Worth the Wait
Chapter Three
Draco bounces his leg, which he knows is probably bothering Astoria, but she hasn't said anything and it's giving him something else to focus on, so he continues doing it.
Astoria squeezes Draco's hand and rubs her thumb against the back of it, attempting to soothe him. If she didn't know any better, Astoria would've thought they were here for him.
"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy?" a witch in bright green robes calls, nodding for Draco and Astoria to follow her.
Draco tries not to notice how much the witch reminds him of Hermione. Her hair is darker, but just as curly, and she has her wand stuck through her bun like Hermione was wont to do when she was working or studying.
Draco scolds himself silently. Now is certainly not the time to be thinking about other witches, despite knowing that Hermione is a huge part of why he and Astoria are even doing this.
The healer leads Draco and Astoria into a private room and directs Astoria to sit up on the bench that's pushed against the back wall. Draco sits beside his wife in a cushioned chair.
"So, tell me why you're here, Mrs. Malfoy," the healer says, standing across the room from the couple.
Draco notices that Astoria doesn't correct the healer about her name and wonders if that's a hint at how nervous she actually is. Astoria hyphenated her maiden name and her married name. Draco hadn't had a problem with it, but Lucius had. Draco thinks Astoria is as adamant about people using her name correctly just to spite his father. It makes him love her just a little bit more every time.
"I believe I might be pregnant. I would like to confirm my suspicion," Astoria responds, glancing to the side at Draco.
It had taken Draco a few weeks to come around to the plan Astoria had proposed several months ago now. Unfortunately for the pair, their first attempt at conceiving hadn't worked. Nor had the second. Draco has been praying to whoever is listening that the third time will be the charm. He doesn't think he could keep trying if it isn't.
Astoria isn't pleased with how long this has taken either. It's uncomfortable for both of them. Admittedly, though, Astoria has been more professional, for lack of a better term, about the situation than Draco has. She'd had to help him unbutton her dress the first time because his hands were shaking too much, and she still hasn't let him live that down.
The healer nods, pulling her wand out from her bun as she steps toward Astoria.
"Very well, lie back for me, please, Mrs. Malfoy," the healer instructs, reaching out to assist Astoria in lying down on the bench.
Draco stands from his chair, on the opposite side of Astoria from the healer. He takes Astoria's hand in his once again and looks down at his wife. Astoria is worrying her bottom lip and her usually clear blue eyes are slightly glassy.
Draco understands that Astoria has even more riding on this decision than he does. She'll be the one carrying the pregnancy, and she'll be the one putting her life at risk to birth the child. Sure, Draco might be able to use this opportunity to convince Hermione Granger to love him again, but Astoria is the one really making the sacrifice here.
Draco knows that she's not just doing this for him. Astoria wants her own life, too. She still wants to marry for love and all of that rot. But it still baffles Draco that Astoria is willing to go through all of this, even if only partially, for him.
The healer waves her wand over Astoria as she whispers a spell that Draco isn't familiar with. Above Astoria, several diagrams and images appear, glowing in a goldenrod yellow color. Draco wouldn't know how to read the images if he tried, but he thinks, in a magical sort of way, that they are quite intriguing.
The healer examines the diagrams for what feels like an eternity before she speaks.
"Congratulations, Mrs. Malfoy," the healer smiles, canceling her charms. "You're just over nine weeks pregnant."
Draco can't hear anything over the sudden ringing in his ears, but he watches as Astoria breathes a sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank Salazar," Astoria gasps once she and Draco land back at Malfoy Manor from their visit to St. Mungo's.
Draco floo'd them directly into his study at the Manor, so as not to have to pass his parents before he and Astoria had had a chance to discuss this new development.
"This still isn't even close to over, Astoria. Don't get too excited just yet," Draco sighs, guiding his wife over to sit on the sofa in his study before sitting down beside her.
Astoria laughs, an actual belly laugh, as she takes Draco's hand in her own.
"Oh, no, darling, I know," Astoria giggles, which unsettles Draco slightly. "I'm just thrilled that I don't have to have sex with you again."
Draco rolls his eyes and yanks his hand away from hers.
"Bloody funny, you are," Draco scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest.
Astoria eventually stops laughing, and when she does, she curls her feet up under herself and leans her head against Draco's shoulder. Draco automatically raises his arm and wraps it around his wife, tugging her closer.
"Oh, come on, Draco, it's not like you were particularly pleased about it either. At least for me, it was like sleeping with my brother. I imagine it was worse for you."
Draco laughs lightly, leaning his head back against the back of the sofa.
"I love you, Tori, but if we never have to do that again, it'll be too soon," Draco muses, laughing between words.
"That's what I thought."
Draco closes his eyes and allows himself a moment to think about what this is going to mean. He's going to be a father. He and Astoria are going to be parents. His parents are going to be grandparents. Draco wonders whether this child will be a boy or a girl. Historically, Malfoys always have boys first, but he wouldn't put it past Astoria to fight tradition.
Draco has said it before and he'd say it again, Astoria Greengrass-Malfoy is a formidable witch. She's wonderful and he's fortunate to have married such an understanding and kind person, but she often gives him a run for his money.
"Are you happy, Draco?" Astoria asks, quietly, as she fiddles with the hem of her sweater.
Draco picks his head back up, looking down at the witch with her head on his chest.
"Of course I am, Tori," Draco replies, and he means it. He meets his wife's gaze to show her the truth in his own eyes. "I'm bloody terrified, too. But, yes, I'm happy. Are you?"
Astoria nods without removing her head from Draco's chest.
