Open Your Heart. (Draco/Oc) (potassiumboron/Severu

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"Y-Yeah." He replied, cheeks bright pink.
It was new, and exciting, but scary too.

"Thanks." Neville said, grinning as he squeezed her hand.
"Let's go!" Neville called out, leading the way out the front door, making sure to lock it behind him.

===================

"Yeah, he did." She told him, though she could barely remember him herself.
Shrugging,she yawned and made her way past him, to the kitchen.

"He says he'll be there at ten."
She poured herself some water, and took a large drink, setting the glass back down in the sink when she was done.
"I'm bored."​
 
Sighing contently at the warm breeze, and the feel of the sun on her skin, she quietly pulled on her sunglasses with a flattering smile up to her boyfriend, the fact things were pretty perfect being something she wasn't used to, and as such, did have a fear she'd do something to mess it up... but that was something she didn't really like to indulge in, and didn't talk about.

"It's a lovely day, huh?" She beamed, pausing to push back a lock of hair from her face. "It's so nice to go out, too..."

---

"Brilliant, I'll be there-- and it's nice to know I'm so fun," he sighed in turn to her comment, fiddling with his hands quietly in clear awkwardness. It hadn't always been like that, but it was something he was used to now.

"We could... go out for breakfast?" He suggested hopefully, managing a smile in hopes it would persuade her. "And I'll pay, obviously. It'll be nice."​
 
Neville walked along the path, happy in their quiet.
He had always been the type of person to enjoy silence, and never find it awkward.

"Yeah, gorgeous." He replied, smiling down at Karina. "Everything is so perfect."
It was new, having a perfect life. But he wanted it to always stay this way.

============

"It's not you making it boring!" Atropa said, swatting him on the arm gently, teasing.
"I think I'm just tired of being home all the time."

Turning to look outside, Atropa smiled.
"Let's skip breakfast, and go down to the market. We could use a little walk, and some fresh food."
​
 
"Isn't it? I love it; I love you," she smiled affectionately, usually someone who wasn't really afraid to be affectionate in public, and frankly, with how nice things were going at the moment, and with the excitement building over the baby's arrival, showing Neville just how much she appreciated him did seem perfectly natural.

"They always have the most amazing fruit," she murmured once reaching the market stalls, leaning close to examine the peaches with a widened grin. "Oh, can I have one?"

---

"The market? With the crowds of people and in the heat?" He cringed, though did move to nod in acceptance - if she wanted to, he could manage with the amount of people that would be there. It would be nice, after all, to do something normal. "Sure, as long as we can buy some rice. I fancy making some risotto tonight, how about it? We can go on a date tomorrow."​
 
"I love you, too." Neville replied, blushing. They hadn't said so much to each other, this was the first time.
Grinning to himself like an idiot, he nodded and followed Karina.

"You can have whatever you like." He told her, stopping at the next stall over to grab a few tomatoes.


========

"Sounds good! I want some fruit." Atropa said, smiling.
It was weird. She'd never really craved fruit before.

"I don't know why, but I have the oddest craving for apricots."
Shrugging, she grabbed her shoes and slipped them on, smiling at Draco.
"Oooh, and some strawberries." She could practically taste them, now.

​
 
"Ooh, great," she beamed, leaning further to grab a peach and a banana, those being her favourites, until having to pause for a moment at another torrent of pain. She assumed it was kicks from the baby, but even she had to admit that this was far worse than anything the child could do.

Shooting a quiet smile at the woman behind the stall, she handed over some change before reaching for Neville's hand out of comfort. "...I need some water, I think. Or a can of soda. I'm thirsty."

---

"You're craving fruit? Weirdo," he teased quietly, nudging her playfully with his hip as he swooped to grab her hand and slipped on his own shoes as easily as anything. "I usually crave chocolate, or candy, or burgers drenched in ketchup, Atropa. Not exactly classy, my father would be appalled his son eats such a thing, but I'm a slob with food sometimes, let's face it. How I'm still thin when I don't work out and eat like a pig is beyond me."

He laughed, the fact they could joke about, carefree and happy, being something he missed dreadfully, and only now could see the benefits of. "I love you, you know. When we're both old and ancient, we're gonna look back and see this as a little blip amongst lots of happy memories, I promise."​
 
Neville nodded, spotting a stall nearby that was handing out free water.
In Summer, they always had at least four of these stall set up.

Grabbing a cup, he handed it to Karina, leading her gently over to a bench.
"You okay?" He asked, worried that her pains had gotten worse.


================

Atropa smiled, thinking how it was quite strange for her.
"I know, you're so lucky." She replied, pinching at imaginary fat on her own body.
She hadn't been fat in her whole life, thanks to genetics.

