A Priceless Gift

Chapter 6

They arrived back at Harry and Draco's house and made their way into the living room to discuss the pregnancy. Draco sat at one end of the couch and curled up in a ball and put his head down on the armrest.

Harry pulled out his wand and conjured some tea and biscuits and then turned to Hermione. He had been so excited about the news that he completely focused on Hermione and effectively forgot that his boyfriend was unwell.

"Are you comfortable? Do you want some more cushions behind your back? Do you want to put your feet up? How about I give your shoulders a rub? Can I get you anything?" Harry fussed and adjusted the pillows behind Hermione's back.

"Harry, I'm a mere three weeks pregnant and perfectly fine. Stop it." Hermione shooed him with her hand.

"But, I can get you anything. You should take it ea -" Harry insisted.

"Go and fuss over the one who really needs it just now," Hermione interrupted and pointedly directed her gaze at Draco. Harry swallowed a wave of guilt as he turned around and saw that Draco was crying miserably into the crook of his arm.

"Draco, baby! What's the matter?" Harry gasped as he sat next to Draco.

"My stomach really hurts. I need a hug, Harry," Draco sobbed and Harry turned to glance at Hermione, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged helplessly. Draco never acted so needy. Sure, he was an affectionate and touchy-feely person when he wanted to be but not needy. Harry tutted in sympathy and pulled Draco close to his chest.

"Why don't you go to bed and have a nap? You're not well and you sound tired. You've been up since four-thirty and had a busy morning at work," Harry murmured into Draco's hair as he rubbed Draco's back to calm him.

"I don't want to go to bed. I want to stay here! I don't feel well!" Draco wailed, completely confusing Harry.

"Um, alright, I'll make a deal with you. You can stay here, but you have to lie on the couch and rest." Harry pulled back and brushed some tears from Draco's face. Draco sniffed and nodded. "Go and get changed into something comfortable, ok? There's clean washing in the basket on the bed." Draco uncurled himself from the couch and retreated up the stairs to their bedroom.

"Well, that was out of character," Hermione commented. She took a biscuit from the tray. "Since when is Draco Malfoy teary and emotional over a mere stomach ache?"

"Fuck, I know. I think his work is stressing him out more than he is letting on to me and this whole baby thing must have toyed with his emotions or something. He's not himself. And there I was thinking it was you who was supposed to get emotional!" Harry said with a deep exhalation.

"Bollocks, I've never been an emotional person," Hermione scoffed. "I'm looking forward to the challenge of being pregnant."

"Only you, hon, would see pregnancy as a challenging opportunity," Harry laughed.

"Hey, I can kill two birds with one stone. Give you and Draco the baby you deserve and do some practical research on pregnancy," Hermione joked. Harry laughed. "Don't laugh. I've worked with colleagues who have deliberately infected themselves with viruses to assist their research in remedies!"

Harry looked at her incredulously. "That's just fucked up, that is," he commented and shook his head.

Draco returned dressed in black tracksuit pants and a tight grey t-shirt. He was carrying his pillow and dragging the quilt off their bed behind him, which indicated to Harry that Draco was, in fact, tired but probably felt going to bed was admitting he was weak and Draco was too stubborn for that. Harry took the cushions off the couch and piled them on the floor.

Draco lay down on the couch with a small groan and Harry tucked the thick covers around him and Draco snuggled down beneath them.

"How are you feeling, baby?" Harry asked gently.

"As nauseous as shit. My stomach won't stop cramping. I really think I ate something dodgy. I'm sorry, Hermione, I've ruined this whole thing. We should be celebrating." Draco closed his eyes and swallowed thickly.

"Shh, it doesn't matter, love. We're best to hold off celebrating anyway, at least until we tell our families and friends," Hermione suggested. It was Harry's turn to groan this time.

"Oh fuck, what is everyone going to think?" Harry mumbled and swiped a hand over his face.

"Who cares what they think? They'll either be happy, or they won't. And if they aren't then screw them." Hermione waved her hand dismissively and then withdrew a book from her handbag. "Now, I want you to read this, Harry. Not because I think it's all going to happen to me, but because I think it will do you good to know what's going on. You always did like to know everything." Harry took the copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting from Hermione and chuckled.

"Hermione, I've nearly finished a medicine degree. I'm well aware of what happens during pregnancy," Harry scoffed.

"Nevertheless, read it. Also, I'll say this just once, ok? I will tell you if anything is wrong or if I need anything. You will worry yourself stupid if you fuss over me for the next nine months. I know you, Harry. I want you and Draco to get the most out of this and you won't if you are sitting around expecting the worst," Hermione insisted. "He's gone to sleep, by the way."

