Chapter 30

Over the course of the next month and a half, Hermione and Draco did nothing but argue about baby names and who's room they would move into. Draco became particularly argumentative about their status, he was more than happy for the whole school to know about their situation and he wanted Hermione to be his.

However, the stubborn witch didn't want anyone to know about the baby even though they were so close to the end and she refused to become his which only angered him and caused him to lash out.

He would through things that would only just miss Hermione or throw a punch at Blaise with instant regret.

Hermione was keeping him at arm's length, his temper was growing out of control and he was becoming more unpredictable with each passing day.

"Need any help with that?" Draco asked walking sleepily down the stairs as Hermione was putting away the dishes.

"No" she answered absentmindedly.

"Fine" he grunted before walking clumsily into the living quarters and started the fire.

As Hermione put the cups away she felt a small sharp pain run across her lower abdomen, she hissed out and placed a hand on stomach; the pain subsided rather quickly and she thought nothing of it until another pain hit her in the same place, this time the pain was worse and it caused her to lean forward.

"Ouch" she yelled out, grabbing Draco's attention.

He hurried over to her and stood at her side while his hands made circular motions on her upper back "What it is?" he asked, she was breathing deeply waiting for the pain to melt away "I don't know, but it hurts"

Draco helped Hermione over to the sofa and gently sat her down. "What do you want me to do?" he asked calmly.

"Go get Ginny" she ordered softly; she was just as scared as Draco was even if he didn't show it through his cool and collected exterior. Draco practically ran into the common room door as he left to find the redheaded Gryffindor.

Draco ran straight for the quidditch field knowing that scarhead had practice so she would probably be there too. He found Ginny in the watchers stands and Draco whispered in her ear what was happening, the two of them hurried back to the dorm concerned about Hermione.

When the two barged into the dorm Hermione was pacing and rubbing her lower back "Hey momma bear" Ginny offered her a smile a grabbed her hands "Wanna tell me what's going on so I can see if I can help?"

Hermione nodded and explained to her about the pains and their increasing strengths "I want you to sit down and put your feet up" she ordered Hermione "Draco, go get her a hot water bottle" Draco just stared at the redhead until she yelled at him "NOW!" he walked into the kitchen and did as he was told; when he returned Ginny explained that the pain Hermione was experiencing was Braxton Hicks.

"They're false labour pains, mum use to whine at Ron about the pain she caused him" Hermione chuckled "Give it a little while and the pain should go and you'll be right as rain, okay?"

Hermione nodded "So what are they exactly?" Draco asked.

"It's her bodies way of preparing her for real labour" Draco gave a slight nod "Thank you for this Gin" Hermione gripped her friends hand and gave her a heartfelt smile "No problem, but I do have to go, I've got lesson" the girls said their goodbyes and Draco moved to sit by Hermione on the sofa.

"You've got to stop" Hermione sighed out.

"Excuse me?" he asked totally confused. "Your outburst and sudden shifts in moods, I don't know why you started acting out but so help me God, if you don't change by the time the baby is here, I will not let you near it. Am I clear?"

Hermione got off the sofa and started towards the stairs "No" he yelled out to her, standing up "You're not clear, I have no damn shifts in moods and my outbursts are justified" he defended himself.

"Justified?" she exclaimed "You threw a punch at Blaise because he offered me his hand to help me off the sofa"

"He shouldn't be touching what is mine" he seethed back

"What is yours? I didn't realise that I was property and I also didn't realise that you treated your property like shit" she spat at him while poking a finger in his direction

"I do not treat you like shit" he hurtled back at her.

"You literally threw a glass at me when you didn't like my answer, it missed me by this much" she stated facts, gesturing with her fingers.

"I told you I didn't mean it, I was just—"

Hermione cut him off "Angry, I know! Your mood changed and you threw something at me"

He huffed "Okay, so my moods are changing, what's the big freaking deal?" he exasperated

"YOU'RE SCARING ME!" Hermione shouted causing him to jump a little, he didn't reply to her comment instead he just let her walk to her room and cool off.

After a few hours Draco gingerly knocked on Hermione's bedroom door and slightly opened it "Granger?"

"What Malfoy?" she answered back as he stepped into her room and started towards her bed

"Am I really scaring you?"

She sighed and patted her bed for him to sit on it "yeah, you are...I just don't understand what's happening with you" she explained and in all honesty he didn't know what was going on either.

"I'm sorry Granger" he said sincerely reaching for her hand "I'm trying to be better, not so much like the old Draco; the old Draco would never be fit to raise a child and protect his woman" he hung his head as the truth spilled from his mouth.

Hermione tilted his chin up with her fingers and planted an unexpected passionate kiss on his lips; he had missed the way her silky smooth lips felt against his, he leaned into the kiss and Hermione's lips parted slightly giving him permission to enter her mouth, his tongue danced against her before she pulled away, breathless.

"Old Draco would never have thrown something at me in temper or hit his best friend" Hermione pointed out "A month a ago we were talking about baby names, and out of nowhere you started to angry and starting arguments out of nothing; it's like you're a totally different person. New Draco will not be allowed around my baby" she said pointedly, protectively and he understood clearly.

"Mothers letter and picking out names made it seem all too real, I started to over think and drive myself crazy; I didn't mean to scare you, I'm just...Just" Draco paused, his pride stopping him.

"Scared?" Hermione finished for him and he nodded "You don't think that I'm scared? I'm going out of my freaking mind!" she admitted "Feeling it move, picking out names, getting everything ready, wondering if I'll be a good enough mum or if one day this child will grow to hate me" tears started to form in her eyes and Draco realised that he had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts he had been neglecting her when she clearly panicking.

Draco pulled her into him, her protruding belly pushing up to him, he sighed with relief when she was in his arms "Our child will not hate you Granger, you're a good person with a big heart; there is not one thing that you can't do, and you will succeed in this as you have done everything else, do you understand me?" he questioned as her tears had spilled over

"You're really good at pep talks" she hiccupped out and the pair laughed, he released her from their embrace and whipped stray tears away from her face "we can do this" he promised her.

They spent the rest of the day talking and discussing baby names and godparents without freaking out or getting into any arguments.