Dear Child

Chapter Eight

The Storm


Month Five

Hermione sat at her desk contemplating; to tell Vivian today or not. It was the question that was now plaguing her every other thought. She knew that she should tell her. Vivian had the right to know. Actually, Hermione technically should have told her when she find out she was pregnant, but alas, Hermione got caught up in the case that seemed to be demanding her attention more than she should let it.

Hermione took a deep breath and decided that she was going to tell her, now. Hermione stood and adjusted her robes. She walked with her head held high and her back straight. Maybe if she showed that she had all the confidence in world-like she did when she was in Hogwarts-then maybe she wouldn't be so afraid to tell Vivian the news. If Hermione had to resort to her old self, just for the moment, she would if it meant going through with this.

She got to Vivian's door and slowly moved her already balled fist up to eye-level, ready to knock, but she was stopped when the door flew open. She was standing face-to-face with Malfoy. His grey eyes rounded in surprise and her fist still in the air. The surprise she saw disappeared as soon as she discovered it. Hermione also put her arm down, now feeling stupid; something that she rarely felt.

He cleared his throat. "Granger," he said civilly.

"Malfoy," Hermione greeted back. She didn't know if she could ever get used to a civil Draco Malfoy. It was like seeing Halley's comet every year of your life; impossible.

He was still standing at Vivian's door, blocking her entrance. Hermione put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. She hoped she looked intimidating to him, but she knew that couldn't be true.

"Can you please move, Malfoy?" She asked him in a firm voice.

It was Draco's turn to raise his own eyebrow. "I could," he said and there sounded like there was a but to that statement and she was correct. "But I'm not."

"And why is that?" Hermione asked cocking her head to the side.

"Because we have somewhere to go," he said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"And where are we going?" She asked him as if he were a small child.

"Something else happened. I'll brief you as we head to the atrium. So whatever you have to say to Vivian can wait. Come on," he said shutting the door behind him and walking down the hall, not looking if she was behind him or not.

Hermione wanted to stomp her foot like some petulant child, but she knew better. She supposed telling Vivian about her pregnancy would have to wait, if she liked it or not. So she followed behind Malfoy albeit reluctantly. Maybe she was that petulant child after all.

She caught up to him at the elevator that he was, surprisingly, holding open for her. As soon as she got into the elevator, the grate shut and she turned to Draco expectantly. He didn't seem perturbed at the hostile look upon her face.

"Another family's dead," he said matter-of-factly.

Hermione's whole demeanor changed. Another family was dead. Things had been so quiet over the last few months. Hermione felt her insides squirm, or maybe that was the baby.

"Whose family?" Hermione heard herself ask.

"Zabini. Blaise's family."

Hermione looked Draco's profile over with observant eyes. She knew that he and Blaise had been a lot closer in school than he and Nott, but of course she didn't know if they had remained that way after school. She wanted to ask, but she knew when Draco Malfoy was cornered, he often fought back. But she tried to take in as much of him as she could to find any indication that he felt something.

But of course Draco was the master of hiding anything he didn't want anyone to see. So Hermione was standing there left guessing. One day, just one day she wanted access to his head just see how he worked; to see what was going on in that head of his. Hermione knew that he was capable of feeling something. Harry had informed her of that during their sixth year and she believed him. To go through what Draco had to all those years ago was a feat. And she didn't blame him for cracking. She would have as well.

The elevator came to a stop at the atrium. Draco walked out of it without a backwards glance. Hermione hurried after him.

"How do you know these things before I do? Is there anyone left alive? Why don't we have aurors coming with us?" Hermione asked in rapid succession.

Draco stopped and turned around to look at her. Hermione would have ran into the man if she hadn't been paying attention.

His expression was unreadable as his eyes raked over her. She wasn't sure what he was looking at or for. She stood still and looked back at him.

"I know these things before you because that's my job. When something happens that the auror's take notice, they come to me. And when I find out, I inform Vivian and then I inform you since you are my partner. That's why. I would think you know that, Granger. You're a smart woman. And we won't know if anyone's left until we get there. We go and investigate before the aurors get there. Does that answer your questions now?" He asked, but there was no malice in his voice.

Hermione nodded. "Yes," she said evenly.

He spun back around with a grace a ballerina would kill for and smoothly began walking towards the floo again, Hermione hot on his heels. Draco walked to the first fireplace he came to and grabbed powder and disappeared in a swirl of green flames to the Zabini residence. Hermione followed a moment later.

~-O-~

Once the spinning stopped and Hermione could finally exit the fireplace without feeling like she was going to hurl, she found Draco standing in the parlor waiting on her. She brushed the soot from her robes.

"Are we splitting up?" She asked him, feeling oddly like Scooby Doo. She was Velma and he was Fred. She almost wanted to giggle at the analogy, but she refrained. This wasn't the time.

"No."

