Disclaimer: I do not own any original Harry Potter characters. Sniff sniff.
Claimer: I own Jack Harry Arthur Potter, Robert Clegg, Victoria Fitzsimmons, Amy, Maxmillian Xavier Black, and the entire 'de Varci' family.
This story is being used for entertainment purposes only, no money is being made and no violation of copyright intended.
Read, enjoy, and review!!! *****************************************************************
This chapter is dedicated to myself. **************************************************************
She read the letter quickly, her hopeful expression fading almost instantly. She read it three times before the reality sank in. She burst into sobs and dropped onto the leather couch.
Draco came in quietly.
"Are you okay? Do you want some space?" He asked gently.
"No, please, I want to talk to someone..." Hermione tried to wipe away the tears.
"Of course." Draco responded, sitting down next to her. There was silence for a few moments.
"I guess he didn't say anything you wanted to hear." Draco remarked.
"No. Definitely not." Hermione picked up the letter and shoved it at him. He took it and read it through. Hermione read it again from next to him.
Hermione
Congrats on the baby. I don't really know how to say this, but I really... I cant have a baby right now. I cant handle that sort of responsibility. I really am sorry if I've hurt you. If you decide to keep the baby, then I will of course handle any financial aspects regarding the kid, but I can't put anything into raising him or her, or any kind of emotional support. Let me know what you decide to do. I really am sorry.
Dean
Hermione burst into tears all over again and buried her head into Draco's shoulder while she cried. He enveloped her in his strong arms, and was silent.
How had she got herself into this terrible predicament? What was she going to do? If Dean's response had been different, it wouldn't be so hard. If he had been willing to give their relationship another try, it would have been far better. Maybe they would have fallen in love, and gotten married, and raised their baby happily. Because Hermione knew now that she couldn't abort this baby. It wasn't the right thing to do. But she couldn't raise him or her either. She could always put the baby up for adoption, or leave him or her with her parents for a few years.
She nearly laughed at that thought. What would her parents, the respectable Mr. and Mrs. Granger, say when she turned up at their doorstep after not seeing or contacting them for two years? Their little Hermione, 20 years old, with a fatherless baby she expected them to raise? That wouldn't work at all. And adoption was a scary thought, handing the baby into strangers' arms, not knowing what would happen to him or her.
"Oh god, Draco. How can I raise a child all by myself?" She asked, sniffing.
"You'd be fine at it, I swear." He replied.
"I don't know- it's easy enough to say that now, but what will happen in a year when I have a baby, no job, nowhere to live-"
"What makes you think you'll lose your job and apartment?" Draco asked.
"Well, I can't work and raise a child, and the rental contract on the flat runs out in January. Plus it wouldn't be fair to Lav to have a baby around, crying all the time." She explained.
"Hermione, I want you to remember something. I will always be your friend, I swear it. If you need anything- a place to stay, someone to talk to, help with anything- just ask and I'll be there. I promise." He said softly.
"Thank you." Hermione said, touched. She didn't know when it was exactly that she fell asleep, but the next morning she still remembered the feel of Draco's arms as he carried her.
**************************************************************************
The next day, she spent a while just hanging out at Draco's. He seemed glad to have her there, so she wasn't worried that she was imposing on him. Max also seemed happy enough that she was around. He was quiet, and very clingy, but Hermione was glad that he didn't appear to have any long- lasting physical damage from Robert's abuse.
A few times over the summer, Hermione had wondered if the location in which Draco was bringing up Max was not the best place for a child. A holiday resort? Where people came and partied and left litter? But now, out of the prime season, the Island was a beautiful place. It was tranquil and quiet. And Draco's neighborhood, the Residential Third, was made up mostly of old couples in their retirement, and a few other young families. No drunkards or loud partyers.
She casually mentioned this to Draco as they were having lunch. He nodded.
"It's great here. But there aren't really any schools or anything, and it would probably get boring for Max as he gets older. And I always wanted to travel the world a little, not the Malfoy way, but a normal guy making his way round the coast of South America or something. I cant leave the country for a few years, since of legal things with Max, but when he's five or six we'll move somewhere else. Maybe Australia, Brazil maybe. Even France. We could learn a few more languages. Move again every year or so until Max is old enough to go to Hogwarts, then settle somewhere in England." Draco said. Hermione could tell how much the nomadic existence appealed to him.
"It sounds fun." She remarked.
"It would be." He replied, drifting off into a kind of dreamland.
"I wonder what life will be like in five years." Hermione mused. "For me and my baby." She ran a hand lightly across her stomach and imagined she could feel him or her moving around. A phone ringing interrupted their thoughts. Draco went to answer it.
