Six months later ~

It was early June when Hermione finally went into labor, just a few days after she had set her maternity leave to begin. She had initially wanted to teach until she had the baby, but Draco had convinced her to take it easy and relax to prepare for birth and her immediate postpartum time. She was happy to spend the last few days lounging around Malfoy Manor, staring at the shining engagement ring on her finger and lazily putting together wedding plans while she waited for baby to make their appearance. Draco had also taken the time off of traveling so he would be home and available for Hermione and their baby at a moment's notice.

As her due date continued to approach, Hermione found herself thinking back to when Ginny was just as pregnant and how uncomfortable and annoyed her best friend constantly had been. Hermione was feeling much the same, though luckily she had been able to avoid the severe nausea in the later months. Instead, she had severe pain in her hips and back and felt like she was even bigger than the Giant Squid in the Black Lake at Hogwarts. She spent more time in baths than ever before and was extremely relieved when their midwife had come over (shortly after she'd turned 37 weeks pregnant) to set up the birthing tub in the library.

After taking her evening bath one warm summer evening, Hermione took her time drying off, trying to avoid making herself ache any more than she already did. She caught sight of herself in the large bathroom mirror. Her belly had somehow gotten even bigger in the last few days and she sighed heavily as she lifted it a little with her hands, trying to relieve some of the tension in her lower back and hips. Everything had been blissful and pain-free until she had gotten back out of the tub.

"It's only for a little while longer," she told herself, forcing her breath out through her mouth and back in through her nose in an attempt to calm her antsiness. "We'll get to meet them any day now."

"You've got that right," a familiar voice said from behind her. Hermione's eyes flicked back up to the mirror, where she saw Draco Malfoy smiling behind her, wearing only a pair of dark navy sweats and crossing his arms while he leaned against the doorframe.

"I want this baby out of me," Hermione complained to him, turning around and putting her hands on her hips. "Not only do I want to meet them, I want to know whether we're having a daughter or a son."

"If you remember, I was all for finding out the sex," Draco said. "It's your fault for telling the midwife to keep it a secret until the birth."

"Shut up," Hermione said. "Unless you have a way to put me into labor, I don't want your opinion."

Draco laughed and walked into the bathroom, turning Hermione around so he could stand behind her, both faced toward the mirror. He placed his hands on her shoulders, giving her a light massage and working his way down her back, her sides, and to her hips. Hermione couldn't help but let a small moan escape as he kneaded her muscles into cooperation, relieving some of the pain she'd been fighting against.

"Did you forget what our midwife said?" Draco murmured into Hermione's ear while his hands worked their magic. "She had several suggestions as to how to jumpstart labor naturally."

"If you try to feed me spicy food or make me walk around the Manor or gardens any more, I will hurt you," Hermione threatened, though it held no weight due to her melting further and further into Draco's arms.

"That's not what I was talking about."

The low vibration of his voice caused Hermione's spine to stiffen; her body shivered at the sudden electricity that jumped across her skin. Even as pregnant as she was, Draco knew how to touch her exactly how she needed and never failed to make her feel like she was ready for him. She could already feel a wet warmth between her thighs and her breathing deepened with every caress of his fingertips.

"So what did you mean, then?" Hermione whispered. Her head leaned against Draco's chest and his hands moved from her hips to her belly, dancing across her sensitive flesh with a featherlight touch that flooded her with desire.

"It's all about the oxytocin, love."

Draco's hands moved lower on her body, skating softly against Hermione's skin and making her feel like her bones had turned to jello in response. His fingertips brushed against her sensitive upper thighs and she unconsciously spread her legs so he had full access to her. His practiced fingers quickly found her clit and as soon as they made contact, Hermione slumped into him and allowed the feelings of pleasure to take her over.

"Open your eyes and look in the mirror," Draco's voice was soft but commanding. Hermione obeyed immediately and blushed deeply as she drank in the image of the two of them: Draco tall enough that he had to bend over to kiss her neck and bury his face in her hair, one hand on her belly and one between her thighs. The sight of it elicited a soft moan from Hermione and she caught sight of Draco's sly grin in the mirror before he started pulling them backwards, out of the bathroom and towards the bed.

Once they reached the mattress, Draco lay Hermione down on her side so the pressure of her belly wouldn't cause her discomfort while his practiced fingers continued to swirl around her clit and his mouth descended upon her neck, kissing and biting at the base. Hermione arched her back into his free hand, which cupped her breast and gave it a gentle squeeze. Draco had been much more sensitive with her breasts once she had gotten pregnant as too much pressure caused her pain. Now, however, the added sensation with everything else he was doing only pushed her closer to the edge and made her crave him even more. Draco pulled his face away so he could watch Hermione's expression as he inserted two fingers into her, curling them to hit her in just the right spot to take her breath away.

