Finally, the chapter you all have waited for! The party, the Yule Ball, and a couple HUGE surprises! I hope you guys enjoy this one, because I truly had a blast writing it. As always, all rights to the Harry Potter series go to J.K. Rowling. Please read, enjoy, and review!


"Why didn't I know about your tattoo, Jella?" Draco was unimpressed that he had never seen the tattoo before.

"I couldn't figure out how to explain it, Draco. I'm sorry."

"What is there to explain?"

"It's a DRAGON, Draco….use your head."

"Oh….." Draco went silent, finally understanding why I hadn't mentioned the tattoo to him. How could I explain that I had gotten a tattoo that very obviously represented HIM over the summer? Especially since we had still hated each other at that point. I couldn't even explain it to MYSELF, let alone Draco.

We were on our way back to the Slytherin Common Room to finish setting up for the party after dinner, and Draco still hadn't let go of the morning's events. He was more astonished that I had a tattoo than he was that I had managed to transform into my Animagus form. By the time we had reached the dungeons, Draco had wrapped his mind around the tattoo and was, instead, devoting his attention to teasing me about it.

"So you've obviously been in love with me for a long time," he said, with a twinkle in his silver eyes.

"No, Harry and I were fighting all summer, remember? He was being a dick about George and I kissing, and I did the first thing I could think of to piss him off. Which was to get a tattoo that he would take to signify you, one of his worst enemies….. This was before George and I were even dating, so of course I wasn't in love with you yet." I stopped, expecting Draco to be right next to me. Looking back, I realized that he had stopped in his tracks, some time ago. "Draco, what's wrong?"

"I had almost forgot that you dated that….that...dirty blood traitor!" he spit angrily.

"Excuse me? I don't believe I heard you right. I believe you just called one of the nicest families I have ever met, and a CLOSE personal friend a dirty blood traitor?" I could feel the air crackle and pop with my sudden flare of anger. Draco had caught me so off guard that I hadn't taken the time to breathe first.

"He's no close friend, Majella. He dumped you!" Draco's voice had risen til he was yelling, and his eyes flashed a steely grey. I knew what those eyes meant. I'd been on the receiving end of those eyes too many times in the past.

"You haven't changed, at all, have you, Draco? Has it all been an act, to keep me under whatever spell you have me under?" I surprised even myself with how deadly calm I was. The crackle and danger that had been in the air had suddenly gone silent. The air felt dead and stale between us, and suddenly, I couldn't stand the sight of him. "Whatever. Let's go set up this party. We promised too many people a fun night to cancel now. But I swear to Merlin, Malfoy, you had better stay the HELL away from." I whirled around and stormed away to the girls' dormitories. I set my bag down on my bed and sank to the floor. Leaning against the four-poster bed, I finally unleashed the tears. Not able anymore to choke back the sobs, I completely fell apart. First came the crying, and then the snow. Next was the sound of splintering wood and cracking glass. Before I could register the havoc I was wreaking, the windows burst inwards, the glass swirling around me, though not touching me. I had lost all control, and the literal storm of my emotions was quickly turning into a tornado.

"Majella, oh HELL, Majella Catherine!" My best friend rushed to my side, ignoring the glass striking her in the face. "Majella, Draco told me what happened, and I don't blame you, but you CAN NOT destroy the dormitory!" She wrapped me in the tightest hug she had ever given me, and began to breathe loudly, telling me, without words, to breathe along with her. This wasn't the first time that Siobhan had helped me calm down from an emotional storm before. Being my best friend was a dangerous job, and to her credit, she had saved me from myself too many times to count. She knew me inside and out, and she knew the best way to calm me down was to get my breathing under control and force me to look her in the eyes. For some reason, it had never failed, and this time was no exception. Breathing together, I felt the swirling winds die down, along with my heartache. When I could breathe on my own, without causing mayhem, Siobhan stood to survey the damage.

"Nothing a couple simple spells can't fix," she said, wearily. "Come on, Jella. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can start setting up the party. It looks like you'll need the Firewhiskey more than me, tonight."

We both went about the room, putting things right again, not speaking of my outburst. There was nothing to say. Siobhan had been on the receiving end of another, similar outburst over the summer, when Harry sent me an owl about the situation with George. She knew that I couldn't control it all the time, but she also knew how embarrassed I was, so she didn't mention it. As she helped me, yet again, clean my mess, I couldn't help but think about how terrible of a friend I was. She was constantly making excuses for me and cleaning up after my emotional storms, and I had never been there for her to the extent that she always had been for me. Just another thing to be depressed about, I supposed.

When the dormitory was finally back to normal, Siobhan and I went back down to the Common Room, where Draco was setting up tables of food and drinks, while House Elves, headed by Dobby, put up streamers and Christmas trees.

"I think we have everything done, unless you want to change anything," Draco said quietly, avoiding my eyes. "We can change whatever you want..."

"No, it's fine," I said curtly, drawing my mouth into a thin line. I didn't want him to see just how hurt I was, so I turned away from him to sit in front of the fire. I was so close I could almost touch the flames, and yet the warmth refused to seep into my bones. Staring at the fire, I couldn't help but think of all the times Draco and I had shared in front of that very spot.

"Fuck!" I whispered, and got up, shakily, to my feet. I sat on the stairs leading to the dormitories, just around the corner from the Common Room. I couldn't let Draco see me cry. The tears flowed, gently this time, and for the first time in my life, I wished I could Obbliviate myself, just to be rid of all my memories of Draco.

As more and more people showed up to the party, the noise level grew. Occasionally I could hear Draco's soft murmurs, or the laugh that I loved so much. The laugh that brought a flash of his crinkled nose and silver, beautiful eyes to the forefront of my memory. Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the wall behind me.

"Jella…."

I jerked to attention, my eyes flying open. "Oh...Draco….look, I really don't want to talk right now."

"Then you don't have to. Just listen."

"I'm not in a particularly good mood to listen, either Draco. Or did you not hear the tornado upstairs?"

"Please, Majella, just hear me out. And if you still hate me and want nothing to do with me, then I'll leave. But I need to speak my piece, first."

I sighed and waved my hand at him to continue. He handed me an unopened bottle of Firewhiskey and sat down beside me, staring deep into my eyes.

"Look….I'm sorry that I upset you. It's a habit. I'm not making an excuse for what I said. But he hurt you so much, Jells...and I couldn't stand seeing you so broken. And I know that it's none of my business. But….hearing you talk about him like he's still important to you after all that, and seeing your face glow when you talk about it….I just couldn't stand it. It felt like something snapped inside me. It felt like a beast, raging against my chest, and I forgot to be sensitive. Majella…." he took my hands, gently. "I love you so much. I don't want to lose you. Please, forgive me. I can't bear to lose you because of my own stupid mouth."