Hermione stared at him. They usually split up when it came to investigating a house. "Why?" She asked, her natural curiosity taking over her mouth before she could stop it.

"Because I don't know what's in this house, Granger. I haven't been here for years and I don't know what sorts of hexes or curses that might be lingering on objects," he said evenly.

Hermione nodded. Well, that answered one her questions. Draco and Blaise weren't close anymore. Again, her curiosity got the better of her, but she didn't voice this question out loud. What had happened between the two Slytherins?

"All right. Where do you want to start?"

"This room and then we'll make out way clockwise so that we'll end up at the stairs."

Hermione nodded.

The two of them looked around in relative silence. It wasn't awkward. They were concentrating on their work and therefore too preoccupied to talk to one another. And what would they say? There wouldn't be any jolly banter as they searched a house of a possible dead classmate and a family he actually knew and possibly cared about at one time.

"Draco," Hermione said quietly.

"Hm?" He grunted from the other side of the room.

"I found blood," she told him calmly, even if she felt anything but.

Draco walked calmly over to her side and held up his wand. The light from the tip confirmed that small pool of blood. Draco's eyebrows knitted together. He started walking into the next room where there was a small trail of blood. Hermione followed him, her eyes looking around the room for something else that could help them.

Draco was bent over another small pool of blood. He was waving his wand over it. The blood on the floor seemed to be changing color in front of Hermione's eyes. She walked over to him, not wanting to disturb his work.

"This blood belongs to Blaise," he said quietly.

Hermione looked around the room expecting to see a body, but there wasn't one. The blood seemed to move on to the hallway. She started for the hallway, her wand held aloft. Her eyes scanned the hallway where it seemed the blood stopped. Hermione was puzzled. She was sure that the blood would continue on.

But two things happened at once. Hermione was looking around the hall for any other traces of blood, but again she couldn't find any. A secret door opened in the floor opened silently. Hermione's back was to said door and Draco was still in the other room. Blaise Zabini crept towards Hermione as quietly as he could. Hermione heard the floor creak and turned in surprise to see a bloody Blaise standing behind her.

He lunged at her, his large hands closing around her throat. She let out a yelp of surprise before he cut off her airways and making her drop her wand. She tried to pull air through her nose, but it was all for naught. He was stronger than her. She tried digging her nails into his hands or arms, but it didn't faze him. She looked into his eyes and saw that they were unfocused and demented.

Hermione's lungs were burning fiercely. She needed air not only for herself, but for the baby. Where the hell is Draco? Hermione thought sluggishly. Just as she thought it, he appeared. Wand tip illuminating his white blond hair. As soon as he saw the scene in front of him, he silently cast Nox and stunned Blaise without saying a word.

Hermione dropped to the floor heavily, coughing all the while. She rolled to her back and took in as many deep breaths as she could. Air filled her lungs, but she couldn't get enough of it. She moved a shaky hand down to her stomach. She knew she'd have to go to the hospital to check on the baby. She noticed her wand lying a foot away from her and reached for it.

She finally looked up to see that Draco was binding an unconscious Blaise. She started to push herself in a sitting position when Draco walked over to her and knelt down.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concern was evident in his voice.

Hermione stared at him dazed for a moment. She thought that would never happen; Draco Malfoy asking if she was all right and it wasn't just a routine question. She snapped out of it.

"I suppose. I'll need to go to St. Mungo's to be checked over. Do you have everything secure here before I go?" She asked trying to stand.

Draco held out a hand for her. She took it without hesitation. He pulled her gently to her feet. His hands were a lot bigger than hers. They engulfed hers easily. His fingers were long and skinny, a pianists hands. Hermione realized she was staring at them and quickly took her hand out of his. She felt herself blush.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "And you didn't answer my question."

She realized he was the one staring at her this time. Again, he seemed to be searching for something. She had the urge to ask 'what', but refrained.

"I have everything here, Granger. I'll bring an auror back with me after I take him in," he motioned to Blaise Zabini's prone form on the floor.

"All right. Let me know how it goes," she said walking slowly towards the fireplace.

"Granger?" She heard him call after her.

She turned around.

"Come to my office after you get back so I know you're fine," he grumbled.

Hermione nodded and turned to leave once again, this time succeeding in reaching the fireplace. She grabbed the powder and called out for St. Mungo's. She was gone a moment later-unbeknownst to her-with Draco staring after her.

~-O-~

"It's a good thing that you didn't hurt yourself or your child," the healer that checked her over told her.

"I know. If it wasn't for my partner, I don't know if I would have made it out," she said quietly. She would have to thank Draco once again for saving her and her child's life.

"I think you should switch Departments Ms. Granger."

"I know. I was planning on it today, but I had to leave out of a case before I could tell my supervisor."

"Well, once you go back please tell her. Do you have another department in mind?"

"Yes, the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"Very well. And one more thing."

