Part 18 to 'Someone To Turn To'
Hermione and Ron just had sex in the other room. They talked a bit until someone started banging on the door looking for Ron. They both exited to room at different times so no one can suspect them. They still needed to talk about things. Ron just had sex on his wedding day….and not with his bride but with the love of his life, Hermione. Hermione stood around for a bit after fixing herself up.
"Hermione! Where were you?!" Ginny said running to Hermione with open arms obviously just a tad bit tipsy. Hermione just giggled and took a sip of some martini. Ginny started to dance the tango with Hermione making her feel a bit embarrassed. Ginny let her go and she went to party. Hermione often stole glances at Ron from across the room and he shot her a loving smile. They couldn't talk in front of everyone because of what happened at his wedding. They would defiantly know that he was still in love with Hermione. She just decided to leave now. Things couldn't get better or worse…although, she was confused about what was gonna happen between her and Ron. There was no point saying bye to Harry or Ginny because they were drunkenly making out in the corner. She grabbed her jacket and she was making her way out. Outside was a bit humid and clammy from the rain earlier. It was 12 at night and it was time to go home. She heard the door open and close behind her and someone grabbed her hand and she was pulled into the body of Ron's.
"Ron…" she giggled and he kissed her deeply. When they broke the kiss, she let out a dreamy sigh and smiled up at him.
"I'm glad you came tonight. It meant a lot to me." he said moving a stray hair from her face and caressing her cheek.
"I know me too but…what now? Like…you're married now, Ronald. I came for closure and now….I-I….I'm just so confused and….I don't know what's to become of us." she said looking up at him. He rubbed her forehead with his thumb and kissed it.
"Hermione….its always been you. I know I couldn't get over the whole…Malfoy thing but….now I just realized that I love you too much to have that overwhelm me." he whispered to her. She sighed with her eyes glazing over. It was just the words she wanted to hear. He smiled at her and kissed her again. "When will I see you again?" he asked hugging her rubbing her back up and down.
"I don't know. You have your honeymoon and I have work…" she said and he inhaled her hair.
"I'm gonna come back for you, Hermione." he said cupping her face. She looked into his eyes and he kissed her again. His tongue slipped into her mouth and massaged her tongue. She sucked on his lip a bit and they broke the kiss and he looked down at her. "I love you." he whispered and she smiled at him.
"I love you too." she said back to him. He waved down a cab for her and he paid for the fare up front and she was on her way home.
- - -
Hermione woke up the next day in her bed as happy as can be. Her mother was asleep on her sofa and her baby was sound asleep in her bed. She got up and she brushed her teeth before throwing on a robe and throwing her hair in a sloppy bun listening to her mother cook breakfast in the kitchen.
"Morning, sweetheart." her mother said with a smile.
"Gooood morning, mum!" Hermione said in a sing song tone. Her mother made a double take of her daughter about her attitude.
"Wow. The wedding must have been that much of a disaster. Are you ok, oh dear daughter of mine?" her mother asked sarcastically making a joke and Hermione just laughed.
"I went….well…I'm glad I went." she said not wanting to go into details with her mother. Hermione heard Nathaniel crying and she went to his room. She walked up to his crib and she saw his face red and he was bawling. "Oh, my baby. Come here." Hermione cooed him as she picked him up and calmed down in the arms of his mother. She heated up a bottle in the microwave and fed him.
"So what time do you have to be at work?" Hermione's mother asked.
"Ummm…at 10:30…on the 15th." Hermione said.
"Oh, right!" her mother giggled. She forgot she was still on maternity leave. Hermiones maternity leave would end when Ron gets back from his honeymoon with Lavender. Ugh….his honeymoon. So many things were left open that night. Hermione didn't know what to think, do or say about the whole thing. She was so confused.
"Do you want me to watch Nathaniel today? Maybe you have some stuff to do?" Hermione's mother asked while taking a bite of her sausage.
