This Is My True Mask

I was sitting on Bret's lap, fast asleep before I woke up to some voices. I had gone to Bret's dormitory after I left detention and was there ever since. I had told Bret what I found out and I sat on his lap, crying until I fell asleep. He was such a good friend. I kept my eyes shut as I listened to the people who were talking, Bret being one of them.

"Why hello there, daddio. Come here to bitch and complain some more?"

"How dare you talk to me like that! And what is she doing on your lap?"

"She came to me after detention with you crying, telling me the news and she fell asleep after I let her cry as much as she wanted to."

"Why was she crying?"

"I'm going to tell you this now, Bryony, she has feelings for you. Not once has she cried over someone using her. Normally she just gets pissed, pays them back and she moves on. Not with you. I know her, she won't admit it to anyone or even to herself. She'll continue to say it's just because you pissed her off. And the fact that you knocked her up, doesn't make anything better."

"WHAT?!" Lucius screamed.

I slowly picked my head off of Bret's shoulder and sighed. "Okay, will you both SHUT UP? I'm clearly trying to sleep and feel like complete shit."

"I'm sorry, Bry," Bret whispered as he kissed my cheek.

"You're pregnant?!"

"Oh my God, Lucius. I gave you a hint before, Bret just told you. What more do you need to know? You're gonna have a baby. Congrats."

"That child is not mine. I know for a fact that I'm not the only guy you've slept with recently! I'm sure it's one of theirs. You can't keep your legs closed enough to even know who the father is."

That was it. I lost it right then and there. I got up and slapped Lucius across the face as hard as I could. How dare he. "Listen, I don't have sex with as many people as you think and you don't know who I have sex with so you can shut the fuck up! I know who the father is because how far along I am and the fact that I only had sex with two people at that time! And one of them, can't have children, so please, tell me. Which is the father — my best friend who's unfortunately sterile or the man who's been cheating on his wife with me?"

"Yes, let's broadcast the fact that Bret can never have children. That's not a big shot to my ego or anything."

"Sorry, Bret." I turned around and gave him a sympathetic look. I knew it was a sensitive subject for him, but it had to be said. I knew for a fact who the father was, it was just proving it. I sat on the end of the bed, hiding my face in my hands with my elbows on my thighs. "I don't want to have this baby."

"That is out of the question." Lucius spoke up. I had almost forgotten he was in the room. Who was he to tell me what to do? It was my body and he couldn't do a thing about it.

"Uh, my body. I'll do what I want."

"I'm not letting anyone kill my child no matter how many weeks old they are."

"Lucius, you have a wife and a son already. I'm just sixteen and got myself into trouble. We're not even together."

"Whether we're together or not, that is my child. They're a Malfoy, I'm not letting them be murdered because you choose not to have them."

"I just. . .don't know, Lucius. This is all just confusing to me. I mean hell, I'm going to have a kid and I haven't even taken my O.W.L.s yet."

Lucius kneeled down in front of me and hugged me. I didn't exactly know what to do. I patted him on the back before standing up and walking over to Bret. He was who I needed most right now. I'm sure people would wonder why I wouldn't need the father most, but I was unbelievably close with Bret and I didn't know what to make of Lucius at the moment. "I'll see you tomorrow during class."

—

I was sitting in Potions, talking to Bret about some owl that I had a staring contest with and won. I don't even know why I had done it. I think it was the fact that I had spent so many time with him over the year, that his ridiculous, idiotic mannerisms had somewhat caught on to me.

Draco made a comment across the room about me being a slut and I got up to go slap him across the face before someone stepped in front of me. I let out a sigh and opened my mouth to yell at them, but I stopped almost instantly when I realized who it was. Professor Snape was standing in front of me holding a potion in a bottle, while looking down at me. I gave him a half smile before rubbing the back of my head quite nervously. He frowned at me and I was not surprised one bit. He favoured Draco quite a bit. Though, he had gotten in trouble a few times before.

He pushed the potion in my hand and I gave him a quizzical look. "For the. . .morning sickness. Lucius told me. When you run out, I'll make more for you."

"Er. . .thanks, Professor. . . . How much did Lucius tell you?"

"From him and Narcissa talking about a divorce to your situation. I must say, I didn't quite expect this from you, Miss Valentine."

"Yeah well, nor did I. I reckon I'm just a screw-u— did you mention him and his wife talking about a divorce?"

Professor Snape stared at me for a seconds with a straight face before his eyes wandered around the classroom before looking back at me. I don't think he was supposed to mention that. Right after we made eye contact again, he just walked away. I furred my eyebrows slightly before walking over to Draco and slapping him across the face.

"We're having a conversation with your father after dinner tonight. I don't care what you say. If you don't, I'll just have to tell Mr. Malfoy what you let slip on the train. Understood?"