A/N: Sorry for the wait. School and all. This is my favorite Chapter!!! A bit of a break form Mione-centric trauma!!! Well, enjoy! Yours Truly!
Chapter Seven
Gryffindor Girl Gossip
"Are you even listening?!" Hermione turned to Draco who was currently lying with his back on her comforter.
"The truth? No," Draco replied.
Hermione turned back to the mirror and turned to her side before pulling off her shirt. Now Draco was paying attention.
"What the bloody hell are you doing stripping, Granger? You're already pregnant, shagging again won't do anything more." He didn't even bother rolling over, but his icy eyes were trained on her form.
"They're huge! Haven't you noticed? They've been getting bigger for a while, but now that they've stopped I'm getting fatter!" she ranted.
"Then just charm them," he suggested. "No! They're bigger for a purpose, but I can't fit any of my old clothes anymore," she shot down the idea as she adjusted her bra and pulled her shirt on again.
"Pureblood families do not have their children breastfed, especially not by the lady of the house," Draco stated.
"Well, our family won't be entirely pureblood now will it?" she countered, "I will breastfeed. And speaking of changes, cravings and mood swings are next in the book." She changed the subject quickly, but Draco knew it'd probably come up again.
She tossed him their 'handbook', a book on wizarding pregnancies she'd ordered through owl post a few weeks ago. She lived by that book, and Draco was learning to, too. He flipped through to chapter six.
"It says you should buy new clothes, Granger, along with 'special' bras to help with…" he reread the page, "something or another."
"I know, Malfoy, I've read that chapter twice, but I don't have the time or the money to go buy new clothes. Bras are expensive and I don't bet maternity clothing is any cheaper than normal clothing," she confessed as she lay next to him on her bed.
They'd taken to alternating nights in each other's rooms. Since they both had classes and preferred to study alone, night was the only time they would spend together- for the baby's sake, of course. Almost every night was spent in Hermione's room though, seeing as Draco's father was prone to popping in at all the wrong moments.
"You should have asked, Granger. I told your parents that I'd take care of you, so you won't go around falling out of clothing that doesn't fit," at her skeptical stare he rolled his eyes, "Yes, I have noticed they've gotten bigger, the whole male population has noticed, it's the only good thing about this bloody pregnancy business. I'll give you money for some new clothes and you can ask Dumbledore for next Saturday off to go to Hogsmeade." She just stared, so he continued before she could interrupt, "But you have to get…muggle clothes, too."
She laughed as he looked pained to say the word. "Why? I mean, I'm just wearing them under my robes."
Draco shook his head, "The war will come before holidays and you'll be in a muggle town. I've located a safe house and I will be the secret keeper."
Her eyes widened, "The war? When? Have you told Dumbledore?" Draco's eyes turned skyward again, "Yes, I've told your king. I may not be a goody goody like you, but I don't want my father to win this." She nodded in agreement as she got off the bed and turned the sheets down as far as she could with Draco lying with his feet at the head of the bed.
"Bedtime, Malfoy," she called and he moved to sit up, "Pregnant ladies need their sleep." He snorted, "And if the men to blame for those pregnancies don't allow it then they'll have to put up with moody, pregnant women in their heads all day long." She sing-songed and Draco stepped up the pace a bit.
He spooned her from behind, letting his arm lie on her hip. They had two favorite positions: spooning and her sleeping on his chest. With her stomach growing, if she felt uncomfortable on his chest, then they spooned, or did whatever made her happy so he could get some sleep.
HD
"So Hermione, what's it like?" Ginny asked as the two sat down in the grass near the lake.
"What do you mean?" Hermione shot her friend a look, "It's like I've gained another person. I feel like a baby whale and I've only gained just over ten pounds. Yet, Pompfrey says I should eat more to gain more to ensure a healthy delivery." Hermione smiled despite herself, "But it does have its good points."
Ginny giggled, "Like guys treating you like glass, and you getting huge boobs!"
