I do not own Harry Potter or make any money off this fic. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling and associates.

AN: I'll be updating one chapter at a time from here on out to give myself time to write the new ones. Someone asked how long it'll be- at least 25 to 30 chapters, I'd say. Also, when considering that some of the characters sometimes seem a bit ooc, remind yourselves that it's a teenage-pregnancy fic, will you? I do often try to write true to the characters, but come on. This one is quite over the top and yes, they are all a bit ooc, all the time. I don't mind if you take umbrage with that fact that they're ooc, either. I'm just trying to insert some realism and calm into the situation. We all have the tendency to get way too territorial about these characters here in the fanfiction verse. Relax, dear readers, and enjoy. It's just fanfiction. The great thing about it is if you don't like something I've done you can stop reading and go find someone else who has probably written things exactly how you want them- or better yet, write it that way yourself. Cheers!

They were out the castle doors and running across the courtyard before Hermione knew what was happening. She could feel a large grin spread across her face and the feeling of the wind rushing past them- or were they rushing past it- was wonderful. Draco didn't slow down even once they were out of sight. Hermione finally had to tug on his arm hard before he stopped and looked back at her. He was smiling.

Hermione felt her heart skip a beat. Bloody hearts. Always doing things one didn't want them to- like falling for Ron, for instance. No, clearly her heart was not trustworthy. But at least Draco wasn't Ron. That was a start.

"Where," she gasped out, "are we going?"

Draco had pulled her into an empty niche in a corridor and now he looked around again before responding. "Shouldn't that be a surprise?"

"Well unless you've passed your Apparition test months before anyone is supposed to even take it, then I want to know how we're getting to…wherever it is we're going."

He nodded. "Fair enough. No, I haven't passed the official ministry test. But don't worry, I know you hate brooms so you'll just have to trust me. I am a Death Eater, aren't I? You don't seriously think they'd let me take the mark if I couldn't be useful, do you?"

Hermione eyed him warily. It was the first time he'd so blatantly referred to just how 'useful' he could be to Voldemort's cause and, quite frankly, it made her rather uncomfortable.

"So, you are planning on apparating."

"Yes."

"But you're not going to- um- I mean…why can't you just tell me where?"

Draco eyed her for a few seconds before he realized what was happening. She thought he might take this opportunity to turn her over to the Dark Lord. His eyes widened and he gagged.

Hermione stepped forward, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry, just threw up a little in my mouth. Merlin, what is wrong with you? You're the one who said I was using this mess as collateral in case the Death Eaters go south. Do you honestly think I would take you to him? Now? While you're pregnant? Gods, Granger. Even I'm not that heartless."

Hermione felt tears rise and she turned away to fish for her hanky again. "Well I'm sorry- but it's what you are, you know! And I know you took the vow same as everyone and you've been terribly nice to me lately, but I can't help feeling scared sometimes, can I?"

Draco sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I know, I know. I'm sorry too. See, this is exactly why we both need to get away. Now are you in?"

He held out a hand and Hermione turned back around, her tear stained face looking awfully appealing and delicate. She managed a half smile and put her hanky-free hand in his.

"I'm in."

He smiled at her gratefully and then they were running again, until they reached a point outside the castle grounds. Draco turned on the spot without so much as a nod in her direction, only grabbed hold of her arm tightly and slung his arm about her shoulders and the world spun.

Draco had definitely been taking apparating lessons. From whom, Hermione had no idea- and she didn't really want to know- but he was superb at it. She had read plenty, she'd even experimented a bit, a fact she'd been careful to hide from everyone- but there was no unsettling pull at her middle, no jolting stops…just a smooth, swift flight to wherever he was taking her.

And then they were there. Hermione felt herself be thrown forward by the sudden stop and Draco caught her up in his arms, keeping her on her feet. She looked up at him, sandwiched between his arms and gave him a small smile.

"So…you can let me go now."

He flushed and dropped his arms. "Sorry. See, here in one piece! Now where do you want to go first?"

"Um- where are we?"

He laughed and took her shoulders, turning her around. "Take a look, Granger."

She looked about them, saw old fashioned store fronts, paving stone streets and flowers from every window, despite the increasingly winter like weather. She could see beyond the tops of the shops and realized they were in a hilly district of whatever city they were in…and they were in a city. Below them she could see dozens of city lights and streets, leading into the distance. There was a river too, and it looked as if something towered over the cityscape…she found a smile spreading over her face and clapped her hands in delight without thinking.

