A/N: In this chapter, I will have to skip some periods of time, because it
would be terribly boring otherwise... excuse me if it looks a bit rush.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In Christmas, Monica went back home for a week. She had a long talk with her father, and it was great for both of them to feel that they were close as ever.
Then they got on the roof and watched the sky. They loved doing it, searching the sky together for a falling star...
"Here! I see one!" cried Monica happily, pointing at it.
"Yeah, I see it too," said Draco. He was sitting with Monica on his lap, hugging her tightly. "Let's make a wish."
They both closed their eyes, and Monica wished she would stay that close with her father forever. She loved him so much. She felt that even if her parents were hiding other things from her - she didn't want to know them. All she wanted was to remain close to him forever.
She didn't know that, but this was her father's wish as well.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Sapphire, I'm sorry, but I really have to go."
"And then I won't see you again for six months!" protested the little girl, clinging onto her eldest sister. "No, you're not going!"
"Sapphire, I have to!" Monica tried to put Sapphire down, but the four-year- old screamed and wailed, refusing to let go. "Mom, Dad, I could use some help with her!"
Draco stepped forward and pulled the sturggling Sapphire off Monica. "Let me go!" she protested, but he held her up in her arms and hugged her, and eventually she calmed down and gave Monica a scowl.
"Sorry, sweetie," said Monica anxiously, kissing her on the cheek. She then kissed her parents for the last time, and got on the train.
"Say goodbye to Monica," whispered Draco in his little daughter's ears.
"No!" said Sapphire, frowning, "She's leaving me."
"But she has to go, honey," said Hermione, "she has to get back to school. You'll go there too when you're older."
"How old?" demanded Sapphire.
"About eleven," said Draco.
"WHAT?!" squealed Sapphire, "it's not fair!"
"Bye," cried Monica from the train, which was starting to move.
"Bye, honey!" cried Draco and Hermione.
"Bye, Sapphire!" cried Monica.
But Sapphire merely scowled again. Only when the train was about to round the corner, Sapphire raised her hand, waved it frantically and shouted:
"Bye, Monica! If you get me a present when you come back, I will not be angry with you anymore!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That summer, when Monica came back home, Hermione was about to have her third child. They all gathered in St. Mungo's. Everyone was there: Draco, Monica, Sapphire; the Weasleys, including Ron with his wife Luna and Ginny with her husband Harry; Hermione's parents; Narcissa and Severus.
Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Granger, Luna, Ginny and Narcissa were inside with Hermione. Draco could come in as well, but Hermione had asked him to watch over Monica and Sapphire.
Sapphire was sitting on Draco's lap, frowning. She didn't really want a younger brother or sister - she enjoyed being the youngest. Monica, however, was extremely excited. She remembered how it had been like four years ago, when Sapphire was born... everyone had been here, too, and they had all been as excited as her.
"Wow, can you believe it?" said Harry, "Hermione is having her third child. Ginny and I only have one child."
He was holding a charming little boy, about Sapphire's age, named Chris. Little Chris' hair was red; his eyes were sparkling green; he was freckled, but not all over; when you looked at him, you could see the resemblance to both of his parents. Chris and Sapphire were good friends, but Sapphire was having one of her 'moods' at the moment, so she was not able to play with Chris.
"Daddy, when am I going to have a little sister?" asked Chris.
Harry smiled. "I don't really know, Chris, but it may be soon."
"But Sapphire already has two sisters, why can't I have one?" Chris insisted.
"You will, I promise you."
"Dad," said Monica to Draco, "aren't you excited?"
"Why, of course I am," said Draco, surprised. "I'm about to have a third child, I'm naturally very excited."
"You don't look excited," said Monica.
"Because there's no reason to be excited," said Sapphire moodily.
"And he must be used to it," Chris added.
"What do you mean?" asked Monica.
"He already has two kids, so he's been here twice, right?" said Chris.
Monica looked at her father.
"Of - of course," said Draco quickly. "I've been here, twice." He exchanged glances with Harry.
"How was it when I was born, Daddy?" asked Sapphire, "Were you excited?"