I opened the Firewhiskey, downing half the bottle in one gulp. "Draco….I just...I don't know any more. It feels like you'll never change. I don't even know which Draco Malfoy to trust. The one that I've always known...or the one that I've only just recently fallen in love with. I love you, Draco...but I don't want to get hurt again, like I was with George. I...I don't have the strength….." Suddenly, I was overcome with the tears that had been prickling at my eyes since Draco sat next to me. Before I could say another word, Draco kissed me, softly at first, but with a growing passion, until we were both breathing hard. Half crying, half laughing, I pushed him away gently.

"Draco...I DO love you. But if you can't change….I can't be with you. You know that, right?"

"Yes, Jella….I know. I won't let you down again. I love you." He hugged me tightly, burying his face in my hair.

"All right...well….I guess we should go to our own party then..."

"About fucking time," Siobhan's voice came, louder than I expected. Draco and I stood up and peered around the corner to where my best friend had been eavesdropping on our conversation. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Majella Potter," she said sharply. "I had to make sure you didn't kill him with a bolt of lightning or something, didn't I?"

I grabbed her quickly, hugging her with all the gratitude I could convey. "You're the best friend I have ever and will ever have...and I hope you know how much I love you, Von."

"I know, I know. I'm fuckin' amazing. But you know what I'm NOT? I'm not drunk. So let's start this party for real!" She laughed loudly and led Draco and I to the drinks. She pressed full bottles into our hands and then disappeared into a group of cute guys, like the social butterfly she was. Draco and I smiled at each other, timidly; bashfully. With everything that had just gone on between us, we were suddenly shy again. He softly took my hand and led me to our usual place by the fire.

For the next couple hours, Draco and I barely spoke to each other. Occasionally, someone would come by to tell us how much fun they were having and to thank us for inviting them, but as soon as we were alone together again, the silence became deafening. Even in the middle of a party, I felt totally alone. I didn't know what to say to him. I was glad that we were together still, but I couldn't banish the thought of his face when I had mentioned George. It was like he had turned into a completely different person, and I didn't like that. How could I trust him, if I barely even knew him?

Around one o'clock in the morning, the party was winding down, and I was fairly drunk. Firewhiskey was meant for people who had higher tolerances than me, and given the fact that I had barely eaten that day, I shouldn't have been surprised. Draco had drank just as much Firewhiskey as I had, maybe even more, but he barely looked buzzed.

"Jella..." he turned to me slowly, and I immediately realized that he was, perhaps, more drunk than I. "I jus' wan' you t'know….i really do...really really...do...I love you." He slipped and slurred his way through the simple sentence.

"Babe..." I took a deep breath, to clear my head. I wanted to sound as intelligent as possible. "I love you. More than you could know. But I don't know if I can trust you. I need to see a MAJOR change in you. I may hate my brother and his friends sometimes, but the fact of the matter is that they've been there for me a lot longer than you have. They're important to me, and I won't stand by and listen to you calling them foul names or treating them badly. I can't. So if you can't change….I need you to let me know now...because I can't do this any more."

I was relieved that my brain had been able to string a coherent thought together. Draco admired me, with his beautiful, sparkling, silver eyes, and then took another swig of his drink.

"Majella, I promise. I'll do m'best. Can't make any promises, but I promise."

I sighed. "Draco, you're drunk. You're not even making any sense."

Suddenly, his mouth was very close to my ear. "I know one thing that will make sense..." His whispers tickles my ear, and I felt a chill down my spine. It wasn't exactly a bad chill...just sort of uncomfortable.

I let Draco pull me to my feet and lead me upstairs to his dormitory. As we lay kissing in the dark, I couldn't help but wonder if I was just setting myself up for disappointment. The rest of the night passed me by, in a blur, as the alcohol finally took me over.

I woke up, the next day, in a state of utter panic. Looking at the clock beside Draco's bed, it was already nearly noon. We had slept the entire morning away. But the thing that really scared me was how little clothing I had on. In fact, the only thing covering me was Draco's thin sheet. Draco was nowhere to be seen, so I quickly threw on my clothes from the night before and raced down to the Common Room.

"Oh. Hullo, Jells….I didn't want to wake you..." Draco looked upset.

"Umm...thanks. I appreciate it..." My cheeks grew hot, and I wished the ground would swallow me up whole.

Draco's eyes snapped to me, just in time to see the tears overflow from my eyes.

"Oh, Jella, no! Please don't cry, I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. I KNEW it was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it…."

"What are you talking about?" I sniffled, trying not to let him see how hurt I was, for the second time in only a day.

"Jella...I took advantage of you. We were both drunk, and I KNEW I shouldn't have done it...but I love you so much, and I thought it would make things better between us, and I was wrong, and now I've ruined everything."

"Wait….you're regretting the sex because you think you forced me into it?"

Draco nodded his head miserably.

"Oh Merlin...Draco...I thought….." I trailed off, unsure of how to explain what I had been afraid of.

"No, Majella, you think I regretted having sex with you because I didn't LIKE it? That's not it at all. I'm so sorry, Majella, I don't ever want you to think that. I just...I feel awful taking advantage of you!"

"You stupid ass!" I stamped my foot down hard, giggling slightly, through the tears. "I didn't feel taken advantage of. You never forced me to do anything! I was just scared that you had changed your mind about how you felt about me!"

"Wow...aren't we a pair of idiots?" Draco joined in on my giggles, and we both collapsed against each other, relieved.

"Well...I guess that settles that," I said once my laughter had subsided. My ribs hurt and I felt lightheaded, but I had never been more glad of the feeling. "Boy, Siobhan is going to KILL me for having sex before her," I said with a huge smile.

"You wretched Harpy," Siobhan sighed, sadly. "I always assumed I'd lose it before you."

It was almost two weeks into the holidays, and the day of the Yule Ball. I had just told Siobhan, after struggling to find a way for the two of us to be alone together since the night of the party. Draco was at the Quidditch pitch, practicing some flying on his own, so Siobhan and I had a rare lunch, just the two of us.

"I did too, honestly." I tried, in vain, to hide my grin.

"Well, I AM happy for you, even if I don't sound it. I just can't believe you waited so damn long to tell me," Siobhan said, stuffing her face full of buttered rice. "Did you guys use anything?"

"Ummm..." The smile slid off my face. "Fuck..." My stomach twisted, uncomfortably, and for a split second, I thought I was going to faint.

