Disclaimer for story: I own nothing except for cute little Devon and Alexandra the stereotypically evil stepmother.

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Part 1

Hermione apparated into Malfoy Manor and was immediately pulled into the warm embrace of her fiancé. She savoured the feeling of his warm body against hers because she knew it would be the last time. But she really didn't have a choice. She had to end this so she pulled back. "We need to talk."

"First tell me where you have been for the past week. The least you could have done was owl me. You had me worried."

She took a deep breath. "I don't think we can see each other any more."

"What?"

"Just hear me out first, okay? I need to concentrate on my career and being in a relationship is distracting. I need to end this."

Draco just stood there, a shocked look on his face. "But . . . we can't just split. You're pregnant!"

Hermione knew this topic would arise and she had prepared herself for it. "No, I'm not, Draco."

"Yes, you are. You told me a month ago!"

"There is no baby, Draco."

Silence ensued as the meaning of her words sunk into Draco. It hit him like a brick, except more painful. "You didn't. You wouldn't have," he said dangerously.

By now, Hermione didn't trust herself to speak. This lying was killing. She didn't want to end everything with Draco; she didn't want him to hate her again but she knew she had to be strong. If not for herself, then for her baby. She just nodded.

"I don't believe you." He pulled out his wand and waved it at her. Nothing happened.

He stepped back from her. A look of pure hate seeped onto his features. "I hate you, Granger! How could you?" Hermione could feel her heart breaking. "You murdered my baby!" his voice was filled with hate too.

"It wasn't a baby yet, Draco! Just a bunch of cells! I am no murderer and you know it."

"You killed my baby." He strode forward, took her hand and pulled the ring he'd given her off her finger. "I don't ever want to see you again, Granger. I made the biggest mistake of my life by even having an acquaintance with you. I hate you! Now get out of my manor before I end up murdering you like you killed by child!"

Hermione apparated home and broke down, slipping onto the floor clutching her stomach, sobbing uncontrollably. Her baby, hers and Draco's baby, was still safe inside her. She knew Draco would doubt her word so she had performed a spell on herself that would not let anyone else know of her pregnancy. None of this had happened by her will. She loved Draco; had been dreaming about them getting married ever since he proposed and then when she had found out she was pregnant, about their family and living happily ever after.

But fate never went how you wanted it to go. There was always something that would get into the way of it. For her, it was her stepmother. Hermione's real mother had died in labour. Her father had gotten remarried when Hermione got her Hogwarts letter because he'd be lonely otherwise. In the beginning, Hermione's stepmother, Alexandra, had been great. She was great until Hermione finished Hogwarts but after the recent heart attack Hermione's father had, everything had changed. Suddenly, Alexandra had become cold and cruel towards Hermione. She had revealed herself as a dark witch, threatening Hermione to do many things.

Why? Because she simply hated Hermione. She would do anything to make heart miserable. At least, that's what Hermione concluded. And she had to follow her orders or suffer the consequences. Her father's 'heart attack' had been the punishment for something else.

In the case of Draco, she had threatened the life of her baby.

And now it was too late. The act had been done. There was no way that she would ever get Draco back now. Perhaps after the death of Alexandra but who knew when that was going to happen? For now, her only comfort would be the child growing within her. She summoned up enough courage to go to the kitchen to get something for her hungry self.

She was met with the sight of Alexandra smoking in the kitchen. She looked up and sneered when she saw Hermione. "So, get the job done?" she asked casually.

Hermione had had enough though. She had been through too much pain – emotional pain - because of the evil person in front of her. Alexandra was now going to get a piece of her mind. "I despise you!"

"It's not as though I love you," Alexandra scoffed.

"You made me lose my fiancé! You made me lie! Now my baby is going to grow up without a father!" Hermione yelled.

"You know . . . there is a way for it to not grow fatherless." She paused for effect. "Do what you said to that fiancé of yours."

Losing all control at the suggestion, Hermione marched forward and slapped the woman across her face. "Don't you dare ever think of something like that again! I sacrificed my love for this baby. You think I would just give it up now?" she shouted.

Alexandra brought a hand to her stinging cheek, looking outraged. She would have given Hermione the worst telling off or even hexed her but she had gone to her room and slammed the door.

Not a problem though. Alexandra always got her revenge.

