Authors Notes: Today must be your lucky day! I've given you the eighteenth installment of this story! Hoorah!
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When You Lose Your Way
Our Separate Ways
xxxxxx
We were seated beside the Great Lake, a grand picnic before us. He put his arm around me, and I smiled, letting it all sink in.
Draco and I were officially a couple, as of a few short days ago. And today, we were celebrating our get-together (Draco hated it when I referred to it as a union – we weren't getting married, as he said) with just the two of us and my bulging belly.
"I'm glad we're here," Draco said sweetly.
"Me too," I said, taking some plates out of the picnic basket. "Would you have believed we'd be together last week?"
"Never," he admitted, keeping his arm close. "Would you have believed it?"
"Um, let me think about it, no," I said humorously, without even a pause. "More bubble juice?"
"Sure," he said, holding our glasses out for us..
A few days ago, I wouldn't have believed that Draco and I would be together either. We were so on and off with fighting and confused about how we felt… but now, I was in love with him, and I told him so everyday.
The fateful night when we confronted each other so rudely and ended up snogging the rest of the evening was one I'll never forget. We yelled, argued, yelled, accused, assumed and, did I mention yell? But in the end, when our heads had shrunken a little and my bedroom door was closed, everything just fell into place.
I think it was a bigger thing to Draco and I that we had gotten together – nobody in the student body seemed to be all that surprised when they saw us in the Great Hall the next day, arm in arm, kissing each other every now and then.
"Oh, Hermione, it's about time!"
"Draco, mate, high five!"
Each comment given to us like that probably earned a roll of our eyes.
Harry and Ron's reaction surprised me most of all. They glared at the both of us in our affectionate hugs, gave Draco a very threatening look, and flicked me a "be careful," one. Then I sat down with them while Draco went to his separate table, and Ron said, "What will you be having for breakfast today, Hermione?" With a smile on his face.
Then that was that. They don't mind Draco and I, I don't think, so long as I don't go blabbing about how wonderful he is, or talk about anything that will make them want to up-chuck dinner. Although they didn't forget to mention, as always, "He breaks your heart, we break his … you know." I loved them for it.
A week has gone with us together, and I really couldn't be happier, minus the fact that I had double the Lamaze classes as my pregnancy date came closer and closer, a million exams to study, and Draco with his upcoming quidditch final and tons of practices. I had to stop attending my check-ups 'cause of this busy schedule!
But anyway, life was treating me good so far. Real good.
"So how are Potter and Weasley taking the news?"
"As well as anybody would take the news that their enemy was the Godfather of my child," I said, popping a grape into my mouth. "I told them they shouldn't be angry, but I wanted them to be Godfather too!"
He only smiled at me and kissed me on the forehead, but I wasn't about to let the matter drop.
"I still can't believe you did that without my permission," I continued. "You knew perfectly well I was going to give it to - "
" – Potter and Weasley, and you still did!"
"Our child has three Godfathers!"
"The more the merrier!"
I made a face. "But, three?"
"Yeah, three?" someone yelled roughly.
Draco and I quickly parted from each other's arms and turned around, only to see Harry, Ron, Ginny and Blaise walking towards us in a crooked line. From the looks of it, they probably wrestled their way over here, excluding Ginny, who looked like she was trying very hard not to join in on the arguing.
"I was asked first!" Blaise said, shoving Harry in the ribs, but keeping a steady pace towards our picnic blanket.
"Ron and I deserve it!"
"You deserve this too!" Blaise made a kick for Harry's shins, but Ron shoved him in the shoulder.
"Quit it you guys," I ordered lazily. This had not been the first time they were arguing about the same matter. "You're all three God-fathers, whether you… or I like it or not."
"Thanks, Malfoy," Ron grumbled, being the first to take a seat on the picnic blanket. "I hope you know who you've assigned as your kid's mentor."
"Yawn," Draco said, doing the action as well.
"I knew they'd start up with the same argument," Ginny regarded, taking a seat beside me. "Bloody fools," she muttered.
"Is there a reason you've interrupted our picnic for two?" Draco said in a not so subtle way.
