The Promise
Chapter 1: Promises and Passings
December 26, 2007 – 11:43 a.m.
The solarium was warm despite the fresh snowfall on the ground. The Christmas tree twinkled in the far corner, providing a further sense of warmth and cheer, and the lights Astoria had insisted on hanging in low, slightly askew strings blazed under the dark snow clouds beyond the glass ceiling. The whole effect made Hermione feel as if she were in some kind of festive children's clubhouse rather than in an heiress' primary entertaining space.
She supposed that had been Astoria's intent. She wanted Scorpius to remember the holiday as a fun one, filled with magic of a different sort. Of family and hugs, giggles and fairy lights.
She watched Astoria lean forward out of her old-fashioned wheelchair to refill her cup of tea. It was a good day for Astoria. She was cheerful, had good amounts of energy, and was refusing the pain potions Hermione had brought along to the unexpected invitation for a Boxing Day luncheon.
Astoria's gaze was fixed on the spectacle outside of the solarium windows, where six-year-old Scorpius was struggling to decide if he'd rather ride his new toy broom, drive in the children's monster truck that Hermione had bought him for Christmas, or fling snowballs at his father.
Hermione chuckled as she watched Draco take charge by sitting, comically folded, in the monster truck. He started to chase Scorpius through the snow, and the little boy's shrill laughter could be heard clearly through the glass. She turned to Astoria. "There's something I never thought I'd see. Draco Malfoy driving a Muggle children's toy. Honestly."
Astoria snorted at Hermione's attempt at posh disdain. "Me either. But it suits him, I think."
"I think so, too."
The two women sat in silence again, watching as Scorpius hopped on his broom to throw snowballs at Draco from the air as if they were tiny, soft Bludgers.
Astoria tore her eyes away and fixed them on her friend, instead. "Hermione?"
"Hm?"
"I'm afraid I need to ask a rather large favor of you. A rather important favor." Her voice was just as casual as always, with that tone that said she assumed the answer would be yes.
Hermione loved that about her, but right now it made her feel hesitant. "Ask away," she prompted, though it sounded more like a question.
The other woman wrapped herself more tightly in her blanket, glanced out the window one more time, and then leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. Suddenly all aristocratic airs were gone, replaced by a quiet determination Hermione was familiar with. It made Hermione want to run in the other direction, or to place her fingers in her ears and sing "God Save the Queen" at the top of her lungs.
"Take care of him for me."
The request wasn't entirely unexpected. She and Astoria had worked together for years at St. Mungo's before Hermione had joined the Aurors as a field medic, where she'd been sent to join Draco's team. Astoria liked to joke that her husband had gone and stolen her work wife. But it was more than just working together. She'd grown just as close to Astoria as she was with Ginny. Hermione had performed her first exam when she'd fallen pregnant with Scorpius. She'd babysat him far more often than his Aunt Daphne ever had, and loved him just the same as she loved Harry and Ron's children.
She and Draco had already talked it over at work multiple times at Astoria's urging. Scorp needed some stability. Hermione had come for Sunday lunch nearly every weekend since he'd been born. She always went to Wednesday playdates at the Potter's, often times minding all of the children so that their parents could have some time to themselves. Some nights, Draco would bring Scorp along to Hermione's if they had to work late.
"I thought Draco had talked to you about this," she sighed. "I'll be here for Scorp, Astoria. I'll do everything I can to make things as normal for him as possible. I promise."
Astoria bit her lip and gave her a half smile. "Oh, I'm not worried about Scorpius. I mean… yes, I am, but I know he'll be alright. He'll be very well loved, I have no doubt of it." She looked outside again, watching as Draco snatched Scorpius from the air and wrestled him into the snow. "I need you to take care of Draco for me."
Hermione waved her hand around in the air. "I'll make sure he's doing alright, too. I'll make sure he's eating, and I won't let him do anything stupid at work. You know that already." They'd joked about this not long ago, when joking was the only thing that could get Astoria to stay positive during her treatments. It wasn't funny anymore. Not now that it was reality instead of a future neither of them could believe would come true.
"I need you to take care of him for me. Not like a work wife, this time. Like… like an actual wife."
Hermione froze, her teacup hitting her saucer with a completely inappropriate amount of clatter. "Tori, you can't joke about things like this. It's not funny anymore, alright?"
"You're right, it's not funny. And I'm not joking. Just hear me out, Hermione. Okay?" Astoria reached forward across the tea table and grabbed Hermione's hands; despite her energy, her skin was still like ice. "He trusts you. More than anyone but me." Hermione started to protest, but Astoria shook her head. "No, I'm serious. You're the one he goes to, even before Blaise and Theo. You've saved him from Azkaban, you've saved him in the field, and you've done your best to save me. You're our best friend."
