*******Draco*****
Crippled on my graduation day. Honestly, this could not get any worse. My therapy didn't start up until after graduation so I'd simply have to live with it.
I worked my pants up and over my bum, using my ever increasing arm strength to my advantage. Hermione was off to the side, laying out her clothes for the day, wet hair piled atop her head. I hadn't had Hermione since the beginning of her pregnancy out of fear of hurting the babies and now may not have been the time, but my attention was glued to the way she was built. A water droplet slid into her towel and I wished I were it. She got dressed efficiently, leaving her hair for last. I promised her that I'd tame it.
She knelt down in front of me, "can you feel that?" Her hand wrapped around the offending object in my slacks.
"Yeah, very much so. I also don't fancy ruining these slacks." I told her shakily. She giggled and worked them down a bit, "don't you dare put your mouth on that!" I warned her when she let her tongue flicker along the base. She smirked at me, "I mean it! It's impro-" her mouth enveloped me and my voice went up a few octaves. Her hands and tongue both made quick work of me and she smirked a bit wider.
"You sure seemed to enjoy it for it being so...improper." She chuckled after she swallowed. I blinked at her lazily.
"You are a terrible influence on my life."
"I can live with that. Now fix my hair." She laughed. I shifted so that I could reach her properly. When I was done with her she was even more beautiful that before. We kept it curly but pinned it up in a million places so that the curls spilled down her back, but didn't take over her head.
"We'll be late if you two love birds don't hurry up!" Ginny yelled. Celeste and Aurora were with their maternal grandmother for the weekend so that was one thing we didn't have to worry about, but it would be a lie if I said I didn't miss them.
"We're nearly ready, Ginny." Hermione called, "I'm going to throw Draco's shoes on and then we'll be on our way." I watched her curiously as she worked my socks on. It was strange to watch her touch me, yet feel nothing. She tied each shoe and plopped my hat on my head.
"Got your wand?" She asked, pulling on her graduation robes.
"Yup, got your speech?" I checked.
"Definitely, got yours?"
"Naturally." She nodded once.
"Hold on." She grabbed the back handles and started to speed out of the flat when she thought about it.
"Ginny want a ride?" She asked, hopping from foot to foot. The ginger shrugged and hopped onto my lap. Hermione issued a little grunt, but once we were rolling there was no stopping us.
"Out of my way plebs!" She shouted, "I've got a cyborg and I'm not afraid to use him!" Ginny was clutching my shoulders, eyes shut tight as Hermione thrust us into the most densely populated area she could find. When we skidded to a stop Ginny was shaking, Hermione was panting, and I wasn't sure if I'd wet myself or not.
"You never get to drive. Never. Nothing. Ever!" I scolded Hermione. She shrugged and pushed me at a sensible pace up onto the stage. We stood beside each other while Ginny went to the back of the line. McGonagall started the speech and I began scanning the crowds for mother. When I found her she was sitting in the front with the Grangers, dressed up like wizards, beside her. I nudged Hermione and she smiled. It must have been weird for them, wandering into an invisible space and then suddenly being faced with this breathtaking castle.
I imagined mother buying them robes and even embroidering the separate house crests on their chests. Hogwarts Alumni almost always wore their school robes to graduations. Hermione gave me a quick kiss on the lips, causing the audience to hoot and cheer, before bouncing toward the podium.
"Welcome, I am Hermione Malfoy, the valedictorian for true and repeat seventh years. My time at Hogwarts had been inspirational. In my short time here I learned so much about sacrifice and becoming a woman. We were taught that no task is too big if you've only got enough courage."
"Or dumb luck." I offered. She laughed and looked back at me.
"Shush, this is my sappy speech." The crowd laughed so my job was done. I looked innocently at her and shrugged, "anyways. As I was saying before I was so cleverly interrupted: the professors never underestimated us and taught us valuable life lessons along the way. Professor Snape taught us that life isn't fair. He treated us all with the same level of professional disdain. It's actually a running joke amongst the students that he hates children and sticks around for the pay." She waited for the laughter to die down, "whatever the reason, thanks. Next is Flitwick, he drilled it into our heads that size is only a detail and proved it time and time again as he read from a book as big as he was and gave out detentions as he went." This was true, he may have been little, but not many people cross him. She went on to explain the best of each professor until she reached McGonagall, "I always admired her. She was a perfect balance for our late headmaster." When she started to talk about classes I kind of zoned out. Only when the crowd began clapping again did I tune back in. She flounced back over a wide smile on her face.
