Pilfered Progeny - Stolen Dreams

Draco panted heavily, his brow coated with sweat and more pale than normal as he wrapped his arms about his constricting stomach. This pain had started just after the attack on Severus by Alerick, but it had intensified when Erik had gone after Ron; now he felt he would rather die than go through any more of this. Fred had gotten him to a chair then gone to see if he could intercept Mallek, not realizing that Draco was in trouble.



When he opened his eyes Angel was standing in front of him, her face a mask of fear and worry. “Papa…? Papa something bad happened, I felt it and… oh Papa you’re hurting….!“ her worry grew, fear fading slightly as concern touched her delicate little features, touching him with a gentle little hand.



He gave her a weak little smile. “I’m hurting, love, but I think its just because your brother is wanting to come out and meet you and his daddy…” he said softly, doing his best to try to keep the pain out of his voice. “I need daddy, Angel… he’s in there, with Uncle Ron and my father, go get him, all right…?”



She looked worriedly at him, wrapping her arms about him for a moment. “I can’t leave you hurting this bad…” she whispered, closing her eyes.



Draco breathed a little easier as a wave of relief swept over him. “All right love… I’ll be fine for just a moment or two, I need you to go…”



“You is not leaving Master Draco with bein’ alone.” a high-pitched squeaky voice piped up to their right; they both looked to see Tootles, her bat-like ears trembling and eyes wider than saucers with concern as she moved forward to place one long-fingered hand upon Draco’s arm. “Nothing to worry for, Missy Angel…”



“All right, I’ll be right back!” Angel assured as she gave the house elf she had learned not only to trust but to love a very warm smile. She gave Draco a swift kiss on the head, then ran off.





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Draco closed his eyes as another wave of pain washed over him; something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong, it was supposed to hurt but this was too much! He must have been hurt somehow when that first blast had ripped through the room. When he mastered the pain enough to straighten slightly and look around he realized with a start that he was no longer in Malfoy Manor. “What…? Tootles what did you do…?” he whispered, voice shaky. He knew exactly where they were; he and his chair now sat in the waiting room of the maternity ward in St. Mungo’s hospital.



The house elf stood straighter, clearly proud of herself and what she had done. “Master Malfoy needs hospital so Tootles bring you!” she said firmly, looking about. “Help Master NOW!” she squeaked at the witch at the counter.



The woman was on her feet in a moment and she hurried over to him, eyes worried. “Mr. Malfoy…! What’s happened? Are you all right?“ she asked worriedly.



“No, Evalie, I’m not all right, something… I don’t know, something is wrong…” Draco said, allowing his fear to finally show. If he lost little James he’d lose his mind.



“What happened?”



“I’m in pain…” he murmured, not wanting to tell them that he was around such a powerful attack as he had felt, much less about the second one he had actually been in the room for…



“I can see that… Mark! Trudy! Hurry and bring a chair, notify Mediwizard Kilpatrick immediately!” Evalie ordered, her voice sending three people scrambling.



“Toodles fetch mediwizard!” the house elf offered.



“He will be here in just a few minutes, thank you.”



“Fetch Harry for me, Tootles… I need Harry…” Draco requested as he gave himself up to the handling of the nurses, who were lifting him magically to transfer him into a chair with wheels for easy transportation to a private room. Draco tried to relax once he heard the distinctive sound of the elf vanishing without another word.



“Easy, sir… you need to just try to relax…” someone murmured to his right; Draco found it all seemed easier if he just kept his eyes closed.



“I ‘m trying… I swear, it feels like… like something is torn…” he whispered. For a moment, the pain seemed to be fading, he could breathe again.





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Harry rushed into the room, following little Angel but she stopped, looking confused. “Daddy I left him right here he sat down in the chair and he said his tummy was hurting really bad and he told me to come and find you…” Angel whispered worriedly. “Daddy, Papa was hurting so much he couldn’t have gone anywhere…”



“We’ll find him love, don’t worry…” he said, though panic began to well up in him. Where would Draco have gone?! He’d have to recruit the house elves to find him faster…



“But I didn’t leave him alone, I left him with Tootles, and he…”



“You left him with Tootles?” Harry’s eyes snapped back to meet those of his daughter’s.



She nodded solemnly with frightened eyes. “Yes, daddy…”



“You’re absolutely brilliant!” Harry gave her a reassuring hug and kissed her quickly on the brow. “Its going to be just fine, love; I’m sure she’s taken him to the hospital. I should…”



“Harry Potter, you are being coming along Master Draco be needing you!” Tootles suddenly appeared beside the two, making them both jump with her sudden appearance.



“Tootles! Yes, take me but we need to get his bag before we go…”



“Tootles get it, you go NOW!” she insisted, seizing his hand and the two of them vanished.





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Draco felt utterly and totally alone; the pain stretched out into one long red-tinged blur and time slowed down to an abysmally slow crawl. The medi-wizard arrived but the relief that he had believed the physician would bring him never came. Infuriatingly, the man just started asking him questions but Draco didn’t answer anything; he just kept asking for Harry over and over. He was all alone; everything was going to hell and he was going to die all alone, and his son, their son… they‘d both die. He should never have gone into that room, the second wave of power had done something horrible to him, and even worse; it had done something to little James.



