Chapter 34:
Hermione grinned as Draco told her to stay in bed. "But Draco!"
"No Hermione," Draco replied, "you need to rest."
"But…"
"Princess you need to rest. I want the babies to stay in there as long as possible."
"Why? I want them out," Hermione replied.
"Because the longer they stay in the safety of your womb the readier they will be when they finally come out."
Hermione huffed. "My mum is looking after Aurora and Curtis – so you can rest today."
"But I'm bored," Hermione complained.
"Good job I've brought you some new books," Draco grinned.
Hermione smiled, "you know me too well."
Hermione had plenty of visitors throughout the next week. Ginny sat next to her on the giant bed, "I've got some news."
"What is it?" Hermione smiled. She was so bored.
"I'm pregnant," Ginny told her best friend.
"You're going to have a baby?" Hermione grinned. "Heck, you've got all this to look forward to!" She touched her stomach and grinned, "you'll be fat and I'll be nice and skinny again!"
Ginny laughed, "you've worked the pregnant look."
Hermione couldn't stand another minute of lying in her bed for hours on end. She heard her son crying from the nursery and so she waddled out of her room. Draco had beaten her to it. He was stood by the cot holding Curtis in his arms. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"I heard him crying," Hermione answered.
Draco nodded, "you need to get back to bed."
"But…" Hermione started.
"Hermione," Draco said in what other people would presume was a cold, uninterested voice, but Hermione knew better. "Love, please… I need you to rest."
"Stop worrying," Hermione laughed.
"Hermione, heck you're bound to go into labour early… you're carrying twins… but I want to make sure you are all ready for it when it happens."
"Draco, I get it but I'm fed up," Hermione sulked, "Please…"
"Fine, come here," Draco took her arm and led her further into the nursery. He told her to sit in the rocking chair by the window, "you can give Curtis his bottle."
"Alright bossy," Hermione teased as he handed her her son, "hey baby. I've missed you."
"Mumma," the boy said as he looked up at his mother.
Hermione smiled, "it's so strange, seeing them have all their firsts all over again."
Draco nodded as he handed her a bottle, "first word, first steps…"
"First girlfriend," Hermione laughed remembering what it had been like at Hogwarts.
"Gosh, do you mean we've got to go through all that again?" Draco sighed, "first time we have to ground them."
Hermione laughed, smiling down at Curtis. He was finally drifting back off to sleep. Draco took the small boy and placed him back in his crib as Hermione got to her feet. She stumbled slightly but Draco was there to pick her up before she fell.
"My back hurts," Hermione frowned, "I think I might go back to bed."
Draco nodded, helping her out of the nursery and back into their bedroom, "come on then – let's go to bed."
Hermione couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned. She sat up when she felt a painful sensation in her gut. A minute later the pain was gone and Hermione sighed suddenly wondering if she was having contractions. She waited calmly to see if it happened again. She sat there watching Draco sleep. He rolled over and wrapped his arm around her making her smile. Then she tensed up as she felt it again. She looked at the clock; fifteen minutes... she took a deep breath. There was no point waking Draco. The contractions were really irregular. She tried to read but she couldn't concentrate. After an hour or two she couldn't stand it anymore, "Draco," she whispered.
"Draco," Hermione said slightly louder, "baby."
Draco frowned, "what time is it?"
"About 4am," Hermione replied.
"Why are you awake love?"
"I think I'm having the babies," Hermione whispered.
"What?" Draco sat up suddenly.
"Don't panic," Hermione giggled. "I'm having contractions but my waters haven't broken yet."
"Do we need to go to St Mungo's?" He asked, his voice slightly higher than usual.
"No… I think I want a bath," Hermione told him.
"I'll go and run it for you," Draco grinned.
Several minutes later Hermione was lying in the bathtub with Draco kneeling next to the bath running a sponge across her back. He felt her body tense up as she had another contraction. He let her squeeze his hand tightly in hers until it passed. When it finally did he kissed her on the cheek, "are you alright love?"
"Uh hu," Hermione tried to smile, "I just want this to be over."
"It will be soon," Draco told her, "I promise."
Draco helped her out of the bath and helped her back into bed. "Now what?"
"You need to entertain me," Hermione laughed.
"Entertain you?" Draco quirked an eyebrow.
"Distract me," Hermione smiled.
"I guess I can do that," Draco returned her smile. "Are you comfy love?"
"Hum…" Hermione sighed, "play with my hair."
"Gosh you can be so demanding sometimes," he joked, winking at his wife.