DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, the story, or the characters. Tess and Jake are mine. Read, review, enjoy!
Author's note: If you've seen Mamma Mia! the plot may seem a bit familiar, as that was the inspiration. I did change a few things up though.
********
June 15th, 1998
Dear Diary,
Ronald and I broke up one week after we, ya know...
June 22th, 1998
Dear Diary,
Last night got a bit out of control. Somehow I wound up walking up in the Slytherin dorms. And maybe, just maybe, Malfoy and I, ya know...
June 30th, 1998
I don't know how it happened! One minute Harry and I were discussing the Potions final, and then, somehow, we kinda, ya know...
Tess Granger read through her mother's diary over and over. One of these three men had to be her father, she knew it. After all, nine months later she was born. But which one was it? Once, around her fifth birthday, Tess asked her mother about her mysterious father. Hermione let two tears fall, brushed them away, and told her young daughter that he didn't matter. After all, Tess had her and a great life; what more did she need?
On her eleventh birthday, Tess received her letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hermione's heart filled with pride when her daughter was sorted into Gryffindor. Then, in her sixth year, Hermione received a letter - Tess had met a nice Slytherin boy and things were getting serious. When she graduated, the boy came home with her to ask her mother one very important question.
"May I have Tess's hand in marriage?" Jacob Flint asked, showing Hermione a small diamond engagement ring. Words could not form; Hermione nodded her approval and wandered away.
Now, here Tess was, waiting for three possible fathers to arrive in time for her wedding.
********
Draco Malfoy stood hunched over the railing of the ferry staring out at the expansive crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean. A week earlier an invitation had arrived by owl asking that he attend the wedding of Tess Granger and Jacob Flint. It had to be from Marcus Flint. There was no way Hermione Granger would a) have a child old enough to marry or b) invite him to said child's wedding after not speaking to him for eighteen years.
From the corner of his eye, Draco caught sight of red hair. No, the unusually bright sun had to be playing tricks with his eyes. "Weaselbee?" the blonde called out the old familiar nickname.
Ron Weasley turned in the direction of that voice. "Malfoy?" he groaned. "What are you doing here?"
"I was invited to a wedding. Old teammate's son is getting married on one of these god forsaken sunny islands. What are you doing here?"
"Hermione invited me...I think."
"You too?" another voice intruded on the pair's conversation. Both men turned around to see the wind blown looks of Harry Potter.
"Great, Potter too," Malfoy mumbled. "Are you going to this wedding as well?" Harry nodded in reply. Draco threw up his arms in frustration. It had been almost two decades since he'd last seen his old school rivals, but something inside of him still couldn't stand the duo. Maybe it was a bad idea to come to this wedding. He and Flint had never been the best of friends. They were Quidditch teammates, but that was it. So, why would he be invited to his son's wedding? Unless...no, he shook the crazy thought from his head. Hermione wouldn't invite him.
********
"Mum! Mum! Auntie Luna and Uncle Neville are here!" Tess called from the bottom of the staircase. She could hear the sounds of her mother's footsteps as she rushed down the stairs, past her, out the front door, as she leaped into the arms of her best friends. It was odd to see Hermione in such a carefree, happy mood. Since the announcement of her engagement to Jacob, Tess knew, her mother moped around, as if something had gone completely and terribly wrong in their lives. As if she were unhappy that her only daughter was getting married. But now, seeing her with Luna and Neville, her mum looked like a teenager again. In fact, Tess was sure she heard a squeal come from her mother.
In the distance Tess could see the ferry pulling up to dock. "Auntie Luna, Uncle Neville," she gave them quick hugs. "Mum, I'll be back. You should show them where we're having the wedding. It's beautiful. It's a temple devoted to the goddess Athena. Wasn't she just like Mum? The goddess of wisdom and war. What could be more fitting?"
The three adults stared after the young witch, her sun-streaked blonde hair swaying as she ran away from them.
"She seems happy," Luna stated in her dreamy, sing-song voice, oblivious to the looks of suspicion on Hermione's and Neville's faces. "When do we get to meet the groom?"
********
Harry, Ron, and Draco debarked the ferry, each with a disgruntled look on his face and a duffel slung over his shoulder.
"Hi," a chipper, young blonde girl greeted them. "I'm Tess, Tess Granger. You must be my...wedding guests. I've seen pictures, but they don't do you justice. It's so good to finally meet you." The girl jabbered on as she led them to the hotel they'd be staying at.
Harry was the first to interrupt. "Where's Hermione?"
