Here is the next chapter, thanks to those of you who have already reviewed, I really appreciate it.
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The days that followed their awkward exchange were tense. Draco didn't know how to think on the situation. She was pregnant with his child, that meant there would soon be another Malfoy running around the Manor and another Malfoy to bring up. Only this time, he wanted to do it differently.
Were they ready for this? He felt that he wasn't; that he wouldn't be able to be the father he wanted to be to his child. But there was no choice in the matter now, the baby was coming and he would have to face his responsibilities.
And Hermione? She has seemed so afraid when she told him, something he had tried to never make her feel. Her own thoughts were hidden from him however and he didn't know if she really wanted the child or not. But approaching her about it didn't seem like an option. She seemed to walk around the Manor on tip toes, hardly making any noise and mostly keeping to her own study.
He admitted to himself rather reluctantly that he had been hiding under his work, spending more hours than truly needed at the office and visiting the muggle location at least twice a week now. Though he wasn't ignorant to the fact that Hermione was doing the same. She worked hard at the Ministry and was making incredible progress but she came home late, he pretended to be asleep and she would lie down beside him, soon breathing deeply and lost in her dreams.
What was becoming of them?
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"What you've done in the short time you've been appointed this role is amazing Mrs Malfoy." Hermione smiled at the praise, the ex-Minister of Magic had taken to visiting her often. They shared lunch while discussing current political situations and what could be done about them
Hermione found him wise company and learnt a lot from his experience. She might be avoiding Draco a little by making excuses to extend his stay or speak with him longer. "I couldn't have done as much without your advice sir." She replied.
He laughed, "You are an amazing witch Mrs Malfoy and I have absolute faith in your ability. I must be going now."
"Oh, well I do hope you have a pleasant holiday." Hermione rose to see him to the door.
He nodded, "Yes I will, no doubt. You take care of yourself now."
They said their goodbyes leaving Hermione sitting in her office with nothing to do. In her urge to forget how distant Draco had become, she worked quickly and efficiently, often leaving her in the position of having nothing to work on. There had been a time when she would have hurried home to see him, to share a meal with him and relax. What had happened to those days?
She saw in the mirror that her stomach wasn't prominent yet, but it would be soon and they still hadn't dealt with it. Inside she hoped, with everything she had, that Draco would want this child.
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"Hermione." Draco stepped into her office, smiling as he shut the door behind him.
"Draco, what are you doing here?" She looked up, surprised by his appearance.
He sat on the seat opposite her, "I came by to let you know we've been invited to a ball."
"When?"
"In a couple of days; it's nothing huge." He told her, as if nothing was wrong between them.
"Who's holding it?"
Draco waved a hand dismissively, "a business associate."
She frowned, "a few days? I don't have a dress." It had been hard to adjust but Hermione knew that you could never wear the same dress more than once if you knew people from the previous ball were going to be there. It was social suicide as Draco told her with a sigh.
"There are plenty available for you." Draco replied sounding far colder than he had in a long time.
Hermione leaned back to hide her hurt in the shadows of her office, "I'll find one." Was all she said before picking up her quill and shuffling through a pile of parchment. He seemed inclined to say something but when she continued her work, he stood and left quietly.
A ball? She thought with a frown, a chance for the public to get a good look at us.
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Potter takes the snitch
Harry Potter, seeker of the International Quidditch Team, has announced that he will be playing the next three matches while Draco Malfoy sits in the reserve seat. This has come as a shock to most in the Quidditch world as it has been clear that Malfoy has a great level of skill and was initially chosen over Harry Potter for the position.
"Other areas of my life require my attention at this point in time." Mr Malfoy claimed when asked why he suddenly withdrew from the pitch.
The most recent match was played by Potter who swept his way to an easy win against France. It appeared he too was surprised to be playing the next match but was happy to replace his friend. "Draco has a lot going on right now and I'm happy to help him where I can."
Both seekers are recently married and neither wish to comment on the possibility of children in the near future. "We're happy with our lives for now." Claim Cho Chang (now Potter) and Minister of Magic Hermione Malfoy also agrees, "the progress we've made in these past few months is enough to keep us satisfied and busy."
Everyone awaits the next match with great anticipation, wondering if Potter can pull of a win against Ireland and continue Malfoy's legacy.
"When did they talk to you?" Draco questioned his wife as they sat together and ate dinner for the first time in three weeks.
