A/N : Wow look! An update! I promise to put another chapter up soon. As
soon as I find that dusty little table in my mind where this plot currently
resides.
Hermione woke sometime later in her own bed. Her head felt as though it was stuffed with cotton and her body trembled slightly. She raised a shaking hand to her head, wondering exactly what had happened. The last thing she remembered was walking with Draco by the lake and then nothing. There was something else, she knew there was, but it stayed in the shadows of her mind like snatches of a forgotten dream. Hermione sighed heavily before heaving herself out of bed. No use staying there. Perhaps Draco could tell her what happened.
Once on her feet Hermione swayed slightly, rocking on the back of her heels she quickly grabbed the bedpost. She squeezed her eyes shut against the dizziness and found a vision of a handsome man. Hermione opened her eyes. Her breathing came in short gasps as though she were afraid. Afraid? What did she have to be afraid of? Shaking her head, she slowly made her way out of her bedroom and into the common room.
*****
Draco sat in his room once again shivering. He was so cold. He rubbed his hands together for the hundredth time. That and he had this strange feeling he just couldn't shake, no matter how bad he shook. As soon as Hermione had left his arms it was as if some piece of him had stayed with her. Something else must have happened during their walk. For one he didn't even remember sitting down at the tree. That gap should say something. Then there was Hermione. She never fell asleep like that. Hell, he never fell asleep like that.
Draco glared down at his pale hands and then pushed himself from his chair. This sitting and pondering wasn't helping any. He needed to talk to Hermione, maybe she could find the memories he lost. Perhaps even Severus could help. Draco shuddered again. Though this time it wasn't from the cold, but the look his old Potions Master had given him. He had never known what it was like to be under one of Severus' glares. Not venomous ones anyway. And when he had brought Hermione to her rooms that is what he received. Severus looked about ready to kill him when he had seen Hermione in his arms.
He opened the heavy oak door and stepped out into the hallway as his thoughts continued. After all they had been through you would think that Severus would know that Draco didn't have an interest in Hermione. Lair. Hissed that annoying little voice. You would have been more than happy to take her when your father gave you the chance. Draco grimaced. Yes, he had wanted her, but Hermione made her choice and he would respect that.
Don't worry my dear boy. Voldemort thought. You will still have your chance with her. Even if it is through me.
*****
Severus looked up from the book had been reading to watch the flames dance in the hearth. Well, more like staring at the book since he hadn't taken a word in. Ever since Draco brought Hermione back, sleeping in his arms, Severus had had this odd feeling. Draco hadn't mentioned anything about when or where Hermione had fallen asleep and it wasn't like her. Perhaps it was because of the pregnancy.
Severus smiled a little to himself. He was going to be a father. It was odd that he was actually excited about this child since he couldn't stand the dunderheads that filed through Hogwarts every year, and the gods know his childhood was not a pleasant one. His little Ray. His Hermione. His family. Severus scowled as that overwhelming sense of ill fate churned in his stomach. No one was going to take this away from him. Even if that meant he had to take to his dark side again to protect them.
So lost in his brooding, Severus did not hear Hermione come into the room. She smiled sleepily as all thoughts of finding Draco vanished when she saw Severus. She studied him for a moment. He looked so distant and untouchable, but she knew better. Hermione walked quietly behind and brushed his silky black hair aside so she could kiss his neck. Hermione smile widen as she felt Severus shiver under her lips.
"You're awake then." Severus purred.
Hermione walked around to the front of his chair and moving the book from his lap, she took its place. She loosely put her arms around his neck and snuggled her face in to chest, inhaling his scent. He made her feel whole. Severus in turn wrapped his arms around here waist and kissed the top of her head.
"How are you feeling?" He brushed the silver streak of hair from her face.
"Fine." She mumbled. "A little confused, but fine." Hermione's fingers began to trace small circles on the back of his neck where her lips had been.
Severus shifted beneath the merest of inches to where Hermione's hip lay against his and let his fingers run lightly through her hair.
"I believe I found a name for our little Ray." Hermione shivered at the tone of Severus voice. She still marveled at how his velvet tones were a caress all their own.
"And that would be..." She nuzzled his neck delicately. Severus grinned. They were beginning another game, but it would have to wait. He picked Hermione up and set down gently on her feet.
"What do you think of Rhianna?" He asked. Though his face was impassive, Severus was a little afraid of her answer.
Hermione's face light up. She kissed Severus quickly on the lips.
"It's perfect." Hermione exclaimed and then began to rush for the door. "I have to tell Minerva and the others." She called over her shoulder. "Then maybe they will give me some peace." And with that his wife disappeared.
