𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐒𝐎 𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐒

Chapter 22

Chapter Number/Total: 22/44
Chapter Title: Mother Knows Best

Draco kissed Harry goodbye for the day and then closed the door, resting against it. It was beginning to be difficult to hide what was happening from his lover. He had to work hard in the mornings and evenings when Harry was home to appear to be as normal as possible. He got up with Harry, had breakfast with him and then talked about the potions he would make for the day. Harry didn't seem to notice that he hadn't actually made any potions in a while. Because he was so busy with Auror training, he never looked in the lab anymore.

Draco took a minute to collect himself, the fatigue hitting him hard when he no longer had his focus directed upon his lover. He pushed off from the door and staggered to the sitting room, where he fell gratefully onto the sofa. The room was still spinning as he lay there. Most of the time, he couldn't even manage to read much because of the dizziness.

Some days the only thing Draco managed to do while Harry was gone was get to the fireplace for those calls. He pulled his shirt up right then and laid his long, thin fingers against the growing bulge of his abdomen. He was worried. He was only four months along and he felt so drained that he couldn't imagine how he would cope with another five. He had read everything he could on pregnancy. He seemed to have every symptom at its worst level. And there was no one he could go to to ask about this. They still hadn't even told his mother what they were doing.

He closed his eyes and settled down to sleep. Kreacher was under orders to get him just before it became time for Harry's next Floo call.

***

"Draco," came a voice sounding urgent, impatient and worried. "Draco, wake up." There was a shaking as whomever the person was grasped his arm.

Draco blinked and tried to focus. "Time for the Floo?" he asked in confusion before he recognised the voice. "Mother?"

Narcissa was hovering over him, peering into his face with wide blue eyes. She was apparently paying no mind at all to Kreacher behind her.

"Master Draco is not to be bothered, Mrs. Malfoy. Master Draco is too busy."

"Oh, quiet up," she snapped, taking Draco's face in her hand. "Are you ill?" she asked him, the gentle note returning to her tone.

"No," Draco said, struggling to sit up. "Just taking a nap."

Her eyes strayed down to where Draco's shirt was pulled up before they moved back to his face. "Then why have you got that elf saying you're busy in the lab? He was quite insistent on my not entering."

Draco pulled his shirt down and managed to sit up. "I just don't usually like visitors," he said. He rubbed his face and tried to ignore the way the room seemed to be shifting again. "I wasn't expecting you."

Narcissa looked suspicious. "You haven't been to see me in ages. I was getting worried."

"Mrs. Malfoy," came Kreacher's voice. He was clearly determined to follow orders.

She shot him a glare.

"Kreacher, it's okay. Bring my Mother and me tea," Draco said.

Kreacher sighed and nodded, shaking his head as he left the room, muttering to himself.

"Why haven't you been to the Manor?" Narcissa asked. "And you look pale."

"Have a seat, Mother," he said, gesturing to a chair beside the sofa.

She narrowed her eyes, but took the seat. "You must be forgetting with whom you are dealing," she said. "Avoiding answers as you change the subject will not work on me, Draco Desiderio Malfoy."