Thank you so much for your constant support, everyone. You guys are the best! Enjoy this one xx
Friday evening was dinner at Ron's and I was allowed to leave from work at eight instead of my usual nine, Carey promising that she would take over and call if anything came up. I arrived at Ron's apartment with Roland, who was passed around and greeted with kisses and hugs before we settled down for dinner. After dinner, while we sat in the living room, Roland fell asleep while holding on to Malfoy's arm once again. I stood up, sighing, when it was time to leave, wondering if I should ask Malfoy to bring him home with me again. Turned out, however, that he did not require the request and stood up with Roland in his arms himself.
"Hermione, can we talk to you for a second?" Harry said, gesturing to himself and Ron when I came to hug him goodbye.
"Um-" I turned to glance at Malfoy, who was waiting for me by the fireplace. "I need to go with Malfoy and- is it important?"
"A little." Harry said. I bit my lowed lip, debating what we could do.
"I can take Roland to your house and put him in bed while you talk to Harry." Malfoy said.
"I- Okay." I said, nodding. "Thank you." He left with Roland and Pansy and Ginny followed, leaving Harry, Ron and I in the kitchen. "What's this about?"
"Ginny said you kissed Malfoy." Ron said bluntly. My eyes widened and I glanced between the two, wondering what in hell they were talking about. And then it hit me.
"First, It was on the cheek! Second, it was in the moment! And third, Ginny had no right to tell you both." I said angrily.
"We're not telling you off for doing it. Malfoy's clearly been a part of Roland's life and- I'm sure you know what you're doing." Harry said quickly before my temper could rise any further. "Hermione, you trust him don't you?"
"Yes, I suppose I do. What is going on, boys?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest. "Has he done something?"
"No!" Harry said. "He was given a mission. A really important one."
"How does this concern me?" I asked, tired and wanting to go home to my son.
"It starts in a week and it could stretch on to three months." Ron said.
I fell silent, my anger slipping away. Three months? But that would mean by the time he returned, Roland would be in a critical stage.
"When are you going to tell him?" Harry asked softly.
"I hadn't even considered telling him to be honest." I said, shaking my head slowly.
"Don't you think it's time that you do?" Ron asked. "You said you trusted him."
"It's not about the trust. I'm not afraid he's going to tell someone- I'm afraid that he's-" I swallowed hard, looking away from the boys.
"You're afraid that he's what?" Ron asked.
"You're afraid he's going to leave you both." Harry said. I stared at the floor, my hands in my pockets. "Am I right?"
"Every guy who has come into my life has left after finding a kid in my house- and that's while thinking Roland was my cousin's son. Imagine how much faster they would have bolted knowing that he is mine- forget knowing he's sick." I said.
"All those people dated you." Ron said softly. "You wanted them in your life. Do you want Malfoy in your life in that way?"
My eyes snapped up to meet his. "No! I mean... It's not like that. This is different. I just can't tell him."
"He's going to find out." Harry said. "Malfoy is many things but he isn't stupid."
"He thinks I'm the one who is ill." I said.
"Yet he's still around for you." Harry said, reaching out and squeezing my shoulder. "Don't be afraid, Hermione."
I took a deep breath. "Look, I appreciate your concern but I really haven't thought about telling him and just- I'll give it a bit more time. When I'm ready, I'll tell him." I said. "Ro's waiting at home for me. I'll see you boys later." They nodded and hugged me before allowing me to leave without another word. When I stepped through the floo, I saw Malfoy sitting on the sofa. "Is Roland in bed?" I asked, slipping off my shoes. When he didn't say anything, I glanced up at him.
"When were you going to tell me?" He asked, his voice eerily calm. I swallowed hard and my stomach clenched uncomfortably.
"Malfoy? What are you- what are you talking about?" I asked. "Is everything okay?"
"I don't know, Granger. You tell me." He said, leaning forward and finally looking up at me.
"I- yes, I think so? What's going on, Malfoy?" I asked, feeling a little nervous under his intense gaze.
