A/N: WOW!!! 30 new reviews!!!!!! Thank you guys soooo much!!!!!!! I would
like to personally thank each one of you but... there are too many of you!
LOL! So thanks again to everyone! Oh and by the way, I noticed most of you
liked Narcissa's attitude. LOL, I liked it too! :D
Claire: First of all thank you! Second: I also thought about that, but it was important for the continuation of the story, you see. However, there are many girls whose period is not very stable and sometimes they don't have it in a few months, which is normal. Besides, not all girls notice the length of time that passes between their period - they don't mark it on a calendar or something so they don't know how long it's been since their last period. Hermione might not have noticed since her mind was busy with other stuff (feeling guilty about sleeping with Draco, her new job etc.). And finally, even if she did notice, it still doesn't mean she's pregnant - maybe she asked herself why she didn't have period, but didn't give it much thought. ;-)
Burgundyred: Thanks for the explanation! I believe the eyes are the most noticeable part of the face, the first thing you see when you look at someone. And Draco, who was thinking about Hermione at the time, could only notice the fact that the baby had Hermione's eyes. But you're right about the rest, and you'll see it in the following chapter. Thanks. :-)
Mariët: Do you really want me to answer that? ;-)
cLaRiZ-07: Look, I didn't mean to sound rough. Sorry about it. You see, I've changed the rating to PG-13 because I decided you were right, and I believe this is one of the reasons I'm getting more reviews now, so thank you. :-) And thanks for your compliments, too! Shall we be friends from now?
And now... to the story.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
My Princess - Chapter Thirteen
Draco stood there, staring and staring and staring. He was noticing more details about his daughter. She had blond hair - no one in Hermione's family had blond hair, that must be something she got from him. Her white skin - Hermione definitely had creamy skin, but not as white as the baby's... again, this was his skin. Wow. His child - Monica - resembled him.
So he continued to stare till Hermione said loudly and impatiently: "Will you let me take her now?"
"Oh - oh, sure," said Draco, not taking his eyes off Monica. "It's just that - she's so adorable. Can I come with you?"
"Why?" said Hermione sharply, "So you can try to talk to me again?"
"Yes, and if you don't mind - " he swallowed and turned to look at her - "I would like to spend a little time with - Monica."
"OK, fine, but it won't take long," said Hermione moodily. "Come on now." She took the baby-carriage and started rolling it down the street.
Draco walked next to her, stealing glances and Monica. She was looking at him. She was still looking a few minutes later.
Hermione didn't notice. She stared right ahead, her teeth clenched, her whole face twitched in anger. Draco knew how angry she was, and for a change, he thought he deserved it.
"Look, Hermione," he said after a few minutes, "if it - if it's not too much trouble, do you think I could - d'you think I could see Monica sometimes?"
Hermione didn't even blink. She just kept walking, and she was walking faster and faster with each step. "Why would I agree?" she said coldly.
"Well - because - because I'm her father, after all," Draco replied, embarrassed.
"This is her misfortune," said Hermione, "does it mean she has to suffer for the rest of her life just because her mother was stupid?"
Draco took a deep breath and forced himself not to react. "Look, I - I know I haven't been a good father so far - "
"Bad use of words," said Hermione, still staring right ahead. "I'd say you weren't a father AT ALL."
"Yes, you may put it that way," Draco agreed uncertainly, "I guess I deserve it."
"That's a new approach," she said bitterly.
They were getting close to a park around the block, where there were lots of mothers with babies. Hermione took the carriage to one of the benches, sat down and took Monica in her arms. She started to feed her with a bottle of milk.
Draco was watching in awe as the baby was drinking the milk thirstily. He wished he could hold her in his arms and do it by himself --- then he noticed that Monica was still stealing glances at him whenever Hermione put the bottle down to let her breathe.
"She seems to find you interesting," said Hermione, her eyes narrowed.
"I see," said Draco softly, gazing at his daughter. He couldn't believe it... this small, perfect creature was his. His own daughter. He was the father of this girl.
