The week before Easter holidays brought about another apparation lesson, this time in Hogsmead. Nichole and her peers excitedly waited in the Great Hall for Harry to lead them down, followed by a slew of professors and volunteers to guard the village and the students as they attempt to travel outside of the school. There was a lot more risk involved in Hogsmead- the students had no barriers confining them to a single space, not to mention there were dozens of shops they may end up in, plus the ever present risk of splinting during travel.
Nichole wasn't worried, though. She felt confident in her ability to disappear and reappear after doing so successfully multiple times in a row. She was more worried about her friends, and whether or not one of them would get hurt during the process.
The students were silent as they made their way down to the village, each too busy concentrating on the three D's of apparation; no one wanted to make a mistake out here. Nichole couldn't take the silence any longer. As they passed through the gates of Hogwarts she hissed in Blake's ear, "why isn't anyone talking?"
Blake glanced back at her warily. "Isn't it a little dangerous? Apparating without restrictions? What if someone gets lost? Or hurt?" Nichole rolled her eyes at her friends worries.
"When did you become such a chicken shit Blake?" Nichole sneered.
"I'm not!" he gasped, affronted. "I just-."
"Blake's right," Bianca shrugged. "There's a lot more risk involved. Mr Potter was saying that before we left, and-."
"Uncle Harry's just being cautious," Nichole sighed with a wave of her hand. "We'll be fine."
"I hear your moms one of the volunteers in the village." Mystique stated. The group was now passing the Three Broomsticks and almost at the point they were heading to. "Doesn't that worry you?"
Nichole scoffed and shook her head but internally her stomach clenched. Knowing her mother and father were both there to see her succeed did make her nervous. What if she made a mistake? What if she failed? Or worse, what if she splinched herself?
"All right, listen up you lot." The group came to a stop in a clearing in the center of the village. Six path ways branched off, and a statue of Harold Hogsmead himself stood in the center. Harry gestured to the village. "We're going to do this in six groups of four. Each of these pathways lead to a specific shop and destination. When your name is called you will approach me and I will give you a shop. You will then face the path that leads to your destination and, on the count of three, you will attempt to disapparate there.
"We have many volunteers stationed throughout the village for your safety. If, by chance, you do not meet your mark, someone should be close by to find you. This is not a test, however it is the basis of what the tests are built on. For those who are already seventeen your tests will be the week you return from the Easter Holidays, therefore these are our last lessons before the test.
"You will get more than one go, so be patient, persevere, and perform. Good Luck."
They started reading out names and Blake and Gabe were among the first to go. With bated breath Nichole watched as her friends approached Harry, then turned to face their designated point. She wasn't sure if she could watch and as Harry counted to three she squeezed her eyes closed and then sprung them open as an echoing crack was heard throughout the space. Blake had gone but Gabe remained, falling as he lost his balance; he was not the only one, though. Two others failed to disapparate and were left behind.
A few students snickered but Harry called for order, ushered the trio away, and called out six new names. Mystique was called with this particular group and Nichole forced her eyes to remain open as she watched her friend's face set firmly, concentrating on what she had to do. Harry counted to three and again an echoing crack was heard and Mystique disappeared with a squish of her robes.
Nichole was called up with the next group. Her stomach was flopping anxiously as she approached her Uncle, who gave her a reassuring smile and asked her to face North in order to apparate to The Hog's Head. She'd been there before, knew the sign that stood out front, the dusty tables throughout the pub, and old Aberforth Dumbledore, the barkeep. As Harry counted to three she closed her eyes softly, took a deep breath, and pictured the pub clear in her head before spinning effortlessly on the spot.
The now familiar sensation of being sucked through a tube consumed her and moments later she landed, stumbling as her feet hit the ground, but quickly regained her balance as she smiled wide, standing in the middle of The Hog's Head.
"Well done." Nichole whipped around to see her mother and father both standing there with wide smiles on their faces. Hermione's arms were spread out waiting for her daughter to embrace her. "I'm so proud of you Nichole."
Nichole hesitated; she was still a tad upset with her mother over her decision not to invite Christopher to the wedding, but knew her mother had her best interest at heart. Finally she walked over and wrapped her arms around her mothers waist. "Thank you mum."
Hermione squeezed a little harder before letting go. "Fancy another go? Blake also apparated to this location. He landed outside, having not been as familiar with the inside of the building, but he did quite well."
"Yeah I'll join Uncle Harry for another try."
