Starbeam - A Wizarding World Story - ON HIATUS

Chapter 45

"The First Day Back Always Sucks..." "Claire! We Said No Dirty Jokes!" "Oops, Too Late."

Claire sighed as she watched the hoards of student swarm the platform to get on the Hogwarts Express. The scarlet train waited patiently as they boarded, the black metal sparkling under the lights of the station. Her hand gently touched her stomach, rubbing up and down under her top. She knew she'd start to show sometime during October, seeing as she was roughly five weeks pregnant now. Draco looked over at her, his concern for his wife more than apparent. She smiled at him. 

"I'm fine, dear. A tad tired, but fine." she assured him. He smiled softly at her. "C'mon, we're leaving soon." Narcissa helped the couple move their trunks onto the train. Draco kept insisting that Claire not pick anything heavy up, which lead to her rolling her eyes too many times to count. Finally, they found a compartment with their friends. Pansy sat across Claire, and Blaise was across Draco.

"Where's Theo?" Claire asked. Pansy snorted.

"He's with his girlfriend. Never knew he had one. Apparently, he was keeping it hush-hush because he didn't want us to make fun of him, or her." Pansy replied. Claire's lips twitched. 

"A girlfriend? Well, this is news. Merlin, I wish I'd known sooner, could've gotten to know her, invite her to the group." the blonde commented. Blaise raised an eyebrow, so she raised one right back. "Got a problem, Blaise?" 

"No, but you certainly must, if that's your first thought." he replied. Draco glared at his roommate in warning, but the other Slytherin ignored it. Claire rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry that, as a Hufflepuff, I don't act very Slytherin. It must be so terrible for you to be here in my company. If you like, you can leave. No one's stopping you." she offered dryly. He didn't get up, which made her chuckle.

"Well, I'm going to take a nap. I'm exhausted, didn't sleep well last night." she said, shifting her body and rested her feet in Draco's lap, her back pressed against the window of their compartment. Her husband rested a hand on her ankle, his thumb stroking the revealed skin. Pulling her cloak on top of her body, she shut her eyes and let her mind drift off.

She woke up when the train stopped. Draco slid out of the seat to let her out, though he whispered in her ear to go on ahead of him. Claire frowned, but let Pansy pull her to the exit. 

"You don't think Draco's going to do something that'll get him in trouble, do you?" the blonde asked the brunette in a hushed tone. Pansy shook her head.

"No, of course not. He's a prefect this year, he wouldn't do anything to ruin that." the Slytherin assured. Claire hummed. A few moments later, Draco caught up to them, wrapping an arm around his wife and pulling her away from Pansy. His fellow Slytherin rolled her eyes.

"You've had her all summer, I need some time with my best friend." she complained. Draco's lips twitched, as if he were fighting a smile, but he shook his head. 

"No, I rather like her right next to me." he replied, his tone teasing. Claire snorted. 

"Where was that sentiment last night? You nearly kicked me out of bed." she retorted. His cheeks flushed, and darkened when Pansy turned to them suddenly after the statement.

"You two share a bed? How adorable!" she exclaimed.

"Well, Pans, we are married now." Claire explained. The brunette let out an uncharacteristic squeal. 

"And I wasn't invited?" the blonde gave her friend a apologetic look.

"Sorry, it was a very small event. It only his mother, my grandfather, him, me, and the officiant. I'm sorry, Pans. I would've invited you if I could. Maybe after this whole war thing is over, we can do a redo ceremony, you'll be my Maid of Honor." the Hufflepuff told her. Pansy laughed.