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CHAPTER 30

Draco sniffed the air as he exited the Floo. Something was… different. Spicy and fresh, but with an underlying aroma of scorched earth. He grinned; she was good at potion making, but it wasn't her forte. However, she'd been experimenting — trying to prove a point — and he could only imagine what she'd been up to while he'd been gone overnight.

"Darling, are you here?"

He was met with silence and he frowned. It was after seven and he assumed she'd be home. She'd not mentioned anything about staying late at the shop or going out with the girls.

Then his frown eased and another image caused him to smile. The red lace he'd given her as a one month anniversary gift. She'd yet to wear it for him, despite his not so subtle hints over the last few weeks.

He dropped his bag on the floor and loosened his tie, kicking his shoes off as he made his way to the stairs. He was sure she'd be laid out on the bed, a sultry smile on her face, her tits spilling out of the tiny bra.

His waistcoat hit the floor and he tugged his shirt from his trousers, unfastening the buttons at his wrists before pulling it over his head and dropping it on the stairs.

She'd be annoyed that his clothes were strewn across the house, but he didn't care. He wanted to be as near-naked as she would be when he stepped into the bedroom.

But much to his surprise, she wasn't there.

He sniffed the air again, the sweet scent was still in the air, but so was hers.

The shower, he thought with a grin. Even better.

He dropped his trousers to the floor, kicking them aside, and walked further down the hallway; the bathroom door was ajar but he couldn't hear any water running.

His frown returned. What was going on?

"Hermione?" He pushed the door open and found her sitting on the floor, wearing one of his t-shirts and a baggy pair of sweatpants.

She glanced up at him — her eyes were dark, her face pale and distressed.

"Hermione?" Draco dropped to his knees beside her, panic rising in him. He pressed his hand to her forehead. "What's happened?"

Her gaze never wavered as she grabbed something off the floor and handed it to him, whispering, "I'm pregnant."

Staring at what he assumed was a Muggle device, her words hit him like a bolt of lightning to the chest.

"But how?" he asked dumbly.

"I don't know." Hermione was on the verge of tears. "I've not missed taking a pill. I set an alarm to remind me each day."

"I know, I watch you take that every morning." Draco nodded towards the Muggle pills on the bathroom counter.

"I don't understand." Hermione shook her head. "It's not possible."

He waved the little plastic stick in the air. "I'm assuming this says otherwise?"

"It's a Muggle pregnancy test. And yes, it says I'm pregnant."

He grasped the device in his hand, a million emotions hitting him all at once.

She was right; this wasn't what they'd planned. They'd barely been bonded for six weeks. And her reaction clearly meant there was no mistaking it.

She was pregnant.
She was carrying their baby.
Their baby.
A tiny human they had made together.
He would be a father.
He would have a child who needed him.

To take care of it.
To teach it.
To love it without condition.

He wasn't sure he was ready.

He glanced at his hand; the piece of plastic was wrapped tightly in his grip. He didn't want to let it go. It was the most important thing he'd held since their hands were bound and their lives became one.

He was ready.

"I should have waited for you." She leaned her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. "I should have waited, but I just couldn't."

"It's okay," Draco assured her, then asked carefully, "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why...ah...didn't you tell me you were… late?"

"I assumed you would notice!" She scrambled to her feet. "I assumed you would be aware I've not had a period considering there's been no days off in the bedroom!"

He frowned, realisation dawning on him. "When…?"

"It would have been on our bonding night! In your bedroom. Your fantasy night." She glared at him. "This is all your fault. You and your super Alpha sperm!"

Draco stared at her for a beat then the tension in him broke and he began to laugh. "Super Alpha sperm?"

She was still glaring at him, but her lips were twitching as she fought her own laughter.

"Do they wear little capes?" Draco was still laughing.

"Yes," she said, biting her lip. "And they think they're doing good things, but they're not!"

He lifted her from the floor, hugging her tightly. "I don't care if my super Alpha sperm danced the mambo, one of those guys did exactly what he was supposed to."

"You're not pissed about this?"

He tilted his head back to look at her. "I'm a little shocked, but why would I be pissed?"

"We never planned this," she explained. "And I'm assuming it's another ridiculous Alpha thing we knew nothing about."

"Getting pregnant the second we bonded?" he asked and she nodded. "Maybe, but I'm guessing it's only an Alpha duo thing. Alexander and Zahira have been bonded for a while and still don't have a child."

"So it is your super sperm?"

"I guess so." He kissed her and set her back down. "Should I apologise?"

She shrugged. "This is just… I guess I shouldn't be surprised; nothing about becoming an Alpha has made sense. So why should this be any different?"

Draco held out his hand. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" She looked him up and down. "Because you're almost naked."

"That was another plan." He winked at her and dragged her out into the hallway. "Wait here a second."

He disappeared into the bedroom, reappearing half a minute later dressed similarly to her in sweatpants and a t-shirt. He took her hand again and led her down the stairs.

"Draco…"

"Be patient. I want to show you something."

He directed her to the backdoor, pulling her in front of him as he stopped to stand on the stoop.

"What do you see?"

She shot him a puzzled look over her shoulder. "Our garden,"

"Exactly. Our garden. And do you know what a garden needs?"

"Water? Sunshine? Fertiliser?"

"Smartarse." Draco nipped the side of her neck and she laughed.

"What? It's true."

"It is," he agreed. "But a garden also needs noise and fun and little feet running everywhere."

"Are we ready for little feet?"

"We'll need some play equipment; a slide, a swing, maybe a playhouse…"

She turned in his arms and smiled up at him. "You know that's not what I meant."

"I'm terrified," he answered. "What if this child is an Alpha and has to deal with all this crap? What if I'm a shit father? What if I drop the baby on its head the first time I hold it?"

"I'll probably drop it first," she said with a grimace. "I'm not ready for this, Draco. I know we said we wanted a family, but this is so fast."

"It is," he said and brushed her hair away from her face. "But as terrified as I am, I want this baby. More than anything, I want our baby."

"Yeah?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, don't start redoing our garden," she said and he frowned in question. "We'll have to buy a bigger house."

"A bigger house?"

"Yeah." She grinned at him. "To make room for everything your mother will buy."

Draco laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up. She curled her legs around him and he walked back inside.

"She'll be unbearable."

"The worst," Hermione agreed.

"She'll love this baby more than she loves us."

"Oh, she definitely will."

"We don't stand a chance." Draco lowered her to the couch, shifting to lie beside her and tucking his hand beneath her t-shirt, spreading his fingers over the warm skin on her belly. He swallowed thickly. "What must it feel like to be so loved before you even take your first breath?"

Hermione covered his hand with hers, tears welling in her eyes. "I think it feels exactly like this."