Hermione was in the middle of eating ice cream on the couch. Well, she was until somehow she ended up back at Hogwarts. What was she doing sitting in class?
"Miss Granger? I asked you a question," Remus's voice was terse.
Hermione glanced up and blinked. "Yes, Professor?"
"I asked you if you were going to share that with the class?"
Glancing down, she saw a massive plate of double chocolate cake with bacon and cheese on top. "I suppose so," she murmured and picked up her fork.
"Granger, are you going to finish that?" Another voice entered her mind and startled her.
"Yes, professor," she huffed and woke up with a start.
She blinked a few times and noted Draco was sitting next to her on the couch, grinning. "I am not your professor. Having dreams about Remus again?" he teased, and the witch blushed.
"Well, he wanted to share my chocolate cake with bacon and cheese," she huffed and moved to sit up more. "What are you doing here, Draco?"
"My mother and Scorpius came to visit. My aunt said you were in here, but I had not known you were snoring over ice cream."
Hermione shoved her spoon into the melted mess in her bowl. "Well, I must have dozed off." She grumbled setting the bowl aside.
He glanced down and noted a new development. "Looks like you are already showing a bit," Draco said with a smile.
The wizard tilted his head and raised a hand. "Go ahead; Ginny won't stop touching it either."
Draco's fingers caressed her through the grey t-shirt, and he gasped. "You are going to get huge, Granger."
Hermione groaned with a grin. "I know. I am quite happy. Tired and always fighting between hunger and nausea, but happy."
"Shall we see about this chocolate cake with bacon and cheese?" he asked.
"Draco, about the other day," Hermione sighed, and he shook his head, rubbing her stomach tenderly.
"No, we aren't going to talk about that. I was selfish and rude. I wasn't a good friend at all, and I am sorry. I am here for you, Hermione. You told me that is what friends do, right?"
Tears enveloped in her eyes. "I am sorry too," she murmured and growled. "I am tired of crying all the time!"
Draco laughed and sighed. "Astoria was always crying too. I think you witches do for months when you are growing a miracle. That's what this little thing is; a miracle. Even if his father is a dunderhead," he stated and released her abdomen.
"Do you want to help me up? I am a bit stiff from how I fell asleep," Hermione sighed and winced as she moved.
Draco stood up and reached out for her. Hermione took his head and gazed up at him with doe eyes. "Draco," she sighed and ran a hand over his chest.
He hemmed and released her, stepping back. "Let's get you some tea."
Hermione conceded with a nod and started walking from the room. Her back was sore today. Actually, she was just sore in general. However, with her soreness accompanied a new stirring; she was randy all the time. It was like a smack in the face the other night, and it seemed to come back with a vengeance standing near the handsome Malfoy.
She huffed loudly, and Draco arched an eyebrow as they traversed through the house. "You alright?"
"I am fine." She snapped and groaned. "No, I am not. I am hormonal and frustrated."
He felt it tug at him in the most primal way. "Frustrated, Granger?"
"Yes, randy as a Hogwarts fifth year virgin boy," she spat and ran a hand through her hair. "Not that you needed to know that."
"Want some help? We can sneak off," he teased, and she elbowed him.
"Don't toy with me, Malfoy. I am pregnant."
"You can't use that as an excuse," He retorted, still grinning.
"Oh, yes she can!" Ginny's voice announced and Hermione squealed.
"Gin! What are you doing here! And did you bring my girl?" Hermione exclaimed reaching for the bundle in Ginny's arms as they rounded the kitchen entryway.
The Potter handed her Lily and smirked at Draco. "What are you doing here?" she inquired.
"Just spending time with my aunt and favorite little Lupin. Oh, and this witch," he finished nudging the witch doting on the child.
"She's so perfect," Hermione sighed and whimpered. "When am I going to stop crying, Gin? I am crying at pictures of puppies!" she voiced stomping her foot lightly.
"Just be glad it isn't like last time," Ginny said and covered her mouth; her face turning white.
Hermione glared up at Draco. "Why did you tell her!" she hissed and the baby fussed.
"No, I didn't, I swear," he responded, his eyebrows nearly crawling off his face.
"I guessed, Hermione. Remember I had already had James and was working my way with Albus."
Hermione sighed and bobbed her head. "I realize now how obvious it is. Narcissa and Andromeda have known for weeks."
Draco felt awkward… he stood there and rubbed the back of his neck. "Let's head outside, yeah?"
Hermione exhaled and handed the cooing baby back to Ginny. "I am starving." Draco opened the door, and Hermione walked outside to see the boys doing cartwheels on the lawn. She giggled and shook her head. "They are cute."
Scorpius saw her and gasped. "Hermione!" He shouted as he ran over.
He nearly tackled her, but Draco caught him. "Careful, it takes a lot to make a baby, son."
Hermione grinned and patted Draco's arm. "It's alright; I haven't gotten my dose of Malfoy hugs today." She said and let the boy embrace her tightly.
"I missed you so much. Did you eat a large lunch?" He asked pulling away and noticed her slightly distended stomach.
