A.N. Thanks to all the reviewers, hope you will enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and all affiliated characters, objects, and places.
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The Aftermath
Chapter X
He settled his daughter in her bed gently and walked back through the door, leaving her there sleeping peacefully. He smiled fondly, a nap would only be a good thing; this had been an eventful morning for the toddler. He turned and walked away, but took great care to close her door with as little noise as possible before he made his way back to their common room. He threw a glance from his position in the staircase, scanning the room rapidly with his eyes before finally settling them on the object of his affection. She was sitting in one of the many armchairs the room provided for them, her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. He frowned in concern, he knew she hated being torn apart between him and her friends, and he knew that because it was the second time in their lives that this kind of situation happened.
Draco Malfoy could remember vividly many things from his past, but one thing he would never forget what the first time they (as a couple) had met with Potter and his girlfriend, for official presentations.
He remembered that vividly.
Oh, yes, because back then, Potter had won the popularity contest, and he had been the one getting yelled at for not acting civilly. He had acted civilly, to his own standards. Might have been a little nasty, but hey, he was Draco Malfoy, which meant, he was totally entitled to being nasty to Harry Potter. But, as he made his way to her, he recalled that even when he had been nasty, he hadn't said hurtful things to the sodding hero, he hadn't rubbed in his face that he had missed two years of his own child's life.
She didn't move when he came closer and he couldn't understand how it was possible that she hadn't heard him, so he settled for the only plausible explanation, she was not ready to talk. He came next to her, not wanting to push her, or his luck; he kissed the top of her head before seating himself in the armchair facing hers.
They stayed in silent like that for a few minutes, his gaze on her petite frame, and her head in her hands. She sighed and he took this opportunity to end this excruciating silence. "I'm sorry," he simply told her.
Her head shot up almost instantly and her eyes fell on him, "don't be stupid, that wasn't your fault."
He shrugged, "no, it wasn't. But, I do know that it is painful to you, so I'm sorry."
She gave him a little smile before returning to her more serious countenance, "thank you."
He moved in his armchair and rubbed his knees with his hands, "your welcome."
"The thing is," she began to say making him jump slightly, "I don't want Delaney to be a witness to that, I don't want her to be torn between them and you, I don't want her to be torn between you and me neither," she finished in a strangled voice.
"Hermio—"he started.
Her eyes searched for his and when they found he could see all of the emotions she was feeling inside, she had always been a book for him to read, the one he loved reading the most. "I'm so sorry," she murmured lowly.
He shook his head trying to clear things up, did he just miss something? "What? What do you mean?"
Her eyes fell back to the floor, she rubbed her face with her hands for a second before looking back at him, "I shouldn't have kept her from you, for any consideration, but I—," she took a small breath and tried to calm her voice, it was quivering, "I never thought you would act so, I mean, I thought you wouldn't want anything to do with us, after all you said before I—I left. I should have told you, now because of me you have missed two years of her life, and she has missed her father in her life." She stopped her rambling for a short moment, feeling her voice strangle at the base of her throat, he kept looking at her unable to utter a single word.
"Draco, I'm so sorry, you missed so much, her first smile, her first word, her first time crawling, her first time walking, all of those first time I can never get you back, how could you forgive me, how could she forgive me?"
When he saw her slow down he stood up, quickly walked the two or three feet separating them and took her hands, making her step up as well. "What?" He pulled her to him, at lost for words was not something Draco Malfoy was used to feel, so he did the only thing he could think about, he held her; hugging her small frame against his body.
Her body which was stiff at first relaxed in his embrace and her arms crawled around his waist hugging him back, holding him in her arms as well. She felt some reassurance in his arms; she inhaled his smell, one she could never forget; one she had missed for so long.
