The End of Draco Malfoy
Author: vegetasbubble at livejournal // nightmareintoxicated PG
Summary: Hermione Granger gets a visit one stormy night from Blaise Zabini with dreadful news- the boy she used to love all those years ago at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy, is dying.
Authors Notes: I cried while I wrote this, so people know. It's a bit of a tear jerker.
Character Ages: All characters are about twenty five years old.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters involved in this fan fiction.
Warnings: This does take place after DH and does talk about characters from the Epilogue of DH but takes place before said chapter.

Hermione Granger was dusting in the lounge room. Over photo frames of her wedding, of Harry's and Ginny's engagement party three weeks ago, of the photo of her, Ron and Hugo and herself just days after she delivered her bouncing baby boy. Smiling to herself, she looked over at the play crib her six month old son was playing in, smiling to herself about how happy she was.

At that moment, Ron was still working at the Auror office with Harry, while Hermione was on maternity leave. As much as she hated not working, she loved spending time with Hugo, going out for walks with him in a small stroller. Ginny sometimes tagged along to see how Hermione did it. The fact that Ginny was pregnant and expecting made Hermione smile.

As she put the duster down, the twenty four year old mother heard a knock on the front of her door. Picking up Hugo and holding him against her side, she walked through the lougeroom, through the hallway and to the door to find the one person she never thought she would seen the other side.

Dark skinned, black haired, Italian born Blaise Zabini stood opposite the brown haired witch, rugged up in a black leather jacket, gloves and trousers. The snow was in his hair and it looked like he had been standing outside the door for a long amount of time. Hermione gasped, seeing him for the first time in nearly 7 years. She and Blaise had been somewhat friends at Hogwarts, studying together in the library late at night, talking quietly on the Hogwarts Express. All that changed when the War started and Blaise disappeared, most likely leaving so that he would not be killed.

"Hey," he said, his eyes showing signs of sadness and aging.
"Blaise...what a surprise," she replied, holding the babbiling Hugo on her hip. Hugo looked up at the dark haired man in his view. And smiled. "Hugo likes you."
"Ron's always talking about him," Blaise said, and when he saw Hermione's confused look, he smiled, "Oh. I just started at the Ministry about three months ago. Sports Department. I have lunch with him and Harry."
"Oh. Well, I'm guessing you're here to see me. Seeing as though those two are at work right now."
"Yeah," he said, as she let him in and closed the door behind him. "I don't know...how to say this. I don't even know if you want to hear it."
"What? Has something happened? Are Harry and Ron okay?" Hermione gasped.
"No, no. Its not them. Hermione...Draco's in the hospital."

For a moment Hermione was still. Frozen with those four words circling about her head. With her free hand she slapped Blaise straight across the face, her tears beginning to swell in her eyes. Blaise's head snapped to the side with the force of her slap stinging his cheek.
"Don't you...come here and talk to me about HIM. Especially after what happened. Anyway, you're lying!"
"Hermione," said Blaise, holding his now red cheek, "Draco's in the hospital." He said it again.

"The...the hospital? Why?" she said, finally believing her old friend.
"They've told us that his heart is weak. Its been weak ever since the War," Blaise replied, "he took a curse to the chest pretty hard and he's never recovered from it. They've told us...that he...that he might die."
"Don't you say that! Draco's not going to die! He's to strong for that...he's...he's Draco friggen' Malfoy for Merlin's sake. Blaise..."
Blaise turned and opened the door to her house once more.
"I'm going to go and see him at the hospital. Did...did you wanna come? It would mean a lot to him, I'm sure."
Hermione sniffed, a stray tear now falling down her cheek and onto Hugo's head. the baby cooed.
"Yes...yes of course. Is...Is it okay if I bring Hugo?"
"I'm pretty sure Draco won't mind," Blaise replied, smiling, "He loves kids."
"Thanks. I'll just grab our coats."

Fifteen minutes later, Hermione and Blaise arrived at St Mungo's hospital, down the hallway from Draco's room. Hermione had sent an own to Ron, telling him about the situation and where to find her that afternoon. Afterwards, she had dressed Hugo in a coat, grabbed herself one and flooed with Blaise to the hospital.
"Are you okay?" Blaise asked, holding her hand. Hermione smiled and nodded.
"Yeah...its just been so long. I haven't seen him since the War and I don't know what has happened to him."
"He married, about three years ago. Narcissa made him marry this French woman after Draco had a fling with her and got her pregnant. His mother said she wouldn't have her first Malfoy grandchild born a bastard so Draco had to marry Phillipa."
"He has a baby?" Hermione asked.
"A son. Scorpious." Hermione smiled. A baby Draco.
"And the mother?" she asked Blaise as they now stood outside his room.
"She died in childbirth," Blaise replied, "He's been raising Scorpious alone for the last three years. Cute little tyke. He's in there now, with his father and grandmother."
"What happened to Lucius?"
"After the War, Lucius went mad and ended up throwing a killing curse towards Narcissa, just missing her. Draco was so angry at his father that he sent a killing curse at him, hitting him straight in the chest. He died. Draco wasn't charged or anything, because it was self-protection," Blaise finished. He looked at the door, then to Hermione.
"Ready?" Hermione nodded and Blaise opened the door.

