a/n most of this scene is from Earth_Phoenix's nine months because i can't re-write it, they wrote it amazingly! (does that make sense ) go read the original i highly recommend it!!
By the time I arrive at work only an hour late, my department is swamped. Fantastic. We're crammed into the smallest building which usually isn't much of an issue. With me are Ginny; Greyson, a new boy a few years younger than me, and Beverly, a quiet girl from Ginny's year.
Already there are lines of impatient bar owners with documents crushed up in their hands. I offer apologetic waves to my team before slipping into my office.
i have just shrugged off my coat when the door clicks open and a bar owner strides in.
"Oh, Haley ." He sounds surprised to see me. "It's been a while."
"Hello, Mr.—?" Try as I might, I just can't place him.
'You don't remember me?" He sits down in the chair facing my desk, his legs crossed, his posture relaxed.
"I don't." I hastily sit in my chair, "I meet a lot of people — "
"But surely you don't shag them?"
I stare at him, fear creeping up my spine. Oh no. I clear my throat. "Ahm, I think you have mistaken me for someone else. I am currently in a long-term relationship —."
"Ah, so you don't want him to know?"
"There's nothing to know." I'm flushed; I try to force myself to relax.
He's smirking at me. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," he says. (A/n sorry i had to do it )
I hmph and flick through the folders on my desk. "You run the peacock at Barlow?"
'That's right."
I can hear warning bells in my head; something about that name seems familiar. I drum my fingers on the table as I try to place it.
"I recently took over the bar. We get a lot of people celebrating, birthdays for example."
Just like that, everything clicks. Hermione's party was held at the peacock at barlow. Draco must be, must be — shit, shit, shit, fuck.
I fake a calm smile, all too aware that there are baby-related pamphlets on my desk. I try to clumsily rest my elbow on the desk and knock the pamphlets to the floor. I need to get him out of my office. Now.
"So, you're here to renew your license? Nothing has changed for you recently?"
Draco seems bemused by my actions, a quizzical expression crosses his face. "Correct, I'm still the owner and we still sell liqueur."
"Excellent!" My voice is so bright it sounds fake even to my ears. "You just need to sign this then." I pull the required piece of parchment out of the folder and pass it over him.
"So," he says, "When can I expect to see you back? It was quite a night."
I scoff, "I don't think a quickie in a bathroom ranks up there as anything special."
He drops the pen in surprise, "Don't you remember?" he asks quietly.
My brows knit together. "Remember what?"
"It was more than just a quickie."
I can feel my face draining of colour. "It was?" My throat is tight, my heart is hammering in my chest.
He smirks, "We went upstairs — I live in the loft over the bar. It was... you were...," he trails off, clearly lost in the memories.
I don't remember any of this. Was I really that stupid? I am never drinking ever again. Not ever. Not even a teeny tiny sip.
"In any case," I clear my throat, "it's been lovely meeting you. Good luck with the bar." I rise, holding my hand out formally.
He stares at my hand and remains seated. His blue eyes drift up to mine. "What's the rush?"
"It's a busy day and as you no doubt saw, there are a lot of people waiting to see us. So if you could...," I gesture towards the door, my smile strained.
For one heart-stopping moment, he doesn't move.
"Let me help you pick up those papers."
No. Oh, sweet Merlin, he's walking around the desk. NO.
"It's fine!" Please leave! I scream mentally. i lean down to pick them up but he's already kneeling down, one long pale hand reaching for them. Fuck.
"Oh." There's surprise in his voice as he spots the pamphlets. "Congratulations."
"Thank you." I can feel myself starting to sweat. Why won't he just leave? I snatch the finished license off my desk and shove it under his nose.
"So, I'll see you next year." I try to take the sodding pamphlets out of his hands, but he's still kneeling by the desk, turning them over to read.
"You said you had a boyfriend," he says slowly. "Were you trying?"
"We were." I shrug, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. "It happened sooner than we were expecting, but..." I shrug, I really can't complain. This is everything we've wanted. Cedric's smile is still fresh in my mind.
He hums softly to himself and then looks me square in the eye. "And you spent the night with me." It's a statement, not a question.
"Look," I grind out, "I only have your word on that."
He gives me a dirty look and stands up. "Is it mine?"
"No!"
"How do you know?" He looks at me critically and I cover my stomach my with my arms.
"Because I know. It's not yours. Get the fuck out of my office."
He scowls at me. "If it's mine, I want access. I want to be involved."
My jaw drops. "Fuck right off. It isn't yours."
"you weren't on the pill and you slept with me — ,"
"One time!"
"Four times."
