Disclaimer: I don't own it. Rats.
Ginny was feeling very stressed out. Not only was Hermione's party tonight but her mother was hounding her about choosing a wedding date. One thing at a time, Ginny thought as she continued to decorate her apartment. Not knowing whether Hermione was having a boy or a girl, everything was the standard pink and blue. The decorations had been charmed to change to Gryffindor red and gold when Hermione realized this was actually a birthday party. George had helped out with that. Ginny had completely tuned her mother out. That woman loved to talk. After hanging the last of the streamers she stood back to admire her work. At least she'd had help. Luna was currently wrapping silverware in napkins, and Molly was cooking. Fleur and Katie were expected at any time. She had sent Blaise and Ron out for some last minute shopping, George was still at work, and Bill and Arthur were at the Burrow keeping Teddy and Victoire occupied.
Ginny's biggest concern was Draco and Ron being in the same room. Luna had told her about their confrontation a few weeks ago and she didn't want anything to cause Hermione any anguish tonight. She was hoping that Blaise would talk some sense into him while they were at the market.
Hermione and Ron had talked after Ron and Luna announced that they were pregnant. Ginny had "borrowed" some extendable ears and listened in. She was just concerned about Hermione getting too upset. She wasn't that nosey. Hermione urged Ron to relax when it came to Draco, but Ron couldn't agree to lay off of him. He was at least in a better frame of mind considering the news about his own baby but he wasn't ready to let go of the anger.
Across town, Draco was pacing. He seemed to do that a lot lately and often the subject of his distress was Hermione. Right now he was concerned because she had been distant towards him the last few weeks. They had their regular lunches and were still able to talk comfortably, but she had pulled away whenever he reached for her hand to help her out of a chair and she hadn't contacted him any other time. He hoped that she was just busy and that he hadn't done something wrong but he wasn't sure. He thought that they had a breakthrough that night when he felt the baby kick. He was also worried about being in the same room with Ron tonight. It was probably too much to hope that he would get the flu. Hermione had told him that Luna was pregnant and he hoped that maybe Ron would be too distracted by that to confront him.
He walked over to the table where he had the gifts he would bring tonight. He knew that the request was for gifts for the baby but he had a gift for Hermione as well. Plus a gift for him. He hoped he could get her alone to give it to her but he wasn't sure what would happen.
A few hours later, Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. Unsure of what to wear to her own baby shower, she had spent a good deal of time changing clothes. She had settled on a navy blue blouse with black pants. She figured she looked as good as she was going to get at 8 months pregnant. Her face was too wide, her ankles swollen and she didn't even want to discuss her hips. She knew she was done with being pregnant and couldn't wait to meet her baby. Ron was supposed to come pick her up and help her apparate over to Ginny's. Women in the late stages of pregnancy had a high risk of getting splinched so side-by-side apparition was the safest way to travel.
"Hermione? I'm here. Are you ready?" Ron was making his way through her kitchen, grabbing a handful of chips on his way to find her.
"I'm as ready as I'm going to be. I was wondering if we could talk for a few minutes."
Ron knew what was coming. He had already been lectured and threatened by Luna, Ginny, Blaise, George, Bill and even had a howler from Charlie. He had promised all of them that he would be on his best behavior and would ignore Draco and keep his mouth shut. But wait. . . Hermione didn't know Draco would be there. She didn't even know he was going to be there. Hermione thought he was going to drop her off and come back later to pick her up. What was going on?
"Sure, you can talk to me about anything." Ron answered, but he was confused.
"I know we've had our bad moments lately and I'm sorry. I know that you don't like Draco being a part of my life, but I can't deny he's been very important to me. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. Honestly, I'm not ready to fall in love with somebody else but you have to be aware that I don't want to be single forever. I don't know who I'll fall for but I need you to be okay with whomever I love. Even if it's Draco."
Ron felt like vomiting. He knew this was a possibility and he didn't want to face it.
"I'm not saying I love Draco. I don't. But in the future, when I'm ready, I hope that I will love someone again. I need you to accept it because you are always going to be a part of my life. That brings me to the real point of this conversation. I was hoping that you could be the baby's godfather."
Ron sat there looking confused for a moment. The conversation had taken quite a turn. Once he wrapped his head around what she had asked, a smile spread across his face. "Really? Even though I've been a prat, you want me to be the godfather?"
"Of course! You're my best friend. You were Harry's best friend. It's only right. What do you say?"
"I'm honored. Of course I'll be the baby's godfather! I'll be a good one too!" He quickly grabbed Hermione and gave her the best hug he could considering the size of her belly. "I do love you Hermione. I promise I'll do my best to accept whatever choices you make, as long as they make you happy."
