Keep Holding On - Chapter 26

The rocking chair moved back and forth, a soft night breeze brushing his feet which were the force driven behind the teetering piece of furniture. Draco had been sitting in that chair for over an hour, thoughts running back and forth through his mind. It had been nearly eight months since that day, the day the Dark Lord Voldemort finally was burned in the fiery pits of Hell, and a lot had changed since then.

A lot.

He chuckled now thinking about that day, the one in the hospital where everyone had convinced themselves based on the physical state he had been in that he was near death, not able to pull through. On the contrary, Draco Malfoy was a fighter. He would have expected Weasel and Potter to have doubted him, but Hermione? How could she ever think that he would die and just leave her?

Well in her defense, I guess I did tell her to leave me in the castle the very same day. But that was different. Her life was at risk then. I would have died for her, but I was not about to leave her knowing that she was safe and I had the ability to live. No, she should have known that I would fight to get back for her. It bloody well hurt, fucking prick stabbed me square in the back, but I pulled through. I did that for her.

So no, Draco had not been near death, merely in a large amount of pain. Do not be fooled by this considering the healers did have an extensive amount of work with Draco. Immediately their attention had been put upon Draco's stab wound, working in haste to heal him before he bled out or worse. Upon the completion of the task, their focus was turned on his foot which had morphed from an odd shade of purple to a sour hue of black. Draco was lucky that the best healers in St. Mungo's had been working on him for his foot was about ready to fall off.

Hermione was a degree or two beyond hysterical when they had finally allowed her to see him. He blamed the healers for that...

The tall healer, clad in a bloody hospital gown, stepped out of Draco's room, fatigue overtaking him. They had worked on Draco for hours and hours, every bloody second needed.

Another healer stepped out, his hospital attire also smothered with blood, Draco's blood.

"Well," began the tall healer, "I guess we have to tell them. Who is here? Family?"

"No. There is no family, but a girlfriend and friends. Who do we talk to?"

"The girlfriend I guess. What's her name?"

"Hermione Granger," said the other healer, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his wrist. The other man looked at him incredulously.

"Harry Potter's best mate?"

"The one and only. I thought she disappeared years ago, but apparently she is here now and waiting to find out about her boyfriend."

"Alright."

The two healers walked slowly over to the group in the waiting room, all of whom jumped up upon seeing them in sight. Hermione was the first to reach them and silently pleaded with them to give her answers.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione nodded at them for she found that her voice was just not strong enough at the moment. She couldn't even think let alone speak.

"We were the ones who worked on Draco Malfoy."

Hermione felt her lungs contract and her heart momentarily stop as they said those words. Worked? It's like...well it's like they make it out as though it's over, like there is nothing more they can do which means...which means...

"And?" she asked, subconsciously of course. Her focus was still on the ominous thoughts in her own mind.

"There was a lot of blood lost. When they brought him in we were kind of thrown. We're not really accustom to dealing with these types of injuries. Mostly we get magical types, ones involving dragons and inappropriate broom handling. We don't usually get stab wounds." This was all said by the tall healer who was not looking up, instead down at his bloody attire, hastily wiping it clean.

The other healer began, "His foot was a complete mess. I've never seen such damage done and–"

"AND I DON'T CARE! TELL ME IF HE IS ALIVE OR NOT RIGHT NOW BEFORE I STRANGLE THE BOTH OF YOU!" Hermione's voice echoed throughout the entire wing. The healers looked at each other quickly before diverting their attention to Hermione.

"We apologize miss. Yes, he is fine. He still has quite the recovery, but he is alive."

Hermione let out her sigh as she pushed them both out of the way, allowing her to get to Draco's room. Mrs. Weasley walked up to both healers and smacked them in the back of the head, much like she did Fred and George when they did something stupid. Just like the twins, the two healers looked at her like wounded puppies.

"How dare you! What type of fools brush over about how hard the work was instead of just telling the poor girl? Bloody gits."

The group that witnessed the confrontation between the older woman and two St. Mungo's employees all laughed as Hermione raced into the room, long curly hair bellowing behind her.

"Draco!"

"Hey, love," he whispered, the pain still weakening his body. On top of that, he was tired so she was not surprised when he spoke to her in such a hushed voice.

Instantly she threw herself onto the floor, reaching for his hand with one of her own, caressing his damp cheek with the other. He had closed his eyes, leaning his face into her palm to place a gentle kiss on her soft skin. What he loved seeing was that she herself was not crying, though remnants of tears, silvery tear stains, were on her face.

