To eighth year and beyond
Distance between us
'Maya, do you mind if I go to the library to study tonight?' Draco asked, while he got Arya dressed. 'The common room is just too noisy!' he complained.
'Sure, I don't mind.' Maya answered from her dressing table, where she was putting on her makeup.
'All dressed princess.' Draco cooed, kissing his daughter. 'All ready for Nanny Winky!'
Maya looked up and smiled over at them. 'I seriously got so lucky that you chose me.' She smiled, coming over to stand next to them.
'I got lucky that you said yes and then we got lucky with this beautiful little baby.' He said, kissing her.
'Oh, sorry Miss and Mr' a voice said behind them. Maya turned around. 'No problem Winky! Are you early?' Maya asked, confused.
'No Miss, Winky is right on time.' The elf answered, walking over to Arya. 'Mr and Miss must go for breakfast now.' The elf said, standing up on her step so she could reach Arya in her cot.
Maya nodded, kissed her daughter and they both left. They ate breakfast and then left for their classes.
'See you later.' Maya said, kissing Draco as she left for her first class.
…
'Well baby girl, looks like it's just you and me again.' Maya sighed to Arya. This was the 4th night in a row that Draco had gone to study in the library and Maya was starting to get a bit pissed. She knew that this was a hard year – but it was for both of them and so far, she had barely had time to study. Arya was a good baby; a really good baby but the noise from the common room was usually quite loud. Maya had tried casting a silencing charm but then when Draco came back, she didn't hear him and jumped halfway across the room when he started talking to her one night, so she didn't really like casting that.
'You are beautiful baby girl, you know that?' she cooed over her daughter, who was lying on the bed, Maya lying next to her. 'You look so much like your Daddy. You've definitely inherited that Malfoy hair anyway!' she chuckled.
'WILL YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!' a voice shouted from the common room and Maya jumped.
What the hell?
Maya quickly put Arya in her cot and grabbed her wand, making her way out to the common room. Hermione and Theo were facing each other, both their faces filled with rage.
'JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU STUPID LITTLE MUDBLOOD!'
'IT'S KIND OF HARD DEATH-EATER – WE SHARE A FUCKING DORMITORY AND WE'RE THE STUDENT HEADS – WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER!' Hermione shouted back.
Maya had walked over to the kitchen, watching the scene unfold and was about to intervene. Suddenly, there was a high-pitched noise right next to her ear.
'Ow, fuck!' she moaned, looking around.
'Sorry.' Draco said, 'I just needed that to stop.'
'Déjà vu.' Maya muttered.
'You two seriously need to give this shit up.' Draco said to the Heads. 'We have a daughter in this dormitory, and I DON'T want her hearing "mudblood" and "death-eater" on a daily basis. Theo, I get it, you don't like anyone here, but you chose to come back and you chose to accept the Head Boy post. You seriously need to get your shit together and start treating EVERYONE with respect. Hermione, retaliating is totally below you. Screaming matches have been below you since your fourth year. Please, for the sake of everyone in this dormitory, please find another way to deal with each other?'
Theo didn't say anything; he just stormed off to his room. Hermione however, had the decency to apologise to everyone. 'He is just so hard to work with.' She sighed, also retiring to her room.
'Well, well, well – looks like I came back just in time for the drama.' A voice said behind Maya and Draco. Maya groaned. She would know that voice anywhere.
'Pug-face.' She muttered, looking up at Draco, who nodded, confirming her suspicions.
'Now, now Maya. No need to be a bitch.' Pansy smirked.
'Always a need when you're around Pansy.' Maya said, throwing the other girl a death glare. 'What are you even doing here?'
'NEWTS of course.' Pansy laughed making her way up to a spare bedroom.
'You ok?' Draco asked, kissing Maya's neck.
'Fine.' She muttered, walking in to their room. Arya had fallen asleep.
'What's wrong?' he asked. 'Is it because Pansy is back? Just ignore her.' He said.
'It's not that. We've barely seen you this week Draco.' She moaned, tears in her eyes.
'I know, I have been feeling guilty about that. I am sorry.'
'I get it – I do. You have this dream of being a healer and I want you to fulfil it – I really do. That means a lot of NEWTS. I do have dreams too though Draco and I have had to sit here listening to that fighting and shouting for the last 4 nights. I need to study too if I'm going to pass my NEWTS.'
'I know, I know. I'm sorry.' He said, hanging his head. 'I just can't concentrate in here and I'm worried – two years out of school. What if I can't do this?' he asked sadly.
'You can Draco. You can do this work in your sleep. Look, we just need some kind of timetable to make sure one of us is here with Arya each night.'
