Draco's choice. Summary: A different take on what happened before and after Draco had to make the choice to join his parents on Voldemort's side in DHp2. What if he said no and who convinced him?
A/N: Just a little one shot I had lying around I hope you like it
Hermione was walking past all the empty classrooms looking for the snake. She and Ron had split up to go looking for it. Ron had not been so big on the idea but Hermione thought it would be faster than them looking for it together.
She was walking past one classroom when she saw a blonde head sitting on one of the desks looking towards the window. She walked in as quietly as she could before addressing him.
"What are you doing in here Malfoy? Shouldn't you be helping your side?" Hermione asked as she looked down at the mop of blonde hair. His head was down so she couldn't see his face but she would recognise that hair anywhere.
"They are not my side. I don't believe in all this shit that's going on" Draco said still not looking at her and she just rolled his eyes.
"Don't try and pull the wool over my eyes. You're programmed to believe all that. You've been calling me a mud-blood since I was 12. You hate me, Harry and Ron. You helped death eaters into the school and attempted to kill Dumbledore" Hermione said crossing her arms.
Draco stared at the wall in front of him and shook his head "You just proved a point for me. I was programmed since the day I was born to call Muggle-borns mud-bloods. I regretted calling you it that day but couldn't seem to stop. I have been told to hate Harry, Ron and you because you are on the side that is against Voldemort and my parents are afraid of what he would do if I did like you all and finally I tried to kill Dumbledore to save my family. He was going to kill my parents. My dad maybe an awful fuck up of a father but he's still my father and my mother is actually one of the sweetest people on this planet she just puts on a brave face. I don't want anything to do with this war" Draco said and Hermione noticed a wet trail down his cheek.
Hermione the sat beside him "Then don't. You don't have to do what that man said. This is your life and whether or not Harry survives we are still going to fight it. We would allow you to join the order and everything and even if they didn't completely trust you at the start they would eventually" Hermione explained to him.
Draco give a short laugh "And what? End up like Snape for being the orders spy?" he asked.
"Snape was a grown man they would never send you to do something like that and even if they suggested it, unlike being a death eater you are allowed to choose whether you want to do it or not" Hermione told him "you have a choice"
"No I don't" Draco shook his head "The only reason I got the Mark was because Voldemort was angry at my father for what happened in the department of mysteries so he made me get the Mark as revenge and he expected me to fail. He expected that either he would kill me for failing or Dumbledore would kill me for trying" Draco looked at her and she could see that he had been crying in here for a while as his eyes were red and tear trails stained his cheeks "I don't want any of this. I have tried a million times to get rid of this Mark but I can't. It will always be a scar to me" Draco said lowering his head in shame.
Hermione give him a small smile "You can't expect to survive a war without a few scars" Hermione said before pulling up her sleeve "I'll always have the scar Bellatrix gave me. But to me it's a simple war wound that tells me that I was fight for the right side. Sure maybe your scar is associated with Voldemort but if you change sides now, it could be a reminder of how you didn't give a shit about what his ways are but that you changed. Matured in a way that Voldemort and all those others haven't. They're living in the past. That's no good when you live in the future" Hermione explained.
Draco looked at her "Why are you helping ease my conscious? I have only ever been horrible to you. I stood and watched like a coward when my aunt tormented you" Draco shook his head confused.
Hermione shrugged "I don't think your one of the bad guys Draco. I just believe you were dragged into something that you thought sounded appealing at the start before you had time to realise what you had got dragged into. You saw what it really was and as you said before you regretted calling me those things and Draco I can't blame you considering that was the way your father tried to raise you" Hermione said before shaking her head "But I don't think you're that guy. It's up to you what you want to do" Hermione shrugged before walking away.
Draco sat there for a while he didn't know what he wanted to do. What Hermione had said about changing sides about being better that those other death eaters out there sounded appealing, but he didn't know what to do. It was practically a death sentence either way.
Draco stood in the crowd of people from Hogwarts and watched as the dark lord announced that Harry Potter was dead. Well there went his hope of changing sides and becoming someone he was actually proud of.
Voldemort was stupid he hated him. Draco didn't care if Muggles Muggleborns or half bloods lived. Now he was trying to recruit people over but if he'd been smart he would know that the people on this side believed what they were fighting for what they were fighting against.
