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**** DRACO ****

A very loud, very undignified snore woke me with a start. I was covered in a sheen of sweat, and was hot. Too hot. I looked down, realising that I was cocooned in the bed covers. All of them.

I kicked them off and rolled to my side, chuckling at the sight. Hermione was out cold, laying on her side, one arm curled beneath her pillow, the other stretched out, pushing me away. The cute squeaky sound she usually made when she slept had all but disappeared, replaced with a sound not unlike an angry grizzly bear. But at least the sprawling way she usually slept had stopped. Now, once she was asleep, she barely moved.

Another snore vibrated out of her and she shoved at me in her sleep, her legs kicking at the covers that she had already piled over me. I glanced towards the window and was surprised to see that it wasn't open. She had been hot and uncomfortable the last few nights - well, actually she'd been hot and uncomfortable for the last month - and as I had been repeatedly told, since it was entirely my fault, I would have to deal with the icy winter winds blowing into our bedroom.

I shifted closer to her - she would probably angrily shove me away, but I didn't care. I loved her like this, beside me in bed sleeping soundly. She had been doing so for several years now, but this was different. This was my entire family right here with me.

Her tank had ridden up, exposing the swell of her giant belly, and I ran my hand over her warm skin, as I did as often as I could, and smiled as a foot or hand pushed out against my palm. I loved feeling our baby inside her, loved the kicks and bumps, loved how the tiny movements gave me the chance to be a part of our baby's life.

It had been an unexpected tug on my heart the first time I felt it, just a tiny jab against my hand, gone as soon as I registered what I had felt. Hermione had laughed at my surprise - she had been feeling the movements for weeks before I could - and she'd had to become accustomed, sometimes begrudgingly so, to my hand constantly touching her, wanting to feel exactly what she was.

I moved down the bed so I was level with her belly and pressed my lips to her stretched skin.

"Hey, little one," I whispered, "Are you awake?"

The first time I'd talked to her stomach I had felt ridiculous. I'd come across Hermione chatting happily to the vacant living room one evening and thought she'd gone mad. But she had explained that she was talking to the baby because it was able to hear everything and she wanted it to know all about music and books and magic and the sea outside our door. I'd assumed she was having me on, but after reading several books on the subject, I'd discovered that my son or daughter would most definitely recognise my voice the more I spoke.

So I had begun to do the same, chatting to both Hermione and the baby about my day, reading to it when Hermione was too exhausted to do so, and feeling less idiotic each time I did, until it had become a part of our daily lives.

I pushed gently against her, feeling the baby press back against me, "I can't wait to meet you, so if it's not too much to ask, feel free to join us any day."

I felt a hand in my hair, and looked up to find her smiling at me.

"We still have three weeks," she said, "It can take all the time it wants."

I kissed her stomach again and moved up to lay beside her. She had been amazing throughout the entire pregnancy. Unlike both of Ginny's, Hermione had been lucky and had only been sick for a few weeks at the beginning, and it had been smooth sailing until now. She was tired and irritable, her back ached constantly, and she had taken to wearing little more than a cotton tank and sweat pants around the house. And even with the freezing temperatures outside, her feet were always bare.

She looked at the covers piled at the end of the bed. "Sorry," she said, "I probably should just sleep naked."

I ran my hand along the curve of her breast, "I would have zero objections to that."

She leaned into my hand, sighing, "I know you wouldn't."

I propped myself up on one elbow, "Did you want to try that now?"

She laughed and shoved at my chest, "Really? You do not find me attractive like this."

I cupped her breast, gently stroking my thumb over her nipple, loving the tiny gasp that she tried to tamp down.

It was a pregnancy perk I hadn't been prepared for. Her breasts. They were fuller, lush and pert, and more sensitive than ever. And I had been hard pressed to look anywhere but at them whenever she was near me. And the more her stomach grew, the more attractive I had found her. She was softer, curvier, and even more alluring than when I had first been with her, and I had been a walking hard-on for months.

"That's where you're wrong, Granger." I took her hand and pressed it to my rapidly growing cock. Her eyes went wide and I sniggered, "Is that proof enough?"

"And what if I don't want to?" She teased and then circled her hand around me, letting me know that it was, in fact, exactly what she wanted.

This was another perk that I had thoroughly enjoyed; my horny, pregnant girlfriend. Harry had alluded to the fact, but I truly hadn't believed him. But there had been some days, especially early on, where she would give me that look and we'd have to leave work at lunchtime.

I pinched her nipple. "Then you can just lay there and watch while I pleasure myself." I leaned in close to her ear, "Just don't complain when you can't get yourself off."

She scowled at me, "You don't play fair."

