A/N: Skidding in at the end of the week to throw down the last chapter. Next week there will be an epilogue! I knew this story wasn't going to be very long when I was first writing out the story board for it. It just never felt like it was needing to be too long, ya know?

Have a happy weekend! Don't forget to check out my new Dramione if you liked my writing!

What Now?

"You need to put me down, Malfoy." Hermione could feel her body trembling, no. This couldn't be happening. She was going to be meeting with Theo later this week to find out that she was not pregnant. There wasn't going to be anything happening in her womb because for five years she has tried to get pregnant with her husband's baby.

"Granger, we need to talk about this." Malfoy still had her in his arms as they continued to make their way back towards the Manor. A quick peak up at him, and Hermione could see that he had a grim look on his face.

"Malfoy, I don't even know for sure if I am pregnant or not. I have an appointment later this week with Theo. There's no way to detect a pregnancy this early anyway, so you need to put me down so I can get back to work and get out of this Gods forsaken house!" Hermione began to struggle against the grip he had on her. With a hiss of pain, her ankle where the Devil's Snare had grabbed her flared up again, causing her to cease her attempts to get free of his hold.

"I'm fairly sure that you might have a fractured ankle. I'll fix it once we're back in the Manor." Malfoy's grip tightened around Hermione as she continued to try and struggle out of his grasp. Hermione could feel the tears pricking in her eyes as the reality of the situation began to dawn on her.

There was a very real possibility that she was in fact pregnant with Malfoy's baby. There was no way of denying this fact to Malfoy, since he was the person, whose damn house had let him in on it. The hardest part, she was going to have to tell Ron if this was the truth. With the proof of a baby, there would be no hiding what she had done. A drunken mistake or not, she was going to have to tell Ron the truth because that mistake had resulted in making a person.

"Mistress is hurt? Carwen will help Mistress, oh my poor Mistress." Hermione was startled out of her thoughts at the sudden appearance of the tiny elf doting over her as Malfoy set her down on a chaise lounge that was in a sun room that allowed for viewing of the vast gardens year-round.

"Carwen, why is Hermione your Mistress?"

"Mistress had the next Malfoy Heir inside her, of course. Elf magic tells Carwen that. Master Draco, Carwen is so proud of you. Mistress Astoria doesn't wish to carry the next Malfoy Heir, but Mistress Hermione does." The elf was bouncing around the sun room snapping her fingers causing bandages to snap around Hermione's ankle and potions to appear out of thin air.

"Mistress must take this potion to help with the pain. Carwen had wrapped Mistress's ankle, not broken, but badly bruised and will hurt for a few days. Carwen will take care of Mistress and make her all better." Hermione had stopped paying attention past the words next Malfoy Heir inside her and had failed to hear anything that followed.

"This isn't possible, I need to go. I need to go home." Thoughts continued racing through her mind, how had this happened? What had she been thinking, agreeing to go back to his hotel with him? What was Ron going to do when he found out? She was going to have to move out of her home, leave her entire life behind because she had been such a stupid and foolish girl.

"Granger, you aren't going anywhere until we've talked about this." Malfoy stated with his arms crossed against his chest with a hard look in his eyes.

"What do you want to talk about, Malfoy? That because your house and your house elf say that I'm pregnant with your baby that it's so? And then what? If it's true? I'm bloody married, Malfoy. You're married! What do you think our spouses are going to say about this revelation? I don't know about your marriage, but mine was pretty fucking great up until a few weeks ago. Oh, gods, Ron's going to leave me." Hermione's head dropped into her hands as she let the tears take over.

"I want to talk about the fact that you're carrying my Heir, elf magic is different from ours and Carwen would know if you were pregnant with my child or not, regardless how far along you are. So, it's not a question of if it's true, but that it is true. Have you really been happy in your marriage, Granger? Weasley has been lying to you, you told me so yourself that first night."

"I've got to go. I can't sit here and discuss this right now." The words were hardly out of Hermione's mouth before she was up and out of sun room, quickly making her way towards the entrance hall. She had to get away and with her thoughts. This was an utter disaster, there was no other way to describe the situation she found herself in.