Siobhan kept shoveling food in her mouth, until the meaning of my words hit her. She dropped her fork, staring at me in shock. "You're kidding right….? I mean...you wouldn't be that stupid, Majella. Please…..tell me you wouldn't be that idiotic." When I failed to meet her eyes, she whistled low. "Wow...your first time, and you didn't use protection." She pushed herself up from the table. "That's it. I'm taking you to Madame Pomfrey. Now."

Madame Pomfrey bustled around us, giving me a hospital gown and twitching the curtains around a bed. "Please, Miss Potter, change."

"Miss Pomfrey...this isn't really necessary, is it? We just need a quick spell to get rid of any possibility of anything happening."

"I'm not sure if you know this, Miss Potter, but it only takes a week or two after sex for conception to occur. If you've conceived, there is no spell I can give you to get rid of anything. You could get an abortion, but I don't suggest that at all. At your age, you're not ready to become a mother, but if you get an abortion, there will be a hole in your heart, one that I'm afraid will take a very long time to go away. Abortions can also cause problems in future attempts to conceive, so if you plan on having any children at all in the future, I'm not sure that an abortion is the route you would want to go."

I started shaking. "You can't be serious...we only had sex one time, how could it even be a possibility?"

"Miss Potter, I'm afraid that sometimes, it only takes once. Now change, and lie down on the bed. When you're ready, I'm going to do a full examination to determine whether or not you're pregnant."

I wordlessly changed behind the curtain, terrified of the outcome. When I had finished, I pulled the curtain back and lay down on the bed. Siobhan came to sit next to me, holding my hand. It was amazing how she could, without speaking, convey just the amount of love and support that I needed, at any time. I really didn't deserve a friend like her. My heart beat wildly in my chest, and I felt nauseous. Suddenly, I felt REALLY nauseous. Siobhan somehow knew exactly what I needed, and with a wave of her wand, she conjured a bucket out of thin air. Just in time, as I forcefully lost my entire lunch.

Madame Pomfrey rushed to my side quickly, rubbing my back, while Siobhan held my hair away. When I was done throwing up, Madame Pomfrey helped me lie back, propped up with pillows.

"Well, my dear, I fear that I may have been correct. Please, take this." She handed me a small cup filled a quarter of the way with a foul smelling potion.

"What is this for?" I asked, turning a blank look at the nurse.

"I need to collect a urine sample from you. If it comes back positive, I'll need to do an ultrasound."

I was shaking so hard that I barely made it to the small bathroom in the corner of the Hospital Wing without spilling the potion. I remembered reading something about this potion. As I peed into the cup, I tried to focus on the ingredients that were in it, instead of the smell, afraid that I would throw up again. I set the cup down on the sink and washed my hands carefully, reciting Potions ingredients to myself, trying desperately to keep bile down. As I dried my hands, the smell of the potion, with the fresh "sample" wafted my way, and I lost it. I barely made it to the toilet before I was vomiting. Siobhan and Madame Pomfrey rushed into the bathroom. Siobhan held my hair and rubbed my back as Madame Pomfrey had done earlier, while the nurse carefully picked up the cup and brought it into her office. I noticed that it had turned a bright, acid green, and I prayed that meant that the test was negative, though my mind told me that I had read something about the different color changes the potion went through and what they meant. Hoping desperately that I was wrong, I stood. I swished my mouth out with water, not wanting to meet Siobhan's eyes. This couldn't be happening to me. I looked in the mirror. The small, terrified girl in the mirror looked back at me, with shockingly bright blue eyes. I felt totally disconnected to my reflection. This must be a dream, I thought to myself.

"Miss Potter, when you're ready, please rejoin me over here." Madame Pomfrey's voice drifted back to Siobhan and I, startling me.

I took a deep breath, holding back the tears. Siobhan grabbed my hand, nervously, and led me back to the hospital bed.

"Now, Miss Potter, I'm going to need you to lift the gown and put this sheet across your lap. I need access to your stomach," Madame Pomfrey said, kindly. "I'm sure you've guessed by now, my dear, but the test DID come back positive, so I'm going to need to do a quick ultrasound."

My breath caught in my chest. "Is there any possibility that the test was wrong?"

"Well..." Madame Pomfrey hesitated. "That's why I'm going to do the ultrasound."

"So the test could have been wrong?"

Madame Pomfrey didn't answer. Instead, she flicked her wand at my stomach, and then at a screen next to the bed. An image of the inside of my body appeared on the screen.

"Ah, now see, here are your ovaries. And there are your fallopian tubes," Madame Pomfrey pointed out each thing as she spoke. "Oh my dear, I can say with certainty, you are definitely pregnant. This is the placenta, here's the amniotic sac, and right in the middle, there, that's what the fetus looks like right now."

I swallowed hard, numb and scared.

"I'd say you're about two weeks pregnant, so we won't be able to see a heartbeat yet. But I'd say in about a month or two, we should see that heartbeat quite clear."

Siobhan cleared her throat. "Majella…you need to tell Draco."

"No. No, this can't be real...this isn't really happening."

Siobhan looked at me, with what I thought was pity. "Majella, I know you're in denial right now, but it's true. I saw it with my own eyes...Majella, you need to tell him, before you start to show. He's the father, and he deserves to know."

"Would you like a picture, my dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked gently. "It might help you come to terms with it, to see it day after day."

"No. No I don't want a picture. I don't even want this damn thing. My aunt and uncle are going to kill me. My BROTHER is going to kill me. Oh Merlin….Harry...he's going to murder Draco…." I started crying, my shoulders shaking. How could I have been so incredibly STUPID?

"You know I won't let that happen, Jella." Siobhan said, laying her hand on my arm softly. "But you need to start being careful. No more killing yourself with these extra lessons with Snape. We need you to be healthy."

Madame Pomfrey walked briskly towards us from her office. I hadn't even noticed that she left.

"Here you are, Miss Potter. These are prenatal potions. I want you to take exactly one tablespoon of each of these, every morning. And this is a list of symptoms to expect this month, as well as a list of foods I want you to make sure to include in your diet. And I'm sure you know the most important things. No alcohol, whatsoever. No raw fish, no smoking, et cetera. It's all in this pamphlet." She placed all the potions and papers in a small leather book and handed it to me. "This is a pregnancy journal, should you choose to keep one, and this," she handed a small piece of paper to Siobhan, "is a picture of your ultrasound. I'm going to give it to Miss O'Connor, for safekeeping, should you ever decide you want it."

"You're not gonna tell anyone, are you?" I asked, between my sobs.