"Paris!"

Draco laughed at her obvious pleasure and congratulated himself inwardly. What girl could resist Paris, after all? He leaned over her shoulder and began pointing out various sites. Hermione took everything in and finally stopped him, her face serious again.

"Draco, we can't stay here."

"And why not?"

"Well, we have class in the morning and I was supposed to meet Ginny later tonight after her practice-"

"So owl her. Or use the hotel floo."

"The hotel…?"

"Well, yes. Don't worry- it has a rollaway. What did you think we'd be doing? Spending the afternoon and leaving? That's not a break," he scoffed.

She looked about thoughtfully once more. Rather than ask the obvious questions- why Paris, why did he have a hotel room reserved already, why choose to spend the evening with her- she focused on the moment. And right then she was so aware of his hands on her shoulders, of the little life inside her, and of the wind in her hair. She turned her head to look at him. "What district are we in right now, anyway? I didn't think there was a hill this large so near the tower."

"It's wizarding Paris, Hermione. How do you think I apparated here so easily?"

She got a strange look on her face and for a moment, he thought she was going to get upset with him, but instead she forced a smile again. "I've read about it, but I've never been here before. I guess you'd better show me around, then. What did you want to do first? We'll discuss the length of our stay later," she added with a pointed glance.

"Of course we will," he groaned before looping an arm about her waist and leading her forward down the street. "How about we get out of these robes and I take you shopping? Come on, we'll stop at the hotel first."

Hours later, Hermione found herself leaning on Draco's arm, laughing at another of his jokes and forgetting all about her predicament. She wasn't sure when she'd decided to stop nagging him about sending that owl, but she was glad of it. She was more than a bit surprised by it, but she was having a wonderful time. She was almost sad when he finally said they should head back to the hotel and had just begun to pout when he shushed her and led her down another cobble-stoned street.

"Aren't you the one who said this was a bad idea?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Did I? I didn't say that exactly, I just said we shouldn't stay. There's a difference."

"Well it doesn't matter anyhow. Here we are again. Do you want to eat in the restaurant or in the room?"

Hermione felt her stomach rumble and flushed. "I don't care- just give me food now. My hours of keeping it down are swiftly dwindling."

Draco laughed. "Go to the room and get settled. I'll order down here and be right up- in the meantime, why not open the chocolates?"

Hermione clasped one of the bags in her hands closer to her chest and smiled. "I thought these were for your mother."

"That's what I wanted you to think, Granger. Go on up. I'll be there shortly."

He began to turn away and Hermione quickly grasped his arm, stopping him. "Draco, I- thank you. Thanks."

Draco looked back at her, a strange expression on his face before he shrugged and gave her hand a squeeze. "You're welcome."

He watched her nod and then move to the lifts, keeping his eyes on her until she was out of sight. To be honest, although he'd enjoyed their afternoon off, he hadn't truly been able to relax. After all, with such an important task as he'd been given that year he was probably a high priority on the watch lists of both interested groups and he'd been keeping an eye out for tell tale shadows all day. It was starting to wear on him a bit, truth be told. He'd been putting on a good show for everyone, but he knew Snape, at least, could tell he was feeling it. The man had actually tried to comfort him the other night, leaving Draco to make a hasty getaway. Draco didn't want comforting…unless it came in the form of Hermione Granger's thin arms and frizzy hair.

He rolled his eyes at himself before gathering his wits again and putting in an order for food at the desk. After that he took a moment to send an owl to Hogwarts to let Snape and Dumbledore know where they were, in case they were concerned. As an after thought he included McGonagall in the message. Hermione's head of house would want to know where she was, after all…finally, he sent a brief message to his mother to tell her about his outing so she wouldn't be concerned when he dipped into his accounts. Then he headed for the lift, himself. When he got to the room, he discovered the food had arrived seconds before he did- ah, the joys of traveling with magic. Hermione glanced up at him guiltily, a plate laden with food already sitting in front of her. She looked like a wild animal, ready to flee at the first sight of danger and he couldn't help the laugh that barked out. She glared at him and continued to eat, but shoved a plate in his direction.

