A Priceless Gift

Chapter 26

The first thing Draco heard when he was reefed back into consciousness was someone pacing in very loud shoes not far from him. He tried to pry his eyes open, but they didn't seem to be cooperating, so he groaned in frustration.

"Draco!"

Oh, that's Harry, Draco thought to himself. He sounds frantic. Draco went to ask what happened but it came out as a mumbled slur. Now my mouth isn't even working. 'Only pregnancy symptoms' my fucking arse! This thing has been nothing but a giant pain in my rectum since it started.

"Draco, wake up for me baby," Harry's voice urged. I'm fucking trying! Draco snapped in his mind.

"Wha'?" Draco managed to croak, and opened his eyes very slightly.

"Oh, thank god you're awake!" Suddenly a sharp, searing pain shot through Draco's stomach and he screeched in agony, feeling a sweat prickle his skin in response.

"Fucking hell, they were right!"

"Shut up, Blaise! You aren't helping!"

"Well, you aren't fucking helping either! Telling him to wake up when it's obvious he's struggling? You can't just 'wake up' after you've been out for ages!"

"PISS OFF! I'm allowed to be fucking nervous, you arsehole!"

"Shu' up!" Draco slurred. "...the fucks happenin'?" Christ, I sound drunk! Draco thought. Maybe I am? I don't remember anything of the wedding after saying 'I do'... Another pain pierced through his stomach. "BLOODY FUCK!" he screamed and curled up in agony.

"Draco, baby, try and take deep breaths," Harry urged.

"FUCK THE HELL OFF! BREATHING IS THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES RIGHT NOW, YOU FUCKER!" Draco screeched. "TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON! HAVE I BEEN POISONED?! WHO THE BLOODY HELL DID THIS TO ME?!"

Blaise snorted. "You did this to yourself."

"FUCK OFF!" Draco shot back.

"Draco, Hermione's in labour. You passed out when the labour started and now..." Harry trailed off, so Draco opened his eyes and hoped he looked like he was glaring at his husband... Husband? Oh shit. Did we even get through the ceremony?

"NOW?!" Draco demanded.

"The Healers here at St Mungo's think you are going through a phantom labour from the Couvade Syndrome," Harry admitted hesitantly.

"FUCK ME! I'VE BLOODY HAD ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT WHY -" Draco stopped shouting abruptly. "Wait. No. It's too early! She can't be in labour, she's not due for another four weeks!"

"It's not a false labour, love, and it's progressing very quickly. I was really hoping you would wake up so you don't miss anything," Harry fretted.

"How long have I...?"

"You've been unconscious for about two and a half hours now," Harry told him.

"Did we get married?" Draco asked in concern. "Are you my husband?"

"You don't remember?"

"Yes, I fucking remember!" Draco snapped. "I just don't know if it was classed as a legal marriage considering I fainted like a bloody pansy in front of... oh my fucking god! Everyone saw it! There were reporters there!" he screeched hysterically.

"Shh, we are married and, no, 'everyone' didn't see it," Harry assured him. "Well, our guests did, but none of the press or anything. In fact, they were all rather disgruntled when they didn't get their promised stories or photos, so now the Ministry has the only official photos of the wedding and will be able to make a fortune selling them to the press. They were -"

Harry was cut off when Draco clutched his stomach again and groaned loudly in pain. Harry stood by him and rubbed his back in a similar way to which they had learned in the birthing classes. When it passed Draco was left gasping for breath. "Fuck, Harry. If Hermione is in this much pain, why aren't you in there with her?"

"She's just next door, love, and Ron and her parents are with her for now. She does want us there, though, but only if you are well enough."

"Are you telling me I am in the Maternity ward? Oh for fuck's sake! This just keeps getting better and better!" Draco moaned and looked around the room. "Oh my god! It's pink! It's pink and it's lacy! I've died and gone to a Hell that looks like the Tooth Fairy puked everywhere! I can't handle this! OH BLOODY FUCKING HELL! YOU LET THEM PUT ME IN A PINK HOSPITAL GOWN?!" Draco yanked desperately at the front of his gown that was covering his trousers. Why the hell did they leave his trousers on? Was the gown just for laughs?

