Confessions and a New Year

Chapter 16

                It was a few days after New Year’s when Elizabeth had to go back to St. Mungos hospital to visit the healer so he could make sure that she was fully healed and doing well after what Derek had done to her. She went through the check up as Draco waited impatiently in the waiting room, the healer asking him to remain out there. Elizabeth had to submit blood work and urine samples, which she thought was odd.

                After about fifteen minutes the healer came back into the room. “Miss Thorne, everything seems to be fine with you. Your friend, Mr. Malfoy, has done an excellent job helping you through this,” the healer bragged, “But there is one other thing that you need to prepare for.”

                Elizabeth looked at him curiously. ‘What in the world was he talking about? What could possibly be wrong when everything felt so perfect right now?’

                “You are pregnant,” the healer said seriously.

                “I’m what?” Elizabeth was shocked. Hadn’t she been taking her birth control pills? Then she remembered. Since she and Draco had been together for the last couple of months it had totally slipped her mind to get them refilled. 'How could I be so stupid', Elizabeth thought. But the thought of having Draco’s child gave her a warm feeling inside, as she thought of beautiful little Scorpius. Then the realization hit her, what if it was Derek’s baby. Just like that her happiness faded.

                The healer noticed her face turn from joy to worry, “I am sorry, Miss Thorne, but right now I can’t say whether or not your rapist is the father. You are not far enough along in your pregnancy yet. You need to remember when your last monthly cycle was and when you stopped your pills and then come back to see me in one month. Of course you can always choose to abort the pregnancy.”

                “No!” Elizabeth said strongly. Whether it was Draco’s or not she could never end her baby’s life. It was still a part of her, “Is there no way to tell who the father is through blood work?”

                “Not this early. Blood work can be done through amniosyntesis, but only after you are farther along. But that can pose risks to the fetus.”

                “The baby, you mean,” Elizabeth said harshly, she hated the word fetus.

                “Yes, the baby,” the healer stated.

                “Thank you for all your care,” Elizabeth said forlornly as she climbed down from the examination table.

                “You need to inform your friend,” the healer said kindly, speaking of Draco, “He cares a lot for you, and I think he will understand.”

                “Thank you doctor,” she said as she left the room. Draco saw her and immediately jumped up and went to her.

                “What’s wrong?” Draco asked worriedly, his look of concern making her want to cry.

                “Nothing,” she said, uncomfortable with the lie, but she just didn’t know how to tell him about the pregnancy yet.

                “So the healer says you are fine?”

                Elizabeth plastered a smile on her face, “Yes, he says I am doing wonderfully and he had a lot of nice things to say about the care you gave me.”

                “You did it all own your own, sweetheart. I just wanted to be there for you,” Draco hugged her, placing a kiss on her forehead.   

                “But I never could have done it without your help,” she kissed him sweetly.

                Draco knew something was bothering Elizabeth, but he would try to bide his time and wait for her to tell him. It amazed him how close they had become in just a couple of months. He could read her every look and gesture. The healer had delivered some news to Elizabeth that had upset her and for some reason she did not want him to know about it. The suspense was killing him, but if she did not tell him tonight, he would confront her with it tomorrow.

                After dinner they were getting ready for bed when Draco asked her if she would like to go with him to visit Scorpius at his parents’ manor. He watched the look on her face as he asked. That was strange. He thought that Elizabeth cared for Scorpius, but the sad look on her face said otherwise.

                “I would love to,” she said, not looking at him. He watched her as she quickly undressed, pulling her sleep shirt over her head. Draco smiled because he knew it wouldn’t be long until she or he removed that sleep shirt, just like they did every night since New Year’s Day. They had made love every night since, sometimes more than once. But he always found it so precious that she retained her sense of modesty.

