Chapter NINE:

Draco was frantically writing up the last of his late reports on a dreary Monday morning. While he was usually very up to date with his work, he had skived off some days last week to avoid Hermione. Now he was too busy to leave is office, perfect.

As he put the final touches on the report to Shacklebolt, his secretary sent in a note that said he had a visitor. He had expressly told her no visitors, as he was very busy. He told her to tell whoever it was to bugger off.

A few minutes later, while he was magicking copies of parchment, another note arrived on his desk. This time it was not written in his secretary's handwriting, although it was familiar. It read:

Malfoy if you know what's good for you let me in.

H.

He had anticipated her seeking him out. She was probably going to confront him about this past week. He decided to take it now rather than later so he told his secretary to let her in.

"Granger," he quickly greeted as she sat herself in front of his desk.

"Malfoy," she replied. "Listen I've something important to tell you and I can't have you interrupt. Alright?"

He nodded. She dumped Zabini and is in love with me. Or she's here to dump me. She looks paler, maybe her news is that she's sick. Draco had already missed part of what Hermione said with his musings.

The last thing he heard was "-contraception spell or potion." Then with a small pause to gauge his current emotional reaction, Hermione dropped the bomb, "I'm pregnant."

Draco's mouth was no longer closed. He looked at her, to see if she was telling him the truth or just pulling him.

"What?" Draco finally asked.

"Did you hear me?" Hermione asked. "I said I was-"

He cut her off, "Yes, I heard, I'm just. What?" He could no longer formulate full sentences. "Is it mine?"

"Of course it is yours, you dolt, I haven't been with anyone else but you for months." Draco did a mental dance at her admission.

"Alright," he started slowly, calculating their next step.

She cut him off saying, "I know you're concerned, but there's no need to be. The baby and I are in perfect health, I'm about two weeks along and I intend to carry this baby to term."

He nodded and she continued, "I've also elected to allow you to be as involved as you like."

The last sentence caught him off guard. "Why would I not want to be involved? After we get married-"

"No, no married. We're not getting married," she cut him off. "I'm not marrying you because we've inconveniently procreated. You live your life and I'll live mine. You can visit." She offered.

"Bloody hell I'll visit my own family. This is a bunch of bollocks. We need to get married. The entire wizarding world will think you're some sort of slag!" He was angry now, how dare she not want to marry him?

"Isn't it unfair for two people to marry if they don't even love each other?" she reasoned.

"We'll I love you and I'll love this baby, that's enough. You can bloody well stuff it if you think that just because you don't love me you can go on your own and have our baby." He continued to yell, "Or is it that you want to be with someone else. Well bollocks to that. We're getting married whether you like it or not, do you hear me, and we're going to raise this baby together, as a family!"

He had begun pacing his office in earnest now and was instantly stopped when he collided with Hermione's body. She wrapped her arms around him and stopped him from struggling; obviously he was not going to hit his pregnant fiancé. When she had him trapped in her arms on the ground, she planted a searing, wet kiss on his lips.

They were snogging enthusiastically, when his secretary walked in with a stack of files. She let out a tiny squeak and mumbled her apologies as she scurried back out of the office to leave them to their devices.

When they realized that they were still lying on the floor, Draco got up and gave Hermione a hand getting up. She looked up at his face and pulled the mussed strands of blonde hair off his forehead. She whispered something he couldn't make out at first. They when he heard it again and looked at her thoroughly ravaged lips he read it:

"I love you, too"

A/N: I know its short but there's more to come, i think I've made many happy with this one :)