Chapter 10

The visit to the Malfoys had gone much better than Hermione had expected. She hadn't been as uncomfortable as she had thought she would have been and Narcissa had made her feel at home. The wedding planning was underway, Narcissa had asked Hermione a few questions about what she wanted, and that was that.

Draco hadn't yet mentioned what he and Lucius had talked about when the women had left, but she could tell it had affected him in some major way. He was more relaxed somehow now and happier than she had ever seen him. It made her heart happy to see him that way.

She was once again pacing their common room. The ease she had felt last weekend had dissipated over the week with the impending arrival of the visit to her parents. She was nervous again, though for completely different reasons. She didn't want to disappoint her parents.

After only having gotten them back a year ago, they were still settling into their old lives and now she was about to uproot that. Her hand dropped to her stomach, stroking the swell that was now clearly visible under the tight-fitting shirt she was wearing.

She was chewing on her bottom lip when strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Draco's hands dropped to cover her own. "You're going to chew your lip raw, love."

Hermione relaxed into the broad chest behind her and sighed softly. "I just don't want them to be disappointed in me, Draco. All my life that has been my biggest fear. And now, here I am, faced with the possibility that it will happen."

Her lover frowned down at her. "From what you have told me of them, there is no way they could ever be disappointed in you. You are their pride and joy, Hermione. You were being responsible when it happened. You had taken your potion, but it failed. If anything, they may be disappointed in me, for not-what is it muggles say?"

Hermione giggled softly, looking up into those molten grey eyes. "Using protection."

Draco lifted a hand and brushed back a stray curl. "Exactly, that. So, there is no way they'll be disappointed in you, my beautiful future wife. Which reminds me, at some point, I'll need you to leave me alone with your father, before we tell them about the engagement and wedding."

Hermione lifted her brow, looking at him curiously. "Are you sure you want to be left alone with him, after we tell him you've knocked up his daughter?"

Her wizard chuckled, a nervous edge to the sound. "Luckily he isn't a wizard and can't hex me. But yes, it is necessary. Come, we should be going." Draco kissed her temple and gave the small bump one last rub before stepping back and holding his hand out for Hermione. She swallowed thickly and took his hand, letting him lead her from the castle to the apparition point.

When they landed in Hermione's parents backyard, she had to bend over double and retch into the bushes. The feelings of apparition had always made her nauseous, but since the pregnancy it could turn her stomach at a moment's notice. It seemed that when she took the lead on apparition, it made her sick. As she stood and wiped her mouth, taking the handkerchief Draco offered her, she looked up at him. "You're going to have to take the lead on the way back."

He nodded, a frown marring his brow. "I will, love. Perhaps no more apparition after today, though. Just to be on the safe side. Until we visit St. Mungo's, at least." Hermione gave him a nod of agreement as she fought down another wave of nausea by taking deep breaths.

When the tide had turned in her favor, she took his hand and marched to the back door, opening it slowly. "Mum? Dad?"

"We're in the parlor, honey!" Jean Granger called out. Hermione smiled over her shoulder at Draco and stepped into the house. She followed the familiar path to the parlor, stopping for a moment when she reached the doorway. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw her parents, sitting in the same spots as they had when she'd stolen their memories.

Draco gave her a puzzled look, but she just shook her head, wiped her eyes and moved into the room. "Hello, Mum, Dad."

They turned to look at her, smiling brightly upon their only child. Her mother rose first, coming around to sweep Hermione into a hug. "Oh, it's so good to see you, sweetheart." Over her mother's shoulder, she could see her father scrutinizing Draco and she couldn't help but smile. "Mum, Dad, this is Draco. I know you may remember me telling you about him."

Hermione watched as her father narrowed his eyes, clearly remembering all the stories about Draco teasing his little girl. "Welcome to our home, Draco. Please come sit."

Draco stood rooted to the spot, clearly as nervous as Hermione had been before meeting his parents. She took his hand and guided him to a couch, sitting down with him. "I know you remember the bad things I told you about Draco, but let me tell you all the good things he did while you were in Australia."

At that, Hermione launched into her tale about what sixth year was like for all of them, especially Draco, and how when tasked by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore, he couldn't do it. That he took the help Dumbledore offered and gave intel that led to the victory of the Light.

Hugh Granger still looked skeptical, but he seemed to be more comfortable with the idea of Draco in his home. All of that was about to change, though.

Hermione grabbed Draco's hand, needing the strength. He gave her a squeeze as she turned to her parents and took a deep breath. "We came here today, because we are on our way to a doctor's appointment." Hermione swallowed thickly as her parents exchanged worried glances.

