The Curse of Love
Summary: Sequel to Destined to Love. Draco is back, but there's a problem. The curse of Love is about to take place, will Hermione and Draco be safe? Will their love win out? Or will they lose everything, including their unborn child?
Starring: Draco/Hermione (well…yea…), Harry/Ginny, Ron/Luna, Blaise/Lavender (eventual)
A/N: Thank you Jane! My lovely beta!
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Chapter 11:
Getting Reacquainted with the Parents
Hermione woke up slowly wondering why she felt stiff. Her eyes adjusted to the sun in the room before she turned to see where she was and whose arms she was in. Any other time, she would be happy to be in Draco's arms but not now. Not when he knew nothing. She slowly got up, careful not to wake him. She tiptoed into her room and closed the door carefully.
She leaned against it and sighed. Her eyes wandered to the clock, it was past ten. She had to get ready. Today was the day that she met her parents.
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Draco watched Hermione tiptoe out of the room. She hadn't even realised that he was awake. He smirked to himself. After she had closed the door, he headed to his own room, getting ready to face the day.
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Two hours later…
"Draco are you sure this is the right street?" Hermione asked from the driver's side of the car.
"Yeah I'm sure!" Draco replied.
"You said that the last five times!"
"Look it's not my fault you don't know where you're driving!"
"I'M IN AUSTRALIA IDIOT! HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ROAD IS WHICH!"
"Pregnant women," Draco muttered.
"Idiot," Hermione muttered.
"Its number 239," Draco pointed to a small house with a blue door. "And for some reason the object I used also revealed number 300, same street."
"Maybe they own two houses," Hermione shrugged.
Draco nodded. It was possible. He just hoped that what he was really thinking wasn't true.
"Right…so…" Hermione started. "Well…"
"Come on," Draco got out of the car.
Hermione, nervously got out too. How can she do this? What should she do? Should she wait for the door to open and then point her wand at whichever parent was standing there? Or should she go in, assess the situation and then use magic. Maybe they would recognise her? Should she tell them she's pregnant? No. Yes. No. Her mother was a young mother, she would understand…
"Stop thinking," Draco muttered as they walked across the road.
"How do I do this?" Hermione asked him.
Draco looked at her, she was so lost, her expression was confused and she looked so pale. He felt sorry for her, this must be hard for her, "I guess we'll go in, and then we'll remove the memory charm."
"Can't I point the wand as soon as the doors opened?"
"Too many muggles in the street and what's to say your mum or dad won't slam the door in your face when they see something being pointed at them?"
"Ok," Hermione sighed. There was the door in front of her. Blue. Her mother had always wanted a blue door, but her dad wanted a simple white door. In their old house he had won, it looked like in this life Hermione's mother had won.
Hermione raised her hand and knocked on the door.
The door was opened by a brunette woman, no older than in her mid forties. Hermione smiled at her mother.
"Hello, can I help you?" Mrs Louise Granger asked.
"Um, yes I'm a daughter of an old friend of yours, Zoë Clements," Hermione tried as she moved her wand around a bit under her jacket.
At first Louise looked confused but the spell was taking affect, "Oh of course! Zoe and I go way back! Come in!"
Hermione and Draco followed her into the living room where they took a seat. Hermione was about to take out her wand when she heard it. A cry. A baby crying.
"Excuse me," Louise said as she ran out of the room.
"Was that…that…a…" Hermione started.
"A baby," Draco replied.
Louise came back with a small child in her hand, "I'm sorry, Alex here is teething."
"Your son?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, eight months," Louise smiled.
"Where's the father, if you don't mind me asking?" Hermione asked. "At work."
"Lives down the street. Me and George were married for twenty years, don't know why we didn't have a child earlier. We moved here for a fresh start and then I found out I was pregnant. Happiest day of my life. Unfortunately George wasn't ready, he ended up leaving me for the bimbo down the street, but I'll get him back. This all just feels…de ja vu like."
Hermione was shocked.
"You mean having the baby?" Draco asked.
"I mean having a baby and George leaving me, I just get the feeling I've done this before…I'm sorry I'm talking nonsense."
"Hermione," Draco turned to Hermione. "Lift it."
"I never even asked your names!" Louise sighed cradling the baby.
"Hermione," Draco looked at her again.
Hermione lifted her wand and spoke the incantation, a flash of gold light confirmed the spell had taken place.
"Mum?" Hermione tried.
Louise looked at Hermione, "Hermione!"
Louise handed the baby over to Draco as Hermione and Louise hugged. Draco watched the mother and daughter exchange smiles, hugs, kisses and so on. He rolled his eyes. So typical. He looked around, ready in case the father did decide to pop in. He highly doubted it.
Hermione moved away from her mother slowly, "Mum…where is dad? What did you mean when you said…all that stuff?"
Louise sighed, "When I had you, your dad left me for someone else. He just wasn't ready for the responsibility, he'll come back. So this spell it's all gone?"
Hermione nodded, "You remember everything right?"
Louise nodded, "I remember everything. I remember you telling me that our memories will be erased one day and then I remember being Clare. I remember when someone asked my name I'd try to say Louise but Clare came out and when I said your father's name Max, George came out."
"That was the spell and at the time you didn't notice," Hermione smiled. She turned to the baby in Draco's arms, "So this is my baby brother?"
"Alex," Louise smiled taking her son back. "And you are?"
"Draco Malfoy mam," Draco answered with a smirk.
Hermione smiled at Draco's manners and then she turned to her mother, "I have a brother."
"Yeah you do," Louise was close to tears again.
"Mum don't…"
"Sorry," Louise sighed.