Hermione, however, seemed to be running out of patience. She put Monica carefully back in her carriage and turned to him angrily: "What do you want, Draco?"
"What?" Draco was surprised by that question. Hadn't he already told her what he wanted?
"I mean, what are you doing here? What do you want? Why are you here?"
"Well, I already told you that we need to talk."
"Then talk already!"
"Fine," Draco sighed. "Look, Hermione, I know I'm remarkably late saying this, but - I've been an idiot."
Hermione gazed at him, her eyes still narrowed, and didn't say a word.
"I know I've been a total jerk," Draco continued heavily. "I only wanted you to know that - it's been a year, but I've loved you all through it. I've never stopped loving you. Ever. I tried to get you off my mind a million times, but it didn't work. You're just there, and I'm starting to realize you will never leave, and I don't want you to."
Hermione remained silent.
"I shouldn't have blamed you for getting pregnant," Draco went on, encouraged by her silence. "I was unforgivably stupid, but now I understand this. I know it was nobody's fault. I know I was to blame more than you, because I was the one who lured you to my room. I know that you had to suffer because of me, and I will do anything to make it up to you, if you could only forgive me."
He looked at her carefully, trying to read her mind through her blank expression. Was she softening? Was she going to forgive him? He hopes so - after all, his apology was quite nice, wasn't it?
But a few minutes later, when she still didn't say a word, he was beginning to fear her reaction.
"Hermione?" he asked softly. "Hello?" he touched her arm to make sure she was awake.
But his touch made her jump back and almost fall off the bench. Draco flinched and stared.
As Hermione turned to face him again, her expression wasn't blank at all anymore: her face was red and her eyes shimmering with fury. "You are not only an idiot, Draco Malfoy," she said and each syllable of her words shook with anger. "You are also so rude, I can't even think of a word to describe your rudeness."
Draco, who had expected to be kissed at the very least, was horror-struck.
"Did you really believe I was going to forgive you just like that?" Hermione went on, reddening more and more with each word. "Did you REALLY think that by saying a few apology sentences I'd let you off the hook?" and with that, she stood up so suddenly, that Draco flinched again and raised his eyes to hers nervously.
"Well, think again, you moron!" she shouted. "Think about the situation. You broke my heart a year ago and left me to handle the pregnancy and raising the baby all alone. You didn't think for a moment that I might need help, did you? You didn't even consider the fact that I might need some money. Do you have any idea how much it cost to raise this baby? And she's only six months old! Just to remind you, I'm not even working now, so where do you think I'm getting the money from? But you don't care, do you? So suddenly, after a YEAR, when you suddenly remember you have a daughter, you come and ask me to forgive you and I'm supposed to just let it go and forget about it in two seconds? Well, I DON'T THINK SO!"
"Hermione," said Draco urgently, "please, you don't understand, I don't - "
"SHUT UP!" she screamed. "Really, shut your big fat mouth UP! I'm not going to take this anymore. I'm on my own now, I don't need you, I don't want you with me and I don't want my child to ever see you again, do you hear me?"
Draco stole another glance towards Monica. She had fallen asleep, and he wondered - how could she sleep with her mother screaming like this?
"I am not going to suffer because of you! I have already suffered too much, much more than you have ever suffered in your life, you spoiled jerk! Now get out of my face and don't you EVER come again!"
Draco stared, alarmed. Then he got himself together. "Just answer one question," he begged. "Do you still love me?"
Hermione gazed at him, as if unable to believe his nerve.
"No, I mean it," he went on, coming closer. "Please, tell me the truth. Do you or do you not love me? Tell me you don't love me, Hermione, and I'll go away. I really will."
"Fine, I don't love you," said Hermione hatefully.
"The truth, Hermione."
Hermione gazed at him for another few seconds. Then she raised her hand - and slapped Draco around his face, just like she had done six years before when he made fun of Hagrid. He had already forgotten how strong she could be when she wanted.
