There's a knock at my door not long after.

"Go away, Malfoy."

"It's Narcissa. Dinner is at 6:00 sharp. Dress nice, sweetheart."

"Thanks." I walk to the closet and look at all the clothes on hangers. I end up choosing a straight skirt reaching my knees. I pair it with a matching black jacket and a sea foam green blouse. I slip black heels on my feet and a silver band on my finger. I look at myself once in the mirror and think I look acceptable.

Dinner is pretty quiet. the Malfoys don't talk much. Draco is obviously upset about earlier. As I get up after excusing myself from the table, he grabs my hand.

"I promised you a tour."

I allow him to show me around the large mansion. When he took me outside, I am relived I decided to put a jacket on.

"Last stop is the backyard. Over there is the coop where the peacocks sleep. Over here," he explains, leading me to a statue of a beautiful mermaid. Her hands are outstretched and from them, water overflows into the basin where she resides. "...is the fountain."

"It's beautiful."

"I know. As you can see, mother made a lot of the yard her rose garden." And he is right. There are red and pink and white roses everywhere! Roses also entwine themselves around and arch next to the fountain. Is Narcissa a romantic or what?

Draco pulls me with him under the arch.

"Collette, I'm really sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Please forgive me."

"I don't know, Draco. I mean, who's to say you won't do it again?" Right now it's hard to look him in the eye. I look at my hands instead, but he grabs them with one of his. His other rests under my chin and lifts my head to look at him. Draco's icy, blue-gray eyes pierce my own. "Me. I say. I'll never hurt you again. I promise."

I'm speechless. "Promises can be easily broken." Sadness enters his eyes and they stare, as if saying, "Say more. Tell me you want me. Tell me you love me." "Other than that, I don't know what to say."

"I do. I love you."

Now I'm really speechless. I hear the sincerity in his voice. It scares me, but in a good way.

"I-I love you, too." We kiss passionately on the spot. It feels like a love scene straight out of a movie.

It's finally Christmas Eve and for once, I feel giddy.

I realize I should have started my - erm - "time of month" on Monday. It's Friday and when I say Monday, I mean the 6th! Something is seriously wrong. I could have an infection or something.

I point this out to Narcissa and she agrees to take me to the doctors to be sure everything is alright.

We arrive and Dr. Contes checks everything out. We wait with bated breath for his analysis.

He clears his throat. "You're pregnant." Narcissa slaps her hand over her mouth in shock. I simply stare wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry," I say, chuckling. "I must have misheard you. Did you say, 'pregnant'?"

"Yes, I did," he replies.

"What!"

"P-Pregnant. You're pregnant. As in, having a b-baby," he stutters, terrified at my sudden outburst.

"You cannot be serious!"

I am," he states, regaining his composure.

"Oh. My. God. How? Why? W-What? When will it be due? I really can't have it during school. I mean, people will think I'm..." I trail off, the prospect of all the what if's is too terrifying to even contemplate. (Remember, I was forced. I had no say in the act of reproducing.) Whatever the answer is, though, I probably won't like it.

"Don't worry. It should be due in August."

This cannot be happening.

"I've always wanted grandkids!" Narcissa yells happily, tears of joy streaming down her face. It's the first time she spoke since the doctor told us the news. I look at her like she sprouted a tail and five horns. I doubt that she would have wanted grandchildren this early!

"Way to focus on the big problem, Narcissa," I snap.

"Well, you are of age," she points out.

"It's due two freaking months after my 18th birthday! I'm not ready for this!" I yell, exasperatedly.

"I'll help you through this. Don't worry," she reassures me, wrapping her arms around me protectively.

I'm dizzy from all the thoughts and emotions running through my head. I feel angry that her bastard of a son put me in this position. I feel guilty knowing that, had I any resistance that November night, I could have prevented all this from happening. I'm afraid of the birth, and yet, still in this swirling mass of chaotic thoughts and emotions, I feel a tad happy.

The only real problem now is:

How will I tell Draco?

That night, I have a dream of me telling Draco and he just disappears. Poof! Just like that. Then I realize I'm standing in cold water up to my mid-calf and my body feels like it's on fire.

I'm jolted from my sleep. I sit up in bed and breathe heavily. Ugh. I can never get back to sleep when I wake up like this. I check the clock. 5:30 am. Wee! Might as well go down early and get some coffee or something.

As soon as I turn on the living room light, I see all the presents, extravagantly wrapped. An elf comes up to me.

"Would Miss Collette like anything?" it squeaks - I mean, asks.

"Um, a small coffee. Decaf, please."

"Yes. Of course, Miss." It runs off to the kitchen. I sit for a minute, then get back up to have a closer look at the presents. The elf comes back, hands me my drink, then scurries off as if it doesn't want to be seen with me.

"Well, aren't we up early?" the drawling voice of Draco says behind me. His arms snake around my middle. I feel his hot breath on my neck.

"Yeah. Bad dream."

"Tell me all about it." One hand releases its grip to stroke my hair.

"Uh... I don't really remember it that well," I lie.

"I see. Anything I can do to make it better?" he asks, kissing my neck.

"No, you pervert. It's too early."

"I have a present for you," he informs me, turning me around in his arms.

"I think I know what it is." His lips connect with mine and his tongue slithers into my mouth. His hands venture to the bottom of my shirt and I stop him. "Do you really want in my pants that badly?" I ask.

"This is with self-control, babe," he explains. Wow. How weak can he get?

"No hot, wild, meaningless monkey sex, Draco. It's too early," I repeat.

"Fine. If you ever need it, I'm right here."

"You are such a pervert." Wait. Did I just now figure that out?

Most of my presents are from Draco. He got me a whole set of diamond jewelry. Necklace, bracelet, ring, anklet, you name it! Of course, there's the whole bunch of kisses under the mistletoe.

As we break apart from a particularly heated make out session underneath the mistletoe, I decide it's time to tell Draco the news.

"I have something important to tell you."

"What, babe?" he asks.

"Uh - well - I - uh - I'm p-pregnant," I mumble.

"Wait. Y-you're what?" The smile on his face slowly fades.

"P-pregnant."

"How in hell can you get pregnant?" he screams.

"It's not my fault! It's yours!"

"You could have stopped me!" Did he really just say that?

"Oh, like you would ever let me!" Which is true.

"Uh-gr-b-g-pregnant?"

"Yes. Because of you, bastard!" I say, poking him in the chest.

"I don't believe it!"

"Believe it, pervert! Now, do you want me to have the baby or not?"

"No! The only thing I want is-"

"Don't even think of saying, 'to fuck you every night'!" I yell, my face screwing up in anger.

"I wasn't. I want you to get out!"

"W-What?" I certainly wasn't expecting that answer.

"Leave!" Oh.

"Fine!"