A/N: AAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!! 23 new reviews overnight! And then 6 more reviews!!!
I love you guys so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!
~*~
"Draco came back with a fiancee?" Luna gasped.
"Yeah. And she's blond and stupid, too," Ron said miserably.
Luna gazed at him with her huge eyes, and Ron realized what he had said. "Oh. Sorry about the 'blond and stupid', you know I like blond hair and I don't think you're stupid... but you know what I mean. This Christine is such a whore!"
"Really?"
"Yes. And they're engaged. I couldn't believe it. He finally comes back and things may be right again with him and Hermione and Daniel, but oh no! He's got a fiancee. They're planning on getting married in three months or so. They even wanted to invite us all, but I said I had to go and ran away before they managed to."
"Should we tell Hermione?" Luna asked.
"That's my question, too," Ron replied angrily. "I keep thinking what she's going to say. She's going to be so upset! So miserable! Why should we? Maybe I'll tell Harry, he'll know what to do."
"All right," Luna agreed, "but you have to do it soon. It won't be long until Draco finds Hermione, and she'd better know he's back before meeting him for the first time after ten years."
"Yeah, you're right," Ron said, got up and wrapped himself in his winter cloak. "I'll be back really soon," he said and kissed Luna on the cheek. "Bye."
~*~
However, things were going to be much more complicated than Ron had planned. As he got into Harry and Ginny's house, the first face he saw was Draco's.
"Wh – what are you doing here?" he gasped.
"I came to visit Harry and Ginny," Draco replied as if it were obvious. "You told me where they live, and I thought: why not visit them? I also wanted to congartulate them for getting married, though I know I'm late."
Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances.
"I wanted to meet their daughters," Draco went on, "but Ginny is at Hermione's place. Harry doesn't want to go there. He says he's tired."
"An Auror's job is pretty tiring," Ron said.
"What do you do, Ron?" Draco asked.
"I work in the Department of Magical Transport," Ron replied numbly. "I run the Apparation Test Center."
"Cool," Draco said. "And Hermione? Still works in St. Mungos?"
"Yeah," Harry said, still exchanging meaningful looks with Ron.
"Where's Christine?" Ron asked.
"Home," Draco said. "We rented an apartment in London until we get married, and then we'll buy a bigger house. But it's okay for now."
They sat and talked for a while longer. Eventually, Draco realized he was a little unwanted.
"I guess it's time to leave," he said, and Harry and Ron almost sighed in relief. "I'll see you soon, I hope. Next time I'll owl you before I come."
As soon as Draco was gone, Ron turned to Harry. "What will we do?!" he demanded in a shrill voice.
"We've got to tell Hermione as soon as possible," Harry replied.
"What? If we tell her, she'll freak out. I think we should just keep her from meeting him ever again," Ron stated.
"Ron, it won't help, Draco lives in England again! He'll meet Hermione sooner or later and there's nothing we can do about it. And he wants to see her, which means he'll see her soon. It's Draco Malfoy we're talking about!"
"But Hermione is going to go crazy! She'll be so worried! Don't you remember what she said when she told us she was pregnant?"
**FLASHBACK**
"There's just one thing I wanted to ask," Hermione lowered her voice.
Eighteen-year-old Harry and Ron were staring at her, wide-eyed, not so sure how much they cared for the rest. Hermione was pregnant with Draco's baby. They had just found out about that. Draco didn't know. Draco was moving to America. Hermione would never tell him. That was what she had told them so far.
"I don't want the baby to know. Ever!" Hermione said sharply.
Harry and Ron glanced up, surprised.
"I mean it," Hermione went on. "You two have got to swear you'll never, ever tell the baby anything about his or her father. I don't want him or her to know about Draco, and I'll also talk to my parents and Ginny and Luna about it. Is it clear?"
Harry and Ron nodded.
"Promise you won't tell," Hermione asked, and they promised.
"And there's another thing," Hermione continued, starting to walk around the room. "Draco is going to America forever – he's never coming back. But if he ever does – you must promise me you won't tell him anything about the baby. Anything. I don't want him to know. I've made a promise to myself that I'll raise this baby on my own, and I'm going to keep this promise. I don't want Draco to raise it with me."
"But – "Harry dared to try.