She felt his breath against her skin and shivered, "I'm sorry I wasn't a better man," he whispered in her ear, never letting go of her. He wasn't sure he would be able to tell her all of this if she looked at him with those big chocolate brown eyes full of remorse. Because remorse was not something that she should feel; remorse was an emotion that had been designed for Draco Malfoy. "I could never blame you Hermione, never. You did what you thought was in her best interest and I respect that. And maybe, just maybe if I had been a better man than, I wouldn't have missed so much, I wouldn't have lost so much, I would still have you in my life, maybe, just maybe you would still love me."
She was crying now, he knew because he felt the coldness of her tears on his skin, and she knew because her heart was in pieces. "I'll make it up to you Love, I promise I will."
She nodded her head gently, and for a brief second, his serious demeanour disappeared leaving in its place a small smile on his lips, a hopeful smile. She tilted her head and he could see her eyes were red, he knew he was right to think she had cried. "Thank you for not hating me," she told him with a small voice.
He took her chin in his hand and tilted her head up just a bit more so that she could look into his eyes, "no matter how I once wanted to Hermione, I never could, and I never will be able to." He lowered his lips and her and gave her the tenderest kiss she had ever received, a kiss that had her want to yell, cry and shout all at the same time. "I love you Hermione Granger," he breathed in her ear, "and no matter what happens, I will always."
Her arms when from his waist to his neck and she pulled him down to her, crashing his lips with her own in one of the most desperate kisses, she clung to him as if her life depended solely on that. One would think, that with everything that he had said, Draco Malfoy would have been happy to comply and to pull her to him and snog her senseless as if they were teenagers.
But no, he could not. Don't mistake him, he did kiss her back with much fervour, and he did desire so much more, but he knew, because he knew her so well, that she was reacting like this because she was bemused and that her emotions were still very confused in her head and in her heart, so Draco Malfoy, being the man he was, being the man whom was in love with the said girl, pulled away from her.
He took a second to watch her features while her eyes were still closed, as he held her at arms length. She opened her eyes and searched his face, "what's wrong?" she asked nervously biting on her bottom lip.
He sighed, pulled her closer, took her head between his hands and kissed her forehead tenderly. "Nothing's wrong, my love. I just know that you have to process these things before we go any further."
When he released his hold on her she took a step back watching him intently, "maybe I don't want to process anything right now; maybe I just needed you."
"Hermione, I told you, I'm there, I love you, I love Delaney with all my heart; I'm not going anywhere." He told her sincerely, taking a step closer to her, "but I also know you, and I know that if we were to take this further, you would regret it later." He took her hand in his and kissed the tip of each of her fingers slowly, gently, "process everything I told you," he said in between his soft kisses, "and then you can tell me what you want."
He gave her a soft kiss on the lips before walking away in the direction of his room, "and you better want me," he told her teasingly winking at her.
He sighed as he entered his room, feeling incredibly lightly. He went to his wardrobe, picked up a new sweater, because his had traces of porridge of the right shoulder, and tears on his chest, changed and took a glimpse at himself in the mirror. He had told her he still loved her, even though it was true, he couldn't figure out how he had came to be so honest with her, must have been that crazy little thing called love.
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Her fingers on her lips, Hermione Granger stared at the door where Draco had just disappeared minutes ago; she stayed where she was not moving a bit as if frozen into space. He still loved her, how was that even possible, merely a week a go she would have sworn that Draco Malfoy had never loved her, that he had just liked her. Two years ago, if she had really believed he loved her, she would never have left him, not even with his dangerous father around.
Why was it that she had to know only now, she already felt so guilty. Well, it was his damn fault as well as her own; he should have made his feelings clear, if he had, today she might have been Hermione Malfoy, because she could only guess that he would have wanted his child to be legitimate to the eyes of the magic community.
Rubbish, she was definitely not thinking straight, past is the past, move on to the present, she scolded herself mentally, from her spot in the common room. In the present, she was a single mother, and the father of her child loved her, the real question now was, did she love him?
Hermione snapped out of her reverie when she heard a noise coming from her daughter's room. She walked rapidly to the door and opened the door without a sound, what she saw did not surprise her one bit, her daughter's toys were floating in the air surrounding her little bed. She tore her eyes away from her daughter and they settled on the other door, the one that communicated between Delaney's room and her father's. He was standing there, looking at Hermione calmly, without a word their eyes spoke and she decided to move inside the room.