"I love you too." She said quietly, squeezing his hand gently as they walked down the small path to the market.
It was a large market, and it could be walked to from many places around.
"I love the smell of the flowers and soap they sell here." Atropa said, grinning as the market came into view.
​
 
"Neville, I... it hurts," she finally admitted, gripping the water tight as she took a much needed swig, her spare hand gripping the arm of the bench as tightly as she could, and if that wasn't a nerve racking sign, the sudden feeling of water trickling down her leg was, eyes wide at knowing almost instantly what that entailed.

Not the first to notice, with a few worried onlookers picking up on the water formed on the floor beneath her, she wearily breathed out at the onslaught of pain it brought. "Neville, g-get... get me home, I... need my hospital bag... and I need to get to a hospital, obviously... crap, it hurts so damn bad..."

---

"I must admit, I like the soap," he murmured as he moved from holding her hand to settling an arm around her shoulders affectionately, pressing a kiss to her cheek as the market grew closer. He expected crowds around, busily doing the same as they were, though instead, he narrowed his eyes at the people forming a circle and chattering loudly in what he assumed correctly to be opinions and advice.

"What's going on over there then?" He wondered aloud, peering across at the commotion. "You think someone's fallen and hurt themselves? That always causes attention."​
 
Neville's eyes widened when her water broke.
Standing, he took a breath to calm himself, looking around at the people who'd gathered around them.
"Let's get you to the hospital first, and then I'll go back and grab your hospital bag."

It was more important to get her to the hospital, in his opinion.
"Do you want to apparate, or shall I go grab the car?"

------------

Smiling, Atropa leaned into Draco, glad he was being so affectionate with her.
The soap stalls were a few feet away, but then she noticed a crowd gathering.
Looking around curiously, she shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Shall we go see?" She asked, leading the way to the crowd.

When she could finally see what was going on, she gasped and back away, bumping into someone accidentally.
"S-Sorry." She muttered, face flushed.
It would be just her luck, the day they want to go to the market, and Karina is there, having her baby.
"Draco, um.. Le- Let's go see the soaps.." She whispered, gripping his arm tightly, not wanting him to see.​
 
"I don't want to apparate in this state!" She shrieked loudly, her patience not exactly at its best when the pain was growing with the contractions she was under.

At the moment, they were mild and she knew that, so it only made her grimace at the thought of them worsening and growing more severe to the point of her having to give birth.

"Just... go g-get the car, I'll wait h-here... can't walk now, can I?" She grinned, trying to at least keep smiling just to calm him - she knew this was bound to be a panicky situation for him. "I love you, 'kay? So r-relax."

---

"Atropa, what is it?" He murmured sternly, the fact she had practically jumped back and had gone pale speaking volumes, much alike the stammering desperation she showed to get him away.

Unfortunately, he wasn't really someone who would oblige unless he knew what was going on for her to say that, and so carefully held her hand with a small sigh, attempting to see over the shoulders of people, up until hearing Karina's shriek and practically jumped back himself in acknowledgement.

She was there, Karina, in labour with his kid.

The shock of that showed instantly on his expression, peering back as though he was going to weasel himself though in sudden determination to clap eyes on her. He had last seen her when she was six months gone, and so had seen her when she was showing, but he hadn't really seen her ready to give birth... and he didn't plan to either, swiftly tugging Atropa from the crowd. "I don't want anything to do with it... Let's buy some soap, hm? I hope they have vanilla scented, it's my personal favourite. Even if it's girly, huh~?"
​
 
"O-Okay! I'll be right back!" He called out, turning to run for his house.
It wasn't even a mile away, so he knew it wouldn't take long for him to get there.
Even so, he felt horrible leaving her alone like that.

Neville felt about ready to pass out once he finally reached his house, both from the shock and the run.
He unlocked the front door and made his way to the guest room, where they'd been keeping the hospital bag.
Neville grabbed it quickly and then the car keys, telling his cats where he was going.

Locking the door again, he got in the car and turned it on, driving quickly back to the market, parking it a few feet from the bench.

"Okay, you're going to have to walk just a little ways, now." Neville said, crouching next to Karina, grabbing her hand.
Turning to look at the crowd, he spotted two people he hadn't expected to see anytime soon.
Draco and Atropa, both looking pale, walking quickly away.

"Make room, please." He called out to the crowd, glad that Draco wasn't going to be around to upset Karina.

=================================

"Y-Yes, vanilla..." Atropa murmured, laughing weakly.
She could feel her legs wobbling, and her stomach was sick.
"I.. I need to sit down." She told Draco, before turning to run to the nearest trash, throwing up quietly inside.

