Finally. Chapter Eleven.
I am so sorry guys…. I have been so preoccupied with school, friends, I guess just life in general. I have thought about this story though… and the fear of losing readers for the lack of updates pushed me to update! I apologize. But hey, summer is fast approaching and I am pretty sure the end of this story is near and the sequel should be…. Interesting?
ILU readers so much! On with the chapter.
BTW… SPURS ROOOOOOCK. Nuggets… LAME.
I am a bit hesitant of giving my sn out but if you ever need to talk to some random person, pick me!
KristineDuh. I love my sn, because it's stupid. It is AIM btw.
Chapter Eleven
"Get rid of it?" Hermione shrieked in horror… in anger… in hurt.
"Of the three children I have mothered for you, not once have you ever asked for such an act of brutality. It's inhumane, even for you. How could you demand for the abortion of a life you- we - created together? I have accepted the fact that after the birth of Dylan, your heir, you no longer cared for the welfare of the other two children we had together. But you allowed them to live. You allowed me to love them, if I couldn't have you… all I have are my precious children. You did not care whether or not they were kept or murdered while they grew inside me, it was my choice. This is my choice again, Draco. I intend to keep this child!"
"YOU CAN'T! Hermione, you just… can't." Draco's voice threatened to betray him. The sob he choked back with difficulty lurked dangerously in his throat.
Hermione closed her eyes as his voice faltered, desperation seeming to have bested him.
His knees buckled beneath him, the ground crunching as he met it.
Hermione approached him slowly, confusion clouding her eyes.
Sinking to her knees before him, Hermione took his cool face in her delicate hands.
"It would be such a privilege to father your child, Hermione. I would have been so blessed to have fathered Dylan, Alexander and precious Anna … but I did not. I am not blessed but cursed." Draco whispered.
Dumbfounded, Hermione looked over her shoulder at her mother, who currently had her mouth agape. The younger of the Granger women bit her lip in discomfort.
"Adultery? Oh, Hermione." Helena nearly fainted, misunderstanding Draco completely.
"You're denying our children? You think I would stoop so low… infidelity? I would rather you deny our marriage than our children." Hermione's arms dropped limp by her sides. The tone of her voice frightened Draco, so devoid of emotion…
"Love, they are our children. They all have inherited the Malfoy eyes… But they're not my children… If there were a way to explain myself…" Draco entwined their fingers, terrified that if he did not maintain physical contact with her, he would disappear as quickly as he'd appeared.
"Tell her what you told me, Dad." Dylan offered quietly.
Draco smiled gently.
"Perhaps, son."
"May there be a change of location for this little 'chat'? Hermione's knees bruise so easily, and of course there is child to worry about now. You know how protective I get." Draco physically winced at Helena's mention of the child.
"Of course, Mother. I would very much appreciate it if Draco and I are left alone to discuss the matter. Come, dear." Hermione stood stiffly, leading him back into the manor.
"Dad, keep it simple… she'll understand." Dylan shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked alongside his father.
"Thank you for the advice and the escort into the manor, Dylan. I can take it from here." The elder of the Malfoy men chuckled.
"And Dad?" Dylan already had his back turned, prepared to rejoin his grandmother beside the lake.
"Hmm?" Draco replied.
"Make sure that she drinks her tea. I'll send Goopy in shortly, when I find the time appropriate." Before Draco could respond, Dylan was already retreating.
000
"I anxiously await your explanation, Draco." Hermione spoke softly. They were yet again inside a newly renovated room. It had Hermione's natural glow, her happiness, her beauty…her simplicity. She was seated on an extravagant armchair across from him. Beside them were four floor to ceiling windows, displaying a stunning view of Malfoy Lake.
Draco rose from his own seat, staring out the windows.