Harry looked down and saw that Draco had dozed off and was snoring lightly. "Good, he needs it," Harry murmured as he brushed some of Draco's hair off his face. "He's been working himself into the ground. I'm hoping this pregnancy will give him something to focus on other than work, work, work." Harry flicked leisurely through the book when their Floo roared to life and Ron appeared in their living room.

"Harry, mate! I got the afternoon off; thought I'd come around and we could go out to the pub or something!" Ron enthused in his loud voice while he brushed himself off.

"For fuck sake, Ron!" Harry jumped up and hissed through his teeth. "Keep your voice down! Draco's sleeping! He's sick!" Harry indicted Draco's prone form on the couch. Draco mumbled softly in his sleep and rolled over so his back was to them but didn't wake with the noise.

"Luckily he sleeps like a log," Hermione stated.

"Hermione! Hey, love! What are you doing here? You can come out with us, too!" Ron smiled and went over to give Hermione a hug. "What's wrong with the ferret?" Harry rolled his eyes as he sat down in the armchair near Draco's head.

"Food poisoning, or something," Harry answered.

"Ah shit, that can be rough. I completely sympathise. I had that the other week when I ate a dodgy curry. Spent the whole night on the loo and with my head in a bucket, and potions do nothing, bugger all. Fred and George just laughed at me, the bastards..." Ron said with a grimace. "Expecting what?"

"Huh?" Harry said stupidly.

"Your book. What's it about?" Ron asked. Harry gulped and looked at Hermione, who just smiled and gave Harry a pointed look which said: It's your choice when to tell him, but bear in mind his temper.

Harry bit his lip. He didn't really want to tell anyone without Draco. It was their news to tell together. On the other hand, Ron did have a known temper and hated to be kept out of anything involving Harry and Hermione. And finally, Harry couldn't think of a single excuse to tell Ron what he could possibly be 'expecting' which required a book, especially considering that under his palm was a picture of a pregnant woman. Harry sighed and hoped Draco wouldn't be too mad at him for revealing their news to Ron.

"A baby, Ron. Expecting a baby," Harry said softly. Ron looked at Harry for a few moments and then burst out laughing.

"Then why have you got that book?" Ron asked. Harry cleared his throat.

"Um, we, er -" Harry started but was cut off when Draco woke up abruptly, rolled over and was spectacularly sick all over the floor and Harry's feet. "Oh shit! Draco, are you ok?" Harry cried and moved to hold Draco's head.

"Wait, Harry," Hermione said and withdrew her wand and cleared the mess away. Harry helped Draco into a sitting position then pulled out his own wand and conjured a wet cloth and a glass of water.

"Bloody hell!" Ron said as he watched the scene before him. Harry wiped Draco's flushed face and neck tenderly and then helped him take a sip of water. Draco whimpered and rubbed his stomach.

"Do you feel like you want to be sick some more?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Draco croaked and took a few deep breaths, so Harry Accioed a plastic bowl from the kitchen and put it in Draco's lap. Draco stared miserably into it for a few minutes while Harry rubbed his back before the next wave of vomiting overcame him.

Nobody said anything while Draco was sick and he finally managed to bring his stomach back under control. "I think I'm done now," he muttered and put his head on Harry's shoulder. Harry wiped his face once more, vanished the contents of the bowl, and placed it on the coffee table. Harry gave him a comforting hug and kissed the top of his head.

"You're going to make a brilliant daddy, Harry," Hermione said fondly.

"WHAT?!" Ron screeched. "What the fuck is going on?! How the fuck did you get someone pregnant? How could you cheat on Draco? You guys are practically married! I thought I knew you better, Harry, you bastard!" Ron was bordering on hysteria and jumped straight to the wrong point, as usual.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and think for a minute before you start spouting off at the mouth!"

Draco winced at the raised voices. "I'm going to bed," he muttered as he gingerly gathered up his pillow and quilt. Harry stood up to help him but Draco gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and stopped him. "I'll be ok. Stay here and talk to him, ok?"

"We can wait until you're better," Harry suggested but Draco shook his head.

"I don't mind, babe. He needs to know. This shouldn't be a negative thing. I'd stay but I just really want to go to sleep. I can't handle an argument at the moment," Draco said. Harry gave him a hug.

"Ok, sleep well, gorgeous. I'll come in and check on you in a bit. I love you." Harry tucked some stray blond hair behind Draco's ear.

"I love you, too." Draco disappeared up the stairs.

"What the f -" Ron started ranting.