"Go to hell, you idiot, and never come back," she murmured as tears began to stream down her eyes. Then she caught he baby carriage and broke into a run as fast as she could.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Another short chapter, I know, it's just really late here and I can't continue. I'll update again as soon as possible, like always. :-) And please please review!
Claire: First of all thank you! Second: I also thought about that, but it was important for the continuation of the story, you see. However, there are many girls whose period is not very stable and sometimes they don't have it in a few months, which is normal. Besides, not all girls notice the length of time that passes between their period - they don't mark it on a calendar or something so they don't know how long it's been since their last period. Hermione might not have noticed since her mind was busy with other stuff (feeling guilty about sleeping with Draco, her new job etc.). And finally, even if she did notice, it still doesn't mean she's pregnant - maybe she asked herself why she didn't have period, but didn't give it much thought. ;-)
Burgundyred: Thanks for the explanation! I believe the eyes are the most noticeable part of the face, the first thing you see when you look at someone. And Draco, who was thinking about Hermione at the time, could only notice the fact that the baby had Hermione's eyes. But you're right about the rest, and you'll see it in the following chapter. Thanks. :-)
Mariët: Do you really want me to answer that? ;-)
cLaRiZ-07: Look, I didn't mean to sound rough. Sorry about it. You see, I've changed the rating to PG-13 because I decided you were right, and I believe this is one of the reasons I'm getting more reviews now, so thank you. :-) And thanks for your compliments, too! Shall we be friends from now?
And now... to the story.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
My Princess - Chapter Thirteen
Draco stood there, staring and staring and staring. He was noticing more details about his daughter. She had blond hair - no one in Hermione's family had blond hair, that must be something she got from him. Her white skin - Hermione definitely had creamy skin, but not as white as the baby's... again, this was his skin. Wow. His child - Monica - resembled him.
So he continued to stare till Hermione said loudly and impatiently: "Will you let me take her now?"
"Oh - oh, sure," said Draco, not taking his eyes off Monica. "It's just that - she's so adorable. Can I come with you?"
"Why?" said Hermione sharply, "So you can try to talk to me again?"
"Yes, and if you don't mind - " he swallowed and turned to look at her - "I would like to spend a little time with - Monica."
"OK, fine, but it won't take long," said Hermione moodily. "Come on now." She took the baby-carriage and started rolling it down the street.
Draco walked next to her, stealing glances and Monica. She was looking at him. She was still looking a few minutes later.
Hermione didn't notice. She stared right ahead, her teeth clenched, her whole face twitched in anger. Draco knew how angry she was, and for a change, he thought he deserved it.
"Look, Hermione," he said after a few minutes, "if it - if it's not too much trouble, do you think I could - d'you think I could see Monica sometimes?"
Hermione didn't even blink. She just kept walking, and she was walking faster and faster with each step. "Why would I agree?" she said coldly.
"Well - because - because I'm her father, after all," Draco replied, embarrassed.
"This is her misfortune," said Hermione, "does it mean she has to suffer for the rest of her life just because her mother was stupid?"
Draco took a deep breath and forced himself not to react. "Look, I - I know I haven't been a good father so far - "
"Bad use of words," said Hermione, still staring right ahead. "I'd say you weren't a father AT ALL."
"Yes, you may put it that way," Draco agreed uncertainly, "I guess I deserve it."
"That's a new approach," she said bitterly.
They were getting close to a park around the block, where there were lots of mothers with babies. Hermione took the carriage to one of the benches, sat down and took Monica in her arms. She started to feed her with a bottle of milk.
Draco was watching in awe as the baby was drinking the milk thirstily. He wished he could hold her in his arms and do it by himself --- then he noticed that Monica was still stealing glances at him whenever Hermione put the bottle down to let her breathe.
"She seems to find you interesting," said Hermione, her eyes narrowed.
"I see," said Draco softly, gazing at his daughter. He couldn't believe it... this small, perfect creature was his. His own daughter. He was the father of this girl.
Hermione, however, seemed to be running out of patience. She put Monica carefully back in her carriage and turned to him angrily: "What do you want, Draco?"
