Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Crying by Vonda Shepard.
Dedication: To anyone who stays loyal and patient enough to review after my long absence. You're what keep this story going.
Chapter Nine
Crying
'I was alright for awhile, I could smile for awhile, but I saw you last night, you held my hand so tight, as you stopped to say hello, oh you wished me well, you couldn't tell that I'd been crying over you'
For several months now Hermione had outwardly been a woman in bliss due to her engagement to Geoffrey. And for the first three months or so she really had been happy. She enthusiastically told friends and family the happy news, made plans for their future life together with Geoffrey and went along with planning a Muggle wedding as she still hadn't told him what she really was.
Cora-Lynn was excited about the prospect of being a bridesmaid and the party.
Geoffrey came to live with them for a month as a sort of trial and it went terrific. And her mother was probably most thrilled of all and had instantly brought out her wedding dress for Hermione to wear when she heard the news.
All of the happiness came crashing down one night when Cora-Lynn was staying the night at the Burrow and Hermione was with Geoffrey. They were discussing where they would live and Hermione insisted on her townhouse, refusing to move Cora-Lynn from her known surroundings.
"It will do for a little while, but when we have more children it won't be big enough." he sensibly argued.
Hermione's stomach turned. More children? For some reason she was immediately opposed to the idea. She didn't answer and Geoffrey thought she was accepting she'd been beat and tugged her close to his body and pulled the bed covers over them.
Feeling smothered suddenly Hermione kicked her side of the duvet off and struggled out of Geoffrey's arms "I have to get some water, I'm burning up." she lied and tiptoed to his kitchen.
To her luck her purse was in there and she quickly dug out her cell phone and found the ringtones menu. She pushed play once she found her own and pretended to answer her phone "Molly? Oh no …" she paused and feigned a gasp "Oh no, my poor baby. Yes I'll come right by to pick her up, thanks for calling."
She could feel Geoffrey staring at her back as she pretended to hang up and slip her phone back down into her purse.
"Is Cora-Lynn alright?" his honest worry for her daughter made Hermione even more ashamed of her lie.
"She has a fever and vomited once and she wants to come home with me, so I'm sorry honey, but I have to leave." She walked back to his bedroom as they talked to get her clothes and get dressed.
"I understand. Wait for a bit and I'll drive you."
In a frenzy Hermione had turned down the offer and rushed out of the apartment. When she got home and sat alone in her living room, she started crying. It made her think of the night Draco had cheered her up by getting her drunk. For a second she was about to send Oreo to him with a request to bring himself and a bottle of Firewhiskey over.
She cried harder when she remembered she couldn't. It was almost six months now since they'd seen or spoken to each other. Cora-Lynn mentioned him once in a while and every time she felt like she was being cut with something hard.
Finally she had fallen asleep after two large brandies.
Time had passed since the incident and Hermione avoided all talk of future children and was vague about the date of the wedding. Ginny had asked the most, she impatiently waited to get to throw the bachelorette party. Molly kept on fussing about how long engagements weren't healthy for the relationship and begging to meet Geoffrey soon.
So as Hermione was getting herself and Cora-Lynn ready for a big feast at the Weasley's she wasn't sure she was looking forward to it.
"Mummy do I look okay?" Cora-Lynn asked her with sincere worry as she modelled herself in front of Hermione's mirror wearing a red silk dress with matching shoes that also had white polka dots on it. It had been an anonymous gift for her fifth birthday. Hermione had a pretty clear idea who'd sent it though.
"You do Sweets, you look beautiful as always." She hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead and cheeks until she ran off. Hermione composed herself. The dress reminded her of Draco. Even though she'd cut him out of her life he kept popping up here and there.
Sometimes she wondered if she'd made the right choice about him. All the way back to when they had kissed at that ministry ball. Maybe if she hadn't stopped him it could've let to something. There had been a lot of passion between them, she couldn't deny it.
