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Ch. 23 The Truth is Out There
As Hermione discreetly thumbed through a bridal magazine in the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron played a game of Wizard's Chess. The weather was warmer now, and the first day of spring was only a few days away. Hermione finished her N.E.W.T.s and felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She was now nearly three months pregnant. Her morning sickness had subsided, and she was beginning to have the weird food cravings notorious in most women's pregnancies.
Draco had still not heard from either his mother or father in the month or so that they had written them. Assuming he was disowned, Draco washed his hands of his situation with his parents and started off as a life of devoted father, dedicated husband, and set out to look for a job. He knew it would be a difficult search; he had not taken his N.E.W.T.s and his father had much influence (much to his disgust) through out the wizarding world.
The news of Draco and Hermione's engagement was still kept to a few select people, and Hermione did a very good job of hiding her ever so slightly growing tummy. Hermione would discover the results of her N.E.W.T.s in the next few days. As for now, she and Draco concentrated on finding ways to earn money, looking for jobs and finding a decent flat to move into after graduation. Hermione's parents agreed to supply them with a few of her old baby things; the crib (although it would need to be repainted), her clothes and an old changing table they found at a muggle garage sale. The Weasleys gave the couple 50 galleons, not much but enough to lift their spirits. Hermione went into Hogsmeade and immediately opened a savings deposit.
As for now, she was enjoying the silence and solitude of the warm and cozy Gryffindor room. Draco was out and about looking for a job, and Hermione took the day to be with her friends and make some wedding preparations. She wanted a small outdoor wedding, inviting only a few people, her parents, the Weasleys, Harry, Lavender and Parvati. Perhaps Professor Dumbledore could officiate the ceremony.
"Hermione, what ARE you reading?" Ron interrupted her thoughts. She merely held up the magazine and immediately he understood.
"What have you decided?" Harry asked quietly.
"Something small and simple. I want it to take place outdoors. I haven't decided on what kind of dress I want."
"Have you two decided on a date?"
"I was thinking before graduation, really."
"What???" Ron and Harry jumped.
"Well EXCUSE me, but I certainly do not want this child born out of wedlock. It'll be a small ceremony anyways."
"What's wedlock?" Ron asked, not familiar with the muggle term.
"A baby that is born to parents who aren't married," Harry answered. Growing up in a muggle environment, he had picked up on phrases and such and was used to muggle customs.
"Is that bad?" Ron still confused.
"It's certainly frowned upon, and I knew all my life I wanted to be a wife before a mother. It's just going to happen a little sooner than I expected." She felt her stomach rumble. "Are you guys hungry? I have a craving for baked potato covered in ketchup and chocolate sauce."
"Ew! Hermione that is absolutely disgusting." Harry held his nose up in distaste.
"Don't blame me!" She smiled and giggled as they made their way to the Great Hall. The room was relatively full; it was after all dinner time. The trio walked to their table and sat down. Hermione picked up another magazine, "What's Expected in Expecting", but she had bewitched the title so that others would see it as "Metropolitan". She reached over to pick up a piece of steak when there was a sudden chill in the air, followed by the bursting of the Great Hall doors. Harry and Ron jumped up and protectively covered Hermione as none other than Lucius Malfoy walked into the room.
"WITH CHILD? AND ENGAGED? WHERE THE FUCKING HELL IS MY POOR EXCUSE FOR LIVING AND BREATHING MATTER, MALFOY? OR BETTER YET, WHERE IS THE DISGUSTING LITTLE MUDBLOOD HE SEEMS TO BE SO INVOLVED WITH." Lucius eyes darted across the room until they met with a paling Hermione, who tried to cover her face as best she could. "HOW DARE YOU TRY AND HIDE FROM ME!" He stalked over to where Hermione, Ron and Harry were and pushed the two out of the way until he was face to face with his son's pregnant girlfriend.
