When Monica was three months old, Ginny sent a letter to Hermione.
------Dear Hermione,
I know it would sound ridiculous to you, but please read what I have to say. I think it is your duty to give Draco another chance to keep in touch with Monica. I know he had been disgusting and acted like a total jerk. I'm not trying to justify anything, I really believe he was an idiot and nothing could make up for it, but I'm not thinking about him - I'm thinking about Monica. Monica is only three months old, do you want her to grow up without a father?
I know what you think - this is not your fault, it's wasn't you who wanted her to grow up without a father, it was Malfoy. But honestly, Hermione, you have your child's best interests in your heart - and every child needs a father. I know many children grow up and turn out to be wonderful people without ever seeing their father, but still, an essential part of a child's life is keeping in touch with his father.
If Monica grows up without Malfoy, some day she would ask you where her father is, and as you have already decided, you will tell her the truth. Then she might decide to look for him and try to ask him why he did it, why he left her before she was born. Some people spend their entire lives searching for their mother or their father, and begging for attention.
So what I say - for your own child's sole-completeness, give her a chance to have a father. I'm not telling you to apologize in front of Malfoy, on the contrary, I know he's the one who should apologize. I say, send him a letter and tell him you want Monica to have a father, and you want to give him one more chance to keep in touch with his own daughter.
Hermione, I only think about Monica now. I know it would hurt you to do it, but I believe that as the loving mother you are, you should do it. You an Malfoy don't have to make up. Just let him see Monica from time to time.
Love, Ginny-------
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione held the letter in her hands, unable to believe what she had just read. Was Ginny suggesting she should ask Draco to keep in touch with his daughter? Wasn't he supposed to understand it by himself? After all, it was not only her child, it was also his! What kind of father was he, abandoning his daughter? And why should she humiliate herself asking him such a thing? Couldn't he come on his own?
Well, he would probably not do it, would he? Hermione went over to Monica's small bed and watched her baby. She was sleeping so peacefully, looking like a doll. Like most babies, she didn't have a lot of hair, but what she had was shimmering blond, and her soft, smooth baby skin was pale, almost white. Just like her father's.
Her big, Hermione's-like eyes were shut, and she was breathing gentle breaths like a tiny angel. I should have named her Angela, Hermione thought, amused. She is like a little princess... my little princess.
Do I really want my own child, my baby, my princess, to grow up without her father?
Of course I don't, Hermione said to herself, I want what's best for her. A child needs a father, like Ginny said. I know she needs a father, and I want to give her everything she needs and even more than that.
However, does she really need such a father? After all, Draco DID abandon her - even before she was born! He didn't bother to ask to see her - so she was supposed to beg? Did she really want Monica to have such a father? Wouldn't he be bad influence?
Hermione had doubts for two days. Eventually she decided Ginny was right. She had to try. What's the worse that could happen? He might say no. So what? Things wouldn't become worse, would they?
So she took out a quill and a roll of parchment and scrabbled a note:
----Draco, I know you must be surprised to read that, but I want you to see our child. On March 22 I gave birth to a beautiful girl, I named her Monica. I want her to have a father, and the father is you. Take this as an offer to keep in touch with your own daughter and not to anything else. Hermione----
When she re-read the letter, she decided to add a picture of Monica. She picked one and put it inside the envelope.
I just hope he would do the right thing, she sighed and sent her gray owl Chrissy on his way. I sure hope so. She stared at the owl flying away and remembered the last time she owled Draco, and the deep disappointed she had. Again she felt the pain... no. She overcame it. She wouldn't let herself sink... not now. She had to be strong... for Monica.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco could have got the letter, and maybe even accept the request, but unfortunately, the letter did not reach its destination. As Chrissy the owl flew his way to the Malfoy Manor, a Thestral attacked him. The letter was destroyed, and poor Chrissy was nearly destoryed himself. It hardly escaped and flew back to Hermione, severely injured.
Hermione didn't know that, of course, and the only thing she saw was her owl coming back, bleeding and hardly flying, without the letter.
What could she have thought? It looked very obvious that Chrissy was attacked, she just didn't know by whom. And as she healed the poor owl as well as she could, she wondered...
It could only be Draco. Yes, it was Draco, no doubt about it! Hermione felt her temper rising to its peak. Not only did he not bother to answer my letter, he must have got so angry that he hurt my owl! Why that bastard!