Here goes nothing. I rolled myself forward absolutely mortified at being in a wheelchair.
"I've shrunk." I said by way of explaining my current predicament, "well...actually I tripped over a nurse's cart and put myself into a coma for a month, but the story is that I shrunk and I'm sticking to it." My mother shook her head at me, "as you all know I'm Draco Malfoy. It must seem unfair that the two most brilliant students here are married, but ...tough. Anyways, while our professors taught us the subjects I say that the students taught us more. Upon reaching Hogwarts we were sorted into four houses and I was sorted into the house of the cunning. For so long I was one dimensional, I was clever and I was only clever. Then the war happened and hundreds upon thousands were murdered and it opened my eyes. There was more to life than being a Malfoy, more to life than that green tie, to survive I had to adapt. I can't say I truly succeeded since any hint of bravery I have now didn't develop until now. Luckily, by some grace I survived and was given a second chance. I speak for everyone who regretted standing behind Voldemort when I say: seeing him dead was like breathing in new air. We were surrounded in devastation, but it was a beautiful kind of thing. I vowed to make things right from there and Hogwarts accepted my mission and I. It's always been a home to the lost or wounded." I picked at my folded speech, but did not unfold it, "once again it worked its magic and I found myself with Hermione. She was always so wonderful to me. She inspired me to be kind. She introduced me to Wonder Boy and Weaselbee and they bullied me into being brave. She changed my world completely and tried her hardest to mend more than one broken soul. That's why I find Hogwarts inspiring, because there are magical people here that touch you in ways that heal you." Silence. I rolled backwards a bit and bowed my head as a way to end my monologue. The moment I was back in place she grabbed my hand.
"I love you." She whispered. I grinned.
"I love you too."
Actually graduating took forever. McGonagall called us up so terribly slow I was sure I could feel my beard growing in. My god.
"Hermione Malfoy," how was she even first? It was A. my last name and B. my first name started with a D! "Head Girl, Valedictorian, War Heroine, and Gryffindor." She handed over the diploma and gave my girl a hug, "congratulations. I wish you all the best luck."
"Thank you, Professor." She beamed. She gave the diploma a squeeze and walked off stage.
"Draco Malfoy," finally! I wheeled myself forward, curious if I would fall over if I popped a wheelie, "Head Boy, salutatorian, Seeker, and Slytherin." I took the diploma, expecting nothing more than a curt nod, but instead she shook my hand, "do great things. You've got the power to change the world." I wasn't sure why, but the comment made me smile. Why not tell Hermione she could change the world? The girl certainly could, but something about the comment being mine made this day a little brighter. The only thing that could make the day any better would be to have Blaise by my side.
It may cruel of me, but I missed him. He was my best friend and we'd dreamed about this day forever. I kept looking around me wanting nothing more than for him to pop up behind Ginny in line wearing his cap and gown.
"Missing your partner in crime?" Hermione whispered. Instead of fighting it, I nodded. She kissed my hair and squeezed my shoulder, "I kinda miss him too." She admitted, "when will he be back?"
"When Ginny goes into labor."
"Want to feed her Karo Syrup?" She giggled. I hid my face in my hands.
"No, Hermione, I don't want to poison my cousin!" Something about her suggestion had me red in the face with suppressed laughter.
"She'd be happy to make the sacrifice." She insisted, her breath tickling my ear.
"I doubt that."
"Ginerva Zabini," Ginny waddled up to McGonagall, "member of the D.A., chaser, and Gryffindor." She took her diploma and gave the stern woman a hug before exiting off stage. Hermione and I clapped for her as the crowd did the same.
"How does it feel to join the big kid club?" Hermione asked. They started to talk and I was tugged away by an invisible force.
"Don't scream." A soft voice whispered. I just huffed. Once we were far enough away he began, "we talked a lot about graduation and I just couldn't miss it." The voice was definitely Blaise's, "well I couldn't miss watching. Your speech was nice and tell Hermione I liked hers as well. Oh and don't poison my wife, Draco, it's uncouth."
