It was an early winter morning when she told him, destroying everything they had within seconds. Suddenly, all warm feelings he had for her changed into hate. He felt deceived and betrayed but primarily confused. How dared she?

Their relationship was based on loyalty and trust, all gone now. He felt helpless and it irritated him to the point where he wanted to hit her. Lack of obedience had always aroused his worst features. It seemed she forgot about what they have established earlier. But did she really? No doubt she should had been in Slytherin. There was no other woman so cunning and so deceitful, yet he had married her.

"It is the most selfish thing you could have done" he said finally instead of screaming. His voice as cold as the air outside the door. Without looking at his wife, he left the room, slamming the door loudly so she could somehow experience his annoyance.

Before they got married, they have established they wouldn't have children. Her sickness was the major reason but it was followed by many others. Draco was a realist therefore he knew that if the new society hardly tolerated him, it wouldn't be amicable towards a child with his surname. It was clear that Malfoy's offspring had no future in this country and his wife was aware of this. Then how could she be so irresponsible, so reckless?

"I want you to get rid of it" he said seriously, returning to their bedroom. Astoria was sitting on the bed with her eyes fixed on her hands. At the sound of his voice she raised her head and looked at him, disbelief in her eyes.

"You cannot be serious" she choked, he could hear her breathing faster.

"It is for its own good."

"You want me to kill our baby for its own good?!" she cried, getting up from the bed.

"It is not a baby, it is still a fetus. The faster you do it, the better."

Astoria shook her head in disapproval.

"Why on Earth would I do it?"

"Because it's an outcome of your disloyalty. We agreed on not having children long time ago. As my wife you should reckon with my will" he said adamant, looking straight into her emerald green eyes filled with indignation.

"You talk like your father" she said, making it sound like the worst curse. "This is how you've planned our future behind my back? You expect us to sit here until the day I die? I thought we've married to live together, not to vegetate."

"I can't afford losing you" he said, his face expressionless. "And you could not live through the birth."

She smiled bitterly.

"We both know this isn't truth. I've been feeling better lately and the blood tests went good. There is no contraindications for me to carry a baby."

"Carrying a baby and giving birth is a completely different thing, Astoria" he said harshly.

"I see you're an expert in this field..." she replied ironically.

"It should be a common decision" he continued, ignoring her. "I'm glad you want to be a mother but did you ask if I wanted to be a father? No, so how did you expect me to react? What, in your opinion, was I supposed to say?"

"Anything beside what you actually said."

He found it hard to tolerate this audacity.

"I trusted you, Astoria" he said calmly, breaking the silence. "But of all people, it is you who betrayed me" he added, slowly shaking his head in disbelief.

She laughed shortly, her eyes fixed on the wooden floor panels.

"I did it for you" she said. "I did it so you wouldn't be alone when I die."

Draco looked at her with dismay which she didn't notice, her eyes still down.

"It's been years since war" she continued "but you're still living past. You deprive us of starting a family because you're afraid of people's reaction to it. But you know what, Draco?" she asked, meeting his gaze. "People don't care for us. It sickens me when you keep saying we don't have children because it could weaken me. It sickens me..." she repeated "to know that my husband cares more for people's opinion than for what I desire."

"Someday I will die" she added after taking a deep breath "but when this day comes" Draco could feel his fists clenching "I want to..." she started slowly. "I want to be a mother, experience what every woman does."

"You won't" he cut. "You will die and leave me alone with a newborn that I won't know how to take care of. It will grow surrounded by grieve and hate because its birth will mark the day I lost you. Each day my hatred will increase because seeing the baby will remind me of you."

"Is it really so dreadful? Having someone who would remind you of me?" she asked. He could see a single tear running down her cheek. "This life seems like a cruel joke."

"Maybe you should have reconsidered the perspectives before you married a Death Eater."

Astoria opened her eyes wider.

"You're not bringing that back on, are you?" she laughed coldly. "Just like I said. Your whole life revolves around your past and no matter how hard I try to convince you we both have right to be happy, you..."

"Happy!?" he interrupted her. "You think this is what will make me happy? Seeing you die? Actually, it won't. I was perfectly happy, Astoria. Until today."

