A Wonderful Fortuitous Love

48. On the Run

“The beauty of lying is you only have to do it once to spread infinite distrust.”

- A.T. Burdett

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When Draco returned home later that day, it was with a distraught Pansy by his side. Her mascara was running down her sickly pale cheeks; her hair, done up in a bun, was half falling out; and she was talking very fast to no one in particular, things that Hermione could not catch but knew she was repeating herself. Needless to say, Pansy Parkinson was a mess, and all Hermione could do was watch as Draco sat her down in a chair and told her over and over that it was okay, grasping both her smaller hands in his.

Hermione had only just thought to say something when Draco got there first and barked at her to get a glass of water. Too stunned to even snap back at him, she complied. From the kitchen she heard him tell Pansy to concentrate on her breathing. But Pansy was saying no, she couldn’t do it. She wasn’t ready. And Draco was telling her again to just breathe. Hermione handed him the water and he passed it to Pansy.

“Just take slow sips,” he ordered her. When Draco used such a strong voice like that it was an effort for even Hermione to question him, and Pansy drank without having to be told twice.

“Is that better?” he asked her once she set the glass down.

Pansy nodded slowly. Then the chair fell back as she abruptly stood, covering her mouth and ran for the toilet.

“What’s going on?” Hermione asked, concerned as she started to stand also, but Draco’s hand shot up to stop her.

“She’s pregnant.”

“What?”

“You heard.”

Hermione gaped in the direction of the toilet. “How – how did this happen?” Draco gave her an are-you-serious look and she flushed. “You know what I mean. How long has she suspected?”

“She was three weeks late. Took a test today. It proved positive.”

She leaned in and whispered, “She only just takes a test today?”

“She’s been too scared to do one sooner.” He sounded annoyed now. “I’d like to see you do better with an unplanned baby.”     

Leaning away, her eyes fell downcast. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she muttered. “I just thought she’d want the suspense over and done with.”

“Not everyone works the way you do,” he said heatedly, and then sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Sorry. It’s been a long day.”

“It’s okay,” she said quietly.

A pause ensued. Hermione stood and went to the toilet, this time without Draco stopping her.

She found Pansy not even in the small cubical, but sitting outside the door. 

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I’m grand,” she said, her voice shaking with new tears.

Hermione timidly sat beside her, waited for Pansy to tell her to bugger off, but it never came. Instead, she scooted closer until their knees were touching, and for a long time there was nothing. This silence was not uncomfortable, as she knew it would have been with Draco, but rather one where they were both lost in their own thoughts.

Three minutes it went on for until Pansy started crying again. Hermione reached for her, and Pansy rested her face on Hermione’s shoulder, where her cries became muffled.