She was seated at the table in their suite, her stockinged legs tucked up under her, the coat she'd allowed him to purchase for her discarded in a chair. They were both still surprised by that turn of events, but she hadn't made a move to return the coat yet. Draco had seen it in a shop window and its colors and cut- green and gold with a high collar and wide, belted flounce- caught his eye. Before she'd realized what was happening, Hermione had found herself shoved into the shop and the coat foisted upon her in front of some mirrors. Neither had been able to argue that it didn't look divine on her, but when Draco had pulled out his money Hermione had thrown a fit. The look Draco had given her when she'd begun complaining about money, though…he'd turned on her with fierce, stormy eyes and waxed eloquent about her being the mother of his child and how she was worth every cent. He'd said it so dominantly, so possessively, that it had surprised her and she'd shut up long enough for him to buy the coat without further objections.

Eyeing it now, as he dug into his own plate, he said, "It's still here? I thought for certain the minute I was out of sight you'd have it taken away."

Hermione looked at it mildly, much more pleased with everything now that her blood sugar wasn't so low. "Had you? It is a bit ostentatious for my tastes…but it is lovely…"

"I knew you liked green," he said smugly and she smiled beatifically.

"You know a lot about me. You've been watching me."

Her remark caught him off guard and he raised a brow. "Er- that's normal for our situation, isn't it?"

"Is anything considered normal for our situation?" she responded, polishing off her food. They had both eaten ravenously and he looked down at his plate to discover he was almost finished, himself.

"No, I don't suppose anything is. Aside from the idea that we've pulled each other- just like every other teenager, anywhere. That's about the only normal side to it."

"Not everyone has sex at age twelve," Hermione said dryly.

"I didn't mean that-"

"Well, you meant something. I can promise you that our daughter will never-"

"Isn't that what the father is supposed to say?" Draco asked, smirking and Hermione shut up. He glanced at her thoughtfully and his face grew grim. "I suppose you think I'll be an awful father," he said.

"I said no such thing."

"But you're thinking it," he continued, ignoring her. "It's alright. Everyone does. The only people who believe in me anymore are a dotty professor and an even dottier headmaster."

"How can you say that? What about family and friends? You've always been popular-"

"Popularity? I sometimes wonder if they were ever really my friends or if my father had them all scared shitless. Family? Are you serious, Hermione?"

Hermione sat back, deflated for a moment. "Oh. Right. Sorry, I forget about them when I'm…well."

"When you're what?"

Draco made an angry motion and got up, leaving his plate and the food. He walked over to the sofa by the window and sat down in it, twisting about to rest his chin on his arms as he gazed out over the city. Hermione followed him and sat on the edge of the sofa gingerly, not sure if he wanted to be disturbed. They'd had such a lovely day together and she said as much to him, hoping to encourage him, ease his mind about whatever was bothering him. Being with Draco, after all, wasn't so different from being with Harry or Ron. They were all boys and, she discovered to her relief, operated in much the same fashion.

"Right. One nice day together has you convinced I'm not so bad, does it?"

"It's not just one nice day, Draco, and yeah, it has. You've been really kind to me."

"I guess that means you think I've changed, right? That I'm not just another murdering blood purist. You're wrong, Hermione."

"I don't know what you mean," she replied. "You're not a murderer. You've been born in unfortunate circumstances…"

"Stop lying to yourself, Granger. I'm as bad as they all think I am. I could murder someone, if I had to. If it meant my life or theirs. I don't see…" his voice trailed off for a moment and he blinked rapidly before continuing in a quiet voice. "I don't see how I'm ever going to get out of this mess. Death Eaters. The Dark Lord. It's impossible. I sometimes wonder if there really is a way out. Being kind to one pregnant witch is not going to fix things, if things can be fixed at all. I'm my father's son, after all," he finished in a hoarse whisper.

He suddenly felt very, very tired and found himself wondering how far it was from the window to the cobblestones below. Could he make the jump without taking Hermione down with him? But then…then what would she do without his protection? He shook his head, blinking again. Blinking back the tears he knew were now obvious to the brilliant witch sitting beside him.

Hermione leaned towards him and took his hand in hers. He gave it freely, showing no signs of stopping her from touching him.

"No, no, Draco," she said quietly, "don't say such things about yourself. How can you ever expect to change when you've put yourself in the same category everyone else has?"

He looked up at her strangely and moved to take his hand away, but she placed her other hand over his, keeping it firmly in her grasp. It was too much for him to bear just then. It truly was.

