A/N - I know people are looking forward to Draco being rescued but this chapter focuses on Hermione. Next chapter will get back to Harry and the Weasley's as the climax of the story approaches. Hopefully people will still enjoy this chapter, there's even some Dramione interaction in it.
Hermione stared up at the enchanted ceiling, tracing the constellations she could see up above her in her mind. It was early afternoon and instead of being at the penthouse Hermione had ended up at Malfoy Manor, lying in Draco's childhood bedroom. The reason she had left the penthouse was her mother and the argument they had had earlier in the day.
For the last few weeks Hermione felt that all she had done with her mother was argue. Hermione knew her mother was very opinionated and slightly bossy, she also knew that she herself had inherited the same traits meaning the two women argued quite frequently. Hermione had lost track of the numerous things they had argued over but the mornings fight coupled with a fight from the previous day was enough for Hermione to finally snap and flee the penthouse in search of peace.
The previous afternoon Hermione's mother had unexpectedly shown up at the penthouse and was shocked to find Hermione sitting at the dining room table looking over the papers she had received from Kingsley earlier in the day. That event has led to the two women arguing over Hermione's workload. Helen was adamant that Hermione should be resting now she was on maternity leave but Hermione insisted she was quite fine doing some light charity work for Kingsley. By the time Hermione's mother had left a few hours later there was still some tension between the two women as both refused to back down in their opinions.
Because of their fight the previous day Hermione had been unprepared when her mother had shown up first thing in this morning. Helen had apologised for trying to control Hermione while Hermione admitted that she might have overreacted slightly. When her mother suggested that they go shopping for the baby Hermione agreed as she knew that she needed to make a start buying things. The shopping trip passed relatively smoothly with only a few small disagreements taking place. The argument that had led to Hermione fleeing the penthouse occurred during lunch when Helen had brought up the subject of naming the baby.
After Hermione's mother made her feelings perfectly clear about the choices Hermione had made regarding the baby's name, Hermione had felt the overwhelming need to get away from her mother. Knowing her mother would follow her if she left the penthouse via the front door Hermione decided to use the floo as her mother couldn't use the floo network without someone with magical ability with her. When it came to deciding where to go Hermione found herself with limited choices. Harry was away on Auror duties, Ron was at work and there was a possibility of running into Ginny at the Burrow, Hermione wasn't sure if she was willing to deal with more drama if she ran into the redheaded woman. Hermione really only had one choice left and without hesitations she flooed to Malfoy Manor and Narcissa.
Hermione had always gotten along well with Narcissa and since Draco's death the two women had become even closer. Hermione often felt that Narcissa was the only person who really understood how much she missed Draco as she was missing him just as much.
Upon arrival at the Manor Hermione was informed by Binky, Narcissa's house elf, that Narcissa wasn't in the house. Hermione was surprised because Narcissa had rarely left the Manor in the previous six months. Binky explained that Narcissa was at Draco's grave if Hermione wished to see her immediately. Hermione had only visited Draco's grave a few times and each time was incredibly painful, it only served to remind her that he was never coming back. Not wanting to deal with her grief at seeing the memorial Hermione had told Binky she would wait until Narcissa returned.
Hermione had automatically gravitated to Draco's room as she waited for Narcissa, she knew the older witch would be able to find her easily enough. Both witches received comfort from being in the room that was still heavily dominated by Draco and the handful of belongings that he had left behind when he had moved in with Hermione.
As Hermione lay on the comfortable bed, she remembered the first time she had ever set foot in Draco's room. After they had finished school both of them had returned to their respective homes to live but after a few weeks Draco had convinced Hermione to stay the occasional night at the Manor. Hermione had immediately loved the large, comfortable room and she had instantly felt comfortable in the room. After the first night Hermione spent a couple of nights a week in Draco's room and she soon felt more at home in the Manor that she did at her parent's house.
Hermione was so deep in thought she failed to notice Narcissa enter the bedroom. She only noticed she wasn't alone when Narcissa lay down on the bed next to her.
"Are you alright, Hermione?" Narcissa asked.
"I'm fine." Hermione sighed. "I just had another argument with my mother."