Hermione joined in on the giggling at the second part. She hadn't had a lot of time for friends lately. She'd just gotten around to a Hogsmeade weekend with Harry and Ron that the previous day, but that had been a bit awkward. She'd been buying clothes and they weren't quite sure how to act. But boys would be boys. Ginny had kept her promise and told no one about the baby's father. And today the duo had thought a walk around the grounds would be nice after their little slumber party.
"Is Malfoy treating you nice?" Hermione reclined on the grassy slope and sighed, "As nice as a Malfoy can manage without exploding." Ginny nodded and lay next to her pregnant friend.
"You and Malfoy are the hot topics of Gryffindor girl gossip," she confessed, "Lavender and Parvati have their mouths going a mile a minute." Hermione turned her head to look at the redhead.
"Really? What about?" Ginny sighed loudly, "The usual. Lavender's heard rumors that Malfoy's given up his promiscuous playboy lifestyle and all the girls are going crazy. Apparently taking himself off the market has quadrupled his desirability, according to Parvati's polls, that is." Hermione snickered. Did these girls really have nothing better to do than drool over Draco Malfoy? "And you, well, you would think that they'd be making up all sorts of stories about the father and all."
"They are?!! What have they said?!!" Hermione interrupted; her outrage showing on her face.
"Ease up on the mood swings, Hermione. I said 'you would think' didn't I?" Ginny calmed her friend as she continued, "They think it's so cool that you're having this baby and not giving it up or getting rid of it or what have you. Lavender says that having a baby is the 'in' thing to do and if she weren't so in love with her 'girlish figure' then she'd go get herself pregnant, too." Hermione cracked up at this.
"So my accident is popular? What a coincidence. I should go and tell Malfoy, he'll be so pleased," she rolled her eyes as Ginny giggled some more.
"And Pansy is having a perpetual heart attack. Malfoy barely associates with her anymore and twice Crabbe and Goyle have had to escort her out of class. Zabini said that it was a family trauma and that Malfoy had nothing to do with it, but that doesn't stop the rumor mill, a.k.a. Parvati and Lavender."
"Those girls need to get lives of their own." Hermione had sat up again and was staring at the lake as the giant squid surfaced for a brief moment before submerging itself again.
"They claim they already have busy schedules, what with boyfriends and whatnot," Ginny said casually as she eyed Hermione, gauging her reaction.
"Lavender is with Ron and Parvati is with…" Hermione trailed off, waiting for Ginny to fill in the blank.
"Well, that is up for debate. One of the Patils was seen in a passionate liplock with none other than Theodore Nott, but he's not saying anything. Padma claims to be dating Kyle Jewell, but we all know which way he swings, so unless Padma's got a dirty little secret, then that relationship is a lie. Yet, Kyle has been seen exiting broom closets closely behind an unidentified Patil. Then there is the third Patil."
"Third Patil? But they're twins!" Hermione looked confused.
"Not a third one in your year, Hermione. Patricia Patil is in fourth year, very nice girl too, it's a shame she's a Hufflepuff. Anyway, Patti is dating…"
"Patti?"
"Well, Patricia is a bit long, I shorten it when I'm not talking to her, she hates the nickname," Ginny explained, "But as I was saying, Patti is…did I say is, I meant was, she was dating Dennis Creevey, then Malcolm Baddock. Now that ended badly, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs just do NOT mix. Well Patti has an uncanny resemblance to Padma and Parvati, not surprising really, but they are always getting confused when viewed from behind. So therein lies the trouble. Lavender thought it'd be good for Parvati's social standing to let rumors float for a while and now there are so many no one knows what to believe."
"Gosh, Ginny, life at Hogwarts has turned into a soap opera," Hermione smiled a bit.
"A soap what?" Ginny raised an eyebrow and Hermione just brushed off her questioning.
"So how are Ron and Lavender holding up through her everlasting obsession with a certain blonde wizard?" Hermione changed to subject, though not too much.