Without another word, he leaned forward into her, burying his face in her neck. She could feel his tears flowing down his cheeks and onto her skin, onto the collar of her shirt, but she was frozen in the embrace, unsure of her actions. And then she knew what to do about it. She calmly reached up one hand and began stroking his hair softly; murmuring soothing noises into his ear; letting him shake gently upon her shoulder as all the weight of his world suddenly came to bear upon him.

"There, there," she whispered, "I'm here for you. We're here for you. No- it's okay. Cry as long as you need to, Draco. It will be okay."

Subconsciously his other hand drifted forward and came to rest on her stomach. She smiled against his hair and continued to murmur quiet, soft nothings as he cried. The entire moment took no more than a few minutes, but it felt as though time had slowed down for them in that fancy hotel room overlooking the city of love.

Eventually his breathing evened out and she could feel the dampness on her skin evaporating and being replaced only with the chilled air of their room. Still, Draco remained where he was for several minutes more, taking in the scent of her skin, drawing his thoughts together. The hand over her stomach curled its fingers into her top and he smiled.

"Hermione," he said softly. She didn't respond immediately and he finally pulled away and brought his hands to his eyes, rubbing briefly at them before he turned to look at her. She was smiling at him serenely, the happy all over her face once again. "Thank you for a lovely trip," she responded. "I've had a really nice time."

He blinked a few times and turned his head to stare out the window. So. That's how it was, for now. "You don't want to stay overnight?" he asked. "There's nothing like breakfast in Paris."

She grinned and stood up, stretching. "We have Arithmancy tomorrow morning. Besides, it's not as if I've never had breakfast in Paris before. My family isn't exactly poor."

"Ah," he replied. "That's right. Dentists. Medieval torture devisers. How could I forget?"

She frowned and smacked him playfully on his shoulder before giggling. "You make it sound so droll. How do you do that, Draco?"

"Do what?"

"Make everything that doesn't involve being a pureblood sound like it's the worst job in the world."

"Ah, well," he remarked, standing as well, "that's because they are."

He received another smack to his arm for his trouble and responded with a very boyish grin. It earned him a thorough once over from Hermione and the grin melted from his face.

"What?"

"You seem happier now…that we're not at school. Why is that?"

Draco's eyes immediately became hooded and his guard went up. "I don't know what you mean," he replied, attempting to keep his tone light.

She frowned. "There it is again- every time I try to talk to you about what's really bothering you, you clam up. You either distract me with a crude joke, or an insult, or a question about muggles…this time it was the tears. When are you going to be honest with me, Draco?"

He shrugged. "There are some things you don't want to know the truth about, Hermione. Had you ever considered that?"

"It's something to do with school, isn't it? Is it this task? Or is there something else you're supposed to be doing? Something that involves Voldemort and it's weighing very heavily on you because you don't know if you can…"

He brushed off her questions with a smirk. "You know, Hermione, it seems to me that I'm not the only one that avoids certain topics of conversation- you, for instance, avoid talks about our relationship at all costs…" Draco noted with satisfaction that his topic change brought a flush to her cheeks and made her stumble backwards a few steps, all thoughts of his Death Eater tasks driven from her mind.

"Well- it's not as though we have a real relationship," she mumbled. "So what's the point of talking about it if it isn't-"

"Oh, but it's very real to me, Hermione," he murmured, stepping closer to her. She took another several steps back and found that she'd cornered herself against a wall.

"Nonsense- I can believe that you and I could be friends over this entire mess, but the idea that-"

He moved in for the kill and placed his hands on either side of her, using the wall as leverage as he leaned into her. "Friends? Just friends? When I've memorized everything about you?"

"What- what do you mean?" she whispered, scrunching up against the wall- trying to make herself as small as possible.

He smiled down at her. "You're the one who said earlier that I've been watching you. How else could I know the exact way your hair frizzes in the rain…the way your eyes light up when you know the answer to a question…the way you bite your lips when you're getting nervous about something…"

Hermione gave a small start as she realized she was doing just that at the moment. She frowned at him and made to push him away from her, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Those are all things that anybody can easily see," she muttered. "Ginny knows all those things too, but we're not lovers."

He grinned. "No? That's too bad. There goes one of Potter's fantasies."

She rolled her eyes. "Harry does not think-"

He interrupted her smoothly. "Now now, Hermione, this conversation isn't about the Boy Wonder. It's about you and me…and what you're going to do about us."

