Notes: This is a vital chapter. I don't recall if I said how far along Hermione was, but she's far enough at the moment, take my word. And the visitor is a shock, you can't believe everything you see. I'm thinking on making this fic shorter. I think around ten, fifteen chapters?
Freedom's Liberty, Slavery's Blood
Chapter 3: I Love You!
Begin Chapter
The morning was typical. I got up, showered, glared at Blaise for a good while, and took a nap. But, I couldn't find anything to occupy my time. Unwillingly, I thought about who was supposed to be visiting me today. Who wouldn't believe I was alive?
'Well, almost anyone, I was kidnapped and never found.' I think dryly, while I pull my legs up to my chest and lean my head on them. My hair was bothering me, it always tickled my back and I tied it into a loose bun.
I decide that I wasn't going to stay inside. 'But, he probably wouldn't let me go anywhere.' I slid on my blue flip-flops, which matched the blue and black t-shirt I had on. Slowly, walking down the stairs, I checked for a sign of someone. There was none. Figuring he was probably talking, I took long strides towards the door, and opened it.
"Going out for a walk?" Did I mention I hated when he did that? I checked, double checked, triple checked that there was no one around and he comes from nowhere. "Our--your guest will be here soon, you know." That caught my attention, and he knew it, because I swung around to face him.
"Oh." I dropped into a chair at the table and looked at him.
"Who is it?" I asked curiously. He just smiled and tapped his fingers on the table, which irked her because it was distracting him from obtaining her answer. She sighed and pushed a loose strand from her bun away from her face, before pulling the hair tie out completely, and retying it into two childish pigtails with a grin.
"I can't reveal that until they arrive." Hermione frowned and crossed her arms, but didn't have to wait long, because over the span of a few quiet seconds the ball rang. Blaise walked over to the door, which Hermione couldn't see and opened.
"Ah, welcome. The both of you. Come in." Hermione held her breath as she saw the first person enter. Draco Malfoy. Boy, she was starting to detest the man with a passion. The blonde strolled in, holding a tiny boy in a carriage and set him on the table in front of Hermione as she chose to ignore the next guest. The little boy had dark, messy black hair and glowing brown eyes. Hermione had turned to question him on this, but she met the face of someone she thought dead.
"Ginny!" Hermione knocked her chair over in excitement and embraced the witch. Ginny looked better than she had the last time Hermione had come across her. Her hair was now cut again, short and barely touching her shoulders. Her eyes were shiny and brown like they had always been, but they gleam with the pride and joy that was her son.
"How old is he, Ginny?" She asked, watching Draco and Blaise converse, but Draco's eyes were held with the delicate boy in the carriage. Hermione couldn't help but appreciate him for that.
"He's five months. His name is James Arthur." Hermione grinned. What an ingenious name! Harry's father and her father. She had to applaud Ginny just for that, but for dealing with Draco Malfoy through her pregnancy. Hermione was almost done as well, but still hadn't gotten along well with Blaise.
"How is it with him?" Hermione asked, as she and Ginny walked up to Hermione's room. Ginny looked around, before seating herself on Hermione's bed and Hermione across from her. Just like during school...
"Oh, he's actually very wonderful to me. I've come to respect him. He lets me do almost anything. He lets me go out, provides for me, and for James, very spectacular. I was surprised not to be dead, at first. he actually charmed me to be fake dead. Then, Apparated with me after everyone left. When I woke up, I was furious," Hermione grinned knowingly at her, Ginny flushing, before continuing her story.
"Right about until he kinda described the info. I didn't talk to him for weeks and he really respected that, only talked to me about James and anything I'd need. Then, I talked to him after I realized he wasn't going to hurt me." Hermione smiled.
"We all thought you died." She said. "Ugh, I hate it. I'm pretty sure that I hate Blaise with a passion. He's so prying. I think it's really annoying. See, he wouldn't tell me anything at first, except that he wasn't taking me back and that Ron didn't love me and a bunch of bullshit about my children and so on. The only time I talk to him was about the babies. I guess it's almost about time for me, I'm expected in the next month. I just wish I was allowed the things that Draco gives you, Ginny."
