A/N: And so how did you all enjoy the last chapter? Dinner went by smoothly enough! A little hiccup with Ron at the end, but nothing to bad. A few more secrets out in the open. I'm a classical music fix now, mainly cello hence the inspiration for the chapter:) I'm hoping to find more inspiration as I go along. Hope the last chapter wasn't to short. I was hoping to get a longer one out but I thought I ended it well enough. This next one gets good;)
Chapter 10: Puffs of Smoke
Draco woke to the soft snores coming from his side And hair tickling his nose. Hermione at some point in the night had flung herself across him. Her head buried deep in his side, her hand splayed across his chest, with her mouth twitching as if she was talking to someone. Draco smiled lovingly down at her small form. Coming home from dinner had been an eventful night.
When they arrived home to the manor, he persuaded her to go to the library. As they entered he suggested that they have a night-cap, and one last song before they went to bed. Happily agreeing with him, Hermione set out to find them a glass of Sherry and listened as Draco pulled the bow across the strings of his cello. Humming softly along with the song she swayed as she walked back to him with their glasses. As the music went on she danced more and more around the small room.
As Draco finished the song he leaned his instrument on the couch and cast a spell on it to play. "Would you care to dance with me?" Giggling she nodded and curtsied to him as he bowed. "Do you know how to waltz, Hermione?"
"A little. We learned a few steps before the Yule ball. The Headmistress, former professor, made us all take lessons. But sadly when it came to the real ball Viktor did most of the dancing. I just followed along."
"You followed a lot those days. Not much of a leader. Besides a few occasions." Smacking him lightly on the shoulder she replied, "I might not have been a leader like Harry. But I lead my path. Took me straight out of the wizarding world. And into my parents house, then my own flat, and partly into depression." Hermione tried to laugh off the last part of her sentence. But it was all to true. She had slid into a depression after she left her home away from home. Not being able to do magic as freely, put a damper on her life and moods. In this world it was normal to see someone carry a small bag that could hold a whole house of furniture and more. But there, you had limitations.
"Hermione, what did you want to be when you were at Hogwarts?" Draco twirled her around another time. "I always wanted to be a Mediwitch. Or a Potions Master. Or work for the Ministry in the creature rights division. There were always so many options. What about you? What did you want to be?"
"I wanted to be a designer, more specific a architectural designer. But my future was already decided long ago by my father. I am to take over his position at the bank as a loan handler. I've been groomed since I could walk and talk, so that one day; 'You can make a better world for yourself and family.'. I never wanted any part of it." Draco dipped Hermione low bringing her back up slowly until their lips were a breath away from each other. "Why don't you just say something to your father now? It's not to late to go to school for it. There are a lot of wonderful schools close by. Some of them magical to. I'm sure with your O.W.L and N.E.W.T. scores you could get in easily. Not to mention have a rich father to help."
"I suppose you're right I could. But who wants to be married to a lowly architect at the bottom of the food chain, when you have an executive position waiting for you?" Looking shyly up at Draco she replied, "I wouldn't mind. If it made you happier and you came home happy every night. I wouldn't mind." Draco smiled down at the small woman in his arms. An ache gripped his heart when he looked at her. He didn't want to admit that he was falling head over heels for this beautiful creature. Merlin he wanted nothing more than to stare at her every day. she was in all words, lovely. And he loved her.
"I love you."
The words echoed through the now silent room. The cello had ceased to play. All Hermione could hear was the rushing of blood and the loud thump of her heart. Draco Malfoy just admitted that he...loved her. Her. A mudblood. The very disdain of his existence at school. Draco loved her. And the longer the silence went on, the more the joy fled from his eyes. "I..I don't know what to say, Draco..."
"So you won't say it back to me?" Huffing he released his hold on her. Stepping back he rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I tell you how I feel and you don't say it back. Do you know how long I have wanted to say those three words to you but haven't found the courage to? And you won't say them back!" In anger he flipped the small table holding their cups. The crystal shattered and brown liquid spilled over the marble floors. Hermione stood frozen to her spot. She didn't want to move, in fear he would lash out at her.
"I'm sorry. I..I won't say I love you. Not yet. I want to mean it when I say it to you. I don't want them to be an empty promise, Draco." She took a hesitant step towards him, placing her hand on his arm. Jerking away from her, Draco turned his back to her. "So then I guess I've just made a fool of myself. I take you out on a romantic evening. I play the cello for you. I dance with you. I make love to you, for Merlin's sake! And you can't even feel love for me?"
"The only man I ever felt love for cheated on me and broke my heart! There are you happy now? Happy that the reason I left Ron is because he cheated on me? That I found him on more than one occasion shagging some random girl in a pub bathroom. Or that I walked in on him and his wife shagging in my bed. The bed I paid for, in the flat I paid for, on the sheets I paid for? Hmm? I don't say I love you unless I mean it. I refuse to give false hope to anyone. And I care about you deeply. I can love you. I will love you. Just not today."
Draco stood with his back to her still, clenching and unclenching his fists. He tried to process what she had said. Weasley wasn't such a great catch eh? He tried to find a reason any man on Earth would treat Hermione as such. She should never be forgotten, or treated like she was nothing more than a bed warmer. He wanted to give her the world now. He wanted to show her what a treasure she was and spoil her with whatever she wanted. "Weasley really treated you like that?"
