Okay so you all have waited long enough so I am going to let you get on to the last chapter of Nine Months to Life.
Chapter 10: The Happily Ever After
It had been a little over five years since Abigail Malfoy was brought into this world, and she was as beautiful as Hermione and Draco could have imagined. She had beautiful shoulder length blonde curls and Draco's silver eyes, and to their complete delight Abigail had also developed Hermione's curiosity and intelligence. The small family currently lived together in a small comfortable home that Draco and Hermione moved into shortly after her birth, the house was nestled in the muggle world but was close enough to the magical world that they were able to keep in touch with both worlds.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Hermione yelled as she opened her eyes and began to look for Draco and Abigail, they had a pretty intense game of hide-and-seek going and she had no intention of losing.
Draco was hiding with Abigail underneath one of the play structures at the park down the street from their home. He decided now was the most opportune moment to talk to his little girl about something very important.
"Abby" Draco whispered to get her attention. "I want to ask you something. You remember the story about that necklace you where?" Draco asked referring to the silver chain around his daughter's neck that had only one item looped on it: the ring Draco had tried to give Hermione the night of Harry and Ginny's wedding. Hermione had refused his hand then and as soon as Abby was born he knew what he wanted to do with it, and on her fourth birthday he had given her the necklace in secret and told her to keep it safe. It of course was charmed not to break or come off and Abby loved wearing something so important. She often still liked hearing the story of how Draco fell in love with Hermione
"Yes daddy. I remember." She replied looking at him with her inquisitive eyes.
"Abby I wanted to ask you how would you feel if your mummy and daddy were to get married?" Draco whispered back.
"Would I get to wear a big dress?"
"Yes" he chuckled.
"With ribbon?"
"Sure."
"And a tiara?"
"If you would like." Draco said still smiling at her childlike questions.
"Do you love mummy?"
Draco stopped chuckling. Of all of the questions for his daughter to ask, he wouldn't have expected this one.
"Very much." Draco answered.
"Then I would like it very much too." She replied.
"Ah-ha!" Hermione shouted as she came around the structure and spotted her loved ones. Abby screamed in laughter and started to run away from her mum, making Draco smile as well.
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Later that night Hermione was sitting on the edge of Abby's bed pulling the covers up and handing her her favorite stuffed animals she just has to sleep with. While Hermione was looking through Abby's many books her daughter looked at the doorway and saw her dad give her a smile and a nod.
"Mummy, can I ask you something?"
"Anything love, you know that." Hermione replied with a smile.
"Do you love daddy?" Abby asked looking Hermione straight in the eye.
"Yes, of course I do. With my entire heart sweetie." Hermione replied slightly taken aback. "Why would you ask?"
"Good. I'm glad you love daddy mummy" Abby said with a smile. "Would you marry him mummy?"
"What?" Hermione asked, her head swimming.
Abby smiled and nodded her head toward Draco whom had quietly come into the room and gotten down on one knee behind Hermione. Hermione gasped as she saw him, she couldn't believe what was happening and that her daughter was in on it.
"Hermione, about five years ago I asked you a question, one that was very important to me, and though the answer was not one that I was particularly looking for," He said and she chuckled nervously "I completely understood why you had to give it to me then. However, my feelings for you have not changed. If anything they have grown. I couldn't imagine a day in which I didn't get to see you or Abby and never want to. I love you with my whole heart too, Hermione, and I would be so honored if you would marry me."
By this time Hermione had tears running down her cheeks, and her hand had come up to cover her mouth. She looked deep into his eyes and knew that everything he said was true and she couldn't ask for anything more. Back then, she wasn't ready to get married, she had just fallen in love, but now…
"Yes" Hermione whispered. "I would love to marry you."
She stood up and went into his arms as he enveloped he in a hug. After their embrace Draco kissed Hermione then went over to Abby.
"Thanks sweetie. You did great." He said giving her a kiss on her cheek and then reaching around to unclasp the necklace. He then went over to his fiancé and placed the ring upon her finger.
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Hermione had a queasy feeling in her stomach as she looked in the mirror; however, she wasn't exactly sure if it was pre-wedding jitters or another reason that she had yet to tell anyone of yet. She was beautiful; her dress was a halter top gown that had a split level overlay. The under layer was delicately designed with intricate beading, and around her waist was a dark green beaded sash around the middle that tied in the back and feel down her back to fall in line with her train. Her hair was expertly curled by Ginny, her maid of honor, and in her hair was a small tiara that held her modest veil in place.
Just then Ginny walked in with Abby right behind her. Abby was wearing a matching white flower girl dress that made her look beautiful , and around her waist was a matching sash to Hermione's. Abby also was given the tiara she was promised and it rested exquisitely in her blonde tresses. Ginny too looked elegant in her clover green bridesmaid dress. Her hair was up in an intricate style with small tendrils that fell to frame her face.
"Mummy, you look beautiful!" Abby said with a smile as they walked in. "And Grandmother's garden is so pretty too!"
"Yes, you're going to love it Hermione." Ginny said. "Relax, you're starting to look a little green."
"I'll be fine." Hermione said trying to keep the smile on her face "I hope."
"Hermione dear, it's time." Her father said and he suddenly walked in the door.