"Calm down, darling. You'll make yourself faint again!" Harry urged. "Do you want a drink of water?" he asked and rubbed Draco's back.

"Yeah, alright," Draco agreed, making an honourable effort to quash his hysterics. He slowly relaxed but then groaned a few moments later, pulling himself into a sitting position. "Ah, shit. I need to piss like crazy. There better be a toilet nearby otherwise the staff will have a huge mess to clean up."

"It's just over there." Harry pointed to a door across the room. "Here, take my arm, baby. You'll be a bit unsteady on your feet." Draco slid gingerly off the bed and had to cross his legs and grab himself to keep from wetting his boxers. They edged towards the bathroom door when Blaise burst out laughing. Both Harry and Draco turned to glare at him.

"Oh, Draco!" Blaise cackled. "You're waddling! You look just like Hermione did when they brought her in! Oh this is classic!"

"FUCK OFF!" Draco screamed. "GET THE FUCK OUT OR YOU'LL BE WADDLING SOON, TOO!" Blaise didn't need to be asked twice before he fled the room, still laughing his arse off.

There was suddenly a loud, pained screech emitting from the room next door and Harry's eyes widened. "That's Hermione," he stated. "She's already drawn blood on Ron's wrist from squeezing so tightly during the contractions. She's told him repeatedly she will never go through another birth ever again. I think Ron's beginning to believe her."

"We have to..." Draco trailed off and seconds later, he was doubled over and letting out a scream that rivalled Hermione's.

"That's interesting..." Harry mused as he let Draco grip onto him for dear life. "Your pains come almost directly after Hermione's contractions."

"Harry, dear," Draco said through gritted teeth. "I love you very much, but if you don't shut the fuck up, I will kill you, slowly and painfully!"

"Sorry, love. I was just saying!" Harry said quickly. "Toilet then?"

Draco sighed and hung his head. "Too late."

Harry glanced down and gasped. "Oh, baby. I'm sorry!"

"It's alright. It wasn't your fault. It happened when the pain came. I couldn't hold it. Thank fuck Blaise wasn't here," Draco muttered.

"Do you want me to get your Mum to duck home and get a change of boxers for you?" Harry asked.

"Considering I just pissed my wedding trousers, then yes, that might be a wise idea," Draco huffed. "I can't believe I fucking wet myself."

"You couldn't help it! It could've be -"

"Don't you dare bloody say it could've been worse!" Draco cut in. "Go and get Mum!"

Harry nodded frantically and raced out of the room.

o o o o o

Later, Draco was on all-fours in his pink hospital room whimpering in pain while Harry knelt next to him and murmured soothing words into his ear.

"I want to go into Hermione now," Draco choked out.

Harry looked over his shoulder at Narcissa, who was sitting on the bed worrying her lip frantically. She hated seeing her only son in so much agony.

"Are you sure, love? You're almost in as much pain as she is. She's worried she will upset you if you see her like that," Harry said softly.

"She's worried about me?!" Draco shrieked. "She's the one that has to squeeze a watermelon-sized ball of flesh through a hole the size of a fifty pence piece!"

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, darling," Narcissa commented with a small chuckle.

"But my point... ohmyfuckinggodanotheroneiscoming... remains the same!" Draco gasped out before his words turned into another moan.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Harry squeaked as Draco grabbed his bicep and pulled him down in an attempt to stifle some of the pain.

"FUCK ME!" Draco screamed. "GODDAMN IT! IF WE DO THIS AGAIN, YOU ARE SO FUCKING GIVING THE SPERM ALONE!"

"Yes, love," Harry said obediently and Narcissa bit down on her lip when she saw tears of pain sparkle in Harry's eyes.

