What's the verdict on orange and purple? Also, I've decided to embrace harem pants. They just do amazing things for my hips. Like making it look like I have them.

Chapter 20

Draco was gone when Hermione awoke. She knew he had an early meeting, but she assumed he would wake her before leaving. Pushing back the blankets, she checked on Lilah who still slept in her crib. "Come on, baby," she murmured, rousing the little girl. Touching her forehead, she frowned. "Still warm."

With Lilah in her arms, she went downstairs and placed the baby in the playpen. Picking up her wand from the coffee table where she had left it the night before, she took the little girl's temperature and was shocked by the high number. She tossed a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and called out for Draco's office. Her heart beat faster and faster with every second that passed. When he didn't answer, she disconnected the call and picked up Lilah. She stepped into the fireplace and dropped a handful of powder that would take them to St. Mungo's. Lilah wailed as she stepped out. "I know, baby. I'm sorry," she murmured, making her way to the reception desk. "Hi, I need to see a Healer. She's had a fever since last night, and it's gone up this morning. She hasn't eaten since late noon yesterday. Although, I was so worried about the fever that I didn't even think to see if she'd eat anything today."

The receptionist rounded the desk and attempted to take Lilah from her arms. Still crying, the little girl protested by clinging tightly to Hermione's shirt. "Please, ma'am, if you want her to be seen, I need to take her," the young woman said.

"Can't I go with her?" Hermione pleaded.

"Family only."

Having been unable to reach Draco, Hermione did the only thing she could think to do. "I'm her mother."

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"Mr. Malfoy, you have a message from St. Mungo's."

Draco rolled his eyes as he entered his office. "Looking for a donation again?" he muttered. Sheila, his secretary, stood in his doorway and scowled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I didn't sleep well last night."

"They didn't say what it was about, Mr. Malfoy, but the call came from the children's ward," she stated tersely. Though used to his sometimes abrasive behavior, she refused to tolerate it.

Looking up with wide eyes, he asked, "When did the call come?"

"A few minutes ago," Sheila reported. Draco got to his feet and passed her. "Mr. Malfoy, I hope everything is alright."

He nodded and smiled; his way of thanking her. Seconds later, he arrived at the hospital. He ran to the pediatric ward where he was met by Hermione. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do," she told him. "I couldn't get in touch with you, so I brought her here."

He held her, not sure if he was comforting her, or if it was the other way around. "Is she okay?" he asked. "Will they let you see her?"

"I, um, sort of told them that I'm her mother," she said sheepishly. "It was the only thing I could think of to be allowed to stay with her. I didn't want to leave her alone. She's sleeping now, which is the only reason I stepped away. I made sure to stay with her while the Healer was examining her though."

"What did the Healer have to say?"

Hermione sighed, pulled away from him, and rubbed her eyes. "She'll be fine. It's just the flu," she told him. "Merlin, he looked at me like I was crazy. Told me I overreacted by bringing her in. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"In here?" he asked, pointing to the door she stood in front of. Hermione nodded and followed him in as he entered. The Healer, an old man with a full head of gray hair, stood by with a clipboard in hand. "Excuse me? Did you tell my wife that she was wrong to bring our sick child to you? Do you have any idea who my daughter is? Better yet, do you know who I am? Who she is?"

The old man shook his head before the realization dawned on him. "Mr. Malfoy, I'm sorry," he replied. "I never said she was wrong. It just didn't seem necessary. There's a simple potion for the flu that I recommended to Mrs. Malfoy. We've given it to Delilah, along with some fluids, and she'll be good as new once she wakes."

Arms crossed, Draco wore his sternest look. Well, are you going to take me to her, or do I wait out here until she wakes up?" he demanded. They were led into Lilah's room and left alone. "Too harsh?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know why I didn't think of a potion," she muttered. "Merlin, I'm an idiot."

Draco chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "You, Hermione, are a great many things, but an idiot is not one of them," he replied. "You did the same thing I would do. You did what any mother would do."

She blushed as he placed his arm around her shoulders. "Thanks," she mumbled. "It's silly, but I thought you might be mad."

"I am mad," he reminded her.

"No, at me," she clarified. "For just bringing her here. For not telling you first."

He stepped away from her as Lilah began to wake. "Why would I be mad that you took care of my daughter?" he wondered, picking Lilah up. "Hi, sweet girl. Great, and now she's cold."

Hermione straightened out her cardigan and draped it over the baby. "That should do until you get home," she decided. "I'll just pick it up tomorrow."

"You're not coming back with us?" Draco asked.

Hermione shrugged. "Well, I assumed that you weren't going back to work, so you wouldn't need me," she replied.

Holding out his hand to her, he waited for Hermione to accept it. "I'm always going to need you," he informed her. "And not just for Lilah. You're a part of this family now."

She blushed as she glanced down at their joined hands. "How is it you always know exactly what to say?" she wondered.

"I don't know," he replied with a smile. "Maybe it's just because I love you. You're my best friend, and the best person I can think of to be a part of Lilah's life."

"Are you going to ask me what I think you're going to ask me?" Hermione wondered nervously.

Smiling, Draco shook his head. "No, not right now," he replied. "I don't want to rush things or make you feel uncomfortable. We haven't been together long enough to think about marriage. All I know is that I want to be with you, and I hope you feel the same way."

Standing on tiptoe, she pressed her lips to his. "Trust me, I do."