Author's note:

An authors note before the chapter? Unheard of! I know that it's been a while since i last updated, so sorry! Life got crazy busy. I will try to be speedier, I swear! Okay, so for this chapter, I'm going to jump forward in Eliza's pregnancy a bit. It won't affect the storyline too much, I just felt the need to speed things along a tiny bit. So she's just gone from about two months pregnant to three and a half. Deal? Wonderful. Lets get to it…

"Eliza?"

I'm sitting in the common room with Colin. He keeps trying to chat with me, but my mind is elsewhere. "Eh?"

"I uh… I was just asking you a question," Colin says slowly. "Are you alright?"

I look down at my stomach and sigh. "I've started showing a bit."

Colin frowns slightly and shrugs. "So what?"

"People are going to be able to tell soon."

Colin sighs. "Oh."

"I need to tell people. I would rather they hear it from me than from some rumor."

Colin shook his head. "Lize, you really don't need to do that. It'll be obvious before long."

I frown. "But I…"

"Lize, it'll be better this way, I promise. Just let people come to their own conclusions. It's gonna happen anyways."

I scowl slightly. "Okay…"

Colin smiles and takes my hand, pulling me to my feet. "Come on. Great Hall. Dinner will have started."

I don't feel very hungry, but I allow him to lead me out the portrait hole and down the stairs. We sit down at the Gryffindor across from Rose, Dom and Emily Thomas. "Alright, Lizie?"

"Fine, Emily," I say shortly.

Emily twirls a strand of curly black hair around her finger and frowns suspiciously. "You sure? You look like you're upset about something. You can tell me. We never talk anymore…"

I look down. "It's nothing, Em," I say quietly. I have been distant with all of my dorm mates except Dom and Rose lately. It's hard to stay close to people when you're trying to keep such a huge secret.

"Actually," I say slowly, "I'm not fine. Just a minute," I murmur, standing up on the bench.

"Eliza," Rose and Colin say in unison, their warning tones matching each other exactly.

"Oi!" I yell, my voice echoing through the great hall. The chatter quiets, but doesn't cease altogether. "OI!" I scream again.

Silence.

"Alright… I have a bit of an announcement."

I glance up to the staff table where both my father and Headmistress McGonagall are staring at me with panic in their eyes. My father is beginning to stand up.

"So… I'm pregnant," I say quickly.

Brilliant. Just let it out there.

The hall remains quiet. "I just thought that it was better if you lot heard it from me…"

As if in slow motion, the hall begins to explode. People are standing up right and left, shouting and pointing. Some are still sitting, staring dumbfounded at me.

Boring old Longbottom?

She's not even pretty.

That perfect little Prefect?

Who would ever get with that?

I can hear what they're saying, and it hurts a lot more than I imagined it would. I can see my dad rapidly approaching, but someone is grabbing my hand and pulling me from the hall before he can reach me.

I realize that tears are beginning to form in my eyes as I reach the entrance hall. I turn around to thank whoever rescued me, but the words get caught in my throat.

James

He's smiling weakly. "Bloody brilliant. I always knew that my kid would wreak absolute havoc before it was even born."

I laugh weakly before dissolving into tears. He takes me into his arms and hugs me tightly. "Don't listen to what they mutter about you," He says softly. "You aren't a slag. You're my best friend."

This just makes me cry harder. James pulls away slightly, and looks at me. "Well, you look awful, and people are going to realize you aren't in there any second now…" He looks around. "Come on."

He pulls me up a flight of stairs and into an empty classroom. "There. Now you can ugly cry all you want to."

I laugh through tears. "I-I've been… Horrible to you," I sob.

He leans against the wall and crosses his arms. "Yes you have," he says with a smug smile. "Bout time you said that."

He must notice the outraged look on my face, because he walks towards me and takes my shoulders. "I'm only joking, Little E," he says softly. "I haven't exactly been Prince Charming to you, either."

I shake my head. "No, no… You're right." I sigh. "You've tried to work things out so many times… And I've just been awful."

He kisses my forehead. "It's alright, Eliza. We're all awful sometimes."

I don't know how long we stayed in the classroom, but we didn't talk at all after that. We simply sat in silence, and I let him hold my hand. It was nice.

"Colin will be wondering where you are."

I groan and stand up quickly. "Oh no… He's going to be bloody pissed."

James laughs weakly. "He's gonna be pissed," he agrees.

"He's gonna dump me," I groan.

James takes a deep breath. "Eliza… I've shared a dorm with Colin for seven years. One of the only things I've ever heard the bloke talk about is you. He's been enamoured with you for ages. He obviously likes you a lot, considering he's looking past your pregnancy. This wont make any difference."

I bite my lip. "You think?"

He gives me a sad smile. "Any boy would be a fool to let you go."

I look down, a guilty pit settling in my stomach. "Thanks, James."

He takes my hand and squeezes it slightly. "What are best friends for?"

We walk to the Fat Lady in silence, and just as I'm about to give the password, James clears his throat. "What?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "I just… Er… My mum and dad want to know if you're planning on staying at the school for Christmas holiday next week."

I nod slowly. "Well… My parents are here. I wasn't really planning on going anywhere else. Why?"

He rolls his eyes. "Mum really wants you to stay with us for Christmas. Mum and Dad, Teddy and Vic, Dot, Al, Lily, and Scorpius. The whole Potter clan."

I stand there silent for a moment.

"You don't have to say yes," James mumbles.

"No," I say quickly. "No, I'd absolutely love it."

James laughs. "Really?"

I grin widely. "I can't imagine a better holiday."

James squeezes my hand as I say the password, the lets my climb through first. A hush falls on the crowd of people as I enter the room.

"H-hi," I say sheepishly. My eyes fall on Emily Thomas. "That's why I've been so weird lately."

She squirms slightly. "Oh."

I see that not everyone is taking the news as well as Colin and Rose…

"What are you lot staring at," Rose snaps. "Everyone turn around," she commands.

People scramble to avert their gazes from me, uneager to face the wrath of Rose Weasley. She hugs me tightly. "You are one brave, stupid girl," she says.

Albus laughs from behind me, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "I wholeheartedly agree."

I feel tears prick at my eyes again. "Thank you," I mutter.

Rose pulls away from the hug, and Albus laughs uncomfortably. "Thank you for what? We just called you stupid," he says.

"Thank you for not thinking I'm a slag," I say.

Albus smiles awkwardly. "Oh. Yeah… Of course."

I hear a cough behind me.

Rose and Albus both inch back uncomfortably. "We should go…" Rose says before grabbing Albus' wrist and disappearing into the crowd.

I turn around slowly.

Oh no.

"Hello… Headmistress."

Author's note:

Okay… So it seems I've forgotten how to write? This chapter is kind of a mess… Sorry. Anyways, next chapter is in the works, and it isn't as much of a mess as this, I promise! It'll be up within the week. :) Also- I have a challenge for all of you! I got some great reactions to my face claim of Eliza, and even though I have a person in mind for every character, I'd like to see what you are picturing. Leave your ideal FC for any character in the reviews! I can't wait to see what you come up with. :) Remember to rate and review. It means the world! XOXO.