Prophecy of Forbidden Love

Chapter 18
Have Yourself, A Malfoy Little Christmas

A/N OMG YA'LL! I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry I didn't put this up sooner, but I've been so stressed with moving, and having love problems and it was hard to write about lovers when i was having a crappy love life and I've been incredibly depressed, but that goes hand in hand with moving and love problems and I know that these are not good excuses, so even though I am still depressed and lovesick, I shall write! and post! because I have a commitment to you all! (Not to mention the fact that I had a bunch of this typed out and someone *cough evil brother cough* deleted it, so I had to start over)

-Punky Poet a.k.a. Eedee

P.S. I'm going to mention all references in this chapter ahead of time, because I don't want anything interrupting your train of thought at the end. 1) The Return of the King refers to, of course, the wonderful book by J.R.R. Tolkien 2) 'It is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all.' I don't know who said that, but it wasn't me! 3) 'Take a crazy chance...If you lose the moment, you could lose so much.' Slightly refers to the Hilary Duff song 'Why Not'. Corny I know... 4) The section at the end where Hermione is explaining to Draco's grandfather about the prophecy is entirely referencing to chapter 3 of this story...

ENJOY!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the Hogsmeade trip Draco and Hermione parted ways, Draco to who knew where, and Hermione to the Gryffindor common room. It seemed like such a long time since the last time she had been there. She only knew the password because she was, after all, a prefect (she would have been screwed if she wasn't). Hoping to talk to Ginny alone, and tell her everything that had been plaguing her, she climbed awkwardly through the portrait hole. Ginny was in a far corner reading The Return of the King.

'Ginny, I want to talk to you. Tell you everything I've been feeling. I need to get it off my mind.' Hermione said as she sank into a seat by Ginny. Ginny closed her book and nodded. So Hermione told her everything. Told her how she loved Draco but kept denying it because she didn't want to get hurt. How she longed to hear Draco tell her he loved her but that he hadn't and it was killing her. How she wished that she didn't have to be part of the prophecy so that none of this stuff with Draco would have happened. Everything. She told Ginny things she had not even known had been bottled up inside of her. When she was through she felt loads better. Ginny looked thoughtful for a moment, then started to speak.

'All I can say is that I think you should tell him how you feel. The worst that can happen is he doesn't feel the same way, but that just makes you stronger and more prepared for love in your future. To quote a Muggle author "It is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all." Which is true. If you don't feel love, what's the point of living? There is no reason to cut yourself off from love just because you're afraid of getting hurt. Take a crazy chance. Tell him how you feel the next chance you get. If you lose the moment, you could lose so much. But I can't make you do anything. You're a big girl Hermione, follow your heart.' By the time Ginny had finished talking, it was quite late, after midnight.

Hermione sat stunned for a moment, taking all this in. She had never known Ginny had so much wisdom.

'Thank you Ginny, that helped soooo much! I am going to tell him! Right now! Bye Ginny, thanks again!' And Hermione rushed out of the room intending to find Draco. She ran around the castle, and finding him nowhere, walked slowly back to her room. She had looked everywhere. She probably would have checked the Slytherin common room had she known where it was. Why she hadn't checked first in her room, the world may never know. But it didn't really matter because he wasn't there either. She went into her bathroom, intending to get ready for bed, and had brushed her teeth and was halfway through getting her pyjamas on when she realized there was a note stuck to her mirror. She immediately tore it off and read aloud:

'Dearest Hermione,
Please meet me outside by the lake at one o'clock am.
Yours Truly,
Draco Malfoy'

She refolded the letter and looked at the clock by her bed. It was almost one now. She looked out the window and could see the dim silhouette of Draco by the lake. She didn't bother to put on her robes, but finished with her pyjamas, pulled on a pair of shoes, and grabbed a cloak as she rushed from the room. She ran as quietly and quickly as possible, and was at the oak front doors ten minutes later. As soon as she had slid quietly through them, she broke into an all out run across the grounds. She reached Draco panting and sweating despite the cold, almost December air.

