Title /
Rating / K+ .
Summary / Draco and his wife talks about the events that brought them together. "I wouldn't have survived and be here if you hadn't risked your life to save me." Post Hogwarts
Disclaimer / Sadly, I don't own Harry Potter. J K Rowling does. I only own the plot
Author's Note / I changed around a bit at the end. Not that much of a difference but… yeahh… OH and please, don't criticize my grammar mistakes! The summer wave washed my brainjuices away. Yeah, ok, that didn't make sense… anyway- ON WITH THE STORY :)
"A hero is a man who does what he can." -Romain Rolland
OneShot Chapter:
Draco Malfoy and his wife sat outside Malfoy Manor near the enchanted lake. She was sitting in between Draco's legs leaning against his chest while Draco sat back with the tree trunk supporting their weights. Draco's arms were around her 7 months and oddly, still growing stomach, occasionally tightening his arms protectively. She sighed in contentment as she felt one of the babies kick. She rubbed her hands over her abdomen, looking at the lake surrounded by blooming flowers.
Being 7 months pregnant with twins was taking a toll on her, she could hardly move without Draco pestering her to be careful as she was close to her due date (and twins usually come out earlier). She often rolled her eyes at his pestering. Fortunately for both of them, her mood swings aren't as horrible as Ginny Zabini's when she was pregnant with Aiden, the Zabinis first child. You had to be on a tip of an iceberg around Ginny. Draco's wife's mood swing didn't affect anything at all, which most women and their husband seem to be jealous of. Her craving wasn't quite odd like Ginny's either, who strangely asked for butterbeer with bacon and sprouts, she had merely craved for food she usually does not eat or drink like desserts and tea.
During one of these fine days, with clear blue sky and white clouds above their head, they would both come out to their tree (they had carved their names after Narcissa insisted that they have one, as all the Malfoys have their personal tree which they shared with their wives). They would sit there and talk about things, looking back at memories or just sitting there in each other's comforting presence. After everything that's happened in the war (which ended one and a half year ago), the young couple still couldn't believe that they had survived the war. However, they were grateful for another chance to live a normal life. Another happy sigh could be heard coming out from Mr.s Malfoy's mouth as the other baby kicked.
"Another sigh, Mrs. Malfoy?" Draco joked. He still couldn't get used to the idea that Hermione had spent a year being Mrs. Hermione Malfoy. "Remember don't stress."
That earned an amused laugh from Hermione as she lifted her hand onto Draco's to move his hand around her abdomen where the babies were kicking. Draco smiled as he snuggled into his wife's hair. Hermione answered smiling widely, "It seems like the babies can't wait to come out. They're kicking so much these days, I feel like bursting."
"Well, they just have to hang in there for a few more days then." Draco said to the babies as he shifted Hermione onto his lap and kissed her tummy where the babies are.
"Draco," Hermione rolled her eyes. "You know they can't decide." She sighed while shaking her head. "I don't know how you can still lift me and let me sit on your lap. I'm almost the size of a whale."
"You will always be beautiful and you're almost as light as you were on our wedding day. Think of it as you on my lap with our babies in our hands, it's be worth it even if it meant giving up my leg." Draco teased as Hermione laughed.
"I love you."
"And I love you." Draco said as he pecked her lips. Hermione smiled. Draco grinned as he pulled Hermione back into his embrace and kissed her hair.
Hermione and Draco Malfoy were never the ones to publically express their affection, but when they were alone, they would say things to each other that might make other people jealous as they meant the words with every fiber of their being.
They sat back in quietness as they relived a memory that ended their hatred and became acquaintances or, as some preferred to reference it as (*cough* Ginny *cough*) the realization of their affections towards each other.
~Flashback~
Hermione, Harry and the Weasleys came out from their tent as they heard shouting and loud booming noises. The sight that greeted them wasn't welcoming. Green and red jet of lights zoomed across their sight, meeting people's running figures. Those who were hit fell immediately, whether dead or stunned no one knew. Fire formed as a blast of light hit one of those fire pits for warmth sake. Witches and wizards alike shouted and screamed for their familiars and friends to run away. Mr. Weasley quickly followed suit and directed Fred and George to be in charge of Ginny and Ron, Percy with Bill and Charlie, Hermione and Harry with himself and Mrs. Weasley.
"Who are these people?" Hermione asked in horror as she and Harry caught sight of the attackers. They wore black and silver masks that hid their face well, black cloaks that covered their body and tall, point hats. The attackers' attire covered everything but their wand hand. They moved in groups of five, the leader obviously at the front.
