Christmas day
"Waaake up! It's Christmas!" Sang the alarm clock that Hermione had bought from a vendor at Diagon Alley. Waking up startled, Hermione glared at the alarm clock before turning it off.
"Stupid magical contraptions," she muttered under her breath as she got up and straightened her bedsheets using a spell she had learned years ago. She slipped her feet into her warm and furry slippers and trudged to the bathroom.
After a warm shower, Hermione chose some comfortable muggle clothes to wear.
When she was half done her Honey Nut Cheerios, her favorite muggle cereal, there were two loud craaaacks and Ginny and Harry Potter apparated into her small apartment.
"Merry Christmas Hermione!" Harry and Ginny yelled out, pulling Hermione into a bear hug. Hermione, almost suffocated by them, returned the gesture.
"Yes, yes. It's what got me up in the morning," she said pointing to her alarm clock as her friends gave her an amused smile. "Merry Christmas! What are you guys doing here this early? It's... " Hermione glanced at her watch, "oh...12:30.. well, I guess I must've slept in late."
Harry nodded. "Yup, and we just wanted to be the first to barge into your home with all the Christmas spirit we could sum up." Ginny and Harry exchanged a quick grin. "By the way, you're coming to the Burrow tonight, right?"
Hermione nodded." What time does Molly want us to be there by?"
"Mum said about 7, but you know her... she's hinting that you get there earlier," Ginny responded with a smirk.
"Of course," Hermione said, grinning. "So I guess we'll exchange presents then?"
Ginny nodded. "We better go now. Oh, and before I forget to ask you, will you come and help me find a wedding dress? Mum and Lavender are also coming. We'll get the bridesmaid dresses too."
Hermione smiled, "I can't believe you even had to ask. Just let me know when you want to go and it'll be alright with me."
"Great. See you tonight," Ginny said. Harry waved goodbye and the two of them left.
Well that was interesting. Maybe I'll go do some light reading. Hermione smiled, approving her idea with a slight nod.
It was almost 6:30 and Hermione still wasn't dressed for the dinner at the Burrow.
After reading another paragraph of Hogwarts: A History, she put the book down and changed into her new purple dress. It had spaghetti straps and flowed down at her waist. It was a simple dress which she paired with black stilettos and some jewelry. Overall, it took her about 20 minutes to get ready and another 15 to tame her bushy hair.
She picked up the bag of presents and flooed herself to the Burrow.
Tension. Tension. Tension. He had no idea what to do about the case his crazy boss had given him. Draco silently screamed. Tap. Tap. Tap. His quill hit the table over and over again.
He heard the door open and Pansy walked in.
"Draco! What are you doing? You should be getting dressed! The party starts in a hour and you know how your mother gets when we don't arrive on time. Move your lazy arse!" Pansy yelled, having one of her regular pregnancy mood swings.
Now was so not the time.
"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP. Please. I've dealt with your mood swings for 7 months! I know you're having one of your daily dramas but seriously lady, calm the bloody hell down! " Draco snapped.
Oops. You idiot! He mentally cursed himself for taking his frustration out on his wife as he watched her eyes fill with tears.
"I didn't mean that, Pansy...I.." Draco began apologizing before being interrupted.
"Go to hell, Draco," Pansy said, throwing his robes on their bed and turning to leave the room. Before she could, Draco reached for her hand to stop her.
"Let go of my hand. I promise I won't bother you again. Go get dressed." Pansy said bitterly. Traces of hurt in her voice. She pulled her hand from his and walked out the door.
Wow, he was such a screw up. Oh hell, now he felt guilty. Damn the world. Hopefully she'll forget and those bloody mood swings of hers will actually be useful. In the meantime... he might as well get ready.
"Merry Christmas, lovely people!" Hermione called out cheerily as she brushed off any last traces of ash on her dress. The Floo was definitely not her favorite way of traveling. She noticed the beautiful decorations on the tree and all around the house - 's doings, of course.
"Goodness me, Hermione! You look gorgeous!" said, embracing Hermione.
Hermione smiled, "Thank you Molly! You look great too!"
"Is there anything I can do to help with dinner?" she asked.
"No dear. Just relax. I think Ron and Harry are upstairs... and Ginny and Lavender are sitting on the porch. They're probably freezing, why don't you call them inside and we'll set the table for dinner?"
"Sure. Aren't the other boys coming? What happened to Fred, George, Bill, Percy and Charlie?"
"Not this year. Each of them had some work to take care of. A real pity," Molly said with a shake of her head.
"Hermione! Merry Christmas!" a voice cheered. Hermione turned around and saw Arthur Weasley come through the front door almost completely covered with snow.
"Merry Christmas, Arthur!" Hermione greeted, hugging her father-like figure.
"I'm so glad you made it. Or else dinner would have been quite lonesome since most of our kids are missing!" Arthur joked.
The Weasleys and Hermione exchanged some more small talk before Hermione headed outside to see her girls.
"Why does it look like you two live on separate planets? What did you do? Did I not teach you to not mess around with women especially if they're in Pansy's state?" Narcissa scolded her son when she saw that he and Pansy were barely communicating.
"Mother, please. Not you too. Do you know how difficult she can be? I mean, sure, I love her but when she knows I'm working... the woman needs to relax and not be annyoing," a stubborn Draco replied.