Tears started to form in her friend's eyes, and this more than anything convinced Hermione that she wasn't kidding around. Astoria never cried. Not when the Healers told her that they couldn't do anything further to stop the curse. Not when Draco had broken down at the news. Never. "He loves me with all he is. I know this is going to break him," Astoria admitted. "I can't stand the thought of him being alone. You know him, he's going to shut down. He's not going to let anyone else in."
Secretly, Hermione agreed with this assessment. Draco Malfoy was forever trying to atone, and he'd view Astoria's death as something he deserved. He wouldn't try to move forward. Not without prompting. "This is crazy, Tori."
"No. It's not. Everyone always says it – if it weren't for me, he'd be with you. You're both too smart for your own good. You read all the same books. You've got similar interests. When you're in the field you work like you're one person." She was fierce now, and it gave Hermione pause. Did people really think that? "I've got to leave them, Hermione. I don't have a choice. I'd stay forever if I could, but I can't. I need to make sure my family is looked after. You're already a part of it. I know you think I sound crazy, but I don't want my husband to be miserable. You're alone, and he'll be alone. It just makes sense." Everything grew quiet again, but for the sound of Draco and Scorpius yelling across the yard at one another. Then Astoria murmured, "And I'd rather him be with someone I approve of than someone his mother would pick out for him. Someone who will be a good mother to my son. Someone who won't try to erase me."
There it was, Hermione thought. That little kernel of insecurity was something she could understand. "Tori, he would never, ever allow anyone to erase you."
"I know, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't try."
"But he wouldn't let that happen."
"I'd still be more comfortable if I knew… if I thought it was you with him." Astoria wiped her eyes, refusing to let her tears spill over. "It's my dying wish, Hermione."
"That's not fair," Hermione whispered, her own eyes clouding over.
"I know. But I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it would make you happy, too."
Hermione buried her face in her hands, refusing to let herself start. She would not spend her remaining time with her friend in tears. "Does Draco get any say in this?"
"Not particularly, no." The two women couldn't help chuckling at Tori's smug tone. She rose out of her wheelchair and took a few slow steps around the table to sit next to Hermione on the couch.
"I can't promise you anything," Hermione insisted. "It's his life. I'm not going to plot and scheme to ease your mind. Not even with these circumstances. That's not me." She wrapped her arms around her friend, guilt flooding through her.
"All I ask is that you promise to be there for him," Astoria whispered, squeezing her tight. "If you fall in love with someone else tomorrow, then follow your heart. But if there's no one else, and if it happens naturally… well, then you know it was what I wanted to happen. I want both of you happy."
Hermione took a shuddering breath, pressing her face into the blanket around Astoria's shoulders as she hugged her. "I solemnly swear that I'll be there for him, Tori. I won't let him grieve alone I promise."
Astoria pulled back with a smile on her face. "Thank you."
"Don't ever pull the 'dying wish' card on me again," Hermione choked out, dabbing fiercely at her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater.
"Don't worry, it's single-use only, that card."
"It isn't funny, Astoria."
Tori raised an eyebrow at her cockily as the door to the solarium swung open. "That was absolutely funny, darling, don't pretend otherwise." She then turned away and gave a smile as bright as the fairy lights above her as Scorpius skipped into the room, flinging his jacket off and leaving a trail of snow in his wake. Draco's light-hearted chuckle filled the space as he followed, much less messily, and sat in the well-worn leather armchair nearest Astoria's wheelchair.
Usually Hermione loved to hear his laugh, but the sound made her stomach feel heavy and full of ice.
Draco's shrewd gray eyes flicked first to his son, who was treating his mother like a playground ladder, and then to Hermione. "Everything alright, ladies?" he inquired. He'd already switched his gaze back to Astoria and was reaching to pull Scorpius off her.
Astoria waved him back. "All fine," she said in her cheeriest of tones. She managed to get her arms around the little boy and pin him to her lap, making him laugh as she peppered his blond head with kisses.
"Granger looks as if she's just encountered an acromantula," Draco noted. Hermione appreciated his blunt attitude most of the time, but not right now. Not about this.
"She's going to be just fine, Draco." Astoria gave Hermione that look. The one she usually used at Ministry parties when she needed saving from a particularly unpleasant conversion, or when a patient had become too handsy back in the triage ward at St. Mungo's. "Aren't you, Hermione?"
She resisted the urge to glare at Astoria, noting her friend's tight grip on Scorpius' little body, the way her free hand found Draco's and squeezed. The plaintive look in her eyes as she gripped the two most important people in her life.
"Yes, yes," she said softly, her eyes never leaving Tori's. "Just fine."
December 28, 2007 – 2:14 a.m.
Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap.