“Get him in here immediately!” he heard Dr. Kilpatrick snap at someone and someone hurried out of the room. A few minutes later the door opened and Draco heard the most wonderful sound he had ever heard in his entire life. “Dray… I’m here baby…” Harry said, and he was touching his hand, he was kissing his brow…



A tear rolled from Draco’s eye as he gazed up at him. Even his vision seemed tinged with red but he gazed up at him. “Harry, I thought you’d never get here… it hurts, it really hurts…”



“I know love…” he murmured softly.



“I need to know what happened… this isn’t normal labor. He wasn’t due for another five weeks.” Mediwizard Kilpatrick said firmly.



“He was exposed to an accidental release of magic by a child.” Harry answered.



“Accidental release…?”



“Yes; Severus Snape can confirm what happened, as can his father… what do you mean this isn’t normal labor?” Harry asked, his heart skipping a beat.



“I can give you a few minutes, Mr. Potter, but we have to get him to surgery immediately. The baby has to come out, that is without a doubt, but the scans I was able to do show there is something else wrong. Two minutes, that’s all I can spare.”



“Two minutes…?” Harry held Draco’s hand tight in his, gazing down at the blood-drained, pinched face of his lover. Two minutes was all he had… he was sure he wouldn’t be allowed into surgery if it was more than a simple delivery. He stroked Draco’s cheek, his hand trembling ever so slightly. “Draco Malfoy-Potter, how can I possibly tell you how much you mean to me?” he whispered. “Two minutes isn’t enough. Two lifetimes isn’t enough… don’t you dare leave me, Dragon… you’re strong, you can get through this…”



“I’ll always love you, my Harry.” he murmured softly, his eyes reddened and moist with tears.





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Lucius strode into the waiting room with Narcissa close at his side and Angel in his arms, Severus Snape trailing along afterward with a definite limp. Behind Severus came Ron and Rosie as well as his brothers. Harry stood at the window, staring out sightlessly.



“Harry? Where is Draco? What’s happening?” Lucius all but demanded.



“They took him off to surgery.” Harry said softly, not turning round.



“Surgery…?”



“Oh Merlin…” Narcissa whispered. She knew something had to be terribly wrong if Harry wasn’t in the room with Draco. She’d spent several hours discussing with her son exactly what their plans were for the birth; they had gotten clearance for Harry to be present with Draco when the baby was born.



“But daddy you’re supposed to be with him…” Angel said worriedly.



“I can’t be, Angel. The Mediwizard told me to wait here and they took him away… I don’t know what’s happening, no one has told me anything.”



Ron moved up to Harry, putting a supportive hand on his shoulder. “He’s strong, mate. You’ll get to see your son soon, and the Ferret as well.” he said firmly. “



“He should not have been anywhere near that room… I should have paid more attention to where he was.” Severus said as he sank into a chair. He was deathly pale and had clear burns upon his face and hands, but clearly intended to be nowhere else.



“You were a little busy, Severus.” Lucius pointed out, though deeply worried about his son.



“Did they tell you anything at all?” Narcissa asked softly.



“The scans that Mediwizard Kilpatrick did before I arrived showed him that something was wrong, but he did not go into any more detail than that. I don’t know. I don’t know anything…” he whispered, bowing his head.



“Come on, mate. You need to sit while you wait… it’ll be all right, and Draco’s gonna need you ready to be at his side when he comes out, right…?” Ron urged him, gently nudging him.



Harry numbly allowed himself to be turned from the window and guided to a seat.



“I’ll get you something to drink.” George said, rising and going out of the room. He came back with enough tea for everyone to have at least two cups, and they all settled in to wait. Angel slipped from Lucius’ arms and moved to Harry, crawling into his lap; he set his hot tea aside and cradled the girl close in his arms.





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Harry’s eyes raised when he saw someone enter the room; it was Mediwizard Kilpatrick and he looked very grim. “He needs you, Harry.” he said quietly. He was instantly on his feet, following the doctor. He was led to a private room that was semi-darkened. Draco lay upon the bed, deathly pale, he seemed almost shrunken, childlike as he lay in that bed with sunken eyes, blanket pulled up over his stomach, arms laying at his sides.



“We’re losing him… we’ve tried everything but he’s fading quickly, Mr. Potter.” Kilpatrick told Harry quietly. “Your son is being washed and readied to meet your family…”



“He can’t be dying.” Harry said softly, the shock so devastating that he didn‘t even hear the news about his son. “You’re wrong. I… I need him, I need Draco…”



“Go to him. Be with him. Say your goodbyes while you can.” he suggested, moving out of the room.



Harry hurried to the bedside, scooping up his husband\'s hand, kissing it. Draco‘s eyes fluttered open at his touch and he smiled weakly at him. “I was hoping you’d get here in time…” even his voice sounded so weak, like it was fading away with the rest of him.



