by Chelsea
Harry couldn't believe what he had seen. Malfoy reading a Raising Children book? That could only mean two things; One, Malfoy's in a class that assigns parenting, or two . . . He couldn't think about it. It was too awful, too . . . not Hermione. There was no way that she was . . .
Or was she? Harry hadn't seen her around school lately, and heard rumours that she was in the Hospital Wing. There was only one thing he could do: Go to the Hospital Wing and see for himself.
As he made up his mind, he lifted himself out of his position doing homework in the Gryffingdor common room and stood up.
"What's up, Harry?" asked Ron, who was sitting beside Harry.
"I'm going to go to the Hospital Wing. See if Hermione's really there or not." he replied, somewhat monotonously.
"I'll come with you." Ron said and stood up. They walked out of the portrait hole and through the corridors of Hogwarts, all the way to the other side of the castle.
Harry walked into the Hospital Wing, Ron in tow, and nearly screamed when he saw who was in the first bed, but contained himself at the look on Hermione's face.
Ron, who was not as controlled as Harry, burst out, "Hermione? What's that git Malfoy done to you? I'll kill him, I swear, if he hurt you at all, if he so much as laid a finger on y--"
"Ron, really, that isn't nessesary. I-I want very badly to tell you what happened, but Draco and I agreed to tell you together. You are going to be the first to know, I promise, so don't think the world is hiding anything from you. Come back tomorrow. Draco'll--" Hermione said in a rush.
"I'll what, Hermione? Oh, Pot-Harry and R-Ron're here. I suppose . . . we should tell them, then?" Draco had walked in.
"Draco, what're you doing here? I swear, if Hermione's not okay, I'll--" Harry started in on him.
"Harry, you'll do nothing, because I'll be perfectly fine. If you'd just shut up long enough, we could tell you what was wrong. Um, I think I should, okay Draco? But, please, stay." Hermione said.
"Yes, please, you tell them. I'll flee from the room when they get defensive." Draco said, somewhat sarcastically.
"Would you just tell us what's going on??" Ron asked, none too politely.
"Do you promise not to attempt to murder or harm Draco in any way, emotionally or physically?" asked Hermione.
"YES!!" bellowed Harry and Ron simultaniously.
"Okay, look. I'm havig Draco's baby and we're getting married. We love each other, and a whole stinking lot at that!" she said in one breath.
"WHAT?!" screamed Harry, his voice cracking. Ron sniggered, and Harry turned on him, "HERMIONE, OUR BEST FRIEND AND BOTH OUR EX-GIRLFRIEND, IS PREGNANT WITH THIS GUY'S--THIS IDIOT'S--BABY!! AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS LAUGH??" Ron shrunk considerably and shut up, for once.
"Harry, you promised . . ." said Hermione, quite gently.
"Yeah, but that was before I *KNEW*!!"
"Still, Harry . . . It takes two people to have a baby, right? It's not Draco's fault, and it's not mine, either. Like I told Draco, it's Fate. It's all Fate."
Draco, who had been silent all this time, spoke up. "Hermione's right. You've got no reason to hurt me. I, we were drunk. It's just . . . Fate. I-I love her, with all my heart, and we're getting married in the summer. Next year, we're both coming back. We'll be doing night school, together. I plan to spend the rest of my life with the love of my life, and I don't care what you say." He left the Hospital Wing, and Hermione started to cry.
"Hermione . . ." coaxed Ron.
"Harry, Ron, just leave me alone. I can't talk to you, for fear of what I'd say. Just go." she sobbed.
"But . . ." Ron tried again.
"Go!" she half-cried, half-screamed. They left.