The wind wailed outside as Hermione scrubbed a hand down her face. A glance at her iHome's clockface told her it was early – much earlier than she usually woke up, these days. She thought it must be the storm, the rain against her window pane causing her to wake so suddenly. But then it came again, that rhythmic tap, tap, tap against the glass, like a polite door knock. Too rhythmic to be rain.
Her stomach dropped when she saw Draco's owl fluttering in the gale just outside of her room.
She flung the window open, not caring as the wind tossed cold raindrops every which way. The bird rushed inside and flew to the empty perch in the corner, ruffling her feathers and looking disgruntled. She offered her foot to Hermione.
The letter had her name on it in familiar handwriting. She ripped the envelope open, her usually steady hands shaking.
Granger,
Tori's gone. She began seizing just after eleven this evening. I called the Healers, but there wasn't anything they could do. She passed shortly before midnight.
Draco
December 31, 2007 – 4:00 p.m.
She didn't stand with Draco during the service, even though he'd asked her to. It felt inappropriate, despite Tori's voice in her head saying "be there for him" over and over, and despite how shattered he looked.
He'd looked that way since she'd arrived shortly after four the morning Astoria died. He'd sat with her body for hours, just holding her hand. It had only gotten worse when Narcissa announced that Scorpius was awake. He'd insisted on telling him alone. The little boy's wails of "I didn't get to say goodbye" echoed through the halls. Hermione didn't think she'd ever forget that sound, and she couldn't imagine how Draco had managed to get through it.
She kept to the back of the crowd amidst their old coworkers from St. Mungo's. Joined Ginny and Harry in the procession when it was time to leave a flower on the casket. Clenched her hands at the sound of Scorpius' tears, and still tighter when Draco's voice broke as he tried to comfort his son. Bit her cheek hard enough to bleed when the casket was sealed and lowered into the ground.
She, Harry, Ginny and Blaise stood about 100 yards from the grave site near a copse of trees, staying a respectful distance away during the final proceedings. Blaise nudged her shoulders as they watched the Greengrass' release their handfuls of dirt.
"I had a letter from Tori before she died," he murmured, turning his bottle green gaze on her.
"Did she ask anything of you?" Hermione asked, her tone only slightly bitter. The Greengrass' and Narcissa had broken away, leaving Draco and Scorpius alone beside Astoria's grave.
He nodded, his hands moving toward his pockets instinctively. She recognized the searching motion from many evenings spent hiding on the smoking balcony at Ministry functions or playing croquet on the lawns of Malfoy Manor. Would have also loved the indulgence of a cigarette if they were anywhere else. "Asked me to keep an eye on Draco, and on you. And to meddle when the time was right, if you weren't keeping your promise."
She wished she could smile. "Scheming and plotting, until the last. That sounds like Astoria."
"Yes. She's passed that mantle to me."
They watched Draco raise his wand to perform that last horrible act expected at wizarding funerals. She'd watched Arthur Weasley placing the earth over Fred's body, watched Andromeda do the same for Tonks. She'd watched this happen at every funeral nine long years ago, and had been haunted by it each and every time. She could see that it was already haunting Draco just by the look on his face as he froze, his wand in the air and his eyes trained on Scorpius' face. "Go and help him, Blaise."
"That's not the way it's done," he replied, but his protestation was half-hearted at best, and his hand was already reaching into his coat to retrieve his wand.
"Go and help him. Now."
Harry caught Hermione's eye and nodded, following closely behind Blaise as they jogged back toward the grave. She was pleased to see that Astoria's sister, Daphne, and her husband Theodore Nott had broken away from the rest of the family and started to walk back to the grave as well. Pleased to see that Daphne was disregarding her father's protests just as surely as Astoria would have.
"Let's go and collect Scorp," Ginny whispered, tugging at Hermione's arm. "He's too little to have to remember this part, no matter what his grandparents think."
They approached the small group of close friends and family now gathering around the grave site. She thought that it was okay to comfort him now that there were only familiar eyes watching. As Ginny gathered Scorpius into her arms, Hermione stood next to Draco, watching his face as he stared down at the casket.
"I don't think I can do this," he admitted in a whisper. "Granger, I–"
She put her hand on his forearm, gave it a small squeeze. "We're all here to help you."
His eyes widened and he glanced quickly around, seeming to only just become aware of the group of people surrounding him. "But that's not how it's done."
"Since when did Tori ever care about how things are done?" Daphne stepped forward, purposefully blocking his view of their disapproving parents across the clearing. "When you're ready, we'll do it together. Take all the time you need."
Draco nodded, cleared his throat, and reached to take Scorpius from Ginny's arms as the others walked away a few paces to give him space.
"Scorp… it's time to say goodbye to Mummy now, sport." Hermione hated the way his voice cracked. Hated the way her heart broke into splinters as she listened to Scorpius telling his mother he loved her, and that he'd do like she said and never forget that she loved him, too. She kept her tears in, tried to keep a steady face for Draco as he picked the little boy up and turned toward her, his hands shaking.