'You shouldn't have run. It could be bad for the babies.' Draco said as she fell into his arms.

'If...you're...going to lecture...me about care...of the...twins...I'll go back to the castle...now.' Hermione panted. Draco fixed her cloak around her and held her body close to his. There was an awkward silence during which Draco walked Hermione to a blanket under a tree and they sat down.

'I've, umm, thought of a name for the boy, if you're interested.' He said at last.

'How do you know there will be a boy?' Hermione asked.

'Well, I probably should have told you earlier, but oh well. When you took the pregnancy test it also showed that the twins are a boy and a girl. I thought I'd name the boy and you could name the girl...unless of course you object?' Draco turned to face her.

'No, that's fine. Off the top of my head I think Sheena Marie...' She hesitated for a moment, then said resolutely, 'Malfoy. Sheena Marie Malfoy. Yes it has a nice ring to it.'

'Yes.' He nodded. Under his breath he added, 'As does Hermione Malfoy.' He was quiet for a moment then said, 'I think Stephen Michael Malfoy sounds good for the boy. How about you?' Hermione nodded her head in agreement. There was silence for a moment then Hermione said, 'Both their initials will be S.M.M.'

'I was just noticing that as well.' Draco answered. During the next silence that ensued, Draco laid down on his back, stretched out under the stars. Hermione took her que. She put her head on his stomach and stretched out beside him. Then, in a moment of pure bravery on her part, she blurted out, 'Draco, I love you!' He was obviously caught of guard, because it took him a while to reply. He spoke slowly as though still forming the sentences in his mind.

'That was part of the reason why I wanted to meet you here tonight. First of all, it was a tad more romantic out here than in our room, and more exciting, with the the thrill of getting caught out here past curfew. But moving on, I wanted to...talk to you. To tell you...well, to tell you how I've been feeling. This is very out of character for me and I don't rightly know where these feelings are coming from.' At this point Draco stopped talking for a minute. He gently stroked Hermione's head and hair, then took a deep breath and continued. 'But since the minute I first laid eyes on you, I knew there was something different about you. And I know that sounds corny, but it's true. You weren't like the other girls, and as I got older I realized how. You didn't care what people thought of you. You didn't look to boys to make you feel special or loved, you knew inside your heart that you were. I've admired that everyday since I figured that out about you. Even when I called you a Mudblood you took it calmly and didn't pay attention, it never got you down, I've admired that too.' He paused, this time for longer. Hermione was about to speak when Draco took another deep breath and plunged on. 'I've admired you for a very long time, and only kept up the charade of being a complete arse to you in public so that no one would think me weak, so my reputation would stay the same, and so that people wouldn't realize I was falling for you. After all these years of admiring you from afar, I've come to realize that as long as I'm happy, who cares about my reputation, who cares what others will think? Hermione, since I found out about this prophecy I have been the happiest person on the planet. I get to father two children from the woman I've admired and looked up to. I love you too Hermione. More then words can say.' Hermione was struck dumb by his words. They had come totally unexpected and she didn't know what to say or do. She had expected him to laugh and ask how he could ever love a Mudblood. Not knowing what else to do, thinking that if he had laughed she would have known how to better handle the situation, she sat up, leaned her face close to his, and kissed him, a passionate lover's kiss. A few moments later their lips slowly parted and Hermione lay back down on Draco's stomach, and he commenced stroking her hair. As Hermione lay there, looking at the sky, with one hand on her belly and another gently stroking Draco's cheek, a shooting star moved across the sky, and for a long while Hermione forgot her troubles, her cares, her worries, and was happy, lying there with Draco. They talked no more, but both rested, warm in each others arms. As day was about to break, Draco roused Hermione from her light slumber.

