Athena still hadn't said a word to anyone about her situation after two weeks. As the days went on, it was a constant reminder that time was escaping her and soon her body would change and people would know.
Everyone would know.
The thought of this terrified her more than anything.
Her mind was at war with itself, relaying back and forth with decision after decision. Should she keep it? When should she tell the father? When should she tell her friends? And when should she tell Cedric?
After her days of quarantine, Cedric had been ecstatic to see her. She hadn't realised until then how much she had missed him.
She had attempted to be her ordinary self around everyone but as much as she tried, it was exhausting to pretend everything was fine.
So she tried to spend as little time with them as possible without being too obvious that something was troubling her. It seemed to be successful for the first few days, due to her 'stomach bug' which excused her odd behaviour.
Yet she had figured they had sensed something was wrong after her repetitive behaviour. She thought of them talking about her when she left slightly too early for bed or when she wouldn't join them in the common room at all, instead going straight to her dormitory after dinner.
Cedric was the worst, most hardest to avoid because she didn't want to avoid him at all. However, luck had been in her favour as he had been quite busy recently with his Quidditch practice and studies.
But in those moments she was with him, it was as if nothing had ever troubled her. Cedric was one whole distraction alone. She felt she could breathe around him.
Though it didn't last long because she would remember what she was hiding from him and the dreadful shame and guilt would drown her soul.
And she had never felt so alone.
The only people who knew of her situation were Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall.
The day she returned to her classes, she was called from Charms by McGonagall, which had everyone in the class sceptical of her apparent mishaps.
Athena had already suspected this happening so acted with indifference when she was requested. The following evening when she saw her friends altogether again at dinner, they asked her what had happened.
She had already crafted and prepared a good enough lie prior to the conversation, telling them she had discussed extra classes with McGonagall in Transfiguration to reach the Outstanding grade.
McGonagall discussed a few things with Athena to do with arrangements and precautions and had also mentioned that she needed to inform her mother as she was not yet of age, despite her birthday being in less than a month.
"Professor, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to be the one to tell my mother,"Athena said.
She had no intention of actually informing her mother, for now anyway, but only said this as a way to make sure that McGonagall wouldn't beat her to it.
She didn't want her mother knowing while she was still unsure if she wanted to even keep it. As well as this, when she would turn seventeen on the 14th of December, she wouldn't have to inform her mother as a legal requirement at all.
"I want her to hear it from me. I'll send her a letter,"she continued.
McGonagall pondered over Athena's request for a moment before simply agreeing with her, having a great deal of sympathy for her situation.
But now it had been over two weeks since she had first heard the news. She needed to tell someone.
The only person who she had thought to tell first was Malfoy since he was involved and by seeing his reaction to the news, she could finally make her mind up on whether she really wanted this.
Despite her hatred for Malfoy, she couldn't be so unfair to not tell him before making the decision. She was better than that.
Though there was the other feeling that perhaps it would be cruel to tell him. Perhaps he wouldn't want to know. It would most likely ruin everything for him, just as it had seemed to for her.
This thought only gave her more reasons and encouragement to want to tell him. After all, there were two of them involved, both were counterparts in the making of this situation. Besides, if he had just pulled out the whole issue could've been avoided.
Although she couldn't stand the idea and every time she thought about his reaction, him knowing that she was apparently carrying his spawn, she would cringe while simultaneously a vile feeling would emerge in her gut.
But it had to happen. It would be like ripping off a bandaid, quick but agonising.
After breakfast, Athena had a free period with Harry and Ron while Hermione attended Ancient Runes. She considered going to the common room with them, but when thinking of it didn't seem to fond to deal with their tendency to tread on egg shells around her.
So instead she headed for the library with the idea in mind to do some extra study, especially as she hadn't been prioritising her school work recently.
She found an empty table in the corner of the library and planted herself down, pulling out her Defence Against the Dark Arts text book, as this was the subject she seemed to be worst at. She had achieved an Outstanding in the OWLs so it seemed odd to her that she wasn't doing too well. But then with Snape as her teacher, he took it in his stride to hand out bad grades for Gryffindor's.
As she read through a page in her textbook on counter-jinxes, she was distracted by a range of voices, which were making a racket close to her.
She looked towards the voices to see Goyle, Blaise and the back of Draco Malfoy's head, sat together around a table behind a bookshelf several feet from to hers.
She attempted to ignore them but failed as her mind started rushing with the possibility to get the thing she had been anticipating for weeks, over and done with.
It had to be now.
She was nowhere near her friends and despite him being with his, he was available to catch off guard. It would be best that way. He wouldn't expect it so couldn't avoid her confrontation.
She piled her equipment back into her bag and stood, heading for their table, disregarding the thrill of anxiety emerging inside of her.
The first to look at her questionably was Blaise who was facing her, then the canon effect, Goyle looked up, and then Draco who performed a double take, obviously surprised by her approach.
After all, the last time they had encountered one another, he had called her a "worthless mudblood" and she had yelled at him to "fuck off".
His surprised expression flickered with despair before returning to his usual placid frown.
She cleared her throat before looking at Draco and uttered, "I need a word."
