The Bad News
"Well you see when any woman of any goes into a mock labor there are always bad consequences." Her tone and face were both grave as she spoke. " We are not sure if anything bad as happened but there is a possibility that one or both of the babies could be either dead or injured"
Am awkward silence fell upon the room. Hermione's face was a look of pure shock and denial. She fell back on the pillows and took a shaky breath. Draco put a hand on her shoulder with a comforting squeeze. Hermione didn't even take notice of it but stared off into space.
"We are very sorry for any losses you may have to suffer." The Healer said before walking away.
"Hermione." Draco whispered sliding onto the bed next to her "It's going to be okay."
Hermione didn't respond she just kept looking out the window that wasn't far from where she was.
The other Healer came over to them "Ms. Granger we have to take you to St. Mungo's for further testing on the babies and yourself."
"What does she look like to you a lab rat?" Draco snarled angrily that they could talk like that. Hermione jabbed him in the ribs.
The Healer jumped back in surprise at his outburst but Professor Snape stepped in "Mr. Malfoy be quiet or I'll be forced to take away house points." He snapped, but it was obvious it was a hollow threat.
Draco remained silent while the Healers explained what was going to happen. Hermione barely listened but managed to nod at times. She was a traumatized. Her babies were in enough danger but now they could be dead before they were even born.
"You will be able to get out of the hospital in about three days." Hermione nodded again.
"Let Amy and Blaise in." She croaked her voice cracking and tears escaped her eyes to roll down her pale cheeks.
Amy and Blaise entered and upon seeing Hermione in tears ran over to the bed. Amy immediately wrapped Hermione in her arms, soothingly. Draco pulled Blaise to the side and explained what had happened. Blaise was very shocked and sad. Hermione had told him that he would be the Godfather of her babies.
"They'll be okay." He told Draco to comfort him but also to comfort himself.
Hermione seemed to have told Amy because they were both crying and holding each other. Draco and Blaise sighed but walked over and put their arms around the girls. They stayed like that for a while until Hermione started giggling.
"What, may I ask is so funny?" Blaise looked at her like she was crazed to be laughing at a time like this.
"I n...never pictured this could happen." They all gave her odd looks. "I'm seventeen going to hopefully have twins and now Blaise Zambini and Draco Malfoy are trying to comfort me."
"I still don't see what is so funny." Draco said.
"It seems so, so, so surreal." Hermione said thoughtfully.
Madame Promfrey swept into the room "Okay Ms. Granger you are going off to St. Mungo's in twenty minutes. I suggest having someone find you some clothes."
Hermione nodded the smile and laughter wiped from her face as she remembered she had to go to the hospital.
"I'll do it." Amy offered looking up wiping her tears.
"I'll help." Draco kissed Hermione's forehead and walked out of the room with Amy.
Blaise had pulled up a chair and was sitting next to Hermione. "What are you doing for Christmas?" He asked trying to lighten the mood.
"I don't know. I'll probably just stay here at Hogwarts." Hermione sighed.
"Ah, well we'll find something to do." Blaise said smiling slightly "Amy and Draco and me are staying too you know."
"I know." She said offhandedly. "I mean you know I figured they would."
"Hermione something is bothering you." Blaise said quietly.
"Well thanks for the observation Blaise I'm only about to be taken to the hospital to see if my babies are okay." Hermione snapped peevishly.
"No I mean something else is wrong."
"Oh and how exactly can you tell?" Hermione secretly wished Blaise wasn't so good at figuring things out.
"Call it a sixth sense, but you'll feel better if you tell someone." He was speaking in a solemn voice. "I wouldn't tell anyone you know." He added more quietly.
Hermione sighed realizing it would be better to get it off her chest "I am scared of Draco in a sense. He ripped my heart out and stomped on it not long ago and I don't want my heart broken again. How do I know I can trust him so much?"
Blaise thought about that for a moment "He does love you, you know. The night he broke up with you he said he cared too much for your safety. Did you ever think that through?"
Hermione was silent. She had been so hurt that night that she had forgotten completely about what he said about her safety. "I told him I didn't care and who would want..."
"Before you finish that, think about it this way. Draco, even though he never took the oath or got the mark, is in his father's and Voldemort's eyes he's a Death Eater. You don't just hand in resignation to Voldemort either. Draco in a sense ran away from Death Eater service. You don't do that without a major price. Why they didn't kill him is beyond me but instead of killing him they threatened to kill someone very near and dear to him." Blaise interrupted.
"They were going to kill me." Hermione's voice wavered.
Blaise nodded "Draco didn't want you killed so he left you to keep you safe from the Death Eaters. If anything he did you a major favor."
Hermione laid back on her pillows looking up at the ceiling "He saved me." She muttered to herself.
"Yeah, yeah he did." He shifted. There was a pause before Blaise spoke again "Do you have any names thought up?"
"Yeah, I was thinking if one is a girl I'll name it Raja." Hermione said running her hand along her stomach.
"Any boy names?" Hermione shook her head as Draco and Amy then came through the door with a suitcase and a few other bags.
"Guys, I'm going to be in the hospital for three days not three months." Hermione said exasperatedly.
Draco shrugged "You never know when you'll need extra clothes."
Hermione smiled but couldn't answer because the Healers then came out of Madame Promfrey's office.
