Auribus Teneo Lupum *Dramione*

Chapter Ten

Hermione woke in a fog, her eyelids seeming to weigh a thousand pounds. Her body felt heavy and when she tried to swallow her throat felt like it had sand in it. She tried to force herself to finish waking, but the darn fog that seemed to hold her down remained.

"Hermione? Love?"

She knew the voice belonged to Draco, but he sounded so worried and tired that she almost didn't believe it was him. She wanted to reach out and find him, but her arm still refused to move.

A hand brushed over her hair and it helped some of the fog disappear, and she was able to muster the strength pry her eyes open a tad.

"Dra-" was that her voice? At least her throat seemed to be better.

"Shh. Let yourself wake up a little more; you had some pretty heavy sedatives."

Sedatives? Why would she need those? Had something happened?

She laid there for a little while longer, letting the feeling of her husband's hand in hers take away some of the growing worry that was invading her thoughts.

"Where am I?" It came out as a croak, but he seemed to hear her none the less.

She felt his breath ruffle her hair as he sighed. "The hospital. Do you remember anything?"

She opened her eyes all the way and took in the dark circles under his eyes. "Not really, though I'm guessing whatever I'm supposed to remember isn't very good." She sighed to herself before jerking further awake and bringing her hands to her belly, which was strangely deflated and no longer the hard, smooth mound it had been. "The baby-" she panicked, fighting to find the strength to get up. She felt hands push her back down and she looked up, wide eyed, to see Draco gently pushing her down.

"Calm down, please Shh." He pleaded with her, his voice still a horse whisper.

Silent tears ran from her eyes as she squeezed them shut, trying to drown out the feeling of being empty. She felt like the world was crashing down around her and her vision blurred as the tears came faster.

"She- the baby is alive, Hermione. She's really small and not fully developed, but the healers are hopeful. They said once you're stabilized we can take you to see her."

She let out a sob of relief, releasing the breath she had been unconsciously holding. She felt Draco take his hands from her shoulders and then wrap one of her hands in his.

He gently rubbed soothing circles with his thumb as he moved one of his hands up to cradle her face. She opened her eyes and stared right up into his grey orbs, suddenly glad and so very thankful that she wasn't alone in this.

"You said she?" It came out as a whisper, almost as of speaking loudly would break the fragile hope that swelled inside her.

He smiled a bit, and it completely transformed his face. "Yeah, the baby's a girl. She's beautiful, Hermione, but so little." His voice caught and together they tighten the grip they had one each other's hand.

If she had been able to process thoughts normally, she would have mused at how much Draco loved the baby that was only his through the blood adoption. She would have wondered how the massive change in his views had come about, but those were thoughts for a different time.

A knock came from the door and they both turned as Draco called out that it was okay to come on.

A short man, with graying hair, walked in and greeted Draco with a clap on the shoulder. "I'd heard you'd gotten married, but I didn't know that your wife was pregnant." He turned to look at her and offered her a smile. "I'm Healer McCloy and I delivered your little girl."