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Thanks to throwing up several times during the day, by mid-after noon, she’d been completely drained of energy and dozed off on the couch.
Jerking awake hours later, not even remembering what she’d been dreaming about, she noticed the darkness outside.
She went to splash some water on her face when suddenly, it hit her.
She hadn’t had her monthly since the last time they were together.
After they went separate ways, she threw herself into her work, research, legislations, and seeing her parents and friends. She had to keep her mind fully occupied to avoid thinking about silver eyes, long fingers, and strong hands, or pictures of him and the tall, slim woman with silky black hair and blue eyes always by his side in the Sunday Social section of the Prophet.
The Savoy weekend was a blur of raw emotional memories. None of them included a contraceptive charm.
That was two months ago.
She walked five blocks to the closest 24-hr Boots and bought five different brands of pregnancy tests.
All five of them marked positive.
She stared at herself in the mirror as she lifted her jumper and pulled down the waist of her jeans to cast the diagnosis spell she should have cast in the first place.
The golden light fluttering under the skin on her lower abdomen confirmed what the five muggle test already told her.
She was pregnant.
Pregnant with Draco’s baby.
She was pregnant with the baby of a man meant to be wed to someone else a week from now.
Tears filled her eyes and blurred her vision. She walked back to the couch, pressing her palms against her lower abdomen and closing her eyes, counting her breaths.
Her first instinct was to send him a patronus, sharing the news… but the thought of him sharing a bed with another woman made her restrain herself.
This was not meant to happen.
She had lost any right over him.
He’d drunkenly proposed years ago, and she said no. She’d been scared— it was too soon. She’d been barely a year into a major in Oxford and a Magic Law Apprenticeship, and her parents were in the middle of memory recovery. His father was still upset about their relationship.
Instead, he’d settled for keeping her within arm’s reach all those years while she went and devoured the world, not even stopping when he started to court the youngest of the Greengrass sisters.
Nor even stopping when the courtship had become an engagement.
Her pro-choice voice whispered the options she had, but the image of white blonde curls and big grey eyes silenced it.
She could do this alone. Maybe she could move to the States and teach at Ilvermorny, or apply for a position with the MACUSA.
She completely lost track of her thoughts and time, staring at nothing when suddenly she felt magic passing her wards.
A second later, there was a sharp knock on her door.
Taking five deep breaths, she opened the door.
It was him. He towered her, dressed in all black as usual, but there was something off... the top buttons of his shirt were opened, his hair was all over the place, and dark circles were under his eyes.
That familiar feeling of regret for saying no all those years ago washed over her.
“Granger,” he said, with a raspy voice.
“Draco,” she said, almost in a whisper. He walked past her, entering her flat.
Closing the door, she tried to keep breathing, tried to stay calm. He made himself at home, walking to the living room.
“Is it true?” he asked suddenly, his broad back still facing her.
He knew? He knew! How was it possible? Did she actually send the Patronus?
“Draco…” She put her arms around her waist, trying to keep herself together.
“Is. It. True.?” He demanded, suddenly facing her, his eyes all silver and red at the same time.
“Yes…” she said with a choked voice, still trying to keep herself together.
“How long have you known?” he said, calm but still firm, taking a few steps towards her.
“I just found out. Today, I, I…” She paused for a moment to swallow the lump in her throat. “I just realized a few hours ago that I missed my period since the last time we were together. I went to the Muggle pharmacy and got five different homemade tests…”
“Muggle test? Why didn't you just cast a diagnostic spell…” he said, with that exasperated tone she hadn't realized she’d missed so much.
“I did cast a diagnosis spell, Draco…”
“And?” he asked, his eyes suddenly sharp like knives on hers.
“They all marked positive… I’m pregnant, Draco.” She smiled sadly at him.
His eyes were traveling all over her face and body, as if he was searching for something. Suddenly they stopped on the arm hugging her lower stomach, and she saw his fingers twitch.
“How did you know?” she asked.
“The Tapestry at the Manor.” He took another step towards her. “Two months ago I notice a branch appearing along my name. I assumed it was the magic of the estate taking note of my acceptance of the imminent marriage.” His eyes were still on her lower stomach. “A few hours ago, I was in the library when Mother rushed into the room and practically dragged me to the tapestry room.” He swallowed, and suddenly his eyes were staring directly at hers. “Your name appeared on the tapestry, and another branch appeared between us. The magic knew before we did.”
They were silent for a moment. “What... what did your mother say?” she asked.
“Nothing really. She just stared at me with a look that told me to fix it, kissed me, and walked away,” he said with a chuckle.
They stared at each other in silence. She wished she could just walk towards him and bury her face in his chest, like she used to do. She had missed him so much it was physically painful.
“Were you going to tell me?” He suddenly looked so young.
“My first instinct was to send you a Patronus, but…” She felt a tear slipping down her cheek. “But, I assumed you were with her, so I stopped myself.”
Sharply inhaling, she continued, “I found out a few hours ago, you know? I am still processing it all and thinking about what my next steps should be.
I also didn't want to ruin everything so close to your wedding day. ” Her voice was so sad she barely recognized it.
He stared at her. His eyes glazed and jaw clenched.
“The wedding is off, Granger.”
“What? What are you… what are you talking about?”
“After I saw your name on the tapestry, I went to the Greengrass estate. I broke up the engagement. The wedding is cancelled.”
“But...” She could feel panic and hope rushing through her veins.
“But nothing,” he said sharply, shortening the distance between them. “I shouldn't be engaged in the first place..” His long fingers and strong hands wrapped around her jaw and neck. “Not to her at least.”
She could smell the faint scent of tea tree oil from his shampoo, the Chanel Bleu cologne she had given to him every Valentine’s Day for years on his neck, the lingering hint of firewhisky on his breath. She felt dizzy, and for the first time in days, it was not because of her stomach.
“I didn't mean for this to happen, Draco. I don't want you to feel trapped, I… I..” She took a deep breath. “I know I screwed it up when I said no years ago, but you were drunk and we were young, and I got so scared...” Tears poured from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”
“Granger,” he sighed, still holding her face. “I understand why you said no back then. You were right to reject my proposal. I was so out of my senses that night— I made a complete arse of myself.”
“No! Draco, I loved you then, and I still d—”
“Hermione.”
He stunned her into silence. As he always did when he used her given name.
His face was so close to her that she could see the blue specks in his eyes. “You were right to reject my proposal back then. But I should have proposed every fucking day until you said yes. So let’s start now.”