Expecting The Unexpected

Chapter Twelve - Leaving Hogwarts

To Harry's surprise, Nott left him and Draco alone over the next few weeks. He still received the occasional letter from people either offering their support of condemning him to the fiery pits of Hades, but overall the excitement surrounding his relationship with Draco had died down- both from the students and the public, as he knew it would. And by the time the Prophet published their latest scandal- a story about a Quidditch player for the Appleby Arrows who had apparently flipped out and hexed her husband's penis off when she caught him in bed with her Chaser teammate- life had returned to its relatively peaceful normality once more for Harry. As peaceful and normal as it can be when you're an eighteen-year-old male who also happens to be thirty-two weeks pregnant and looking like you've swallowed a beach ball, anyway.

Harry's most recent check-up with his Healer had left him with a strange feeling in his stomach that had nothing to do with the baby moving. His caesarean section had been booked for the sixteenth of May, a few days short of his thirty-ninth week of pregnancy, which was just a little over six weeks away. Having a definite date by which he would be a parent had suddenly made the entire thing seem a lot more real and he'd had a moment of panic, eased only when Draco took him to the Prefects' Bathroom and sucked him off whilst Harry laid back in the bubbles.

Goyle, meanwhile, had been sentenced by the Wizengamot. He'd avoided prison but had had his wand snapped and he'd received a lifetime ban on performing magic. He'd also had a modified version of the Trace, one used by the Ministry to track such criminals that could be cast upon of-age witches and wizards (and a relatively new invention), applied, and should he perform any magic either wandlessly (both Harry and Draco had laughed hard at the idea that anyone would think Gregory Goyle capable of any wandless magic) or with another wizard's wand, then he would receive ten years in Azkaban.

The first of April was a sombre day. Ron and Ginny left Hogwarts via Professor McGonagall's Floo and spend the day at The Burrow with their parents and George, for his and Fred's twenty-first birthday. Harry had sent flowers to Mrs Weasley and cards both to George and Arthur, telling them all he was thinking of them and wishing he could be there with them for the day. A pale-looking Ron and Ginny, both with red-rimmed eyes, had returned that evening and disappeared off with their respective partners, leaving Harry to study hard for his first N.E.W.T: his Charms practical exam, which began at nine the following morning.

He and Draco breakfasted in the Great Hall, then, with a final, "Good luck, boys!" from Hermione, they made their way to the sixth floor, where Professor McGonagall had transformed an unused classroom into their examination room.

Madam Marchbanks was already waiting for them when they arrived.

"Mister Malfoy first!" she piped, and Draco gave Harry a grim smile and disappeared into the room. Half an hour later he emerged with a smug smirk on his face, mouthing, "Piece of piss," at him before taking the seat Harry had just vacated- Marauder's Map out (just in case of trouble), with a book to wait for Harry.

"Better than your Charms O.W.L, anyway," Harry taunted with humour, before entering the classroom. He let out a small laugh at Draco's snort of indignation, remembering how he was responsible for messing up Draco's practical OWL exam three years previously (and costing Draco the 'Outstanding' he had been expected to receive). He was still grinning when Madam Marchbanks asked him to perform a Disillusionment Charm upon himself, ten minutes later.

He emerged from the classroom at the end of the examination and found Draco sat where Harry had left him, with his head in an Astronomy book. Harry looked at him, puzzled.

"You're not taking Astronomy N.E.W.T," he said, unnecessarily.

"I know that," Draco said with amusement, as he replaced the book in his bag and stood up. "I'm looking for baby names."