The moment Hermione entered the room her eyes fell in a three year old young boy, with bright blonde hair, playing on the floor with building blocks with another boy, about five.
"Hermione, that's my son, Kyle," Blaise said, smiling and taking Hermione's jacket from her, as well as Hugo's. Smiling at the boys, Hermione then looked over at the bed, where Draco lay, with his eyes half open and his mother sitting next to the bed, her eyes red from crying.
"Hey," Draco half moaned, half croaked. Hermione smiled and walked over to the bed, Hugo still babbiling. She bent down and kissed Draco's forehead, smiling at him. "Wow, didn't expect that."
Half laughing, Hermione sat on the edge of his bed, and looked over him. His hair was messy, dishelved and faintly turning grey at the roots. Only 25 years old and already getting grey hair. Hermione laughed a little. His skin was a lot paler than it was in school, and his eyes looks very red.
"That's Hugo?" Draco asked, sitting up a little and scowling at his mother who fussed over puffing the pillow.
"Yeah," Hermione replied, sitting Hugo on the bed where Draco could hold the little boy's hand. "He's very small. He has your nose."
"Thankyou," she replied. Narcissa patted Hugo's head calling him a cutie before walking over to her grandchild and Blaise's son. "Blaise...told me. Draco...I'm...I'm so sorry. I-I wish things were different."
"shh," he hushed her, "Hermione, I would never change anything in my life. Nothing at all. Especially not the time I spent with you at Hogwarts."
"Does Blaise know?" she asked him. "Is that why he came to get me?"
"Blaise has been my best friend since I was five," he replied, "I tell him everything. I told him about the first time I kissed a girl- Pansy in second year behind the Quidditch shed. The first time I slept with a girl- fifth year, with a Ravenclaw. And the first time I fell in love- with you, in sixth year. So of course he knows everything. He even knows that I wish I hadn't married Phillipa. Because I was still in love with you."

Just hearing those words leave his mouth, Hermione gasped. Quickly, she picked up Hugo, grabbed her jacket from the chair it rested on and ran out of the room. Running as fast as she could, Hermione finally reached the front doors, and pushing them open, she took a massive breath of cold winter air as she stepped outside. As soon as she did, the tears ran freely down her face.
"Hermione!" Turning, she saw Blaise running towards her, holding Hugo's jacket. Gasping at the thought of her baby getting cold, she pulled him closer to her. Blaise finally reached her and handed her the jacket, which she put straight on Hugo. "Where are you going?"
"I can't...I just can't be there right now."
"But he needs us. You most of all."
"I can't see him like that," Hermione yelled, looking away from Blaise, "he's twenty five and he looks eighty. He's dying every second and I can't force myself to see him. And when he told me he still loves me. Do you know how much that hurts! I have never stopped loving him Blaise. I loved him through the War; I loved him when I got married. Hell, I even loved him when I had Hugo. My entire relationship with Ron has been a farce because I have been in love with another man."
"I know its tough alright," Blaise said, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders, "but we have to be tough right now."
"But what are we supposed to do?" Hermione snapped. "Keep standing in that room making small talk. Believing that he's not going to die and leave our lives."
"Look," Blaise said, getting angry, "as hard as you think it is for you, imagine how hard it is for him. I've known him my whole life. Its hard for me too, its hard for his mother- its hard for his bloody son, who's going to be growing up not knowing his father."
"I just can't Blaise," said Hermione, turning and walking away.
"Hermione, you can't leave!"
"I'm not the one leaving, he is!" Hermione snapped, before apperating away.

Blaise walked back into the hospital room, seeing Scorpius on his father's lap showing him a finger painting he did with Kyle.
"Look dada," said Scorpious, "that's you! And that's the pretty lady." Blaise smiled at his godson before walking over to the bed.
"Scorp, I need to talk to your daddy, can you go play with Kyle for a little bit?" he asked.
"Sure Uncle Blaise," Scorpius replied, hopping down from the bed and moving back to Kyle and his grandmother. Blaise sat on the bed next to Draco. He took Draco's hand in his, the power of their friendship truly showing.
"I'll look after him Drake," whispered Blaise, "I promise. To you."
Draco smiled and squeezed his hand.
"Thanks mate," he replied, "Did you find Hermione?"
"Yeah...she had to go. I think it's too much for her. I...I seriously think she still loves you."
Draco smiled.
A healer appeared in the doorway and knocked quietly.
"Visiting hours are over folks," she said, "We'll have to ask you to leave."
Blaise nodded and looked down at his friend once more.
"Things will get better mate," he said, squeezing his hand once more, "I promise."
"Thanks," Draco replied. Blaise lent down and kissed his best friend's forehead before standing up and calling Scorpius over. "Time to say goodbye to Daddy, Scorp."
"Back tomorrow?" the three year old asked. Blaise quickly looked at Draco who nodded and then answered, "Of course Scorp. Come on, hug Daddy goodbye."