"Men. They don't get it. She's pregnant, for Merlin's sake. Apologize to her, Draco. The poor child is worn out."
"Fine, mother," Draco said, hesitatingly walking in Pansy's direction.
"Pansy..." he began.
"Sod off, Draco," Pansy said, turning away and walking in the opposite direction.
Ah, well... at least he tried right? She'll get over it. Now... he just needed to get away from mother's glares.
As the girls were secretly giggling and sharing new stories, Harry and Ron crept up behind them.
"What are you girls doing?" They said as Hermione, Ginny and Lavender jumped at their voices.
They giggled and replied with a quick shake of their heads.
Harry smirked, "Sure. Come inside, dinner's ready."
The five best friends made their way inside to the dining table where there was a feast prepared for a family of 50.
"Molly, how are we going to eat all of this?" Lavender asked, looking around in amazement.
Molly chuckled, "Oh don't worry about that. We have enough men here who eat like pigs."
"Hey!" replied Harry and Arthur. The women laughed.
"Let's eat already! I'm starving!" Ron cried out, completely oblivious to his mother's previous comment.
Molly winked at Lavender. "You see what I mean?"
"Oh, don't worry about it darling. Draco is just being a male. If I didn't know better, I would've said that he was an emotional pregnant woman," Narcissa Malfoy said, placing her hand on her daughter-in-law's shoulder.
"I know. I guess I'm a little stressed out too and I've been bothering him a lot when he's busy... But he's never snapped at me before and I don't know. Sometimes it feels like he's questioning our relationship," Pansy replied with a sigh.
"That's not true, Pansy. You know that. Just let him be. He'll come to his senses eventually and if he doesn't, then I give you permission to hit him on the head with his broomstick," Narcissa joked to lighten the mood.
Pansy laughed. "I just might take you up on that offer."
Narcissa and Pansy continued walking around the Malfoy Manor, chatting with old friends and being introduced to new ones.
Draco saw Pansy talking to Blaise and laughing. Now might be a good time to apologize. He started walking towards them. Looking at his feet, he rehearsed a few apologies before glancing back at Pansy.
He froze in his step as Pansy's broad smile disappeared and she looked to be in severe pain as she held her stomach.
Draco came back to his senses and ran towards her, not knowing how to react.
"Pansy, are you alright?" Draco asked calmly, trying to keep his voice even.
"Draco, my water broke," Pansy whimpered as the pain increased.
"WHAT? How is that possible? You're not due for another 2 months!" Draco yelled in confusion.
Pansy winced. "I don't know, you prat! Do something!" Pansy screamed out as another contraction cut her words short.
What the hell! What was he going to do? Why did that child have to come now? Out of the blue?
"Draco.." was the last word out of Pansy's mouth before she fainted. Draco caught her before she reached the ground.
All of a sudden, his mother appeared at his side, helping him to support the unconscious witch.
"Take her to 's, Draco. NOW!" Narcissa ordered.
Bewildered, Draco took out his wand and apparated them to the lobby of the wizard hospital, trying to concentrate so that he wouldn't splinch either of them.
Getting a better grip on Pansy, he walked to the front desk.
"Can I help you, Sir?" a middle-aged women working at the desk asked.
"Yes! Obviously! My wife is in labour and she's unconscious. I need a healer!" Draco yelled, as two nurses levitated Pansy onto a stretcher.
"I'm sorry, Sir. You'll have to wait. Right now, there aren't any healers available to deliver the baby," the secretary replied.
"Then GET a bloody healer!" Draco snarled threateningly as the secretary winced.
"Please relax, Mr. Malfoy. I will owl another healer to come in. It is, afterall, Christmas so you'll have to be patient."
"The baby isn't going to wait for your stupid arse of a healer to get here! It's already two months early!" Draco yelled impatiently.
"Mr. Malfoy, please have a seat in the waiting room or we'll have to ask you to leave," the secretary warned.
Draco glared at her again before finding a chair to sit in. He rest his head in his hands and sighed.
Today was just getting better and better.
"Awww! This is the cutest present ever, Hermione! Thank you so much!" Lavender gushed, giving Hermione her millionth hug of the day.
"Well, that's the last of the presents. Who's up for some hot chocolate?" Molly asked.
A chorus of "me"s called out.
"Hey, does anyone hear that tapping noise?" Harry asked looking in the direction of the window.
Ginny walked to the window where there was an owl trying to find its way inside. She opened the window to let a small, gray owl into the house. Attached to its leg was a note addressed to Healer Hermione Granger.
"Who's this little bird for," Hermione asked, feeding the owl a small treat.
"Actually, you," Ginny handed her the note.
Miss. Granger,
An emergency situation has come forth. We need you to report to the hospital immediately as there are no other doctors available.
Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
St. Mungo's
"Well... it looks like I won't be staying for hot chocolate," Hermione said, disappointed.
"What? How come? What does the note say?" Ron asked with a frown.
"There's some emergency and I need to go. They're short of healers... probably some witch is in labour or something. I'll see you all later."
After a few quick hugs and "sorry"s, Hermione went back to her apartment to change into her uniform. Her instincts told her that this was going to be a long night.