Disclaimer; I own no one but Claire...but she's enough ;)
A/N Hello all! Thanks so much for the lovely reviews. Keep them coming! I've thought of a great plot for the rest of this story so it doesn't get too mushy and fluffy. I hope you like where it goes. And more good news! I took my old hard drive in today to get the files off of it. It should be done by the end of the week so 'The Deal' update won't be far behind! Happy reading and don't forget to review!!
Vows
Hermione, Draco and Claire woke up early the next morning to get to the ministry on time. Hermione gave Claire a bath, did her hair up in blue satin bows and put on her new white dress with blue trim. She squealed as she twirled around in it.
"I look like a princess!" she said happily skipping about the room making her dress twirl and flow behind her.
"You look like one too. But don't muss your dress before we have to leave. I'm going to go get ready now so behave." she told her firmly before walking down the hall to Draco's room. She put on a smart, light blue silk blouse and tweed skirt before tying her hair in a neat bun. Draco strolled out of the bathroom wearing a navy blue suit that brought out the blues in his grey eyes. Hermione helped fasten his tie and they went to grab Claire.
"Ready sweetheart?" Draco called. His little girl came out of her room running towards them and Draco nearly lost his breath.
"She looks darling, Hermione." he said slightly overcome with new emotions.
"Thank you. You don't look bad yourself." she said brushing a stray hair off of his forehead and putting it back in place.
"Hold onto my hand." Draco told Claire and she grabbed it right away. Then in a flash they were being pulled back through what seemed like an endless tube before being deposited in the lobby of the ministry.
"I hate that!" Claire said loudly. Other witches and wizards looked over at Draco who smiled and hurried them off towards the courtrooms.
The ministry was bustling with people that time of morning. Paper airplane memos soared overhead and people were getting on and off of the lift so quickly that it took three times before they got one with room for the three of them. When they reached the proper floor they stepped off and headed down the brightly lit hallway. The place they were headed wasn't truly a courtroom, more of an office with a bench for the wizard who was to proceed over the hearing. Hermione said it was mainly signing things, and a vow to take care of Claire until his dying day. Those words hit Draco hard. His stomach began to fill with churning knots. An ominous looking man entered the room and sat at the bench. He was dressed in bright purple robes with a golden emblem on the front.
"Draco Abraxas Malfoy?" he asked. Draco stood up, still a hold of Claire's hand.
"Yes sir."
"I am Otto McCarty, presiding judge over this case. Am I understanding the paperwork correctly that it is your intention is to adopt this minor child, Claire Marissa Gillihan?"
"It is sir."
"And it is the recommendation of St. Mungo's and their head healer, Hermione Jane Granger, that this happens?"
"It is sir." Hermione said firmly.
"Well I must say that this is quite unusual." he said before clearing his throat. "A single man adopting a child is not something this court sees on a daily basis. What makes you think that you are qualified to adopt this child?"
"I love her. And I am more than capable of taking care of her." Draco replied. His uneasy stomach was getting much worse.
"If I may sir…" Hermione interrupted. "Mr. Malfoy is the only person who has expressed a desire to adopt any of Voldemort's…" a gasp erupted from the other occupants of the room. "youngest victims. These children need homes. Our hospital is not a appropriate place for them to grow up in. And most people are not willing to risk taking children who were once targeted by Voldemort…" another collective gasp was heard. Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered "Oh please." under her breath.
"Miss Granger, do not speak out of turn again or I will ask you to leave." Otto McCarty said loudly.
"Sorry sir."
"Do you have any intention of marrying?"
Draco smiled slyly at Hermione.
"It is very possible sir."
Hermione blushed and looked at the floor.
"May I speak with Claire for a moment?" Mr. McCarty asked in a more soothing voice.
"You may." Draco said releasing Claire's hand and giving her a nudge forward.
"Hello Claire."
Claire remained silent and looked back nervously at Draco and Hermione.
"My name is Otto. How are you today?"
Still Claire said nothing.
"Are you alright my dear?" he asked as Claire backed away from the bench.
"Claire, answer Mr. McCarty." Draco whispered.
"I can't." she whispered back.
"Why?" Hermione asked as she knelt down to her level.
"You told me not to talk to strangers. He is a stranger." Claire said wide-eyed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Hermione and Draco chuckled.
"It's okay as long as we are right there okay? You may speak to Otto. Okay?" Draco said leading her forward again.
"I'm sorry sir, we told her she was not allowed to talk to strangers. Go ahead okay Claire?"
She nodded.
"So, how are you today Claire?" Mr. McCarty asked again.
"Fine."
"Do you know why you are here?"
"Yes. Draco is going to adopt me."
"How do you feel about that?"
"Fine."
"Are you happy about it?"
"Yes."