Madame Pomfrey gently placed her hand on my shoulder. "No, of course not, my dear. It's not my place. I mean, I'm obligated to tell Professors Dumbledore and Snape, because they have to make sure to place the appropriate wards around the school, to avoid word getting out. Together, they will come up with the best combination of spells to ensure that nobody is allowed to speak of this outside the castle, unless you wish it."

Great. As if I didn't have enough to be ashamed of, Snape was going to tell me off, too.

"Madame Pomfrey...would you mind terribly if Majella tells Professor Snape herself? You see, he's kind of her mentor, and I'm sure they would both appreciate having a private conversation together about it."

I looked at Siobhan gratefully. How did she know I would rather tell Snape myself? I didn't want him to find out from anybody else.

"Of course, but Miss Potter, you MUST tell him. It's a matter of your personal safety and security. And I would strongly suggest telling the father as well...this is something that no teenage girl should have to deal with alone."

With that, she walked back to her office, and Siobhan and I started the long walk back to the dungeons. We didn't speak, but every few minutes, Siobhan would turn and stare at me for a moment, and then look away. I knew how she must have thought of me. I wouldn't have been surprised if she decided she didn't want to be friends with someone so astronomically imbecilic. I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, fighting wave after wave of nausea.

Finally, as we approached the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room, Siobhan turned to be and grabbed my arm, gingerly.

"Majella, you need to tell Draco. Now. I know you don't want to, but he deserves to know. And I can't keep this secret for you. It's too big. At least, not from him. Please, Jella, you need to do it now. Before the Ball."

I nodded, knowing she was right. Grimacing, I entered the Common Room, mentally preparing myself for the shitstorm ahead.

"Hey, you two. I was just about to go looking for you. What have you been up to? I assume you enjoyed your morning together. We have just enough time to sneak some Butterbeer out of the kitchens before we need to start getting ready." Draco bounced up from the couch, bounding over to Siobhan and I. He stopped short at the misery that must have been written all over my face. "What happened? You didn't have another fight, did you?"

"No, Draco, but Majella has something important to talk to you about. The three of us need to go somewhere private." Siobhan walked forward and grabbed my hand, catching Draco's hand as well, and leading us both out the door. I silently thanked Merlin for my best friend, for the millionth time that day. She led us at a brisk pace out of the castle and across the grounds, stopping at the Whomping Willow. With a quick look around, to make sure nobody was watching, she grabbed a long twig from the ground and poked at the hidden knot by the tree's base. A small hole appeared, and all three of us slid down it into a small chamber. We walked up the steps and into the main room of the Shrieking Shack. We stood there in silence, Siobhan and I not knowing how to begin. Finally, Draco had enough.

"Ok...so what's the big terrible secret?"

I turned to him, shocked at his tone. He's turned pale as a ghost, and his knuckles were white, from his clenched fists. I knew he was upset, and I knew exactly what he was worried about. He was thinking that I was going to break up with him, and go back to George. I could read the look on his face, plain as day.

"Draco, I swear, it's not what you think….this has nothing to do with George. And I'm not breaking up with you…...but I am…." I couldn't bring myself to say it.

Draco looked confused. "You are what Majella? Please...tell me."

"Draco, I'm p-" Suddenly, I was gagging again. Siobhan crossed the room, conjured another bucket, and held it in front of me while she pointed her wand at my hair and magically tied it back.

Sudden horror flickered in Draco's face.

"Draco, your girlfriend is pregnant, you rotten git. How could you have been so mindless? Did you really not even have a random condom lying around?"

Draco turned even whiter. So white that his blond hair looked yellow compared to the pale face beneath it. "This can't be. How is this even possible? I mean, we've only done it once."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake. The pair of you, really!" Siobhan sighed. "It only takes once, Draco. And now she's pregnant."

"But it's too soon. It's only been two weeks."

"I have the ultrasound picture, if you don't believe me..." Pulling it out of her pocket, Siobhan offered the scan to Draco, who took it wordlessly. He stared at it, for what seemed like years. I wiped my mouth, and stood, embarrassed.

"Draco...I'm so sorry..."

"No. Majella, this isn't your fault. I took advantage of you. I knew it was a stupid thing to do, and I still did it anyways…." He turned red and looked like he was about to cry. "I'm so sorry...I have to go." He threw the picture of the fetus...OUR fetus...at me and ran away.

I began to cry, great racking sobs. Siobhan enfolded me in a hug, conveying as much strength as she could. I really didn't deserve her. When I'd calmed down to a slight sniffle, she quietly picked up the ultrasound picture and handed it to me. I held it delicately, looking closer. There was a real human being inside my body. I still felt ashamed, but all of a sudden, I felt very protective of it. This was MY baby. I looked at Siobhan, who was watching me with a small smile on her face. "This is really mine?"

"Yes, it's really yours. You're really going to be a mother."

"But Draco and I are so young. How are we ever going to manage?"

"Oh, come on, lots of people get pregnant at fourteen, nowadays. Besides, if I have to, I'll make my parents let you two live with us. I'm sure they wouldn't mind. They love you, anyways."

"I'm sure they'd think I was a horrible influence on you, actually."

"No. Majella, you've always been the one keeping ME from doing stupid things. They definitely wouldn't think you're a bad influence."

"I'm fourteen years old and pregnant, Von….how am I NOT a bad influence?"

"Well….whatever. They can't stop me from being your friend. Especially not now, when you need me."

We walked back to the castle, arm in arm. Draco was nowhere to be seen when we made it to the Common Room, so we went to the girl's dormitory, to start getting ready for a ball that I didn't believe to have a date for, any more.

We both showered, and then Siobhan expertly did our makeup and hair. She had always been so good at Charms, but this year, she had been getting even better. She could make up small spells on the spot now, for hair, makeup, clothes, and other girly things. I was sure she could create spells for other things too, if she put her mind to it, but she never did. Just as I was musing about how good she had gotten at Charmwork, an owl flew to our window and began tapping on the glass with his beak. Siobhan quickly let him in, and he flew straight to me. I recognized him as Draco's owl. Unrolling the piece of parchment wrapped around the owl's leg, I looked at Siobhan, anxiously. I knew what I expected to see.

My Dearest Majella,

I'm sorry I ran out on you like that, I just needed to think. You

have to understand, this is...this is scary for me. I'm sure it is for

you too. I'll be waiting for you in the Common Room in an hour,

if you still want to be my date to the Ball. I hope you know...I love

you. And I intend to be there for you AND our child...I'm so sorry

that I didn't say that before I left.