Although she tried very hard to calm down, biting her lower lip to blood, her chin was shaking lightly and it was seconds before she started to cry. He hated when she did. Seeing her cry made him awfully uncomfortable and reminded him of times he would rather forget. Normally, he would comfort her just so he wouldn't be tortured with that painful look in her eyes but this time was different. He stood there, completely impassive, waiting for her to speak.

But there were no more words. She seemed confused and unprepared for what happened. She was looking at the door behind his back but as she couldn't leave without passing him, she stayed where she was. Then again she sat on the bed, just so she wouldn't have to look at her husband and involuntarily she touched her belly. Draco clenched his teeth.

"You can't make me feel guilty so don't try" he warned her.

"That was not my point" she replied quietly and after a moment of silence she continued "I had my reasons to do it, Draco. One of them was, indeed my possessiveness but never disloyalty. I thought if I give you a child, you won't forget about me so easily."

"Stop raving, you talk like mad."

"Mad?" she laughed through tears. "Tell me you haven't thought about remarrying after my death!" It sounded like an accusation. "Your parents expect you to have children and I can't see you letting them down."

"I fucking married you against their will!" he cried so loudly, Astoria turned her head to face him, her eyes filled with anxiety. "And still you doubt me" he added more calmly. "If you felt unhappy in this marriage, you should have filed for divorce and not get pregnant."

"Fuck you!" she hissed, getting up from the bed. She rushed to the door but he stopped her when she was passing him and grabbed her arm firmly.

There were many feelings going through his head at this very moment including frustration, hatred and some kind of inexplicable satisfaction due to his awareness of being on the winning position. But then their gazes met and Draco froze.

She was scared of him. Draco understood that there is only one step separating him from losing her and it made him speechless. Since he remembered, she was always by his side. First as a lover, later as a friend. Comforting, entertaining, absolving... I dare to say you're far better person than you think she said once and this particular words were now rumbling in his head, making it impossible to ignore them.

"I'm sorry" he said hugging her. He could feel her tears soaking into his shirt but he didn't mind as long as she didn't pull off. Although he was angry with his wife, her presence was making him feel more stable.

They were standing in silence for another minutes as neither of them knew what to say. Eventually Astoria stopped crying and raised her head from her husband's shoulder. She looked at him with request, her eyes red and puffy.

"Draco, do you want me to... to get rid of the baby... because you're mad at me or... or do you really want me to do it?" she asked, her voice hoarse from crying.

"I don't" he replied, shaking his head as if he wanted to confirm his words by doing so. "I don't want anything what would hurt you. I care for your happiness more than for anything else, Tori but don't expect me to be content with your news. I'm not prepared to be a parent. I don't know how to be a parent."

"No one knows until they become one" she said shortly.

"And what about your potions? You won't be able to take them while pregnant."

"I will be fine" she stated but Draco didn't look convinced. "I've been cutting back on potions for a few months before pregnancy" she continued. "I cut off completely in November. But I feel good. You haven't noticed any difference, have you?"

Draco breathed heavily. It seemed her plan was far more considered than he has thought.

"I love you" he said slowly "and we are in this together but... You've been plotting behind my back for months without any remorse."

"Draco, I..." she seemed concerned but he continued anyway.

"I need some time" he said, pulling her off gently.

"What do you mean?" she choked, knowing exactly what he meant.

"I will move out till..."

"No!" she cried, it was clear she wasn't expecting such reaction from him but he was rather irritated with hers.

"Calm down" he ordered, feeling his level of frustration raising. "Few days so I can sort everything out. I need time to think about it."

"To think about what? If you will leave me or not?"

"I told you we're in this together, Astoria. I'm not leaving you but don't you think it's a little bit too much for one morning? I will write" he said and left the room before she could say anything. The last thing he remembered was her amazed expression.

He wanted to stay very badly but there were no words he could tell her. Leaving their house, he cursed himself for being so blind not to see that his wife was hiding her pregnancy from him for at least two months. But was he really that angry with her?

Cold air was pinching him in the face as Draco Malfoy was strolling around the streets of London, feeling fear of the responsibility vanishing slowly in favor of some kind of excitement he felt but was afraid of admitting to.

(They would reconcile later, of course)