The Christmas Present

Hermione Malfoy paced the long front hall of her London manor impatiently, watching snow blow outside through the windows, waiting for her husband Draco to return from work. She had finally finished setting up the Christmas tree today, and the tinsel and ornaments brought the house alive. She smoothed her long, curly brown hair and checked her reflection in the hallway mirror.

She usually wasn't home before he was, but today she had taken the day off of work to go to the doctor about the sickness she had been experiencing each morning, with excited feeling that she knew the cause. Her suspicions had been confirmed, and she couldn't wait a moment longer to tell Draco the wonderful news. What could be a better Christmas present? she thought.

She smiled, her hand absently rubbing her still-flat stomach. She would tell Ginny next, she decided. Then Harry and Ron... and her parents of course. She knew Harry and Ron still didn't quite know what she saw in the wonderful man she had married. They still got hung up on how he had been in their Hogwarts days, cruel and prejudice, but that wasn't the real Draco. He was kind and funny, loyal and loving, and when he held her she felt so safe, so protected, she knew he was the only man she would ever love.

It had been the year after their graduation from Hogwarts, when they had both been in the same group being trained to be Aurors. They, along with the two other trainees, had lived in a large house in France for over a year. At first, animosity had raged between them, but eventually it died down, leading to friendship, and eventually to love. She could still clearly remember that night that they had talked until sunrise. He had poured his heart out to her, a saga so touching that she had had tears flowing down her cheeks for hours while he told her of regular childhood beatings, Unforgivable Curses he had been trained to master, and muggles his father killed for sport. He had drawn the line when his father tried to force him to become a Death Eater.

'I don't mind muggle-borns, they aren't that different from anyone else,' he had said. Then he had smiled at her, 'And you, Miss Granger, are the perfect example of everything my father told me muggle-borns were not. You're not supposed to be so brilliant, or beautiful, or brave, or...should I go on?' He grinned and kissed her. And she knew then, in that moment, that she loved him.

"Would the mistress like anything?" her faithful house-elf Dobby inquired, his voice breaking through her thoughts, and was looking at her thoughtfully. She smiled at Dobby, who was wearing a pair of orange and yellow socks and a neon blue kilt and sweater today.

"Maybe a cup of tea, Dobby dear, but first, I must tell you the most wonderful news!"

"Mistress IS goings to have a baby!" Dobby squeaked and threw his arms around her middle happily.

Hermione laughed slightly startled, "How did you know?"

"Well," Dobby looked around shyly, "Dobby didn't know for sures if mistress was goings to have a baby, but Dobby thought so, and Winky said so, and us house-elves, we can tell such things, Miss Hermione!"

"Oh, Dobby, isn't it wonderful?" she asked him, pleased that he was so happy for her.

"Dobby is very happy for you and Master Draco, Miss Hermione. Dobby gets that cup of tea now," and Dobby took off toward the kitchen, yelling for Winky. Hermione smiled after him, happy that when she had married Draco, Dobby had agreed to become a paid servant. She also had to commend him on his choice of clothing for today- it actually matched- almost.

Just then the latch on the door clicked and she whirled around breathlessly. But Draco Malfoy did not step through the door.

"Ah, my lovely Ms. Granger, how very perfect to find you here alone," Lucius Malfoy stepped inside the door and smirked that trademark Malfoy smirk, the one Draco used to have, before he had begun to smile. He was also a spitting, if only slightly older, image of Draco, with his slicked back blonde hair and steely gray eyes.

"You may remember that it's Mrs. Malfoy now, Lucius," Hermione said in a cold tone, "may I ask why you are in my home?" She instinctively reached a hand inside her robes and gripped the smooth wooden handle of her wand. Lucius had not supported her marriage to Draco six months ago, not coming to the wedding and sending them threats, and they had both anticipated some sort of trouble from him.

"I have been informed of your current condition," Hermione's eyes widened, and Lucius continued, "and I come to inform you that NO child with the surname of Malfoy with EVER have ANYTHING less than pure wizarding blood."

Hermione raised her wand and pointed it at Lucius, "Leave my home, Lucius. You are not welcome here." Unconsciously, she placed her other hand protectively over stomach and glared at Lucius.

"I will not leave, Ms. Granger, I am here to protect the honor and integrity of my families name!" Lucius spat out maliciously, advancing toward her.

"You are a minion of Voldemort, if your name ever had any honor or integrity, that's gone now. Draco is trying to rebuild his name, but his name is not yours, Lucius. He disowned you and the Death Eaters long ago. And if honor and integrity mean that you will harm an unborn child just because its blood is tainted in your eyes, YOU are the one who is tainted, you cynical bastard!" Hermione pointed her wand again at Lucius, her hand steady and her eyes flashing. "I'm giving you one more chance to leave my home. And never, ever come back."

But before she could react, Lucius raised his wand and whispered a single word- "Crucio."

Pain spread through her body like wildfire and she fell, screaming, and praying for the child she held within her. She felt like she was being kicked and beaten all over, and she tried to move her arms protectively over her stomach. Faintly, she thought she heard the breaking of glass, but before she knew what happened, she was consumed by pain and darkness.