"Do you like living with him?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "I got a toy broom? Do you have a toy broom? Draco showed me how to fly! I can't go high, but I like it. And I got to go to King's cross! Have you ever been there?"
"Wow, talkative isn't she?" Otto McCarty laughed.
"Yes she is." both Hermione and Draco said at the same time.
"Are you happy living there Claire?" he asked more seriously.
"Yes…why?"
"I just have to ask. You can go back and stand by Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger."
Claire smiled as she walked back over to them.
"Okay, everything else seems to be in order. This is Mr. Barker. He is going to take Claire into the other room briefly while we talk. Mr. Barker if you would please."
Claire looked at Draco who nodded that it was ok. She looked back apprehensively before following the man into the other room.
"Miss Granger? All of Claire's relatives are deceased correct?"
"Yes sir. Her mother, father, grandmother and brother were all killed in a single night by Voldemort or his followers. She barely survived."
"I see. And every attempt was made to find an aunt or cousin before making her available for adoption right?"
"Yes. St. Mungo's did an extensive search. There are no relatives. Her parents were both only children."
"Alright then. You can tell Mr. Barker that Claire can come back in."
Hermione headed for the door and came back a second later with Claire in tow.
"Everything looks to be in order Mr. Malfoy. You have signed all the papers, and all that is left is the vow. Do not take this lightly. This vow is much more than unbreakable. It is eternal. Are you ready for such a commitment?"
"I am."
"Draco Abraxas Malfoy. This is your daughter. She will no longer be Claire Marissa Gillihan, she will now be Claire Marissa Malfoy. Do you understand? You will not refer to her as your adopted daughter. She is simply 'your daughter'. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
"She is the niece of any aunts or uncles, the granddaughter of her grandparents and the sister to any future children you have either biologically or through adoption. Do you understand?"
"I do."
"There is no 'return' policy on an adopted child. The idea of adopting is a lot like a marriage. You are making a lifetime commitment to someone with no biological relation to you. You promise to "love, cherish, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, as long as you both shall live". And even beyond that. Do you understand?"
"I do understand." Draco replied.
"You are now her father. She has 'birth parents', but you are now her dad, and you always will be. Do you understand?"
"I do."
"And one day she will ask you about those parents. And make no mistake, she will, do not lie to her, or shelter her from hard truths. When she asks why you are her father tell her that you chose her above all others. That she is special. Mr. Malfoy, you have the answer to her questions on a small piece of parchment. Kneel to her level and present your gift."
Hermione had tears welling in her eyes as she saw this tall handsome man kneel down to the level of a child and pull a small box from his pocket. Inside was a gold ring with an aquamarine inside. That was Claire's birthstone because she was born on the Spring equinox. Engraved on the inside was
To Claire, my daughter,
Love, Daddy
Draco took the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger. He read the parchment even though he had it memorized already.
"Claire…you are not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but somehow you are still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn't grow under my heart but in it."
He hugged the little girl tightly. She was admiring her new ring and not really understanding what was going on, or what was being said. All she knew is that Hermione and Draco were both in tears and looking at her in an odd way. Like they were sad.
"Well Mr. Malfoy congratulations. This is a happy occasion for everyone. Miss Granger, it was a pleasure to meet you. Goodbye Claire. You be good for your new family." and with that Otto McCarty left the room.
"Well that's that." Hermione said wiping the last remaining tears from her eye.
"What does this say?" Claire asked after she took off her ring for the hundredth time.
"It says," Hermione started "To Claire, my daughter. Love Daddy."
"My daddy didn't give me this, Draco did." Claire said confused.
"Well, you might not call him daddy now, or ever. But now Draco is your father. He is going to take care of you from now on, and forever. That's what this day was about. Draco adopted you. I thought you understood that when we had that talk way back when."
Claire thought about it for a moment.
"I remember."
Hermione looked at Draco, who had a hurt expression on his face.
"Don't worry Draco, everything will work out. She loves you already. And sooner or later she will recognize that you are now her father."
"I know."
"How about we go celebrate? How does lunch out at your favorite place sound?" Hermione said cheerfully. "My treat."
Claire perked up considerably as they made their way out to the lobby of the Ministry. One hundred feet behind a man with dirty blond hair was watching them at a distance.
"Shall we apparate or take the floo back to my place first and then walk through downtown London?"
"I want to see where you live Hermione!" Claire said excitedly.
"That settles it then." Draco said taking his daughter's hand. He reached into the pot of floo powder and threw it into one of the enormous fireplaces.
"Hermione Granger's place then."
The fire swirled green and they stepped in. Hermione followed behind them and soon they were standing in Hermione's small flat.
Back at the ministry the man who called himself Fin whispered to himself.
"Hermione Granger."
And then he smiled for the first time in nearly a year.