RP: Avatar Who: Addi and Draco When: Monday, December 18, 2009 Where: Muggle London, then Marseilles, France What: Addi introduces Draco to the movie theater. Warnings: UST
Addi had done her best to keep herself distracted over the weekend, and Eloise now officially past her due date had helped. Aside from her own apparent stalker, they'd all been anxiously awaiting the news that Eloise had gone into labor, but they still hadn't gotten word. It had to be soon, though, and Addi was only getting more anxious. What if her own little Peanut decided to wait past her due date to arrive? She was sure she would go insane. Thankfully, that was still six months away; she could survive until then.
But Monday had arrived, as she'd known it would, and though she'd hoped that she might have to cancel to go to France after all, when it came time to duck out of work to go meet Draco, she'd still not gotten word. She'd dressed casually for the outing, the sweater dress and leggings loose enough to be both comfortable and disguising her small baby bump. It wasn't that she didn't intend to tell Draco, not that he really needed to know, she just wasn't looking forward to the looks she was sure to start getting before long. It was the twenty-first century, and yet people still judged unmarried mother's to be, but she would get through it.
Standing outside the cinema she'd told Draco to meet her in front of, Addi shivered a bit, cold despite her peacoat. Sighing softly, she wished she'd thought to have one of her coworkers cast a warming charm before she'd left. As someone who got cold easily normally, it had seemed worse since she'd got pregnant. Eloise had gotten terrible hot flashes throughout her pregnancy though, so she wondered if her body temperature would yo-yo like that too. It wasn't something she was looking forward to.
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Draco was surprised that his spur of the moment plan had actually worked. He had been thinking about asking her about that cartoon guy, the robot detective. He hadn't thought to ask her to take him to the cinema until he was sending the message, he had even been willing to remind her that they had agreed to stay friends. Friends went to the cinema together all the time, didn't they? It turned out that he didn't need the argument in order to get her to show up, which was something he hadn't doubted for a second after she had agreed to send him the address and movie time.
And there she was, standing there shivering in front of the movie theater. Didn't her coat have warming charms in it? The woman may have been muggle but he had noticed that she didn't have any issue functioning in the magical world. "You could have waited inside, I know how to open doors," he said as he walked up to her, flashing her a playful smile. He debated for just a moment if it was overstepping his bounds if he told her how fantastic she looked, and when he reached to open the doors for her, he'd made up his mind.
"Why don't you have warming charms on your coat? As fantastic as it looks on you, it isn't practical. " Draco was learning to navigate their friendship, and just where the boundaries really were. He thought he was getting better with each interaction, she hadn't shut him down two messages in this last time. He had even gotten her to agree to this outing. While he didn't ever try to manipulate her, he was always honest with her, he just chose his words carefully. She was dating his cousin, and even though Draco loathed him, he was going to respect their relationship.
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Addi noticed him right away--how could she not?--and there was that immediate kick of attraction in her gut that had her cheeks tinging faintly. Hopefully he would attribute it to the cold and not his presence. And like Zee had pointed out, being attracted to other people didn't have to mean anything because she wasn't going to do anything about it. "I haven't been waiting long," she retorted, smiling back at him. And besides, it was more difficult to find people inside.
At his question, her lips parted slightly in surprise, not only that he'd asked her in the middle of muggle public, but that he'd noticed she didn't have any warming charms on her coat. "I forgot to ask someone. They tend to wear off faster on my things, and I don't really need them if I'm just flooing from home to work and back," she explained. She bit her lower lip, peeking up at him through her lashes as she tried to decide if she should ask him to cast the charm for her. They'd have to slip off somewhere discreet to do it, but it would probably be worth it to not be so cold.
"Let's go get our tickets, oui?" she suggested instead, nodding toward the door to head inside.
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He noted the surprised expression, he rather enjoyed that look on her. The way that her lips parted ever so slightly, it drew his eyes and attention for far longer than he would like to admit. When she spoke, it seemed to break whatever spell her lips had easily put him under. "Before we leave, I can be sure that you have them in place? You don't want to be caught in the cold without, we don't want you to get sick." There was genuine concern in his tone as he said it.
Draco went about unbuttoning his peacoat as the pair walked into the cinema, digging his wallet from the back pocket of the muggle jeans he had worn. He was intending to pay for them, it had been his idea after all. He didn't know if she would consider that move to mean he thought it was a date, he really was trying to be respectful of the boundaries that she put into place. "Which one was it that we were seeing again?" Draco had made a point of trying to forget the title of the movie she had mentioned, he knew he was going to be far too tempted to look it up and see what it was all about. Grey eyes scanned the movie posters that were hung along the walls, his eyes pausing on one with blue people, that looked odd.
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It was easy enough to notice that his eyes were focused on her lips for a moment longer than the casual glance that would be appropriate, but it wasn't something Addi wanted to notice or deal with. She wanted Draco and Blaise as her friends, whether it was appropriate or not, and so she would ignore any mutual attraction and treat him like... well, not quite like Zee, as she knew she tended to flirt with Zee playfully without it being weird... but not quite like Quin either, something in between. "Thank you," she murmured in reply, grateful that she wasn't going to have to ask him to do the charm.
The last thing Addi wanted to deal with was the awkwardness of who would be paying for what; this wasn't a date, and so she assumed she would be buying her own ticket and concessions, and bloody hell the smell of popcorn was amazing. She knew she wanted some, but she was also craving some chocolaty sweetness. Dieu, he was going to figure out she was pregnant just from her concessions choices, wasn't he? "Hmm?" It took her a moment to realize he'd asked her a question, and then a moment longer to process what it had been. "Oh! Avatar." It was, indeed, the one with the blue people.
