Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my ideas. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling. :)
Chapter Twenty-Five
Upon arriving at St. Mungo's, everything was a blur.
There was a surprising amount of people there, but Draco just butted in front of everyone - screaming for a Healer to save his fiancée. Someone came along instantly, whisking her away from him.
Then, Sophie had placed Violet into his arms and collapsed into a chair. The Healers had explained how too much magic could have an effect on a Muggle who had never experienced it before. She was now being treated for magical Muggle exhaustion - or something to that extent. Draco wasn't sure.
Another Healer had insisted on checking out Violet, who Draco had held tightly in his arms.
Then, he was left alone, sitting helpless in the waiting room. He was shaking, his head in his hands as people around him ran and cried - scared for themselves or their loved ones. All he wanted was some news - some news on how Hermione was. Some news on how Violet was. Hell, even some news on Sophie would be comforting.
Plus, he had absolutely no idea what was going on at the Ministry - or at Hogwarts - with the War.
"Draco Malfoy?"
Draco lifted his head from his hands, looking up to see a horribly battered Luna Lovegood standing before him. If he had been in a better state of mind, he would have realized just how hopeful this was. A friend of Hermione's was standing before him - even though Bellatrix had stated they were all dead.
He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes. "Lovegood."
"You've got blood all over you." she observed in her dreamy voice.
Draco looked down at himself. Indeed, he was covered in blood - Hermione's blood.
"Yeah, well, you don't look so good yourself." he mumbled. "What are you doing here?"
"I came in with Neville. He wanted some pumpkin juice, so I've just gone to the cafeteria to get some. He got pretty badly injured in it - but, the Healers think he'll make a full recovery." she explained.
Draco paused, paying closer attention to her. Did this mean it was over?
"Is it over? Is it all over?" Draco whispered, terrified for the answer.
Luna nodded immediately. "Oh yes, a few hours ago."
Draco leaped off of his seat, rushing to the small blonde girl and shaking her by the shoulders.
"Luna, did - did Potter make it?"
"Yes, he -"
"WHERE IS HARRY POTTER?"
The witch looked taken aback, but Draco didn't care. He knew it was important for him to find Harry Potter - now.
"He's in with Ron and Neville. Would you like me to take you?"
Draco just stepped towards her, nodding eagerly. Luna led him quickly down the hall and to a room. Stepping inside, he was struck by the scene before him.
Two beds were set up, with equally horrid looking occupants - Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley. Harry Potter sat next to Ron's bed, looking tired and pretty worse for wear.
"Mal - Draco. What are you doing here?" Harry said, standing up immediately.
He watched as the colour drained from Harry's face - most likely due to the blood covering him and the obvious tear stains on his face.
"What's happened?" Harry repeated. "Why are you here? Why are you -"
Draco stalked closer to Harry, trying to muster up the strength to explain what had happened. Harry seemed to register that it had to do with Hermione due to the sheer panic in his eyes.
"Where's Hermione?" he whispered.
Draco heard a moan coming from the bed of Ron Weasley, and he peered over. The redhead was struggling to move, but failing dramatically.
"Luna - could you - you go get a Healer?" Harry asked.
"Sure." Luna responded, rather cheerfully.
She skipped out of the room and Harry just started closer on Draco.
"Where is Hermione?" Harry asked.
Draco willed himself not to break down. Even though he had had not one - but two civilized conversations with Harry Potter, he could not allow himself to break down in front of his former enemy.
As he opened his mouth to speak - Draco felt his wand vibrate. He gasped, looking down at it. The Healer had said that his wand would vibrate and glow a bright blue when they had news on either Hermione, Violet or Sophie.
"Come with me." Draco instructed.
Draco sped out of the room with Harry following close on his tail. They ran back to the waiting room, Draco looking rapidly around for the Healer he had been speaking with before.
"Draco Malfoy?" a voice called.
He whirled around, spying the Healer he had spoken with. Rushing over, Draco tried to read her expression - but she was entirely closed off of emotion.
"How is she?" he said instantly. "I mean, how are they?"
The Healer gave him a small smile. "Your Muggle friend is asleep, she's going to be just fine. Violet is strong and healthy, and no longer needs any medical attention. You can come get her right now."
