all characters belong to JKR
Chapter 7, Day seven, June 15th, Saturday, Year seven
5:30 am:
Hermione heard the cry first. She waited, just a moment, to see if she would hear it again. When she didn't hear it again, she shut her eyes once more. Five minutes later, there was another cry. Draco nudged her arm and said, "What sort of mother are you? Are you going to let your baby cry?"
"You have legs," was her answer.
"Come on, Hermione, I went at 3:00 am, and you know it," he said.
"My daughter is graduating today. I have a lot to do, and I need my rest," she said.
"She's my bloody child, too!" he answered.
"As is the wee one crying!" Hermione responded.
"Hermione…please, if you love me, go to the baby!" Draco said.
"The nanny must have gone," Hermione said, as she sat up in bed. The baby was no longer crying. Back when they had Olivia, Hermione was against having a nanny, and finally conceded, although she still took the majority of the care of her firstborn. This time, she wasted no time advertising for a nanny. She was older and wiser. Their previous Nanny had retired, but they found a glorious woman named Maude and Hermione loved her to pieces.
Hermione fell back down against the pillows, and Draco said, "Maybe the nanny didn't get to the baby. Maybe the baby stopped breathing or something."
"You are an idiot," she said.
"Go check," he said. He pushed on her back.
"Draco Malfoy I am not above striking you!" she said. There was a knock on their door.
"See, the baby came to see you," Draco said.
"I doubt the baby's knocking," Hermione said. She sat back up and said, "Come in."
Maude came in with a little baby in her arms. She said, "She wants her poppa, I'm afraid."
Hermione laughed. Draco held out his arms, but said, "How much did my wife pay you to say that?"
Maude laughed and said, "She told me if I brought the baby to you the next time it cried, and said that it wanted you, she would buy me a new bedroom suite for my room." The nanny laughed and handed the baby to Draco. She started to walk out of the room and she said, "Don't worry, she didn't wake her brother."
"Oh, bring him in, too," Hermione said.
She leaned over to her husband and her daughter and stroked her little baldhead. "She's so pretty, isn't she?" Draco asked.
"Bald and beautiful," Hermione said.
"Olivia was born with the hair gene, that's for sure," Draco smiled, "she didn't leave any for the rest of them."
The nanny walked back in and handed their son to Hermione. She stroked that baby's head, and said, "At least Ian got a little bit of hair, although it seems unfair that he got some and Emmy didn't get any."
"I hope and pray her hair doesn't come in red," Draco said.
"I have to concur, but don't ever tell anyone I said that," Hermione said. "The thing is, I thought since all the Weasleys had red hair, there was a good chance of Harry and Ginny's kids all having ginger hair, but only Al does. Lily and James both have dark hair. So maybe Ginny's ginger hair isn't a dominant trait."
"There's always hair dye," Draco laughed.
"You should know," she said back, jokingly.
"I don't colour my hair, Granger!" He looked at his 4-week-old daughter and said, "Your mummy is mean. You should find that out now." He leaned over to his son and said, "It's a harsh world son."
Hermione said, "Don't talk bad about me to my children."
"These ones are going to like me better than they like you. You have Olivia, so I get these ones," Draco said.
"Fine," Hermione said. She pushed Ian into his daddy's arms, so that Draco was holding them both and she said, "I need to take a bath, anyway. We have a big day ahead of us."
Draco rocked his children in his arms. He couldn't believe how happy he was. He felt different this time around. It wasn't that he loved these children more than he loved Olivia. It was just that he felt more at peace, happier. The circumstances of Olivia's birth, with her being early and so tiny, and Hermione being so ill, made it so he couldn't relax and enjoy it that time. They didn't even get to bring her home from Hospital until she was over a month old, and here these two little ones had been with them since the minute they were born.
Twins. He still couldn't believe they had twins. While identical twins ran in Ginny's family, their children, being male and female, where fraternal twins, and was more a result of their conception, than anything else. Artificial insemination resulted in higher likelihood of multiple births.
They found a surrogate easily enough. Draco always said if you pay someone enough money, you could get someone to do anything. She got pregnant the first time, as well. She had an extremely easy pregnancy, and an easy birth. Neither Draco nor Hermione wanted to be in the delivery room. The first time they saw their children was when the medi-witches brought them to the nursery, and put one in each parent's arms.
