Chapter 8: Week Five (Monday, Oct. 7th - Sunday, Oct. 13th)
Narcissa led Harry and Hermione through Hogsmeade to the Baby Witch, the only baby boutique that Hogsmeade had. They would have gone to Rue de Leon, but students weren't allowed out of the country without the Headmaster's or their parents' permission -depending on their situation. Heading into the baby store, Narcissa led the two pregnant teens over to the cribs. "Would you like to start with the furniture? That way, we can send it all to your rooms while we search for the perfect outfits."
Harry and Hermione exchanged looks. Harry nodded, looking back at Narcissa. "I think that would be best, Mother." Draco had told him of the Pureblood tradition of calling One's in-laws 'Mother' and 'Father', or 'Dad' and 'Papa', depending on the spouse's parents.
Narcissa looked shocked for a moment, before she smiled at her son-in-law. "Then let's get to it," she replied simply.
They browsed the crib, rocking chair, high chair, playpen, bouncing/rocking swing, and carrier sections thoroughly. Hermione saw two cherry wood crib, rocking chair, high chair, and playpen sets: one with green fabric, and one with deep maroon fabric. "These are perfect for our twins. Ooh, look! These bouncing swings are cute! And the fabric matches the other things I've chosen!"
Harry smiled. "That's great, 'Mione! Now I just need..." Harry's voice trailed off as he saw three sets of furniture that were in a honey-oak wood and had fabric in three different colors: the same shade of green as Harry's eyes, the same silver of Draco's eyes, and a deep pure gold. "They're perfect!"
Narcissa placed her hands on Harry's shoulders. "The two of you made perfect choices. I'll go pay for them, and have Loli take them to your separate rooms."
"Oh, but Mrs. Malfoy, we couldn't let you pay for them! It's too much to ask of you!" Hermione protested.
"Nonsense, my dear, and call me Narcissa. You are, after all, practically family. Just think of this as a large baby shower gift."
Harry came out of this shock. "Thank you, mother." Harry watched as Narcissa went to pay for the furniture and send it all to Hogwarts. He turned to look at the baby clothes just in time to see an owl fly through an open window towards him with a letter in its beak. Harry took the letter. "Thank you," he said, and the owl flew off. Opening the letter, he saw it was from the Goblins.
To Mr. Harry Malfoy, Heir Apparent to the Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Black,
In light of your letter, we at Gringotts have performed a thorough search of all of your vaults and investigated the doings of your Headmaster during his term as your 'magical guardian. Albus Dumbledore has indeed done many unsavory things since the deaths of the Honorable James and Lady Lily Potter. Dumbledore has taken a small fortune from all of your vaults and even some very valuable family heirlooms. Some of the embezzled funds went to Ronald Weasley while still more money went to Ginevra Weasley starting their trust vaults which have been seized and emptied according to the Second Charter of Gringotts. Dumbledore used other pilfered money to purchase many houses and gave a ruby ring to Miss Weasley. Potter monies have been used to fund his Order, bribe the Minister and even bribe Peter Pettigrew to betray your parents.
Albus Dumbledore is already being charged with the severest crime in Goblin Law: embezzlement. A warrant has been drawn by the Head Goblin Gridnak, and Gringotts guards will soon be dispatched to Hogwarts to retrieve the stolen heirlooms as well as arrest Dumbledore.
As for your friend Hermione Granger, she is a descendant of the Dagworth-Grangers and thus is heir to a vault containing royalties from Potions created by that line. Yet her magic is from nearer relations on her bearer's side, for further information her bonded Professor Snape may write us or brew a potion to determine this.
Once Gringotts has retrieved the deeds for properties purchased with Potter monies, vault contents and stolen heirlooms, we will be sending a full inventory of your inheritance. We recommend that you allow Lord Malfoy to oversee your estate until you come of age.
Sincerely,
Griphook
Executor/Custodian of the Potter Estate
Harry stared at the letter, and handed it to the two women with him to read as well. Harry was oddly calm when he spoke, "Well, now we can get him for good. Let's start leaking this to the world, starting with the bribing of Pettigrew."
"I'm a descendant of the Dagworth-Grangers?" Hermione asked.