But in those excited eyes Bellatrix' shadow still haunted her, the look was similar to the one her torturer had shown that day in the Malfoy Manor. So many bad memories trailed back to Draco she felt like hypocrite for having ever wanted him and missing him.
And yet she couldn't break out of it. He got her, but he still challenged her. He loved her daughter almost as much as she did herself. And her daughter loved him back. He had become a good man. Had she become a good woman?
She had let Draco on hadn't she? She wasn't being true with Geoffrey, her fiancée. She had sent her own kid away.
Hyperventilating Hermione took a few unsteady steps back and sunk down on her bed, pressing her palm to her chest and trying to catch her breath.
Was she doing the right thing by marrying Geoffrey? Did she really love him? Yes, that she didn't really doubt. But was it the kind of love you marry for?
Black spots appeared in front of her and she felt dizzy despite sitting down.
She saw things clearly. She had said yes to Geoffrey because she felt like she should. And he was so safe. She would have a husband in her home and a loving father for her child. But then what?
Would they get more children right away? Geoffrey was years older than herself, it wasn't surprising he was so ready to settle down and wanted a family of his own. Maybe he expected her to stay home with their future children. The brightest witch of her age, using all of her wits and knowledge to change diapers and make ends meet.
At last Hermione snapped out of circle of questions, doubts and worries. She shook her head as if to rid herself of the thoughts. Only one lingered. Should she break off her engagement?
She fixed her hear, slipped on a simple dark blue dress and got Cora-Lynn in her coat and ready to floo as if she was acting on autopilot.
Once they stepped out of the Weasley fireplace in the Burrow Cora-Lynn ran straight into the arms or Ron who lifted her up on his shoulders "Congratulations Mummy!" the girl cried happily as the rest of the assembled guest joined in the congratulating.
Hermione looked around the finely decorated living room and kitchen and finally saw the banner, enchanted to hang above the long, already set, table that read "Hermione 23 Years" and had glittering balloons on it in happy colours.
Her vision went blurred from the tears in her eyes. How could she have forgotten her birthday? But all of her friends had clearly remembered and she hadn't felt as loved in a long time.
After her initial shock she took her time to greet everybody with hugs and kisses and to thank Molly for the beautiful party, insisting it was too much.
The present table was full and she felt a long forgotten childish thrill at guessing what was in the boxes and hidden by cheery wrapping paper.
From Hagrid she got a rare book on magical creatures. And to her surprise it wasn't dangerous. Bill and Fleur got her an expensive basket full of luxurious bath products while their daughter Victoire had made her a necklace out of seashells.
Molly gave her a cookbook with her own recipes in it, and Arthur gave had gotten her a blender. ("You might have one already, but I tweaked this one a little. Don't tell Molly.)
George got her a Muggle book called 'Sex and the Single Mom', Hermione blushed and hid it out of view from the children. Angelina, who was there as George's date scolded him and handed over her present "I tried to talk him out of it. But here, I hope you like it."
Hermione thanked her and opened the pretty box. It was a beautiful knitted cardigan from the shop where Angelina worked. Hermione didn't care that the two didn't know each other super well having been in different years, and shared different interests, at Hogwarts and so she might have bought it because she got a discount, she thanked the woman several times.
No one ever got her clothes, especially not pieces she actually liked. It was a little tight and daring; if she'd ever gotten any clothing it was a baggy pair of pyjamas as a teenager.
Harry and Ginny had bought her an expensive magical camera so she could take moving pictures. She squealed and hugged them both while also opening a scrapbook from them and the macaroni box Teddy had made her with drawings he'd also made inside. She immediately slipped the drawings into the first pages of the scrapbook and showed him.
Ron got her a box of her favourite chocolates and a bottle of champagne. "For the wedding night." he winked. Hermione smiled. Whatever bond it was between them she cherished it more through out the years. Even if she sometimes thought he hadn't matured at all during those years.
Lately Luna had gotten into crystals and gave her one, which supposedly secured marital bliss. Hermione didn't know about that, but it was beautiful and would fit well on her mantel piece.
