The Whole Nine Yards

Chapter Twenty-Two - End Of The First Trimester

~ Potions Classroom ~

"Draco, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Draco glanced up from his desk and saw Hermione's head poking through the door to the dungeon.

"Sure. Are you okay, Mione?" Draco asked, getting up to open the heavy door for her.

"I'm fine. I just...well, you know Ron had to go to the Ministry to help his Dad with that crisis or whatever that was. I'm afraid I wasn't listening," Hermione frowned. "Anyway, I have an appointment with Poppy this afternoon. She's going to do the three-month scan on the baby. Would you come with me?"

Draco stared at her in shock for a moment before he recovered his senses. He beamed at her. "Of course I will. Thank you for letting me share this moment with you."

"I thought, since the surrogate mother of your child is about at the same stage as me, that maybe you might like to see what your baby looks like at the moment," Hermione said smiling back at him.

Draco was touched by this. Hermione knew how worried he was about this surrogacy business. He'd been confiding in her ever since they had found out that the procedure had worked. He didn't want to burden Harry with his worries.

"When is the appointment?" Draco asked.

"After classes finish this afternoon," Hermione replied. "Has Harry said anything about it yet?"

Draco shook his head. Strangely, ever since they had received word about their baby, Harry hadn't mentioned it at all. This was another reason why Draco felt he couldn't talk to his husband about the child. Every time Draco, or anyone else, tried to bring up the subject, Harry would instantly change it. Draco privately thought that this was Harry's way of dealing with the uncertainty of the situation.

The fact was, the woman, the surrogate mother, had all the control here. She could calmly hand over the child at the end of the nine months, or she could take the child and run. Draco hated not being in control of the situation. If only he knew who she was, he could make sure everything was going as planned. Unfortunately there was no way to find out who she was.

"He'll come around," Hermione said soothingly. Draco remained unconvinced.

"I'll meet you at the hospital wing at four," he said solemnly.

"Sure. See you then," Hermione said. Draco didn't notice her leave as he turned to his lesson plans.

~ Hospital Wing ~

When Draco arrived at the hospital wing, Hermione was already lying on a bed. She had taken off her robes, which were on one of the other beds. She had pulled up her shirt so her stomach was bare.

"Hi Draco. Poppy will be back in a minute. One of the Hufflepuffs got a Pepper Imp stuck up his nose," Hermione said with a grin.

Draco laughed. "Twit," he said affectionately. He wasn't really insulting the student but really, some of them were pretty thick. Especially the Hufflepuffs.

"So what's going on here?" Draco asked, waving his hand over Hermione's stomach.

"Poppy has a special camera that can take a photo of the baby through skin and muscle. It's clearer if there aren't any clothes in the way," Hermione explained. It was obvious that she was excited.

"Do you mind?" Draco asked, his hand hovering over her stomach.

"Of course not," Hermione replied softly.

Draco smiled poignantly as he lowered his hand. He stayed very still. He was a bit disappointed when he didn't feel anything.

"It's a bit early to feel any movement," Hermione said. "But I'll let you know when she starts moving. Then you can feel it any time you like."

"She?" Draco said curiously.

"Just a hunch," Hermione replied.

"Will Poppy be able to tell the sex of the baby?" Draco asked.

"She certainly will," Poppy said as she entered the room.

Draco removed his hand and sat down on a chair next to Hermione. She held out her hand and Draco took it in his. He was glad to be able to offer her support in return for the support she had shown him over the last few months.

"Now Hermione, I'll just have to rub this potion on your tummy," Poppy said as she poured some of it on her hand and started rubbing it on. "It causes the skin and muscles to become invisible for the camera so we can see your baby clearly."

Poppy finished smoothing on the potion and wiped her hand. She reached for the camera on the bedside table and raised it to her eyes. She peered through the lens and smiled.

"I'll take a few photos so you can send one to the Ron's parents and your parents, Hermione," Poppy said.

"Take one for Draco too," Hermione said pleadingly.

Draco dragged his gaze from Hermione's stomach to her eyes.

"I want you to have one. Who knows if you'll get one of your child or not. This way you'll have a photo of a baby," Hermione said kindly.

Draco was struck by Hermione's thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Mione."

Poppy finished taking pictures and lowered the camera. "I'll just go and develop these."

Neither of them noticed her leave.

"Draco, do you want me to talk to Harry about this?" Hermione asked quietly.

Draco pondered the suggestion. "I've certainly had no luck getting through to him."

"Okay. I'll let you know what I find out," Hermione squeezed his hand. "He loves you Draco, even if he hasn't told you lately."

Draco's eyes filled with tears. "I know."

"Oh, don't you start," Hermione threatened him, her eyes filling with sympathetic tears. "You'll get me going too."

"Here we are, dears," Poppy said, waltzing into the room, waving a photo in her hand. She handed it to Hermione who stared at it in wonder. "I'll go and do the rest now. I just thought you'd like to see one as soon as possible. Draco, would you be able to clean the potion off Hermione's stomach? Here's some paper towel."

Draco took the paper towel and tore a few sections from the roll. He gently wiped the gooey potion off her skin.

"Wait!" Hermione exclaimed. "She didn't tell us whether she's a boy or girl."

"I'll go ask her," Draco said quickly. "I'll be right back."

Draco left the room and found Poppy at her desk developing photographs.

"Poppy?"

The nurse glanced up at him.

"Hermione was wondering if she is having a boy or a girl," Draco said.

Poppy beamed up at him. "You can tell the proud mother-to-be that she is going to have a beautiful little girl."

Draco grinned. Hermione would have a beautiful little girl with red pigtails and intelligent eyes.

"Thanks Poppy," Draco said before returning to Hermione's side.

"Well?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"It's a girl!" Draco exclaimed. They both screamed delightedly and hugged. When Draco pulled away, they both had tears of joy sliding down their faces.

"She's a miracle," Draco said softly, his hand back on Hermione's stomach which was now covered by her jumper (an extra, extra large one knitted especially for her by Mrs Weasley).

Hermione's hand covered Draco's. "Yes," she agreed simply.