"Picnic for two? Are you sure?" Blaise said. He did a head count, and grinned. "It's a picnic for six, now!"
"I'm hungry!" Ron said, looking inside the picnic basket.
"Share the food," Harry ordered, as Ron tossed him a loaf of bread.
"Pudding anybody?" Ginny said, handing out cups.
"Oi, pass me the treacle tarts!" Blaise shouted.
I shared a look with Draco, and he let out a very long sigh. "Okay, okay, everybody share the food."
I then smiled, loving the moment, no matter how frustrated I would be later that they ruined my romantic date.
"Someone pass me a bloody treacle tart!"
"We'll do this later," I mouthed to Draco, a coy smile lighting my face.
He smirked, and put his hand over the small of my back, as he fed himself some pumpkin pie.
"A bloody treacle tart, not an apple!" Blaise shouted.
"Can someone hand me an extra plate?"
"Here, Gin."
"Bubble juice, anybody?"
"I'll have pumpkin juice instead."
"Can I have a damn treacle tart for Merlin's sake?"
"Ah, this tastes wonderful."
"A treacle tart, damn it, a treacle - !"
"Oh for Merlin's sake, here!"
"Ow!"
"Woops… sorry, Zabini!"
I smiled and covered my ears, ready for another angry blow out.
Blaise growled. "POTTER!" And Harry stood up, already ten feet ahead.
So much for a romantic picnic for two.
xxxxxx
"We just got an owl," I said, walking up to Draco at the Slytherin table during late lunch. Mostly everybody was off in the courtyard or swimming around in the lake, enjoying the breath of fresh air that the month of June brought.
"From who?"
"Medi-nurse Olsen. She wants to know why we haven't gone to, hm, the last 6 check-ups?"
"Easy. Exams, quidditch, exams, lamaze, and exams."
I groaned. "Dumb exams. Dumb quidditch!"
He looked me sternly in the eye. "Dumb what?"
"Oh nevermind," I said, knowing Draco always took quidditch insults way too personally. "I'll just owl her back and tell her we're sorry."
"You can leave that to me - I know you want to study."
"I was going to skip studying so I could watch you practice this evening," I contradicted.
"Uh, no you're not," he said firmly. "Either you're studying or you're resting. One or the other."
"Since when did you get so strict?" I grumbled.
"Since you're due date started getting way close."
"It's in three months!"
"Still. You know Medi-nurse Olsen said there's a good chance of pre-mature birth since you're so active and even though it's nothing to worry about, I'm still making sure! Plus, I've already made an offer for a home in Hogsmeade where we could live. Doesn't this tell you how close we are to having our lives completely changed?"
"Note to Draco - they've already changed."
"I know, I know... but there'll be a new addition to the family," he said softly, grabbing me around the waist gently, "And I want things to be perfect when the baby comes out."
"I guess you're right," I admitted, feeling an ache where Draco's hands were. "Now you just need to loosen your grip on me," I chuckled.
"Woops, sorry," he said, unwrapping himself from me. "Are you up for a walk?"
"Sure thing."
As Draco got up and we reached the door of the Great Hall, Dumbledore entered at the same time and stopped right in front of us. I assumed he was here with the intention of eating, because he had food in his hands, but he smiled brightly when he saw the two of us.
"Ah, Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy!" he said. "Where are you two going?"
"Going for a walk, sir. Are we needed?"
"Oh, not really. But I'd like to speak to you for a moment if that's all right," Dumbledore said to me.
Draco shrugged and said he'd meet me outside. He smiled at Dumbledore (yes, he really did smile) and left the Great Hall.
"What is it, sir?"
"I must address the matter of graduation with you," he said, his food suddenly vanishing from his hands. He must have vanished them so he wouldn't have any distractions while talking to me.
"Yes, about that, I've organized everything – the Professors know who among them will speak and the weather will be perfect for us to hold it outside, and invitations to the students' families have already been sent out - " I momentarily lost my breath and paused. "Basically, everything is handled," I said.
