Chapter 5: Life and All His Triumphs

7th October, 2004

Multiple Periods in the Early AM

Delivery Room 5, St. Mungo's Paediatric Ward

— 34 Weeks —

It was the gush of liquid from between Hermione's thighs that awoke her at 11:30 pm. She had been experiencing small twinges of pain in her lower back since she had woken up that morning. Thinking nothing of it, Hermione went about her usual daily routine. Sitting around on a lounge and pouring through countless Transfiguration text books.

She had assumed it was Braxton Hicks Contractions as she had had them before, but towards the end of the night the pain radiated to her pubic region.

"Oh God, no." She pushed back the covers of her quilt and stared down at the large wet patch in the bed. This couldn't be happening now! She wasn't due for six weeks!

"Daisy!" The house-elf with the carrot-like nose appeared instantly.

"Mistress! You is calling for Daisy?"

"Yes, I need you to go get Narcissa and my mother for me, hurry please!" Hermione pulled herself out of the bed and over to her wardrobe where she pulled out a pair of tracksuit pants and one of Draco's t-shirts, forgoing underwear because she clearly wouldn't need them. As she was pulling a pair of slippers onto her feet, Daisy reappeared with Narcissa and Jean on her arms.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Her mother was by her side in an instant.

"The baby is coming now."

"Now?" Narcissa looked stunned as she took in Hermione's frazzled state.

"Yes, we need to go to St. Mungo's right now."

12:00 am

The panic of the situation didn't set in until the trio arrived at St. Mungo's and Hermione was being whisked into a delivery room.

"Can someone please find where my husband is, and the Weasley's and Harry, Blaise, Theo, Pansy and Daphne please!" Hermione let out a screech as the waves of her contraction reached its peak.

"Could you please remove all of your clothing and replace it with this hospital gown?" Hermione waddled her way through to the adjoining bathroom in the suite. She removed everything she had on, including the cow-print knee socks so her red painted toenails were on show. Her eyes started to water as she stared at herself in the mirror, looking puffy and miserable.

Draco was yet to appear when she returned to the room to find Narcissa and her mum sitting in chairs positioned either side of the bed. He was currently on a business trip in Russia where he was organising a business merger with a small company that provided rare potions ingredients. He was accompanied by his lawyer, Blaise Zabini, who was to become Godfather to their son when he made his appearance in the next few hours.

She promptly burst into tears when she sat on the side of the bed. Narcissa and Jean were doing the best they could to calm their daughter and daughter-in-law down before she became hysterical.

"It's too soon, he isn't supposed to be coming for another six weeks! Please, make him stop!" Hermione was sobbing into the white and blue spotted hospital gown she was provided.

Healer Eriksen was currently fussing over Hermione's form examining her as she would continue to do hourly before she finally got to deliver.

"It's too late for us to do anything about that now Hermione, you're already in the second stage, you're going to have to get ready to push soon okay sweetheart? If you don't relax you could become tachycardic and increase your blood pressure sending the baby into distress. " Hermione nodded her pale face at Healer Eriksen, her eyes glistening with moisture.

"You're about 5 cm dilated, things are progressing extremely fast." Healer Eriksen removed her hand from between Hermione's thighs and allowed her to sit at the side of the bed again.

"Where's Draco, he promised me he'd be here when I went into labour, where is he?" Narcissa was currently standing behind Hermione, trying to tie her unruly hair into a French braid before it became too sweaty, whereas Jean was kneeling next to her daughter, trying to stop her crying.

"I'm not sure sweetie, Narcissa sent the house elf thing to find him, he'll be here soon I promise." The once mild contractions Hermione felt had become increasingly harsh and close together, she felt like she never got time to breathe before the stabbing pain reverberated.

"Daisy knows Draco is in Russia right?"

"Yes, sweetheart she will be able to find him don't worry." Narcissa had finished tying Hermione's hair up and retook her place in the seat next to the bed, reopening her novel. How she was able to remain calm Hermione didn't know.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Hermione removed her hand from her mothers and placed it over her mouth, before squabbling for the dish sitting on the side table.

"It's because you're crying and in pain. Okay Hermione, you need to breathe, remember those exercises we taught you? In, out, in, out, slowly."

1:30 am

"Mummy… I'm in so much pain. I just want my husband to hold me, I need him to be here for me, please, we've already had a hard time and I just need him to be here in this last step!" Her voice crescendoed as the sharp pain returned full pelt. They were coming in constant waves now. Sure, it was juvenile of Hermione to call her mum 'mummy,' but it seemed like the moment called for it.

3:00 am

An hour later, the remaining Malfoy's, Weasley's and Granger, as well as Draco's Slytherin friends were charging down the halls of St. Mungo's.

"I'm here!" Draco burst gracefully into the room and immediately stationed himself at Hermione's side.

"Thank Merlin! Where the hell have you been Draco?"

"I'm so sorry Hermione, I figured you'd want to have the rest of the family and our friends here." He brushed the baby-hairs from Hermione's forehead back into the braid.

"They're all here? Oh, that's so nice!" She squeaked as her contractions seemed to become ten times worse the closer she got to being 10 cm dilated. The fact that Draco was holding Hermione's hand didn't seem to help her so much as it was just making her irritated.

