Imperiused (Dramione)

New Year's Day (Part 4)

"I am relieved to know your mother accepts me as your child's mother," Hermione told Draco once he came back home from the hospital to bring back his mother there.

Draco smiled at her. "Who wouldn't want you?" He asked. "I'm really sorry for the way she talked to you earlier. I didn't know she would be that blunt," he told her.

"Actually, I appreciate it. I mean, I understand why she needed to say those words to me," the brunette answered. "Your mother really loves you," she added.

"I know," he answered, sitting beside her on the couch. "Just don't stress yourself, thinking too much about everything," he told her.

"We should talk about what to tell Professor McGonagall," Hermione said. "We should owl her now and ask her if we could return to Hogwarts tomorrow afternoon instead of on Sunday with the rest of the students," she said.

"Alright, let's owl her now. Here, you could write the letter for her," he answered, giving her a parchment and a self-inking quill he summoned with his wand.

Hermione took them and started to write. When she finished, she gave the letter to Draco who stood up to give the letter to his eagle owl perched near the window to take to Headmistress McGonagall.

"So, what will we tell the Headmistress?" Draco asked her as he sat down again.

"Well, we should tell her the truth," the brunette answered, when she saw the horrified look on Draco, she added. "We will tell her that I am pregnant and you are the father, that's all."

Draco sighed in relief. "Thanks, I thought for a second that you will tell her everything," he said scratching his head.

"I already told you that I wouldn't," she replied reassuring him.

"How about Weaslette?" Draco asked, remembering how the redhead reacted towards him.

"Ginny will not tell anyone, she knows it will also affect me if she says anything about it," Hermione answered confidently. Ginny can be hotheaded but her heart is in the right place, she knew.

"I hope her hatred towards me wouldn't change that," the blonde wizard replied.

"She doesn't hate you, she's just protecting me. Ginny is like my sister," Hermione answered. "By the way, I think that we could go to a Muggle pregnancy clinic tomorrow morning for my check-up before we go back to school," she told him.

"Alright, I think that's a good idea so we will know if the both of you are okay," Draco replied. "You should have a nap first, McGonagall's reply would probably take a while," he suggested looking at his watch.

Hermione just nodded, stood up to go to Draco's bed. "Just wake me up when your owl comes back," she said before lying down.

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Draco kept himself busy with packing up his and Hermione's stuff on their individual trunks. He hoped that she won't mind that he did it for her. He felt somewhat lighter when she told him that she didn't mind his mother's directness.

He also hopes that McGonagall will let them go back a day earlier to Hogwarts so they could talk to her in private. The Headmistress would probably faint when she hears her favourite student is pregnant with a Death Eater's child, he thought bitterly.

He should be on his best behaviour when he goes back to school, the Weaslette will probably make sure that he will have a harder time at school because of what he has done.

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Hermione was already  awake when Draco's eagle owl returned later that afternoon with the Headmistress' reply. She was curled up on the armchair in front of the fireplace reading a book when Draco gave the letter to her.

"She said it was alright for us to come back tomorrow afternoon at five," she told him. "Hagrid will meet us at the gates then we could meet with her at her office after dinner," she added after reading the rest of the letter.

"That's good. I have already packed everything so we are ready to go back," Draco replied, sitting across from her. "What time are we going for your check-up?" He asked.

"I don't have an appointment yet so we should go to the clinic early to request one. Maybe around nine?" She replied.

"Alright, I will tell Toby later to deliver our breakfast at seven tomorrow so we will have enough time to eat and travel to Muggle London," Draco replied.

"How are we going there?" Hermione asked, knowing that magical transport will not be an option for her condition and where they will be going.

"I'll order a cab to fetch us at the gates," Draco replied. Upon seeing Hermione's confused face, he added, "there's a public telephone booth nearby which we could use to call a cab."

"You know how to use one?" She asked surprised that he knows about Muggle transport and communications.

"Well, yes. I have used it a few times already when we were not allowed to use our wands," he explained, remembering using Muggle transport going to the Ministry every time he and his mother were summoned after their trial.

Hermione didn't press further, knowing that he was talking about the time just after the war when they were still placed in house arrest after their trials.

The rest of the day passed, with Hermione double-checking her things packed inside her trunk and finishing her book.

They had their dinner in Draco's room as usual. Toby brought up a sumptuous feast and Hermione couldn't help but to eat as much of it as she craved. She reasoned to herself that she was eating for two and needed the extra calories for her baby.

Draco just watched her enjoy her food while eating his. He really hoped that everything would eventually become better between them as time passed.

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"Good night, Hermione," he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead as he tucked her in later that night.

"You may sleep here too you know, your bed is large enough for an entire family," Hermione said when Draco was about to go to the couch to sleep.

Draco looked at her, surprised. Of course he wanted to sleep beside her but he didn't want to impose.

"Are you sure?" He asked uncertainly.

"Yes," she replied curtly. Then added, "just stay on your side and I'll stay on mine."

Draco nodded then went to the other side of his bed. He lied down, giving a wide berth between them, thankful that his bed was king sized.

They both tried to sleep but couldn't. They were both longing for each other's warmth. Hermione laying sideways facing the window trying to sleep, while Draco faced the wall trying to steady his breathing so he can fall asleep.

As the night progressed, they both fell asleep eventually. As the new day came, they woke up entangled with each other's bodies.