Chapter Nine
Five months later...
Draco had had a very miserable time during those five months. He knew he was going to be a father, and as he had slept with Hermione on June the 30th, the baby was supposed to be born around the end of March. But why did he even care? He was never going to see this baby anyway. He didn't want to see it - did he?
Did he?
But if he really didn't care about the baby, why did he keep thinking about it all the time - in the mornings when he woke up, while working in Gringotts, during the meals, and most of all - in the long, long nights when he had so much trouble falling asleep. All of the time, he kept thinking about Hermione, how she was handling everything, and even though he wanted to kill himself for that - he wished she was okay. He hoped her parents and friends were helping her.
She doesn't deserve this concern, you idiot, he told himself, gritting his teeth and burying his face in the pillow. Don't think about her!
As he forced Hermione out of his mind, a new unwanted figure entered it - the baby.
His baby.
"It is not my baby!" he tried to tell himself, but it was a fact - the baby was his just as it was Hermione's. He was the baby's father, whether he liked it or not. He found himself wondering if it was a boy or a girl, trying to imagine how it looked like, hoping it would resemble to him - at least a little - then maybe Hermione would not forget him, and he would feel a connection to this baby...
Oh, God, it was getting worse. Why the hell was he thinking about it?! Hermione was a stupid traitor and the baby was a bastard. He didn't want neither Hermione nor the baby.
So stop thinking about them! Stop it! Stop it now!
If only it was possible.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
March the 22nd
Harry and Ron were sitting in the waiting lobby of the hospital. Inside with Hermione were her parents, Ginny (who got a special permission from school) and Mrs. Weasley. Harry and Ron were sitting with Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Melissa - an old friend of Hermione's.
"It's such a shame that everybody is here, only the father isn't," Ron whispered to Harry.
"Yes," said Harry, "but unfortunately, the father is Draco Malfoy, so it was expected."
"I wonder how Hermione is doing..."
Hermione was doing well, in fact, although they didn't know that. It was painful, more painful than she had thought, but as the Healer explained, she was still very young and her body was healthy and strong. Luckily, the others didn't have to suffer too many screams before the baby was out.
"There, Miss Granger, I am now holding your daughter!" said Mrs. Jones, holding up the tiny baby in her arms.
"Oh God," whispered Hermione, whose eyes were filled with tears and whose face was as white as a chalk.
The baby was quickly cleaned, wrapped and Mrs. Jones placed her in Hermione's arms. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny crowded around to look.
"Oh, she's so small!" whispered Mrs. Weasley, who had cried much more than Hermione. Her eyes was red and her cheeks were very wet, but she stared at the baby in awe.
The baby was crying in Hermione's arms.
"My baby," Hermione whispered and kissed the top of her tiny head. She raised her eyes and looked at the people around her. "I'm a mother," she said, smiling through her tears.
"You are, my dear," said Mrs. Granger excitedly, patting her shoulder. "Congratulations, sweetheart."
A few hours later, after the baby had been fed and dressed and Hermione had rested, the whole group gathered in a small room around Hermione, who was sitting on the bed with the baby in her arms again.
Now they could see the baby had silky, soft blond hair and almost white skin, just like her father's. Her eyes, however, were big and dark- chocolate, like her mother's.
"She's so beautiful," said Ginny in a low voice.
"She's gorgeous," said Harry.
"And so sweet," said Charlie.
"Hermione, I think you're the luckiest mother in the whole world!" said Fred solemnly, but his voice almost trembled. He, too, seemed to be excited.
Hermione didn't say anything, just inhaled a long breath of happiness. The baby stared seriously at her with her big eyes, as if expecting her to tell her something.
"What's her name?" asked Ron suddenly.
Everyone was caught by surprise - none of them had thought about it. Hermione, on the other hand, wasn't surprised. She hugged the baby again and said: "I already have a name for her."
"What is it?"
Hermione raised the baby up to her to look again at her face and said, as if to the baby alone: "Monica."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On the morning of March the 23rd, Draco entered the kitchen as usual, absolutely unaware of the fact that he was now a father to a small baby girl named Monica. He only knew Hermione was supposed to be giving birth to this baby around this time, but he had no idea when.
"Draco," his mother's voice surprised him, "I want to talk to you."
Draco sighed and raised his eyes from his bowl of cornflakes.
His mother gazed at him seriously from the other side of the table. "I wanted to tell you that... well... it's kind of hard to say. You know I've been very lonely these past few months, and I really needed someone in my life. You've been with me, of course, but it's not the same, and one day you will get married and leave the house. This is natural, of course, but I would be left alone. Well..."
"Just say it, Mom," said Draco.
"OK," Narcissa inhaled deeply and said: "I started to date Severus Snape."
Draco, who was completely shocked, just gazed at her.
"I know it sounds funny to you, but really, I'm serious," Narcissa went on. "I met him in Diagon Alley a few months ago, and he asked me out. He's completely different than I thought he was."
Draco stared.