"Do you want me to play fair?" I asked and she laughed again.

"Draco, you cannot honestly want me right now?" She waved her hands, indicating her swollen belly and looking at me with the same disbelief she had every time I had wanted her in last few weeks.

I had seen her naked more times than I could count, but seeing her like she was - pregnant and glowing - was my favourite version of her.

"You are as beautiful now as you have ever been, maybe even more so." I spread my hand over her belly and smiled at her, "And this just makes me want you more."

"Liar," She whispered, her eyes shining in the moonlight spilling into the room.

"Never," I said and threaded my fingers through her wild hair, kissing her slowly, instantly lost in her. I wanted her with the desperation I always felt when she teased me, I wanted to show her just how much her body drove me crazy.

I swept my tongue against hers, and her hands clutched at my hair, a tiny breathy sound spilled into my mouth and I kissed her harder. Our mouths danced, our tongues tangling as the distant sound of rain began to pound against the glass.

My blood simmered just below boiling point and my cock throbbed with the need to be inside her. My hands shoved at her sleep shorts, pushing them down her legs and she kicked them off with her feet. She rolled to her back and I followed, pressing harder into her side, kissing her mouth, her jaw, her throat, sliding my hand over the rise of her belly and then into the soft, damp skin between her thighs.

My fingers found her clit, circling the tight bud, starting out softly, and I murmured against her lips, telling her how much I wanted her, how beautiful she was, how much I loved her sweet, wet pussy. She groaned, a tight, sexy sound that had my balls tightening and my need for her growing.

I dragged two fingers along her slit, stroking and teasing her, watching her face as she completely surrendered to my touch. "I love how turned on you get just for me," I circled her clit, increasing the pressure and loving the small shudder that slipped down her spine.

"Draco," she breathed, "I love your hands."

I nuzzled her neck, running my tongue around her ear, and stilled my hand. "I thought you loved my cock."

She reached down and I grunted when she squeezed me, hard. "Don't you fucking stop!"

I smiled against her skin and plunged my fingers into her. She cried out my name, her fingers curling tighter into my hair.

I trailed my mouth in a slow series of wet kisses down her throat to her collar bone and across the swell of her breast, licking a teasing circle around her nipple, before taking the overly sensitive bud between my teeth. She cried out again, and I bit down gently, all the while keeping my fingers moving slowly in and out of her.

She began to rock her hips in time with my hand, her own hand sliding along the length of me, stroking me and matching the slow rhythm I had set.

"Draco," her hand gripping my hair pressed down, holding me against her breast, "I need more."

My groan was muffled by her soft flesh, but I bit down harder and increased the pace of my hand, feeling her growing wetter with each stroke. I worked her until her breath was raged, twisting my fingers, pumping them in and out of her until her body trembled and she gasped. I pressed my thumb against her clit and her thighs clamped together as every muscle in her body tensed and she climaxed hard around my hand.

I lifted my head to look at her; her eyes were closed and a small smile danced over her lips. I brushed her dampened hair from her forehead and kissed her cheek lightly. "You okay?"

Her smiled widened and slowly opened her eyes, "I hope you're not finished."

I laughed and told her, "Not even close," and shifted away from her, waiting for her to roll to her side, but she didn't move.

"Like this, she said and reached for me. "I want you over me"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded and I grinned. It had been a while since I'd had her under me. We'd discovered an array of new positions when her belly began to grow. She still liked me over her, but I was more cautious, not want to lose control and harm the precious cargo that she carried. I usually took her from behind, either on her knees or lying on her side, or she'd ride me – which I insisted she do as often as she liked.

But I'd missed not looking down and seeing her face as she fell, the beautiful way she would strain and arch under me. Missed the way we would both watch as I slid through her, the way she would open her eyes at the last second and watch me as she fell over the edge.

I settled my knees between her thighs, curling my hands around her hips and tilting her gently towards me. She smiled at me, that sweet smile that was just mine. She reached her hand towards me and I linked my fingers with hers.

"Why do you love me like this?"

I looked at her with same disbelief that she had shown me. She'd thought herself fat in the last few weeks, it was the reason she was constantly asking me why I wanted her so much. And it seemed that every time I did want her, we went through the same routine; her telling me she wasn't beautiful, and me telling her she was wrong.

But now, lying beneath me, she was beyond tempting. She was decadent. She was an indulgence that I still didn't think I deserved. Her skin was soft, dotted with freckles that I had kissed a thousand times or more. Her breasts were perfect, her pink nipples hardened into tight peaks, and ripe for the taking.

I gently ran my hands over them, feeling the tiny peaks grow even stiffer against my palms.