Hermione was so relieved. She wasn't ready to let Draco into her life in a way that would replace Harry, but at least she knew that Ron would be a little more accepting of her friendship. She had pushed Draco away these last few weeks. Concerns about Ron and replacing her husband had confused her. She remembered Molly's words from a few weeks back. She remembered Molly telling her that she didn't have to replace Harry, but she could let someone else enhance her life. She still wasn't convinced that she would ever have a chance with Draco, but she enjoyed his company, and decided that she didn't want to lose his friendship.
"Well, you'd better get me over to Ginny's. She'll have a fit if I'm late." Hermione linked her arm with Ron's as they headed to the middle of the room. "What are you going to be doing tonight anyway?"
Ron tried to think of a quick answer. "I'm actually going over to George's. All the guys are going to hang out. Maybe play some poker or something." Ron hoped he was convincing enough. "Let's go."
Hermione and Ron arrived safely at the door to Ginny's apartment. Ron pushed the door open and stood back. Hermione, still oblivious, walked into the room decorated with pink and blue, looking for her friends. All of a sudden the colors changed and all of her family and friends were popping out of the corners yelling "Surprise!"
"What's going on?" She was quite confused as she looked around the room. It was clearly not a baby shower any longer and she saw the faces of all the people she cared about. A pair of grey eyes caught hers and she smiled as she realized that Draco had come. He had a smirk on his face and a drink in his hand.
"It's your birthday party!" A little voice came from Hermione's side. Hermione looked down and saw little Teddy standing there. "I got your baby a present Aunt Hermione."
"Hi Teddy," she leaned over and gave her godson a hug and a kiss on her head. Looking around she felt tears fill her eyes as she saw the smiles on her friends' faces. "Ginny?"
"Hey there. I'm sorry for the surprise but I knew you wouldn't let us throw you a separate birthday party so we decided to kill two birds with one stone. You get your shower and we get our party. I hope you don't mind." Ginny pleaded as she walked up to her friend.
"Thank you Ginny. This means so much." The friends embraced in a quick hug before Molly announced the food was out and for the guest to help themselves. Hermione got swept into the commotion and spent time talking to people that she hadn't seen in quite a while.
As Hermione opened her shower gifts, Draco stood back and watched her. She was more beautiful every time he saw her. He really wanted nothing more than to be able to put his arms around her. He chuckled over the cooing sounds the females of the group seemed to make every time she opened a gift. His gifts were still under a shrinking spell and in his pocket. They were much too personal to give her in public. He glanced around the room and caught Ron scowling at him. Lifting a glass in salute, he nodded at him. Ron in turn nodded. They seemed to have come to a silent agreement to stay on opposite sides of the room. It seemed to be working and Hermione hadn't had to scold either of them all night.
Hermione had finished opening her gifts and was eating a piece of cake in the corner, trying to hide from her guests. She was tired, her back hurt and she really wanted to go home.
"Who are you hiding from?" Draco's cool voice broke into her thoughts.
"Well, to be honest, everyone. I'm worn out. This has been an amazing party but I'm eight bloody months pregnant and I just can't take much more." Hermione laughed. "I'm going to finish my cake, thank Ginny and find Ron to take me home."
"Well, you can finish your cake, and thank Ginny, but Ron is in no condition to take you home. He just passed out in the corner."
"Oh no. I guess I'll have to use muggle transportation then. Would you mind waiting out front with me while I try to catch a taxi?"
"You don't need a taxi, I'm sober, I'll take you home."
"Really? Thanks. I'll go find Ginny." Hermione went off to say goodbye to her friends while Draco went in search of her coat. While he waited for Hermione, he saw Blaise coming toward him.
"You taking Hermione home?" He asked with a smirk. "You can thank me later."
"Thank you? For what?" Draco was suspicious now.
"I made sure that Ron was too sloshed to take her home. That way, you can take her and get some time alone with her. Aren't I good?"
"While I appreciate the thought, what exactly do you think will happen when I am alone with her? We're just friends you know."
"For now. I know you want her. Ginny knows you want her. Hell, even Ron knows and that's why he's so pissed. Spend some time with her, so that when she's ready, you'll be the one she comes to. According to Ginny and Mrs. Weasley's list, it's either you or Charlie so unless you want your woman moving to Romania, you'd better claim your place now."
"You prat. I don't want anything more than friendship from Hermione. That's it. Now, what list are you talking about and why would she choose a dragon tamer over me?" The conversation had ended abruptly when they saw Hermione heading their way.