"Death Eaters they are." Mr. Weasley explained as he pulled them along with Mrs. Weasley shuffling hurriedly next to him. "They are Voldemort's followers. They've been trained to kill. Kill people like -"
"Muggle-borns." Hermione ended, gloomily.
"Yes," Mr. Weasley nodded hastily. "Come on, you two. Hide in the woods. Don't come out until it's done alright?" With one push, he pushed the two young ones towards the woods while himself and his wife held hands, shuffling through the crowd to help the Ministry of Magic.
"Harry, stick together." Hermione shouted over the screams of terror, only to find that Harry had disappeared. She looked around frantically trying to spot a messy black head with glasses. "Harry! Where are you? Harry, mmph-"
Hermione screamed with all her might and bit her kidnapper's hand as she was being dragged towards the woods.
"Shut up would you, Granger?" Came Draco Malfoy's voice. "Granger, if you don't stop screaming, they'll be heading this way. We don't want that now do we?"
"There's always a silencing charm, Draco." A smooth Italian accent came through chuckling, covering most of the shout of terror from far away. The chuckle that sent shivers down Hermione's spine sounded almost pleasant.
"Oh, stuff it Blaise." He must have done something because the next minute he ordered Crabbe, the one who held her hostage, to release her, she realized she couldn't make any noises. She huffed and folded her arms in front of her developing chest. She could have run away, but Draco Malfoy was twirling her wand around. "Granger, didn't I tell you to keep your bushy head down? Look at the mess you've created. Merlin, you should have listened to me."
Hermione cocked an eyebrow and gave him a look that said, 'and why help me?'
"I don't want to find another mudblood to argue with, Granger, plus you're too smart to be gone anyways. We need your brain to torment." Draco taunted. Behind him, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini exchanged knowing looks, with a familiar glint that Hermione used to see a lot in Dumbledore's eyes. Hermione caught their exchange and narrowed their eyes at them, wondering what they were thinking or knew, causing Pansy to sneer and Blaise to look at her blankly with a ghostly smile. Draco Malfoy was drowned by boredom in a matter of seconds. He knew Hermione would not run away without a wand, so he wasn't bothered to put any other charms on her before lifting the silencing charm.
"Aren't all your parents out there?" Hermione spat. "Oh, whatever. I'm sure that-"
Hermione was interrupted when a strip of light passed and landed right at the tree next to them, blasting the tree into pieces. Hermione's reaction was to hug (don't ask her why) the nearest person as possible and she did just that. On Draco Malfoy. Funny enough, he had his arms around her waist protectively the moment she jumped into him. Pansy's eyebrow lifted above her bangs, leaving them hidden while Blaise took the opportunity to take a picture with his Magi-cam.
As sudden as the bomb was, silence took over. A floating logo was up in the air in green and in the shape of a skull with a snake coming out from its mouth. It was the Dark Mark. Hermione gasped as Draco covered her mouth, as to prevent the Death Eaters from looking for them- possibly the only survivors.
"Thank you Malfoy, Za-Blaise, Parkinson and your minions." Hermione thanked a bit harshly, earning two 'hey!' to be heard from Crabbe and Goyle from being called a minion.
"Blaise? Since when you call him Blaise?" Draco asked horrified and in his eyes, jealousy and anger sparked for a moment before it was being hidden behind the cold demeanor.
"Since I realized he is the only decent guy out here." Hermione stated, rolling her eyes at his reaction. Blaise Zabini did look like one decent guy compared to Crabbe and Goyle, not to mention Draco Malfoy. "Plus, he spoke one sentence which I don't think I would ever hear it from these two goons." She said gesturing at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Thank you, Hermione." Blaise flashed a charming smile. Underneath the moonlight, Hermione could barely make out how Blaise looked like. She could only tell that he had fairly dark skin tone and based on his accent and his last name, she made the conclusion that he was only part Italian.
"You're welcome." Hermione said, suddenly turning back towards the ruined campsite to find her best friend.
~End of Flashback~
"Well, I guess that really surprised me. I could have sworn I saw jealousy passing through your eyes when I called Blaise… well …Blaise." Hermione laughed softly, smiling at the memory.
"Yes well, " Draco blushed, not knowing what to say.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Hermione teased, but winced.
"Are you alright?" Draco quickly asked concerned, touching her abdomen.