'Hermione, let's watch the sunrise together.' He gently shook her and brushed her hair out of her face. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Draco. He kissed her lightly on the nose, then put his arms around her. They watched the sunrise together, as newfound lovers. As the sun rose higher in the sky, they stood up and walked towards the castle. It was still quite early and they were in no real danger of being caught, as everyone was asleep. They entered their room holding hands, and before they went their separate ways, they shared a short, but loving kiss. Before Draco had turned to go to his bed, Hermione said, 'The perfect end to the perfect night.' They smiled at each other, and Draco took her hand and kissed the top of it. Since it was Sunday, they didn't need to worry about getting up for classes, and they both slept past noon.

The next couple weeks until Christmas break passed mostly in a whir of happiness for Hermione. She stayed in her room for the most part, with Draco bringing her her assignments. She ventured down to the Great Hall for meals, and sat, as always, with Harry and Ron, although sometimes she ventured to the Slytherin table to be with Draco. She still could not understand why she needed to stay in her room, but since she and Draco were together every night, it didn't matter too much for her anymore. The day classes ended for Christmas break, Hermione and Draco helped each other pack.

'Love, are you going to want to pack your underwear or do you have enough at your house?' Hermione asked seriously as she went through his things.

'What do you think I am? Unhygienic? Of course I have underwear at my house. In fact, I don't need to pack anything really. Except that I'll need my dress robes.' He said as he walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She kissed his cheek as she pulled his dress robes from his dresser.

'Well, since that's all you need, we'll just pack it with my things. There's no use in bringing your whole trunk for one thing.' Hermione laid Draco's dress robes on top of her own and closed the trunk. 'Well, I think that's it, don't you?' She turned around to see Draco lying on his side on her bed. 'You know, I really can't resist you when you're looking so sexy.' She said as she walked to her bed. She laid down beside him, and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck and face. 'I love you, I love you, I love you. It feels wonderful to be telling you that Hermione.' Draco purred in her ear. She kissed him once before falling fully into his arms and falling asleep close by him.

Hermione was sitting on a dock, swinging her bare feet above the surface of the water. Next to her were two baby bouncers. In one was a boy and the other, a girl. Both were fast asleep, but every once in a while the young mother would look fondly down at them and smile. Her life was complete, she was happy. Suddenly, as if the sun had turned off, there was darkness. The warm summer air could now chill to the bone. Hermione pulled her babies close, and as she wrapped their blankets around them, a very peculiar thing happened. A pair of cold, red eyes stared up at her from one of the bouncers. She screamed. Her child had been possessed by Voldemort. She screamed again.

'Hermione, wake up, it's all right. I'm here no need to worry. It was just a dream.' Draco toweled her wildly sweating face.

'No, no, it wasn't just a dream. It felt real. It was almost like...a...vision...' Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she told Draco what had happened in the dream. He held her in his lap and rocked her, wiping away her tears. She put her head on his chest and was silent for a long time.

'Hermione dear, we should be leaving soon.' Draco whispered. She nodded and got slowly from his lap. Draco charmed her trunk to float, and they headed to the great hall for dinner and goodbyes. (They were leaving a day earlier than everyone else.) After a quick meal. Hermione hugged Harry and Ron each in turn, very tightly. She told them she'd owl them about the ball, but neither of them were very sure they'd be able to make it because it was, after all, at Malfoy Manor.

The train ride from Platform 9 3/4 was pleasant enough, and passed quickly for Hermione, who was happy just being with Draco.

Lucius was waiting by the platform when they arrived, and as soon as they were back in the Muggle world, Hermione started wondering how they were going to get to Malfoy Manor. Lucius led the way to a parked car. It was black, and looked like a hearse. As soon as everyone and Hermione's trunk were comfortably seated, they started on their way.

