Ravelclaw
Type: Themed
Prompt: Goodbye,"So, I did a pregnancy charm
Word count: 1,747
And yes I named Asa after Asa Fox from supernatural. Without further delay I hope you enjoy!
..o0o..
"Malfoys?"
Draco looked up to see a short, brunette healer assistant sticking her head out the door. She stood as a small wall in the doorway in her black uniform. The woman's brooding atmosphere was a stark contrast to the pastel-coloured room.
"Oh," Hermione said, pushing herself up awkwardly from the plush chair, "here!"
Draco Malfoy swore he truly hated seeing his wife struggle. There was just something hilarious, however, about her waddling around, six months pregnant.
She didn't seem to agree.
Together they were lead to a pale green office. They plopped down into two sea green chairs and talked over some information. He tapped his foot impatiently as the two talked everything but what was wrong. Despite the concerning possible symptoms happening over the last two weeks she still wouldn't take the pains seriously. Hermione seemed to think they had no reason to be there and was obliviously trying to brush it off. She had even promised that morning not to purposefully side-track the healers, but it seemed it him she had done the opposite. The jingle of Hermione's laugh sounded off in the room as the nurse made a joke and he couldn't take it anymore.
"So when exactly do you intend to do your job?" He sneered, ignoring the glare from his wife, "'Cause I think if this is it you're doing a pretty piss-poor job at it."
"Well then," The short, round, woman snapped, "I think that's enough! Have a good day Mrs.Malfoy."
With that the healer's assistant stood from her chair and stormed out of the room, closing the door with a soft click. The two sat in silence for a moment before Hermione groaned loudly. She looked down and shook her head ignoring the sharp cramp near the bottom of her belly. 'So long to that plan,' she thought, sighing deeply. The healer's assistant may have fallen for her plan to distract her but Hermione's husband hadn't. She had never been able to hide her intentions from him. Although she had promised to not distract the healer he had said nothing about the assistants.
"So..." Draco started, scratching his head sheepishly, embarrassed by his actions, "Name option for the day?"
She looked up at this and smiled lightly. He always mentioned the pact at the most random of times. Days after they found out about her pregnancy, Draco proposed they each list a name a day and write down their favorites. So far, they had listed approximately three-hundred eighty-six names and it was getting harder every day.
"You know," Hermione cooed teasingly, smirking at her husband, "Dumbledore really would love to have one of his favorite student's child to be named after him..."
"Well..." Draco said, pretending to consider it, "That's good to know in case Potter was wondering."
She rolled her eyes at the name he chose to use. No matter how many pints they shared, or cases they worked, the two ex-nemesis's refused to use the other's first name. He even used Ron's given name, but with Harry? Never! That fact never failed to annoy her.
She pondered the question for a second before responding, "Asa."
"Hm?"
"Asa. It's Hebrew."
"Huh," He whispered before smiling lightly, "I like it. Mine is Vulpes. It's fox in Latin."
Suddenly a dirty blond woman swept into the room with a smile. Luna Lovegood cheerily gestured for the couple to stand. Draco groaned and braced for the rough hug that came moments later. She then embraced his wife and they danced happily in each other's arms, making him roll his eyes. With this, the blond woman gestured for Hermione to sit on the patient bed as she plopped into her own chair.
"It's so good to see you two!" She exclaimed, smiling ear to ear, "So what can I do for you two today?"
"Well I've been having these... pains. Lower back and my lower belly. Nothing too serious really."
Draco sent a blank, unimpressed look to his wife. He was sick of her downplaying the sharp pains and cramps she had described. Without him they probably would have never finally wound up at there. Hermione had told him multiple times not to be so protective but there they sat anyways. He had insisted upon it.
Luna smiled reassuringly, "Well you did the right thing. You can never be too safe! I'll run some tests okay?"
She gestured for Hermione to lift her shirt and smiled sweetly. The healer grabbed her wand and tapped her cheek thoughtfully. 'Does she even know what she's doing?' Draco thought, fighting the urge to swipe the wand from the healer's hand. Hermione caught his eye, however, before he jumped up and snapped. The pregnant woman simply tipped her head and pursed her lips and his anger was quelled. If arguing with his wife had been bad while she wasn't pregnant, it was hell when she was.
"A-ha!" Shouted the healer, startling the other two in the room, "I remember! There is a very specific spell to detect pregnancy safety in the sixth month you know!"
"No," ground out Draco, "I didn't. How... interesting."
