, but Athena was only beginning to grow aware of her presence at the moment. The former Slytherin had taken to thinking of the baby as a girl, already thinking of baby names for her daughter. She would feel the baby shift, her tiny bump quivering slightly as it did so. The bump was obvious with the frame fitting clothing that she still chose to wear. Today, it was a maxi dress that showed off the top half of her back tattoo.

In no time, she found herself staring at the ice cream shop. Athena smiled in anticipation of a waffle cone with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles. She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and stepped forward, remembering too late that she had forgotten to send a message to Drakon to let him know that she’d stepped out for a bit. He was overprotective, a little too overprotective for Athena’s liking, though she appreciated it all the same. She was glad that he was involving himself, eager for their new arrival even though they were still figuring each other out. In every single way that he could, Drakon was stepping up, and Athena couldn’t be more pleased by this. Not that he had much choice. Her father and brother would likely kill him if he attempted to abandon his child. It still didn’t mean that she was ready to marry him, but she was happy to be with him. Quickly enough, Athena had her cone in her hands and she headed to the benches outside of the shop by the water to enjoy her cone and the fresh air. Summer had only just begun, and the breeze brushed against her cheeks, her blonde hair moving slightly as the wind blew through it.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate was enjoying the sunshine out in the backyard of the house. She had learned to savour the weekends. She always managed to get her work done Friday evening so that she had the whole weekend to relax. It also meant that she could sort things and plan things for everything else in her life. It just made her feel that bit more organised and it relaxed her to know things were sorted and that there was nothing piling up, threatening to fall on top of her. She knew she still had things to do but that was all baby related. She still had some time to sort all that out. As much as she wanted to know the gender of the baby she preferred to keep it a surprise. She wasn't sure why. The Healers had given them the option of knowing but it seemed more special to wait and see. It didn't really affect what they bought for the newborn anyway. People had been offering to buy various things which Kate really appreciated. One thing that had never entered her mind was the cost of having children. Obviously she wouldn't have had a baby if neither she or Stefan had a job but from now on, there would be this extra person to think of. She and Stefan got by grand with the money they had and she wasn't that worried about the extra cost, it had just never crossed her mind before.

It was in that moment Kate felt an urge. "Ice-Cream" she thought. She just wanted some so badly. She got up from the chair and went into the house to check if there was any in the freezer. Unfortunately Kate had been having a lot of urges for ice-cream lately so she had cleared out the freezer. Biting her lip she made a quick decision. She went up to her room and threw on some clothes. As she tied her jeans she noticed that they were much tighter then usual and made a mental note to also buy some new pants. She quickly made her way downstairs, shouted to Stefan where she was going, giving him a kiss on the cheek before heading outside. She contemplated going to the nearby village which was closer but she may as well make the most of her trip so she headed to Obsidian Harbour.

Once she arrived she almost beelined towards the ice-cream shop. It wasn't until she had a honeycomb and chocolate ice-cream cone that she began to relax. Sated, she now made her way to the harbour. It was a beautiful day and Kate loved sitting by the sea. As she walked along, she idly placed her palm on her bump. With her t-poop tucked in, the little thing was quite noticeable. Unfortunately many other people had the same idea as Kate today and nearly all the benches were full. She was growing close to despair before she saw one bench had only one young woman sitting at it. She slowly made her way over "Sorry but is there anyone sitting here?"She asked tentatively but with a bright smile on her face. It was as she asked, she noticed, that this woman was also pregnant.

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena found herself lost in thought more often than usual, and that was saying something as she had always been a daydreamer. Now, though, her thoughts often drifted to her nights with Drakon, cuddling on the couch. She couldn't believe how hard she'd fallen in love with him, especially since she had thought him detestable after their first meeting. He'd shown her a different side of him since then, growing more and more in her esteem. Startled as she heard someone speak to her, Athena's free hand went to her heart which was beating wildly. "You scared me" she mumbled, her silver gaze turning up. The woman before her was beaming, positively glowing, and Athena's gaze needed to only drop slightly to confirm her suspicion. The woman's hand was on her bump, something she'd learned was a protective measure. It was the thought of speaking to someone going through what she was, at the moment that she was, that caused her to shake her head. "It's yours."

Athena sat up straighter, the new position only making her little bump more apparent. She angled herself as she quickly licked at her melting cone. She'd forgotten napkins and knew she'd be mad if her hands got all sticky. "I know you" she replied after a moment. "You were a year ahead of me at Hogwarts. Head Girl" she was trying to work out the woman's name. She licked her cone again. "Moon. It's Sara or something with an S, right?" she asked, a quick glance before turning to dig in her purse for a tissue, a napkin anything. Athena found it amusing that the Head Girl was in a family way like her. "How far along are you?" she nodded to the woman's stomach, not even thinking that there was a possibility that she was insulting a woman who was just a bit overweight. This woman, like her, was pregnant.