Love, Draco

"Well I guess that settles that," Siobhan said, reading over my shoulder. "Let's get you beautified for your baby's daddy." She gingerly took my dress out of the closet, sighing as she ran her fingers over the delicate fabric. "This is just so beautiful. Draco's mum really picked the perfect dress. Now turn around. I don't want you seeing the full effect until it's totally perfect."

I faced away from the mirror and Siobhan helped me slip into the dress. The silver fabric slithered over my body, and I shivered at the feeling. It was even more beautiful that I remembered. It was very form-fitting, with a completely cut out back, and it was so long that even with my shoes, it swept the floor. The silvery fabric had no wrinkles, and no matter which way I moved, it never wrinkled. It made me look taller than I actually was, and it highlighted what few curves I had beautifully. Draco's mother had forced him to leave while we picked out the style, because she wanted him to be surprised. I was glad, because quite frankly, it was kind of embarrassing picking out dress styles that I liked. As Siobhan had liked to remind me, since the day we met, I've never had any fashion sense. That meant that nearly everything I had picked out, Narcissa Malfoy instantly vetoed. When she finally settled on one that she liked, I was very surprised that I also liked it. She made sure that it called attention to my best assets, for which I was extremely grateful. Siobhan took a step back to admire the dress, and all her handiwork.

"Wow….Jella, I don't mean to sound rude, but I seriously have never seen you look so good. I mean, you're always pretty, but this dress, and your hair, and the makeup...wow. Just...wow."

I laughed softly at Siobhan. "Is it so hard to believe that I have the ability to look beautiful like you once in a while?"

"Oh no, Jells, I didn't mean that at all."

"I know, Von. I was teasing. So can I look now? Please?"

"Of course." She winked at me. "Just don't admire yourself for too long. Once I'm done with my hair and makeup, it'll be time to meet Draco."

I turned around and gasped. The girl who looked back at me from the mirror wasn't me. It couldn't be. The girl I saw in the mirror was taller than I expected, because of the shoes. Her cheeks seemed pinker, her eyes wider. But the biggest difference was the hair. Every curl had been pinned so that each flowed softly over my shoulder. Siobhan had conjured tiny blue flowers, that sat between the curls, and an ear cuff in the shape of a small blue lizard.

"I know you're technically not JUST a lizard," she said softly, over my shoulder, "but since it was the first one you found out about….I thought it would look nice." She suddenly looked unsure. "I can change it out for something else if you'd like."

"No Vonnie," I breathed softly, barely able to tear my eyes away from myself in the mirror. "I love it." I turned around, hugging my best friend as tightly as I could manage without wrinkling my dress. "Siobhan O'Connor, you are the ABSOLUTE best friend I ever could have asked for."

She blushed slightly. Clearing her throat, she said, "I'm not that great, Jells. Now move your stupid ass so I can do my hair and makeup, or we're going to be late."

Siobhan did her hair twice as quickly as she had done mine, and waved her wand over her makeup, so that it expertly applied itself to her while she was busy. In just a few minutes, she was slipping into her black, floor length gown. I yelped when I saw the slit that reached all the way up to her hip.

"Sexy, right? I figured that since I'm single, what better way to catch a boy's eye than with a slightly risque dress?" Siobhan placed the last hairpin in her magnificent updo and took a step back to survey her handiwork.

"SLIGHTLY? Von, you'll be lucky if Professor McGonagall doesn't kick you out of the Ball...you KNOW how strict she is."

"Nah, it's fine, Jells. I can almost guarantee, that Veela girl from Beauxbatons will wear something trashier than this." Siobhan slipped her shoes on quickly and grabbed my hand, practically pulling me out of the room. "Now let's go meet your Dragon Charming, before he thinks he's been stood up."

When Draco saw us, his face went red. He couldn't take his eyes off me, or speak. It was exactly the reaction I'd been hoping for, and I could tell that Siobhan was happy with it as well.

"When you've finished ogling your girlfriend and picked your jaw up off the floor, we can all head down to the entrance hall so Snape can get us ready for the Champions' Dance. I'm sure Harry would be less than thrilled if we missed that."

My heart raced at the mention of my brother. How was I ever going to find the right way to tell him that I was pregnant? Would he be able to tell as soon as we were in the same room? I had been avoiding him ever since Draco and I had sex, afraid that Harry would find out about THAT. I couldn't imagine how much worse he would react to the news I had now.

"Don't worry Jells. When the time comes to tell him, we'll tell him together. I'll take full responsibility, and he can hex me all he wants. I won't let him do anything that could result in your losing that baby. That's OUR baby, Majella." Draco was near tears by the time he finished speaking, and even Siobhan's eyes were a little misty. I had two really amazing people in front of me. Between my best friend and my boyfriend, I knew I would make it through this year, regardless of how difficult it was going to be.

The three of us walked out of the Common Room and into the hall, where we all joined hands, me in the middle. They knew I would need the support, and I knew that they would never let me down. I had never been happier in my life.

The Champions' Dance and eying Cho Chang kept Harry occupied enough that he never even noticed me for the first half hour of the Ball. When he did, he merely mouthed, You look great, and kept dancing. Draco and I danced, for a while, but I started to feel nauseated and sweaty, so I made my way to a table while Draco got us some drinks. Draco came back quickly, with a Butterbeer for himself and a Pumpkin Juice for me.

"I didn't know if Butterbeer actually had alcohol in it...so I got you something else...I hope that's ok."

I laughed at how eager to please he was. "Of course, it's fine. I need something that won't make my stomach turn, anyways."

"All right, there, Majella?" Harry's voice at my ear made me jump. I automatically put up every barrier I had on my mind, terrified that Harry would find out my secret.

"I'm all right Harry….I've missed you, you know..." I searched my brother's face, hoping to see the emotion I felt as well. Instead, he turned to Draco with a sneer.

"Hey, Dragon-Boy, why don't you go get a Dark Mark tattoo or something? I have to talk to my sister. Bugger off."

Draco nearly snapped, but instead looked at my pleading face. "I'll be over, there, okay Jells?" He swooped down to kiss my cheek, while Harry pretended to gag loudly. Draco withdrew, keeping a good distance between us, but not so far that he couldn't keep me in plain view.

"So...your boyfriend is a tad possessive, don't you think?"

"No, Harry I do not think. Did you seriously come over here just to ruin my night? Because I was actually having a nice time until you had to be an ass to my boyfriend."

"Look, Jella, I don't trust him. You know that. I don't trust him, I don't like him, and I don't think you should either. Have you already forgotten how awful he was to you, until this year?"

"Look, Harry, I don't care, okay? He's changed. Yes, he used to be the biggest git I've already met, but he's proven himself to me."

