Chapter 10: Doctor's Appointment
"Hermione, I made you a doctor's appointment with Dr. Jansen like you asked," Judith informed her daughter three days later over breakfast. "It's this afternoon at 3:00."
"Okay, thank you, Mum," Hermione replied.
"And you'll be able to get there okay?" her mother clarified. "I have to work or I would take you."
Hermione waved her hand. "We'll be fine. It's only five blocks away."
"All right then." She came over and kissed her daughter on the cheek and gave her a hug. "I'll see you tonight then. Bye."
She hugged Draco too then sailed out the door.
"Bye, Mum!" Hermione called then noticed the odd look on Draco's face. "What is it?"
He shrugged. "I guess I'm still not used to parents actually hugging their kids. The most my mother ever did was touch my head ever so often." He shook himself out of his reverie and gave her a small smile. "I guess I'm still getting used to the idea that someone actually cares."
She nodded and gave him a hug. He held her for a while then asked, "So, what's a doctor anyhow?"
Draco and Hermione walked into the doctor's office at 3:00 sharp. Hermione gave her name to the receptionist and they sat down to wait. Five minutes later a nurse stuck her head out and called her name. Hermione put aside the magazine she had been flipping through and turned to Draco. "Are you coming?"
"Am I allowed to?"
"Yes. This is your baby too, you know."
He nodded and stood, following her into the back and looking around with a mild curiosity. All of this was completely new to him.
The nurse took some of her blood for testing, during which Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed his hand, then took the rest of her vitals and left to get the doctor. Once the door was shut, Draco began examining the various equipment around the room.
"What does all of this stuff do anyway?"
"Most of it I have no idea," Hermione replied from her perch on the examination table.
This did, however, raise another question in Draco's mind that he hadn't considered till now. "Hermione, are you going to want a Muggle doctor to deliver this baby or a mediwizard?"
She considered this for a moment. "I would say a mediwizard. This baby is most likely magical and a Healer would know more so what to do in that case." Then another thought occurred to her. "But what about my parents? Will they be able to get into St. Mungo's?"
"I'm sure we can talk to Dumbledore and have him escort them in or something."
She nodded. "Good."
They were cut off from further conversation however when there was a knock at the door. At Hermione's "Come in," the doctor walked in and closed the door. A smile spread across the woman's face as she saw one of her favorite patients. "Hello, Hermione. How are you?"
"Hello, Dr. Jansen. I'm fine, thanks." Hermione gestured to Draco. "This is my boyfriend Draco."
The doctor extended her hand to him. "Hello, Draco. I'm Carla Jansen."
Draco shook her hand. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."
"Well aren't you the polite one," she said, winking at Hermione in the process.
"When he wants to be anyway," Hermione joked.
"Hey! I'm right here you know!"
Both the women laughed and with that the examination was underway. There were several points where Draco looked decidedly uncomfortable (and here he'd thought stirrups were just for riding horses!) and had to force himself not to bolt at the first opportunity. Finally though they appeared to be nearing the end for which Draco was thrilled.
Dr. Jansen noticed his look and laughed. "Don't worry, we really are almost done. Now we just have to take the ultrasound."
He nodded, though he had no clue what an ultrasound was. He was just glad they were nearly finished.
Hermione laid back on the table, as per Dr. Jansen's instructions, and lifted her shirt so her stomach was bare. Draco watched as the doctor spread some sort of slippery substance over his girlfriend's stomach then turn on the machine to her left. The machine hummed to life and Dr. Jansen placed some sort of device on Hermione's stomach. She maneuvered it around for a bit then found what she was looking for. "There. Do you see him?"
Draco looked at the screen where she had indicated and gasped. There on the monitor was their baby. He could just make out the head and the tiny little limbs. Hermione's hand sought his and she squeezed it, her eyes never leaving the screen. "Oh, Draco," she breathed.
He kissed the back of her hand, still too much in awe of the little miracle in front of them to say anything.
Dr. Jansen smiled at their response then froze the image and printed it off. "Well, Hermione, everything seems to be going wonderfully. Is there a doctor you can go to near your boarding school for your next check-up?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes."
"Then go get another check-up there in a month or so." Dr. Jansen handed the girl the ultrasound then scribbled her signature on the file. "Okay, you're all done then. Good luck, don't overtax yourself, and I expect a picture of this little guy when he's born."
"Is it really a boy?" Draco asked quietly.
Dr. Jansen shook her head. "It's too early to tell yet. It's just easier to call it by one or the other instead of saying "it" all the time."
Draco nodded. The doctor shook their hands again and left. He turned back to Hermione, noting the look of pure joy on her face. "We're having a baby, Draco. It almost hasn't seemed real until now."
He grinned. "I know what you mean."
She smiled at him and stood. "Come on. We need to go make copies of this picture. My parents will probably want one and maybe Harry and Ron as well."
"I'd like one too."
"Okay, one for you too." She wrapped an arm around his waist and they headed for the door. "Let's go."
does a little jig ten chapters! whoo hoo! hee hee. don't mind me. hope you enjoy!