"Blaise, thank you so much for all that you did. This was a wonderful party." Hermione gave Blaise a kiss on the cheek as thanked him.
"We'd do anything for you sweetie. Now you go home and get off your feet. Maybe you can even get Draco to rub them." Blaise laughed as he walked off, giving Draco a wink.
"Never mind him, let's go." Draco put his arms around Hermione and apparated her home. "Hermione? Do you mind if I stay for a couple minutes, I have a couple gifts for you and I wanted to give them to you privately."
"Draco, you've given me so much by helping me. I don't need anything. But of course you can stay, have a seat. I've got to get my shoes off." Hermione sat down on the couch and was surprised when Draco kneeled down and started to remove her shoes. There was that electricity again. Every time he touched her she felt it. She was really in awe of him. She never imagined that he would be kneeling so tenderly removing her shoes. The Draco from Hogwarts would never have considered it. "Thank you" she whispered.
Draco moved her feet up onto the couch and grabbed a light blanket to throw over her. He scooted a chair closer and handed her the now regular size gifts. "This one is for the baby," he said as he handed her a box. "This one is for you," and he handed her an envelope.
Hermione started to open the box. Inside was a small silver cup. It was stunning, freshly polished with the image of a dragon etched on the side. "Oh Draco, this is beautiful. This must have cost a fortune, it's too much."
"It didn't cost me anything because it was given to me when I was a baby. It was my mother's before that and my grandfather's before that. Don't worry though, I had it checked for dark magic and it's clean. See that dragon? That represents me. Before I was born, it had a narcissus flower, which of course represented my mother. When it is passed onto a new baby, and the baby touches the cup, it will change into the symbol for that child, until he or she passes it down to another."
Hermione was touched by the story but was instantly confused as to why Draco would give the cup to her baby. It should stay in his family. Draco noticed her expression and continued. "If that cup had been Harry's as a baby, it probably would have had a stag, like his patronus, or maybe even a lightening bolt."
"Draco, why are you giving this to my baby? Don't you want to give it to your own child someday?"
"I don't know how to explain it but it feels as if that cup was made to be passed down to your child. It belongs to you and that baby now. It just feels right." Draco knew that he couldn't confess the real reasons. He couldn't tell her that the child she was carrying was meant to be his. He didn't want to scare her but someday he would tell her. Once she'd figured it out for herself. He just needed to change the subject. "Now, open the envelope."
Hermione put the cup aside and tried to clear her head. She picked up the envelope and opened it up. Inside she found two tickets to see Wicked in London next Friday. "Wicked? Oh my gosh! How did you know I wanted to see this? These tickets are so hard to get!" Draco smiled at her expression. He was hoping for a reaction like that.
"I saw the book on your table that night I was helping with the nursery. I didn't know if you'd be interested in the musical but I took a chance. There is only one condition though. I was wondering if I could go with you? I don't know anything about it but I hear it's about a witch and a wizard so it should be entertaining right?"
Hermione laughed then, her eyes lighting up. "Finally something the great Draco Malfoy doesn't know! I love it! It's about a couple of witches yes, and there is a wizard but they are nothing like us. Haven't you ever seen the movie The Wizard of Oz?"
"I haven't seen that many movies. I was brought up to hate everything muggle so it's only been the last few years that I've been to a few movies. Stop laughing at me!"
"I'm sorry. Draco this is the best present. I am so excited. I'd be honored to have you go with me by the way. But there is one condition."
"What's that?"
"You have to come over one night this week and we'll have a movie night. We'll have pizza, popcorn and we'll watch The Wizard of Oz. You have to see the movie first, it will make so much more sense."
"That sounds good. How about Wednesday? I'll bring the pizza."
"Perfect." Hermione said that last word with a yawn. "I'm going to be terribly rude now and close my eyes. Stay as long as you want."
Draco watched her eyes close and her face relax into sleep. Moving quietly he pulled the blanket up higher on her body and then leaned in to kiss her on her forehead. His lips lingered longer than they needed to but he didn't want to break the connection. He had no idea how long it would take to make her realize how much he loved her but he was a very patient man. With one last look at her, he apparated home.
Author's Note: I can't tell you how encouraging your reviews have been. I'm new to writing and each positive comment really means so much. I'm addicted to them, checking my e-mail several times a day. I wanted to also note that I know that the time frame for Wicked doesn't quite fit with cannon, but it shouldn't matter. My story takes place in 2007 and yes, Wicked is being performed in London as I type. The next chapter will be Hermione and Draco's first "date" if you want to call it that. It's not started but is taking shape in my mind. Hopefully I'll get a chance to write this weekend. Thanks again my wonderful reviewers!