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When Addi didn't respond right away, she almost seemed to have drifted away, it surprised Draco. His expression showed it, the way his brows perked with amusement, and a surprised laugh slipped from him. "Where did you go just now, ma petite?" he asked as he moved up in line, giving that toothy smile to the woman behind the glass. He didn't even hesitate as he repeated her words. "Two for Avatar," he said, placing his money on the counter a moment later. In hopes of preventing a protest, he glanced over his shoulder at her and explained, "I wanted to pay since it was my idea." He wasn't intending to pay for snacks, he had brushed up on some cinema etiquette and he knew there were snacks.
He took the tickets and change, holding her ticket out to her. It was a show of things being equal, just friends. "Are we getting snacks? I read that they have all sorts of things at the counter. Do you think they'll have some lemon drops?" There had to be a muggle version of lemon drops, he hoped. He hadn't experimented much with muggle junk food and candies.
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Addi's cheeks tinged when he called her out on her distraction, her hand unconsciously rubbing her stomach through her coat. Where, indeed, she though with a mental sigh. "My mind just wandered a bit, not to worry," she murmured, hoping he wouldn't push. She was a little surprised when he paid for both their tickets without asking first, but she didn't argue it. "You didn't have to, but thank you," she said graciously, accepting the ticket.
She led him out of the queue even as he asked about snacks. "Definitely. It's terrible, but I think it'll be my lunch today." She wasn't sure if the sweet/salty craving counted as a pregnancy craving or if it was just a byproduct of their environment, of smelling the popcorn and knowing there were other sweets here too. "They do have a type of lemon drops, though they're a bit different than you're likely used to," she answered as she walked with him to get in the concessions line. She stepped up first and ordered a popcorn, soft pretzel with cheese, and a box of chocolaty sweetness. "Do not judge me, Mr. Malfoy," she warned him before pulling her wallet out to pay with her credit card.
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Draco wanted to tease her that he didn't realize he was that attractive, but with that blush... Well, he couldn't help but let the subject drop. He didn't think it was wise to keep pushing, as adorable as that color looked on her cheeks.
"They're like lemon drops? What are they called?" Grey eyes scanned his options, everything smelled delicious and terrible. He listened as she ordered, brows raising at just how much she ordered. He was wondering just where she was going to put it all, when she turned back to him and told him to not judge. He rather enjoyed hearing her call him Mr. Malfoy. He held his hands up. "No judgement, ma petite," he swore, chuckling as he stepped up in line.
He was next, and while he had no idea what he wanted, he ordered those things that were like lemon drops, a soda, and some of that popcorn. He shot her a look of his own. "No judgement, right?"
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Rather than answering him, Addi scanned the glass case and then pointed to the candy that were similar to lemon drops. At his reaction to her warning about judging her, she chuckled softly along with him. He had to be wondering, but it would be weird to just blurt it out to him, wouldn't it? She didn't know why she was so anxious about telling him she was pregnant; it really shouldn't matter. "Good," she retorted approvingly. "I've finally been able to keep food down, so I'm enjoying it while I can," she added before she could think not to. Well fuck.
"No judgment," she assured him. She had a water bottle hidden away in her bag, so she hadn't bothered getting a drink, but she was trying hard to drink more water and do right by her growing baby. It was a process, but things seemed to be starting to get better. Like she'd said, at least now she could keep food down.
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Curiosity killed the cat, or something like that. Draco was lucky he wasn't a cat, that was his boyfriend. "Have you been sick?" He had this pit in his stomach, this feeling that wasn't what she had meant. Something about the way she had worded it had him thinking that she hadn't had some sort of cold, not like what Dora had.
He followed after her after collecting his snacks, already taking a sip from his soda. He wished for a moment they weren't in the muggle world, only so he could carry everything without needing to stuff the box of candies into his back pocket.
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Addi paused, lips parting slightly as she tried to figure out the best way to answer that question. "Hmm, not exactly," she finally said, continuing over to the stand so she could add a little bit of butter to her popcorn. Although she wanted to shoot him a look of warning to not press about this, she found she couldn't look at him at all. She fiddled with the different things at the stand, pulling napkins out to take into the theater and straightening the salt and pepper packets. It was ridiculous, and she knew she was avoiding him, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. She was sure she was the last person he'd have expected to turn up pregnant, and she worried about seeing any sort of judgment from him.
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Draco watched her curiously, she was acting odd wasn't she? This was their first outing, the only time he seemed to see her they were in a very public setting, and she had other things to get to that weren't standing around carrying on a conversation with him. "What was wrong?" He couldn't stop the questions, and as he waited he took another sip of the soda. He was going to need to leave for the loo before the movie even started if he didn't watch it.
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Well, she had to tell him now, didn't she? Not telling him would be worse, she thought. "Nothing was wrong," she said, perhaps slightly sharper than she should have. Sighing softly, she finally forced her hands still and turned to look at him. "I'm pregnant. Shall we go on into the theater now?" she asked, hoping it would be that simple to move past her admission but knowing that was a rather foolish hope. Still, he wasn't her boyfriend and their friendship was still a rather new, untested thing, so his opinion really shouldn't matter to her anyway.
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Her admission was a surprise, though he had been piecing together her admission for a few moments now. He couldn't stop his eyes from glancing to her stomach, following her hands. "Aren't you excited?" He asked curiously, unable to stop the question from popping from his lips. He was quick to apologize however, that wasn't what you said to a woman who just told you she was pregnant. "What I mean to say is, congratulations. I'm sure you're both excited," he said with what he hoped came off as a reassuring smile. While he didn't judge her for being pregnant, he was curious why she was so quick to be off the subject. He liked pregnant women, he liked children well enough, he just didn't think he needed to be holding babies.