"Shut up, Ron and let me speak," Harry hissed angrily and glared in disgust at his best friend. "I can't believe you would think I would ever cheat on Draco, let alone get some girl pregnant like that! Hermione didn't even mention getting anyone pregnant! She simply said I would make a good dad! I can't believe you would think so badly of me so as to jump to a conclusion as horrible as that and especially not tell you! It's the Goblet of Fire all over again! You call me a bastard? Well, the feeling's mutual!"

"What am I supposed think?!" Ron retorted. "Hermione's telling you you're going to 'make a good daddy' and you're standing there holding a book about expecting a fucking kid!"

"You should've waited for me to explain! I was going to tell you!" Harry shouted.

"But you didn't!" Ron shot back.

"MY BOYFRIEND JUST SPEWED ALL OVER THE FLOOR! WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO DO? LEAVE HIM SITTING THERE COVERED IN VOMIT WHILE I EASED YOUR MIND? WELL, FUCK YOU!" Harry spat.

"Boys, please? Calm down and stop shouting. Draco's not well and trying to sleep remember?" Hermione interrupted. "Sit down, both of you, and we'll talk about this like rational human beings." Harry and Ron both sat heavily in their seats and glared at each other.

"Is someone going to tell me what the fuck's going on?" Ron demanded.

"Harry, I think you should calm your anger and understand slightly why Ron jumped to conclusions and explain the situation," Hermione instigated the conversation.

"Fine," Harry snapped and sat for a few moments breathing deeply to quell his temper. "Ron, I'm sorry I lost my temper. You deserve to know what's going on. The thing is, I am going to be a father, but I didn't cheat on Draco. In fact, Draco's going to be a father too. You see, we have been given an opportunity to have a baby together."

"You're going to adopt?" Ron asked with a small frown on his face.

"No, someone has offered to carry our baby for us," Harry explained.

"Oh, like a surrogate thingy?" Ron asked. "I heard Mum and Ginny talking about that sort of thing one day. They were discussing an article from a magazine or something."

"Yeah, that's right, mate. A surrogate mother will be having a baby for us. We found out today that she has successfully fallen pregnant," Harry said tentatively.

"Wow! That's fantastic, Harry! Congratulations mate. You and Draco deserve this. I mean that from the bottom of my heart," Ron enthused and gave Harry a brief hug. "I'm sorry for what I said; you know I didn't mean it."

"Yeah, I know," Harry said slowly, knowing the worst bit of information was yet to be revealed. The trio fell into silence.

"Um, I'm not mad or anything... well, maybe a little offended is all, but why did you tell Hermione before me? I thought we agreed to not have secrets from each other anymore." Ron did sound hurt and Harry hated that, but unfortunately, Harry felt that this situation was personal between himself, Draco and Hermione and Ron didn't really need to be told of their plans initially.

"Well, um, it wasn't really like that. It wasn't a conscious decision to keep you out of the loop. Hermione's involved by default..." Harry stumbled slightly over his words. He had a bad feeling Ron was going to resent the situation. Especially considering the fact that Harry was well aware Ron had romantic feelings for Hermione that Hermione knew nothing of. "You see, Hermione is our surrogate. She's three weeks pregnant with mine and Draco's baby."

"What?" Ron said, his voice dangerously low. Harry felt a flash of anger flare up inside him. Why couldn't Ron just be happy without causing hassles? "How could you both possibly make such a decision like this without me?!" Harry growled and clenched his fists, so Hermione reached over and touched his shoulder in an attempt to soothe him.

"Ron, I can understand that you're hurt and feeling left out. However, this is a unique situation that initially involved only Harry, Draco and myself and it is something we felt needed to be discussed and decided alone," Hermione kept her voice calm.

"How convenient," Ron sneered. "You all decide to have a baby together like some fucked up happy family and surprise, surprise, you don't even think to mention it to me beforehand!"

"We didn't need your fucking permission, Ron! You think we deliberately kept this from you?!" Harry shouted.

"Oh, excuse me for thinking you had a tendency to keep important information from me! It's not like you haven't kept big secrets from me before! And look what happened there!" Ron growled sarcastically referring to Harry hiding his relationship with Draco from them back at Hogwarts.

"YES! Let's look at what happened there!" Harry exploded. "You found out about my relationship with someone that I loved very much! Someone with whom I happen to still be very much in love with and whom I plan to marry one day and with whom a very special person has allowed me to have a baby with! Hermione offered us a tremendous gift and the decision to take it was mine and Draco's alone. Hermione did not help or influence our decision and she has not once taken it upon herself to even think or assume that she was a factor in mine and Draco's decision to have a baby together! She has given us something that we didn't ever think possible and you have just taken our amazing news and SHAT ALL OVER IT! THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RON, BUT FUCK YOU!" Harry spat and turned to Hermione. "I have to check on Draco." And with that, he fled the room.