The Era of Aria Snape

106

Chapter One Hundred and Six

A WHILE HAD passed since that awful event at the Astronomy Tower. Aria hadn't quite come to terms with watching yet another person die, but she had tried to stay strong, for Draco's sake at least.

He was a mess, she could feel his sadness every time she looked at him, at night next to her, she would wake up when he did - he had nightmares all the time.

"You should have let him kill me." She told Draco. "You could have been spared so much, you would have been able to run, start a new life."

"Living without you wouldn't be living, Aria."

"That's rubbish. You mean to tell me that what we're doing right now is living?" She gestured to the darkened hallways of Malfoy Manor, where they and every other Death Eater had been staying.

He said nothing.

She sighed in annoyance and stormed out of the lounge to amble aimlessly around the Manor. A lot had become clear since the death of her once Headmaster.

She remembered all those years ago when she would have terrible nightmares - they were Voldemort's way of speaking to her, scaring her, preparing her. She never understood why she would always wake up right as she was about to fire the killing curse at someone or why in the background she could see the Weasley's running for their lives amongst the flames. It was all him, all his imagination that he had sent to her. He had somehow linked his mind to hers in the Chamber, there wasn't a strong connection, there was hardly any connection when she wasn't sleeping.

It still made Aria sick to her stomach to think about the invasion of privacy and how he might have been able to pick through her mind, had she been weaker.

She stalked passed the mail that was set neatly on a stool, catching the date. It was August first. Bill Weasley was getting married today, she wondered to whom and she wondered what George might be up to, not that it mattered.

She didn't expect to ever associate with anyone outside of who lived in the Manor again. She would probably never speak to Harry again, or Anna for that matter who was only Merlin knows where.

The thought had depressed her for a few days, but she realized it was for the best. After all, the only person she needed was Draco and they were living under the same roof.

The constant darkness that was set in the atmosphere and the metallic smell that forever lingered in her nostrils gave Aria an excuse as to why she had been throwing up for the past few mornings, although, she would only be able to keep that up for so long.

She could say that the sight of someone being murdered right in front of her eyes made her sick.

She could say that she had seasonal flu.

She might even be able to get away with homesickness.

Excuses that may work for the time being, but it wouldn't be long before she would have to tell Draco, and then the Dark Lord.

She feared what would become of her if news spread that she was expecting. Aria traced her fingers across her stomach soothingly. She wasn't showing, she suspected that she wasn't even a month pregnant as of yet.

For Merlin's sake, she hoped she wasn't pregnant at all, but there were only so many lies she could tell herself.

Aria wondered if Voldemort would kill her, or the baby, or Draco for such foolishness. At the thought of losing him, her lunch rose in her throat.

Her wand always came in handy when having to clean up vomit on the carpet for the times when she wasn't fast enough to make it to the toilet or when she would have to pass by someone to reach it.

Only one person knew, and at that point, Aria hadn't even known herself, but Narcissa was sharp.

It had been one of the first meetings Voldemort had called. Aria took her seat next to Draco, unaware that shortly after, her old Muggle Studies teacher would be floating through the room, tortured and bloody, and then drop dead on the table. Aria didn't think it could have gotten any worse, but then he set his snake on her...

Aria had a strong stomach, but that set her off.

Thinking back made her stomach twist and more bile spilled from her mouth.

Narcissa had taken Aria outside after that and accused her of being pregnant and hiding it from the family. She didn't want to believe that it was true, but shortly after all the signs started showing. Aria couldn't stomach most of the foods she once loved, she craved frozen Ashwinder eggs and she was always tired.

There were more than enough reasons to believe that she was pregnant, but they could be challenged. She was late, however, and that, on top of everything else, was proof enough.

Things were harder now that she didn't only have herself and Draco to worry about. Adding a baby to the mix changed everything, she would need to run, but no matter where she went, they would find her.

She stared at the dark mark on her arm, cursing it. At times she wished she would never have met Draco or never have gone to Hogwarts and met Harry.

Things would be easier if there weren't so many people that she shouldn't have cared for but did.

With an exhausted sigh, Aria headed to her room and lay down, shoving all her problems to the side as she cradled her belly until fatigue overcame her and she fell asleep.