On January the thirteenth, of two thousand and five; Astoria Malfoy's waters broke.

It was of good fortune that Draco was actually in the office when he had received the urgent message to attend to his wife's bedside immediately.

But when he arrived at the hospital, he found he was denied access into the delivery room.

"I'm afraid there's been some complications," said a grave looking Healer, causing Draco's heart to suddenly race.

"The baby-?"

"The baby should be fine, our best Healers are working on getting him removed safely."

Draco was so relieved to hear that his son was going to be okay, that it took him a moment to process the meaning of the Healer's words.

"Is my wife...?"

"We're not sure at this time," the Healer replied, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "She lapsed into unconsciousness just ten minutes ago. We're working on running some tests, but our main priority is to get your child safely out first."

Draco sat down in the corridor's offering of an uncomfortable plastic chair as he awaited further news; wishing, despite the inappropriateness, that he had Blaire by his side.

It felt like hours had passed with nothing happening. Why was it taking so fucking god damn long to get a baby out?

He could have sobbed with relief when his mother showed up; fraught and breathless.

"I just heard," she said, swooping down the corridor towards him as he stood to greet her with a hug, "Oh, Draco; my darling."

"They're not telling me anything," he hissed suddenly, pulling away from his mother to drive his hands through his hair; frustration eating him up.

Just then, the door to the delivery room flew open and out stepped a different Healer, and Draco couldn't help but notice the blood stains down her scrubs.

"My baby," he said at once, "is he-?"

"Your son perfectly fine, Mr Malfoy," the Healer said, causing Draco to feel an instant flood of relief.

But the look on her face told him it wasn't all good news.

"And Astoria?"

"I'm afraid she has still yet to regain consciousness," the Healer said apologetically, "we are doing all we can and running as many tests as possible. But it appears she has fallen into a coma."

"A coma?! How?!" Draco spluttered, at the same time as his mother went, "Oh my."

"Until we investigate further," the Healer answered gravely, "I'm afraid we have no answers for you yet."

"Can I, can I see my son?" Draco breathed, not quite taking in all that was happening.

"Of course, he's been moved to a special unit whilst he's being checked over by our paediatric team. I should warn you that they may want to keep him in until we know further of your wife's condition."

"That's fine, that's fine," Draco muttered hastily, just desperate to see his son.

Less than five minutes later, he was hovering next to a hospital crib, looking down at a tiny, wrinkly little human, containing thin wisps of white-blond hair atop of his head and skin so pale, it was almost translucent. 

"Oh... he's beautiful!" his mother breathed, bending down to scoop him up as Draco just stared, dumbfounded.

He watched as his mother pressed her lips to his tiny temple and rocked him gently in her arms, cooing happily as tears of joy sprang in her eyes.

And all he could think was, that should have been Jack.

"Darling? What is it?" Narcissa asked as Draco backed away, flashing white lights obscuring his vision, and ears ringing so loudly, he could barely hear what she was saying.

"This is all wrong," Draco choked as he fell back against the door, frantically reaching for the handle, "it shouldn't be like this. It shouldn't."

*****

"Daddy!"

I looked up, from my soup, startled. Draco was indeed hovering in the doorway, looking ashen faced and shaken.

"Drac?" I said, feeling slightly confused; it was a Thursday yet we only ever saw him on a Monday.

He shakily bent down to greet Jack who had flown down from the table and charged across the room to excitedly greet his father. ("Daddy! Daddy! I made a telescope with Grampy Art and he said that maybe one day I might be able to go Upstairs and see the stars!")

"Son," Draco murmured, his voice coming out strangely hoarse as he clung to him tightly, pressing his face ardently into the top of his head.

Ron, Hermione and I exchanged baffled looks, and I tried to stem the flutterings of panic as I shakily put my spoon down and made my way over to Draco.

"Hey, Jack," I said gently, touching my hand to his shoulder, "why don't you go and finish your soup with Aunt Hermy and Uncle Ronnie? I'm just going to have a little chat with Daddy, okay?"

Jack nodded as he pulled away from Draco. "Can I show Daddy my telescope later?"

"We'll see," I smiled, glancing carefully at Draco who seemed to be in some sort of trance, "but first you need to eat that vegetable soup to make sure you grow big and strong just like a superhero."

"Okay, Mummy," Jack grinned, making a 'whooshing' noise as he pretended to fly back to the table.

I quickly led Draco out, closing the door behind me as we stood alone in the darkened tunnel, lit only by his Patronus; the fox. And, as I glanced down at it, I couldn't help but think warmly of the latest charm on my bracelet; a little silver fox. Draco's Christmas gift to me.

"Drac, what's happened?" I asked, trying to ignore the fearful thud of my heart. "Are you okay?"

"I just walked out on him, Blaire," he shuddered. "I-I took one look at him and I... I ran away."

"Who, Drac?" I asked, although I had the sinking feeling I knew; with Astoria being overdue it wasn't exactly a wild guess.

"My- my son." He choked, and tears began to roll down his cheeks. "I left him in the hospital. I've already failed him like I've failed Jack."

"Don't say that," I said fiercely, "you're an amazing father to our boy. He adores the absolute life out of you."

"I hate that I wasn't there," he sobbed harder, his whole body convulsing now. "I hate that I missed out on holding him as a baby and being there with you through it all."

I stepped forward at once, closing the gap.

"Listen to me, Drac," I said, bringing my hands up to cup his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. "You need to go back to that hospital and go and hold your fucking son before you end up hating yourself for this later on in life. We can't change the past, and we can't dwell on things that were out of our control. You're in Jack's life now, and that's what counts. But don't turn your back on a child by choice."

Draco blinked down at me. "Astoria, she's in a coma. They don't know when she's going to wake up again."

"Then he needs you more than ever! Don't punish him, he doesn't deserve that. What he does deserve though is a brilliant father like you. He's your son, Drac... he's Jack's brother. Please, don't turn your back on him."

Draco released a long shuddering breath and finally nodded. "You're right," he murmured hoarsely. "Will you tell Jack that I'm- that I-"

"Leave it with me, he'll understand," I assured him, pressing my forehead against his. I could hear the furious thudding of his heart beneath his chest. "Jack is fine. He loves you."

"Thank you," he said with a fierce softness; his breath tickling my face.

I let my hands drop and he stood back as he gave me one last searching look.

"Go to him," I urged him, "we'll be here, we're not going anywhere."

I half laughed at the irony of my statement; but it wasn't unkind and my lips tugged into a warm, reassuring smile.

His expression suddenly softening; he lifted a hand, dancing fingertips tenderly to my cheek.

"You've always been the best thing in my life, Zabini," he whispered.

And then he turned and left.

******