7

Chapter Seven The First Symptom

Draco walked slowly with Blaise chatting happily beside him. It was Saturday and he would have liked to spend more 'quality time' with Harry, but he couldn't send Blaise away. It was so annoying.

It's bloody annoying. Blaise must suspect something and he won't even let me out of his sight. If he doesn't stop talking about Harry, I'll… hell I don't know what I'm supposed to do with him.

"Draco…, hey, mate. What do you think? Would I have a chance with Harry? He's wearing a ring. Maybe it means nothing, but he's been wearing it since Valentine's. So there must be someone."

"Like someone would." Draco answered half-heartedly.

"I would. I think I love him. He's cute." Blaise saw Draco's sour look and misread him, "I know you don't like him and that you might even hate him. But you have to try to at least be civil to him. Harry is…"

"Nice. I know. That's all what you said in the last week. Aren't you tired already?"

They arrived at the library and Draco gave Madame Pince the books he wanted to return. The library was predictably vacant since it was Saturday. That was when Blaise grabbed him.

"Hey, Draco. You can go ahead, I want to have a word with Harry." He nodded to the corner where Harry sat with Hermione.

Sigh. "It's OK. I need to check out a book anyway."

~Ö~

Harry was a little anxious about his encounter with Draco tonight. They'd been married for two weeks and all Draco thought was how to get him pregnant. And not just a baby, a baby boy nonetheless. He was serious about the gender he wanted.

Harry felt depressed, and he couldn't fly to relieve his tension, so he took Hermione's offer to do homework and talk (in that exact order) in the quite library.

"I thought you just said that he is nice to you." Hermione didn't stop her quill nor slow it down. "Changing your mind?"

"No. It's just… he really wants a baby."

"I thought you said he loves you."

"Oh, yes, I did. Hm, but still he wants the baby."

"So, his father instincts kick him hard then. It happens."

"Yeah, problem is," Harry played with his quill nervously, "It's not just a baby. He wants a baby boy. What if the baby is a girl? Not that I'm pregnant, I'm not even sure I could give birth, let alone have the gender he desires."

"Hey, Harry. Relax." Hermione had stopped writing at all at this point. She held his hands to calm him. "If he loves you then you have nothing to worry about."

But this only made him fret more. But I'm not sure if he loves me, 'Mione. I just said it 'cause I think it's the most reasonable and acceptable answer for you two.

The room was so quiet and with Harry's back facing the door he didn't see Draco and Blaise enter the room and walk over to their table. Neither did Hermione, since she was so absorbed in her homework and in the conversation.

Harry almost fell of his chair when Blaise put a hand on his shoulder.

"Harry, what a coincidence to meet you here. I thought you'd be playing Quidditch, or flying with your friends."

"Oh, ehm, it's you, Zabini. Yeah, I'd like to, but I can't."

"Ah, the punishment." Blaise shot him a small smile, in sympathy and understanding. "That sucks. I know you love flying and Quidditch."

"Yes, at least now your team has a chance to win the cup." Hermione smirked at him.

"Ouch, that's hurt, Granger." Draco was suddenly behind Harry, his hands slowly wondering Harry's sides, out of Blaise and Hermione's range of sight.

"You still can go flying, right?"

"Yeah, but it'll make me sad because I know I can't play." Harry shifted uncomfortably when Draco's hand touched his sensitive spot.

"I like your new glasses, Harry," Blaise tried to change the topic, he thought talking about flying would only make Harry upset.

"Thanks." Harry put one hand down, tried to stop Draco's, not really paying attention to Blaise.

"Am I bothering you? Do you want me to leave so you can finish what you were doing?" They could hear the sadness in his voice; even Draco was sympathizing with him.

"No, it's OK," Harry stood to stop him, "I…"

Harry stop in mid sentence, holding his stomach tightly when he felt a sudden pang somewhere in his middle.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione pushed Blaise aside to check him.

"Are you all right? You want me to take you to the infirmary?" Blaise felt guilty; he thought he had made Harry upset and sad, and now, in pain.

Hermione held Harry closer. "Are you OK, Harry? Say something, you're scaring me."

"I don't know." His breathing was more even now.