"YOU FILTHY LOWLIFE! HOW DARE YOU GO ABOUT AND SEDUCE MY SON! NOW LOOK AT YOU. IMPREGNATED OF ALL THINGS! AND IF I READ MY SONS LETTER CORRECTLY, YOU TWO ARE ENGAGED!" Lucius caught glimpse of the ring settled on Hermione's left hand. He quieted his voice to a low rumble. "So, you think you can waltz into my family and pretend like nothing's going to happen? What did you expect that Narcissa and I would be just absolutely delighted to be the grandparents of a half breed? You nauseate me. I will not allow this union to go through! Give me the ring!" Lucius grabbed Hermione's arm. Through her tears and anger she fought off his grasp as best he could. Ron and Harry were trying to pull his arm out of hers and Professor Dumbledore was walking up the isle to try and deflect Lucius.
"ENOUGH FATHER!" a voice from the other side of the room cried out. Draco stood there, anger burning in his eyes and his wand out at the ready. "YOU LEAVE MY FIANCE ALONE! IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU COME AND DEAL WITH IT WITH ME!" Lucius turned and stared at his son. The room was totally silent and all heads were turned to either Lucius and Hermione or Draco. Professor Dumbledore tried to step in.
"Lucius! I command you to stop."
"Get out of the way old man! Petrificus Totales! Immediately Professor Dumbledore was stunned to the ground, not quick enough to pull out his wand and block the charm. Teachers gasped as nearby students attempted to gather the Headmaster and move him. "Now, Draco, you wouldn't use your wand against your dear old dad, now would you?"
Draco gave him a look of death. "If you ever touch Hermione that way again, I will kill you." His voice growled and echoed through out the hall.
Lucius fell into a fit of laughter. "Come now boy, let us go meet with your mother and discuss this like real gentleman. You don't need Ms. Granger; she is simply an obstacle in your life. She'll hold you back from becoming the world's greatest sorcerer. How do you know that this child is even yours? How do you know she's just not desperate to lose you? You are a strapping young man; you could have any woman you ever wanted."
Hermione's eyes burned as the words pierced through her heart. Ron and Harry held her up protectively in case Lucius tried anything again.
"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU FATHER! I REFUSE TO BE ANYTHING CLOSE TO YOUR DISPICABLE PERSONALITY. YOU ONLY WANT TO CAUSE HARM IN THIS WORLD. IF ANYTHING, HERMIONE HAS TAUGHT ME HOW TO LIVE, HOW TO LOVE. I DON'T WANT YOU AS A FATHER IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE OUR LIVES A LIVING HELL. I DON'T-"
"SILENCE! I WILL HEAR NO MORE OF THIS." Lucius raised is wand. He began to mouth the words of the death curse when he stopped. His eyes turned bright and his skin grew very pale. The words of the Imperious Curse echoed in the room as three wands pointed towards Lucius' back.
Draco looked and saw that Harry, Hermione and Ron lowered their wands. Lucius fell to the floor and crumbled into dust. He was dead. Hermione felt her knees weaken as she realized what she had just done. Draco looked at her in shock. Harry and Ron stared at the remains of Lucius Malfoy. All eyes were at Hermione. Everyone in that room had just discovered that Hermione was both pregnant and engaged to Draco Malfoy.
Teachers frantically began to scramble to Professor Dumbledore and Lucius. Amidst the crowed Draco lost sight of Hermione. Her heart ripped in half as she bolted from Harry and Ron's grip and ran out of the room. She had just killed her fiancé's father. She felt her feet carry her away from the castle grounds as she ran towards Hogsmeade. She had to leave. Draco would break up with her and she would be all alone with a baby. Who would want her?
Draco's eyes frantically searched through the chaos in search of his Hermione. She had probably done the best thing that could have ever happened to him. His father was no longer a threat to him, and he and Hermione could live happily ever after. He jumped up and saw Ron and Harry.
"Where did she go?" he yelled.
"She ran off! She left through the doors and just disappeared!" Harry yelled back. Draco cursed to himself as he turned through the hall doors and ran out to search for Hermione.
"Hermione! Where are you?" He cried almost worthlessly. * * * *
Hermione walked around in an unknown town. She missed the train back to her parents, and not wanting to stay around, she began walking up the mountains. It was quite beautiful- the sun was out and shining brightly, the air was crisp and clean, but her heart was black and tainted. She walked into a little clearing and sat down, sobbing. Now she really was alone. Draco was never going to forgive her for killing his own flesh and blood. She would surely be thrown away and the key would be locked up.