"Hermione! Oh my god, Hermione! Please! Wake up, please, please...." Draco's voice wound its way through the woolly layer that seemed to cover her brain. She tried to open her eyes, but it took too much effort.

"Draco..." she groaned, her voice sounded distant and groggy.

"Hermione, oh thank god, Dobby! Light the fire! I need to speak to Dumbledore IMMEDIATELY!"

"Draco..." Hermione whispered this time, tears forming in her eyes as she tried in vain to sit up.

"Sweetheart, don't strain yourself, its going to be okay," Draco smoothed her hair and kissed her forehead, "I'm going to talk to Dumbledore, we'll take you to Madam Pomfrey... BLOODY HELL, I can't believe he did this to you!" Draco said all this in a rush, yelling the last bit so loud that is hurt her ears, and she winced. He noticed and looked a bit sheepish, "I'm sorry sweetheart," he said, his voice much lower this time.

"Where... where is Lucius?" she asked shakily, her eyes searching the front hall.

At this, Draco grinned. "I walked in just as Dobby bashed a pot of tea over his head. Smart old boy, he knocked him clean out and left a few nasty burns too. I petrified him and put some magical restraints on him... he's locked in the broom closet right now. The ministry should be here any moment to take him away, to Azkaban... where he belongs."

Hermione smiled up at him and at that moment, there was a sharp knock on the door and Ministry officials entered the house. Dobby showed them to the broom closet and they levitated Lucius's petrified, unconscious body out of the house.

"Mr. Malfoy..." the head official approached Draco, "I'm sorry, but is your wife alright? Our Unforgivable Curses experts at the Ministry tell us that she was hit by a VERY strong Cruciatus curse..."

Draco's eyes flashed again, but he nodded, "I've contacted Dumbledore, and will be taking her to Hogwarts for the expert care of Madam Pomfrey," Draco looked back down at Hermione and smiled, then looked up at the Official. "Thank you," he nodded and the head official nodded back and followed the rest of the officials out of the house, closing the door softly on his way out. Draco lifted Hermione and carried her over to the fireplace, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Draco... there was something I was going to tell you... before Lucius came..."

Draco looked down, his eyes searching her face with worry, "What is it, my love?"

"I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby in July..." Draco's eyes light up with delight, and he spun her around, bringing his head down to kiss her.

"Oh 'Mione! I can't believe it! I'm going to be a father!"

"But Draco, that's what Lucius came about, that's why he wanted to hurt me..." Hermione's voice broke and she buried her head in Draco's shoulder. "What if he hurt the baby?" she asked in a strained whisper.

"He didn't, he couldn't have, noo..." Draco replied, staring into her deep cinnamon eyes. He stepped into the already lit fireplace and proclaimed, "Draco and Hermione Malfoy, to the office of Albus Dumbledore, on special invitation," for one could not just arrive in Dumbledore's office unannounced.

There was a small lurch and Draco stepped out of the fireplace, met by the calm expression of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore reached a wizened hand out to Hermione, who was still in Draco's arms, "My dear girl, are you alright?"

Hermione nodded after a moment, "I am, but my life was not the only one at risk."

Dumbledore's face grew grim, "In any other circumstances, I would be congratulating you now, Mrs. Malfoy, but this time I must bid you, Draco, to hasten her to the Hospital Wing, she will need the most immediate and utmost care from our most capable Madam Pomfrey."

Draco quickly thanked Dumbledore and nearly ran down the stairs out of his office and to the Hospital Wing on the third floor. Madam Pomfrey met them just outside the door, "Oh my dear, its worse than I thought, yes, yes, lay her on that bed I've set up over there, I've been waiting for you."

Madam Pomfrey bustled around the room, gathering up bottles of potion to put on Hermione's bruises and cuts, and Hermione hoped, something for the terrible headache that was coming on. "Tell her, Draco," Hermione whispered, her head falling back onto the pillow.

Draco looked into her eyes and nodded, "Madam Pomfrey, there's a slight complication you see, we're expecting."

Madam Pomfrey stopped dead in the middle of the room, wide eyed and shocked. "You should have told me before!" She dropped all the things in her arms and pulled out her wand, then slowly moved it back and forth over Hermione's stomach, a look of deep worry and concentration set on her face. Very slowly, a green glow formed in the trail of the wand, and Madam Pomfrey slumped back. Draco and Hermione stared at her with mixed expressions. Madam Pomfrey caught their looks and smiled. There's nothing to worry about dears, in 8 months you will be the proud parents of a baby girl."

Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione and she returned the embrace, tears of joy in her eyes. "I love you so much," he whispered, the gleam in his eyes that he had initially had on hearing the news returned, "I'm gonna be a daddy! We're gonna have a baby!"

Hermione looked deep into Draco's warm gray eyes, and a feeling told her that he would be the perfect father. "Merry Christmas, Draco," she said with a soft smile, "And I love you, too.