Draco remained in his spot in the door frame silent.
Hermione ducked one of her daughter's 'Harry Potter' dolls, and came closer to her daughter's bed, she climbed on the bed taking every precaution not to move to fast or to raise her head took much from the bed because she wanted to avoid as much as she could, any physical injury. She cradled next to her daughter and softly began to pet her head lovingly, "wake up little Love," she murmured in a gentle tone in her ear. The toddler began to stir; her toys froze in the air, not swirling around the room anymore.
"Dee, it's okay, it's mommy," she continued softly.
"And daddy," Draco added from the doorframe.
Hermione rolled her eyes at this, "and daddy. Wake up sweetie."
When her daughter opened her eyes, Hermione gave her a bright and sincere smile and kissed her cheek soundly, "can you put your toys down please."
"Yes, mommy," answered her daughter as she saw the mess in her room, she caught the eye of her daddy and for one moment, she feared he was angry, but when he smiled at her, she felt better and she smiled back.
One by one, the toys that were hanging in the air fell back to the floor and into her chest without any noise. "Good girl," her mother congratulated her. Draco came closer and congratulated his daughter as well helping her up on the bed.
"Do you want to go play outside with Daddy?" he asked her hopefully.
She smiled enthusiastically, but refrained from giving her answer immediately. She looked at her mother and only after Hermione nodded did she answer her father's question, "yes daddy," she shrieked happily.
"Come back for lunch," Hermione told Draco, "don't forget we are meeting with Professor McGonagall this afternoon."
He picked up his daughter and after passing his hands in her blond curls he looked at Hermione, "of course I remember 'Mione," he lowered himself and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, "see you later mommy."
"Bye mommy," echoed their daughter as he made his way out of the room.
He caught the small cloak that was hanging near the door and made his way out without looking back. He brought his daughter and took a long walk with her showing her the surroundings of the castle and telling her where she was allowed to go and where she couldn't no matter who is with her. They spend the rest of the morning enjoying time which each other, and to Draco utmost joy, his daughter was acting perfectly naturally with him.
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Hermione couldn't help but watch the two forms near the lake, two blond heads, one tall figure; one very small. She couldn't see the face of her daughter from where she was, they were too far, but she knew that Draco was taking good care of her. She walked back to her bed and allowed herself to simply fall on the soft covers.
She sighed as she thought about all of the events that had happened since they came here. First she was reacquainted with Draco; then it had been the episode about telling him about his own daughter and the acceptance that he was going to be in their life. The worst part for her had certainly been when she decided to present him to her officially, she had been afraid for one moment that he would fly away on his broom and never come back; she was so afraid he would hurt his daughter like he had hurt her.
She closed her eyes and recalled the kisses they had shared recently, recalled that crucial moment when he had told her he loved her. She was afraid again now, afraid that if she told him that she loved him too, that somehow she would end up being hurt again, and this time she was aware that she wasn't on her own. She had Delaney, and Delaney was at the center of her life.
"Professor Granger," she heard suddenly. She gave a start; she hadn't thought the portrait at the door could come into the portrait that was in her room.
"Yes?" she asked the Lady in White as she sat on the bed, facing the painting.
"There is someone at the door for you," she told her.
"Thank you, I'll be right there," she said as she stood up to fix her clothing and her hair rapidly, she checked herself in the mirror and ran to the door.
She opened the door of the common room and frowned when she saw Harry standing there, "Harry now is really not the time," she told him abruptly.
He looked taken aback, "please Hermione, can I come in."
She crossed her arms on her chest, "I'd rather not."
He gave her his best sad puppy look, "Hermione, please."
She sighed and moved on the side letting him inside her common room. He sighed with relief before crossing her and entering the common room, once inside he took a look around before turning to face her, "where is Delaney?"
She frowned in annoyance, "she's outside with her father."
