Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or If I Could Write by Sam Phillips.
Dedication: I dedicate this chapter to my fiancée x-PoisonousKisses-x.
Chapter Eight
If I Could Write
'I took your ring that never comes off, and put it on'
Draco sat on an uncomfortable chair at the children's medical ward of the magical hospital St Mungo's. He had his head hidden in his hands, but even though he wanted to, so badly, he couldn't cry. He could only sit, paralyzed.
As soon as Cora-Lynn had fallen down and Draco saw she didn't move he had rushed her off to the hospital, Narcissa tagging along to make sure Cora-Lynn would be safe and then get a healer to check the cause of Lucius' death.
They were told that the only reason Cora-Lynn had seemed lifeless was because she had the wind knocked out of her when she landed on the ground. Draco had a view of the room where a healer and mediwitch was working on her.
A kind looking nurse interrupted his solitude waiting "Don't worry Mr. Malfoy, it's a broken collarbone and two ribs, but she will be fine."
Finally Draco removed his hands and looked up at the young girl "Why is it taking so long?" his voice was rough and he felt hoarse. He hadn't spoken since explaining to the hospital staff what had happened.
The nurse patted his back "They're just taking their precautions with the spells and potions, because she is not fully developed. They don't want to risk something going wrong later on in her life."
At last the tears spilled, running down his pale cheeks "I knew it, I've broken her. She's going to be hurt the rest of her life."
He didn't understand why the nurse was still smiling at him "Mr. Malfoy, kids get in trouble all the time. Otherwise we wouldn't need this ward. You just be glad it's not more serious. Cora-Lynn will be fine, and I bet she'll feel even better now that her mother is on the way."
She walked off leaving Draco more scared than before at the thought of Hermione being on the way.
Cora-Lynn was being bandaged when Narcissa returned to the hospital. The last of her injuries would have to heal normally to be sure she preserved her body structure.
"Have you heard from Miss Granger?" Narcissa asked her son, both of them following the mediwitch who was carefully wrapping Cora-Lynn.
He shook his head "No, but a nurse told me she's on her way. This is horrible mother. She trusted me with her child."
Narcissa wrapped her arms around her son, who was, in that moment, not much older than the girl they were both so worried about. He cried at her shoulder and she tried her best to soothe him, and at the same time finding a way to bring up Lucius.
"Miss Granger will forgive you Draco. Cora-Lynn will be fine and you've done everything you can for her. Now," she fixed her hair and smoothed her skirt and sweater "about your father."
Draco broke free of her embrace and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand "Yes?" he prepared for the worst.
"The healer said that he simply gave up. He had no will left to live Draco, you saw it yourself. Not even Cora-Lynn could cheer him up. In a way it's for the best and he didn't suffer." She kept on a brave face as she said that, but in truth she was more touched by Lucius' death than she let on.
Yes, he had been hard to live with after he had lost his mood. And he was never a dream of a husband, despite how much he used to dote on his wife. But she couldn't remember not having Lucius in his life.
Since she was little they had went to the same birthday parties, had the same tutor, attended Hogwarts together, cotillions, balls and then the afternoon they were told they had been betrothed since childhood and now was the time for Lucius to propose.
In a way he had been her oldest and closest friend, and now she had lost him. Ironically enough the only person she would ever dare tell how much she was going to hate being a widow, was Lucius. In their early days he would've laughed at that. It would be ages before it would be proper of her to throw another ball, and Narcissa hated to wear all black. That was more Bellatrix' style.
She clutched Draco's hand "I have to go home now and start preparing the funeral." she lied. Really, she was going home to cry. You can't have your make-up running in public.
0o0
"Mr. Malfoy, the sedative potion we gave Cora-Lynn earlier will start to wear off soon, and since her mother isn't here yet, you should go sit with her so she doesn't wake up alone." A nurse informed him and he practically jumped up from his seat.
Emotionally exhausted he sat down in the large hospital bed next to Cora-Lynn's very small body and slipped her warm hand into his own.
"Does she have a fever?" he asked the nurse before she left the room. He thought she was burning up.
The nurse nodded "Yes, but it'll wear off soon, it's because of all the medicine." She adjusted the curtains, poured a glass of water for both of them and told him to get her if he had any questions before leaving the private room and closing the door behind her.
"Draco?" a tiny voice rasped.
His eyes widened instantly "Lynnie? Little princess!" he hugged her as tight as he could until he heard her wimper.
"My head hurts." she whined tired and her eyes closed again. Draco helped her to sit up and lifted one of the glasses to her mouth so she could drink a little.