"Ron has gotten over it. He seems like he doesn't care, but you can see a slight twitch whenever Malfoy enters the conversation. I, personally, think that Lavender sneaks into his room every so often and pays him back for his tolerance, if you know what I mean."
"Gross, Ginny!! That is beyond disturbing!! I do not want to hear about Ron's sex life!!" Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "This is girl talk, Hermione. Just be happy I'm not asking about your sex life," Ginny responded as she patted Hermione's belly affectionately.
"There is nothing to talk about. Malfoy and I keep our distance," Hermione lied easily. She felt bad lying to one of her closest friends but somehow 'Malfoy and I share a bed every night, but I swear nothing happens!' just didn't have the same ring to it as she'd thought it would.
"If I were you, Hermione, I'd be all over him," Ginny confided, "I mean, yes I adore Harry and all, but if I were pregnant with Malfoy's child I'd find him very hard to resist. I read up on some pregnancy stuff, to help you if you need it, and one book said that an increased libido was common in the second trimester." At that Hermione's eyes bugged out. Why hadn't she read that?
"Second trimester?" Hermione repeated. Ginny nodded. "I'm almost seventeen weeks already and I haven't…you know." Ginny giggled again.
"Hermione, don't be so uptight about it. You've obviously done it before, and I'm sure if you brought it up with Malfoy he wouldn't refuse."
"Well, I guess we'll never find out if you're correct," Hermione announced as she got to her feet.
"Never say never," Ginny cooed as they began to walk back to the building.
HD
Hermione was in a hurry, to say the very least. She cursed the effects of pregnancy as she practically ran down the charms hall and took a quick turn. She'd bypassed on Girls Lavatory in the dungeons favor of this cleaner one and she just prayed that she made it in time.
She muttered the password to the prefect's bathroom and hurried to the toilet before reliving her breakfast. She scowled as she flushed the toilet and tried to catch her breath. 'This is all Snape's fault! Stupid, slimy git and his Sensory Potion,' she thought as she dry heaved once more.
'Now, Love, you know that it's not very nice to speak of your professor in such a way,' Draco's voice echoed in her head. 'Who's speaking? Not me. I was pretty sure I was thinking said comment, Malfoy. Oh, and please refrain from calling me Love, in my head or otherwise,' she thought back.
'I just wanted to see if you were alright, Love. Snape looks extremely satisfied with your reaction,' Hermione ignored Draco's blatant disregard for her request and snorted, of course Snape was happy; the smarmy git. 'Just fine, Malfoy. I enjoy vomiting constantly, really I do,' she thought sarcastically.
'I'm starting the potion without you then, Granger. Get back here when you don't feel the urge to puke all over the place. Oh, and give the baby a kiss for me,' Draco's voice sounded again.
"Shh, we'll be found!" The sound of the portrait opening and closing reached her ears followed by an urgent whisper distracted her from her witty comeback. She stood up and edged to the corner of the wall.
"I don't care, Theo! Let's tell the whole world!!" a girl's voice spoke louder. Theo laughed, "You Patils, no sense of secrecy."
Immediately her conversation with Ginny the day before came to mind and Hermione gasped, 'Oh my God!' Draco was in her head a moment later, 'Oh your God what? What's wrong, Granger?! What the heck is going on?!'
A/N: And now a tribute to those who make this possible, Thank You: Cal8907, MaskofComedy, sherrithewriter, DracosPunkbabe, juicygirl, jdeppgurl4, Mysticpammy, and CookiMonstr08! Your reviews mean soo much to me!! And now I'll answer a few questions, non invasive ones of course wink !
The reason behind Malfoy's proposal...hmmm. Well, I could tell you the ending of the story and ruin everything... or I could just say "Because Draco Malfoy lives to bend to this author's will!!! Mwahaha!!" either way, that's all you get!!!
Please leave a message/review! I'll try to answer questions to the best of my ability!! Yours Truly!!
