The next morning it was time to go. I knew it wouldn't last.
The honeymoon was over. Which was a relief, but at the same time, I felt like we had been in another world these past few days. If Draco were to ever fall in love with me, it would be in a place like this.
But perhaps he was right. My head had been a permanent resident of the clouds and I suppose it was time to float back down to earth.
I said goodbye to Edith and she made me promise to write to her, and I agreed. Aside from that I really had no closure from this little holiday to Wales.
We settled into a small limousine and Draco sat facing the front while I was sitting with my back toward the driver. It was spacious and nice, but I found I missed the towncar.
And I'm sure I would miss a great many things once I'd returned to the reality of Malfoy Manor.
Whatever had come over us during the past few days, it was undoubtedly gone now.
Once we settled in our passenger car on the train, Draco pulled out a copy of The Daily Prophet he'd gotten at the station and began to read in earnest.
The copy of Grimm Fairy Tales I'd taken with me was nestled safely in my bag, though I never imagined that I'd read from it again. Not anymore.
"Well, Mrs. Malfoy, would you like to see yourself in The Daily Prophet?" Draco asked suddenly.
I shook my head and continued to stare out the window. He shoved the paper at me anyway and I found myself looking down at a photo of the two of us smiling during our vows, looking so much in love.
Draco was obviously a good actor.
"Who took these?" I wondered. I grabbed the paper and scanned the page for the article.
"It could have been anyone, really. I'm glad of it, though. I had completely forgotten to hire someone from the Prophet to announce it. This way it really does look spontaneous." Draco said with a smile.
I found the article and skimmed through it, getting more irritated with every sentence.
"Draco Malfoy, one of the wizarding world's most eligible bachelors, was suddenly taken off the market Saturday night in an impromptu wedding ceremony at the Caernarfon Hotel in Cardiff." I read out loud.
Draco was beside himself with humor.
"You think this is funny, do you? I'm not even mentioned." I realized. I double-checked and confirmed my suspicions. I didn't know whether to be glad of my anonimity, or completely furious.
Draco took the paper back from me and ran a finger down the page, pointing at a certain paragraph.
"Of course you're mentioned. Here: The new bride of the Malfoy heir is an unidentified beauty presumed to be a local of Cardiff." Draco said. I scoffed.
"Well as long as they mentioned me." I said with sarcasm.
Draco folded the paper and tossed it into the empty seat next to him and placed his elbows on his knees, trying to reach for my hand.
"They called you a beauty. Even the world recognizes how stunning you can be when you don't try to be invisible." He said, fingering the wedding ring on my left hand.
"And how long until they discover I'm pregnant, I wonder." I said bemusedly.
Draco leaned back in his seat, summing me up in one of his long, intense gazes.
"Does it matter?" Draco finally said. I shrugged.
I discovered that I was quite tired all of the sudden. Everything had happened so fast and I was beginning to forget what was important to me.
I let my head flop back against the seat and I rolled it back and forth.
And then I remembered myself again.
"Draco, there are a few things we forgot to settle when we were making our terms." I said, my head popping back up.
Draco was settled with his foot resting on the opposite knee, his hands flipping through the Prophet again.
"What things?" Draco asked, not really paying attention to me. My nose wrinkled agitatedly.
"I want to finish getting my degree in Potions." I said.
Draco looked up at me and then looked back at the paper again.
"What for? I have a career that will will sustain us both." He said dismissively.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me. I want to finish getting my degree in Potions at Wiglaf. I don't want to live on your bloody stipend." I put a hand over the paper until I had his attention.
"So you refuse to be taken care of? If I were you I'd think about the consequences." Draco said. I stood up angrily, my hands on my hips.
"Another one of your ridiculous threats, Malfoy? I'm not a chess pawn. I'm a human being. A person with her own mind and feelings." I exclaimed.
I sensed a few angry tears on the way and knew I'd have to leave. I would rather have died than let Malfoy watch me cry.
"Don't get hysterical." Draco said.
"You can't control me." I replied. And with that I threw open the door and stormed off down the hall toward the dining car.
I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. My stomach hadn't been the same in ages and the toasted cheese, perhaps, was the only thing that would suit it.
It seemed once there was a baby inside me, there wasn't enough room left for food.
I picked the crusts off and began eating, trying to pace myself so I wouldn't get sick. Within seconds I knew it wasn't going to agree with me, so I shoved the sandwich aside and let my head fall on the table.
"Why?" I said to myself. This was a bloody ridiculous life I'd stumbled onto. I was living one of those movies that I often watched on the telly when I wanted to drown my sorrows. And then I decided to give myself a stern talking-to.
