Cash and Burn (Sequel)

Chapter 8

Hermione landed in the center of the apparition point at St. Mungo's already screaming for help. Nurses and Medi-witches raced forward, wands drawn, at the sight of the unconscious blonde. Hermione threw herself over his prone body, nearly snarling.

"NO WANDS! He's been poisoned, no wands- the magic could kill him. Just an anti-poison."

"What kind?" the lead nurse asked, rushing forward.

"Do I look like a Potions Master?" Hermione snapped, looking down at Draco and wishing more than ever that he were awake, "it's magical poisoning, caused by a charm... bring whatever you've got!" The nurse's began loading Draco on to a nearby stretcher and Hermione screamed after the retreating ones, "MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE TO TAKE IN PREGNANCY!" earning some strange looks. "What are *you* looking at?" she sneered at a nearby nurse.

They began rushing Draco back, several nurse's trying to step in Hermione's way, claiming only family could go back. They knew who he was. Hermione promptly hexed three of them, pushing her way through,

"he's my brother you ignorant twat," she hissed over her shoulder as she raced forward to take Draco's hand, keeping perfect pace with the women as they rushed him into a room. Several more tried to protest, meeting Hermione's wand before backing out. They decided to just let her stay, removing her would only cause them to have more patients anyway. Within ten minutes they'd given Draco every anti-poison potion they had, checking his vital signs without magic. Hermione had given them a rough explination of what had happened and sat loyally by his side. It was a waiting game now. One nurse came in and administered a pregnancy test in potion form and it had caused Draco to glow brightly, pink. That meant that not only was he pregnant, as Hermione had said, but it was a girl.

When they were alone, Hermione found herself leaning onto the bed, her head resting by Draco's abdomen.

"Hullo, little girl. My name is Hermione, though I suspect you'll call me Aunt Hermione." she said, tears streaming down her face. She'd come to love Draco as much as she loved Harry. She was closer to Draco in friendship, he was easier to talk to about anything and had similar interests, and Hermione began to tell the unborn child so, "...and your Daddy really needs to pull through this. He's probably my best friend. Your other Daddy is too, he loves him very much. If you two don't come through this, he won't either. I'm sure you've heard his voice before... I want you to know how dearly he will love you, we all will. Please, please, you and Daddy have to pull through this. I am going to spoil you so badly, your fathers will forbid us to be together." She smiled, wondering what the girl would look like, tears still falling as she began to sob openly. Then her voice cracking, "it'll be our little secret."

Moments later, another nurse came in to check Draco's vital signs. Still alive, though no one could tell whether or not the baby was, there was no potion for that. Hermione flopped her head back down, staring up at Draco.

"I... I don't know what to do little baby, please just pull through." she whispered. As if answering her, Draco stirred and Hermione cried out- casting a clock to check the time. They were well into the safety zone. Hermione began to sob again, nearly collapsing.

"What... what happened? Why are you crying 'Mione?" Draco drawled, coming to, "where's Harry? I feel like I've been hit by a train."

"Draco, you were pregnant and poisoned. You got here on time, they had the right potion- though I don't know what, I made them give you everything that would be safe for a baby."

"A baby?" Draco asked, remembering the crib in the room of requirement. Hermione nodded, smiling through her still streaming tears. "I can get pregnant?" Hermione nodded again. "Merlin...I didn't know... how'd you find out?"

"In one of the books we bought. I found it just in time to get you here. We're at St. Mungo's Hospital. I had to get a Floo and then had the house elves at Thronton apparate you here. Apparently, you can't be hit with magic in the first trimester by anyone other than Blaise and Harry or it acts as a slow poison, killing you and the baby."

"Weaslette..." Draco sat straight up, wincing, "is the baby okay? You said 'were'."

"Are...I don't know... Draco, there's no potion for that, only spells." Draco nodded, thinking. Reaching through their bond, Draco realized Harry was too far away. He flopped back into the pillows beneath him, concentrating again, this time on himself. He could feel Harry now... no, not Harry, their child. Sleeping. At least that's what he thought, it was hard to tell if that's what it was or if it was his own hopeful imagination.

"They did do a pregnancy test though, to confirm. Dray... it's a girl." Draco sighed, grinning. "Oh Merlin, Draco, we need to get Harry- he's probably worried sick."

Hermione readied her wand to send her patronus to Harry when there was suddenly a loud snap and someone yelling,

"No, no need for that! Not again!" a woman yelled.

"I SAID- WHERE IS HE?!" That was Harry.

"Or...you know...already here." Hermione said, shaking her head.

"Oh, yeah, he's here." Draco said, laughing. There were several more loud pops, happening so quickly that Hermione could feel the vibration beneath her feet in the floor, there was more yelling, a crash, "and he's brought everyone with him." Draco said, rubbing his temples. The nurse was yelling something about family only. Racing to the door before anyone got really hurt Hermione stuck her head out,

"I wouldn't do that! He's going to be more agressive than me!"

"Hermione!" Was heard from several different members of their group, all rushing in and practically filling the small room. The nurses were yelling, the medi-witches were yelling, Ron was yelling at Hermione for not having contacted them yet, Blaise was yelling at Draco for the same, Hermione was yelling at Ron for yelling at her, Snape was yelling at everyone to shut up and get out of his way. Harry, however, wasn't saying a word. He was at Draco's side, nearly collapsed over him and kissing his face all over,

"Oh, Draco, I thought you were gone. I couldn't feel you. Something's wrong with our bond. I should have told you earlier. I keep reaching out to you but I keep feeling like you're asleep, I thought maybe it was a fluke- are you okay? What happened? I love you Draco, so much."

"Harry, please get everyone out of here, I need to talk to you," Draco said, pulling himself up and kissing Harry softly.

The mixed look of pain and happiness with sorrow all at the same time on Draco's face had Harry complying- threatening to hex them all into oblivion if they didn't get out. Draco, not knowing much about what all was going on, beckoned for Hermione to stay. She knew the facts. There were several protests but everyone left quickly when they saw the look on Harry's face.