"Yeah, just feeling a tiny pain here and there." Hermione confessed. Before Draco could say or do anything, she quickly assured him, "It's nothing Draco, I read about them in the books your mother gave us. Can you help me back to the grass please?"
Draco nodded and slowly lifted Hermione off his lap, onto the ground, letting her lean back on him.
"You feeling better, love?" Hermione smiled at the pet name.
"Yeah, thanks. You know, I couldn't believe you became the hero that night."
"I didn't either. I didn't plan for the other two times either, but I'm glad they happened because they got me you." Draco smiled lovingly at his wife.
~Flashback~
"Harry! Ron! RUN!" Hermione screamed as the Fiendfyre spread through the Room of Requirement. Crabbe had accidently let the fire loose during the heat of their argument. That goon didn't even have enough brain cells to stop the fire. Hermione had read it somewhere that the caster, who now seems to be a tad lost at what to do, could only control the Fire. Hermione looked around frantically for a door for them to escape only to have a heavy object fall on her, trapping her under it and knocking her unconscious.
"Hermione! Hermione! Where are you?" Harry shouted. He mounted his broom as he passed two other brooms to Ron and Draco. Harry, with Ron's help, lifted an unconscious Goyle up to Harry's broom. Ron and Draco, without an extra guest on their brooms, circled around the burning room, trying to find Hermione.
"Potter, Weasley!" Draco shouted as he squinted his eyes, trying to pin point Hermione's form through the blazing fire. "Go! I'll look for her."
To say that Ron and Harry are in shock is an understatement they were way beyond shock. They couldn't believe that Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger's archenemy or maybe ex-archenemy, would risk his life to look for her but unbeknownst to them, Draco and Hermione had formed a truce. A truce that they started ever since the start of their 7th year when they found out each other were Heads. They floated in the air shocked as they exchanged looks of disbelieve between them. Draco rolled his eyes before adding,
"GO! We need you for this war, Potter. Don't die in here because of a stupid fire. GO! Go to Pomphrey or McGonagall. Get Goyle and yourselves to safety. I promise not to come back without her." Draco and Goyle, without Crabbe's knowledge, had joined the Light- where their family was siding for without their knowledge- as soon as they had realized how mad and disgusting Voldemort was. The Order, with the exception of Harry, Ron, Lupin and Moody, had accepted that they are now part of the Order. Voldemort was under the impression that the Goyles and the Malfoys were spies for him and in order to not blow their cover, the Order had sent a few aurors and capable wizards and witches to the supposed 'meeting' to capture a few Death Eaters. Harry and Ron nodded a bit skeptically and flew away through the window.
"Granger! Granger! Where are you!" Draco shouted panicking, then mumbled, "Bloody witch is going to be the death of me."
Draco tried to recall the last time he heard her voice. It seem to come from somewhere near the vanishing cabinet he had repaired. He flew there, avoiding the burning, falling objects gracefully. Thank goodness for Quidditch. He thought to himself. Shaking his head from the thought, he spotted the brunette lying under the burning broken door from the cabinet. He quickly mounted off his broom and levitated the door away from Hermione. He rushed towards her, gathered her petite form into his arms and carried her towards his broom. Draco's action caused Hermione to stir around a bit before loosing conscious again. Upon mounting his broom as he placed the girl in front of him, he magically tighten Hermione's figure to him when he remembered that she was afraid of heights.
Draco quickly flew out of the burning Room of Requirement. While looking back at the ruined Room, he realized that the half burnt door was slightly ajar and made the conclusion that Crabbe had escaped during the midst of him looking for Granger and groaned in frustration. He sighed in disappointment as he continued on forwards towardsNumber 12 Grimmauld Place.
~End of flashback~
"That was really scary. I realized at that time, that I liked you a lot, and then I saw you under that cabinet, my heart stopped for a second. I actually thought you were going to die." Draco said sadly as he tightened his arms around Hermione. He exhaled noisily then breathed in Hermione's scent, it often calmed him down when he remembered what happened in the Room of Requirement. He knew he had secretly harbored feelings for the ex Head Girl ever since they formed a truce at the start of the year, he just didn't know it was love. Hermione stroked his cheek lovingly as a tear rolled down her face.
"That must have been one of the two absolutely frightening moments where I thought I would die. I'm glad you came at the right time." Hermione said smiling, despite more tears formed in her hazel eyes. "To tell you the truth, I was fighting to stay alive. I wanted to wake up but my body was protesting against me and I seemed to have lost control of my body, I couldn't feel anything. Luckily, I had a prince to help me, the damsel in distress."
