Annabella the Hero (Book Three Of Defiance)

Chapter 13

    Something I love about George is how caring he is. He's always extra gentle when I'm sick. Sometimes he suffocated me but it's okay because he has good intentions.
    I woke up sick a few mornings ago. I felt absolutely awful. I was nauseous and threw up. George tried to make me eat but I absolutely couldn't keep anything down.
    Potions didn't really help anything. I must have the flu or something. I hate being sick. I feel helpless. I've moved onto the couch and although I feel fine now, George insists I lie down.
    George hasn't really gone down to the shop except for when Fred takes a lunch break. I keep insisting that he go take care of his customers but he won't budge. I would really like to be alone for a while because George is starting to make me feel suffocated. I feel like I'm five.
    Finally it comes time for Fred to have his lunch break. He comes upstairs and stands in front of the couch. "George is really killing me. I feel too coddled."
    Fred chuckles quickly before looking at me with a serious expression. "Listen Bells, I know you think it's not a possibility but is there anyway you could be pregnant?"
    I give him a puzzled look. He must know that George and I are careful. I mean I don't talk to him openly about this kind of thing but I'm sure he knows that we don't want any children right now. I mean, I'm seventeen!

"No. I am definitely not pregnant."

"Are you sure? You've used the spell every time?"

    Blushing, I think back to the last few times George and I have shagged. I remember him using the protection spell each time. Well, except for that one. One time wouldn't make me pregnant would it?

"Well I mean there was that one time we forgot."

"Bells!"

"It's not like I meant to!"

    Fred throws a bag at me and I peek inside to see two muggle pregnancy tests. I look up at my best friend with a scandalized expression. "Fred Weasley!"
    Fred points to the bathroom with a stern expression on his face. I get up off of the couch and walk that way, only to stop when I reach the door.

"Shouldn't we tell George about this or something?"

"Why should we worry him if it's a false alarm?"

"You're right."

    Although I'm certain I only have the flu, I pee on each little stick just to appease Fred. After setting them on the counter and washing my hands, I open the door.
    The box says to wait for three minutes, so we stand in silence. The atmosphere in the room is very tense while we wait. Finally, Fred says it's been the right amount of time.
    I pick up one of the sticks and look at it. I feel the tension growing in my best friend as I look at the shocking result.
    "I'm not pregnant!" I say with a smile, waving the test around. I look over and notice Fred frowning. "What is it Freddie?"
    Fred picks up the other test and studies it for a moment. He's silent for a moment before looking up at me. "Bells," He says quietly. "This one is positive."
    I look up at him and laugh nervously. "So one of them has to be wrong. How do we tell which one it is?" I ask Fred. He rushes into the living room and looks through the bookshelf. He apparently finds the book he's looking for because he opens it and flips through the pages quickly.
    He stops on a page and reads through it. When he's finished, he turns to me. "Alright Bells, here's a spell that will tell us if you're pregnant," he says to me. "If you're pregnant your stomach will glow, if you're not, nothing will happen."
    After he finishes talking he casts the spell on me. Nothing happens so I guess I'm in the clear. Then a brilliant gold lights shines through my shirt. My mouth drops open and so does Fred's. Neither of us know what to do.
    Finally I flop down on the  couch and start to cry. I don't mean a quiet cry, I mean that I start sobbing. Fred comes and sits by me, patting my back while I cry.

"I'm seventeen and I'm supposed to be dead! What am I going to do?"

"Don't worry Bells, we'll get through this together."

"We will?"

"Sure we will. All three of us. Well four now, I guess. First though you have to tell George."

    Speaking of the devil, George walks through the door at that moment. "Hey Freddie," he says. "You can head back down to the shop. How are you feeling, Bells?" He asks me.
    "Sick," I respond, my stomach churning with nerves. Fred gives me a sympathetic smile and leaves. George sits down next to me and puts an arm around me, pulling me closer to him.
    I'm seventeen, I can't be pregnant! I can't be! I'm not ready. George isn't ready. I'll be responsible for a tiny human. What if it has black hair? What will we do? I can't keep a baby inside! I can't have a baby, I'm seventeen!
    George must notice something wrong (besides the tear-stained face) because he holds me a little tighter.

"Bells? Is anything wrong?"

"Actually there is."

"What is it?"

"I think you'll be upset."

"Maybe, but we'll work through it. What's the matter?"

"Georgie, I'm pregnant."

    There is absolute silence in the moments that follow. I don't think either of us even dare to breathe. I look up at George, who has a look of disbelief.

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

    Silence again.

"We're going to be parents?"

"Yes."

    Once again, nothing.

"Merlin."

    We sit in silence for a while, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I'm thinking that this will be very bad, but I can't tell what George is thinking. Not until he says it at least.

"Annabella Marie Black, don't worry about anything okay? I love you. I always have and I always will. It's you, me, and this baby."