"Yes, I was very excited," said Draco warmly, hugging his daughter and kissing her hair. "It was fabulous, knowing that I was going to have another child."
"And how was it when I was born?" asked Monica.
Draco froze for a second; then swallowed hard. His embarrassment lasted no longer than five seconds, for he immediately regained a grin and said cheerily: "Well, it was amazing, of course! I was more excited than I had ever been before - nothing compares to having a first child!"
"What about having a second child?" protested Sapphire loudly, and Harry and Monica laughed; but before Draco could answer, Mrs. Weasley broke into the hall, her face white, her eyes glittering.
Draco got to his feet immediately with Sapphire still in his arms; Monica, Harry and Ron also jumped from their seats.
"What's going on?" said Draco urgently, placing Sapphire on her feet.
Mrs. Weasley burst out crying, ran forwards and hugged Draco's neck. "It's OK!" she sobbed into his shoulder; "don't panic - I'm just so THRILLED..."
"It's - it's all right, Mrs. Weasley," said Draco, though he seemed pretty startled.
"It's a girl!" cried Mrs. Weasley, lifting her head and gazing everyone happily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's a third girl! It wasn't easy for Hermione, though... she's still weak and pale, but the baby is so sweet - she wants you inside, Draco."
Draco nodded and started for the door; Monica and Sapphire instinctively followed, but Mrs. Weasley stopped them. "No, dears, Mommy wants to be alone for a moment with Daddy... you'll stay here for a few minutes, and then you can come in."
"I'll be back in a moment," said Draco, looking over his shoulder at the two disappointed girls, and then he entered the room. After two seconds, everyone who had been inside left the room: Mrs. Granger, Luna, Ginny and Narcissa.
"How's Mommy, Grandma?" Sapphire asked Narcissa.
"She's doing great," said Narcissa, who was stunning as ever, especially for a nearly-fifty-year-old woman - in fact, she didn't look older than thirty. "The delivery was difficult, but the baby is fine and healthy, and so is your mother."
"When are we allowed to see her?" asked Monica impatiently, "I want to see my sister!"
"It would only take a few minutes, honey," replied Narcissa.
*
Draco entered the room slowly, closing the door behind him. In the bed, he saw his wife, his love, sitting with their new baby in her arms.
"Oh, Hermione," he whispered as he moved closer to see his daughter's face, "she is so beautiful. She looks just like you."
Hermione smiled warmly. Draco sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed her. Then he took the baby in his arms. "Look!" he said. "She has your eyes, and your nose, and your hair..."
"How can you tell she's got my hair?" asked Hermione, "she's almost bald, you can't say her hair is curly and bushy like mine."
Draco grinned. Hermione's hair had not been bushy in more than fifteen years, but he knew she was saying that because she was used to. "What do you want to call her?" he asked.
"You should choose."
"Why?"
"Because I chose the names for our two elder daughters," Hermione replied. "I chose Sapphire because of her blue eyes, and I chose Monica because..."
"Because I wasn't there to help you choose," said Draco. "By the way, I had an unpleasant incident with Monica out there. She asked me how it was when she was born - how I felt and stuff, and it was really embarrasing. I know we haven't told her the truth - but lying to her in the face is a little too much..."
"You couldn't tell her," said Hermione defensively, "not in there, anyway."
"But she's twelve already," said Draco impatiently, "when is the right time if not now? Do we have to wait until she has her own children? She might find out about it someday herself, you know, and it's going to be a much bigger shock!"
"We can't tell," Hermione insisted. "It's not the time. She is not ready yet, I'm telling you, it's not the time. I don't know when, but not now, not now!"
Her eyes were full of tears of panic; Draco knew she was still exhausted and excited from the birth, so he decided to drop the subject. "Anyway, you think it's my turn to name the baby?"
"That's right, so it's your turn!"
"All right," said Draco, looking at his baby. "Well... I've been thinking about it for a few weeks now, and I like the name Samantha."
"I like it too," said Hermione heartily. "We could call her Sam for short..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Wow, I'm so sorry about this lack of updates - almost two weeks... it has never happened before, I'm really sorry. I've been just so busy. I'll try to update more often from now on. Anyway, I've also succeeded in school... I got 97 in math and 105 in biology. :-) Reviews please!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In Christmas, Monica went back home for a week. She had a long talk with her father, and it was great for both of them to feel that they were close as ever.