"A doctor's appointment? Hermione, pea? Are you sick?" Her father finally spoke up and asked.

Hermione shook her head, squeezing Draco's hand tightly, likely cutting off the circulation. "Mum, you know how, when I was twelve, I was home on Christmas break and I started my cycle. You and Dad freaked out, because I was at a school full of hormone-crazed boys. So, we went to Diagon Alley before I returned to school and bought up enough contraceptive potions to last until summer?"

Her mother nodded, realization slowly dawning in her eyes, so Hermione quickly continued, "I have continued to take them every day, like clockwork, even while Harry, Ron and I were on the run. But, like muggle contraceptives, the potions can fail. They can go bad, or be made with a bad ingredient. Any number of possibilities.

"At the beginning of term, Ginny and her boyfriend got this bright idea that Draco and I needed to go on a date. At the time, I wouldn't have agreed, but now I wouldn't change it, regardless of the circumstances. But there is a secret room in the dungeons that only a few people know about. Mainly Slytherins. You have to know the password to get in and out. Ginny told me that her boyfriend, a Slytherin, had set it up for her and I to have a dinner. Theo had told Draco the same. He let Draco in first, then met Ginny and me to let me in, effectively shutting Draco and I in together and locking us in, for neither of us knew the password to get out. We had dinner, we talked, we danced and I'll spare you all the details, but…" Hermione paused to take a breath and her mother filled in the blanks.

"You're pregnant. That's what you're telling us, isn't it? Your potion failed and you're pregnant?!" Her mother's voice had risen an octave on the last word and Hermione flinched, nodding her head.

Hermione dared a look at her father, who was slowly turning red, glaring daggers at Draco. Draco was sitting ramrod straight next to Hermione, his breathing shaky.

The room suddenly swelled with tension, like a balloon being filled with too much air. Sooner rather than later, it was going to explode. Sure enough, her father was the one to burst first. "So is this what you wizards do?! Just go around, not using protection and getting innocent little girls pregnant?!"

Hermione jumped to her feet. "Now hold on, Daddy! It isn't Draco's fault! He knew I was taking the potion. We thought we were safe."

"Safe?! Hermione, we taught you better than that! Always use more than one form of contraceptive to prevent unwanted pregnancies." Her father spat.

Hermione deflated, tears springing free of her eyes as her hands dropped to her stomach and she sank into the couch, curling into Draco's side, sobbing.

"Hugh!" Jean chastised her husband and moved to her daughter's side, rubbing her quaking back.

Hermione heard her father sigh, and could picture him pushing his glasses up, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Pea, I'm sorry. That is not how I meant it. This is just...unexpected is all. But you, son, should have taken more precautions."

Draco's chest expanded as he took a deep breath, "Yes, sir, I know that I should have and believe me, I have already gotten that lecture from my mum. I, too, was raised to be cautious when having sex. But if you would allow me to explain something to you?"

Her father must have nodded, because Draco continued. "While I may have tormented your daughter throughout our first years of school, I also admired her. Where I am from, I was raised that being magical but hailing from a Muggle family is unnatural. I was taught to abhor the witches and wizards that came from homes such as this. But Hermione, from the very beginning, challenged that view for me. It terrified me and that is why I treated her the way I did. Yes, it was wrong of me.

"She did get me back for it in third year, though, and that is when I started to think of your daughter in a different light." Draco's hand was rubbing her back gently, soothing her as he continued. "When sixth year came about and I was tasked with the awful job of killing our headmaster, I had so many people convinced that I was a monster, a terrible person. Harry was following me around the castle, whispering behind my back. And your daughter was the only one who believed in me.

"The only one who believed, aside from Dumbledore, that I could still be a good person. I heard her telling Harry that one day and I knew then that I loved her. Though I knew I'd probably never get the chance to tell her, much less prove it to her. Because if I didn't kill Dumbledore, Voldemort was going to kill my family. But because of Hermione's faith in me, I took Dumbledore's offer for help.

"With that being said, when we were locked in that room together and things were happening so fast, neither of us stopped to think about adding extra protection. I couldn't believe that I was finally getting to show the girl of my dreams what I felt for her in that moment. Even if it was only a one-time occurrence. But I wouldn't change it for the world. It may have been an accident, it may have been unexpected, but I can tell you this, Hermione and our baby will never, ever be unwanted."

