Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. Tile of the chapter comes from 'Bravado' by Lorde.

Leave a review!

I awake with a splitting pain in my stomach. I can't exactly remember anything I've done to cause it, so I figure it must just be nerves about the wedding tomorrow. I'm so excited and nervous at the same time, I can barely contain myself.

Simon opens his eyes to meet mine. After I finished moving my things yesterday, I decided to go ahead and spend the night. Not that Simon minded at all.

Simon frowns. "Are you feeling all right?" He asks immediately.

I nod my head. "I just have a slight stomachache. I think it's nerves. Why?"

"You look ill," Simon says worriedly. "Are you sure?"

"I feel fine," I assure him. Really, I don't. My stomach hurts terribly, and the room feels ridiculously hot. I can feel myself beginning to sweat. I roll up the sleeves of my nightdress and smile at Simon. "Aren't you excited for tomorrow?"

"I'm extremely excited," Simon tells me. "But if you don't feel well, we shouldn't hesitate to postpone-"

"There isn't any need to postpone. I'm sure that as quick as the sickness came, it should be gone."

Simon doesn't look convinced. "Well, you should stay in bed today just to be positive."

I roll my eyes at Simon. "I can't believe you'd even make a suggestion like that. You know we have a lot to do today. Dominique is coming over, we have to try on our robes for the last time, go to Gringott's-"

"I can take care of everything," Simon offers, sitting up. "I don't want you to make whatever this is worse.

"'This' is nothing. It's probably just a cold. And besides, thank you for offering, but I don't think you'd fit my robes."

Simon gives me a hard look. "You knew what I meant. You don't look well, and I'd like it very much if you took a rest for today."

"I can't," I tell Simon. "You know that."

"Please, for the good of the-"

"The baby is fine. I have a cold and nothing else," I assure Simon.

Simon purses his lips. I can tell how insistent he is, and how reluctant he is not to start an argument. "You remember what the Healer told you. You need to be extra careful because of that fall you took. Anything else like that could be seriously harmful," he reminds me.

"Then what do you want to do?" I question. "Put me on bed rest? If that's what you'd like, then we can have the wedding in here."

"Don't do this," Simon says, his jaw clenched. "You know I only want the best for you, and for our son."

I sigh. "You know I'm irritable when I'm not feeling well."

Simon nuzzles his nose into my neck. "Is that any different from normal?"

I hit him on the shoulder. "You aren't funny. You're half of my stress."

Simon smiles and places a couple kisses on my neck. "I could be half the reason it goes away…" Simon puts his hand on my stomach, and I whimper in pain. "I'm sorry," Simon apologizes quickly.

"It's… it's fine."

"You're warm," Simon tells me.

"It's warm in here. Look, please don't fuss over me. It's making my stomach hurt even worse."

"Perhaps it's our son telling you to stay in bed," Simon suggests.

"Or he's telling you to quit fussing over me," I counter.

Simon purses his lips in thought. "I'm a bit tired of just referring to him as 'he', aren't you?"

I nod absently, and then I realize what he's saying. "Do you have any names?" I ask.

Simon shrugs. "Not particularly. Do you?"

"I've always liked Orion," I say.

Simon nods. "That's a nice name," he agrees. "Simon is rather exceptional as well."

I turn my head to look at Simon. "Not as a first name. If we name him after you, he's going to have to live in your shadow for the rest of his life," I reason.

"So, Orion then? Simon as a middle name?" Simon asks, stroking my hair absentmindedly.

I think about it for a moment. "Orion Simon Montague," I say aloud. "It sounds powerful."

"Our son has Montague and Malfoy blood, he will be powerful," he tells me. "I can't wait to tell people."

"Neither can I, given that my parents don't kill me," I say.

"As of tomorrow, you'll be a married woman," Simon reminds me. "You won't have to worry yourself with the opinion of your parents."

I frown. Another sharp pain goes through my stomach.

Simon takes my hand. "If you're still hurting by dinnertime, I want you to see a Healer," he tells me. "I still believe you should take yourself lightly today."

It's frustrating me a bit that Simon doesn't understand that we're getting married tomorrow, and I have a lot to do in the meantime. "I'm only doing what I planned to do anyway," I assure Simon. "You're worrying too much."

"God, Belle, these things are impossible to lace up," Dom complains. She's been lacing up the back of my robes for the better part of ten minutes. "These are going to be hell for Simon to take off tomorrow."

