A Priceless Gift

Chapter 2

"So, Granger, what is this 'thing' you need to discuss with Harry and I that was so important to summon me from my hard-earned sleep-in?" Draco asked lightly, teasing Hermione by using her surname. He grabbed a biscuit from the plate on the coffee table and then settled sideways on their loveseat next to Harry with his back against the armrest and his legs across Harry's thighs.

Hermione was perched on the edge of the couch and she was fidgeting slightly and nibbling her thumb nail.

"What's going on, Hermione?" Harry demanded. "We've sat through lunch, dessert and coffee making nothing but small talk and you've fidgeted the entire time! Is something wrong? Oh god, you aren't ill, are you?" Hermione shook her head vehemently.

"No, no! Of course not," Hermione insisted. "Ok, there is something I want to talk to you about. Actually, it's more something I want to ask you guys."

"Ok, so shoot," Harry said.

Hermione contemplated them both closely before continuing. She watched as Draco reached over and gave Harry a bite of his biscuit while Harry's left hand caressed Draco's legs and she took in his other hand clasped with Draco's. The couple shared a brief, loving smile before looking back to Hermione. She grinned fondly at them and knew she was about to do the right thing.

"Well, I've actually come to offer you something."

"Bloody hell, if I wasn't so curious about what you were on about, I'd slap you in frustration, Hermione!" Draco huffed in exasperation.

"Ok, ok!" Hermione laughed and held up her hands in surrender. She took a deep breath. "I want to have your baby."

Hermione watched as Harry's mouth dropped open and Draco blinked once, then twice, then a third time. One, two, three... Hermione counted softly to herself. Four, five -

"WHAT?!" Draco screeched and jumped up suddenly. Bingo, Hermione thought. Harry's right, Draco never gets beyond five before exploding! "This is... you... we... I LOVE HARRY! I'M GAY! HE'S GAY! HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU WANT OUR BABY? CAN'T YOU USE A SPERM BANK?!" Draco was breathing heavily and then he started hyperventilating. Harry was still staring blankly at her with his mouth open.

"Harry, love, I think you need to get Draco a paper bag," Hermione said gently. Harry blinked out of his reverie and realised his boyfriend was gasping for breath. He whipped out his wand and conjured a brown paper bag, then pulled Draco into the seat and helped him start breathing into the bag.

Once Draco caught his breath, Harry looked back at Hermione. "Um, could you maybe explain in minute detail what you mean, please?" he asked as he rubbed Draco's back.

"I guess I worded that wrong, hey?" Hermione said sheepishly and received two glares. "Ok, I didn't mean I wanted to have my own baby using either of your sperm; I meant I want to have a baby for you. I'm offering to be a surrogate mother for you."

"Surrogate?" Draco rasped, his throat dry from trying to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry, but you've lost me," Harry said with a helpless shrug.

"Hermione is offering to have a baby for us, Harry. She would go through the pregnancy and have the baby and then give it to us. She'd use sperm from one of us, I assume?" Draco asked, his eyes flicking to Hermione for confirmation and she nodded. Draco frowned in thought and was silent for quite a few minutes before he looked up at Hermione with an unreadable expression on his face. "Why would you do something like that?" he finally asked incredulously. He sounded a bit choked like he was actually close to tears, so Harry pulled him close to in a hug.

"Before I say anything else, I want you both to know that I have thought about this for a very long time. Nearly a year, in fact. You both know I'm not one to make major decisions lightly. I'm offering you this because not only do I think you will make superb parents, but I can't think of any other couple more deserving of a baby," Hermione said honestly. Harry was biting his lip and Draco was swallowing hard; Hermione could see both were trying to hold back tears, but she continued anyway. "You both love each other so much. The love you have to offer is astounding. But not only that, you are equipped to offer a child everything it could possibly need and want. I know for certain you have both written off the possibility of having children due to your sexuality and probably haven't factored children into your life. So, I'm here to offer you that choice."

"Hermione..." Harry said thickly and his voice broke. That was all it took and tears spilled over onto his cheeks, which sent Draco over the edge and he choked on a sob and hid his face into Harry's shoulder. Harry turned into the embrace and the couple started crying softly in each other's arms.

Hermione knew her offer would dredge up emotions and confusion for her two friends and she had expected a reaction like this, so she tiptoed out of the room to make some tea and to give the couple some privacy. It was a massive thing to dump on them, but she knew Harry and Draco appreciated complete honesty. She didn't expect them to answer immediately. In fact she hoped they wouldn't make a spur of the moment decision.