"Are you doing alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm on a ranch with Neville's folks. They're either muggles or squibs, except one girl. She's named April. She reminds me a lot of Hermione actually."
"I bet she's adorable."
"She is, now I've got to go before she realizes I'm gone. She doesn't realize I can disappear into thin air so she thinks I'm in the loo. Just to be clear, you're going to take care of Ginny?"
"I've arranged for her to live with Hermione and I. We're going to be in Wales."
"And you're going to owl me when she goes into labor, right?" He pressed.
"Blaise you don't have to worry. I've got her. Focus on getting better, when you're better the girls have a plan to take the ministry by storm and repeal this law."
"One more question." He assured me, "is she angry?"
"She as furious, but she understands. She says she wants you to be better." I imagined him nodding.
"Well, I'm off. I love you, tell Ginny and Hermione I love them as well." I felt his heat moving opposite me and I smiled, Happy Graduation to me.
******Hermione******
Lucius was throwing a massive graduation party for all of us. He was still wearing his Slytherin robes when he greeted us in the ballroom. My parents caught me on my way in and crushed me in a joint hug, babies held safely away from the bone crushing union.
"My sweet little babes did so well in the ceremony. I almost worried they weren't there. Did you like the castle?" I asked them.
"You've been living there for eight years?" Mum gushed, "I'm actually jealous now. At least you won't feel too out of sorts living in a manor."
"That's where you're wrong." I looked down to see Malfoy wearing his 'adult robes'. Adult robes were a graduation tradition, the graduated wear a set of all black robes without any color or design after graduating.
"The manor we're heading to is more of a castle." He assured them both, "it's twice the size of Hogwarts."
"What kind of job could an eighteen year old boy have that pays well enough to buy a castle?" Dad asked. He didn't like Draco and it had nothing to do with his previous hatred of my kind. He could tell that he loved me just be the way he looked at me. No, he didn't like Draco simply because he'd gotten me pregnant. He didn't care that it was ministry mandated and he didn't care that we were married. Nope, it was dad logic.
"Father actually bought it." He admitted, "it was a wedding gift to Hermione actually. He's always wanted a daughter and Hermione seems to fit the bill." He shrugged, looking smug. His expression was tainted with pure Malfoy superiority. I kicked the chair.
"Don't you dare." I muttered. He had the decency to look sorry, but I knew he was only sorry he got caught. Dad made a smug little noise and I sighed in exasperation, "dad leave Draco alone. He's not even doing anything." Grudgingly both men shook hands, but it was clear that this was a 'only for today'.
"You both were just stunning on stage." Mother said quickly.
"Weren't they?" Narcissa's smooth voice slid into the conversation easily, "how are my granddaughters. I haven't seen them all week."
"Still beautiful." Mum assured her. Mrs. Weasley soon joined the party as if the mention of babies was enough to summon her. Draco was easing back, bringing me back along with him. Once we escaped, babies still with mum and dad, he handed me my new robes and a glass of champagne.
"Let's go find our friends." I suggested. He agreed wholeheartedly and we made our way over. Pansy was near bursting she was absolutely enraged at Ronald at the moment. She hated him and his ginger genes. She swore that if her kids even had a red tint to their hair she'd ship them off to Ireland and try again.
Luna on the other hand was holding a dark haired babe not too much younger than my girls.
"Pansy, you're tempting the genusflax," Luna warned, "besides the first born always has their father's hair. It's just...the way things are."
Pansy made a noise or distress.
"None of the baby clothes I bought match with ginger hair." She complained.
Ron rolled his eyes and kissed her nose, "enjoy yourself for one night and I promise you that I will do my level best to work up enough money to buy the babies whatever you want." She nodded, obviously still flustered.
"Fine, whatever you say." She huffed. Draco wolf whistled and she glared at the both of us.
"Oh sod off."
*****i have writers block, so I'm sorry for the crap chapter. Any suggestions on what you want to see/happen? There will be three or four more chapter before Ginny had a baby and then maybe six chapter in all after that so...yeah. Any suggestions are welcome. I also did not remember that her eyes were brown. I just know that Ron's eyes are blue so...eh. I assumed it carried. Oh well, she's blue eyed today. XD******