A delicious pressure built deep and low inside of Hermione and she gripped Draco's arms as he continued, her nails digging into his skin when the first orgasm flooded through her, leaving her panting and aching to feel him inside of her.

"Oh – Draco –" she panted. He withdrew his hands from her body; she heard the soft whoosh of Draco's sweats as they slid down his legs to the floor. The ache inside her only grew stronger with the absence of his touch and she squirmed closer to the edge of the bed, eventually sliding off and readjusting herself so she was belly-down and in the perfect position for him to take her from behind.

His hands gripped her hips as he pushed inside of her. Both let out breathy sighs of relief at the contact and Hermione moaned as she stretched to accommodate him.

"Merlin, you feel so fucking good," Draco said. He moved inside of her, setting an easy rhythm for her to keep up with. Hermione forgot everything in the midst of their lovemaking – how heavily and uncomfortably pregnant she was; how nervous she had been for the birth; how she only wished for a healthy, happy baby – all of it dissolved as Draco moved within her.

Hermione could feel another orgasm building and she cried out when Draco's fingers found her clit again and circled it in the exact right way, pushing her over the edge and causing her body to shake with renewed vigor as the waves overtook her. She barely registered the feeling of Draco pulsing within her, joining her in a release that felt like it was the biggest relief of her life.

"Fuck, I love you," Draco said as he collapsed beside her. He helped pull Hermione back onto the bed and draws her as close to him as he possibly can, placing his hands on her belly and stroking her skin lightly, almost lazily, as they both slowly drifted into sleep.

.

Hermione jerked awake, unsure at first what had broken her out of her deep sleep before realizing that the cramp in her belly was still squeezing hard enough to make her feel like she was short of breath. She forced herself to inhale and exhale in a controlled manner and leaned back onto her elbows to give her abdomen some room to stretch and move.

Was this finally the real thing?

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and continued to breathe – in through her nose, out through her mouth – while she stood and reached for the same robe she had worn when Draco had proposed to her all those months ago. It was still her favorite thing to wear when casually walking about the Manor and would also be perfect for her to have if this really was labor.

Walking helped a little, though the contractions were still coming with an intensity and consistency that made Hermione question whether the baby was coming this time. She'd been experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions for so long that it almost felt like her body was gaslighting her, just waiting to lull her into a state of paranoia until the baby finally shot out of her.

The Manor corridors were an eerie sort of silent as Hermione made her way along them, exploring at a leisurely pace and stopping every few minutes to breathe and sway through another contraction. Relief, excitement, and fear coursed through her at the same time, mixing with adrenaline and oxytocin to create a rather intoxicating cocktail that made Hermione feel as if she was slowly leaving her current reality in favor of another one. Part of her wanted to go back and wake Draco, but the other part was a nasty little voice that told her to wait, this couldn't be real, it was another false alarm.

When the next contraction came and she could barely breathe through it, Hermione decided to alert Draco. She whipped out her wand (there was a special pocket in her robe in which she kept it, thanks to Draco's customization) and sent her Patronus off to try and wake him.

Less than a minute later, there was a loud crack and Draco appeared beside Hermione, looking haphazard and like he had barely pulled his sweats up over his hips before he'd Apparated to her.

"Are you okay? What do you need? Should I call the midwife?" His questions came in rapid succession and Hermione was unable to answer as she attempted to breathe through her next contraction. She didn't want to be annoyed with Draco – after all, he was there to help and just wanted to support her – but she was ready to turn her brain off and listen to her body.

"Call the midwife," she managed to say when the squeezing of her belly finally subsided for a moment. "I want to go to the library."

"Okay. Okay." Draco pulled out his own wand and sent his own Patronus – a silver dragon – soaring away to the midwife. "Take my arm, love."

Hermione obliged, using Draco as support while they walked through the maze of corridors and towards the place their birth pool lay. She would tug at him every few minutes, making them both stop as she breathed through another contraction, each one growing stronger and longer than the last.

"Topsy!" Draco called as they finally reached the library doors. The tiny elf appeared less than a second later, wringing her hands nervously. "Please let Lauren in as soon as she arrives. Hermione's contractions are close together and I don't think we have much time until the baby is here. I want to stay with Hermione, so I need you to make sure the midwife has everything she needs when she gets here."

As Draco spoke with Topsy, Hermione felt something shift down in her belly and cried out in pain. She paused and leaned back against the wall, gripping her stomach and forcing herself to focus on her breathing. Draco was immediately by her side, though he made the smart decision to be quiet while Hermione's pain subsided.

"Come on, love. We're almost there, just a little further."

Once they opened the double doors to the library, Draco waved his wand over the tub their midwife had set up. It filled with warm water while Hermione took her robe off and lowered herself into it, sighing with relief as some of the ache in her lower body ebbed away.