"I hope it doesn't bother you. I just wanted you to know, that sometimes in the near future, he might move in. Maybe during summer. Then he'll come to visit every holiday and maybe on weekends too, and I'll visit him there and..." she fell silent and watched him helplessly.
"It's OK, Mom," said Draco in a voice that didn't sound like his own. "Really. I'm fine with that. If he makes you happy, you should be with him."
"Thank you so much, honey!" Narcissa looked so relieved.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Two days later, Hermione and Monica returned home. Mrs. Granger moved in for a short time, teaching Hermione how to take care of the baby. As usual, Hermione was a bright student and in a very short time was able to do it perfectly.
As the rumor spread, visitors began to arrive in order to congratulate the new mother and take a look at the baby. The Weasleys and Harry came every day, but Lavender and Parvati also visited quite often. Soon, almost all of Hermione's friends and relatives came, even people from other parts of the country. Her parents' friends, whom she had never met before, came as well. Even Professor McGonagall came once to congratulate her former best- student. Hermione was actually happy about all the visitors - that way she wasn't left alone.
However, as she now discovered, even when all the visitors left, she was not alone anymore. She had Monica.
And Monica was everything for her. This tiny baby gave her happiness that she never thought she could experience. In a few weeks' time, Monica was able to smile, she was able to life her head and look around, and she seemed to recognize her mother - which made Hermione the happiest. The motherhood was something that she never gave much thought to, but now that she felt it - it was incredible. Nothing could compare to this.
During the first few months, she barely thought about Draco. However, when her mother moved out and the swarm of visitors was decreased, she began to think about him. It was no wonder, since Monica's looks was very much like Draco's, except for her chocolate eyes.
She missed Draco as ever and felt sadness as she thought about him, but this sadness was dim, like about something that happened long time before. She knew he was Monica's father, but nevertheless, he didn't even know he was. She still loved him, but she knew he was not going to come back. However, she had already realized she could never forget him, since her own daughter reminded her of him so much. So when he came to her mind, she would let herself think about him for a few minutes and feel the yearning and the pain washing over her. Then she would go over to Monica, lift her, hug her tightly and look at her peaceful, sweet baby face - and this would comfort her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Note: Have you noticed? I gave the baby my own birthday, March 22. By the way, I named her Monica after Monica Geller from the tv-show friends - she was my favorite character. :D
cLaRiZ-07: I'm fine with my "few reviews". If you don't like my "all-too- innocent-rated-R-fanfic", you don't have to read it. Thank you for your suggestion.
Five months later...
Draco had had a very miserable time during those five months. He knew he was going to be a father, and as he had slept with Hermione on June the 30th, the baby was supposed to be born around the end of March. But why did he even care? He was never going to see this baby anyway. He didn't want to see it - did he?
Did he?
But if he really didn't care about the baby, why did he keep thinking about it all the time - in the mornings when he woke up, while working in Gringotts, during the meals, and most of all - in the long, long nights when he had so much trouble falling asleep. All of the time, he kept thinking about Hermione, how she was handling everything, and even though he wanted to kill himself for that - he wished she was okay. He hoped her parents and friends were helping her.
She doesn't deserve this concern, you idiot, he told himself, gritting his teeth and burying his face in the pillow. Don't think about her!
As he forced Hermione out of his mind, a new unwanted figure entered it - the baby.
His baby.
"It is not my baby!" he tried to tell himself, but it was a fact - the baby was his just as it was Hermione's. He was the baby's father, whether he liked it or not. He found himself wondering if it was a boy or a girl, trying to imagine how it looked like, hoping it would resemble to him - at least a little - then maybe Hermione would not forget him, and he would feel a connection to this baby...
Oh, God, it was getting worse. Why the hell was he thinking about it?! Hermione was a stupid traitor and the baby was a bastard. He didn't want neither Hermione nor the baby.
So stop thinking about them! Stop it! Stop it now!
If only it was possible.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
March the 22nd
Harry and Ron were sitting in the waiting lobby of the hospital. Inside with Hermione were her parents, Ginny (who got a special permission from school) and Mrs. Weasley. Harry and Ron were sitting with Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Melissa - an old friend of Hermione's.
"It's such a shame that everybody is here, only the father isn't," Ron whispered to Harry.
"Yes," said Harry, "but unfortunately, the father is Draco Malfoy, so it was expected."
"I wonder how Hermione is doing..."
Hermione was doing well, in fact, although they didn't know that. It was painful, more painful than she had thought, but as the Healer explained, she was still very young and her body was healthy and strong. Luckily, the others didn't have to suffer too many screams before the baby was out.
"There, Miss Granger, I am now holding your daughter!" said Mrs. Jones, holding up the tiny baby in her arms.
"Oh God," whispered Hermione, whose eyes were filled with tears and whose face was as white as a chalk.
The baby was quickly cleaned, wrapped and Mrs. Jones placed her in Hermione's arms. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny crowded around to look.