Cora-Lynn licked her lips and instantly asked for more "Mmm, it helps." She murmured, still with her eyes half closed.
Draco used his wand to dim the lights and it wasn't long until Cora-Lynn had some more colour in her face and felt much better.
"Why are you crying? Did you also fall?" she wanted to know before dapping Draco's face with a napkin.
He couldn't help but chuckle and grabbed her arm to kiss her wrist, trying to ignore how much her skin burned against his lips "No, princess, I'm crying because I'm so happy."
"Oh. Did you finally get to watch the finale of Hell's Kitchen on the telly?" she wondered.
Climbing into the bed next to her Draco got comfortable "No, I'm happy because you're okay Lynnie. I've been really worried. And I owe you a huge apology, I should've have watched you much closer and never have let you play on those damned monkey bars!"
Cora-Lynn didn't look pleased "That sounds really boring."
Draco huffed "I don't care."
He tucked her close to his body and soon after they both fell asleep. And his nap lasted until Cora-Lynn's voice cut through his dreamless sleep "MUMMY!"
She tried to fly out of the bed to hug her mother, but her ribs hurt too much for her to move around a whole lot. Instead Hermione was by her side faster than Draco could say anything.
"Oh my darling, my little girl." Hermione said over and over again, hugging Cora-Lynn and kissing her face anywhere she could get to. Draco watched them both with such affection in his heart at the touching scene.
"Granger," he began his apology but was instantly cut off.
Hermione pointed her wand at him "You, will never come near my daughter again!"
0o0
In the following time Hermione took a longer period off work and smothered Cora-Lynn with affection. At first her daughter didn't mind. She was still weak and limited when she got back from the hospital, and she had missed her mother so much she didn't mind being fussed about by her every day.
Even though Cora-Lynn quickly healed and started to look forward to being able to run around and come back to day-care, the night before Hermione had to return to work she was tugging Cora-Lynn in and noticed she was unusually grumpy and silent.
"Where does it hurt, Sweets?" Hermione asked, with worry in her eyes. Cora-lynn was already out of all of her bandages and the healers had promised her she was fine. She had even made up an elaborate lie about lost paperwork to get her checked out by a Muggle doctor.
Cora-Lynn turned to her side, her back facing Hermione, "Nothing hurts." she mumbled.
"Hey," Hermione gently grabbed her shoulder and turned her back "tell me what's wrong?"
Her heart nearly broke when tears started falling from Cora-Lynn's ice-blue eyes "I miss Draco!" she finally got out between sobs and hiccups. Hermione dried her eyes and wiped her nose with some paper napkins from the bedside table, intentionally stalling.
She hadn't seen or spoken to Draco since she'd yelled at him at the hospital. She had been fearing the next day when they would be face to face again, but seeing her daughter like that and hearing all the things she was now telling he had done for her the fear ebbed away.
So she held her head high the next day when she walked into her office. Everything was tidied up, there were fresh flowers in the windows, a cup of hot coffee on her desk as well as a new chair that looked damn comfortable.
Behind it Draco stood, looking cloaked in fear and mainly guilt.
"I got two different ones, because I didn't know which one you'd like the most." was the first thing he said while Hermione was quieted by her awe.
When she turned towards him, she saw he had dark circles around his eyes and had gone almost hollow cheeked. He ran a hand through his hair briskly "Look Granger, I know you hate me and I understand that you never want to speak with me again, but before that begins you have to tell me how Lynnie is? I've been driving myself crazy with worry, if something is really wrong I'll … I'll," he couldn't even think up a revenge horrible enough for him to deserve if he'd hurt the child.
Hermione smiled "As tempting as it is never to speak with you again, calm down Malfoy. Cora-Lynn is fine now."
Draco sunk down onto the chair he had bought for her and let out a huge sigh of relief "Oh thank Merlin, I've been so worried, you don't even know." he immediately regretted what he said.
Especially when Hermione raised one eyebrow, but she decided to let it go "Malfoy, I know I overreacted. Not much," she hurriedly defended herself "but Cora-Lynn told me how good you've been with her and she really misses you."
Standing up so Hermione could sit, Draco waited impatiently for her to continue "And I was wondering if you'd like to come with me today and pick her up from day-care? And then we can all do something?"
The look of pure joy on his face touched Hermione deeply. He accepted her offer and they both went to work, silently, but smiling. Draco kept on checking the clock and began to pack his things together already fifteen minutes before they actually got off. He sent an owl off to Blaise to explain why he'd have to cancel their plans, and one for his mother to let her know Cora-Lynn was okay.
They flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and walked into Muggle London from there.
