Sorbet Sunday

Hallie sighed. Maura knew her too well, she had guessed why Hallie was a bit on the fence about the whole pregnancy. It would affect her career. For starters she could hardly do physical activity six or seven months down the line, the part of the job that Hallie loved. Then after that there would be maternity leave and it's whether she'd even get that. Sure she would have become a fully trained auror by then but she'd still only be starting and falling pregnant at the start wasn't the best of things.

Then again Maura was right. She had a strong support unit, they could look after the baby but surely that was Hallie's job too? She wanted to love her child, see her child, watch her child take it's first steps. Working as an auror, attending incidents after office hours and spending weekends in the office would drag her away from that precious time.

Hallie was a family person, she wasn't the kind of person to choose a career over love - or so she had thought. Her career had been shaped around her family. Since she'd heard her Father murdered by death eaters when defending them Hallie had known she wanted to stop that, she wanted to make sure other families didn't have to go through the pain she'd gone through herself. Being an auror wasn't about the money it was the fact she could make a difference, a good difference and now that might be taken away from her.

She couldn't have an abortion, but she couldn't have a child. Hopefully she wouldn't be pregnant.

'I just don't know what to do. I mean, everything I have worked for is about to come true and if I am pregnant then I'll fall behind the rest. I wont be able to bring justice the way I want to.'

Pushing her sorbet away from her Hallie sighed. What would her Father be thinking, would he object? Or would he believe it to be the best thing ever to happen to her? Hallie saw how sad Amelia had been when Toby had vanished, she loved her children more than anything in the world yet it was also the thing that caused her most worry. Hallie had enough to worry about.

'I don't know how I'll tell Theodore.' Hallie added, 'I'm thinking I'll find out first then if I am tell him, if not then, well, I guess he wont ever need to have known?'

Maura looked at her best friend and shook her head. "Now that's just crazy talking Hal, you'll still be to bring peace and justice to the world Hal. " said Maura softly. "As sad as it is to say it, but there's always going to be dark somewhere in the world, you'll have forever to do it!"said Maura smiling at her. " This is a great thing for you Hal, I know your scared you don't want to lose everything you worked for, but you deserve some happiness. " said Maura softly. " I know you Hal, I know your scared and you want to love it and you will, you'll be a great mother like I know you'll be a great godmother to Ciara. " said Maura softly.

Maura chuckled. " Sorry Hal, but you remember what you told me when I was scared to tell Ryo I was pregnant?"Maura asked her softly. " Um... I'm sorry to say, but I think you are. "said Maura honestly. " You are eating a bit more then you usually do."Maura pointed out. "But hey, you could just be hungry. " said Maura simply. " If your not, then he doesn't have to know if you don't want him to. "said Maura softly.

" So are you going to go to St. Mungo's to get tested, or you going to take a muggle pregnancy test. " Maura asked her softly. "I did both, I did muggle one first due to it still being summer and all but when I found out I went to see Sophia to make sure I was. " said Maura. " I know this might sound like a stupid question, but do you feel pregnant?"Maura asked her softly. " Have you been eating more than you usually do, are you more moody lately? " Maura asked her curiously. " If so, those are some of the signs. " said Maura.

Maura had some truth in what she was saying. There always was going to be darkness in the world, but at the same time it that sentence made Hallie more determined to not want a child and start fighting crime. She could sense if there was a child for her to go home to she would become more cautious, less likely to get involved. In other words she'd become her Mother. Neutral by proxy. Really her Mother would be a member of the order had she not had children but instead she remained neutral and didn't have a dangerous job.

'I'm going to buy muggle pregnancy tests, take them this weekend and then well...' Hallie paused for a moment. 'If I'm pregnant talk to Theodore about it, see what he wants.' The trainee auror hated herself for it but if she was pregnant a part of her hoped Theodore didn't feel ready for a baby either.

'It's not just the career thing though.' Hallie began, 'I'm not ready, I've barely gotten used to my prosthetic the last thing I need is a child to be running after.' Hallie sighed taking the final scoop of her sorbet.