                As they lay in the bed Elizabeth stayed on her pillow in the darkness. Draco lay beside her and waited for her to snuggle up against him as usual. When that didn’t happen he decided to do some snuggling of his own; he rolled over his hand going to her waist, only to find both her hands lying on the flat of her stomach. She was rubbing her belly lightly. Draco was concerned, “Elizabeth, are you sure you are alright?” Draco’s hand went to her face, he could make it out by the light of the fire, and then he felt the tears.

                “Draco, I have something to confess. I lied to you at the hospital,” he could hear tears in her voice, “Everything is not alright. I am pregnant.”

                A feather could have knocked Draco out at that moment. And then it hit him, his beautiful girl was going to have his baby, “But sweetheart, that is the most wonderful news I have heard since you told me you loved me,” he said excitedly. Draco loved this, had dreamed of this when he first started spending time with Elizabeth. Then he realized she wasn’t happy about it, “Aren’t you happy about a baby. I know that you still want to finish school and you enjoy working, but you can still do those things if you want.”

                “It’s not that, Draco. I know all of that,” she said quietly, “I don’t know who the father is?” she burst out into tears. Draco was shocked at first until it hit him, Derek, the bastard fiancé who had raped her.  Draco gathered Elizabeth in his arms. His sole purpose now was to comfort her, but he wasn’t going to lie to himself and say that the thought of another man’s child in the body of his love didn’t make him angry or uncomfortable. But Elizabeth couldn’t help that if it was so, she had never asked for what Derek had done to her.

                “Draco, it has to be your baby,” Elizabeth said desperately, as if saying it would make it so, “I haven’t been with Derek since you and I were together other than when he forced me and I was on my birth control until after our first time together.”

                “I know you are probably right, but no matter what I will be here for you and the baby, mine or not,” he said, meaning every word of it. Even if the child wasn’t his, it was still Elizabeth’s and the baby could not help the circumstances of its conception.

                “How did I ever deserve someone as great as you? Do you forgive me for not telling you earlier?” she laid her head on his stomach.

                “I understand, you had to come to grips with what you were told. But just remember I am here for you and we can deal with anything together. So, how far along are you?” he ran his hands through her long silky hair.

                “The healer is not sure, but he wants me to come back in one month and we will be able to tell more. There are also blood tests that can be done when I am farther along to detect who the baby’s father is. They are somewhat dangerous, but I will have it done as soon as I can.”

                “You don’t have to do that, not if it could harm you or the baby. The child is mine no matter what, just like the baby’s mother. I would never mistreat it. Besides, we will know soon enough when the baby’s born who the father is. If it has dark hair and eyes it is likely Derek’s, but if it has our light eyes and hair then we will know. Dark hair and eyes are dominant you know?”

                “How did you know Derek has dark hair and eyes?” Elizabeth asked suspisiously.

                “Just a good guess,” Draco wasn’t about to tell her how he had tracked Derek down the other day and beat the shit out of him. Draco had been tempted to use his wand, but no, he wanted to bloody him up. It felt good when he felt the other man’s nose crunch behind his fist. Derek got a few lucky strikes in, but as Draco thought of Elizabeth, helpless to defend herself from this man’s punches wildness came over him. Draco beat him to a bloody pulp. He leaned down and whispered in the man’s ear as he moaned, both his eyes swelling up, ‘This is for Elizabeth’ and he called for aurors to pick Derek up, claiming he was a wanted wizard responsible for all kinds of violence, including attacking women. Derek, a muggle, was on his way straight to Azkaban. He wouldn’t be there long once his face started healing and they realized he was a muggle, but long enough to scare the sadistic bastard.

                Draco drifted off to sleep, thoughts of another baby filling him with a mix of excitement and fear. Fear for Elizabeth and how she was going to be and excitement because he had been dreaming of another child with Elizabeth. The only hard part was the fact that they did not know who the baby belonged to officially yet, but deep down Draco knew that baby was his. It would be a little girl, he could feel it. A beautiful baby girl that took after Elizabeth was what he wanted.