I have never felt such pain in all my twenty-four years and this includes the time Bellatrix tortured me with the Cruciatus curse.
At least then the pain wasn't as prolonged as this.
Medi-witches and Healer Keele are rushing around me, and through my squinted eyes I can see Draco's head hovering behind them worriedly.
I want to reach out for him, but at that second, another contraction hits me and my outstretched hand balls up into a tight fist.
I feel my nails break the skin of my palm but I can't retract them. Instead they dig in deeper causing small amounts of blood to pool at the puncture wounds.
Twenty seconds later, I fall back onto the bed breathing heavily. My hands sting as I rub them on the bed-sheets beneath me in a vain effort to dry them.
Something isn't right. I can feel it. It shouldn't hurt this much.
Draco finally manages to make his way to my bedside.
I turn my head tiredly to the side and look into his eyes.
He takes my right hand in his, rubbing the sensitive skin on the back with his thumb in soothing circles.
For a few moments it's just the two of us in the room. The chaos surrounding us fades away.
Peace doesn't last long.
I grit my teeth together as another contraction hits me.
The medi-witch tells me too push and I do so, my throat making a strangling voice.
Draco tightens his hold on my hand and whispers comforting words against my ear. I can't make them out, but just the gesture makes me love him so much more.
I push until I run out of breath before once again collapsing backwards.
I can't do this anymore.
I must have said the words out loud as Draco's face swims into my vision and he speaks so urgently that this time I do hear his words.
He's telling me to hold on. That it won't be much longer until I'm holding our son or daughter in my hands and feeling like it was all worth it. He's telling me to breathe.
If I'm honest I never imagined Draco to be the type of father to come into the delivery room with me. In nearly all other Pureblood families (even the Weasley's) the father stays in the waiting room outside with most of the other family members and awaits the news of the birth of his child.
I should know Draco better than to think he would do that.
Throughout the four years we've been married he's been permanently attached to my side. I was stupid to think this time would be any different.
I'll pretend the pregnancy has addled my brain function.
After all, who would hold my hand if he wasn't there. I doubt he'd let a stranger or even a friend take his place.
Even though I realise this, the scene of him demonstrating how I should be breathing makes me smile.
It takes four more pushes for my child to finally enter the world.
I feel a mixture of happiness, relief and exhaustion.
I turn my head to face Draco only to find him looking away from me, his eyes fixated on the bundle that's being cradled in the medi-witch's arms.
I'm so tired. My head feels so heavy. Sleep is calling to me and I smile at the idea of resting.
I force my eyes to stay open.
I want to see my child. Hold them in my arms. Gaze at their beautiful face so I can memorise and imprint it into my brain forever.
Draco kisses me in the middle of my sweaty forehead and whispers four words to me.
The words I was waiting for. I smile.
My eyes start to droop again and this time I let them.I'll hold my baby when I wake up.
The last thought that passes through my mind is how I'm glad we painted the nursery the colour we did. Draco won the bet in the end.
My lips stretch into one last smile as my hand slips out of Draco's hold forever.
He has a new hand to hold from now onwards.
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Draco Malfoy and (late) Hermione Malfoy
proudly announce the birth of their
beautiful baby girl
Rose Athena Malfoy
born 22:19 on 24/11/ 2010
at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
"A baby is Merlin's opinion that life should go on." Carl Sandburg
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Author's Note: The End. The original quote by Carl Sandburg was "A baby is God's opinion that life should go on."