Face flushed, Atropa turned back to Draco, embarrassed.
"Oh God, I don't know-- I just couldn't--"
She couldn't even finish her sentence.

This wasn't turning out to be a good day. She was hot now, and unsteady on her feet.
Her stomach was churning, though she hadn't eaten anything, yet.
"I think I may have a bug, or something." She told Draco, the only explanation for her sudden sickness.
She knew she was shocked about Karina, but that wouldn't make her sick..
​
 
"A-A little way... right..." She winced, moving to her feet, despite being a little doubled over in what clearly distress, agony, but a great deal of excitement too once the realisation hit that she was going to be a mother in a few hours.

And Neville was going to be a father, that's how she saw it. Draco didn't care, and if she had seen him and Atropa, it would have just caused a flurry of anger and upset - so as far as she was concerned, it was always going to be her, Neville, the baby... and the cats, of course.

"I... it's gonna happen soon, huh?" She mumbled, smiling gratefully at the crowd as she moved to sit in the back of the car where there was more room. "E-Excited... yet?"

---

"A bug?" He blinked, wearily moving to wrap an arm around her waist and lead her to find somewhere to sit, hiding his worry behind a small smile, mostly to reassure her that it was okay.

Though throwing up twice was already cause for concern.

"Want to go to the doctors? I mean, I'm... worried. Bug or not, I can't stand seeing you sick, you know?"​
 
"Yes, just a little way." He responded, helping her walk to the car, one arm out for support.
His heart was pounding in his chest, but he didn't show any fear.

"Yes, very excited." Neville replied, helping her into the car, and then taking his own place in the driver's seat.
Turning it on, he backed out gently and made it onto the main road.
The hospital was only ten minutes away, luckily.

=====================

"I'm okay. I don't know what's going on."
Atropa took a deep breath and smiled slightly, looking around at the crowd.
"Maybe I haven't gotten enough sleep."

She was beginning to feel a little bit better.
"Let's go look at the soaps, that might help."
​
 
"You packed the baby clothes in the bag, right?" She said in panic, her mind understandably on alert given the fact that this was it, now feeling considerably under prepared. "And the towels? Sorry, I... I don't wanna whine b-bu-- ugh," she was cute off instantly by another painful jab, holding herself together despite wanting to scream.

"Drive f-fast, please? I don't really care at the moment," she sighed, having always told him to drive slowly and carefully, though fast was best given the situation.

---

"I can't help but worry, though," he sighed, clearly more worried about her turn than he was about Karina and the fact she was having his baby at any moment in the next few hours.

"I don't think looking at soaps will help. The smell could be nauseating, and I don't want you getting sick, you know? Not more than you are already," he sighed, moving albeit to take her hand and guide her towards the soaps and perfumes. "I just wanted today to be fun, and enjoyable..."​
 
"Yes, everything is packed, don't worry." Neville told her, ticking the items off in his head.
Even if they weren't packed, he could apparate home and grab them.

Nodding, Neville sped up, diving in and out of traffic.

The hospital came into view, and Neville turned into the parking lot, taking a space right up front.
"Alright, let's go." He said, parking and getting out, opening her door for her.

====================

"It'll be fine." She told him, examining a light brown soap that smelled like parchment.
Smiling at the vendor, Atropa bought a few different soaps, and then turned back to Draco.
"What did you want to look at?" She asked, a smile on her face.

"I'm feeling fine, now."
It was a lie, but she could keep up the act for the next hour, at least.
She wanted the day to be enjoyable, too.​
 
Nervously peering up at him from the bed, she did bite hard on her lip in sudden hesitance. Once she stepped out, she had to go into the hospital -one of the places she dreaded and had spoke fearfully of- and deliver a child, but it was that thought that did make her finally climb from the car with a heavy huff.

The child was the outcome, and she would easily go through the pain just to have him or her placed in her arms at the end of it all.

"Right, let's... let's do this then, hm?"

---

"Right, maybe the vegetables or something," he smiled, peering nervously at the crowd gathered nearby, only now really returning to what they were doing before the moment with Karina, and it did make him sigh heavily. He didn't really want to fuss over it, but a small part of him did crave to just see the child.

Not be a part of its life, but just... see it. A part of him in the flesh, really.

"...Atropa, to stop me doing something completely dumb, I want to go out tonight. Maybe to the cinema or something normal. I don't want to be left alone and making dumb decisions."​
 
"It'll be okay." Neville reassured her, taking her hand and helping her from the car.
The hospital was only a few feet from where he parked, and once they entered, a nurse came by to help Karina into a wheelchair.
"I'll take care of registration, you go on ahead and I'll find your room."

Turning back to the receptionist, he told her all of Karina's information.
Her room was on the third floor, the maternity center.