Tess stopped. "She's been busy, ya know, with the wedding. She sort of...isn't aware that you're here."
"What?" Ron stepped in.
"It would seem your invites weren't from Granger," Draco explained smugly.
"Clearly yours wasn't from Flint either," Harry argued.
"I invited you," Tess said, holding up her hands as if to silence them. "I read about you three in her diary, which she doesn't know I have, but that's besides the point. We've lived here my whole life, and Mum doesn't really have that many friends here, so I thought maybe you'd come to my wedding. I've read all about you three - how you defeated Voldemort and made Hogwarts safe again. I admired that. And I'd really like the three of you to be there, just don't tell my mother."
"I had a great Aunt Tessie," Ron declared, a small smile on his face, after a few moments of silence. Tess nodded, and informed them that she was named after a Tess. Draco rolled his eyes, still wondering why he had to be there, what his connection to this girl could possibly be. She started walking again in the direction of the hotel as he lagged behind. She asked Harry and Ron questions about their adventures with Hermione and what they were up to now. Draco noticed that she was the spitting image of her mother - same curly hair, though blonde instead of brown, same twinkling brown eyes, her narrow face came to a point at the chin.
When Harry and Ron checked into their rooms, Tess hung back with him. "You three aren't friends." It wasn't a question.
Draco shook his head. "I'm not even sure they're still friends."
"You and Mum weren't friends, either." Again, not a question.
"We learned to be civil towards one another, better than I did with those two," Draco told her. "May I ask you something? It's rather personal."
"Go ahead."
"You've mentioned your mother, but not your father."
"That isn't a question," Tess responded, rather pointedly.
Draco huffed. "Why haven't you mentioned your father?" He watched the crest-fallen look that captured her beautiful features, and immediately regretted asking the question.
"I don't know my father," she whispered, looking up at him through her eyelashes. "You promise you won't tell my mother about this, right?"
Draco wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Of course not, love."
********
Hermione stood on the balcony looking out over the sea. It was a perfect day and a perfect weekend for a wedding. She'd taken care of all the planning. Now all that was left was to give away her little girl, her life, the only thing that she had left of...well, that wasn't important. All that mattered was Tess. She saw three figures emerge from the door below - one blonde, one redhead, and one with messy black hair.
No.
It couldn't be.
Could it?
Hermione ran down the stairs to catch up with the trio. They were several paces away when the idea dawned on her that it might not be them, just a coincidence. She closed the distance between them and herself before shouting, "Harry?"
The man with the dark hair turned around at the sound of his name. "Hermione!" His voice was full of cheer and surprise for his long lost friend. Then the redhead turned around, followed by the blonde.
"What are you three doing here? And together?" Hermione demanded. Each boy looked to another before answering.
"Work," said Harry.
"Vacation," answered Ron.
"None of your damn business, Granger," was Draco's reply.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at them. "Well, surely you don't have a room here. There's a wedding...for a local girl here, and the hotel has been booked solid."
"I think our room used to serve as a storage cupboard," Ron volunteered, smiling at her. "Harry had flashbacks, I think," he added, hoping to get a laugh out of her.
No such luck. "The three of you, just stay out of my hair," she ordered, turning around to get as far from them as possible.
********
Back and forth she paced in front of Neville and Luna. "Why would they be here? And all together like that? And with the wedding and Tess...and I just can't take this. Them being here, it's too much."
"Do you think they know?" Neville wondered.
"Know what?" asked Luna, just tuning back in.
"No, they couldn't possibly," Hermione mumbled. "I never told them about her."
"Well, then, why would they be here?" Neville asked.
"Does Tess know about them?" This time it was Luna's turn to ask a question.
"How could she?" Hermione wondered. "I've never told her about them."
********
Tess ran after the three men as they made their way to the dock, luggage in hand.
"Where are you going?" she inquired when she reached them. "You promised to stay."
Draco could feel the brown eyes boring a hole through him. For some inexplicable reason he was drawn to the girl, wanted to bend to her every whim. He hadn't felt that since he'd been with Hermione.
Ron was the first to speak. "Hermione didn't seem too happy to see us. In fact, I'm pretty sure she wants us off this island."
Tess sighed. "But you promised me," she reiterated. They wouldn't meet her eyes. Tears pricked at her brown eyes as she could see her plan falling apart. All she wanted was a father. "Draco, please," she implored.
The blonde turned to face her, noticing her anguish. He closed the distance between them, enveloping the girl in his arms. "I'm not going anywhere," he whispered for only Tess to hear.
