Chapter 10

"You look nice," Colin smiles at me as I walk into the common room the next morning. I grimace. I'm wearing an old pair of Joey's brown trousers and last year's Weasley jumper. I was going to wear my Quidditch training uniform… But it's beginning to look quite tight over my middle.

Oh joy.

I laugh. "Really?"

Colin nods with a grin. "You always look nice."

I feel myself blush, and smile. "Thanks," I say quietly.

He extends his hand to me. "Well, Miss Longbottom, are you ready for our air bound date this fine Saturday morning?"

I laugh and take his hand. "I sure am." I feel my stomach flip as he laces his fingers through mine. We walk down to the quidditch pitch, making casual conversation about our favorite quidditch teams. As we approach the pitch, I see that it's already been taken over.

Is that… The Gryffindor quidditch team?!

"James! What the hell?" I let go of Colin's hand and run onto the pitch towards James. He's in the middle of a team huddle. "You didn't tell me there was practice today!"

James rubs the back of his neck, not making eye contact with me. "Al," he says sharply, "Take everyone up. Start running drills."

Albus nods and the team takes off the ground. James takes me by my upper arm and pulls me farther away from Colin. "You're off the team," he says as soon as Colin looks out of earshot.

I see red instantly. "What?!"

"You're off the team," he says again. Slower, this time, as if I didn't understand.

"Why?" I'm practically screaming. I can't remember being this furious.

"I don't want you in the air! It isn't safe… For the baby," James says calmly. "Eliza, please don't make a fuss."

I laugh loudly. Colin is making his way over to us. "Don't make a fuss?! Don't make fuss about the fact that you think that you're kicking me off the team? You think that'll keep me off a broom?"

James nervously rubs the back of his neck. "Eliza, please."

"You can keep me off the team, but I'm still gonna fly. In fact," I turn my head to see Colin approaching us, looking curious as to what all the yelling was about. "That's just what we were about to do. So if you'll excuse us," I turn to walk to the broom shed and James' hand grabs my wrist.

"Like hell you will."

"Why do you care so much?" I snap loudly.

"Because that's my kid too!" He yells.

Silence.

"Wait…" Colin looks up at me with wide eyes. "His… Kid? Eliza are you…"

I look from James, who looks horror struck at what he said, to Colin who is white faced and open mouthed. I take slow step backwards. "I…" I turn and sprint back to the castle. I run to the only place I can think of.

My dad's office.

I burst through the door. He's sitting at his desk, marking papers with a quill. He glances up at me and looks surprised. "Eliza?"

I dissolve into tears as he says my name. "D-dad," I sob.

He stands up quickly and steps away from his desk, taking his reading glasses off and opening his arms up to me. "What happened?"

I run to his arms and feel him envelope me into a hug. "I'm a m-mess," I sob into his robes.

He's silent for a moment, and for a split second I can almost feel him thinking. He's upset at me. He hasn't spoken to me for almost two weeks. I'm a screw up. I'm a mess.

But I'm his baby.

I feel his arms soften around me. One of his hands moves to stroke my curly blonde hair. "Shhh…" He sways slightly back and forth. "You aren't a mess. You're perfect."

This only makes me cry harder. "Dad, he knows. He knows now."

My dad pulls away from the hug slightly and looks down at me with a confused expression. "James? Eliza, he's seemed to know about it for almost a month."

"N-not James! C-Colin. James t-told him!"

My dad scowls. "Colin? As in… Colin Finnegan?"

I realize my dad has no idea what I'm talking about, so I just sit at the other side of his desk and spill my heart out to him. By the end of an hour, my dad knows all of my deepest secrets. He walks around the desk, pulls me out of the chair and gives me a tight hug.

"I don't have any advice," he says honestly. "But I love you, and I'm sorry, and it'll all be alright, Lizie."

He kisses my forehead, and sends me out of his office. I can't even explain how much better I feel. Like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I even manage a little smile as I give the Fat Lady the password. The portrait swings open, and I scramble through the hole ungracefully.

Damn these ungraceful Longbottom genetics.

I'm making my way up the stairs when I hear Colin's voice from across the almost empty room.

"Liza!"

Bullocks.

Authors Note:

Fastest update ever! Woo! Okay, so I'm hoping to get the next chapter out quickly. (Not as quickly as this, though.) I can't even explain how relieved I am to have Neville being the kind father we know and love. :) Please rate and review! Xoxo.