Some of her old co-workers from the ministry had been invited as well and had bought her flowers, exotic teas and other little presents like that.
Hermione couldn't stop smiling through out the evening. The food was delicious, butterbeers, mead and firewhiskey flowed freely, the kids played well together until they were put to bed in Percy's old room.
He was in Romania visiting Charlie, but the two had sent her a card and some money to buy a present for herself.
Later on in the evening a group of the old members of The Order of the Phoenix arrived, including McGonagall who asked very curiously about Cora-Lynn. To save Hermione, George cranked up some music and Arthur magically moved their furniture aside so people could dance. After a couple of hours Hermione's feed ached, she had danced with Harry, Ron and George most of the time, and Arthur once. Before she had to take a break she had been dancing around with Ginny who was completely wasted.
She and George were having a dirty limerick contest when Hermione quietly stepped outside to get some fresh air.
A large beautifully wrapped present sat on the doormat. 'To Hermione' was all it said. Hermione recognized the label and the handwriting from the present Cora-Lynn had gotten on her birthday. For a while she hesitated, but it was too much to resist and she started tearing off the bow and clawing at the wrapping paper until it came off.
There was a black box inside. Carefully she lifted off the lid and removed some black tissue paper. A beautiful, sexy red dress laid on more black tissue paper. The fabric felt like nothing she had ever felt before. It had a long slit up the right side, tiny straps and a deep cleavage. For a second she thought of Jessica Rabbit and giggled to herself.
She imagined herself in it. It was nothing like she had ever worn before, but she wanted to. It was sexy, bold and beautiful just like she wanted to be, just once in a while. She started feeling hot even though she was outside and quickly shrunk the box with the dress in it so she could slip it into her coat pocket. She didn't want to share with the rest of the guests about her secret present.
The party was still going strong when she got back inside. Molly and Arthur were about to retire when Molly offered Hermione to spent the night if she wanted to. Hermione gratefully accepted the offer and stayed with her guests for a while longer to be polite before she retired to bed.
The next morning she woke up to sound of children's laughter. It was the loveliest sound and right now she wouldn't mind having a bunch of children. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her presents and her guess was that Molly had been cleaning up and put them there. She sat up in bed and said good morning to Cora-Lynn, Victoire and Teddy.
She then realized the reason they'd been laughing was because they'd been reading in the book she had gotten from George.
"Cora-Lynn, you put that book down right now and apologize!" Hermione strictly demanded and Cora-Lynn did as she was told.
Hermione hated lecturing her daughter, but boundaries are all-important with kids.
"Unless you two want me to tell your parents, you apologize as well. And all of you promise to never take something that doesn't belong to you again." All the children promised before rushing out the door and downstairs.
Even though she knew they'd ultimately break their promise she was proud of the children. Victoire was spoiled rotten by her parents, Bill admitted it herself, Teddy had lost his and Cora-Lynn only had one parent, but all three of them were wonderful children. Most of the time, anyhow.
Stretching and yawning Hermione got out of bed and put on her dress before heading for the kitchen to found out who'd been too drunk to get home last night.
Harry, Ron, Arthur and Molly were all gathered around the table for breakfast. She could see the children playing outside.
"Did Ginny leave already?" Hermione wondered disappointed, pulling out a chair.
Grinning Harry pointed at the couch where Ginny laid with a wet cloth over her eyes and a bucket next to her. Laughingly Hermione asked her how she was. Ginny merely groaned.
Molly served an impressive breakfast meal and Hermione was buttering a piece of toast when an owl tapped it's beak against a window. Ron got up to let it in and as he walked back he hit Hermione over the head with an envelope.
She glared at him "What is that?"
Opening it she found out and sighed. Harry and Ron had gotten identical letters.
"The Ministry cordially invites Miss Hermione Granger and escort to the Anually Ministry Ball in Celebration of Mr. Harry Potters Defeat of Lord Voldemort." She read aloud. It was really a tribute to all three of them and they knew they'd have to go.