Hermione's sobs had slowly drifted off during Draco's story and she found herself smiling a little at his last sentence. Jean pulled Hermione's hair back and whispered softly, "Come on, honey, let's go and get you cleaned up." Hermione didn't want to leave Draco's side, but after that speech, this was the best time to leave them alone, as Draco had wanted. As she stood, he leaned up for a kiss, which she freely gave before walking away with her mother.

XxX

Draco watched as Hermione left with her mother. The two were mirror images of each other and in that moment, he couldn't help but wonder what their child was going to look like. When a throat cleared across the way, Draco returned his attention to Mr. Granger.

"So let me get this straight, you teased and tormented my daughter until she cried because you were scared of liking her?"

Well, when he put it that way, it did sound rather awful. "I was a spoilt brat who was taught she was beneath me, that she was filth. To this day, I regret everything I ever did to her in those years."

Mr. Granger nodded as if he approved of what he was hearing. "So what exactly are your plans for my daughter now that you've gotten her pregnant?"

Draco cleared his throat and sat forward, on the edge of the couch, careful to look into Mr. Granger's eyes fully. "In my circles of society, generally the marriages are arranged, but when they aren't, there is usually courtship, and, when the time is right, the man asks the father for his daughter's hand. I do not want my child to be born out of wedlock. I want him or her to be born into a whole and loving family and I can't do that without marrying your daughter. Mr. Granger, I have loved your daughter for so long, and the only other woman I have ever loved so deeply is my mother. May I please have your blessing and Hermione's hand in marriage?"

Draco's upper lip began to bead with sweat as the silence went on. Mr. Granger was studying him thoroughly, as if trying to gauge his true intentions. It was only when he heard the women starting to return that he gave Draco his answer. "While you both have gone about this whole process backwards, I do not doubt your sincerity. And I can tell that you make my Hermione happy. You have my blessing."

Draco shook the man's hand firmly, "Thank you so very much. That means the world to me, Mr. Granger, truly."

"Draco, we need to get going. The appointment is in twenty minutes." Hermione said as she entered the room, smiling.

Both men stood, Hermione moving to hug her father as he whispered in her ear. "I'm terribly sorry for my behavior earlier. Please come back after the appointment and have dinner with us?"

Hermione pulled back and glanced at Draco who nodded, "We will. Be back soon, I love you." She kissed her father on the cheek and moved to hug her mother.

Draco shook Mr. Granger's hand once again. "Thank you, again."

The man nodded. "You're welcome, son."

Mrs. Granger moved to Draco and scooped him into a hug, whispering into his ear, "You be good to my baby girl." Draco smiled and whispered back, "Yes ma'am, I will."

A few minutes later they were in the Granger's backyard again, and Hermione sighed softly. "I forgot that you don't know where the office is. I'll take us." Draco frowned down at her but nodded. "Okay, love."

The next moment they were gone on a crack, appearing in an alleyway next to the doctor's office. Hermione bent over double once again. Draco rubbed her back gently, holding her hair back with the other hand. When she was done, she pulled his handkerchief free again and wiped her mouth.

"Alright, let's go," she said and led him around to the front of the building with a smile. It amazed Draco how quickly she had gone from being sick to being excited and it made him smile. He held the door open for her as she walked in and he followed her to the front desk.

"Hermione Granger, checking in for an appointment with Dr. Harris." The secretary nodded, jotting something down, before gesturing for them to take a seat in the lobby.

Hermione walked over to a plastic chair and sat down. Draco followed like a lost puppy, his surroundings so foreign that they did actually frighten him just a little. "We shouldn't have to wait for long."

Draco simply nodded, sitting in his own chair, his hand reaching for hers and intertwining their fingers. He had just gotten comfortable when a nurse in purple scrubs opened a door and called Hermione's name.

They both stood, and Hermione took the lead, following the nurse through the door. The woman led them to a scale and Hermione stepped on it, the nurse making a note of the weight. They were then led into an exam room. Draco took in the clinical surroundings and immediately felt trapped. He had never been one to like going to see the Healer, and that hadn't changed in his adult life either. But he had to be strong for Hermione.

There was some light conversation going on between his witch and the nurse, and then they were left alone in the room. "Draco, are you alright? You're white as a sheet."

Draco turned to face Hermione fully and nodded. "I've just never enjoyed Healer visits. But I am fine."

Hermione positioned herself on the table in the center of the room, and Draco moved next to her, his eyes landing on a strange set up on the other side of the bed. It was some kind of boxy thing, with a glossy looking screen of some sort. Hermione caught him looking and smiled.

"That is the sonogram computer. That is where we'll see our baby in a few minutes. And hear the heartbeat." She grabbed Draco's hand and squeezed gently, just as a knock sounded out on the door.

