Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All the characters belong to JKR.

"I have something to tell you Rose. I have been keeping this from you my whole life. Rose, your real father is not Ronald. It's..it's Draco Malfoy."

Rose Weasley sat frozen in place. Her mother has just told her that her father for 16 years wasn't even her father. Instead, her biological father was the Potions teacher in Hogwarts! How's that even possible? From what she heard, her mother and Draco Malfoy were childhood nemesis. Did he know that she was his daughter?

"Rose, I'm really sorry sweetheart. I should have told you sooner. I wish I could tell you more but I suppose I don't have much time, honey. Promise me you won't hate me after I die. I love you, my baby."

"I won't ever hate you mom. I love you too, I'm sorry too mom. I'm sorry. Does he..Does he know?"

"No."

Hermione smiled sadly and a lone tear made it's way down her angelic face and Rose wondered if she was always this beautiful. Her mother was always a sight to behold even in her forties.

Her thought were suddenly interrupted as the door to the room burst open.

Rose jerked back at the sudden interruption but went still when she saw who was standing in the doorway.

There in the doorway stood Draco Malfoy.

Rose was face to face with her real father. Pale skinned, tall and lean, hair a shock of white blond and stormy grey eyes. Draco Malfoy.

He was wearing black tailored robes and his hair was mused like he ran his hands through it many times. His eyes were panicked and tears glistened. His breathing was heavy and when he took in the sight of Hermione in the bed, looking pale and sick, he crooked out a "Hermione?" and he was by her side in a flash.

Hermione lifted the corners of her lips to give him a weak smile.

"Draco." She managed to choke out.

He looked into her eyes and held her hand in his own.

"Merlin Hermione, why didn't you-- why couldn't you just tell me? I loved you Hermione, I still do. Why did you lie? Shit! No, i can't let this happen to you. I--"

Hermione cut him off.

"It's alright Draco. I didn't want to hurt you, you would've destroyed yourself if I told you the truth. You know I love you Draco. Now is not the time to fight, I'm dying..I just wanted to see you just one last time."

Hermione lifted her hand with a lot of effort and brought them to his face, caressing his cheeks and wiping the stray tears. She dropped her hand when it took to much effort.

Draco was silent, but his eyes said everything he felt at the moment - fear, sorrow, helplessness and love.

Draco concentrated on her face, drinking her in the last time. She was beautiful. Her skin was ghostly pale; much like his, her wild hair was spread on the white pillowcase and her caramel orbs were looking sadly at him. He thought maybe she was doing the same thing as he : memorizing every inch of each other's faces. It was the last time after all.

Draco leaned down and kissed her lips softly. The kiss lasted only for a few seconds and Draco rested his forehead against hers.

"I wish we had more time, it didn't have to be like that. Is this why you left me sixteen years back?" Draco asked sadly, his eyes glassy and voice thick.

She lifted the corners of her lips, a sad smile on her pretty face " I love you Draco, always have. I did this for us."

She looked behind him at Rose, who was looking at them with eyes full of admiration.

Hermione nudged Draco towards Rose, and Draco looked behind curiously. When he saw her, he smiled. A melancholic smile. Eyes shinning with love and adoration.

"She's our daughter, Draco." She whispered in his ear and Draco senses went into overdrive. She was his daughter?

He looked back at Hermione in shock. "She's what? I-- You-- you lied to me Hermione! How could you.. I thought she-- I.."

"I'm sorry Draco."

"I--it's-- I understand... I just can't believe..I love you Hermione, thank you for giving me such a beautiful daughter."

He looked back at his daughter. "She looks just like you." He whispered softly.

"Rose."

Rose gave a nod when she suddenly heard her mother fighting to catch a breath. She was breathing hard and fast, trying to force oxygen into her lungs, trying to live for a few more moments.

"Hermione, love, let go. Calm down. I love you honey. I'll always remember you, my love."

"Mother, it's okay, it's okay, I love you mom!"

Hermione looked at Draco and Rose one last time before she fell into a deep slumber that no one could ever wake her from.

Draco kissed the back of the still warm hand and cried his heart out while Rose kissed her mother's forehead and sobbed quietly.

After what seemed like years, they finally stood and walked out of the room.

Draco looked reluctantly at Rose with bloodshot eyes.

"I'll meet you at Hogwarts, I suppose." He said, his voice husky from all the crying. He turned around and walked briskly.

He was about to reach the door at the end of the hospital hall when he heard Rose cry out "Dad" and footsteps running towards him.

He turned just in time as Rose crushed him into a hug and started sobbing on his chest. Draco wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter and stroked her back. After a few minutes Draco finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were my daughter, I should've known. I can't believe I never noticed." His voice was rough and thick with emotions.

Rose nodded into his chest.

"Looks like Hermione finally told you, so I'm not your father anymore?" A voice interrupted from the other side of the room.

They pulled away from their embrace and turned to looked at the red-head man standing in the corridor, looking sad.

"Da-". Rose started but stopped almost immediately. She had no idea what to call him now that she knew Ronald wasn't her father.

Ronald sighed and walked towards them.

He stood facing her and Draco and said, " You can call me Uncle Ron, Rose."

"Un-- uncle Ron, would you please tell me how all of this happened? I'm confused, if mum loved Profes-- I mean dad, then why did she marry you? Moreover, when she had me! I don--"

Ronald sighed. "It's not my place to tell you. I think Malfoy here, will be able to give the answers to your questions." He said gestured with his head towards her back and left them alone as he went into the room where Hermione lay dead.

At this, Rose turned to look expectantly at her recently discovered father.

Malfoy heaved a sigh and looked into his daughter's brown eyes. They looked so similar to his Hermione.

"Once upon a time..."

He started as he remembered those day fondly. The days of love, of passion, of happiness, of weekend mornings when he woke up with his nose buried in her wild hair and his arms wrapped possessively around a very naked and warm Hermione, when he would come home from work to find her sleeping near the fireplace in his shirt, wrapped in blankets and a book in hand, when every fight they have turns into an intense session of love - making and merlin, he could still remember her taste, her scent and her voice.

But he could never forget that one day. That one day he found her crying on the floor of their bedroom, telling him that she didn't love him anymore and that he wasn't enough.

He remembered the pain of his heart being broken when she left him and how he had pleaded- no, begged her to stay. He also remembered coming home drunk every night after she'd left; drowning himself in misery of her memory but the worst day was the day when he saw the headlines announcing the marriage of Ronald Bilius Weasley to Hermione Jean Granger. Because that was the day he'd lost hope, of any chance of getting his Hermione back.

He had never fallen in love with anyone again after that, because he was still madly in love. With Hermione Granger Weasley. Always.

And when he looked at his daughter, who looked exactly like his Hermione in her younger days, he felt truely happy for the first time in many years. His daughter will always be a reminder of his Hermione; and he couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips at the thought.

His Hermione will always be with him.And if anyone asked him if he still loved Hermione after all this time when he was old and on the verge of dying, he would have said

"Always."

The End!

A/N: Don't hate me please, I'm just a fifteen year old kid trying her hand at writing. I'm sorry, I know the one-shot is rushed. I'm on my exams and I'm not really patient enough rn.

-- August Malfoy.