Lea Carmichael wasn't a star student like Hermione Granger. She wasn't a great Quidditch player like Harry Potter. Her family wasn't known like the Malfoy's. She had actually never even spoke to the Golden Trio before, or any of their friends. She thought the Slytherin's were stupid, even though she was one. She wondered why she was even placed into the house, however her clever remarks and nonchalant "I don't give a fuck" personality reflects the Sorting Hat's decision perfectly.
To be honest, she was in the background of Hogwarts' elite witches and wizards. Her name wouldn't go down in the books as a legend or a great witch. No one would ever reminisce about her greatness or her bubbly personality. However, that's okay, because this isn't her story. The only reason she is being mentioned is because she is a crucial part of our main character's story.
Draco Malfoy. Everyone knew him. People hated him. He didn't care. Or at least he acted like he didn't. There is no need to explain the pain and misery the poor kid went through during his sixth and seventh year. You all know.
What does need to be explained is his—let's not call it love. Malfoy's don't really love, do they?—undying interest in Miss Lea Carmichael. He couldn't explain why he was interested in her. He barely talked to her. He didn't need to, though. One night, during their sixth year, she had walked in on him the Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. What was she doing going in there? He never found out. Just as no one found out that they ever knew each other existed.
She would meet him there every now and then and just sit with him. He never explained why he was paler than usual, or why his cheeks were tear-stained. She never asked. On one occasion, she made a brave move and placed her hand on his. When he didn't move, she placed her head on his shoulder. She sighed when his rested on hers. And that was how they sat until they left.
During their seventh year, Lea managed to convince her parents to let her attend Hogwarts. Although a pureblood, her parents worried for her safety. Her parents were not Death Eaters, yet were not considered blood traitors. They, like Lea, were not known and seemed to stay in the background of things. Lea returned to the broken school and simply went on with life, trying not to pay attention to the changes going on.
At first, she would go to the lavatory hoping to meet up with Draco, but after a while of him not showing up, she gave up. She rarely saw him around. She wondered why, but figured all of the rumors were true. She had known he was a Death Eater. Well, she guessed he was, and it was confirmed the night Dumbledore was killed.
One night, after being questioned by the Carrow's about her blood status, she was stressed and decided to go to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He was there.
"Why haven't you come?" His voice was hollow and numb. Emotionless.
She stood there, surprised to even see him, before answering. "I did at first. In the beginning of the year. You weren't here."
He sighed and turned to her. She saw that he had gotten thinner, which was horrible considering he was already thin. She walked to him. He did something shocked her. He grabbed her hand. It was the single most considerate and loving thing he had ever done. But he didn't care. He was numb from the pain-from knowing what was to come and that he had to be a part of it.
That was the last time they spoke until one night when a few Slytherin's decided to throw a celebration party for The Dark Lord's upcoming regime. Lea had walked down from her room to see her friends and others sneaking in Firewhiskey bottles and other miscellaneous things.
An hour later and her head felt a little light. Her vision was only slightly impaired and she only stumbled twice. She was roaming the corridors, looking for Draco. She really didn't know how she managed to get up to the Astronomy Tower. She found him there, staring at a certain spot by the railing. In her tipsy state, she walked to him, standing perhaps too close for comfort.
Draco looked at her and smelled the whiskey on her breathe. He sighed and shook his head.
"You okay?" She asked, leaning into him.
"I'm fine. Better than you, I can see. How much did you have?"
She shrugged, walking over to the spot he was looking at. Turning to face him, the most recent of her drinks began catching up with her, and she lost her balance, slipping next to the rail. Draco ran to catch her. She screamed as she nearly flipped over the edge, but felt Draco's hands around her waist and pulling her up.
He looked angry and scared. She did nothing but sob into his chest. It was the alcohol, of course, but the sober part of her—hidden in the back of her mind—loved the way his arms wrapped around her.
"What the hell are you doing? You need to be more careful." His voice was stern, yet there was a hint of relief. Relief that she hadn't gone over.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled against his chest. He yanked her away, trying to remain tough, but the look in her eyes melted that exterior. She blinked a few times before he noticed that her normally chocolate eyes had become golden with lust. It was a moment before she pressed herself against him, her lips colliding with his.
