Chapter 7: It's Started
One month had passed since Hermione had been kidnapped. She still hadn't escaped, but at least Harry didn't seem to have taken the bait and come running after her. She was basically ignored by the Death Eaters. Not even Voldermort had come back after his visit the night she was put in this cell.
But there was one Death Eater who visited her: Draco Malfoy. He always came in with her daily meal, and he would always watch her eat. Hermione also remembered the day he had asked her if he could touch her belly, which had grown even larger in the past month. She had been a bit reluctant at first, but she had relented. Draco also frequently let her out of the cell so that she could go to the bathroom and wash herself, though of course he was there to make sure she didn't try to run off.
She was a bit worried, though, because if she was right, she was now four days late. She wondered if this was normal for a first pregnancy, but tried not to think much of it. She just wanted the baby to be healthy and okay….
The baby kicked again. Hermione rubbed her belly. The baby had been kicking a lot today, but this time it was so hard that it hurt a bit. But then she was gripped by a terrible pain, much more extreme than the ones she had been feeling all day. Her stomach muscles spasmed hard and she felt something wet between her legs. Her water had broken.
Her back had also been hurting all day. Since that had happened before, she hadn't expected to go into labor. Another pain seized Hermione, and this time it was so bad that she screamed.
Meanwhile, Draco was making his way to Hermione's cell. He had been growing on her with every visit in the past month, and surprisingly he didn't mind. He felt comfort in her presence, especially now when the Dark Lord was getting frustrated by the lack in progress in capturing Potter. Why, Draco even thought that he loved Hermione now….
He heard Hermione scream, and he rushed over to her cell and opened the door. He saw her clutching her stomach, her face contorted in pain.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm about to have the baby." Hermione said between gasps.
Draco just stared at her, then left. Hermione sighed; she had been hoping that his visits had meant that he really did care for her and the baby, but that wasn't the case. She lied down on the bed, taking deep breaths and trying to relax.
But Draco, wasn't running away, as Hermione thought; instead he was heading up the stairs, looking for help. There was barely anyone he could trust in Hogwarts now, and the Dark Lord was definitely out of the question. But wait…. There was somebody he could trust. Draco just hoped he wasn't out on a mission.
After several minutes of running around the higher levels of the dungeons, Draco was about to give up hope when he finally saw the man he was looking for. He rushed over.
"Professor! Professor Snape! Hermione- I mean Granger's-"
"I know, Draco. You didn't think I couldn't hear that banshee of a girl, did you?"
As they rushed down the stairs- well, Draco rushed down, Snape just calmly walked with him- Snape asked, "Why do you care so much about Granger anyway?" Draco didn't answer.
Meanwhile, Hermione was not in the best of positions. The contractions were coming faster and faster, stronger and stronger. She was very scared, and that just made the pain worse. She was desperate, desperate for anyone to come, anyone to save her baby….
The door opened and in came Draco. There was another person with him, and Hermione saw it was Severus Snape, the very man who had fired the curse that had snuffed out Dumbledore's life.
"No- no, please…. Not the baby…."
"Cool it, Granger." Snape said. "I'm here to help, and just for the record," he whispered, "It was me who sent the Headmasters' portraits to Order headquarters and saved them from being thrown into the fire."
Snape waved his wand over Hermione's stomach, and a white ribbon of light came out of it, twisting gracefully into the figures 5 cm.
"5 centimeters dilated. Quite a bit fast for a first pregnancy…." Snape said.
A hand was offered to Hermione. She didn't care whose it was, she just grabbed it and squeezed it hard. She heard Draco grunt in pain. Served him right for doing this to her.
After at least half an hour, Snape waved his wand over Hermione's stomach again, and this time the ribbon read 10 cm.
"Granger, you are fully dilated now. Now, at the next contraction, you will have to push. Understand?" Snape said. Hermione nodded.
The next contraction came very soon. Hermione pushed and screamed, wanting the baby out of her as soon as possible.
"Good. Now do the same thing at the next contraction."
But after many more pushes, Hermione was very tired. The next contraction came, but she didn't push because she couldn't.
"Push, woman! God, what part of 'push' don't you get!" Snape yelled at her when she didn't push.
"I can't…. I'm too tired…. I can't push…." Hermione moaned.
"Yes you can, Hermione! You're strong!" Draco said to her.
Hermione looked up at him, surprised. The only time when Draco had used her first name was that wild night. But that didn't matter to her; it gave her renewed strength, and she pushed and screamed. Then she heard a cry that brought joy to her heart.
"It's a girl." Snape announced.
Draco was also filled with joy. Hermione's daughter- their daughter- looked exactly like her mother. That meant that no easy connection between him and her could be made, and he wouldn't have to kill her. Maybe, just maybe, when this damn war was over, he could finally admit his love for Hermione, and they could marry. Never mind what father or mother said, he would live a happy life with Hermione and their new daughter….
Just then, Hermione screamed again. "Probably just the placenta." Snape said, bending down, but then he quickly got up again.
"Shit."
"What? What's wrong?" Draco asked, growing anxious.
"There's another baby."