Hearing footfalls behind her, Hermione picked up the pace to the point that she was trotting through the halls. The faster she moved, the faster the steps behind her also moved. She knew it was Malfoy, who else would be chasing her through the house trying to prevent her from leaving?

Once the massive oak doors came into view, Hermione gave into her urges and took off at a full sprit. Without turning to give Malfoy another look, Hermione wrenched the door open and continued at down the cobble path towards the large iron gates.

"HERMIONE! WAIT!"

As soon as she felt herself crossed the wards, she apparated away from the property. Landing in her parent's kitchen, Hermione slumped against the island letting the emotions from the day just overwhelm her. Had she really left the work site without warning anyone? Hermione knew that Harry might accept that she hadn't been feeling well, but he was going to be furious with her for running off without talking with any of the MLE officers.

Laying her head in her hands as she sat, Hermione felt the tears begin to fall. There was nothing that she could do now. She had messed up; she alone had ruined her marriage. Ron's lies had been hurtful, but that was nothing compared to what she had done. She couldn't even just blame it on the alcohol since she had slept with Malfoy more than once. No, not even just slept with him, she hadn't stopped thinking about him either.

Hermione needed to; well, she wasn't sure what she needed to do. She needed to speak to Ron. She hadn't even seen him since he walked out on dinner Friday night. After she had left Malfoy Saturday morning, she'd gone home to find it empty. The entire weekend she hadn't seen or heard from Ron at all, and she didn't even bother attempting to reach out to find out where he was. When she had woken up that morning to get ready for work, she had been shocked to find him sleeping in their bed. She really should have wanted to wake him up so that they could talk, but Hermione just didn't want to talk to him.

Now the next time she spoke to him since their small row, was going to be what? Her telling him that she cheated. Yes, that she cheated on him, and with Malfoy. She had cheated on him, with Malfoy, and was now pregnant with Malfoy's baby.

Before she could even start to wade through all this, a bright shining stag came charging through the window looking onto the back garden. Tipping its head in affection towards her, Harry's voice poured from the Patronus. "Mione, what happen at the Malfoy Manor? Gibson sent a message that you fled the property. Where are you? Come to the office as soon as you can." With a final bow to her, the stag dissipated in the air.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Did Gibson overhear what she and Malfoy had been talking about? Had they kept their voices down? Merlin save her, if someone overheard what was going on with her and Malfoy, and they let it slip to Harry (much less Ron) before she had a chance to talk with either of them.

Fuck, fuck, fucking hell.

Without a plan, Hermione tugged out the pouch of floo powder from her handbag and tossed some into her parents' fireplace heading straight for the ministry. As if she were wearing blinders, she stepped into the atrium, the only thing in her focus as she jogged forward were the lifts. Had she been paying attention; she would have seen a very familiar red headed man chasing after her and missing the lift that she threw herself in.

As soon as she reached the second level of the Ministry of Magic, Hermione felt herself rushing down the hall towards the back of the department where the private office of the Head Auror sat. She had hardly crossed the threshold when she saw Harry's brilliant green eyes narrow at her. "What the fuck happened. Gibson said he overheard a conversation between you and Malfoy, something about blood wards only working for Malfoys and that I need to ask you the specifics."

Fuck, Gibson had heard.

"Harry, look, it's complicated." Hermione stuttered ringing her hands together and picking at her cuticles, it was her nervous tick that she had developed as a child. Her mother had tried for years to discourage it, but Hermione had never been able to stop. Harry knew her so well that from this one small movement she was keeping something from him.

Eyes narrowing on her hands, Harry's gaze raised so that he was looking her straight in the eye. "Then uncomplicate it, Hermione. Because I'm about to have reports coming in about today and it would be nice to know what the fuck is going on with my best friend before reading it from a bloody field report."

"ImpregnantanditsMalfoys"

"Sorry, didn't catch that."

Lowering her head into her hands, the tears began to freely fall. "I'm pregnant and its Malfoy's." She muttered in a low voice again against the sobs that were tumbling out her throat.

Harry didn't even have time to respond, the slamming of his office door jerked both Harry and Hermione from the stunned silence that had fallen over the pair. Hermione looked up from her hands, but couldn't bring herself to look from Harry as his eyes widened looking over her shoulder. All the color draining from his face gave her the answer as to who was standing in the doorway.