Harry and Ron watched the exchange with confusion. "What do you reckon is going on?" Ron whispered.
"No idea," Harry replied.
Tess pulled away from Draco. "Harry, could we talk?" she asked. Harry nodded, walking away from Ron and Malfoy with her. "I want to know about you."
"What is it you want to know?"
Tess shrugged. "Everything," she told him. "Are you married? Do you have kids? What do you do for a living?" She rattled off question after question without giving him a chance to answer any of them.
Harry chuckled. "Slow down, slow down. My, you really are Hermione's daughter. I've never been married, though I was close once. Ron's sister and I were engaged, but it didn't work out. No kids, either. I guess you could say I'm married to my work." He continued answering her questions, regaling his years at Hogwarts and the celebrity it brought him, then explaining the last couple decades of his life.
"So now you're working for the Ministry." Harry nodded. "A family man?" He shook his head. "A Quidditch fan?" Harry chuckled. "And your name is Harry."
Tess and Harry watched the waves in silence. "Why did you invite us, Tess?" Harry asked after awhile.
She hadn't actually expected to have to answer that question. With a deep breath, so told him, "I want to know my father."
Tess couldn't bear to see Harry's reaction. She heard the sharp intake of breath, then the sounds of him standing up and pacing. "What do you mean 'know your father'? You don't honestly think I'm your father."
"I was born April 5th, 1999, Harry. One of you three has to be my father."
********
The wedding was tomorrow and Hermione had no idea what to do about the three unexpected guests.
"So, she's your daughter, then," a voice spoke behind her. Hermione didn't need to turn to see who was there.
The back of her hand wiped away another stray tear. "Just go away, Malfoy. I don't really care why you're here, but please just go away."
"She's a sweet girl," he continued, ignoring her request. "I imagine her father must be proud to have a daughter like her."
Hermione turned and stood up to face him. "She hasn't got a father."
Draco scoffed. "Of course she has a father. Don't those muggles teach the, what is that phrase, the bears and the birds?"
"Birds and the bees," Hermione corrected him, "and yes, I know about them. What I don't know is why you're here bothering me the day before my daughter is getting married. Would you like to explain that one to me? I'm all ears."
"I can't believe you're letting her get married," Draco changed the subject. "She's what, 18? I'm far older than that, and I still haven't gotten married."
"Who would marry you?" she mumbled under her breath. Hermione winced as the words left her mouth; Draco couldn't be happy to hear them.
"Touché," he said with a laugh. "But, in all seriousness, Hermione, this wedding can't be a good idea."
"I don't care about your opinion, Malfoy," she snarled. "And stay away from my daughter."
********
Ron walked along the sandy shore as the sun set. He never could picture this as the place where Hermione would choose to spend her life, but he could see why anyone would love it - it was paradise. His reasons for being in paradise were still quite unclear to him, but no protest would be heard from him. As he walked he saw a blur of blonde hair run past him.
"Tess!" he called out. She halted, took a few seconds to compose herself, and turned around. "What's the matter?"
The back of her small hand wiped away tears. "It's nothing. Enjoy the sunset, they're the most beautiful you'll ever see."
Ron called out again as she turned to go back to the hotel, "I had an Aunt Tessie, ya know. Horrible old woman. Smelled like, well, I don't even know what, but it was bad."
Tess moved slightly closer to him so he wouldn't have to shout. "Did my mum know her?"
His red hair flopped against the sides of his head as he shook it. "But she did always say it was a beautiful name for a baby girl. I imagine she was right. Of course, when has Hermione ever not been right?" The last comment got a laugh out of her. Plopping herself down on the sand, Tess looked up at Ron with a silent command to join her. He did, and they sat in silence as the sun dipped into the water, patterns of orange and gold, pink and red playing on the darkening water.
"Ron, are you my father?" she whispered, fearing a reaction similar to Harry's.
"You're 18, right?" Tess nodded. "Then yeah, I think I am."
"Will you...umm...would you do me the honor of...walking me down the aisle?"
Ron's face lit up, only slightly brighter from the sun burn he'd gotten that day. "Blimey, really?"
Tess hesitantly nodded. "It is, after all, the father's job."
********
Draco paced across the porch watching the scene between Tess and Weasley. Some part of him, deep down, felt a pang of jealousy. He wanted Tess to come to him because he knew something with Potter had upset her. It was getting harder and harder for him to look at Tess and not miss what he briefly shared with her mother.
