To eighth year and beyond

The truth

'So, I told you that yesterday I was at an appointment, right?' Draco asked, putting on the table lamp.

Maya nodded as she sat up and looked at him. 'Maya' Draco said, taking a deep breath. 'I…I've been getting counselling. It's not through St Mungos. It's more of a muggle thing.'

'What do you do there?' she asked, confused.

'I talk to someone.'

'That's why you left me? Because you didn't want to talk to me?' she whispered, her face falling.

Draco shook his head. 'No, but I just needed you to know about the counselling. That started after I left you.'

…

…

'Maya, you want more kids, right?'

Maya was confused. 'I guess. I hadn't really thought about it much.'

'You hadn't?' Maya shook her head. 'But when we spoke about contraception you said you didn't mind if it happened.'

'Yeah, because I didn't mind as such. I wasn't obsessed about it though. If it was going to happen, it would happen.' She shrugged.

'Oh. Well, after a couple of months I got worried. The two times we forgot contraception before you ended up pregnant. I spoke to a colleague and although I said I wasn't worried, I was and he convinced me to get tests. Maya…I can't have kids.' He mumbled.

'What? Of course you can! We have Arya!'

Draco shook his head, and Maya saw his eyes filling with tears.

'Draco..'

'Maya, remember I went to Malfoy Manor a few years ago, to help Harry and Ron?' Maya nodded, encouraging him to continue. 'I didn't remember much from that night, but I found out recently that at one point, I got split up from them somehow and I was alone with my father. When Harry came in the room, he was beating me, kicking me everywhere, including the groin. When he saw Harry, he knew it was over which is why he crucio'd me. When I first found out I couldn't have any more kids, we assumed it was due to my body going through so much with the torture I had gone through.'

'When I found out about the manor, I went back to my healer and he confirmed it was actually probably the impact from the beating that did it.'

Maya gasped. 'He tortured you, he beat you and now you can't have any more kids all because of him.'

Draco nodded and looked at her. 'That's why I had to leave you.' He said quietly and Maya sighed.

'That's why you kept saying "I can't give you what you want" isn't it?'

Draco nodded again. 'You deserve better than me. I want you to have what you want.'

Maya sat up straighter. 'I only ever wanted you.' She whispered, climbing out of bed and heading down the hall to the kitchen.

Draco sighed and left her for a few minutes before following her.

'You left me.' She said, as he came in to the kitchen. 'You wouldn't even talk to me. You assumed I wouldn't want to be with you, or that I so badly wanted kids that I wouldn't want you. You didn't even give me a chance.'

Draco sighed and sat down at the small table. 'I'm sorry. I knew though – I knew that you would just say "it's fine" even if you really wanted more kids. I couldn't let you miss out on more kids just because I don't work.'

'I can't miss what I don't have Draco. But you…one day I had you and the next you disappeared. I missed you – I still miss you! You should have spoken to me. We could have talked about it at least.'

'I'm sorry. I just didn't know how. I had it in my head that you wouldn't love me and that you deserved better.'

'That's where the counselling comes in to it. My healer recommended it after I took a month off work and he found me drinking firewhisky straight from the bottle. I haven't touched a drop since he found me and convinced me to try counselling.'

Maya's resolve started to waiver as she reached across the table and clutched his hand.

'I'm so sorry. I love you.' He whispered,

Maya was shocked and burst into tears.

'Are you ok?' he asked.

'I..I've just been waiting to hear you say that for months. I hate that you felt you couldn't talk to me. Am I that bad?'

'No, you crazy lady. You're amazing; I'm just an idiot.'

Maya stood up and led him in to the living room where she curled up in his lap on the couch. Nothing happened but Maya felt safe in his arms.

'Please don't leave me again.' She whispered. 'Please talk to me.'

Draco nodded. 'These last 4 months have been hell. I'm not going anywhere and I will try to talk to you more. It can be hard but I will try.'

…

…

'Draco. I'm not ready to…to..go back to how we were before. I want you to move back in with me and Arya, but I want to date you. I want to start again.' She whispered.

Draco was shocked but nodded. 'It's more than I deserve. I'll stay in the spare room.'

Maya nodded. 'Thank you.' She whispered, curling up against his chest and closing her eyes.