Neville had taken Karina to the regular hospital, since the Wizarding hospital didn't have a maternity ward.
So, instead of apparating as he normally would, he took the elevator.

When he reached her room, they'd already gotten her into a gown and into the bed.
"So, do they have an estimate on time?" He asked, knowing they were usually accurate about these things.

-------------------------------------------

"You mean seeing your child." She murmured, looking down at the path.
Sighing, Atropa looked back up at Draco, unsure of what to say.
This child, whether they wanted to admit it or not, was going to always be there, floating between them.

She felt that even if they tried, they could never fully forget the child.
And, living so close to everyone would make it hard to avoid Karina and her little family.
It would never end, it would never stop haunting her.

"I think you should try to see the baby." Atropa said quietly, taking a breath.
She didn't want him to regret his decision. She wouldn't be the one holding him back, no matter how much it hurt.
​
 
"Oh, they said I'm not even close yet. About ten or twelve hours until I can start pushing, at least, because I'm a first time Mom and all that," she murmured, glancing toward the clock to check what time it was -it was now around nine in the morning- before smiling appreciatively at the nurse who had relayed the information to her, and was currently plumping the pillows for Karina who was in the middle of contractions which were far apart for now and currently at least able to smile contently and relax.

"So, fourteen hours tops, and we'll have the baby," she finished with another smile, resting back finally with a heavy sigh, gesturing him to take a seat down beside the bed. "it's just gonna be a long day, I suppose. You drink lots of coffee, hm? I... want you with me at all times, not to be selfish or anything, but I'm scared and... I want us both to experience this, y'know?"

---

"I don't fancy Karina, you know. I don't want to be friends with her if it'll hinder our marriage. I don't even want to be around the kid for years if it ruins us - I just want to see the thing, so I don't beat myself up over it," he admitted, wanting to make sure that was clear as he warily took both her hands - it was obviously something he knew she was struggling to recollect, and he didn't want her feeling like that... but he also didn't want to ever not see the child.

Just once would do it, and then he could focus on Atropa and their marriage, having children of their own one day.

"...I love you, y'know. I'll pop in the hospital later, for five minutes, and that'll be it, alright?"​
 
"Wow, that's quite a long while." Neville replied, smiling nervously.
Luckily it was Saturday, so he wouldn't be missing work.
Of course, he would skip work for this, but still, it made him feel better.

He took a seat in one of the chairs by the bed, looking around the room.
Muggles really knew how to make a place comfortable.
There was a TV on the wall, with a remote tied to the bed, along with a nurse call button.

They even had a menu for the cafeteria, you could order whatever you liked.
"I'll be here. Don't worry." He said, patting her hand gently.
"Um, do you want anything? I can get you some 7-Up or Sprite? Maybe water.."

====================

Atropa nodded, putting on a weak smile. She knew that once Draco saw the baby, he'd be in love.
It would be hard to hate your own child... Though both Draco and Atropa's parents had done it just fine.
Well, Draco's father, anyway.

"It's fine. Take all the time you need." She told him.
She almost felt like everything they had was ending.
She knew that this child wouldn't just go away, and she was sure that once Draco saw it, he'd want to be part of it's life.
Even if Karina said no, she was sure he would fight for it.

And the sad thing was.. Atropa knew she could never love the child.
She would put up with it, if it came around, but she would feel only disgust for it.
It made her a horrible person, maybe, but she couldn't lie to herself.

"Let's go home, then. I need to lay down."​
 
"I'd love a Pepsi," she yawned, smiling sweetly over at him with sudden calmness. Of course, she was still having to calm the nerves and anticipation of pain when another contraction hit, but the fact everything was so comfortable, and she had Neville by her side did help to ensure that she felt calm.

If she was alone, it would be a different story.

"I bet you'll fall asleep at some point, you know. It could be around eleven or midnight this is over," she reminded him, not really caring if he had a nap at some point - as long as it was before she actually began pushing, that being when she estimated she needed him the most.

---

Draco wasn't really oblivious, and he knew her smiles and seeming acceptance of his visit to the hospital was pure bravery, and that underneath it all, she was probably hating the very concept of it all.

But as much as he wanted to just do what she would probably prefer, that being leaving the child alone completely, he felt he had to do what was right for him, and that was seeing the baby.

He was confident he wouldn't feel a gush of fatherly love, that he could sustain that and just walk away, but what were the chances of it? He wasn't his father. Draco was sensitive, and he could be an amazing father if given the choice... and this was the choice he would be presented with.

"Look, Atropa... I love you, and I know this sucks, but I promise I'm not gonna bring the child around. I don't want anything to do with it, I've said that," he reminded as he began to walk from the market alongside her. "So don't panic, hm?"​
 
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