Chapter 38

Hermione went to Draco's room every night. He was weary at first, but he never turned her away. They didn't speak much during the day. Actually they didn't speak much at all. It felt a bit like they were starting something new. Like some of the crap had been cleared away and they had come to a more genuine place.

There wasn't much of a relationship, but there was sex and that was as good a starting point as any. There was no denying that she loved the sex, partially hormonally driven, but she didn't think she could do without it.

Her belly was getting a little bit bigger every day. General things were getting a bit harder. She felt out of breath at the simplest things. Her mind was turning to more practical purposes. What would happen when the baby arrived. It was still strange to think that a living person was growing inside her.

There was a nursery in the house, disused since Draco had been a baby. It was in dire need of cleaning, but the little elf was more than happy to help with the preparations for a new arrival.

It was strange seeing Draco's old baby things. It was strange to think of him as a baby or what had happened to him in the time between being a completely innocent little baby to the closed off and messed up person he was now. Whatever happened to him was not going to happen to her baby. She was never going to allow her baby to become the closed off and lonely person that Draco Malfoy had become.

The months passed and the nursery was ready. Hermione was more than ready. She couldn't wait to have her body back. She'd agreed with Ginny that Ginny would help when the time was right. Ginny didn't really have any experience but neither did anyone else. Luckily, things just happened on their own. It was just that nobody really knew what to do if things went wrong.

Draco was still one of the best medics, but his experience and training was more with battle wounds than childbirth.

Hermione felt little cramps as she was waking up. It was about the right time, but she didn't know for sure and her belly was doing all sorts of things. But after lying watching the dawn for a little while she conceded that there was a pattern in her little cramps. Draco was still sleeping.

He was incredibly beautiful when he slept. They had been sleeping in the same bed for a few months now. She was so used to him being there. She was still madly in love with him, maybe even more so now that she saw his insecurity and vulnerability. She could see through his defences now, they were still there, but she could see what he was protecting.

She kissed him and he twitched in his sleep but didn't wake up. It really was a new day, she thought. Things would change forever today. They would be a true family. Mother, father and baby. It was still such a strange thought, but the baby was ready to come out.

She dreaded what the day held for her, but was also in awe of the eventual outcome. It didn't hurt much yet, just regular little stomach clamps strong enough to let her know they were there.

She didn't wake Draco, it was nice to lay in bed and just relax for a little while. Who knew when she'd get the chance again. And she didn't often just the get chance to observe Draco. She was never really sure off what was going on behind those grey eyes. He didn't often say what he felt or what he wanted, so you had to judge by his actions, and the one thing she knew was that he didn't fight her being there every night, and that he had orchestrated having her in his life to begin with.

But she still didn't know how he felt about her, which meant that she didn't quite know how things would be between them tomorrow. With an heir in place, were they finished with whatever this was? She wasn't sure she was prepared for that, because the one true thing when it came to him was that she wanted him. She'd fought it, tried to rationalise it away, but it refused to budge.

She decided to have a bath, she might not get a chance again later. She snuck out of bed and quietly made her way into the bathroom, where she sat and watched her stomach while the bath filled. The bump would be gone soon and she would have her body back.

She lay in the bath and enjoyed the warm water, letting it sooth her. She was going to be in pain soon and it would take hours. She had of course read every book she could get her hands on. If she had very good luck, this might take less than ten hours, but it could be much, much more.

"What are you doing up?" She heard a sleep roughened voice from the door.

"Having a bath."

"At the crack of dawn?"

"Might not get a chance later."

There was a pause. "Has it started?"

"I think so." She said.

"Alright then." He said. "I'll have the elf bring you something to eat."

He left her to her bathing. She was in no rush to get out. Its not like she had anywhere to be. When her fingers were nice and pruny, she got out.

"Eat." He said when she walked back into the bedroom. "You'll need your strength."

She ate and got back in bed. The cramps were getting a bit stronger. He didn't leave for which she was grateful. He sat in a chair and read some documents.

After a while of lying in bed, they got stronger. Hermione decided to get up and walk around for a bit. Lying in bed doing nothing was really frustrating.

