It's that time of year again. The time of year when I get a cold. It's always a slow build up to the actual cold until it hits me like an 18-wheeler. Then there's the cough. You know the cough. The cough that comes in February and sticks around until June. I loathe that cough.

Chapter 25
She paced.

Constantly.

For days, Hermione waited near the floo for Draco to return. He'd been gone four days, and she worried that he would not be back in time for the wedding. There were enough stresses with planning the wedding and caring for the baby; a missing fiance was beginning to push her over the edge. Excitement was always followed by disappointment whenever the fire changed from orange to green, signalling a new arrival. It was never Draco, and she began to wonder how long it would be before it was Draco.

"Two days," she stated when Pansy arrived with lunch. "We're getting married in two days."

"Oh, we are?" Pansy asked excited, setting down the tray so she could clap her hands. When Hermione scowled, Pansy sighed and sat down on the small chaise near the fireplace. "I know the wedding is in two days. What kind of maid of honor would I be if I didn't? Look, I can't say when he'll be back because, well, I was terrible at Divination. But I know he will be back in time to marry you. It's all he talks about. Blaise even said that when they were in Australia for all those months, all Draco talked about was you and the family you were starting and how he wanted to be with you forever. It's not cold feet, I promise you that, Hermione."

"I know it isn't," Hermione assured her. "I'm fairly confident that I know exactly what he's doing. There's a part of me that wishes he wasn't doing it though."

When Naya began to fuss, it was Pansy who tended to her as she insisted that Hermione eat. The little girl looked around, her gray eyes wide when they landed on her mother. And then she smiled as a sound akin to laughter filled the room. "You don't want your parents to meet her?" Pansy wondered as she kissed the giggling girl. When Hermione shook her head, Pansy looked inconsolable. "How could you not want your parents to be a part of Naya's life? Of your life? I thought every little girl dreamed of being walked down the aisle by her father on her wedding day. Don't you want them to see her grow up, see how you and Draco love each other? Do you really not want them to come back?"

Setting the lunch tray on the coffee table in front of her, Hermione rose to collect Naya from Pansy's arms. "After what they told Draco, about how they want nothing to do with the world in which we live, I don't see a place for them in our lives," she stated, keeping her tone calm and even. "Yes, it would be lovely to have my father walk me down the aisle. It would be lovely to have my parents at the wedding. I'm happy that Lucius agreed to give me away. I'd have been lost if Narcissa hadn't offered to help me plan. I plan to only marry once, and I only want people who want to be there at my wedding."

"But, Hermione, and please don't be upset with me for saying this," Pansy said, chewing nervously on her fingernail, "your parents might want to be at your wedding. You're their only child."

"It's not that I don't want them there," Hermione said, sighing as Naya happily flashed her a wide, toothless smile. "I'm afraid they won't want to be there. What if Draco gets all the way to Australia and can't convince them to come home? It's harder to think that they don't want to be a part of my life than to think that I don't want them to be a part of it."

With tears in her eyes, Pansy rose from her seat and hugged her friend from behind, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "Everything will work out, you'll see," Pansy murmured. "Draco will be home before you know it, and your wedding will be beautiful. The two of you are perfect for each other."

"Thank you," Hermione replied, pressed cheek to cheek with her friend. Sniffling, Pansy nodded and pulled away to retake her seat. Hermione cast a worried look as her friend attempted to hide her tears. "Oh, Pans, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Shaking her head, Pansy set a watery smile on her face to let her know it was alright. Before the war ended, her father had been killed for refusing to join Voldemort's ranks. Her mother had slipped into a deep depression, spending months in St. Mungo's psychiatric ward to treat her. Pansy had effectively lost both parents while trying to survive her seventh and final year of school.

"It's fine," she promised. "You and I are a lot more alike that we thought, I imagine. After the war we both lost and needed family."

"You have one here too, you know," Hermione stated. "And then there's Blaise."

Pansy shifted to allow more room for Hermione to join her. "What about him?" she asked innocently, though the goofy smile she wore gave her away.

"Draco said he's never seen Blaise look at anyone the way he does you. He loves you," Hermione stated knowingly. "It's...sort of, maybe part of the reason we chose you and him to be the godparents. At our age, it's hard to determine which couples will last and which ones won't, but Draco and I know that no matter what happens you'll both always be here."

Before Pansy could reply, the bedroom door opened. She took Naya from Hermione's arms as anticipation got the better of her. Draco entered looking exhausted, but happy to be home. She was in his arms, holding tightly to him, as he greeted her with a long overdue kiss. "Stop leaving me like that," she admonished, refusing to relinquish her hold on him.

"I swear I never will again," he replied, tightening his arms around her waist.

"Welcome home, Draco," Pansy greeted him, offering Naya to him. He quickly accepted, letting go of his fiancee in favor of holding his daughter. "So, mission accomplished?"

"I think so," he replied, his smile matching the one Naya wore. "Looks like someone's happy to see Daddy."

Pansy cleared her throat, too impatient to watch the cute father-daughter moment unfolding before her. "Yes, she's adorable, but there are more pressing matters at hand here," she stated. "Start talking."

"It's more of a 'show you' kind of thing," he replied, glancing at Hermione. "It's, well, I'm hoping it could be my wedding gift to you. Will you come downstairs with me?"

Hermione nervously eyed Draco before nodding her head. Naya in one arm, he took hold of Hermione's hand and led her down to the parlor. Her heart hammered harder against her chest with each closer step. Draco entered first with Hermione just behind. Peeking around his shoulder, she saw her guest. Even with his back to her, Hermione knew exactly who it was. She let out a small gasp and he turned.

"Hey, Mione."