"Harry..." Draco's voice was raspy, and it scratched his throat as his vocal chords struggled to say his name.
"Draco...? Oh my God Draco! You're awake! Here you must be thirsty." Harry grabbed a glass of water and held it to Draco's lips who drank a few sips, grateful for the liquid.
"Harry...What's going on?" Draco watched the eyes of Harry Potter darken in anger and fear.
"We caught them but before I got them restrained your father hit you with several spells he combined. I brought you here where the Healers started your coma. You were out for three weeks. I thought you'd never wake up..." Draco tried to remember, but it just hurt his head too much.
"Harry...I don't remember..."
"Shh it's okay the Healers told me that you might not be able to think too hard about anything as it's likely to cause a headache. You're okay." During the moment of silence, Draco saw everything that had happened in his mind. He suddenly sat up.
"Draco, sit do-"
"I remember! Did Kingsley get my memories? Are they convicted to jail? For how long? Do you need me to fill out my statement? Have-" he stopped when Harry hung his head.
"Draco, they didn't need your memories. They didn't want them as you were unconscious and injured."
"Then..."
"I let them use mine." Draco let his confused mind run its course before looking up.
"Are they in jail?" Harry nodded and upon seeing this, Draco sighed with relief. Another question, one that was bothering him since he woke up, made its way out of his throat. "Why did you stay?" He couldn't fathom why someone who he used to hate and who only worked with him now would stay by his side for so long. It didn't make sense to him. Harry had no reason to stay for him, there was no need for him to be here. It wasn't like Harry was the only one that could save him. That's what the Healers were for.
"Draco you're my partner. It's my fault you were landed here, I didn't pay enough attention to your predicament. I'm sorry."
"And you felt the need to sit on an uncomfortable chair when you could have been at home? Or staying late at work?"
"Draco, I haven't left this chair since I got here." He looked up with bright green eyes, misted over with unshed tears. They pierced holes into Draco's soul, burning the pain and relief into his mind forever. In that moment, Draco felt like he was just permanently branded.
"But surely you must have...to eat or shower..."
"Basic survival spells. You learned them yourself. Nutrition spells to keep you going until you find real food, cleaning spells, sleeping spells so you feel rested until you can sleep. I never left this chair."
"But...why?"
"Because I was worried about you. Now get some sleep."
"No. I've been sleeping for the past three weeks. YOU sleep, or so help me Merlin I will punch you so hard your hair will fall out. Now find a bed and sleep. I'm fine." Draco was panting, the effort of sitting up and all his emotions and their strength being almost too much for his abused body. He slumped after his mini tirade.
"Draco!" Strong arms wrapped around his middle, catching him before he could fall. They then placed him gently back down on the pillows and began to pull away.
Not wanting the warmth to go away, Draco clung to a finger as tight as his feeble strength would let him and gently tugged. It got the 'lay-down-or-I-kill-you-later' point across to the brunet and he felt the bed dip next to him.
The last thing he remembered was pain.
Harry was ushered aside as a group of Healers came rushing in when the distress spells went off. He could see the look of pain on Draco's face until he was administered a pain potion.
"Mr. Potter, sit down. I must remind you that this is a hospital not the site of a murder." He hadn't even realized he was poised to hex someone into oblivion. He was beyond confused. And maybe he wouldn't be so confused if he wasn't livid at Draco's pain and even more mad at the reason for it. He was on the verge of realizing he actually cared for his partner. He never cared for his partners as a general rule. Oh sure, he cared about them, but never for them.
He found that this man had made him break a lot of personal rules lately.
He watched, utterly helpless, as flashes of different colored lights lit up the blond hair of the unconscious man. He began to cry for the second time since he was one and his aunt's scream woke him up.
After what seemed forever, but was actually an hour, Harry pulled himself together so he could understand what the Healers were trying to communicate to him.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy was attacked by several spells combined, correct?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Well I can tell you what's going on with him now since I know what spells were combined based on previous tests.
"Mr. Malfoy was hit by a powerful Dark spell, that was never intended to be used in the first place. What it does is it makes a male produce woman's organs and one egg. Being that he also keeps his male organs, he basically fertilized his own baby inside of his body.
"The intense pain is caused from the fact that babies aren't naturally meant to be made like this. He will die, along with the baby, within the next week if someone else doesn't manage to...re-fertilize, if you will, the egg his body made.