When she returned from the kitchen, Harry and Draco were no longer crying but they weren't talking either. They were just wrapped in each others arms and appeared lost in their own thoughts. Hermione set the tray of tea on the coffee table and they broke out of the embrace. She placed a cup of tea in front of them both and handed Harry a box of tissues.

Harry smiled gratefully and handed a couple of tissues to Draco and took some himself. "Sorry about that," Harry murmured softly as he wiped his eyes and nose.

"It's ok, love, I expected it," Hermione said with a smile.

"Hermione, we need to know that you know exactly what you are getting into!" Harry cried desperately. "This is a huge thing. The risks are... fuck... you actually want to get pregnant for us? That means morning sickness, and backaches, and tiredness, and haemorrhoids, and LABOUR! I mean, bloody hell! How could you possible want to do all that for us and not have anything at the end of it? And, it will be your first baby! For fuck sake! How could you want to go through your first pregnancy and hand over your first born child? It's not -"

"Harry, love, please calm down," Hermione urged. "Remember, I've considered this for a year. I've done much extensive research on it. I know what's involved and I have no problems with any of it. I can handle pregnancy symptoms. As for the first-born thing, I have no qualms about it. I have no plans for children any time soon, if at all. First-borns, second-borns or anything that follows isn't an issue for me. A child is a child, Harry, each is individual and unique despite what order they are born. If I have this baby for you, it won't be my baby. It will be yours and Draco's baby. I'll be merely an incubator for nine months. I'm more than happy to be Aunty Hermione at this stage in my life."

"But your parents..." Harry said helplessly. He really wasn't ready to let himself believe that it was possible that he and Draco could have a baby. If Hermione was going to change her mind, he would prefer she did it now.

"I've spoken to them both at length about what I was planning. Mum and Dad are over the moon that I'm offering you a baby. They both agree with me that you will make wonderful parents." Hermione took a sip of her tea.

"Don't they want grandchildren?" Harry's voice was a few octaves higher than usual and Hermione sensed he was not far off an anxiety attack or something.

"Only if I'm happy, married, settled and want children; which at this point, I don't," Hermione said pointedly. Draco remained silent throughout the whole exchange, looking down at his hands in his lap.

"We can't ask you to do this, Hermione," Draco whispered and Hermione only just caught what he said. Then he looked up and Hermione could see his eyes were filled with tears again. "Please don't let us hope for something that isn't possible."

Hermione stood up and pushed the tray back to the middle of the coffee table and sat on the edge of the table which left her merely a foot away from the couple. She took one of each of their hands and looked deeply into their eyes. "Draco, Harry, please understand I would never offer this if I wasn't one hundred percent certain. I love you both too much. I would also never hurt you and be so cruel to suggest something like this only to take it away from you in the future. Draco, I'm completely aware of the risks you are concerned about and all I can do to assure you is to swear on my honour that I would never go through a pregnancy for you only to want the baby myself at the end. NEVER," Hermione said firmly in a tone that she rarely used.

"We -" Harry started but Hermione cut him off.

"I'll sign any contract, affirmation, testimony, statement, declaration or anything you want. You are one of the best lawyers around, Draco. You can have me so tied up in legalities that I won't be able to pull out of our agreement. I'll do anything you need for me to convince you both that I want to give you this."

"Of course we would never require such things from you, Hermione," Draco insisted sincerely. "To us your word has more weight than anything written on paper." Hermione smiled at Draco and patted his hand.

"Thank you Draco. From you, that is the highest compliment. I appreciate it," Hermione said. "In saying that, you two have a lot to discuss. I'll go and leave you to it. Take as long as you need and contact me any time you want. I won't intrude again until you are ready." She kissed them both on the cheek and hugged them both at the same time.

o o o o o

That night, Harry and Draco were lying wrapped in each others arms in their huge bathtub, luxuriating in the warm bubbly water. Draco was lying half across Harry and running his hand lovingly across Harry's toned chest. The room was lit only by scented candles which gave a soft, sensual feeling to the room.

"Do you think we can handle being parents, Harry?" Draco questioned. "I mean, we both know that I'm an unbelievably selfish person and well, I've sort of gotten used to not having to share you."

"You won't ever feel you have to share me, Draco. I promise that. You know we have both never considered that a baby was possible, so we just never missed what we didn't think we could have. But, well, now that it's actually a possibility, I have to admit that I think it would be amazing to have a baby together," Harry admitted with a small sigh.

"But, it's such a huge thing. We're still young and well, we're not married yet, even though I know we will get married if... when we can." Draco ran his hand absentmindedly through the scented bubbles.