"No, I'm just gonna take him out shopping. He's starting to grow out of his clothes so mama has to get him more." she said in a baby voice looking down at him and he smiled with his big blue eyes. He never ceased to make Hermione smile. He was just such an adorable baby.
- - -
Hermione rocked Nathaniel in his chair. It was bedtime now and she was feeding him. He woke up at about 11 that night so she tended to him. She drowsily fed him while rocking in her chair. She hummed a soft tone and Nathaniel fell right asleep. She got up and put him in his crib and she went back to her bed. As she got settled the phone started to ring.
"Ugh…" Hermione groaned as she reached over to answer it because the ringing was so annoying. "Hello?" she answered in a sleepy tone.
"I miss you." she heard on the other end.
"Ron? What are you doing calling here? Aren't you suppose to be on your honeymoon?" Hermione said now leaning on one arm with her pillow under her chest for support.
"Well…. you're not here for me to enjoy it." he said and she giggled. She couldn't believe he actually called her. Silence fell between them for a second as Hermione searched for something to say. "I know you were probably sleeping but, I just needed to hear your voice." Ron said and Hermione smiled.
"Isn't Lavender there?" Hermione asked and Ron chuckled.
"Yeah, she's behind me watching the telly. She thinks I'm talking to my sister, right sis?" Ron said the last part out loud and Hermione giggled again.
"You are something Ron…but…that night really meant a lot to me. I mean…I feel really bad but…." Hermione said and Ron sighed.
"Hermione….I really do love you….and I love Nathaniel. I don't know what I'm going to do now but…it will all come out good in the end." Ron said and Hermione let out a sigh of relief. Hermione heard Lavender say something in the background and Ron groaned. "I should go though. I just wanted to call to say hi and….that I really miss you." he said and Hermione stretched while smiling.
"I miss and love you too." Hermione said softly. Ron stood silent for a bit and he sighed.
"Ok, well, let me go to the ball of my chain." he said and Hermione just laughed. They said their goodbyes and hung up. Hermione laid back in bed and let out a dreamy sigh. How can she get back to sleep now? The sound of Ron's voice made her heart flutter. Anything can happen now though. He was still married and he could change his mind. Hermione didn't get her hopes up at all but there was still hope…and with that, she fell sound asleep.
- - -
Draco stood outside the door of Hermione Grangers apartment. With him were his Death Eater security.
"If you hear anything suspicious inside, I expect you all to be in there no less than 10 seconds. If I'm not out by 10 minutes…it means all has gone as planned and I've taken her to the fortress." Draco said. "I want you pacing this door, another down the hall and the others surrounding the building." he whispered and the cloaked person nodded and spread the word while walking off. Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it to the doorknob. This was it. "Alohamora." he whispered unlocking the door. The door creaked open and he put a silencing charm on the door so it was quieter. He closed the door behind him after entering and he looked around.
There were pictures everywhere of her Hogwarts friends. The clock can be heard ticking from the kitchen and it was dark. "Lumos." Draco whispered lighting the end of his wand. He saw that this apartment looked like a typical muggle apartment. Now, it was time to search for her. He walked down the hall and he approached the first door. He opened it up and he saw it was the bathroom. He looked at the door across from it and saw it was cracked open. He slowly pushed the door open and he saw a bed inside with a lump in it. He looked a bit closer and he saw her head. She was sleeping soundly with her hand next to her face. He slowly entered the room and a floor board creaked and he stopped in his tracks. Hermione stirred a bit in her bed and she let out a small sigh and he continued to get closer to her. The moon shined on her face from the window and she looked so beautiful. Draco was then startled from a sound in the other room. He ignored it at first but the sound was a bit louder this time. Afraid that she would completely wake, he made his way back out the room. He walked backwards keeping an eye on her and he pointed his wand to the other room. It was cracked open also. He slowly pushed open the door making his wand enter the room first. He saw the window was open in this room and the curtains were blowing in the wind and he can hear the wind whistling. He made his way more into the room and he saw a crib in the corner. The wind was blowing the mobile above the crib and that what was making the sound. Draco lowered his wand seeing that it wasn't a threat. How can he kill a mother? Hermione was a mother and he didn't even know it. This just made the job harder to accomplish. He heard a soft groan from inside the crib just as he was about to leave. He went up to the crib and he heard the baby whimpering a bit.