Then he heard his mother calling him over. He looked over at them and when his father called him one look at his father and the mess he'd become with that ugly Mark on his left forearm the one he shared and he could see himself like that. He didn't want to turn out like that. But did he have the strength to go against his family. Draco looked at his school mates they were looking at him to see what his choice would be but he only saw one person. The person who had been called the smartest witch of her age. He wanted her to tell him what to do but she just give a small encouraging smile and mouthed words that give him a bit of strength and he looked back at his parents.
"No" Draco shook his head and he stayed where he was. He seen the livid look on Voldemort's face but he thought he'd one and Draco knew he wouldn't torture him here he would wait to punish him in front of his own mother.
When he looked at his mother he couldn't help but feel bad when he noticed her tear streaked face and he didn't know if she was proud or upset that he would turn against his family. He felt horrible leaving her and hesitated to stay but then someone walked beside him and he knew it was Hermione. When had he started to call her by her first name? He seemed to feel strength when she hooked her arm though his in a friendly gesture but his heart was going a million miles per hour. But he felt he had the strength to do this.
Everything changed when Longbottom walked forward said his little speech and then when it turned put Potter was alive and the war started again. He fought beside Herm-Gran oh who cared he fought beside Hermione and he was glad when he saw the Weasley Matriarch kill his aunt Bellatrix. Good riddance to her.
Soon after the war had ended Draco walked over to his parents who were sitting on the steps and talked to his mother. Apparently after Potter had shown he was alive again his parents switched sides. His mother had helped him and his whole family had avoided Azkaban because Potter had told them what she had done. Hermione of course had been the main reason he had managed to avoid the horrid prison. His father had apologised for being such a horrible father and role-model. He knew he and his father would never have the perfect relationship but it was a start.
Draco turned around looking for Hermione to thank her and then he noticed her about to leave with Potter and Weasley. She turned around and smiled at him and mouthed you're welcome as if she knew why he was looking her. He smiled and turned around to his mother who called him.
5 years later...
Draco was in Flourish & Botts looking for a book that had been released today. He had just spotted it and went to reach for it when someone collided with his side knocking him and themselves to the ground.
Draco could tell it was a female from the curvy warm body lying on top of him and he would know that voice anywhere.
"I'm so sorry!" Hermione said as she picked herself up off his body and offered him her hand and smiled widely when she saw who it was "Draco how strange to run into you here no pun intended" she said as she helped him up.
Draco laughed "yeah I guess so" he said bending down and picking up her book "And we're getting the same book I see" he said handing it to her.
"Really? So how are you?" Hermione asked as he grabbed him book and they walked to the Counter to pay for the books.
"I'm good. I'm an Auror now and I've got an awesome apartment which you'll be surprised it's in Muggle London" Draco said and Hermione smirked.
"That doesn't surprise me at all" Hermione told him and Draco raised an eyebrow at her and Hermione laughed "Okay maybe a little but good for you. You and Astoria Greengrass are getting married aren't you?" she asked.
Draco shook his head and handed the guy money for his book "No not anymore. She broke it off a few months ago as she wanted to be with Theo Nott. She likes him so I could hardly stop her and we're still good friends" he explained "What about you and Weasley?" Draco asked and when Hermione went to pay for her book Draco smirked "You're wasting money as I just paid for that" Draco said.
"Why did you do that?" Hermione asked and narrowed her eyes on him.
Draco smirked at her "It was the least I could do after you helped me during the war and I never got to thank you properly. So last I heard you and Weasley were dating?" Draco asked.
Hermione looked at him "Not for 3 years now. We broke up on good terms after finally admitting that our feelings for each other are not like that and Ron is now married to Lavender Brown. Always found her annoying but she's not that bad anymore" Hermione smirked.
Draco rose an eyebrow "So you're not seeing anyone?"
"No I'm not. Harry's getting married to Ginny in the summer and I'll soon be the only member of the golden trio not settled down" Hermione sighed dramatically before laughing.
Draco smirked "Then you won't mind going on a date with me" he said and Hermione looked shocked "Where do you live and I'll pick you up at 7?" Draco told her.
"I have no choice do I?" Hermione asked trying to hide her smile.
"It's like you mouthed to me during the war 'Only I can chose'" Draco said and Hermione smiled brightly at him.
"You remember exactly what I said?" Hermione asked.
"Every word" Draco told her and Hermione bit her lip and nodded.
"Okay I'll see you at seven" Hermione said and took a pen out of her pocket and writing her address on his hand "See you later" she smiled and walked off.