"No buts," Hermione answered sharply. "I've made up my mind. I'm going to do it without him. I'm not even going to argue about it."
There was a long pause.
"All right," Harry said quietly.
"We won't tell Draco or the baby about each other," Ron said.
"Good," Hermione said seriously. "It means a lot to me. Just one more thing, okay? Please, don't ever mention Draco in front of me if it's not something really important. I don't want to talk about him. I really don't."
**END FLASHBACK**
Harry and Ron had kept their promise so far. They hadn't told Daniel anything about Draco, not even when he asked them about his father. They knew he was suffering, and they thought Hermione was making a mistake, but every time they tried to bring it up, Hermione looked so livid and miserable, they simply gave up.
"Ron, we're losing time," Harry said urgently. "Hermione needs to know immediately. She'll know what to do. She has to know Draco's back. She has to know he's engaged. Then she'll decide whether she wants to meet him or not, and we'll do as she tells us to. But she must know. Now."
"I have a better idea," Ron insisted. "How about – not telling her."
Harry lost his patience. "Look, if you're not going to help, I'll tell her without you. I'm going right now. Are you coming?"
Ron stared at him for a moment and Harry thought he was going to be furious. But then Ron sighed and got up. "All right. But listen – I think we should ask Ginny to tell her. You know, they're both girls, they sensitive and stuff... They think in the same way. She'll help her more than us."
~*~
**The next evening**
"Hermione, we need to talk," Ginny said in a low voice.
"Sure. What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Not here," Ginny said, motioning to Daniel and her daughters. Harry had arrived a few minutes before, and he was playing with the kids. "Let's go to my place."
"All right," Hermione shrugged. "Daniel, I'll be back soon, okay? Ginny wants to talk to me alone."
"Sure, Mom," Daniel replied without raising his eyes.
As Hermione and Ginny arrived in Ginny's place, Ginny turned to face her immediately. "Listen. You have to know something," she said urgently. "And I'd better tell it to you before anyone else does, or before you see it for yourself."
"What is it?" Hermione asked, getting worried.
Ginny took a deep breath and looked at Hermione right in the eye.
"Draco's back in England," she said.
Hermione's heart started pounding so hard in her chest, she was surprised Ginny couldn't hear it. She couldn't believe what she had just heard... "What?" she asked.
"Draco came back," Ginny repeated.
"Is he – is he – "Hermione grabbed a chair for support. "Why is he back?"
"He moved back here. His project in America was over and they let him come back."
"How do you know?"
"Ron met him yesterday."
"But is he – is he back for – "Hermione didn't dare to say it. She didn't know if she was happy about Draco coming back from America or not, but she only wanted to know one thing... Was Draco back for her?
Ginny gazed at her worriedly, trying to figure out her thoughts. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Hermione said breathlessly, "but tell me... You've got to tell me this. Is he back for me?"
Ginny's eyes widened in fear. She hadn't seen this question coming. She had known she was going to hurt Hermione – but she didn't want to answer this question...
"Ginny – tell me," Hermione demanded. "Is Draco back for me? Yes or no?"
Ginny swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "But no."
Hermione lowered her eyes. She bit her lip, hard, and felt a drop of blood on her tongue. "It's okay," she said, more to herself than to Ginny. Sitting down on the chair, she repeated: "It's okay."
"Are you sure?" Ginny asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Hermione answered, not looking at her, trying to convince herself it really was okay. "Ginny, Ron didn't tell Draco anything about Daniel – right?"
"No," said Ginny quickly, "of course he didn't."
"Okay then."
"Hermione... there's another thing," Ginny said hesitantly. She knew this thing was going to hurt Hermione the most, but she knew she had to tell her – now, before she found out from someone else. "And I want you to remember, when I tell you, that we are all here for you, and that we care for you."
"You're really freaking me out," Hermione said, panicking. "What is it?"
Ginny took another deep breath. "Draco didn't come back alone," she said.
"What do you mean?" Hermione demanded.
"Draco came back with a fiancee," Ginny said quietly. "Ron met her. I'm so sorry, Hermione."
~*~
A/N: This time I updated sooner than I used to do, and it was even a little longer than usual! I really am doing my best. Please don't be angry when I can't update. I promise, in a month or so, I'll update regularly. But in the meantime, I have so much to do at school. It's a tough year. I hope you understand me...
