Title: Samhain's Blessings
Author: k_lynne317
Word Count: /b~17,700
Rating: PG-15
Warnings: Adult Hermione , Alternate Universe, Humour, OOC, Romance
Spoilers: Cannon through end of DH, EWE (Epilogue What Epilogue)
Summary: Prompt #93- Hermione goes into labor in the dead of night. Healer Draco is on call at St. Mungo's when she shows up at the hospital alone.
Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" is the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. This work of fiction/art was created entirely for fun, not for profit, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: I knew from the beginning that this would be a multichaptered tale, but I didn't except it to be quite this long. Oh well! I had a blast writing this. So much thanks go out to my helpers, because without you this would be crap. My loves, you know who you are! Many thanks go to RZZMG for taking the reins and being our wonderful mod and agreeing to post this for me on the 13th to coincide with dates in my tale. I had a blast writing this beast and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!
This is completely finished and will be eight chapters with a prologue and an epilogue. I will be posting chapters over the course of a couple of days. Without further ado, here is the prologue of Samhain's Blessings.
Thursday, 07 May 2009
"Dammit Hermione, this is the last time I'm telling you, go home!"
Her Birth Healer watched as a look of determination crossed Hermione's features, but before she could oppose him, he put a stop to any argument she would make. "As your healer I am ordering you on bed rest. You've been sick since the beginning of your pregnancy and you've got to the point that if someone even mentions the p word you turn green around the gills." Seeing her pale considerably at the thought of anything pumpkin, he raised an eyebrow. "You cannot comfortably work here at St. Mungo's with that threat hanging over your head; plus you're not eating well or sleeping much." Hermione opened her mouth to dispute his claim, but his glare stopped her again. "I've seen your meals and you've had permanent bags under your eyes for months now."
He sighed, sitting next to her, grasping one of her hands in his own. "Bluebell, as your friend, I'm worried about you. All of your friends are worried. You've barely slowed down since you found out you were pregnant; add that to your severe allergy to THAT word and barely eating and sleeping, and you're wearing yourself down. Any more stress on your body and you'll have to be admitted as a patient yourself."
Knowing that she had at long last lost the lengthy debate with the wizard sitting next her, Hermione finally nodded her head in defeat. He stood up and faced her, a grin curling the corners of his lips.
"Now, you are my last appointment for the day, so if you'll give me a few minutes to finish a couple of things, then we'll meet up with everyone for dinner." Hermione nodded. He turned to his desk, flipping through a couple of files. "When we're done, I'm taking you home. And no, there's not a thing you can do about it." He raised an eyebrow at her. "If I have to, I will get Nouna to watch you."
Hermione frowned. "You really don't have to. I'll stay home, I promise."
His eyes narrowed at the brunette witch. "If I find out for one second that you disobeyed my orders, I will send Nouna to you. Don't think I won't. You also know that my mother would be only too happy to let you borrow her."
"I know she would. Did Ginny tell you that Molly asked me to move in with her and Arthur?" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Everyone acts like I'm a porcelain China doll that needs taking care of. I'm a single, pregnant witch, I'm not dying."
He chuckled, still reading over his paperwork. "You seem to forget the fact that you're almost seven months pregnant," he looked up, his eyes piercing hers, "with twins."
"Yes, yes, I know that. Everyone also likes to remind me that I have no clue who the father of my children is other than he was a guest at Adrian and Ginny's wedding on Samhain. I don't need you to remind me too, Draco Malfoy. Are you almost done yet?" At his nod, Hermione slowly stood from her chair. "Good, because I'm actually hungry."
Draco Malfoy laughed. "It's about time, witch. You're practically skin and bones."
Hermione snorted. "No, I'm not."
Draco conceded that she wasn't that bad, but he still wasn't happy with where she was currently. He could only hope that she would finally listen to him and take better care of herself. If not for herself then for her unborn children.