Chapter Thirty-Seven: Happy Happy Birthday, Baby

At first, she was shocked beyond all reason. She and Draco had pretty much decided that they wouldn't have sex with each other anymore, so why had he kissed her? He never kissed her without intent. She felt the tiny cupcake beginning to capsize within her hands as her belly pressed against him and her left arm wrapped around his neck. But all this was broken with the sudden rapping of a cane against the tiles. Draco stopped kissing her, and looked down for a second.

"Evening, Father." Draco said, taking a step back from her.

"Why are you not at Hogwarts?"

"I got a weekend pass."

"Why?"

"Head Boy business. You should be proud."

"We've talked about this."

"About what?"

"Her!" Lucius yelled, and Draco turned to directly face him.

"Father, forgive me for speaking freely, but this is complete and total bollocks." He said, and smirked, "I ask for so little from you-"

"You ask for everything."

"I am giving you my firstborn child! Please do not interrupt me. I have been thinking. In exchange for the baby, Father, I've decided that you should really lay off the rules, okay? I am making sacrifices, is it so unthinkable that you should do the same?"

"Draco, are you telling me what to do?"

"No, Father, I am asking. Do not forget that you ordered my wrists cut before the entire congregation. And I am still giving my son to you."

"So the two of you knew all along and you never told me?" Ron asked as he, Ginny, and Harry all sat in his four-post late that night, after Harry had returned from Dumbledore's office.

"She asked us not to tell you, and you didn't even want to hear her name after the Malfoy... thing, so there was never really a good time."

"Never a good time to tell me my girlfriend was pregnant?"

"Ex-girlfriend, Ron." Harry corrected him, and ignored the look he got.

"But now Dumbledore thinks someone impersonated him and told Hermione she couldn't come back to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, someone who obviously doesn't want her associating with us and whatnot."

"Well then that settles that." Ginny said, and Harry looked at her.

"What?"

"It's Draco."

"I don't know..." The Boy-Who-Lived replied, and the Weasleys looked confused. "I mean, I asked her how he was treating her and she seemed rather content. Like, not head over heels brain-washed or anything."

"But we know that Dumbledore hasn't written her in months so how would she think she was expelled unless someone was impersonating him? I mean, the only person who has been able to contact her is Malfoy."

"I know, Ron, but it could honestly be Lucius or something."

"Well we can't write her."

"Why don't we just go to the Manor?"

"What?"

"He really lost his rag on that one, didn't he?" Hermione asked as she finished changing into her pajamas. Draco shut the door behind him and nodded, his spitfire comments towards his father hadn't gone unnoticed, as Lucius had launched into an incredibly energetic tantrum. Draco had told Hermione to go her room and, as is custom, Draco and Lucius yelled at each other for a few minutes, and now Hermione sighed at the pink welt that was developing on Draco's cheek. "You ever think about hitting him back?"

"Ah, I've tried that. It works on occasion and it's quite a pleasant feeling, but mostly I just wanted to get the fuck out of that room."

"Oh."

"What is on your feet?"

"Bunny slippers."

"What?"

"It's a muggle thing."

"Well sit down, I have presents."

"What?"

"It's your birthday in two hours, so I have gifts."

"Erm, okay." Hermione said, crossing her legs and plopping down on the white down comforter that covered her bed.

Draco smiled and with a flick of his wand and two parcels came floating into the room.

"Two?"

"Now, give me a second. This gift," he said, taking one wrapped tightly in shining red paper, "is to you, for me," he said, smiling. She laughed a bit and opened the gift. Reaching into the tiny box, her still slender fingers slid over the black and pink silk.

"Draco..."

"I know it's still slightly breaking our agreement but I saw it and knew that I need to see it on you," he replied as she lifted the Pussycat Dolls-like corset out of the box. A year ago, Hermione would have called it trashy, but now the corset with matching black lace undies was cute to her. However, her heart fell when she looked at the top and down at her slowly enlarging belly. "Oh, it's a truly one-size-fits-all product. I got it at The Witch Within. It fits any size, shape – no matter what." He said, and Hermione couldn't hide the tiny grin that escaped. She didn't know if Draco intended to seduce her tonight, but the fact that he still found her sexy was enough cause for happiness right now. Then, he had suddenly placed a second gift in her hands. She untied the white ropes, and they fell apart from a blank diary.

"A diary?"

"It's more than that. It's completely effortlessly maintained. It keeps a record of every day, and how you feel. You'll be able to keep track of your life without necessarily having to."

"Draco, both of these are great."

"There's, erm, one more."

"What?" She asked, and looked up as her bedroom door slid slowly open, revealing a polished black and silver pram. "Oh my goodness, Draco!" Hermione shrieked, jumping happily up. "It's beautiful."

"I felt like my kids, and my... well, you and my kid deserve the best. "

"Thank you so much, Draco!" She yelped, and hugged him tightly.

"No problem," he said, and smirked.

"Why did you kiss me earlier?"

"What?"

"You kissed me without sexual intent. Why?"

"I was happy to see you?"

"Do you love me?"

"Granger, can't we keep it simple for once?"

"Well I wanted to, but someone got me pregnant so it's a bit complicated for me. I love Ron, and I want to make sure I'm giving him up for something good."

"You never considered me the good guy."

Lucius finished copying another letter in Dumbledore's handwriting. A thank you letter to Hermione for understanding his wishes, it had been getting rather hard storing all of the letters from Dumbledore and Ron and Harry and Ginny and many other people who had been owling Hermione non-stop, but he just could not tolerate her associating with anyone who might change her mind. Draco, as much as he hated to admit it, had been right. Giving Lucius his son was quite a sacrifice that should be honored with tepid acceptance that, if Draco felt compelled, he should be allowed to shag whoever he wants. Maybe the fact that his son and the mudblood were fucking on a constant basis would increase her want to engage in his. Maybe she had finally acknowledged the disgusting reality of her bloodline.
"I'm sorry about that," Draco said, as Hermione's sweaty head was still pressed against his cheek. "That wasn't fair. I shouldn't have made you do that. I shouldn't be so damn sexy." He chuckled, still breathless as Hermione hit him playfully. He kissed her again, and sucked on her neck as she talked.

"We broke our agreement."

"It's," he took a breath and looked at the nearby clock, "officially your birthday. You should get laid on your birthday."

"You didn't."

"No, I got high on my birthday," he replied, kissing her, "but seeing as you can't do that, I figured that that was the next best thing," he smiled, and was suddenly in awe at the sight before him. Hermione lay underneath him, smiling, and she reached up to brush away one of his awry hairs that was matted against his face. The moonlight was this harsh blue and cast an eerie shadow over her face. She was, in essence, perfect. He kissed her again, and kissed her until the two of them fell asleep in there, the rest of the world locked out.

Review, please, and I may be taking a little break for a while to work on an X-Men fic. I AM NOT DISCONTINUING THE STORY. If you're interested in X-Fics (or reading more of my work), check out The Frigid vs. The Fiery, which should be up in the Movie/X-Men section in a few days.