"Draco I thought I was going to lose you," she chocked, her voice croaky with emotion. Draco just laughed lightly at this.

"Love, I'd never leave you," he whispered.

"I know. It was silly for me to think that way since you are very stubborn, you know that. You would have done well in Gryffindor with that type of attitude."

He inwardly scowled at (what he saw as) her backhanded compliment, never would he have been a Gryffindor, but his scowl vanished when he noticed her laugh. She must have seen the look of distaste spread across his face.

"I meant it in a good way," she said with a sly smile.

"S'alright. I guess...I guess if you're a Gryffindor then...something about the ruddy house must be alright."

Hermione smiled brightly before she leaned in to gently brush her lips against his own. Immediately following the kiss, Hermione dropped her head on his chest, sobbing, with Draco placing his hand on the back of her neck.

"Love, s'alright," he said soothingly.

"It's not. You could have died and I just–"

"Angel, why do this to yourself? Does it matter? I didn't die so we're both fine now. We're going to be fine."

"I love you," she whispered, her words muffled by his chest.

He smiled weakly as he said, "You know I love you."

It seemed like a lifetime ago that the incident had happened for them. Thoughts about it were just so lost on him now since he had many things on his shoulders. Before he worried, now he was completely paranoid. The reason for his paranoia just so happened to have walked into the room precisely at that moment.

"Draco?"

Draco looked up to see Hermione, clad in a long nightgown, standing in the doorway. Her hair was positively everywhere, her eyes partially closed alerting him that she had just woken up, but of course, he found her to be looking gorgeous.

"It's three in the morning. What are you doing up?" she asked tiredly.

"I couldn't sleep. I guess I've got a lot on my mind. C'mere"

Hermione waddled over to him slowly, placing her protruded belly directly in front of him. He never got tired of running his hands over her abdomen which was swollen with their child. She was eight months pregnant, the time coinciding with the day they went to the castle. So caught up in the moment...well, they forgot to take precautions. Now, they were both preparing to be parents. Something that scared them very much, but for different reasons.

Hermione obviously had her doubts about her abilities. She had always been good at everything, but a child? Taking care of another life was a whole other idea, one which nobody can really relate to until they are in the actual situation. Sure, she had babysat before and been around children, working in her parent's dentist office had always instilled a fair amount of maternal instincts in her, but that was all play; a little girl playing house. A child of her own was indeed the scariest thing to ever occur in her life.

Not to mention, the poor child was not to be born under wedlock. Draco and Hermione had yet to tie the knot. Not because she refused, but because Draco had yet to ask.

Bringing forth, Draco's own fears about the child being born. Don't get him wrong, he was more than happy about their baby. He had no doubt in his mind that the child was going to be incredible given that it was the baby of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, two of the most powerful and beautiful people in the world. Their magic was endowed like no other; Hermione's ability to grasp anything handed to her with a little time, and Draco's natural talent with the gift. As far as beauty went, well, isn't that obvious? Hermione's dark features mixed with the light colors of Draco's form would make a very lovely child, no doubt.

So, no, Draco was not worried about the child. It was his child's mother that worried him. He wanted to marry her, to make it final for the rest of the world to know that she was his and he was hers, for the rest of eternity. However, the world that they currently lived in was different than anything that it had been since the moment he entered the world.

He was a free man and not only that, he was a...hero. Upon Voldemort's demise, "sources" (which is really code for fuckin' Potter) revealed Draco's "return to the magical world and forceful help in ending the evil being." Draco rolled his eyes when he read that subheading in the Daily Prophet below the headline "Draco Malfoy: Mistimed and Misunderstood". It was not that he disliked Potter, well as much as he did before, but because he did not want the attention. He didn't like being the reformed hero. In all honesty, he just wanted to live a quiet life with Hermione. That was his personality, that was who he was; quiet and reserved. None the less, his well known childhood attitude kept him down making people gawk at him as though he was going to explode any moment. The same question was always asked: how could someone so cruel change so much?

He found the question somewhat foolish. How could people not take into account that not only had he been raised by two of the most evil people to ever exist (fuck Lucius and Narcissa!), but it had been years since he was last seen? In a decade, oddly enough a lifetime can happen, but nobody seems to realize the meaning of that. Draco just shook his head at this.

Draco definitely wanted to marry Hermione, but he just...well he wasn't sure if Hermione did. Nobody seemed to realize it, what with all of the chaos occurring around them, that she had in fact been in a relationship for five years which ended with half the couple dead. He wasn't sure if she could handle having another husband. He knew that she was damn aware of how he was a much different man from her first, but he would still be a husband. Could she handle that?

