Time stands still - Draco and Astoria

labor

Astoria was 9 months pregnant and her due date was only tomorrow. She was worried for her labor, as she was frail compared to most witches. Her blood disorder had made her weaker and she was worried sick about how the labor would go due to that.

Draco left late night and would work until about midnight. Astoria went into the large kitchen of Malfoy Manor, as they lived in a larger mansion. She grabbed herself something to drink, the house-elves watching. She grabbed something and it suddenly fell out of her hands. She gasped and put her hands on her stomach.

"Is everything alright?" One of the house elves asked. 

"I-I think my water just broke!" She said breathing very heavily. Something started coming down her leg, and she knew what it was by the clear color. 

"You'll be going into labor in that case!" They replied. She nodded. 

"I can't do this! I need Draco!" She said this like it was the end of the world.

Hours had passed and Draco still wasn't home. Astoria was on the floor holding her stomach tightly. She was far into labor and was yelling from the pain. "It hurts!" She shouted. The house elves were trying to tell her that once another contraction passed then she should go to the hospital to find Draco, but she kept rejecting them.

Draco has finally come home and Astoria was already 6 hours into labor by that point. "Astoria!" He shouted racing towards her. "What's going on right now?" He said worriedly. 

"My water broke!" She said taking breaths. 

"You're in labor?" He asked her. She nodded violently. 

"It hurts, Draco!" She said through the pain.

"I know, love, I know. We're gonna get to the hospital, OK?" He said. She nodded worriedly at him, tears in her eyes.

He took her to the hospital and the healers rushed her the delivery room. Using magic, they changed her into a hospital gown and told her to breathe. Her main healer came in quickly afterward. He looked at Draco. "She's almost fully dilated." He said to Draco. Draco looked at Astoria. "Astoria, I'm gonna ask you a few questions and I need you to answer them all pretty quickly, OK?" The healer said. She nodded.

"How long have you been in labor?" He asked. 

"About.. 6 hours." She said trying to breathe and not yell like she wanted to. Draco was worried about this and so was the healer. 

"In those six hours were you pushing any?" He asked her. She nodded. 

"When?" Astoria didn't answer and tried to breathe. "Astoria when were you pushing?" He asked impatiently. 

"A few hours into it and some past that." She said honestly. 

"OK. Now, when did the contractions start getting this bad?" He said calmly. 

"A few hours ago." He nodded. 

"How far apart have the contractions been." Astoria moaned through the pain. 

"About 20 seconds or so." Draco knew that none of those answers were good.

The nurse asked Draco if there was anyone they wanted to invite to the waiting room. "Daphne, your parents, and mine!" Astoria said through gritted teeth. "Camilla, Eden, and Daphne Greengrass, but also Narcissa and Lucious Malfoy." He said. The nurse nodded.

The healer didn't ask any more questions. "Astoria the contraction should be over in about 10 seconds. You just need to relax and take deep breaths in and out." She nodded to him. Draco held her hand at this time. The contraction ended and Astoria was still in pain from before.