"You know Malfoy, you don't look so good, is something wrong?" Hermione politely enquired. He had never looked worse.
Draco shrugged his shoulders "Well Lynnie's accident combined with the funeral hasn't exactly been easy." he explained.
Hermione stopped him with a hand on his arms "What funeral?"
"My father passed away the day Lynnie got hurt." Draco answered shortly, and continued to walk. He didn't know exactly how he felt about it yet.
"I'm sorry." Hermione quietly condoled. They walked in silence the rest of the way to the day-care.
0o0
Of course Cora-Lynn was overjoyed that afternoon when she saw Draco again. And for several weeks it became a pattern that Draco would come with Hermione to pick up the child most days and they would go on excursions or just back home to cook dinner and other trivial things.
They visited Narcissa often as well who was very lonely, but always perked up around Cora-Lynn and she and Hermione talked a lot about S.P.E.W and other charity programs. Hermione actually got used to being a guest in the Malfoy Manor although it had taken her a lot to overcome her painful memories the first time she went there.
One night Blaise joined them and Hermione was surprised to find out she could have such a good time in the company of two Slytherins. Narcissa offered to look after Cora-Lynn that night and the three of them went out to a bar and spend the night drinking cheap beer with much success.
To balance things out Hermione brought Malfoy to Ginny's Quidditch matches, after having tried to fly herself Cora-Lynn was now Ginny's biggest fan, and other Weasley gatherings. She even let him come to a dinner at her parents house, but only because Geoffrey was invited as well and Hermione's mother Helen had promised to behave.
Besides after Cora-Lynn's accident, Draco had lost some points with the Grangers.
Tonight they were going back late to Hermione's place after having taken a trip up to Oxford to, as Hermione had put it, 'get Cora-Lynn in some nature'.
There had been a row between Hermione and Draco when Cora-Lynn had asked about what sort of houses there were at Oxford and explained to Hermione that Draco had said she would be in Slytherin.
But it had all ended in piece at a traditional pub where they all had fish and chips for lunch to Cora-Lynn's pleasure.
Draco was carrying her upstairs and Cora-Lynn was already sleeping in his arms, but her eyes fluttered open for a bit when she was put in her bed and Hermione tugged her in. They kissed goodnight and after stroking her hair several times and tickling her feet Draco insisted it was his turn.
He bent down to kiss her cheek and as he stood back up Cora-Lynn mumbled on the brink of sleep "Night Mummy and Daddy."
The mood fell instantly as Draco and Hermione looked each other in the eyes. This time Draco knew he couldn't see Cora-Lynn anymore, he could see it in Hermione's panicked expression. She didn't want to have to tell him.
But it wouldn't be responsible or fair to her boyfriend whose patience about the way Hermione let Draco into Cora-Lynn's life she had already stretched enough. But she knew how much he cared for her daughter and during all the time they had spent together their old passion that had caused them to kiss years back had transformed into a wonderful, strong friendship between them.
She didn't want to let him go either. But it was another obstacle between them. She hadn't been careful enough. Again she felt like she was a failure as a Mom.
Draco took a long, last look at Cora-Lynn. Then he squeezed Hermione's hand, trying to ignore the tears that were pouring down her cheek, and left without saying anything.
0o0
Hermione quit. She quit Draco and her job and any feelings that were involved around the two. Instead she found work at a bookstore as a buyer and where she also helped out with some administrational duties that she were used to. It was a good job and she was really beginning to love it more than her old one.
When summer came Cora-Lynn didn't ask about Draco as much. She had always liked Geoffrey as well and she saw more and more of him and sometimes he even spent the night to have 'slumber parties' with Hermione. She adapted to the change and was still a happy kid, and even more beautiful since her front tooth had grown out.
Hermione was happy as well. She had a boyfriend who loved her, a nice house, good job and good friends, and a wonderful kid who she could shower with affection.
Soon she would have three weeks off and she couldn't wait for all the things she, Geoffrey and Cora-Lynn had planned.
Little did she know, Geoffrey had a plan of his own when he came by the bookstore to pick her up one afternoon.
It was a hot day and she was wearing a skirt and strappy top, her hair was curling in all directions and her forehead was slightly sweaty as she had been stocking shelves.
Hermione had not expected Geoffrey to come in, drop on one knee and ask her "Will you marry me?"
Hermione didn't cry when she said yes and he slipped a gorgeous ring on her finger.
A/N: Probably not what you expected right? Don't worry, there will be plenty Dramione action for those of you who have asked, in the next chapter. If you review you get a night out with Draco and Blaise or a day-trip to Oxford.
X X X LolaCherryColaGirl