"How, Majella? How the hell could HE have proven himself?" Harry was spitting the words out, whispering furiously.

I calmly wiped Harry's spit off my face. "I don't have to explain my choices to you, and I certainly don't have to explain my boyfriend's choices to you either. Now get out of my face before you regret it Harry. Or have you forgotten what I did to Crabbe and Goyle last year when they jumped me?"

Harry half smiled at the recollection of Crabbe and Goyle being struck by lightning, and poisonous, weeping, foul-smelling boils sprouting all over their faces. Then he quickly drew back so he was a comfortable distance from me.

"Majella, what's gotten into you? Why are you so….violent? Malfoy has gotten into your head. You need to get away from him."

"I hardly think you give a damn about me, except for the fact that it makes you look bad that I'm dating your arch nemesis. Isn't that really what this is about?"

Harry had the gall to look hurt for a split second, before he said, bitterly, "Fine. I don't give a fuck what you do. But don't come crying to me when he hurts you." He turned and stalked away.

"I wouldn't come crying to you for anything, Harry Potter. You're a dick!" I knew he barely even heard me, because of the loud music. The small group of people closest to me stopped talking and glared at me for yelling at their precious "Chosen One", but I didn't care any more.

As soon as Harry was far enough away, Draco came quickly to my side. With a gentle but firm hand, he ushered me outside. Only when the cool air stung my face did I realize how hot and anxious I had been inside. Now that the adrenaline had stopped coursing through my body, I noticed how queasy and dizzy I felt. Draco quickly led me to a fountain, draped in beautiful lights. We both sat on the edge, and the trickling water soothed my restless soul.

"How are you feeling, Jella? Do you need to go back to the dungeons or something? I can conjure you a bucket if you're going to be sick…..."

"No, I'm fine. I don't want to cut the night short. I just…..let's just stay here for the rest of the Ball..."

He chuckled at me softly. "You know we can't do that. For one thing, you'd get too cold. And you know you have to face Harry again soon. If not tonight, soon. He'll find out that you're pregnant one way or another, and it's going to be a lot worse than him just telling me to bugger off….he's going to fight me."

"I know...he'll kill me and then kill you. And then bring me back to kill me again. I just….can't we put it off one night? I just want to enjoy tonight, here, alone, with you, and face Harry tomorrow." I flicked a small, strangely marked beetle off the fountain's edge, sighing.

"We'll stay out here for as long as you'd like, love," Draco murmured, wrapping me in his warm embrace. We sat that way for a long time, just enjoying the beauty of the garden, twinkling in the dark.

"There you two are," Siobhan said loudly. "I've been looking for you everywhere. There's only a few songs left before the Ball is over. Come dance with me, please?"

Draco looked at me questioningly. "Do you want to go?"

In a stage whisper, I replied, "We'd better, or she'll murder us in our sleep..."

As Draco and I laughed at my joke and followed Siobhan back into the Great Hall, we could hear her mutter under her breath, "Damn right I would, you evil bitch."

We danced to the first song, which was fast and great at keeping our minds off the growing life inside of me. Then a slow song came on, and Siobhan was led away by a nice looking boy from Beauxbatons. Draco and I swayed happily to the song, content to be in each other's arms. Harry was nowhere to be seen, but Ron was sitting grumpily at a table nearby, glaring at Hermione and Krum. As Draco and I spun in place to the slow melody, I saw a bright flash of red hair. At the same moment, the owner of the red hair spotted Draco and I. George's eyes narrowed and broke away from his date. He stomped angrily over. I felt the familiar dizzying deja vu of a vision coming to pass, and braced myself, just in time, for the pain of George wrenching me away from Draco. His grip on my arm was tight. Too tight. Stumbling over my heels and dress, I had no choice but to follow him, while Draco stood still, in shock, behind us. George started yelling at me. I couldn't understand what he was saying, though Harry's name jumped out at me several times. He kept ranting about SOMETHING, his face getting more and more red, and he slammed me against a wall, my head coming into hard contact with the hard surface. I was taken by surprise. That hadn't been part of my vision. Visions couldn't be changed, could they? Just then, Draco finally caught up to us, his normally pale face flushed with anger. My vision started to shimmer with tears and pain. Just as he had in my vision, Draco's arm wound back, and before I could intervene, he was flying towards George, and then George was on the floor. Draco's face changed suddenly, and he looked confused about what had just happened. He stared at George, lying unconscious beneath him, and then slowly turned to me. He looked me over for a moment, trying to ascertain, without contact, if I was ok. And then, he turned and ran. As his footsteps faded away, I half expected to hear the snakelike voice echoing around me, but I knew that THAT part of my vision had nothing to do with this. I looked at George, still out, unsure if I should try to help him or not. Sighing, I took my high heels off, mindfasting with Harry as I did so.

Harry!

What now, Majella? I don't really feel like arguing with you again tonight…

Look, I'm not gonna fight with you, but I need you to just shut up and listen to me for a second. George is just outside the Great Hall. He's unconscious. I can't explain right now, but Harry, if Draco hadn't shown up when he did, I think George would have really hurt me. He slammed me into a wall. Harry...I think he's cursed or something. Look after him, please. I have to go find Draco.

Wait, Jella, what the fuck do you mean? Jella, what happened?

Without answering, I cut the mental link between us, and ran off, praying that Draco was where I thought he would be. I screeched to a halt outside the Kitchen door, struggling to catch my breath and keep the bile from rising in my throat. I tickled the pear, turning it into a door handle, like I had, many times. Cautiously, I peeked into the Kitchens, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw the brilliant blond hair of my boyfriend. Wordlessly, I crossed the Kitchens, sitting across the table from where Draco was sitting, stunned and nursing a mug of tea.

"So….you wanna tell me what the fuck just happened, or do you need to process that a little more first?"

Draco sighed, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. "Jella, I don't even KNOW what happened, honestly. I felt like I had no control at all. It didn't even feel like it was ME moving my body."

"So you think that someone else just made you lay out the bloke that was threatening and your unborn child's mother?" I snorted at the thought.

Draco looked at me, seriously. "Majella, it's not funny. I've been noticing it a lot lately. I feel all funny, like my body goes completely numb, and then I lose control, and by the time I get control back, I've already done something weird or stupid. Jella, it feels like SOMEONE ELSE is taking over. You don't think I'm Imperiused, do you?"

I thought about it for a minute, my stomach twisting and turning. "Dobby!" I screamed.

"Yes, Miss Jella?" Dobby answered from my elbow.