"Oh, she's so small!" whispered Mrs. Weasley, who had cried much more than Hermione. Her eyes was red and her cheeks were very wet, but she stared at the baby in awe.
The baby was crying in Hermione's arms.
"My baby," Hermione whispered and kissed the top of her tiny head. She raised her eyes and looked at the people around her. "I'm a mother," she said, smiling through her tears.
"You are, my dear," said Mrs. Granger excitedly, patting her shoulder. "Congratulations, sweetheart."
A few hours later, after the baby had been fed and dressed and Hermione had rested, the whole group gathered in a small room around Hermione, who was sitting on the bed with the baby in her arms again.
Now they could see the baby had silky, soft blond hair and almost white skin, just like her father's. Her eyes, however, were big and dark- chocolate, like her mother's.
"She's so beautiful," said Ginny in a low voice.
"She's gorgeous," said Harry.
"And so sweet," said Charlie.
"Hermione, I think you're the luckiest mother in the whole world!" said Fred solemnly, but his voice almost trembled. He, too, seemed to be excited.
Hermione didn't say anything, just inhaled a long breath of happiness. The baby stared seriously at her with her big eyes, as if expecting her to tell her something.
"What's her name?" asked Ron suddenly.
Everyone was caught by surprise - none of them had thought about it. Hermione, on the other hand, wasn't surprised. She hugged the baby again and said: "I already have a name for her."
"What is it?"
Hermione raised the baby up to her to look again at her face and said, as if to the baby alone: "Monica."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On the morning of March the 23rd, Draco entered the kitchen as usual, absolutely unaware of the fact that he was now a father to a small baby girl named Monica. He only knew Hermione was supposed to be giving birth to this baby around this time, but he had no idea when.
"Draco," his mother's voice surprised him, "I want to talk to you."
Draco sighed and raised his eyes from his bowl of cornflakes.
His mother gazed at him seriously from the other side of the table. "I wanted to tell you that... well... it's kind of hard to say. You know I've been very lonely these past few months, and I really needed someone in my life. You've been with me, of course, but it's not the same, and one day you will get married and leave the house. This is natural, of course, but I would be left alone. Well..."
"Just say it, Mom," said Draco.
"OK," Narcissa inhaled deeply and said: "I started to date Severus Snape."
Draco, who was completely shocked, just gazed at her.
"I know it sounds funny to you, but really, I'm serious," Narcissa went on. "I met him in Diagon Alley a few months ago, and he asked me out. He's completely different than I thought he was."
Draco stared.
"I hope it doesn't bother you. I just wanted you to know, that sometimes in the near future, he might move in. Maybe during summer. Then he'll come to visit every holiday and maybe on weekends too, and I'll visit him there and..." she fell silent and watched him helplessly.
"It's OK, Mom," said Draco in a voice that didn't sound like his own. "Really. I'm fine with that. If he makes you happy, you should be with him."
"Thank you so much, honey!" Narcissa looked so relieved.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Two days later, Hermione and Monica returned home. Mrs. Granger moved in for a short time, teaching Hermione how to take care of the baby. As usual, Hermione was a bright student and in a very short time was able to do it perfectly.
As the rumor spread, visitors began to arrive in order to congratulate the new mother and take a look at the baby. The Weasleys and Harry came every day, but Lavender and Parvati also visited quite often. Soon, almost all of Hermione's friends and relatives came, even people from other parts of the country. Her parents' friends, whom she had never met before, came as well. Even Professor McGonagall came once to congratulate her former best- student. Hermione was actually happy about all the visitors - that way she wasn't left alone.
However, as she now discovered, even when all the visitors left, she was not alone anymore. She had Monica.
And Monica was everything for her. This tiny baby gave her happiness that she never thought she could experience. In a few weeks' time, Monica was able to smile, she was able to life her head and look around, and she seemed to recognize her mother - which made Hermione the happiest. The motherhood was something that she never gave much thought to, but now that she felt it - it was incredible. Nothing could compare to this.
During the first few months, she barely thought about Draco. However, when her mother moved out and the swarm of visitors was decreased, she began to think about him. It was no wonder, since Monica's looks was very much like Draco's, except for her chocolate eyes.
She missed Draco as ever and felt sadness as she thought about him, but this sadness was dim, like about something that happened long time before. She knew he was Monica's father, but nevertheless, he didn't even know he was. She still loved him, but she knew he was not going to come back. However, she had already realized she could never forget him, since her own daughter reminded her of him so much. So when he came to her mind, she would let herself think about him for a few minutes and feel the yearning and the pain washing over her. Then she would go over to Monica, lift her, hug her tightly and look at her peaceful, sweet baby face - and this would comfort her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Note: Have you noticed? I gave the baby my own birthday, March 22. By the way, I named her Monica after Monica Geller from the tv-show friends - she was my favorite character. :D
cLaRiZ-07: I'm fine with my "few reviews". If you don't like my "all-too- innocent-rated-R-fanfic", you don't have to read it. Thank you for your suggestion.