Chapter Eleven
Hermione's silence lasted through to the next morning, even though Draco remembered his wording and undid the command for her to make no noise. Over breakfast Draco seemed to catch onto the fact that Hermione was mad at him, and he attempted to apologize.
"Listen, Hermione, I didn't mean to shut you out last night like I did. I was just trying to think and I like it to be quiet. Forgive me, okay?"
"Of course I forgive you, but it doesn't leave room for other options when you make me," said Hermione.
"Oh. I didn't even notice that," he said, shrugging his shoulders at her. "Will you forgive me this time?" His tone was playful, and he leaned over and swiped a piece of hair that had fallen into her face.
"Yes," replied Hermione, leaning forward and taking his lips with hers. He returned her passion and pulled her out of her chair so that they could stand closer. He wrapped his arms around her and held her closer, parting her lips with his tongue. Her hands drifted up his back and tangled into his hair, dragging his head even closer and crushing her mouth into his.
Hermione pulled away after several minutes, leaving Draco looking disappointed. "I have to tell you something."
"Can't it wait?" asked Draco, letting his hands wander under her shirt. Hermione giggled nervously but pushed away his exploring fingers.
"This morning I. I mean. It just found out. Uh," stammered Hermione, looking at the floor.
Draco seemed to ignore her attempts to tell him something important and instead moved his mouth to her ear, where he sucked and licked at her earlobe. Hermione, thinking it was best to just come out and say it quickly, blurted out a sentence rapidly. "DracoIknowyouwantedtowaitabitlongerbutIfoundoutthismorningthatI'mpregnant!"
Draco let her ear slip from between his lips and took a step back, looking at her as if in a daze. Hermione waited anxiously for him to speak, but he didn't. Instead, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him and kissing her fervently. When he finally pulled back, he left Hermione flushed and still waiting for him to say something. "Hermione, that's great. I don't care if we wait or not," said Draco, for once letting down his cool façade and grinning happily.
Hermione sighed, relieved, and then smiled back and tugged him to her. They kept kissing for quite awhile, and Draco had just pulled her in the direction of the door to their bedroom when they were somewhat distracted.
They were unpleasantly interrupted when a loud tapping noise echoed near to them. Hermione sighed and separated from her husband. A large, silvery- white owl was perched on the outside sill of a window, tapping impatiently and looking miffed that he had to wait this long.
Draco started towards the window, but Hermione put a hand on his arm, suddenly very scared. "Do you think it's about my parents?"
"Maybe," said Draco, wanting to open it before the aggravated owl scratched through the window altogether.
"Would there be an answer after only one day?"
"Maybe," repeated Draco, getting annoyed at Hermione's apprehension. She was still gripping his arm, and he wanted to just open the stupid letter so that they could get back to kissing. He turned his head to look at her, and, seeing the mixed emotions painted onto her face, he felt something that might have been compassion enter him. Draco, confused at the strange sensation of wanting to make someone other than himself feel better, hesitated before gathering her into his arms.
Hermione could feel the small change in him, and the part of her mind that was always receiving orders from him heard a different kind of message now. Instead of the calculated and controlled commands he issued to her rarely or on accident, she felt a request from him. It was rather complex, and she could barely interpret it. Hermione had the impression that Draco didn't even know what he was asking, and wasn't about to try and clarify it.
With difficulty, Hermione extracted herself from Draco's strong arms and looked resolutely towards the window. She took a deep breath as if she were about to dive into an unknown body of water (which, in a way, she was). As the air filled her lungs, so did Draco's unique scent, a mixture of light cologne and something that was only him- indescribable but so precious.
"Open it," said Hermione, deciding that not knowing was worse. Draco raised an eyebrow at her order, but went to the window anyway. He opened the window and let the irritated owl swoop in and land on the table. Hermione felt a pang of nervousness go through her, and in order to prolong the time until she had to find out, she practically yelled at Draco, "Why don't we send a letter to your mother first?"
He looked at her as if she were insane, and asked, "Why?"