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At his question, she felt the tears prick her eyes completely without her permission, and she blinked them back stubbornly. Before she could answer, though, he was apologizing, and she shook her head in response to it. "No, you're fine. I know I don't seem it. But, oui, I am, just unbelievably nervous too," she admitted. "The circumstances haven't exactly been ideal, and it's not like I ever expected it to happen this early in my life." Not that she was some young kid or anything; twenty-six was plenty old enough to start having babies, she knew, she'd just had other priorities she'd wanted to focus on for a while longer. "And Phillip, yes, he's excited too."
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"From what I've learned over the years, people are rarely ready for a child even when they were actively trying for the child," he said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Congratulations, you do have a glow about you now that you mention it..." He winked at her then, giving a soft laugh. He didn't want her upset, he hadn't meant to do that.
Draco stepped forward then, setting his drink and popcorn down on the counter before he stepped closer to her. "You look like you could use a hug. I happen to be fantastic at them," he said with a nervous smile, he knew a hug could overstep the bounds of their tentative friendship.
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Could he have said anything more perfect in that moment to assuage her fears about people outside her inner circle knowing? She wanted to hug him, but she still wasn't sure what was appropriate or not. "Thank you," she murmured at the congratulations. At least any glow she had now was probably not from puking her guts out--it was the little things in life, really.
He surprised her when he offered a hug, but Addi smiled as she stepped closer to him and went into the offered hug without argument or hesitation. She did actually need a hug just then, and it felt like maybe it was a step in the right direction of reassuring her that they could be friends without it being weird. "Thank you," she repeated against his chest. Her baby bump wasn't big enough yet to impede the hug, but she still pulled away self-consciously after a few moments. "Let's go on in, okay?" she suggested, gathering up her snacks.
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Draco was relieved when she smiled and hugged him, he had worried that he was overstepping their boundaries. His arms enveloped her in a hug, squeezing her gently because she was pregnant after all. He didn’t need to squeeze her too hard and squish the little bean that was growing inside of her.
His head had even dipped down to press a kiss to the top of her head, but she was moving away already and so instead he was just a little too close as she pulled away. He moved to grab his drink and popcorn again. “Do I get to choose our seats? I read that you get to choose these things. Are there certain seats that are better than others?” While Draco knew some about the muggle world, there was still a lot he had yet to experience. He was looking forward this movie with blue creatures, even if he had no idea what it was about. He followed after her though, sipping once again at his soda, as grey eyes resisted the urge to try to glance at her arse through her peacoat.
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Addi chuckled softly at his questions, shaking her head in amusement. "Oui, we'll get to choose our seats, and center, center tends to be the best, depending on how the rows are structured. Probably best if we can choose seats that will be easy to sneak out of though, just in case I need to dart to the loo," she pointed out. Avatar was a long movie, and she wasn't sure she would be able to make it through the whole thing without a loo break.
After showing her ticket to the attendant, Addi led Draco down the hall to the right theatre. "Oh, perfect!" she declared when she spotted empty seats in the row a little further forward than center that were spaced further from the row in front to provide an extra walkway to the other side of the theatre. She walked over to the middle seats in the row, taking one and shifting her feet out of the way in case he wanted to take the seat on the other side of her. "What do you think?" she asked, realizing then that he might have wanted to do the choosing.
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Draco hadn’t realized there were other factors that went into picking your seat until she had mentioned needing to leave to head to the loo. He hadn’t had to deal with any of that with Dora, then again he had never taken Dora someplace like this where you were expected to sit still for hours without leaving. His idea of being able to choose their seats had ended in that moment, he wanted to be sure they were in seats that were best for mother and child. “It can’t be easy having a little one on your bladder all day, I don’t know how Dora went around with two constantly bouncing on hers.” That had been a ridiculous thought that Draco had realized a little too late that he likely should have kept to himself.
He repeated what Addi did, mimicking her almost, as he showed the attendant his own ticket. Another sip from his soda that was almost halfway gone, and they were heading to their seat. They weren’t exactly center, but he could see the appeal because she was right, she would be able to slip out of their row easily enough to run to the loo when she needed. He fell into the seat beside her, his soda finding the cup holder on his opposite side, and popcorn settling in his lap. “Shite!” He squirmed in his chair then, hand digging into his back pocket to grab out his candy, and in the process the popcorn that had been in his lap had slipped from his hand just enough to spill popcorn on the floor at their feet, and all over his lap. “Shite,” came a groan, before he was righting himself, the prized candy in his free hand. “These better be worth it, this popcorn smells fantastic,” he said, not realizing he hadn’t answered her question about their seats.
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Snorting a soft laugh at Draco's observations, Addi shook her head. "Oh no, the little Peanut isn't really big enough yet to press on my bladder. I read that it's actually the hormones and extra blood production," she explained. As soon as she'd found out she was pregnant--well, a few days after, once she'd absorbed the shock of it--she'd started reading everything she could get her hands on about pregnancy. There was so much she was not looking forward to, that was for sure. "Well, until later in the pregnancy, and then yeah, I'll totally be able to blame her for pressing on the bladder." She'd gotten so used to referring to the Peanut in feminine terms with Zee that she didn't even think about it now.
He seemed distracted, and as he shifted in his seat to get the candy out of his back pocket, her own hand darted out to try to catch his bag of popcorn, though she wasn't quick enough. She grimaced as it spilled over his lap and floor. "You could probably salvage the popcorn from your lap," she offered, trying hard not to laugh, though she stopped herself from sweeping the popcorn off his lap and into the bag herself. "And I'll share if you can't salvage it." Honestly, she had plenty to eat.
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“That’s... Interesting,” Draco said with a soft laugh, the mention of blood and things had him regretting mentioning her bladder. “So you know it’ll be a girl then? Is that what you had been hoping for?” He knew that parents generally wished for one or the other, even if they wouldn’t mind either way so long as the baby was healthy. He wanted to ask if the boyfriend had been hoping for a boy, but he was purposely going to avoid mentioning Philip at all costs.