Draco was overjoyed! He didn't know why he didn't agree to do this years ago! He was a fool back then, but no longer. Hermione legally had to adopt the children, and though Draco was the birthfather, so did he. Ginny and the surrogate formally had to renounce their claims to them. All the legal work aside, the baby's were theirs, and they were beautiful.
Olivia hadn't even seen them yet. She wanted to come home, but she was in the middle of NEWTS and graduations. She was head girl this year, to James' head boy, so she was a frantic mess. She also graduated as top in her class. Draco was so proud of her. He regretted that Hermione never had a seventh year at Hogwarts. She would have been head girl. She would have been top in their class.
They named the babies Emmeline Grace and Ian Michael. Those were names they had considered when they were pregnant all those years ago with Livy. They were beautiful children. Everyone thought so. They named Ron godfather for both babies, since both Blaise and Harry were Olivia's godfathers. Ginny was already Olivia's godmother, so they names Ron's wife Lavender as godmother for them both. Their christening took place two weeks after they were born. They didn't cry at all. In fact, they were such good babies, that they rarely cried. Emmy cried a bit more than Ian did. Draco thought that was her right as a girl.
Before he knew they were having twins, he secretly wanted another girl. Everyone assumed he wanted a boy, and Hermione really wanted a boy, but he wanted another girl. The way Olivia had him wrapped around her finger from day one just melted his heart, and he knew he wanted that again, but now that he also had a son, he couldn't be more proud.
He took both babies and headed toward the bathroom. Hermione kept the door opened a crack, so he pushed the door in with his foot. She was relaxing in the tub. Draco said, "Hermione, they are both asleep. I'm going to take them back to bed." She didn't respond. He looked down at her closely. Her eyes were closed. Bless her heart; she was asleep in the tub. He expelled a small laugh and walked to the nursery, to put the babies back in their cribs.
In the Bath:
Hermione started the bath, and kept the door open a crack. She undressed and looked in the mirror. "Not bad, old girl," she said to herself. She wasn't the young beauty she used to be, but she didn't think she looked that bad, and she knew the two new little ones would keep her young. Once the tub was filled, she sat in the water and tried to relax. She could hear Draco talking and cooing to the babies in the other room.
Hermione thanked her lucky stars for the birth of her twins. She loved them immediately. She secretly worried that she might not feel the bond, the attachment, the immediate love and pull she felt the first time she held Olivia in her arms, but she was wrong. She did. The thing was, Olivia was almost their ages now before Hermione held her the first time. She felt cheated. She wished she could have held Olivia at a few minutes old, as she did Emmy and Ian.
She was glad Draco let her name them. It was silly, but she wanted all her children to have names that started with vowels. She had no reason for it, it didn't make sense, and she wouldn't admit it to a soul, but that's what she wanted, and she got her wish.
They were traveling to Hogwarts this morning for graduation, and then this afternoon, they were having a big graduation party at the house for James and Olivia. She was so proud of them both. Both of them head students, both of them at the top of their class, with Olivia number one and James number two. Olivia was sad that she hadn't yet seen the babies, but there was time. Olivia planned to spend the whole summer at home, and told her parents that she was going to spend every free minute with the babies. Hermione was sure the first time one of them spit up on her, or had a dirty nappy, she would change her mind.
James and she were taking a gap year before University. They wanted to travel all around Europe and North America. Then next summer, they wanted to wed and then go off to college together. They had their young lives so perfectly planned, something Hermione envied. She couldn't plan her life when she was their age. The only thing she could count on back then was turmoil. She didn't get to graduate. She didn't get to go to University. Well, she went for a while, and then her dad got sick and died, so she went home to help her mum. Then, when she went back, her mum got sick and died. Hermione didn't ever want her children to miss out on anything the way she did.
She just had her yearly scan and blood work. Still cancer free, knock on wood. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving those little babies, but even more than that, she couldn't leave Olivia. She knew that even though she was grown now, she needed her mother more than those little babies did.
After washing her hair and body, she added more hot water and leaned back. She would close her eyes, just for a second. That wouldn't hurt anything. She was so tired, after all.
Draco in the Nursery:
Draco put each baby in its crib. It would be time for their feeding soon. He would come back and help the nanny. He wanted to go wake up Hermione first. Make sure she didn't drown. He stroked the head of his son, and then walked over to his daughter and did likewise. He was the luckiest man on earth.