"Very funny," I say quietly. I absolutely love my wedding robes. They match Simon's somewhat, but they're only silver and white. They have long, flowing sleeves, and they're covered in beautiful jewels. I couldn't have found better robes no matter how hard I tried.

"And they're super heavy. No wonder you're sweating."

I glance at myself in the mirror. I do look rather sick. I think I've got a fever, my skin does have a paler than normal look to it, and I have dark circles around my eyes. If I don't look better by tomorrow, I have no idea what I'll do.

"Simon does like to keep the house ridiculously warm," I say quickly.

"It isn't too bad in here. Are you sure you're not just sick? You don't look well." Dom asks me.

"I have a horrible stomachache, and a fever I think," I tell her.

Dom shrugs lightly. "Maybe it's just a touch of the flu. Just takes some medicine or something when we're done."

"I… I will…" I assure Dom.

"There you go, I'm finally done." Dominique steps away from me, leaving me to examine myself in the mirror. "You look so beautiful, Belle!" She tells me excitedly.

"Th…thanks…" I gasp. I'm not sure if it's from standing so long, but I'm out of breath.

Dom frowns. "Belle, are you all right?" Dom asks worriedly.

I shake my head. "I…I can't breathe…" My hands go to my back, trying to unlace my robes myself. It's no use. "Take… them off."

Dom frantically begins helping me. "Maybe I laced them too tight. Sorry." I shake my head to let Dom know I'm not angry at her. But if she doesn't go any faster, I fear that I'll pass out. "There, you're out," Dom tells me as I take a large breath. I feel a bit better, but it doesn't do anything to help the pain in my stomach.

"Thank…you," I say breathlessly.

"No problem. I really think you're sick," Dom tells me. "You should lay down. If you don't you might not be any good tomorrow."

Dom may be right. I'm starting to feel worse and worse by the minute. I don't even have it in me to argue. Maybe Simon will have to do the rest of the errands on his own.

I've never felt worse in my life. I've taken numerous pain and flu potions (the ones that I can take safely), and nothing seems to help. My stomach's beginning to hurt so badly that it's nearly reducing me to tears. I haven't gotten out of bed for hours, and I don't think I'd be able to.

Simon knocks on my door, and I try not to look so in pain. "Come in."

"I figured you'd be in here," Simon says quietly, coming in.

"I didn't want you to catch whatever I have from lying in bed all day," I explain.

Simon puts the back of his hand on my forehead. I'm not sure why, because I'm almost positive he knows nothing about giving someone medical attention. "You're burning," he says. "Dominique told me what happened today."

"I just got a bit dizzy. I'm pregnant," I remind him. "I'm sure that's normal."

Simon doesn't argue. He gives me a look of sympathy. "Are you feeling any better?" He questions.

I nod slightly. "Yes," I lie. Really, I'm feeling much worse. Not only does my stomach hurt, but now it's cramping extremely terribly as well. It's intolerable.

"That's good news," Simon says.

"How'd things go today?" I ask slowly. I have to stop periodically to wait for the pain to subside.

"As planned," Simon answers. "Our rings and your jewelry were sent over around an hour ago. Do you want me to bring them to you?"

I shake my head. "No. I think I'm just going to rest for a couple hours."

Simon gives me a small smile. He kisses my forehead. "I'm glad. I'll wake you for dinner. Let me know if you need anything.

"I will," I promise Simon quietly. He leaves my room, and I try to close my eyes and get some sort of sleep. I'm not sure how long it takes before I finally drift off.

My stomach feels like it's being ripped through my body. I can't even sit up, much less can I call for Simon. All I can really do for myself is scream in pain. My first thought goes to the baby. I desperately hope that everything is all right. When I glance down and see my bed sheets covered in blood, I know that isn't the case. I scream again.

Simon rushes into my room. "Isobelle, are you-" Simon goes deathly quiet when he sees me. "Call a Healer!" he shouts to a house-elf. Simon can't even bring himself to look at me. He exits my room and slams the door so hard I feel it in the floor. I'm in such an excruciating amount of pain that I can't even think to worry myself with Simon. I just want to know what's happening to me, why I'm covered in blood, and my stomach hurts so terribly. How sick am I?

It wasn't until they changed my sheets that I realized just how much blood I lost. When I realized what had happened, I couldn't stop crying.