"If you're just going to be holding my hand dumbly then get out, otherwise sit behind me and rub my belly please!" Draco wasn't going to lie, he was always a little scared of his wife when she was angry but he was down right terrified right now!

Hermione scooted forward on the elevated bed and allowed her husband to position himself behind her and place his hands on her stomach. His large hands rubs soothing circles on her lower stomach and he aided his wife in her breathing techniques while Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and stared up at him adoringly with her large whiskey eyes.

5:43 am

"It's time to start pushing now Hermione, you're fully dilated. Draco, if you could please stand next to Hermione and pull her knee up towards her shoulder." Draco climbed off the bed and to his feet, pulling Hermione's knee upwards.

"Ever the Gryffindor Hermione, red nail polish?"

"This is my attempt at changing fate and having the first Malfoy in Gryffindor." She wiggled her toes in the air.

"With every contraction I want you to push down towards your bottom." As Hermione felt the swelling sensation travel through her she began to push as hard as she could, her stubborn nose scrunching up as she could feel something pressing her womb down.

"Relax now, stop pushing."

"You're doing so good Hermione, absolutely amazing." Draco was staring down at Hermione with a scared look on his face.

"What are you looking so nervous for, you're not the one who's pushing a — ARGH!" Hermione dug her fingernail's into Draco's hand, leaving crescent-shape patterns on his almost white skin.

Hermione continued to push through her contractions until a searing burn tore through her body, making her openly whimper.

"He's starting to crown now, so you may feel some burning alright?" Just some burning? Hermione felt like she had the Cruciatus Curse bearing down on her by multiple wizards, not even being at the mercy of Bellatrix's hate made her feel this awful.

"Just so you know, we're never having another child, no matter how cute this one is, I feel like I'm being split in half!" Hermione grabbed Draco by the collar of his shirt and tugged him down so she was face-to-face with him.

"Just remember that this will all be worth it okay? Also, I love you."

7:05 am

"One final push Hermione! Big push, big push, that's it!" Hermione's final push allowed her body to give way so her son was finally born. She rested her head back against the pillow and breathed deeply when her son was whisked away, not crying.

Her head shot up towards the table where the baby was. "Why isn't he crying, shouldn't he be crying by now?" Draco glanced wildly at the small table where they nurses were cleaning their son up.

"Don't worry about that, focus on me, you still need to pass the placenta okay Hermione?" Hermione could still feel small twinges of pain and a feeling of fullness. Healer Eriksen grasped the umbilical cord to aid in Hermione's delivering of it.

The pair of Malfoy's stared over at the table waiting for some sign of life from their sons lungs and finally, his small chest gave a huge heave.

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Their sons piercing wail was like music to their ears as he finally gave his first signs of life.

"Ooh, he's got a set of lungs on him, nothing to worry about though, some preterm bubs have a bit of fluid in their lungs and throat so we have to clear that away first." A nurse dressed in light pink scrubs placed a blue-swaddled boy into Hermione's awaiting arms.

"He's so small! Look at his little fingers Draco." Hermione shifted to the side to allow Draco to climb up next to her and their progeny.

"Draco, do you want to hold him?" Draco was gazing down at their son so adoringly Hermione felt her heart explode ten-fold. The stoney-gazed man had never looked at anyone besides his wife and mother that way, and it became very clear to Hermione that all of Draco's fears about being an awful father had disappeared the moment he held the boy.

"Do you have a name for him yet?" Healer Eriksen stood to the side of the family sat together on the bed, smiling as the small baby cooed at his parents.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." The teeny tiny bundle of joy latched his fingers around his fathers thumb and pulled it into his mouth.

"I think he likes that name, and you were worried he'd grow up hating us for it." Hermione scoffed at Draco's statement, though she knew he was probably right.

"I suppose we should let the extended family in, huh?" Hermione nodded and Healer Eriksen let all of their friends and family in.

"Oh bloody hell, that kid's definitely a Malfoy isn't he?" Ron was the first one to speak as he leant over the cot the baby was currently in.

"Hey! The Malfoy genes are royalty, thank you very much." Draco sneered at Ron.

"Okay, give me my grandson please, I'd like to have a cuddle." Hermione's father was looking at his daughter, proudly.

"I think someone's hungry. Would you like to try breastfeeding?" Hermione nodded tiredly and took Scorpius from Draco's arms, allowing Healer Eriksen to position mother and son in the correct way for Scorpius to latch on to her breast. The fair-haired boy eagerly suckled for the first time, having his fill before falling asleep with his one hand still clutching Draco's thumb.

"You know… Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have another one of these." Hermione spoke quietly, eyes drooping shut.

Draco and Hermione Malfoy were proud to say that their son, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was born at 34 weeks, 52 centimetres long and 2383 grams. He was born at 7:22 am.

A/N: I CANNOT apologise enough for how long this has taken me to upload! There honestly is no excuse, although I am in my final year of studies, so updates may take a while, however I hope to finish this soon! Also *shamless self promo* I have started to write a Clexa fanfic, and that will be posted over on AO3 at amitydeathshandaffliction and possibly on here as well, so if any of you are still as salty about Clexa as I am, come have a read once it's posted :)