He walked back to his room. He walked over to the desk, to pick up his morning paper, which the elves must have just brought up. He would read it, as customary, while Hermione finished 'bathing/sleeping'. He picked it up and saw a parchment in Hermione's handwriting underneath. He was curious, so he picked it up. It was address to Olivia. Draco was still curious, and Hermione was asleep, so who would know if he read it? No one would know. He couldn't change who he was. He was still a person who would invade someone's privacy, and not apologize about it. It was just who he was.
The letter read:
Dearest Olivia, Dreams will come and follow you in your sleep, as your mind wanders to your ancestors and the lives they gave and the sweat they bled. I can see the reason for it now, meadows filled with bones and ruins; how bravely they fought, knowing they would not get any older. You see, the past keeps calling, Olivia, but sometimes we just refuse to listen. We are waiting passively for what your future holds. Freedom is waiting for you, and your dreams, unlike my own, aren't buried deep in the earth. There's no pleasure in reliving the past, only pain. It's in your rebirth that you will find your future. Ignorant men take babies to the rivers to wash them of their sins, but they don't seem to realize that only men have sins. As we live our lives, and end it buried in the ground, hold firm to the belief that in your life, true salvation was found. Someday you will be a bride, and stand with your groom at the altar. Your father and I will give you away, and I will cry, but not because of what I am losing, but because of what you are gaining. Your new bright tomorrow awaits you, Olivia dear. Be sure to grasp it by the hand, and greet it warmly. Don't face the lies that are handed you. Let faith and love bring you to your tomorrow. Dance in the dark, meet all hardships head on, and don't believe the lies people try to feed you. You know what's right and what's wrong. You are a special person, and you will do great things. I promise you that. No one will ever know how much I love you. Remember that always. Keep that thought locked deep in your heart, and someday, when I'm gone, bring it out and remember it. I'm so proud of you, You are the best thing I have ever done, and my brightest accomplishment, and I am proud to be forever known as your mother. Love, Olivia's Mother
Draco folded the letter, and sat down on the bed and started to cry, and he didn't even know why.
Hermione woke to the sound of her someone weeping, and she was completely certain it wasn't one of the babies. She stood up suddenly and grabbed a towel. Something had to be terribly wrong, because it was Draco who was crying.
Hermione and Draco talk about the Future:
Hermione came in the bedroom with just a towel around her body. Draco sat on the side of the bed, head hanging low, hands clasped, crying. Not loud sobs, just weeping. Hermione was confused. She walked up to him and he suddenly grasped her around the waist, held her tight, and continued to cry. She stroked his head and said, "Is it the babies?" She felt afraid.
He shook his head no.
"Olivia?" she asked.
He nodded. 'Oh my, God,' Hermione thought. Something bad happened to their daughter, and he didn't know how to tell her. She pulled away from his arms and kneeled before him. She took both hands and said, "Whatever it is, just tell me!"
"Our daughter is growing up!" he said.
Hermione stood up suddenly and slapped Draco across the face. He looked at her shocked. Then she pulled him aback into her arms. He rested his head on her stomach. "Goodness, Malfoy, I thought she had an accident or something, I didn't know you were becoming unglued because you just realized that she was growing up."
"I read your letter to her and it was so sad, poignant, and beautiful. It made me realize she was leaving. It also made me so sad for you, for the fact that you didn't get to graduate, and that you lost your parents too young," he said, no longer crying. He continued to hold her tight. She kissed the top of his head. She pulled away once more and sat beside him.
"Oh, Draco, you silly man. I love you so much." She didn't know what else to say. She put her arms around him again. He held her tight.
"At least we still have the babies," he said.
"Yes, and we have so much more than that," she said.
"That's true. I still have my looks and a full head of hair," he laughed.
"And your humility, don't forget that," she said.
"And a lovely wife that loves me just the way I am," he said.
"Amend that statement to 'a lovely wife that loves you despite all your flaws'," she said.
"Ha, you think you're so funny. I only wish you had a better sense of humour. If anything, that is my biggest regret," he said. She pinched his arm. He knocked her shoulder with his, and asked, "are you naked under that towel?'
"No, why?" she asked.
He gave her a funny look. She said, "Well, that was a stupid question, of course I'm naked under here, but I'm not in the mood for sex."
"But we have such a big day ahead of us, and you'll be too tired later on," he complained.