"Nonsense," she repeated stubbornly, looking everywhere but up at him.

"Oh, now you're just hurting my feelings, Hermione."

She brought her eyes up to his and her own widened as she watched the grey orbs smoldering at her. She caught her breath.

"Stop being ridiculous," she whispered. "This is a business deal- nothing more."

His eyes sparked and she practically whimpered beneath his gaze, but managed to glare up at him anyway, as if she could will him to go away.

"Hermione," he said very carefully as he pressed his body up against hers, "no one- and I really do mean that- is going to believe the first thing about this so-called business deal if you and I can't even hold hands without you flinching, or your eyelashes fluttering madly, the way they are now."

She looked away again and tried to still her trembling. "Is that why you brought me here, to a hotel?" she asked softly. "So you can take advantage of me the way Ron did?"

He looked at her in consternation and lifted his body away. Taking her chin in one hand, he forced her face forward. "Look at me, Hermione," he growled. She did, her eyes full of- what was it? Desire? Longing? Whatever it was, it wasn't the fear he'd thought would be present.

"Ron should have stopped himself, but he didn't. And you never said no to him. There's no point in regretting what happened between you or feeling terribly maligned about it. Don't imagine feelings that weren't there- it will only hurt you later on, keep you from getting close to other people."

"I know that," she said quietly. "That's not what I meant."

He sighed and let go, dropping his hand back to the wall behind her. She leaned against it, looking up at him expectantly. "Then what did you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Are you ever going to kiss me?" she blurted out, a flush spreading along her cheeks. She looked away again. "I know I haven't been very forward with you, but I kind of expected you to take the lead…Ron and I- it was a mistake. I don't even remember how it all started or stopped. And kissing Viktor fourth year- that was all him, too. I've never…" she paused, searching for words.

"Never really started anything?"

She lifted her eyes to his again. "That's right. And you- well, you're Draco Malfoy. And it's hardly as if you really like me to begin with- I can't imagine that we would actually sleep together for the sake of this charade, but kissing…I expected some of that. I'm more prepared for it than you probably think I am. But you haven't done anything yet and I thought that this was how you preferred things…platonic," she finished shortly.

Draco stared down at her, thinking about what she'd just said. She was right, of course. Blasted Gryffindor know it all. He hadn't done anything yet, supposedly because he'd been waiting for her to be ready- but was it really him who wasn't ready? Who wasn't prepared to take the next step?

Resolutely, he grasped her shoulders and looked down at her. "Well," he murmured.

Hermione closed her eyes. "Well," she replied.

And then he leant over very slowly and placed his lips upon hers.

When he withdrew, they were both a little winded. Hermione's eyes were still closed and her cheeks were a bright pink. Draco had to shake his head a little to clear it.

"That was…interesting," Hermione finally said breathlessly, her eyes fluttering open. Draco eyed her. Was that disappointment he detected?

"Only interesting?" he asked.

She paused before answering, chewing on her lips as though she was thinking very hard about the best response. When she spoke again, she seemed almost sorry.

"Viktor was very good, you know."

Draco rolled his eyes and moved away. "Thanks for that- here I am, risking life and limb for a Weasley brat and a muggleborn and you're comparing me to Viktor Krum? Ouch, Hermione. I am vastly wounded," he finished with a sarcastic twitch of his lips before turning round to face her again.

She raised an eyebrow and cast him a smirk of her own. "But for a Slytherin, that was rather nice?"

He glared at her. "And just which other Slytherins have you been snogging?"

"Oh, only you, Draco, my love- only you!" she exclaimed and batted her eyelashes at him mightily.

At which, they both snorted and fell to some minutes of laughing. She was only trying to clear the air, Draco supposed- after all, he could feel her interest in the kiss as well as she- and their mutual breathlessness afterwards attested to how good it had been.

Scary thoughts.

Followed by scarier actions, because not a minute later Draco turned to find Hermione throwing her arms about his neck again, bringing their lips together for the second time that evening. Needless to say, the second kiss lasted a great deal longer than the first. Draco, as it turned out, was more than happy to wrap his arms about her and discover new methods of breathing.

AN: Sorry about the tangent up there in the other AN. I'm sure it'll only attract more flames, but whatever. I just want us all to enjoy our time together, not worry about silly things. *sigh* Hope you all liked this update!