"You cheated on me, with Malfoy. And now, you're pregnant with his child?" Ron's voice rang over the silence that had taken over the room.

Digging deep and trying to find that Gryffindor courage (even if she was a coward) Hermione slowly spun to face her husband. Hermione's eyes traveled from his chest, up his freckled covered neck, to his face, and finally landing on his blue eyes. She couldn't help the flinch looking in his eyes, she had never seen them so full of rage and hurt, all caused by her and her carelessness. "Ron" his name came off her lips with just a breath.

"You, you cheated on me? Hermione, how? Why? When? Where you- where you even going to tell me?"

"Ron, please, let me explain- "

"Explain what, Hermione? What exactly are you going to explain? That you fell into bed with Malfoy, MALFOY!"

"It's not what you think- "

"IT'S NOT WHAT I THINK? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? YOU'RE PREGNANT, HERMIONE! YOU'RE PREGNANT AND IT'S MALFOY'S BABY!"

Hands covering her mouth, Hermione could feel her chest ripping apart as his words sank in. He was right, she had done this. She had gone to bed with Malfoy, multiple times. She hadn't thought over what effect taking a fertility potion and sleeping with Malfoy would have. She had been reckless and she was breaking Ron's heart. Not Malfoy, her. There was no one to blame, but herself.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, HERMIONE? YOU SLEPT WITH FUCKING MALFOY! OF ALL THE PEOPLE FOR YOU TO SHAG AND GET KNOCKED UP BY, IT JUST HAD TO BE HIM!"

The tears freely fell from Hermione's eyes as she watched Ron spin on the spot and storm out of Harry's office, leaving a stunned Harry and a sobbing Hermione in his wake.

After a silence that felt like an eternity, Harry finally spoke, breaking Hermione from her rambling thoughts. "He spent the weekend at my house. After he left the restaurant, he went back to go and apologize, but you were sitting with Malfoy and Nott having dinner so he came to my house." Another sob ripped from Hermione's body.

"He's been worried about you since you found the potion. He could feel you pulling away all week, but he kept saying that he was going to have to win you back. Then he comes to my house saying how you ran into Malfoy at dinner and how you were being all chummy with him. I thought it was odd that he didn't know you had spent the whole week working with Malfoy, but it's your marriage Hermione. Who was I to say what you should and should not disclose to your husband? Of all thing, this never crossed my mind as a possibility, I love you, Hermione, but I can't get involved in this." Taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose, Harry let out a long sigh.

"Why don't you take some time off, yeah? Things are about to get very messy and complicated in your life, Hermione. It might be best if you take some time?" Without another word, Hermione nodded her head and slowly backed out of Harry's office. His eyes still closed; Hermione wasn't even sure if he knew that she had left.

ooo

It didn't come as a surprise when a week later a ministry owl arrived at her parents' house with an official request from Ron for a divorce. She hadn't heard from Ron since that day in Harry's office, after she had left the Ministry, she had flooed home and found it empty. With a few simple spells, Hermione was able to collect all her belongings into her old school trunk and had taken refuge with her parents since.

Harry had reached out to let her know that he still loved her, but it was complicated for him with being married to Ginny. Ginny was furious, even going as far to send Hermione a howler calling her a slag. Hermione couldn't even find it in herself to be angry at Ginny for the insult. She was a slag, what type of woman cheats on her husband with the person who had always sought to make his life as miserable as possible growing up, and apparently into adulthood.

The Wednesday following the raid at Malfoy Manor, Hermione received a copy of the Daily Prophet. On the front page was the announcement of Malfoy and Astoria's divorce. The details of the separation and settlement had not been released, but they had speculations. It ranged anywhere from Astoria having a blood curse put on her by Lucius for not producing an heir to Malfoy having a secrete relationship with a French witch he had been seen with in Paris over the holidays the year before. If Rita had done any research before she published articles, they would have known the witch he was in Paris with was his cousin.

When Friday came, however, Hermione had tried to cancel her appointment with Theo, but it was in vain when he showed up to make a house call to check on her. Hermione had cried into his shoulder while he rubbed soothing circles along her spine. Once she had calmed down, Theo had been able to do a quick diagnostic on her and confirmed that she was pregnant and so far, all her hormone levels were rising exactly how he would want them to.

