Draco had never felt so furious in his life.

Pansy knew he wasn't onboard with this engagement and yet she still had to flaunt it about as though it was the result of some big romance.

It was all part of the Malfoy's punishment. Voldemort had somehow found out about him being in love with Aurora Diggory and had ordered him to marry Pansy Parkinson or else his whole family would be slaughtered. Including Aurora herself.

It was simply sick. And on top of that he wanted Draco to murder Dumbledore.

He couldn't even run away because he had been pinned down and Dark Marked.

And then there was Aurora, witnessing the engagement as though it was something they were actually celebrating.

He would never forget the way her face crumpled as Pansy thrust him in front of her. All he wanted to do was take Aurora away from there and explain to her that he didn't love anyone but her. That he never would.

But he couldn't.

And Pansy knew. She knew that his family's life, as well as Aurora's, would be in danger.

And she happily used it against him.

******

I stumbled to the nearest train toilet and managed to clamber through the door in time to throw up in it.

My whole body heaved over and over again above the bowl as tears streamed down my face.

"Aurora?"

I looked up to see Cho standing at the door. I had obviously forgotten to lock it in my haste to aim the contents of my stomach.

"He's marrying Pansy!" I cried, great big gulping sobs making me gasp with strangled breaths.

Cho immediately knelt down beside me, wrapping her arm around my back as she helped me hold my hair away from my face.

"I heard," she muttered bitterly. "Pansy has been sending pink paper love heart fliers about it up and down the train."

I broke down in a fresh wave of tears as I heaved over the toilet again.

"Bloody hell, Aurora!" Cho cried, as she held my hair back again. "Did you eat something dodgy?"

I shook my head, tears spilling down into the bowl. "It's morning sickness."

"What? Oh shit - no seriously?!" Cho gasped. "You're pregnant?!"

A loud cough startled us both. I lifted my head to see Blaise standing in the doorway.

My heart plummeted.

He quickly shut the door behind him as he stepped inside.

"Aurora, please don't tell me what I think I just heard?" He murmured in astonishment, his knees clicking as he knelt down to join us.

I nodded, turning away from the toilet to cry into Cho's chest. I felt her arms go around me and pat my back consolingly.

"Fuck," Blaise breathed. "But the potion? It's supposed to be one hundred percent effective."

"What? You were taking the potion?" Cho asked, her face aghast. "But I've been taking it for years - it's foolproof!"

"Damn right it is," said Blaise looking bewildered. "You sure you were remembering to take it? Although, it's so powerful that even if you forget to take it for days, you're still covered. They just tell you take it everyday for insurance."

"Yes!" I cried. "I have an excellent memory! As soon as Draco and I got back together, I started taking it again everyday."

He was rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Somethings not right."

"Well it's a bit late to worry about that now." Cho murmured as I leant back over the toilet to heave again.

"I take it he doesn't know? You know, given that he's celebrating his engagement with someone else?" Blaise muttered, not being able to hide the bitterness. "Man, I don't know what's going on with that dude. But I'm going to go and find out once that ridiculous party is over."

"You mustn't tell him!" I gasped. "You can't! I don't want anyone to know!"

"Relax, your secret is safe with me. But, assuming you're going to keep it, he's going to know you're pregnant soon enough.... along with everybody else."

"Surely you're not going to keep it?" Cho asked baffled, "you're only sixteen, and Pansy will be its step mother!"

I shook my head crying harder. "I don't know. I can't think straight. It's all such a mess. I wish- I wish Cedric was here."

I cried harder now, my heart squeezing painfully. All I could see in my head was Pansy kissing Draco. My dreams of Draco and I living in the cottage by the sea with our baby now shattered into pieces just like my heart.

"Look, I'm not going to say anything," Blaise muttered. "It's not my place. But you're going to need to decide what to do. And soon."

I nodded as I cried in Cho's arms. The problem was, I didn't know what to do. Not anymore.

******

Draco looked up as Blaise entered the compartment. The party had eventually died down and they were all now sitting back in their seats.

Infuriatingly, Pansy kept trying to pull his head down on her lap to stroke his hair.

"Will you just leave it!" He snapped, shaking her off.

Her bottom lip quivered as she looked up at him, hurt.

"That's no way to talk to your fiancée," Blaise muttered sardonically, taking the seat opposite him. "So, I hear you've had an interesting summer."

"I don't want to talk about it." Draco mumbled moodily, folding his arms across his chest as he sat back.

It had been the worst summer of his entire life.

"What's the matter? Not looking forward to going back to school?" Blaise asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hogwarts," Draco spat, "what a pathetic excuse of a school. I think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I thought I had to continue for another two years."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Blaise asked, glancing wearily at Pansy who was still attempting to stroke Draco's hair.

"Let's just say I don't think you'll be seeing me wasting my time in Charms class next year." Draco continued.

Pansy let out a high pitched shriek of delight in his ear, making Draco wince.

Blaise, noticing this, let out a derisive snort.

"Something funny, Blaise?" Pansy spat, glaring at him. "We'll see just who's laughing in the end. Won't we, Drakie?"

She got up, but not before smacking a kiss right on Draco's lips. "I'm off to use the little girls room, try not to miss me too much, darling."

"What the fuck are you playing at?" Blaise hissed, after Pansy had left. "The last time I saw you, you were head over heels in love with Aurora!"

"Yeah, well things change." Draco muttered, casting his eyes downwards, not wanting his friend to see the truth in his eyes.

"This isn't you, man!" Blaise spat. "You wouldn't do this to Aurora - not again! Not like this! And don't expect me to believe that bullshit that you want to marry Pansy. You clearly can't stand her!"

Draco just shrugged. "Pansy's a pureblood. She's the type I need to marry if I want to keep the Malfoy bloodline pure. And I do. More than anything."

"More than being happy with Aurora - the girl you actually love?"

"Yes. I just don't feel that strongly about her anymore. It was a crush I've outgrown."

Blaise shook his head, standing up. "I've always stuck up for you, man. But she deserved better than this. Better than you. Enjoy your marriage, and enjoy your pureblooded children."

Draco refused to look up until Blaise had left the compartment. He unclenched his aching jaw, rubbing it beneath his fingers. He hated that he had to lie to his best friend.

But it was too dangerous to tell anyone the truth.

And so he just had to suck it up.