"I'm sure she means well." Narcissa said. She knew that Helen only wanted Hermione to be happy but she also knew that the woman could be slightly heavy handed at times.
"I know, but I wish she wouldn't find fault with everything I do." Hermione said.
"What was the newest argument about?" Narcissa asked.
"The baby." Hermione said, automatically placing her hand on her stomach at the mention of her daughter. "I've decided on a name for her."
"What is it?" Narcissa asked, wondering if Hermione had looked into naming the baby after a constellation or star.
Hermione smiled at the excitement she could hear in Narcissa's voice. "Lyra."
"That's lovely." Narcissa smiled at the name, liking the choice. "Why would calling her Lyra cause an argument with your mother?"
"It's not her first name she objects to, it's her surname." Hermione explained. "I told her that Lyra's surname is going to be Malfoy."
"What's wrong with that?" Narcissa asked, not seeing what Helen's problem was. "She is a Malfoy."
"That's what I said, but my mother's worried that it might be confusing to her when she's older not to have the same surname as me." Hermione said. She could understand her mother's concerns but there was no way she was denying her daughter's heritage as a Malfoy.
"We can explain her surname to her, I'm sure she'll be clever enough to understand." Narcissa said.
"I said that as well." Hermione said, noticing how her reactions had been exactly the same as Narcissa's.
"I'm sure your mother will come around, after all it's your choice what you name your daughter." Narcissa said.
"I'm sure she will, I could just do without the stress of more arguments." Hermione said, sitting up on the large bed.
"Would you like me to speak with her?" Narcissa asked, getting off the bed and walking round to the other side to help Hermione up.
Hermione shook her head. "Hopefully me walking out on her will make her realise how unbearable she's being lately."
"Well just ask if you need any help." Narcissa said, once she had helped Hermione to stand up.
"Thanks, Narcissa." Hermione smiled at the older witch who smiled back warmly.
"Would you like to see the nursery?" Narcissa asked. She had been turning a spare room into a nursery in the hope that Hermione would allow her granddaughter to spend the odd night at the Manor.
"I'd love to." Hermione replied. She knew how hard Narcissa had been working on the nursery and how much preparing for the baby had helped her cope with losing Draco.
Narcissa smiled at Hermione before she led the pregnant witch out of Draco's room and down the corridor to where she had prepared the nursery. After viewing the nursery and spending an hour or so with Narcissa Hermione decided it was time to return home and face her mother.
Upon arrival at the penthouse Hermione was shocked to find it was empty, the only evidence of her mother's presence was a note sitting in the middle of the coffee table. Hermione read the note, which was her mother apologising for her earlier behaviour. Placing the note back onto the table Hermione telephoned her mother to speak to her properly. Hermione spent nearly an hour speaking with her mother before the older woman had to go and run some errands.
After finishing on the phone Hermione headed into Draco's study. Ever since she discovered Draco's box of memories last weekend she had thought about them regularly and she was seriously considering viewing several of them.
Hermione sat down at Draco's desk and pulled out the box of memories. Scanning over them for a memory to view she wondered about certain memories he had kept. While Hermione could see the sense of keeping certain memories, like their first kiss, she was uncertain about why Draco had kept the memory of their first night together or the day they moved into the penthouse. Hermione could vividly remember the day they moved into the penthouse and Draco's idea to christen every room in the place so she was unsure if that memory would contain anything other than them having sex. While both were very happy memories Hermione was unsure whether they would be good memories to view, surely it would be awkward to watch themselves having sex.
Hermione skipped over both memories and looked for something else that she would feel more comfortable with viewing. She spent several minutes toying over various memories but eventually picked the memory of Draco asking her out for the first time.
Once she had sorted the memory Hermione went to the cupboard in which Draco kept his pensieve. Using magic, the pensieve was far too heavy for Hermione to carry in her condition, she placed the pensieve on the desk and emptied the memory into the stone basin.
Very carefully Hermione emerged herself in the memory. The first few times Hermione had used a pensieve she had ended up falling into the memory and landing flat on the floor but she had found that, like Portkey's, the more practice you had the easier it was to make a dignified entry.