Ginny placed a comforting hand on Hermione's stomach, Hermione jumping and Ginny grinning when a kick was delivered to the hand. And then, another. Hermione looked at Ginny with joy.
"I've--I've never felt that before." She said, rubbing her stomach affectionately.
"Are you sure you hate Blaise? He seemed awfully kind compared to Draco at first." Hermione shook her head and gave her a 'there's-no-way-that's-possible' look.
"Are you sure?" When Hermione was quiet, Ginny finished with a newer, slightly related note, "You know what Draco told me? Why he wasn't going to hurt me? Cause he said he loves me. And would respect anything I want, even if it's not him, but he wanted me to stay with him for a while. He's quite nice, so I consented. I should be able to leave soon, he said."
Hermione smiled happily for Ginny. "I'm positive. He's absolutely horrid to me." Ginny grinned and looked at the door.
"We should get downstairs, I want to check up on James." Hermione followed Ginny down the stairs and found Blaise and Draco sitting over a cup of coffee and watching James wave his hands around. Ginny grinned and ran excitedly over, lifting the boy up. Draco looked at her with an admirable look in his eyes and Hermione longed for that look. James' feet kicked out slightly as Ginny twirled the little boy around. She walked over to Hermione with the boy and pressed him into the girl's arms.
Hermione took the boy and looked down at her. And she briefly glanced at the child. He was squirming slightly and Hermione pressed a tiny kiss to the baby's soft cheek. James giggled and reached for Hermione's hair, and pulled a curl. Hermione squealed, before turning to Ginny, who was smiling brightly.
"This is how it feels." She said softly. "This is how it feels to be a mother." Ginny nodded and accepted little James back into her arms. She then put the nodding off child into the carriage.
"It's wonderful." Ginny said. Hermione grinned, but felt slightly put-off.
"Excuse me, Ginny. I've got to go to the bathroom." She was halfway up the stairs as Ginny watched, when in between her jeans, a line of water trickled down. She groaned, and felt herself get dizzy.
"Ginny--Blaise--someone, help." She croaked out, as Ginny barely caught the girl as she fell backwards. Blaise and Draco rushed over to help Ginny get Hermione off of the stairs. Blaise took her into his arms, before they all left to the hospital.
After getting Hermione into a room, Draco and Ginny sat outside while Blaise was inside, brushing Hermione's hair absently from her face as she strained in labor. He knew she'd be there for a while after learning she was having twins.
--
When Blaise next walked in, Hermione was holding two little girls in her arms. She looked at him and still managed to smile as she watched them contently.
"I was home setting up a nursery for them. What are their names?" He asked softly. She smiled at them once more and placed a kiss on both girls' foreheads.
"Alyssa Jayne and Alynna Marie." She said softly. Both girls had a slight wave of brown hair across their heads and when Alyssa blinked, Blaise's noted her blue eyes. Clear blue, like Weasley's, not dark like his own. He grinned.
"I've got a surprise for you." He walked out into the hallway and sent someone in. Hermione was watched the girls interact, when a sharp, shocked voice called out, "Hermione?"
Her head shook up to meet blue eyes. She couldn't believe Blaise. Standing before her was her fiance and the father of her children, Ronald Weasley. She watched him come over and embrace her.
"Oh Ron." She said softly, kissing him on the cheek. He smiled at the little girls.
"Alyssa Jayne and Alynna Marie." She repeated to him as he picked up Alynna. He smiled at her and poked her, before saying, "She's got my eyes." Hermione smiled.
"They both do. They're identical twins, Ronald." He flushed scarlet, as he watched Alynna wail softly as he took his finger out of her grip. He turned to give Alynna to Hermione, but she shook her head.
"There were two of them anyway. You have her, one day they'll be together." She said. Ron kissed her head as a goodbye.
"I promise that. I promise they'll be together, you can hold me to that. I'll get you away from him." He said, before leaving. Hermione carefully set Alyssa on the bed as Blaise walked back in. She jumped up in happiness, ran over to him, and kissed him on the cheek, before exclaiming, "Thanks so much, Blaise! I love you!"
Freedom's Liberty, Slavery's Blood
Chapter 3: I Love You!
End Chapter