"Oh, I already know everything is handled, Miss Granger – I put you in charge. This is something more important."
"Okay," I said, hoping he wasn't giving me more work. I was already swamped with it.
"As you know, this has been a very special class – we've come up with very fine students, and we are needing some representation for these fine students at the commencement ceremony."
"Yes, sir?"
"Well, Miss Granger, would you do the staff and your fellow students the honor of giving them their final words at graduation?" he asked, as if it were obvious of what he was inquiring of me.
My eyes popped out of my sockets and my mouth dropped. Dumbledore had never asked me to do something so honoring such as this. Wasn't my answer obvious?
"Are you asking me to be this years Valedictorian?"
He chuckled softly to himself. "Who else would I ask, Miss Granger?"
I beamed and could hardly contain my reply. "Yes! Yes of course I'll do it! Thank you for even considering me, sir! This is an amazing honor."
"Oh no, it is my honor Miss Granger. I'm sure you will do your classmates justice in this final speech."
"I'll do my very best, sir." I grinned and suddenly, without notice, I hugged him. My own headmaster, the man who blushed at the very thought of receiving socks for Christmas from Madame Pomfrey. I was making a spectacle of myself when he'd just asked me to make a sophisticated talk in front of my fellow students.
Way to go, Hermione.
I parted from him quickly, and as expected, he was blushing with surprise from head to toe – more from embarrassment than anything.
"You're most welcome. Remember that graduation is in two weeks. Prepare yourself well, won't you? Not to put you in any pressure, Miss Granger, but your speech should be close to fantastic – and I'm sure it will be."
My face froze, but I hid the sudden nervousness that was creeping all over me. "Y-yes, of course, sir."
"Take care of yourself, Miss Granger," he said, giving my belly a wink. "Your child is definitely coming along." And he walked away, leaving me alone in the Great Hall.
The sudden importance of this speech hit me like a fatal wave. I had to talk in front of parents, students, Professors, and creatures who would come to visit to watch us all graduate. Oh holy, Merlin. And I had to come up with something in two weeks! How would I do this? I had to stop myself from giving Dumbledore's back a rude gesture, all because of his late notice.
Make a heart-felt, amazing, fantastic, and perfect speech in two week and handle a pregnancy close to its due date? Sound impossible? Well, yes, it is.
xxxxxx
There was often a sound I would hear coming from somewhere around the common room but I couldn't make out the words. I was much too busy thinking about what I would put on the empty piece of paper in front of me. I let one week pass, and I still had nothing. Literally, I'd wasted dozens and dozens of parchments with scribbled and crossed out words. I'd filled up the fireplace with burning papers and even though I'd thought of tons of things to put, I couldn't make anything out of it.
"...And so Pansy said, 'Weaselette, how many boys have you dated this year? 50? 60?' So I turn around and say..." I felt someone poke me. "Hermione? Hermione? Um, Earth to preggers?"
"Huh? Oh, what were you saying?"
"I was just talking about my great comeback to the Slytherin Princess Bitch but I guess it isn't important," Ginny said, a little disappointed in my lack of listening skills.
"No, no, no, I was listening. Sorry. So what did you say?" I asked, urging her to continue. Ginny looked at me steadily before continuing, a smirk plastered on her face again.
I could have been over-reacting, after all, I'm three months away from my due date, and worry is common for pregant women! I'm also hormonal and emotional, so everything that happens to me isn't always something I should be nervous about – but I was! And I had no idea what to do.
Draco , Harry and Ron were more than proud of me when I told them the news – they said I would do great, and that there was no way I would do a bad job but I didn't believe a single word they said – I had to write an almost fantastic speech – I couldn't even come up with almost written.
"...And then snakes filled the room and I screamed, 'Oh, someone help!' But nobody came, and sooner than we knew it there was a tornado!"
"What happened next?" I said, absent mindedly.
"An eagle came and flew into the room, and started pecking at the snakes, and then dozens of mosquitoes swarmed the room from the open window. Someone forgot to close it!"
"Interesting," I said, hardly paying attention.