"Since babies aren't made with spells of this nature, his body is rejecting it while his magic tries to save it. His body will literally kill itself unless someone were to either donate sperm or actually commit the act with him. I thought you should know as you clearly care about his well-being."
Harry was struck dumb. Draco, Draco Malfoy, his partner, Draco Malfoy, was pregnant. Pregnant and dying.
He sat down, unable to comprehend what he just learned.
"Shit..."
"Harry? What's wrong?" Without anyone noticing, Draco had come to.
"Um..." He looked pointedly at the Healers and they left quickly. He waited until they were out of earshot and closed the door.
"Harry...please what's wrong with me, really?"
"I...Draco you...oh bugger. Look, lay down. You'll stress yourself more if you don't." He laid down. "Okay here's the thing..." And so the truth came out. When Harry was done explaining, he looked up from his shoes, which had become objects of extreme interest during his explanation. He did a double take on the current bedridden man.
He expected to see outrage, shock, disgust, upset, hurt, betrayal, anything like that. Instead he saw a moment of shock and then...happiness. Like that deep-inside straight-from-the-heart-and-soul happiness. Happiness and love mixed in so they were one and the same emotion. Harry felt intruding and a little more than slightly confused.
"So I'm...pregnant? As in, I have a baby in me?" Harry nodded. "My God..."
"I can understand if you would like to yell..." And yelling is exactly what he did.
"OH MY GOD! HARRY I'M GOING TO HAVE A BABY! I'M A DAD!" Before Harry could do anything Draco had pulled him up and was jumping up and down like a schoolgirl.
"Draco. DRACO!" But he was too late in warning the other man of the dangers of what he was doing. The blond bent over, gasping in pain. Harry picked him up and placed him back down onto the bed, making sure he was in a comfortable position.
When the pain receded, Harry shook his head at him. "Well, I did try to warn you."
"Warn me about...?"
"Well since this baby has one hundred percent your DNA, it's not a natural child. Please don't rip me now, and let me finish." Harry held his hand up, knowing full well that if he didn't get his point across all at once he'd have hell to pay with one angry mother...father? He'd rather poke a sleeping dragon in the eye with a spear.
"Anyway, it's not natural. And until it IS natural, it will continue to basically suck the life out of you. You'll both perish." He saw the panicked look on Draco's face and hurried into his next point. "Draco, you need someone to...donate?...their DNA and to share this child with you. Like, within the next seven days. That's the only way you and this child are going to survive." Draco's face was blank.
"So...I have to have sex?" Harry nodded. "But who would be insane enough to have a child with another man? Actually, who would do it without taking advantage of me and then ditching...?" Harry just sat there, completely at a loss.
"I don't know Draco. But trust me, this isn't going to be easy. And if you do find a donor that ditches you, I won't. I'll be there if only to make sure you get some sleep, because I know how tired you'll get. I went through this entire system with both Hermione and Ginny. It wasn't easy on them."
Draco seemed completely oblivious to Harry, and just stared at the wall vacantly.
"Draco?" After the seventh or eighth time Harry called his name, he finally looked from the wall to Harry. The same expression remained, but he took it as a 'I'm listening' gesture. "I'm going to take a shower while you process this okay? It'd be nice to feel hot water instead of a spell for once." Draco nodded and looked back at the wall.
Harry walked into the bathroom and quickly stripped and stepped into the hot stream. He liked his water so hot it was almost scalding, and was pleased to read a sign that declared all water will charm itself to stay the temperature you set it to. He relaxed against the shower wall, and let out a huge sigh.
All-in-all he took the pregnancy news better than Ginny did. She had cried, thrown things and hexed every surface in sight. She wasn't happy, but Draco was. Well that was a plus, in his eyes. Less carnage would have to be cleaned up if Draco was happy in the beginning.
He wondered about who Draco would want to be the second father, who he would trust enough not to leave him and the baby, whom he clearly adored even though he could die because of it. Obviously he never pegged him as a father type of guy, but after seeing the look on his face at the mere prospect at having a child would be enough for even Tom Riddle to admit he was wrong. Appearances went a really long way with the Malfoy family then.
He wondered what the situation would be like if it were in reverse. He had always considered having kids, but always dismissed the idea, content at being the godfather of Ginny's girl, Tonks and Hermione's two boys and Hermione's surprise child. He wasn't sure he could godfather three kids with one on the way and actually father his own. He just wasn't sure it was possible but...