16 Years Later...
Draco came home from work and took his coat off hanging it up on the hook by the door. It was log before he heard feet running across the floor and seen his beautiful 4 year old girl running to him covered in flour.
"Daddy!" the little blonde shouted and held up her arms to her father who picked up the messy child and kissing her head.
"Why are you covered in flour Tammy?" Draco asked her.
"I was making cupcakes for Cassie and Scorpy as they got their Hogwarts letters today" Tammy told him and smile her dazzling smile showing off all her baby teeth.
Draco loved all his children and by all he meant all 5. Draco had no idea he was such a family man until the first one came along a complete surprise and at first he freaked out but soon Ezra Dylan Malfoy came along and he loved the little boy with his mother's dark brown hair and a few natural blonde highlights and silver eyes from his father. Ezra was a perfect combination of both parents. The next child was planned but what wasn't planned was for it to be twins and soon Cassiopeia Rhiannon Malfoy and Scorpius Alec Malfoy joined there one year old brother. Cassie was the spitting image of her mother with her father's hair and eyes and Scorpius was almost a carbon copy of his father from the blonde hair and silver eyes to the smirk on his face. 8 Years after Scorpius and Cassie came Tamzin Aria Malfoy with her father's blonde hair and her mothers brown eyes. Tammy looked a lot like Andromeda Tonks around her face and you could tell she was a relation of The Black family because of her looks because despite their flaws the Black's were unmistakably beautiful and handsome. Johan Danny Malfoy was the most unexpected because they bad decided to stop having kids after Tamzin however 2 and a half years later Johan was born with his brown hair and brown eyes and being almost a male copy of his mother. Johan was 6 months old and fussed over by all his siblings and parents.
Just at the moment Johan came round the corner of his mother's hip and she looked at Draco and Tamzin and then at Draco's uniform.
"Tamzin Malfoy you have got your fathers Uniform covered in flour" Hermione Malfoy said as she walked towards the 3 years old and Draco.
"Good evening beautiful" Draco said and leaned in and kissed his wife.
"Good evening to you handsome" Hermione smirked at him.
Draco laughed "How has your day been?" Draco asked and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Busy" Hermione said as they walked to the kitchen and Draco took Johan from her and smiled and tickled his sons side and Tamzin rested her head on her fathers shoulder "First thing this morning the twins letters came and so Tammy wanted to make cupcakes for them which she caused a huge mess as you can see and I had to try and get some work done because I won't be doing any work tomorrow because it's the twins birthday and also I have to get things ready for the party tomorrow" Hermione said.
Draco smiled and set Tammy on the table and put Johan in his high chair before rubbing his wife's shoulders and kissing it "Well I'll be off the rest of the week so you can relax he said with his arms now wrapped around her waist.
Hermione turned around and kissed him before pulling back "Good I miss you when you're at work" Hermione said and he smiled.
"There isn't a second I don't think about coming home to you and our family" Draco told her and Hermione put a hand on his cheek and smiled before putting a sweet kiss on his lips.
"Yuck do you two always have to be so disgusting" 12 Year old Ezra Malfoy came into the room and picking up Johan who reached up for his older brother.
The twins were soon to follow into the Kitchen and Draco smiled at his 10 year old daughter going on 11 started chattering about how excited she was about going to Hogwarts and hugging her father tightly.
Hermione smiled seeing her whole family together before turning to Ezra "Take Johan and get him set up in his high chair with his bib for dinner" she said and Ezra nodded before turning away with the young baby and stated throwing him up and bit and catching him again making the baby giggle. Hermione then told Cassie to get her little sister cleaned up for dinner and for Scorpius to go set the table.
Once they left Hermione turned to Draco and kissed him before whispering in his ear "I'm Pregnant" she said and Draco looked at her wide eyed before smiling and looking excited.
Hermione rose an eyebrow at him "I don't know what you're smiling about. I told you after Johan that if you got me pregnant I was cutting off your favourite appendage" Hermione said before taking the dinner out of the oven and bringing it into the dining room with her hips swaying on the way out and catching Draco in a trance.
As he thought about his family and how perfect it was Draco couldn't help but smile and think about his wife's words of encouragement 21 year ago when she said that only he could chose and Draco knew that he had chose wisely. If he had to he would chose again he would choose the same thing every time.
A/N: Review please I would love to know what you think.