Even if she was hiding her laughter beautifully, he could hear the amusement in her voice and shot her a playful glare. “There’s supposed to be no judgments today,” he reminded her, as he went about sweeping the popcorn from his lap and into the bag. Not all of the popcorn ended up back in the bag, but all of the popcorn at his feet was swept away with his foot. He should have pulled out his wand to make it all disappear, but this was muggle London, that wasn’t allowed.
Since she had offered, he leaned towards her so that he could snag some of her popcorn, even though his own bag was at least half-full. With the super moon mere weeks away, his senses were waking up, and as he leaned closer he could catch her scent. She smelled sweet, almost like a lily in bloom, and he wondered if it was her perfume or if it was just her. It was rude to ask, especially when she had no idea about his second life. Instead of mentioning it, he shot her a smirk, before he made a reach for her popcorn. “You said you’d share,” he said with the brattiest tone he could muster, a throw back to his Hogwarts years.
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Mental note: No talking about bodily fluids with the new-ish friend. Second mental note: Make sure to bring up gross bodily fluids with Cooper. The thoughts amused Addi, but she didn't share, instead just moving past it. "Oh, no, I don't know for sure yet, just a hope, really. And Zee says the whole maternal instinct is a thing. I know I shouldn't refer to the little Peanut as a 'she' until I know for sure, but I can't seem to help myself," she admitted as she shuffled her snacks around and unbuttoned her coat. She would wait until the lights dimmed to get her water out. She didn't look much different, perhaps a bit bloated, other than her breasts, which were already at least a cup size larger. She was almost dreading how much bigger they might get before she finally gave birth to the little one.
"Not judging!" she retorted, though the amusement lingered in her voice, contradicting her words. "Hey!" she said with a pout and glare when he snagged some of her popcorn, pulling the bag further away from him. "I said I'd share if you couldn't salvage yours, and..." she paused, leaning over to get a look in his bag. "You've got plenty there, mister!" she accused, tilting her head to look up at him with a mock-glare.
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Hearing Addi talk about the baby was strange for him, though it wasn't a bad thing. He was enjoying seeing how excited she was about this little thing, this peanut as she called it. He wanted to ask more but he was certain that the movie was supposed to be starting soon with the way the people were starting to fill the theater. "I've heard that before, I've seen it with Dora. She doesn't give herself enough credit," Draco said just before popping some popcorn into his mouth. He didn't want to talk about Dora, no with Addi. He didn't want to mention her boyfriend's sister, he didn't want to remind her that she had one of those.
Then she was too close, she was so close that he could have leaned in and kissed her. She was teasing him, she had to be, right? He felt that flame of anger, but it was the look on her face that extinguished the flames. She was mock-glaring at him, and she looked absolutely ridiculous. His features split into a wide toothy grin that was usually reserved for more private affairs, like at brunch with Blaise in their dining room. "You look ridiculous," he teased her, a second before he scooped some of the popcorn from his own bag this time and tossing it at her. He had to fight the urge to kiss her, though his eyes couldn't leave those lips.
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"No, she really doesn't," she agreed easily. Dora could be prideful on certain things, her magical talents mostly, but Addi saw strength in her that she wondered if Dora could see in herself. And she was so damn good with the twins. Seeing how Dora handled things with two babies made her feel just a little more confident on how she would do with one--and it better be just one in there! Twins didn't run in her family and from what she knew, twins only ran in the female line in Phillip's, so she wasn't too worried.
There was a look in his, brief though it was, that had a combination of panic and anticipation battling in her gut, but then he teased her and tossed popcorn at her, and she let out an indignant squeak. "Mal élevé," she accused, leaning back in her own seat. She had to fight the urge to throw popcorn back at him, not wanting to make more of a mess than he already had. "Anyway, just so you know, they show previews for other movies before the movie starts," she informed him before tossing a piece of popcorn in her mouth.
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"J'aime quand tu parles français," he said with that toothy smile, he was enjoying listening her slip in and out of the language so easily. It was like a beautiful song. He was completely unphased by the accusation of being rude, he knew it had been rude to toss the popcorn in her face, but it had been the safest option. He couldn't kiss her, she was off limits.
"Why do they do that? Do those movies play afterwards? Can we see them as well?" Draco didn't know how ridiculous his questions were, though he was curious about the previews. "I was curious if there will be one that Blaise would like to see." That was why he said he was doing all of this after all, he wanted to be able to take Blaise to see one of these movies. He knew it had just been an excuse to spend time with her. They had agreed to be friends ages ago, when she had first told him that she was dating someone. They had never spent time together though, he had wanted to see if they really could be friends.
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It wasn't often people retorted back to her in French, and that he did so just then sent a bit of a thrill through her. It made her remember the day she'd met Blaise, how they'd spoken in French for a bit before switching to English. That had been a fantastic day, made even better when Draco himself had decided to crash her and Blaise's little rendezvous. That day was probably the last thing she needed to be thinking about, especially with him sitting so close to her and looking at her that way.
"Mm, no, they're either movies that are current showing or will be coming in theatres soon," she answered. "We could watch the ones that are our, but you have to pay for another ticket." Unless you snuck in, which she would never do.... Now, anyway. "Oh, I'm sure there will be plenty of movies Blaise would like to see. I'll show you how to find the listings and previews and such," she offered, though she wasn't sure what muggle tech the guys might have or might be familiar with.
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She wasn’t talking down to him, nor was she treating him as if he should have known these things. Draco was enjoying learning more about the cinema, though it was a curious affair. He was certain any muggles listening in likely thought Draco to be incredibly daft, he knew there was no way they could have thought he might have been from another country that didn’t have cinemas. Maybe thought he was from another planet, like a Martian or something.