"Come in," Hermione called, relaxing back onto the table with a smile at Draco, who remained at her side. His eyes locked on the door as it opened, an elderly muggle woman stepping through with a smile on her face.

"Hello, Hermione. It's nice to see you again. Oh, hello there." She walked over and held her hand out to Draco. He took it and gave her hand a shake, forcing out a polite smile. "You must be the father?"

Draco nodded, a real smile forming on his face. "Yes ma'am, I am. My name is Draco Malfoy."

Dr. Harris smiled back at him. "It's very nice to meet you, Draco. I am Dr. Harris. I'm going to give Hermione here a little look see and we'll check on that precious baby. Our sonographer is out today, so I will be your substitute today." The doctor winked at Hermione who smiled softly back at the doctor.

Draco took Hermione's hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss, watching as the doctor lifted Hermione's shirt and shifted the band of her skirt down to expose her stomach. Her hands moved around Hermione's slightly swollen abdomen.

Seemingly satisfied with whatever she did or did not find, Dr. Harris turned to the computer thing, grabbed a bottle of green stuff, and turned to Hermione. "This is the transducer gel. You know it's going to be cool." Hermione nodded, smiling the whole time and only flinched a little when the gel was squirted onto her stomach with a disgusting sound.

Dr. Harris returned the bottle of gel to the stand and picked up a tool that had a cable attached to it. It was only about an inch thick, curved on the bottom, and three or four inches wide, narrowing into a triangular shape until it disappeared into a handle for the doctor to hold.

The woman pushed a button on the machine and the screen flared to life, showing a black triangle like the one Draco had seen on the pictures Hermione had showed him. "Okay, Hermione, here we go."

The doctor lowered the tool to her stomach and there was a static sound for a moment, then the familiar sound of the heartbeat filled the room. Draco couldn't help but smile as the thrum hit his ears, the beat so fast it sounded like hummingbird wings. "There's my little hummingbird," he breathed, leaning down to whisper in Hermione's ear.

Up on the screen, the picture moved around and the baby came into view. He knew what he was looking at now, but the doctor explained it again and he listened anyway. But then the doctor frowned and leaned closer to the screen, moving the transducer around to get a better angle, mumbling to herself.

Both Draco and Hermione had picked up on her behavior. "Dr. Harris, what is it?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking with nerves.

Dr. Harris turned to look at Hermione and Draco with a nervous smile, "Nothing, dear. Just let me go and get a second pair of eyes. Just a moment, please." The woman jumped up and all but ran from the room. Draco began to sweat, his body shaking as he looked at Hermione. She was shaking as well, her eyes wide and terrified as she lay back on the table. "What could it possibly be?" Draco asked.

Hermione shrugged, chewing her bottom lip, her eyes on the frozen image on the screen. Her hand inched toward the hidden pocket inside her skirt for her wand when the door opened again and Dr. Harris returned with another woman. "Hermione, this is June. She is a sonographer for another doctor in the clinic and she is much better at deciphering these things than I am. I am sorry for scaring you."

Hermione nodded as June took her seat, talking with Dr. Harris in hushed tones, both pointing at the screen with the frozen image. After a few minutes, she picked up the transducer, added more gel and began to move it about Hermione's stomach again. Draco's eyes were darting back and forth between the screen and Hermione every few seconds. June seemed to be freezing the screen and taking pictures then moving along quickly.

After what felt like an eternity, June talked with Dr. Harris quietly and they both nodded, before turning to Hermione and Draco and pulling up a certain picture, it was a top view, where they could only see the baby's head. "Do you see this here?" They were pointing to a vague dark circle just on the other side of the baby's head. There was a light spot inside of the dark circle.

Draco and Hermione both nodded, Hermione's hand squeezing his. "Yes. But what does it mean?" Draco asked quietly.

Dr. Harris pushed her glasses up her nose and sighs. "It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. Sometimes, and we don't know how it happens, but one baby can hide behind the other and we miss it on the sonogram. When one baby hides behind the other,their heartbeats are usually mirrored, meaning it sounds as if it is one heart beating. Or, in this case, like a hummingbird's wings."

Hermione's hand tightened on Draco's as she sat up, looking at Dr. Harris as she turned a little white. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying that I'm pregnant with tw-twins?!"

Draco barely comprehended the word that had just come from Hermione's mouth, much less the affirming nod from the doctor, when his vision began to go wavy and dark around the edges. The last thing he remembered was Hermione screaming his name as he went down.