"Shhh," Draco said soothingly. "Now, now, we don't want the babies to come out just yet. Calm down, I can feel them moving around."
"Blame the bloody hormones." Hermione laughed softly while Draco chuckled, glad that the mood was lightened.
"You know, I couldn't believe your parents was part of the Order." Hermione said after a few moments of silence. "Actually, to tell you the truth, I couldn't believe they didn't hate people like me as well."
"Yeah, they can put up quite an act." Draco breathed out wistfully. "You can imagine my reaction when they told me that they faked the blood prejudice talk after second year. I blew up. Vowed never to speak to them again. You can figure out how that turned out."
"You accepted it and everything went back to normal." Hermione said smiling. "I knew something was a bit off when you said Mudblood."
"Yeah, well. I couldn't exactly be mean to someone in the same side as us." At Hermione's cocked eyebrow, he quickly added. "Potter and Weasley were different."
"Whatever." Hermione said, ending the topic by waving it off.
~Flashback~
"Stupefy!" Hermione Granger shouted as she stunned another Death Eater. She couldn't believe it. It was the Final Battle, the battle everyone was waiting for. It was now down to her best friend, the one and only Harry Potter.
"Crucio!" Bellatrix's cackling voice appeared behind her as she fell to the ground writhing in pain but no sound came out as she bit her tongue, drawing blood. "You're no fun, Mudblood. Your red head boyfriend was fun to look at. Oh, no worries, he is alive, darling, just feeling the consequences."
Silence followed as the whole battlefield watched Voldemort's right hand woman and Harry Potter's best friend, the brightest witch of their generation duel. So far it wasn't looking good. Bellatrix cackled loudly for everyone to hear, the Death Eaters had slimy grins on their face.
"Little Mudblood is defenseless now, ain't she?" Bellatrix said pouting with mocked sympathy. "We'll see what happens when the Dark Lord wins. Now, stand up mudblood. Let's fight, make mommy and daddy proud."
Hermione's eyes welled up with tears as soon as her deceased parents were brought up. They had been killed when she was in Hogwarts, concentrating on the War and NEWTS. She hid herself in the Head's room for one whole week, only allowing Draco to have access into her room since he's Head Boy. Draco had been a good sport. He was there whenever she needed someone to cry onto and be comforted. That one week, Draco had turned from an acquaintance to one of her best friends. Shaking her head back into reality, Hermione stood up. Despite her trembling hand, she stood proud and brave, just like any Gryffindor.
"Good, good." Bellatrix smirked. "Stupefy!"
"Protego!" Hermione shouted, putting a shield up. Bellatrix's smirk widen as she remembered a spell that had been invented by a fellow Death Eater.
"Incarcerous." She hissed dangerously, slowly a maddening smile stretched over her face. "Sectemsempra."
Hermione gasped as she remembers that spell. It was the spell that Harry had casted on Draco that resulted him in the infirmary for a week. Since she was tied with ropes, she expected the worse. She closed her eyes and waited for her slow and painful death when someone pushed her out of the way. A loud groan was heard, followed by cries of disbelieve from familiar voices.
"Finite Incantatem." The voice whispered, untying the ropes on Hermione. She opened her eyes and looked at her masked savior. She would recognize his hair anywhere.
"NO!" Hermione shouted, scrambling towards Draco. The left side of his body was cut open with blood seeping through. "Draco, why did you do that?"
"Ah, my little nephew is it? I've always known you'd be one of those blood-traitors." Bellatrix sneered. "We'll see what the Dark Lord will do to you when all th-"
Harry, who shouted triumphantly, cut her off in the middle of her sentence. "He's dead. Voldemort is dead!"
"NO!" Bellatrix screeched in horror and disbelieve as the Aurors quickly took the running Death Eaters to Azkaban. She then turned towards Hermione and smiled maniacally, while Hermione staggered backwards, eyes widen in horror as her hand looking for her wand. "You will pay for this mudblood. Avada K-"
"Avada Kedavra." Draco hissed at Bellatrix before she could finish the curse. As Bellatrix fell to the ground with life drained out of her, Draco panted in exhaustion.
"Draco!" Hermione's voice called. "Draco, come on hang in there. Snape! Get Snape!"
"It's no use Granger." Draco whispered tiredly. "I've lost too much blood."
"No! You have to live, Draco!" Hermione's frantic voice followed. "Come on! Be strong! Your parents need you."