"I'll tell you what, you can proceed with sex tonight whether I am tired or not," she said. "I can sleep through it, I have before." She laughed. She always thought she was funny, even if he didn't.
He moved her wet hair away from her shoulder and kissed her shoulder, and then her neck. "Please, have sex with me. I won't ask for anything else the rest of the day."
"The rest of the week," she said.
"The next three days," he said.
"The next month," she said.
"You're working backwards!" he said.
"You're a terrible negotiator, what can I say? Now, we can have sex today, right now, and you won't ask for another thing, oh, say, for the next two weeks, or we can never have sex again. Your choice."
"That's a load of shite!" he said. He pushed her over and climbed on top of her, straddling her body. He said, "Let's look at the terms of this agreement more closely. First, are you sure you're already naked under there, because I don't want to waste any time."
"I'm naked, stupid," she said.
"Okay, here are my terms. Sex now, sex later, and sex whenever I want," he said. He leaned down and kissed the space above the towel. His hand went to the knot of the towel, and his finger went smoothly under the knot, to release it at a moment's notice.
"Those terms are bogus. Here are my terms," she said, as she took both his wrists in her hands. "Sex now, maybe later, maybe whenever you want, but if I say no, it means no. Understand?"
"Of course, that sounds reasonable," he said. He wrenched his wrists from her hands and put both her hands above her head.
Draco kissed Hermione long and passionately. His tongue danced wildly with hers. He let go of her hands and she put them instinctively around his body. He moved his body slightly to remove the towel from between their bodies. Everyplace he touched still sent tingles to her toes. She pushed him to his back and slipped his t-shirt over his head. She gave him a quick kiss in the center of his chest, before moving her mouth down his stomach. She reached for the waistband of his jeans and undid the button and the zip. Draco pulled her face up to his and said, "You are now, and will forever be, the only woman I will ever love."
She smiled sweetly and kissed his mouth as her response. They kissed with a blind, raging hunger, whose passion had not extinguished, but grown brighter, throughout the years. Her body was still awe inspiring, at least in his opinion. He moved so he was back on top. He slipped his jeans and boxers off his body.
His tongue traced her upper lip, the little bow of the top lip, the corners, and the plumpness of the bottom lip. Using every ounce of self-control he possessed, he continued to hover above her lips, without kissing her again. Finally, he opened her mouth under his, and it was sweet, so sweet, so warm, and so wet. It was indescribable. His hand went to one breast, and the blood in his veins began to boil.
His hands went up to her hair, and forced her face to his. He looked down at her and said, "Do you still love me?" She smiled. He had his answer. His hand moved down and across both breasts, to the small swell of her stomach, to the delightful area between her thighs. He bent his head to kiss one breast, lavishing kisses and small nips along its outer rim, and finally its center. She kissed the top of his head and his other hand. She held his hand and sucked on his finger as his fingers from his other hand plunged in her depths.
Her fingers folded themselves along his rigid erection, stroking him, caressing him, up and down. He threw his head back, and then let it drop down, to her neck, where he bit her hard.
Kissing for what felt like an eternity, and touching, exploring, and trailing fingers and hands over each other, they both began to moan. He ached for her he was so ready. She was so soft, so willing, so female, and all his. He captured her mouth one last time and their bodies melded into one: one body, legs and arms entwined, their flesh burned with desire for the other.
He continued to drive deep inside her, until her moans mixed with his own, to form a heavenly choir of mixed melodies and harmonies. His heart filled with rapture. He brought his mouth back to hers and kissed her intently until her climax started. He rolled over quickly, so that when she came, she had to arch her back and he looked at her quickly, her nipples and breasts swollen and red. She threw her head back farther and yelled out something incoherent. His hands came around and grasped her hips and buttocks and soon he bucked up against her and came as well.
She fell on top of him, sweat mingled with the wetness of her previous bath. Her hair still wet, he began to stroke it, as he moved her so she was beside him. The love he felt for this woman was a whispered secret stamped in his heart, never to be truly revealed, for fear that it might go away, or be stolen in the dead of night. Sometimes, after they parted, after the made love, his heart would fill with regret. A painful pang of sorrow would replace the ecstasy that he had just felt, but not this time. He felt truly content. He felt his life was complete.
He kissed her forehead. Hermione looked over at him and kissed his chest. "I love you, too," she responded to his quiet words, which she still heard, if only in her heart.
