"How could you do this to us?! You are way too young to be parents. You're breaking our hearts here, you two. Do you not know the meaning of protection? Were you not being safe? How are you going to raise a baby in this economy? I know I speak for everyone when I say that we are very disappointed in you two."
"Mattheo, don't you think you're being a little—"
"And another thing! I am way too young and way too sexy to be an uncle. You expect me to just give up the prime years of my life to take care of a baby just because they'll be adorable? No. No way."
"Mattheo, no one is asking you to take care of—"
"But of course I'll do it because they'll be like the cutest fucking thing in the world and I'll be the greatest uncle ever. Like one of those hot uncles that always gets hit on at birthday parties." Mattheo pinched the bridge of his nose. "I guess if someone has to be hit it, I'll take one for the team. OW! Nora, if you hit me again, you're not going to like how I'll retaliate."
"I'm hitting you because you're being ridiculous!" Nora huffed. "First of all, no one is hitting on you at the birthday parties. If anything, they'd hit on Tom. And second of all, you are acting like a total idiot."
Enzo smiled at Nora. He was glad she and Mattheo made up the other day—thanks to Mattheo buying Nora an incredible new broom. Everyone could see that they were miserable apart from each other. "She's right, Matt. Even Cass's parents didn't take the news this badly."
Actually, they took it surprisingly well. Cass had been terrified to tell her parents—and Enzo couldn't blame her. The entire train ride to London, she'd been a bundle of nerves that had only been fixed by Enzo's tongue against his favorite place. Actually, a lot of problems lately had been fixed by Enzo recreating exactly how they made their little miracle. Cass's emotions nowadays were felt at extremes, which meant that seeing him with his shirt off usually resulted in being in bed for hours. And if she wasn't jumping his bones, then he was jumping her to try and make her feel better. It was a system that, honestly, Enzo was thoroughly enjoying. He'd pleasure Cass as often as she let him.
But Cass's worries were for nothing. Her parents took the news really well. There were tears shed but for the most part, they were happy. Enzo thought that Cass's parents had already lost one daughter; they probably weren't willing to do anything to lose the other.
Cass's mum gave her advice on how to cope with pregnancy symptoms. She helped get Cass set up with her first scan and wrote a letter to Dumbledore, asking if Cass could use his floo to get to her appointments. Cass's father gave Enzo advice on preparing for the baby's birth. After a few stern words—mostly about how Enzo needed to "step up", as if he would be anywhere other than by his girlfriend's side—the conversation became friendly. They left Cass's house with many promises to write constantly about the baby.
Afterward, Cass wanted to wait for the excitement to die down before they told their friends. Now, Cass and Enzo were sitting in front of the friends after sharing the news. Aria got tears in her eyes at the idea of becoming an aunt, Theo was comforting his sister while paling over the fact that he may have to take care of a child with her, Nora had gasped before smiling widely, Astoria had freaked out and left the room to go shopping for supplies, Draco had followed behind his girlfriend with an exasperated look and galleons already pulled out of his pocket, and Mattheo...
Well, Mattheo was acting like this.
"What am I supposed to be? An UILF? Ugh! There's no ring to that!" Mattheo exclaimed.
"Speaking of rings," Nora said slyly. "Are you two planning on getting married?"
Enzo squeezed Cass's hand as she replied, "Eventually, but right now we just want to focus on one big life change." Which was partially true. Enzo wanted to marry Cass and he would the moment she let him. But he also didn't want to overwhelm her and Cass said she wanted to wait. He looked forward to the day she became his wife but he understood if that day wasn't coming as soon as he might have liked.
"If I'm not the best man at that wedding, I swear to Merlin, I'll kill you! I mean, you've already betrayed me once, Lorenzo Berkshire. If I'm not up there all sexy in a tux, you might as well stick a knife in my back."
"Okay, Julius Caesar, knock it off." Mattheo smiled at his girlfriend's snark.
"Alright, you two. This calls for a celebration." Mattheo darted out of the room. In just a few minutes, he was back with his arm full of butterbeer. "Let's drink!"
Mattheo passed out the butterbeer, clinking his bottle against Cass's stomach before Enzo could smack him away. "Don't worry, little one. You'll get yours when you come out."
