Author's note: This is a pretty chatty chapter, not so much fun because its almost all Dumbledore's musings. So i'll try and get another fun chapter up soon.

Chapter 9 - The Headmaster

Albus Dumbledore felt his mouth drop open.

Seated on one of the plush violet chair in front of him, Hermione Granger sat. Shenot able to meet his eyes, instead she looked down focusing on where her hands were fiddling with her skirt. On the seat next to her sat, Draco Malfoy, looking cool and calm as if he was only a little bit affected with what was going on around him not at all the integral other half.

Damn him and his apathy.

However to the headmaster's trained eye, under the thin veneer of nonchalance, he Slytherin looked stormy and fatigued. This situation bothered him more than he was letting on.

They were giving him time to process the news that they had just broke to him. Albus was grateful for that, for a million things immediately whirled though his head. Obviously they had thought the better of terminating the pregnancy. Snape would not have requested audience with him if they had already decided to abort the child. No. they had put thought into this, they had already dismissed that option. Besides, it would completely out of Miss Granger's character to allow someone else to suffer for her mistakes.

And for that he was glad, it boasted the maturity and responsibility of two of his top students.

They had likewise, already realized that danger that a child such as this could be born into, given his or her parents.

He studied them quickly. Miss Granger looked panicky, a little red with shame and seemed to be looking to mister Malfoy for support. For his part, Malfoy looked tightly coiled, fatigued and confused, a little intimidated and trying desperately to hide everything from the Gryffindor that he supposedly loved.

Dumbledore allowed this scrutiny to on for a few more seconds. He was as just as skeptical as Snape had been, it was difficult not to be with the given situation. Even he did not foresee anything like this in Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy's futures. Albus, however, was sure that Miss Granger was indeed pregnant; she simply was not someone who would joke about such things.

It seemed that Dumbledore had been silent too long.

Young Malfoy shifted slightly in his seat. If the headmaster didn'tknow anybetter he would have thought the pureblood was squirming. And Miss Granger looked like she was subtlety hyperventilating.

"You aren't going to toss us out on the streets are you, professor?" she asked in a shaky voice. "We aren't going to have to beg for knuts in Knockturn Alley?"

Albus continued to stare at her harshly with unblinking blue eyes. She squirmed under his gaze and twitch uncomfortably. Draco caught this and took her hand in his. She seemed to relax a little after that.

Was he going to send them out on their own?

Dumbledore allowed the thought to swim in his mind for about a millisecond.

Of course not.

That would be the most idiotic thing he could have done. Any child of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy would have enormous potential, of that he was sure. Should Lucius find out that his son had produced offspring with someone that he considered unworthy, he would kill the child. That alone was enough reason for him to protect it, but also Voldemort would just LOVE to get his hands on a child such as this, and that was why Dumbledore had to protect it.

That was not, however the only thing Albus was thinking about.

For years Severus Snape had told him about Draco Malfoy. He had said that young Malfoy was gifted with magic, perhaps even more adept with school work as Miss Granger should he just apply himself. All through the years he had been trying to erase what growing up in Lucius Malfoy's household had imprinted on the boy. By the time he was in his fifth year, Snape had all but given up. He was frustrated at young Malfoy's insistence in being the perfect arrogant pure blood, retracing the steps of his father, Lucius before him. Perhaps this was the break that they had been waiting for, this child, this union between him and Hermione would bring young Malfoy to his senses. Perhaps now he would think for himself and not blindly follow his father's wishes.

Dumbledore had two things in front of him Voldemort would have wanted, a child of two extremely powerful wizards and a boy who had been put on the list for a Deatheater even before he was born. Besides these reasons, he also had a chance to save a young boy from a terrible fate and to pay back an old friend for all the services that she had rendered along with Ron Weasley and Harry Potter over the years.

In short, a golden opportunity had fallen into his lap, and he did not intend to squander it.

"I am sure you came here preparing for the worst." he said finally, he made sure his tone was unreadable. Both Young Malfoy and Miss Granger leaned forwards, both of them half dreading, half needing to hear the answer. He had been silent for too long. "but since you seem to realize what you have done and accept the consequences I see no need for you to be punished further." his eyes twinkled when he saw the tension leave them and both sagged from the release, young Malfoy's much harder to detect that Miss Granger. "You shall both remain in school and I shall do everything in my power to keep the three of you from harm, you both and your unborn child. It seems that is what you needed? Protection against the Dark Lord and you father, young Master Malfoy? Surely they would not condone such a union."

"Yes, sir." conceded Draco Malfoy politely. "They would not. They would-" he paused, seeming as though he could not go one with his statement. "They would ki-" Hermione looked at him for a moment and then down at her stomach. Draco composed himself-seemingly as a comfort to the girl next to him. "They would not."

Dumbledore nodded. If this was a fallacy to gain the his support and assistance then it was a marvelous performance, Master Malfoy was a very talented actor, Miss Granger even more so for all of this went against her nature."

"Very well," he said suppressing the urge to smile. "I shall not lie; you two are two of the most talented pupils in school. It would not do the waste your talent. That is half the reason you are not being expelled. Also this is a very inopportune time to be left out with no where to go, the child only adds risk. So you two shall remain here for your last two years at Hogwarts. The faculty and I shall all work to protect the child as best we can." he nodded slowly. "However I hope that you understand this is best left discreet. It simply would not do to let the rest of the student body in on this, rumor mill or not. That is why I need the two of you to continue acting, er, less than civil towards each other."

Both students in front of him nodded solemnly. They had probably deduced this on their own, they were the brightest Hogwarts had seen in quite some time.

"I assure you that your child will be kept in the safest of hands," he continued. "Kept far from Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy."

"Thank you professor," Young Malfoy spoke up. He looked as if he desperately wanted to be out of the office."We are greatly-"

"One more thing, Master Malfoy." Albus interrupted. The blond Slytherin nodded for him to continue and settled back down in his chair. "You two will of course be wed, I hoped we could take care of most of the details today?"

Malfoy froze, stunned. Hermione as well stared at him as a deer would in the path of a on coming train.

"W-w-wed?" she managed to sputter out.

Dumbledore smiled warmly.

"But of course." he said.

"Pardon me, Headmaster." she said. "This is just such-such-such" a pause. "Wonderful news, we did not think you would allow it. We had thou- thought- well, I'm not sure what we thought, but whatever it was it wasn't this."

The headmaster turned to her.

"Have you already made plans, Miss Granger?" he asked.

Hermione nodded.

"But perhaps we should discuss them a different time?" she said in a voice perhaps an octave or two higher then usual, "Ma-Draco and I really ought to return to our houses or else we'll be missed."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

"I see." he said. "Perhaps tomorrow, at the same time, then?"

The both nodded, getting up and practically bolting for the door.

"Master Malfoy, please do call in Professor Snape before you leave." he said. Draco Malfoy looked confused for a moment. "He's pacing in the antechamber right outside."

He nodded and left, closing the door behind him.