three little words ; 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞

10. "This is your work?"

Hermione

Draco was so nervous that he couldn't function. His mother looked at him. "Can you do it? Are you ready?" She knew what his work was, but Hermione didn't. He nodded, knowing that he could. Besides he wanted to.

"Let's get her over to the bed in the guest room," he said, running his fingers through his hair.

He and his miter worked together to carry Hermione to the extra room, who was breathing heavily and moaning in pain occasionally. "Ssh, it'll be okay, darling," he coaxed.

"What are you doing?" She asked. "Why aren't we going to the hospital?"

"Because I know what I'm doing. Where do think I've been all those other days?"

Hermione stopped groaning and stared at him for a second. "This is your work?"

He nodded and gritted his teeth. "Come on, Hermione, just breathe, it'll be okay."

They set her on the bed and carefully rid her of her pants, Draco looking at her to make sure she was comfortable. She nodded and said softly, "It's okay, I trust you."

His mother helped her into a loose nightgown, sitting behind her and holding her up at the edge of the bed. "You'll get through this, my sweet," she said in a motherly tone, "we'll all get through this. Just relax."

Draco knelt down in front of her and said, "Okay, Hermione, push."

They spent hours there, coaxing Hermione and wiping her forehead with a wet towel. After only two, Draco could see the red-headed baby. "There, come on, Herms, you can do it, you're doing so well."

Hermione let out a loud, pained screech, which made Draco rise up so he was level with her eyes, and said, "You're so close, darling. You can do it, I know you can." He kissed her forehead and knelt back down, putting his hands out to catch the baby with a cloth in his hand. "One more, Hermione, one more."

She not her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, pushing the last time. A beautiful baby boy slid into Draco's arms, and he smiled. For his first delivery, he thought he'd done a good job. He wrapped up the sweet child and held him as he told his mother to help her lean back on a pile of pillows. When she was settled in, she blinked and said, "Let me see him."

Draco passed the baby tenderly to her, and she sighed, letting joyous tears leak out. She smiled and looked up at Draco, giving him the look that said, thank you. He nodded, holding back some of his own tears.

He turned to his mother, who was beaming at her son. "Go to the Potter's house in Godric's Hollow, tell them that Hermione's just given birth, they'll come, I'm positive."

Narcissa nodded and apparated.

Hermione blinked and pulled him down to her, crushing her lips to his. He kissed her like there was no tomorrow, and she giggled when she pulled back. "You'd never guess that I just had a baby."

He grinned. "You look as beautiful as ever. I love you," he said and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I...I love you, too," she said, looking stunned. "I forgot how good it felt to say that to you."

"You'll never have to forget ever again," he promised, smiling as she did.

"Hermione!" A new voice filled the house, and Hermione smiled in a different way.

Harry burst into the room and saw Draco with sweat along his brow, and Hermione holding the baby. "Did you..." He said.

Hermione nodded. "I'm fine because of him. He helped me, he's been learning how to."

Harry shook Draco's hand gratefully. "Thank you. Maybe you have changed after all."

Hermione nodded again. "He has."

James and Albus were the next in, and they both were ecstatic to have a boy cousin. Ginny followed with Lily in her arms, gushing to Hermione about how wonderful it would be to raise their children together.

Rose was the last of the kids to come in, and she ran over to Draco, her arms out. "Mr. Malfoy, how did you get here so fast?"

He chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "It is my house, of course. I helped your mum through all of it."

Hermione smiled and said, "Rose, we'll be seeing a lot of him for the next while. I guess you can call him part of the family now."

"Well then, welcome to the family, Daddy," she said.

Draco, tears springing to his eyes at the use of the name, scooped her up and held her at his hip. "Why, thank you, Rose," he said, his voice shaky.

Narcissa interrupted the happy moment with the words, "That Ron? He's here, he was at the house when I got them. I hope you're not angry."

Draco looked sideways at Hermione who shook her head. "It's okay, let him in."

Ron walked in quietly and looked at Rose in Draco's arms, his eyes hardening. But then he saw Hermione with their son, and he softened. Rushing to her side, he said, "I'm so sorry, Hermione."

She shook her head again. "It's fine, I promise."

He looked back at Draco. "So," he swallowed, "this is where your heart lies, then?"

She nodded confidently. "It is. I want to be your friend, Ron, I don't want to lose you. But I can't have a relationship any further than that with you. Yes, we have two children together, but I hope this brings us close, not pulls us apart."

Ron nodded. "Okay. I want to still have you as a friend. You'll always be Hermione Granger, the bookworm that I happened to be friends with."

She laughed. "Thank you."

Rose smiled. "I'm the luckiest girl alive!"

"How's that?" Draco asked.

"I've got two daddy's now, not just one. I've got three parents. How could my life get any better?"

The adults laughed, and Draco set her back on her feet, letting her stand by her mother's side.

"What will you name him?" Ginny asked, cradling Lily.

"Hugo. It's the name that Ron and I had wanted for a boy." She looked at Draco, and he nodded slightly, smiling. It was the right thing to do, he didn't want her to change anything just because they were together again. After all, Ron was the father, he was still in their life. And it was okay.

Everything was okay.