He didn't want to do this. As much as he hated to admit it, he had changed considerably during the past 2 years. He could only think about how this would be taking advantage of her. However, the second she pressed him against the wall, her hand sinking to a very private place of his, all thought was thrown to the wind and the rest of the night was a blur of skin and moans.
He hated himself for it the next day, when he saw her walking down into the common room, rubbing her temples. She flopped into a chair in a corner. He walked up to her and whispered, "I can't do this." He didn't even realize that she might have taken it the wrong way.
She avoided him for weeks, assuming he didn't want anything to do with her. And he didn't in a way. He didn't want the Dark Lord to use her against him. She couldn't have ties to him at all. She wouldn't get hurt that way.
A month later was the war that went down in history. Although old enough to fight, Lea didn't want to choose a side. She didn't care about muggleborns and didn't think it was necessary to kill them. She thought such an obsession was silly. She slipped away with the other younger students being evacuated and managed to get out.
Draco sat with his parents in the Great Hall with the remaining students, teachers, and Aurors who stayed to fight. His eyes searched for Lea, but did not find them. It wasn't until a half a year later when he received a letter from a Healer at St. Mungo's about her death. The letter asked him to meet with the Healer to speak about her final request.
The hospital was cold and eerie. His skin itched at the thought of how many people died there—people like Lea. He wondered how she died. He guessed he'd find out soon.
Healer Jamison walked out of her office and called his name. He walked in and took a seat in front of her desk. She sat down and sighed.
"I'm very sorry about Miss Carmichael's death, Mr. Malfoy. She told me you two were quite close."
Draco nodded with a pain in his chest. He never got to know her the way he wished he could have.
"As I mentioned in my letter, she had a final request before she passed on. She asked me to explain to you what happened after the war."
Draco sat up straighter in his seat. He nodded for her to continue. Healer Jamison cleared her throat.
"She managed to get away to her parents' house. She stayed there for the months leading up to her death. She didn't return to Hogwarts because she was pregnant."
Draco's breathe hitched. How could she have been….?
"She told me that the child was yours, Mr. Malfoy. I understand if you would like a paternity test."
Draco shook his head. "So I lost both of them."
The healer opened her mouth to speak, paused, and then continued.
"She delivered prematurely. The baby is weak, but alive. Lea's body was, however, even weaker, and could not handle the pregnancy. She knew what was going to happen. She died before she could see her daughter."
Draco sat there, staring numbly. He had a daughter. A daughter who was fighting to stay alive because she was born early. A daughter who didn't have a mother.
"Can I see her?" He asked after a silence.
"Before you see her, I have to ask this: Will you be taking full responsibility for her? I know this is a lot to take in, but I would hate to see her go to an orphanage. I do know a friend who specializes in Magic adoptions if you wish to not take her."
So many things were running through his mind. What would his parents say? What would the media say? Draco had just been accepted into Auror training, in hopes that it would better the family name. He placed his face in his hands, trying to avoid crying. He couldn't help it. The girl he… he swallowed his pride and admitted… loved had just died and left him a daughter.
Healer Jamison sighed and stood. "I'll show you to her."
The sight of her melted his heart. His eyes softened as they scanned her. She was beautiful. There were healers around her, their wands probing and lighting up at various places on her body. One was feeding her a brightly color potion. She was so tiny.
"They're performing a few complicated spells that mimic the job of the womb. Because she was born premature, the spells are acting as the womb in order for her to grow to full term. When she is healthy, we can release her to you. That is, if you take her."
Any doubt in his mind vanished at the sight of her. She looked just like Lea, except her eyes were his. His daughter had his bright grey eyes.
"I want her. I know she's mine. And I won't allow anyone else to raise her but me," he said to the healer. She nodded and took him away to complete paperwork.
Only 8 months had passed since Draco agreed to raise his daughter. He named her Lyra Casse (Cassie) Malfoy, after two constellations. His father was furious at him for taking the bastard child, but his mother seemed rather happy to have a baby to care for again. His father eventually came around and was just happy that she was a pureblood. The only problem he brought up was that Draco still needed to produce an heir. Draco brushed him off, giving an excuse that it will happen eventually. However, many pureblood families looked down at the single father.