Narcissa laughed in a Black sort of way. "This is interesting. Let's finish what we are here for, let slip that first vital bit of information to Skeeter, and get back to Hogwarts. You both have an appointment with a very special healer tomorrow."
...
The next morning, after a light Breakfast, Harry and Hermione started walking to the Hospital Wing. Draco ran after them. "Wait up! I want to be there too," He said, excitedly.
Harry blushed as Draco weaved their fingers together.
There was a sadness in Hermione's eyes when she looked at them and Harry bit his lip, his heart hurt to know that she was so unhappy.
She was like a sister to him and he wanted only the best for her, despite Snape being close to the Malfoys Harry had doubts that their Potions professor would treat Hermione better even if she was carrying his kids. He gave her a small smile and patted her arm as they walked into the corridor that led to the hospital wing.
Draco opened the door and they were met by Narcissa.
She winked at Harry and kissed both their cheeks before ushering them inside, "Malfoys always have the best and this witch is the best. Draco, it has been a long time but this is your Aunt Andromeda, my sister. She's the best birth healer, Lucius picked her out to deliver Draco and she is still the best because a Black is always the best." She beamed at a slightly taller brunette with grey-violet eyes, "Annie you remember Draco, this is his bonded Harry and Harry's best friend Hermione, Severus' bonded. They are members of the family so they deserve only the best and my sister has always been the best at everything."
Harry blushed, "Hello healer."
"Harry Potter; how curious considering that I delivered both of you and now not so many years later I'm going to deliver your children. Triplets I heard, that's rare for a potion induced pregnancy that has no sexual contact between sire and bearer. That says a lot about your connection and your mutual fertility," Andromeda coughed, "My apologies, I tend to ramble when I am intrigued. Potions is one of my favourite subjects, which is likely where Draco gets it."
Draco shrugged, "I could have acquired it from Grandfather Abraxus, he was a proctor for the Potions Master exams."
Andromeda sniffed, "You may look like a Malfoy but you aren't one, trust me I know Lucius and you are definitely a Black. You despise being ordered about, you take offense when you feel slighted, you trust few and if you feel betrayed, you retaliate. A Malfoy hangs back, plots and sends others to execute the punishment."
Draco flinched, "How do you know me so well?"
Andromeda smirked, "I am highly intelligent, it helps that your mother likes to discuss your good and bad qualities. Then again I did raise her to be painfully honest as well as highly observant."
Hermione glanced from Draco's mother to his aunt, "You can't be more than four years apart…"
Andromeda shrugged, "One does what needs to be done for family, come on Harry take a seat on one of the beds. Would it make you feel better if I obviously used my wand and told you which spells I'm using?"
Harry nodded, "Please? I know I'm just a kid to you but I don't like being treated like I'm an idiot."
"Very well I need you to undo your school robe and unbutton your shirt, clothing gets in the way of the scans." Andromeda said as she rolled up her sleeves.
Harry blushed, his head angled down to his chest as he undressed enough to let her see his protruding stomach.
It wasn't that obvious just yet but he was embarrassed about it because in his Muggle forged mind, guys didn't have babies and were married to girls. He was still embarrassed about being pregnant and bent; after all it wasn't normal anymore than being a wizard was 'normal'.
"You're apparently a month along. Wizard-carried pregnancy last no longer than eight months, usually around seven unless they mature faster due to the strength of the bearer's magic or the magical connection between the sire and bearer." Andromeda said as she held her wand over Harry's stomach. "Would you like to see your babies?"
Draco nodded, "Please Aunt Andromeda will you let us see?"
Harry nervously wrung his hands in his lap but below his protruding stomach to avoid blocking the scan. "Please?"
"Very well, I will cast a spell to conjure a levitating ball of water that will reflect the womb and the fetuses inside it. It is easier for me to cast non-verbally so I will do so." Andromeda said just before her wand swished and flicked in an unfamiliar pattern.
The promised ball of water appeared and in the dark ball were three white spots, Andromeda gestured with her wand, "Three hearts equal three fetuses which we already know, now the gametes produced by a male are 'X' and 'Y'. A female like Hermione here only produces an 'X', which means that she is just as likely to be carrying male offspring as well as female but the sire's gametes, determines gender. A YY gamete is also a likely outcome but they are unviable and will be quick to detach from the womb so unless one is looking for it you wouldn't know there had been a conception. A male produces more 'Ys' than 'Xs' so with the exception of a YY conception, male offspring is more common but not impossible. Witch-sired and carried pregnancies will always be female and are more difficult to conceive but I digress."
