Author's note: Hey everyone, to make up for such an insubstantial chapter AND for taking so long to update, Here is the next two chapters-I just combined them. So Now you all Have one WHOPPER of a chapter! So this goes out to the Future Mrs. Daniel Radcliffe who's shameless sucking up has earned her a mention AND to ProwlingKitKat Who always reveiws me and doesn't get anough recognition! And also to the lot of you who reveiw even when there's nothing to reveiw.

Enjoy.

Chapter 33 – Expected Announcements

Now that everyone was back at school, everything fell back into pattern. The Slytherins all hated the Gryffindors, Professor Snape was as oily a son of a git as he had ever been, Peeves still picked on the first years and got on everyone else's nerves, and the ghosts still flitted around the school being translucent and melancholy-save Nearly Headless Nick who was as cheerful as ever. Madame Pince still snapped at the students and over charged for late fees, Dumbledore still handed out sweets-muggle and wizard alike-and the Creevy brothers still had big watery eyes and walked around with cameras flashing.

This year was the beginning of NEWTS classes and many people's schedules were suddenly and considerably lightened. This, however, was not the case for Draco Malfoy.

Young Draco had no clear idea what he aspired to be and he figured that he would just buy a few hundred companies and delve into everything. Unfortunately, there was no NEWTS course for that, so he just had to take everything, its not as if it was all dreadfully hard, after all he did have the marks.

The OWLS had come in at the end of August, one day before they all had to leave for Hogwarts, Draco had looked at his test scores and was surprised in spite of himself. He was a proud bastard but he didn't expect to do this good. He had scored Outstanding in everything save Care of Magical Creatures (poor) in which he insulted the Hogwarts game keeper to the best of his ability and Divination (exceeds expectations). He had never actually taken divination as one of his subjects, in fact he thought that it was rather stupid. He had just written 'we are all going to die' on every blank space meant for an answer.

The first month of school was quite like any of the other months, save the fact that he had to spend more time with Hermione. Still, until she delivered the baby, they would only get to spend minimal amounts of time together, and that level was pretty tolerable. He had to admit, however, that it was spooky to see her looking relatively normal if a little rounder than before.

They spent their time in their suite of rooms, mostly reading or studying, she was hardworking student and he was a slack-off who wanted to avoid making small talk with his wife.

His wife.

Draco was not under the illusion that Hermione Granger-Malfoy would one day love him for who he was. He had no redeeming qualities save his money and his aristocratic features. Well, he did have some redeeming features, but at not qualities she'd appreciate (i.e. nobility, bravery, truth and some other straight arrow Gryffindor swill.). Besides, he had no use for the romanticized images of matrimony, nothing about his life was romanticized, why should it start now? Anyway, he had always thought that he would probably marry for a merger or an alliance. Pureblooded children were pawns on board to their parents. It was not something Draco liked, but it was something that he had always had to live with.

So life went on business as usual and more often that not, Draco's thoughts turned to his son or daughter, he wondered what he or she would be like, if he or she would look like himself of Hermione.

If he or she would be as powerful as either of them.

Draco was under no illusions, he knew that he was an exceptional student, this heightened by the fact that he didn't work to get the grades he did receive, not to mention he was almost a fully qualified Medical healer and well, Hermione Granger-Malfoy was almost legendary with her marks and her power.

He would have expected that she had gotten an 'outstanding' in everything, which he was surprisingly mistaken. She had gotten an 'exceeds expectations' in ancient Runes, the girl practically cried when she saw the E marring her brilliant record.

He wished desperately that she wouldn't cry. He never knew what to do with girl who cried. The only time he had ever been in the presence of a crying girl, he was with his mother and thankfully he did not have to do much then as his father had taken care of it. He had hugged her and stuff, Draco just had to look empathic. Something told him that if a girl cried around him and he just looked at her all empathic she would slap him.

He exhaled as silently as he could, he would not allow it to be classified as a sigh.

For once he was down in the Slytherin boy's dormitory and he was alone. his father had finally eased up on his security. This was probably because he was being such a nice little home wrecking, murdering, cowardly Deatheater.

In all truth, Draco still had another couple of months before he had to worry about the whole Deatheater thing. Voldemort only ever accepted anyone older than seventeen and a day, and very few people even made it in at such a young age. Ever since Draco had turned eleven his father had been angry with him, punishing him for not growing fast enough.