"Get me a fucking bucket, Dobby, I'm gonna fucking vomit!"

Dobby sprinted away, returning in a flash with a bucket that he placed in front of me, just in time. Draco jumped up and patted my back comfortingly, and he struggled to hold my curl out of vomit-range. Dobby scampered away again, to return with a steaming mug of tea which he set gently on the table next to me.

When I had finally ended the total ejection of all stomach contents, he said in his small, squeaky voice, "Miss Jella, Dobby has brought some ginger tea. It helps calm the stomach during morning sickness. Dobby assumes Miss Jella hasn't taken her potion tonight."

"How did you know that, Dobby?" Draco asked, confused.

"Dobby hears things, Master Malfoy. Dobby is not as stupid as some think." He tapped his nose, knowingly.

"Oh...you don't have to call me that any more, Dobby. I'm not your master now. I'm not a lot of things now, thanks to Majella."

"Dobby thanks you, sir. Dobby can see that Mister Draco has a good heart. Miss Jella just had to bring it out of the shadows, so it could be seen." Dobby bowed low and scurried away to tend the fires.

We sat in silence for a while, sipping our tea and worrying about the possibility of Draco being under the Imperius Curse. After my third or fourth yawn, Draco noticed.

"Oh, my love, I'm so sorry. You must be exhausted after everything that's happened today. We'd better get back to the dungeons. Siobhan's probably worried anyways."

He helped me to my feet, picking up my shoes from the floor at the same time. We left the Kitchens, hand in hand. The castle was quiet, and it was a fairly pleasant walk down to the dungeons, considering all that had happened in the last few hours, and how tired I was.

It was nearly three in the morning, and Siobhan was unpinning my hair and wiping my makeup away. Draco sat on her bed, behind us, while I brought Siobhan up to date about the night's events. Siobhan looked like she had a lot to say, but when she had unpinned the last of my curls and wiped the last makeup from my face, she merely told us we both looked near death and told us to go to bed. I knew that once we were rested, Siobhan would say her piece.

I couldn't sleep that night, trying desperately to swallow the nausea and anxiety. Draco tried his best to stay awake with me, but he was too tired. Come dawn, I didn't think it was worth even trying any more, so I got out of bed, careful not wake Draco.

Majella...are you awake yet?

I jumped at the mental contact.

What the bloody hell, Harry? Are you TRYING to give me a heart attack?

Sorry...I just...Hermione says I may be overreacting about you and Draco a bit...she thought maybe you and I needed a real conversation...face to face...no distractions. Meet me at the Astronomy Tower?

Harry, I ALWAYS go up to meet you. Just this once, can't you come down to the dungeons to meet me? Or we could meet in the kitchens...mutual territory, and I'm starving…

Fine. I'll meet you in a half hour in the kitchens...and Jella…

Yes, Harry?

Don't bring that snake boyfriend of yours. Please.

Harry, to be honest, you're lucky I'm even gonna meet you there, especially now. Don't be an ass, or I won't show up at all.

I cut off the contact, sharply, giving Harry no time to retract his comment about Draco. Well, we had officially come full circle. First I was defending my brother to Draco, and now I was defending Draco to Harry. It didn't help that Harry had been an absolute dick lately. I felt not even a hint of desire to be nice to him, let alone meet him in the kitchens. I debated standing him up and blocking him out of my mind. In the end, I wrote a note for Draco, so he didn't worry about me, and headed to the kitchens, because I really was hungry, but the twisting feeling in my stomach almost sent me running to the bathroom several times during the walk. Thankfully, I had remembered to bring my bag, with my prenatal potions and my anti-nausea potions. When I got to the kitchens, Dobby greeted me brightly and sat me at a small table with a cup of boiling water. I took out my magical teabag, and then remembered reading something about certain kinds of tea that pregnant women shouldn't drink. Digging out the pamphlets that Madame Pomfrey gave me, I searched through the list of "Do Eat" and "DO Not Eat" until I found a list of teas that were acceptable. According to the pamphlet, my favorite vanilla and almond flavored tea was okay. I concentrated on the flavor and immediately, the bag filled with tea leaves and started steeping. Taking a small sip, I steadied myself for the nasty taste of the potions, took my dose of each, and grabbed a scone from a plate Dobby had left on the table. I heard the door open loudly and I quickly shoved all of my pregnancy related items back into my bag. It wouldn't be a good idea for Harry to find out about that just yet.

"Harry Potter, sir, Miss Majella waits, just over here. Would you like anything to drink?"

"Just some pumpkin juice, thanks, Dobby."

Harry sat across from me, studying my face until Dobby had brought Harry's juice and bustled away.

"So….you did end up coming...I appreciate that..."

"I almost didn't." I said pointedly, not meeting Harry's eyes.

"Well...I guess I'm grateful, then."

We sat in silence for a long while, looking anywhere but at each other.

"So….did you ask me here for a reason, or did you just want to stare at each other all morning?"

"No need to be rude, Majella. I actually DID have a reason."

I nodded. "I thought so. Get on with it, then. I'm sure it's something about how I shouldn't be with Draco because of what he did to George last night, am I right?"

Harry's face grew dark. "Unfortunately...no…."

I choked on my tea. "You're joking, right? For once, the Great Harry Potter has nothing bad to say about my boyfriend?"

"Shut up, Jella, or I won't tell you what I found out last night."

I quieted, mid-chuckle.

"So after your boyfriend knocked George unconscious, and you both ran away, Ron and I went to go make sure George was ok. When we got there, he was sitting against a wall just muttering to himself. We asked if he was all right and I told him that you had mindfasted me to let me know where he was. He seemed ashamed that you even cared, so I kind of forced him to tell me what happened. He told me about how he grabbed you, and how he threw you into the wall, and how Draco knocked him out, and he made sure to tell me that he didn't blame you OR Draco. And THEN he told me WHY he'd done it." Harry paused, trying to find the right words to continue.

"Yes? Harry, come on….I need to know what was going on with him….things may have ended in the shittiest way possible between us...but I still care about him."

"You probably won't when I tell you..."

"Harry, tell me. Now."

"Well...he saw you dancing with Draco, and he said he just went kind of mad. He had this urge to tell you how you ended up being able to be together."

I interjected. "We know how we ended up being able to be together….you gave your consent..."

"Majella, do you want me to tell you or not?"

"Sorry...continue."

"Well, apparently, he had a hand in me giving my consent. Over the summer, he developed some kind of 'joke' for him and Fred to sell, but he didn't tell Fred why he was making it. It was a special undershirt that made him able to basically Imperius whoever he wanted, without it actually being an Imperius Curse. I didn't really understand all the technical stuff...but he said it basically allowed him to control my mind. And he wore it all the time, so I never snapped out of it, until he told me about it. Jella...he lied to both of us."

