"Hermione, I know you've said no before but I want you to reconsider. Will you marry me?"
A look of terror crossed her face and she faltered, "Draco, I…"
xxx.:.x.:.xxx
"I have to go," she said quickly.
His faced dropped and his eyes pooled, "Why Hermione?" was all he could muster.
"Because I'm in labor."
"What! Now?" he jumped into action, pulling a seat out for her to sit in, "Wait here, I'll go get your bag."
The ring lay forgotten on the table by Draco. Once he was out of the room Hermione picked up the box and lightly fingered the ring. It was amazing-white gold, typical for a Malfoy-a gorgeous princess diamond in the center which was surrounded by a number of small diamonds along the wide band. She could tell that it had cost a lot of money and she absolutely loved it. The only thing was, was she ready to put it on her finger? She looked at the ring and then placed the box back on the table.
xxx.:.x.:.xxx
Draco raced back into the dining room with Hermione's over night bag, "Are you coming?" he asked. A mixture of panic and excitement surged through him as well as fear. Fear for Hermione because complications did happen during child birth and she wasn't young anymore.
"Okay, help me up," she said rather calmly, "Oh wait, go fire call Ginny first."
"Are you sure you don't want me to do it after we get to the hospital?"
"Just do it."
It was the fasted fire call he'd ever done. In seconds he was back by Hermione's side helping her stand up.
xxx.:.x.:.xxx
As soon as Ginny had received word from Draco that the baby was coming she dropped what she was doing and ran in search of Harry. She found him lounging in his chair with his feet up on his desk, glasses hanging askew on his face. She stifled a laugh, instead she smiled as she rushed over to his side and shook him awake.
"What's happened? Where am I?" he stuttered.
"Harry it's me," she anxiously, "Draco called, Hermione's gone into labor."
Harry was out of his seat in an instant and preparing to go to the hospital.
"Wait, there's no point in you coming. You know how long she's in labor for. Get some sleep and I'll call you when the baby's born."
Harry gratefully sat back down. When Rose had been born he had sat in the waiting room for hours and hours, bored out of his mind. When Hugo had been born he wasn't waiting as long but still was at the hospital for the better part of the day.
"Is Hermione okay?" he asked.
"Draco didn't say other wise so I'm assuming so."
"Ginny please don't call him Draco, it's really creepy," Harry begged.
"Fine I just find it confusing when you say Malfoy. Do you mean Lucius, Draco or Scorpius? And what are you going to call the baby, because it will be a Malfoy?"
Ginny won that round because Harry could no longer make eye contact with her.
"Well I'm going now, I'll call you," she leaned over to give him a kiss. Instead of a quick peck he slung his arms around her waist and pulled her unsuspectingly down to him. She let out a soft squeal of surprise and delight before she returned his hungry kisses.
"Let's have another baby," he said between kisses. His kisses trailed down from her lips to her neck and then to her breasts. He wanted her right then and there. It wouldn't be the first time that he had taken her on a desk. As much as he wanted her she wanted him as well. An amazing feat after being married as long as they had.
"Harry," she said as she tried to pull away from his tender touch.
"Let's make one now, here," he cooed. He held her to him with one hand and with the other he undid her pants and tugged at them to pull them off.
"Hermione's going to the hospital to have a baby and you want to shag me on your desk while I'm supposed to be with her at the hospit…ahhh," she moaned as Harry's hands finally made their way through all the barriers of clothes, "I guess it will only delay me a few minut…ohhh."
"That's right," he murmured into her shoulder, "It won't take long."
xxx.:.x.:.xxx
One of the maternity healers had led Hermione and Draco to a room and settled Hermione down on the bed.
"Where's Ginny?" Hermione demanded, she was starting to get to the cranky, bitchy stage of labor, "You said, that she said, that she'd be right here."
"I don't know honey, I'm sure she'll be here shortly."
"Go find her," she grumbled.
"Okay, I will," he grabbed her hand to give it a squeeze before he left when he noticed his ring on her finger. She also noticed that he saw it because she was staring intently at him while he gazed at her hand.
"So," she said.
"I guess that's a yes," he smiled.
"Yes," she said excitedly. Instead of leaving he walked over to her and enveloped her in his arms. She buried her head into his shoulder and started to cry. Tenderly he reached his hand out and stroked her hair and then patted her on the back.
"When did you put it on?" he asked, "I never saw it on you."
"Oh when you left the room to get my bags. When you came back you were so scatter brained I don't think you would have seen it if I'd waved it in front of your face."
"Would you have put it on if you hadn't have gone into labor?"
"Most likely, maybe not right away but after awhile I would have."
"What made you change your mind?" they were still holding each other.
"Well who could pass up a ring like that," she said seriously. When she pulled away and saw the look on his face she laughed and added, "But of course the dinner helped."