Hermione looked at the healer.

"Make sure you're getting plenty of rest and taking care of yourself. You're not only worrying about yourself, Mr. Granger. You need to make sure that your first priority is your child."

Hermione bit her lip. She knew that he was right. She hadn't been taking enough care of herself. The case seemed more important. But that's how she always was. School work or work in general came first, but she had to deprogram herself. He was absolutely right.

"You're right. Thank you," Hermione said getting off of the examining table.

He gave her a nod as she left. Hermione walked out of the hospital and down the street to the Ministry.

First thing first, visit Vivian and tell her what's going on. And then go to Draco's office to report back to him. As she walked through the Ministry, she couldn't help but think of the look on his face after he asked if she was all right. She felt that he was becoming human to her once again. If they had been in Hogwarts, he wouldn't have given a shit if she was almost killed. No, she took that bad. She was sure he wouldn't want a friend of his to get in trouble.

But that wasn't him anymore. He wasn't the same boy. He was different. And Hermione couldn't help but like that he's changed.

Hermione noticed she was at Vivian's office faster than she anticipated. She barely remembered being in the lift. But here she was again, poised to knock at her door once again. Without hesitation, she knocked loudly. She waited a terse minute before she head Vivian's voice telling her to come in.

Hermione opened the door and was shocked (even though she shouldn't be) to see that Draco was sitting in his usual chair. She looked him over and noticed there wasn't hair out of place. Lucky him. Hermione sat herself in the chair next to his. She felt, more so, than saw him look at her. She felt her cheeks heat up. This was ridiculous.

"Hello, Hermione," Vivian said.

"Hello."

"Draco was just filling me in on what happened at the Zabini residence. How are you feeling? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine. And I wanted to talk to you about something," Hermione said tensely.

"Oh? Go on."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek. She let out a breath. "I know I should have told you months before, but this case happened and I got caught up. I know that it isn't a good excuse, but it's true. I'm pregnant," she told them finally.

It was quiet in the office for several minutes.

"Oh," was all Vivian could say.

Hermione was afraid to look at their faces. Draco hadn't moved nor said a word.

"And I wanted to tell you I'll be switching departments. It'll be safer for the baby and me. I suppose after I question Blaise and write my report, I'll be done."

Vivian nodded. "It'll be a shame to let you go."

Hermione nodded. She felt awkward. Was she supposed to leave now that she spilled the beans? She started to get up, but Draco stopped her.

"I still want to talk to you."

"All right," she said as she continued to get up. Draco got up as well and walked out of the door. Hermione followed after him.

When she got to his office, he was already sitting in his wing-backed chair with his fingers steepled. Hermione sat in the chair in front of him. She barely looked up at him. They were both quiet for a prolonged time. Hermione finally decided to take the plunge.

"What happened after I left?" She asked looking up at him.

He was staring at her again. "I'd like to know more about this whole pregnancy business before I get to that."

Hermione sighed. "What about it?"

"How long have you been keeping this little secret?"

"four and a half months," she whispered.

"What? Granger, do you realize that you were putting not only yourself, but your child in danger?"

Hermione was shocked. This was the second time she heard this speech today. She knew that. She did, but regardless nothing she could have said was a valid excuse.

"I know that, Malfoy! After today I knew I had to change departments. I was on my way to tell Vivian when you told me we had to go."

"Don't go blaming me. You could have told me to fuck off and that you had important shit to tell Vivian because that," he pointed to the vicinity of her stomach, "is important shit."

"Did I say I'm blaming you? I know this is all my fault! And I went willingly. So I know!"

They lapsed into silence. "Weasley's thicker than I thought. Letting you continue to work in this department when you could potentially fucking die," he grumbled.

"I'm not Ron's responsibility," Hermione said firmly.

"Oh? You and Weasel have a spat?"

"We haven't been together in years, thank you," Hermione said angrily.

"Then whose kid are you having then?"

"That's none of your business, actually," Hermione said standing up. "I'll hear what happened some other time. I refuse to sit here and be insulted."

Draco chuckled. Hermione turned to look at him. "And what the hell do you find so funny?"

"You, Granger. You get your knickers twisted in a bunch. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek to stop her from saying something back to him. It wasn't worth it; he wasn't worth it. She turned around and walked out of his office, slamming the door behind her. Draco Malfoy was still an arse.


Author's Note: Hello! So I was going to add the baby shower to this chapter, but as I wrote this it just didn't fit into the plan anymore. So, next chapter. So I screwed up the last chapter. That's what I get for writing and editing when I'm tired. Alas! But I will be picking two names and then you all can pick the one you like better. Thanks to those who already gave suggestions. If anyone else wants to suggest more, you're welcome to do so! I like having your input, so suggest away. But next chapter shall have more drama and such. Fun stuff. Reviews are welcome! You're all wonderful!