Hermione promised that she would come in to see him the following Monday to check her hormone levels again to make sure that they were still rising as expected. If they were, then Theo said he would be fine with not seeing her in his office again until she was eight weeks along.

Even with all that happening, the most significant was that Hermione hadn't spoken to Malfoy since the day at the Manor. Oh, he had tried. He had adamantly tried to contact her. She had received two to three messages a day, all left unopen on her childhood desk. Her assistant had even sent her an owl on Thursday that Malfoy had been inquiring about her whereabouts and when she would be returning to work.

So, on that Monday, after getting the official divorce papers, and all her thoughts of her pending divorce, Hermione stepped into the Floo to make her way to the promised appointment with Theo. Stepping out of the fireplace, the only thing Hermione noticed was the man sitting with his forearms leaning on his thighs while he bounced his legs.

When he looked up, the white blond fringe was hanging in his startling grey eyes. Gazes locking, Hermione was helpless as he swiftly moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her to his chest.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry this happened. This isn't how any of this should have ever happened." Malfoy's words broke open the gates that had been holding back her tears.

"No, I should have known better. You didn't know that I was getting fertility treatment." Heavy lashes made it difficult to look up at the man in front of her, but she tried.

"Hermione Granger-Weasley, Healer Nott will see you now." The reunion was interrupted by the summons, bringing them both back to the plain of reality that they weren't alone and were in public.

"Uh, I guess I'll just wait here for you to finish then?" Malfoy said, releasing his hold on her.

"Actually, if you want to come with me, you can, Mal- er, Draco."

"I'd like that."

ooo

"My father knows."

"I'm sorry?" Hermione and Draco had just flooed back to her parents' home after her appointment with Theo. Hermione's hormone levels were exactly where they needed to be for a healthy pregnancy.

Having Draco at her appointment was much different than it had been the few times Ron had joined her. Ron, she could tell was never invested in the appointments and never had any questions or comments when Theo would ask. He just felt, disconnected. Draco, on the other hand, had been excited and couldn't seem to get all his questions out. Theo had ended up holding up his hand to stop Draco from talking and retrieved a book off his shelf for the blonde to go home and read before their next appointment.

"My father, he uh, he knows you're pregnant."

Fuck. "Oh?"

"Er yeah, when Carwen called you mistress in front of him, he uh, he kind of figured it out same as I did." Racking a hand through the fringe that had fallen in his face, Hermione could tell that he was nervous about his father already knowing about her pregnancy.

"So, um, what now?"

"He, well, he actually had found out about Astoria's relationship and was already looking into how to dissolve my marriage. He wasn't sure if I knew about her affair or not and didn't want to talk to me about it until he had definitive answers. With the pregnancy, it, well it complicates things a bit." With Draco looking down into his tea cup, Hermione reached out her hand to lift his chin so that he would look her in the eye.

"It's okay, well I mean, it's not okay, but we'll figure it out. Is your father upset with you?" Hermione held her breath for what she expected was coming next.

"Yeah, he's furious. He's told me that I need to find living arrangements outside Malfoy Manor to raise the baby in. He also had a few things to say about how bad it's going to look that I'm the reason you and Weasley are getting divorced." The pink tinge that crept up his neck was evident that he was embarrassed by what he was telling her, but Hermione wouldn't let Draco take all the blame for this situation.

"It was the both of us, not just you. I- well, I don't blame you." Hermione released Draco's face now that she was sure that he wasn't going to break eye contact, and reached down so that she could hold his hand.

"Hermione, I know this isn't what we were expecting, and obviously the pregnancy complicates, well us a bit. But, if you'll let me, I think that I would really like to give us a shot. That is, if you want to." Giving her hand a squeeze, Hermione tilted her head slightly to the side and shook it.

"Draco, I just got my divorce papers today. I can't jump into a relationship, baby or not, I need to get through this first before I start something new. I'm not saying never, but I am saying not now." With a nod of understanding, Hermione couldn't help but see the disappointment that was reflecting off Draco.

"How about we be friends?" Looking up from their clasped hands, Draco gave Hermione a real smile and nodded his head.

"I think I'd like that."