A/N: Hey everyone. How are you all? Good I hope. Well here is another chapter for you to all read and review. Poor Ginny and Harry. I was in an extremely bad mood when I typed that last chapter and I made the characters feel pain. It's all good though. Harry and Ginny will be fine.

DISCLAIMER: You all know that I don't own Harry Potter. I do however take full credit for the plot to this story.

Chapter Twelve: The loss of a loved one.

Hermione and Ginny left St Mungo's three days later and the next day both families' attended Liam's funeral. Molly Weasley was crying and Arthur was comforting his wife but his face was void of all emotions. Harry and Ginny were both crying and Hermione and Draco were there to support their friends.

A month later life for Hermione was bliss. She had a beautiful new baby girl and Thomas had grown used to sharing his parents with his little sister. Narcissa was besotted with Nikita and had made several blankets and clothes for her.

Harry and Ginny had moved on from the loss of the son they hadn't known and were enjoying being parents to Mitchell. Ginny had taken a photo of Liam and kept it in the top drawer beside her bed. Harry knew about it and occasionally took it out to look at his son. Every time he did this a smile crept across his face, as he knew that wherever Sirius was, he was looking after Liam.

"Draco! Stop!" Hermione giggled. Draco was tickling his wife and she hated it. He knew this of course and it made him do it more.

"What's the magic word and I'll stop?" Draco asked laughing.

"How about…I'll punch you if you don't." Hermione said through tears of laughter. Her face was red from laughing so much and she looked at Draco with pleading eyes.

"How can I resist when you look at me like that?" Draco smiled and stopped tickling Hermione.

"Thanks. My ribs hurt from laughing so much!" Hermione smiled and gave her husband a kiss. There was a cry from the next room.

"Nikita wants to be fed. Maybe you could change her nappy when I'm finished?"

"How about I change her nappy now and then go and see what Thomas is up to. I think he is feeling a bit left out today."

"That sounds like a good idea. Thomas can help me bath Nikita when I've finished feeding her. I'll yell out to you ok?"

"Ok." Draco smiled and followed Hermione out of their room and into their daughter's room. Draco carefully picked her up and placed her on the change table. He removed her dirty nappy and cleaned her up before kissing her forehead, passing her to Hermione and getting Thomas who was in the sitting room watching a DVD while Narcissa knitted more things for Nikita.

"Thomas do you want to help Mummy bath Nikita?" Draco asked when he entered the sitting room. Thomas nodded excitedly and ran upstairs to the bathroom in Hermione and Draco's bedroom before Draco could tell him to wait until Hermione called out to him. Hermione wasn't worried though. The Malfoy Manor was big and so by the time Thomas got his little legs up the stairs and into Hermione and Draco's room, Hermione was just finishing feeding Nikita and was about to yell out anyway.

Hermione held Nikita while Thomas washed her down with a soft cloth. Afterwards, Hermione headed downstairs with Nikita and Thomas followed behind. Narcissa took Nikita as soon as Hermione entered the sitting room.

Weeks passed and Hermione's life couldn't have been better. Harry and Ginny were coping well with the loss of the child they didn't know. Ginny had taken some time to come to terms with the loss but Harry helped her through and with Mitchell to care for, Ginny felt that at least she had been blessed with one son. All in all life for everyone was perfect but no one expected what would happen next.

Albus Dumbledore had been aging with dignity and he knew his time was coming to an end. He went around to see the people he cared about the most to tell them how much he loved and cared for them all. The only person who questioned his behaviour was Hermione. Dumbledore had bought Thomas and Nikita beautiful gifts. He gave them hand carved trunks for when they entered Hogwarts. They were made of beautiful mahogany wood and the carvings were beautiful as well. Hermione and Draco didn't receive anything the day Thomas and Nikita received their gifts. Hermione was still suspicious but didn't mention her suspicions to anyone. She knew that her Grandfather wasn't going to live forever.

Days after Dumbledore had given Thomas and Nikita their gifts, Minerva McGonagall came to see Hermione.

"Hello Minerva. How are you?" Hermione asked when Narcissa led her into the kitchen.

"I am sorry to say Hermione that I am not well at all. I have come to give you some very grave news. I'm afraid to say that last night your Grandfather passed away in his sleep. I am very sorry for your loss."

"No. It's not true. I saw him just days ago and he seemed fine. He can't be dead. He is meant to live forever." Hermione said in disbelief. As much as she had known this moment was bound to come, it was still hard for her to accept.

"I'm sorry Hermione. There is one thing. He left this letter for you and Draco." McGonagall said passing her a folded piece of parchment with Hermione and Draco Malfoy written on it in Dumbledore's writing. Tears formed in Hermione's eyes as she read the letter.