'I just, I think I just need to see if I am pregnant then have a good long talk and think things through with Theo.' Hallie confirmed, forming a plan in her head, which was saying something as she never usually was one for plans.

Maura looked at her and sighed. " If your scared your not going to be the mother you want to be to the baby that's not true. "said Maura softly. "Your thinking your not the same person since the accident and everything but you are!"said Maura honestly. " You haven't changed, your still that stubborn kick arse best friend I know!"said Maura chuckling. " If your not ready for ma baby right now, it's fine but just don't think it's because you fear your not going to be a good mother. " said Maura softly.

Maura nodded. " Talk to Theodore about this Hal, you don't need to keeping this from him."said Maura softly. " Once you find out tell him, it'll make him more mad and upset if you wait trust me. " said Maura. " Even if you don't want it, ,maybe he will. said Maura softly. " If not, then you both can give it up for adoption."said Maura. "But that's if you are and Theodore doesn't want it.

" If you want I'll be there with you when you do the test."said Maura softly. " You were there for me when I needed you, there's no way I'm letting you go through this alone. " said Maura simply. " Even if you don't want to have a baby, your going to need someone after you find out. "said Maura honestly. Digging into her chocolate mint ice cream, Maura allowed the chocolate mint goodness to slip down her throat.

Hallie smiled. 'Thanks, Maura.' It helped what her friend had said, it gave her that confidence that she was herself. It wasn't until now Hallie realised she was healing, healing more than she had healed before. Sure she was different and it played on her mind but that fire within her still roared like a raging lion. Hallie was a Gryffindor. A Gryffindor who put family first... Unless she never had been that person.

'I'll take the test alone then tell Theodore. I kind of want to do this alone.' Hallie nodded. She didn't know why Maura shouldn't be there, perhaps it was because it was personal. A bond between her and whatever was going on inside of her - if there was something going on inside of her that was.

Taking a deep breath Hallie gazed out of the window at Diagon Alley. Perhaps one day she would be walking with her child collecting school supplies there. But was that time coming closer than she'd imagined?

(ooc: do you mind if we end the pregnancy talk there? Talk about something else, the wedding, jobs or we could end the thread its up to you?)

Maura nodded. "After we finish our ice cream, you want to go shopping for some new clothes for work and stuff?"Maura asked her softly. " I definitely need new clothes, half the clothes I own are to small for me. "said Maura chuckling. " Matt, can you put back a tub of mint chocolate chip, I'll be back for it after I get a couple of things. " said Maura as Matt nodded. " Of course Maura, og tell Ryo I said hi."said Matt as Maura nodded. " Come here a lot, sometimes Ryo comes here to get me ice cream to calm me down. "said Maura.

"I know I need some new robes for work, do you need anything?"Maura asked her softly. " You know, it been a while since we done this, well should have a girls day more often. "said Maura. '"Come on, lets go to the robe shop, and maybe after gp shopping at the muggle mall or something don't think they sell muggle clothes here do they?"Maura asked her. Maura never ever seen or remembered them selling any that she knew of. But then again, she wasn't really looking at the time she was getting her school supplies.

" You don't mind doing this Hal right? I don't want you to be tired. "said Maura. " I honestly shouldn't be doing it, but I'm bored and I need new clothes nor only to wear but the honeymoon if me and Ryo have one. " said Maura honestly. " I would like to you know, time alone with him would be nice just the two of us."said Maura smiling. " I can't believe the wedding is coming so near, I'm so nervous but excited at the same time!'said Maura honestly.

'I really could do with some retail therapy.' Hallie replied with a smile, her eyes rather excited. It was what they used to do before Hogwarts started. They would meet in Diagon Alley, buy their school supplies, enjoying some ice cream then go and explore the joke stores, stock up on skiving snackboxes.

'Yeah I could do with some new robes for work, they're so worn and torn.' Hallie sighed, standing up and pushing her chair under the table.