"Let's tell her about the baby," said Hermione, hoping to procrastinate opening the letter, or maybe never open it at all.
He must have sensed why she was acting oddly, so he took a piece of parchment off of the table and scribbled a note to his parents quickly. "Wouldn't you rather tell them in person?"
"Um. Not really. Not after last night, anyway," said Hermione quietly, referring to the way Lucius had looked at her coldly. "But we can tell my parents in person when we see them tomorrow."
"You mean then Coltones?"
"Of course," said Hermione indignantly. "They may not be my biological parents, but they'll always be my real parents." Draco put the note to the Malfoys in an envelope and attached it to the owl's leg. The owl had been growing more impatient and was currently clawing at the table's wooden surface, leaving long scratches in the polish.
She watched as he removed the roll of parchment about her parents from the owl's leg and undid the seal that closed the envelope. The ill-tempered owl swooped out of the open window, biting Draco hard on the ear as it left. Hermione watched apprehensively as Draco read the letter, her stomach churning nervously.
[A/N: This was where I planned to stop chanpter eleven, but I decided that I couldn't be that cruel.]
His eyes swept over the first few sentences, reading quickly and smoothly. Hermione saw his eyes go wide and then a look of contained horror flashed into them. Panic bubbled up inside of her and she crossed the room and stood next to him, trying to read over his shoulder. As soon as she got there, he closed the letter quickly and turned to Hermione.
"You have to go," he said softly but quickly. She noticed that he was avoiding her eyes.
"What?" The panic disappeared, and left a strong feeling of confusion and fear in its wake. "What do you mean?"
"My father. He'll know by now and he'll come here," muttered Draco to himself, making Hermione's confusion triple.
"Let me read the letter, Draco!"
He looked at her sharply, as if he had forgotten that she was there, but handed it over nonetheless. Hermione's eyes scanned the letter, and she found herself even more confused than ever. Her birth parents had been muggles; Helen and Roger Granger. This in itself was confusing, as she had lived her whole life in a society of purebloods and had always assumed she was like them.
What was more bewildering to her, however, was how Draco had reacted. The horrified look in his eyes made her feel betrayed and prickly. Was he ashamed of her now that he knew her heritage? Did he discriminate against muggle-borns like many of wizarding community? And why had he told her to leave? Was he kicking her out of their home? Would he be so cruel as to abandon his wife? Would he also desert his child? Uneasiness leaked into her, and she was reminded of how little she actually knew him. They had known each other for just over a month, and Hermione began to feel that she shouldn't have abandoned her initial feelings of hostility.
Looking up into Draco's face, she saw a mix of feelings that shocked her. The desperation on his face made her confusion increase. Was he worried about her or him? And what did his father have to do with it? Why did Draco mention Lucius?
"Hermione, you have to leave before he gets here," he said. "I didn't realize it, but my father knew all about our search for your birth parents. That's why he was angry the other night. And now he'll know that you're a muggle-born. He won't like it- you heard him talking about how inferior muggles are to wizards." He said this in a low voice and looked sad as let the words sink in.
"How would he know?"
"The man I hired to find out knew him from school and they see each other at the Ministry sometimes. I only knew him through Lucius." Draco took a deep breath, looking incredibly regretful. "I'm almost sure that Lucius would be informed about your parents at the same time as us, if not before."
"What would he do?"
Draco hesitated, obviously not wanting to tell her. "My father. Well, he isn't a good person," sighed Draco, putting it lightly. "Since there's no divorce after magical marriages, he might decide that he had to get rid of you another way. He wouldn't want to have you around as a reminder of our marriage."
Hermione felt the words sink in, and felt her throat close up. She managed to croak out, "You mean he might try to kill me?"
"He wouldn't just try. He'd make certain you were gone. And then he'd cover it up so that no one would ever find out."
Hermione clutched her stomach, feeling it twisting and she had the overwhelming urge to be sick. Then, she suddenly realized something. "The baby," she sobbed.
