Cash and Burn (Sequel)

Chapter 6

That night found Hermione with the rest of the group and Ginny sitting in the Gryffindor common room discussing the strange smell that seemed to be accompanying every thing strange that happened to them. Draco had not joined them that evening, choosing instead to study. Apparently, only Blaise and Draco could smell it so it must be something magical or very faint. Eventually they gave up and Hermione curled up with one of the books she and Draco had bought about male Veelas and Magiodrago while the others went to play a game of Quidditch. Ginny stayed behind as well, quietly reading a book about Magical Theory. Hermione was currently on the mating section:

"As stated above, the male Veela is almost always bondmated to his Magiodrago counterpart and can not reproduce together. However, on rare occasions either creature will choose to bondmate with a notable powerful wizard or witch. This is more common than some might think, though still considered rare. It is believed that this happens solely to reproduce more male Veela or Magiodragos, even though the male Veela and Magiodrago are not likely to reproduce another member of the same race.

When mated with a wizard, both the Magiodrago and Veela are capable of reproducing for their bondmate. The Magiodrago, in this case, can only reproduce when in Magiodrago form. The Veela, however, can reproduce only by mating and tend to be very fertile. When fertilization occurs the Veela will usually be unaware of their growing child- pushing their hormones, sickness, and general frustration out at anyone with the magical capability of sensing it powers. Since the Veela is almost always paired with a Magiodrago, this often includes its bondmate as well. Both the Magiodrago and the Veela will pick up on the magic coursing through their loved ones by being able to smell it. It always smells badly, a natural action, to draw their attention to what is happening and alert them of the pregnancy early on. When the Veela has become impregnated, they rarely realize that they are until well into the second trimester. This is exceedingly dangerous for the Veela, as any magical spell cast upon them at all by anyone other than their bondmate or Magiodrago counterpart will act as if it were a slow moving poison, killing the Veela and fetus within six hours..."

Hermione's head snapped up from the book with a gasp. She now understood everything! Draco was pregnant with Harry's child. Neville, Blaise, and Harry were all experiencing the Veelas side effects. Squealing despite herself, Hermione clapped. She couldn't wait to be an aunt and wondered what the child might look like and if it were a boy or girl.

"What's got you so excited, 'Mione?" Ginny asked, glancing up from her own book. Hermione beamed at her for a moment and then the smile fell from her face, as if it had disapparated away in an instant. Ginny. Ginny had cast a spell on Draco. He had to be in his first trimester... Hermione screamed and began digging through her bag for the potions kits Draco had distributed to their little band.

"Ginny! Have you seen the potions set I carry with me?"

"Those things Malfoy gave you? I poured those out."

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" Hermione screamed, leaning over Ginny dangerously.

"They were probably poison! You can't trust that slimy git!"

"YOU COULD HAVE JUST KILLED HIM!" Hermione roared, fists balled up at her side. Frantically she looked around, she had to do something and there was almost no time. Racing up to Harry's room, Hermione blasted his trunk open, and dove in, throwing everything he had in different directions until she found the Marauders Map. Harry was walking with everyone else out the entrance of Hogwarts, most likely heading for the pitch. Draco was two floors above her, near the room of requirement. "At least he's still moving." she said to herself, before running back downstairs. "Ginny! Draco is dying, go get Harry- he's at the Quidditch Pitch. Or Blaise, or both I don't care! Just go!" She yelled, running out the door. Ginny thought about it for a moment and remembering Charlie and Fred, and her love for Harry, she continued to read.

As Hermione scaled one of the grand staircases it began to move, causing Hermione to curse out loud. Pulling out her wand she checked the time. It had been five hours and thirty minutes since Charms class and she was running out of time. Before the staircase had even stopped moving, Hermione leapt from the top, landing gracefully on her feet and taking off at a dead run. She had to get to Draco.

Hermione began screaming his name as she got closer, rounding the corner Draco finally came into sight and she cried out his name. He was standing at the room of requirement, just staring inside and looking shocked. Hearing Hermione finally, he turned to look at her, bewildered. Before Hermione could reach him, Draco's face screwed up in pain and he doubled over- falling to the floor. Scrambling to his side and realizing that he didn't have his potions kit either, Hermione looked up at the nearest portrait, screaming,

"GO GET DUMBLEDORE AND PROFESSOR SNAPE! QUICKLY! GO!"

Shocked, the portrait, a large fat man, ran from his frame. Beginning to sob, Hermione pulled Draco into her lap.

"It's going to be okay, Draco, it's going to be okay. Does it hurt much?" she asked, petting his hair soothingly.

"Hermione? What- what is happening? ARGH!" He cried out, curling into the fetal position.

"You're pregnant, Draco, you've been poisoned. I sent for Harry and Blaise and Snape and Dumbledore. God, Draco there isn't much time! I don't know what to do!"

Looking around desperately, Hermione spotted what Draco had been staring at. Inside the room of requirement was a nice looking apartment style room, and beside the bed was a crib. Tears began to fall as Hermione screamed for help, going over the options in her head. If she cast a spell to move Draco, he would die. He was too heavy to carry, and in too much pain to move. She couldn't apparate, not that it mattered because you couldn't apparate in or out of Hogwarts. The room of requirement couldn't give her an anti-poison... the room of requirement! Hermione jumped up, slamming the door on the lovely scene and opened it back up to find a fireplace only feet from her, the floo network already activated. But where would she go? You couldn't travel through the same building using the floo. St. Mungo's didn't use the Floo Network though they had allowed for apparating. Draco could apparate.

"Draco? Draco can you hear me?" she asked urgently, beneath howls of pain he nodded. "Draco, you've got to stay awake, you have to. I'm going to need you to apparate us to St. Mungo's Hospital, okay? Draco, can you do that?" Howling again, Draco nodded. Hermione grabbed the Veela, dragging him into the fireplace with her, once they were in she screamed,

"Take me home!"

Both Hermione and Draco tumbled out from the fireplace at Thronton House, spilling into the floor in a tangle of limbs and robes. Raising, Hermione looked down at the blonde,

"Draco, now! Apparate now!" But it was too late, Draco was unconscious. Roaring in a rage, Hermione looked around desperately. "LACEY! KREACHER! BLINKY!" she cried, pulling the unconscious blonde into her arms, checking for a pulse. He was alive. All three house elves appeared at the same time, staring. Kreacher and Lacey began howling at the sight of Draco. "Apparate us to St. Mungos! Hurry!" Hermione cried out.