Disclaimer: It may be a new fic, but the characters are seasoned... thanks
to salt, pepper, and JKR. ;o)
Previously on PS:
Draco stood with his hands at his sides, smiling, and obviously waiting for Hermione to make a move... whether it be going inside or... something else. She waited a moment, then stepped forward, placing her hands just above the sides of his belt. Draco's smile faltered a bit; he didn't know what she was planning... but Hermione did. She pushed up and connected their lips for a third time. They broke apart slowly and Draco was last to open his eyes.
"Damn..." he whispered, causing Hermione to giggle. She pushed up again, but this time her lips came close to his ear, and she pulled his hand to her stomach.
"Don't swear... the baby will hear you."
~*~*~*~
CHAPTER TWO: Goodnights and Firelight accustom
Hermione was awoken by a loud pounding from somewhere inside her mind. She groaned and rolled over in her full sized four-poster, pulling an ebony pillow over her head. The pounding didn't stop, however. In fact, it grew louder, bringing her back to consciousness more quickly than she would have hoped for. As she became more aware of the world around her, Hermione realized that the racket was coming from somewhere in the lower region of her home, as opposed to her own mind. Inhaling sharply, she pulled the pillow away and reached a hand toward her bedside table. She turned the digital alarm toward her and let out another moan as she blinked the numbers into focus. Whoever was waking her up at one in the morning sure as hell better have a good reason.
As Hermione walked down the stairs, she silently repeated a reminder to herself to make coffee at the soonest possible convenience. Too many long days... her first night away from regretted obligations and someone had the nerve to wake her up. With a sigh, Hermione gave up on being angry. It simply took too much energy.
"Come on, Hermione! Open up!" called an extremely familiar voice from behind the door to the front, and Hermione rolled her eyes as she stepped up to the door. She pulled it open without another thought, wearing an impassive look on her face.
"Draco, what the hell are you..." she started, planning on telling him off for waking her, but the words died in her throat as she saw the little bundle of squirming blankets in his arms, which was making varied moans of discomfort. "Draco!" she called in outrage, her anger much more serious than it had been, but diluted with worry. Before Draco even had a chance to explain his presence, Hermione wretched the bundle from his arms and turned inside. "Close the door," she commanded, heading straight for the living room without even glancing back. Draco did as she asked, and followed quickly, his brows knotted in worry.
Hermione brought her load to the couch and set it gently on the center cushion before slowly unwrapping the blankets from its inner treasure. In moments, the watery blue eyes of the newest little Malfoy looked up at her. Hermione frowned at the baby before picking it up. Draco, all along, simply watched as she held his sister to her bosom and rushed across the room, lighting a fire and sending warming spells at the furniture and overlying blankets. Once the four and a half month old little girl had stopped shaking and had warm air in her lungs, she started to whimper, which quickly turned into cries.
"What happened?" Hermione asked over the little girl's wails, and Draco looked a bit startled. Hermione simply stared as she tried to comfort the tiny thing.
"I... I don't know... she was fine one minute, and then... I can't get her to stop," he replied, sounding defeated, and Hermione kept her eyes locked for a few more moments, as if to be sure he was finished. Then, she shook her head and continued to comfort the moaning baby. She didn't seem to be letting up... but Hermione knew from experience that Hazel could cry a substantial amount louder than that.
"Did you feed her?" she asked, rubbing the little girl's back through the thin pajamas she wore. Draco nodded solemnly.
"I tried... she wouldn't take it."
"Rock her?" Another nod.
"Yes. I even sung; I was desperate." His fiancée sighed.
"Did you change her?" This time, Draco remained silent. Hermione shifted Hazel higher on her hip and rolled her eyes, groaning. "Dray-co! We've talked about this a thousand times!" He looked toward the floor.
"I know... but it just feels so wrong." Hermione turned away, shaking her head, and started for the kitchen. As she predicted, Draco followed her and watched as she spread a blanket over the countertop and gently placed the tiny girl upon it. Then, she looked up.
"Can you watch her for just five seconds?" she asked exasperatedly, and Draco nodded, stepping toward the counter. It was no use arguing; Hermione had every right to be angry. Their parents had gone off on a semi-shopping spree. They were house hunting... for their soon-to-be-wed offspring. Ever since the day Hazel was born, as planned, they'd taken every possible opportunity to baby-sit. Unfortunately, Narcissa and Madeline, Hermione's mother, had decided to play a sick game with them, forcing them to watch the baby almost everyday. This took a much bigger toll on Hermione than it did Draco. He had absolutely no idea what to do half the time, and usually watched as Hermione lived out her worst nightmare. He found himself confused as to why they'd agreed to this in the first place; Hermione had specifically said she was afraid of taking care of a baby... and his suggested solution? Toss one right in her lap.
When the older adults had told of their plans for that weekend, Draco had come up with, if he did say so himself, a brilliant plan to ease his bride- to-be of the burden. He had volunteered to take Hazel under his wing for the entire two days, and promised not to bother Hermione about anything, no matter what. At the time, she thought him sweet, and rewarded with a soft kiss to the cheek... but now, he could understand her anger. It was his first night and he was already begging on bended knees for her help.
Hermione left the kitchen and returned moments later with her box of changing essentials. Draco, who had been gently holding a hand to his sister's abdomen to keep her on the flat surface, took it away and stepped to the side. Hermione looked up and lifted an eyebrow.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draco looked confused.
"Aren't you going to..." but Hermione shook her head, shoving the little basket into his arms.
"Nope. I already know how to change a diaper. I think it's time you learned." Draco, at this, glared slightly.
"I know how," he corrected and Hermione mocked surprise.