"Hello?" Draco said softly. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want the baby to cry and wake Hermione up. He picked up the baby and walked around with it so it wouldn't cry more. When he carried the baby near the window to get a good look at it, his heart froze. The moon shined on the baby showing his every feature. He studied the baby and he shook his head in disbelief. "It cannot be." he whispered. The resemblance was uncanny. It was like he was staring at a baby picture of his. This baby had his same exact hair and he looked into the same eyes as his. This cannot be his. The baby looked up at Draco's eyes and he shuddered at this. "Hi." Draco said stunned and wide eyed. The baby make a pouty face and he started to bawl loudly now. "Shit…" Draco panicked trying to get the baby to get quiet. He couldn't put the baby down or cover his mouth. He started to panic now.
"Put….him….down!" he heard the voice of Hermione Granger. "Now!" she said with he wand pointed towards him. Her hand holding the wand was shaking and she looked at Draco absolutely stunned. Draco slowly put the baby down in the crib and Hermione was terrified. What was he doing there? She needed to tend to her crying baby though. Right when she took her eyes off of Draco to see her baby, he yanked her wand from her hand and he pointed towards her throat lightly pushing her against the wall covering her mouth. "Hel- Mmm! Mmmmm!" she groaned trying to scream but it was muffled.
"Listen to me…there are Death Eaters surrounding this apartment. If you scream they will come in here and kill you. I need you to stop screaming. You have to be quiet!" Draco informed in a loud whisper and she started to breathe hard trying to struggle from his grip as she whimpered a bit. Hermione calmed down when he informed her and she looked at him. He had a bit of sweat that started to form on his forehead. "I'm gonna let you go, but you cannot scream." he whispered into her ear. Hermione nodded and he let her go. Right when he did, Hermione ran to her son and picked him up.
"Don't you touch him." she hissed at Draco. "What do you want? How did you get here?" she asked trying to get to the door. "I know why you are here." she stared at him trying to make sure he wasn't going to do any abrupt moves. Draco was just still at a loss for words.
"Look, I'm not going to hurt you." he had his hands up I in a non-threatening gesture and tried to get closer to her but she threw a toy at him and she quickly ran out of the room with her baby in hands.
"Hermione! Hermione!" Draco whispered loudly trying to get her attention and he ran after her after tripping over the rocking chair. She was approaching the front door but he lightly pulled her back as not to injure the baby. "You can't go out that way! There is one guarding the door! Trust me! Just listen to me!" he said shaking her lightly and she started to cry trying to get out. She knew what he was there for. He fooled her once and she wasn't gonna have it again. She needed to protect her baby. "I'm not going to hurt you!" he whispered loudly and she shuddered with her baby in hand. "Please….let me help. I just….I want to talk to you." he pleaded her. He needed to get this all straightened out. If this baby was his...his whole objective would change. Hermione looked into his eyes. She saw these eyes every day….they were her sons. Nathaniel cooed a bit and Hermione held him close. "Ok?" Dracos breath quivered a bit while touching her shoulder and she moved away from his touch scared of him. She was helpless now. She can only do what he says now. She couldnt take that chance in going out there risking her life or the life of her son because she was being stubborn. Draco could be lying or he could be telling the truth. It was safer inside either way. She slowly made her way to the sofa and she sat down. This was so unbelievable. She hasn't seen Draco since the last day of school when he tried to kill and rape her. She sat at the end of the sofa protecting her son. She didn't know what to do or say. She looked at Draco and she saw compassion in his eyes. She felt hate…love….so many emotions. Seeing Draco right here right now just made her scared and confused. She didn't know what he wanted from her. Draco just stared at Nathaniel obviously wanting to know.
