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“Whatever it is, I didn't do it.  You can't prove anything.”

The words floated through Tilly’s head like fairy dust, making her feel dizzy and humored at the same time. This was beyond irony. It was real life, which never made much sense, but which was always worth living. She simply smiled to herself, close-lipped and silent, and led the way. One hand reached forward, pushing through a door that led them into an empty but well-kept antechamber, the other hand stayed clasped to Dennis’.

When she’d stepped down a shallow ramp, into the chamber’s center, she stopped and looked around. Dropping Dennis’ hand, she turned and faced him, and her grin widened. She studied his eyes for a moment, knowing all the while she’d made the right decision, and thinking how strange and fantastic and fitting it was that it had taken her this long to figure it out. Or maybe it had taken no time at all. They were both young, and time moved at a pace that the clock’s couldn’t keep.

“Are you sure?” She asked, teasingly. “I’m pretty sure I can prove it.” Her eyebrows danced upward, full of life, challenging him jovially. But then she looked down for a moment, taking a deep, silent breath. When she met his eyes again, everything just sort of... came out. “I saw Tavin a while ago. He came in and apologized for everything-- he made quite the afternoon spectacle,” she said, grinning crookedly, almost sheepishly. “I forgave him,” she added, waiting a moment to gauge her best friend’s reaction. “But I told him it couldn’t be like before. I’m happy for him, I want to think he’s a better man now, but I’m in love with someone else.”

Reaching for his hands again, she bit her lip for a moment. “Dennis, I’m not sorry about what happened that night. I’m just sorry it took me this long to sort it all out. My head’s a bit of a mess right now... but... I know what I want. And...” Was this really the best way to tell him? The best time? Right before he was about to go on stage? Right before the Halloween celebrations began, and the free mead appeared, and everyone got even more smashed than usual? Well, better now than never. Honesty was Tilly’s best hope. “I’m pregnant.” She braced herself for his reaction. With luck, he'd still be conscious in the next few seconds. "It’s yours... Ours. I want to keep it. With you.” She squeezed his hands, her eyes now drowning in his face. “Will you be my family?”

She didn't answer him as she led the way through the misty, decorative spooky trees and through a door.  The door the newly selected Triwizard champions - Harry Potter, included - all those many years ago, Dennis remembered with an amused glance at the door as they passed through it.  Of course, that memory did little to shed light on why Tilly was wanting to speak to him alone.  Surely, if there was something wrong with the set list or ... who knew ... a guitar string had broken, she could have told him out there. 

"I ... was ... sure?"  Yeah - the doubt was about as obvious as the confused and bemused smirk on Dennis' face.  Oh great - what had he done now?  Something - and, apparently, she could prove it.  Didn't mean he couldn't still deny it, though.  Never admit defeat, here's holding onto the last hope - or something like that.  Whatever it was, it couldn't be that bad - judging by the radiant and playful face that looked down at him when she stopped.  He grinned goofily back at her as he scanned her face for any clues that would suggest what was going through her mind. 

But, he didn't have too long to ponder that.  Soon, the words - the explanation began to trickle out and they were about Tavin.  Perhaps, if he'd given himself more hope, he might have felt more disappointment but he knew what was coming.  And, had expected it from that day - well, even before that day.  Since the first day he realized his affection for the woman in front of him dwelt heavily in friendship but moved out beyond that as well.  That Tilly could forgive the man for what he'd said said little about him and more about the woman that stood in front of him - such a forgiveness would never have come as quickly from Dennis. 

Really, Dennis would just as soon pretend the whole thing hadn't happened than hear the gentle, conclusive let down - that would only make it final.  He really didn't mind the waiting and hoping, knowing it was likely in vain but dwelling in the bliss of lingering ambiguity.  Tavin was successful.  He'd finished school.  He didn't find sleeping in his own flat alone impossible (at least, Dennis assumed.  The last one, he didn't really know for a fact.)  There were countless - countless - reasons why Dennis accepted Tilly's inevitable decision. 

So when she announced she'd forgiven him and paused, Dennis plastered the most earnest and sincere smile he could manage on his face and nodded, acceptingly.  But, she was in love with someone else?  Great - she'd met someone else as good as Tavin who hadn't used her squib status against her.  Again, still grinning foolishly, he nodded, really more than ready to go back to naive bliss. 

"It's alright, I understand.  Really, I - what's most important is you're happy and it'll be -"  Dennis started to offer as Tilly apologized.  So, she was alleviating her guilt from keeping him hanging these past six weeks.  He could deal with that. 

“I’m pregnant.  It’s yours... Ours. I want to keep it. With you.  Will you be my family?”

Dennis froze.  The grin had frozen in place, though its goofiness was accentuated by the startled confusion in his eyes.  "You're ... ?"  He glanced over his shoulder as if the rest of the room would provide clarity.  "As in ... a ..."  A baby.  That's what she meant, wasn't it?  That's what he was supposed to say.  A baby - his baby.  Matilda Quinn was carrying their child. 