She laid her head in her hands and sighed. Her tears streamed down her cheeks as the winds grew cold. She looked up in the distance and she could see dark clouds starting to build. She knew she would be in trouble soon if she didn't find shelter. Reluctantly Hermione picked herself up and began walking. The winds grew colder and colder and the skies quickly turned grey. Weather on the mountains was indeed very unpredictable because of their higher elevations, and now she was up shit's creek with out a paddle.
Eventually Hermione found a little cabin that did not seem to be inhabited and let herself in just in time. Suddenly a loud crack of thunder boomed through the skies and lightening leaped from cloud to cloud and rain droplets the size of quarters fell. She walked over to the couch and lied down. It was musty, but comfortable. She was very hungry, very cold and very alone. She wished she hadn't run away; she wished she hadn't killed Draco's father or she wouldn't be up there.
Draco searched far and wide on the castle grounds. The skies were continually growing darker, and his frustration grew as there was no sign of Hermione.
"Anything?" he asked Harry who just flew in from his broom.
"She's nowhere to be found on the castle. Ron can't find her anywhere. He said he was going to check Hogsmeade to see if anyone had seen her."
"How long ago was that?"
"About 30 minutes ago. I told him to meet me back here any moment."
"Malfoy! Harry! Some one saw her!" cried a voice from the distant. The undeniable red hair of Ron Weasley could be easily spotted from miles away as he pulled up on his broom.
"She went to Hogsmeade to try and buy a train ticket but they didn't have what she want. Some one else said they saw her going up the mountain." In the distance a low rumble of thunder echoed through the horizon.
"Oh god, she's up there with the storm coming?" Draco's stomach lurched as he jumped on his broomstick instinctively and flew away from Harry and Ron.
"Where are you going?" shouted Harry.
"To find Hermione! She's up there on that mountain somewhere and I'm going to get her and bring her home."
"Malfoy it's too dangerous. The weather is worse up on the mountains than it is down here. You'll get yourself killed."
"Hermione could die, and so could our baby if she really is up there wandering around in the middle of nowhere. You can stay if you want, but I'm going to get her." With out waiting for their answer he flew up as fast as he could, braving the rain and the lightening. He had played in worse conditions than this thanks to quidditch, but catching a golden snitch was the last thing from his mind.
The rain pitter pattered on the windows as Hermione walked around the little room, protectively holding her belly. The thunder was crashing loudly above. She was tired, but mostly hungry. Madame Pomfrey was going to have her hide for this. She wished she could see Draco, have him hold her, but she knew it would never be possible, never again. He probably hates her more than anything. A crack from overhead interrupted her thoughts, but it wasn't thunder. A support beam from over head was beginning to crack and shatter and Hermione's heart went through her stomach. The storm was only intensifying, and she thought about running out into the storm and finding shelter, or heading back to Hogwarts. Yes, that's what she would do. Go back to Hogwarts.
She turned and was opening the door when the support beam gave way and knocked Hermione square on her head, knocking her to the floor. She was able to catch herself before completely falling down, but like dominos, the rest of the cabin came down on top of her.
Draco, only a few miles from the cabin, saw it go down. Instinct told him to keep looking around the mountain, but he had a feeling that he should check out cabin. He flew a little faster and in five minutes he was at what used to be the front door.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" he yelled as he began to sift through the debris. He heard a low moan from a corner of the rubble and he went towards the sound. He lifted away the wood pieces and right away he saw Hermione. Blood was trickling down her head and she was out cold.
"Oh my god, Hermione! Wake up sweetheart wake up!" he cried as Draco pulled away the rest of the wood. Hermione's arm was still over her stomach, but she was cold.
"Draco, is that her?" Harry cried as he came closer to where he was.
"Yea, help me bring her back to the castle!"
"Oh my god, Hermione was under there?" yelled Ron, coming up shortly after Harry.
Tears were beginning to well up in Draco's eyes as he pulled Hermione up and held her closely. She was heavy with her dead weight up against him, but with the help of Ron and Harry, they were able to bring Hermione back to Hogwarts just as the storm was subsiding.