"Then suddenly everything cleared the room except for one tiny little frog that could kill you with it's poisonous tongue and – oh no, Hermione - did your water just break!?"
"What!" I screeched, jumping up from my seat, and patting at my legs. Odd. I felt no liquid.
Ginny chuckled a little. "I'm kidding, Hermione."
I stopped and glared at her, hardly thinking the joke was funny. "That wasn't nice, Ginny."
"Well you weren't listening to a word I was saying, so I thought I would say a few things so I could get your attention."
"Sorry," I said, rubbing at my eyes and taking my seat again. "There's been a lot of stuff on my mind."
"Like what? The pregnancy?"
"Yeah... it's getting really close," I said half-heartedly. That wasn't all of it.
"What else?" Ginny said instinctively.
"Well, Draco made an offer for a nice little house in Hogsmeade for us to live in. I'm worried we won't get it," I somewhat lied.
"With his money? Hermione, Draco's so confident you two will get it that he's already begun decorating the babys room! Come on, what is it, really?"
I bit my lip and wondered whether or not to tell her. And then I figured she was probably the best person to tell since she wouldn't freak out like Harry and Ron or leave me alone for peace and quiet like Draco. I inhaled a deep breath and launched into the whole reason as to why I was nervous.
She listened intently, glaring and guffawing every now and then when I mentioned that I was actually dreading graduation. Then her eyes went stony when I mentioned that I would do a terrible job.
"Do you really think that?" she inquired.
"I don't know," I said truthfully. "But I can't even come up with two words, so doesn't that tells me something."
"You're just too nervous, Hermione."
"Are you kidding?," I asked. "I have one week left to make an incredible speech! I have double lamaze classes, exams, and just my pregnancy to deal with! I'm going to be a freaking Mother very soon! I'm a nervous wreck! How am I going to pull this off, Gin? Tell me how, 'cause I got nothing!"
"All of this coming from the girl who took on double the classes in her third year, and passed with flying colours?"
"I was lucky."
"No, Hermione, you're good."
"You're just saying that so I won't be freaked out about all of this."
"That and because it's true. Hermione, you're going to do great on your exams, you know it. You've studied more than Merlin himself in this month alone! And if you're so swamped with Lamaze classes, why don't you just drop them? You would deliver your baby yourself if you could! And You will be an amazing Mother to your child. It's preposterous how you could even doubt that. And for Merlin's sake, you know what you want to say to the student body at commencement, but you just can't put everything you feel into words! All you need to do is calm down enough for one second to write down one word."
I gave her a face. "You mean all of that?" I was surprised at how easy she made it all seem. Maybe, just maybe I could really pull this off.
"Hell yes I do."
"Well... thanks, Gin. I needed to hear it."
"No - you needed to hear it from me," she smiled. "Admit it, preggers. You needed a pep talk from yours truly."
I gave her a grudging look and shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, sure. Now are you going to help me come up with this speech or not?"
"Not," she said, smirking and standing up to pack her bags.
"Wait - what?" I asked, watching her walk to the common room hole to leave.
"This is something you have to do on your own," she yelled, without even facing me. "Maybe you'll have better luck with Draco!" I glared at her and crossed my arms.
"Will you be like this when I'm in labour?" I grumbled, taking out a new piece of parchment, preparing myself to write.
"You bet," I heard her say. But I knew she was kidding, because she turned around to smile at me. "You can do it, Hermione," Ginny said. "It's in the bag." And very suddenly, when I began writing the first few words, I believed her.
"Draco, listen to this," I said, walking around our living room and holding up a piece of parchment paper in front of me. It was at least two pages long, and graduation was in two days. I didn't quite finish it, but at least I had something.
He groaned. "Not again, Hermione! I've heard it a thousand times - so many times I could probably say it for you." Draco was on the couch, reading up on his Potions for his exam tomorrow. I'd given up studying altogether just for this speech.
"Don't you want me to do a good job?" I pouted, while tilting my head.
He sighed. "All right, let's hear it."
"Thank you!" I squealed, my face clearly lighting up. I breathed in and began slowly.