I open and close my mouth a couple of times. "It doesn't matter. Leave."
He takes the licence out of my hand, dropping the pamphlets on my seat. "Expect my call."
I watch him leave and I only breathe out when the door slams closed. That was — too much. I want to go home. I want to go to bed and stay there until the baby is born.
Thoughts of home become thoughts of Cedric. My stomach twists in uncomfortable knots and I fight back the urge to be sick. I have to do something about Malfoy. What, I'm not quite sure, but something .
I'm so consumed with panic, I miss a knock at the door and only come too when an angry female bar owner slams her hand on my desk, her face screwed up in a snarl.
"Excuse me, some of us don't get paid to daydream!"
And some of you get your licence revoked , I think snidely.
Malfoy has really got under my skin, damn it. I force a smile, ignoring how much I've been doing that in the last half an hour and how much my cheeks hurt right now.
"I'm very sorry," I drop heavily into my chair, "If I could take your name?"
The wind seems to go out of her sails, and she sits down wearily. I offer her my most professional attitude, flash her my most charming smile.
"Let's get you sorted!" I say brightly, finding her folder. She seems pleased that I'm giving her my full attention, smirking in a maddening self-satisfied way.
From there, the grandfather clock in my office never seems to move. The day drags by and it feels like I'm trapped in an hourglass that is slowly filling with sand and with no way out.
By the time 5 o'clock rolls around, I am so ready to head home. Naturally, because today is not my day, I end up having to work past when I'd usually leave. When the last person is finally seen, the four of us meet outside our offices and high five each other.
I decline the invitation to go out for a drink, promising to make it up to the team later, and finally escape.
I drive home, hitting about as much traffic as i possibly can. when i get in i ditch my coat throwing it messily on the sofa. Cedric is going to have a fit when he sees it.
I drop my glasses onto the side table and rub tiredly at my eyes. I can hear our bed calling me. My bones ache and I am so very done for the day.
"Cedric?" Usually, I can hear him cooking, but tonight the kitchen sounds oddly quiet.
I move silently through the house, my wand held tightly in my palm. The quietness of the house has me feeling tense, alert.
I'm about to head upstairs when I hear the sound of voices coming from the garden. Our garden is rather small — the price of living in London. We have a small table and chairs on the patio for when we entertain our friends during the summer.
I head towards the garden and my blood runs cold.
"Haley!" Cedric beams at me. He's sitting relaxed in a garden chair a bottle of red wine open on the table. He rises to greet me.
"Ced — I thought..." I shrug, as he walks over.
"Sorry." He wraps his arms around me, but the tension doesn't leave my body. My eyes are glued to the blonde-haired man sitting in the other chair.
What in bloody hell is Draco Malfoy doing in my house?
"we can put the dinner in the microwave when we're done' i'm done i want to say as Cedric places a kiss on my cheek. "Draco here came to let me know you were going to be late. Good idea hiring him by the way, I always said you could use an assistant."
Draco raises a wine glass at me.
I glare fiercely back at him. I want to get him away from Cedric as quickly as possible. No, I need to get him away from Cedric.
A headache begins to pulse angrily behind my eyes. The tiredness I've felt all day is gone. I wrap an arm tightly around Cedric.
"Well," I manage to choke out, "I always do listen to your ideas, love, " I stress the final word, which only seems to amuse Malfoy .
Cedric looks at me critically. "Do you need to go lie down?"
The idea of leaving Cedric alone with Malfoy chills my blood.
"I'm fine," I lie. "I'd love a cuppa though."
Cedric leaves my side and heads into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Malfoy .
All at once I want to wring the man's neck, throw his arse out and know every single thing he's said to Cedric. It's hard to decide what I want to say or do first.
"Why don't you sit down Haley?" He pats an empty chair next to him. "After all, you have the baby to think of now."
I ball my fists at my sides. "Shut up! No one is supposed to know." My voice sounds more pleading than angry.
He looks at me thoughtfully. "I haven't said anything — yet."
"Please leave," I plead. "Come to my office tomorrow and we'll talk."
"We'd better." Malfoy rises, his steps brisk. "I hope this impresses on you how seriously I am taking this."
I smile tightly at him. "Oh, it's made an impression."
Malfoy brushes past me and I hear him talking softly to Cedric and then the sound of the front door opening and closing.
I stagger forwards and sink down into a chair, my head in my hands. This situation is slowly slipping out of my control. Questions buzz around my head, mostly concerning Malfoy .
The fact he knows where I live and feels confident enough to speak to Cedric is worrying. One thing is for sure, I see a return visit to St. Mungos in my future.