This is it, she thought furiously. I will never, ever offer him to see Monica again. EVER. Even if he comes and begs, I won't!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Meanwhile, naturally, Draco had no idea whatsoever about the miserable coincidence that made Hermione reach that decision. All he knew was that he had a child. He was a father. He didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, but he knew that he simply had to see that child - as soon as possible.
He couldn't do it, of course. His pride wouldn't let him, not after he had said explicitly to Hermione that he didn't want any connection to this baby. But it hunted him. As days passed by, he felt more and more lonely. This loneliness was only increased when he saw his mother and Snape together.
"Draco, why don't you date anyone anymore?" Narcissa asked him, more than once.
"Leave me alone, Mom."
"But it's important to me that you won't be so lonely."
"I'm not lonely. LEAVE ME ALONE."
One day, when he met Mandy in Gringotts, she told him: Oh, guess what, Draco? Remember Hermione Granger? She was in Hogwarts with us - you used to date her - "
"Yes," said Draco slowly.
"Well, I heard she had a baby, about three months ago. And she's not even married! What a slut!" Mandy giggled so stupidly that Draco had a sudden urge to choke her.
Instead, he controlled himself and said: "Wow. Interesting. Did she have a boy or a girl?"
"A girl."
"What's her name?" he asked innocently.
"I don't know," said Mandy. "What do you think? Isn't she a real slut?"
Draco made an indistinct noise in his throat and than apologized and hurried away. "Slut, herself," he murmured angrily. But at least he knew now... he was a father to a girl. A girl whom he'd never seen...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dear Ginny,
I accepted your suggestion and sent Draco a letter. But guess what?! He didn't accept. And how do I know? Because my owl returned with severe injuries and no letter. Do you understand what happened? He hurt my owl!
Thank you for your suggestion. Now I know exactly who I have to deal with. Thank God I finally know his real face - and got rid of him. I never want to see him again. Too bad I didn't listen to everyone when they told me what a jerk he was. Now I pay the price.
Love from
Hermione
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: and as usual... thanks for the reviews and please keep them up!!!!!!!! :D
------Dear Hermione,
I know it would sound ridiculous to you, but please read what I have to say. I think it is your duty to give Draco another chance to keep in touch with Monica. I know he had been disgusting and acted like a total jerk. I'm not trying to justify anything, I really believe he was an idiot and nothing could make up for it, but I'm not thinking about him - I'm thinking about Monica. Monica is only three months old, do you want her to grow up without a father?
I know what you think - this is not your fault, it's wasn't you who wanted her to grow up without a father, it was Malfoy. But honestly, Hermione, you have your child's best interests in your heart - and every child needs a father. I know many children grow up and turn out to be wonderful people without ever seeing their father, but still, an essential part of a child's life is keeping in touch with his father.
If Monica grows up without Malfoy, some day she would ask you where her father is, and as you have already decided, you will tell her the truth. Then she might decide to look for him and try to ask him why he did it, why he left her before she was born. Some people spend their entire lives searching for their mother or their father, and begging for attention.
So what I say - for your own child's sole-completeness, give her a chance to have a father. I'm not telling you to apologize in front of Malfoy, on the contrary, I know he's the one who should apologize. I say, send him a letter and tell him you want Monica to have a father, and you want to give him one more chance to keep in touch with his own daughter.
Hermione, I only think about Monica now. I know it would hurt you to do it, but I believe that as the loving mother you are, you should do it. You an Malfoy don't have to make up. Just let him see Monica from time to time.
Love, Ginny-------
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione held the letter in her hands, unable to believe what she had just read. Was Ginny suggesting she should ask Draco to keep in touch with his daughter? Wasn't he supposed to understand it by himself? After all, it was not only her child, it was also his! What kind of father was he, abandoning his daughter? And why should she humiliate herself asking him such a thing? Couldn't he come on his own?
Well, he would probably not do it, would he? Hermione went over to Monica's small bed and watched her baby. She was sleeping so peacefully, looking like a doll. Like most babies, she didn't have a lot of hair, but what she had was shimmering blond, and her soft, smooth baby skin was pale, almost white. Just like her father's.
