We had returned from the first of Elisa's bridal appointments with a handful of bridal magazines. It was those that we now flicked through, waiting for the first of the guests for mine and Draco's baby shower to arrive. Madeleine and Edward had been so disappointed that they couldn't make it, Tyler just as upset, however despite the fact that Professor McGonagall had allowed them the day off for my wedding (she loved our families a lot, surprisingly), I knew she might not be so lenient again, what with my siblings in their final year.
A knock sounded at the door and I shot Elisa a quick glance as Draco and I headed to answer it. Pulling open the door, I grinned as I was greeted jovially by Alex and Lyla, Nev and Charlie Weasley battling with Nathaniel, Aileen and Kayla to keep them with their mum and dad. We gestured them inside with a smile, the triplets immediately running over to where Elisa and Ron sat with Juliet and Joshua. Closing the door, I followed them into the front room, glancing around at the decorations. There were white balloons everywhere, one much larger one in the corner. This large one contained a lot of confetti and once everyone was here, Draco and I would burst said balloon in order to reveal the sex of our baby. I was so damn excited to let everyone know. Just as Tiberius came to ask if anyone wanted a drink, I heard another knock at the door and slipped from the room to answer it.
It wasn't long before everyone had arrived: my cousins Aurelie, Jasper and Amy having brought my Uncle Mark, Narcissa and Molly surprisingly arriving together and the last few to arrive being Maria and Darcy, along with Harriet. Axel had arrived a little late but no one had minded. Now, everyone was milling around, chatting to each other over drinks and the snacks we had laid out, the children all sat together in the corner and Draco and I decided that now would probably be the right time to tell everyone. Excusing myself from the conversation I was having with Uncle Mark, I shot Draco a knowing glance from across the room where he left his mother to stand beside me. Standing in the corner beside the large balloon meant that everyone trailed off their conversations and turned to face us. Ron actually had to grab onto his children to stop them from running around in excitement.
"What does everyone think?" I asked, gesturing to my growing belly.
"Boy," answered Elisa immediately and I grinned at her enthusiasm.
Aurelie and Amy agreed with her, however Jasper was adamant it was a girl, Darcy and Harriet backing this theory up. I smirked before handing Draco his wand.
"Draco, would you like to do the honours?"
Draco waved his wand at the balloon and suddenly an explosion of bright blue confetti burst from the large balloon, creating quite a spectacle. Everyone cooed as I rested a hand on my stomach, Elisa winking at me.
"Have you got a name in mind?" asked Narcissa softly and I looked at Draco.
We had actually. We'd all but decided on one. I brought my own wand through the air and began to spell out four words. Dorian Ellis Finley Malfoy.
"Dorian, for the beauty of Dorian Gray," I explained with a soft smile.
"Ellis, for the presence of our best friend Elisa Stevenson," Draco whispered, his eyes never leaving Elisa's.
"Finley, meaning fair warrior," I continued before looking at Draco.
"And Malfoy, in memory of the strength and persistence of my family." As he spoke, I saw his throat bob, his eyes raking his mother's face.
Elisa seemed as though she couldn't speak, she was simply staring at the flickering blue letters that held my unborn son's name, her eyes shining with tears. And before I knew it she had jumped off the sofa and was barrelling towards me, arms outstretched. I caught her in a tight hug, her whispering her gratitude in my ear.
After everyone had got over the excitement, we had retired back to the mingling and chatting of before the reveal. Elisa was taking small groups of people out into the garden in order to discretely discuss with them the fact that Ron had engaged. Lyla and Nev were the most recent to go and I suddenly heard a loud squeal come from the garden. Well clearly she'd just broken the news. I was then aware of a soft tug on my trouser leg and I looked down to see Juliet smiling at me. Pulling her onto my lap, I kissed her head softly.