"No darling, that's the baby," she beamed.
"That's my little brother, Scorpius," Teddy announced as he pranced over.
Scorpius glanced at his father and then at Hermione. "I want a little brother," he pouted.
James and Albus finally wandered over. "He's our cousin too," James said with a nod.
"Yep, our cousin," Albus affirmed.
Draco knew the signs of a meltdown when he saw one. His son's lip was quivering in frustration. "Come on, let's eat some biscuits and we will tell Hermione all about the new witch that took her job." He offered as he scooped up his son.
Hermione smirked and followed them over to the table where Narcissa and Andromeda were sitting. "Come eat, darling. Your color is finally returning to your face." Andromeda insisted as she patted the table.
"Katie is nice. She showed me how to make the coin glow and said she has a baby at home too," Scorpius declared as he sat down.
Teddy and the Potters joined him at the stone table while Ginny transfigured one of the chairs into a swing for Lily. Draco moved next to Hermione and shoved a plate at her lightly. "It isn't a chocolate bacon cheese covered cake, but it will make your stomach happier." He said with a wide smirk.
"Do you like Katie?" Hermione inquired, ignoring Draco's teasing.
Scorpius nodded. "Mhm, she told me she was doing your job so that you could make a baby. She said her wife had to stay home when she was making a baby too."
"What is this bit about a chocolate cheese covered cake with bacon?" Ginny asked as she sat down pulling Lily a little closer to the table.
Hermione's cheeks tinted. "I had a dream I was at Hogwarts and having that kind of cake when Draco woke me up."
"Did you forget to mention that you were in Professor Lupin's class?" Draco jeered with a chuckle.
Ginny snorted. "That makes sense. The man was a chocolate maniac. If she is craving chocolate, he would be the person to see."
Teddy grinned. "You saw my dad?" he asked.
Hermione smiled at him and nodded. "I did. He wanted me to share my cake."
Andromeda giggled and reached over the table. "If you insist on chocolate, Hermione." She declared and set down a plate full of brownies. "I had just made some earlier."
Hermione clapped and took one. "Thank you," she said after having a bite.
Narcissa was beaming brightly and ruffled her grandson's hair as he munched on a biscuit. "It is good to see you are eating, Hermione. It is important to stay healthy."
"I still am having nausea, quite a bit. However, it is easier to keep things down if I stay away from pickles, chips, and anything with pepper. Must be the baby's tastes," Hermione giggled and shrugged her shoulders.
"I had to seal our pepper away. She can't stand the smell of it at all. Nor cinnamon," Andromeda clarified and Hermione nodded.
"She made cinnamon rolls last night, and I had to lock myself in my room and Andromeda had to cleanse the air before I could come out."
Ginny watched Draco dress a teacup and set it in front of Hermione next to her plate. "Astoria couldn't stand the smell of meats. It was pulling teeth to get her to eat them." He stated.
Hermione finished her brownie and grabbed the teacup. "I wouldn't know what to do if that were the case," she sighed before sipping her tea.
"Granger, try some of that omelet. It has cheese on it," Draco suggested with a grin.
"That is not going to be a joke you are going to hold over my head, Malfoy. I am pregnant, and all of us witches have weird dreams." She muttered before forking some of the food up.
"I have to go to Paris this weekend and was hoping you and the children could come to stay with Hermione, Ginevra," Andromeda declared with a tilt of her head.
Ginny watched Draco silently nibble at a cookie, but he was observing Hermione attentively. "No, oh, I am sorry, Drom. Mum has a plan for me and Harry on Saturday night after spending time at the Malfoys. We are supposed to help her clear out some of the rooms this weekend. Help them pack away some of the things up the stairs…" Ginny trailed off with a pout. "Maybe I can ask George to stop by."
"I will be fine; the oven is nonmagic friendly. I have my books, and I am not breakable," Hermione huffed.
"We can help," Narcissa offered. "I am sure Teddy wouldn't mind spending time with Scorpius and having a sleepover. I don't mind coming to stay the night."
"Don't be silly, mother, I can spend the night. Wrangling two boys will be easier for me than you."
Ginny smirked to herself and clapped. "That's a grand idea!"
"What about your outing on Sunday, son?" Narcissa asked cautiously.
Draco waved her off. "I will be back before you can say Carrow, mother."
"Carrow?" Hermione mumbled after swallowing a bit. "You are doing what with a Carrow?"
"Zabini and the Carrow sisters want to go to Greece for the night. Some wizard festival." He said dismissively and snorted. "It sounds ridiculous, but I am going to appease a pretty witch when I have to."
Hermione's face dropped. "Oh," she murmured and caught her emotions, strangling them tightly. "Oh, that's great. I am happy you are getting out there, Draco."
Teddy nudged the Potters and Scorpius. "Let's go play with my Quaffle," he suggested, and the boys nodded.
The children took off at a run, aside from Teddy who gazed at Hermione. "Do you want some water?" he asked.
She smiled at him and swayed her head. "No, sweetheart, go have fun. I have plenty of people to get it if I need it."
