In the weeks that followed Ginny had gone back to school, Draco had spoken to his mother with everyone there expect Hermione. Hermione was glad she didn't have to see the women; just thinking about her gave Hermione a headache. Her relationship with Draco had gone down the pan they hardly spoke anymore, he seemed to always be with his mother. Hermione was feeling so depressed she was thinking of going home to her parents for a while, just so she could rest and not deal with all this pressure.
Hermione was in the kitchen of Grimmuald Place making herself a cup of tea when Draco walked in with his mother and Harry "Hay Hermione." Harry said, "Hay." Hermione replied wishing the water would hurry up and boil. Moody told them not to use their wands around Narcissa. Hermione was sure Moody didn't trust the blonde women as well but Hell would freeze over before she spoke her fears to him.
"You wouldn't make me a coffee would you?" came the low voice of Narcissa Malfoy, Hermione wanted to turn around and tell her to fuck off she wasn't doing anything for the bitch, but she never, she just took out another mug. "How do you like it?" Hermione asked keeping her back to the women "Strong and pure black." Hermione paused while spooning in the coffee bean. PURE! That couldn't have been just her ears picking up on the way the elder women said the word, but when she turned around Narcissa was smiling at Harry and Draco as if nothing had happened. Hermione closed her eyes and counted to ten before she poured the boiling water into the mug and put Narcissa's on the table hers forgotten.
Hermione left the room as quickly as she could without it looking as if she was scared of the elder women, finding sanctuary in one of the bedrooms she sat in a corner and started thinking.
If Narcissa really did give herself up to see her son shouldn't she, Hermione, give the women a brake. NO! Her mind screamed, Narcissa wasn't there to help Draco. Snape died in front of Hermione and there was nothing she could do to stop it, she'd be damned if she was going to let some stupid blonde cow come between her and the rest of her friends and make her question her instincts.
Hermione would just have to grin and bear it until she had solid proof that the woman was up to something.
Hermione went back into the kitchen and found that Narcissa wasn't there. "Mums, gone to tell the Order where Bella is." Draco answered her unspoken question. Feeling a little silly Hermione sat down next to Harry opposite Draco "Where do you think they are?" Harry asked, getting more excited the nearer the time came to finally catching Bellatrix "I thought maybe the Manor at first, but now I'm thinking somewhere out of the way but near wizards, maybe abroad." Draco said playing with his food not really eating it, the kitchen door opened and in walked Ron, he smiled at her.
Even though she felt that Harry and Draco were pulling away from her Ron always spoke to her (when he wasn't busy at the twins shop.) She felt pure affection for the tall red head that she got out of her seat and hugged him, squeezing him tight.
"Are you alright?" He asked her quietly Hermione nodded "Just miss having you round all the time." she told him honestly Ron pulled back so he could look at her "When I'm around you'd only be sick of me" he smiled Hermione laughed releasing him from her grip "Your probably right."
"Alright lads," Ron addressed the two men in the room as he sat in Hermione's recently empty seat and Hermione stood next to Draco "Fred and George got called here, we closed the shop early. What's going on?" He asked them Draco who seemed to be scowling at the red head "My mother is keeping her side of the bargain, why are you here none of us can go with the Order." He snapped crossing his arms over his chest and sticking his nose in the air.
The group took one look at him, then each other and burst out laughing. Draco seemed to realise he was acting like a child for he pouted and said "It's not funny!" which only made the others laugh harder. Hermione held a hand to her side, nearly bent double from laughing, not that Draco was that funny but just because it felt so go to laugh with these three men.
Draco grabbed Hermione around the waist and pulled her into his body "Stop laughing at me." he said "You looked like such a spoilt little child." Harry laughed removing his glasses so he could wipe his eyes Ron nodded his agreement "Like a golden Percy."
Draco placed his chin on Hermione's shoulder and wrapped her in his arms, letting a hand rub against her stomach; it felt so good to be in his arms again that Hermione found herself leaning back into his body.
When they finally controlled themselves Ron said "So, looks like they're all going on a mission and we have to stay behind and baby-sit your mother. No offence." he said to Draco, "At least they'll have the element of surprise it always helped us." Harry added Hermione looked between them. She could read them like a book, a very predictable book. "You two are upset because you cannot go with them aren't you!" She accused, Ron and Harry looked guilty "Don't you think we've all had enough trouble and fighting to last several life times. I'm including you as well Draco" she scolded resting her hand above Draco's "I agree with you Hermione, but that doesn't stop me wanting to find her and get revenge for Snape." Draco confessed leaving the group in a sombre mood.
"Happy thoughts people. In a day or two it will be over, Draco will be able to walk outside and not worry about his picture being taken, Mrs Malfoy will be able to leave this house, think positive." Ron said making them smile.
"So tell us what new sweets have the twins come up with?" Harry asked a few minutes later Ron actually showed all his teeth as he smiled, "Well, I told them about the pregnancy suit we found and they've made this sweet that makes you look and feel pregnant for 30 minutes! I get a cut of every one we sell as I came up with the idea. You should see all the mothers buying them for their daughter just to put them off having kids young! They're also working on a toffee that makes speak fluently in another language but they aren't quite finished yet."