Hermione pulled Draco's arm urging him to get up, "Right mum, I'm off to see Dad and then I'll be back."
"Okay sweetie," Louise kissed and hugged her daughter again. "Nice to meet you Draco."
"The pleasure was mine Mrs Granger," Draco smiled again.
"A charmer I see," Louise giggled. "I like him Hermione."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "We'll be back later mum."
Hermione walked out of the front door with Draco behind her. She silently walked up the street o her dad's.
"You okay Mia?" Draco asked.
Hermione nodded.
"So the dad thing, a bit of shock?" Draco tried again.
"No duh Sherlock."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Slow down!"
He grabbed Hermione by the arm and turned her around, "It's ok, we'll work it out."
"My dad left my mum before I was born! He did the same with Alex and you're telling me it's ok?"
"Ok, maybe ok wasn't the wor-"
"Shut up Malfoy!"
"Are we reverting back Granger?" Draco snarled. "Suck it up. Life sucks sometimes. It's not all fluffy clouds and kittens all the time!"
"Trust me I know," Hermione muttered.
Draco sighed, "Look your dad has his own issues, his own reasons for running, nothing to do with you. He was a dad to you wasn't he?"
Hermione nodded.
"Then leave the past where it belongs, just give him his memory back and let's take it from there."
Hermione nodded. Funny, how everything in my life has to do with memory…too bad I can't give Draco's his…Draco…
"Come on Granger," Draco pulled Hermione along.
"What happened to Mia?" Hermione whispered.
Draco smiled, "Mia, move your ass."
Hermione hit him playfully as they went further up the street. The house numbered three hundred wasn't as big as Hermione's mother's house. It was a terraced house, not semi detached. Hermione walked up to the white door and rang the door bell.
Draco adjusted his wand under his shirt, this time he got to do the 'pointing'.
The door was opened by a woman, in her late twenties, blonde hair, dark eyes. She would have been pretty if it wasn't for the stench of cigarettes coming from her or the bags under her eyes.
"What?" she demanded. "If you're selling something bugger off, I don't have –"
Draco pointed his wand at her, "I'm looking for George, I'm the son of his old friend Tim. I'm sure you've met my father, Tim?"
The woman looked at him, "Sure, tall blonde man like you, quite handsome. Come in then, what you waiting for Christmas?"
She shoved Hermione and Draco into the house, which looked no better than the unkempt front lawn.
Hermione wanted to throw up, it was dark, dusty and the walls were damp. The carpets were black, Hermione and Draco were hoping that they had always been black.
"GEORGE!" the woman shouted. "Visitors."
"IN HERE!" Came the response.
The walking ashtray of a woman pointed them to a paling white door at the end of the hall. Draco led the way and opened the door to the kitchen, which looked slightly better than the rest of the house, he assumed it wasn't used as much.
"Can I help –" before George, or his real name Max, could finish the sentence Hermione pointed her wand at him and quickly reversed the memory spell.
After a few minutes Max looked at Hermione, "Hermione? What are you – was I under a spell – I was George…"
"Remember I told you I would give you new identities and return when it was safe?" Hermione asked.
Max nodded, "Oh…your mother."
"I've seen her…how could you dad?" Hermione asked, close to tears.
"Hermione it's not easy for me to explain…I love you and your mother, this is just a phase I went through when you were born. I felt I was too young then and now…I feel like I'm too old."
"You're just about 48 dad not 58, you're still young. How can you prefer this garbage can to mum and Alex?"
"You've met Alex then?"
"He's a beautiful boy, a son, like you always wanted."
Max nodded and for the first time he noticed Draco, "Sorry…who are you?"
"Draco Malfoy," Draco answered. "A friend of Hermione's."
"From that school?" Max asked.
Draco nodded.
Max also nodded.
"So are you going to win mum back or not?" Hermione demanded.
"Of course I am," Max sighed.
"Come on then," Hermione said to her father, "And please say goodbye to that bitch."
"Hermione!" Max scolded.
"Don't dad, I'm not in the mood," Hermione warned, her hormones kicking in. "Draco and I will wait outside while you grab your stuff."
"You sound more and more like your mother everyday."
Hermione bit her tongue as she headed outside.
"Hungry are you?" Draco smiled as he heard Hermione's stomach.
"The baby is," Hermione replied.
Draco nodded, "We'll sort that out too."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
Max came outside in ten minutes, Hermione walked in front back to her mother's. as they reached it Draco spoke up, "Mr Granger, maybe you should speak to Mrs Granger on your own, Hermione and I will give you space. We can even take Alex."
Max looked at him, "Call me Max son and that's a wonderful offer."
Hermione looked surprised. Her eyes examining Draco.
They entered the house and Draco explained to Mrs Granger that he and Hermione would take Alex, to give them space. She prepared them a bag, which Draco held along with the baby.
He then headed outside with Hermione and back to the car. After placing the baby in the back in a transfigured car seat, he looked at Hermione, "So where would you like to eat?"
"You did all this so I can eat?" Hermione asked.
"Well we can't let the baby starve can we?" Draco asked.
"Thank you," Hermione whispered starting the car.
"Don't mention it. Ever."
Hermione chuckled as they drove around looking for somewhere to eat.
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A/N:
Lot longer than the last chapter right? :D
Thank you for all the brilliant reviews, I loved them! And I hope you all had a great new year! :D
Keep the reviews coming! :D
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Coming Up: Draco and Hermione do find somewhere to eat and when they return to the Granger's what will happen? And will Hermione move in with the Grangers when they return to the UK or will she stay at the Manor?