Hermione leaned in to give him an act of courage by kissing his cheek, but because his eyes were drooping, he didn't see or notice. Draco turned his head and opened his mouth to tell Hermione something when their lips met. That gave both of them quite a surprise but neither pulled back. Gasps were heard from those who stayed back to watch those two. Unfortunately, Snape arrived that time.
"Sectumsempra." She whispered to Snape as he asked what had happened. Snape stood there frozen before getting back to the matter on hand. He nodded and flipped Draco unto his right side so that he could heal the wounds. Hermione made a move to leave but Draco's hand found hers and grasped it tightly despite his weakening body.
"Vulnera Sanentur." Snape's voice spoke. He repeated it several times until all the wounds closed up. "He needs more blood. Get him to Pomphrey. Now."
Hermione nodded and levitated Draco into Hogwarts towards the Great Hall, still holding hands with him.
~End of Flashback~
"Well, that's what I would call a huge turning point." Draco smiled.
"I would call it our close call." Hermione said kissing his cheek, the gesture that started it all. "And the most embarrassing moments in my entire life."
"Why? You don't seem to regret it." Draco asked cocking an eyebrow, then asked unsurely. "You don't, do you?"
"No, no, no." Hermione smiled shaking her head, her tamed curls flew around, following her head movement. "I just thought it was embarrassing. I mean, it was in front of the entire school and the Wizarding World. It was so uncomfortable and… ugh."
Draco chuckled at her response.
"I realized I haven't thank you for saving me." Hermione said surprised as she looked up at her husband. "I wouldn't have survived and be here if you hadn't risked your life to save me."
Draco frowned. "Don't say that. I can't even imagine my life without you. You don't have to thank me, love- you already said 'thank you' when you agreed to marry me."
"And that was because Ginny made me." Hermione said with a serious face, and then at Draco's shocked expression, she laughed. "Kidding, darling. But really, Ginny threatened to kick me out if I refused your proposal again."
"Really?" Draco mused, his eyebrows shot up amused. "Remind me to thank Blaise's evil witch, I mean Ginny, when I see her the next time."
Hermione gave him an annoyed look and said, "It isn't my fault you kept asking me every week after Pansy and Ron's double wedding with Harry and Luna, is it?"
"Of course not." Draco surrendered, trying not to anger his wife, but he couldn't help to add, "But really, a man can only take so many rejections."
Hermione laughed softly as she playfully slapped the smirking Malfoy.
They sat in silence again as Draco rubbed circles with his thumbs on her abdomen while Hermione leaned more into her husband, snuggling into the crook of his neck. Just being in each other's presence gave them comfort. The silence however, didn't last long. Hermione gave a painful gasp, which startled Draco.
"Hermione, love, you alright?" Draco asked quickly, grasping her hands in concern. Hermione gave a shaky laugh.
"What do you think?" Hermione groaned as she squeezed Draco's hand in pain. "I think my water just broke."
Draco sat there frozen, the reality then rushed back to him. He started to pace after helping Hermione up. "We need to go to St Mungos. Where did I put the bag? Should we floo or should we apparate? Healer Laynet said not to apparate incase we splinch, I know we won't but maybe floo would be better. Maybe we should-"
"Draco!" Hermione rolled her eyes at her husband's idiotic rambling. "They're not coming out now, we might have a couple of hours to go. I read it in those pregnancy books. It doesn't happen that fast, we'll know when the contractions are getting closer, which isn't happening now."
"Ok, well," Draco visibly relaxed. "Lets go in and get everyone there. Can you walk?"
Hermione hesitated before trying. "Yeah I can. Come on, let's go tell Cissa and Lucius."
"I still can't believe they let you call them by their names instead of mother and father." Draco said shaking his head as he took her hands in his.
"Well, I think I'll grow into calling them that in the future." Hermione smiled as she rubbed her stomach.
Draco grinned, shaking his head while guiding his wife back to the Manor.
Author's Note / Do you think I should have another chapter? Just to sort of say hello to their babies? I feel like I should, but I'm not sure, still debating in my mind… What do you think?
Oh, and, I'm thinking about changing the title and the summary. Nothing seems to fit. Please tell me how you felt after reading this story and maybe help with typing a little summary. I have really disgusting summaries in my opinion. [disgusting as in; Crap! This has nothing to do with the story ;OR; OMG, this is crap. ] So you see, I really need help. I'll work out my title soon enough.
Love,
hardly insane