Draco didn't care what others thought. When the Daily Prophet asked about the mother, he told them the truth. He cared for her very much, although was never able to tell her. This seemed to bring about acceptance from families like the Weasley's and others considered to be blood traitors by Draco's father.
One day, just after Lyra had turned one, Draco received a visitor. He handed Lyra to his mother and went to see who it was. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger stood in the foyer.
"What do you want?" Draco couldn't help but act this way. It was highly shocking that they would even return to the Malfoy Manor, Granger especially. He couldn't help but see a glint of light and his gaze focused on a small, but bright diamond on her ring finger.
"We wanted to apologize," Hermione said, stepping toward him. "For everything in the past. I know that this must be a rough time for you, and seeing as though many pureblood families are saying some awful things about your family, I thought that maybe you could use some… friends."
Just then, Narcissa entered with Lyra. Hermione saw the baby and squealed. "Oh, she's beautiful!"
Ron cleared his throat awkwardly, and Draco looked at him. They both stared at each other, and after a while, Draco nodded.
"I have to apologize, as well. For everything I've done."
Ron walked up to him and held out his hand. Hermione placed her and over her heart. This was a huge step for the redhead. Draco shook it, and they shared a silent understanding. Narcissa, feeling rather uncomfortable, began to go back into the sitting room.
"May I hold her?" Hermione asked.
Narcissa turned around and looked at the muggleborn. Her upbringing told her this was wrong, but things had changed. She nodded and handed Lyra to Hermione. The baby girl gurgled and giggled in the girl's arms. Hermione beamed.
Draco turned to watch and suddenly felt heartbroken that Lyra didn't have a mother to do that. Ron must have noticed his change of expression because Draco then felt a hand on his shoulder.
Fast forward almost five years to Lyra's 6th birthday. Just 7 years ago the Trio had been in Draco's house, held prisoner. And now, they were all here, including Harry and Ginny, for Lyra's birthday. It was weird how it all came to be, but times had changed and Draco and his family had to, too. They were now all close friends, and cared for the young Malfoy girl very much.
"Lyra, guess who's here?" Hermione said, leading in a young boy.
"Teddy!" Lyra jumped out of her chair to hug the boy. He was her closest friend, only being about a year older.
Draco was talking with the other men by the fireplace while the girls and his mother gushed over Ginny's pregnancy.
"How is it, Draco?" Harry asked him.
"How's what?"
"Being a father."
Draco smiled, something he did a lot now that he had Lyra. "Greatest feeling ever."
"Hannah's been asking when we're going to start a family. I just don't know if I'm ready yet." Neville stared over at his blonde wife, who was sitting on the sofa with Luna and Rolf.
"Well, I don't want to brag or anything, but Hermione and I are having fun with the "trying to get pregnant" part," Ron grinned. The men laughed and watched the women and wives.
"So, who did Ginny bring again?" Draco asked Harry, motioning to a woman who was standing with the others.
"I'm surprised you don't recognize her. She was in Slytherin. Astoria Greengrass."
Draco looked her over and it suddenly hit him. She had changed so much since Hogwarts.
"They know each other?"
Harry nodded. "Astoria is the editor of Witch Weekly. She met Ginny during an interview with the Holy Head Harpies when Gin was playing. They've gotten really close since then."
Just then, Ginny walked over with said girl. Astoria was a beautiful brunette with bright brown eyes.
"Draco, you remember Astoria, don't you? Daphne's little sister." Ginny introduced them.
"Of course I do. Although I don't believe we've ever met officially," he said, a smile on his lips.
"My sister didn't like me getting to know her friends," Astoria laughed. "But I always used to think you were a cutie."
For the first time in so long, Draco Malfoy blushed.
A little over a year later, the two married and were expecting a son. Lyra was excited to be a big sister and to finally have a mother. To be completely cheesy and cliché, they lived happily ever after in a changed and wonderful world. –Kind of, but the world's problems are a whole other story.