Getting ready for Hogwarts:
Harry paced back and forth downstairs. "Hurry up, people!" he yelled. He hated being late. Not that they were going to be late. They still had plenty of time, but he didn't want to risk being late. They were supposed to leave at 10:00 am. The graduation service was at 11:00. It was hard enough to get Ginny out of the house on time, but now, waiting for Draco and Hermione was more than he could bear. He sat on the couch, only to stand right back up and start toward the stairs.
Blaise, who was holding Ian, said, "For fucks sakes, Potter, sit down."
Harry turned and said, "Don't curse in front of the baby."
"Why not, he can't understand me, if he could, he would already hate you, because I tell him what a wanker you are every chance I get," Blaise said.
Harry walked over and took Ian from him. "Go upstairs and tell them to hurry!" Harry said.
"Listen, Potter, you might be the King of the world, but you don't rule me," he said.
Hermione was walking through the living room and she said, "Calm down, Harry, Draco's coming. Emmy spit up and we had to change her again, that's all. Maybe we should leave the babies here, with their nanny."
"No, James and Olivia haven't seen them yet," Ginny said. "Anyway, we'll all help with them. It took you all morning to pack for them, so let's take them."
Draco came walking down the stairs with Emmy and he said, "Does she look okay. She absolutely ruined the little dress I bought her for Olivia's graduation, so I had to put this old thing on her."
"She has hundreds of dresses she'll never wear," Hermione said to Harry. He smiled. He handed Ian to her and picked up the bag with the babies' belongings.
"Can we leave now?" he asked.
They all went to the floo, and headed toward Hogwarts.
At Hogwarts:
The graduation ceremony was to be held outside. It was such a beautiful day. It was as if someone looked up the day on a menu, picked: 'a perfect day for a graduation', ordered it promptly, and God obliged. Olivia came running toward her parents as she saw them enter the grounds. She had been waiting for them. James had convinced her not to practice her speech any longer, because after all, she started working on it four months ago, and she already had it memorized. Therefore, they were outside waiting for their parents. Well, really, Olivia was waiting for the babies.
"MUM! DAD!" Olivia yelled. She ran toward them, her long, dark, curly hair blowing behind her, her black graduation gown already on, but opened, so it fanned out like a cape.
She kissed her mother's cheek, then her fathers, and then she took the baby that Draco had in his arms and held it tight. She kissed it and said, "Which one is this?"
"Ian," Hermione answered.
"Oh, he looks like he's going to be a blond. I always wanted blond hair when I was young," she said.
"You did?" Hermione asked, a bit confused.
"No, not really, it just seemed the thing to say," she laughed. James took the other baby from his dad.
"So, this is Emmeline?" he asked.
"Emmy, for short, like Livy, for short," Draco answered. Olivia smiled.
She looked at James holding Emmy, he pressed his lips to her forehead, and everyone smiled. "She's so pretty and tiny," he said. "She's bald as a doorknob," he added.
"She'll get hair," Draco said, "and we're praying for blonde or brunette."
"Hey!" Ginny and Ron said at the exact same time. James had to laugh. He gave Draco a 'knowing' look and smiled.
Hermione put her arm around Olivia and asked, "Are you ready to graduate?"
"I think so, my speech is ready," she said.
"It's disgustingly ready," James replied. He passed the baby back to his own mother. Olivia kept a tight hold of the one in her arms. They walked toward the courtyard, which was set up for graduation. Many early arrivers were already filling up the seats.
Blaise said, "I'm going to save us the first row. So if you need me, that's where I'll be."
"How will you save the whole row?" Ginny asked.
Blaise just rolled his eyes. He walked away and said, "Seriously."
Olivia handed the baby back to her dad and she said, "Mum, can I talk to you for a moment, alone?"
"Sure," she said. She took her daughter's hand. They walked over to a secluded bench, by the castle's walls, and Hermione said, "What's on your mind?"
"James and I had sex last night," she blurted out.
Hermione was speechless. She thought her daughter was going to talk about her fear of graduating, or her apprehension about the future. Not this. Oh, lord, not this.
"Um, well, I wish you had waited until you were married," Hermione said. She couldn't help it, that was her wish.
"I know, I kind of do, too," she said. Hermione frowned and Olivia said, "No, it's not like it was awful, and it was my idea, not James', so don't blame him or anything. It was good and all, but I told him that I don't know if we should do it again."
Hermione couldn't help herself, she laughed. "I bet that went over big."
"I don't mean that we should never do it again, I just meant until we are both more ready. I don't know, I just didn't think it was going to be like that, and I was so nervous, and so was he, and it was sweet and all, but now I feel guilty or something," Olivia tried to articulate her thoughts, but was doing a poor show of it.
Hermione said, "Don't feel guilty. You love him, and you have for a long time. If you want to wait to do it again, then wait. I don't know what else to say. I hope you were responsible."
Olivia grinned and said, "I hardly want to make you a grandmother when you just became a mother again. We were. Mum, tell me about your and daddy's first time."
So Hermione told her daughter about her and Draco, and the first time they made love.
They arrived at his flat and walked hand in hand into his bedroom. He was so nervous, he felt like this was his first time. She was so nervous that she honestly felt like crying. Her throat felt tight and her heart was pounding out of her chest. He pulled her close and kissed her on her mouth, and she thought she was melting. Something, which resembled need, filled them both, as the urge to captivate her overwhelmed him. She touched his chest, and the heat from her hand scorched his skin, while they sent chills down her spine. He held her close and could feel her taut nipples through her clothing. She could feel his hard need through his. Soon she softly caressed him with her delicate hands, which burnt every part of him, especially the part that was hard for her. He kissed her as if his life depended on it. He could smell her sweet scent, and it intoxicated him. He needed completely to drink her in until he was utterly sated. He dropped his head and captured her lips. No one would ever taste like her. She tasted like perfection. She tasted like home. She was fragile, that much he knew, and as they stood there, he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her so her feet were inches from the floor, and he knew that for this moment, and for perhaps each moment after this, she was completely his. The feel of his hot breath on her cool skin set on her fire. Only Draco could fill the emptiness that was inside her body and soul. She leaned her head to the right and his raw scent invaded her senses. She felt his searching lips brush against her bare neck, and she groaned. His voice was deep and full of desire, as he returned her groan and then he pulled away from her luscious lips and asked, "Do you want me to stop?" "No," she said with a slight tremor in her voice. His hard arms continued to envelope her and their tongues danced with wild desire. She craved to have his hard muscles pressed against her. She felt as if that was all she ever wanted. Her hands started to explore his chest, his back, his face. He put her feet back on the floor and as he pushed away from her, he threw off his jacket. He was overwhelmed with hunger for her. She massaged him through his trousers, and he was rock hard under her hand. He began to shake with desire. Needing to touch her, and taste her, he reached around and unzipped her dress. It fell off her shoulders as if inviting him to continue. He felt desperate for her. He kissed his way down her jaw and neck, and the sensation sent shockwaves down her entire body. He jerked off his shirt, and unzipped his pants. He wanted to feel skin on skin. Each nerve ending in his body was throbbing for her touch. He backed her knees to the side of his bed, and she collapsed on top of it. He slid her up toward the headboard and fell next to her. He started to explore her body. He could not believe how soft she was. He was fascinated with every part of her. He hesitated before he touched her breasts. She still had on her bra and panties and he was cautious to remove those last barriers. He would wait for her to remove them. He touched the swell of one breast with one hand, his thumb touching the nipple through the silk. She wiggled under his touch, and that was his undoing. He could not wait for her, so he reached around and undid the clasp of her bra. He bent his head down to kiss the valley between her breasts, and then he kissed the nipple of one breast, while cupping the other one in his hand. Draco could not wait to see her completely naked. All she had left was her black panties. He didn't know if he had enough resolve to let her remove them, or if he would let his primeval urges overtake him and rip them off her himself. He gently reached down to brush his fingers between her legs, and she felt she could no longer think straight. He massaged her with his thumb through that last barrier, until she was completely drenched with desire. He moved to lay on top of her, separating her legs with his knee. He moved his lips once more to each swollen breast, which ached to be kissed. He flicked his tongue back and forth over each mound, his breath and tongue burning her flesh. She moaned again and said his name. He placed his hand between them again to ease the ache that she felt from wanting him inside her. He continued to stroke her until she was on the verge of orgasm. Thrusting her hips to him, she realized that his hand was bringing her more pleasure than she had ever felt in her life. Wouldn't having him inside her bring her even more pleasure? She reached down and kicked off her panties. He continued to kiss and lick her naked body. He took off the remainder of his clothing and they continued to make love. Feeling the warm sensations that his body was bringing to her, she again cried out his name. Needing to envelope her fully, his hand went again to the junction between her thighs and he sank his fingers into her. She was so wet and ready. He played with her like this for a while, watching the pleasure he was giving her with each new expression on her face. He continued to stroke her, and when he saw she was beginning her orgasm, he slid himself into her. This one single act pierced her very soul. She held his hips, urging him to go faster. She rocked her hips under him and begged to seek the peace that his closeness offered. He quickened his strokes until that final moment of pleasure blinded them both in utter ecstasy. Lifting his hips one last time, he buried himself for the final moment, and then collapsed on top of her. After a moment, he pulled out of her and settled next to her on the bed. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She shivered beside him as she came down from her high. Afraid of ever letting her go, he held on to her tight. They soon fell asleep in each other's arms.