"Every single inch of you is perfection." I whispered to her, "And I hate that you think otherwise."

"But—" she began and I cut her off.

"Granger," I warned, my voice firm. "You should know by now not to argue with me. You are gorgeous." I ran my hands over her stomach, skirting over her hips, down her thighs and back up again, "Your curves are gorgeous, your bump is beautiful, and your tits are fucking amazing."

She let out a small laugh and her voice was breathy when she asked, "Are you going to fuck me?"

I shook my head and simply told her "No."

She shoved at my chest, surprising me, her expression changing instantly from playful to pissed, "If you're not going to fuck me, don't bother." She snapped and squirmed beneath me.

My entire body tensed, "Hermione what—"

She shoved at me again, but I didn't budge, "You've been sweet and charming since I've gotten fat, but I want my Draco back. My dominant, rough, Draco. And I don't know how many more times I have to ask, but I want you to fuck me."

I stared down at her, shifting my hips back until my only the tip of my cock was inside her. She was looking at me with such anger that I had to smile.

Once more, she was right. I'd become softer with her when her belly began to grow. But as much as I wanted to, and even though she had asked me repeatedly for more, I just couldn't bring myself to be rough and hard with her when the evidence of our baby was on display. I loved making love to her, but she was the most precious being on the planet, and I refused to allow anything to harm her, and that included me.

But she was now looking at me with such frustration and anger, I knew that I'd been failing and not giving her what she truly wanted.

"Am I being sweet and charming, and stupidly idiotic, again?"

"Unbelievably idiotic." She reached up and touched my cheek, "We have three weeks, Draco, and if this baby arrives in the normal way, it could be weeks, even months before we can do this again."

I leaned over her, being careful not to press too hard against her belly. I kissed her and grinned, "Stunningly beautiful and a genius, how did I get so lucky?"

"Well, luck played its part, but…" She said trailing one finger down my chest, "Once I saw your giant penis, there was no going back."

I chuckled and then sighed, "I'm sorry. I should have listened to you and given you what you wanted."

"What I needed," she corrected, "And right now, I need you."

I lifted my hand to her breast, "You need me to fuck you?"

She shot me a challenging look, "If you think you can."

I pulled completely out of her and laughed at the confused look on her face. I climbed off the bed, gripping her ankles, tugging her down the mattress and positioning her at the edge of the bed. I took her in and she was perfection; all naked breasts and belly, making my cock twitch and grow even harder.

I opened her legs, roughly, and stepped between them, not missing the look of satisfaction already glinting in her eyes.

She knew that she'd gotten her way, knew that she'd won. But if rough and dominant were what she wanted, she hadn't won, not yet.

I touched the tip of my cock to the plump, pink paradise that I'd neglected, rubbing and teasing. She whimpered when I tapped the hard ridge against her clit, her fingers clenching at mine, and telling me to 'never stop.'

I told her 'never' and curled over her, planting my hands beside her head and push into her, capturing her gasp with my mouth. Her body accepted me easily. Her pussy was hot and wet, and the slide into her felt like heaven.

I shuddered when I was all the way in, holding still, feeling the curve of her belly against me. Her legs wound around my thighs, hands clutching at my shoulders, her voice pleading, telling me to move fast and hard.

"No," I said and she glared up at me. I smirked and threw her words back at her, "You wanted your Draco back. And your Draco doesn't play fair."

She growled at me, but I could see the excitement in her eyes.

I gripped her breasts, squeezing roughly, and the sound that she made was exquisite in my ears. The sound of relief and joy and ecstasy all rolled into one tight moan. I kneaded and squeezed and flicked my thumbs over her tight nipple, teasing and taunting, and then, because I knew that she wasn't expecting it, I lightly slap one breast.

She blinked at me in surprise, "What was that for?"

"For being so fucking beautiful," I slapped her again, "For being smarter than me." Slap. "For making me realise how stupid I am." Slap.

Her head rolled to one side, her mouth opening and groaning at my rough hands, "More."

I placed soothing kisses on her reddened skin, then covered one nipple with my mouth, sliding my hand down to where I was buried inside her. I flicked her clit, and she bucked up, her hands flailing, looking for purchase in the bed sheets.

"You like that?" I asked and flicked her clit again. And thrust my hips against her.

She let out a long, low moan, and I grinned, my chest filling with pride.

"Feels so good, baby."

"I know," I said, panting, still plunging through her.

And I suddenly saw my Hermione. This gorgeous woman, my gorgeous woman, I'd missed her. I'd longed to touch her like this, to tease and play until she was begging me to let her climax, but my own stupidity stopped me again from allowing us to enjoy what we both needed.