"You've GOT to be kidding me."

"I wish I were. He said that was why he was so upset, seeing you with Malfoy. He said he couldn't stand the thought that he'd spent his entire summer holiday creating a fail-proof way for you to be together, and in the end, you were happier with someone else."

I stood up quickly, my chair tipping over with a loud BANG. "I'm sorry, Harry, I've got to go. I can't do this right now." I ran out of the Kitchens, my heart pounding in my ears. I didn't stop until I had reached Snape's office. As if he knew I was coming, he swung the heavy door open, just as I raised my hand to knock. I raised my eyebrow at him, but he just muttered, "Intruder Charm at the end of the hall," and stepped aside to let me in.

"I've got to talk to you."

"Well I hardly thought you were stopping by to borrow a cup of sugar."

"You're a right ray of sunshine, this morning aren't you?"

"Miss Potter, I haven't even had my coffee yet, so whatever is the matter, you might want to wait just a moment, or I'll end the conversation short, by sending you out on your ass."

"Wow, Sev, I've literally NEVER heard you swear before. It sounds weird when you do it..."

Snape growled at me. He barked an only slightly unintelligible word, and a House Elf Apparated in, with a CRACK. "Ahh, Bungie, could you be so kind as to bring me a cup of coffee, and whatever Miss Potter would like, please?"

"Ginger tea, for me, thanks."

"Right away, Master Snape," the small House Elf squeaked, and she Disapparated.

Snape and I sat in silence, until Bungie Apparated in again, with a tray filled with our drinks and some biscuits and honey.

As I sipped my tea, Snape made us both biscuits, and then settled down behind his desk with his coffee. "Now, Miss Potter, you may tell me what is troubling you."

"Well….first off – and I don't want you yelling at me about this, because I'm already scared and ashamed – but Draco and I are….going to be parents." I waited, to let my revelation sink in.

"I'm sure you will be one day, Majella. Most people DO have children, when they start their adult lives."

"No...Severus, please. You're not listening. Draco and I are going to be parents. In about nine months."

Snape spluttered and choked, his cup landing on the ground with the tinkling sound of shattering china.

"You're joking, of course, Majella. I know that you wouldn't have been so STUPID."

"WHAT DID I JUST SAY?" I roared at him, hurt. "I ALREADY FEEL BAD ENOUGH AS IT IS, NO NEED TO RUB LEMON IN THE WOUND."

Snape looked taken aback at my outburst. As if I hadn't felt ashamed enough already, now I'd gone and yelled at my favorite professor. Nice job, Majella, really. Lovely, that was.

"I'm sorry, Majella. You're right. It's not my place to make you feel ashamed about this. I'm here to support you. I assume Madame Pomfrey already knows, or you wouldn't be so sure?"

"Yes, sir. She told me that I could tell you on my own, but that she would need to tell Professor Dumbledore."

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore and I will have to meet this morning to decide how best to keep this secret. It wouldn't do for the entire world to know just yet. Though, I must say, this is the first time in Hogwarts history that we've had a fourteen year-old student fall pregnant."

"I don't like that term, fall pregnant. It sounds like I caught a disease. Madame Pomfrey gave me a pamphlet, and it said that in America, they say that they 'got' pregnant, or something. Falling pregnant just doesn't sound….pleasant…. Not that it really is pleasant to begin with, but..." I trailed off, aware that I was off track. "Anyways, so yeah, there's that. There's also something else I need to tell you. About George Weasley."

For the next half hour, I explained everything that had happened the night before, and the confession that Harry had relayed to me just a few minutes prior. Snape listened, quietly, though I could almost see his mind whirring and clinking around the facts.

"Well, Miss Potter, lets take this bit by bit, shall we?"

I nodded, unsure of where to begin.

"First of all, you said that something happened in the middle of this...'event' with Mister Weasley, but when you had a vision of it, months prior, that piece of the situation didn't happen at all?"

"Yes. It wasn't even like I just skipped it over, in the vision, either. It literally changed everything about the scene. In my vision, I was never against a wall, I was standing in the middle of the Entrance Hall when Draco punched George. But when it actually happened, I was still against the wall, where George had thrown me. Not that it's a HUGE event, but it's almost like the small details changed, but the core events never did. I didn't think that was possible, though. I thought a vision was exactly what was going to happen. Like fate."

"Well...Divination can be a muddy form of magic, at times," Snape mused. "Visions of the future HAVE been known to change, due to the choices that people have made. We shall have to bring this up to Professor Dumbledore. This really isn't my area of expertise. Now, Mr. Malfoy's strange condition. I'm quite sure that he isn't under the Imperius Curse, because he would likely be confused and unintelligible most of the time. You haven't noticed him having long periods of time where he just sits and seems to go into a trance, have you?"

"No...not that I've seen..."

"Then I would assume that he's not under the Imperius Curse. I have a theory, but again, I'll need to run it by Professor Dumbledore before I can say. It isn't the sort of thing I'd like to have to explain, if it isn't the case."

"Oh, yes, that didn't worry me AT ALL," I said, sarcastically.

Snape smiled wryly. "I'm sorry, Majella, but that's all I have to say on the matter. As for Mr. Weasley's invention, I trust it's been destroyed now?"

"I didn't stay to find out, honestly. If it isn't, I'll make sure it does get destroyed. Today."

"Good, then perhaps we can keep Mr. Weasley from getting into TOO much trouble. Although I'm afraid that his actions towards you last night were unacceptable, and he must be punished for it. As must Mr. Malfoy."

"Great. So now I'm the rat that told my 'guardian professor' and got them in trouble. That's a great idea, sir." My sarcasm was strong.

"Well, Miss Potter, there were several students who happened to see bits and pieces of the incident. So the blame should stay off of you. But they must BOTH have detention for it. There IS still a strict rule against fighting, unless Professor Dumbledore changed the rules without informing me."

"Fine...but I had NOTHING to do with you finding out. I'm already a pariah around here, I don't need any more marks against me with these people."

Snape laughed. "You know, when you say things like that, you ALMOST sound like an adult. You may be a fine mother to your child."

The talk turned to my pregnancy, and we chatted amiably for an hour, before I remembered that Draco would be waking up and worried about me. I said my goodbyes and thanked Snape for the tea and the talk. As I made my way back up to the father of the child growing inside me, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of me. But in the back of my mind, I still worried. Draco was going to be all right…..wasn't he?