Draco walked with her as they wandered around the house in silence. She had to stop now when a cramp happened, but after a consistent set of time it passed. They went back to the bedroom and she tried to read, but her mind just didn't seem to want to focus. Lunch came and went.

"It really hurts." Hermione said. "I knew that it would, but it really hurts."

"Do you need some potion?" Draco said.

"Not yet, but probably soon." Hermione said feeling a bit distressed. "There's still hours to go, isn't there?"

"Yes." Draco said and returned to the papers.

Hermione felt really annoyed that he had something to do. A bit irrationally she knew, but she was still really annoyed.

After pacing for a while, the cramps got really painful. A new level of painful. She wasn't going to be able to stay upright for much longer, and she wasn't even close to being finished. She had to get back into bed. The pain was wearing on her.

"We're going to have to name the baby." Hermione said.

"I like Hyperion." Draco said.

"Hyperion? Sounds like a galaxy cruiser."

"A what?"

"Never mind." Hermione said between gritted teeth. "Not sure I really see my child named Hyperion."

"How about Lucius?"

"Did I mention that your father tried to murder me in fifth year?"

"It's a good name."

"Surely we can come up with something we can both agree on."

"We tend to have family names." Draco said.

"How about Jonathan?" Hermione said. "Provided it's a boy."

"It's a boy."

"You seem very confident."

"He's a Malfoy, he's a boy. And muggle names are out of the question. Abraxas or Septimus."

Hermione wasn't convinced. They all sounded so brutal.

"I suppose I could stretch to Cygnus. It's a Black name, but I always rather liked it."

"Its ok, I guess." Hermione said, because it was much more normal than any of the Malfoy names. "I'm going to need some potion soon."

"There still a long way to go." Draco said. "I've sent a note to Weasley, so she is ready when the time comes."

Hermione had some potion which took off the absolute raw edge of the pain. It was still very painful and Hermione was getting tired.

"Try to conserve your energy." Draco said.

"How exactly?" Hermione demanded. "Should I just take a time out? I have no control here, I'm just along for the ride."

"Shall I get Weasley?" Draco asked.

"No. There's nothing for her to do. Its not time yet."

"Just thought you'd like some company."

She didn't want anyone other than him there.

"It still hurts."

"I can't give you anything stronger."

Hermione just couldn't get comfortable and had to eventually give up on the idea that there was a position that would make her comfortable.

"The contractions are getting closer now." Draco said. "Its progressing."

"Apparently I will want to push when its time."

Draco joined her on the bed and they lay face to face.

"This is not fun." Hermione said.

Draco stroked a stray hair away from her face. "Nothing can be done about it now."

"The muggles have better ways of dealing with this. They can take the pain away."

"Well, they're not there anymore."

Hermione wanted to hurt him. Share some of the pain. But she was also grateful that he was there, that she didn't have to go through this alone.

"Why did you pick me?" She asked, suddenly needing to know. "Tell me, you owe me that. Why did you pick me?"

He looked away.

"Don't." She said when he was refusing her his eyes. "I need to know."

"Because I wanted you."

It was a simple statement, and she wasn't entirely sure what the implications were, but it meant something to her. It meant that this wasn't an entire fluke and there was some feeling behind it.

She leant in a kissed him, but broke it off as another contraction assaulted her.

"I love you." She said after the contraction subsided.

He mumbled something unintelligible, but she got the sentiment and smiled.

They stayed on the bed facing each other for what seemed like an eternity.

"You're beautiful when you're in pain." He said after a while.

"Well, that's great to know." She said furiously. She wasn't really furious at him, just furious in general.

Soon the contractions became absolutely unbearable.

"I'll get the Weasel girl." Draco said and left.

She didn't know where he'd gone and she felt distressed and abandoned. Before she really knew what had happened Ginny was there.

Hermione wasn't sure whether she greeted Ginny or not. Ginny was telling her to push and Hermione wanted to whack her. People died doing this. They used to all the time, and they were pretty much back to that now. But she pushed and pushed, and then he was there, a cry like a little kitten. Nothing existed other than that sound. She saw Draco holding a little bundle, the source of the little kitten cries.

"You should sleep now." Ginny said to her. "Drink this."

"Wha..?" Hermione said, not really able to focus. There was a potion being poured in her mouth and everything went black.