"Let's go to the infirmary, Harry." Hermione held him tighter to help him up.

"Let me…"

"Could you find Ron, please?" Hermione cut in before Blaise could finish his sentence.

"Draco could do that, I could carry him to the infirmary."

They all had their eyes on Blaise, questioning his sanity.

"Please…" Harry's soft voice brought him back.

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"Ron might be at the Quidditch pitch, if you can't find him there, try the Gryffindor tower."

"OK, I'll see you at the infirmary, then."

Draco took Hermione's place once Blaise was out of sight. He held him tightly and kissed his forehead.

"Are you all right, baby?"

Harry had one arm around Draco's neck, "I don't know. I feel fine, but suddenly I felt the pain, and then it was gone. It happens again and again. I don't know what's happening to me."

"It's OK. Let's go to the infirmary."

Hermione gathered her parchments and quill and took Harry's along with her before she followed them out.

"Don't worry, Harry. Everything will be fine, just let Madame Pomfrey check you. She fixes everything."

"I'm not sure, Draco. One morning I wake up fine, eat my meal, but then I will throw it all up. I got this headache, I can't walk without the feeling that I'm going to faint."

"It's OK."

"No, it's not OK. I sleep all the time but I felt like I've been staying all night. And I can't help with Snape being angry with me 'cause I'm late for his class. And he took points from my house and my housemates are angry at me and…" Harry couldn't help sobbing now.

"We're not angry with you Harry, we just angry with Snape. But he's just being himself, so don't be so sad." Hermione had to run slowly to keep up with Draco's long pace.

"Oh, no…" Harry suddenly looked at Draco stricken with horror, "What if I'm dying? I can't have a baby for you, and…," Harry hugged Draco so tight he thought he might suffocate, "Oh, Draco. You might want this back," Harry tried to pull the ring off. "And this, too." His hand reached the necklace.

"No, Harry. Keep it."

"But you might want to give it to the girl."

"What girl?"

"You know, the girl that will carry your son."

"You heard what he said, Harry. Keep it. He's rich enough to buy another one."

Harry looked crestfallen by her comment, and his tears drip freely.

"Granger, you really aren't helping," Draco snapped at her, without the malice since he was stunned by Harry's attitude.

They arrived at the infirmary minutes later, and Madame Pomfrey threw them out after Draco put Harry in bed.

"It won't take long to know what's wrong with him. You two can wait outside."

True to her word, it only took her five minutes to check Harry and find out what was wrong with him. She let Draco and Hermione in before she announced it.

"I… I'm pregnant. But that couldn't be true." Harry eyed Draco with a red face.

"Oh, just before you're scared that you can't give birth, now you back away when you know you're pregnant. Get a grip, Harry. You're a Gryffindor. Act like one." Hermione hugged him, "Congratulations, Harry. And you too, Draco. You must be busy then."

Draco just smiled at her, didn't even flush.

"So, you were afraid you couldn't get pregnant?" Kiss kiss "Nothing to worry about. Believe me, Leon is in his way, now." Harry just shot Hermione an 'I told you so' look.

"He has to spend his night here. I have to check both his and the baby's condition." She turned to Draco, "I might let you stay if you would take care of him."

"I will."

"But… what if someone came and found you here? Or if someone was looking for you? You are the Head Boy, remember."

Chuckling softly, Draco kissed his cheek, "I'll come after curfew. I'll bring my Invisibility Cloak with me."

"I'll let Ron know. Where is he? What's taking Zabini so long to find him and bring him here?" Shaking her head, Hermione grabbed her things and walked out.

"Are you going to let you parents know?" Harry asked him curiously when they were left alone.

"Of course I will," Draco's eyes were beaming with happiness. "They'll be happy for us."

Harry hugged Draco tightly, "Of course they will. But they will have to wait nine months to meet Leonora."

"Sweet. You mean Leo." Winking at him, Draco kissed him hard on the mouth before he left.

The Headmaster Office

"It's about time, don't you think, Fawkes?" Professor Dumbledore served himself a cup of tea with lemonade. He looked at nothing particular outside the window. After a moment, he turned to the Phoenix again, "It's about time."

19 February 03, 11:26 am