"Hello? Who- Lavender? Uh, hi. Yes, she is here. Hang on." He put the receiver down.
"It's Lavender. Wants to know where you are." He said. Hermione came and took the phone from him.
"Lav? Hey."
"Finally! I've been searching for you for hours. What are you doing at Draco's?" She asked, sounding exasperated.
"Um. Just hanging out." Hermione said.
"Sure. Whatever. But you have to come home! Now!"
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"Ginny had her baby! It's a girl. They haven't decided on a name yet."
"When?" Hermione asked, disappointed that she had missed being there for her friend.
"Lunchtime. She was asking for you but you left so early this morning I had no idea where you were." So Lavender didn't know Hermione hadn't been home that night. That was probably a good thing.
"Ok, I'll come. Where is she?"
"A.J. Memorial."
"I'll be there soon." Hermione promised, hanging up.
"Ginny had her baby. I promised to go see her." She explained to Draco.
"Pass on my congrats." Draco said.
"I will. Listen, Draco- thank you so much. For everything."
"No problem." He said.
"Can I come by again next week to see you?" She asked.
"Anytime." He said. She smiled, and on an impulse, hugged him before taking out her wand and Apparating home.
*************************************************************
After a quick shower and change of clothes, she went to the hospital. She found Ginny's room full of Weasleys, with the exception of Ron, who she hadn't expected to see, and Fred. She fought her way to the bed, where she found Ginny sitting there with a little pink bundle in her arms. Seamus was in a chair next to her with Jack on his lap.
"Hey Herms!" Ginny said happily.
"Hi! Are you okay?"
"I'm great." She replied.
"Did you name her yet?"
"Just now. Seamus chose the name. Tell her."
"Clair Lois Ella Finnegan." Seamus said proudly.
"That's a pretty name." Hermione commented.
"Isn't it? Here, want to hold her?" Ginny passed over the little girl. Hermione smiled down at her. Soon enough it would be her with the baby, proudly naming him or her. She imagined what her future boy or girl would look like. Maybe he or she would have Dean's eyes and her hair color, and freckles. Maybe not. She'd just have to see.
*****************************************************************8
I know, short. No kill the author!!! I think yall should review more. Then if your lucky I will remember to take my laptop to starbucks where I spend hours nearly every day hanging out with T and F. I love F! He is safe! I wish he would ask me out... damnit all..... anyways, I know these last two chapters have been nothing much but it's coming! I promise!!!
Bye!
Claimer: I own Jack Harry Arthur Potter, Robert Clegg, Victoria Fitzsimmons, Amy, Maxmillian Xavier Black, and the entire 'de Varci' family.
This story is being used for entertainment purposes only, no money is being made and no violation of copyright intended.
Read, enjoy, and review!!! *****************************************************************
This chapter is dedicated to myself. **************************************************************
She read the letter quickly, her hopeful expression fading almost instantly. She read it three times before the reality sank in. She burst into sobs and dropped onto the leather couch.
Draco came in quietly.
"Are you okay? Do you want some space?" He asked gently.
"No, please, I want to talk to someone..." Hermione tried to wipe away the tears.
"Of course." Draco responded, sitting down next to her. There was silence for a few moments.
"I guess he didn't say anything you wanted to hear." Draco remarked.
"No. Definitely not." Hermione picked up the letter and shoved it at him. He took it and read it through. Hermione read it again from next to him.
Hermione
Congrats on the baby. I don't really know how to say this, but I really... I cant have a baby right now. I cant handle that sort of responsibility. I really am sorry if I've hurt you. If you decide to keep the baby, then I will of course handle any financial aspects regarding the kid, but I can't put anything into raising him or her, or any kind of emotional support. Let me know what you decide to do. I really am sorry.
Dean
Hermione burst into tears all over again and buried her head into Draco's shoulder while she cried. He enveloped her in his strong arms, and was silent.
How had she got herself into this terrible predicament? What was she going to do? If Dean's response had been different, it wouldn't be so hard. If he had been willing to give their relationship another try, it would have been far better. Maybe they would have fallen in love, and gotten married, and raised their baby happily. Because Hermione knew now that she couldn't abort this baby. It wasn't the right thing to do. But she couldn't raise him or her either. She could always put the baby up for adoption, or leave him or her with her parents for a few years.
She nearly laughed at that thought. What would her parents, the respectable Mr. and Mrs. Granger, say when she turned up at their doorstep after not seeing or contacting them for two years? Their little Hermione, 20 years old, with a fatherless baby she expected them to raise? That wouldn't work at all. And adoption was a scary thought, handing the baby into strangers' arms, not knowing what would happen to him or her.
"Oh god, Draco. How can I raise a child all by myself?" She asked, sniffing.