"But what about Hermione?" Draco shouted.
The Healer nodded slowly. "She's stable for now. You got her here just in time. It's been a little touch and go, but for now - she's stable."
Draco let out the breath he'd been holding. "Is she going to be alright?"
"I'm hoping so. But - I can't promise you anything at this point. She's in a coma-induced state to give her body time to react and heal with the Potions we've administered to her. The reaction between the Cruciatus Curse and -"
"WHAT?" roared Harry.
" - and giving birth only a few hours before was not good. It caused some tearing on the inside, and she's lost a lot of blood. So, we'll see."
"WHAT?" Harry screamed once more.
The Healer told them which rooms the three girls were in and Draco nodded graciously after being allowed permission to see Hermione after he picked up Violet.
"Malfoy - WHAT HAPPENED?" Harry demanded as the two headed in the direction of Violet's room.
"Hermione went into labour, so Dumbledore got us to Hogwarts so Madam Pomfrey could deliver the baby. Then, a couple hours after that, Bellatrix showed up. Hermione was doing well at dodging her curses until - until one hit her. I killed Bellatrix and -"
"WHAT?"
" - let me finish! And then, Hermione started bleeding, so I brought Violet, Sophie and Hermione here." Draco concluded, his voice shaking.
"Who are Violet and Sophie?" Harry asked.
"Sophie is our friend from the Muggle world. And Violet is..." Draco trailed off as they reached Violet's room.
She baby who already had a sprinkle of white blonde hair atop her head was sleeping quietly in a bassinet. Draco approached her tentatively. He lifted her carefully into his arms and waved his wand at the form on the table next to her - meaning that he had successfully picked her up.
"This is Violet. This is my daughter." he whispered.
"Bloody hell..." Harry responded, his voice trailing off as he took in the sight of Violet.
Draco couldn't believe she was here. He was holding his daughter in his hands. And Hermione wasn't there standing next to him.
"She's beautiful." Harry whispered.
Draco nodded, feeling the tears slide down his face once more. He cursed under his breath and blinked his eyes rapidly.
"She's going to be okay, Malfoy." Harry said quietly.
"You don't know that." Draco whispered, bitterly.
"I know, but - she's Hermione. She has to be."
Draco shifted Violet in his arms, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her soft forehead.
"Your mummy loves you, Violet. She loves you very much." Draco whispered, momentarily forgetting about Harry's presence. "She's going to get better, and then she's going to come and hold you, and we're going to start our life together. Our real life."
"Believe your words, Draco." Harry said softly, snapping Draco back to the present.
He turned around to face the dark haired wizard. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.
"What happened? The Dark Lord - did you - I mean - what's happened?" Draco stammered.
Harry sighed, pulling out his wand to conjure up two chairs for the boys to sit on. Draco graciously nodded at him, sitting down and taking a moment to stare at his daughter before listening to Harry's story.
"It's over. It's all over. We - me and Ron and Ginny - we found the rest of the Horcruxes. The last one turned out to be his snake, and Neville killed it - but he got hit with a curse just after, which is why he's in here right now." Harry started with a sigh.
"And what happened to Weasley?"
Harry placed his head in his hands, and Draco suddenly felt very uncomfortable - all of this death and destruction occurring everywhere. It was a wonder that anyone was holding it together.
"He got hit with something. A curse - er - has Hermione ever told you what happened to her in the Department of Mysteries in our fifth year?" Harry explained.
Draco nodded, wincing at the memory of when Hermione had told him. He hated thinking of Hermione in that much pain - just as she must be right then.
"Well, that happened - sort of. He'll be alright, though, the Healers said." Harry continued.
Draco let out a deep breath, thinking about how much pain everyone seemed to be in. Even Harry looked pretty worse for wear right now, scratched and bruised.
"Everything that we'd bought for the baby is at our flat." Draco said suddenly, realizing that all he had for his daughter were his own two arms.
Harry looked at him with widened eyes before looking down at Violet. He cleared his throat, suddenly looking much more awkward than he had only moments ago.
"What is it?" Draco asked.
"Could I - er - hold her?" Harry stammered, clearing his throat once more.
