Chapter 4 Ivy Malfoy

Draco's not left me alone for more than an hour since he found out about the letters. My pregnancy is progressing wonderfully, and we've decided to wait until the baby is born to know the sex. It's something wonderful to look forward too, considering how miserable things are now. I've gone back to work today after hours of convincing Draco. It's sweet that he wants to protect me so much. I'm sitting at my desk filing away contracts. It's really boring, but at least I'm out of the house. Draco went back to work too. We have enough money between both of us to retire, but we aren't even thirty yet. We have a whole life ahead of us, with our baby.

I can only imagine taking him/her to the Hogwart's Express every year. Buying the first wand and everything Draco and I never got to experience during school. That war took away our childhood and now our child would have what we didn't. I could hardly wait.

A knock sounded on the door and called for them to come in. I didn't recognize the man who walked in, but he seemed harmless.

"Draco Malfoy has asked me to make sure you are in good health."

I rolled my eyes and nodded my answer. Of course I was fine. The man nodded curtly and left without another word. Lovely.

So many people never got rid of their bitter persona after Voldemort was killed. I doubted that every one would.

25 contracts latter I was heading out for lunch. I should tell Draco where I was going, but I wasn't handicapped. I was pregnant and hungry. My assistant offered to come with me, but I turned her down, very aware of her intense dislike of my marriage. Not because of blood, but because my husband was beautiful and in her eyes I was unworthy to be his wife, let alone carry his child. I accepted that and she was a very good assistant so I didn't see a problem with working with her as long as she was polite. It didn't even hurt my feelings when she looked relieved that she didn't have to come with me.

I went to the café right across from the office and was happy that there wasn't anyone I knew there. I ate quietly, hoping not to be noticed. Some people were just rude to me, though it was mostly jealous woman who glared at me. I didn't blame them, Draco was beautiful. Sometimes I was amazed that he was mine.

I finished my lunch and paid and just as I stood a wave of dizziness washed over me and I sank to the floor in slow motion. I must have been fainting and some tall wizard caught me before I hit the floor. I was about to muttered a thank you when the grip tightened and something was pressed into my back. His wand. I swallowed thickly and looked around the room for anyone to help me. No one noticed a thing.

"Calmly exit while holding onto my arm. Do not run or I will kill you."

I was too afraid to consider that he might just be bluffing or that he couldn't kill me in public. I left with my arm in his while struggling not display my panic.

"Very good Hermione. I'm proud of you."

That voice was so familiar. I had yet to look at his face. I was afraid to. At the last minute I looked up at him and one thing stood out. His gray eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He whispered putting an emphasis on you. Was he going to hurt Draco?

I didn't have to wait for an answer. He gripped me around the waist and just as I was about to yell. He apparated. The fucking bastard apparated.

The next thing I knew I was standing in St. Mungo's holding my rounded stomach in horror. I screamed for someone to help me and it was just my luck that my Healer was a few feet away. She rushed to my side and demanded to know why I had apparated when I had been told not too.

"I didn't. a man grabbed me…he did it. I couldn't stop him. Is my baby okay!" my voiced rose the longer I spoke. My healer didn't answer my question because at the moment a pain so intense rolled through me and I felt that connection with my child disappear.

"NOO!" I screamed and looked down at my stomach. It was as flat as it had been before. No baby in sight.

She took me to a room and cast spells over my weeping body before she explained.

"It's a new ministry law they put in motion after the end of the war. We lost so many of our kind. We were endangered. No one realized though, expect a spare few in charge of that part of the wizarding world. Over half of us died. So the Minister set a new law. Any pregnant witch should never apparate. This would not kill your baby, Hermione. The apparation it's self could cause defects. Such as being a squib. Using magic so young could cause the baby's body to reject it entirely. So any baby that undergoes apparation is ter…terminated. Your …daughter is dead. I am sorry for your loss."

I looked up at the healer tormented face and felt so sick that I loss my lunch all over her. She sniffed quietly and cleaned it up with a flick of her wand. She left the room quickly while I tried to retain the information she just gave me.

My daughter. Ivy. Oh god, my baby.

I collapsed in gut wrenching sobs and I didn't think any more. I just wanted to sleep it all away. It hurt so much. I didn't even want to believe it, but it was impossible not to. My baby was gone. She was dead.

Oh god how was I going to tell Draco? He would never forgive me! If I hadn't gone to lunch this would have never happened!

I ran for the door and just as I was about to open it the healer came back in. She looked grim. What else could she have to tell me?

"I have to Oblivate you, Hermione. It's protocol."

"How many times have you done this?" I asked binding my time. She swallowed with difficulty.

"17 times in the last five years. That's just me though. I tried to resign after the first, but they killed my mother. I couldn't have them do the same to my own kids."

I felt sorry for her. I pulled my own wand out of my back pocket and stunned her while she was fighting back tears. Maybe she did this on purpose so I could remember, or maybe she hadn't had a mother gain control after the loss of her child like I did. I was in control, but I worked well under pressure. I always had. It was a skill one picked up while growing up in a war.

I used the floo and saw that I had just entered Draco's important meeting. Opps. I couldn't worry about that right now. My pants were four times to big and I shrunk them before walking further into the room. Draco's face wasn't one I would forget.

He looked so happy.

"Boy or girl?" he asked.

"Girl." I whispered without a smile. His smiled faded as he took in my face instead of my missing stomach. I sighed weakly and looked around the room.

"Get out." I said and no one thought to argue. Once we were alone Draco came and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Why wasn't I there?"

"It happened so fast. I was horrified." I whispered. I couldn't look at him.

"How is she?"

I braced myself and looked up at his happy eyes. I shook my head and was prepared for his anger.

"She's dead."

He didn't get angry. His face crumpled and he cried. Just like I had. I held his tightly, aware that our roles should be reversed. We never were the ordinary couple, though.

"How?"

It was the first time he had spoken in twenty minutes. It was hard to believe I was still breathing after this.

"I went to the café across the street for lunch. I liked their sandwiches."

"I know you do. What happened next?" he persisted.

"I went up to pay, but I had one of my dizzy spells and a man caught me before I fell. Only he wasn't helping me. He led me out of the café and no one noticed my fear, or maybe they didn't care.

He said, "I'm proud of you, Hermione." Then he apparated me to St. Mungos."

"How did she die though?" he asked softly.

"The ministry never revealed how much of a loss our race took with the war. They made a law that any pregnant witch cant apparate without killing their baby, because there is a small chance of the baby becoming a squib. That's why we never heard of the rule. It isn't recommended but a I could apparate without killing my baby, only the law killed her. She's gone. I never even saw her face, Draco. I'm sorry."

I wasn't going to tell him who the man was. He didn't need anymore grief. I would be visiting his mother soon, though. Very soon. I had to ask her why her husband was going around killing his grandchild when he was supposed to be dead.

A/N: I hope everyone reviews, considering so many of you wanted a sequel! let me know what you think!