But if the situation were thrust upon him, there was no doubt in his mind that he would immediately try and find someone to stay with him and the baby. He would've done anything-even use his fame.
But if he were in Draco's position, and Draco in his, then wouldn't he have to consider his partner? Yes he supposed, but what would happen? Would Draco actually be patient enough to stick with him if he was abandoned?
Harry stopped his train of thought right there. He was NOT in Draco's position and vice versa. So there was no need considering it. The real question was would he be patient enough to stay with Draco if he was abandoned?
Immediately he knew the answer was yes, and smiled at the thought. How Draco Malfoy was able to entwine himself into Harry's life in school and out was a mystery to him.
He washed himself down, and feeling considerably cleaner than before, he dried himself off and dressed in his clothes someone had washed for him.
Silence was the only thing he could make out when he tried listening through the door. Slightly panicking, he turned in frantic circles looking for his wand until he realized the bathroom was silenced. He suppose that made sense, as it was a hospital. Patients wanted privacy and the Healers would be damned if their patients couldn't take a shower without everyone knowing that.
He laughed at his foolishness and opened the door a crack.
Draco was sitting in bed, just the way Harry had left him when he went to take his shower. He watched silently as Draco laid down slowly, resting his head on a heap of crisp, white pillows.
Draco sighed and rested a hand on his stomach, the way Harry had watched Hermione do so many other times when she's pregnant. Harry thought it must be a mother thing, some form of ancient instincts taking over when they don't pay attention to what they're doing.
After a few minutes, just before Harry was going to make his presence known, Draco's hand started stroking lightly. A smile graced his lips and lit his entire countenance up from the inside-out. His eyes sparkled with happiness, and Harry heard him whispering to the baby in his stomach, but not clear enough to make out what he was saying exactly. He assumed it was a huge list of sweet nothings.
He smiled too. And before he could stop himself, he walked right out of the bathroom and placed a hand next to Draco's. He softly rubbed, in the same manner he had watched Draco do, and chuckled slightly.
"So Draco. Ready to throw away your figure and position in society for something so small you can't even see with a microscope yet?" Draco bristled.
"Why you terrible person! I will not lose my shape and I refuse to answer the second as I'm already dirt to society. I'm slightly offended. No, actually I'm really offended."
"I'm teasing Draco. So...you're willing to give it all up for a tiny ball of cells?"
"Yes." No doubt could be heard in his simple answer. He was going to do this and he was sure about his choice. He knew what he wanted from life.
"So, it's not about having an heir is it?" Draco looked affronted.
"I'm...you...that's not true. I've always wanted a little baby, not for an heir or the namesake. But for the simple joy of being loved and being able to love back without being judged. I want someone who will smile at me, who won't care about my past, and who I can take care of. And vice versa if the situation calls for it."
Harry got a nagging suspicion and had to voice his question. He did so before his nerves could settle in.
"You're not just talking about the baby are you?"
Draco glanced down, clearly caught out. "No. I want a guy like that in my life too. Sometimes I can't always hold others up, and I've found that most women are too helpless for my liking. They always need someone to lean on. Newsflash: I need someone to lean on too." Harry nodded. This he could understand at least.
"So, have you thought about what you're going to do before it's too late to do anything?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have." Harry cocked his head to the side in curiosity, not unsimilar to a bird listening for worms and bugs in the ground. "I believe that a friend of mine can help." Harry watched Draco carefully, analyzing his every emotion and movement, hoping that it would give him a clue as to who he was talking about. He finally gave in, silently admitting that he hadn't the foggiest clue who that person could be.
"Who?" Draco's eyes darkened in fear and uncertainty. "Come on, I won't make fun. And I won't say anything to them. Besides, I'm going to find out eventually." When he realized that he'd need to give the blond some blackmail material, he upped the ante. "If you tell me then I'll tell you a secret."
"Okay I'll tell you. But you first." Realizing it was the best offer he was going to get, he agreed.
"All right. The only reason I know I'm gay is because after the last battle and everything, Severus literally tackled me in the hallway. As in, I hit the floor and he fell on top of me. He was so emotional that I saved his life and I was so excited he lived that we ended up kissing." Before Draco could say anything, Harry continued. "You're turn."
Draco sat up and took Harry's hands in his own, looking down at them.
"Harry...Will you be the one?"