Hermione took a few deep breaths, trying to fight down both her nerves and her nausea. "Alright, I'm ready."
Hermione walked down the aisle her arm linked with her father and following her beautiful daughter who was throwing rose petals as she dutifully walked down the aisle. Hermione's widened as her gaze caught Draco's. He looked absolutely dashing in his tux and silver vest. But his smile was what drew her attention. He looked at her with love and satisfaction and that was displayed in his dazzling white smile.
Finally she reached him. Her father graciously kissed her on her cheek before passing her hand into Draco's waiting hand. She gladly took his hand and turned to face the Minister of Magic, Hermione would have been fine with just any wizard that could marry them but Narcissa had been adamant that it had to be the Minister of Magic, and Hermione had conceded.
"There is nothing more beautiful than finding someone that takes your mind, soul, and heart completely, and to have them give you theirs in exchange." The Minister started. "Today I am glad to stand before such a loving couple as Draco and Hermione. Today we stand here not only to join two people, but two hearts and two souls. Now I believe that the couple would like to recite their own vows. Draco."
"Hermione, when you first told me that you wanted us to write our own vows to each other, I blanked. I absolutely panicked. How do I find all of the right words to express how much you mean to me? But as I thought about it, I realized I don't need all of the right words. I don't need to make extravagant promises in front of all our friends and family. All I needed was to give you my heart and be ready to accept yours in exchange. Well I think you'll find I gave you mine a long time ago, and in all the time I have spent with you since then I have discovered that I have never been more ready for anything than I am now to accept your heart. I love you Hermione, and I vow to give all of myself to you and to accept all of you in return. To love you in times of sorrow and happiness, to cherish you in times of prosperity and times of ruin, and care for you in times of health and illness. This I vow to you."
Hermione smiled and tears ran rampant down her face. She had never heard anything so beautiful, well since she heard the beautiful first cry of her precious baby girl.
"Hermione." The minister prompted.
"Draco, we didn't exactly have the best start in this life. We were both stubborn and opinionated and highly competitive. But after we grew and matured we found that we could come together to make something beautiful." Hermione stated pausing to glance at their beautiful daughter. "I wouldn't trade one moment of our life together because it brought us to where we are today. A man and woman very much in love and starting a beautiful family. I said no to you once before when I thought I didn't need a husband, but I am here today saying yes to you because I know I want one. You gave me your heart and I promise to keep it safe and give you mine to keep. I love you Draco, and I vow to give all of myself to you and to accept all of you in return. To love you in times of sorrow and happiness, to cherish you in times of prosperity and times of ruin, and care for you in times of health and illness. This I vow to you."
Draco smiled radiantly as she finished and then the couple both looked up to the minister.
"Please join hands." The minister said as he pulled out his wand and held it over their enjoined hand. "Draco, do you take this woman as your wife?"
"I do."
"And do you, Hermione, take this man to be your husband?"
"I do."
"Then by the power entrusted to me by the people of the wizarding world and the Wizengamot I now bind you together and man and wife." He said as a gold mist wrapped around their hands. "You may kiss the bride."
Draco used his grasp on her hand to pull her toward him and kissed her softly, sending warm feeling through both of them. The smiled at each other before turning toward their family and friends and walking back up the aisle.
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"May I present for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy!"
The party was just warming up as the couple walked into the decorated area of the garden where tables of food were set up for everyone to eat at and a beautiful stone dance area was open for couples to come together and waltz into the night. Lights hung from branches of trees and floated amongst the bushes and other plant life giving the whole area a beautiful glow. Hermione and Draco had never seen such a beautiful area.
Hermione managed to make it through their first dance together before having to excuse herself to go to the bathroom where she ended up evacuating what was in her stomach. She absolutely hated morning sickness. After making sure she was presentable again she went back to her reception in time to hear all of the speeches and watch Draco share a dance with Abby, she had never seen anything cuter.
"Well Mrs. Malfoy, are you ready to share another dance with me?" Draco asked sneaking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Always." She answered.
He swept her away to the dance floor and they started to slowly turn about the floor. She though now was as good a time as any to tell him the news.
"Draco, I want to talk to you about something." Hermione whispered as her head rested on his shoulder in the crook of his neck.
"Ut-oh. You're not breaking up with me already are you? Because that would just be awkward with all of our guests still here and all." Draco said.
Hermione laughed. "No, but I do want to ask you if you remember what I was like when I was pregnant with Abby?"
Draco looked at her puzzled by her question. "Yes" He answered carefully.
"Do you remember promising to love me no matter what today?"
"Well those weren't my exact words…but yes I do. Hermione what is all this about?"
"You're going to be a daddy again." She said in a small voice.
Draco stopped swaying them back and forward to look her in the eyes. "Really?" Draco asked a smile gracing his face.
"Yeah, I uh, guess I have to sentence you to nine more months of hormonal bliss." She joked as they laughed together.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Draco said and swooped in for a quick kiss. "Nine months to life Hermione."
The End
I just want to thank everyone for their patience in waiting for me to update, as I know it takes me quite a long time in between updates and for that I must apologize. On another note this is the first chapter story that I have officially finished and I am excited and hope you all enjoyed it! Please let me know what you thought and thanks for reading my story! -Iluvdolphins-