Hermione laughed lightly as Draco stared at her stomach, gasping in awe when the baby kicked. She ran her fingers through his silvery hair knowing how he would make a wonderful father. Draco and this baby were going to be her whole world in merely eight months. Hermione could not help, but giggle when she thought about telling Draco she was pregnant. Oh, what a mess that had been...

"Ginny," whispered Hermione quietly. Her redheaded friend was listening to a hilarious joke between Harry and Draco which involved a lobster, a pair of knickers, and a certain part of the male anatomy when she came in the room. Ginny was still laughing when she faced her friend instantly noting how pale she looked.

"Hermione are you alright?" The question immediately worried Draco who also noticed Hermione's odd complexion.

"Angel?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine, but I need to speak with Ginny; alone." Her voice was low and shaky.

Ginny reacted and stood up without taking another glance at the confused men still sitting in the living room. After pushing Hermione upstairs into her bedroom, she slammed the door and locked it quickly with her wand before disregarding it. Her attention was turned on Hermione.

"Hermione?"

"Ginny um...I think I'm pregnant."

"What?!" screamed Ginny. It was not that she thought of it as bad or even good, but was just shocked at the moment. "How did this happen?"

"Ginny I think you know how it happened," quipped Hermione.

"Hermione you know what I mean," said the redhead quickly.

"I don't know. I don't even know if I am, but I'm pretty sure. I have kind of known for a week, but I've been too scared to say anything." Ginny knew she was being honest with her.

"How could you be scared? It is not as though you're sixteen and still living at Hogwarts. You're an adult and in love so it's perfectly alright and acceptable. Besides, you and I both know that Draco will be thrilled. He will finally be a dad. What is there to worry about?"

"How about everything?!" screamed Hermione, tugging on her ponytail. "There is so much to think about in regards to a child and not just any child, but one born to me and Draco. What about the fact that the child's parents would be completely bonkers and famous and so many other...things? Bullocks, I can't even think clearly right now!"

"Hermione you're just frazzled right now. You and I need to go to St. Mungo's this very instant to meet with a healer so that we can know for sure. If you're not then I guess there is nothing to worry about, but if you are...well then we have a lot to prepare for. So, let's go right now." Hermione hated to admit, but Ginny's diplomatic approach actually did seem logical and comforted her, somewhat.

"What about the boys?"

"I'm sure that Harry and Draco will be fine for a few hours by themselves. After all, they are full grown men. That doesn't say much, but I don't think they will be burning the house down while we're gone."

Hermione laughed before Ginny and her ventured off to St. Mungo's. Ginny made up a quick lie about popping over to Diagon Alley to finish finding her wedding jewelry which Draco and Harry believed outright. So all that was left was to actually check with the healer.

And they did.

"Well Hermione you are a very pregnant witch. Congratulations," applauded the cheery healer. Hermione smiled, but inside her stomach was churning. She was a month and a half pregnant with a child that belonged to Draco Malfoy. What in the name of Merlin am I going to do?

"Would you like to know your baby's gender?"

Hermione remained very still and silent forcing Ginny take action. "Would you give us a few moments, please?"

"Of course," said the Healer. She walked out of the room leaving Ginny and Hermione alone.

"What am I going to do? This is not the time to have a baby. Draco and I are still getting over what happened at the castle and he just get well for bloody sakes!"

"Hermione he's been well for over a month and we all know that you put the castle incident behind you. You have a life with the man you love so I still don't see the problem."

Hermione faced Ginny as she said, "The problem is that there is no ring on a particular finger of mine and I can't have a baby like that."

A half an hour later, the two women left the hospital to head back to the burrow. They left without finding out the baby that Hermione was to be having on account of Ginny. She thought that Draco had a right to know about the child first before they did anything else. Hermione knew that her secret was safe with her best friend.

The day had passed slowly with Ginny sending hints towards Hermione's direction in regards to telling Draco, but she always shook them off. Draco, unlike Harry who would have not noticed if Ginny walked in with a child literally in her arms, was not oblivious to all of this. He just wondered when Hermione was finally going to tell him what was going on.

It wasn't until they got into bed that Hermione had even made eye contact with him. They were still residing at the burrow for their own manor was currently being built, one which Draco wanted to spend the rest of his life in with Hermione.