"I'll walk you there," Hermione insisted. Nichole opened her mouth to respond but Draco shook his head and she sighed, nodding. Hermione looped her arm through her daughters and steered her back towards the center of the village.
Hermione had been a nervous wreck all day. She hadn't been feeling very well the past week but hadn't confided in Draco about that, not wanting to worry him about her being a little under the weather. However, as time passed she felt more and more ill- it didn't take her long to realize there was a pattern to these intrusive feelings.
First Hermione noticed it in the morning and thought she'd eaten something off for dinner the night before. The next day she caught a whiff of garlic and was sent running to the loo. Two days later her nose started to detect strong smells coming from everywhere, but her nose had never been quite so sensitive in the past- except for on one occasion. When she'd been pregnant with Nichole.
At first Hermione tried to convince herself it wasn't possible- there was no way she could be pregnant. But the more she thought of it, the more she realized it just might be possible after all. She'd had to find out.
The spell to detect a pregnancy wasn't difficult but it wasn't necessarily accurate either. So after performing it she wanted clarification with a mediwitch and contacted St Mungo's immediately. They managed to fit her in for a morning appointment on the day of the apparation lessons in Hogsmed. The news she received had shocked her, but she hadn't time to dwell on it, having made a commitment to Harry to help chaperone the apparating students. She knew she'd be seeing Draco, though, and Nichole of course. She had to mask her features and shove down the nerves and anxiety she was currently feeling- at least for now.
As it was she was finding it incredibly difficult to keep such a secret from her daughter as she led the way back to the centre of the village. Too many times Hermione had wanted to just spit out her news- but this was not the time, nor the place. She had a feeling Nichole would not react well to what she had to tell her, and therefore they'd need a place of utmost secrecy.
"I was hoping you and your father would join me for dinner tonight," Hermione finally stated as they spotted the group gathered in the center of the village. Hermione could see Harry directing another group of students to the statue. "Would that be all right with you?"
Nichole shrugged, her eyes on the group; she was anxious to have another go at apparting. "Sure mum, sounds good." If Nichole hadn't been so distracted she would have see the nervous tick her mother had, the way she wrung her hands, and the way she kept tucking hair behind her ear even though none were loose.
"Okay," Hermione mumbled. "Maybe we could-."
"Mum can we talk about this later?" Nichole asked. "I really want to try appartating again and my group is going to be called next."
Hermione glanced at the waiting students and nodded, feeling a little disappointed at her daughter's reaction, but knew how eager she was. "Okay sweetheart, I'll-." But before she could finish Nichole was running off, finding her place and waiting for Harry to call her name. "-just make a reservation I guess."
With a sigh Hermione turned and headed back towards The Hog's Head. She'd have a chance to speak with Nichole later and had to prepare for her reaction; she'd better get her wits about it now.
Nichole successfully apparated six times that day, the most out of all the students there. Most succeeded doing it three or four times- her friends even only managed it a couple times- but Nichole was a natural, or so Harry and her father said. Her mother was uncharacteristically silent, not that anyone noticed.
Harry had been invited up to the castle for dinner, but Hermione declined McGonagall's invite saying she would like to take Draco and Nichole out instead. The headmistress conceded and the little family of three soon found themselves heading up the same path they'd taken just hours before to the village.
Draco held Hermione's hand easily as Nichole walked beside them smiling softly at her parents interactions. She never imagined they'd get along this well, never thought it would be possible to see her mother and father together- after all, she had presumed him to be dead, and Hermione hadn't had a real relationship since Mathew, which was nearly 10 years ago. She knew her mother had tried to have relationships, but none stuck around long enough to meet her. But Draco, her father, he not only accepted Hermione for all that she was but he'd embraced her as his daughter. It was more than she could have ever hoped for.
Draco held the door open for Nichole and Hermione as they entered the Three Broomsticks. Hermione had requested a private room and Madam Rosmerta had ensured they would not be disrupted or overheard. She gestured the trio to their space, fetched them some drinks, and gave them a few minutes to pour over the menu. Nichole already knew what she wanted, and even Draco had only glanced at the listings for a moment before setting it aside, but Hermione seemed uncharacteristically indecisive.
"Oh maybe the chicken? No, no, that doesn't sound right. There is some stew, but no, no... oh maybe the roast beef, and-."
"C'mon mom," Nichole groaned. "You never take this long to decide on a meal."
Hermione blushed. Her cravings had kicked in and knowing what she knew about how far along she was she was not surprised at that. "Oh alright, I'll have the, uh, the- I'll take the breaded chicken with chips- extra gravy please."