Draco looked up, the desperation on his face growing. They had just sent a letter to his parents, telling them that Hermione was expecting. Lucius was a purist through and through. He wouldn't want to just get rid of Hermione, but he would also want to kill their baby in order to remove a permanent reminder of the Malfoy blood being tainted by muggles. Draco told Hermione this softly, as if he was trying not to panic.
Hermione sobbed even harder, clutching her middle harder. Draco pulled her into his arms, thinking hard. She let herself relax a little into his embrace, feeling his strong arms around her for what seemed might be the last time. When he pulled back, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a tiny gold key.
"Take this," he said, handing it to her. "It's the key to our Gringotts vault. Take as much money as you can and go. When I figure something else out- when it's safe, I'll find you. Just go."
Hermione's stomach twisted even further as she tried to resist Draco's order. Her attempts to ignore the command were cut short as she heard their house's front door slam and heavy footsteps running across the hall. "Go!"
Hermione willed herself to dissapparate, and as she started to spin away from her home, she tried to gasp out, "I love you" to Draco. Her words were cut off, however, as she vanished. For several seconds she was suspended in nothingness, traveling rapidly away from Draco. She was leaving. She had found a way to escape her marriage, something she had thought was impossible. But, as she spun through space, she wondered if she still wanted to leave.
The End.
[LAST Author's Note: Well there's the end! What do you think? I just bet you think I'm truly horrible to leave it like that. And of course you do. I even felt guilty doing that to the story. But just to console myself that I'm not a terrible, horrible person, there will be a sequel. Yes! A sequel! But it wont be out for a while since I haven't decided how it will go and I've only written a little bit. Now that school is started up again, I barely have time to update.
However, while you wait in excited suspense (yeah, right) I will shamelessly plug another story of mine that you could maybe read it you like. Or, with as little shame as possible. If you like Lily/James stories, then you should read mine, titled "Simple Complexities."
So hopefully you'll have fun with that one, and I'll see you at the sequel. Tah Tah!
--CC]
Hermione's silence lasted through to the next morning, even though Draco remembered his wording and undid the command for her to make no noise. Over breakfast Draco seemed to catch onto the fact that Hermione was mad at him, and he attempted to apologize.
"Listen, Hermione, I didn't mean to shut you out last night like I did. I was just trying to think and I like it to be quiet. Forgive me, okay?"
"Of course I forgive you, but it doesn't leave room for other options when you make me," said Hermione.
"Oh. I didn't even notice that," he said, shrugging his shoulders at her. "Will you forgive me this time?" His tone was playful, and he leaned over and swiped a piece of hair that had fallen into her face.
"Yes," replied Hermione, leaning forward and taking his lips with hers. He returned her passion and pulled her out of her chair so that they could stand closer. He wrapped his arms around her and held her closer, parting her lips with his tongue. Her hands drifted up his back and tangled into his hair, dragging his head even closer and crushing her mouth into his.
Hermione pulled away after several minutes, leaving Draco looking disappointed. "I have to tell you something."
"Can't it wait?" asked Draco, letting his hands wander under her shirt. Hermione giggled nervously but pushed away his exploring fingers.
"This morning I. I mean. It just found out. Uh," stammered Hermione, looking at the floor.
Draco seemed to ignore her attempts to tell him something important and instead moved his mouth to her ear, where he sucked and licked at her earlobe. Hermione, thinking it was best to just come out and say it quickly, blurted out a sentence rapidly. "DracoIknowyouwantedtowaitabitlongerbutIfoundoutthismorningthatI'mpregnant!"
Draco let her ear slip from between his lips and took a step back, looking at her as if in a daze. Hermione waited anxiously for him to speak, but he didn't. Instead, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him and kissing her fervently. When he finally pulled back, he left Hermione flushed and still waiting for him to say something. "Hermione, that's great. I don't care if we wait or not," said Draco, for once letting down his cool façade and grinning happily.