"Auntie Lee," she began seriously and I put on my most serious face to match hers. "I've been thinking." I was trying my hardest not to chuckle as she furrowed her little brows. However, I did note how far along Juliet's speech was for her young age. Bless her. "I want to be his bestest friend!" she announced brightly. Joshua then ran past behind the sofa and I heard him input as well.
"Me too!" he shouted and I grinned. At the twins, at Draco, at Tiberius, at Amy, at anyone really. With only 16 and a half weeks left until this little rascal was out of me, I couldn't wait. I was just so happy and nothing could take that away from me.-
It was nearly a week after Draco's birthday, only a few days after our baby shower and I had decided that I should go and collect the money from Gringotts that my father had left me and my siblings. As I strolled down Diagon Alley, heading for the wizarding bank at the end of the lane, I noticed a boarded up shop looking more than a little lonely. I wonder...
I was not expecting that much money. My father had left each of us a small fortune and I was surprised to say the least. The goblin that had shown me to my vault was impatiently tapping his foot as I collected it all into four separate bags, still reeling from the initial shock.
When I had emerged from the bank, my pockets considerably heavier and the winter sun attempting to break through those grey clouds, I once more passed that boarded up shop. This time I stopped before it. I was sure this used to be Diagon Alley's apothecary, shut down after its owner had perished at the hands of the war. My mind raced with possibility, with the thought of the small fortune I now bore. I wonder...-
Five months after our baby shower, I was in hospital. I was fucking terrified - to put it lightly. With no idea what to expect, I was frantic as the nurse helped me onto the hospital bed. I didn't really need any help. With my most recent check up revealing that Dorian was breech, I had been scheduled an ECV. At 36 weeks, all I had been worrying about was the countdown to Dorian finally being born. I only had 4 weeks left to go but if I didn't have this ECV to attempt to turn Dorian around I would have to have a Caesarean. I really didn't want that. Elisa had reassured me that my ECV was nothing to worry about, that there was nothing scary involved - just a doctor or two. The doctor, however, had told me the chances of it working and if I was perfectly honest I would have liked them to be higher. She had also warned me that if Dorian didn't seem to be moving in the first two minutes she would have to stop. When I had panicked a little, she had reassured me that a little later she would try again. Draco was just as frantic as I was and had actually needed a little more calming down from Elisa. She had to keep reminding us that she was in fact a healer and despite the slight differences between muggle and wizarding hospitals, I would be fine.
As Doctor Armstrong smiled down at me, I looked up at her, more than a little worried. She pulled the curtain around us and I lifted my hospital gown over my large belly, still not as big as I would have liked but oh well. Her hands were cold as she rested them on my abdomen, feeling around a little for Dorian's head. Once she had located the rascal's head, she told me to relax. I sucked in a breath and tried to calm myself as Doctor Armstrong began to turn my baby around the correct way.
It took around an hour to move him but he wasn't at all reluctant. By the end I had another doctor in with us too, Doctor Walsh, but if I was entirely honest I hadn't been paying much attention to the actions of either of them. I had kept my eyes clenched shut throughout the entire procedure, occasionally grunting a little in discomfort. At every sound I made, Doctor Armstrong would reassure me that I was doing great, that Dorian was co-operating perfectly and that it would all be over soon. Within the first two minutes she had him moving in the correct direction, however she had to call Doctor Walsh in as she knew she would not be able to continue the procedure alone. As I sat up and Doctor Armstrong pulled the curtain back, I smiled at Draco and Elisa. My husband looked relieved that I was okay and Elisa simply shot me a smug grin. I felt invincible. With these two by my side, I could do anything. With these two by my side, I would even be able to endure childbirth.
YOU ARE READING
Cemetery Drive | A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction | Sequel to Bulletproof Heart
FanfictionOphelia Avondale was like any 19 year old girl: she had annoying younger siblings (twins, who she had nearly lost last year, in her case), she had parental estrangement (for fifteen years she had been without her mother and, still fresh in her mind...