"Its ok, baby." Hermione whispered to Nathaniel who was rubbing his eyes and was a bit agitated. Hermione's heart pounded and her hands shook. Draco was sitting right there next to her. Her worst enemy and her lover. Silence fell upon them. Draco scooted closer to Hermione and she turned her body uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't trust him still. It was 2 in the morning and she was tired and nervous. Draco can see the fright in her eyes.
"I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to…." he stopped and looked at Nathaniel. Hermione sniffed and she ran a finger down Nathaniel's cheek. "Is he……Is he?…." Draco asked looking at him. Hermione looked at Draco and she nodded softly confessing.
"His name is Nathaniel." she said softly still scared.
"He's a boy?" Draco asked softly and Hermione didn't answer. She just looked around hoping that Draco would just go away or that she would wake up from all this hoping it was just a dream. Draco went to touch his baby and Hermione just pulled him away. "I'm not going to hurt him, Hermione. I promise." he said and Hermione just cried a bit. She didn't want anything to happen and she was just so scared. The father of her child was right there next to her and she didn't expect to see him ever again.
"Cant you just leave us alone?" Hermione asked while crying. She didn't want him there. Well, she did but…she didn't know how much it would overwhelm her.
"No…I won't. I had no clue about this, Hermione. I can't believe this." he said sighing deeply. He looked at Hermione and then at the baby. "Can I?" he asked holding out his hands. Hermione looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. How can he let him handle her son? He was out to kill her and she was gonna let him hold him? Yeah right.
"Draco, no. He's mine." she hissed a bit and he looked at her with disbelief.
"I had no clue about all of this. If I would've know sooner then…I would've….I would've…." he said looking around and Hermione held her son closer and he tried to find something to say but obviously nothing would change her mind. He looked at her with a pleading look and she just looked down. "I'm sorry…there's nothing more that I can say. I didn't know. I've been fighting with myself about my feelings for you for the longest and…now to find out that….I have a son….and with you." he said looking into her eyes. Hermione looked back into his. "You know me." he scooted closer. "I can't hurt you." he said running his hand down her arm and the touch sent shivers down her arm. She was fighting with herself about Draco. She couldn't stop thinking of him either. She couldn't deny her feelings for him either. He was there in the flesh next to her after all these months of wondering. Draco couldn't take it anymore. "Hermione…" he said making a quick movement to cup her face in his hands. It was the only way to get her comfortable with him. "I apologize…for everything I have put you through and how I've hurt you. I was appointed to this task because I had to do it. But I wasn't looking for you to kill you any more than I was looking for you to actually see you again." he said and she cried looking into his eyes. "This isn't Hogwarts anymore." he said and she looked down looking at her son. He looked down and Nathaniel was fussing a bit while rubbing his eyes. Draco looked down at his son and then back at Hermione. Hermione knew.
"Here….your son." she said softly as she passed Nathaniel to him. Draco looked down at him and took him in his arms. It took time for him to get adjusted to holding him but he got used to it quickly. Hermione sat back as Draco looked down at his son and Nathaniel took his fathers finger into his fist.
"Wow…" Draco said smiling. He looked as if he was about to cry. "I can't believe this." Draco said running a finger over Nathaniel's facial features. "He's so tiny." he said furrowing his eyebrows as if he's never seen a baby before.
"He's…..he's gonna be two months old in another week." Hermione said rubbing the back of her neck nervously and Draco just didn't take his eyes off his son.
"He's perfect." he said softly. Hermione can see him counting his toes and fingers' making sure everything was in line. It was just so weird. Draco was there holding his son. She was still scared but Draco handled Nathaniel so delicately as if a small move can break him. Her hands covered her mouth in awe seeing her son and his father together for the first time. "Hi….I'm…your father." Draco said trying to adjust to his new son. This brought more tears to Hermione's eyes. Draco's task was out of his mind. All he can think of now was his son and how he was gonna handle this sudden miracle.