"I'm very sorry, Mister Montague. It can happen unexpectedly," the Healer tells Simon. Simon hates me. I can tell in the way he looks at me. He's standing at the foot of my bed, half listening to the Healer. Every so often, he casts me dirty, accusing glances that make me more disgusted with myself than I already am.

He isn't convinced. "She's been sick the entire morning," he says stiffly. "I tried to have her come in to be examined, but she refused."

When Simon says this, I realize how stupid I really was. Why didn't I see a Healer? I was responsible for more lives than just my own.

"I'm sorry," the Healer says again. I know she doesn't want to say, but there isn't much left for them to do. They've done all they can do.

Simon waves the Healer out of the room, not even looking up. I hear the sound of disapparition outside the door.

Simon finally looks at me again. "What did you do?" He questions in a harsh tone.

"Nothing!" I cry. I'm already in a horrible enough mood. I can't handle Simon blaming me, too.

Simon clenches his jaw. "Exactly! You did nothing! I told you you should have seen a Healer! Are you too stupid to listen to me?"

"I'm not stupid! I didn't know!"

Simon continues ranting, as if I said nothing. "I told you numerous times not to overexert yourself, and you went and did whatever the hell you wanted! Now you've killed our son!" He shouts, coming dangerously close to me.

I glance up in Simon at horror. I understand him being upset, I am, too, but he's blaming me and shouting at me as if this was my intention.

"It wasn't my fault," I say quietly, my lower lip trembling. I'm still in horrible pain, but nothing is worse than being accused of doing something to hurt your child.

Simon doesn't say anything. Then, he all but rips the dresser out of the wall. My lamp and a few picture frames come shattering to the floor.

"Then whose fault was it? It sure as hell wasn't mine! I don't think the child was in my stomach!" Simon yells angrily.

I try to reason with Simon to no avail. I can't handle him blaming me. It only makes me blame myself more. "It… it wasn't anyone's fault. The Healer said-"

Simon cuts me off. "I don't give a damn what bullshit the Healer said! If you'd done everything you were supposed to, this wouldn't have happened! You lost my son! Not my daughter, my son!"

I know a loss of any kind should be terrible, but boys are more important to purebloods. I know that from growing up with Scorpius. "I'm sorry," I apologize, weakly trying to take Simon's hand.

He shrugs me off. "How can you apologize to me? This is an embarrassment. I can't believe you-"

I glare at Simon, utterly fed up with how terrible he's treating me. "This isn't my fault! Perhaps if you hadn't pressured me into having to be acceptable for your family, I wouldn't have been under so much stress! You say you don't care what they think you, but you do! I'm sure you only wanted to have a son to impress them!" I shout.

Simon looks up and glowers at me, and I know I've hit him below the belt. "You have a lot of trouble keeping things inside you. Your opinions, for instance! Better yet, a child!" He shouts.

I stare at Simon in horror. That's the most hurtful thing anyone has ever said to me in my entire life. "How could you say that to me?" I demand through my tears.

"It's quite simple," Simon says nonchalantly. "You should rest. We have a wedding to attend tomorrow morning."

"We aren't postponing?" I ask. "Do you not understand what's just happened?"

Simon rolls his eyes. "Of course, I do. Which is why we need to do everything according to plan. I couldn't imagine having to tell people."

It isn't like this is the first thing I wanted to admit, but I figured I'd at least have to tell my parents. How couldn't I? I don't think I'd be able to survive with such a horrible secret on my chest. Especially knowing Simon is the only other one who knows. Seeing how horrible he's been to me today, I wouldn't hold it against him to use it as ammunition in any future argument.

I'm still in utter disbelief over how Simon could be so horrible to me. Just this morning, things were perfect. We were deeply in love, and ready to step into a wonderful marriage and raise a family. There was no question about it. Now, everything has changed within a matter of hours. Simon went from thanking me for giving him a family for naming me as the reason that it's gone, and I know there's nothing I can do or say to change his mind.

"But, what if I don't feel-"

"You should feel fine by tomorrow. I don't understand why you're worried about it, you were so insistent on walking around today," Simon says bitterly.

"Simon-"

"But if it's so important to you, then rest now. You won't have time to drag your feet about in the morning."

Simon doesn't say anything else to me before slamming the door to my room again. I decide to take his advice and try to sleep. Nothing can be worse than being awake. And besides, not listening to him is part of what got me in this situation to begin with.

(A/N: Sorry if this chapter was a bit morbid! Leave a review thanks for reading.