After situating themselves underneath the covers, Draco's arms wrapped around her petite body with her head fitting perfectly into the crook of his neck, Hermione finally spoke up.

"Draco I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" asked Draco, slightly more nervous than expected. He had known that Hermione wanted to tell him something, expecting something big, but now that she was finally going to talk to him...well he was getting a little worried.

"Um...well..."

"Angel just tell me. Whatever it is, we will work it out." Draco was genuine as ever before.

Hermione sighed, the idea of telling Draco that he was going to be a father was just too overwhelming. Would he be mad? Would he be excited? Would he be confused? All of these questions, she did not have the answers to and Hermione Granger never liked not having the answers.

"Please Hermione, just tell me."

Hermione couldn't bring herself to tell him. So, she instead relied on subtlety to alert Draco about what was going on. She took Draco's hand placing her own above his interlacing their fingers together. After placing his palm against her flat belly, she just waited for the news to hit Draco.

She waited...

And waited...

And waited...

"Oh Merlin," she heard him whisper from behind her. Quickly he lifted himself up and moved his hand below Hermione's chin, gently, yet insistently, moving her face so their eyes could meet. What she saw in those icy orbs was something she would never forget–

Pure, undying love.

She was not sure whether it was directed towards just her or at the baby as well, but she did not care. Obviously Draco was more open to the idea than she had anticipated.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. It's already been checked with a healer and...yes, I'm sure."

In the next instant, his lips were crashing down on hers in a searing kiss. Without another thought she ran her hands through his blond locks, not caring about anything else other than her and Draco...and their baby.

Wow, she had been a mess then. Of course Draco had been very excited about the prospect of a child with her, but there was still a mounting tension between them which seemed to keep them at a distance.

She knew that the press was starting to take a toll on him. As Harry Potter's best mate and an attractive witch, she had grown accustom to such things. Before she married Alan she was plastered all over the wizarding magazines as the hottest bachelorette in the wizarding world. Who wouldn't want to marry the smartest witch to grace Hogwarts in over twenty years? Draco, on the other hand, had never been on the light side of the news. Not only was it new, but just...well confusing.

That confusing notion was actually a large reason for why they never discussed marriage. It was not in their nature to bring up the touchy subject, but that did not keep others from doing so. The press was always asking Hermione Granger when her and beau Draco Malfoy were planning on walking down the aisle together. Hermione would simply cringe, Draco would usually scowl or remain solemn, until their "no comments" finally sunk in with the surrounding people. Life was just so hectic and with a baby on the way, that was not the sort of added stress that either of them needed.

The baby kicked again, Draco's facing beaming with pride.

"We still have yet to figure out names," he whispered gently, his eyes focused on her large stomach.

"We still have yet to figure out what type of child we're having. It's best if we pick a name when the child is born. Whatever comes into our minds, we'll just go with it," said Hermione sensibly.

Draco nodded before placing a tender kiss on her belly.

"Why don't you come back to bed with me? You need just as much sleep as I do."

"I know Angel. I'll be there in a minute, alright?"

Hermione nodded at him, knowing that he was still in the process of thinking, so she left the nursery to walk slowly back to the master bedroom down the hall. Draco returned back to his rocking which soothed him.

Will I make a good father? I have to. I have to make a good father because...Hermione and that child deserve that. My child deserves that.

The simple thought about him creating a life brought him out of his thinking state allowing him to go bed next to Hermione.

A/N: What did you all think? This is not the last chapter by the way. I still have a few more so no worries on that.

Fanfiction is still not working. I want so much to message you all back, but it won't let me. Again, I'll say that I'm very thankful for you guys and your responses. I had the most responses for the last chapter than any other chapter that I've ever written. I was really surprised. Thanks!

Sweetsacrifice - Thank you so much! I appreciate what you said about how I killed off Voldemort. I really am having trouble with writing such things seeing as I really am at a loss for how he will be killed. This was my first stab at actually killing him off in a story so I'm glad you liked it.

Hater-of-Heartless-Critics - Of course I wasn't going to kill Voldemort strictly because he fell out of window! How stupid do you think I am? Come on...I may hate the guy, but I'll give him some credit. He is far more deserving of a nice, creative death:)

"Keep Holding On" is a song by Avril Lavigne. It's a very cliche and cheesy/corny song, but who doesn't love cheesy?! I love the cheese so I decided to use it. I think it works here.

READ AND REVIEW!! If you can read it, then you can review it.

Iris is the work of fanfiction. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling, but the featured story is mine.