“You should come with us, I’m sure I’ll blunder the entire thing.” Which wasn’t exactly true, Draco had been comfortable enough so far in the experience. The only thing that would change the next time would be that it was just the boys, he was hoping to appeal to that side of Addi that had gotten her here today. He wasn’t going to push it though, he knew he had to be careful. He also needed to stop flirting with her, and trying to find reasons to get her to spend time with them, he knew he likely wasn’t about to stop either.
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The look Addi sent Draco at his suggestion was full of skepticism. She didn't believe for one minute that he would blunder anything, and it was easy enough to see through it as a ploy to get her to spend more time him and Blaise. The problem was that she wanted to say yes. She wanted the attention, the excitement, the thrill of doing something she probably shouldn't. It was not the best sort of instinct, she knew, and so she tried to repress those thoughts, even if he was being awfully tempting. "We'll see," she finally answered, though her tone didn't sound very promising. It wasn't a good idea, after all.
The theatre lights dimmed and the previews started then, so she settled a bit more into her seat, watching attentively. There really were some good looking movies coming out soon. She didn't make it to the movies often, but she thought she might try to make it out more often... which just got her back to thinking about Draco's invitation. "I'll be right back," she murmured to him at the start of a preview, shuffling her things around so she could get out to use the loo and hopefully be back just before the movie started. When she made it back, the theatre was just darkening further so the movie could start, and she made quick work of getting settled back in so she wouldn't disturb any of the other movie-goers.
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Draco wasn’t confident in that response, he would have to figure out how to ask her again later. He would find a reason that she needed to come, even if he played dirty and just made sure that the movie they were going to see was one that Adelaide really wanted to see.
The lights dimmed, and Draco slouched into his seat just a bit. He only moved when she said she would be right back, nodding his head to show that he heard her. His attention was back to the screen as soon as she had slipped away. He watched each preview, and watched as dancing popcorn and things told him to be quiet. Silencing charms would be perfect for places like this, he was already thinking of all the ways that he could bring the cinema to the wizarding world. He wondered if he could go about opening one on Victory Road with Blaise, it was a thought for another day.
The movie started just after Addi had slipped back into her seat. Draco was impressed by what the muggles had accomplished as he watched the movie, he could even feel himself really getting into it. He felt his heart race as he watched them flying around, zipping through the alien planet, and he could feel tears springing to his eyes as he watched the destruction of the tree. He couldn’t hold his tears back at the end, as he watched with baited breath to see if that one muggle from the wheelchair would wake up in his new skin. He was still crying as the movie ended, cursing muggles silently for being able to pull at his heart like this. His head tipped to look at his lap, while one hand came up to wipe under his eyes. “That was a good movie,” he said in a gruff voice, a voice that definitely gave away the fact he had been crying.
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Having only seen the previews, Addi wasn't entirely sure what to expect from the movie, but it didn't take long for her to have very strong reactions to it all. By the time those bastards burned down the tree, tears were streaming down her cheeks in earnest, and she sniffled, dabbing at her cheeks with a napkin. She only had to duck out of the movie once to go to the loo, but she hoped she hadn't missed anything important, and it was easily enough to pick up what was going on when she came back in.
When the movie ended, she looked over at Draco, realizing that he'd been crying too, and without thinking she reached a hand over to take his, giving it a little squeeze of solidarity. The movie had obviously touched him as much as it had touched her, and she found herself feeling quite grateful for having gotten to see it with him. "Oui, it was," she agreed before pulling her hand away again so she could gather up her trash. There was a little bit of popcorn left, though the soft pretzel was long gone, and she hadn't even opened her chocolates. That was all right, she could save those for later, she thought as she tucked them away in her bag.
Pulling out her phone to turn the volume back up as they started walking out of the theatre, she noticed she had three missed calls, two voicemails, and seven text messages waiting for her. "Merde," she murmured as she started looking through the texts first. "Oh my god!" she squealed in excitement when she figured out what was going on. "I've got to get to the Leaky, like now!" she told Draco excitedly, her hand flinging out to grab his arm earnestly.
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There was a lot going unsaid just then, Draco could feel it on the air between them. He wanted to ask, though he knew that to ask would mean he was acknowledging his own heavy feelings for the movie. He wasn't about to open that can of worms just then, it wasn't something that he could just talk about to a woman he had only spoken to a handful of times. It was too heavy for the moment, maybe one day. He was going to stop thinking about it however.
Instead his hand squeezed hers back, a shared understanding he thought. There was the urge to kiss the back of her hand, and he was grateful when she was taking her hand back. It was preventing him from making an idiot of himself. She was with someone, whatever he was feeling had to go ignored for now.
His own drink was empty, as was his popcorn bag, and candy. He had munched throughout the movie, having thankfully been able to hold it so he hadn't needed to leave the movie early. He had just been about to let her know that he was going to hit the loo, when she excitedly said she needed to get to the Leaky. "What's at the Leaky that's so important? That place is old and outdated. I didn't think you'd spend time there," he admitted, and thoughts of the loo were temporarily forgotten as she grabbed his arm. "We just have to get outside, around the corner." The need was too pressing just then. "I just have to hit the loo?"
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The look that passed between them was enough to get her heart racing, but she ignored it, moving past it as gracefully as she could. And then she was thoroughly distracted by her phone, and she laughed at his observation of the Leaky. "Because that's where my sister will be able to come get me!" she retorted easily. "Our other sister is in labor! She was due on Friday, and the baby's finally coming!" She couldn't contain her excitement as she explained why she needed to go to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Oh! Of course, that's probably a good idea," she agreed, his mention of the loo making her painfully aware of her own full bladder. "I'll meet you right out front?" she suggested before breaking off to head into the ladies' room. It didn't take her long before she was heading out front, buttoning her coat as she went, warming charm forgotten again in the excitement of the moment.