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Nine months passed extremely painfully for Hermione. Literally. She still hadn't gotten over Draco yet so that was a major cause of her emotional pain. Then a little later, her pregnancy pains began. Backaches, swollen ankles, lack of sleep from the baby's kicking . . . That was also something that hurt to think about. The first time when the baby had kicked, the first time it had shown a sign of life, Draco wasn't here. She had always imagined that he would be with her when this happened. She would have apparated anywhere for him to feel it too but that was impossible now.

Before she knew it, the time for her delivery had come. During it, she felt the worse pain of all: the pain of giving birth. It also didn't help any that no one was in the delivery room with her. She had thought that Draco would be with her but of course he wasn't after their 'break-up'. She hadn't been able to get in contact with her friends ever since the 'break-up' either. What would she tell them? And Alexandra would die before she helped out Hermione.

After 11 hours of labour, a baby boy was finally born. Hermione asked to see the baby after the medi witches had cleaned him up. The first time she held him, she felt tears of joy and sadness falling down her face. Joy because she was the mother of a beautiful baby boy. Sadness because the infant looked exactly like his father yet he would grow up without him.

Little did she know how opposite everything was going to be.

The medi witches soon took Devon Malfoy (Hermione had named him after the place where he was conceived), away so that Hermione could also get cleaned up. Letting go of her baby at the time was probably the biggest mistake of her life.

When she came back and had been told by a healer that she could leave, she went to the nursery to fetch Devon. A lady there told her that Devon had already been taken home by his grandmother. Alexandra.

She apparated home, eager to see her son again and to confront Alexandra about taking him but when she got there, the house was empty.

She panicked, but waited.

A half hour passed and still no sign from Alexandra who had Devon. If she could, she would have talked to her father but his condition was very delicate so the hospital was keeping him.

An hour passed and finally, the fire started to glow green. Alexandra emerged a few seconds later, empty handed.

"Where's Devon?" Hermione asked quickly.

"Don't worry about it."

"Where is Devon?" she asked again, louder though.

Alexandra turned to face her. "He's gone. You will never see him again. I gave him away."

Hermione stared in shock at the woman in front of her. "No," she whispered.

"Yes." Alexandra smiled evilly.

Thoughts entered and left Hermione's head. Where was her baby? Could Alexandra have killed him? Should she kill her? In the end, the only thing that she did was let the tears in her eyes escape. "You . . . you evil . . . you took everything in my life away from me. First my father, then my love and now my son?"

"Oh, quit the waterworks. I'm sure wherever the boy will be, he'll be happier." And with that, she strode out of the room, leaving Hermione in her despair.

Alexandra had succeeded in getting her revenge.

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The owner of St. Mungo's Orphanage was very troubled. Not an hour ago, a woman had come to him with a newborn, asking him to take the boy. He had refused as it was against the rules to take in a child under a month. Usually, the child would stay at St. Mungo's during its first month so some other family could adopt it.

But this woman, she would not allow that. She wanted him to take the child under all circumstances. She'd even gone as far as to pay him quite a sum for it. However, along with the sum also came his promise of secrecy. The biggest shock of all was that she had left the name of the child: Devon Malfoy. Of course, the child's identity would also fall under the promise of secrecy, but he couldn't help but take advantage of the fact.

Why let the opportunity of riches pass?

He sent a message to Draco Malfoy by owl, stating that he had a newborn boy in the orphanage and that it was crucial that he come and see the child.

Hours later, Draco Malfoy finally apparated into the main office. "Mr. Strove, what was so urgent that you needed me to come?"

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. I have been awaiting your arrival."

"Yes?"

"If you would follow me." He led them to a room containing many infants. Leading over to a crib, he peered into it. "Do you recognize this child?"

Draco stared in shock at the child lying in the crib. It was the baby version of himself.

Mr. Strove spoke, "I was thinking that he might be a relative of yours. It's a boy by the name of Devon Malfoy. Perhaps you heard of a family pregnancy within the last nine months?"

Hermione. She had lied to him. Again. She had kept the existence of his son from him and then dumped him in an orphanage? His son was most definitely not an orphan!

"Yes . . . I'll be taking him."

"I am delighted to hear it. You have changed the future of someone. Congratulations."

"I trust you will keep this meeting private, Mr. Strove?"

"Of course, of course."

"I'll be off then. Thank you for informing me about Devon."

And he left with the child. Malfoy Manor would now be the home of Devon. Away from the place that he'd been dumped. Away from Hermione Granger. He was going to be living with his father now and no one was going to change that.

Funny how fate works, isn't it?

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Reviews will be appreciated!