Two

It happened at lunch one day. She was minding her own business reading a book at her desk while she nibbled at the pitiful sandwich she'd brought from home when Harry and Ron returned with their own takeaway from the pub down the street. Bile pooled around her tongue and her stomach lurched when the smell of Ron's pastrami on rye wafted her way.

Hermione shoved her chair back with so much force it knocked against the wall as she scurried out of her office. The entire place smelled like a rotten deli to her and she sprinted in her pumps to the closest women's loo.

The door banged behind her just before she lost what little she'd eaten in the toilet. She coughed and caught herself before she could fall to the ground.

"Fuck," she muttered.

After a deep breath, she flushed and went to wash her hands. Her face was pale when she met her eyes in the mirror. There was nothing left in her stomach but the urge to vomit was still there.

She covered her nose as she passed by Harry and Ron, sparing a glare for the latter and his nasty sandwich.

Harry's brow scrunched in concern. "Are you okay, Hermione?"

"Fine," she grumbled.

It had to be the Chinese she had last night. Probably sat in the refrigerator one day too long.

However, on Friday, it wasn't Ron's sandwich that set her off, though it could be described as vile as well. It was the smell of Harry's breath as he leaned down to press a friendly kiss to her forehead before he parted her office. It wreaked of sausages and eggs.

She nearly ran smack into Draco on her way to the loo. She didn't much care for the way he was eyeing her when she emerged. Despite her queasy stomach, she held her head high as she passed him.

It had been over a month since that night they'd shared together and he'd not mentioned it once. Lucky him. She'd not been able to stop thinking about it or him. Most oddly of all, she missed his company. It was like he'd shut her out since that night.

Unfortunately, the symptoms persisted through the following Friday.

"Hermione, have you been to St. Mungo's yet?" Harry asked hesitantly as he hovered in her doorway.

She looked up from the ginger tea she was blowing on so she could take a sip. "No."

He shrugged uncomfortably. "I mean, it can't be food poisoning. I've had that after Ginny tried to cook curry once. Merlin, it was awful. I couldn't get out of bed for at least twenty-four hours straight."

She scoffed and took a sip of her tea finally. "That's because you're a man and you're all big babies when sick."

He rolled his eyes and pinned her with a hard look. "You know what I mean. This has been going on for nearly two weeks now. Don't you think you should see a healer? Hell, see a muggle doctor. Either would work if you ask me."

She sipped her tea again and sighed as the ginger soothed her stomach. "Yes, I'll go at lunch."

She didn't feel the grey eyes on her when she gathered her bag and left the office at lunch. He was in a meeting when she returned near the end of the day. Half of the office had cleared out and her two idiot friends were lingering.

"What did the healer say?" Harry asked as she trudged into her office.

"Yeah, you were gone a really long time," Ron agreed.

Hermione sighed as she eased into her desk chair and met their curious gazes.

"I'm fine," she assured them. She pasted on a smile for added effect. "Seems like a stomach bug. There's one going around, you know."

"Always is," Ron nodded. "Glad it's nothing serious."

She swallowed and her smile fell a degree. "Me, too."

It was one of the few times that she was thankful he was too tired and busy with his own life to realize she was lying. Harry lingered in the doorway longer than Ron and she didn't like the way he was looking at her.

"What?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "Just glad you're alright. See you Sunday for dinner?"

"Of course."

She waited until he was gone before she dropped her head on her desk. "Merlin, I'm screwed."

It was moments like this that she wished her parents were still here. It was bittersweet to know that they'd survived the war but passed together in a car accident only a year later. Her mother would know what to do if she were here. Her father would just be pissed.

Someone knocked on her doorframe and Hermione lifted her head. Draco looked around before he stepped inside. His eyes roved over her face for a moment too long.

"What?" she whispered.

His jaw clenched and he fell into the chair across from her desk. "Are you?"

Hermione swallowed and sat straight. "Am I what?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Don't play dumb, Granger. It doesn't suit you."

She huffed and began shuffling the paperwork on her desk. Anything to keep her trembling hands busy.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy. You're going to have to be more specific."