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Draco had a few questions, like why couldn't he just take her? He was a wizard, he was more than capable. Did she not trust him? He tried not to let that last one bother him, he was going to ask though once he got out of the loo. That was a more pressing matter. He was back outside in moments, already out there before she had gotten outside.
"You know I could take you wherever you need to go?" Draco didn't realize that one of the reasons she wouldn't want him helping her with this particular situation was because her boyfriend might be there. He didn't actually ask just where she was going, all he knew was the Leaky was where she wanted to go so her sister could come get her. "I am the same as your sister, do you not think me capable?" Apparently Draco couldn't let it go, he had to ask. It was a small bruise to his ego, he would blame that blasted movie. He was still feeling a little raw and vulnerable, two things he only tried to be around Blaise. He didn't like letting his guard down around just anyone. He had thought he could trust Daph, and that had backfired. How could he trust a woman he barely knew? Yet, he felt he could.
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His question when she rejoined him outside took her by surprise, and her lips parted as she tried to figure out how to respond to it. Only then he followed it up with a second question, and there was a bruised look in his eyes, something that made her step closer and look up at him earnestly. "Of course I don't think that, Draco," she murmured, bringing a hand up to squeeze his forearm lightly. "Please don't ever believe that I think so little of you." How could she? He'd proven himself more than capable in more ways than one.
"I need to get to Marseilles," she told him, still standing close, brows raised expectantly. Would he know the apparation points there? Was he comfortable with intercontinental apparation?
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Draco wondered in that moment how she could read him so well, but Daph had acted like he was just one big question mark. He bit his lower lip a moment as he watched her, nodding at her reassuring words. "Thank you," he said in a soft voice, hoping that this moment would just stay between them. He didn't like being seen as weak, this was definitely one of those weak moments. He brought his hand up to catch hers before she pulled it away, squeezing in thanks.
"That's all?" He couldn't help the cocky smile, he could easily do that one. That wasn't the farthest he had had to go. Intercontinental apparation was something he had worked hard at so that if he needed to be somewhere quickly, he wouldn't need to waste money on portkeys. He only used it in emergencies, but he considered this to be one of those situations. "Let's get to the apparation point here," he said with a nod of his head towards the alley, knowing even if a muggle overhead, they wouldn't understand what they were talking about.
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That soft 'thank you' made her want to close the distance between them and do something that was probably not appropriate for friends to do... well, unless she left it at just a hug; friends hugged all the time, right? And they'd hugged before the movie, too. Decision made, after he squeezed her hand, she stepped in and gave him a brief, tight squeeze, needing it as much for herself as for him.
And then that cocky retort had her wanting to do something that would definitely cross the line, but she couldn't do that. She wouldn't do that. "All right, then," she agreed softly, going with him to the apparation point. Once they were safely away from any prying eyes, she held her hand out for him, assuming he would transport them by just holding her hand, though she knew that some people had an easier time with closer contact than that. She'd never apparated with him before, though, so she wasn't sure what his preference might be.
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The hug was unexpected, but his arms enveloped her easily. He squeezed that tiny frame, curious if he would feel a baby bump. He hadn't really noticed one as they had been at the cinema, but he knew sometimes women could hide everything with their clothes. He didn't notice anything though, and he released her when she stepped away. She was intoxicating, and having her scent so close like that had been a distraction for just a moment.
When the pair entered the apparation point, he slipped his hand into hers. It wasn't enough contact, not for this sort of distance. He had never traveled with a pregnant woman and he would never forgive himself if he did something to hurt Addi's child. He may not have wanted children for himself, but he enjoyed others having children. She was going to be a fantastic mum. He used her hand in his though to pull her into his body. "I'd rather be safe than sorry," he said, while his free hand slipped around her waist, though he kept his hand on her upper back. "Clear your mind," he said, before he gave her a three count because this really was a bit dangerous so it would be best that she cleared her mind before they apparated. He knew he needed it as well, her scent so close was intoxicating in the worst ways.
Draco used the three count to clear his mind, and apparated the pair to the apparation point in Marseilles. Grey eyes flew open as his feet his the floor, needing to see that she was alright.
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When he pulled her in closer, she didn't resist, instead tucking herself against his chest and wrapping an arm around him as well, looking up at him with her chin resting against his chest. "Mmhmm," she murmured softly when he told her to clear her mind. It was something she was well-practiced at, and she had no trouble clearing it now, despite his warmth and the hardness of his chest against her and how much her mind wanted to get distracted--she wanted to get to Eloise more. She closed her eyes as he apparated them, feeling that churning in her stomach after they landed that made her wonder if she was going to need to find a loo and fast.
Fortunately, she kept her stomach down, and she finally opened her eyes, still held close against him. The smell hit her first, that familiar salty sea breeze that was home to her in a way she wondered if England ever could be, and she smiled at him. Before she realized she'd intended to do anything, she was pushing up on her toes and brushing her lips against his cheek in a quick kiss. "Thank you," she murmured as she dropped back down to the flats of her feet. "I should probably... get a cab to the hospital." She didn't necessarily want him to go away, but this was a family thing, and she knew it would look strange if she showed up with a man not her boyfriend and the father of her unborn baby. Still, she hadn't moved away from him yet.
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Draco wanted to ask if she had been as aware as he had been of how close she had been just then. Had she liked his cologne? Could she even smell it? Even when they landed, all he could smell was her scent. That lilies in bloom smell that was incredibly intoxicating. He didn't want to let her go, but she was suddenly trying to get to his height so he bent his head down to meet her. He had so wished he had it in him to turn his head and capture her lips in a kiss, instead he just took the kiss to the cheek for what it was. He nodded when she thanked him, and as he straightened up he heard that bit about the cab. "What? Why would you be getting a cab? I can take you still." Just a different apparation point, or something, he was sure of it. It hadn't dawned on Draco that this was a family matter, somewhere he likely shouldn't be.
