Draco Malfoy walked down the hallway of the house, looking for his wife. "Hermione? Are you here?" He called out, searching the bedrooms and the kitchen. When he entered the living room, he paused to take in the picture before him.

A very pregnant Hermione was pacing in front of the living room bay window. One hand was on her large stomach, the other on her forehead, she was mumbling to herself, eyes trained on the window. Sensing that she was not alone, Hermione turned and saw her husband leaning against the doorway.

"Oh. Hi Draco." She said, ceasing her pacing for the moment.

He grinned at her. "Mione, Honey, is anything wrong?"

Hermione looked at Draco and, seeing his knowing grin, resumed her pacing and replied, "No, dear, nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking..." She trailed off, her gaze returning to the window.

"Sweetie," Draco said, reaching toward her and grabbing her upper arm gently. "I know you too well to fall for that line. Now tell me what's really wrong."

Hermione looked up and caught his gaze. Immediately, she felt her defenses slipping. "Draco, I don't know. I guess I'm a little worried. It's really nothing."

Draco laughed lightly. "Mione, tell me what's wrong, or I'm not going to make dessert tonight."

"Okay, okay! Just spare the dessert." She looked down at her stomach and continued. "Promise not to laugh?" She asked.

"I promise, Sweetie. What is it?"

"I'm going crazy."

Draco laughed lightly and replied, "Honey, you're not going crazy. "

Hermione stomped a foot. "Yes I am! I'm going crazy, looney, insane, mad, nuts! I'm serious!"

Draco ran his hand up and down Hermione's arm, caressing gently. "Sweetie, You're not going crazy. Well, not any more than usual anyways. What brought this up?" he asked.

"Well," She took a breath then said, "It's just that...I'm so fat. I look like a whale! I waddle when I walk. I cry for no reason, my feet and ankles are huge, my emotions change twice a second, I want to strangle you then I want to kiss you, I'm huge, and I can't even get out of a chair without help!" She said this all in one breath. She looked at her husband, a little breathless.

Draco smiled comfortingly. "Mione, you're pregnant. It's normal that you feel like this. Just wait until the baby's here. You'll feel better then." He pulled her into a hug, whispering into her ear, "You look gorgeous to me, Sweetie."

"You're so sweet, Darling. I guess you're right. But how much longer will it be? It better be soon, or I will go insane."

Draco laughed and, lifting Hermione under her arms, he swung her around, saying playfully, "Granger, you married me, didn't you? You're already insane!"

She giggled as she twirled and hugged Draco closer to her. When he released her, they fell onto the living room couch, both still laughing. Suddenly, Hermione clutched her stomach, no sign of laughter evident on her face.

Concerned, Draco asked, "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

She looked at him and she smiled, reaching over and grabbing her husband's hand. "Draco, give me your hand! Feel right here." Hermione placed his hand where her's had been moments before.

Draco's concerned frown quickly transformed into a grin as he felt the baby kick his hand. "Wow." He said, then leaned down and place his face to Hermione's belly and said, "Hi in there. What are you doing, baby? Kickboxing?" Hearing Hermione laugh, he looked up.

"You do realize that the baby's not going to answer you, right?" She asked. "She can't talk yet, Sweetie." She giggled when she saw the surprised look on his face. "What?"

"It's a girl?" He asked, shocked. 'I'm having a daughter.' He thought, still staring back and forth from Hermione's eyes to her stomach. "When did you find out? Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned aloud.

"I just found out this afternoon and you just got home from work. I was planning to tell you when you got home so... surprise! We're going to have a baby girl!"

There was no response from Draco for a moment. Then he passed out.

Hermione looked at her now unconscious husband and thought, 'What am I going to do with you?' Getting up, she place a kiss on his forehead and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

 Draco woke to the smell of roasted chicken and Hermione's perfume. Opening his eyes slowly, he immediately realized that he was still on the living room couch but his head was rested in Hermione's lap. Hermione herself was absently running her fingers through his hair, her eyes closed, and she was humming.

Feeling Draco shift in her lap, she looked down and smiled. "It's about time," She said mockingly. "Dinner was ready twenty minutes ago."

"Oh. But what hap-" He stopped as the memory of what happened came back to him. He jerked his head out of Hermione's lap and jumped to his feet. "We're going to have a daughter?" He asked, making sure that it hadn't been a dream.

"Darling, " Hermione started.

"Yeah?" Draco replied, looking attentively at his wife.

She reached out and gently held his hand. She gave him a smirk and answered, "Are you gonna just stand there gawking all day or are you gonna help me get up?"

Hermione laughed as Draco's face registered shock then to concerned as he rushed to help her stand.

"Sorry Mione. I forgot." He said as he helped her up. Once she was up, he went back to the statement that was running through his mind, "Mione, are we having a daughter?"

Deciding that, while it would be fun to play with her husband's mind, it was easier to just get to the point, Hermione looked into Draco's deep silver eyes and answered, "Yes."

She watched as his eyes lit up and before she knew what was happening, she was in Draco's arms, laughing as she was spun around while he whispered over and over, "We're going to have a daughter. We're having a little baby girl."

After a few minutes, Draco put her feet on the carpet. Holding her in his arms, Draco placed a gentle kiss on her lips and asked, "Merlin! We're having a baby girl. What more could we want?"

Hermione smiled and replied, "I don't know about you, but we're hungry! Let's eat."

Draco laughed, thinking, 'I don't know how she is still the same as when I met her, yet so very different. How does she do it?'. He held his arm out for Hermione and said, "Shall I escort you to the dining room, my lady?"

With a small giggle, Hermione took the offered arm, replying, "Why thank you, dear sir."

When they sat the table, smiling while they ate, the same thought ran through both of their minds, 'When the baby comes, thing will be so different. For better or worse...who knows?'

After dinner, Hermione and Draco settled down on the living room couch, Hermione rereading 'Magical Baby Care and You', and Draco reading a muggle book that Hermione had never read before.

"Whatcha reading, sweetie?" Hermione asked.

"It's the book that you gave me for my birthday. It's called 'The Seer and the Sword'. A Muggle book, but it's still pretty good."

"Oh yeah. You like it?" She asked, shifting so that she was leaning against her husband's shoulder.

Draco smiled. "Yeah. You'd like it too. It's about a princess who falls for a forbidden prince," He grinned and winked at her. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it, Gryffindor princess?"

Hermione tapped a finger against her chin. "Yeah, I think I may have heard a story that falls along those lines." She smiled up at him and snuggled in tighter against him.

Suddenly, she gasped and placed a hand on her large belly.

"Mione, you okay?" Draco asked, worried.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied, reaching to grab Draco's hand with her own. Placing it on the spot her other hand had occupied, "The little princess seems to like the story." She laughed.

Draco felt his daughter kick and, grinning widely, stated, "Well, I guess that means I have to read her the story." The baby kicked in response and he laughed, saying "I'll take that as a demand. She's already just like her mother."

Hermione laughed as Draco, flipping the pages of the book back to page one, leaned his head against her belly and began to read his daughter her very first bedtime story.