They were back to last names, apparently. That night she'd been Hermione and he'd been Draco.

Draco looked away as he inhaled a deep breath. He could see the tears swimming in her eyes when he looked at her again.

"Are you pregnant?" He nearly rolled his eyes when her mouth fell open but stopped himself. "Your friends are idiots. I mean, Potter and I are alright, and I can now resist the urge to hex Weasley but they're idiots if they don't know what's going on with you." He pressed both hands flat against her desk and leaned forward. "Did you tell them?"

Hermione thought she might vomit again but this time it was nerves. "No." She shook her head vigorously. "No, not yet. I can't."

His brow furrowed. "Why not? Is it because it's mine?" He stopped himself and sat back. "I'm assuming it's mine."

Her eyes flashed dangerously and she reached for the paperweight near her professional stationary. He caught it before it could make contact with his nose though.

"Of course, it's yours!" Her lip pulled into a sneer and she stood quickly.

"Where are you going?" he asked as she pulled on her coat and grabbed her bag.

"To get away from you and everything else so I can breathe and think this through."

"Like hell," he muttered and chased after her.

She was a good foot shorter than him but she could move when she wanted to. He finally caught her at the floos though and jumped in with her before she could finish getting her destination out.

They emerged together in the Leaky Cauldron and she pushed away from him as she stomped out. Draco followed, ignoring the few stares of the patrons eating their lackluster pub fare. Diagon Alley was fairly quiet for a Friday night in December. Few people took notice of them when she turned to finally acknowledge him trailing after her.

"Look, Malfoy, I don't expect you to deal with this. I'm sure it's the last thing you want so just leave me alone while I figure everything out."

Draco wrapped a hand around her arm and turned her back before she could get away again. He gripped both of her shoulders and leaned down to meet her eyes.

"That's my baby as much as it is yours, Hermione Granger. How dare you assume you know what I want."

She swallowed at the dark look in his eyes. The way he just about growled at her didn't help.

Draco shook his head when the first tear slid down her cheek and reached down to take her hand. "We need to talk." He looked her up and down as she followed him down the street. "And you need to eat something."

When he pressed her over what she wanted to eat, the only thing she admitted to wanting was ice cream. So, he bought her a cup of lavender and earl grey, and they found a secluded bench to sit while she ate.

"That's the last thing I would have expected you to ask for," he admitted, gesturing to the ice cream halfway to her mouth.

Hermione shrugged and licked her spoon. "When I was little and upset, it was one of the few times my parents let me have sweets." He quirked a questioning brow and she rolled her eyes. She gave this speech far too much growing up. "They were dentists. They were like healers for your teeth."

He grunted and crossed his arms over his chest as he gazed up at the sky. "I know what dentists are."

She didn't know why she was surprised. It wasn't like she truly knew enough about him outside of work and his taste in literature.

"Sorry, I just assumed."

Draco sighed and glanced at her. She was stiff as a board, ready to run at a moment's notice. He reached out for the spoon now sitting idly in her cup and scooped himself a generous serving.

Her mouth dropped as he lifted the spoon and she reached to wrap her hand around his wrist. "That's been in my mouth!" she protested.

He snorted and slipped the spoon past his lips before he handed it back. The flavor was odd but not unpleasant. Sort of like her.

"I've had my tongue in your mouth. I think it'll be fine."

Color rushed across her cheeks and she diverted her gaze. It wasn't like her to be quiet. She usually had a lot to say. Brilliant things mostly. She intimidated most of the aurors, he knew it for a fact. So few were willing to cross their lead investigator.

"So, you're pregnant," he announced. "And it's mine."

Her shoulders lifted and a heavy breath escaped her. "Apparently not even the charm is a hundred percent."

Draco swallowed and carefully met her eyes. He'd spent plenty of time rehashing that one night they'd shared together and one detail seemed to be missing.

"I think I forgot the charm."

Merlin, if that's how she looked at those two gits she called best friends then he now understood why they feared her temper.