Love
Roni.
~*~
"Draco came back with a fiancee?" Luna gasped.
"Yeah. And she's blond and stupid, too," Ron said miserably.
Luna gazed at him with her huge eyes, and Ron realized what he had said. "Oh. Sorry about the 'blond and stupid', you know I like blond hair and I don't think you're stupid... but you know what I mean. This Christine is such a whore!"
"Really?"
"Yes. And they're engaged. I couldn't believe it. He finally comes back and things may be right again with him and Hermione and Daniel, but oh no! He's got a fiancee. They're planning on getting married in three months or so. They even wanted to invite us all, but I said I had to go and ran away before they managed to."
"Should we tell Hermione?" Luna asked.
"That's my question, too," Ron replied angrily. "I keep thinking what she's going to say. She's going to be so upset! So miserable! Why should we? Maybe I'll tell Harry, he'll know what to do."
"All right," Luna agreed, "but you have to do it soon. It won't be long until Draco finds Hermione, and she'd better know he's back before meeting him for the first time after ten years."
"Yeah, you're right," Ron said, got up and wrapped himself in his winter cloak. "I'll be back really soon," he said and kissed Luna on the cheek. "Bye."
~*~
However, things were going to be much more complicated than Ron had planned. As he got into Harry and Ginny's house, the first face he saw was Draco's.
"Wh – what are you doing here?" he gasped.
"I came to visit Harry and Ginny," Draco replied as if it were obvious. "You told me where they live, and I thought: why not visit them? I also wanted to congartulate them for getting married, though I know I'm late."
Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances.
"I wanted to meet their daughters," Draco went on, "but Ginny is at Hermione's place. Harry doesn't want to go there. He says he's tired."
"An Auror's job is pretty tiring," Ron said.
"What do you do, Ron?" Draco asked.
"I work in the Department of Magical Transport," Ron replied numbly. "I run the Apparation Test Center."
"Cool," Draco said. "And Hermione? Still works in St. Mungos?"
"Yeah," Harry said, still exchanging meaningful looks with Ron.
"Where's Christine?" Ron asked.
"Home," Draco said. "We rented an apartment in London until we get married, and then we'll buy a bigger house. But it's okay for now."
They sat and talked for a while longer. Eventually, Draco realized he was a little unwanted.
"I guess it's time to leave," he said, and Harry and Ron almost sighed in relief. "I'll see you soon, I hope. Next time I'll owl you before I come."
As soon as Draco was gone, Ron turned to Harry. "What will we do?!" he demanded in a shrill voice.
"We've got to tell Hermione as soon as possible," Harry replied.
"What? If we tell her, she'll freak out. I think we should just keep her from meeting him ever again," Ron stated.
"Ron, it won't help, Draco lives in England again! He'll meet Hermione sooner or later and there's nothing we can do about it. And he wants to see her, which means he'll see her soon. It's Draco Malfoy we're talking about!"
"But Hermione is going to go crazy! She'll be so worried! Don't you remember what she said when she told us she was pregnant?"
**FLASHBACK**
"There's just one thing I wanted to ask," Hermione lowered her voice.
Eighteen-year-old Harry and Ron were staring at her, wide-eyed, not so sure how much they cared for the rest. Hermione was pregnant with Draco's baby. They had just found out about that. Draco didn't know. Draco was moving to America. Hermione would never tell him. That was what she had told them so far.
"I don't want the baby to know. Ever!" Hermione said sharply.
Harry and Ron glanced up, surprised.
"I mean it," Hermione went on. "You two have got to swear you'll never, ever tell the baby anything about his or her father. I don't want him or her to know about Draco, and I'll also talk to my parents and Ginny and Luna about it. Is it clear?"
Harry and Ron nodded.
"Promise you won't tell," Hermione asked, and they promised.
"And there's another thing," Hermione continued, starting to walk around the room. "Draco is going to America forever – he's never coming back. But if he ever does – you must promise me you won't tell him anything about the baby. Anything. I don't want him to know. I've made a promise to myself that I'll raise this baby on my own, and I'm going to keep this promise. I don't want Draco to raise it with me."
"But – "Harry dared to try.
"No buts," Hermione answered sharply. "I've made up my mind. I'm going to do it without him. I'm not even going to argue about it."
