September 15th, 2009
It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen
All dressed in white
Going to the church that night
She had his box of letters in the passenger seat
Sixpence in a shoe, something borrowed, something blue
And when the church doors opened up wide
She put her veil down
Trying to hide the tears
Oh she just couldn't believe it
She heard trumpets from the military band
And the flowers fell out of her hand
Hermione Granger sat in the drivers' seat of a shining black Morgan that her father had restored to perfect condition. She was dressed in white from her sheer veil that was scattered with tiny diamonds to the toes of her strappy heels. Her dress was fit for a princess, and it was almost a dream come true that it fit at such late notice. It was snug in the bodice with straps that clung to the edge of her shoulders and a tulle skirt whose hem just skimmed the floor. Her lips were her natural pinkish-red with a hint of gloss and her eyes were highlighted with shimmering silver shadow.
She drove as carefully as possible as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek. In the passenger seat sat an old hat box that was filled with letters from her boyfriend—fiancé. Each letter but one told of his love for her; the one that didn't came in an official ministry envelope and had once been sealed with the Malfoy crest.
Dearest Hermione,
You know that my faith both for you and in you has never faltered in the time that we've spent together, so I have faith that you will make it through this. I have been drafted into the Army of the Light. The war is enclosing on our home and I must protect you and my family, no matter where their allegiances lie. I wish nothing but happiness for both of us, so I ask you, beg you to be my wife. It would mean everything in the world to me if you said yes.
Your pleading darling,
Draco A. Malfoy.
She read it one last time before she left the car. She held her dress up so that it wouldn't get wet on the rain-covered ground and ran across the street to the church. Trumpets rang out as she began her arduous procession. By the time she was a third of the way down the aisle she was sobbing in her father's arms. The music abruptly ended when she dropped her bouquet. Her father gave her a tight hug, and then reached down to pick the flowers up.
"He'll be fine, sweet pea," he whispered in her ear, "but you've got to get down that aisle and tell him that you love him."
Hermione nodded and continued her trek toward the alter. She looked into Draco's crystal eyes and knew that this was exactly where she was meant to be.
March 13, 2010
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Hermione Granger sat in the passenger seat of a shiny black Morgan. She was dressed in black from her ebony mourning veil to her strappy heals. Her dress was loose fitting and grazed the top of her knee. Her father looked over to her from the drivers' seat and shook his head. He should have warned her that marrying Draco could be the best of worst moment of her life. It was the happiest moment of her life for two months, but on November 18th Hermione discovered an even greater love than what she had for Draco: the love for their unborn child. The worst moment of her life came four months later: on March 10th she received yet another letter from the ministry. It was not closed with a beautiful seal.
Mrs. Hermione Granger-Malfoy,
I regret to inform you that you husband, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, was killed in combat. His personal effects and wand will be sent to you post-haste.
Our Sincerest Apologies,
The Ministry of Magic
Hermione was sobbing as she walked into the church. Her belly, which she held protectively, was now protruding significantly from her once slender form.
The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray
Lord please lift his soul, and heal this hurt
Then the congregation all stood up and sang
The saddest song that she ever heard
Then they handed her a folded up flag
And she held on to all she had left of him
Oh, and what could have been
And then the guns rang one last shot
And it felt like a bullet in her heart
September 15th, 2019
Midnight
"IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!" Abraxa Malfoy shouted over the incessant bleeping of her alarm clock. She then hit the off button on her clock, placed a glittering blue tiara on her head, then laid back down and returned to sleep.
Abraxa Loraine Malfoy was the most beautifully quirky child in the world. She had nearly-white blonde hair that twisted in spirals to her waist, berry-pink lips, and sparkling grey-blue eyes that were a little too big for her face.
At nine o'clock she woke up again. Hermione opened to door to Abraxa's room to see if she looked any different now that she was eight; she didn't. She still looked exactly like her Draco.
"Mummy?"
"Hmm?"
"Why do I have a dead daddy?"
Hermione froze. She always knew the day would come when she'd have to answer that question, but she didn't expect it to be so blunt.
"Your daddy died to make the world a safe place for you."
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
Oh, now I'll never know
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream