A/N: I'm not sure what kind of confrontation you are all hoping for but I did my best in trying to make this particular scene good. After days of thinking and going over scenarios, I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. Hope you like it anyways.

Chapter 8: Indiscretion

Hermione sat in the sitting room sitting opposite of Narcissa Malfoy and her husband, Lucius. Her stomach was in knots once more and this time she was tenser than when it was only her and Narcissa in the room two months ago.

It turned out that Lucius did not know Hermione was pregnant with Draco's babies. Narcissa had written that he probably suspected but she hadn't told him, feeling it would be better for Hermione to tell the Malfoy patriarch. Hermione knew Narcissa was eager for Lucius to know, enthusiastically telling Hermione, before Lucius had joined them that he would be ecstatic to know he would be having grandchildren even if he didn't express it outwardly when it would be revealed to him.

They had been making small inconsequential talk for a while before the conversation turned more serious.

"Lucius, dear, Hermione has some news for us," Narcissa said, looking expectantly at Hermione with a small smile of encouragement.

Hermione looked down nervously, not able to meet the eyes that looked so much like Draco's. He should be there with her, delivering the news to his parents together, especially to his father. 'Oh,' she thought, 'if only we had told them about our engagement sooner. He probably would have missed that incident with his uncle and not be in the situation he's in.'

"Well," Hermione started, wringing her hands nervously, "I'm sure you know that Draco and I spent a lot of time together before he lost his memory."

She paused, trying to figure out a good way to break the news to the man that used to stand against everything that she was. Tell him that she, a Muggle-born, was engaged to his son and pregnant, thereby linking him with the very things all three of them had been raised to hate. She knew that they had all changed drastically, but it was still hard, especially when Draco wasn't by her side.

She was about to continue when the door to the sitting room closed, making all three of them look towards the door to find Draco standing there, a determined look on his face.

"Draco," she said, sure that her face held all the surprise that she felt at seeing him there. What was he going to do? Tell her to leave because he didn't want to see her? He had told his parents and Healer that he didn't want her at the Manor. It still hurt to know that he didn't want her there, especially with him standing right before her eyes.

He strode over confidently and kneeled in front of her so that they were at eye level. She couldn't help the blush she felt creep up on her face at how close he was. The fact that his parents were right there, seeing them with front row seats, made her even more self-conscious.

"Where is it," he asked, looking into her eyes, his grey ones piercing her brown.

"What," she asked, not sure what he was talking about. Had she taken something from him in one of his memories?

"The ring. The Malfoy engagement ring I gave you when I asked for your hand," he said, making her breath hitch in her throat. "You should be wearing it."

Well, she had wanted Draco to be there to tell Lucius that it was his son that she was with. The way it was presented, though, was not exactly what she thought it would be. She shot a nervous look at his father who simply raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have your memories back, Draco," Lucius asked his face blank.

Draco turned to his father, a resolute look on his face.

"Not all of them," Draco said, "but Hermione and I are engaged."

"I cannot believe your indiscretion," Lucius said, his eyes hard. Hermione's heart sank.

"Excuse me," Draco said, standing up and looking at his father with hostility. His cold voice made Hermione anxious as to where the conversation was leading. So she had been right. Lucius would not accept her or her relationship with Draco. She looked towards Narcissa whose face was tight but for the pursed lips and narrowed eyes she focused on her husband.

"You heard me," Lucius said, also rising. "Of all the things I've taught you about propriety, I never thought this would happen. I thought I raised you better."

"Lucius!" burst Narcissa, leaning forward in her seat, shock clear on her face.

Draco whipped out his wand and pointed it at his father.

"Don't you dare stand there all self-righteous, going against the best decision I have made in my entire life," Draco spat, his wand steady and his face furious. "You may not approve of my choice of a wife, but I'll be damned if you think I'll just sit here while you mouth off about her."

Hermione looked tearfully up at Draco. It wasn't that she ever doubted his feelings for her, but for him to go against his father, the man he had always looked up to, for her was simply astounding.

To her surprise, Lucius looked confused.

"It's not Ms. Granger I have a problem with," Lucius said, exasperation in his voice and gesturing wildly. "It's my grandchildren that were conceived out of wedlock that bothers me. Now put your wand away, your fiancé is pregnant."

When Draco lowered his wand, Lucius went on talking.

