Vagary

{Nineteen}

A/N: Just a slight character death warning. If I say anymore it will give it away, but I did attempt to handle it as delicately as possible while staying true to my characters.

Harry awoke the next morning bare, splayed across a pale chest, and warmer than usual. Not to mention the body aches he'd never before experienced making grabbing for his wand only a slight challenge. He cast a tempus with a little under two hours until work and pressed a gentle kiss to the other man's cheek in bed as he got up to get an early start to the day.

On the way downstairs he stopped by Hermione's room when he noticed the door ajar, a note spelled to it at eye-level.

Ending the spell he grabbed the slip of parchment and tried to quell the sudden worry, unfolding it with care.

Harry,

Went to Mungo's at roughly 4. Heard you two come home, I'm so happy for you.

Meet me at the hospital when you get the chance...

Love,

Hermione

This world didn't stop, Harry thought, as he tried to calm himself, popping back up to his room with a worried swoop of his stomach. His only thought was for her health and the baby's, hoping it wasn't her and Severus' bonds that had created this fissure in Hermione's health.

"Draco!"

Roused from sleep with a smile, it didn't take him long to catch on that something was wrong when he saw Harry's face.

"What's the matter?"

"Hermione, Mungo's, now."

"What's happened?" He asked as he got up and summoned clothes that still somehow seemed to match.

Harry caught a glimpse of his bare flesh before answering.

"Dunno, she just left me a note to meet her there. Apparently she went about four this morning."

"You don't think it's the bonds finally catching up to them, do you?"

"We'll just have to see."

Draco finished dressing and they were off, the floo to Mungo's swift and quiet as they arrived in the early hours of the morning.

The front receptionist who could be no older than either of them, looked up with disinterest as she chewed what seemed to be Fred and George's shape-bubble gum. An elephant popped before she even considered addressing them.

"May I help you?"

"Hermione Granger, she came in a couple hours ago."

"And you are?"

"The Potters," Draco cut in, seemingly annoyed at the girl who Harry had to admit was just doing her job. "Penelope, if you would just let us through, you know who the bloody hell we are."

"Fine," she said, rolling her eyes and waving her wand. Two Visitor bracelets appeared on their wrists. "Third floor, room 3618."

"Thank you," they both said, though Draco sounded more upset than thankful.

Rushing upstairs, they found Hermione's room, a private, small one where upon entering they found her sleeping.

"Hermione," Harry called, sad to wake her, but she had asked him to be there.

Her eyes fluttered, and the serene look that was on her face faded into sadness.

"Harry." With her broken cry, he had no choice but to rush and hug her as his mind went to the worst case-scenario.