I think this chapter's pretty exciting. I hope you really like it! By the way, this isn't the end of the story at all - but I won't be able to update for about a week. So just keep that in mind but don't give up on me. I promise you won't regret it! I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for being so supportive!

Draco felt happier today more than most days as he left work. He'd met a new friend, so to speak, and had actually been invited to eat lunch with him rather than having to sit alone in his office. He couldn't wait to tell Astoria. But when he thought about his wife, worry seeped back into his smile—she'd been weakening within the past few months. Sometimes when he'd leave for work in the morning, she would still be asleep (a rare occurrence; she was always around to kiss him goodbye), she would be making dinner and suddenly her knees would give out, and it appeared that her blue eyes had the dark circles under them again. Their silly little notes back and forth weren't returned as quickly by her. Thinking about his ill wife only hastened his departure from work.

Draco Apparated at the front gate of the little cottage, walking briskly down the path and inside. "Darling?" he called out tentatively. What if she didn't answer? Draco removed his cloak and stepped into the living room. Astoria was sitting on the sofa, clasping her frail hands together—not making dinner like usual. "Sweetheart, is…is everything alright?" he whispered, going to sit near her. She remained still. "Astoria," it was a desperate breath now. Why wouldn't she talk to him? She finally turned, sinking into his arms and grasping his shoulders with her weak fingers. "D-Draco…" she gasped out. "The mediwizard came today….H-He asked to check on me, but…he…" Draco gripped her shoulders, searching her tearful eyes for answers. "What did he do to you? What happened?"

"He told me…"

"Astoria, if he did anything to you, I'll—"

"I'm pregnant!"

Draco froze. Did she really just say…? He blinked a bit. No words came to mind at all for her. The tears that were in her eyes previously were now rolling down her cheeks, her gaze almost apologetic. Draco finally reached over and pulled her close to him, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Darling," he breathed. "We're having a baby…." Even though the delight was beginning to take over his speechlessness, Astoria maintained her tearful expression. He cupped her cheek with his hand, grinning at her joyfully. "Astoria…Astoria, what's wrong?" She looked away and sniffled. "I-I…wasn't supposed to get…p-pregnant…."

"What do you mean, darling?"

"He told me that a condition like p-pregnancy would only worsen my sickness. He said that if I ever got pregnant…I wouldn't…live…"

Draco's heart stopped and then sunk right in an instant. "W-What?" he asked in disbelief, knowing that he'd heard correctly. The doctor had told him the same thing a little over a year ago—big changes in her body could result in her getting hurt further. She nodded, wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeve. "H-He asked me…if I would consider taking a s-specific potion he'd created every day of the pregnancy…in order to possibly save the baby."

"What do you mean, save the baby?"

"I-It's possible…that the child could die instead…."

"Like…a miscarriage?"

"Yes…."

"Astoria…everything's going to be fine. We're going to take the potion every day, and…and…you're going to give birth to a beautiful, happy baby. And then you're going to help me raise it; we'll see its first steps, hear its first words, watch it go off to Hogwarts, become a wonderful adult. That's how it's going to happen, Astoria. I…I promise you."

Astoria sank into his arms again, letting him hold her as close to him as possible. "I love you," he whispered. "And whatever happens is not your fault." He felt her whole body shudder, but he knew she was only crying.

The first trimester went rather smoothly, mainly because the baby was only an embryo and wasn't much to lose. Astoria took her potion every single day. She herself declined in strength a bit, but she told Draco that she'd rather be completely incapable of even walking as long as that meant her child would live. They announced their news to Narcissa, Lucius, and the Greengrass family. Immediately, the women began planning all things baby to a tee—just as they had done with the wedding.

The fourth month of the pregnancy was difficult. Astoria went to St. Mungo's twice on account of breathing failure and dangerous falls attributed to weakness. Draco made a paternal decision to take a leave from work so that he could be home with his wife constantly, mainly to make sure nothing hazardous happened to her or their child. The rest of the second trimester only made Astoria sicker. During her sixth month of pregnancy, she couldn't leave her bed.

Narcissa visited her alone one day for tea. "Draco, the two mothers need to chat. The fathers can go elsewhere." she simply stated. Draco immediately understood that he was to let the women have the cottage to themselves. He Apparated to Malfoy Manor to visit with Lucius, leaving his favorite girls alone together. Astoria rose from the sofa to head to the kitchen. "Darling, please sit down. I can summon the tea to brew itself." Narcissa said Astoria sank back, hands on her rounding middle. With a flick of her wand, Narcissa had the tea kettle on the stove, the leaves brewing in water, and steam rising comfortably. She smiled. "Oh, Astoria. You look so beautiful as a pregnant mother." she complimented sincerely.

"I wish I could feel beautiful, Narcissa. I want to enjoy being expectant, but I'm just so worried about everything." Astoria winced.

"Dear, this is supposed to be the most comforting time of your life. You're supposed to feel absolute love completely engulfing you—from your husband who can't wait to meet his baby, from your family that is beyond proud of you, and from within—the child that will forever be yours and yours alone. This is a breathtaking time for you. I couldn't be happier that it's you that's producing me a grandchild."