Then they got on the roof and watched the sky. They loved doing it, searching the sky together for a falling star...
"Here! I see one!" cried Monica happily, pointing at it.
"Yeah, I see it too," said Draco. He was sitting with Monica on his lap, hugging her tightly. "Let's make a wish."
They both closed their eyes, and Monica wished she would stay that close with her father forever. She loved him so much. She felt that even if her parents were hiding other things from her - she didn't want to know them. All she wanted was to remain close to him forever.
She didn't know that, but this was her father's wish as well.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Sapphire, I'm sorry, but I really have to go."
"And then I won't see you again for six months!" protested the little girl, clinging onto her eldest sister. "No, you're not going!"
"Sapphire, I have to!" Monica tried to put Sapphire down, but the four-year- old screamed and wailed, refusing to let go. "Mom, Dad, I could use some help with her!"
Draco stepped forward and pulled the sturggling Sapphire off Monica. "Let me go!" she protested, but he held her up in her arms and hugged her, and eventually she calmed down and gave Monica a scowl.
"Sorry, sweetie," said Monica anxiously, kissing her on the cheek. She then kissed her parents for the last time, and got on the train.
"Say goodbye to Monica," whispered Draco in his little daughter's ears.
"No!" said Sapphire, frowning, "She's leaving me."
"But she has to go, honey," said Hermione, "she has to get back to school. You'll go there too when you're older."
"How old?" demanded Sapphire.
"About eleven," said Draco.
"WHAT?!" squealed Sapphire, "it's not fair!"
"Bye," cried Monica from the train, which was starting to move.
"Bye, honey!" cried Draco and Hermione.
"Bye, Sapphire!" cried Monica.
But Sapphire merely scowled again. Only when the train was about to round the corner, Sapphire raised her hand, waved it frantically and shouted:
"Bye, Monica! If you get me a present when you come back, I will not be angry with you anymore!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That summer, when Monica came back home, Hermione was about to have her third child. They all gathered in St. Mungo's. Everyone was there: Draco, Monica, Sapphire; the Weasleys, including Ron with his wife Luna and Ginny with her husband Harry; Hermione's parents; Narcissa and Severus.
Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Granger, Luna, Ginny and Narcissa were inside with Hermione. Draco could come in as well, but Hermione had asked him to watch over Monica and Sapphire.
Sapphire was sitting on Draco's lap, frowning. She didn't really want a younger brother or sister - she enjoyed being the youngest. Monica, however, was extremely excited. She remembered how it had been like four years ago, when Sapphire was born... everyone had been here, too, and they had all been as excited as her.
"Wow, can you believe it?" said Harry, "Hermione is having her third child. Ginny and I only have one child."
He was holding a charming little boy, about Sapphire's age, named Chris. Little Chris' hair was red; his eyes were sparkling green; he was freckled, but not all over; when you looked at him, you could see the resemblance to both of his parents. Chris and Sapphire were good friends, but Sapphire was having one of her 'moods' at the moment, so she was not able to play with Chris.
"Daddy, when am I going to have a little sister?" asked Chris.
Harry smiled. "I don't really know, Chris, but it may be soon."
"But Sapphire already has two sisters, why can't I have one?" Chris insisted.
"You will, I promise you."
"Dad," said Monica to Draco, "aren't you excited?"
"Why, of course I am," said Draco, surprised. "I'm about to have a third child, I'm naturally very excited."
"You don't look excited," said Monica.
"Because there's no reason to be excited," said Sapphire moodily.
"And he must be used to it," Chris added.
"What do you mean?" asked Monica.
"He already has two kids, so he's been here twice, right?" said Chris.
Monica looked at her father.
"Of - of course," said Draco quickly. "I've been here, twice." He exchanged glances with Harry.
"How was it when I was born, Daddy?" asked Sapphire, "Were you excited?"
"Yes, I was very excited," said Draco warmly, hugging his daughter and kissing her hair. "It was fabulous, knowing that I was going to have another child."