"Can you take him home?" he pleaded.
She nodded, accepting Scorpius' weight as Draco passed him to her. She turned away immediately, because she didn't want Draco to see the tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. She didn't want to help move the earth to cover her friend's body, her friend who had loved the sun. Instead, she marched Scorpius straight past his grandparents and up the little hill to the cemetery gate, humming the boy's favorite lullaby to comfort him.
When they reached the gate, she felt him tug on her dress and slowed. "Hermione?"
"Mmhmm?" She set him down and knelt beside him, straightening his little tie.
"Can we come back here to visit Mummy?" he asked. "Or is this place just for people who are dead?"
He was curious like his mother and blunt like his father, and Hermione gave him a sad smile. "It's for people who are dead, yes, but it's also for living people. It's a place where we can come to remember the people who aren't here anymore. We can visit Mummy whenever you want to." They looked over their shoulders at the group of people below.
"Is Daddy going to come home soon?"
She nodded. "As soon as he's said goodbye to Mummy, I'm sure the next thing he'll do is come straight back to where you are," Hermione told him, brushing the tears from his little cheeks. She gripped his hand tightly. "Are you ready to Apparate?"
The little boy looked back at the grave, where his father was looking up, watching and waiting for them to vanish. "I love you, Mummy," he whispered. Then he glanced up at Hermione. "Do you think she can hear me?"
She nodded again, unable to smile this time. "Absolutely. I think she'll be listening whenever you want to talk to her. Anytime, anywhere."
He nodded once and pulled his eyes away from where his mother rested. "Okay. Let's go home."
December 31, 2007 – 7:20 p.m.
The Christmas tree still stood in the solarium, just as it had days ago when Astoria had summoned her for lunch. She stared at it as she held a now sleeping Scorpius. Hoped he remembered a happy time when they'd decorated that tree much more clearly than he would remember today's events.
The door from the main house shut behind her, and she turned to watch as Draco walked into the room, slumping down into his armchair near the tea table.
"Has everyone gone, then?" she asked, careful not to wake the sleeping boy in her arms.
"Most of them. Potter and Ginny offered to take Scorp home for the night. Said it would be good for him to have some playmates to distract him." He dragged a hand down over his face.
"You don't have to say yes if you're more comfortable having him at home."
He shook his head. "No. Ginny's right, it'll be better for him to have some time away from all this." He waved his hand at the door. "This place feels empty without her."
"She always did know how to fill a room," Hermione said softly, trying to lift his spirits.
She was rewarded with a smile, a brief break in his grief. "Yeah. That she did."
They sat silently for a time, comforted by the quiet space and Astoria's wildly strung fair lights overhead.
When Scorpius began to fidget, Hermione stood up. "I'll go get him into pajamas and take him to Ginny and Harry's." Draco nodded, his eyes closed. "Do you need anything before we go?"
"I'll be alright," he said softly, reaching out to ruffle his son's hair. She didn't believe that statement for one second. "Thanks for being there for him today, Granger. For us."
"Of course." She hesitated. "Do you want me to come back tonight? I can help clean up…" He was already shaking his head no.
"Go to Potter's. Blaise will stay, if I need help. You've already helped plenty today."
Astoria's voice was ringing in her head again. But now was not the right time to be there for him. Now was the time to give him privacy and the space to grieve.
December 31, 2007 – 11:52 p.m.
She tucked Scorpius in next to Albus and Rose, and was reminded strongly of a litter of puppies. The drawing room was full of sleeping children, their limbs reaching every which way.
She pulled the door shut behind her, leaving it cracked for the little ones who still feared the dark, and then returned to the back garden. Weasleys were everywhere, along with Andromeda and Fleur's parents. She was happy to see everyone so relaxed, and amused that Teddy and Victoire were still determined to make it to midnight and celebrate with the adults.
Even so, she didn't feel much like celebrating. Didn't like to think of Draco alone in the manor's carriage house, or about her friend alone and cold in the earth. Just last year, Astoria had insisted on doing shots at midnight. Just last year, she'd been whole and healthy…
Harry approached her with a glass of champagne, and she took it eagerly, watching as Ron put up a countdown clock with his wand across the yard.
She took a large sip of the sharp liquid and stared at the clock. 15 seconds.
"To Astoria?" Harry asked, raising his own glass in the air.
She nodded. "To Astoria." They waited until the clock hit zero, and as George's confetti blast boxes peppered the yard with shredded paper, the two friends toasted and drained their glasses.
Written for the Dramione Fanfiction Forum's "I Solemnly Swear" New Year's Fest. This began as a one-shot, but has evolved into a longer work. Updates expected once every two or so weeks. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Cross-posted on AO3 (penname: tofadeawayagain).