When Hermione stepped out of the car onto the paved driveway, she gasped. The house was amazing. It was three stories, the third of which had a balcony. Facing the house, there was a garden on the right, from which white vines trailed over the brick exterior, winding themselves up and beautifully around the balcony railing. A rosebush was in full bloom, with red, yellow, pink, and white roses despite the cold weather. An assortment of other flowers were planted in the garden, all also in bloom. You couldn't see it from the front, but there was a narrow stone path leading from the back door to a pond filled with water lilies. An arch about halfway down the path was intertwined with red roses and vines, underneath which sat a stone bench right next to the path. Hermione had expected the house to be black and gloomy, but it was quite the contrary. It was made of red brick and was clean and bright. Green shutters were on every window. Stepping into the house Hermione found it to be immaculately clean. True, there were probably dark arts items everywhere, but you couldn't tell just by looking around the house. The door knocker was a jolly roger, which led Hermione to believe that Draco's ancestors must have been Pirates. All of the book cases and display cases were green with snakes carved into the wood. The room she had entered into from the front door was the sitting room. To the left was a restroom, straight ahead the dining room, to the left side of which was the kitchen and laundry room. To the right was a grand ballroom. The sitting room was made up of grey and black leather couches, and a coffee table in the center of the room. Portraits of dead Malfoys watched all that went on in this room. By the door to the restroom were stairs that led to the second floor. On the second floor was the master bedroom, Draco's room, two guest rooms, a storage room, and two restrooms. Another set of stairs across the hall led up to the third floor, which was one huge room. The floor was highly polished wood, and there was a little bar in the far right corner. There were double doors leading out to the balcony, on which there were a couple wicker tables and chairs. Hermione followed Draco to his room, but was told that she would be occupying the guest room across from Draco's room. Draco brought her trunk to her room, then the couple sat in Draco's room. Draco sat at his desk, while Hermione lay on her back on his bed, leaning her head over the edge to look at him upside down.

'So the Christmas ball is on Christmas night, correct?' Hermione asked.

'Clever use of deductive reasoning love.' Draco said.

'I was just making sure. Today is the nineteenth, right?' Draco nodded.

'Well, if you're just going to not talk and make me feel stupid, I'll go to my room and talk to myself. I never make me feel stupid.' She said, feeling slightly put-out.

'I'm sorry dear, my mind was elsewhere. I've just been...thinking.' He looked up, and for a moment Hermione swore she saw a solitary tear run down his cheek.

'What about?' She said, sitting up on the bed.

'Well, Stephen and Sheena. What if this is some horrible plan of my father's to, well, do something terrible to you so the prophecy won't come true? I don't know how I'd be able to live without you or one of them. Don't leave my sight for a minute during the ball, ok Hermione?' Hermione nodded and saw another tear trickle silently from his eye. She thought about the prophecy. Had it said one of the children must die for the world to be rid of Voldemort? She tried not to think of this heartbreaking possibility. She walked to Draco and stood above him, stroking his hair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next five days until the party were spent cleaning, decorating, putting up trees, and making extravagant meals. Draco tried to make Hermione stay in bed, but she insisted on helping. The days passed so quickly that it seemed like no time at all before she woke up on Christmas morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'What the-' Hermione woke to a very childlike Draco jumping up and down on her bed.

'Hermione wake up! It's Christmas morning! There's presents!' After knowing Harry and Ron for the past six years and spending many Christmas's with them, she knew that all adolescent boys turned back into little boys on Christmas. She had to laugh though. Draco seemed so pleased.

'Ok, I'm up!' She put on a light blue robe and followed Draco as he bounded down the stairs singing a Weird Sisters remake of 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree'. Lucius and Narcissa looked as though they had just been woken up as well, and were seated on a couch in the sitting room, facing the tree. Hermione had gotten presents for both them, as well as a couple for Draco. She had put them under the tree last night. Draco started sorting everyone's into piles as soon as he entered the sitting room. There were more than Hermione had expected for her. Apparently Harry, Ron, and her parents had owled them over. She actually supposed that her parents had mailed them, considering their current owless situation and the fact that they were Muggles. She looked at her pile and picked up a package from Harry. She opened it slowly to find *surprise* a book. This was a book of poetry by William Shakespeare. Ron had sent her a hardcover copy of 'Romeo and Juliet', both boys knew that Hermione loved Shakespeare. Mrs. Weasley had included cookies in the shape of Christmas trees. Her parents had sent her a purple sweater, and two tiny matching pink and blue ones for the twins. She looked over and saw that Draco had also gotten a sweater, his was grey. Her parents had sent a note saying they had more for her, but they wanted to wait until they were together as a family to give them to her. Hermione felt a pang of homesickness as she opened a present from Lucius and Narcissa - a pair of emerald earrings and a silver chained necklace with an emerald pendant. She smiled and said thank you, and looked at the remaining present, which was from Draco. She picked up the box, and opening it she found that it was a photo album. A note fell from it as she opened to the first page.

