Against All Odds

Chapter Eight

Hermione couldn't sleep that night. She felt like the bad one in the whole episode, as if she were the only reason Draco and Daniel suffered now. She realized they both loved each other very much and wanted to keep in touch – but she couldn't let that happen. They might find out the truth, and Daniel was way too young to know, and she was willing to give up everything as long as Draco didn't know.

Ten years before, when Draco had left her, she had decided she would never tell him the truth. She had seen how happy he was about going to America, and she didn't want to ruin it for him. In addition, she had been afraid that if she told him, he would go anyway, and that would have been much worse.

And thus she had never told him.

"I don't know what to do now," she cried in front of Ginny. "I really don't. I wish I knew. I feel like the bad one, because Daniel wants to see him so much and I'm the only reason why he can't. He's willing to do it for me, but I'm afraid he's going to resent me soon, because he misses Draco like mad. I don't understand how there was such a bond between them after such a short time."

"Maybe it's because they feel it in their hearts," Ginny said. "Maybe, even though they don't know the truth, their hearts know, and that's why they're so connected."

"Do you think I should let them keep in touch?" Hermione asked.

"I think you should do the right thing," Ginny answered unclearly.

"Which is?" Hermione asked nervously. "All I know is that I'm afraid of this bond they have. I don't want them to bond. I can't really explain why, but I don't want them to."

"Hermione, maybe you should think about Daniel this time and not about yourself," Ginny said.

There was a pause. Then Hermione said: "Maybe I'm afraid Draco is going to hurt him the same way he hurt me..."

"Are you sure that's the real reason?"

And Hermione knew it was not.

----

I have to see him again, Draco thought, just to make sure. The first time I saw him, he looked familiar. Now I understand it was probably because he resembles me so much. But I'm still not sure. I have to see him!

He knew he couldn't. Biologically, Daniel was his son. Also the connection between them was of a father and son, but Daniel belonged to Hermione, and he had to do what she told him to.

Thinking about it, Draco did not understand. Why hadn't Hermione told him she was pregnant? How come he had never heard about it? He missed ten years of his son's life, and he could never get them back.

He needed to talk to Hermione, ask her why, beg her to let him see his son. But above all, he had to ask her if it was true, because he still wasn't one hundred per cent sure. It made sense – but he had to know for sure.

There was only one problem. He didn't know where Hermione lived.

He knew where she had lived ten years before, when he had gone to America, but did she still live at the same apartment? Has she never left it?

He would have asked Harry or Ron, but he knew they wouldn't answer him – they all got instructions from Hermione. Therefore, he decided he would go to her old apartment, just to make sure, and if he didn't find her there, he would find other ways.

However, getting out of the house wasn't so easy as he had thought. The minute he put his hand on the front door's knob, Christine tugged his arm:

"Where are you going, Draco? You promised we'd spend this evening together!"

"I'm sorry, Christine, but I really have to go."

"But you do it all the time! You don't keep your promises. We're going to be married, and you have to be liable if you want me to trust you," Christine said in her squeaky voice, and Draco now noticed it was driving him crazy. "Where are you going?" she insisted.

"I have an important meeting at work," Draco lied. "It's really urgent and secret, that's why it's in the evening, when nobody's in the bank but the goblins. I have to go now, Chris, see you later." And before she could protest, he kissed her cheek and Disapparated.

----

Hermione heard a knock on the door. It was eight o'clock in the evening. Daniel was at Harry and Ginny's, and she had just returned home. When she heard the knock, she was sure it was Daniel, so she opened it quickly.

It was Draco Malfoy. She stood there, staring at him with her eyes wide open. One look at his face let her know he had come for a reason. She wasn't sure she wanted to know that reason.

"Can we talk?" was the first thing he said.

She swallowed hard and tried to be stern, but couldn't. "What is it?"

"Can I come in?"

She shrugged and moved aside, letting him in.

Draco walked in and looked around him. "I can't believe it," he murmured. "I remember this place so well. Where's Daniel, by the way?"

"He's at Harry and Ginny's, but don't you dare go over there."

Draco turned around. "Don't worry, I won't," he said quietly. "I'm here to talk to you, not to see Daniel, although I wish I could. But I understand we will have to talk first."

He sat down on the couch and looked at her, expecting her to sit as well. She sat on the armchair and folded her arms, waiting for him to speak.

"Is Daniel my son?"

Hermione's face lit up. She felt her face go red, and knew he realized the answer on his own. Oh, how she wanted to lie! But there was no point in hiding it anymore. It was time.

"Yes," she admitted quietly.

Draco leaned back and gazed at her for about a minute. When she relaxed a little, she thought she could see tears in his eyes. "How did it happen?" he asked. "We always used condoms and protective charms..."

"I don't know," she answered and shrugged helplessly. "It just happened. Condoms are only safe like ninty-seven per cent of the time, and protective charms may not work if you put them when you're already aroused."

"Why haven't you ever told me, Hermione?" Draco asked with pain in his eyes. "Ten years... it must have been so hard for you! Raising a baby all by yourself... and you have your job... Why didn't you tell me? Did you really think I would still go if I knew?"

"I guess I knew you wouldn't," Hermione said, "and that's why I didn't tell you. You see, you were so happy about going to America, about the chance you got, you kept saying you would never get such an opportunity again... I just couldn't take it away from you."

"How can you compare a job opportunity to a baby?" Draco asked, looking hurt. "You didn't take away my opportunity – you took away my baby. Didn't you think I had the right to know? He's my son too!"

Hermione stared at him.

"I didn't think you would see it this way," she admitted.

"And now that I finally found him – you took him away from me again," Draco blamed her. "Why? What have I ever done to hurt you? You couldn't have been that mad about me going to America! You knew I wanted you to come, you knew how much I loved you. You said you understood me. Why did you do this to me, Hermione? Why?"

Hermione lowered her eyes. Strong, guilty feelings flooded her. Thinking it the way Draco presented the situation, she really couldn't understand herself: why had she done this?

"I don't know what to say," she finally whispered. "I'm so sorry, Draco. You're absolutely right."

There was a long pause.

"However," Draco finally said, "I want you to know that I really appreciate what you did."

"What?"

"You know, raising this boy all by yourself for ten years, and making him the wonderful boy he is now. Well done. You did a great job."

Hermione smiled weakly. "Thanks."

Another pause.

"So, who's going to tell him?" Draco asked.

"Tell who what?"

"Tell Daniel the truth. Don't you think it's time he knew I'm his father?"

"Well... yeah. I guess it's time. I think I should tell him," Hermione said. "If you tell him, he'll be really angry with me for not telling. Is it okay?"

"Yes, but please, tell him tonight. Okay? I can't wait any longer. I have to see him, talk to him, hear him call me 'Dad'. Do you realize how much I love him?"

"Yeah." Hermione nodded. "Don't worry. I'll tell him. I promise."

----

A/N: Well, I know nothing has happened between Draco and Hermione yet, but you have to understand they must settle this Daniel issue between them before they can even think about their own relationship. Thanks for all the reviews – please keep reviewing!

Love

Roni.