RP: And This Is How It Happens
Characters: Lucy Montgomery, Patrick MacDonald Date: Early February 2000 Summary: Patrick finds out.
Well, that just fucking sucked. So far Lucy had been able to keep the fact that she was pregnant under wraps- the only people outside her parents that knew were her professors (in case spells that they had to use in class could hurt the baby), the Headmistress, and Madam Pomfrey. Not even her twin sister knew, because all during Christmas holidays she'd worn baggy and oversized clothes that would cover the small curve of her stomach, even in the bedroom that they shared.
She'd managed to cover it with her school shirts and jumpers, too, since being back, but apparently over the weekend her stomach had decided to protrude a great deal more than it had. And it definitely showed under her school shirt. She tried putting a jumper on over it, especially since she was cold today, but that only defined the curve and made very obvious what it was. Unfortunately, it was far too cold for her to go without it- she'd been freezing lately- so she would just have to face the music. She wasn't sure she was ready, but then she didn't seem to have a choice. Just like she hadn't had a choice about keeping the baby (of course she was, she wouldn't give birth till school was out anyway) or staying in school (there was no fucking way she wasn't finishing her NEWTs).
And breakfast was nearly over with, so if she wanted something to eat before class (she didn't, but the baby certainly seemed to) she needed to get downstairs soon. Sighing, she stood and swung her satchel over her shoulder, heading down the stairs into the Common Room.
The past few months had been.. life changing for Patrick. There was no other explanation. After a few weeks of anger and picking fights and nearly getting kicked out of school, he'd broken down with his Mum and Dad over Christmas hols, telling them what happened, about Lucy, about what she meant to him.
And they'd... understood. And his Mum had told him to hang on, to be strong, to try to be the better man, so that at some point, when this was over, if he and Lucy were going to be together, they would.
He suspected his father wasn't quite as rational, because he'd been given a good bit of tips on where to go and burn off his anger alone, if he needed to, along with a good sized bottle of whiskey to take back with him to school under his pillow one night.
So he'd come back to school and stayed away from everyone. Especially Lu. He'd worked harder than he ever had at school, thinking at least he could study for NEWTs. He'd played on the team and taken part in classes, and kept his hands, body, self, away from Lucy. But he watched her when he thought no one was looking, wondering if she watched him too, wondering if she felt so fucked up inside as he did, as if the whole world was upside down now.
He usually got up early and finished breakfast early, so he wouldn't have to see her outside of class, but today he'd forgotten his cloak and he had Herbology for two periods later in the morning. Which was how he was alone in the common room, approaching the stairs, when she clattered down.
And there was no one else here but them.
His eyes lit hungrily on her face. He didn't think they'd been alone in a room since this all happened.
Hesitantly, he nodded, and summoned a crooked half smile.
"Hey."
Oh. He was there, in front of her, and it was like things hadn't changed at all for a moment, especially since he was smiling at her like that. And it was like the baby knew, too, because she felt that insistent fluttering she'd been feeling for the past week or so, and she smiled even more at that.
"Hey."
She looked... beautiful. He'd noticed that even more lately, her skin and her hair and her eyes. Not his though, he tried to remind himself of that.
"You look.." his voice cracked a little. "Good." He couldn't look away from her face, those big blue eyes on him.
And then he noticed her hand come to rest on her stomach, and he looked down, his eyes staring at it for a moment before coming back up to look at her.
He had no idea what to say. None. Someone... she'd found someone else and was...
"That's... new." He cleared his throat, feeling it grow thick and he looked back at her face. "Who is he? Someone your parents like?"
"So do you." She couldn't look away, it was like there were magnets drawing her gaze to his.
Her hand had apparently curved over her stomach unconsciously, which she'd become prone to doing whenever she felt the baby in the hope she would feel it from the outside, and Patrick had noticed. A brief moment of panic had struck, before he spoke.
"No, actually," she said, leaving her hand where it was, a small smile curving her lips, feeling more at peace than she had since all this had started- or rather, ended.
"They hate him. I'm pretty fond of him, though."
His face registered shock and awe and... "It's mine?"
He took three steps forward and kissed her, arms pulling her close, then he looked down at her stomach, his hand going over hers.
"You... When... I mean I know when... Why didn't you... Fuck, Lu." He kissed her again. Whatever they did he didn't care at this point. She was looking at him like she still loved him. She was pregnant with his... oh fuck.. shite.. baby. He was going to be a Dad.
