Giving Into Temptation

Chapter Sixteen: Two is Better Than One

    Draco blinked open his eyes and found himself lying on the floor. “What in the bloody hell?” he muttered.

    “You fainted.”

    Draco glanced up and saw Hermione leaning over the examining table, staring down at him with an amused expression on her face.

    “I what?!”

    “The Healer said it’s happened to a lot of soon-to-be fathers.”

    Draco noted the hint of laughter in her voice and narrowed his eyes at her as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

    “Why did I faint?”he mumbled to himself.

    Hermione stifled a giggle behind her hand and Draco crinkled his nose at her, which did nothing to stop her smile from spreading.

    “Oh....bugger...”

    Hermione collapsed back onto the table in a fit of laughter and Draco got to his feet. He eyed her, mouth set in a grim line as she tried to control herself.

    “I-I think...you might...want to...sit down...Draco, love...”

    “Why?”

    “Just sit, please.”

    Draco did as he was told and Hermione took several deep breaths, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.

    “Draco...we’re having twins.”

    Draco’s eyes widened, and as the information sunk in, his mouth dropped. “T-Twins?” His voice seemed to rise a few octaves. “We’re having twins?!”

    “Yes.”

    “Twins...wow...twins....”he muttered under his breath, running shaking fingers through his hair.

    “Draco...are you all right...?”

    “Oh...yeah...I’m fine. I just...I didn’t see that one coming.”

    Hermione’s smiled faded for a moment. “Are you...unhappy about it?”

    “Unhappy?” He glanced at her. “No, of course not. I’m thrilled, love. I am. I just...it surprised me, is all.”

    “You’re certain?”

    Draco took hold of her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over the tops of her hands. “I am absolutely certain. I want this, Hermione. I want you and the babies and a life together.”

    She smiled again, leaning forward and bringing her lips to his. When she pulled away she had tears in her eyes.“We should go now. I’m sure the Healer has more people that need this room.”

    “Oh...yes...of course.”

    Draco got up and helped Hermione down off of the examining table, wrapping one arm around her waist as they departed from the room. And as they walked down the corridor, Draco looked around with a smile on his face. His heart beat wildly in his chest and his stomach fluttered nervously. He was going to be a father. He had the love of his life beside him to share that with. He had never been happy like this before. He had never thought it possible. But here he was...soon to have a family of his own that he could love and cherish like he had not been throughout his childhood. He would not make the same mistakes his mother and father had made. He would make sure his children knew they were loved every moment of every day. And he would make damn sure Hermione never doubted his love for her.

    He stopped for a moment and Hermione looked over at him curiously.

    “Draco, what is wrong?”

    He lowered himself onto his knee, slipping off his ring and holding it up to her. “Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?”

    She stared at him for a long moment, mouth open in a small ‘o’ of surprise. And then she started to cry, bringing a hand up to her lips and nodding furiously because she couldn’t find the words to speak. Draco smiled, sliding the ring onto her finger and once more standing upright.

    “Of course I’ll get you a proper ring once-”

    She cut him off with a breathtaking kiss and all he could think to do was wrap his arms around her waist and hold her close. The rest of the world seemed to melt into non-existence as Draco and Hermione held onto one another. Nothing and no one else mattered in that moment.

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