He stared at her in confusion but then seemed to remember that his mates were present before scowling.
"Why would I wanna talk to you?"he sneered.
She had been prepared for this so her frustration was mild.
Goyle scoffed in reaction to Draco's reply, while Blaise stayed impartial.
"Please,"she sighed exhaustedly, eyeing him a look of understanding which he seemed to apprehend.
"I'll be right back,"he said dispiritingly to his friends.
She led him out of the library and headed for an empty hallway which was hidden behind a tapestry. This hallway was dark, as there were no windows and the walls were barely lit by a few candle lights.
She stopped in her tracks a few feet away from the tapestry and he stopped too. She didn't speak for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts.
"Go on then,"he spat.
She couldn't be bothered to bend around the truth, to let the news escape her in some obscure way that would make it seem better than it actually was. She didn't know how she could prepare him for this; she hadn't been prepared herself.
"I'm pregnant,"the words escaped her before she could prevent it.
He stared at her neutrally, almost like he hadn't heard her. His lips parted and his eyes flickered to the side like a glitch, then back to her face. His brows then furrowed in bewilderment and his lips separated further to speak.
"What?"
Athena let out a trembling breath.
"I'm- pregnant,"she repeated. "Its yours."
Draco's eyes shifted from Athena's, dropping to some far off space behind her on the floor. His lips remained parted and his jaw hung over in disbelief. The usual pale wash of his complexion seemed to amplify, ten shades paler. He seemed to be refusing to look at her, his eyes careful not to meet hers again.
There was silence.
She was still and cautious while he was frozen and unnerved.
"Draco..."she spoke his name through the dark. "Say something please."
He looked up, his eyes still avoiding hers, they then darted to her stomach, and back to the floor.
"Excuse me,"he muttered in farewell, before he picked up his feet, threw aside the tapestry and disappeared from view.
Athena remained where she was for a moment, completely dumbfounded. She hadn't known why. She had expected this after all.
She just hoped his reaction would be a bit more audible so that there was something to take from it. It seemed clear that he was shocked and then conflicted but he didn't defy or offend her.
Regaining her mental consciousness, she managed to move her feet, swatting the tapestry aside and reentered the main corridor.
She didn't know where she was heading, but simply let her feet take her wherever they led.
A huge lump of sorrow formed in her throat but she was defiant to let it out while she dashed through the castle.
She ended up outside of the castle, racing down the covered bridge which luckily was empty, she threw herself to the edge, looking out across the magnificent mountains and moors which surrounded Hogwarts.
The lump in her throat burst, as heaving sobs which she were unable to cease, escaped her. She gasped for breath through her cries, intaking the bitter, wintry air which surrounded her.
Athena couldn't stop weeping, it was too overwhelming. Through tear soaked eyes, she gazed out to the heavenly views in hopes it would grant her some piece of mind.
She held her burgundy, golden striped scarf up to her face in attempt to quieten her snivels. Her shedding of tears were a divine relief, by releasing the anxieties and woes physically.
She choked in desolation, feeling a desperation for some form of contentment to override her.
While she awaited the tears to stop flowing, she leaned on the edge of the bridge, watching the birds fly behind and in front of the mountains, seeing the wintry sun glimmering on the surface of the lake and altogether observing the world's existence.
"Athena?"a familiar voice sounded from a few feet down the bridge.
Snapping out of her daze, she turned away from the idyllic scenery to see an even more exquisite view walking towards her.
"Hi- oh are you okay?"Cedric asked, evaluating her features. She wiped at her tear stained cheeks rapidly and straightened up.
"Yes ofcourse,"she tried to smile.
"Maybe I would believe you if you hadn't had tears running down your face,"he chuckled half heartedly.
Her eyes glazed over his, dropping to the floor, as she grew cautious to begin crying again.
"I'm er- I just received a bad grade,"she said pathetically.
'Is that really the best I could come up with?' she thought, frustrated with herself.
"Ohh- What in, may I ask?"he enquired, understandingly.
"Uh- Charms,"she blurted. She was actually achieving an Outstanding in Charms but this was the first subject to come into her mind.
"If you want- and you don't have to say yes- I think I can be pretty decent at Charms. I could um- help you. Only if you want?"he blushed.
She stared at him feeling a heavy amount of appreciation and affection. Why did he have to be so kind? It made her feel terrible.
She nodded as the rising of emotion emerged again and she hadn't even tried to conceal it. The tears leaked from her eyes, and she threw her hands up to her face.
Cedric's warm hands gently wrapped around her wrists, gradually pulling them away from her face. He dropped her wrists, raising his giant hands to her cheek and with his thumb, began swiping away the tears which fell.
His forehead rested on hers while his soft thumbs caressed her cheeks. She broke out into deeper sobs again and leaning forward, placed her head on his chest while he wrapped her into a hug; his hand caressing her hair soothingly and his jaw resting on the top of her head.
Somehow she figured that he knew getting a bad grade wasn't really what was troubling her.
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sixteenth chapter complete :)
awh Cedric's such a sweetheart I'm in love
keep reading besties!
things are gonna get slightly slower but you'll have to stick with me :)