To My Dearest Granddaughter,

Today is the day I leave this world. I have lived a long a wonderful life. Like many people, magic and muggle alike, I have many regrets but my biggest regret is not telling you the truth about your true parentage before your seventh year at Hogwarts.

I am a tired man and now it is my turn to go to sleep and not wake. I want you to know that I love you deeply and I feel that you have chosen the only man who can truly make you happy in life. You and Draco have two beautiful children and I am very delighted that I was around to see them both. Whether or not you choose to have more children, I would have loved them just the same.

With that said I leave you my most prized possession. The place you visited me when during the time I was away from Hogwarts for the holidays, that was somewhere I stayed because it was small and manageable. However, when I was younger and fitter, I used to live in a beautiful manor quite like the Malfoy one. I leave this manor to you. It is called, Fawkes Manor. You will find it located quite close to were you are. With my last ounce of strength, I magically moved it to the vacant lot down the road from the Malfoy Manor. It is fully furnished and yours to keep. Your parents also lived in this Manor.

Now it is time for me to say goodbye. I thankyou for giving me two beautiful great-grandchildren and for being just as strong willed and smart as your mother. You are quite like her and I am grateful to have known you.

Smile Hermione. I will be watching you and watching over your children for all time.

Love from your Grandfather, Albus Dumbledore.

Tears formed in Hermione's eyes as she read the letter. McGonagall put an arm around her shoulder as Hermione's grief took over. Hermione shook as her tears started falling. Draco had just walked in and was holding Nikita. Thomas had followed him and when he saw his mother crying, he ran over to her and hugged her tightly.

"Mummy why is you crying?" he asked looking up at her with worried eyes.

"It's nothing sweetie. Why don't you go and play in your room for a little while? Grandma will go with you." Hermione told him looking at Narcissa who nodded.

"Ok Mummy." Thomas answered smiling as he walked out of the kitchen with Narcissa who also took Nikita off Draco. McGonagall also followed them out leaving Draco with Hermione.

"Here. It is for you as well." Hermione said passing Draco the letter from Dumbledore. When he had finished reading through it, Draco pulled Hermione up and let her cry into his chest. After about ten minutes, Hermione pulled away and dried her eyes with the hanky that Draco handed her. Hermione gave Draco a weak smile. They both headed out of the kitchen to find Thomas and tell him that he wouldn't be able to see his Grandfather anymore. They found him playing with a train set that Dumbledore had given him. Hermione sat down next to him while Draco asked if Narcissa could bath Nikita for them. McGonagall decided that she should leave. Hermione waved goodbye to her but continued to play with her son. Narcissa led McGonagall to the front door and then went to bath her granddaughter. Draco sat down next to Hermione.

"Thomas Mummy and Daddy have something to tell you." Draco said looking at his toddler son.

"What is it Daddy?" Thomas asked not looking at Draco.

"We wont be able to see Grandad anymore."

"Why? Where did he go?"

"He has gone to heaven. We can't see him but we can think of him all the time."

"Oh…what's heaven?" Thomas asked looking up at his parents, his face full of confusion.

"Well when someone goes to heaven it means that they have died."

"Does that mean we wont be able to go to Granddad's house anymore?"

"Yes. Is that ok?"

"I guess so. Is that why you were crying Mummy?"

"Yes. Mummy is going to miss Grandad."

"I will to. He was funny. I liked him a lot."

"So did we honey."

"Do I get to keep my trains?"

"Of course you do sweetie."

"That's good. I thought I would have to give them back."

"No sweetie. You don't have to give them back. Grandad gave them to you so you get to keep them."

"Ok. Can I have some ice-cream?"

"If you want to. What do you say first?"

"Please."

"Ok come on then. Lets go see if Grandma has some yummy cake to go with it."

Draco took hold of Thomas' hand and they went down to the kitchen to see if there was chocolate cake for them to have with their ice cream. There was and Narcissa was already getting it ready when they got into the kitchen. This didn't surprise Draco, as he knew that his mother would have known by instinct that Thomas would want cake and ice cream. He only got it two times a week but it was his favourite snack. Narcissa passed Thomas his small piece of cake and scoop of ice cream and Thomas began making his usual mess all over himself. After he had finished eating, Narcissa took him upstairs to clean his face and change his shirt. Hermione was walking into the kitchen cradling her daughter, who was looking at her mother. Draco walked over to his two favourite girls and looked down at Nikita. Her eyes shifted and she looked at Draco. A smile crept across her face. Despite the death of her Grandfather, Hermione couldn't help but cry with joy at seeing her daughter's first smile. It was as though Nikita knew something was wrong and as young as she was, it seemed to Hermione and Draco that she knew just the right thing to do to make them all feel a little better.