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Being so close to him like this was making it all too easy to forget all the reasons why being close to him like this wasn't a good idea. It was enough that she finally forced herself to step back, away from him. "Because this is a muggle city, and I'm not sure what apparation points there might be closer to the hospital," she answered. She turned to head toward the end of the alley, glancing out onto the street to get a better idea of where, exactly, in the city she was. Biting her lower lip, she turned back to him. They really weren't that far from the hospital, only a few blocks away, and she was tempted to invite him to walk with her instead of getting that cab.
Before she could get a word out, her phone rang again, and Addi pulled it out, glancing at the screen. "It's Vieve," she told Draco before answering the call. The conversation was brief--Addi let her know she'd gotten another "ride" to the city, and Genevieve let her know that the hospital sent Eloise home to wait it out a bit longer. "Change of plans," she told Draco after she hung up the phone. "They're not admitting Eloise yet, so I've got to get to her house instead. Would you walk with me?" she asked, not ready for him to leave yet even though she knew he couldn't really stay once she got to Ellie's house.
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Thankfully her back was to him because the look on his face screamed childishly 'Duh!', and he would have been a bit mortified that she had witnessed a little of the old Draco resurfacing in adult Draco. He liked to believe he was past all that, but some things were hard to kill. "I hadn't noticed, ma petite," he said with that cocky smirk when she was turning back to him. It wasn't fair that she was biting her lower lip, he wanted to bite her lower lip. He had to tear his eyes away when she announced who was on her phone. His head just bobbed, he had no idea who Vieve was, but she was taking the call. He thought likely one of those sisters she had mentioned, he was sure of it.
"I would love to," Draco said, while resisting the urge to give her a small bow. He did however hold out the crook of his arm, that was harmless right? "Shall we be off? You'll have to instruct me on how to get there." He would need to find his way back to the apparation spot, but he knew it well. There was a woman across the city that Draco had dated once upon a time.
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That look on his face was far too distracting--before Phillip, that sort of cockiness had been wildly attractive to her. It still was, if she were being honest, but it didn't matter, because she was with Phillip now. They were having a baby together, and that was that. "Then you should pay more attention, Mr. Malfoy," she quipped in reply.
She wasn't surprised in the least when he agreed to walk with her, and she smiled as she tucked her hand against the crook of his arm. She might not act like it often, but she was in fact a lady. The whole nobility thing wasn't a card she played often, but she'd been raised around it all, despite France letting go of their monarchy ages ago. "I will tell you," she promised. "And there should be a safe spot you can apparate from near her house." That was a good way to bring up that he wasn't going to be able to stay, right? She didn't want to offend him, but it was definitely a family-only event.
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"I rather enjoy the sound of that," he mused, "Mr. Malfoy."
She didn't cause a fuss, instead she took his arm the way any Pureblooded woman would have. He nodded as they started off, heading towards what he assumed was her sister's home. He also got the hint, there should be a safe spot he could apparate from, he wasn't coming in. "I've got it, I'm familiar with the city," he promised, as they came to a stop to let a car pass them. He rather enjoyed wandering about muggle cities, it was different than wizarding cities. You had to pay closer attention so you didn't end up run over by one of those automobiles.
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She would keep it in mind, she thought, that he enjoyed being called that. It was something she suspected she would be able to use to her advantage at some point. A girl could hope, right?
"Oh are you? And just how familiar with it are you?" she asked with a teasing note. She'd spent so much time in Marseilles when she was a child and even more when she'd been a teenager sneaking off with her friends to do things in the slightly bigger port city. Honestly, she was probably lucky she'd never been kidnapped and sold off in some sex ring or something. It wasn't a long walk to her sister's house, but if she could use it to get to know him a bit better, then it would be time well spent, in her opinion.
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Draco chuckled at her teasing, he debated for half a second about telling her another half-truth, but instead he decided to be honest. "I used to date a woman that lived across town," he admitted, lifting his free hand to point in the direction he knew her flat was. "I was thinking of popping in on her before I went home." He was being a little too honest, but this was things friends talked about, wasn't it?
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That wasn't what she'd meant, but the admission amused her enough that she let her original question go. Instead, she gasped playfully and turned her head to look at him. "Scandalous! But if it's a 'used to date' situation, will she even want to see you again?" she asked teasingly. If she were unattached, she knew she wouldn't turn him away if he'd surprised her with a visit, as they'd had a fantastic time together that one night he and Blaise had shared her, but she knew that most women didn't have such a liberal view of sex.
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That cocky smirk graced his features when she asked if she would even want to see him again. "Of course she will, we've not lost touch. I'm not sure that the same could be said for Daphne, I'm certain that bridge has been burned," he admitted, unable to stop his mind from following that train of thought. He had tried to keep an open mind about it all, but he'd heard nothing from Daphne. Sure, there had been the article about how she was getting around, but that was just the usual for Daphne. She had done that even when they were together, the only difference was that they had broken up. The press had jumped at it because it sounded so dramatic, Daphne sleeping around after Draco broke her heart. He doubted it was that serious.
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His bringing Daphne up gave her a moment of pause, her eyebrows raising a bit. "Do you want Daphne to want to see you again?" she asked quietly, not sure why he'd brought the other woman up and wondering if he had some regrets about that relationship ending. Blaise had mentioned something about it, but she hadn't wanted to poke at it and wasn't sure if she should even now.
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Her question took him by surprise, but Draco gave it some actual thought. He didn't want her to want to see him again, he wanted her to at least be friends and he wasn't sure that was in the cards. "I don't want that, not in the sense that I want Sabine to see me today," he started, "I would like to salvage our friendship however, we've been friends since we were in school. It's hard to think that she's going to let this come between that, a life long friendship." He gave a shrug of his shoulders, he was making peace with it all. At least he was interested in blondes again, or maybe it was just the one on his arm.