And then that was what I did. I gave us both exactly what we needed. My hands gripped her hips and I drove into her, her heat enveloping me, her tight channel pulling me deeper. And, Merlin help me, she didn't hold back, wrapping her legs tighter around my waist and tugging me closer until I was buried as deep as possible inside her.

A bead of sweat dripped from my hair onto her belly, and I watched as it rolled across her skin and down between her breasts. I curled over her again, tracing my tongue over the salty trail. I pressed my palms to the bed, my hips pistoning fast and hard, just how she wanted, just how she needed. My name came out of her in a growling moan, a sound that was completely filthy and so fucking beautiful at the same time.

"Look at me," I demanded. She was already close, I could see it in her face. "Granger, look at me."

She opened her eyes and met my eyes with a look so sinful I felt a surge of pleasure rocket down my spine and straight to my balls. I clenched my jaw and she chuffed out a laugh.

"You're close," she said and I instantly stopped moving.

"So are you," I said through gritted teeth and she tightened her pussy around me.

"You first," She taunted and squeezed my cock again.

I reached between us and pinched her clit, and she let out a loud yelp. "You will fucking come first," I snarled, "And then if you're lucky, I might let you come again."

Her head rolled back and she unravelled her body unable to hold back under my touch. I watched as pleasure overtook her, her body shuddering and her face twisting, before she clamped down, coming all over me. I remained still, waiting for her to come back down.

She opened her eyes, and gave me a sneaky smile, "Is that all you've got?"

"Maybe I'll just stop now," I threatened, pulling my cock completely out of her, sliding my hand from the base to the tip, "Maybe I'll just let you watch what I've got."

"Draco," she whined, "Put that the fuck back in me!"

I laughed, and then shook my head, plunging back into her, grunting and groaning with her. We were loud and frantic, both barrelling towards a shared release. We moved together, our skin slapping, both covered with sweat.

"Come with me, baby." I leaned over her once more, needing to be close. "Come with me."

Her fingers dug into my shoulders, and she trembled, crying out again, but this time I followed her. My orgasm was intense, a long, drawn out pleasure that felt like it would never end.

She shuddered and I pulled out of her, breathless, and feeling like my shaky legs wouldn't hold me up, dropped to my knees, leaning my cheek against her belly. We both laughed as a tiny foot kicked out against me.

"Sorry little one," I was still breathing hard, "But it's all your mother's fault."

She giggled and I lifted my heavy body from the floor to lay beside her.

"Is that what you needed?"

She caressed my face, "Is that what you needed?"

I shook my head, "No. I've been quite content to make slow love to you."

"Liar," she chuckled, "You've wanted to do that to me for months. You just got scared again."

I shifted closer, kissing her forehead and breathing in the scent of her freshly fucked skin. I cupped her breast, grimacing at the outline of my fingers on her pale skin.

"See," she whispered lifting my face to hers, "Scared."

"You really like me doing this," I ran my fingers over the red mark and then dropped my hand to her round belly, "When you're like this?"

She ran her palm along the scruff on my jaw, "I love you doing that to me any time."

"Well, I'll be sure to remember that for next time." I kissed her, tender and gentle, "Next time I'll fuck you senseless from conception to birth."

She looked startled, "Ah, next time?"

"Oh, there'll definitely be a next time."

Her startled look softened, and she pulled me closer, "You still surprise me every day, do you know that?"

"I want children, Hermione, not just a child. I know we haven't really discussed it, but I don't want this one to grown up alone," I felt the sharp kick-kick-kick, beneath my palm, "See, even our little one agrees."

I watched her from the living room window. She was on the beach, her hands shoved in her pockets, the hood of her jumper covering her head to keep the fine mist from her face. She was staring out at the water, not moving, looking very much like the stranger that I had first watched from this very window.

I shook my head, reaching into my pocket and smiling. She had no idea why I had asked her to wait for me, no idea why I wanted to walk across the sand with her. But I wanted to watch her face as I pulled the tiny velvet box from my pocket and asked her to marry me.

But she had once more ignored my request and had stubbornly gone down there without me. I downed the rest of my coffee as I continued to watch her, before I slipped my own jacket on and began the descent down the cliffs. The weather had changed, the winter was rolling in fast, and the wind had picked up, pushing the waves higher and making them hit the sand with loud slaps.

I pulled my coat tighter around me, attempting to block out the wind and the light mist that was sure to become a downpour in the next few hours.

"Hermione?" I called and her head whipped around, her face lighting up. My breath caught in my throat as it always did when I saw her down here. Her feet were bare and her jeans were rolled up, indicating that she had been wading in the freezing water.