"Cass can't drink, you dumbass," Enzo muttered, swiping the bottle from in front of his girlfriend. She'd been incredibly sensitive to smells lately and he didn't want the fermented caramel scent to make her nauseuous. "And I'm not drinking either."
"Why the fuck not?"
"Because my girlfriend is carrying my child for nine months. The least I can do is stay sober and adequately prepare so my body is in the best shape to take care of the two of them."
Mattheo's eyes widened. "Bloody hell, Cap. It's a good reason you're the one about to become a daddy. I don't even think about shit like that."
Theo snorted. "You don't think about shit period." He turned to Enzo with a thoughtful look in his stormy eyes. "Congrats you two. It's a big thing but if anyone can do it, it's you."
"I'm going to be an aunt!" Aria sobbed, causing Theo to pull her closer to soothe her.
"I can't tell if you're excited or devastated by this," Enzo muttered.
"Of course I'm excited! I'm going to be an aunt!"
Enzo felt the last of the knots in his stomach come undone. If his baby sister—the last of his family—was okay with the big news, then Enzo had faith that everything truly would be alright. Cass's parents supported them, Aria supported them, and now, their friends supported them too. He smiled and looked down at Cass's stomach. There wasn't a bump yet but he knew there would be soon. That little baby would be the most loved human in the entire world.
Just then, Astoria came in the room, panting, an exasperated Draco following closely behind her. "Alright! I put in an order for some Chanel onesies."
"Chanel?" Cass sputtered.
"Well, what did you want them in? Gucci?" Astoria scoffed. "That's way too tacky. Right Draco?"
"Of course," the blond boy said with utter seriousness. "Nothing tackier than that."
Enzo got the feeling that Malfoy was really only agreeing with whatever Astoria said without even fully grasping it. He doubted Draco cared much about fashionable onesies. "Thank you, Astoria," Enzo said. "That was very kind of you. I'm sure he or she will look incredible in them."
Astoria smiled with satisfaction before standing on her tiptoes to kiss Draco. "See? I knew the Chanel was the right choice."
"You did, love. Are you doing shopping?"
Astoria pretended to think. "Hmm. For now. I might get a pair of shoes later."
"Wait!" Mattheo exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. "I want to be the one to give my little niece or nephew their first present!"
"We're not related, Matt—"
"I know the perfect thing!" The look on Mattheo's face was enough to tell Enzo that whatever "gift" he had come up with would be completely asinine and nonsensical.
"I'm afraid to ask," Cass muttered, voicing Enzo's thoughts. Sensing his girlfriend's unease as if it were his own, Enzo began to rub her back. Cass smiled at him, leaning back into his touch.
"Well, the baby can't perform spells until they're eleven, right?"
"Bloody hell," Theo hissed under his breath.
"So I'll get them some potions," Mattheo said as if it were the best idea in the world. "They can cruciate people and it would be totally safe!"
"Do you even hear how idiotic you sound or do you ears work as well as your brain?" Theo said dryly.
The two of them began to bicker back and forth but Enzo wasn't paying attention to them. Just like how he wasn't paying attention to Aria and Astoria begin to plan a baby shower for Cass. No, his attention was all on his girlfriend, who was looking up at him with the cutest smile he'd ever seen. Her curls fell around her like a gentle halo. Her brown eyes were bright with joy.
Enzo smiled back at her. "What is it?"
"I love you," Cass murmured, leaning over to kiss him. "This is all so scary but I'm so glad you're by my side."
"I'll always be by your side, Cass. I'm not going anywhere."
"Yeah," Cass said, reaching over to grab Enzo's hand. "And I'm not going anywhere either." Cass looked down at her stomach and caressed it with her other hand. "We. We're not going anywhere."
Enzo smiled. Until then, he hadn't realized how wonderful a small little word like "we" could be. They were a "we" now. Him, Cass, and the little miracle they made together.
How much better could life get?
After writing all the Slytherin boys' stories, I've really come to appreciate the little moments like this where everyone is together. I mean, we're missing Tom and Evelyn but the core boys are all here having a good time. I love them. I love fluff hehe, even if it sometimes turns out shorter than other chapters.