Time stands still - Draco and Astoria

Sophia

The healers had cleaned her up and Astoria was put in recovery just about 5 minutes after she was born. "Draco, Astoria, Sophia Hyperion Malfoy. Born at 2:13 A.M, December 14th, 5.8 pounds and very healthy." The healer said handing the baby back to her.

"After Sophie was cleaned up and Astoria had been in recovery, they sat in the hospital bed and looked at their baby girl. "Can you go get everybody? I want her to see her family." Astoria asked him softly as she held the pink bundle. 

"Of course." He said kissing her head. 

"Thank you, my love." She said smiling and looking up at him.

He went outside the room and saw 4 people sitting there. "Everybody, there is someone I'd like you to meet." Draco said softly, as all of them were tired from it being so early. They all stood up and walked into the room where Astoria was with Sophia. Draco smiled.

Draco lightly took Sophia into his arms and looked at the baby with a pink blanket around her. "Everybody this is Sophia. You can call her Sophie for short." Draco said smiling. 

"I thought you were expecting a boy." Astoria's mother said. 

"It was going to be. We were told it was a boy then I came to the delivery room and only two hours later there was a baby girl." Astoria said smiling. Sophie whimpered and Draco held her closer to him.

Draco noticed something only at that moment. "Where's my father?" He asked looking at his mother. Narcissa gulped. 

"He decided not to come." She said with the expression she was upset at him. 

"I should've known," Draco said looking down at his new daughter.

"Draco, can I hold her?" Daphne asked kindly. 

"Yeah, of course." Draco lightly set the baby in her arms, seeing a tear two down her face. He lightly smiled, noticing he'd never seen that before that he could remember. 

"Hi, Sophia. Hi. I'm Daphne. I'm your aunt Daphne. You may never know it, but I love you in a very special way." She said smiling down at the baby, speaking in a higher voice than usual. "I love you so much already. If you ever need anything, I'll be right there. I promise. If you ever need your aunt Daphne, I'll be there immediately. I promise you." She kissed Sophie's forehead.

A few minutes had passed from Astoria's parents admiring her, then Draco's mother did. "Draco?" She asked him. "What's that on her arm?" Astoria had let Sophie's arms out of the blanket so she could move them around. She held the baby towards the couple and they looked at her arm. There was the dark mark on it. It was almost a gray color, you could tell it was there, but barely. It wasn't a clear view.

Only a few hours passed and Astoria slept for most of them, but when she woke up, she was pleased. She began to write a letter to her daughter. She knew it would do good.

'My dear daughter Sophia. Today you were born. Sophia Hyperion Malfoy. Born at 2:13 A.M., December 14th, 4.8 pounds and very healthy. I thought I was having a boy, but when a girl came along, I was so pleased.'

'You already mean everything to me. I look over at you in your dad's arms, holding you to his chest, making you make baby noises he loved. He adores you so much. He always will. I know it. He will be a great father to you. I promise. I will do whatever I can with all my power to be a great mother to you. I promise.'

'As I write this, I want you to remember that I love you. I already love you so much. You just sneezed all over your father and I broke into laughter until you started crying. I held my arms out to have your daddy hand you to me. As you looked at both of us, your crying slowed an incredible amount. I can't wait for our days together. I won't let anything happen to you.'

'When you read this, I'll be dead. You should be young. Maybe less of age than a teenager. I am so sorry I left you. I had a blood disorder and I loved you so much, but I knew you wouldn't have me for much in your life. You are so perfect already. You will be as you read this. I am so sorry I had to leave you. Remember that you meant everything to me'

'I know your life will be different without me, but I'm watching over you and seeing the little baby I raised.'

'I love you. I hope you read this, and I hope you know that you and your father were the love of my life. I love you. So much.'

'From, your mother'

Astoria looked up at Draco. "Do you want to know why I kept her?" She asked him. He looked up from the baby girl he held. She looked over at him and held her arms out to hold Sophia.

"You know how bad the disorder is. It's very bad. I know you didn't want to risk my health any, but I was able to have children. I was frail though. If the Malfoy line ended with you ai wouldn't mind. But I didn't want it for that. I wanted her so you would have someone when I'm gone." Draco looked at her with his eyes shining, but not from happiness.

"I knew you would need it. Draco the chances of me living a long time we're so small! And I knew you would need someone for as long as you lived. You would need a child. And this was the greatest day of our lives." Astoria spoke to him. Ahe looked at the little baby and set her in the small clear thing where she slept. 

"Astoria this weakened you so much and you were already so bad! Having her did so much!" Draco said. 

"I know! But," she looked down at Sophia. "you need her. I need her for the time. I love her so much. And I know you do. And when she's gone you will cherish her. I know it!" They looked. Back down to her.

"When I first met you, you were lonely. When I married you, I knew I wanted you to have someone. Maybe it was early, but still. Having a baby was amazing. And you, Draco Malfoy, would be alone when I'm not there. I know you expected to be alone all the time. You never thought you would be in love. Or that anyone would love you in that way. But I do. And I know I won't be around forever, but I love you. And our baby loves you. And she'll always be there."

Sophie was sleeping halfway through their conversation until she finally cried and woke up. Astoria cradled her in her arms and the crying slowed.

The hospital had a strict 20-hour policy. You could only stay 20 hours after the baby was born, so they left at about 10 P.M. "I need to take Sophia somewhere. Come with." Draco said once they were home. 

"Why?" She asked him as Sophie slept. 

"You'll see." They apparated to his father's home and Draco answered the door.

"Draco, what a nice surprise!" Draco scowled. 

"Why weren't you there?" He said impatiently. 

"Why would the cause be? It is only a child. I wasn't there when you were born." He said to his son. 

"How is he?" Lucious asked bluntly. 

"If you were there you would know it was a girl named Sophia," Draco said unhappily. 

"A girl? She can't carry on the name!" Draco smiled finally. 

"I know. I am fine with that."

He turned to Astoria who was beside the door. He lightly took the baby girl and showed it to Astoria. "That's her. That's who Astoria gave birth to. This is Sophia." He looked at the baby girl and looked back up. 

"Almost exactly like you." Draco nodded.

They took her back home to let her sleep. They set her down in her crib. She woke up not too long afterward and Draco was the one to get her. He comforted her as she cried. "Sh... Sh... Don't cry, don't cry. It's Ok. It was just a dream. Just a dream..." Draco said to the baby. Her crying slowed and she was about to fall asleep. He kissed her forehead and she made a baby noise. He put her in one of his arms and with the other, he wrote a letter to his daughter.