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Addi felt a little thrill go through her that he seemed to take her question seriously, to give it appropriate thought before answering. It showed a certain level of camaraderie and trust that she hadn't been sure they had been them yet. But she wanted him as a friend, and so she was warmed by the implication that they could get there. "Well then, I hope that in time you will be able to salvage your friendship with her." But if he didn't, as sad as it was, people drifted apart all the time, and so she hoped that he would be able to move on from the sadness at the loss of that friendship. "Tell me about Sabine," she requested, giving his arm a little squeeze as they waited for the crosswalk light to turn.
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Draco gave her a warm smile when she hoped him able to salvage the friendship, he didn't think it would happen but he was warmed that she hoped him the best.
A surprised chuckle left him when she requested to hear more about Sabine, where did he start? "She's gorgeous," he started, "leggy brunette with tight curls, skin a smooth caramel, with large dark eyes. She was one of the first muggles I dated. She was never afraid of me, even when I couldn't control myself the best." Sabine had always trusted that Draco would never hurt her, and he never had. "She's full of life, always on the move. She works as a photographer, constantly coming and going depending on her job. She knew how to really enjoy life." It had been those sort of women that he was attracted to, the kind that enjoyed life, and were able to share their love and vitality with him. They made him love life, they made him forget his wolf, they made him forget the bits that weren't so nice.
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As Draco started describing the woman, Addi's first thought was that she sounded gorgeous. Her second thought was how bloody long it had been since she'd been with a woman, and wasn't that a shame? And then Draco continued, and it was the bit about Sabine being a photographer that made it click for her. She stopped right in the middle of the crosswalk and gasped, turning her blue eyes toward him. "Oh. My. God! Are you talking about Sabine Dubreuil?" She wanted to laugh at the thought that they might have slept with the same woman, as the woman he was describing sounded an awful lot like a photographer Natalie sometimes worked with and who Addi had hooked up with more than once.
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When she stopped in the middle of the crosswalk, he grabbed her and pulled her across quickly. He was a bit worried about those automobiles, some of those drivers were absolutely crazy! He didn't want some idiot to come around the corner too fast and hit her, he'd never forgive himself. He chuckled once they were safely on the other side of the street, "It is, will you not do that? You could have been hit by one of those automobiles!" It took a moment for realization to dawn on him, Addi had known her name. "Wait, how do you know my Sabine?" Yes, his Sabine. He could be possessive, there was a reason that he called Adelaide ma petite.
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Addi couldn't help laughing as he hurried her out of the crosswalk. She hadn't even realized that she'd stopped there, though she didn't think she would have gotten hit, either. "Yes, dear," she drawled teasingly. Her brows shot up at the possessive way he referred to Sabine, and she snorted out a soft laugh again. "She was my Sabine a time or two... or four," she answered, shrugging one shoulder. "She's done some freelance photography with my boss over the years, and we always had a good time after," she admitted, smirking just a bit at the memories.
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Draco had to fight the urge to ask her to come with him to drop in on Sabine, it sounded like such a good idea. He let out a groan before he could help himself, trying to laugh it off as he realized he was doing it. "I'm almost certain I've known her longer." It was too bad that Adelaide was spoken for, he couldn't shake that thought. "I'll let her know that you say hello, it's too bad you can't come along and tell her yourself," he said with a teasing sort of smile, hoping that maybe he could implant the thought.
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"It's not a competition, Draco," she pointed out with a chuckle. Though she wondered if he thought it was on some level, if it tied to that possessive tone he'd used when he'd talked about Sabine. She groaned softly in return when he put that image in her head. "It really is," she agreed with a small pout. But somehow she didn't think Phillip would ever be comfortable letting her play with other people, even if it was just other women. She turned the around a corner and then nodded toward a narrow three-story building halfway down the block. "They live in that one," she told him, still pouting a bit because she knew they were going to have to part ways soon.
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Draco laughed along with her, he knew it wasn't a competition but he'd been unable to think of a proper response with the image of Adelaide and Sabine. When she groaned and pouted, he thought she might be thinking of the same thing that he was. Oh how he wanted to bite that lower lip as she pouted it, it was so beautiful just then. He had to remind himself that she was taken however, she had a boyfriend, and she was pregnant by said boyfriend.
Grey eyes followed her point, it seemed they had arrived. "It seems we must part ways," he said with a little sigh. "It was a pleasure to see you again, thank you for taking me to the cinema. I really enjoyed myself." He moved then to hug her, a proper goodbye greeting for friends. He then wanted to tease her, at least it would be considered teasing if she wanted him to kiss her. He leaned in as if he were going to kiss her, and at the last second he turned his head to press a kiss to her cheek. "Til I see you again, ma petite," he whispered into her ear, before he started to pull away. He wanted to pop in on Sabine, he was certain she was home this week since the holidays were right around the corner.
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She didn't want to, but he was right, it was time for them to part ways. "Of course, I did too," she agreed. She returned the hug, but then when he leaned in, her breath caught in her throat. Was he... No, he wouldn't, right? She should stop him before it became an issue, but instead she just looked up at him with bright blue eyes, her lips parted slightly. But the kiss never came. Instead, he brushed his lips against her cheek, and her eyes closed as a wave of shame moved over her. That was not the reaction a pregnant woman in a committed relationship should have had to the possibility of another man kissing her. At his whisper, she opened her eyes again, her arms lifting to cross in front of her as she looked at him with a smile tinged with sadness. "See you, Draco," she whispered back, looking at him for one more long moment before turning to head up the walk to Eloise and Thomas's house.