Draco nodded and pulled her in for a hug. 'Sorry.' He whispered.
'Nothing to be sorry for.' She whispered back; 'sometimes I'm just a moaning bitch.'
'Mmm, but you're my moaning bitch.' He whispered in her ear.
'Draco! Not sexy at all.'
'Really?' he asked. 'When I think of you as a moaning bitch, there is only one thought I have.' He smirked, winking at her.
Maya laughed and led Draco in to the bathroom. 'Shower?' she asked, starting to strip off. 'We'll see who's moaning first.'
…
'Seriously Draco? I was supposed to be in the library tonight.' Maya snapped, as he came back in to their room. It was now 9.30pm and Maya was ready to go to bed.
'I'm sorry – I had to study for that potions test tomorrow.'
'I have that test too Draco! I could have used some quiet time too!'
'I said I was sorry!' Draco snapped back.
'After our talk a few weeks ago, I thought it would change but I have only had two nights so far where I have gone to study. Every other night it's been you. I know you want to be a healer and I get you want to study, but I want to work too Draco. I need NEWTS too. Your career isn't more important you know.'
'I never said it was!' he shouted, getting annoyed now.
'You don't have to say Draco – you act like it is.' Maya shouted back, walking out their room.
'Where are you going?' he asked.
'To stay with Hermione. I'm tired.' She said, looking at him sadly. She was silently waiting for him to tell her to come back or to chase after her, but he just turned his back and shut the door.
Maya sighed and made her way to her friend's door.
'Maya, what's wrong?' her friend asked when she opened the door.
'Can I stay here please? Draco and I had a fight.'
Hermione nodded and beckoned her friend in to her room, where Maya promptly burst into tears.
'I don't think he wants us Hermione. I think he regrets our family.'
'Maya, of course he doesn't. He loves you both.' Hermione said, hugging her friend.
'I just don't think so anymore.' She whispered.
Nobody realised that a certain Slytherin lady was standing outside the door listening.
So, Maya's paranoid that Draco doesn't want her now. Maybe I can help this along?
…
'I need to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow.' Draco said, a few days later. 'Do you want me to take Arya?' he asked. He already knew she wouldn't want to go. Not with him anyway.
'Maybe.' She answered, as she got their daughter dressed.
'Maya, I am sorry.' He said. Again. He had been apologising for three days now and he had made sure he was with them each night.
'I know.' Maya responded.
Draco sighed and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Maya sighed too. She wanted to just fall into his arms and forget everything, but she just couldn't get the feeling out of her head that he regretted being with her. With them.
Winky soon appeared and they left for breakfast. They sat next to each other, but barely spoke.
'I'm going to class just now. I want to stop at the library on the way.' Maya said, walking away from the table when she had eaten some toast.
Draco nodded and watched her go sadly.
'Draco.' Hermione whispered, getting the blondes attention. 'Draco is she still not speaking to you?' she asked.
'No, she is, but it's not the same. I've apologised and I've not been going to the library every night, but she doesn't seem to want to forgive me.'
'Draco, maybe you need to give up what you've been doing? I know you're not just studying up there – I saw you a couple of times.' She said, raising her eyebrow to him. Draco gasped. 'Look, she thinks you regret being with her and Arya, so you just need to make her realise how much you DO want to be with her.'
Draco nodded and left to go to his first class.
…
'Arya was up all night; maybe it's best if she stays here today.'
Draco nodded. 'I'll stay too.' He said.
'No, if you need stuff, please go.' She answered.
'If you're sure.' He muttered, walking out.
Maya watched him go then got on the bed, crying.
'Maya are you ok?' a voice asked from the doorway.
'No Hermione. I'm not ok. I really do think Draco has started to regret being with me.' She mumbled.
'Maya, you need to talk to him. I bet he hasn't. You're both just nervous for exams. Look, why don't you go down to Hogsmeade and meet him? I'll watch Arya for you.'
Maya wanted to shake her head but maybe that was what they needed – a few hours together away from Arya (even though they both really loved her!) Classes really didn't count as they barely had time to talk.
'Ok. I'll go.' She said, jumping up and getting dressed.
She thanked Hermione a million times and then took a quick walk down to Hogsmeade, looking in each of the shop windows and down all of the streets for any sign of Draco. She soon stopped outside Honeydukes. He was in front of her – not looking at her – but she could see him. She could also see his arm hanging around Pansy's neck.
Maya stopped and gasped. Pansy saw her and gave her that evil Slytherin smirk. She then leaned up and kissed Draco.