A thought hit her with the next contraction: this was it. The real deal. They were about to meet their baby!

Emotions overwhelmed her and she began to cry, unable to keep her emotions in as she descended further and further into labor-land. She lost track of everything going on around her, only catching glimpses of Draco and Lauren, their midwife, between surges when she was able to take easier breaths and come back up to reality. The moments of reprieve grew shorter as each contraction became stronger, yanking primal yells and groans out of Hermione that she had no idea she could make.

"Give me my wand," she said quietly when she started feeling the need to push. She wasn't sure if anyone heard her until Draco appeared in front of her, handing over the thin stick of wood. She used it to tie her hair up and get it out of her face: it was starting to get annoying and too in the way. She needed all her focus for this.

Draco stayed where he was, conjuring a small stool so he could sit in front of Hermione. He gave her a few small sips of water before she reached out to grab both of his hands, squeezing them so hard he swore he heard the bones crack.

"That's it, Hermione, you're doing great," Lauren said as Hermione bore down. "Just listen to your body and push when you feel like you need to."

The next push was longer and stronger than any of the ones before it and Hermione jumped as she felt the baby's head descend and pop out of her, bringing with it a small minute of relief as she waited to push the body out.

"There's the head," Lauren said. "Draco, would you like to catch your baby?"

Hermione let go of Draco's hands and he moved behind her, taking over the midwife's position, his hands in the water, cupping the baby's head.

When the next contraction came, Hermione pushed hard again and felt a strange, slithery sensation as the baby's body slid out of her. It came out much easier than the head and the sudden release dropped Hermione into such a deep sense of physical relief that she began to hyperventilate and tears streaked down her face.

It was over. Their baby was here!

She had no idea how she'd gotten there, but a moment later, Hermione was turned around and sitting with her back against the rim of the birthing pool, her brand-new baby snuggled in her arms.

"Do you want to find out the sex?" Lauren asked, grinning from ear to ear. Hermione nodded; Draco looked like someone had hit him over the head with a kneazle. The midwife helped support the baby as Hermione pulled it away from her body to take a look.

"It's a boy!" Hermione exclaimed, fresh sobs wracking through her. "Draco, it's a little boy! We have a son!"

That seemed to pull Draco out of his stupor. He moved back beside Hermione and kissed her head and face.

"You did it, my love, you did it," he murmured in her ear. "Look at our perfect son."

"Does he have a name?" Lauren asked, already busily cleaning her supplies up. "It's okay if he doesn't, I'll just need it to file the birth certificate with the Ministry."

Hermione looked at Draco, who was smiling so large that she thought his face might crack in half. She answered it with a smile of her own.

"Cypress Draco Malfoy," Hermione said.

Draco beamed and kissed her.

Sixteen months later ~

The big day had finally arrived and Hermione found herself filled with nervous excitement.

She and Draco had decided to hold their wedding at the Manor, especially since it would be a rather quiet affair with only Hermione's parents, the Weasleys, and Harry along with the officiant, which was someone from the Ministry that usually performed these kinds of ceremonies. They had first discussed simply walking into the Ministry and getting a marriage certificate, but eventually decided that a small celebration would be well worth it, especially so Hermione's parents could be there for her. They had met Draco a couple of times and appeared to like him, though they had expressed their wishes that they had been more involved in more of their lives, also asking to see Cypress as much as they could. The two of them were wonderful grandparents and Hermione was always happy to give her son over to spend the day with grandma and grandpa.

"You okay, Hermione?"

Hermione whirled around from the vanity she was currently sitting at and couldn't help but smile when she saw that it was Ginny standing in the doorframe. Her best friend looked beautiful in a scarlet dress and had her long hair down around her in waves.

"Just a case of pre-wedding nerves," Hermione admitted. She gestured to the makeup scattered across the surface in front of herself. "I'm also worried I'll screw this up so I haven't even started yet."

"Let me help you," Ginny said. She crossed the room in a heartbeat and turned Hermione back around to face the mirror, putting products on her face with a speed Hermione never could have matched.

"Thanks, Gin," Hermione said. "I'm so glad you got here when you did. How are James and Harry?"

Ginny smiled. "James is getting a head start in his terrible twos. I was more than happy to leave him squirming in Harry's arms while I went looking for you."

"Cypress isn't far behind," Hermione said. "Your son is such a bad influence on him. I don't know why we let them spend so much time together."

Laughing, Ginny replied, "At times, I genuinely don't know which one is the worse influence. Sometimes your Cypress gives James a run for his money, even though he's six months younger."

"Impossible. Cypress is a perfect angel, I don't know what you're talking about."

Ginny stared at Hermione for a moment before they both broke, laughing.