'Hermione,
I had Colin Creevey take some candid pictures of us. I hope you never forget the good times. Too bad we don't have any of "that night".
With all of my love,
Draco'

The album was filled with pictures of Draco and Hermione, doing everything from eating to studying to kissing. Draco had written captions under all of the pictures, and funny little quotes. There were quite a few blank pages in the back, presumably to put pictures of them and the children on. Hermione walked to Draco and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek.

'Thank you! It's wonderful!' She said, and sat next to him. He had gotten socks, books, and clothes from his parents, and a handmade quilt from Hermione. It was embroidered with the words 'The Prophecy of Forbidden Love' inside a huge heart. The quilt itself was silver and large enough for two people to fit under. There were still presents for Lucius and Narcissa to be opened, but at that moment a House-Elf came into the room announcing that is was breakfast time.

~~~~~

By the time breakfast was over, it was time to be getting ready for the ball. Hermione walked slowly to her room from the kitchen, and wondered if Draco really had intended on helping her put her dress on. She contemplated asking him, but he would probably come in her room whether she asked him to or not. She walked into her room and to her trunk. She pulled the silver and forest green dress from her trunk. She had cast an anti-wrinkle spell on it before they left, so it looked perfect. She held it in front of her and twirled around a couple times. She loved the way it looked. The sleeves and bodice, and half of the skirt part were green. At the waist in the front, the dress split, and there was a silver skirt part underneath. The sleeves were tight to the elbow, then split and flared out, showing a lace layer underneath the silk sleeve. A ribbon hung from the point at which the sleeves split. The top of the bodice came down about two inches below her collarbone, in a square fashion. The bodice was inset about four inches, with more green lace covering the silk. The lace extended about half an inch above the top of the silk, so when put on, you could see skin peeking through. The lower part of the bodice was laced with silver ribbon in a shoelace fashion, and the ribbon, when tied, reached to mid-calf, when untied it reached to the ankles. It was floor length and not too tight, but the bodice and sleeves did form nicely to her. The skirt part was not tight, but when Hermione spun around with it on, it flared out a bit. Her slightly noticeable tummy protruded a tad from the dress.

Draco did not make an appearance to help her put on the dress, but she would see to it that he made an appearance in helping her get it off. She straightened her hair, then wet it to make it form slight waves, and pulled it up into a slightly messy pile on top of her head, with some locks falling down onto her shoulders and cascading down her back. Just to accent the dress, she put on a bit of light green eyeliner with silver eye shadow, a hint of blush, and clear lip gloss. She clasped the necklace Lucius and Narcissa had gotten her around her neck, and put in the earrings. They matched perfectly with the dress, and as Hermione looked in the mirror, it spoke and said 'You look dazzling.' She smiled and said thank you, then told herself that she was going crazy and was talking to mirrors. By the time Hermione was done, it was almost time for the guests to be arriving (Hermione was sure most of them would be Death Eaters). Draco knocked on her door, and when she opened it he smiled.

'I'm here to pick up Hermione Granger, have you seen her anywhere? I was under the impression that this was her room...' Draco said and tried to look around the room.

'Draco, you prat!'

'You look lovely darling.' He said and picked her up and spun her around. She giggled. When he put her down the linked arms and walked up stairs.

The third floor had been transformed into another ballroom. Round tables that seated about five people each were placed around the room by the walls, and the center of the room was empty, so as to be used for dancing. A few couples were waltzing, but most were sitting at tables partaking of the feast which Narcissa, Hermione, and many House-Elves had made. Red and green streamers stretched across the ceiling, and a Christmas tree stood in a corner. Before she even got to sit down, Draco pulled Hermione out onto the dance floor and twirled her around it. He was a very good dancer.