Oh yes, of course, because beating him was really going to do the trick.

Draco decided that he was not going to brood like a ponce in the dim light and do something productive so he pulled out the book he was reading, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. He glanced around to make sure he was well and truly alone. He didn't want it common knowledge that he was obsessed with muggle literature.

He was halfway through the eighteenth chapter

When suddenly the door burst open revealing Blaise Zabini one of the few people Draco actually tolerated. Draco closed the book and got ripped his wall hanging to the side.

"Malfoy?" Blaise said in something that very nearly was an imperative tone of voice. "Get down into the common immediately!"

Draco stared at him, none of the Slytherins, even the seventh years, ever dared speak to Draco Malfoy like that.

"What is going on, Zabini?" he asked coldly.

Blaise immediately backed down a notch, he wasn't afraid of Draco Malfoy, merely respected him and Blaise Zabini knew his place and that was not in the way of Draco.

"Professor Snape wants to see you immediately." he said and then added hastily. "Don't ask me why."

Draco nodded once and then got up from his bed pushing passed Zabini and descending the staircase. As soon as he reached the common, he knew something was wrong. It occurred to him that thought the Potions master was head of the Slytherin house; he had barely ever seen Snape actually in the Slytherin common room. Whenever he needed to see a student, he sent a note or sent someone to fetch the student. He had never come to collect the student he wished to see himself.

"Professor?" Draco asked, his voice only a tad shakier then normal. He was inwardly struggling to keep himself in check. Outwardly he was as serene as usual. He knew, however, that Snape saw through him quite effectively. He only hoped that no one else did. At the corner of his eye he just noticed Zabini not so subtlety listening on whatever professor Snape had to say.

Draco glared at him for a moment and Zabini rolled his eyes and slunk away, but effectively blocked any of the other boys from listening in on the conversation.

Obviously, the Potions Master noted this as well because he gestured towards the door of the Slytherin common. The wall slid aside at once to accommodate the professor and his star pupil.

"We have a problem, Master Malfoy." Snape said in a conversational tone. "Please come with me."

Draco nodded he understood. Snape inclined his head and turned his heel, Draco followed after him without a backward glance. Once they were a good ways away, Snape allowed Draco to walk level with him.

The professor cast a hasty glance around to make sure that no one was snooping. He muttered a spell under his breath.

"Very well, we can speak freely now." He said lowly. "Draco-"

"What is it, professor?" Draco repeated this time more desperately, it was more emotion than he had ever shown anyone in his life. Something was coming.

"Your wife has just had her water broken." Snape said simply, rather thrown at the genuine feeling in his glacial young godson, "She's been calling for you."

Draco was flabbergasted. She was calling for him? Hermione Granger-Malfoy was calling out for him?

"She's what?"

"Been calling for you." Snape repeated. "She really is a remarkable actress.

Draco shook his head.

"No, Professor." He said. "She's not acting and she's going to rip me a new on for being late."

With that Draco broke into a run towards the hospital wing, leaving Snape to stride quickly after him. The Potions Master knew better than to call after Draco, his son was coming and he was late enough as it is.

As soon as he broke into a run Draco was sure he had played his part well, he even threw the doors open to the Hospital wing a little bit stronger than he had to.

Even though he was a Malfoy and was always taught to exude a dignified air, he figured that any father would be excited at the prospect of the birthing of his first child. And seeing as how he was late, he needed to look hurried and anxious.As soon as he burst in and immediately spotted Hermione, Madame Pomfrey and Professor Mc Gonagall looked up to stare at him for such uncharacteristc behaviour. They were, thankfully the only other inhabitants of the infirmary.

He wasn't sure what would have happened if they were not, though he supposed that Dumbledore would see to it that no one else would be able to enter the infirmary at this time.

"Draco!"

He snapped back to the situation at hand. He strode quickly up to his-insert snort here-wife and took her hand.

"Did I miss anything, love?" he asked.

Hermione was biting her lip, but she shook her head.

"Just a few HUNDRED contractions." she snapped. She was pale, but her cheeks were flushed and her dark hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat. She squeezed his hand, harder than she needed to in his opinion and he very nearly winced. "WHERE have you been?"