Hermione smiled, Ron really enjoyed helping out the family business, as he was talking Draco had started to kiss Hermione's shoulder soon Harry and Ron were talking about new jokes and inventions between them. Draco kept stroking her stomach whilst he now kissed her neck "What are you doing?" Hermione asked quietly "I've missed you." was all he said Hermione turned her head to look back at him and he captured her lips in a kiss. Hermione found it hard not to moan into the kiss, it had been so long since he had touched her, and pulling back she smiled at him "I've missed you too." Draco smiled then.
None of them noticed the people walking into the room, the meeting had finished and Bill, Narcissa and Lupin stood by the doorway "Meetings finished." Bill said loudly making the four teenagers look their way. Spotting Narcissa's white taunt face, Hermione made to move out of Draco's embrace but he held her tight against his body. "We're leaving tomorrow. Just thought I'd come and say bye." Lupin said Harry knocked his chair back as he stood up so fast "What do you mean bye! You're not going to die we'll see you again." Lupin smiled at his friends son "I meant bye as in I'm leave this house now bye, not bye I'm dying and you'll never see me again bye."
"Oh." Harry said, going slightly pink. Bill and Lupin left the room as Narcissa stepped into it looking at Hermione and Draco "You've made up I see. I don't know why you wear that concealment charm around me girl; it's not as if I haven't seen it." Narcissa snapped at the confused girl. "Haven't seen what?" Hermione asked trying to understand. "Your pregnancy bump. I already know your pregnant with my son's child there is no reason to hide it from me any longer!" Hermione didn't know what to say to the women once again she tried to step out of Draco's embrace but he held her tightly.
"I'm sorry mother." Draco started, Hermione was glad she didn't have to explain that the women was wrong "We've just been so used to hiding it." Hermione stiffened What. The. Fuck? "I know you're really happy for us, we just wanted to deal with it ourselves." He finished "Hermione didn't want everyone to know about it." Harry said, Hermione snapped her head round to him so fast she heard her neck click, but still she said nothing. Harry wasn't looking at her he was staring intently at Draco's mother.
"Well, excuse me there is something I have to do." Narcissa said as she turned her back on the group and went back out the door.
Hermione waited a few minutes before she pushed herself out of Draco's arms and hissed "What the fuck was that about?" Ron looked as shocked as she was "Your pregnant?" He asked her "No, I'm not bloody pregnant! If you two don't explain to me right now why you lied I swear to God I'm going to make you believe your 6 year old girls." she promised, reaching in her pocket for her wand, the boys looked a little taken aback but she didn't care, she was fuming.
"Sorry, Hermione. We just wanted to check her reaction. You know, see if she really has changed or if it's all a front, but she seemed fine with the thought of having a grandchild by you." Harry said, this did little to calm Hermione down "So you don't believe Narcissa is here just for Draco?" she asked, Draco shook his head "I want to believe her. I really do but I don't know. There is a part of me that wants to shock her enough to get her to reveal her true side." Hermione looked at them. They didn't tell her about this little plan of theirs they just put up a wall around them leaving her out. It hurt.
Hermione cast a look around them, shook her head and left them. "Hermione!" Harry called after her "Leave me alone." she shouted back. On her way back to her room she bumped into Tonks. "Hey you." Tonks smiled hugging her friend "How have you been?" She asked Hermione shook her head "To be honest I'm not even sure. There have been far too many shocks; I think I've aged a few years."
The other women laughed with her. "What's that?" Hermione asked indicating a piece of paper Tonks held in her hands. "It's Narcissa's letters. It's only a copy" she was informed, frowning she said "What, you mean your letting her write to people?" Surely they were not that stupid that they would let the prisoner have contact with the outside world "Don't worry Hermione; it's a letter to her husband."
"But he's dead!"
"We know he's dead but believe it or not she really loved him. She writes him letters twice a week and puts them on his grave. It's sweet really. You can read it if you don't believe me." The purple haired women held the crisp white paper out to her and Hermione took it feeling a little guilty about not trusting the women in front of her.
"Do you mind if I look over them upstairs I don't want to be caught snooping?" Hermione asked, Tonks seemed to think about it then nodded her head.
"Don't worry too much about it, we tested the paper and writing before we took them to the grave there is no plan in them. Just really bad writing." Tonks told her Hermione nodded, "Thanks for this Tonks, I'll give them back in a little while." Hermione went back upstairs, she was still upset by Harry and Draco but she put that aside for now, she wanted to look over these notes
Once in the room Hermione quickly scanned through them both, nothing jumped out at her. The first one read:
to my DARLin husbANd, i wish you COuld be ARound now LOve to see the changes IN the world we liVE in. i gave myself oVEr to the light. don't BE mad it was the right thing to do. love
And the second which was written recently as the ink was still wet read:
TO my daRLin husbANd, how i've missed you my PRecioUS love i count the sEConds THat you're gone from my SIde, i might see yOU soON UNlike our PRecious draco who has forgiven my sins aboUT puRE blood, it Kills me inside to know I infLIcted pain on my only chiLD, he had found a girl now, HERMIONE GRANGER, i dont know if he thinKS of her as a PArent or a paRTner EVeN THough she is pregnant with his child. SWeet dreams my lOVe and remember i'll see yOU soON. love
Hermione was about to study them in detail but she was stopped by a knock at the door.
Disclaimer ------ Harry Potter and other characters belong to J K Rowling