"Welcome all students, Professors and visitors that have gathered on this sunny day to celebrate the commencement of this years graduating class."
Draco pretended to clap, but I ignored him.
"We've all been waiting so long for this day, and I'm quite sure none of us expected it to come so quickly. All this hard work and fun will be nothing but memories, and I can't say that I won't miss a single thing about this haven we've created - because I will."
"Nice," Draco murmured, for I'd just added that in.
"This is my home - our home - and even though we leave it today, possibly forever, it will always be in our hearts." I paused to take a deep breath and to stop my shaking – I was literally shaking with nervousness in front of my own boyfriend. How could I really do this on front of hundreds of strangers?
"It's okay, keep going," Draco urged.
"I can't," I said. "Everybody will laugh at me if I stumble."
"They won't," he stated, waiting patiently for me to continue. He went quiet for a moment, while he watched me mentally processing my speech. "Is that what you're really scared of?" Draco said suddenly.
I looked up, not having heard him. "What?"
"Is that what you're really scared of? Messing up with your words and having them laugh at you?"
"What else would I be scared of?" I asked, with a hint of sarcasm.
"Well… the whole place is going to see your stomach."
I gave him an angry look and raised the hand holding my speech, about to hit him. Draco held up his hands and said, "That's not what I meant!"
I lowered my hand. "What did you mean, then?"
He shrugged. "Are you scared people will laugh at you for being pregnant…?"
My mouth gaped, surprised he would even think that. "You think I'm going to be ashamed of the fact that I'm pregnant?"
Draco shrugged again. "I dunno. Are you?"
I was about to say "no." I really was. But then it hit me that hundreds of people would see that I was a pregnant girl still in high school – once I stepped up there on the stage in my maternity graduation outfit, what would they say? Or more importantly, what would they do? Laugh at me, like Draco thought?
"You think they're going to laugh at me?" I asked him quietly.
"No, no, no!" He said, standing up to hug me. But I took a step back.
"Come on, Hermione, I was just asking – it wasn't supposed to be an insult, or something to make you even more worried."
"Well it did. Thanks."
"Hermione," he said clearly. I looked at him with a blank face, and then at my speech.
"Excuse me, I have to work on this." I went over to the kitchen counter and put the parchments down and re-read what I had over and over. Draco sighed and from the corner of my eye, I saw him settle down on the couch to continue with his Potions studying. Then there was a pecking at the window.
"Owl," Draco said.
"Well, I'm not going to get that," I said, stating it in a purposefully rude way, so he knew that I was angry. I watched Draco open up our window and retrieve a letter from the impatient owl, which took off right away, without a snack. His lips cracked into a smile after reading the note, and I couldn't help but wonder why.
"Hermione," Draco said, closing the window, and holding up the parchment. There was a twinkle in his eye.
"What?"
"The house."
My heart skipped a beat. "What did the realtor say?"
"It's ours," he said, holding up the parchment as proof. My eyes widened and I smiled like a little girl. "Really? Our baby has a home? We have a home?"
"We have a home!" he exclaimed, clutching the paper in his one hand.
I screamed and dropped my speech - that was something I'd worry about later, even though I had to finish it soon - Draco, my baby and I finally had a home we would live in, and I was ecstatic. He rushed towards me and hugged me as best he could, without my stomach interfering.
"I can't believe it!" I said, breathless, like I had the wind knocked out of me. I had complrely forgotten about the fact that I was angry at him for making me even more nervous than I already was and suggesting that I might be shamed of my pregnancy, but who cared? I had a house to live in with my family!
"We have a home," he said softly. I nodded.
"And it's with you."
Draco kissed me gently and I let the calm envelope me, forgetting momentarily about everything that was bothering me - I had a safe haven with the man I loved, and the man I loved was kissing me. I couldn't possible stay angry at him after this. What was I supposed to do?
I started off with closing the curtains.
xxxxxx
"Hello, fellow students, Professors and visitors..."
"Don't be nervous."
"We've all been waiting so long for this day..."
"Stop shaking!"