Draco bit back the initial urge to snap at her that he was very sorry that he was unable to pencil her unexpected labor into his appointment book ahead of time. It was an unfortunate consequence of being UNEXPECTED.

He couldn't very well say that and seem to be a doting husband. No, that would not do at all. So instead he said:

"It doesn't matter, love, I'm here now."

And then he nearly kicked himself for sounding so terribly mushy. The fact that he had pulled it off with a straight face however, was a feat.

Hermione seemed surprised at this too because she let go of his hand and stared at him incredulously. She thought even that was a little too sappy for the situation. Luckily no one had been to be paying too much attention on him.

Madame Pomfrey materialized at Draco's elbow. She had left Hermione's bedside when Draco arrived, it seemed that she was checking if her pre-natal anesthesiatric potion was finished. Just as she was about to hand Hermione her potion, the girl scrunched up her face and let out an anguished groan. This time, Draco did wince as the hand that he was so very happy to have back in his possession was squeezed back to the point of popping off yet again. He snuck a glance at professor McGonagall and could have sworn the head of the Gryffindor house was smirking in perverse pleasure.

She would probably never forgive him from preventing Hermione Granger from getting together with some other Gryffindor and producing the Gryffindor head boys and head girls of tomorrow.

"The contractions are five minutes apart." she said dryly, plainly addressing Madame Pomfrey.

The nurse nodded.

"Nearly there, Hermione." she said, her tone a lot gentler than she usually used to "I have something for the pain."

She handed Hermione the goblet of light pink potion and Hermione grabbed it drinking it down greedily. Draco couldn't help but sniff it and check the colour just to make sure that I was a proper maternal pain potion. He chocked it all up to pre-fatherhood jitters. Gynecology was really the only branch of medicine that he had not explored and he felt helpless. It was a feeling he found that he loathed and never wished to repeat again in his life.

"God!" Hermione cried collapsing back into the bed and closing her eyes. "You couldn't have given that to me like five hours ago?"

"Five hours ago?" Draco spoke up sounding mildly alarmed. "And I was only informed ten minutes ago?"

McGonagall nodded.

"It seems Miss Granger thought she had the stomach flu." she informed him. "In fact she came to asking if it would harm the baby."

"Professor Snape seemed to be under the impression that her water just broke." Draco countered.

McGonagall smiled a tight lipped smile.

"Yes, well," she said. "I would like to see you try and explain the matters of human births to Severus Snape."

Draco had to fight not to laugh at that visual. That the Potions Master would know anything or even want to know anything about babies or even children was an absurd thought.

"Point taken." he said impassively.

The transfiguration teacher nodded briskly and then arranged her features in her patent stern scowl. Draco was a little grateful for this. He was not used to seeing Professor Mc Gonagall in a non-teacher role. It was just-rather strange. Almost like seeing Dumbledore at the beach.

No, Dumbledore at the beach was weirder.

"I shall inform the rest of your teachers that you two are to be excused for the rest of classes today." she said in a business-like manner, but she allowed a small smile. "And I shall return later with the headmaster."

Draco nodded turning his attention back to his wife unconsciously checking her vitals to see if everything was fine. The girl in question, obviously had no idea what he was doing.

"Thank you, professor!" Hermione said weakly from where she was trying to get some rest on the bed. "For everything. I could not have gone through any of this without you."

At Hermione's words, the formidable older witch's smile became a lot more genuine. And everyone said Snape openly favored the Slytherins, Mc Gonagall was currently displaying how much she favored Hermione Granger-Malfoy above everyone else.

"You forgetting about me, love?"

Hermione scowled at him and turned her attention back to her professor.

"You are very much welcome, Hermione" Mc Gonagall said appearing not to have heard Draco, she then strode briskly up the door to exit the hospital wing, but paused before she stepped though them. She turned and looked straight at Draco. She sighed as of to steel herself at what she was about to say, like she realy really did not wasn't to be saying them.

"Congratulations, Master Malfoy." she said. "I am happy for you."

Draco stared at her until she left a moment later, just dwelling in the weird moment that had just happened. Then he shook his head and turned his attention back to Hermione. Who seemed to be dozing off when she her eyes suddenly flew open and she reached desperately for Madame Pomfrey.

"Now! Now!" she said. "The baby is coming now!"