Disclaimer: I the only thing I own is Annie, everything else belongs to the wonderful mind of J.K. Rowling.
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7 years after Hogwarts
"What?! You can't be serious!" Ron yelled.
"I am." Draco said solemnly.
"Ron, stop yelling or you'll wake Annie." Hermione warned pointing to the sleeping five year old in Draco's arms.
"Don't worry, I've given her enough sleeping drought to last her till morning." Draco reassured Hermione.
Ron shot daggers at him throw his eyes, "You drugged your own daughter?! Oh My Gods, some parent you are."
"Ron." Hermione warned him again
"That's exactly why I'm here, I can't be a parent to her anymore, as much as it kills me, I love her to death, but I just can't do it." Draco said as a tear rolled down his cheek.
"So five years as a single parent and you find it's just too much for you and you're bailing and dumping your kid at your best friend's?"
"Draco, you know Harry would have wanted you to-"Hermione started but was interrupted by Draco yelling "How the hell would you know what he would have wanted?! He's dead, he's dead and he left me here alone with our daughter. If anyone knows what he would have wanted for our daughter it's me!"
Hermione put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I understand that Draco, I miss him too, but don't you think he would have been happier if the father of his child told care of her?"
Draco sat on the couch with his daughter in his lap, she looked so peaceful, not a care in the world. He lifted a hand and brush back some blonde hair from her face. "You don't understand, Hermione," He began, "its so hard to look at something that's your own flesh and blood, and love them with every fiber of your being and not be able to look them in the eye because they remind you of someone else you loved and lost. It hurts seeing him in her face every day and not have him here to watch her grow up, not know her or love her."
"Bull," Ron said getting mad again, "First, you know Harry loved her, if he didn't he wouldn't have gone along with the pregnancy, its not your fault or Annie's that he died from a hemorrhage just after giving birth to her. And-"
"I never said it was her fault!" Draco said getting angry himself.
"And," Ron continued, "Second, don't you think we see him in her too? But, you wanna know the difference between us and you? We'll stick with her no matter who she'll look like, act like, or grow up to be. So you can run away from your problems Malfoy, but we'll stay here and do what Harry would have wanted and give your daughter a loving family. Hermione, please take Annie and put her in her new room." Then he walked out of the room without even a 'good bye'
Draco hugged his daughter one more time before whispering in her ear, "I'm sorry." He stood up and gave her to Hermione who took her and cradled her just as he did. "Wait, I forgot about her lion." He picked up an old stuffed lion and placed Annie's hand around it. "Never goes anywhere without it."
Hermione gave a sad smile and nodded her head; she knew Draco had special ordered the lion and bewitched it to smell like Harry and himself so the child was always comforted as if by the presence of her parents no matter where she was. Never did you see Annie anywhere without 'Hairy the lion.' (A/N: couldn't resist!) Although it didn't look as new as it once did, you could tell it was well loved. He was her best friend
"I'll be back within a year." He said to Hermione, she nodded again afraid her voice would betray her. He gave his daughter a kiss on her head, and walked right out the door.