"This is my home - our home..."
"Hermione, you'll do fine!"
Draco stood in front of me at the Gryffindor table at breakfast, not having the stomach watch me be so nervous. Heck, even I didn't have the stomach to see me so nervous.
"I only finished it last night, Draco - I've barely rehearsed! What am I supposed to do?"
"Your best," he said, holding my shoulders. "You'll do fine."
"Yeah, Hermione, it'll be okay," Harry said, joining the both of us, with Ron right behind him.
"You have this morning to practice, Hermione!" Draco encouraged.
"And it's still a while before the actual ceremony - we still have to dress up and everything, so that gives you some time," Ron added
"Is she still nervous?" Ginny asked, when she heard us talking.
"No, just... a little unprepared."
"A little?" I shrieked. "I might hyperventilate in the next few seconds," I warned.
"No hyperventilating, Hermione!" Draco said, tightening his grip on my shoulders. "Not good for the baby."
"Am I insane? Why did I accept this from Dumbledore? Why, oh why?"
"These are just the jitters, Hermione, that's all."
"Then they're the worst jitters ever! My stomach is not a playpen for butterflies or babies for goodness sake!"
They all gave me patient looks and I only felt more guilty that I needed all my friends to give me support. Why couldn't I do this on my own? Did I always need some sort of help to get me through things? The pregnancy? This? Everything was just so chaotic, I didn't know what to do - I hated it when I didn't have full control of situations.
"Just have something to eat. The energy would be good for you," Draco pushed my pumpkin juice towards me but I only stared at it with disgust and shoved it away. He gave him a very hard look, and I gave in, downing it all in one gulp.
"Look on the bright side, Hermione! You got the house," Ginny said, patting me on the back. "So what if you have to give a speech to hundreds of people tonight? At least you have somewhere to go and cry if you suck."
I gave her a teary eyed look and Draco glared at her. "Yeah, she's right, but you won't suck."
"Says you!" I shrieked, my eyes becoming blurry.
Everybody sighed and I began to rant and rant about how tonight would be terrible.
"It's graduation, Hermione," Ron said, "lighten up."
I looked around at all of them, and sighed. "Sorry, guys."
"It's okay," Draco said, sitting beside me, and holding my hand. "Now come on, so we can go get ready."
"All right. Which first, Ginny, make-up or dress?"
"Leave that to me," shesaid, taking me away from Draco and leading me out. I saw her throw a look back at the gang with relief in her eyes and I could tell they were happy about me getting distracted.
"If only they had pills to calm down mood swings of pregnant women," Ginny said.
"If only," I agreed.
xxxxxx
"Ugh..." I groaned. My stomach began to rumble and just descending the steps of the castle and walking to the grassy area where our graduation was going to be held was already becomign a challenge for me. There was no way I could talk in front of hundres if I couldn't walk in front of one person.
In front of me there were two columns of seats, and in the middle, a large aisle. A simple stadium, basically. I would be walking down that aisle soon, to say my speech, and suddenly it got longer and longer. Visitors filled the first few rows of seats on either side, and the teachers were already seated up on the stage at the front. I swallowed hard.
"It's okay, Hermione, don't be nervous," Ginny said, patting me on the back. She finished with my hair and make-up a few hours ago, and was now leading me up to the line where my classmates and I would come walking up in pairs, and taking seats in our rows. I, however, would be seated up on the platform with the teachers and other speakers.
My black robe with the Hogwarts crest on the left, was beautiful in the sun. All the boys were painfully handsome, and I literally had to look away from Draco when I saw him in his gown, for I really would have ravaged him right there. When he saw me earlier, he really couldn't even say anything. He was speechless.
"All right. Good luck, Hermione," Ginny said, after I'd taken my place beside Henry Gallagher in the two person line-up.
"Thanks so much, Gin."
"Do you have your speech with you?"
"Yes, I wouldn't forget. If you see Draco, Harry or Ron in the line back there, tell them I love them!"
"Sure," she said. Ginny sighed and tilted her head. "I'm really proud of you, Hermione. After all that's happened this year, I still knew you would make it up onto that platform."
