Complications |Draco Malfoy x Hermione Granger| - Editing & continuing

|Chapter 10|

*Hermione*

The smell of breakfast woke me up, a full plate of food sat in front of me when my eyes opened. I wasn't sure where it came from, as no one else was in sight. I couldn't help but weakly pick up the utensils and start to eat, my stomach was growling. It felt strange to eat, I had forgotten about food in the stress of the last few days. As I was eating, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I called, hoping it would be Harry. To my disappointment it was Lyra, my new medical assistant. I liked her, but I wanted my friends right now.

"How are you feeling today?" Her voice was kind, making me feel guilty for my displeasure.

"I feel a bit better, actually. The food helped." I admitted, I did feel stronger. "When can I go home?"

"Not quite yet, we want to observe your babies, to make sure there wasn't any long term damage. Also, your boyfriend is still under observation." She gestured to Draco's empty bed, "Apparently not close enough observation as he keeps wandering off."

I chuckled, "Where does he go?" I was still worried for him, despite my concern that he wanted nothing more than to run the opposite direction.

"Usually he's bugging people about making sure you're alright. Although I caught him earlier using the floo system to bother some poor bloke." Her laugh was calming. Suddenly the door burst open and a grumbling Draco was led in by a few nurses.

"I wasn't bothering anyone, you blithering idiots." A glimpse of the Draco of my past slid in, "I simply want to be sure the git who harmed the mother of my children is properly punished." His complaints were met with eye rolls.

"You couldn't punish a gnat at this point, Mr. Malloy." A male nurse said, disdain written on his face. "Who knows why the brightest witch of your age would sleep with a bloody death eater.." he mumbled as he left the room, head shaking.

"Excuse me, sir?" I called after him, he turned and his fear was written on his face.

"Yes, Miss Granger? Would you like me to call Mr. Weasley?" The sound of his name made me sick. I had never hated our fame from the war more than I did in this moment.

"That vile bastard can rot in Azkaban." I bit out, my hand on my stomach. "I want you to stop insulting Draco. He saved me more than once during this damn war." I thought back to the day we were brought to Malfoy Manner. He easily could have turned us in. We would've all died. He didn't, that was when I saw the truth. He was always terrified and trying to impress his father, he just wasn't as good at hiding the fear as we got older.

"Yes, ma'am." The man left quickly, Lyra patted my shoulder. This comfort calmed me enough to brave a glance at Draco. He had the hints of a smile on his face.

"You look beautiful when you're chewing someone's ass," he winked at me. "How are you feeling?" Draco's eyes trailed across my body, pausing at my stomach.

"As long as they're okay, I'm good," my hand rested on my stomach, "It's strange, I haven't had time to process that we're having babies... but I feel like we already are, like they're the most important thing now." He nodded as I spoke, maintaining eye contact with me. I had to look away, a blush spreading across my face.

"We are already parents, 'Mione, and they are the most important thing in our lives now." He slid his hand over, resting it over my own, "You know I will protect you, right?"

The way his voice faltered broke my heart, I glanced at him, the look in his eyes was much softer now that we're alone. It felt like night and day, other people left and his hardened exterior melts away to the man from the ball.

"I do. Just as I will do my best to protect you," I sighed, wishing I could do more, "Why are you so different when anyone else is around? I feel like I'm dreaming when they leave and you change." Suddenly nervous, I picked at my nails to try and calm myself down.

"It's not about you, it's about them. I don't know who to trust. My father had me trained to be cruel to anyone who didn't fit his idea of a good witch or wizard. He literally beat it into me, my mother tried to step in but she couldn't hold up like I could," he lifted his shirt, running his wand over himself and chanting quietly. Suddenly his abdomen was littered with scars, bruises across his ribs. I gasped, sad that anyone could do such a thing to him.

"Oh, Draco. I'm so sorry, why did you hide this from me?" I ran my fingers across the scars, he flinched as I did. Our beds were close enough that I was able to roll closer to him and tucked myself into his side. I pressed kisses to the ones I could reach without feeling any pain.

"I hide them from everyone, no one should be burdened with this knowledge. No one should know or experience his cruelty." He breathed, running his hand through my knotted hair. I muttered a few healing spells, watching as his open wound began to close. If I had time at the apartment I could've closed it up a few nights ago. But we wound up here, asleep for days from the trauma.

"I wish I could've protected you from this," I gestured across his abdomen, "I won't let anything like this happen again." He turned to kiss my head, but I tilted my head for my lips to meet his. Our lips met hungrily, his hands dancing across my chest.

"I adore you, Hermione Granger," he sighed, pulling back, "Do you even want to go back to Hogwarts? Or should we remain in the muggle city, what's safer for the babies?"

"I don't know anywhere safer than Hogwarts," I admitted, "Especially now that we'll have our own common room and dorms. I'm sure Professor McGonagall will have some insight for us. Mostly, I feel nervous about trying to finish my classes with newborns."

"We will figure it out. I am certain we are more than capable. There's a reason we were awarded head boy and girl. Is that weasel returning? If so I don't know that we tell anyone until we have to. Not until you're showing or we know for sure they can't be harmed by any outbursts from him." He cupped my cheek, "I may kill him if he lays a hand on you or them ever again. If I had any more strength that night I may have done it then."

I kissed him again, feeling so safe with him I began feeling sleepy again. "I don't know if he will come back now, especially after assaulting the both of us. I'm glad you didn't kill him, only because then you would have been arrested & the babies would have suffered without you." He chuckled, nodding. A yawn spread across my lips.

"'Mione, you should rest, love. I have you, just sleep, we'll figure it all out later." He kissed my forehead, rubbing my back. I rested my head on his chest and drifted off, grateful when the darkness of sleep took me.

||A/N: Hey everyone! I have been MIA for a hot second, being a single working mom is rather difficult. However I had an itch to write and this story has always been my baby. I hope you enjoy as we dive back in together!