Hermione sighed, relieved, and then smiled back and tugged him to her. They kept kissing for quite awhile, and Draco had just pulled her in the direction of the door to their bedroom when they were somewhat distracted.
They were unpleasantly interrupted when a loud tapping noise echoed near to them. Hermione sighed and separated from her husband. A large, silvery- white owl was perched on the outside sill of a window, tapping impatiently and looking miffed that he had to wait this long.
Draco started towards the window, but Hermione put a hand on his arm, suddenly very scared. "Do you think it's about my parents?"
"Maybe," said Draco, wanting to open it before the aggravated owl scratched through the window altogether.
"Would there be an answer after only one day?"
"Maybe," repeated Draco, getting annoyed at Hermione's apprehension. She was still gripping his arm, and he wanted to just open the stupid letter so that they could get back to kissing. He turned his head to look at her, and, seeing the mixed emotions painted onto her face, he felt something that might have been compassion enter him. Draco, confused at the strange sensation of wanting to make someone other than himself feel better, hesitated before gathering her into his arms.
Hermione could feel the small change in him, and the part of her mind that was always receiving orders from him heard a different kind of message now. Instead of the calculated and controlled commands he issued to her rarely or on accident, she felt a request from him. It was rather complex, and she could barely interpret it. Hermione had the impression that Draco didn't even know what he was asking, and wasn't about to try and clarify it.
With difficulty, Hermione extracted herself from Draco's strong arms and looked resolutely towards the window. She took a deep breath as if she were about to dive into an unknown body of water (which, in a way, she was). As the air filled her lungs, so did Draco's unique scent, a mixture of light cologne and something that was only him- indescribable but so precious.
"Open it," said Hermione, deciding that not knowing was worse. Draco raised an eyebrow at her order, but went to the window anyway. He opened the window and let the irritated owl swoop in and land on the table. Hermione felt a pang of nervousness go through her, and in order to prolong the time until she had to find out, she practically yelled at Draco, "Why don't we send a letter to your mother first?"
He looked at her as if she were insane, and asked, "Why?"
"Let's tell her about the baby," said Hermione, hoping to procrastinate opening the letter, or maybe never open it at all.
He must have sensed why she was acting oddly, so he took a piece of parchment off of the table and scribbled a note to his parents quickly. "Wouldn't you rather tell them in person?"
"Um. Not really. Not after last night, anyway," said Hermione quietly, referring to the way Lucius had looked at her coldly. "But we can tell my parents in person when we see them tomorrow."
"You mean then Coltones?"
"Of course," said Hermione indignantly. "They may not be my biological parents, but they'll always be my real parents." Draco put the note to the Malfoys in an envelope and attached it to the owl's leg. The owl had been growing more impatient and was currently clawing at the table's wooden surface, leaving long scratches in the polish.
She watched as he removed the roll of parchment about her parents from the owl's leg and undid the seal that closed the envelope. The ill-tempered owl swooped out of the open window, biting Draco hard on the ear as it left. Hermione watched apprehensively as Draco read the letter, her stomach churning nervously.
[A/N: This was where I planned to stop chanpter eleven, but I decided that I couldn't be that cruel.]
His eyes swept over the first few sentences, reading quickly and smoothly. Hermione saw his eyes go wide and then a look of contained horror flashed into them. Panic bubbled up inside of her and she crossed the room and stood next to him, trying to read over his shoulder. As soon as she got there, he closed the letter quickly and turned to Hermione.
"You have to go," he said softly but quickly. She noticed that he was avoiding her eyes.
"What?" The panic disappeared, and left a strong feeling of confusion and fear in its wake. "What do you mean?"
"My father. He'll know by now and he'll come here," muttered Draco to himself, making Hermione's confusion triple.
"Let me read the letter, Draco!"
He looked at her sharply, as if he had forgotten that she was there, but handed it over nonetheless. Hermione's eyes scanned the letter, and she found herself even more confused than ever. Her birth parents had been muggles; Helen and Roger Granger. This in itself was confusing, as she had lived her whole life in a society of purebloods and had always assumed she was like them.
