*taps mic* Is this thing on? Okay, so, if you read this, you're accepting that your feelings might be toyed with...a lot. ***Happy ending not guaranteed.*** This is a short story, at only about 5k words. I don't want to spoil anything, so at the very end I will leave a note with more info on my inspiration, etc. if you haven't cracked it by then. I've been working on this in the background for a few months so be sure to review and let me know your thoughts as you go! THIS IS COMPLETED so I'll be posting a chapter a day unless you all demand otherwise. Happy reading! -Gold
Triggers: Pregnancy loss
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor the song lyrics quoted throughout the story. No copyright intended.
Draco Malfoy's stomach writhed anxiously as he stood before the mirror of a London hotel suite, fumbling with his tie. He had attended his fair share of weddings as a young aristocrat in the wizarding community, but this was exceedingly different. At only half past eight, he already was seeing this whole day of expensive flowers, food, and stuffy church conversation with distant relatives from an entirely new perspective.
It was the big one. He had imagined this day for years; waking early, dressing with his best mates, then arriving at the church to see Hermione dressed in heavenly white. His empty stomach gave a lurch, but his focus was averted as he heard Theodore Nott address him from across the room. Draco's mind was so busy he had almost forgotten his friends were even there.
"You wouldn't be nervous would you? Theo teased, sliding his freshly-pressed tuxedo jacket over his shoulders. "Have you seen her yet?"
"I'm happy," Draco replied with a surprisingly convincing smile.
"Your tie tells quite a different tale," Nott quipped.
Draco ignored him, continuing, "No, of course I haven't seen her. I expect that wouldn't be good luck now, would it?"
"You know, she actually owled me first thing this morning to say she's gotten cold feet," Blaise interrupted, smirking up from tying his shoes.
Draco tried to focus his annoyance on the fact that Zabini was tying his shoes with his fingers rather than a spell, 'to have the full muggle experience,' but the blond instead felt his heart begin to race; something he had been trying to control since he had woken that morning. It was true, he had not seen her yet, but he wasn't entirely certain that seeing her in that dress would help how he was feeling at the moment.
"Ah, did you instruct her to use a Hot-Air Charm? Theo drawled in response to Blaise.
"Obviously!" Blaise grinned, trying to hold back a laugh. "But then I told her if the charm didn't work we could always run away together someplace warm."
"Piss off, both of you," Draco sneered. Maybe he was nervous. His attention returned to the strand of silk dangling around his neck, subsequently pushing away the thought in the forefront of his mind. He knew Hermione couldn't have gotten cold feet (nor would she have gone to Blaise Zabini in the event that she had). The bride and groom were perfect for each other and everyone knew it.
"I am offended!" Theo gasped in feigned repulsion.
"Hold up! Don't listen to this tosser," Blaise snarled in reference to Theo. "This is the big day, mate. We've been talking about it for months... It's all right that you're nervous."
"Yeah, I reckon either of us would be feeling the same way," Theo said gently, grabbing Draco's shoulder.
The blond exhaled slowly.
"Now," Theo exclaimed, breaking the comfortable silence, "Are you going to cry when you see her?"
"Just finish up so we can go. I don't want to think of Hermione's face if we were to walk in late!" Draco muttered at the sniggering duo, as he withdrew his wand from his pocket. He pointed it at his tie and willed it into the proper position a little too forcefully. He replaced the wand, then slightly loosened the silk noose with his fingers to a more comfortable compression, before marching off to find himself a glass of water.
"Well, I thought that was a very valid question!" he heard Blaise's muffled voice saying. "Best bring all of the extra hankies."
Three Years Earlier
"I don't want to leave you two today," the blond man groaned, sliding his hand down the brunette's long arm, to the sheets that cocooned her small swell of a pregnant abdomen.
"Then maybe you shouldn't," Hermione Granger whispered playfully, turning to nuzzle her head into Draco's neck.
He sighed as he rubbed small circles against her expanding skin. He kissed her forehead, then rolled out of bed. "You know I wish I could stay," he said, beginning to dress.
It was still early; the sun nowhere to be found and the birds that would be chirping in a few short hours were still sleeping, along with the rest of the world. Draco tried to recount the four hours of sleep he had gotten as if he was trying to get his full money's worth. He released a hearty yawn.
"You work entirely too much," Hermione murmured, attempting to stifle the yawn that followed his. "I hate not being able to contact you. Do I need to send a Howler to Harry in order to see you at a normal hour?"
"That won't be necessary. Look, I only have a few months left to fix the family name before my son inherits it, then I'm all yours once again," he replied.
"I've told you before, 'It matters not what someone is born-'"
"Yeah, yeah" Draco interrupted, "'But what they grow to be.'" He bent to give her one last kiss. "I just...I need to do this. You get some more sleep. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow."
"I love you, too," she replied. "Please be safe!"
Draco Malfoy wasn't a martyr by any means; he was much smarter than that. But he intended to rewrite his family's past with each Dark wizard caught, in order to prepare a better life for his future. His child. "Promise," he said, disappearing into the darkness.