Planned Liars • Draco Malfoy

Chapter #21

Hermione was observing me suspiciously closely for the next few days (during which I still didn't feel so well, I might add), but the cumulation of her observations happened at the weekend.

I was supposed to go and receive my veil (it had been chosen by Narcissa who wanted to add something from herself, and I knew she had great taste, so I didn't worrh about it), but first Hermione offered that she'd make me some expermiental hairstyles. I agreed and until now I can't believe that I didn't sense a trick...

"Before hairstyles, specifics first," she told me when we sat down in the dining room at the Manor. We were alone since Draco apparently had to go to work quickly. In my opinion he was choosing something behind my back again, but I didn't want to argue anymore.

Hermione put her bag on her knees and began rummaging through it, until she took a small blue box out of it.

"Uh, okay, Hermione, what is this?" I asked her, frowning.

"Pregnancy test," she replied simply, causing my eyes to widen.

"What? You already know you're pregnant, why do you need it?"

"And you?" she pointed out. "You were sick, sensitive to smells and went to bathroom every five minutes. All your symptoms come down to this, Aurora! You have to do it, because if you're not pregnant, then you might be really sick," she said as though she was explaining something to a five-year-old.

"This is crazy," I shook my head as she took some stick out of the box. "Pregnancy would be my last guess. I just have food poisoning, that's all."

Hermione looked angry and she threw the box aside.

"And when was the last time you and Draco..."

"Hermione!" I cut her off with fear on my face, but she seemed untouched.

"Listen, I don't want to know, I just wanted to show you that the date has to match. End of dicussion, you take it and go to the bathroom," she shoved the stick into my hand. "And don't get nervous, it's not good for the baby."

"We don't even know if I'm pregnant!" I protested. "And this is the Muggle test, why can't we use the normal one?" I groaned, eyeing the stick with disgust.

"God, it takes the same amount of time and I have already brought it, so move," and she pushed me towards the bathroom. "Here, take the directions," he passed me a paper fully covered in tiny writing.

A bit stressed, I went to the bathroom. Hermione was rarely wrong and I really noticed some changes lately. I wanted to have a baby after seeing her, Callie, Chris... But on the other hand, when everything was about to become real, I began being nervous.

I followed all the directions and came back to Hermione while shaking slightly. We waited for the appropriate amount of time and...

"And what? One line! I'm not pregnant, I told you!" I called triumphantly as Hermione frowned.

"This is really weird... I thought..."

"I told you," I said, satisfied.

"I think you should see a doctor anyways. A good one."

"Chill, Shane's cousin is a Healer, I'd get an appointment easily," I said.

Hermione looked at me again and eventually shook her head.

"Alright. But keep it, there's one more test in here, maybe you'll need it in the future," she told me, passing me the box.

"Thanks, but now we're doing the thing you really came here for," I daid and pulled her with myself to my old room, where I sat in front of the mirror.

After several trial hairstyles I went to pick up my veil. It was the same colour as my dress (Narcissa had seen it a few days before), extremely long and made in a way that Draco will need to grab it to uncover my face. It also had a delicate, silver crown that perfectly matched our rings. I loved it immediately.

When Draco came back, he tried uncovering my face and it turned out it wasn't that easy. I didn't mention my meeting with Hermione to him, and I of course didn't tell him she suspected that I could be pregnant.

Even though the test was negative, she didn't know it was probably broken. I thought it cracked, so I repaired it with Reparo and I believe it might have some influence on the result...

In the evening I went to the bathroom to take a shower and something made me do that bloody test once again. I locked the door and waited for the result impatiently, sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

These minutes seemed to be endless. Finally, the appropriate time passed... And the test showed two lines.

I slid down to the floor out of shock. I was staring at the test, then at the paper, which had huge, red letters PREGNANT under the picture of two lines. I felt sudden fear and for reasons unknown the worst scenarios popped up in my mind. First of all... How do I tell Draco? What if it's too much for him? I was so sure myself, until now... And what are his parents going to say? Wasn't it too early for a baby?

I immediately got rid of the test with my wand and left the bathroom with something heavy in my chest, then went to the bedroom, where Draco was laying on the bed and reading the Daily Prophet. He looked up when he heard me enter.

"Aurora? Did something happen?" he asked, surely having noticed my face.

"No, nothing..." I replied, heavily plopping down onto my side of the bed, my back to him. I heard him put the newspaper away and sit behind me.

"You're sure? You spent a lot of time in that bathroom."

"Yeah, yeah..." I replied unoconvincingly, absent-mindedly touching my stomach.

In my mind I was scolding myself. Draco knew me so well... Sooner or later, he'd realise I was hiding something. However, I wasn't able to put up the courage to tell him everything. I was scared that he'd want to cancel the wedding or even worse...I had to get used to that thought first.

"Sickness again?" he asked, putting his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm better now," I replied quietly, determined not to look him in the eye, so I didn't even turn around. "I'm sorry, Draco, I need to lie down," I added, standing up to move the duvet.

I saw with the corner of my eye that he was staring at me with a perplexed expression. I quickly settled myself with my back to him and covered myself with the duvet, then my hand landed on my stomach again.

"Are you completely sure that nothing happened?"

"I'm telling you it's nothing, just go to sleep," I replied more rudely than I planned. My mood changed from fear to anger in mere seconds and I was scared myself by that.

I heard Draco settling himself on the other side ofnthe bed, not trying to talk to me anymore. He turned off the lamp and covered himself with the duvet without a word.

I was staring at the dark wall in front of me as though it could answer all the questions I had on my mind.

I'm going to be a mother.