"Really? Well, let's see it then," she insisted, taking a seat at the bar and placing her finger into Hazel's tiny fist. The baby didn't squeeze but Hermione didn't mind; she'd always loved the little fingers.
"Hermione..." Draco started, looking worriedly between the baby and his girlfriend. She looked up and batted her eyelashes.
"Yes?" He gave her a pleading look and she sighed. "Draco, honestly. I don't see what the problem is here." Draco shot her a glance; he knew she knew what his problem was. Hermione shook her head. "What if we have children, Draco? What if I... die birthing our first daughter? Are you going to make her wear one diaper until she's old enough not to need it? I daresay that'd be some severe diaper rash," she joked, but Draco wasn't laughing. Of course, she didn't expect him too... but his reaction was far more severe than she'd assumed it would be. He'd looked up at the start of her second sentence and had looked horrified ever since. In fact, he hadn't even heard the rest of her question.
"Don't you ever say anything like that ever again," he commanded, but gently, simply sounding scared. Hermione dropped her smirk and looked confused. "That is NOT going to happen," he insisted and Hermione smiled a tiny bit. He was concerned over her death proposal. Ah well, might as well humor him while Hazel was occupied with wooden spoon.
"It could," she said. "Anything is possible." Draco looked almost as if she'd stabbed him.
"No," he said. "It won't." Hermione shrugged a shoulder.
"You never..."
"No," Draco repeated, this time a bit forcefully. Hermione looked up at his sudden increase in volume and for the first time, found herself slightly scared of Draco Malfoy. It was strange however... considering the reason he was angry in the first place. She found herself touched and frightened simultaneously. It was surprisingly a rather unpleasant sensation.
"Okay," she agreed, turning back to face Hazel, who was now on the verge of crying; also startled by Draco's voice. "It won't." Seeing her timid composure, Draco stepped forward, placing the basket on another chair and replacing the hand on Hazel's stomach as he used his other arm to embrace Hermione. She didn't fight it; in fact, she seemed to have wanted the contact as much as he did, reaching her arms around him and holding her boyfriend close.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to her, his lips close enough for her to hear even through Hazel's cries. "I didn't mean to scare you." Hermione let out a hiccoughing laugh and pulled away.
"You didn't scare me," she insisted, sliding off her chair and stepping around him to retrieve the basket. She prepared herself to change the diaper, but, for the first time, Draco stopped her.
"Let me do it," he asked more than stated and Hermione had no choice but to agree. She let her hands melt from the talcum powder and stepped back, looking to him as if he'd just dropped his pants. Taking no notice of her strange look, Draco went about his chore, trying his best to adequately change the diaper on his miniscule sibling and not letting his gaze... linger. Hermione found herself smiling at the scene... Draco's face was utterly disgusted, although he seemed not to notice. She humored herself by thinking it must have been the first naked female he'd ever seen... at least in person. Draco did calm down a bit once the dirty part of the job was done, and triumphantly stuck the tabs to their respective adhesive. "See," he cooed to Hazel, although it did little to stop her waterworks, then turned to Hermione. "I told you I could do it." Hermione giggled softly and nodded.
"You sure did it alright," she agreed, and Draco lifted a skeptical eyebrow.
"What?" Hermione pointed.
"The diapers on backwards... and you forgot the ointment," Draco looked down at the baby and gave a slow nod. It did look a little odd, now that he looked again. Shaking her head, Hermione stepped in and unfastened the tabs, then flipped the diaper over and tucked it under. Holding Hazel down, she reached for the little tube of rash lotion, squirting a large dosage on her fingers and smiling to herself. The first time she'd needed to use it... Draco had asked if she were going to put gloves on first. With an inner giggle, Hermione spread the cool cream over the baby's lower region, smiling and making faces to keep Hazel happy. It seemed to work, but only for a moment or so. When her almost-sister was strapped up and re-dressed, Hermione lifted her up again, stepping around Draco and pulling the powdered formula from the cupboard. She thrust it at him with a slight smirk. "I trust you can make a bottle without difficulty," she stated and began cleaning up the changing mess.
"Sure..." Draco said, sighing confidently. This was one field of child rearing he could handle; food. Once cleaned up, Hermione sat back down, fishing a pacifier from the baby basket and popping it into Hazel's mouth. To Draco's amazement, her whimpering died down. As if it were nothing, Hermione slung the baby over her shoulder and started rubbing her back. In no time there was complete silence. "How the hell..." Draco began, his voice giving away his instinctual reaction, but Hermione interrupted him.
"Why didn't you wake up Lucifer?" she asked, yawning into Hazel's bundle of blankets. Draco snapped out of his funk and gave her a disbelieving look.
"As if he'd ever let me live that down," he said and Hermione smirked slightly at the thought of his big brother's torment. She agreed with Draco; he'd never live it down.
"Well, you could have CALLED me... I would have come over, you didn't have to bring her outside; it's freezing," she pointed out, and Draco thought this over. He nodded.
"I suppose you're right... but I panicked, there was no way I'd think of something that simple." Hermione smirked.
"As simple as feeding your poor little sister?" Draco looked down at the empty bottle in his hand and gave a tiny laugh.