"I couldn't have done anything without you," I told her. And we hugged, like all best friends hug, with watery eyes. I was going to leave her here next year - and my first home with her. I was feeling sadder by the second.
"If everybody is present, I ask that all visitors take their seats and stand when the graduates begin their walk," McGonagall said into the microphone. I exhaled deeply.
Music came from somewhere, and suddenly the top of the line began to move forward. The person behind me pushed me forward because I hadn't even moved my feet, and reluctantly, I began my own walk. I smiled at the people in their seats, and was happy to see my other Hogwarts friends waving. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
Once I seperated from the class and reached my seat at on the platform stage, I really could have cried. I was so nervous and so sad, I didn't know what I could do. I looked around the stadium and saw that all the seats were full. Wow. Big crowd. My stomach rumbled with nervousness.
"Are you all right, Miss Granger?" Professor Vector asked me, when I made a face.
"Yes, Professor, I'm quite well." She smiled and faced the front.
"Welcome all distinguished guests at Hogwarts here today," Dumbledore said into the microphone. He could do it so well - talk in front of people. But that was easy, everybody liked Dumbledore, and if he messed up they'd applaud, just 'cause he was that cool. But me? They would laugh at me for being fat, and pregnant, and only just graduating from high school. They would ridicule me.
"I have been here for many years, and I've never seen such an amazing group of students before me. It makes me sad to watch them go today, but like all things, they must go their own ways, and part with us - with me. I shall miss them," he said. I looked into the crowd, and a few girls had even begun to let some tears silently stream. I felt my eyes welling but I didn't know if it was out of nervousness or sadness anymore.
I was being ridiculous. It occurred to me now that I wasn't really afraid of going up there and talking to people - I could do that in my sleep - I was scared of showing the world outside of Hogwarts what I was, what had happened to me - that I was pregnant. Draco was right to ask me about it. I didn't know how much I cared about what they thought of me.
Dumbledore called up McGonagall was just standing up to give her speech. A few more, and then it would get to the handing out of the diplomas, and then my speech. I smiled. Maybe I wasn't so nervous after all.
"...And it is with great honor that I hand out the diplomas of Hogwarts graduating class," McGonagall said. I looked up suddenly, and the first row of students had stood up to receive them, and were getting up onto the stage.
"Hannah Abott," she announced. Dumbledore gave her her diploma and a hearty shake of the hand. She passed by my seat and smiled, and I returned it.
I watched each student go up and they were going by so quickly. Was it my turn? Did she say my name?
"Hermione Granger," McGonagall said, and I stood up with great difficulty. Dumbledore handed me my diploma and gave me a deep look of pride. I nodded and took my seat once more. The crowd errupted in cheers when my name was called, and I saw that Draco was leading it. Who was I kidding? These people never would have judged me - they loved me, and I loved them - I could do this speech!
"Draco Malfoy," she stated, and I clapped as hard as I could, whooping with the crowd.
My boyfriend came up onto the stage, took the diploma from Dumbledore and went straight to me. I grinned. He kissed me full on the lips, and the crowd cheered. He walked off the stage and took his seat again, and smiled at me.
Heck, this speech I had to do was a piece of cake - I could dance naked in front of the crowd for all I cared! Draco had the guts to come up here and snog me right in front of parents and visitors - I could say a few simple words if he could do that.
"Harry Potter."
I yelled as hard as I possibly could and hugged Harry when he came by me on his way down the stage. He winked and left, and all the support I was getting while up there only made me more confident.
"Ronald Weasley."
He came up onto the stage with pink ears and a cute smile. My best friend. He waved at me on the way down and almost fell because he was looking at me, but he made it without hurting himself, and I laughed. Half of me thought he did that just so I could laugh.
"Zabini, Blaise," she said. I knew this was the last one and that I was up next to speak.
Blaise winked at me on his way down and I sneered at him with amusement. He took his seat, and suddenly, the whole stadium was quiet.
"And now, to give the graduating class their final words before parting with us, their Valedictorian, Hermione Granger."