"Would it bother you for us to have a baby without being married?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I don't know what to think, Harry!" Draco threw his hand up in frustration and the bathwater slopped a bit. "I didn't think babies and marriage would be a consideration for us. But bang, here we are, being told that it's likely we can get married and six months later we are offered a chance of a baby together! I just feel..."

"Rushed?" Harry supplied.

"No, overwhelmed. I'm so busy with my career, and you're not far off starting your own. And how am I supposed to know how to be a good dad, Harry? My own was a bastard. I mean, fuck, I'm so goddamn self-centred that I'm surprised Hermione doesn't think I should be sterilised!" Draco agonised.

"Shush, you. Stop that horrible talk right now," Harry admonished. "Yes, you can be self-centred, a brat, demanding, selfish, arrogant... and any of those other things you might think. But you are also loving, caring, sweet, intelligent, funny, sexy, and adorable. I love all of your qualities, darling, even if some infuriate me at times. How are we supposed to know if either of us will be good dads if we don't try?"

"Oh, please. The Golden Boy of Gryffindor? Harry, you're the epitome of all things good! Everyone loves you and you care about everyone. How could you not be a good dad?" Draco moaned.

"Possibly, but what experience with children have I ever had? Actually, come to mention it, what experience with parents have I ever had? But none of that takes away the fact that I would dearly love to have a baby with you, Draco," Harry said honestly. "I'm also completely prepared to put off my career for the sake of a baby; it's not like money is an issue for us."

"I just don't know what to think. I'm so confused!" Draco whimpered. Harry gave him a comforting kiss on the lips and ran his hand down Draco's torso.

"Then, we'll sleep on it, ok? We'll talk more in the morning. Let's go have some hot, sweaty sex! " Harry said with a cheeky grin.

o o o o o

Harry was straddled over Draco sucking gently on his neck as Draco caressed the back of Harry's head with one hand and ran his nails lightly down Harry's back with the other. He moved his head further to the side to give Harry better access and a soft, contented sound escaped his mouth as his eyes flutter closed.

"Hmmm... oh fuck, I love your tongue, baby..." Draco breathed. Harry started rocking slowly in response and trailed his tongue further down Draco's throat and chest, reaching his destination of Draco's nipple, which he nibbled on softly. "Oh, don't stop..."

"You taste exquisite..." Harry purred and moved on to the next nipple, intending to worship every part of his boyfriend's sexy body that night.

"You know... if we have a kid... uh, hmmm, that's it... right there..." Draco grunted, "we won't be able to... shit... do this whenever we want..."

Harry stopped sucking immediately and sat up. "Way to go and bloody ruin the mood, Draco!" he huffed. "I thought we were done with this tonight?"

"No, no! That's not what I meant! Please don't stop!" Draco pleaded and thrust up against Harry to make his point. "I was just saying, that's all."

"Saying means you were thinking about it and not this," Harry sniped and groped Draco pointedly. "Why would you say something like that just when we were just getting into it?"

"I just thought of it when I said it!" Draco argued. "I take it back! Go back to doing that tongue thing you were doing!"

"No, you were implying that if we have a baby, we can't fuck at the drop of the hat! What a horrible thing to say!" Harry cried and climbed off Draco. "Bloody hell! All you think about it sex and work!"

"Harry!" Draco said in exasperation. "It was just an observation! We won't be able to have sex whenever we feel like it if we have a baby! We have sex a lot; we're in love and its how we express it! We've always been very sexual people, Harry. Both of us. Of course I'm going to be a little concerned about it not just being you and me anymore! Can you blame me for that?" Draco pushed himself up onto his elbows and shot Harry a hurt look.

"No, of course not," Harry murmured. "But I'm just a little offended you brought it up when you did."

"I know, I'm sorry. That was tactless." Draco reached over and stroked Harry's thigh.

"I'm well aware of what we will be sacrificing with this Draco and I don't want to talk about it anymore tonight!" Harry said firmly. "Are we going to make love, or not?"

"Yes, we are," Draco said softly and crawled over to where Harry was kneeling and pressed his lips to Harry's. His own tongue was greeted by Harry's and they fell back onto the bed together in a deep kiss.

They soon lost themselves in each other, making love passionately with hands and tongues roaming all over each other's bodies.

When it was over, Harry barely managed to drag himself up the bed before he flopped into Draco's side tired and spent. "Love you," he murmured into Draco's ear. Draco responded by wrapping his arms around Harry and sighing contentedly.

"Wand," Harry mumbled, sleep rapidly claiming him.

"Bugger it," Draco replied and didn't make a move to clean the mess like he usually did.

"But you -"

"Doesn't matter," Draco whispered and was snoring in moments.

"Mmm," Harry agreed nuzzled closer into Draco's armpit and went out like a light.