Ch. 23 The Truth is Out There
As Hermione discreetly thumbed through a bridal magazine in the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron played a game of Wizard's Chess. The weather was warmer now, and the first day of spring was only a few days away. Hermione finished her N.E.W.T.s and felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She was now nearly three months pregnant. Her morning sickness had subsided, and she was beginning to have the weird food cravings notorious in most women's pregnancies.
Draco had still not heard from either his mother or father in the month or so that they had written them. Assuming he was disowned, Draco washed his hands of his situation with his parents and started off as a life of devoted father, dedicated husband, and set out to look for a job. He knew it would be a difficult search; he had not taken his N.E.W.T.s and his father had much influence (much to his disgust) through out the wizarding world.
The news of Draco and Hermione's engagement was still kept to a few select people, and Hermione did a very good job of hiding her ever so slightly growing tummy. Hermione would discover the results of her N.E.W.T.s in the next few days. As for now, she and Draco concentrated on finding ways to earn money, looking for jobs and finding a decent flat to move into after graduation. Hermione's parents agreed to supply them with a few of her old baby things; the crib (although it would need to be repainted), her clothes and an old changing table they found at a muggle garage sale. The Weasleys gave the couple 50 galleons, not much but enough to lift their spirits. Hermione went into Hogsmeade and immediately opened a savings deposit.
As for now, she was enjoying the silence and solitude of the warm and cozy Gryffindor room. Draco was out and about looking for a job, and Hermione took the day to be with her friends and make some wedding preparations. She wanted a small outdoor wedding, inviting only a few people, her parents, the Weasleys, Harry, Lavender and Parvati. Perhaps Professor Dumbledore could officiate the ceremony.
"Hermione, what ARE you reading?" Ron interrupted her thoughts. She merely held up the magazine and immediately he understood.
"What have you decided?" Harry asked quietly.
"Something small and simple. I want it to take place outdoors. I haven't decided on what kind of dress I want."
"Have you two decided on a date?"
"I was thinking before graduation, really."
"What???" Ron and Harry jumped.
"Well EXCUSE me, but I certainly do not want this child born out of wedlock. It'll be a small ceremony anyways."
"What's wedlock?" Ron asked, not familiar with the muggle term.
"A baby that is born to parents who aren't married," Harry answered. Growing up in a muggle environment, he had picked up on phrases and such and was used to muggle customs.
"Is that bad?" Ron still confused.
"It's certainly frowned upon, and I knew all my life I wanted to be a wife before a mother. It's just going to happen a little sooner than I expected." She felt her stomach rumble. "Are you guys hungry? I have a craving for baked potato covered in ketchup and chocolate sauce."
"Ew! Hermione that is absolutely disgusting." Harry held his nose up in distaste.
"Don't blame me!" She smiled and giggled as they made their way to the Great Hall. The room was relatively full; it was after all dinner time. The trio walked to their table and sat down. Hermione picked up another magazine, "What's Expected in Expecting", but she had bewitched the title so that others would see it as "Metropolitan". She reached over to pick up a piece of steak when there was a sudden chill in the air, followed by the bursting of the Great Hall doors. Harry and Ron jumped up and protectively covered Hermione as none other than Lucius Malfoy walked into the room.
"WITH CHILD? AND ENGAGED? WHERE THE FUCKING HELL IS MY POOR EXCUSE FOR LIVING AND BREATHING MATTER, MALFOY? OR BETTER YET, WHERE IS THE DISGUSTING LITTLE MUDBLOOD HE SEEMS TO BE SO INVOLVED WITH." Lucius eyes darted across the room until they met with a paling Hermione, who tried to cover her face as best she could. "HOW DARE YOU TRY AND HIDE FROM ME!" He stalked over to where Hermione, Ron and Harry were and pushed the two out of the way until he was face to face with his son's pregnant girlfriend.