Harry already looked troubled and Hermione put her hand over his "Don't worry, it won't be so bad this year. The more time that passes, the easier it'll be to think back on." she promised him, not sure if it was true.
The rest of the Wealeys got invitations as well. It should be a joyous evening with so many of their friends attending the party, and even though everyone was happy that battle had ended as it did, it still brought back horrible memories for most.
"Are you going to bring Geoffrey?" Molly casually asked. Hermione evaded "No, it's a magical thing and I think me, Ron and Harry should be there for each other on that night." She looked at the guys to back her up and of course they did.
"I wonder if Neville is coming? Does anyone know if he's back from his world trip yet?" Harry skilfully changed the subject.
Ginally finally got up in a vertical position "He is, I had lunch with him at that new French place in Hogsmeade last week."
"Oh I wish I had known that I would've invited him at the party." Molly interjected.
Ron got a devious look on his face and ignored his mother's comment, directing his attention at Ginny "Oh yeah, what'd you have?"
"Foie Gras and an assorted snail plate." Ginny answered then paused "I hate you Ron!" she hissed before turning to her side and vomiting into the bucket.
Harry rushed over to aid his girlfriend and Molly told off Ron while Hermione felt like she was a teenager again. She grinned. It was a good feeling.
Hermione and Cora-Lynn had to stay at the Burrow until they'd eaten dinner before Molly let them go. Once they were back home Cora-Lynn prattled on about how much fun she had and how happy she was that she had chosen this occasion to debut her dress.
While Cora-Lynn was in her bath, Hermione called her parents to make sure they could babysit Cora-Lynn next weekend. Her mothers only condition was that they could eat lunch together the next day to celebrate her birthday.
After that Hermione popped in Peter Pan, a personal favourite, and she and Cora-Lynn crept together under the same blanket to watch the movie. When the credits rolled over the screen Hermione turned the TV off.
"Mummy? How come Peter didn't want to have parents? I think that's silly!" Cora-Lynn stated. In her world family meant everything. She still secretly imagined Hermione and Draco together.
Softly stroking Cora-Lynn's arm Hermione hesitated with her answer "Because if he stayed with his parents he would have to grow up and he wants to be a boy forever. But you know, if you've got good parents you will be a kid forever."
She hid her head in Cora-Lynn's hair and showered her with little kisses "You will always be my little girl, right?"
Nodding Cora-Lynn put her short arms around Hermione's neck and they lay close together in silence. After a while Hermione could tell by Cora-Lynn's breathing that she was asleep, but she herself was lost in thoughts.
All of her worries returned and she wondered if she was doing the right thing with her life. Even though she would of course eventually tell Geoffrey about her being a witch and she was sure he would be able to accept it, that was the sort of man he was, would he ever fit in with that part of her life?
When Hermione finally fell asleep she had haunting nightmares.
The week after passed without any major occurrences. Geoffrey was busy at work and Hermione was glad to just be in her and Cora-Lynn's usual routine. She had already warned her fiancée that she had an event Saturday night and would be unavailable.
When Saturday came around she was tired and mostly wanted to stay away from the ball. The night before she, Ron and Harry had gotten together at her place to swell in memories and make a game plan for the party. They spent the night coming up with funnier and funnier ways to leave early. It had been late before they'd left and then the nightmares came back.
She had just fastened the black belt around her simple shirtdress and freshened her lipstick when she put her coat on and she felt something in the pocket.
It was the red dress from her birthday.
She restored it to it's right size and took it out of the box, once again admiring the beauty of it. Catching her reflection she stared uninhabited at it for a while. "To hell with it." she grinned.
0o0
Draco and Narcissa were at the Ministry ball as well. Draco had brought Blaise so there was someone he actually wanted to talk to when Narcissa ran around to all of her charity financers, chatting them up.
But Blaise had set his sights on a pretty blonde waitress and was chasing her around the large ballroom, which was entertaining but still boring after a while.
