"Help me Granger"
Setting: St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies ( Maternity Ward)
Draco looked like hell. He felt as though he was hit with by a truck. It seemed as though he could not catch his breath. His chest hurt from the constricted feeling of helplessness. There in the bed lay his ill wife. Next to her bedside their daughter Lyra wrapped in a nest of pink blankets that looked like a mound of spun sugar.
Sitting in the chair across from them he looked over and sighed. A heavy emotional laden sigh. Astoria gave birth to Lyra 4 weeks early. Though technically full term Lyra was still considered one day premature. The pregnancy and delivery were not easy on Astoria, she was sick and nauseous for most of it and during the delivery she refused all of the pain potions offered to her.
Draco had seen people being tortured but to watch his wife's pain during childbirth almost made him faint. If it was not for Healer Hermione Granger in his ear the whole time coaching him to be strong for Astoria he most likely would have.
The door clicked open gently and as the aforementioned witch poked her head in quietly. Noticing Draco slumped in the chair she glided over to him with a cup of tea in her hand. "Draco?" She said barely above a whisper.
He lifted his head from his hand to meet her face. Noticing the cup of tea he gladly took the it then taking a brief sip muttered a quiet thanks. Hermione nodded and gave him a half grin. "You look like hell, you should get some rest." She said.
He looked intensely at her, his grey eyes couldn't hold any fire. He was tired and worried and felt helpless. "There is no rest for the weary Granger."
"Look I can't have three sick Malfoy's on my hands. What would the world think?" She said but there was humor in her tone.
Draco snorted at that. "I suppose not but… I…Granger I feel helpless. Look at them. What can I do to make them well? How could I even begin to…" Hermione cut in.
"You are not helpless… Look take off your shirt." Draco shot her a look of complete horror.
"I am not making a pass at you, you arrogant git. You want to help so I'll show you how. Maybe in another lifetime where I'm a pureblood and you're a Muggle born with bad hair." She retorted. Draco softly chuckled slowly doing as she said and unbuttoned his shirt shrugging it off.
Hermione walked over to the bassinet carefully picking up baby Lyra.
"Recline a bit." She said while unwrapping Lyra from the blankets. Once Draco was a comfy position, Hermione placed Lyra wearing only a diaper and knit hat, on his bare chest. The warmth seemed to make Lyra's skin more pink. Hermione draped the blanket over the pair.
"Is this all Granger… Just this will help?"
His voice laced with doubt.
"Yes it's part if it. You are using skin to skin to promote a bond and pass on positive energy to her. Talk to her Draco. Tell her happy, soothing things, tell her about… How you love to fly or how much you love your wife.. Tell her how much you love her. Encourage her, let her feel your warmth. It will help both now and in the long run." She said shooting a quick glance to Astoria.
"She will be alright Hermione…" He began but Hermione cut him off.
"She will be fine… The three of you will." Hermione said with confidence. Just then Draco looked down at little Lyra. Her eyes were open fixated on his face. "Hello stardust, I'm your father. Mum is in bed under the weather now but she'll be up to play with you soon enough…" He softly spoke to the babe in his arms.
Hermione looked over to see the Lyra had Draco's same eye color.
"…this here is a friend of Daddy's. She's helped quiet a bit with you, Lyra Jean…"
Hermione gasped at hearing her middle name.
"Draco… You don't have to…" He cut her off before she could finish her thought.
"I don't, but you've helped me Granger." He said looking up to smile at her.
The End
