Chapter 11: One Year Later

"We quit our jobs as Aurors." - Draco and Hermione Malfoy

Mr and Mrs Malfoy: Together In Holy Matrimony At Last

How Two Enemies Became Two Lovers: The Story of Hermione and Draco

A Love Triangle Finally Solved. Where Is Ronald Weasley?

Hermione sighed and flipped open the first magazine. Inside was a huge picture of us at the alter, which was wrapped in green silk ribbons, slipping on the rings. Hermione's pure white dress flowed behind her in the wind. Strings of lace twisted around each other, creating a vine-like appearance over the skirt of her dress. Her hair stayed over her shoulders, curled around her neck.

Red was wiping her eyes in the background, holding Hermione's bouquet against her newly-flattened belly.

"She was a lovely Maid of Honor," Hermione mumbled to herself, flipping through the article. I caught a few words here and there.

...said their vows, never looking away from each other... the atmosphere around them was tangible... tears were everywhere...

Pf. The only people crying were Red and my mother.

"You were a lovely bride."

She blushed furiously. "Oh, stop it Draco."

I looked at me in the photo. I was in a tailored grey suit, my hair messy. I seemed to radiate happiness even in the photo. I knew I had made the right decision.

"I never thought this day would come," she sighed, throwing the magazine on the floor and stretching back into the couch. I looked at her curiously.

"Being married?"

She laughed. "No, I always knew I would get married. After the war, I was determined to have a future. I just never thought..."

"You would be married to me," I finished.

"No," she said again. "Not exactly. I just never thought I would be Hermione Malfoy. I always thought Hermione Weasley."

"I wouldn't like you if you were a Weasley," I told her truthfully. "I'd have to mock you about your money, or lack thereof." I shuddered.

She whacked me on the arm, smiling.

"Do you regret it?" I asked seriously.

Hermione leaned forward and kissed me, hard. I responded enthusiastically. Only when the need for air became a serious problem did we break apart. "No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No one's ever kissed me like you do. No one's made me as happy as you do. No one can ever compare to you, Draco. I hope you understand that."

I could almost feel my ego expand as I grinned. "And the same to you, Hermione."

She smiled up at me. "Thank you, Draco," she murmured.

I stroked her hair back. "What for?"

"For being the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Even in Hogwarts?" I joked.

"Even in Hogwarts," she said sincerely.

"Well, I'll be honest with you, Hermione. I used to think you were the worst thing that ever happened to me. But now I look back and know that, well, if it weren't for you... I wouldn't be who I am today."

She beamed at me.

"Right, now that I've bared my soul, can we get to the good stuff?" I wondered, an evil smirk on my face.

She looked at it warily. "Like..."

"Like making a family," I said, pulling her off the couch.

Hey. It was our honeymoon. Who cares?

"Draco I'm pregnant," she said in a rush. I blinked and looked at her stomach.

"You don't look it," I said calmly. Oh Merlin.

"Well of course not! I just found out!"

"How?" I asked, still shocked. She gave me that look.

"You know how," she snapped.

"No, I mean how did you find out?"

"I'm late, morning sickness, cravings, my boobs are bigger... Oh, Draco, now is not the time to look at them!" she cried. I looked away guiltily.

"Sorry, love."

She paced frantically. "Oh, I don't know what to do! Think, Hermione, think. Okay, we need to think of names, get a nursery ready... um, oh no, that's all I know!"

I stood and out my hands on her shoulders. I shook her slightly and she blinked, focusing on my face.

"Hermione, calm down. One, you're not doing this on your own. I may be just as freaked as you are, but I'll be with you every step of the way. Two, we have nine months to think of names and get everything done. And three, Red's been pregnant, she'll know everything. Okay?"

Hermione took deep breaths and nodded. "Right, Ginny. Pregnant. Yeah. Okay."

I lead her to the fireplace and together we flooed to the Potter Mansion.

"JAMES! PUT THAT DOWN THIS INSTANT!" Ginny screamed, running after her son. He was waving her wand around, shooting sparks everywhere. An antique vase smashed.

"Hi, Ginny," Hermione said loudly. James stopped running and Red snatched up her wand.

"Damn you, James," she muttered. "Hi, guys, how have you been?" She gave Hermione a knowing look, which she nodded to.

"Merlin's pants! I knew it! Harry, HARRY! Come here now!"

Potter appeared at the top of the stairs. "What, Gin?"

"HERMIONE'S PREGNANT!" She screamed.

"Promise me you'll never get like this," I murmured to Hermione.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Hermione?" Potter questioned.

"It's true, Harry!" Hermione looked so happy I couldn't help but smile.

"Oh dear lord," he muttered. "Another hormonal girl. Save me."

"Hermione won't get hormonal overload," I said confidently.

"I thought the same about Ginny," he moaned. Red hit his head. "Kidding, Gin."

That earned him another one. "Ouch, stop it!"

"I have no idea about what to do," Hermione told Red.

"Oh, honey, I've got you covered. Come on, I still have everything I needed when I was pregnant... come on, I'll show you."
The girls left up the stairs and Potter looked at me with a completely straight face.

"You want some Firewhiskey?" he offered. I nodded and followed him into the giant kitchen, where house-elves (clothed) were cooking. Baby chairs and high seats were pushed against the walls. I looked at them nervously, which Potter saw.

"Yep, you'll need those."

I sighed.

He opened a teak cupboard and cleared some food out of the way. Behind it were rows and rows of Firewhiskey.

"You'll want to stock up on this," he said quietly, pulling out two bottles.

"Why?"

He stood, handed me one and opened it. He took a big gulp before he answered. "Because the next nine months are going to be hell," he said, grinning.