8 September, Wednesday, 2025 BST
"I didn't know you were writing to Hermione," Ginny said as she saw the return address on the envelope his Eagle owl dropped into his hands as they both walked out of the Great Hall after dinner. The pair along with Neville Longbottom and Gregory Goyle would usually sit together during mealtimes discussing their day.
"Yeah," Draco shrugged as he placed the envelope into his pocket to read later. He shrugged, "We've become friendly, I guess."
Ginny raised an eyebrow and laughed. Draco gulped. "Friends, Ginny. No more no less," he said a little unconvincing. "She's easy to talk to."
"I guess, considering she's kilometers away. She can't deck you if you say something stupid," she smiled.
He laughed. "Yes, very true indeed," he said smiling. "I learn from my mistakes.
"You have a good evening, Ginny," he said nodding at her before excusing himself to his quarters where he could read what news of the Muggle world his former nemesis would share with him.
o-o-o
11 September, Saturday, 0930 BST
After getting the prognosis in July, her oncologist visits were going to be more frequent. She sat on the examination table as always. She was probably going to get the same bleak status report. They had asked her to draw blood the day before that way they would already have the results back. She obliged right after her shift was over; she had gone to the laboratory to give her samples.
She wondered if they were going to have to modify her meds. She rolled her eyes at the thought. She was feeling queasy lately. It's a good thing that all of the major action in the ER usually happened post morning. She took a breath as she waited anxiously.
"Ah, Hermione," Dr. Tobias Whitney said, smiling as he flipped through the medical chart in his hands. "Sorry to have kept you waiting."
He nodded at the female doctor behind him as she entered the door. Dr. Whitney closed the door behind them. Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Well, we found some anomalies in the blood work," Dr. Whitney began.
"Has the medication screwed up my reproductive system?" Hermione asked half-jokingly.
The two doctors standing laughed nervously. "I asked Dr. Alistaire to give her take on this."
Dr. Maureen Alistaire, Hermione's gynecologist, squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. "Your hCG level in the blood samples was high, Hermione," the doctor said. As all doctors in their training knew, human chorionic gonadotropin, the pregnancy hormone can be detected in the blood of the expectant mother.
"Are you sure?" Hermione looked up at the two.
Dr. Alistaire nodded her head. "Both samples showed the same results."
"As far as the cancer cells, the numbers are stable," Dr. Whitney added. "As stable as the numbers that were showing up in July, that is."
"How far along?" Hermione asked looking down at her hands, her eyes starting to brim with moisture.
"Nineteen weeks," Dr. Alistaire noted.
Hermione gulped. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she looked up at the two doctors. "When is the due date?" she asked.
"Mid-February," the veteran obstetrician/ gynecologist answered. "Probably the fourteenth."
Hermione scoffed at the ironic date. She took in a breath as she started to think of the implications.
"I take it this wasn't a planned pregnancy, Hermione," the female doctor looked into her patient's face. Hermione shook her head. "You're starting the second trimester. There are still things we could do under normal circumstances, but given your condition."
"I was going to suggest chemo before finding out about the pregnancy," Dr. Whitney said. "If we up the cancer drugs it might affect the fetus. Double edge sword, really."
"You think I should abort the baby," Hermione said looking up at them.
"That is a difficult decision for anyone to face, Hermione," Dr. Alistaire said as she sat next to her patient.
"It's a lot to think about," Hermione said, gulping. "Can I get back to you?"
"Sure, Hermione," Dr. Alistaire looked at Dr. Whitney. "We'll probably need to know your intentions by next Wednesday."
"That way we can start coordinating a regimen," Dr. Whitney added. Hermione just nodded.
"What we can do," Dr. Alistaire said standing up, "is to start you with some prenatal vitamins, either way."
Hermione stood up too. She looked at Dr. Whitney who patted her on her back before allowing her to leave with the veteran women's doctor.
5