There was no reason to feel sorry for myself. Best to move forward and make the best of things, even if my Prince Charming never came. There was more to life than that, I knew.
I would have the child, Malfoy and I would divorce, I would continue my studies as a single parent, and someday I would look back on all this foolishness and laugh.
I pushed aside the sandwich again and headed back toward the car.
And then I started to see darkness, like the dimming of lights in a theater.
And then, nothing.
Davis, the damned fool, Draco thought.
Getting all upset over practically nothing. And then stalking off by herself.
Very soon, Draco heard the commotion down the hall and curiously went to the door to take a peek.
Davis was on the ground, out cold, trying to be revived by one of the kitchen staff.
Her nose was bleeding and she looked deathly pale.
In that second he hated her so intensely he couldn't stand it.
He pushed through the onlookers and kneeled next to her, patting her face as if to wake her. He became annoyed when she remained unresponsive.
He plucked her gently from the floor, finding her rather light.
"Is there a doctor?" He heard himself ask. A few moments later he had carried her to the nurse's station where a stern-faced woman began to tend to the bloody nose.
"What happened?" She asked, her lips pinched. Draco honestly had no idea.
"I'm not sure." Draco admitted. The nurse worked fast and ran her wand all over Davis. Then she put a strange jar underneath her nose to revive her.
When I came to, a rather somber-looking woman was frowning down at me. Had I died? Perhaps this woman was meant to ward away the wicked from Heaven.
"As soon as you return home, I'd consult your Midwife, my dear." The woman said.
"What's the matter?" Draco asked, alarmed. I looked in the corner and noticed Draco for the first time, standing with his arms tight across his chest.
"It's not uncommon for pregnancy to cause anemia. Nosebleeds and fainting or dizzy spells are the most frequent symptoms. I'd recommend bed rest and plenty of fluids until she can accept more nourishment." The nurse replied.
"Oh, my head." I moaned.
The nurse fumbled around in her cabinet and produced a potion that I slowly drank until my pains subsided.
Draco's face was pinched with concern and he held his arm out for me to lean against him as we walked back to our car. Eventually he slid his hand around my side and drew my arm over his shoulder with care.
"I'm not suffering a broken ankle, Malfoy." I said.
"Shut up, will you? Now tell me why you haven't been eating." Draco snapped.
"Because nothing stays down. And besides, I've been a little too busy entertaining my husband to eat." I said, a partial smile forming at the corner of my mouth. But I stopped myself because I suddenly remembered that we were still having an ongoing fight.
"Are you saying this is my fault?" Draco was angrier than I'd ever seen him. I stopped walking and took his face in my hands.
"Let's get this straight. According to you I've been seducing you since day one. This is obviously my fault for being too sexy." I said, saucily. Draco glared harshly at me.
"I wouldn't give yourself airs, Davis." He said, releasing me and taking his seat.
"How very convenient for you, Mr. Malfoy. When judging my attractiveness, you've always said I was plain and ugly, but when it comes to our mistake, the blame falls into my lap because you could not control yourself. Does this not strike you as contradictory?"
"I've since recanted my opinions on your looks. And if you want me to say it, then FINE. It was OUR bloody mistake. Don't think I haven't cursed myself daily ever since." Draco said petulantly. I could have slapped his face.
"Likewise, Mr. Malfoy. Likewise." I said, regaining my composure.
We sat in a furious silence the rest of the way back and I did nothing but try to suss out my confusion in this whole mess.
It was very befuddling but Draco's actions always seemed to be in constant struggle with his mouth.
I briefly wondered which one would win out.
"Welcome back, Master Draco, and the Missus." Camus said. I was incredibly happy to see him but I didn't want to embarrass him by hugging him.
"Thank you, Camus. I'm ever so glad to see you." I exclaimed.
Malfoy's face was stony, as usual, and he greeted Camus with indifference.
"Camus, I have special instructions regarding Mrs. Malfoy. She is not to leave my chambers for any reason and she is to be confined to bed until she regains her strength."
"The Missus is ill?" Camus asked. Draco nodded curtly.
"Very ill. She is to have plenty of liquids and rest, and I want you to make sure she gets whatever food she asks for." Draco continued, not even looking at me.
It was as though I wasn't even present. I rolled my eyes and began ascending the grand staircase.
"Stop right there, you." Draco said.
He stood a few steps below me, his shoulder at the same height as my stomach. He lowered himself a bit and then lifted me over said shoulder, carrying me up the stairs in a rather primal fashion.
"Would you care for tea, Mrs. Malfoy?" Camus called after us.
"No thanks, Camus, but blueberry pancakes might be nice." I said, dangling across Draco's back.