'You'll definitely need some new robes when Ciara comes.' Hallie added, thinking about how much mess a baby can cause. Not that she had been around babies much but it was hardly the best kept secret since skele-grow.

'Of course I want to shop with you! Do you have any ideas about a honeymoon?' Hallie added as she put her empty tub into the bin by the door.

Maura chuckled. "You and me both Hal."said Maura honestly before getting up and throwing her tub in the trash. " First stop Madame Malkin's robe shop."said Maura. " Come Hal our day of retail therapy awaits us!" said Maura smiling.

Maura chuckled and nodded. " Your telling me, I think I'm to need alot of clothes when Ciara gets here!"said Maura honestly. "I can't believe I only got eleven more days until she comes!"said Maura happily. " God the time sure did fly by!"said Maura. " I just can't wait until I hold her in my arms, all the sickness and pain will be worth it!"said Maura. It was clear Maura was excited about Ciara coming, she even started buying baby clothes for her.

Maura bit her lip and shrugged. " I honestly don't know where we're going Hal, Ryo didn't tell me. " said Maura softly. " But I did tell him if we had one, I'll like to go to a place like Hawaii or something!"said Maura softly. " Hell even Australia again would be fun!"said Maura smiling. " God that was so much fun last summer. "said Maura giggling like a school girl. " Oh... um... sorry Hal."said Maura blushing.

'Eleven!' Hallie gasped, coughing slightly as she began to choke on her own saliva. Eleven days until the baby! That was crazy, Hallie might only be pregnant and she was panicking, the auror could only imagine how Maura would be feeling. Scared? Anxious? Excited? Anxious-excited?

'That has come round so quickly.' Hallie exclaimed remembering the day that she'd found out. Eight months or so ago, when Maura was two weeks pregnant, the pair had met in the ice cream parlor for a catch up: Hallie had been mugged, she'd been reunited with Toby, started working as a trainee auror and Maura was, well, pregnant!

'We really do need to get you some new clothes now, in eleven days who knows when we will have the time to do this.' Hallie laughed, although it was cut off slightly at the idea of having a baby herself. Right now her time was her own, outside of work, but if she wanted to work and be a Mother she'd look her Mums age by the time she was twenty three - and that was saying something given how much her Mother had been through.

'It's fine.' Hallie laughed, nudging Maura on the arm, 'I was busy capturing Charlotte Topez.' Her first captive. The famous quidditch player moonlighting as a death eater. If only they knew who was really behind the murder... If Hallie knew it was Katrina-Carlotta Du Hunt she might have second thoughts about Toby ever returning to Hogwarts.

Pushing the door open the blonde stepped into Madame Malkin's Robes.

'Anything you're looking for inparticular?' Hallie asked. 'By the way how is your internship going?' She asked, knowing that Maura had recently started working as an intern at St Mungo's.

Maura nodded. "Yup eleven more days until I have my baby girl in my arms. " said Maura softly. " There's so many emotions running through me Hal, I don't want to a bad mother to Ciara that's my worse fear with becoming a mother. " said Maura looking down at her feet. "I'm scared Hal, I really am. "said Maura holding back tears.

Maura nodded. " Yeah your right Hal, who knows what will happen eleven days from now. " said Maura softly. As the day becomes nearer and close, the more anxious and scared she was. It was crazy how time flew by for them, just seemed like yesterday she told Hallie she was pregnant and Hallie was starting her auror training. This year sure been a crazy one for them, that was for sure.

" Ah... yes your first capture Hal, I remember you first telling me that. "said Maura softly. " You were so happy when you told me. " said Maura honestly. Maura wondered how many people out there was like Charlotte Topez was.

Following Hallie into the store, Maura headed towards the red robe section. "I got to get red robes seeing how I'm a newbie there. " said Maura. "I love it Hal, Sophia and the others are really making me like part of the staff. "said Maura smiling. " I can't wait to become a permanent employee there!"said Maura happily.