"So you're saying that we're likely expecting all boys?" Draco grinned.
Andromeda nodded, "Likely, let me see if any are presenting as we call it. Hm, two of the infants seem to be back to back, the one on my right and your left has their legs spread just enough…definitely a boy. I can't see the middle fetus' genitals but the one opposite the first is a bit of an exhibitionist. With three fetuses then they will lose room to much sooner than a singleton or twins. I believe that the two back to back are likely products of the same conception that split making them probably identical twins but it will be hard to be certain until the birth. Being male, you will require a surgical removal. I can deliver them here of course but I would prefer to do so at St. Mungos'."
Harry swallowed, unlike Hermione he knew that his body couldn't deliver naturally but the idea of being cut open scared him…
"I would prefer a hospital birth for Harry's health and wellbeing of course but if he needed to have the boys here and proper precautions were taken…" Narcissa murmured.
Harry was still getting used to the idea that anyone felt that he mattered, he felt so guilty about how much Draco's parents were spending on his healer and the nursery for three infants. What was it with his luck? Three babies? He was a first year NEWT student, how could he handle three babies? He hadn't dealt with Sirius' death yet…
Andromeda handed Narcissa a handful of charm produced photos, "I'm sure that you purchased baby books for Harry's children, these can be the first pictures in them. I will arrange another exam in a few weeks." Then she cancelled the water spell before going over to examine Hermione but she closed the curtain around Hermione's bed for privacy.
Harry started wringing his hands again, triplets was so hard to believe that it felt as if it were unreal but knowing the genders for at least two made it all the more awkward.
Harry didn't wish his sons away or his marriage to Draco, he was slowly coming to terms that he would have likely had to face his feelings for the blonde at some point.
Draco covered Harry's hands with his own and pulled them apart, "You're not alone, you have me and my parents. Father promised only the best, Aunt Andromeda is the best. You'll be fine, you have to believe in yourself and take all of your potions as well as eat properly. I know that Mother will have all sorts of tips about how to handle everything from morning sickness to how to sleep."
Harry blushed, "You're too good to me…" he didn't feel like he deserved to be waited on or treated so kindly especially not by someone like Draco Malfoy…
"I see that we'll have to arrange for that other healer sooner rather than later. I had hoped…" Narcissa murmured, "Never mind, your health is our priority. A bonding contract is binding and we are family, family supports one another. We'll do everything we can to support you Harry, if that means that Draco has to attend all of your appointments I'm certain he will do so."
Draco nodded as he brought on of Harry's hands to his lips, "Of course, a Malfoy always puts family first. You deserve the best care and the best of everything."
Harry shook his head in disbelief but said nothing.
Hermione let out a pleased gasp from behind the curtain, "They really are healthy?"
"Yes; you're expecting twins which you already knew of course. Pomfrey has enough skill to determine that much but continued health of both bearer and fetuses is best left up to a birth healer of course. You have a boy and a girl. You will likely give birth later by comparison but then again you are both carrying multiples which implies an early birth but there are cases of twins that gestate for a full term but it is unlikely. I will keep an eye on you both, this type of pregnancy is rare and I will want to exam you both more frequently than a more naturally conceived pregnancy. I have a copy of your schedules and I will arrange for your appointments to take place on weekends or after classes so not to impact your studies more than they are. I will be sending you a list of potions and a diet after I examine your blood for deficiencies. Good day to you both and Draco I do hope to see you more often. Cissy, how curious that you would be a grandmother before myself." Then Draco's imperious aunt practically floated out of the room with as huge of a presence as Hermione's Snape…
Narcissa looked at Hermione. "I'm curious... Where's Severus?"
Harry growled. "He's acting like a right git. He still won't share a be or a room with Hermione!"
"Harry!"
Narcissa glowered...
I hope y'all like this! I work 7 ays a week forthe next 2 weeks, so with some much-needed help we got this out quickly.