"I am truly grateful for your words, Narcissa. I just feel like burden all the time. Draco was finally beginning to enjoy work and make friends; but then I had to fall ill again and force him to take a leave. You deserve a healthy grandchild, and yet it's unclear if it will even survive birth. I can't…I can't do this…!"

"No, no. Please don't say that. You're going to be just fine, Astoria. Just fine. Both you and the baby will live."

"But how do you know? Either it will die or I will soon after the birth. It's planned, it's foreseen! Even the doctor told me that!"

"There's one thing that can ensure both of you will live. Do you know what that is?"

"Please tell me so that I can assure my baby is safe and healthy!"

"It's hope,"

Astoria had tears streaming down her face. She sat back against the pillows, her hand on her swelling stomach. Narcissa stared her straight in the eye—firmly, but lovingly. She wanted to get her message across. "H-Hope?" Astoria whispered. The older woman nodded. "It's the cure for everything, I promise. Instead of wondering, instead of wishing or worrying, you must concentrate on the goal and hope that it will become true. I can account for it—during the war, I called upon it a lot."

"T-There's no magic needed for it? Nothing to enhance it?"

"Only your own heart can do that. The more you focus, the more you love, the stronger the hope gets. It's like desire. But instead of pursuing something physically, you're only envisioning it mentally."

"I've hoped for things before in my life…but I don't know if it will help in this—"

"This situation is what needs it most. Because worrying will only further destroy you. Hope adds optimism, positivity, which has been proven to increase one's inner strength. You can do this, Astoria. Just keep your mind open and free of the bad."

"Y-You've…you've used this before?"

"All the time. I hoped that Lucius would be relieved of his…Death Eater duties; he was sentenced to Azkaban. I hoped that Severus would care for my own baby while I couldn't; he fulfilled Draco's impossible deed. I hoped that Harry Potter would spare my son and keep him safe; he assured me on the brink of death that Draco was alright. I hoped that my husband and I would somehow reconnect again, become more loving; you arrived and taught me that was possible. It works, Astoria. It honestly works."

The girl looked up tearfully at her mother-in-law, firmly believing that it did indeed settle things. She nodded. "Thank you…." she whispered. Narcissa stood up, went around the coffee table, and pulled her into a warm embrace that would hopefully dispel any doubts. "I love you," she murmured to her. Astoria gave a weak squeeze. "I love you too…." came her reply.

It was halfway through Astoria's seventh month of pregnancy when Draco stopped worrying so much and just enjoyed the time the love of his life was growing a baby inside of her. While Narcissa coached Astoria on hope, Lucius had assisted Draco in seeing the beauty of a pregnancy and how to care for a woman that was in such a delicate state. As Draco and Astoria lay in bed one night huddled together as usual, he reached out and boldly put his hands on her stomach. Astoria stirred under his touch. "What's the matter, love?" she whispered. He shook his head, smiling. "I just think you look amazing," he answered. "Inside and out." Astoria kissed him on the cheek, grinning at his sweet words. Suddenly, she froze. "Draco," she breathed, moving her own hands up to the swelling area. "I think I can feel it kicking," The two sat up, still focused on her midriff. Indeed, they could sense tiny little hands and feet pushing against their own touches. Draco felt tears began to leak from the corners of his eyes. Astoria gasped, wiping them away gently. "Love, what's wrong? What's the matter? Is everything alright?" she asked. He nodded. "This is just…the most incredible thing I've ever experienced…in my life. The person I love with all that I am is laying here before me, and I'm actually feeling the movements of something that we created together. No one else, but just you and I. I…this is so…" but he couldn't finish, for his voice broke. Astoria kissed him. She had no words as well—both were crying silently and hoping the other wouldn't know in the darkness.

That same seventh month, Draco was in the kitchen, arranging a little tray of biscuits and tea to go enjoy with Astoria in their bedroom. He hummed softly to himself. Things had been going so well with the pregnancy—as disgusting and vile as the potion was, Astoria took it every day for the sake of their child. And her optimism and hope had allowed her to perk a bit in health for short periods of time. Narcissa and Mrs. Greengrass were shopping for baby supplies already, while Lucius and the male Greengrasses civilly debated over which pureblood custom to use when selecting a name for the child—the Greengrass Greek, or the Malfoy constellations? Draco grinned to himself as he pictured his branches of family doing their day-to-day rituals of preparations which technically had two more months to become finalized. He picked up the tray and headed into the bedroom.

What he saw shocked him.

Astoria was laying on her back, staring at the ceiling, hands on her stomach. Pain was etched across her face. "Draco…" she feebly breathed, as if even that took a tremendous amount of energy. "Please…" He dropped the tray to the ground with a smash—every teacup shattered. He was at her bedside in an instant, clutching her hand as he assured her of his presence and straining to hear her barely audible voice. "The baby…" she gasped. "It's…t-time…." His eyes widened. Time? How could it be time when she still had two more months to go? The baby would be premature—or was it even going to be alive after birth? Was it really….? His eyes trailed down to her lower body. It was time. Astoria's water had broken.