"I remember this room, my father would bring dozens of Death Eaters home…this is the room they brought disgruntled, revolting women into…what they did… was less than honorable. All right, it was down right despicable, it disgusted me…it disgusted Father. But it had to be done, for the sake of his family, he had to keep an alliance with the Dark Lord. My father feared the lord, we had to keep a face on… we had to mask our home to reflect our alliance with the Dark Side. This room is nothing close to what it is supposed to look like. It looks nothing like the room in Malfoy Manor…"
"This is Malfoy Manor." Hermione pressed desperately, clutching the arms of the chair tightly.
"Yes, this is Malfoy Manor. But the Malfoy Manor I speak of does not have our family portraits littering its walls, it's littered with portraits of my mother and father. Because they reside in Malfoy Manor, or more appropriately... they did reside there. I decided to call Malfoy Estate my home… I was only given possession of the manor when my father was murdered--"
"STOP! Cease this lunacy!" Hermione pleaded.
"No, Hermione. I owe you this explanation…it does not rid me of my past offenses against our family, but it shines light on the recent events that have occurred.
"My father was murdered. Because it was discovered that he had much to do with the defeat of Lord Voldemort. This is not known to the public… He was known as Voldemort's right hand to everyone but those who knew better. I was the only suspect in the public's eyes…so my arrest was imminent. I had an alibi, Hermione! We were together that morning. We made love five times… during those five times, my father was dying. During those five times, they condemned me as the murderer and no one else. During those five times Dumbledore frantically tried to save me…there was no evidence that I committed any crime… but there was no evidence that proved my innocent. He had no choice but to give me the life sentence to Azkaban." He recalled the heart wrenching pleas he yelled at Hermione as he was taken into custody by the Dementors, the emotionless expression which seemed to be hiding more plastered on her face.
"I don't understand, Draco.." Hermione whispered faintly, hanging her head in defeat.
Suddenly her eyes lit up…
"Draco….I can recollect making love five times one morning… we were so young. I was seventeen... you eighteen, I believe. Freshly out of Hogwarts…Ron cursed you that day for killing the 'Golden Trio'… He tried to frame you for something childish…I can't recall but-- what? What is it Draco?" His eyes quickly intensified as she spoke.
"It aligns, Hermione! I was framed for killing my father… I was framed for killing the 'Golden Trio'…"
"No, Draco, you weren't framed for killing the 'Golden Trio'…it was the force that drove Ron to attempt framing you…"
"Yes, so it makes sense…He framed me because I killed the Golden Trio. Ron framed me for killing the Golden Trio…it aligns. What matters is…I was framed for killing…. 'your worlds do align…just not in so subtle ways…'" Draco finally understood Minerva's wise words.
"How did I prove my innocence?" Draco questioned hungrily.
"Of course, you told them you were with me the entire morning…. But that was not good enough for Ron. So, in a month or two, we proved him wrong because I was pregnant with Dylan… He was conceived the day you supposedly did wrong… you had an alibi."
"And… Dylan was born when I was nineteen…" The platinum blonde whispered.
"Yes… Draco, please…. You're frightening me… You're speaking nonsense! " Hermione made a movement to stand.
"Oh Merlin… please let Dylan be my alibi…"
"Drac..ooo--- Dracccccooooo…. Aaaaaarrrrrrreeeee yyyyyooou ooooka-" Hermione's words became extremely incoherent… the room spun, creating brilliant colors in Draco's head.
"Draco! I'll drink the tea…- I'll cease incessant questions…DRACO!"
000
…Then…
The familiar sound of the Dementors inhalations of life, memories, happiness now deafened him… he shivered when his skin made contact with a cool stone wall…
…Azkaban?
AHHHHHH! I made it this far guys! Sigh … I apologize for the delayed update. But this chapter frustrated the hell out of me… then--- it all clicked. I hope the alignment shit made sense to you all because I made sense to me! I don't know if the next chapter will be the last one or not but…. Hmmm I'll decide by the amount of feedback I get… what I mean is .. Feedback as in how you take this chapter and chapter twelve. Review, please? I love hearing from you fans!
Kristine.