There was a long pause.
"All right," Harry said quietly.
"We won't tell Draco or the baby about each other," Ron said.
"Good," Hermione said seriously. "It means a lot to me. Just one more thing, okay? Please, don't ever mention Draco in front of me if it's not something really important. I don't want to talk about him. I really don't."
**END FLASHBACK**
Harry and Ron had kept their promise so far. They hadn't told Daniel anything about Draco, not even when he asked them about his father. They knew he was suffering, and they thought Hermione was making a mistake, but every time they tried to bring it up, Hermione looked so livid and miserable, they simply gave up.
"Ron, we're losing time," Harry said urgently. "Hermione needs to know immediately. She'll know what to do. She has to know Draco's back. She has to know he's engaged. Then she'll decide whether she wants to meet him or not, and we'll do as she tells us to. But she must know. Now."
"I have a better idea," Ron insisted. "How about – not telling her."
Harry lost his patience. "Look, if you're not going to help, I'll tell her without you. I'm going right now. Are you coming?"
Ron stared at him for a moment and Harry thought he was going to be furious. But then Ron sighed and got up. "All right. But listen – I think we should ask Ginny to tell her. You know, they're both girls, they sensitive and stuff... They think in the same way. She'll help her more than us."
~*~
**The next evening**
"Hermione, we need to talk," Ginny said in a low voice.
"Sure. What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Not here," Ginny said, motioning to Daniel and her daughters. Harry had arrived a few minutes before, and he was playing with the kids. "Let's go to my place."
"All right," Hermione shrugged. "Daniel, I'll be back soon, okay? Ginny wants to talk to me alone."
"Sure, Mom," Daniel replied without raising his eyes.
As Hermione and Ginny arrived in Ginny's place, Ginny turned to face her immediately. "Listen. You have to know something," she said urgently. "And I'd better tell it to you before anyone else does, or before you see it for yourself."
"What is it?" Hermione asked, getting worried.
Ginny took a deep breath and looked at Hermione right in the eye.
"Draco's back in England," she said.
Hermione's heart started pounding so hard in her chest, she was surprised Ginny couldn't hear it. She couldn't believe what she had just heard... "What?" she asked.
"Draco came back," Ginny repeated.
"Is he – is he – "Hermione grabbed a chair for support. "Why is he back?"
"He moved back here. His project in America was over and they let him come back."
"How do you know?"
"Ron met him yesterday."
"But is he – is he back for – "Hermione didn't dare to say it. She didn't know if she was happy about Draco coming back from America or not, but she only wanted to know one thing... Was Draco back for her?
Ginny gazed at her worriedly, trying to figure out her thoughts. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Hermione said breathlessly, "but tell me... You've got to tell me this. Is he back for me?"
Ginny's eyes widened in fear. She hadn't seen this question coming. She had known she was going to hurt Hermione – but she didn't want to answer this question...
"Ginny – tell me," Hermione demanded. "Is Draco back for me? Yes or no?"
Ginny swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "But no."
Hermione lowered her eyes. She bit her lip, hard, and felt a drop of blood on her tongue. "It's okay," she said, more to herself than to Ginny. Sitting down on the chair, she repeated: "It's okay."
"Are you sure?" Ginny asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Hermione answered, not looking at her, trying to convince herself it really was okay. "Ginny, Ron didn't tell Draco anything about Daniel – right?"
"No," said Ginny quickly, "of course he didn't."
"Okay then."
"Hermione... there's another thing," Ginny said hesitantly. She knew this thing was going to hurt Hermione the most, but she knew she had to tell her – now, before she found out from someone else. "And I want you to remember, when I tell you, that we are all here for you, and that we care for you."
"You're really freaking me out," Hermione said, panicking. "What is it?"
Ginny took another deep breath. "Draco didn't come back alone," she said.
"What do you mean?" Hermione demanded.
"Draco came back with a fiancee," Ginny said quietly. "Ron met her. I'm so sorry, Hermione."
~*~
A/N: This time I updated sooner than I used to do, and it was even a little longer than usual! I really am doing my best. Please don't be angry when I can't update. I promise, in a month or so, I'll update regularly. But in the meantime, I have so much to do at school. It's a tough year. I hope you understand me...
Love
Roni.