…

Maya woke up the next morning back in the bed. She felt warm and comfy; when she opened her eyes, she realised why. Her head was lying across Draco's chest, one leg thrown over his. His arms were wrapped around her. It felt normal, safe and cosy.

'Sorry.' She heard him whisper as he stirred.

Maya chuckled. 'I think I'm the one that is lying over you.' She went to move, but Draco held her by the waist.

'Don't move.' He whispered. 'This is nice.'

Maya smiled to herself. It is nice.

'If this is uncomfortable for you, just say.' He said, sleepily. 'I know you're not ready for us to get back to the way we were.'

'No, this is nice. I like lying in bed with you. Takes me back to when we were 15!'

'If we are going back to 15, then I have something to ask you.'

'Will you wear this again?' he asked, presenting her with her promise ring.

'Where did you..?'

'I found it on the bedside table in our bedroom. I' m sorry I made you take them off.'

'You didn't make me.'

'I did in a way though. I walked out. I regret that so much. When you threw your rings at me, I honestly thought my heart was going to break.'

'I think this will make us stronger, eventually.' She responded, taking the ring off of him and slipping it on to the ring finger on her right hand. 'Do you have my engagement ring?' she asked.

'Yeah. Did you want it back? I didn't think you would?'

'I just wanted to make sure you had it for when we're in that place again.'

Draco nodded and kissed her forehead. 'I do love you. I just need you to know that.'

'Now, can I check you over again?'

Maya sighed and nodded. She moved off of him and lay down on her back.

Ten minutes later, with her bruises tended to, he sat back down next to her. 'You're ok.' He said, quietly. 'I wish you would tell me who did this.'

'No, Draco. I am going to put him away for what he did to Pansy. What he did to me doesn't matter. She went through hell Draco, complete hell. What happened to me is nothing compared to what happened to her.'

'You deserve to see some justice too.'

Maya smiled at him and moved to sit on his lap. 'I love that you care so much, but I just want to do this for Pansy. I don't want to tell anyone else what happened to me.'

Draco sighed but nodded. 'Do you need my help?'

Maya wanted to say yes but she knew if she accepted his offer, she would have to tell him who she was building a case against. 'No, I will manage. I'm going to go and start now. Is that ok?'

'Of course, I have some admin to do for work.'

Maya dressed in a pair of joggers and one of Draco's hoodies then made her way downstairs, where Draco was making pancakes.

'Thank you.' She whispered as he sat a plate down in front of her. He then pushed a hot chocolate her way. 'You're spoiling me.' She smiled.

'I've missed being able to do this.'

'Mmm, your pancakes. They're what I've missed the most!'

'Thanks very much.' He chuckled.

…

'Hey, do you want some lunch?' he asked her at 1pm. She had been working for hours and was starting to get a cramp in her hand.

'Yeah. I can make it.' She said, running her hand across his shoulder as she went past. 'What would you like?'

'Well, actually I was going to ask if you wanted to go out. There is a nice little café about a ten-minute walk away?'

Maya nodded and ran to change in to a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She pulled Draco's hoodie back on before they left.

They walked down the road holding hands. Maya was laughing at something Draco said when she saw something in her peripheral vision that made her stomach squirm. Whipping her head around, Maya saw someone standing across the road. Someone that she really didn't want to see.

Maya froze and stared at them, feeling sick as they gave her a nasty smirk. Draco stopped, confused, and followed where Maya was looking. As he saw Maya's face and the look on the other man's face, he realised who he was.

'It's him?' Draco spat. 'FLINT!' he roared, running over to the other man, who disapparated before he could get there.

Draco span around in frustration; there was no way to find out where he had gone. He turned back around and faced Maya, who was still stood frozen on the other side of the road.

'Maya?' he said quietly, walking up to her. Even though he was quiet, Maya flinched before she realised who it was.

She was gasping for breath. 'Draco, I can't breathe.'

'You can baby, you can breathe. Slowly. Really slow. That's it, you're fine.'

'Why was he here? Where is he? We need to go home. What if he goes after Arya?'

'Shh, shh. Arya is safe – he wouldn't be able to find her.'

'Please Draco, we have to go home.' She whispered, still shocked. Has he been following me? How could he have known where we were though?

Draco nodded. 'Ok, let's go and get ready to go.'