"YOU FILTHY LOWLIFE! HOW DARE YOU GO ABOUT AND SEDUCE MY SON! NOW LOOK AT YOU. IMPREGNATED OF ALL THINGS! AND IF I READ MY SONS LETTER CORRECTLY, YOU TWO ARE ENGAGED!" Lucius caught glimpse of the ring settled on Hermione's left hand. He quieted his voice to a low rumble. "So, you think you can waltz into my family and pretend like nothing's going to happen? What did you expect that Narcissa and I would be just absolutely delighted to be the grandparents of a half breed? You nauseate me. I will not allow this union to go through! Give me the ring!" Lucius grabbed Hermione's arm. Through her tears and anger she fought off his grasp as best he could. Ron and Harry were trying to pull his arm out of hers and Professor Dumbledore was walking up the isle to try and deflect Lucius.
"ENOUGH FATHER!" a voice from the other side of the room cried out. Draco stood there, anger burning in his eyes and his wand out at the ready. "YOU LEAVE MY FIANCE ALONE! IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU COME AND DEAL WITH IT WITH ME!" Lucius turned and stared at his son. The room was totally silent and all heads were turned to either Lucius and Hermione or Draco. Professor Dumbledore tried to step in.
"Lucius! I command you to stop."
"Get out of the way old man! Petrificus Totales! Immediately Professor Dumbledore was stunned to the ground, not quick enough to pull out his wand and block the charm. Teachers gasped as nearby students attempted to gather the Headmaster and move him. "Now, Draco, you wouldn't use your wand against your dear old dad, now would you?"
Draco gave him a look of death. "If you ever touch Hermione that way again, I will kill you." His voice growled and echoed through out the hall.
Lucius fell into a fit of laughter. "Come now boy, let us go meet with your mother and discuss this like real gentleman. You don't need Ms. Granger; she is simply an obstacle in your life. She'll hold you back from becoming the world's greatest sorcerer. How do you know that this child is even yours? How do you know she's just not desperate to lose you? You are a strapping young man; you could have any woman you ever wanted."
Hermione's eyes burned as the words pierced through her heart. Ron and Harry held her up protectively in case Lucius tried anything again.
"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU FATHER! I REFUSE TO BE ANYTHING CLOSE TO YOUR DISPICABLE PERSONALITY. YOU ONLY WANT TO CAUSE HARM IN THIS WORLD. IF ANYTHING, HERMIONE HAS TAUGHT ME HOW TO LIVE, HOW TO LOVE. I DON'T WANT YOU AS A FATHER IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE OUR LIVES A LIVING HELL. I DON'T-"
"SILENCE! I WILL HEAR NO MORE OF THIS." Lucius raised is wand. He began to mouth the words of the death curse when he stopped. His eyes turned bright and his skin grew very pale. The words of the Imperious Curse echoed in the room as three wands pointed towards Lucius' back.
Draco looked and saw that Harry, Hermione and Ron lowered their wands. Lucius fell to the floor and crumbled into dust. He was dead. Hermione felt her knees weaken as she realized what she had just done. Draco looked at her in shock. Harry and Ron stared at the remains of Lucius Malfoy. All eyes were at Hermione. Everyone in that room had just discovered that Hermione was both pregnant and engaged to Draco Malfoy.
Teachers frantically began to scramble to Professor Dumbledore and Lucius. Amidst the crowed Draco lost sight of Hermione. Her heart ripped in half as she bolted from Harry and Ron's grip and ran out of the room. She had just killed her fiancé's father. She felt her feet carry her away from the castle grounds as she ran towards Hogsmeade. She had to leave. Draco would break up with her and she would be all alone with a baby. Who would want her?
Draco's eyes frantically searched through the chaos in search of his Hermione. She had probably done the best thing that could have ever happened to him. His father was no longer a threat to him, and he and Hermione could live happily ever after. He jumped up and saw Ron and Harry.
"Where did she go?" he yelled.
"She ran off! She left through the doors and just disappeared!" Harry yelled back. Draco cursed to himself as he turned through the hall doors and ran out to search for Hermione.
"Hermione! Where are you?" He cried almost worthlessly. * * * *
Hermione walked around in an unknown town. She missed the train back to her parents, and not wanting to stay around, she began walking up the mountains. It was quite beautiful- the sun was out and shining brightly, the air was crisp and clean, but her heart was black and tainted. She walked into a little clearing and sat down, sobbing. Now she really was alone. Draco was never going to forgive her for killing his own flesh and blood. She would surely be thrown away and the key would be locked up.