"I went into your room to put Roland to bed and I was leaving when I found this." He withdrew a file from his lap which I had noticed before and held it up, the front facing me. My mouth fell open and I stared at the writing on the file. I looked back at Malfoy, who was standing up.
"Where did you find that?" I whispered, the shock making my hands tremble.
"If you're trying so desperately to keep a secret, don't leave it lying around on your desk." He said, his calm mask slipping as he shoved Roland's St Mungo's file into my hands.
"You had no right to read it." I said, the shock suddenly joined by anger.
"Didn't I?" He spat, an anger burning in his eyes that rivaled mine.
"No, you didn't!" I said.
"Four months, Granger! I deserved to know that he had four months left to live! Deny it all you want, but you know I deserved to know!"
"I'm his mother and I can damn well choose who I want knowing about Roland!" I said, throwing the file down onto the coffee table.
"How could you keep this from me? Were you planning on telling me at all?" He asked, running his hand through his hair.
"I- yes, I was- I just-" I stammered, my shoulders dropping.
"Who are you trying to lie to?" He challenged, his lips curling with disgust. "You weren't planning on telling me."
"I- I was just-" I swallowed hard.
"Just what? Waiting for the right moment? When would that have been? Four months from today?" He asked, gritting his teeth together.
"I didn't know what to say." I said softly.
"How about the truth?" He spat. "Usually that works. Why couldn't you just have told me straight out that I only had four months with Roland left? After everything, you still don't trust me."
"No, that's not it. I do trust you." I said, a lump forming in my throat. "I just couldn't tell you- you're right, I hadn't even considered it!"
"Why the bloody hell would you keep something like that from me, Granger?!" He yelled.
"Because I was scared!" I cried, tears forming in my eyes. "Every other man in my life has left simply because there was a child. Imagine how much faster they would've run if they knew he was sick! How could I POSSIBLY know that you won't be exactly like that? I was scared you would bolt right out of our lives the moment you found out!"
"I love Roland! How could you even THINK I'd run?"
"Because everyone else had!" I screamed back. "Every man in my life has left!"
"You're forgetting one thing-" He said, pointing menacingly at me. "I loved Roland before I even considered being your friend. I'm not some man in YOUR life- I'm someone in Roland's. I WOULDN'T have run."
"How would I have known that?" I said, tears rolling down my cheeks.
"You just had to trust me." He said. "But you didn't. Why would you keep this a secret from me?"
"I told you- I was scared." I said. "And that is the ONLY explanation I have because I can't say that you haven't been part of our lives for long enough because even though you've only been around for a month, it feels like you've been with us for years. I was terrified that you would leave as soon as you found out and that is the ONLY truth I have- the ONLY answer I have for you."
"You know what, Granger? That isn't good enough." He said, gritting his teeth together. "That is just not good enough. You weren't going to tell me. How could you even- dammit." He turned away from me, pushing his hands frustratedly through his hair.
I hugged my stomach, my vision blurring. "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?" He said, turning around again. "I don't know what to say."
"Well this is all I can say, Malfoy. I really am sorry and I was just really scared."
He took a deep, ragged breath. "I'm going to go."
"You're leaving?" I whispered, biting down on my lower lip.
"Just proving you right. Shouldn't surprise you, should it?" He shrugged, reaching the fireplace.
"This is it, then? You're just going to leave?" I asked, not caring that my voice broke mid-sentence.
"I guess I am." He said, stepping through the fireplace. Before I could say anything else, he was gone.
"Hermione." I hear my mother from the top of the staircase.
I opened my mouth to say something but closed it when I could think of nothing to say.
"He'll come back." My mother said, her soft voice carrying easily through the silent room. She came over to where I was standing unmoving and placed her hand on my arm. "He will."
"He left." I said. "He left."
"He'll come back, Hermione." She said, squeezing my hand. "He loves Roland too much not to."
"I shouldn't even be caring this much." I managed to choke out before moving away from my mother's touch and going upstairs to the one person who I needed the most just then.
About time Draco found out, isn't it? Did you expect it to be like this, though? Let me know what you think please! Do review, it would mean the world to me! I know this chapter was shorter than usual but the next one will come up as soon as i can post it! See you soon xxx