Draco looked down at Violet. He didn't want to let her out of his arms, but - this was Harry's godchild, even though he didn't know it yet. Draco knew that Hermione should ask him, not him.
Nodding hesitantly, Draco stood up. Carefully, he deposited Violet into Harry's arms, watching as Harry's eyes widened at the sight and feeling of her.
"Wow." he whispered.
"Yeah, tell me about it." Draco said with a chuckle.
"Does she have a middle name?"
Draco smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it's Rhiannon. It's been Hermione's Muggle name."
Harry tore his eyes away from Draco's daughter for a moment to look up at him with a smile.
"Violet Rhiannon Malfoy, eh?" Harry said with a laugh. "Blimey, I still can't believe that Hermione's had a baby with you."
Draco looked longingly at his daughter, which Harry seemed to sense. The two stood up, passing Violet gently back into Draco's arms. He kissed her forehead, shifting her around to make her comfortable as he supported her head.
"Let's go find your Mum, eh Violet?" Draco whispered.
The two Wizards - with Violet - walked briskly down the hallway, heading towards Hermione's room.
A few moments later, and they stood just outside Hermione's room.
"Listen, I really need to see Hermione. But, I understand if you want a minute alone with her. I mean, you are her boyfriend." Harry muttered quietly.
"Fiancé, actually." Draco corrected quietly.
Harry looked at him incredulously. "Since when?"
"Since the day she went into labour. Yesterday, I think. I dunno, it's all been such a blur." Draco sighed.
Harry nodded. Draco looked at the man before looking down at Violet, who was squirming slightly in his arms.
"You can come in. You're Hermione's family, really. And I know that you're going to be a big part of Violet's life, whether I like it or not." Draco decided. "Just... don't be frightened if I cry like a girl."
Harry nodded graciously at him before opening the door, holding it wide for Draco himself to enter with Violet.
Draco stopped in his tracks at the sight of Hermione before him. She was pale - much paler than normal. The lack of colour in her scared him.
"Hermione..." he whispered brokenly.
"Bloody hell." he heard Harry whisper behind him.
Draco felt his eyes well up in tears once more as he approached her. Suddenly, Violet started crying softly in his arms, and he stared down at her in bewilderment. He had no idea what he was doing.
Hermione had to be alright, or else... he would be raising Violet on his own.
And he had no idea how to do that.
"It's okay Violet, it's okay. Shhh..." he whispered, changing her position so he could softly move her back and forth.
"Here. Sit down with her." Harry suddenly said.
Draco turned around, finding that Potter had drawn up two chairs again. Draco nodded graciously and him, sitting down on the one closest to Hermione.
"Violet, this is your Mummy, remember her? She's just sleeping right now, but she'll... she'll be awake soon." Draco whispered softly.
Draco felt his shoulder shake softly as tears fell from his eyes. He felt Harry's hand clamp onto his shoulder - an act he felt odd coming from his former enemy, but he didn't care.
"Hermione. It's me. There's so much I have to tell you. So, you should wake up. I did it, Hermione. We did it. I thought about you the whole time, trying to think of the advice that I knew you would give me. You're safe again, Hermione." Harry whispered softly.
Draco heard Harry's voice break slightly as he tried to cover it up with a cough. Draco remembered all the moments he'd witnessed between Hermione and Harry, and he knew just how much pain the man was in.
"Look, I think I should give you two - you three - some time. I'll be in Ron and Neville's room. Let me know if she wakes up before I come back here, yeah?" Harry said, standing up.
Draco could not tear his eyes away from the pale, brunette love of his life in front of him.
"Yeah, sure." he murmured.
He felt Harry's hand squeeze his shoulder quickly before pulling away and stepping towards the door.
"She'll be okay. She has to be." he said lastly before shutting the door behind him.
Draco looked down at Violet who was starting to cry louder and louder. If Hermione didn't make it - and Draco couldn't imagine that option - Violet would be the only thing he had left in the world. He looked up at Hermione, leaning close and pressing a kiss on her forehead.
Staring back down at Violet, he let himself sob.
Author's Note: thank you for the reviews! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, even if it isn't exactly what I'd call uplifting. I believe this story is slowly coming to a close. There's only a few chapters left, I think. I really hope you like what I've got in mind. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! 33