"What?" Draco was surprised by that question. Hadn't he already told her what he wanted?
"I mean, what are you doing here? What do you want? Why are you here?"
"Well, I already told you that we need to talk."
"Then talk already!"
"Fine," Draco sighed. "Look, Hermione, I know I'm remarkably late saying this, but - I've been an idiot."
Hermione gazed at him, her eyes still narrowed, and didn't say a word.
"I know I've been a total jerk," Draco continued heavily. "I only wanted you to know that - it's been a year, but I've loved you all through it. I've never stopped loving you. Ever. I tried to get you off my mind a million times, but it didn't work. You're just there, and I'm starting to realize you will never leave, and I don't want you to."
Hermione remained silent.
"I shouldn't have blamed you for getting pregnant," Draco went on, encouraged by her silence. "I was unforgivably stupid, but now I understand this. I know it was nobody's fault. I know I was to blame more than you, because I was the one who lured you to my room. I know that you had to suffer because of me, and I will do anything to make it up to you, if you could only forgive me."
He looked at her carefully, trying to read her mind through her blank expression. Was she softening? Was she going to forgive him? He hopes so - after all, his apology was quite nice, wasn't it?
But a few minutes later, when she still didn't say a word, he was beginning to fear her reaction.
"Hermione?" he asked softly. "Hello?" he touched her arm to make sure she was awake.
But his touch made her jump back and almost fall off the bench. Draco flinched and stared.
As Hermione turned to face him again, her expression wasn't blank at all anymore: her face was red and her eyes shimmering with fury. "You are not only an idiot, Draco Malfoy," she said and each syllable of her words shook with anger. "You are also so rude, I can't even think of a word to describe your rudeness."
Draco, who had expected to be kissed at the very least, was horror-struck.
"Did you really believe I was going to forgive you just like that?" Hermione went on, reddening more and more with each word. "Did you REALLY think that by saying a few apology sentences I'd let you off the hook?" and with that, she stood up so suddenly, that Draco flinched again and raised his eyes to hers nervously.
"Well, think again, you moron!" she shouted. "Think about the situation. You broke my heart a year ago and left me to handle the pregnancy and raising the baby all alone. You didn't think for a moment that I might need help, did you? You didn't even consider the fact that I might need some money. Do you have any idea how much it cost to raise this baby? And she's only six months old! Just to remind you, I'm not even working now, so where do you think I'm getting the money from? But you don't care, do you? So suddenly, after a YEAR, when you suddenly remember you have a daughter, you come and ask me to forgive you and I'm supposed to just let it go and forget about it in two seconds? Well, I DON'T THINK SO!"
"Hermione," said Draco urgently, "please, you don't understand, I don't - "
"SHUT UP!" she screamed. "Really, shut your big fat mouth UP! I'm not going to take this anymore. I'm on my own now, I don't need you, I don't want you with me and I don't want my child to ever see you again, do you hear me?"
Draco stole another glance towards Monica. She had fallen asleep, and he wondered - how could she sleep with her mother screaming like this?
"I am not going to suffer because of you! I have already suffered too much, much more than you have ever suffered in your life, you spoiled jerk! Now get out of my face and don't you EVER come again!"
Draco stared, alarmed. Then he got himself together. "Just answer one question," he begged. "Do you still love me?"
Hermione gazed at him, as if unable to believe his nerve.
"No, I mean it," he went on, coming closer. "Please, tell me the truth. Do you or do you not love me? Tell me you don't love me, Hermione, and I'll go away. I really will."
"Fine, I don't love you," said Hermione hatefully.
"The truth, Hermione."
Hermione gazed at him for another few seconds. Then she raised her hand - and slapped Draco around his face, just like she had done six years before when he made fun of Hagrid. He had already forgotten how strong she could be when she wanted.
"Go to hell, you idiot, and never come back," she murmured as tears began to stream down her eyes. Then she caught he baby carriage and broke into a run as fast as she could.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Another short chapter, I know, it's just really late here and I can't continue. I'll update again as soon as possible, like always. :-) And please please review!