Hermione opened the door to her house and sighed. She hung her coat up in the hallway closet before making her way into the kitchen to get Hugo some lunch. She was surprised to find Ron, Harry and Blaise sitting at the table, Scorpius and Kyle eating sandwiches.
"Hey honey," Ron said, "come sit down." Hermione sat down next to her husband, still clutching Hugo to her chest.
Ron took Hugo from her and Harry passed Hermione a cup of tea.
"We need to talk to you about Draco," Blaise said, "we...we have to start arranging a funeral."
"What?" Hermione whispered, "A...A funeral? But...we don't even know if he's going to die yet."
Blaise sighed and took her hand across the table. "I spoke with the doctor. They're giving him about another week. His breathing is getting worse; he can't stay awake that long and his heart is taking to long to constantly beat. I'm sorry Hermione."
Ron touched his wife's hand.
"Blaise told us Hermione," said Ron, "about your relationship with him. And I'm not angry with you. It was a long time ago and I know you still harbour feelings. It's alright. If he's going to die, then you need to let him know how you feel about him. Things won't change. We'll still be a family. Me, you and Hugo. I love you Mione, and if there are things you need to do before he passes, then so be it."
"Thankyou Ron," whispered Hermione.

Two days later, Hermione walked into St Mungo's Hospital alone, making her way towards Draco's room. A smile upon her face and a song in her heart, as the cliché went, she opened the door to his room.
"Draco, I love you."
But what reached her was silence. Finally looking at the room, she saw it was empty. All the flowers and cards were gone, all the pictures Scorpius had drawn him were no longer around the bed. And the bed.
No more Draco.
"What...?"
Blaise walked into the room, tears in his eyes.
"He...he just stopped breathing," he whispered, his hand resting on her shoulder "And it was over."
"But...I didn't get to see him," she whispered, tears running down her face, "I didn't get to say goodbye. I..I didn't get to tell him that...that I loved him."
Blaise pulled her into a hug, and felt her tears fall and wet his shirt, but he didn't care.
"Did he say anything," she asked, "before he died?"
Blaise placed his hand in her hair, "He just said, 'Tell Hermione, I love her.' And then he was gone."

The funeral for Draco Lucius Malfoy was held four days later. Hermione and Ron went, along with Harry and Ginny. Blaise met them there with Narcissa, who held Scorpius in her arms who hadn't stopped crying. Hermione couldn't bring Hugo, it was to sad, but she asked Narcissa if she could hold Scorpius and Narcissa said she wouldn't have it any other way. Through the service, Scorpius held onto Hermione, crying softly into her black coat, Blaise sitting next to her explained that he would be adopting Scorpius himself.

When she was asked to speak about Draco, Hermione declined the offer, having her own private service in her heart.As the service ended and everyone went home, Hermione said she needed a minute by herself and made her way from the church to his grave. Looking upon the grave site, she read the beautiful message:

Here lies Draco Lucius Malfoy
Born: June 5th 1980- Died: December 19th 2002
Beloved Father, Son and Friend

Looking down at the grave and the white dove carved into the tombstone and thinking to herself that Draco was under the very ground she was standing on-dead and cold- made Hermione fall to her knees and cry. She couldn't stop crying. All those years of torture, then finally finding love in the one boy she never thought possible, then loosing him all over again. She didn't hear Blaise come up behind her until she felt his hand on her shoulder. He knelt down beside her, holding her to his chest, letting her cry her sorrows.
For once in her life, Hermione wasn't a mother, or a Gryffindor, or one third of the Golden Trio.
She was Hermione Granger- a woman who had just lost the love of her life.

Fin

sniff sniff I am truly sorry I killed off Draco. Buts its just a fic I HAD to write. You guys are never gonna believe me, but I actually got the idea to write this story after I watched the saddest episode of South Park. yes you read right, South Park! It was the episode where Kenny died. Its called, funny enough, "Kenny dies." If you haven't seen the episode I suggest you do. Just visit the episode is in season 5. I hope you guys enjoyed this story. Please don't ask for a sequel/second chapter. I don't think I could handle it. goes off into corner and cries like a baby