Olivia asked, "You were a virgin?"
"Yes, I was," she answered.
"But you weren't married yet," Olivia pointed out.
"Makes me a bit of a hypocrite, doesn't it? Telling you that you should have waited, when I didn't. I was older than you were though, not much, you're nineteen, and I was twenty-three, but still, I was older. I don't know what to say to you, sweetheart. I hope your first time was something you'll look back on fondly, the way I look back on my first time."
"I think I will," she said. "I just needed to tell someone, so thanks for listening. James is my best friend, so usually I would have told him, but he kind of already knew about this." Both women laughed.
"I have a letter for you," Hermione said. She opened her purse and handed it to her. Olivia started to open it and Hermione said, "Maybe you should wait to read it. Your dad read it and he cried."
"He did?" she asked.
"Yes, and if you want to see him cry again, tell him about you and James," Hermione joked.
"I don't think so. James did say he was going to talk to his dad about it. I don't know why," Olivia said.
"Maybe he just needs to tell someone too, just like you. Maybe he needs reassurance that everything's okay, and it'll continue to be okay, in fact, it'll get better, I promise you that." Hermione kissed her daughter's forehead and touched her face lightly. "I love you so much, Olivia."
"I love you, Mummy."
"Does anyone love me?" Draco asked, as he approached the pair.
"That goes without saying!" Hermione said, and she jumped off the bench and hugged him tight. "I'm going to go help Blaise save all those seats. See you both later." She thought Draco might want some alone time with Olivia.
Draco saw the letter Hermione had written to Olivia in her hands. He said, "I read that. It's the most touching thing I've ever read, and as you read it, please remember, that although I didn't write it, my sentiments are exactly the same as your mother's."
"I know, Dad," she said. She stood up and put her arms around his waist. "I love you, Dad. You've been a wonderful father. I know sometimes you doubt that, and I know I haven't always appreciated you, or made things easy for you, but seriously, I couldn't ask for a better father." He put his right hand in her dark hair, and stroked it gently.
He pulled something out of his pocket. "I wanted to give you this graduation present before your party. I want you to wear it today. It was my mother's." She opened the box to reveal a pretty sapphire and diamond necklace. It was very ornate, and was worth a fortune. He said, "When you're standing up at the podium, I want the sunshine to bounce of the jewels, and I want everyone to be envious of you."
Olivia had to laugh. Of course, that's what he wanted. He was Draco Malfoy, after all, and she was Draco Malfoy's daughter, so she would gladly oblige. She put it on, and then zipped up her graduation robe. The necklace was on the outside of the robe. She put her fingertips up to the jewels and said, "Does it look pretty? Is the sunshine bouncing off the jewels?"
"Make fun if you will, Olivia, but that damn necklace is worth over a 200,000 galleons," he said.
"WOW!" she exclaimed.
James walked up to them and covered his eyes, with mocked blindness. "Put that thing away, Livy, you're blinding me," he joked. He shook Draco's hand.
"I have something for you, too, James," Draco said. James was taken aback. Draco put his hand in another pocket, and pulled out a platinum and diamond wristwatch. "It was my father's," Draco explained.
"Draco, maybe you should wait and give that to your own son, someday," James said, his hands held up in front of him.
"But I'm giving it to one of my sons," Draco said proudly. "I love you like a son. Your father's a prat, you mother is a pistol, but you, James, are a wonderful human being. I like to think the fact that you were raised with me in your life has something to do with that."
James tried not to laugh, but Olivia laughed aloud. She said, "James, I'm not that proud and boastful, am I?"
