Disclaimer: Originally written for the Cookie Jar of the SS: L&L on FA. I do not own Harry Potter or the song 'Sing for Absolution' which is owned by Muse.

A/N: First possible ending to this fic.

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Lips are turning blue

A kiss that can't renew

I only dream of you

My beautiful

Hermione stood in the doorway of her son's room, smiling at his little form tucked up in his "big boy" bed, sucking his thumb as he slept on. The feeling of happiness evaporated when she started to twist her wedding ring nervously. A hand touched her shoulder. She whirled around. Her husband stood there, smiling lovingly. He kissed her goodnight and went to bed, leaving her alone with herself, which wasn't what she wanted. She shivered, feeling more alone than ever.

Tiptoe to your room

A starlight in the gloom

I only dream of you

And you never knew

She stayed in the doorway that entire night, unable to face the loving words and touches from her husband. She returned his love, but not in the way she knew he wanted. She felt uneasy around him. More and more she slept in the doorway of her son's room, with the hope of seeing the one she loved come and collect her and take her and their son away. But he never came. Never.

Sing for absolution

I will be singing

And falling from your grace

She felt so guilty with her secret. So guilty because she knew she was. Guilty for loving another. Guilty for leaving the hotel room to meet another man on their honeymoon and then loving him in a way she shouldn't. Guilty for lying when she became pregnant on their honeymoon and saying it must've been that night on the beach. Some of the guilt disappeared when her son was born. When she cradled him in her arms for the first time she named him on the spot, not caring if her husband objected. She knew there was something different about the boy, but he loved him anyway. She felt guilty when the child grew hair, the tiny wisps of white-blonde hair that were so familiar in many ways. She felt guilty when she lied and said she was one of the few non-blonde members of her family. Oh, how she felt the guilt.

There's nowhere left to hide

In no one to confide

The truth burns deep inside

And will never die

She couldn't tell anyone. Her friends knew her husband and would surely tell him. Besides, she couldn't make another being share the weight of her burden. So she looked for her love everywhere she went, watching and waiting all the time, hoping to see him someday, somewhere. But something inside of her told her that the week in Greece was over, had been over for three years. He would never come back. She was alone.

Lips are turning blue

A kiss that can't renew

I only dream of you

My beautiful

The few nights she spent with her husband were fretful and she tossed and turned, dreaming only of her love. When she awoke, she half-hoped it was him. But no, it was the other. Always the other. Never him. Occasionally she sneaked a look at her one picture of him. It was from her honeymoon. They were standing on the beach and he had his arms around her, grinning and laughing at something she had said to him. He looked just like she knew he would. But sometimes all she hoped for was for the other man to forgive her, even if he didn't know what she had done.

Sing for absolution

I will be singing

And falling from your grace

Rain poured down outside and she sat in the living room with her son on her lap, playing a game with him, wishing her love was here to see it. The other man was at work, where he was all the time, where she wished he would stay. But he would be home soon. Someone knocked on the door and her heart skipped a beat. She carefully made her way to the door to open it.

The door opened easily under her fingertips. He stood there, dripping from the rain, his hair dyed black and his face as pale as death. She stared at him, her hand over her mouth in shock and happiness as she pulled him inside and to her. His arms encircled her and he kissed her passionately until she pulled herself from him with difficulty and ushered him into the living room, where their son sat playing with blocks and naming the colors with uncertainty.

"Green," Nathan said, putting the block on top of the stack.

"Draco," she said slowly, "this is your son."

He stood silent for a long moment before his said in a broken voice, "My son?"

"Yes," she said, a tear drop falling from her eye. She turned to their son. "Nathan, come here." The toddler walked slowly over to her, eying the unknown warily. "Nathan, sweetheart, this is your daddy. He's come to take us away."

"Daddy?" the three-year-old asked. He walked over to Draco carefully. "Daddy?"

"Yes, I'm your daddy," his father said, picking the child up and tickling his chin. "How would you like a pony?"

"Pony?" Nathan perked up.

"Hermione, who's this?" said a new voice. She and her love whirled around to face the other man, her husband.

"Harry, don't be mad…" she started out. "I didn't want you to know like this."

"Malfoy?" the other man said. "I thought you were dead? Why are you holding my son? Put him down!"

"Obviously I'm not dead Potter," he said. "And this boy is my son."

The other man stared at her. "I thought you were over him. Nathan's only three, how did you-" He choked. "No. Our honeymoon. My God, why would you do that to me?"

She looked at him mournfully. "I tried to cancel the wedding, don't you remember? Several hundred times. I told you that wasn't what I wanted. But you wouldn't listen! I had to be happy somehow. I love you, Harry, but just as a friend."

Her love took her hand and escorted her past her husband. "You'll be hearing from my lawyers, Potter. I am sorry you had to find out this way. You can still see Nathan if you'd like, but please don't refer to him as 'son'. Goodbye."

Our wrongs

Remain unrectified

And our souls

Won't be exhumed

They walked down the street, smiling and connected by their hands. She finally felt whole and loved. Her old guilt washed away. But now she had new guilt. She felt guilty for ruining her husband's life.