What was more bewildering to her, however, was how Draco had reacted. The horrified look in his eyes made her feel betrayed and prickly. Was he ashamed of her now that he knew her heritage? Did he discriminate against muggle-borns like many of wizarding community? And why had he told her to leave? Was he kicking her out of their home? Would he be so cruel as to abandon his wife? Would he also desert his child? Uneasiness leaked into her, and she was reminded of how little she actually knew him. They had known each other for just over a month, and Hermione began to feel that she shouldn't have abandoned her initial feelings of hostility.
Looking up into Draco's face, she saw a mix of feelings that shocked her. The desperation on his face made her confusion increase. Was he worried about her or him? And what did his father have to do with it? Why did Draco mention Lucius?
"Hermione, you have to leave before he gets here," he said. "I didn't realize it, but my father knew all about our search for your birth parents. That's why he was angry the other night. And now he'll know that you're a muggle-born. He won't like it- you heard him talking about how inferior muggles are to wizards." He said this in a low voice and looked sad as let the words sink in.
"How would he know?"
"The man I hired to find out knew him from school and they see each other at the Ministry sometimes. I only knew him through Lucius." Draco took a deep breath, looking incredibly regretful. "I'm almost sure that Lucius would be informed about your parents at the same time as us, if not before."
"What would he do?"
Draco hesitated, obviously not wanting to tell her. "My father. Well, he isn't a good person," sighed Draco, putting it lightly. "Since there's no divorce after magical marriages, he might decide that he had to get rid of you another way. He wouldn't want to have you around as a reminder of our marriage."
Hermione felt the words sink in, and felt her throat close up. She managed to croak out, "You mean he might try to kill me?"
"He wouldn't just try. He'd make certain you were gone. And then he'd cover it up so that no one would ever find out."
Hermione clutched her stomach, feeling it twisting and she had the overwhelming urge to be sick. Then, she suddenly realized something. "The baby," she sobbed.
Draco looked up, the desperation on his face growing. They had just sent a letter to his parents, telling them that Hermione was expecting. Lucius was a purist through and through. He wouldn't want to just get rid of Hermione, but he would also want to kill their baby in order to remove a permanent reminder of the Malfoy blood being tainted by muggles. Draco told Hermione this softly, as if he was trying not to panic.
Hermione sobbed even harder, clutching her middle harder. Draco pulled her into his arms, thinking hard. She let herself relax a little into his embrace, feeling his strong arms around her for what seemed might be the last time. When he pulled back, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a tiny gold key.
"Take this," he said, handing it to her. "It's the key to our Gringotts vault. Take as much money as you can and go. When I figure something else out- when it's safe, I'll find you. Just go."
Hermione's stomach twisted even further as she tried to resist Draco's order. Her attempts to ignore the command were cut short as she heard their house's front door slam and heavy footsteps running across the hall. "Go!"
Hermione willed herself to dissapparate, and as she started to spin away from her home, she tried to gasp out, "I love you" to Draco. Her words were cut off, however, as she vanished. For several seconds she was suspended in nothingness, traveling rapidly away from Draco. She was leaving. She had found a way to escape her marriage, something she had thought was impossible. But, as she spun through space, she wondered if she still wanted to leave.
The End.
[LAST Author's Note: Well there's the end! What do you think? I just bet you think I'm truly horrible to leave it like that. And of course you do. I even felt guilty doing that to the story. But just to console myself that I'm not a terrible, horrible person, there will be a sequel. Yes! A sequel! But it wont be out for a while since I haven't decided how it will go and I've only written a little bit. Now that school is started up again, I barely have time to update.
However, while you wait in excited suspense (yeah, right) I will shamelessly plug another story of mine that you could maybe read it you like. Or, with as little shame as possible. If you like Lily/James stories, then you should read mine, titled "Simple Complexities."
So hopefully you'll have fun with that one, and I'll see you at the sequel. Tah Tah!
--CC]