"Okay Ms. Granger, ready to go?" The shorter one said briskly.
Hermione nodded before asking "Can these guys come with me?" she asked hopefully.
The Healer frowned and looked around at the other three "Only one person can come with you at the moment."
Hermione frowned and bit her lip knowing she wanted Draco at her side.
"Draco your going." Blaise answered for her. Hermione nodded her approval.
The Healers, who didn't exactly take a liking to Draco frowned but couldn't stop her. Draco and Blaise helped her out of the bed. Amy gave her a sisterly hug and said her and Blaise would come as soon as they could. Blaise also hugged her and planted a small brotherly kiss on the top of her head. Draco had an arm around her waist and led her to the fire.
Taking a bit of floo powder her and Draco stepped into the fire "St.Mungo's!" He cried and they were spinning and twirling away.
They came out in the lobby of the hospital. Moments after they moved away from the fire the two Healers appeared behind them. The taller of the two Healers conjured up a wheelchair and forced Hermione down into it. Giving Draco a look he took the wheelchair and began pushing her while the Healers were showing Hermione a schedule that seemed to be when she could do whatever and when her testing would be. Draco leaned forward to see it. It read:
Day 1:
9:00 am-waken up to breakfast
10:30 am-daily health check-up
12:00 pm-lunch
1:30 pm-testing in Room #451
5:30 pm-testing in Room #875
6:45 pm- dinner
Day 2:
9:00 am-waken up to breakfast
10:30 am-daily health check-up
12:00 pm-lunch
1:30 pm-testing in Room #572
5:30 pm-testing in Room #645
6:45 pm- dinner
Day 2:
9:00 am-waken up to breakfast
10:30 am-daily health check-up
12:00 pm-lunch
1:30 pm-testing in Room #572
3:30 pm-testing in Room #239
5:30 pm-testing in Room #645
6:45 pm- dinner
7:30 pm-Final check-up and check-out
Draco frowned. They didn't detail any of the tests that Hermione would have done. Draco just hoped he would be allowed to be with her for all of the tests since tomorrow Christmas break began. The Healers now stopped in front of a door that had sign over top that said Maternity Ward. Opening the doors Hermione was pushed to the other side of the ward. There were about nine other women who were pregnant. Some had husbands with them and others didn't.
Hermione's jumped out of the wheelchair and crawled onto the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed she dangled her feet over the edge. The Healer that hadn't left was scurrying around gathering some new clothes.
"Here dear, you can put these on." She handed Hermione some clothes and pulled the curtains around her bed, ushering Draco behind them.
When Hermione had changed the Healer opened the curtains and they disappeared.
"Are you hungry Ms. Granger? Dinner has already been served but we can still have something sent up." The Healer asked nicely. "Here is a menu you can use." She handed Hermione a folded piece of parchment.
"Um, yeah I'll find something." Hermione took the menu.
"Good, good, you can ring that bell when you're ready." The Healer nodded at a bell on the bedside table "And you can call me Mrs. Garlington." Mrs. Garlington said leaving the ward with a sharp nod.
Hermione took the menu and began looking through it. "You hungry?" She asked Draco.
Draco shook his head.
"Yes you are, you didn't eat dinner." Hermione ignored the shake of his head. "Sit down." Hermione scooted over in her bed so he could sit with her.
Draco sat down on the bed next to her and looked at the menu, putting his arms around her. Hermione poked him in the ribs.
"Pick something; I've already got what I want." Hermione hissed. "Hurry up."
"Ow!" Draco rubbed his ribs. "Um... I'll have whatever you are"
Hermione sighed. "Okay." Reaching out she picked up the bell and rang it. A small hologram appeared in front of them. Mrs. Garlington was on the middle of a black and white screen.
"Yes, Ms. Granger?" She said.
"I am ready to order." She said politely. "I'll have two tofu platters and two small salads." Draco looked up and blanch at the tofu platters.
"I am assuming your ordering for you and him." Hermione nodded. "Well sorry but all visitors must get food from the cafeteria. Your food will be right up." Mrs. Garlington said turning off the hologram.
Hermione frowned, while Draco stood up from the bed.
"I'll be right back." Draco said kissing her cheek.
Hermione nodded. Slipping farther down into her bed, thinking about what she would do after Hogwarts. Maybe she could get a small part time job at the Ministry that could get her and the babies by. Or baby she thought miserably. Looking around at all the other women in the ward she couldn't help but feel odd there. All the other women were much older, at least by a few years. Most of them had husbands or boyfriends with them.
Draco
Draco walked out of the ward and looked around. Seeing there was a map on the wall he walked over to it. The cafeteria was on the fifth floor. Draco was walking up the steps and into the fourth floor. Walking down a corridor he was suddenly shoved to the side as someone was being rushed in on a floating stretcher. Draco got a good look at the person and his blood ran cold and he clammed up at the long platinum blonde hair.
Pushing himself against the wall he got yelled at by one of the Healers.
"You, yeah you!" She yelled at him form across the hall. "Get back to whatever your room is we've got a load more people coming in!"
Draco didn't argue but slipped back into the stairwell and raced back down to the second floor left wing. He slowed down at the door and walked normally into the ward. Hermione looked up and noticed his paler than usual face.
"Draco, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"My mother was admitted to the hospital." Draco said emotionlessly.