Chapter Four

~Hermione~

"I don't know what I'm going to do babe," Hermione whispered, twirling her fingers through Ron's hair, "I just don't have the money. I wasn't supposed to be paid till the end of the month at the Academy and I can't get ahold of the Cannons. We're living off of my diminutive salary. The three of us. Unless Malfoy wants to give me 300% bonus, I'm not going to be able to make rent in 3 weeks. Your mum's calling asking if I need financial help, but I can't take from them. They have so little already and they've already given us so much. She offered for me to move in with them, but they just can't fit me and a baby. I wish you were here Ron; you would know what to do."

"Miss Granger?" Hanna looked up from her desk.

"I know-I know, visiting hours are over," I stood up, smoothing out the creases in my dress, "I'm going to make it better; I'm going to wait for you. I promise."

Hermione woke up the next morning hunched over a stack of bills and drooling on the card table that she had crammed into her one room apartment. The inkwell had been knocked over and had spilled out onto the frayed carpet. She was supposed to be at Malfoy's office with his morning coffee five minutes ago. Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn him. She quickly stripped out of the dress that she had been wearing the night before and into a pair of dark brown dress pants and a light blue cowl neck sweater. She quickly tied her hair into a pony before sprinting out the door.

~Draco~

"Pritchard! Where the hell is Hermione?" She had been working at his office for nearly a month and hadn't been even the slightest tardy once. In fact, she always arrived before him with his morning cup of joy. This was the longest he had ever kept a secretary and now he was going to have to fire her. Then he heard her, her heels pounding hastily down the hallway.

"Where the hell have you-" Then he saw her. She practically ran into his office, coffee sloshing out of the cup and burning her wrists. Her eyes and deep purple bruises underneath them and looked red and puffy from crying. She looked like she had got dressed in 30 seconds and her hair was windblown around her face.

"I am so sorry," she murmured, she couldn't even meet his eyes as she set his half empty coffee in front of him.

"Pritchard, what's my schedule like for today?"
"You have a meeting at 4, sir."

"Cancel it. C'mon Granger, you're with me today."

~Hermione~

He's going to fire me. Hermione grabbed her bag and tucked her loose curls behind her ear. She watched him gather a few things and out of pure instinct she put a protective hand on her stomach. I'm so sorry Ron. I'm going to make it ok. I promise.

"This way Granger," Malfoy put his hand on her upper back and led her out of the office door.

"Sir I am so sorry, it won't happen again. I promise."

"No, I guess it won't," he contemplated out loud, "So where to Granger?"

"Excuse me sir?"

"For brunch. I deserve an explanation for your tardiness."

"There's a café two blocks down sir," What the hell? He's pissed at me for being late and now we're going on a bloody date?

They arrived at the café and Hermione ordered scrambled eggs and tea while Draco ordered coffee and a blueberry muffin. Typical.

"You look flustered," Draco observed over his brunch, "So why were you late this morning?"
"Late night," Hermione shrugged, scooping a forkful of egg into her mouth.

"So I have the grounds to fire you?" Hermione winced, but just flashed him a confident smile.

"I doubt you could tie your shoes without me."

Draco ignored her comment and instead changed the subject, "So what does your fiancé do?"

"Nothing," Hermione's eyes lowered.

"So he's unemployed."

"I guess so," Draco watched as she took her napkin off of her lap and tossed it on her plate. She was done.

"And what is that supposed to mean, Miss Granger?"

"H-h-he's in a coma," Her hand automatically jerked to her eyes to wipe away the fighting tears, "He's been at St. Mungo's for a month now."

~Draco~

"He's been at St. Mungo's for a month now." Draco suddenly wanted to lean across the table and cup her face. He wanted to smooth her hair down and tell her that it was ok. She was gorgeous and smart; she was wasting her time on someone that may never wake up.

"I can't make the payments," she whispered. She looked so ashamed of herself, so dirty, "But that's only one of my worries."

"Meaning?" Draco leaned forward and looked into her warm golden brown eyes. He saw such pain, such misery. He suddenly had the urge to kiss her eyelids and run his fingers through her curls. But instead he just watched her, watched her hurt over a love that couldn't love her back.

"Meaning, Mr. Malfoy-"

"Draco. Call me Draco."

"Meaning, Draco, that I'm…pregnant," Suddenly the beautiful girl in front of him looked like a vulnerable child. Her hands rubbed her stomach and she looked so tired, so broken.

"Is it his?'

"Of course it is," her head snapped up, angry that he would even consider that she would cheat on her beloved fiancé, "I found out right when I went to visit him at Mungo's."

Her salary was being split into thirds, with the largest portion going to her fiancé's bill. She would be kicked out of her apartment; she would have to resort to living on the streets. She would go hungry and wither away. Her unborn child suffering of malnutrition would eventually miscarry and she would be left alone to die on the streets.

"Please say something," she whispered, eyes lowered. Where was the beautiful and confident girl that had strut into his office just weeks ago? Had she been lost to? Along with her beloved fiancé in the lower ward of St. Mungo's? How could she sleep at night knowing that she was responsible for more than just her own life?

"You are so beautiful," he whispered back, "Why do you wait for him?"

"Because I love him. And Ron loves me back," Ron, the stupid Weasel that he had tormented at Hogwarts. Why was he not surprised? He didn't deserve her. Then again, neither did Draco, but he was present and the Weasley git wasn't.

"I have a way to give you all the money you would ever need," Draco leaned in so close their noses were almost touching. She met his forceful stare, beautiful brown eyes mixing with grey steel.

"I would do anything."

AN: Hey guys! I know this is a super short chapter but I wanted to leave the cliffy for chapter 5! Thank you guys so much for your reviews. So tell me, should Hermione end up with Ron or Draco?