DRACO

I left work early. I couldn't stick around there not with what Padma had just told me. I'm staring into my third fire whiskey and it's all still just floating around in my brain. I need to figure out what I'm going to say to Hermione. It's not like this is something I can keep a secret. In a few months it's going to be obvious.

I put my hands in my hair and pull at it trying to dull the rest of the pain that was rushing through me. Why did this have to happen now? I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to be someone's father. I've only just lost my own. He wasn't the best example of what a good father is meant to be.

I run over our conversation in my head again.

"I'm sorry?" She did not just say what I thought she said.

"I'm pregnant." She pauses. "And before you ask, yes it's yours, and yes I'm sure."

"When?" it's the only thing I think to ask.

"When what? When am I due? When did it happen?" She let's out a frustrated sigh. "I got pregnant at the end of November and their due in August."

I look at her and she's not looking at me. She seems to be just as embarrassed as I am shocked. I'm completely aware I'm staring but I can't seem to move.

"I have an appointment in two weeks to find out the sex and check everything is OK." She looks at me then. "I thought you might want to know. In case you wanted to come. I wouldn't mind. I mean they're your baby too."

She's babbling, talking fast unable to hide her nervousness. I just nod. None of this is processing properly.

"I understand it's a shock to you Draco." She stands up. "I just thought you should know."

I stand up to my manners ingrained in me. "Thanks for telling me."

"Listen Draco." She runs her hand over, what I now see is a small bump. "It's ok if you don't want anything to do with the baby. I just ask one thing." I look at her waiting. "Just tell me early. I don't want to start to believe I'm not doing this on my own if you're just going to leave us."

"Ok. Listen, Padma. I'm sorry about my reaction, it's just a complete shock for me." I gain a little control and walk up to her. "I just need time to process it properly."

"I understand." She smiles weakly at me. "I'll give you time to process. I'll owl you the scan details and you can decide if you want to be there."

She left after that and it wasn't long before I left myself. I run through the conversation again. I can't not be a part of my child's life. I'd be worse than my father. I need to be there for both of them. But would it mean losing Hermione.

I drink down what little I have left in my glass and take a quick glance at the clock. Hermione will be home shortly and I have no idea how to tell her. One of the things Hermione was adamant about was Padma wouldn't be part of his life anymore. Now she will always be there. Always in the back ground.

I get up and pour myself another glass. I walk aimlessly around the room not taking anything in, not really thinking at all. Suddenly I hear the floo arrive and my heart begins to pound.

"Draco?" Hermione calls from the living room somehow I find myself in the bedroom. I turn and head back to the living room slowly.

"There you are?" She says with a smile. "Why did you leave early?"

I watch her feeling slightly detached from everything. She's talking as she removes her coat and puts her things down but I'm not really taking it in.

I can't help the overwhelming feeling that when I tell her this, I'll lose her. I put my drink down and I practically March over to her. I take her head in my hands and kiss her. I try to pour everything I feel for her into the kiss. All the love I feel for her. Because this is going to hurt her more than anything.

HERMIONE

This kiss is different somehow. I can't quite put my finger on it. It's aggressive. I feel like he's trying to work something out and I let him.

His kiss starts to become gentler and now I feel like I can relax a little bit. I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him back. He pulls me closer, wrapping his arms tightly around me.

I can't help the need that his kiss starts to build. I'm grabbing his hair in my hands. I'm matching him now and heat spreads throughout me.

I push him to the couch and push him down, quickly straddling him and kissing him again. Our hands run over each others body taking each other in. His hands tangle in my hair keeping me in place for him to kiss me. My lips feel bruised.

I reach for the buttons on his shirt. Then suddenly he pulls away. "No, Hermione. Wait."

We're both panting, catching our breath. I look at him curiously. Why should we stop? I can tell he wants me too.

"I need to talk to you." I run my hands over his chest and over his shoulders, feeling his body underneath.

"We can talk later." I say leaning down again to take lips.

He kisses me back but it feels different. I reach for his shirt buttons again but this time he grabs hold of my wrists to stop me.

"Draco." I say in frustration. He's starting to irritate me now.

"I need to talk to you, now." Something in his voice puts me on edge.

"What's wrong?" my pulse starts to race for different reasons now.

"Padma came to see me today." I'm taken aback and I relax my hands and Draco let's them go. I wait for him to finish. "She's pregnant."

I don't know what it is but I can't stop the laugh that builds. It escapes from my mouth and I sound hysterical. I laugh like this for a minute while a look of utter confusion is stuck on Draco's face.

"I knew it." I say as my laughter turns into sobs. Tears running down my face freely. "I fucking knew it!" I scream it.

I push myself away from Draco none too gently and stand up. I knew something had to go wrong. You would think, after everything we had all been through in our short lives, we could have some semblance of happiness. But no of course not something had to change.

"Hermione." Draco whispered standing slowly, eyes on me.

I can't look at him right now. Sobs wrack my body. Why did this have to happen? He puts his hand on my shoulder and I shove him away. I can't have him touching me right now.

"Talk to me Hermione." His voice is almost a whisper. I turn to look at him and I see the worry in his eyes.

"What do you want me to say Draco? Congratulations." He flinches when I say that. "You're going to be dad."

A sudden urge to just runaway fills me and I don't want to deny it. I look around the room for a second trying to compose my thoughts. I take in the home we've made together over the last few months and anther sob escapes me. The tears won't stop. I head to our bedroom and summon an overnight bag. I begin to throw things in there that my racing mind tries to tell me I might need.

"Hermione." Draco comes in behind me. "Hermione, stop!" I don't stop I can't I need to get out of here. "Look at me Hermione please."

I carry on moving around the room putting things into the bag. Then suddenly I feel him tug on my arm and pull me to him. His hands are on my arms, grasping me tightly. I still don't look at him. "Look at me."

I hear the pleading in his voice and I can't stop myself from bringing my gaze to his. I see the pain written all over his face. "Don't leave me." He says his voice breaking as he does.

"I have to go. I need to think this through." I try to pull away but his grip is strong.

"Let's do that together. Remember Hermione?" He asks and I see his eyes well. "We can work through anything together."

I shake my head. I can't be around him right now. I need some space to think about all this. I see his mind turning trying to think of things that might make me stay. Then he crushes his lips to mine. His kiss was full of panic and need and I kiss him back briefly. My body betraying how my mind wants to react.

I pull away. "Stop." I say. I'll never be able to think clearly with him so close.

He puts his forehead to mine. His body sags resigned to the fact I need to do this. "Don't go." He says but before I can argue he interrupts me. "I'll go."

He releases me and takes a step back, his eyes on the floor. "No I need to leave here." There are too any things in this flat that remind me of him. "I need some space."

He just nods his acceptance. It takes me a few seconds to move. When I do I race for the bag zipping it up and pulling it with me. I make my way to living room trying not to look at Draco. I might break again. I silently pull on my coat and grab my purse. Before I reach the door I take one look back I can't help it.

The pain on his face is visible. "Hermione." His tone is begging and it tugs me to stay. "I… Just..." He stammers. I turn and reach for the door. "I love you."

They are the last words I hear as I close the door behind me. It takes everything in me to move forward. To put one foot in front of the other. The pain in my chest is overwhelming.

I walk down my street not taking in how busy it still is, or the stares that people are throwing my way. I'm not trying to hide my tears, I can't hold them back.

After a few minutes of this mindless walking, I take a look around at my surroundings. I'm not entirely sure where I am. It hits me then that I don't really have a place to go. I just stand there in the street for a few minutes before I think of one place I can go. I look around and find a secluded alley way. I head down and when I'm sure no-one can see I aparate.