Arriving safely in the memory Hermione smiled as she found herself standing in the library at Hogwarts. A quick look around and she found her past self, sitting at her regular table with Draco. By this point in time she had formed a solid friendship with Draco and they had regularly studied together. Hermione moved closer to the table, her entire focus on Draco. Seeing Draco again was a lot more painful than Hermione had anticipated, she had thought she was ready to relive some of the happiest moments of her life but now she was wondering if she had made the right decision as all she could think about was that she had lost him and he was never coming back.
Hermione debated leaving the memory but found she couldn't tear herself away from watching Draco. Hermione continued to watch Draco, surprised by how often he would sneak a glance at her past self. Hermione looked at her past self, she was so absorbed in her homework that she didn't seem to notice that Draco spent more time watching her than doing any work. Hermione was surprised she had been so unobservant towards Draco's behaviour, he wasn't exactly being subtle about his staring.
Hermione watched as Draco abruptly shut his book, causing past Hermione to look up in surprise.
"Are you alright?" Past Hermione asked. "You seem twitchy tonight."
"I'm fine." Draco replied.
Past Hermione shrugged and went back to her homework, once again failing to notice the piercing grey eyes that followed her every move. Hermione watched as Draco sat and openly stared at her past self, occasionally looking as though he was about to speak before he stopped himself and carried on watching the girl opposite him. After years of being in a relationship with Draco Hermione knew that he was building up the courage to say something important, she had witnessed him reacting the same way numerous times over the years. Hermione obviously knew what Draco was building himself up to ask but she was surprised that it was something he had clearly been nervous about, she had always assumed it had been a spur of the moment thing when he had first asked her out when clearly it had been something he had been debating for some time.
Hermione watched for another few minutes before Draco finally plucked up the courage and cleared his throat, gaining past Hermione's attention.
"Hermione, can I ask you a question?" Draco said, looking nervous.
"Sure, you can ask me anything." Past Hermione said with a smile.
Hermione could remember this conversation so well, she could also remember the fact that she was starting to develop feelings for Draco and was constantly wondering if he only saw her as a friend. Hermione could also clearly remember the thrill she had gotten from Draco's next question.
"Will you accompany me to Hogsmeade on Saturday?" Draco asked, a slight blush appearing on his pale complexion.
Past Hermione smiled widely. "Like a date?" She asked.
Hermione remembered the need she had felt to clarify what the invitation actually was, she hadn't wanted to make a fool of herself and think it was a date if Draco had only asked her as a friend.
"Yes, a date." Draco nodded. Hermione noticed how nervous he looked, probably because he hadn't actually received an answer to his question.
"I'd love to." Past Hermione said.
Draco smiled broadly at past Hermione, a smile that still gave Hermione butterflies. Hermione watched for another ten minutes as her past self and Draco arranged their first date. Watching the interaction Hermione could remember the excited feeling that had settled in her stomach when Draco confirmed he was asking her on a date, that feeling had stayed with Hermione all week until it was time to go to Hogsmeade.
As the memory ended with past Hermione and Draco going their separate ways, Hermione found herself back in Draco's study. Hermione replaced the memory in its glass vial and was searching for another memory to view when she heard a knock at the front door.
Hermione headed for the door and opened it, stopping in shock as she found Ron standing on her doorstep. She had totally forgotten that she had invited Ron for dinner and that she had promised to cook for him. Events of the afternoon had distracted Hermione and time had totally gotten away from her.
"Am I coming in or are you just going to stare at me all night?" Ron questioned.
"Sorry Ron, come in." Hermione moved back so Ron could enter the penthouse. "I'm so sorry but I totally forgot about tonight and I haven't made anything to eat."
"That's fine, we can order pizza." Ron said, taking off his coat and heading into the front room.
Like the television, takeaways were something else from the muggle world that Harry and Hermione had shown Ron, unsurprisingly it was something he was particularly fond of given his love of food.
"The menu's in the kitchen, you decide what you want." Hermione said. "I'll be back in a minute."
While Ron headed into the kitchen Hermione went back into Draco's study and tidied up. She had enjoyed viewing the memory and had every intention of relieving some more in the near future. As she returned to the front room Hermione even considered the possibility of showing a few memories to Lyra when she was old enough, at least that way her daughter would have some idea about who her father was.