We Didn't Have a Choice

39 - Face to Face

I apparated to the front steps of Edward Estate and didn't even bother knocking. I burst right inside and was immediately greeted by Julius.

"Draco!" he said, slightly startled. "What brings you here?" he asked as if I wasn't here for Blair and Cordelia.

"I wanted to see Blair and my daughter," I spoke somewhat urgently.

He looked slightly confused but also annoyed at me. "She's at the manor. She left hours ago but never returned. I was just leaving to check on her."

My heart sped up as I got a bad feeling. "What if she ran away!?"

Julius shook his head and grabbed his coat from the coat rack. "Nonsense. Now let's go."

He apparated without another word, so I followed. Within seconds, the manor stood before me and Julius and I walked inside.

"Who's there?" the voice of my father called.

"It's me, Father."

My Mother and Father came from the dining room, alone.

"What brings you both here?" Mother asked as they approached but once they neared she wore a look of concern. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Where's Blair and Cordelia?" Julius asked.

Mother and Father shared confused looks before looking back to us. "I'm not sure. I haven't seen Blair since she picked Cordi up," my mother responded.

"Surely you saw her today," said Julius, "she said she was going to visit you here, Narcissa."

"She never showed up," Mother responded, making my heart drop.

My palms began to sweat and my breathing picked up; she was gone and because of me.

"Calm down, Draco, she's out there somewhere," Mother said.

Her words didn't help one bit.

"Go calm him down while we figure this out," Father said to my mother.

Mother took my arm and led me into the nearby sitting room. "Deep breaths, she's okay," she said soothingly.

"S-she's gone b-because of me," I stuttered as tears ran down my cheeks. She probably thinks I don't love her and the last conversation we had was about divorce.

My mother wrapped her arms around me and let me cry into her shoulder. "She'll turn up soon so let's not jump to conclusions."

I opened my mouth to respond but a light gust of air hit me as if someone had apparated. I looked up to see Pansy standing before me, out of breath.

"No time to explain, come on, Draco," she said, pulling me up to my feet and apparating before I could say anything else.

"What was that about!?" I cried when we arrived in the Slytherin common room.

Pansy, still out of breath, pointed behind me. I turned to see Blaise and Blair hurrying towards the portrait hole.

"Blair!?!" I spluttered, making her turn around. She cradled Cordi in her arms, and she wore a look of shock.

"Draco," she said oh so quietly.

I approached her slowly. Tears had begun to fall from her eyes, and the already falling tears from mine continued to fall.

"I thought you ran away," I murmured as I looked down at my daughter who had grown quite a bit in the few weeks I had been away.

She chuckled slightly. "I wanted to apologize...and yell at you for not returning to the manor."

I chuckled, too. "I'm sorry for everything," I said.

"Me too, I really overreacted."

I nodded and she laughed once again - how I missed her laugh.

"May I?" I asked, holding my arms out to take my daughter.

She nodded and passed Cordi off to me who gurgled when I took her into my arms. Cradling her with one arm, I reached out to Blair and wiped the tears off her cheeks before pulling her into me and holding her close.

"I missed you so much," she muttered into my chest.

"I missed you too."

From behind me, someone started to clap. Blair and I turned to see Blaise clapping and Pansy trying to stop him.

"Look what you did, nimrod!" she spat, "you ruined their moment."

Blair and I laughed once again and Blaise and Pansy took that as a sign to leave us, so I led Blair over to a nearby couch.

"So how have you been?" I asked.

She let out an airy laugh and shook her head. "Not great, obviously. I assume you've been the same considering the looks of your room."

I looked down at my daughter who was now lulling into a sleep. "Yeah...I'm sorry I didn't write back. Daphne put some image in my head that messed up my mindset."

Blair took my hand in hers. "None of that was your fault as it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't overreacted."

"Maybe, but I still said what I said and I regret it."

She sighed and looked me directly in the eye for the first time in weeks. "I guess, but can we forget this ever happened? These past few weeks have been absolute hell without you, and Cordi can agree," she said.

"That sounds good to me as being without you has proven I can't function properly."

Once again, she let out a slight laugh before kissing me gently. When we pulled away, I rested my forehead on hers. "You know, our parents are currently freaking out because you're missing."

"Crap, I completely forgot about them," she mumbled. "I should head home to them before the Dark Lord realizes," she added as she started to stand up.

"I'll come with you," I said, standing up after her.

"I can't apparate with Cordi. The trip will take forever and you have school."

"We just made up and you expect me to let you leave already? Besides, what's a few days off going to do when the stupid education doesn't even matter?"

She rolled her eyes but I could tell she didn't want to say no. "Fine."

"Great, a long train ride home and with you," I whispered in her ear before taking her hand and leading her to the portrait hole.