Hermione Granger

I spend the rest of the day wondering what Draco is hiding. I haven't a single idea. But it must be terrible. The look on his face when I asked him-

He looked like he did when I told him. That look that says I wish I didn't have to make this whole thing so much harder for you.

Whatever it is, I think Annabeth knows. She keeps giving him looks. And he keeps slipping away to talk to her. I don't think he's cheating - I considered it, of course, but she loves Percy too much. And Draco is a prat, but he wouldn't do that.

When I get back to the camp, Annabeth is still sitting where she was when I left.

"Is Draco asleep?" I ask her.

She shakes her head. "He's trying... I don't know."

"Annabeth, what's he hiding?"

My ally stares down at her feet. "It's not my place to tell you. He doesn't want to keep anything from you, really he doesn't. He's just trying to make it easier for you. He'll tell you tomorrow, but if he doesn't I will."

I sigh. "I'm just worried about him."

Annabeth sighs. "He doesn't want you to worry."

"I can't help it. I lo-" I freeze. I wasn't going to say that much.

My friend smirks. "Why don't you just admit it, Hermione? I can see that it's true."

"No, it's not. And I was going to say I loathe him, and want to make sure he's okay so I can torment him forever."

"Sure you were. Go be with him, Hermione. I know he wants you there."

I  sigh and slip into our tent. "Draco?" I whisper. 

"Hey," he replies.

"You should be asleep."

"I can't. It's too much."

"Nightmares?" I ask him.

"Partly," he sighs. "I just need time to think. You need your sleep if you're going to win."

"What about you?"

"We both know I'm not getting that far." 

Tears threaten to spill from my eyes. "I don't know if I can do it, Draco. Not without you."

"You've been doing fine, and you're the strongest person I know. You're going to be okay."

"Have you thought of a name?"

"I'm thinking about it."

I want to say more. I want to ask him what he's not telling me, and I want to tell him how I feel about him. But I can tell how tired he is. He doesn't sleep well, at least he hasn't since we came into the arena. And he hasn't eaten in four days. So I decide that anything we have to say to each other can wait. After all, what's going to happen overnight?

"Good night, Draco."

"I love you."

"I know you do."

That was the last casual conversation I ever had with him. Because as it turned out, a lot can happen overnight.

When I woke up the next morning, Draco was clutching his left side, his face constricted in pain. His eyes were wide, but it didn't seem like he saw me at first. "What's wrong, Draco?" I asked him urgently. He couldn't reply.

I screamed for Annabeth, and she came racing into the tent. But when she saw what was happening she just shook her head. "You haven't got much time, Hermione. Talk to him." And then she left.

I stared after her for a moment, astounded, before turning back to Draco. "Tell me what's wrong, please," I begged him. This time he responded by slowly, painfully lifting his shirt over his head. What I saw was horrifying.  

There were dark veins sprouting from a narrow slash on the left side of his torso. They had wrapped their way around his body, and eventually reached up to his heart.  Poison. 

"Draco, what- When did this happen?"

He struggles to speak. "On the first day- Before I found you. Someone threw a knife-" Draco breaks off into a coughing fit. 

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he whispers. "I knew there was no antidote, and I didn't-" he coughs again. "I didn't want you to worry about me."

"It's okay," I tell him. I try my hardest to hold back the tears in my eyes. 

Draco takes my hand and presses his lips against it. "I know you can win, Hermione. Promise me you won't let this stop you."

I nod, unable to form the words. 

He hesitates for a moment. "I think I've decided on the name."

"Tell me."

"Scorpius."

I smile. "It's perfect."

Draco smiles, but it fades quickly. He's in a lot of pain. I let the tears fall.

"It's okay to let go," I tell him through my tears. "I'll be okay."

He sighs. "I love you, Hermione Jean Granger."

"I know," I say. And then after a second I add, "I love you too."

Twenty-three long, agonizing minutes later, the cannon went off. As soon as it did, I left the tent. I couldn't see him dead. 

Annabeth was waiting for me outside. "I'm sorry, Hermione," she says. 

"How long have you known?"

"I caught him talking to Holly about it not long after we joined up. It was her that told him there was no cure."

I wipe away the last of my tears. "I should have known. I should have noticed that something was wrong sooner."

"You can't blame yourself," she tells me. "He was only trying to save you the pain of knowing he was dying."

I sigh. "There's something I need to tell you, Annabeth. It's important, but I didn't want to tell anyone other than Draco because I was worried they'd try to protect me."

Annabeth frowns. "Does this have something to do with what Draco said? About a name?"

I nod numbly. "I wanted him to think of a boy name. Scorpius."

Her eyes widen. "Hermione, are you going to say what I think you're going to say?"

I lean over to whisper in her ear. I don't need the whole country to know, just Annabeth. I tell her what I've been hiding ever since before we entered the arena.

"I'm pregnant."

So..... Yep. I just did that. I think my Slytherin side really shows when I write. If anyone caught on to the fact that Hermione was pregnant before now, congratulations, you are very good at drawing conclusions based on almost no facts. I will not apologize for killing Draco, simply because I am not sorry. Hope you enjoyed this!