"I'm so glad. I love you, and I already love this little rascal that decided to interrupt our evening."
"I love you too," she whispered. They were just about to share a kiss when another contraction hit Hermione. She abruptly pulled away from the kiss but still clung onto Draco as she let out a soft cry of pain. Ginny walked in at this time and being as observant as she was, the first thing she noticed was the large diamond sparkling on Hermione's left hand.
"Had a good birthday I presume," Ginny said.
Draco pulled away from Hermione to see a disheveled looking Ginny. Her hair wasn't as neat as usual and her clothes looked like they had been taken off and put back on in a hurry. Draco knew instantly what had been keeping her and he let her know that by smirking at her. She blushed and her fair skin turned beet red, "What?" she said defensively.
"Oh nothing," he laughed, "Did you have a good time?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said hotly. She strolled over to the side of the hospital bed and grabbed Hermione's hand, "And what's this?"
Hermione grinned and then looked up at Draco, "Draco proposed."
"Again? What happened to your, I'm not going to marry him speech that you gave me?"
"Well she changed her mind," Draco replied for her.
"Ahh, I see. Now how long is it going to be before this baby arrives? Is there any chance of it having the same birthday as you?"
Hermione's healer walked in and heard the question being asked and replied, "That's what I'm coming to check. Now that's what I call the best birthday gift."
Hermione gazed at her ring and gave her head a small shake which only Draco and Ginny saw, "No it ties for the best."
The Healer stood up after examining Hermione and said, "You guys will most likely be here for awhile. You've got one slow moving body Mrs. Weasley."
"Granger," Hermione said rather angrily as did Draco.
"I'm sorry but your file said Weasley."
"Yeah well its wrong isn't it."
"Okay, sorry."
The healer scooted out of the room as quickly as her legs would carry her. Leaving behind an amused Ginny and a furious Hermione and Draco.
"Why would my file say Weasley? I never went by Weasley."
"I don't know baby."
"Well get them to change it," she demanded.
Ginny at made her way to the lone chair in the room and sat down to watch the argument that was sure to happen unfold. She wasn't disappointed.
"I will after you have the baby," he tried to reason.
"No, now! They give the baby the mother's last name at first and I don't want our baby to be 'Baby Weasley.'"
As offensive as it sounded to any onlooker Ginny was in fact not offended. The only reason being she had witnessed Hermione going through childbirth twice before and had experienced it three times so she knew that what came out of a persons mouth was always the worst possible thing and usually not meant. Also she knew that Hermione wasn't refereeing to Weasley's in general being bad news, just one in particular.
"Okay I'm going because no way do I want that either," Draco hurried off in search of the nearest healer to make sure that Hermione's file was changed. Once gone Hermione turned to Ginny as another contraction hit. She grimaced in pain and clutched her stomach. Once the throbbing at subsided she said, "You have to make them want to do it for themselves, not for you."
"Yeah right, you could tell him to step into the ring with Buckbeak and he would do it only because you asked him," Ginny snorted.
Hermione silently studied her new ring and absentmindedly began to twist it around her finger. The ring wasn't on her ring finger, instead on her pinkie for the sole reason of her fingers were swollen. Thankfully Draco had the ring sized to fit her normal finger size. As she spun the ring the light hit the diamond and it sparkled all different colours. It was truly breathtaking.
Ginny help but wonder if the ring was the true reason why Hermione had accepted the proposal. She hadn't seemed too thrilled about getting married again, so why would she change her mind? She knew that, that ring was enough to change a girls mind and she was pretty positive Draco knew that as well. As many things as he was he was not stupid. Besides he was a manipulator and always got his way.
Draco returned awhile later and to Hermione's relief had managed to convince a young trainee to change the file. Again another example of him always getting what he wanted.
xxx.:.x.:.xxx
Hours passed and it felt like déjà vu for both Hermione and Ginny. Draco on the other hand was pacing back and forth, grumbling quietly about how bad his back was hurting from all the standing and then sitting in the very hard and uncomfortable chair. When Scorpius had been born it had been done by Caesarean Section.
The time between Hermione's contractions had gradually lessoned and the contractions themselves intensified. It was made apparent that the baby would not have the same birthday as its mom when Ginny glanced at her watch and noticed that somehow it was 6:28 in the morning. They had been at the hospital nine hours already and it looked like they would be there for much longer.
Poor Hermione wasn't doing so well either. She had aged a lot since her last delivery and it was evident on her face. She looked absolutely exhausted and the actual birth hadn't even begun.
"I'll be right back Hermione. Draco could I talk to you for a second?" Ginny motioned towards the door and Draco nodded his head, "Just a sec."
"Sure."
Once the two were outside Ginny voiced her concern, "I think we should talk to the Healer. Hermione isn't looking so good. It's almost as if she's going to pass out and that's not good for the baby or for her.