"Malfoy!"

He held his hands up to block the remnants of her melted ice cream as it flew at his face. He'd give her that one. He'd not normally tolerate someone throwing food at him but in this case, it might be best to suck it up. A quick wave of his wand cleared away the ice cream from his hair and face and he carefully tucked it back in his waistcoat.

"I'm sorry," he told her earnestly. "Truly. I was...well you were lying there and your hands were all over me and I...well I wasn't thinking with the right head, if you will."

Hermione was pacing now and her fists were clenched into tight balls. He thought she was going to reach for her wand and braced himself to be hexed. No incantation ever crossed her lips though. He dipped his head and caught the moment the first tears dropped. Zero to a hundred with her. He wasn't sure if it was hormones honestly. She'd always been an emotional sort.

He stood and approached her carefully. The stars were out now and nothing but the old street lamps lit the street. Her eyes were glistening when he took her by the shoulders and made her look at him.

"I know we have a terrible history—"

She scoffed and rolled her teary eyes. "That's putting it mildly. I'm sure your parents are going to have bloody kittens when they find out."

He gripped her shoulders tighter and dipped down to catch her eyes. "Does that mean you're going to keep it?"

Hermione swallowed when she saw the look in his eyes. She'd seen it before. The night he'd been asked to identify them at the manor.

"That's my choice, yes," she spoke evenly.

Draco released a breath and his hands quickly drew her closer until he could press her head against his chest.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Hermione allowed him this strange hug, if one could call it that. He was just standing there pressing her against him and she swore she felt his nose press against her hair. After a few moments, she managed to wedge her hands between them and pushed against his chest.

"You thought I wasn't going to keep it?"

He dropped his hands and took a few steps away. "The thought crossed my mind, of course. Even if we're okay now, after all I've said to you over the years and the things I've done, I couldn't honestly think of a good reason you'd want any baby that was half of me."

Her heart pounded in her ears. "It's half of me, too."

Draco turned to her slowly. "Who would have ever imagined that you and I would ever share something like this?"

She offered him a weak smile. "Certainly not me." She shook her head and returned to the bench. "I'm scared, Draco."

There is was again. His name on her tongue. It sounded nicer than when she said it. Nothing like the dull drawl Astoria had.

"It'll be fine," he assured her.

"How?" A humorless laugh escaped her. "I mean...your parents will likely lose their minds. I know you've changed but I can't honestly imagine a world where Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy would ever welcome a halfblood grandchild. Especially not one born out of wedlock. It doesn't strike me as something you purebloods do. It's not something I would do. Not that I think it's immoral, it's just...not me."

Draco snorted and rejoined her. His hands hung limply between his knees as he gazed at the darkened shopfront across the street. "You're not wrong. My parents are still holding out hope I'll reconcile with Astoria."

Her throat felt tight but she had to know. "Were you going to?"

"Merlin, no!" He shook his head. "She's horrible, Granger. Utterly selfish and frankly, a bore. I thought about proposing to her but it was the thought of living the rest of my life convincing myself that I actually wanted her to be in love with me. It was a relief when I caught her cheating with Pucey last year." He sighed and looked at her again. Even with tears drying trails down her blotchy cheeks, she intrigued him. "Don't worry yourself over what my parents will think. What about your own?"

Hermione looked away. He didn't know. But then most didn't considering the obscene amount of money Harry paid to have the story snuffed out of the Prophet.

"They...well, they passed a year after the war. Muggle auto accident actually." She shrugged. "I'm alone really. Nothing to worry about."

Draco opened his mouth to speak but promptly shut it. How had he missed that? How had she kept anyone from finding out?

"I'll make sure you're taken care of."

She shook her head, "Draco..."

He pressed a finger against her lips. "Don't argue with me, Granger."

She didn't because she could tell he really did mean it.

Wow, you guys! What a reaction! Thanks so much for taking the time to read, follow, and review. I think right now we all need a little fun so I hope you enjoyed the second chapter. More to come soon!

Stay home if you can. Stay healthy. And wash your damn hands! :P