He truly wanted to throttle the other blond and just take Hermione elsewhere but he stayed seated. Another look at his wife made it clear it was not a good plan. Draco lowered his head rubbed roughly between his eyebrows as he listened to the spells being cast. Loony Luna's voice drove him crazy, so he fully considered these appointments full blown torture. After a few moments of her unbearable whimsical babbling she made an odd sound and his head snapped up. It was one of alarm - halfway between a gasp and whimper.
"What is it?" He barked, his mind racing at her bewildered look, "Well? Spit it out!"
"W-well, um, you see..." She sputtered, overwhelmed at the idea of telling her friends, "So, I did a pregnancy charm and well...there isn't... I can't... I'm afraid, well, um..."
"What?" Hermione whispered, latching onto her friend's arm and glancing at her husband.
"I can-" She started, choking back a sob, "I can't hear his heartbeat Hermione. I can't hear a thing. I'm so sorry."
"No!" Hermione screamed, thrashing in the bed, "You liar! He's fine. He's fine!"
Draco stood quickly to calm his thrashing wife. She rolled around and swung at him as he tried to hold her down. Tears streamed down Luna and his wife's splotchy, red faces. Luna neared her patient carefully and tried to place a calming hand on her shoulder but she moved away.
"I'm sorry," She cried, trying to reach out to her friend, only to be swatted off.
"It's..." Draco said, struggling with his words, "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault."
This only caused another round of sobs from the women around him. His cheeks were the only dry ones within the room as the women sobbed. He tried closing his eyes and envisioning a world where this never was. Where his wife and son were both there when he came home after a long day - but he couldn't anymore. That day he would have to say goodbye to his son. To the dream of his dream being reality in only four months. That was the day he would say goodbye to the surprise baby shower he and Hermione's friends had planned. He would have to say goodbye to a son he never met.
There was then no longer a dry cheek in the room.
..o0o..
Six years later: "Daddy? Who's Asa Vool-pees Malfoy? Why does he have our name?"
Draco looked down at his daughter, who was pulling on his hand. He crouched for a second and swept some of the dead leaves lying on the cool stone. The dark-blond girl joined him and traced the letters engraved into the green and gold headstone.
"That," He said, pulling in a shuddering breath, "Is Asa Vulpes down there. He's your older brother Charlie."
"Da-ad," whined the five-year-old, jutting out her bottom lip, "I told you it's Charlotte!"
"Okay Charlotte," He sighed, smiling grimly, "I bet your brother Asa would have called you Charlie though."
"Really?" She asked, her eyes widening, "Then I'm Charlie! Daddy call me Charlie!"
He smiled and nodded, ruffling her hair. This was the first time he had mentioned Asa to his little girl and she was taking it in stride. 'She loves her brother,' He thought, holding back tears. In reality they would never really meet each other. The siblings would never talk or hug or tease the other about a crush. But Charlie already seemed to love the boy she never knew.
"Dad," Charlie said, poking him in the side, "Why is Asa with all the gone people? Why is he next to Grandpa Lucy?"
Draco sighed, not wanting to answer the question. He knew she would ask why eventually why her brother was buried next to her grandfather. When Asa passed his father had only gone a few weeks before so it seemed fitting. Charlie had an odd fascination with her 'Grandpa Lucy' and had always asked about the grave next door.
"Well Charlie," He said turning to face her, "When your brother was in Mummy's tummy he... went away."
"Like Grampa Lucy?"
"Yeah," He whispered, nodding slightly.
"Charlie!" Hermione cried, waving her arms, "It's time to go! You don't want to be late to Milly's party do you?"
"No!" She shouted, running to her mother before stopping abruptly, "Wait!"
She tottered over to be brother's grave and kneeled, "Goodbye Asa. I'll see you later okay?"
The little blond girl then pressed her pudgy fingers to her lips. She took them from her lips with a loud smooching sound and pressed them into the damp ground. She then flew up and ran to her mother happily. Charlie hugged her mother forcefully and smiled up at her. Together they looked like the perfect picture waiting to be framed and admired.
"Coming Draco?" His wife called, tipping her head.
"One second." He shouted, smiling at his son's stone.
He leaned down and repeated his daughter's actions solemnly. No matter how many times he visited it was always hard to say goodbye. Six years later it had never gotten easier but he knew it had to be done.
"Goodbye Asa," He said, rising from his knees, "I-I love you. I will see you soon."
With that, he turned and headed to the rest of his family waiting for him, picture ready.
-xx