House: Slytherin
Category: drabble
Prompt: [Word] Secret
Word Count: 473
oO0Oo
Pansy leaned forward. "What do you want? Gin, rum, vodka… you name it."
"Just water," Astoria answered.
"Please," Pansy scoffed. "We're at a muggle bar where they have everything. We're getting a real drink." She turned to the bartender. "Two negronis." The drinks appeared almost instantaneously, and Pansy shoved one into Astoria's hands. "Bottoms up."
But Astoria gingerly placed it down on the counter. "Pansy, I need to talk to you."
"Drink, then. It's probably about Draco, and I can't deal with him until we're smashed."
Astoria tucked a stray hair behind her ear "It is about Draco… but I can't drink."
Pansy scowled and was about to speak when a sudden light appeared in her eyes. She leaned back, a speculative smirk on her face. "Oh," she said. "Oh." She grinned, like a cat with the cream. "He's only your fiancé… but does Draco know yet?"
Astoria bit her lip. "No, not yet," she answered. "It's so early, and I'm afraid to get his hopes up. The war— the war—"
Pansy reached over and squeezed Astoria's hand, her face utterly serious for once. "I know," she said quietly. "Slytherin wasn't spared, either."
Astoria swallowed hard and nodded. "I don't know if I can carry the child to term," she said. "Carrow— he— I'm scared he broke me, Pansy… it still hurts, all these years later." Her hand ghosted over her lower stomach.
"It's okay," Pansy said, squeezing Astoria's hand even tighter. "It's going to be okay."
She gave her a watery smile. "Thanks, Pansy. Do you think— do you think I should tell him?"
Pansy ran her tongue over her teeth, then shook her head. "He's lost enough family. Don't tell Draco until you're certain it'll work out."
"Tell me what?" A smooth, amused male voice interrupted.
Pansy turned to find Draco standing behind them. "Nothing that you need to know," she answered, plunking her nails against her glass before taking another sip. "This doesn't concern you."
"Oh, it's a secret, huh?" he said, seating himself at the bar and signalling the bartender for a drink. He turned and grinned at Astoria, who had shrunk in on herself. "I can keep secrets."
"It's a secret men aren't meant to know," Pansy said with a small frown. "Now leave Astoria alone."
"No." Astoria spoke up now, to Pansy's surprise. "He's my fiancé, he deserves to know. Draco, I'm— I'm pregnant."
"P-pregnant?" he stammered before falling backwards in a dead faint. He would have cracked his head on the floor if Pansy hadn't cast two well-placed levitating charms: one on him, and one on his drink. As she floated his drink to her, she commented wryly, "And that's why it was a secret. Men aren't meant to know so early."
"Oh, hush." Astoria was fussing over her fiancé. "Just help me get him home, Pansy."