It's hard to find the perfect time to say something you know is gonna change everything -- May 1998

I sighed, but had to agree that she was thinking more about this than I was.  I wanted to make sure that she would be okay and I was not thinking about the reactions of the other students if she would get special treatments.  "Okay," I said, nodding slightly.  "But if anyone gives you hell, you'll come to me, right?" I raised my eyebrows at her slightly, hoping that she would know that I would deal with any issues.

I smiled, chuckling a little bit in the process as well.  "Of course," I said.  "But I doubt anyone will give me hell because they won't know."  I did not want him to think that he had to go off the deep end or anything.

"You never know," I pointed out to her.  I would make sure no one would do anything to her, but how could I make sure of that without giving something away?  I would figure something out, that I knew.  I always made sure the ones I cared about would be protected.

I just shook my head at him.  There was no point in arguing.  I looked around and wa grateful everything was still quiet in the common room and we were basically alone except for a few people -- most everyone was outside enjoying the weather.  Which was precisely why I had hunted him down before he got out of the common room.  "So... what do you want it to be?" I asked, letting my excitement show.

I sighed and shrugged.  "I honestly don't know," I replied.  "I don't even know if it's completely sunk into my head yet."  How could I be as excited about this as Pansy clearly was?  She did not know what this may cause... I was so close to being able to leave and now I could not.  I did not resent her for it, but I wish that I could take her with me.  I could not ask that of her, though.

I chuckled.  I guess it would not have sunk in yet; I had known for a few weeks, just trying to figure out how to tell Draco.  So it was much easier for me to think about more than just the fact that I was pregnant.  "I'm sorry," I said quickly.  "I just can't help but want to talk about it now that you know..."

I looked at her and saw how truly happy she was.  I smiled.  "You don't need to apologize for being excited... just forgive me for not being quite there yet," I told her, grabbing her hand and giving it a light squeeze.  As usual, I had a lot of other things on my mind to think about with the news of being a father.

I smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.  "Don't worry about it, Draco," I assured him.  There was no way I would blame him for feeling blind sided... because I kind of did blind side him with this.

"Since you are so excited, though, talk about it.  I'm here to listen," I said to her.  And perhaps with her excitement, I could come up with my own.  I knew that it would be difficult, but in the end I would be so happy to have a child of my own.  I just hoped that things would not turn out badly for us.

I grinned over at him, but shook my head.  "No... because I don't want it to seem like I'm pressuring you into feeling something you're not ready to feel yet," I told him.  I wanted him to be as excited as I was, but I would not force him to be.

I could not help but laugh a little bit at her.  I shook my head at Pansy.  "You wont'  be forcing me to feel any particular way," I assured her.  "I'd love to hear what you've been thinking about with everything, though."  I wanted her to tell me what was on her mind wiht the baby.  It would help me, I knew.

now I could not resist.  I turned slightly so I could see him more straight on than at an angle.  "Well... I would love it to be a little girl," I told him, unable to stop smiling.  "I see how you are with June and think you'd be so good with a daughter."  I hoped he would realize that, I could already see the look forming in his eyes that he was going to argue with me about it.

I smiled slightly, nodding.  "That'd be good... but then again, I may end up over protective," I pointed out, thinking of how I was with Juniper.  If I could hide her away, I probably would.  I just did nto want her to go through any more pain than necessary... and yet, if she knew everything that I was doing to try to keep certain thought from entering my mind, she would be so hurt -- especially after Matthews and I got her from doing something stupid.  I was doing something just as bad... I just was nto entirely sure if anyone realized what it was that I was doing.

I could not help but laugh at him a little bit.  He was right about that.  "Being over protective might not be entirely a bad thing, though," I countered playfully.  "She may end up hating you, but it would make sure she behaved herself."

I smiled slightly and shook my head.  Hate... I could not say that was something new to the Malfoy family.  "Well, I wouldn't want her to hate me," I said.  I would want to be a better father than my own... but how could I do that when I had no example?