The whole place erupted in my cheers, and dizziness overcame me. The noise was so loud, I wish I'd brought up earplugs.
I stumbled up to the podium and reached into my pocket for my speech. My face blanked.
Nothing was there.
My hand searched around frantically in both pockets for the speech I had written down but nothing was in either of them. I must have forgotten it in all my haste, but I could have sworn I brought it. I looked into the crowd in complete panic, and found Draco. He was waiting for me to say what I had practiced in front of him, and he was so proud to see me up here.
"Go on," he mouthed to me, among the hundreds of faces I saw. I sighed. Okay. I could do this.
"Welcome all students, visitors and Professors who have come here today to join my fellow classamtes and I in celebrating our take-off," I said. I didn't memorize my speech, so basically, I was winging this.
"I've been waiting a very long time for this day... to get up here and talk to you all. And now I can. But I don't know what to say," I admitted, placing my hands on either end of the podium. "Everything I want to say to you, everything I need to say to you, you already know."
The students looked around at each other in confusion, but I continued. "You know, that I will miss you all. You know, that this is my home - our home - our Heaven on Earth. You know, that no matter how long we will be apart from this day on, we will remember each other forever. And you know that I love you all," I said.
"But what you may not know is that... well... okay, I hate to talk about myself and everything," some people laughed and I continued, "but, some of you might not know that I'm scared as - well, really scared of becoming a Mother." Their laughs were silent and some were stunned that I'd shared something so personal.
"As many of you already know, I'm pregnant. It's been really hard, like most of you know, taking care of myself and the child inside of me, but it's also been really fun. Amazing really. But when my baby comes out, what am I going to do? Nothing will ever be the same. Nothing has been the same since I got the news."
"Well, now we all share in my experience. Once we leave here, we're going to become something we've always been scared of being - adults. We've grown up. We've shared heartache and hardships. But now we go into the world with experiences to help us overcome the obstacles in our future. We're not babies anymore," I said. The crowd was utterly silent.
My stomach rumbled with pain and excitement at the same time and I gripped the edge of the podium. "Fellow students - distinguished classmates - my friends. It's time for us to leave this home that we've created for ourselves and release ourselves upon the world."
Angry pain lashed out inside my abdomen and I caught my breath. The audience heard my ragged breathing, and some started muttering, but I continued nonetheless.
"We are no longer children - we're adults. Can you believe it?" I asked them. A few shook their heads. Some were already crying. "Me neighter."
"And before we throw our hats and celebrate our graduation, I have one final thing to say." I held my breath and breathed deeply. Not to prepare myself for the final words, but to hide the pain I was feeling.
"I'm proud of you all. I'm so happy to see us all here together, as one school, not seperate houses. I'm sad to see us leave, but I know it won't be long, because I'll keep each and every one of you in my heart. I'm sure you all will too. And I'm going to miss you all. Congratulations, friends. We - we - "
I paused. I was going to say, "We made it," but I felt the most pain I'd felt during the speech and I slumped over the podium in pain. The audience began murmuring amongst themselves, and suddenly, I felt liquid leave my legs. I gasped and looked up.
"Um," I said into the microphone. "I'm okay, don't worry," I said to them all. "I was going to end my speech, really I was, but - " I was seized with pain again. "But my water just broke and - "
Everybody stood up in surprise. Draco was the first. Parents were muttering and teachers were already moving around behind me. They were lucky I didn't pass out from all the pandemonium that I knew was about to begin.
"And what?" some people from the crowd yelled urgently, as if there was something even more important I had to say.
I shut my eyes. "And I think I'm about to have my baby."
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To be continued...
A/N: Dun, dun, dunnnn! Wow, I really hope that wasn't rushed. Feels firey hot flames coming my way in the form of reviews Okay, okay, I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I promise I'll make the last chapter (yes, the next chapter is the last) a great one! Please don't be mad! And hey, you can find out the gender in the next chapter! Woohoo! You can't be THAT mad at me anymore, can you? Hehe.
Review if you read it! Much lave-o!