The pain slowed again, and Draco bent forward and rested his head on his forearm. Harry dipped the cloth in the bowl of water that was sitting nearby and wiped the sweat from Draco's face.

"Are you sure you don't want to try that pain injection they offered you? They are confident if has a chance of at least easing the pain," Harry said. "Hermione told me it took the edge off pretty effectively."

"FUCK OFF WITH THE NEEDLES ALREADY!" Draco snapped and then abruptly started crying. "I can't handle pain like this! I wasn't made for this! How can it hurt so much if there is nothing even inside me?" he sobbed.

"You heard what Jenny said earlier. It's the baby's magic doing this to you," Harry said softly.

"I want to go in. I want to be there when our baby is born, Harry!" Draco said tearfully. "I can't miss this! I won't!"

"Ok, sweetheart," Harry agreed. "Have a bit of water for me and then we'll go in."

o o o o o

Hermione burst into tears when she saw Harry and Draco in the doorway, which set Draco off once again. "Come here," Hermione choked out. The couple went over to her and she immediately pulled them into a desperate hug. Then she moved back and gazed at them both seriously. She looked like Draco felt. She was dressed in a pink hospital gown, her hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck in a limp, sweaty mess, her face was flushed bright red, and she had perspiration dripping down her forehead and temples. She swiped at a stray drip above her eyebrow. "I want you both here for this, but you need to know that anything I say or do is purely because I'm in agony," she panted. "I don't mean any of it and I don't want you to think I am regretful for doing this... ok?" Harry and Draco both nodded furiously. "Now, Draco, are you doing ok, hon?"

Draco gulped and shook and nodded his head at the same time. "Hermione, can we get you anything?" Harry asked.

"No. Ron will be back soon. He's been great." Hermione smiled weakly. "I'm fucking exhausted. What time is it?"

Harry laughed nervously and looked at his watch, but didn't get to answer because Hermione suddenly grabbed both of his arms and groaned. He tried to hold her up best he could and he was doing a good job, until Draco grabbed him also but his actions were accompanied by a scream.

"Oh my god! Help!" Harry shrieked. Ron raced back into the room with a cupful of ice chips and helped Hermione sit on the edge of the bed, leaving Harry to deal with Draco.

"I DON'T FUCKING WANT TO SIT YOU FUCKING ARSEHOLE!" Hermione shouted. "DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME! ARRRRRRRRRRGH!" Ron looked wryly and Harry as Hermione struggled under her expanded form to stand again.

"I'll sit..." Draco offered and immediately sunk down onto the floor again.

"What the hell is he doing?!" Hermione cried. "Draco, get up! You'll catch a bloody cold doing that!"

"It's alright, Hermione. He's been on all-fours for a good two hours now. You should try it. He says it helps," Harry explained and crouched over his weeping husband.

"I'm sure it does, but if I fucking get down on the floor I'll never bloody get back up again!" Hermione argued. "And why the hell have they got him in a woman's maternity gown?! Don't they realise it's bad enough for him? That's just cruel!"

Draco made a whimpering sound in agreement. "He threw up all over his wedding robes and shirt on the way to the hospital! They needed to change him into something and they told me he would be cooler and more comfortable in a maternity one because he was showing signs of the phantom labour at that point," Harry told her.

"You didn't goddamn tell me any of that, you shit head! Some bloody husband you are!" Draco spat, and pulled himself up off the floor. Staying in one place too long was uncomfortable, and he was feeling restless. "Those fucking robes cost a fort -" he stopped complaining and hissed suddenly. "Another one's coming!" Before he even finished his sentence, Hermione groaned and clutched the side of the bed for support.

"Remember the breathing, honey," Ron encouraged and started imitating the breathing patterns Hermione was supposed to follow.

"FUCK OFF, WEASLEY! GET OUT OF MY FACE!" Hermione squealed, clutching her swollen stomach. Harry sprung into action and had his arms around Draco before Draco's next wave of pain shot through his lower abdomen. It seemed that Hermione's harsh verbalisations had caused Draco to try and calm his own, as he screwed up his face and bit down on his lip, emitting only a long whine as he rode out the pain.