She laid her head in her hands and sighed. Her tears streamed down her cheeks as the winds grew cold. She looked up in the distance and she could see dark clouds starting to build. She knew she would be in trouble soon if she didn't find shelter. Reluctantly Hermione picked herself up and began walking. The winds grew colder and colder and the skies quickly turned grey. Weather on the mountains was indeed very unpredictable because of their higher elevations, and now she was up shit's creek with out a paddle.
Eventually Hermione found a little cabin that did not seem to be inhabited and let herself in just in time. Suddenly a loud crack of thunder boomed through the skies and lightening leaped from cloud to cloud and rain droplets the size of quarters fell. She walked over to the couch and lied down. It was musty, but comfortable. She was very hungry, very cold and very alone. She wished she hadn't run away; she wished she hadn't killed Draco's father or she wouldn't be up there.
Draco searched far and wide on the castle grounds. The skies were continually growing darker, and his frustration grew as there was no sign of Hermione.
"Anything?" he asked Harry who just flew in from his broom.
"She's nowhere to be found on the castle. Ron can't find her anywhere. He said he was going to check Hogsmeade to see if anyone had seen her."
"How long ago was that?"
"About 30 minutes ago. I told him to meet me back here any moment."
"Malfoy! Harry! Some one saw her!" cried a voice from the distant. The undeniable red hair of Ron Weasley could be easily spotted from miles away as he pulled up on his broom.
"She went to Hogsmeade to try and buy a train ticket but they didn't have what she want. Some one else said they saw her going up the mountain." In the distance a low rumble of thunder echoed through the horizon.
"Oh god, she's up there with the storm coming?" Draco's stomach lurched as he jumped on his broomstick instinctively and flew away from Harry and Ron.
"Where are you going?" shouted Harry.
"To find Hermione! She's up there on that mountain somewhere and I'm going to get her and bring her home."
"Malfoy it's too dangerous. The weather is worse up on the mountains than it is down here. You'll get yourself killed."
"Hermione could die, and so could our baby if she really is up there wandering around in the middle of nowhere. You can stay if you want, but I'm going to get her." With out waiting for their answer he flew up as fast as he could, braving the rain and the lightening. He had played in worse conditions than this thanks to quidditch, but catching a golden snitch was the last thing from his mind.
The rain pitter pattered on the windows as Hermione walked around the little room, protectively holding her belly. The thunder was crashing loudly above. She was tired, but mostly hungry. Madame Pomfrey was going to have her hide for this. She wished she could see Draco, have him hold her, but she knew it would never be possible, never again. He probably hates her more than anything. A crack from overhead interrupted her thoughts, but it wasn't thunder. A support beam from over head was beginning to crack and shatter and Hermione's heart went through her stomach. The storm was only intensifying, and she thought about running out into the storm and finding shelter, or heading back to Hogwarts. Yes, that's what she would do. Go back to Hogwarts.
She turned and was opening the door when the support beam gave way and knocked Hermione square on her head, knocking her to the floor. She was able to catch herself before completely falling down, but like dominos, the rest of the cabin came down on top of her.
Draco, only a few miles from the cabin, saw it go down. Instinct told him to keep looking around the mountain, but he had a feeling that he should check out cabin. He flew a little faster and in five minutes he was at what used to be the front door.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" he yelled as he began to sift through the debris. He heard a low moan from a corner of the rubble and he went towards the sound. He lifted away the wood pieces and right away he saw Hermione. Blood was trickling down her head and she was out cold.
"Oh my god, Hermione! Wake up sweetheart wake up!" he cried as Draco pulled away the rest of the wood. Hermione's arm was still over her stomach, but she was cold.
"Draco, is that her?" Harry cried as he came closer to where he was.
"Yea, help me bring her back to the castle!"
"Oh my god, Hermione was under there?" yelled Ron, coming up shortly after Harry.
Tears were beginning to well up in Draco's eyes as he pulled Hermione up and held her closely. She was heavy with her dead weight up against him, but with the help of Ron and Harry, they were able to bring Hermione back to Hogwarts just as the storm was subsiding.