"Right..." he said, and set back to his job. Some water, shaking, and a warming spell later, Hazel was nestled contentedly in Hermione's arms, sucking on the bottle she was too weak to hold herself. Hermione moved to the living room so as to sit next to the fire, still afraid the tiny creature would catch some dreaded disease. Draco admitted he'd feel completely responsible, but was fairly confident that Hazel would be fine. He sat next to Hermione on the couch, watching as she held the bottle upright. The look of pure contentment on her face amazed him. He knew she was exhausted; they'd been up late together the last three nights in a row... but she'd always be doing most of the work. He also assumed she had prepared herself for a good night's sleep, only to be woken by his incessant pounding.... and now, just holding the source of all her discomfort in her arms, she looked so at peace. Draco knew it wouldn't last; she'd snap out of it the moment anything happened, but for that solitary moment in time... Hermione was happy. He wouldn't be surprised if she started humming... and he didn't understand it in the slightest.
~
As expected, when Hazel needed burping, the smile on Hermione's face quickly turned to a frown. She sighed and lifted the baby onto her shoulder, patting her gently until she released the pressure in her stomach.
"There we go," Hermione cooed, almost as if she were as relieved as the baby, and brought her back onto her lap. Hazel seemed overly contented, however, and turned her head from the nipple, burying her face into Hermione's chest. She smiled again and passed the half empty bottle to Draco, who took it and set it aside, still watching the two women. Hermione rocked Hazel slightly, and it was mere minutes before the baby was sound asleep, making no noise but her gentle breathing and coo-like snores. Draco was purely amazed.
"How do you DO that?" he whispered, afraid of waking the miniscule maiden, and Hermione looked up.
"Do what?" Draco gave a slight laugh.
"I don't know... you always just... know what to do... every time," he said, awed, and Hermione chuckled, shrugging a shoulder.
"Maternal instinct?" she suggested and Draco shook his head slowly.
"Call it what you want... you're amazing," he praised and Hermione smiled at him, nodding.
"And I would have to agree..." she said, her last few words obstructed by a gallant yawn. Draco brought his eyes from the baby to her tired face.
"I'm really sorry about this," he said, and she laughed quietly, shaking her head.
"It's fine. I think I'm getting used to it," she said, then turned to Hazel, who was still snoozing. "And it's only for two more weeks, right? After the wedding, I only have to see YOU when I feel like it." Draco smiled softly.
"I suppose we should get her to bed then," he said and stood up. Hermione looked up at him as if startled.
"You're not leaving," she told him, holding Hazel protectively to her chest.
"But..." Draco said, slightly confused.
"No, Draco. It was stupid to take her outside once in weather like this, I'm not letting you do it again. Hazel is staying here and you're welcome to do the same," she said, sounding set in her ways, and Draco sighed, having no choice but to agree. He wasn't planning on leaving her all alone with the baby again... especially after his promise. If any getting up were necessary he would do it, unless her presence was unavoidably needed.
"Fine," he said, sounding a tad saddened to have to impose on her. Hermione gave a decisive nod and pointed to her wand, which lay on the coffee table.
"Hand me that?" she asked, and Draco quickly did as requested. Once in repossession of her magic stick, Hermione transfigured a near by chair into a simple crib, then looked up at Draco. He already read her intentions loud and clear, stepping forward and gently lifting Hazel from Hermione's arms. She smiled at how carefully he still held her... Lucius was anything but careful. It worried her sometimes how rough he was with the poor child... Hazel was constantly being thrown in the air, levitated, spun in circles, given mild tickling spells... for heaven's sake she could barely lift herself from the floor, and her father didn't think twice about it. Hazel seemed to enjoy the little feats of playtime... but all women in near vicinity, including Narcissa and Madeline, would gasp and bite their lips, constantly scolding Lucius.
Although, Hermione had to admit, it was probably good for her. Lucifer, being the Malfoy's first son and child, was probably treated with much more caution than Draco, the second, had been... and, looking between them, it seemed a little daring could help. Draco was a star Quidditch player, never backed down from a dare, had a sharp tongue, and was very close to his father... Lucifer, on the other hand, had never gone farther than first year flying lessons when it came to broom riding, wouldn't be seen near any sort of muggle amusement outlet, such as a roller coaster, and had never been and vowed never to be on an airplane. Although his tongue could give a good lashing at times, Lucifer usually backed down from a verbal spar and, as much as Hermione loved him, she had to admit he was quite the Momma's boy. To this day, although he had just passed his twenty third birthday, Lucifer could be found accompanying Narcissa to the supermarket... driving her anywhere she wished to go... and serving tea during her knitting circles.
So unlike Lucius, Draco was ever so gentle with Hazel. Even as he moved her the short distance from Hermione's arms to the crib just feet away, he did so with such caution and grace, making sure every step was correctly placed and soft, as not to jostle her awake. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the look of complete concentration on his face. When he finally made it to her crib side, Draco gently placed Hazel down on the soft mattress and covered her with a half dozen blankets. It was early November, and the snowy season was fast approaching... the temperature outside was dreadfully low. Thinking back, Hermione found herself now slightly worried about Draco. When he'd come in, all she'd been thinking of was Hazel... and how susceptible to disease she was. Draco was wearing nothing more than pajama pants, a t-shirt, and a pair of sneakers he'd slipped on over his sock-less feet, the backs folded under his heels. Hermione herself was wearing something similar, minus the shoes, and had gotten goose bumps just from opening the door... she could only imagine how it must have felt to walk three blocks like that... although, she admitted, he was probably too worried about Hazel to notice anyway.
When the baby was set and sleeping comfortably, Draco stealthily backed up, as if afraid any sudden movement might cause her to wake. Hermione stood from the couch, joining her fiancé next to the crib. He was smiling and looking proud of himself, as if putting her down was his life's greatest achievement. Hermione smiled with him for a moment, then let her concern take over.
"Draco, aren't you freezing? I don't need you getting sick either... then I'd have two babies to take care of," she said, smirking slightly, and Draco rolled his eyes.
"I'm fine, H'mione," he insisted and Hermione threw up her hands, giving up before getting started.
"Fine, fine... what do I know anyway?" she asked, grumbling as she walked back toward the couch, and Draco chuckled, looking after her. Hermione, straightening her wand arm, flicked it toward the couch, rendering it to silently unfold into a full sized bed. She'd have done it manually, but the noise may have woken Hazel... and she didn't exactly have the energy. Taking Draco's hand as if it were nothing, Hermione pulled him toward the bed, stepping onto it with her knees and crawling to the other side. She moaned slightly in comfort as she settled into the blankets and mumbled a 'g'night'. Draco smiled at her and kicked off his shoes, letting them hit the rug with a dull thump, before climbing in beside her. Hermione seemed to be already asleep by the time he was settled, and Draco couldn't help but stare at her a moment longer.
The last four and a half months had been an eye opening experience for him. The reality of their betrothal was sinking in... and Draco found himself constantly pondering their future. The whole idea had finally been accepted, and he was now as eager as ever to marry the woman who lay next to him at that very moment. Just the thought of waking up to that sight every day for the rest of his life made his stomach flip. Draco wouldn't deny for a moment that he did care very deeply for Hermione... they had a very special bond. Somewhat like siblings, but with an unavoidable sexual tension that made him want to think of her in the most inappropriate ways. He tried to suppress these urges whenever possible... but his subconscious had a habit of reeking havoc on his desires... as well as his bed sheets. There had been more than one night when Draco had awoken in a cold sweat, sheets below him sticky and warm, and a clear as a bell image of Hermione in his mind. These dreams were somewhat welcomed, however. He hadn't allowed himself to indulge in the forbidden pleasure of manual release... he wanted to share whatever new sensations that might bring with Hermione, as he hoped she would share hers with him. The dreams provided him with an outlet for his sexual frustration... but they were somewhat inadequate. No matter how hard he tried, Draco could never remember what she looked like naked... he had a clear memory of her face, twisted in pleasure, but never of anything below her neckline. He supposed it may have been due to the fact that he HAD never seen her in that state... nor anyone else... but it still left him slightly emptied.
When Draco was nearly positive that Hermione was again sleeping, he allowed himself to break one of his promises. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her, right? Sliding down in the bed, Draco leaned in close, moving slowly until their breath mingled together. He smirked slightly and gently placed his lips upon hers. The sensation, so familiar, yet longed for... like a long lost love, took him over. The kiss, however one-sided, grew more passionate... as heavy as possible without access to her mouth. Undeniably, Hermione was broken from her relaxed state, somewhere between consciousness and sleep, and startled beyond comprehension. Instinctually, and before her brain could stop her, she kissed him back, opening her mouth to enjoy his exploration. It took a moment to realize that this was against the rules, and she pulled back quickly, breath slightly labored.
"Stop it, Draco," she scolded, wiping her mouth as if he tasted foul. Draco felt a panicked lurch in his stomach; he hadn't meant to get caught. "I thought we had a deal," Hermione said, glaring, and Draco gave her a guilty smile.
"At least I waited more than eleven seconds." Hermione pulled the pillow out from underneath her and beaned him once in the head before placing it back down and rolling over to face away, mumbling something about making him sleep on the floor. Draco, although disappointed that she'd turned, leaned back into his pillow with a very satisfied smirk on his face. He waited a good fifteen minutes, just reliving the kiss and desperately trying to find a patch of her taste on his lips. He sighed contentedly then, and turned his face back toward Hermione. He had no idea now if she were sleeping or not, but it didn't matter; he wasn't planning on kissing her. Hermione was a bit of a bed hog, and, already, was on his half of the bed. Not that Draco really minded, of course, but it gave way for opportunity. Tentatively, in case she was still awake, Draco tuned on his side and moved a bit closer, wrapping and arm around his bride-to-be and cradling her in a very comfortable spoons position. Whether in sleep or otherwise, Hermione cuddled toward him and held his arm like a teddy bear. Draco smiled at this and rested the bridge of his nose against the back of her head. Lying with Hermione in the firelight, while Hazel slept peacefully only feet away, Draco Malfoy found himself truly at peace. And, in that instant, he knew they would make it through whatever trials lay before them... even if he wasn't allowed to kiss her, or make too much noise. Moments like this made up for all the bad times.
~*~*~*~
A/N Slightly shorter than most regular chapters, but there was a lot of backgrounding and explaining, so it really should count as more. Dialogue takes up a lot of space when you have to space your paragraphs this way. I hope you guys liked this; I spent a lot of time on it, and it's been bothering me for weeks. Those of you who were wondering about the other chapters of FLYT... there are no plans to make novels of any of the others, as of yet. The first chapter would make an okay novel, providing Seth got a way and went after them... but I'm not one for angst-y. In the third chapter, everyone dies... although I do plan to eventually write a one-shot sequel... but that won't be for a while. Forth...yes, that could continue... but there really isn't much conflict. I suppose I could have one of the children get kidnapped or something, but what good would that do? I'd personally kill whoever did it... especially after the scare Erilyn gave Draco.... ya know. And the fifth one COULD be continued...b ut it'd be another, run of the mill, D/Hr Hb/Hg fluff-o-rama... full of nothing but dances and projects and mindless sex. No thank you. Flames was enough. So anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and I will start the PRF's with the next chapter. That's Personal Reviewer Feedback, for those of you who don't know ;o)
And, once again, anyone who wishes to do a sequel to MPES, please, send me an email @ CrypticCoruscation@yahoo.com. I'm eager to see what some of those will come up to. And, hey, if you want to continue any chapters of FLYT except this one and Barefoot is Beautiful, please, also drop me a note. That too would be fun to see.
Previously on PS:
Draco stood with his hands at his sides, smiling, and obviously waiting for Hermione to make a move... whether it be going inside or... something else. She waited a moment, then stepped forward, placing her hands just above the sides of his belt. Draco's smile faltered a bit; he didn't know what she was planning... but Hermione did. She pushed up and connected their lips for a third time. They broke apart slowly and Draco was last to open his eyes.
"Damn..." he whispered, causing Hermione to giggle. She pushed up again, but this time her lips came close to his ear, and she pulled his hand to her stomach.
"Don't swear... the baby will hear you."
~*~*~*~
CHAPTER TWO: Goodnights and Firelight accustom
Hermione was awoken by a loud pounding from somewhere inside her mind. She groaned and rolled over in her full sized four-poster, pulling an ebony pillow over her head. The pounding didn't stop, however. In fact, it grew louder, bringing her back to consciousness more quickly than she would have hoped for. As she became more aware of the world around her, Hermione realized that the racket was coming from somewhere in the lower region of her home, as opposed to her own mind. Inhaling sharply, she pulled the pillow away and reached a hand toward her bedside table. She turned the digital alarm toward her and let out another moan as she blinked the numbers into focus. Whoever was waking her up at one in the morning sure as hell better have a good reason.
As Hermione walked down the stairs, she silently repeated a reminder to herself to make coffee at the soonest possible convenience. Too many long days... her first night away from regretted obligations and someone had the nerve to wake her up. With a sigh, Hermione gave up on being angry. It simply took too much energy.
"Come on, Hermione! Open up!" called an extremely familiar voice from behind the door to the front, and Hermione rolled her eyes as she stepped up to the door. She pulled it open without another thought, wearing an impassive look on her face.
"Draco, what the hell are you..." she started, planning on telling him off for waking her, but the words died in her throat as she saw the little bundle of squirming blankets in his arms, which was making varied moans of discomfort. "Draco!" she called in outrage, her anger much more serious than it had been, but diluted with worry. Before Draco even had a chance to explain his presence, Hermione wretched the bundle from his arms and turned inside. "Close the door," she commanded, heading straight for the living room without even glancing back. Draco did as she asked, and followed quickly, his brows knotted in worry.
Hermione brought her load to the couch and set it gently on the center cushion before slowly unwrapping the blankets from its inner treasure. In moments, the watery blue eyes of the newest little Malfoy looked up at her. Hermione frowned at the baby before picking it up. Draco, all along, simply watched as she held his sister to her bosom and rushed across the room, lighting a fire and sending warming spells at the furniture and overlying blankets. Once the four and a half month old little girl had stopped shaking and had warm air in her lungs, she started to whimper, which quickly turned into cries.
"What happened?" Hermione asked over the little girl's wails, and Draco looked a bit startled. Hermione simply stared as she tried to comfort the tiny thing.
"I... I don't know... she was fine one minute, and then... I can't get her to stop," he replied, sounding defeated, and Hermione kept her eyes locked for a few more moments, as if to be sure he was finished. Then, she shook her head and continued to comfort the moaning baby. She didn't seem to be letting up... but Hermione knew from experience that Hazel could cry a substantial amount louder than that.
"Did you feed her?" she asked, rubbing the little girl's back through the thin pajamas she wore. Draco nodded solemnly.
"I tried... she wouldn't take it."
"Rock her?" Another nod.
"Yes. I even sung; I was desperate." His fiancée sighed.
"Did you change her?" This time, Draco remained silent. Hermione shifted Hazel higher on her hip and rolled her eyes, groaning. "Dray-co! We've talked about this a thousand times!" He looked toward the floor.
"I know... but it just feels so wrong." Hermione turned away, shaking her head, and started for the kitchen. As she predicted, Draco followed her and watched as she spread a blanket over the countertop and gently placed the tiny girl upon it. Then, she looked up.
"Can you watch her for just five seconds?" she asked exasperatedly, and Draco nodded, stepping toward the counter. It was no use arguing; Hermione had every right to be angry. Their parents had gone off on a semi-shopping spree. They were house hunting... for their soon-to-be-wed offspring. Ever since the day Hazel was born, as planned, they'd taken every possible opportunity to baby-sit. Unfortunately, Narcissa and Madeline, Hermione's mother, had decided to play a sick game with them, forcing them to watch the baby almost everyday. This took a much bigger toll on Hermione than it did Draco. He had absolutely no idea what to do half the time, and usually watched as Hermione lived out her worst nightmare. He found himself confused as to why they'd agreed to this in the first place; Hermione had specifically said she was afraid of taking care of a baby... and his suggested solution? Toss one right in her lap.
When the older adults had told of their plans for that weekend, Draco had come up with, if he did say so himself, a brilliant plan to ease his bride- to-be of the burden. He had volunteered to take Hazel under his wing for the entire two days, and promised not to bother Hermione about anything, no matter what. At the time, she thought him sweet, and rewarded with a soft kiss to the cheek... but now, he could understand her anger. It was his first night and he was already begging on bended knees for her help.
Hermione left the kitchen and returned moments later with her box of changing essentials. Draco, who had been gently holding a hand to his sister's abdomen to keep her on the flat surface, took it away and stepped to the side. Hermione looked up and lifted an eyebrow.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draco looked confused.
"Aren't you going to..." but Hermione shook her head, shoving the little basket into his arms.
"Nope. I already know how to change a diaper. I think it's time you learned." Draco, at this, glared slightly.
"I know how," he corrected and Hermione mocked surprise.
"Really? Well, let's see it then," she insisted, taking a seat at the bar and placing her finger into Hazel's tiny fist. The baby didn't squeeze but Hermione didn't mind; she'd always loved the little fingers.
"Hermione..." Draco started, looking worriedly between the baby and his girlfriend. She looked up and batted her eyelashes.
"Yes?" He gave her a pleading look and she sighed. "Draco, honestly. I don't see what the problem is here." Draco shot her a glance; he knew she knew what his problem was. Hermione shook her head. "What if we have children, Draco? What if I... die birthing our first daughter? Are you going to make her wear one diaper until she's old enough not to need it? I daresay that'd be some severe diaper rash," she joked, but Draco wasn't laughing. Of course, she didn't expect him too... but his reaction was far more severe than she'd assumed it would be. He'd looked up at the start of her second sentence and had looked horrified ever since. In fact, he hadn't even heard the rest of her question.
"Don't you ever say anything like that ever again," he commanded, but gently, simply sounding scared. Hermione dropped her smirk and looked confused. "That is NOT going to happen," he insisted and Hermione smiled a tiny bit. He was concerned over her death proposal. Ah well, might as well humor him while Hazel was occupied with wooden spoon.
"It could," she said. "Anything is possible." Draco looked almost as if she'd stabbed him.
"No," he said. "It won't." Hermione shrugged a shoulder.
"You never..."
"No," Draco repeated, this time a bit forcefully. Hermione looked up at his sudden increase in volume and for the first time, found herself slightly scared of Draco Malfoy. It was strange however... considering the reason he was angry in the first place. She found herself touched and frightened simultaneously. It was surprisingly a rather unpleasant sensation.
"Okay," she agreed, turning back to face Hazel, who was now on the verge of crying; also startled by Draco's voice. "It won't." Seeing her timid composure, Draco stepped forward, placing the basket on another chair and replacing the hand on Hazel's stomach as he used his other arm to embrace Hermione. She didn't fight it; in fact, she seemed to have wanted the contact as much as he did, reaching her arms around him and holding her boyfriend close.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to her, his lips close enough for her to hear even through Hazel's cries. "I didn't mean to scare you." Hermione let out a hiccoughing laugh and pulled away.
"You didn't scare me," she insisted, sliding off her chair and stepping around him to retrieve the basket. She prepared herself to change the diaper, but, for the first time, Draco stopped her.
"Let me do it," he asked more than stated and Hermione had no choice but to agree. She let her hands melt from the talcum powder and stepped back, looking to him as if he'd just dropped his pants. Taking no notice of her strange look, Draco went about his chore, trying his best to adequately change the diaper on his miniscule sibling and not letting his gaze... linger. Hermione found herself smiling at the scene... Draco's face was utterly disgusted, although he seemed not to notice. She humored herself by thinking it must have been the first naked female he'd ever seen... at least in person. Draco did calm down a bit once the dirty part of the job was done, and triumphantly stuck the tabs to their respective adhesive. "See," he cooed to Hazel, although it did little to stop her waterworks, then turned to Hermione. "I told you I could do it." Hermione giggled softly and nodded.
"You sure did it alright," she agreed, and Draco lifted a skeptical eyebrow.
"What?" Hermione pointed.
"The diapers on backwards... and you forgot the ointment," Draco looked down at the baby and gave a slow nod. It did look a little odd, now that he looked again. Shaking her head, Hermione stepped in and unfastened the tabs, then flipped the diaper over and tucked it under. Holding Hazel down, she reached for the little tube of rash lotion, squirting a large dosage on her fingers and smiling to herself. The first time she'd needed to use it... Draco had asked if she were going to put gloves on first. With an inner giggle, Hermione spread the cool cream over the baby's lower region, smiling and making faces to keep Hazel happy. It seemed to work, but only for a moment or so. When her almost-sister was strapped up and re-dressed, Hermione lifted her up again, stepping around Draco and pulling the powdered formula from the cupboard. She thrust it at him with a slight smirk. "I trust you can make a bottle without difficulty," she stated and began cleaning up the changing mess.
"Sure..." Draco said, sighing confidently. This was one field of child rearing he could handle; food. Once cleaned up, Hermione sat back down, fishing a pacifier from the baby basket and popping it into Hazel's mouth. To Draco's amazement, her whimpering died down. As if it were nothing, Hermione slung the baby over her shoulder and started rubbing her back. In no time there was complete silence. "How the hell..." Draco began, his voice giving away his instinctual reaction, but Hermione interrupted him.
"Why didn't you wake up Lucifer?" she asked, yawning into Hazel's bundle of blankets. Draco snapped out of his funk and gave her a disbelieving look.
"As if he'd ever let me live that down," he said and Hermione smirked slightly at the thought of his big brother's torment. She agreed with Draco; he'd never live it down.
"Well, you could have CALLED me... I would have come over, you didn't have to bring her outside; it's freezing," she pointed out, and Draco thought this over. He nodded.
"I suppose you're right... but I panicked, there was no way I'd think of something that simple." Hermione smirked.
"As simple as feeding your poor little sister?" Draco looked down at the empty bottle in his hand and gave a tiny laugh.
"Right..." he said, and set back to his job. Some water, shaking, and a warming spell later, Hazel was nestled contentedly in Hermione's arms, sucking on the bottle she was too weak to hold herself. Hermione moved to the living room so as to sit next to the fire, still afraid the tiny creature would catch some dreaded disease. Draco admitted he'd feel completely responsible, but was fairly confident that Hazel would be fine. He sat next to Hermione on the couch, watching as she held the bottle upright. The look of pure contentment on her face amazed him. He knew she was exhausted; they'd been up late together the last three nights in a row... but she'd always be doing most of the work. He also assumed she had prepared herself for a good night's sleep, only to be woken by his incessant pounding.... and now, just holding the source of all her discomfort in her arms, she looked so at peace. Draco knew it wouldn't last; she'd snap out of it the moment anything happened, but for that solitary moment in time... Hermione was happy. He wouldn't be surprised if she started humming... and he didn't understand it in the slightest.
~
As expected, when Hazel needed burping, the smile on Hermione's face quickly turned to a frown. She sighed and lifted the baby onto her shoulder, patting her gently until she released the pressure in her stomach.
"There we go," Hermione cooed, almost as if she were as relieved as the baby, and brought her back onto her lap. Hazel seemed overly contented, however, and turned her head from the nipple, burying her face into Hermione's chest. She smiled again and passed the half empty bottle to Draco, who took it and set it aside, still watching the two women. Hermione rocked Hazel slightly, and it was mere minutes before the baby was sound asleep, making no noise but her gentle breathing and coo-like snores. Draco was purely amazed.
"How do you DO that?" he whispered, afraid of waking the miniscule maiden, and Hermione looked up.
"Do what?" Draco gave a slight laugh.
"I don't know... you always just... know what to do... every time," he said, awed, and Hermione chuckled, shrugging a shoulder.
"Maternal instinct?" she suggested and Draco shook his head slowly.
"Call it what you want... you're amazing," he praised and Hermione smiled at him, nodding.
"And I would have to agree..." she said, her last few words obstructed by a gallant yawn. Draco brought his eyes from the baby to her tired face.
"I'm really sorry about this," he said, and she laughed quietly, shaking her head.
"It's fine. I think I'm getting used to it," she said, then turned to Hazel, who was still snoozing. "And it's only for two more weeks, right? After the wedding, I only have to see YOU when I feel like it." Draco smiled softly.
"I suppose we should get her to bed then," he said and stood up. Hermione looked up at him as if startled.
"You're not leaving," she told him, holding Hazel protectively to her chest.
"But..." Draco said, slightly confused.
"No, Draco. It was stupid to take her outside once in weather like this, I'm not letting you do it again. Hazel is staying here and you're welcome to do the same," she said, sounding set in her ways, and Draco sighed, having no choice but to agree. He wasn't planning on leaving her all alone with the baby again... especially after his promise. If any getting up were necessary he would do it, unless her presence was unavoidably needed.
"Fine," he said, sounding a tad saddened to have to impose on her. Hermione gave a decisive nod and pointed to her wand, which lay on the coffee table.
"Hand me that?" she asked, and Draco quickly did as requested. Once in repossession of her magic stick, Hermione transfigured a near by chair into a simple crib, then looked up at Draco. He already read her intentions loud and clear, stepping forward and gently lifting Hazel from Hermione's arms. She smiled at how carefully he still held her... Lucius was anything but careful. It worried her sometimes how rough he was with the poor child... Hazel was constantly being thrown in the air, levitated, spun in circles, given mild tickling spells... for heaven's sake she could barely lift herself from the floor, and her father didn't think twice about it. Hazel seemed to enjoy the little feats of playtime... but all women in near vicinity, including Narcissa and Madeline, would gasp and bite their lips, constantly scolding Lucius.
Although, Hermione had to admit, it was probably good for her. Lucifer, being the Malfoy's first son and child, was probably treated with much more caution than Draco, the second, had been... and, looking between them, it seemed a little daring could help. Draco was a star Quidditch player, never backed down from a dare, had a sharp tongue, and was very close to his father... Lucifer, on the other hand, had never gone farther than first year flying lessons when it came to broom riding, wouldn't be seen near any sort of muggle amusement outlet, such as a roller coaster, and had never been and vowed never to be on an airplane. Although his tongue could give a good lashing at times, Lucifer usually backed down from a verbal spar and, as much as Hermione loved him, she had to admit he was quite the Momma's boy. To this day, although he had just passed his twenty third birthday, Lucifer could be found accompanying Narcissa to the supermarket... driving her anywhere she wished to go... and serving tea during her knitting circles.
So unlike Lucius, Draco was ever so gentle with Hazel. Even as he moved her the short distance from Hermione's arms to the crib just feet away, he did so with such caution and grace, making sure every step was correctly placed and soft, as not to jostle her awake. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the look of complete concentration on his face. When he finally made it to her crib side, Draco gently placed Hazel down on the soft mattress and covered her with a half dozen blankets. It was early November, and the snowy season was fast approaching... the temperature outside was dreadfully low. Thinking back, Hermione found herself now slightly worried about Draco. When he'd come in, all she'd been thinking of was Hazel... and how susceptible to disease she was. Draco was wearing nothing more than pajama pants, a t-shirt, and a pair of sneakers he'd slipped on over his sock-less feet, the backs folded under his heels. Hermione herself was wearing something similar, minus the shoes, and had gotten goose bumps just from opening the door... she could only imagine how it must have felt to walk three blocks like that... although, she admitted, he was probably too worried about Hazel to notice anyway.
When the baby was set and sleeping comfortably, Draco stealthily backed up, as if afraid any sudden movement might cause her to wake. Hermione stood from the couch, joining her fiancé next to the crib. He was smiling and looking proud of himself, as if putting her down was his life's greatest achievement. Hermione smiled with him for a moment, then let her concern take over.
"Draco, aren't you freezing? I don't need you getting sick either... then I'd have two babies to take care of," she said, smirking slightly, and Draco rolled his eyes.
"I'm fine, H'mione," he insisted and Hermione threw up her hands, giving up before getting started.
"Fine, fine... what do I know anyway?" she asked, grumbling as she walked back toward the couch, and Draco chuckled, looking after her. Hermione, straightening her wand arm, flicked it toward the couch, rendering it to silently unfold into a full sized bed. She'd have done it manually, but the noise may have woken Hazel... and she didn't exactly have the energy. Taking Draco's hand as if it were nothing, Hermione pulled him toward the bed, stepping onto it with her knees and crawling to the other side. She moaned slightly in comfort as she settled into the blankets and mumbled a 'g'night'. Draco smiled at her and kicked off his shoes, letting them hit the rug with a dull thump, before climbing in beside her. Hermione seemed to be already asleep by the time he was settled, and Draco couldn't help but stare at her a moment longer.
The last four and a half months had been an eye opening experience for him. The reality of their betrothal was sinking in... and Draco found himself constantly pondering their future. The whole idea had finally been accepted, and he was now as eager as ever to marry the woman who lay next to him at that very moment. Just the thought of waking up to that sight every day for the rest of his life made his stomach flip. Draco wouldn't deny for a moment that he did care very deeply for Hermione... they had a very special bond. Somewhat like siblings, but with an unavoidable sexual tension that made him want to think of her in the most inappropriate ways. He tried to suppress these urges whenever possible... but his subconscious had a habit of reeking havoc on his desires... as well as his bed sheets. There had been more than one night when Draco had awoken in a cold sweat, sheets below him sticky and warm, and a clear as a bell image of Hermione in his mind. These dreams were somewhat welcomed, however. He hadn't allowed himself to indulge in the forbidden pleasure of manual release... he wanted to share whatever new sensations that might bring with Hermione, as he hoped she would share hers with him. The dreams provided him with an outlet for his sexual frustration... but they were somewhat inadequate. No matter how hard he tried, Draco could never remember what she looked like naked... he had a clear memory of her face, twisted in pleasure, but never of anything below her neckline. He supposed it may have been due to the fact that he HAD never seen her in that state... nor anyone else... but it still left him slightly emptied.
When Draco was nearly positive that Hermione was again sleeping, he allowed himself to break one of his promises. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her, right? Sliding down in the bed, Draco leaned in close, moving slowly until their breath mingled together. He smirked slightly and gently placed his lips upon hers. The sensation, so familiar, yet longed for... like a long lost love, took him over. The kiss, however one-sided, grew more passionate... as heavy as possible without access to her mouth. Undeniably, Hermione was broken from her relaxed state, somewhere between consciousness and sleep, and startled beyond comprehension. Instinctually, and before her brain could stop her, she kissed him back, opening her mouth to enjoy his exploration. It took a moment to realize that this was against the rules, and she pulled back quickly, breath slightly labored.
"Stop it, Draco," she scolded, wiping her mouth as if he tasted foul. Draco felt a panicked lurch in his stomach; he hadn't meant to get caught. "I thought we had a deal," Hermione said, glaring, and Draco gave her a guilty smile.
"At least I waited more than eleven seconds." Hermione pulled the pillow out from underneath her and beaned him once in the head before placing it back down and rolling over to face away, mumbling something about making him sleep on the floor. Draco, although disappointed that she'd turned, leaned back into his pillow with a very satisfied smirk on his face. He waited a good fifteen minutes, just reliving the kiss and desperately trying to find a patch of her taste on his lips. He sighed contentedly then, and turned his face back toward Hermione. He had no idea now if she were sleeping or not, but it didn't matter; he wasn't planning on kissing her. Hermione was a bit of a bed hog, and, already, was on his half of the bed. Not that Draco really minded, of course, but it gave way for opportunity. Tentatively, in case she was still awake, Draco tuned on his side and moved a bit closer, wrapping and arm around his bride-to-be and cradling her in a very comfortable spoons position. Whether in sleep or otherwise, Hermione cuddled toward him and held his arm like a teddy bear. Draco smiled at this and rested the bridge of his nose against the back of her head. Lying with Hermione in the firelight, while Hazel slept peacefully only feet away, Draco Malfoy found himself truly at peace. And, in that instant, he knew they would make it through whatever trials lay before them... even if he wasn't allowed to kiss her, or make too much noise. Moments like this made up for all the bad times.
~*~*~*~
A/N Slightly shorter than most regular chapters, but there was a lot of backgrounding and explaining, so it really should count as more. Dialogue takes up a lot of space when you have to space your paragraphs this way. I hope you guys liked this; I spent a lot of time on it, and it's been bothering me for weeks. Those of you who were wondering about the other chapters of FLYT... there are no plans to make novels of any of the others, as of yet. The first chapter would make an okay novel, providing Seth got a way and went after them... but I'm not one for angst-y. In the third chapter, everyone dies... although I do plan to eventually write a one-shot sequel... but that won't be for a while. Forth...yes, that could continue... but there really isn't much conflict. I suppose I could have one of the children get kidnapped or something, but what good would that do? I'd personally kill whoever did it... especially after the scare Erilyn gave Draco.... ya know. And the fifth one COULD be continued...b ut it'd be another, run of the mill, D/Hr Hb/Hg fluff-o-rama... full of nothing but dances and projects and mindless sex. No thank you. Flames was enough. So anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and I will start the PRF's with the next chapter. That's Personal Reviewer Feedback, for those of you who don't know ;o)
And, once again, anyone who wishes to do a sequel to MPES, please, send me an email @ CrypticCoruscation@yahoo.com. I'm eager to see what some of those will come up to. And, hey, if you want to continue any chapters of FLYT except this one and Barefoot is Beautiful, please, also drop me a note. That too would be fun to see.