'I didn't know you could dance.' Hermione said as he dipped her backwards.

'My mum made me take lessons as a child. Ballroom, waltzing, swing dancing. All kinds of terribly Muggle stuff. It's my most embarrassing childhood secret. Don't tell anyone...But it does come in handy.' He told her as they continued dancing. After a couple more songs, they sat down at a table with Lucius, Narcissa, and an older man whom Hermione hadn't seen before. As Hermione began to eat a slice of turkey with cranberry sauce, Lucius, who was on one side of her, cleared his throat.

'Hermione, I'd like you to meet my father.' Draco turned quickly to look at his father, but his father shot him a nasty look before he could say anything.

'He's a Historian currently working in Italy, trying to figure out the meanings of ancient Roman prophecies and writings and the like. When I told him about the Il Profetizza di Amore Vietato he was very interested. He's only ever heard bits and pieces of the prophecy. You wouldn't mind telling him more about it would you?'

'O, not at all. What is it that you would like to know?' Draco once again was about to say something, but Lucius interrupted.

'Draco, I'd like to have a little chat with you. Won't you join me at the bar?' Draco nodded resignedly, and left Hermione to speak with his grandfather.

'Well, in general, what is the prophecy about?' Draco's grandfather asked, smiling at Lucius as he led his son away.

'It's about the joining of a...umm...Muggleborn and a Pureblood. But not just any, their chosen. It's a kind of Romeo and Juliette scenario.' She answered.

'Yes. Why is it centered around the joining of these two people?'

'The offspring of this couple, in the past it's almost always been a male, will be the downfall of the greatest dark wizard around during the time period. That would be Voldemort for us.'

'How could a child bring destruction to such a powerful wizard?'

'I don't really know. I mean, no one knows why Harry Potter survived Voldemort. But the child usually dies, leaving the task to the mother and father.'

'Is there anything else that happens along with the downfall of the dark wizard?'

'Well, all magical evil will be stopped for a century, at which point another couple comes along. But in the process of terminating the evil, a great building will crumble and betrayal will ensue. That's all I really know.'

'That is incredibly interesting. I'll have to look more into that, as soon as I'm done with my current project. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go, I told the other historians I'm working with I wouldn't be gone too long. It was lovely speaking with you.' Hermione shook his hand and he promptly disapparated. Hermione looked at Narcissa who gave her a weak smile. Draco was heading back over to her. He took her hand and they danced some more, occasionally stopping for food or drink. At midnight most of the guests had gone, and Hermione and Draco decided that they would retire. Draco kissed his mother lightly on the cheek and said goodnight, and told his father he would see him in the morning. On the way downstairs Hermione asked Draco what his father had told him.

'Pretty much that I had better be acting like a gentlemen and if we were going to "mess around" he didn't want to hear it in his room or anywhere else in the house.' Draco smiled and walked into Hermione's room with her. She took down her hair, and washed her face, then turned to Draco.

'Will you unzip me please?' She asked, smiling mischievously.

'But of course madam.' Draco's heart was pounding wildly in his ears as he walked to Hermione, who was holding her hair out of the way. It was now or never. He pulled from his pocket a ring, starting on one side with a gold lion, who's tail turned into a snake, with the gold turning to silver. The jaws of the two animals were open, and the lower jaws locked, the lion holding an emerald, and the snake holding a ruby. He started to unzip her dress, then put one of his arms around he waist, pulling her towards him, and put the hand holding the ring a foot from her face. He whispered in her ear, 'Hermione, will you marry me?'