"Oh."
Hermione walked furiously away from him and sat in one of the armchairs near the fire, "listen Harry, Draco is here to stay, she is his daughter, he is here to stay, if you cannot live with that then I suggest," she spat angrily.
"Hermione," he cried to get her attention, "stop your furious babbling. I know who Delaney's father is, I think he is a prat, but I do understand that he is here to stay and that I cannot go around blasting him in front of his own daughter."
She nodded nervously, "yes, because you have no right whatsoever to do such a thing."
"I know, believe me I know," Harry said somehow defeated, "just don't ask me to tell him that please."
She chuckled lightly, "I won't."
He took her into his arms, "look I'm really, really sorry okay, I never wanted to upset you and Delaney, him maybe, but not you."
She hugged him back, "you really are a prick Harry Potter," she pulled away from him.
He became very serious suddenly, "Hermione."
"Hum."
"Can I ask you something?" he asked with some kind of, was that anxiety in his voice.
She eyed him suspiciously, "since when do you ask before asking?"
He braced himself, not quite certain he wanted to hear the answer to his question, "do you still love him Hermione?"
Her eyes flickered for one moment, "I—I'm not really sure, I—I don't know," she stammered.
His eyes darkened slightly, "so you do love him," he spat angrily.
She walked to him and poked him hard in the chest, "I don't see what your problem is, even if I did love him, you should only be happy for me." He took a step back afraid of what he'd done, anger fled from every part of her body.
"Happy for you," he yelled, "he ruined you Hermione; he ruined the girl you once were."
"No," she yelled back, "no I ruined myself when I left him, I ruined my daughter. He loves me, he told me he does, so why shouldn't I allow myself some happiness for once?"
"You never were happy with him," he yelled grabbing her arms.
"Harry, let go of me!" she growled, "I was incredibly happy with him, we had some problem in the end, but he is not the boy he was in school, I am not the girl I was in school either."
He shook her, "you are delusional Hermione, I don't recognise you."
"I said, let go of me!" she yelled again.
"No!"
"I love him Harry, live with it," she spat as she tried to free her arms from his steely grasp, "let go of me now."
"He will hurt you again."
"No," she tried to shove him away again but he was a lot stronger then she was, "let me go or I will hex you."
"You're nuts. I'll shake some sense into you, I won't let you ruin Delaney by allowing him in her life," he growled. Harry was completely beyond himself, and he was seriously beginning to hurt her arms, she was certain there would be bruises where he was holding her.
"He is her father, him, Harry, Draco Malfoy is Delaney's father face it, she's not yours, she's not Ron's, she's his daughter and mine," she yelled as tears sprung into her eyes, "now let go of me, you're hurting me."
"I know I'm not her father, but he shouldn't be either, you've made bad choices!"
"No I haven't," she denied, "he's a good man, he's a great dad."
He shook her again, growling. She shrieked in pain and unable to release herself from his grasp she kicked him, right where it hurts.
He fell to the floor finally releasing her arms and she took the little time she had at her disposition to withdraw her wand from her pocket, "leave now," she said in a low voice.
He got up holding his abdomen with his right arm and eyed her angrily, "you're crazy."
"You are, now go."
"You made me angry Hermione, I," he began.
She was glowering, "shut your bloody mouth up, go, I said go, you didn't yell at me, you've put your hands on me Harry Potter. I don't want to see you here anymore, leave, right now!"
He softened, realising he had lost his own mind, "Hermione, I'm sorry."
"GO!" she shouted.
"Alright," he said before he turned and left the room at a rapid pace.
Once the door was close Hermione felt her knees give away and she fell to the floor crying desperately. She couldn't pick herself up so she remained there, on the floor in the middle of the common room, distressed and shaken up.
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A.N. I know what some of you might think, Harry would never hurt Hermione…..etc, etc. I know! But he didn't hurt her much, and I think it was necessary that a fight occur between her friend and her, so that she could realise her true feelings…..hope you like it anyway and please let me know. Until Next Time!!!