"Finally," she said with a wicked grin.

"I told you to wait for me." I mock scolded her, "You know I don't like you coming down here on your own."

She laughed, the sound light and airy on the cold wind. "I tried to wake you, but you were snoring like a grizzly bear."

"Well, if someone hadn't kept me awake half the night..."

"Ah, you woke me up, several times." She shot me an indignant look.

"Only because you needed me to." I laughed, and leaned towards her, pressing my mouth to hers. Her hand came up and cupped my jaw, holding me to her, wanting more than just a simple hello kiss. She wanted deep and lingering, she wanted heat and raw passion, and I was only too pleased to oblige.

I moved my hand down, feeling her tight belly and she pulled away from my mouth, covering my hand with her own.

"Our little one loves it down here, you know that."

And I did.

The baby that was growing inside her seemed to love the sounds of the sea, the crashing of waves against the rocks, the high winds, the smell of the sand and the salty sea air. Hermione had spent hours wandering along the beach, especially in the early days. The only thing that seemed to calm her upset stomach was the clear air on what she had claimed as her beach.

I peered down at where our hands met and smiled.

"We're going to spend our lives down here, you know that don't you?" I asked as I felt the press of what I assumed was a foot against my hand.

"A baby who loves the water and the sand, and the fresh air?" She pressed her hand to where our baby was kicking against her, "I certainly hope that's what our Little Dot loves."

Little Dot. The baby had been known as such since we had seen the first grainy images of it at the hospital. The 'little dot' in the centre of the screen, the doctor had said, was our baby and since Hermione had refused to find out if we were having a boy or a girl, it had been known as Little Dot since.

And since it was barely three weeks until our Little Dot would be joining us, I wanted to ask her to marry me. Nothing about how we had lived our lives together had been conventional or traditional, but I wanted to propose and hopefully have her say yes before the baby arrived.

I took both her hands in mine and sighed, "Hermione...?" The words caught in my throat and I closed my eyes. I felt her hands squeeze mine, and when I opened my eyes again I found her staring at me, her face full of concern.

I took a breath and tried again.

"When I was eleven years old, I met a girl on a train and she drove me insane for the next seven years. I both loved and hated that girl, she was the best and worst of everything I had been taught, and now that same girl is still driving me insane." My throat almost closed over with emotion. She was everything I ever dared to dream of, and standing before me with her round belly and her bare feet, and with tears shining in her eyes, she was more beautiful than I ever imagined she could be. "And now, every day I spend with her, I fall more and more in love with her. I love her mind, I love her body and I love her heart. But most of all, I love her capacity to love me. Her love is limitless, and I'm sure I don't deserve it, but I promise her that for the remainder of my days, I will ensure that she knows just how much I love and adore her."

I took the small box out of my pocket and opened it towards her. Her breath caught and her tears spilled over.

"I am so in love with the mother of my child, with the woman I found miserable and alone on this very beach. I am so in love with the woman who tore down the walls of my own heart and let me see just how easy loving someone really is."

I held the tiny platinum band between my fingers, feeling the weight of it, the weight of my question.

"Hermione Granger, will you marry me?"

She nodded, opening her mouth to respond, but only a choked sob came out.

"Is that a 'yes'?"

"Yes," she finally said and threw her arms around my neck, "Yes!"

I lifted her from the sand and twirled around, laughing and crying with her. I settled her back on her feet, and tried to slide her ring on, but her swollen fingers stopped me.

She pouted her lips and frowned, "That doesn't seem fair."

"I'll keep it safe, I promise."

"I love you," she said and pressed up on her toes to kiss me. She stopped before her lips pressed against mine, gasping, her entire face screwing up, "Shit."

"Hermione?" My hands flew to her stomach, "Is it…?"

"I think so." She grabbed my wrist, looking at my watch and timing what I assumed was a contraction. She nodded, more to herself than me an uttered, "It's fine."

"It's fine?" Even in my own ears my voice sounded panicked, "It's not fine. We need to get you to the hospital."

She shook her head, "No, not yet. It's too soon. We have plenty of time."

"Hermione—"

"Draco, really," She insisted, "It was a short pain that last a few seconds. If they are true contractions, we have a while before this baby arrives."

I looked at her sceptically, but I knew that she was most likely right. For all the books I had read and all the questions I had asked, she had read and asked double. She knew as much about birthing babies as all the healers at St Mungo's. She was prepared, so I needed to trust her.

"Fine," I relented, "But we're not staying down here." I took her hand, and not caring one lick if anyone saw us, apparated us to the house.

A/N:

Much thanks again for the amazing response to the previous chapter...well, actually the story as a whole xx