A Malfoys MistakeBy Jinni
The Problem With Apparating
So -
I'm pregnant.
The big 'P'.
There's a little life growing inside of me.
A boy. . . a girl . . . who knows?
But - it's mine.
If it happened the night that Draco and I became man and wife, then I would be about two weeks along at this point. That's not that far. I shouldn't be feeling this sick already. Sure, the fatigue could be normal. Or that could have something to do with the fact that Draco and I spent two weeks getting to know each other in a very physical way. It's not like I've gotten a lot of sleep. What with the hours and hours of sex. . .
K.
Maybe I shouldn't be thinking of this right now, with the Mediwitch, Mrs. Malfoy and Draco all looking at me for some sort of response.
I'm not sure what my response is, to be honest.
I mean - I'm only twenty-two. That's sort of young to be a mother.
What's done cannot be undone. Well, it could be "undone" but I don't believe in that. And I don't think Draco does, either. I mean, marriage is 'til death do us part' so I can only imagine kids are somewhere along the same lines. I would never even consider it. . . even if Draco wasn't around. This child is mine.
"Wow." I breathe, shaking my head.
"I'm. . . .Going to be a father." Draco mutters, then the couch sinks down next to me and I feel a cool hand on my arm. My eyes open and Draco is right there, looking at me with curiously worried eyes. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." I nod, though the action does little but create new feelings of nausea.
"Why is she sick so soon?" Mrs. Malfoy is there, whispering to the Mediwitch, almost outside of my hearing range. "I didn't get sick with Draco until I was at least a month, maybe six weeks, in."
"You also very likely didn't go anywhere during that time frame, Mrs. Malfoy." The mediwitch murmured. She turned to me, a soft smile on her lips. "Ma'm, you will need to be cautious with apparating for the time being. These first few months can be difficult on the body."
I nod. So it's the whole apparating thing. That makes sense. I can only imagine the havoc that plays with the body, let alone a pregnant woman's body.
"Okay. No more popping all over the place." I agree, looking to Draco for confirmation. He gives a slight nod, but the emphatic agreement comes, not from him, but from his mother as she takes a seat on the other side of me, resting a hand on my arm.
"Of course you won't be 'popping' anywhere," she smiles gently. "You'll stay here, of course. We can send someone out for anything you need."
My eyes widen, I know this by the fact that they suddenly go very dry and I blink, repeatedly, at the woman I had been prepared to hate me. That same smile never leaves her face as she stares at me. I just sit here, in this huge house, and everything is taken care of for me?
It sounds like a fairy tale.
Only one problem.
I never wanted to be a Princess in a tower, locked away from the world.
"I can't."
Now it's her turn to just stare at me, wide eyed.
"You . . . can't?"
"Nope. You see - I get bored really easy. And I'll get bored here, with nothing to do. I don't do the whole boredom thing really well. It makes me jittery. . ."
"But -"
"Thank you for the offer, though," I hurry to add, not wanting to upset her. She seems so delicate, though in that coldly evil way that I've seen demons and vampires be delicate. Darla and Drusilla both had moments like this - and they were killers, not to be trifled with.
"Bored?"
"Right, mum." Draco cuts in. "She's very active. Without something to keep her busy she would go out of her mind."
"Oh." Those pale pink lips purse together, and I can see her icy blue eyes get distant as she tries to think of a solution to this new morsel of information. "Well - we can't have you apparating or traveling a lot. Even by flue it could be dangerous for the baby. I only went out when necessary when I was pregnant with Draco. . . Wait! I know!"
I hear Draco hold his breath at about the same time I do, waiting to see what his mother could possibly have come up with.
"Draco said that you've never had any formal training, is that correct, dear?"
"Yes, Ma'm."
"No, no. Call me Narcissa. - The easiest solution would be to complete your schooling."
"Mum - she can't travel back and forth to Hogwarts."
Narcissa turned her attention to Draco, the corner of her mouth turning up in amusement. "Of course not. We'll have your Godfather arrange it all."
"Severus?" Draco laughs. "You think letting Severus teach her will be less stressful on the body than apparating?"
I've heard Draco mention his Godfather, of course. And he doesn't really sound like the type of man that I'd like to spend any great length of time around. But the idea of furthering my instruction sounds like something that's just too good to be true.
"I'll do it!"
They both turn to me, Draco looking incredulous, Narcissa looking pleased.
"Are you sure?" Draco finally asks, confusion on his brow, as if he's trying very hard to remember whether or not he's ever told me about the redoubtable Severus Snape. I nod, my eyes meeting his for a moment of silent communication. Yes, I've heard of him - and yes, I'm interested in being taught by him if he'll give me the time of day.
"I'd like that. To learn. . . "
"And so it shall be done. I'll owl Severus immediately." She gestures to the Mediwitch. "In the meantime we'll see if we can get you some vitamin and anti-nausea potions to help with things. Can't have the mother of the new Malfoy heir sick on her feet."
And just like that - it's all settled. I'll be staying here, in Malfoy Manor, and quite possibly taking lessons from one of Hogwarts very own professors.
Oh - and let's not forget that I'm pregnant.
Can't forget that.
I put a hand on my stomach, right about where I can imagine the baby to be, and feel myself smile despite the fear that has invaded my body. I'm going to be a mother, Draco's going to be a daddy. And my mother in law doesn't necessarily hate me for who and what I am. I glance at Draco and he looks. . . proud, sort of cocky. He created a child, an heir to his family's name, and he seems like the type that might take that to his head.
My life has gone from weird to weirder in a matter of only a few weeks. Goddess knows what the future's going to bring.