"It sounds like you're having too much fun in here," a new voice came from the doorway. Ginny turned around, now about halfway done with Hermione's makeup.

"Harry!" She exclaimed. "Where's James?"

"He and Cypress are currently causing terror in the kitchen," Harry replied. "Topsy is trying to get them to eat some snacks before the ceremony." He came up behind the women and smiled at Hermione in the mirror. "How ya feeling, Hermione?"

"Ready to be married," Hermione said, grinning back at Harry. It was strange that this would be her second wedding that they had attended. The thought made Hermione's heart squeeze and for a second she lost her breath. So much had happened and changed since she had married Ron; sometimes it felt like she had lived two different lives. "I'm really glad you guys came."

"Of course we came," Harry said. "You're family. Always will be."

"Thanks, Harry." Hermione broke eye contact with her friend's bright green irises and blinked the tears accumulating on her lower lids away. "Have you already checked on Draco?"

"No. I wanted to see you first… and to give the one last-minute offer of a getaway Hippogriff, just in case."

Ginny smacked Harry's arm, but Hermione laughed.

"Go check on the groom," Ginny said. "I'll finish up with Hermione here in just a minute."

Harry grinned as he left the room, leaving the two women alone once more. It took Ginny no time at all to finish Hermione's makeup.

"Wow, Gin," Hermione said as she stared at herself in the mirror. It was a very "natural" look, yet accentuated Hermione's best features, like her deep brown eyes and her full lips. "I love it. You did it perfectly. I feel like a bride."

"You look stunning. Now I suppose we just have to get you in your dress and you'll be ready to get married."

.

The ceremony was to take place in the Manor gardens, the aisle everyone would walk down surrounded by calla lilies and lavender and decorated with several white arches wrapped in delicate golden streamers. Magical, unpoppable bubbles floated around in the air, lazily making their way down the aisle and above the guest seating, and the largest arch was above where Hermione and Draco were to take their vows.

It was everything Hermione had ever wanted.

Peeking out from the Manor's back door and seeing everyone waiting for her – including Draco in his best suit at the altar with his hands clasped together in front of him, looking even more stoic than usual – made the whole thing finally feel real. Seeing Draco waiting there made Hermione's heart pound painfully in her chest.

This was actually happening. She and Draco were going to get married. And they already had a beautiful baby boy to love and spoil, who was dressed in his best tiny suit and set to be the ring-bearer in the procession.

Hermione's heart felt so full that she thought it might burst: it was all enough to make her head spin.

The world began to sway and Hermione suddenly felt the need to sit down and catch her breath.

"Are you okay, my dear?"

Hermione looked up into the gentle, slightly-wrinkled face of her father. Her heart settled and she began to calm down with his peaceful presence.

"Yeah, dad, I'm okay." She took a few deep breaths and laced her arm through his. "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad I'm here too, honey," her dad said. A soft melody started from seemingly nowhere and Hermione took a deep breath. "That's our cue."

"Okay. I'm ready."

The walk up the aisle was a blur of bright colors and smiling faces, but Hermione only had eyes for the tall blond man standing up at the front of them all, his silver eyes raking over Hermione and hungrily taking her in as she walked toward him. She had chosen a simple a-line dress with a sweetheart neckline and lace adorning the skirt; it was a simple design but gave her a beautiful silhouette, complimenting her in all the right ways. She blushed slightly when she noticed Draco's eyes lingered on her waist and hips before flicking back up to meet her gaze.

When Hermione and her dad reached the altar, he kissed her cheek and hugged her tight before turning around to find his seat, both next to his wife and Arthur Weasley, who had been bombarding him with questions since the Muggles had first arrived (much to Molly Weasley's chagrin). A moment later, all was still and silent as Hermione turned to face Draco and they clasped their hands together.

As Draco and Hermione made their vows, the bubbles that had been floating over the crowd turned to small, multicolored lights that helped add ambience while the sun began its slow descent below the horizon. The sky bled into oranges and reds as the couple said "I do" and were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Everyone in the small crowd clapped as the newlyweds faced them, still holding hands, and jumped over Harry's Firebolt before Draco dipped Hermione down for their first kiss as husband and wife.

Hermione beamed as she looked out at the gathering of her friends and family, her smile growing even larger when she caught sight of Cypress and James sitting in the front row between Ginny and Harry.

She smiled and closed her eyes, inhaling the crisp autumn air as she committed this moment to memory. She never wanted to forget how she felt right then: full of love and joy, surrounded by friends, family, and her new husband, a beautiful baby earthside and another one she was currently growing. She'd saved that news to share with everyone at the reception and couldn't wait to see Draco's face when she told him he was going to become a father again.

It was an absolutely perfect day and shone the way to a bright, promising life.

Hermione couldn't wait to go out and live it.

THE END.