Out of Character:

I haven't used polyvore in ages, but seeing yours made me want to do one for this RP. I've edited it into my first post.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate instantly felt guilty when the girl's hand flew to her heart. "I'm so sorry" She rushed out, biting her lip. She almost dropped her ice-cream as she moved forward as if she could stop the woman from getting a fright. Her guilt was heightened by the fact this lady was also pregnant. She didn't want to do anything that would endanger her unborn child. She herself was always so conscious of the fact she had a baby growing inside her and that they were so vulnerable. "thank you"She smiled, glad the woman didn't hold it against her. Her feet were tired also so she was glad to be able to sit down. It might be nice to talk to someone who was of a similar age and pregnant. Kate was sure she knew her from somewhere, definitely Hogwarts. She hadn't been in her year, maybe the year below?

Her thoughts were proved correct when the girl's next sentence. She felt bad, this girl obviously knew more about her. She looked at the girl's face,did her name begin with an A? She was almost sure it did. "I know you too"She replied, annoyed she couldn't figure out the girls name. "That's my twin, Sara, I'm Kate"She smiled widely. It was then the name came to her. It was an unusual name which was probably the only reason she remembered it, even if it gad taken her this long. "Ath..ena?"She tried, her face puzzled but she was almost sure she was right. Kate looked down at her bump and laid her hand there. "Around four months"She answered, licking her ice-cream. "And you?"She asked curiously. It was nice to meet someone from Hogwarts, albeit they hadn't ever spoken there.

Out of Character:

It's great, isn't it!

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena nodded her head acknowledging that Kate had gotten her name right. She didn't even think to apologize for mistaking the woman for her twin. It was an honest mistake, she believed. Hearing that the woman was just about as pregnant as she was was surprising. They were carrying differently, no doubt their heights making up some of that difference. "I'm just about the same" she stated, her hands drifting across her belly but not sticking around. It was still odd for her to just rest her hand on her stomach. It wasn't something she ever did much before, so it was odd to see herself doing it now. She was still growing accustomed to the idea that much of her life would be different in a few months' time. For someone who had selfishly only focused on herself, the idea that she would be responsible for another living being was fear-inducing. Athena hadn't even started buying anything for the baby yet, though Drakon had been pushing her to start.

"Do you know what you're having?" Athena asked with curiosity. "I don't. Not yet anyway" she added, answering the question that she was sure would be returned her way. The only thing that she did know was that her child would be a pureblood and a member of the Zhefarovich family. A Katsaros as well, but according to her father, that meant little. He didn't think very highly of that family, and knowing no better, Athena chose to believe her father. He'd obviously had experiences with that family that led him to believe that. Athena could only hope that, with time, Drakon would be able to convince her father that he was different. She really wanted the two men to get along. "I think it's a girl though" she shared in a conspiratorial manner, a small smile on her face. She really did believe she was carrying a little girl.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate took no notice of the fact Athena didn't apologize, there was no point. She was pleasantly surprised when it was revealed that they were both around four months. She never thought she'd meet someone who was just as pregnant as she was, never mind someone from Hogwarts. It would be interesting to see how their experiences differed. Kate presumed Athena was also having her first baby. Maybe it was the glow the woman Galaxy had spoken of. It was strange how she had never once spoken to Athena and now they happened to meet, both pregnant with their first baby and pregnant for around the same amount of weeks. The world works in strange ways sometimes. It would be nice to maybe compare some things. Of course they were in the early stages but Kate would like to know if she had been getting much morning sickness or any of the other symptoms Kate had been suffering lately. None of her close friends had been pregnant so she couldn't well talk to them. It would be nice to speak with someone who knew what she meant.

"No, not yet.."She answered looking down at her belly. She smiled when the question she was about to return was answered. "You're going to find out before the baby is born?"She asked curiously. She wasn't going to herself. She preferred the wait, it would make the birth all that more special. But then that was her decision, plenty of people liked to find out beforehand. "I think I'm going to wait"She smiled looking up. She hadn't spoken to Stefan about it yet but she was sure he would agree. She just couldn't wait to meet their baby. She wanted to fast forward the next five months and have the baby in her arms. But unfortunately there was still a lot to do before the baby entered this world. Kate's smiled widened "Really?? That's lovely"She asked, she didn't have a sense yet of the gender of her child. Kate would love a baby girl or boy. She was already fantasising about the clothes she would buy them. But it might be nice to have a baby boy first and then a girl. "I think I'd like a boy first maybe"She added smiling.

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena nodded her head. Of course she was going to find out. She wanted the opportunity to prepare things for the baby and wanted to know whether she'd be buying pink or blue things. That's why she'd been putting off shopping in the first place. It hadn't even occurred to her to not find out the baby's gender, so she was surprised to hear that Kate was going to exercise that option. It wasn't so much that it mattered to her if she had a girl or boy, either way the child would be a pureblood and that was more important than gender any day. But, the idea of not knowing as soon as possible scared her. It was already scary enough to be responsible for this living being growing inside of her. She couldn't imagine not being properly ready for it, and for her that meant knowing the baby's gender. "I could never" Athena admitted to the other woman, a small shake of her head. The woman finished the cone she'd been holding and wiped her hands.

She smiled as the woman announced that she'd like a boy. "You already think you might have another?" Athena asked curiously, noting the woman's wording. First. The former Slytherin hadn't even thought about it yet, wanting to just make it through this one first. Thankfully, Drakon hadn't brought it up. She wasn't sure what she'd tell him. "I'm still waiting to see how the rest of this goes. I'm only just beginning to feel more like me" Athena stated, surprised at herself for how much she was sharing. It had to be that Kate was pregnant, really the only one she knew going through the same thing right now. It felt like her siblings were constantly talking down to her as they relayed how she should be feeling because they'd already experienced it. It was kind of annoying that just because they were older, they thought they knew everything.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate smiled. She didn't think many people would wait and see. She wasn't sure why she wanted to. In a sense it didn't matter to Kate what the gender of the baby was. She was still going to love them just as much whether they were a boy or a girl. She also wasn't going to dress a girl in pink clothes and a boy in blue clothes. She was going to buy certain things that she liked. Obviously more things were suited to one gender over the other but for the majority of the essentials Kate needed to buy there were many unisex options. For the moment she was living in the moment and she loved wondering what the gender would be. For her, it would be an extra special surprise on the day. A part of her did wonder was this a silly idea and be prepared and be able to tell relatives and friends so they could prepare but it wasn't about everyone else. It was about her, Stefan and their first child. Kate was also scared. When she sat down and really thought about everything, the prospect of childbirth and all it entailed terrified her. Even the next few months were scary, she felt such responsibility for the baby inside her. They weren't even born yet but she knew she would give her life for the baby. It scared her that something that wasn't even born yet made her feel that way. But she also had to think of Stefan and as much as she loved her child, if she had the choice she would chose Stefan. She couldn't leave him, not after everything. She knew how it would destroy him. But it wasn't something she liked to dwell on because her thoughts could turn bitter. "I know, not many people could"She sighed.

"It's scary though isn't it?"She muttered looking down at her tummy, her previous thoughts troubling her. Her mood lifted though as they continued to speak. She smiled shyly "I think I would like to, it seems Stefan would also"She laughed slightly. She was delighted he had conceded to them having children and she was glad he was as excited as she was. It was a relief and although she had never thought beyond their first baby, she distinctly remembered him referring to children. They hadn't outwardly spoken about it but once everything went okay with this pregnancy she would be happy to have more. Kate nodded, she knew how Athena felt, it was a strange feeling and you were definitely off balance for a while. She had found it very difficult to cope at the beginning. She felt so much pressure and her body was of course experiencing so many changes. It was hard to mentally keep up. "Yes there is that. It's definitely difficult to try and get used to everything"She admitted, finished her ice-cream cone. "I almost wouldn't just to avoid the morning sickness"She said smiling slightly. That had been horrible and the nosebleeds. She also wasn't even half ways through, so many more things could happen. She would have to wait and see.

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena nodded her head once, quickly, only barely acknowledging that she was in fact afraid of this whole pregnancy thing. For her, the fears extended beyond the changes to her body and the fact that there was something else alive inside of her. Those fears were there too, but what she was most afraid of was turning out like her mother. Athena hadn't had a happy childhood before her father had rescued his children, and he certainly had rescued them from their mother. The woman had only shared the barest of information about her mother with Drakon, so he had no way of knowing that this plagued her so much. "Aye" she replied, her voice somber. Athena listened on, learning the name of Kate's husband - Stefan- as she spoke.

"Oh, definitely" she nodded as Kate spoke about the difficulty with getting used to all of the changes in her body. Athena had always been thin, always had been able to eat what she wanted without fear of it going to any part of her body in particular. Now, she was beginning to look like she'd overindulged and it wasn't going away. Not for another bunch of months apparently. Athena had sighed as Ariah, her stepmother, and her sister had explained all that she should expect over the coming months. "I know" she sighed. "Though I definitely am enjoying all of the extra attention...and food. My family seems to have forgotten that I do know how to cook for myself" she smiled. Her father was still her favorite cook, but Drakon was giving him a run for his money. Not that she'd ever tell her dad. She didn't think that would help him and Drakon get along more.

 

[Kate Archer]

It was hard. Pregnancy. Many young girls had a rose tinted view of the process. But it wasn't just the physical affects that made it unappealing to some women, it is the mental turmoil. Before Kate became pregnant she had never really thought of what would happen to her mentally. The fear and the uncertainty. It was almost overwhelming at times and Kate felt ready to explode. But maybe that was just here. Maybe some mothers to be found the whole process exciting and new and never experienced the turmoil. Kate could sometimes be in a place where the glass was half empty. She was a worrier, always had been. It wasn't healthy especially for the likes of her. She had to stay strong, for the new child, Stefan and most importantly for herself. She could only remain genuinely positive if her mind was clear. This was why she liked talking to Athena, she could release some of her thoughts, even saying them aloud helped, the other person didn't necessarily have to understand, only listen. She looked over when she heard the woman's tone. It was very much like how she felt, it was slightly comforting to feel she wasn't the only one.

"Have you had many of those god awful symptoms yet?"She asked curiously. This was her first time speaking to a fellow pregnant woman, she was curious to discover were their experiences the same. She was sure for many they were different but it would be comfortable to know people weren't getting it too easy. She knew it was selfish of her to think like this but it was hard not to. Although she was excited about the prospect of having a baby she was quite negative. She knew it would lift her spirits if she knew she wasn't the only one experiencing what she was. Kate laughed, yes the extra food was a blessing. Not so much the extra attention but yes the food. Kate liked maybe getting her breakfast in bed more often or Stefan making the little extra effort. It was the little things that counted and she was forever grateful for those who tried to make things easier for her. "I agree, there are some positives"She was glad, she had forgotten how nice people could be. They became so much more helpful , even people on the street tended to leave the door open for you more often or lend you a seat. It was nice to be reminded of this and she silently thanked the younger woman beside her. "Do you have a name in mind?"She asked, hoping this wasn't too personal.

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena chuckled. “Did you miss the part where I said that I’m just starting to feel like myself again?” The question was one that she was just now able to laugh at. Before that, she would’ve been too sick to even contemplate it. “I was so nauseous, so sick during the first few months.” The woman grimaced, remembering how horrible she’d felt. At least, she felt a lot better now. She was hoping to get to the parts of pregnancy that people said were enjoyable. So far, she hadn’t experienced much of the enjoyable aspects. Athena was happy to hear Kate ask her the question, figuring that it must mean that things had also been difficult for her. The way her family members spoke, she had a hard time believing that she wasn’t the only person who’d had a difficult time.

With a shake of her blonde head, the woman replied quickly. “Not yet.” She had promised to wait until they knew what she was having for sure to decide on any names, and although names had flitted through her mind, she hadn’t come across any that she truly liked. “Do you?” she asked, beginning to realize that Kate was a bit ahead of her in terms of organizing and getting things ready for her baby. It made Athena feel like she should really get moving on things. She knew that she should get back soon before either Drakon or her father, or worse, her brother, came looking for her. It seemed that she couldn’t get very far from any of the men in her life these days. They always seemed to be around, something that she pretended bothered her far more than it did.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate laughed, she was a bit slow on that uptake but she understood well enough. It was true that sometimes you didn't feel like you. One had to get used to the extra weight , the extra being inside them. It didn't help that you were bombarded with horrible side affects such as the morning sickness. Kate was used to being sick but this had just been awful, waking up every morning feeling the whole contents of your stomach wanting to rise to the surface. She was glad someone else had suffered the same as her though. She had read so much positive things from previously pregnant women. They spoke about the 'glow' and how magical the whole process was. Kate hoped she was moving on to this because the last while had been pretty horrible. "Oh I was the same, it was absolutely rotten"She admitted, shaking her head. "I also seem to have a never ending urge for ice-cream"She added grinning , looking down at her napkin. She made sure there was plenty in the freezer. She knew it wasn't healthy but she couldn't help it. The urge was just too strong and she would almost go to the freezer, take out some ice-cream and a spoon with out even realising it before she was sitting down with a book.

Kate shook her head. "No me neither"She said looking out at the sea. She wouldn't mind going for a swim at the moment, even if the weather was getting chiller. The sea always called to her, she idly wondered would the baby grow up to love the sea as much as she did. She and Stefan loved the beach so she was sure there would be no shortage of trips to the seaside. "I am starting to think of them more as a person now though, rather than just something inside me.. if you get me"She added quickly as she hadn't meant to say these thoughts out loud and she wasn't sure if Athena would understand. But in the beginning, the baby had been just that.. a baby. Now in Kate's mind they were developing a personality and interests. She was picturing them in around ten years time. How they would grow up and what they would grow up to be. She wanted to give them so much and make sure the led a happy life. If they were magical she wanted to teach them so much and she couldn't wait for them to start in Hogwarts. She idly wondered would her and Athena's child be in the same year in Hogwarts and if at all they would interact. But by now Kate was thinking much to far ahead. It was better to focus on the now .