"How could you have sacrificed her honor," Lucius asked, looking at Hermione. "She deserves better than that."

Hermione blushed and saw that Draco did as well. She was sure they both felt like lust filled teens who had been caught doing something naughty. And, needless to say, she was shocked. She had no idea Lucius had so much respect for her. She now felt foolish that she had kept her engagement to Draco a secret from them.

She could see Narcissa trying to suppress her laughter. Hermione was sure Mrs. Malfoy was laughing at her husband more than at them. Apparently she didn't have as strict a code as her husband did.

"Dear," she said, "they're adults. I'm sure they had intended to wait."

Lucius stole a quick glance to his wife before turning back to Draco.

"Did you at least ask to marry Ms. Granger before your passion got the better of you," he asked.

"Of course," Draco cried in indignation but then turned towards Hermione, uncertain, "Right?"

"Draco asked to marry me months before we…before we…," Hermione's face was red with embarrassment. There was no way she could possibly finish that sentence.

"You see, dear," Narcissa jumped in, "he had every intention to marry her."

"Has every intention, mother," Draco said, looking at Hermione, his expression soft and with a smile gracing his lips.

"You bloody well better," Lucius practically barked, "no grandchildren of mine will enter this world without Malfoy attached to their names. The very idea of it is not to be borne."

Hermione was surprised again by Mr. Malfoy. She had never heard so much as a slight swear cross his lips in the two years she had known him.

"For all our sakes, Ms. Granger, I pray my grandchildren are born with your brains and not those of my child's," Lucius said to Hermione.

Hermione burst out laughing, both at Mr. Malfoy's statement and at the slightly petulant look that was on Draco's face. Then, to her surprise, tears of relief fell down her face. It was good to know Draco wouldn't be at odds with his parents because of her. They were even, dare she say it, proud that she would be a part of their family.

Quickly wiping away her stray tears, Draco wrapping his arm around her in an attempt to comfort her, she looked at the older Malfoys.

"I'm just as guilty as Draco, if not more," she said. "I, uh, didn't want to let you know about our engagement. I—I didn't think you would…well, I thought that…"

"I understand, Ms. Granger," Lucius said solemnly. "I hope you know now, though, how much pleasure Narcissa and I have in calling you our soon to be daughter-in-law. Have no doubt of our sincerity."

Hermione nodded, blinking fiercely to keep her tears at bay. She cursed her hormones once more.

The older Malfoys left the young couple to themselves, sensing they wanted to be alone to discuss things between the two of them.

"Hi," Draco said, pulling up a chair to sit closer to Hermione.

"Hi," she smiled back. "How much do you remember?"

"Fragments of here and there," he informed her. "I don't know specific details, but I know the big picture of events. It's the most anyone could hope for, from what I understand."

"Do you still want me away?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Of course not. And I'm sorry for keeping you away. I actually wanted to see you but my memories were still of me at Hogwarts. The thought of us together made me…unsettled."

"Unsettled," Hermione asked, unease rising in her stomach.

"Well," Draco said, looking embarrassed, "I always liked you and then here comes scenes of the two of us being together and doing…things."

"Is that why you refused taking your potions," Hermione asked, trying to keep her blush at bay.

"No," Draco said in a stern voice, "Never. It was You-Know-Who being in this house. The things I saw. I didn't want to take them because I knew you would come up and I couldn't face it."

They were silent for a long while before Draco burst out, "How can you ever agree to be with me? After what I did? After what I didn't do to help?"

"Draco," Hermione said, cradling his face in her hands, "there was nothing you could have done without endangering your family. I know how much this torments you. Besides, you didn't identify us; not really."

There was another long pause in which Draco had knelt down to place his head against Hermione's stomach. To both of their delight, they felt kicking.

"Did you ever tell me you were pregnant before I lost my memory," he asked while Hermione ran her fingers through his hair.

"I was going to," she answered, "the day when you uncle attacked us. You had come to get me at the Ministry because we were going to get lunch together. I was going to tell you then."

"We'll make this work," Draco said with resolution. Draco waited for her response and looked up when a gasp came from her.

Hermione's face was cringed in pain and her hand was on her stomach.

"Something's wrong," she breathed, fear in her eyes.

Draco felt cold alarm shoot through him as he looked into Hermione's frightened eyes.