So why did he suddenly feel so protective and fierce suddenly?
"You are? Fond of him?"
Before she knew it he was kissing her, and his hand was over hers on her stomach. Gently removing hers out from underneath his so that he could feel it without her fingers in the way, she looked up at him, suddenly nervous.
"Patrick, I've had sex once. In my whole life. Whose else would it be?" she asked, looking at him like he was a moron. The nerves hadn't gone away, though, and she ducked her head.
"Are you all right with this?"
Just with him. She was still his. It about killed him thinking of it.
"I love you," he murmured. "I think I'm an idiot for fucking the charm up. But I love you. You know that. And... this is my baby. Our baby. And I'm not going to stand by and let you raise it without me. I... I want you, Lu. It's always been you. Always."
Lucy burst into tears.
"I love you too," she gasped out between sobs, reaching up to wipe furiously at her eyes. "Fuck, I'm sorry, I don't mean to cry all over you, it just sort of happens these days, and you're not an idiot, it's all right. And I didn't want to raise it without you, but my parents and their rules...." She trailed off, breathing in and out and trying to stop crying.
"Stupid baby, screwing with my hormones. Behave," she said sternly, smoothing her hand over the quite obvious swell.
"Baby come here." He pulled her into his arms more securely and waited until she'd cried herself out a bit.
"You're fine. Fine, it's alright," he said. His mind was whirling. He didn't know much, but this wasn't right... what her parents were doing...
"But Lu... it's not about your parents. This is our decision. The two of us. I don't care about their rules. You're going to be a parent. Hell, we are. And from what I know, that means that... they don't get a say. This might not have been.. intentional, but it's our decision now."
He met her eyes. "I'm going to take care of you. Both of you."
"Well, now, yes," she said into his shoulder, sniffling. "But I couldn't tell you, you were so angry. I didn't want to upset you more. And I was so panicked at first that I couldn't talk to anyone about it. My parents only found out over Christmas hols, when I was at home."
"That was when I found out, you know. That day."
She sighed, wiping at her eyes. "I know you will. And we'll be fine." She managed a smile. "I haven't actually been scared about this in a while, probably since I first found out. It's weird, but I'm just...not."
He just looked down at her, amazed, then looked at her stomach again.
"Yeah. Just... I'm not scared either."
Hard to believe it happened after just once but..well...
"I'm going to be a Dad." His eyes flickered to her. "To your baby, Lu." He reached out and touched her face.
"My mother is going to kill me, but... I ... love you. Just... " He pressed his lips together in thought.
"We get married. If we get married then well... we're on our own, nothing anyone says will keep us apart."
"Yeah. You are." She turned her head to kiss his palm lightly, eyes closing for a moment. "And we will. As soon as we leave school. Or sooner? Could we?" She was grinning now, leaning into his embrace. There was something about having Patrick's arms around her that made her feel so tiny. And safe. Very safe.
"And your mother won't kill you, she adores me and I'll just ask her not to," Lucy added, smirking at him slightly and feeling so much more like herself now. Funny that it only took letting one person back into her life to make things feel balanced again.
"Love you too," she said, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him, pouring all the fear and frustration from the last few months into it.
"Well, if you ask nicely." He smiled and kissed her back.
"Sooner. Easter break? Don't take the train home. We'll go to tell my parents and... we'll get married. They can't kick us out because we're married. Hell, we might even be able to talk them into letting us do our NEWTS early. Or live in Hogsmeade."
His eyes on her he found her hand.
"Come on. I don't give a shite who sees us together. They can't keep us apart. Not now."
"Sooner than that. Next Hogsmeade weekend." Now that they had actually decided to do this, Lucy didn't want to wait. Not because she was afraid she would lose her nerve or anything of that sort- she just wanted this, and was terribly impatient. She was like that with the baby, too. Wanted to see him or her, now. Except she knew that the poor thing would be too tiny, so she could wait on that one.
"All right. Your son or daughter is starving, and keeps moving around to let me know it," she said, frowning down at her abdomen. "And maybe, one day, my parents will come around. When they see how much you love me."
"Next Hogsmeade weekend." He ran his hand over his hair. He was going to have to tell his parents. Oh, shite.
Well he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.
He looked down at her stomach again, then put his arm around her and steered her to the door.
"Well, come on then. Wouldn't want to keep them waiting."