Her big, Hermione's-like eyes were shut, and she was breathing gentle breaths like a tiny angel. I should have named her Angela, Hermione thought, amused. She is like a little princess... my little princess.
Do I really want my own child, my baby, my princess, to grow up without her father?
Of course I don't, Hermione said to herself, I want what's best for her. A child needs a father, like Ginny said. I know she needs a father, and I want to give her everything she needs and even more than that.
However, does she really need such a father? After all, Draco DID abandon her - even before she was born! He didn't bother to ask to see her - so she was supposed to beg? Did she really want Monica to have such a father? Wouldn't he be bad influence?
Hermione had doubts for two days. Eventually she decided Ginny was right. She had to try. What's the worse that could happen? He might say no. So what? Things wouldn't become worse, would they?
So she took out a quill and a roll of parchment and scrabbled a note:
----Draco, I know you must be surprised to read that, but I want you to see our child. On March 22 I gave birth to a beautiful girl, I named her Monica. I want her to have a father, and the father is you. Take this as an offer to keep in touch with your own daughter and not to anything else. Hermione----
When she re-read the letter, she decided to add a picture of Monica. She picked one and put it inside the envelope.
I just hope he would do the right thing, she sighed and sent her gray owl Chrissy on his way. I sure hope so. She stared at the owl flying away and remembered the last time she owled Draco, and the deep disappointed she had. Again she felt the pain... no. She overcame it. She wouldn't let herself sink... not now. She had to be strong... for Monica.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco could have got the letter, and maybe even accept the request, but unfortunately, the letter did not reach its destination. As Chrissy the owl flew his way to the Malfoy Manor, a Thestral attacked him. The letter was destroyed, and poor Chrissy was nearly destoryed himself. It hardly escaped and flew back to Hermione, severely injured.
Hermione didn't know that, of course, and the only thing she saw was her owl coming back, bleeding and hardly flying, without the letter.
What could she have thought? It looked very obvious that Chrissy was attacked, she just didn't know by whom. And as she healed the poor owl as well as she could, she wondered...
It could only be Draco. Yes, it was Draco, no doubt about it! Hermione felt her temper rising to its peak. Not only did he not bother to answer my letter, he must have got so angry that he hurt my owl! Why that bastard!
This is it, she thought furiously. I will never, ever offer him to see Monica again. EVER. Even if he comes and begs, I won't!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Meanwhile, naturally, Draco had no idea whatsoever about the miserable coincidence that made Hermione reach that decision. All he knew was that he had a child. He was a father. He didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, but he knew that he simply had to see that child - as soon as possible.
He couldn't do it, of course. His pride wouldn't let him, not after he had said explicitly to Hermione that he didn't want any connection to this baby. But it hunted him. As days passed by, he felt more and more lonely. This loneliness was only increased when he saw his mother and Snape together.
"Draco, why don't you date anyone anymore?" Narcissa asked him, more than once.
"Leave me alone, Mom."
"But it's important to me that you won't be so lonely."
"I'm not lonely. LEAVE ME ALONE."
One day, when he met Mandy in Gringotts, she told him: Oh, guess what, Draco? Remember Hermione Granger? She was in Hogwarts with us - you used to date her - "
"Yes," said Draco slowly.
"Well, I heard she had a baby, about three months ago. And she's not even married! What a slut!" Mandy giggled so stupidly that Draco had a sudden urge to choke her.
Instead, he controlled himself and said: "Wow. Interesting. Did she have a boy or a girl?"
"A girl."
"What's her name?" he asked innocently.
"I don't know," said Mandy. "What do you think? Isn't she a real slut?"
Draco made an indistinct noise in his throat and than apologized and hurried away. "Slut, herself," he murmured angrily. But at least he knew now... he was a father to a girl. A girl whom he'd never seen...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dear Ginny,
I accepted your suggestion and sent Draco a letter. But guess what?! He didn't accept. And how do I know? Because my owl returned with severe injuries and no letter. Do you understand what happened? He hurt my owl!
Thank you for your suggestion. Now I know exactly who I have to deal with. Thank God I finally know his real face - and got rid of him. I never want to see him again. Too bad I didn't listen to everyone when they told me what a jerk he was. Now I pay the price.
Love from
Hermione
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: and as usual... thanks for the reviews and please keep them up!!!!!!!! :D