"I didn't think she looked that bad, she just looks like somebody that's going through a ton of pain," Draco said completely oblivious to everything.
"No, I've seen Hermione go through this before. Hell I've gone through it three times and that's not good. Now if you don't get the Healer in there right away and have them put a constant watch on her then I'm getting Harry in here and he will get it so there's a whole staff of Healers monitoring her."
Draco not wanting to have Harry help nodded and went in search of another healer. Ginny spun around and walked back into the hospital room. She walked straight over to Hermione's side and picked up her hand and held it. She knew she couldn't let her fear show on her face and cause Hermione to start to panic.
Hermione had gotten rather quiet and Ginny noticed a tear roll down her cheek. Ginny dabbed at it with a tissue from the bedside table and Hermione gave a weak smile, "Ginny," she said, "I really don't feel good. Something's wrong."
"I thought so. Draco went to get the Healers. Stay strong Hermione."
"I'm trying, it's just so hard. I'm scared Ginny, what if something's wrong with the baby. I can't lose it, oh god I can't lose this baby."
"You're not going to lose it. You're not, don't even think such a thing," Ginny tried to reason but it was hard, she was beginning to have her doubts that everything would work out okay. She thought it was time that Harry was called as well as Hermione's parents, just incase the worst did happen.
"Where's Draco, I need Draco? Ginny if anything happens make sure they save the baby." Hermione began to cry as the colour drained out of her face. Ginny had never seen anybody that pale before.
"No don't talk like that Hermione, nothings going to happen to you. I won't let it," Ginny cried and as much as she tried she couldn't hold the tears back any longer.
"Please Ginny, I beg you. If there's a choice between me or the baby I want you to tell them to save the baby."
"I won't," Ginny said stubbornly.
"Please just do it. I love you."
"Don't say goodbye, you're not going to die," Ginny sobbed.
The door flew open and two Healers rushed in just as Hermione's eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out.
"You have to leave," the older woman said.
"No, she'd want me here."
"Just go, we can't help her until you leave."
Draco walked over to Ginny and together they clung to each other as more Healers rushed in to help.
"She told me to tell them to save the baby over her. I can't do that, maybe I'm selfish but I don't care I can't lose my best friend," Ginny sobbed.
Draco didn't say anything, instead his glazed eyes stared at Hermione almost as if, if he willed it hard enough she would be fine, "This is all my fault," he muttered, "I should have never gotten her pregnant."
"You could have never known."
One Healer walked over to them and said what they'd all been dreading but knowing was coming, "Ms. Granger is bleeding quite severely…"
"Do everything that you can to save the baby," Draco said, "But if saving the baby costs Hermione her life don't ever let that happen. Hermione comes before the baby."
The Healer nodded, "Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. Damn it go save my fiancé and my bloody child," he screamed. He then looked at Ginny and said, "I don't care what she said, I'm not losing her. We'll just tell her there was nothing they could do for the baby," he put his face into his hands and began to sob. Ginny did the only thing she could, she gave him a hug. When she pulled away she summoned up her protoneus and ordered it to go inform Harry of what was happening and get him to notify the Grangers, Hugo and Rose.
Shortly after Ginny and Draco were kicked out of the hospital room and sent to a small waiting room down the hall. They didn't even get to say goodbye to Hermione. The Healers had promised to do everything in their power to save Hermione and the baby.
xxx.:.x.:.xxx
Awhile later one of the Healers walked out covered in blood and made her way over to the waiting room to inform Ginny and Draco about what had happened. She stepped into the waiting room and saw that it the room had five people in it, instead of the only the two. Instantly she recognized Harry Potter who was rubbing his wife's back and talking softly into her ear. She could see that Draco was a wreck as he sat off in the corner with his knees pulled up to his chest as he rocked back and forth. An older couple were crying and holding each other.
The Healer cleared her throat and that got everyone's attention. Fear raced through everyone's eyes when they saw how much blood had soaked the woman's robes.
"I don't know how to say this," she began.
Everyone was holding their breath. It didn't sound like they news they had been hoping for.
"But you have a healthy baby girl Mr. Malfoy and..."
"Oh thank god," he let out his breath, "And Hermione? What about Hermione, is she okay? Please tell me she's okay?" He was sobbing, everyone was. The door flew open and Rose and Hugo ran in.
"Is Mum okay?" Rose sobbed.
"What happened?" Hugo demanded.
Rose ran to Draco and together they tried to comfort each other, "What happened? Is she okay?"
The Healer looked on at the sad scene and told them what had happened in the delivery room.
xxx.:.x.:.xxx
a/n Whew well that was a bit sad to write. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Only an epilogue left so please review I really want to know what you thought of this chapter because so much happened in it (By my standards). Thank you.