Of course there were loads other he could talk to, but none where he felt like it. He got a glass of elfmade wine and hid in a corner, worrying about when she would be there and wondering if he should just leave before she arrived with her two buddies. But his boss was still there and it would look bad to leave so early.
Hermione's heart was pounding hard when she arrived at the ballroom, shivering a little in the cold and searching for Harry and Ron in the crowds.
Her hair had been tamed to fall in pretty curls that landed on her nearly bare shoulders aside from the tiny straps holding her red dress up.
The only jewellery she wore was her engagement ring that sparkled on her finger. Her stilettos were red and it was actually the first time she'd found and occasion to wear them.
Her arms were naked as she hadn't even brought a shawl, and in the cold it was probably easy to see that she wasn't wearing a bra. The slit up the side showed almost all of her slim, milky leg. She had kept her make-up natural side from a stunning red lipstick.
Harry and Ron couldn't stop praising her when they saw her, and neither could Ginny who they met up with after they'd made an entrance. Molly warned her not to get a cold and Arthur merely patted her shoulder as if he understood something she hadn't grasped herself yet.
George insisted on having the first dance with her, but she had already promised it to Ron. As the Golden Trio they officially opened the dancing part of the ball each year. Harry would naturally be dancing with Ginny and since Ron hadn't brought a date this year he and Hermione danced together.
As they swirled around on the dance floor Hermione still hadn't noticed Draco, watching her every move from the side. He was blown away by this new side of her beauty. He had seen so much of her during his time as Cora-Lynn's playdate, and yet here she was in an all new light.
By the way she was glowing he knew Cora-Lynn would have to be alright, it killed him not knowing. And she herself must be doing well also. He wondered if she was with Ron now as he watched them dance.
But once the song ended he merely kissed her cheek and they joined their group of friends while a lot of other couples now took the dance floor.
He was on his way to the bar much later on to get something stronger than wine when they at last couldn't avoid it any longer and were headed towards each other in a trick of fate.
Hermione's face fell for a second, but still she had to smile at him. He still looked as good as ever, so familiar. Oh how she had missed him.
She couldn't read his expression at all as he took her hand and shook it so formally "Hello Miss Granger."
"Hi..." she managed to croak, suddenly her throat had tied up.
"I hope you're doing well at your new job. May I offer you something to drink?" Draco gestured grandly towards the bar.
Hermione glared at him. She knew what he was doing. He was playing his old, arrogant self, as if he'd been preserved in aristocratic jelly.
"No thank you sir, I can order for myself." She could play his game as well. She ordered two glasses of champagne and downed one instantly. Right now, she needed liquid courage.
Draco pretended she didn't exist, but didn't leave the bar area.
"Like my dress?" she smirked.
His mouth twitched. The nerve of that little wench, trying to get him to respond beyond courtesy. He leaned forward and kept his mouth right by the shell of her ear as he whispered "Very much, it suits you."
Hermione hadn't been expecting her entire body react to the way his breath caressed her skin.
"I'm engaged." she blurted, blowing her seductive act and Draco's indifferent one. For a moment his façade cracked, until his expression became that plain one again.
"Best wishes."
He turned to leave, forgetting his drink when Hermione's words stopped him "Is that all you have to say?"
Not turning around because he couldn't keep looking at her like she didn't matter to him, Draco shrugged "What else should I say? Give Geoffrey my congratulations, tell him from me what a wonderful woman he is getting, what a beautiful child, that he is bloody luckiest"
His rant was cut off when Hermione had suddenly grabbed his arm, turned him around enough to pull him into a deep kiss.
Draco's arms went around her waist, pressing her as absolutely close against his body as possible, not caring she could feel his arousal.
Their tongues wrestled, their teeth clashed, his grip on her was bruising her skin and the way her nails dug into his skin was hurting him, but none of them cared at that moment.
Not until they were out of breath did they break apart, but Draco refused to let go of his hold on her.
He was unnerved about the way Hermione looked straight into his eyes, clearly searching for something, so he didn't break their glance.