"Oh, hello there, Draco," Tess greeted him with a smile. "Lovely night, isn't it?"
A smile tugged at his lips. Damn this silly little girl for having that effect on him. "And what's so lovely about it, my dear?"
Tess, in her excitement, took hold of Draco's hand. "I think I've found my father."
A sigh of relief escaped his lips. "I think so too," he said, receiving a bewildered look from the young blonde. "I mean to say I think it's me."
Shock engulfed her features, but then it turned to awe. Part of her had hoped that her mother's former enemy, the one she'd made the greatest connection with, would be the one.
"Who's walking you down the aisle tomorrow?" Draco asked, thrill bubbling inside him.
"No one," she lied. "Will you give me away?"
Draco pulled her to himself. "Never will I give you away, but I will escort you to the altar."
********
Harry stood outside a door, adorned with a makeshift "Tess and Jake - Bridal Suite" sign posted to it. He'd finally regrouped and thought about what Tess had told him. It all made sense - the invitation, her age, Hermione's disappearance. Tess couldn't have appeared happier when Harry saw her approach.
"What are you doing here?" a bit of her enthusiasm waning at the sight of him.
"I've thought about it all, what you said, why you invited me here," Harry spoke in a rush. "It all makes sense. I'm your father, that's why you asked me to come, so I could give you away."
Tess nodded mechanically before entering the room. "Good night," she mumbled to Harry, not sharing his enjoyment in the moment. Her body slid down the closed door until she hit the floor. Her head rested against the knees she hugged to her chest. This couldn't be happening. There was no way she had three fathers.
Their words played through her brain on a loop. Ron's hesitant acceptance of having a daughter, Draco's declaration to never give her away, and Harry's belated excitement at the thought of her being his. Tears pricked her eyes, and for not the first time that day, she let them fall. Quickly, she righted herself, stopped the sobs that escaped, and went in search of someone who could help.
She found Jacob sitting at a beach-side bar with a group of boys she recognized from Hogwarts. His sandy-brown hair, which almost matched the color of his tanned skin, blew with the breeze off the water and his laugh was melodious. Tess made her way to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smelled a bit like fire whiskey and ocean water.
"Are you okay?" he asked, noticing the faint tear tracks on her cheeks.
"I need your help," her brown eyes bore into his green imploringly. With a nod, he dismounted the bar stool, pulling Tess to a secluded spot on the beach. Then she told him. Told him how she'd stolen her mother's journal and invited three men who could be her father, how they all declared they were in fact her father, and for the first time, admitted she had no idea what to do.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" His green eyes seemed stormy to Tess.
"Please don't be angry," she pleaded. "Just please, say you'll help me."
Jake sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "Come on, I think my mum might be able to help us."
********
The final touches were in place for the reception. With a wave of her wand, tables were set, napkins folded, the band's equipment set up. All that was left was to get dressed and watch her little girl start a new life with someone else.
"Mummy," an out of breath Tess called. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and lack of sleep. "Will you help me get ready?"
Hermione's eyes watered as she nodded her head. Mother and daughter made their way to the bridal suite. The white dress hung on the post of the full length mirror as Hermione set to work bewitching Tess's hair into perfect curls pulled back with antique combs that had once belonged to Tess's grandmother.
"I have nothing blue," Tess declared in horror. Hermione smiled mischievously at her; another flick of the wand and the carnation behind Tess's ear turned a light shade of blue.
"There, something old, new, borrowed, and blue," Hermione stated.
"Are you mad at me?" the young girl asked, reverting back to a small voice she'd used as a child.
"I just want you to be happy," she whispered to her daughter, arms encircling the young bride. "If Jacob brings you happiness, then that's all I could ever want for you."
"Mum, I have something to tell you," Tess started. Before she could finish though, Luna opened the door to announce it was time for the ceremony to begin.
"Later, love," Hermione ushered her out the door. Within seconds Hermione, Tess, and Luna stood beside a small church that was crammed full of people. Spotting a blonde head a few yards away, Hermione excused herself, asking Luna and Neville to make sure everything and everyone were perfectly in place.
"She looks beautiful, like her mother," Draco commented when he was sure Hermione was in earshot.
"I thought I told you to go home, Malfoy," she spat. "I don't want you here."
He made a swift move to take hold of her wrist, keeping her from leaving him again. "I know what happened that night, you thought it was a mistake," he began. "But it wasn't, not for me at least. I've changed, Hermione, can't you see that?"