The grin relaxed, though it didn't fade entirely.  Slightly bewildered, largely amazed, partially terrified, his gaze dropped to her abdomen as if expecting to see some sort of proof or indication.  Some pregnant belly version of a 'womb occupied' sign.  Of course, there was nothing.  Nothing that he could see at least.  He looked back up; she was watching him.  No doubt waiting for a response.  Because she'd asked a question.  But, his mind rarely moved that fast under the best of circumstances - especially when sober.  Half of his brain was still sitting by the side of the road, trying to thumb a ride after convincing itself it had been ditched.  It was only now figuring out its mistake and jogging to catch up with everything else.

"I'm going to be a father?"  He asked, finally putting some strand of jumbled thoughts into words.  "We're having a baby?"

As quickly as Tilly revealed everything, Dennis’ reaction seemed to be in slow motion. She took in every movement, or lack of movement, every little change in his face. She held her breath. She anticipated.

A confused sort of grin spread between her cheeks; it wasn’t entirely unlike Dennis’ own expression. Was he so ready to believe that she was writing him off? Had he been waiting for it for these past several weeks? Tilly felt a slow glow to her skin. She felt more guilty now than she had when they’d woken up that morning, a pair of hangovers and no clothes between them. But she also felt relieved, and happy.

Nodding encouragingly, she had to laugh as he stumbled over the words. Or one word, really. Baby. It was strange, now that she thought about it. Actually, she’d known that from the start. Who would have pegged them for a couple of parents? But it felt... right. If anyone was Tilly’s family, it was Dennis. And if anyone was going to give her children, she wanted it to be him.

Following his eyes down to her own abdomen, she patted the material over it, assuring him that her middle was still quite normal and unassuming. The same Tilly-sized tummy she’d had since he’d known her. “I think it’ll take a while yet,” she murmured, clearly humored. She met his eyes again and wondered what he was thinking. She didn’t have to wait long this time to hear the question.

“You are,” she confirmed. She shifted closer, the hem of her dress tickling his own costume. Pressing her forehead to his she looked at him, her fingers grazing his mask, pulling it down a bit so she could see his face more properly. “I mean, if you want. I don’t want to do this by myself, but I’d... I’d understand if you’re not ready.” Dennis lived fast and hard, after all. “I want it to be both of us, together,” she explained softly. “Or the three of us.” She smiled again, her eyes feeling heavy with happiness and disorientation.

Her long fingers lifted and fell against her abdomen as she patted her belly.  Dennis couldn't help but watch in quiet fascination even though there was nothing really unusual about the action itself.  And, no, there was no appreciable difference in her middle.  Nothing.  Or, nothing new, at least.  When his eyes drifted up again, she was looking at her and their eyes met. 

You are.

Dennis covered his mouth with his hands as the information finally started to set in.  She shifted closer to him and Dennis dropped his hands and let them rest, gently, on Tilly's abdomen.  She drew closer to him, whisps of her hair fell down around his face.  Cool, soft fingers blushed against his face and with one hand he quickly tugged the mask free from his own face and out of the way completely.  He could feel his stomach flutter slightly and he cradled her cheek in his palm.

"I love you," he said, quietly, finally answer the question posed weeks ago.  Of course, by now, it had probably become obvious.  "I've - I've loved you for years.  You've always been there."  Aside from the band, she'd been the one constant in his life.  He could only imagine how terrifying something like this could be alone and he couldn't fathom, after all of these years, even humoring the idea of making her face it alone. 

Nor, he realized, did he want to. 

He couldn't lie, though.  "I'm - I'm not ready."  He offered with a chuckle.  Certainly not as of walking into the antechamber.  "But, I will be.  I'll - I - Yes, I want to.  I - of course."  What he was saying, what it all meant, he wasn't sure he had a clue, yet.  But, it felt like the right thing. 

“I know,” she murmured. “I mean-- I do now. I don’t know what sort of rollercoaster my head was on before...” She hadn’t seen it, or she hadn’t let herself. Dennis had always been her best friend, and Tilly had clung too tightly to that cherished role to imagine giving him up in some lover’s quarrel. But now she realized what a fool she’d been.

Or maybe it was a good thing it had taken this long. She hadn’t meant to disappoint him, but she was glad she’d waited until she’d known that she could be in love with her best friend: that both were possible. And that, together, they could make a family and survive the world. (Which, in the end, was much bigger and much smaller than people claimed.)

“I love you,” she said at last, grinning in a somewhat silly manner, as if it were obvious, and she’d meant to say it first. “But you’ve been there for me, too,” she reminded him. “And you’ll be there.” She could tell, by the look in his eyes, and by the happiness in his throat. Even if there was shock, nervousness, other things, she knew Dennis like the back of her palm. She knew he was happy, and it made her happy.

Her hands moved back down, grabbing his from her sides and resuming their tangle of Dennis’. She pulled away a bit, still smiling. “If I deprive hundreds of punch-drunk teenagers from seeing their favorite band, we’re both going to be in loads of trouble. And not just with Neal.” Her eyes dancing, she leaned in to give him a quick kiss, before laughing and pulling him back toward the Great Hall. Her eyes were wet, but in the good way. Looking over her shoulder as she led the way, she added, “You’re alright, right? I didn’t mean to spring this all on you right before a set, but... I wasn’t sure if I’d have a chance later tonight, and I was in a festive mood...” And she couldn’t have waited much longer. It wouldn’t have been fair to either of them.