"Yes he did. Something I'm not proud of for taking for so long." Hermione sat on the arm of the couch. Reaching down she slid the straps of her heels off and sighed with relief. She never was one for high heels and now she remembered why. Funny thing is that she had never once paid attention to her feet hurting when she was in his arms. A lot of things seemed to fade when she was in his arms. Rubbing the bottoms of her feet she watched as Draco turned towards her, eyes down cast. "I'm sorry. I lost my temper. I didn't mean for it to be hurtful. I never want to hurt you." He walked slowly to her kneeling before her. Taking one of her feet in hand he began to rub them for her. Sighing contentedly she closed her eyes and let her head drop back. As he worked the soreness out of her feet he watched as she sighed and moaned under his hands.
Standing he brought her with him. Sliding his hands around he unzipped her dress. "Draco, not here. Someone might see us," Hermione squeaked trying to hold the dress up. "Then let them see. Let me love you tonight, Hermione. Let me show you how I love you." His hands went to her face tracing her lips and eyes. Draco's eyes held a sadness and longing in them she had never seen before. Biting her lip she nodded for him to continue. Before she knew it he had swept her into his arms and carried her to their room. Draco showed her what it was like to be loved by someone. The softness and tenderness of his caresses. His kisses all over her body, burning like fire. A want burned deep within her. A desire to be loved like this and often.
As soon as they had started, it had ended. The sun was peeking over the balcony ledge as they lay in each others arms. Immersed in each others eyes. Not noticing the tray of food left on the desk or the note that sat next to it with Lucius hand writing on it. They laid like that for what seemed hours before sleep took over their bodies. And here they were now. Still laying in each others arms. Tucked away behind the curtain on the bed. Snuggled close to each other as if they were freezing.
Draco rubbed his eyes and shook Hermione's shoulder. "Love, it's time to wake. It's past noon." Mumbling something like ruddy bastard, Hermione lifted her head and looked around the room. "Is it really past noon?"
"Yes," laughing he threw the covers from their bodies,"Now come on. We've a meeting with our NMLA at one-thirty." Sitting up instantly Hermione gasped. "That's today? I'm nowhere near ready. How could you forget to tell me? The rooms a mess and I've no time to clean it now and then I need a shower. And so do you. You're starting to stink up the place." Teasingly she sniffed at him and then pinched her nose shut. "Oh you think you're so funny ha ha ha. The elves will take care of it. Now go on and get in the shower before I decide to join you." He stood from the bed stretching. Hermione's head tilted to the side as she watched his muscles move as she walked. She could get used to him being naked all the time.
A short quick shower later she emerged from the bathroom steam following her. Draco was sat at his desk in his boxers eating what looked to be a small lunch of meats, bread, and cheeses. Another plate was sat next to his with a glass of pumpkin juice. "Come. Eat. You must be famished."
Smiling she made her wat to the desk, sitting with her legs tucked beneath her. They sat in silence, eating away as he read over the morning paper. "Seems as though we made the front page. 'Young Malfoy and wife made an appearance last night for the first time since their nuptials. No word yet on how Ron Weasley, former boyfriend of Hermione Malfoy, feels on his childhood sweetheart marrying Draco Malfoy. More details on page ten.' Complete rubbish if you ask me. You'd think we had disappeared from the world."
"It has been a few weeks since we got married. I haven't left the Manor before last night." Making a small noise he went back to reading about the market when a timid knock sounded on the door. "Enter if you dare." Laughing Hermione turned to see Narcissia pop her head in around the door. "Oh good your both dressed. Someone here to see you. You may go in Miss..."
"Bolever. Rosemary Bolever. Thank you madam. Well! I must say. It has been a while since I've seen you two. You seem to have settled in quite well. Where might I set my briefcase?"
"Over here on the desk is fine. We were just finishing up a late lunch." Smiling Draco moved his plate out-of-the-way and standing to let her have room. "Hermione, love, why don't you go get dressed and I'll see to what Miss Bolever might need." Nodding she stood and smiled at the small woman and made her way to the bathroom to dress. "Have you two consummated the marriage?"
Stunned for a moment at her bluntness he nodded saying, "Yes. We have. More than once."
"Good. I shall need to have a check up with a Mediwitch. See if we've made any progress on making an heir. Is she free this afternoon, do you suppose?"
"As far as I know she is. You'll have to check with her." Rosemary mumbled as she scribbled something down in her notebook. " . Do you suppose you can also see a doctor this afternoon. To see if all is in working order on your end?" Again Draco was stunned. The woman had no tact. "I suppose I'm free. Why is this necessary?"
"So we can figure out if there's a problem and fix it. We must make babies, ! Babies!" Still scratching in her notebook Draco looked to the bathroom door hoping Hermione would walk through and save him from the dreadful woman. He didn't handle crazy woman talk. Let alone understand it.
Hermione stood before the sink. She tried calculating in her mind. The days had all turned into a blur since her move to the manor. Something was missing. She couldn't quite place her finger on it. Then it hit her. Her monthly cycle. It should have started a few days ago if she had to guess. She started pacing. There was a spell she could try. Yes a spell. Find out the quick way and save herself the agony of having to go to the doctors. Grabbing her wand she made the motions and whispered the words over her abdomen. A white puff of smoke hovered over her stomach. If it stayed white she was in the clear. If it turned blue she was a mother.
Slowly the puff started to fade into a soft blue. Then it grew darker and darker. She gasped dropping her wand.
Hermione Malfoy was pregnant.