Hermione was looking for it. That fright she had felt the first time they had kissed and she had recognized Bellatrix in his eyes. But it wasn't there anymore. She knew him now, he knew her and the want in her eyes only made her even more desperate for him.
Once he could tell she had found what she was looking for Draco gave her the smallest, most gentle kiss, a complete opposite of the other one. He briefly let go of her to take her hand and calmly lead her away from the party so he could appararate them to her bedroom.
Still holding her hand he guided her all the way to the bed and she eagerly crawled to the middle of it, opening her arms and inviting him to her.
He took off his shoes and socks, shrugged his jacket off his shoulders and loosened his tie, but Hermione was impatient and closed her hand around the tie, tugging him down to her, kissing him once more.
Their hands travelled everywhere and Hermione was aroused by his touch in places she didn't even realize the could be, they were getting to know their bodies, the only thing still foreign to them.
Draco slid the dress of off her and she opened his trousers and unbuttoned his shirt with fingers shaking from lust. She didn't recognize herself as she pressed her sex against his, desperate for any sort of relief.
Her breasts were bared for him and she was the one to bring his head to them, relishing in the way he delicately treated one nipple with his tongue and the other with his fingers.
"I want to feel you completely naked." Draco said with his lips against her bellybutton and even that got Hermione more wild with want. She nodded and finally disentangled herself from him long enough to tug off her panties and Draco lost his briefs as well.
Hermione thought he was beautiful, like a perfect Greek statue and felt suddenly ashamed of her body that had stretch marks, the ugly scar from Bellatrix that Draco had once before let his tongue run over.
But she saw in his eyes that he admired and desired her as much as she did him. Why had she cut him out of her life? Asking him to lie back, she got on her knees and kissed her way from his ankle to his pulsing arousal, greedily sucking it into her mouth, her hands playing their part as well.
Draco threw his head back in a groan as a white, hot blinding desire made him feel clearly what she was doing to him. On her knees, apologizing for what she did to them. Grabbing her hips he forcefully lifted her up, only to push her back to she was the one lying down.
He had things to apologize for as well and he returned the favour, again displaying the excellent skill of his tongue. Hermione came but still didn't feel satisfied enough, and she didn't mind the taste of herself on Draco's lips when they kissed again.
Both of them had a shine of sweat down their backs and the smell of their passion lingered heavily in the room, exciting them further. Hermione's engagement ring had been the first thing she had taken off and she didn't give it one thought when she finally felt Draco inside her.
She held on to him for dear life, her lap responding to his every move, she was already soaking wet and he could move easily, clutching her hair, whispering words of desire into her ear.
They rolled around in the rumpled sheets, both of them clinging to the other until finally they combusted together, arching their backs and letting go of all control as they cried out their release.
Catching their breaths, none of them moved and Hermione preferred feeling all of Draco on her as she sleepily wove her fingers with his and began to drift off. She didn't know which leg was his and which was her own, and when her breasts met his chest she didn't know if it was her breathing or his. She had never felt safer.
All good things must come to and end, and their peaceful sleep was instantly disrupted when the loud sound of glass breaking could be heard from downstairs. Someone was clearly walking around, banging into things every once in a while and breaking something else.
Hermione shook Draco "Someone's in here." she whispered, full of fright. She hadn't a clue where her wand was.
He squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead "I'll take care of it." he put on his briefs and his shirt loosely, getting his wand from his pants pocket. Silently he walked out into the hallway and towards the stairs.
Hermione wrapped herself in her sheet and followed, startled that someone had broken in, but comforted by the fact that it was obviously a clumsy, Muggle break-in that they could easily handle.
The intruder found what he was searching for and switched on the lights.
Draco was shocked and lowered his wand "What are you doing here?"
Hermione had paled completely before the man even answered, "I'm here to see my daughter!"
A/N: I certainly hope this chapter was worth the wait, I personally love it. The next chapter will be the last one. Please review and this time you get a choice between Sexy Draco and Protective Draco.
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