His hair turned purple, and he grinned before running off. "It is quite sweet how much he dotes on you," Andromeda sighed. "Reminds me so much of Remus. And then that little tuff of teal becomes purple, and I see my daughter."
"We are never going to want for anything are we?" she asked, turning her face down and rubbing her small bump. "No, you are just going to be so loved."
Draco swallowed a few times before reaching for his water and clearing his throat. "You plan on working after, Granger?"
"I don't know yet. I am just going to take this in stride," Hermione sighed. "It is going to be a lot of work, but I have plenty of people who are more than happy to help me."
Andromeda reached over and stroked her hair. "Don't you forget that. Ever. We all are here to help."
Hermione bobbed her head and moved to get up. "I have to run to the restroom, but I will be back." Draco jerked to a standing pose and reached to help her. "Draco, I can go take a wee myself, you know?" she asked with a bright smile.
He motioned for agreement. "I just thought you might overturn with the added weight," he teased, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I am fine. I will be right back." He watched her go inside and exhaled.
"Malfoy, I have to ask, why are you going out with the Carrows and Zabini?" Ginny inquired, making him turn his attention to the table again.
He didn't want to go on a date with Flora… he wanted to take care of her. This made him happy. "Oh, it sounded to be fun. We are having dinner tomorrow and I owled Zabini before coming over to see how he was. He offered and I of course will never turn down an old friend." He declared, sitting down at the table.
"That is pleasant," Andromeda murmured. "I appreciate you helping Hermione out while I am gone. This should be my last appointment if the results are as they were last time."
Draco beamed and bobbed his head. "No problem, aunt. I will always help her out. You just let me know if she needs anything else. Scorpius would probably throw a tantrum if anything happened to that little witch."
Narcissa sighed and nodded. "Merlin does that boy love her. I worry about him at times. Not having a mother. Then I see how quickly he took to Hermione and it makes my heart at ease. We all suffered when Astoria passed. It is lovely to see some of that weight lifted."
Draco scratched his chin, his smile subdued. "Yes, she would have truly loved this. I don't think it could have been any more how she surmised it to be. She told me that we would find our way to happiness again. Family. Feelings of wholeness. It was definitely hard to find, but worth the wait."
Ginny bent over and patted his shoulder. "I like that, Draco. You really are a lovely person."
Lily started to fuss, and Ginny pulled away and dug through her bag. Pulling out her wand she tapped it on one of the bottles and tested the milk. "May I?" Draco asked, and Ginny nodded.
She helped Draco take Lily in his arm, and he started to feed the baby. "Oh, silly little Potter. You are as cute as she says." He murmured as Lily suckled.
"Practicing?" Hermione's voice entered the space.
Draco smirked as she sat down and sighed. "Like riding a broom, Granger. You never forget."
She leaned against his arm a little and watched the child eat. "It is something special, you know?"
He gazed at her and chewed the inside of his cheek. "I do."
Andromeda and Narcissa cast glances of relief and happiness to each other. It was fairly sweet. The small thread that bound them in some subconscious way together. Two people standing with a glass pane between them, but still, there was this. Hermione remembered early and pulled away, clearing her throat; just like that, the moment ended.
"I suppose I better go see what the children are up to," she said and stood up leaving the table just as quickly as she settled in next to Draco.
Watching her leave toward the playing children was painful. "Why," he huffed and turned back to the baby in his arms.
"Why what, Malfoy?" Ginny finally spoke after nearly yanking her hair out at her friend's departure.
"Why could that just have been mine," He breathed and shook his head. "It doesn't matter now I suppose. Duties and all that," he declared with a nod, offering Ginny her daughter. "I have to run in myself. She emptied the bottle, Potter."
Ginny took the child and gave him a look of sympathy. "Malfoy, you want to talk about this?"
Draco snorted. "No, why would I? It doesn't matter." He affirmed before departing to go inside.
"Tell me again why we can't tell him that's his baby?" Ginny asked pointedly, staring at the two matrons.
"Because Hemione wants to wait until he can make decisions himself. Once it is official he can make his own choices," Narcissa sighed. "I don't know if he will be able to handle three more weeks."
"He will, he loves her," Andromeda said with a nod.
"She really loves him," Ginny mumbled. "This is too much to take! My mother would eat this up."
"Are you really helping your mother and father this weekend?" Andromeda mused.
Ginny snorted. "Not a chance. I just wanted Draco to volunteer."
Narcissa grinned at her and nodded. "Me too, darling."
Ginny laughed and shook her head as she started to burb her infant. "I think it is safe to say; there is really no way those two aren't going to get married if we keep this up."
Andromeda glared and shook a finger at her. "Don't you dare jinx this."
"I promise, I will drag her by her hair before I let her try to run away from this."
Narcissa snorted very inelegantly and waved her hand. "They both are stubborn. Best be ready for it."
"Trust me, I am," Ginny responded. "I have five older brothers. I am ready for a fight." The witches all laughed and simmered the conversation… three weeks is an awfully long time, but none of them wanted to admit to how fearful they were of that stretch.