"You are pretty vain sometimes," he said, as he took the watch from Draco. He shook Draco's hand, but Draco pulled his hand, and pulled the younger man toward him and hugged him.
"Take care of my daughter, for she's precious, you know," he said.
"I know, and I always will," he said. He looked at the watch. He said, "Maybe I will walk up to get my diploma with my arm up in the air, and my sleeve rolled up, so everyone will see my present, too."
He was joking, but Draco said, "That sounds like a wonderful plan." Draco laughed and said, "Oh hell, everyone will just think your dad gave it to you, and I don't want him to steal my thunder, so just keep your sleeve down." He walked away and left Olivia and James alone.
Olivia sat on the bench and James sat beside her. "You told your mum, didn't you?"
"Yes. Did you tell your dad?" she asked.
"Yes," he admitted.
"What did he say?"
"Probably the same as your mum, that we should have waited, and he asked if we used protection, and then he gave me some pointers on how to make it better next time," James said. His face turned bright red.
Olivia smiled widely and hit James on the shoulder. "You're lying! He did not!"
"Yes, he did," James said. He couldn't look her in the face.
"Well, I don't know if I can ever look at your dad again," Olivia said, cracking up. She continued to laugh, James turned to look at her, and he laughed as well. She laughed so hard she fell off the bench. He bent down, grabbed both her hands, and pulled her up.
"I love you, Olivia," he said. He kissed her lips, as he held both her hands.
"I love you, too."
Graduation, the Ceremony:
"…and so, as we wait in line, to take our turn, we have to remember to listen to our hearts, for they won't lead us astray. The road is long, and winding, and as we meet many people along the way, friends and foes, let us continues to anticipate our lives, which are mapped out before us. We can stray or stay the course, the important thing is to remember that we're all adults now, and it is finally our choice to make. Let's make the right choice." Olivia finished her speech and looked out at all the proud faces of her loved ones in the crowd. She walked back over to her chair, and James reached for her hand.
Her life was mapped out for her, her future was sitting right beside her, and she knew it was right. She just knew it.
After the Graduation, at home, the Party:
"Thank you, Uncle Blaise!" Olivia screamed. She ran from her chair, and threw her arms around Blaise. He had bought her a new car for graduation. He didn't want Harry Potter out doing him this time, as he did at her christening, when he bought her a pony, only to be outdone by Harry, who bought her an actual house!
"Where is it?" she asked, as she held up the keys.
"Come on, I'll show you, it's parked back by the garage. I didn't want you to see it," he said. He took her hand and then reached in his pocket and threw a set of keys at a surprised James.
"I got her a red one, and you a black one," he said. James eyes became wide as saucers.
"Really?" James asked. He looked at his parents, to make sure it was okay to take such an expensive present. Harry and Ginny had decided to pay for kid's trip next year, as their present, so Harry didn't mind James having a car. He minded a little that it came from Blaise, whom he would never like. Harry nodded, so James, Olivia, and Blaise all went outside to see the new cars.
Draco walked over to Hermione, who was feeding Ian. He sat on the arm of her chair and said, "I gave them their presents before graduation."
"I know, Olivia's blinded me during her speech," Hermione laughed.
Draco stroked the baby's head and said, "That was my intent."
Hermione yawned. It had been a long day. "Maude!" Draco called out. "Come and finish feeding Ian, won't you?" Maude took the baby from Hermione.
"I just put Emmeline down," Maude answered. She walked out of the room with Ian.
Draco moved down to the seat of the chair, positioning Hermione on his lap. "Are you tired?"
"Yes," she said. She put her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "It's been a long day."
"It's been a long year," Draco laughed.
"It's been a long life," Hermione said back.
Hermione placed her head on Draco's shoulder and closed her eyes. The sounds of the partygoers no longer disturbed her, and she shut her eyes and went to sleep. Draco rocked her back and forth, every once in a while, touching her face, or kissing her head.
Harry Potter stood by the living room door, which led to the entryway, and looked at his best friend and her husband. He was so happy they had found each other. They deserved happiness, and they deserved to be together. He wanted a happy life for them, and although sometimes it was fraught will pain and misery, for the most part, they had been happy.
(One chapter left, which will be the wedding of James and Olivia, and you are all invited to attend. I hope the ending of this chapter didn't seem rushed, but I wanted to end it in a good mood, with a happy ending. Next chapter will come next week, and then this story is over forever.)