"You about summed it up. Of course I'm happy– but bloody terrified too."
"You summoned me, mother?" Draco asks, as he steps into an underused bedroom in the corridor which houses his and Astoria's own bedchambers.
"I believe this is where we should put the nursery, don't you think, dear?" Narcissa Malfoy wonders, although Draco knows that she isn't really asking his opinion.
Draco's own bedchamber is at the other end of this corridor, while Astoria's is the room right next to this one. It does seem to be the proper location for the nursery.
"That's a fine idea, mother," Draco agrees, surveying the room silently.
In the two months since confirming Astoria's pregnancy, the Malfoys have managed to keep it well enough under wraps. Of course, Draco's parents know, as do Astoria's. But aside from that, not many people know– which is exactly how Draco wants to keep it. The last thing Astoria needs is the stress of being hounded by Prophet reporters the second she leaves the Manor.
The only other people who know are Daphne, Astoria's older sister, and Pansy, who found out through Daphne, before she knew it was supposed to stay quiet. Draco has fought with himself every day with whether to tell Hermione or not. He could owl her– he wouldn't necessarily have to see her.
But then Draco reminds himself that they haven't spoken in over two years. He purposely doesn't keep up with news about Hermione, lest he see something he doesn't want to, but sometimes it's hard to remind himself that she probably doesn't think about him half as much as he thinks about her. She's probably long since moved on from her school boyfriend.
Draco is fully prepared to at least attempt to woo her again when he and Astoria separate, but he's well aware that there's a strong likelihood that she'll tell him to piss off and to never speak to her again. There's also a likelihood that Hermione might meet someone else in the interim. She's Hermione Granger, after all.
She's a war heroine, the Brightest Witch of Her Age, recipient of an Order of Merlin, First Class, best friend to The-Boy-Who-Lived, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Draco imagines there's no shortage of suitors lining up to fall at her feet. He'll just have to outdo all of them.
"I look forward to having a child around again," Narcissa says wistfully. "You were such a lovely child, my dragon."
Draco's lips twitch in a slight smile. In fairness, it's not his mother he's worried about being around his child. He knows that his mother would lay down her own life for a child. She'd risked her life for children more than once already, and Draco knows she'd do it again in a heartbeat.
"I wish we could find out the sex," Astoria frowns, leaning her head back against her pillow, allowing her husband to lay a damp towel across her forehead. "It might make being so sick worth it."
Draco chuckles. Astoria has not had an easy pregnancy thus far. She's been sick nearly every day, for most of the day. She spends most of her time in bed now. It's exactly what Draco had been afraid of.
Astoria has a latent, familial, blood-borne curse. Draco doesn't know the specifics because even Astoria doesn't know the specifics. All he knows is that she grew up with the knowledge that she would probably die young– extraordinarily young for a witch.
It's always been a concern of Draco's. Despite not choosing her, and wishing for different most days, Draco does care for his wife. She's his closest friend and someone he relies on heavily.
Draco also knows that he would be required to remarry quickly in the event of Astoria's demise. This is what is expected in the Pureblood community. Marriages are rarely for love, so when one business deal falls through, it would be expected that he arrange another, practically before Astoria's body is even cold.
It is unlikely that Draco would find another wife who is as understanding and gracious as Astoria is. He certainly would not find another wife who is willing to help him court another witch. Astoria is truly one-of-a-kind, and the thought of losing her creates a weight in Draco's chest.
Draco knows that he and Astoria will stay friends after their separation, following their production of a male heir. They'll still be a part of one another's lives– they'll have to be, with a child involved. It's even entirely possible that Astoria will continue to live at Malfoy Manor, even if she's not a Malfoy any longer.
Draco knows that he will not want to be away from his child, and Astoria will likely be weakened and will need help caring for the child. Astoria loves the house elves, and she does accept their help, as someone who grew up in a Pureblood home herself, but she's already made it clear to Draco that she expects the majority of the childrearing to be done by herself and him.
Draco is more than willing to acquiesce to this request. He wants to be involved in his child's life. It's unconventional in Pureblood homes for the father to be particularly involved, Draco's own father unfortunately notwithstanding, but Draco can already see himself teaching his son or daughter to ride a broom, or to brew potions, or even just tucking the child in for bed at night.
"We'll find out when the child is born, as has been the practice for centuries," Draco chuckles, sitting on the edge of Astoria's bed to her left.
Astoria smiles, but rolls her eyes all the same.
"I think it's a boy," she mumbles quietly, as if scared that someone might hear.
Draco laughs lightly, "And here I thought you were too stubborn a witch to follow even one Malfoy tradition."
Astoria's smile brightens and she shoves at Draco's thigh, laughing as she does.
"Cauldron, meet kettle, Draco."
Hi, friends! So, typically, I want to upload these chapters on Tuesdays, or at least, once a week. HOWEVER. I actually finished writing this fic last night, so I thought that was cause to celebrate and I thought there was no better way to celebrate than to upload the next chapter a bit early. (:
So, as far as chapter count goes, now that it's finished, it will be fifteen chapters, plus an epilogue. I'm actually very pleased with the way this story has come together. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Also, you may notice that I changed the rating of this story from T to M. I did that out of an ABUNDANCE of caution. There's nothing graphic or explicit in this fic, but some language and scenes might not be appropriate for every reader, so I just wanted to be on the safe side. Honestly, if you only ever read T rated fics and don't do M because of smut or violence, there's none of that here, so I wouldn't worry too much.
In any event, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you back here next week for Chapter Four. (:
Oh! And please review, if you're so inclined. I love reading your reviews. (: