Chapter Two: Oh, baby!
Author's Note: Just wanted to apologize for the wait! I was trying to think of where exactly I wanted this to go, and I had a small bout of writer's block... I think I have a little better idea of where this may go now... So, read and find out! Enjoy!
St. Mungo's maternity ward was filled to the brim with excited, nervous redheads when Hermione arrived. She immediately spotted the lone brunette, and rushed to his side.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, pulling him into a hug, "How's Ginny?"
"From what the healers are saying, she's doing great. But you know Gin... She won't let me in the room. Doesn't want me to see her like that..." Harry rolled his eyes, but the exasperated look didn't last long. The smile on his face was so broad and genuine, it made Hermione slightly jealous. A healer emerged from the room they were gathered around, and Harry strode forward to meet him.
Truth be told, she'd always been a bit jealous of her two best friends. The love they shared, the life they shared - it was all what she had wanted. Not that it didn't make her happy to know that her closest of friends had everything they could want, but every now and again she would feel a twinge of envy.
She took in the inhabitants of the room around her, all of her most favorite people in the wizarding world were here. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, George, Ron, and Harry. She smiled to herself, knowing that if nothing else, she did have this family. She just wished she had a family of her own, a husband to love and children to spoil. She sat down in one of the chairs, feeling tired after having been woken up by a night terror and now all the commotion in the waiting room making her even more tired. She watched as the Weasley family chatted to each other. Ron made his way over and sat down beside her, she looked up and smiled. After everything, they were still good friends.
"Hey, how are you feeling? You look tired," Ron said, his voice slightly concerned. Hermione just nodded, explaining that she had just been starting to fall asleep when Harry's owl came. She had gotten used to telling lies like these. She didn't want anyone knowing, or worrying about her condition. She let her eyes wander around the waiting room, hoping it came off as nonchalance.
Across the waiting room, sitting quietly in the corner, was Draco Malfoy. Hermione raised her eyebrows at this, wondering what on earth he was doing in the maternity ward. After all, it was a widely known fact that him and Astoria Greengrass were divorced now. Witch Weekly was all over that news, of course, constantly reporting new rumors about the newly single Draco Malfoy, and just how eligible a bachelor he was now.
After the war, the Malfoy's laid low for a long while, and then slowly began their ascent back up into wizarding society. Draco had taken over as head of the family as Lucius had been sent to Azkaban for the remainder of his life. He had worked hard to reintroduce the Malfoy name in good light. He invested in several muggle-born owned companies, donated to various charities, and in general stayed on the straight and narrow. He gave Harry, as the new head of the Auror department, free reign to search the manor and take into custody any dark items, or other evidence, that would help in their Death Eater investigations. On the whole, Draco Malfoy did anything he could to make sure his name was in good standing with the wizarding world. And from what Harry had said, he was certainly not the git he had been at Hogwarts anymore. Along with all the things Draco had done financially to help his new image, he had also signed up to join the Auror force - now he was a full-fledged Auror. Hermione had only had passing interactions with him in her work at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as she didn't do any field work. Hermione mostly worked with proposed laws, so she didn't interact much with the Aurors, just passing through in the department office. The most interaction she had with Draco Malfoy anymore was the occasional polite nod when they happened to be arriving or leaving their offices at the same time - his office was directly across the hallway from hers.
Hermione knew that Harry and Draco had maintained a good working relationship, what with Harry being Draco's boss and Draco being one of the higher ranking Aurors, but she still was bewildered to see him here, in the waiting room while Harry's wife gave birth. With this thought, she nudged Ron and beckoned him closer.
"What is Draco Malfoy doing here?" Hermione whispered, pointing over to where the blonde sat quietly. Ron's eyes widened, never having quite gotten used to Harry knowing Malfoy, and looked to where Hermione pointed.
"Bloody hell!" Ron swore, though not so loudly anyone else heard, "I haven't got a clue... Ask Harry?"
"Ask me what?" Harry had appeared next to them, obviously done speaking with the healer, "Ginny's doing great! The healer said maybe a few more minutes!" His voice gave off waves of excitement, and Hermione could tell that her best friend couldn't be happier right in that moment. "Ask me what?" Harry repeated, when no one said anything.
"Well, I know you get along with the bloke now and all, but... Why the hell is Malfoy here, mate?" Ron burst out.
"Huh?" Harry looked around the waiting room, "Oh, well... Not that it's really anyone's business... But Astoria found out she was pregnant about a month after their divorce finalized. So, I reckon he's here for her. You know, he's worked hard to keep this out of the papers..." Harry trailed off, looking across the room as well.
"So... What you're saying is that my nephew and the spawn of evil are sharing a birthday?" Ron said in a mock-serious fashion. At this, Hermione and Harry both snorted rather inelegantly.
"Really, Ron... Malfoy has changed since Hogwarts. You know his office is across from mine, and he hasn't once said anything rude to me, or even shoot me a dirty look," Hermione stated after a moment.
"Yeah, yeah..." was Ron's disbelieving reply.
Hermione let her eyes wander over to the quiet blonde. She watched as a healer made her way over to him. The healer must have brought good news, because as the healer spoke Draco raised his head eagerly and his eyes widened in excitement. He quickly rose from his seat and followed the healer down a hallway. Hermione smiled to herself, it was amazing to see how much a person could change. Who would have thought Draco Malfoy would look that excited about a baby?
While she was lost in thought, Ginny's healer must have made another appearance because Harry's excited voice broke through her wonderings.
"Everyone, come meet James Sirius Potter!"
Hermione stood at once, and followed Harry and the Weasley's down the same hallway she had just watched Malfoy disappear down. 'This must be where the nursery is...' Hermione thought. Sure enough they arrived at the nursery, and watched as Harry showed off his newborn son. James Sirius Potter was a spitting image of his father, right down to the striking green eyes.
After a good while, the Weasley's filtered out to go see how Ginny was doing. Soon, Harry and Hermione were the only two left; Harry not wanting to leave his newborn son's side, and Hermione not wanting to crowd Ginny any more than she would already be with all her family in the room.
Harry was silently staring at his first-born with an awed expression. Hermione, not wanting to interrupt the new father, quietly walked away, winding slowly through the dozens of cribs, gazing down at the babies. Not fully paying attention to wear she was going, Hermione soon walked straight into something solid.
"Umph... I'm so sorry..." Hermione began, looking up to see who she'd ran into. Her honey brown eyes met with a stunning pair of slate grey ones, slightly widened in surprise. Draco Malfoy reached out to steady her.
"Are you okay?" he asked in his deep voice. Hermione just nodded in response, embarrassed to have run into him. And his eyes were just so...
She shook herself mentally. Now, that was different. She smiled, and looked down at the beautiful baby boy whose crib they were standing in front of.
"Is he yours?" she asked, trying to sound like she hadn't just been thinking about how much Malfoy had changed - inside and out - since school. Draco nodded, and looked down at his son, a genuine smile gracing his face, so very different from his old smirk.
"Yeah, this is my son. Scorpius Hyperion," he said quietly. He looked back up at her, "So, I take it you're here for the Potter's? Funny how our son's share a birthday..." He trailed off, seeming slightly nervous.
"Oh, yeah. James, I'm the godmother..." she replied, trailing off also, not sure of what else to say. What do you say to someone you spent a good seven years hating? "Well, I'm going to get back..." And with that, Hermione turned and made her way back over to Harry and James. Not at all noticing the way Draco Malfoy's eyes followed her as she moved.
So... I think it is safe to say this is heading in a Dramione direction :D I couldn't help myself, I just love them together... And as for Draco seeming so uncharacteristically nice/polite... well, I'm chalking it up to shock - he was emotionally vulnerable (I see him as a huge, loving teddy-bear of a father, though that would be a private thing, would it not?) and that he was not prepared to run into Hermione outside of the office, let alone in the nursery at St. Mungo's. As I explained, he's a good guy and he and Harry get along well at work - so it's not like he was going to be RUDE to her.. so yeah. Thats enough explanation for now. If you want any more explanation, have questions, comments, concerns, etc... Review! I have none so far, and I would love to have some feedback.
Thank you! And please review!