“Dray…? Oh Merlin, Dray, I can’t do all of this on my own, please… don’t leave me dragon, don’t leave me…” Harry whispered desperately, feeling his heart shattering. It was true; he was losing Draco.



“I’m so weak Harry… I’m so cold… I just… I can’t. I’ve done all I can…” he said, reaching a weak hand up to touch his husband’s cheek. “Our son needs you. Our daughters and sons all need you now more than ever… please Harry. You have to go on for them.”



Harry’s hand, trembling violently, reached to cover Draco’s, gazing into those pain-filled eyes for what would be the last time, tears streaming down his cheeks unheeded. “Go on without you…? How in the bloody hell do I do that?” he whispered. “I love you Dray…you’re everything to me, everything that I live for…”



“James needs you lover… they told me he’s all right; my magic shielded him and that’s how I got so hurt… we have a son, Harry. Our son… You have yours and I have mine, but only James is ours…”



“I’m not ready, I can’t do it all by myself Dragon. I need you…!”



“You’re ready… you’ve always been the strong one, Harry. I was the one leaning on you when things went bad. You’re a lot stronger than you think you are. Just remember me is all I ask. Tell our son about me.” his voice seemed weaker than ever, fading to little more than breathed words though he was trying to say more. “I will… love you… forever…” were the last words he managed to speak.





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Medi-wizard Kilpatrick came to the door just in time to intercept Lucius, preventing him from coming into the room. Angel started to follow her father into the room but Lucius caught her hand and kept her with him.



Lucius scowled at the medi-wizard who stood between the room and everyone else, blocking the door bodily. “Just give him a few moments, please sir.” Kirkpatrick said softly.



“What in Merlin’s name is going on?” Lucius demanded, puffing up his chest and using every bit of his considerable influence to intimidate.



“The damage was simply too much.” Kirkpatrick answered quietly. “There’s nothing further we can do for him.”



Lucius paled instantly, eyes narrowing, not wanting to believe what he had just heard. “What…?”



“There’s nothing more we can do.” Kilpatrick repeated in a soft tone.



“No!” Narcissa whispered, her knees giving way. Severus, standing just behind her, was there to support her when she crumpled in shock. Her son…!



Angel stood gazing at the adults, trying to understand. Something bad had happened to her Papa, she knew that much but no one was saying anything and now her daddy was crying like before, like Mama Missy and Mimi had done when her mama died. Lucius’ hand that was holding hers went slack and she slipped from his side and past the doctor into the room.



Her daddy was seated in a chair beside the bed, her papa’s hand in his, weeping. Angel felt her heart sinking; it was all so horrible and so familiar. The only difference here ws there was no smell of burnt hair or flesh. Angel felt herself begin to tremble and tears roll down her cheeks, but she didn’t do what Nona had done. She could not… no, she WOULD not let this happen again…! Fighting the pain and loss that welled up inside her heart to try to numb and cripple her, Angel hurried forward around the bed and out of sight for only a moment. She pushed the doctor’s rolling stool up beside the bed as quietly as possible, climbing up on it.



“Angel…?” Lucius looked about, realizing he had lost his grip on the child, looking into the room to see the girl climb up onto the bed with Draco. “Angel!” he had given Harry enough time, he wanted… he had to say goodbye himself. He surged forward, pushing the now unresisting doctor aside and into the room. Harry was too wrapped up in his own grief and loss to notice anything; his husband was gone forever. Angel ignored Lucius and before he could get close she laid down beside Draco, touched her forehead to the side of Draco’s sweat-soaked hair, and suddenly went limp herself.





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“What the bloody hell do you mean you don’t know what’s wrong with her?” Lucius demanded, his cheeks flushed with his anger. Angel, who had fallen still at Draco’s side, did not respond to any external stimulus at all.



“She’s gone into a coma, Mr. Malfoy; she’s not responding to anything we do. We can’t help her right now.” the doctor said, trying to be patient. “You have to understand that there are some things that we can’t…”



“Leave her alone. Get out…” Harry, who had not said a word at all since Angel had come into the room, finally spoke up. His voice was hoarse with pain and grief but he did not raise his head nor his eyes from his lover‘s face and now his daughter‘s beside him, so still and unmoving that she seemed to be as lifeless as he felt at this moment. “Get them all out of here Lucius. Just… get them all out. I don‘t want any of them in here anymore.” The others in the room fell silent, looking over at them and they all became momentarily silent. Harry was silent for a few more moments then he spoke again, this time to the doctor. “You said you can’t help her. You can’t help him. Get the bloody hell out of here.” Harry murmured.



“You heard him. Go. Out.” Lucius added to Harry’s statement, his own grief needing a target to vent upon and the doctor was still so conveniently here in the room. He glared at him fiercely until the man nodded.



“I will go, but I will need to return and check on her…” he said quietly as he slipped out of the room, allowing the door to close quietly behind him on the room that now was as silent as a tomb.