"You'd be fine at it, I swear." He replied.
"I don't know- it's easy enough to say that now, but what will happen in a year when I have a baby, no job, nowhere to live-"
"What makes you think you'll lose your job and apartment?" Draco asked.
"Well, I can't work and raise a child, and the rental contract on the flat runs out in January. Plus it wouldn't be fair to Lav to have a baby around, crying all the time." She explained.
"Hermione, I want you to remember something. I will always be your friend, I swear it. If you need anything- a place to stay, someone to talk to, help with anything- just ask and I'll be there. I promise." He said softly.
"Thank you." Hermione said, touched. She didn't know when it was exactly that she fell asleep, but the next morning she still remembered the feel of Draco's arms as he carried her.
**************************************************************************
The next day, she spent a while just hanging out at Draco's. He seemed glad to have her there, so she wasn't worried that she was imposing on him. Max also seemed happy enough that she was around. He was quiet, and very clingy, but Hermione was glad that he didn't appear to have any long- lasting physical damage from Robert's abuse.
A few times over the summer, Hermione had wondered if the location in which Draco was bringing up Max was not the best place for a child. A holiday resort? Where people came and partied and left litter? But now, out of the prime season, the Island was a beautiful place. It was tranquil and quiet. And Draco's neighborhood, the Residential Third, was made up mostly of old couples in their retirement, and a few other young families. No drunkards or loud partyers.
She casually mentioned this to Draco as they were having lunch. He nodded.
"It's great here. But there aren't really any schools or anything, and it would probably get boring for Max as he gets older. And I always wanted to travel the world a little, not the Malfoy way, but a normal guy making his way round the coast of South America or something. I cant leave the country for a few years, since of legal things with Max, but when he's five or six we'll move somewhere else. Maybe Australia, Brazil maybe. Even France. We could learn a few more languages. Move again every year or so until Max is old enough to go to Hogwarts, then settle somewhere in England." Draco said. Hermione could tell how much the nomadic existence appealed to him.
"It sounds fun." She remarked.
"It would be." He replied, drifting off into a kind of dreamland.
"I wonder what life will be like in five years." Hermione mused. "For me and my baby." She ran a hand lightly across her stomach and imagined she could feel him or her moving around. A phone ringing interrupted their thoughts. Draco went to answer it.
"Hello? Who- Lavender? Uh, hi. Yes, she is here. Hang on." He put the receiver down.
"It's Lavender. Wants to know where you are." He said. Hermione came and took the phone from him.
"Lav? Hey."
"Finally! I've been searching for you for hours. What are you doing at Draco's?" She asked, sounding exasperated.
"Um. Just hanging out." Hermione said.
"Sure. Whatever. But you have to come home! Now!"
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"Ginny had her baby! It's a girl. They haven't decided on a name yet."
"When?" Hermione asked, disappointed that she had missed being there for her friend.
"Lunchtime. She was asking for you but you left so early this morning I had no idea where you were." So Lavender didn't know Hermione hadn't been home that night. That was probably a good thing.
"Ok, I'll come. Where is she?"
"A.J. Memorial."
"I'll be there soon." Hermione promised, hanging up.
"Ginny had her baby. I promised to go see her." She explained to Draco.
"Pass on my congrats." Draco said.
"I will. Listen, Draco- thank you so much. For everything."
"No problem." He said.
"Can I come by again next week to see you?" She asked.
"Anytime." He said. She smiled, and on an impulse, hugged him before taking out her wand and Apparating home.
*************************************************************
After a quick shower and change of clothes, she went to the hospital. She found Ginny's room full of Weasleys, with the exception of Ron, who she hadn't expected to see, and Fred. She fought her way to the bed, where she found Ginny sitting there with a little pink bundle in her arms. Seamus was in a chair next to her with Jack on his lap.
"Hey Herms!" Ginny said happily.
"Hi! Are you okay?"
"I'm great." She replied.
"Did you name her yet?"
"Just now. Seamus chose the name. Tell her."
"Clair Lois Ella Finnegan." Seamus said proudly.
"That's a pretty name." Hermione commented.
"Isn't it? Here, want to hold her?" Ginny passed over the little girl. Hermione smiled down at her. Soon enough it would be her with the baby, proudly naming him or her. She imagined what her future boy or girl would look like. Maybe he or she would have Dean's eyes and her hair color, and freckles. Maybe not. She'd just have to see.
*****************************************************************8
I know, short. No kill the author!!! I think yall should review more. Then if your lucky I will remember to take my laptop to starbucks where I spend hours nearly every day hanging out with T and F. I love F! He is safe! I wish he would ask me out... damnit all..... anyways, I know these last two chapters have been nothing much but it's coming! I promise!!!
Bye!