Jenny joined them just as the last contraction was passing. She greeted Harry and Draco before moving over to Hermione. "Hermione, I need to check the progress again, hon," she said and pulled out her wand. Hermione just nodded and leaned on Ron, with heaving breaths. Jenny held the wand to Hermione's stomach and muttered a few spells. "Nearly there, now. We need to get you up on the bed. I'll get your mediwitches in here." She turned to Harry and Draco. "Not long now. It'll be all over soon."

"Thank bloody Merlin," Hermione snapped. "You've gone awfully quiet, Malfoy."

Draco looked about ready to drop. He just gazed forlornly at Hermione before looking away. Hermione frowned and looked questioningly at Harry, who shrugged helplessly.

"Oh shit," Hermione muttered. "Ron, get your arse over here!" She grabbed her stomach again and shrieked in pain.

"Breathe, Hermione," Jenny instructed. "Like you were taught. That's it." Hermione rolled her eyes and mumbled something about a baseball bat and fucking people telling her to fucking breathe.

"Will that work for Draco, Jenny?" Harry asked frantically as Draco crumpled in pain next to him and dropped to his knees.

"Oh god, Draco! I'm so sorry! This was never meant to be part of it!" Hermione fretted.

"Shut up, Granger! Concentrate on the job at hand!" Draco growled.

"Stuff you, Malfoy!" Hermione shot back.

"Oh my god, you lot!" Jenny laughed. "I don't think I've had a more irritable bunch in here! You baby is about to arrive and you're sniping at each other! I know this is hard for you all, but please try to understand you will get more out of this if you aren't at each other's throats."

Harry had to bite the inside of his lip to keep from laughing. Hermione and Draco were glaring at each other in some type of visual stand-off. Ron was standing next to Hermione, discreetly trying to protect his private parts that were dangerously close to Hermione's elbow.

Just then Hermione made a sound between a gasp and a choke. She gritted her teeth and started crying. "I have... to push..." she moaned.

Jenny nodded. "We need you on the bed, Hermione."

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "I WANT TO STAND!" She leant over and braced herself on the side of the bed.

"Hermione, listen to me," Jenny went down to Hermione's eye level and spoke slowly, but firmly to her. "The baby is going to be premature. You know that. We need this all to go as smoothly as possible. My staff and I need to keep a hand on things. If you were to full term, standing would be ok, but we can't risk any complications."

Hermione sobbed into the crook of her elbow and shook her head. Harry and Draco shared a petrified look at Jenny's words.

"Nooooo..." Hermione groaned. "Please!"

Draco eventually staggered over to Hermione and fell to his knees on the floor next to her. "Hermione, please!" he pleaded desperately. "Please do what she says! Don't let anything happen to our baby!" Harry went over and put his arms around both Draco and Hermione. "Hermione!" Draco tried one last time.

Hermione turned and looked at both Harry and Draco, swallowing deeply through the pain searing through her. She hadn't ever seen Draco look so terrible. He looked completely broken, kneeling next to her and pleading for his child. Harry just looked down right petrified.

"Ok," Hermione rasped and Draco broke down into heaving sobs of relief.

Jenny allowed herself a sigh of relief and summoned her team, who came running immediately. Two of the mediwitches helped Hermione onto the bed, while another one draped a thin, pink sheet over her legs.

"I'm just going to have a look to see if you are dilated enough," Jenny said. "Harry, Draco, can you hop on the other side of the bed, please? Ron, you're right where you are." Jenny examined Hermione and then smiled. "We're ready."

Draco made a strange sound and Hermione took his hand and squeezed it as she smiled at him. "This is what you've been waiting for," she said hoarsely before the pain came back with a vengeance. "OH MY FUCK! GET IT FUCKING OUT! NOW!" She clamped down on Draco's hand and he tried to rip it away from her.