Nichole stared at her mother with an open mouth- Hermione usually ate fairly healthy. "Are you feeling okay mum?"
Hermione blinked a little off guard. "Of course I am, why?"
"It's just-." She glanced at Draco who was also glancing at Hermione wearily. "You don't normally eat fried food."
Hermione swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry. "Yes, I ah," she cleared her throat. "You see, that's- that's actually why I wanted to have dinner- I, uh, I have some news I wanted to share. With both of you." Nichole and Draco stared at her expectantly, making Hermione even more nervous. Neither one said a word as they waited for her to go on. "You see, it appears that I- well, the fact is- I seem to be- pregnant."
Nichole's mouth fell open but it was Draco who caught Hermione's attention the most. His face paled, his eyes widened, and he seemed to freeze in his seat unable to move. If Hermione hadn't known any better she would have thought someone had used Pertrificus Totalus on him.
"You're pregnant?" Nichole finally whispered, forcing her mothers attention onto her. "As in you're having a baby?"
"It appears that way, yes," Hermione admitted. "The healer confirmed it this morning. According to her estimations I am three months along- New Years, I'd presume," she added with a glance at Draco- he still hadn't said a word, hadn't even moved a muscle, since she delivered the news.
Nichole made a face and turned away not wanting to be reminded of the scene she'd walked in to, but she quickly brought her attention to her father as well, having noticed his lack of response. "Dad?"
He didn't move.
"Draco?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Still, no response.
Nichole sighed and stood up. "I'm going to-." She gestured out of the room and her mother nodded, surprised yet pleased that her daughter was taking the news rather well; Nichole exited, leaving the pair to sit alone.
Draco looked very ashen, his face almost void of colour. Hermione scooted her chair closer to him and reached for his hands- they felt like stone beneath her. "Draco? Can you hear me?" Finally, he nodded, one small stiff nod. Hermione let out a relieved sigh. "Are you okay?"
His eyes finally blinked once, twice, a third time and he moved his hands out from under hers, dropping them to his lap. Then his head shifted ever so slightly over to her and his grey eyes bored into Hermione's brown ones. She saw the fear, the terror, the uncertainty that resided behind them- but upon close inspection she saw a sparkle- of hope and wonder and, dare she say, happiness?
Finally he spoke. "Are you sure about this Hermione?" His lips were numb and they hardly moved, but his words were crystal clear.
Hermione nodded firmly. "Yes, Draco. The healer confirmed it this morning. I am almost at the end of my first trimester. Like I said, my best guess would be that this baby was conceived on New Years."
Draco nodded stiffly again as he thought back to that night- that wonderful, magical night- had they used protection? Had they been safe? Smart? At the time he'd thought so, but now he wasn't so sure. "And you're sure it's-?"
"If you ask me if it's yours I may have to murder you, Draco Malfoy," Hermione stated in a very firm, very cold voice. His mouth clamped shut and he nodded, unable to finish his question.
They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes as each of them processed the unexpected news. Hermione was pregnant. With Draco's child. He, Draco, was going to have another child- one that he'd be able to watch grow up, one he'd be able to help raise, one he'd be able to influence- if she let him.
"Will I be able to be a part of their life?" He finally asked quietly causing Hermione's heart to clench as she realized his greatest fear. He had never been apart of Nichole's life, he hadn't watched her grow, hadn't taught her how to ride a broom, hadn't been there to pick her wand, or anticipate her sorting-
"Of course you will be, Draco- if you want to be that is."
Slowly a smile broke over Draco's face- the brightest smile Hermione had ever seen him wear. The smile lit up his eyes, brought colour to his face, and erased the wrinkles that were beginning to appear in the corner of his eyes. "Are you bloody well joking? Of course I want to be a part of their life." Draco stood up and wrapped his arms around Hermione before picking her body up and spinning it in happy circle. She giggled as he set her down and he crashed his mouth to hers, kissing her happily.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Hermione whispered against his mouth.
Draco let out a sigh and nodded, then grimaced as he said, "just wait until we tell my mother about this."
Hermione suddenly looked nervous again. "Will she be angry?"
"Angry?" Draco asked taken aback, then started to laugh. "are you kidding? She's going to be bloody well over the moon."
A/N
Well what'd you think? Did you see it coming? What with Narcissa say? Next chapter focuses on The Weasley Wedding! Please R&R