Author's Note: I hope you guys like this chapter. It is a tad short, but this is my first time describing childbirth. And it is absolutely horrid. -_-; I still hope you like.

Chapter Seventeen

~Of childbirth and surprises~

"You're in what?" Draco asked, gaping at her still form. He jerked up from his chair and walked over to her, grabbing her shoulders slightly, "Isn't this supposed to last nine months? You've only seven! And… what is that?" he asked looking down, contorting his face for there was a great puddle of water beneath her. She looked at him.

"My water broke… and I think I had a contraction earlier. I'm in labor." She shifted a bit, going slightly paler. She looked like she was frightened. Well, he would be too. After all, she had the prospect of something much resembling a turkey to come out of her… well, of her.

"No, it has to be a mistake," he stated easily, almost relieved. "Perhaps it kicked too hard and it broke that water-thing."

Yes, that was it. It was simply too soon for the baby to come out. There was no room ready for it, and though there were quite a few things, not everything that was needed had been bought. He looked at her.

"Draco Malfoy, this baby is coming out and it's coming out now!" she said and gripped his arms momentarily, screwing her eyes shut and emitting a low 'oh!' in surprise. She then loosened her grip and opened her eyes, he saw tears in them.

"Let's get you to a room," he said and picked her up, rather difficultly as she was letting herself fall limp.

***

Mediwitch Gillian had been called and she had appeared instantly. She had confirmed that Ginny was indeed in labor. "Oh don't worry," she had stated as she began to do numerous things to Ginny to get her ready, "It's quite normal for babies to be premature. They'll be slightly smaller than normal babies though, in most cases."

The surroundings were transformed. What once was a luxurious guest room now looked more or less like a hospital room. There were some potions, ointments and numerous of other magical properties and instruments Draco dared not to go into description of.

Every thirty seconds or so, Ginny would screw her eyes shut again and begin to breathe agitatedly to then stop after a few seconds. She would open her eyes, tears visible but not cried and sweat shining on her forehead. Draco remained by her side, and her hand gripped his with little strength as of now. He saw as the Mediwitch now parted Ginny's legs, opening them as wide as she could muster. Draco tilted his head at this, but could not concentrate as Ginny begun to whimper again.

"Okay dear," said the Mediwitch to Ginny, "I will need you to start pushing already, alright? When I tell you, you push." She received a very vague nod from Ginny who was now catching her breath. "Right, now breathe deeply—yes; very well, like that—and now push,"

Ginny grunted and Draco saw her shut her eyes and begin to struggle. Every now and then, Gillian would say phrases as "Very good," or "That's it, one more." After every ten second push, Ginny would fall back onto the pillow exhaustedly and shake her head. Draco would caress her damp forehead and push her hair away from it.

Another push and Ginny seemed as if she would slip into unconsciousness, but she never did. Tears now fell freely, confusing themselves with the droplets of sweat that made their way down her face and neck.

Draco saw his wife's face contort with what seemed to be the worst suffering she'd even gone through. He wondered why such a thing could hurt her so much. Hadn't his mother said that it was the greatest thing that happened to a woman? That the joy of giving birth could not be compared to anything? He would like to know very much where the hell that so-called joy was. Unless she had meant that joy was screaming and writhing, but then that would make her sadistic.

Then again, what did he know?

His thoughts were interrupted by his hand becoming numb. He looked down at it and saw his already-pale fingers become even paler with how she held his hand; which was very tightly. Now where the hell had she gotten so much strength? She cried out loudly and fell against the pillow again.

It had gone on now for six hours since she had said she was going to give birth and the baby still hadn't come out of her. It had been an intense hour of pushing and still not even a glimpse of hair. Mediwitch Gillian, however, seemed as though everything was as normal as ever.

"Isn't it supposed to be out by now?" said Draco desperately, not as much as for Ginny, though that was important, but because he felt he would lose a hand very soon. Ginny was panting in a momentary pause.

"Just a bit more," said the Mediwitch. Draco refrained from yelling at her that she had been saying that for the last half hour already. Gillian propped Ginny's leg up so her feet rested on the Mediwitch's shoulders. "Okay, Mrs. Malfoy, we're coming to an end, you're doing great," she flashed a smile which Ginny did not see as her eyes were closed and which Draco returned as a glare. "Now I will need you to push harder and longer, on my count," Ginny propped herself up on her elbows, preparing herself again. "Now!" said the Mediwitch and Ginny began to push as if her life depended on it.

And in some ironic way; it did.

"GET—THIS—THING—OUT—OF—ME!" cried Ginny clutching at the sheets now and Draco was slightly thankful she had let go of his hand. He saw her and heard her grunt loudly. He couldn't help but feel guilty that he had done this to her. After all, he had indeed.

"There's the head!" said Gillian excitedly and Draco was snapped out of his reverie, jumping slightly startled at the sudden excitement. He looked at Ginny, who seemed to not have computed the words really. "Come on, Mrs. Malfoy; keep going, it'll be out," she looked intently between Ginny's legs. "Come on, Mister Malfoy, you should see."

Draco eyed Ginny, which was now in half-scream, half-sob as she pushed with all her might, and then to Gillian, who beckoned Draco to go and have a look. He walked over to the latter and glimpsed quickly between Ginny's legs to see scarce strands of damp hair—though he couldn't make out the color as of yet as he looked too quickly to tell—on a round head that prodded out.

"Uuughh!" said Ginny—or at least that was what it sounded like—and Draco resumed his position beside her. It happened quickly, one minute all he heard was Ginny's screams and the next he heard faint crying, which became louder and louder until he saw Gillian pull out a wrinkled little thing out of Ginny; that wrinkled little thing was screaming and crying and completely covered in blood and other things, with the umbilical cord attached. It was, most likely, the most repulsive thing he had seen, ever.

At that moment, Ginny fell back, sobbing slightly and sweating uncontrollably. Draco kissed her forehead lovingly and caressed her. "You did it, love," he whispered to her, drying her face with his hands and leaned to give her a kiss on the mouth. She gave another sob as she cupped her hand on the back of his neck.

He pulled back slightly to watch her; her dark eyes were glinting and a faint smile was upon her lips. "I love you," she whispered in a barely audible voice; she seemed to have lost her voice with all the grunting, groaning, screaming and such. Draco let himself smile at her before giving her another quick kiss.

"I love you too," he said to her and she nodded, then he pulled away completely to watch the Mediwitch washing the baby with her eyes closed and humming. She then cut of the umbilical cord and raised the baby in her hands. She grinned.

"Here it is," said Gillian with a broad smile and then wrapped the baby in a sheet. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She opened the sheet to look at the baby, she then frowned slightly and curiously, she looked up at the two of them. "What do you know…" she said trailing off slightly and blinking. "You have a beautiful, healthy… girl."

Author's Note: Yay! Just to say, that I was thinking of making it a girl ever since I started the story. I was amazed at how many people wanted it to be a girl though. So… I got my wish and you got yours! ^_^ was it any good? Did it completely suck? Rate it: A, B, C, D, or F. Don't rate it by the length though, because I have like a C on that, I know. –giggles- Review, please! You'll get a… hug! –hugs- Ooh, and I do recommend you to visit my online journal (link can be found on the A/N of the 15th chapter. I say when I update and my ideas for other stories. And you can comment and give ideas.

Review!

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