Her brown eyes watered with each passing word. "I have to go...give my daughter away now," her voice was shaky, "but maybe later, after, we can talk."
Draco placed a soft kiss on the back of the hand he held. "I'll take it."
Quickly, Hermione dried her eyes and made her way into the church to where Tess waited. She was beaming, bouncing from one foot to the other. "Where have you been?" Tess scolded. "I've been waiting for you."
Hermione embraced her daughter, before taking her hand as the entrance music began to play. Hand in hand they made their way to where Jacob stood in front of the minister. Confusion spread through Hermione as she caught glimpses of Ron's red hair and the familiar features of Harry; she hadn't seen Draco in the crowd though.
"Welcome, welcome all," the minister said after Hermione handed Tess over to Jake. "It's wonderful that you could all be here to celebrate with Tess and Jacob..."
Hermione stood. "And, I'd like to welcome...Tess's father," she said, her voice shaky. Harry and Ron stood from their seats on opposite sides of the church, as Draco moved further in from his hiding spot in the back sanctuary. "Tess, I'm sorry. I hadn't expected them to show up here, and I just..."
"I knew they were here," Tess told her in a hushed tone. "I, well, I invited them."
Hermione, as well as the rest of the congregation, gasped. "I just don't know which one it is," she whispered.
Jacob stepped up to their side. "We...do," he told them. "My mum worked some of her, er, magic, I guess you could say, pardon the pun, and we know which one it is."
All eyes were now on Hermione, Jake, and Tess. "It seems," Tess started, her eyes looking around for her intended target, "that I'm a Malfoy."
"I do believe old Lucius just rolled over in his grave," Jacob joked, eliciting a small giggle only from his fiancée. Tess and Hermione looked to the back of the church just in time to see the door bang shut.
Hermione kissed Tess and then Jacob on the forehead. "I'll be right back," she announced, following Draco outside.
"Why did you never tell me?" Draco yelled, knowing he was being followed. He whirled around to face her. "Eighteen years, Hermione! All this time it felt like there was something stopping me, something preventing me from moving on, getting over you. Why would you keep this from me, from any of us?"
She sucked in a deep breath. "I was ashamed, alright? I was supposed to be someone, do something great. Instead I find out I'm pregnant about five minutes after the Hogwarts diploma is in my hand, and I have no idea who the father is because I was dumb enough to sleep with three different guys. I love Tess, I really do, but this was not the life I envisioned."
Draco turned away from her so that all she could see was black cloak and blonde hair. "It wasn't a burden you should have had to bear alone."
Hermione closed the distance between them, placing a hand on his arm. "Did you mean what you said before, about that night not being a mistake?"
He turned to face her again, his hand instinctively brushing tears away from her cheeks. "We got Tess out of it, didn't we? How could that be a mistake? After all these years, I still love you, Hermione Granger."
A sob caught in her throat as his lips met hers. "How sweet!" the sing-song voice of Luna said. Hermione and Draco broke the kiss, but still held one another. Hermione turned to see their guests watching them make up, fresh tears in her...their daughter's eyes.
Tess broke away from Jacob to meet up with them. "We've decided to wait," she informed them. "Jake and I don't need to be married right now, and plus, there are more important things going on right now." Her brown eyes moved from Draco to Hermione and then back.
"This is what you want?" Hermione asked, hoping her daughter wouldn't regret her decisions.
"I wanted a family," Tess said, "and now I have one. Jake and I can still get married, just not right now."
"Perfectly good wedding going to waste here, Granger," Draco said, cocking an eyebrow. "What do you say? Don't make me live another eighteen years without you by my side."
"You realize you'll have to stop calling me Granger." As she said that, Tess thrust her bouquet into her mother's hands.
"If it means getting to call you Malfoy for the rest of my life, then I can accept that," Draco smiled before placing a chaste kiss on her lips.
I do's were exchanged, rings transfigured from whatever Harry and Ron had in their pockets, and finally Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy were presented. Couples danced, swaying softly to the music that played during the reception. With each clink of a glass, the happy couple would acquiesce their guests with a kiss.
As Jake held Tess in his arms for the final dance of the evening, he sighed deeply.
"We'll have our day," Tess promised, kissing her fiancé. "Mum deserves to be happy."
"We should really tell them," Jake murmured, his hand lightly brushing over her stomach. With that one move he could feel several sets of eyes rest on them.
"I think we'll be telling them now," Tess grumbled. They turned to face their parents. "Mum...Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Flint, we're pregnant."
The End.