"STOP IT! YOU'RE CRUSHING MY BONES! I'M IN FUCKING PAIN, TOO!" Draco eventually got his hand released and he cradled it to his chest protectively. "Ow," he said in a small voice.

"Ok, breathe, Hermione. Harry, Draco, help her with the breathing like you learnt in your classes," Jenny encouraged and soon both men were panting rhythmically like Hermione was attempting to do. "How's your pain, Draco?"

"Coming in short, sharp stabbing pains..." Draco explained. "Not in waves anymore, just constant. It's easing..."

"We're nearly at the finish line then!" Jenny enthused. Hermione opened her mouth and screamed, which caused Ron to slap his hands over his ears and Harry and Draco to wince. "Ok, Hermione, on the next contraction, I want you to start pushing. I can feel the baby's head."

"Where?!" Draco cried and was at the end of the bed before anyone could protest.

"Draco, get out of Jenny's way!" Harry scolded.

"Oh, Harry... the baby's head is..." Draco never finished because he flopped to the floor in a dead faint.

"OH YOU BETTER WAKE HIM THE FUCK UP, POTTER! I DIDN'T GO THROUGH THIS FOR NINE MONTHS TO HAVE HIM MISS IT AT THIS STAGE!" Hermione screeched and Ron started laughing but snapped his mouth shut at Hermione's death glare.

Harry fumbled with his wand and pointed it at Draco. "NO! Harry, don't Enervate him! It could interfere with his and the baby's magic! Violet, get the smelling salts from the third drawn down of the trolley. Hurry!" Jenny ordered.

"OH FUCK!" Hermione screamed. "GET IT OUT! NOW!"

"Push, Hermione!" both Jenny and Harry cried at the same time. Violet waved the smelling salts under Draco's nose and he came to with a start.

"GET THE FUCK TO THE TOP OF THE BED, MALFOY!" Hermione shouted and took a deep breath and pushed as hard as she could. Harry helped Draco up off the floor.

"Don't look again!" Harry snapped. "Stay there!"

"That's it, Hermione! Good girl! One more push next time and it will be all over!" Jenny said.

"Hermione, love, you're doing so well!" Draco encouraged. "Please don't be pissed at me!"

With once last, brief but exhausted glance at Harry and Draco, Hermione pushed with a loud squeal and moments later a baby's cry filled the room. Hermione flopped back onto the bed.

"Oh, boys, congratulations!" Jenny cried. "You have a baby daughter!" Both men were rooted to the spot, gaping in disbelief at Jenny. "Two minutes after midnight! Our first Christmas baby of the year! Do you want to cut the cord?"

Hermione watched Harry and Draco tiredly with a small, serene smile on her face. Neither of them seemed capable of speech or movement, so she reached over and gave Harry a small nudge in his hip. "Go on," she urged weakly. They moved woodenly to the end of the bed and Harry took the scissors that the mediwitch held out to him. Draco appeared to be in shock, so Harry took his hand and placed it under his own on the scissors and they cut the cord together. The mediwitches fussed around the baby for a few moments before Jenny swaddled her in a pink, fluffy blanket and then handed her to Draco.

Draco gaped at Harry with wide, tear-filled grey eyes before gazing down at the bundle in his arms. Inside the layers of pink cloth lay a tiny, pink face and a head full of soft, blond hair. As soon as he felt Harry's arms encircle his waist, Draco gulped heavily. "Oh god, a daughter," he choked out before he started sobbing heavily.

Hermione watched as her best friend hugged his husband tightly and they both cried wrenching tears of happiness over their new baby daughter. Harry brought one hand up to cup the baby's tiny head before he kissed Draco desperately.

Hermione felt her own emotions overcome her, and as the tears dripped down her face at the sight before her, she felt soft fingers in her hair. She turned and saw Ron smiling down at her, his own eyes suspiciously watery.

It was over and Harry and Draco were finally the complete package.