Chapter 16
It had been a few days since Hermione had been released from the hospital wing and Ginny was starting to get on Hermione's nerves, she understood that her friend was concerned but being at her side from the second her eyelids opened to the moment they shut at night is a bit excessive. She was grateful when Ginny had to go to class; it gave her time to breathe and enjoy her own company. Hermione still hadn't seen Draco since he left the hospital wing even though he had promised that they would talk. Hermione was bored of seeing her four walls so she decided to go for a walk around the school while Ginny was in lesson. Hermione dressed in her robes remembering to wear her concealment top underneath; to look at her straight on no one would know that she was pregnant, but from a side angle she was starting to show. Hermione walked aimlessly around the grounds for a little while, enjoying her momentary freedom before heading to the owlery to send a letter to her mother explaining as to why she would have to miss Christmas this year.
By the time Hermione had reached the top of the west tower she was out of breath and ready for sleep, she sighed to herself before opening one of the owl cages and tying the letter to its foot, she told the owl where to go and helped him into the air, watching as he flew away through the mountains. Hermione was so tired, her night's had been pretty restless; she couldn't get comfy, or when she did get comfy she needed to pee or Ginny would start snoring and it was impossible to sleep throughout the day with Ginny checking on her all the time. Hermione sat down and leaned against the wall of the owlery watching the owls come and go, before long, her eyelids grew heavy and she fell asleep to the owl's hoots.
Ginny returned from her lessons and went straight to Hermione's room to check on her, she knocked on the door and waited, when she got no reply she entered to find the room empty. Ginny thought for a moment 'if i were Hermione where would I go?' after really thinking about it Ginny headed to the library. Hermione was probably just trying to occupy herself, or so Ginny hoped. After searching the library with no luck, she headed to the Slytherin common room; maybe Hermione had gone to see Malfoy. When she reached the common room she didn't bother trying to bribe the portrait into letting her in, she simply whispered the password she had gotten from Goyle and the door opened itself up to her.
Ginny stepped through the door, ignoring the glares she was getting from the Slytherin house; she found Malfoy lying on the couch "Have you seen Hermione" she asked abruptly, he turned his head in her direction sitting up slightly. Before replying to her question; he looked around to see if they were going to be heard, but no one dared approached Malfoy while he was in the middle of something "How did you get in here?" He mumbled "That doesn't matter" she replied "are you going to answer my question or not?" she asked impatiently "No, I have not seen Granger" he said matter-of-factly "fine" Ginny huffed as she spun on her heel. Draco hopped over the couch and stood in front of Ginny "why?" he questioned her "because she's not in her room, she not in the library and she's certainly not here and I don't know where else to look for her" Ginny explained "I don't understand why she would leave her room". Draco thought long and hard for a moment "Maybe it's because she's bored of seeing the same four walls for days on end and you're suffocating her with all your caring and shit" He knew what it felt like to feel boxed in and he understood why she wanted to get out "you really are an asshole Malfoy" Ginny spat before storming out of the Slytherin common room.
Draco left not long after Ginny thinking that he might know where Granger had run off too. His first stop was the astronomy tower; he knew that Granger liked to go there to think, so maybe she went there to escape.
He pushed open the door to the astronomy tower and was greeted by the familiar cold gush of air that hit him. "Granger?" He called out after her, he waited a moment for a reply and when he didn't get one he paused and thought to himself. He deducted where Ginny had looked for her and the places that she probably wouldn't go to and was left with only two possible places she would be; Hagrid's hut or the Owlery.
Draco decided to check the Owlery before heading to Hagrid's. He slowly climbed up the west tower and found her propped up against the owlery wall, her breaths deep and even with her arms wrapped tightly around her abdomen, subconsciously protecting the child. Draco placed a warm hand over hers before picking her up. She stirred in the arms as he carried her back to her dorm.
"Malfoy?" she questioned, looking up at him through sleepy eyes "What Granger?" he mumbled "Just clarifying that it's you, for a moment I thought I was having a nightmare but instead I'm living it" she mumbled back. "You're a pain in the arse, you know that Granger?" he paused and looked down at her as her eyes grew heavy "You've caused a lot of problems for me and here I am saving your ungrateful ass." Draco whispered the password to the Gryffindor common room and made his way up the staircase to her dorm, ignoring Ginny's persistent interrogation. He slammed Hermione's dormitory door behind him so he could have a moment with a sleeping Granger.
He placed her down gently on the bed and watched as her hands slowly loosened their grip from her stomach and reached for her pillow. He watched her silently for a moment, debating whether or not he should wake her so they could have their "chat" that he had promised her they'd have, but alas it would have to wait, she was exhausted so his questions would have to wait for another day; he picked up the throw that was neatly folded at the end of Hermione's bed and draped it over her, letting it rest at her hips. He sat on the side of the bed leaning over her slightly with one hand steadying himself on the inner side of the bed while his other hand lightly traced the hem of Hermione's top, he paused before lifting it to revealed her slightly protruding stomach. He smiled to himself as he trailed his thumb across her stomach causing Hermione to shiver; he removed his hand and pulled her top back down.
Draco leaned in towards Hermione and brushed a small strand of hair away from her face "I don't hate you because of you" he admitted "I hate you because of what my father did to me because of you" he leaned in closer as if he was afraid that someone would hear them "It's easier to hate you than to defy my father." With that Hermione stirred and sleepily mumbled "it's okay" before turning on her side. Draco got up and left sparing one last glance at Hermione.