"And how was it when I was born?" asked Monica.
Draco froze for a second; then swallowed hard. His embarrassment lasted no longer than five seconds, for he immediately regained a grin and said cheerily: "Well, it was amazing, of course! I was more excited than I had ever been before - nothing compares to having a first child!"
"What about having a second child?" protested Sapphire loudly, and Harry and Monica laughed; but before Draco could answer, Mrs. Weasley broke into the hall, her face white, her eyes glittering.
Draco got to his feet immediately with Sapphire still in his arms; Monica, Harry and Ron also jumped from their seats.
"What's going on?" said Draco urgently, placing Sapphire on her feet.
Mrs. Weasley burst out crying, ran forwards and hugged Draco's neck. "It's OK!" she sobbed into his shoulder; "don't panic - I'm just so THRILLED..."
"It's - it's all right, Mrs. Weasley," said Draco, though he seemed pretty startled.
"It's a girl!" cried Mrs. Weasley, lifting her head and gazing everyone happily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's a third girl! It wasn't easy for Hermione, though... she's still weak and pale, but the baby is so sweet - she wants you inside, Draco."
Draco nodded and started for the door; Monica and Sapphire instinctively followed, but Mrs. Weasley stopped them. "No, dears, Mommy wants to be alone for a moment with Daddy... you'll stay here for a few minutes, and then you can come in."
"I'll be back in a moment," said Draco, looking over his shoulder at the two disappointed girls, and then he entered the room. After two seconds, everyone who had been inside left the room: Mrs. Granger, Luna, Ginny and Narcissa.
"How's Mommy, Grandma?" Sapphire asked Narcissa.
"She's doing great," said Narcissa, who was stunning as ever, especially for a nearly-fifty-year-old woman - in fact, she didn't look older than thirty. "The delivery was difficult, but the baby is fine and healthy, and so is your mother."
"When are we allowed to see her?" asked Monica impatiently, "I want to see my sister!"
"It would only take a few minutes, honey," replied Narcissa.
*
Draco entered the room slowly, closing the door behind him. In the bed, he saw his wife, his love, sitting with their new baby in her arms.
"Oh, Hermione," he whispered as he moved closer to see his daughter's face, "she is so beautiful. She looks just like you."
Hermione smiled warmly. Draco sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed her. Then he took the baby in his arms. "Look!" he said. "She has your eyes, and your nose, and your hair..."
"How can you tell she's got my hair?" asked Hermione, "she's almost bald, you can't say her hair is curly and bushy like mine."
Draco grinned. Hermione's hair had not been bushy in more than fifteen years, but he knew she was saying that because she was used to. "What do you want to call her?" he asked.
"You should choose."
"Why?"
"Because I chose the names for our two elder daughters," Hermione replied. "I chose Sapphire because of her blue eyes, and I chose Monica because..."
"Because I wasn't there to help you choose," said Draco. "By the way, I had an unpleasant incident with Monica out there. She asked me how it was when she was born - how I felt and stuff, and it was really embarrasing. I know we haven't told her the truth - but lying to her in the face is a little too much..."
"You couldn't tell her," said Hermione defensively, "not in there, anyway."
"But she's twelve already," said Draco impatiently, "when is the right time if not now? Do we have to wait until she has her own children? She might find out about it someday herself, you know, and it's going to be a much bigger shock!"
"We can't tell," Hermione insisted. "It's not the time. She is not ready yet, I'm telling you, it's not the time. I don't know when, but not now, not now!"
Her eyes were full of tears of panic; Draco knew she was still exhausted and excited from the birth, so he decided to drop the subject. "Anyway, you think it's my turn to name the baby?"
"That's right, so it's your turn!"
"All right," said Draco, looking at his baby. "Well... I've been thinking about it for a few weeks now, and I like the name Samantha."
"I like it too," said Hermione heartily. "We could call her Sam for short..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Wow, I'm so sorry about this lack of updates - almost two weeks... it has never happened before, I'm really sorry. I've been just so busy. I'll try to update more often from now on. Anyway, I've also succeeded in school... I got 97 in math and 105 in biology. :-) Reviews please!