Draco took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty palms against the fabric of his trousers. He needed to be calm and rational during this meeting.
It could literally save his life.
He couldn't stop his heartbeat from rising, however, as he knocked on the door.
Every second he stood there was torture. One second, two seconds, three...
"Oh, hello," Hermione opened the door then, and stood aside. "Please come in."
She was dressed in a set of purple pajamas, and had a shawl thrown around her top. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, and she had no makeup on. It was almost 1 am after all.
"Please, have a seat," she gestured to the sofa in her living room, when she noticed he was standing awkwardly. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you," he said.
She smiled, and sat in the chair across him, nervously playing with the tassels on her shawl. She hadn't had the time to change into something else, and was now feeling awkward about being underdressed in what she assumed was a professional setting.
"So..." she started, breaking the awkward silence between them.
"So..." he repeated.
She chuckled. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Huh?"
"You owled saying you had to talk, remember?" she asked. He seemed nervous and dazed.
"Oh, that's right..."
"So, what is it?"
"Will you marry me?!" he blurted out before he could think.
"I-I'm sorry?"
"I'm sorry, let me explain," he said, regaining his senses and calming himself. He spoke and explained everything for the next half hour, his fight with Astoria, the Ministry law, his father-in-law's greedy wants, his talk with Theo...He made sure she knew he had gone over every possible option, and this was his final chance to keep his son.
"...and I love my son. I really do. Everything I am is because of him and for him. I swear. Ask anyone. I know his moods, his behavior, his wants, his needs, his routine, everything. I wouldn't ask unless it was absolutely vital. I don't want my son to grow up under the care of a house-elf. Not while I'm alive..."
"But, Draco-"
"It wouldn't even be a real marriage. We can have a contract with any stipulation you want in there. I'll even pay for the next how many ever projects your department needs funds for. Just please, don't say no," he said, his eyes glassy with unfallen tears.
Hermione's heart broke for the man in front of her. No matter what he had done as a child, he had changed, and changed for the better. He definitely didn't deserve the pain of losing his child, especially when that child had come as his retribution.
But he was asking for marriage, a fake one at that. To fool her very own workplace. If anyone found out, there was no doubt in her mind that she would lose her job and her reputation within the ministry and the society.
But Scorpius was a darling little boy. He was so sweet, and she knew that a child needed a constant source of love to stay healthy and happy, and a house-elf would not be able to do all that on it's own. The boy's life and soul would be ruined.
But she didn't even know Draco, and how would she explain their sudden relationship to her friends and her family. What would Ron and Harry say? What would her parents think? How would she live with Draco, and behave as his wife in public?
But how would she live with herself, knowing that she had ruined a man who had worked hard to leave his past behind and actually accepted all his faults? A man who had worked hard to make amends for everything he had done? What if he defaulted back to his darkness with the loss of his son?
She was torn up, and almost wanted to pull her hair out in frustration over having to make this impossible decision.
Draco watched her, and he could see the confusion over what to do across her face. He kept praying to every entity he could imagine, hoping one of them would come through and have her agree.
"You don't have to tell me your decision today," he said, not wanting to push too hard. "Just, please-"
"No, it's okay," she interrupted quietly. She met his eyes with her own, and continued. "I'll do it."
(A/N: Ooh, we're getting there. Thanks for reading! )