Severus stood there for several seconds watching the space his wife had just left. Sometimes she really did make him feel his age
Hermione woke sometime later in her own bed. Her head felt as though it was stuffed with cotton and her body trembled slightly. She raised a shaking hand to her head, wondering exactly what had happened. The last thing she remembered was walking with Draco by the lake and then nothing. There was something else, she knew there was, but it stayed in the shadows of her mind like snatches of a forgotten dream. Hermione sighed heavily before heaving herself out of bed. No use staying there. Perhaps Draco could tell her what happened.
Once on her feet Hermione swayed slightly, rocking on the back of her heels she quickly grabbed the bedpost. She squeezed her eyes shut against the dizziness and found a vision of a handsome man. Hermione opened her eyes. Her breathing came in short gasps as though she were afraid. Afraid? What did she have to be afraid of? Shaking her head, she slowly made her way out of her bedroom and into the common room.
*****
Draco sat in his room once again shivering. He was so cold. He rubbed his hands together for the hundredth time. That and he had this strange feeling he just couldn't shake, no matter how bad he shook. As soon as Hermione had left his arms it was as if some piece of him had stayed with her. Something else must have happened during their walk. For one he didn't even remember sitting down at the tree. That gap should say something. Then there was Hermione. She never fell asleep like that. Hell, he never fell asleep like that.
Draco glared down at his pale hands and then pushed himself from his chair. This sitting and pondering wasn't helping any. He needed to talk to Hermione, maybe she could find the memories he lost. Perhaps even Severus could help. Draco shuddered again. Though this time it wasn't from the cold, but the look his old Potions Master had given him. He had never known what it was like to be under one of Severus' glares. Not venomous ones anyway. And when he had brought Hermione to her rooms that is what he received. Severus looked about ready to kill him when he had seen Hermione in his arms.
He opened the heavy oak door and stepped out into the hallway as his thoughts continued. After all they had been through you would think that Severus would know that Draco didn't have an interest in Hermione. Lair. Hissed that annoying little voice. You would have been more than happy to take her when your father gave you the chance. Draco grimaced. Yes, he had wanted her, but Hermione made her choice and he would respect that.
Don't worry my dear boy. Voldemort thought. You will still have your chance with her. Even if it is through me.
*****
Severus looked up from the book had been reading to watch the flames dance in the hearth. Well, more like staring at the book since he hadn't taken a word in. Ever since Draco brought Hermione back, sleeping in his arms, Severus had had this odd feeling. Draco hadn't mentioned anything about when or where Hermione had fallen asleep and it wasn't like her. Perhaps it was because of the pregnancy.
Severus smiled a little to himself. He was going to be a father. It was odd that he was actually excited about this child since he couldn't stand the dunderheads that filed through Hogwarts every year, and the gods know his childhood was not a pleasant one. His little Ray. His Hermione. His family. Severus scowled as that overwhelming sense of ill fate churned in his stomach. No one was going to take this away from him. Even if that meant he had to take to his dark side again to protect them.
So lost in his brooding, Severus did not hear Hermione come into the room. She smiled sleepily as all thoughts of finding Draco vanished when she saw Severus. She studied him for a moment. He looked so distant and untouchable, but she knew better. Hermione walked quietly behind and brushed his silky black hair aside so she could kiss his neck. Hermione smile widen as she felt Severus shiver under her lips.
"You're awake then." Severus purred.
Hermione walked around to the front of his chair and moving the book from his lap, she took its place. She loosely put her arms around his neck and snuggled her face in to chest, inhaling his scent. He made her feel whole. Severus in turn wrapped his arms around here waist and kissed the top of her head.
"How are you feeling?" He brushed the silver streak of hair from her face.
"Fine." She mumbled. "A little confused, but fine." Hermione's fingers began to trace small circles on the back of his neck where her lips had been.
Severus shifted beneath the merest of inches to where Hermione's hip lay against his and let his fingers run lightly through her hair.
"I believe I found a name for our little Ray." Hermione shivered at the tone of Severus voice. She still marveled at how his velvet tones were a caress all their own.
"And that would be..." She nuzzled his neck delicately. Severus grinned. They were beginning another game, but it would have to wait. He picked Hermione up and set down gently on her feet.
"What do you think of Rhianna?" He asked. Though his face was impassive, Severus was a little afraid of her answer.
Hermione's face light up. She kissed Severus quickly on the lips.
"It's perfect." Hermione exclaimed and then began to rush for the door. "I have to tell Minerva and the others." She called over her shoulder. "Then maybe they will give me some peace." And with that his wife disappeared.
Severus stood there for several seconds watching the space his wife had just left. Sometimes she really did make him feel his age