Hermione continued eating calmly, "some time last week." She had become unusually cold recently, not asking him anything or speaking to him unless he specifically asked her to.
He looked over the article again, "I think we need to talk."
She said nothing and continued to eat without looking at him.
Draco put down the paper and watched her, "Hermione?"
"I got a dress." Was all she said.
He fought the urge to sigh, "Hermione, I don't really care about that right now."
She looked up then, her eyes angry, "oh really now?" she said coolly.
"I didn't mean it like that-" But Draco couldn't get a word.
"Well I'm so sorry that it means nothing to you, if you didn't want to appear with me, why didn't you just say so?" She was yelling by now and had stood up abruptly, "why can't you ever just say out loud what you're thinking? You bloody coward!" And she stormed out of the room, leaving a shocked Draco sitting before their unfinished dinner.
An elf appeared to collect the dishes as Draco rose to find his wife. He stopped at their bedroom door, hearing her inside – crying. His hand was frozen on the doorknob, regret worming around in his stomach. Coward he heard her name for him and knew to some extent it was true. He was afraid of being a father but in doing so, he had placed so much pressure on her.
"Hermione?" He asked, not opening the door yet. There was a sniffle but no reply. "Hermione, can I come in?" It seemed like such a formality considering the fact that they were married.
"I don't really want to deal with you right now." She told him eventually, she sounded tired.
He considered just walking in, he had to say he was sorry didn't he? "Just a few words Hermione."
She came to the door, opening it a little so he could see her eyes still wet and red from her tears. Her eyes seemed to regard him for a while, and he tried to appear as calm as possible before her. "Do you or do you not want the baby?" She asked, requiring nothing more or less than a straight answer.
He shifted somewhat uncomfortably but upon seeing her face harden he stood still and tried to think clearly. "Yes, I do." He told her, making sure to meet her eyes.
There was silence between them for what felt like hours, until she seemed to relax ever so slightly and told him "alright then." Before shutting the door and leaving him in the hallway.
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"You're business is performing remarkably well Mr Malfoy." Draco was having lunch with a potential client for his muggle business and finding it rather difficult to concentrate on what they were talking about.
"Thank you, I try." He added a friendly smile for effect but he was focused on Hermione. She was gone when he rose to see her in the morning. It worried him that they had grown so far apart so quickly.
"You haven't accepted any invitations for interviews about your sudden rise to the top." The woman said, raising an eyebrow elegantly.
Draco sat back, his expression of cool indifference in place, "I don't particularly want to deal with interviewers."
She seemed a little surprised, "I'm sure it would only heighten your fame."
"Fame?"
"Of course, the fastest growing business started by a previously unheard of man!" She laughed.
Draco offered a small polite smile, "it isn't all just me."
"Who is your partner?" She asked curiously reminding Draco a lot of a reporter sensing a good story.
He watched her face carefully, "my wife." And just as predicted, her face fell. It surprised him how many muggles thought he was unmarried. So many women had some, smelling his money and seeming attracted to his lofty manner. It was rather disappointing to find muggle women were a lot like witches.
"Your wife? I didn't know you were married." She said calmly.
He shrugged, "it's not common knowledge, no."
She was looking at his left hand where there was no ring, he didn't wear it on business, they didn't have to wear rings for everyone to know they were married in the wizarding world anyway. "So your wife helped you to start this business?"
He nodded slightly, "yes, it was her idea."
"Where is she now?" She asked, sipping from her coffee.
Draco wasn't misled by her carefree attitude, she was going to blurt all that she heard too all her friends and no doubt spread the news throughout all of the muggle world. "She is at home."
"Does she still run the business with you?"
"When she feels her input is necessary." He replied, enjoying the surprised that filtered across the woman's features.
"Why haven't you mentioned her before?"
Draco shrugged, "it's a personal matter that I don't think is related to my business." Before she could get another question in he rose and smiled politely though with a little ice, "I shall leave you now, I will contact you later in the week about our contract."
She nodded, "very well Mr Malfoy."
He left, making sure he wasn't followed as he entered Diagon Alley and wound his way through the crowd. On the way to an apparation point, he bumped into Harry. "Potter." He greeted.
Harry smiled, "Draco, what a surprise."
"You seem awfully happy." Draco said eyeing him suspiciously.
Harry only laughed, "I'm looking forward to the next match."
"Clearly you are." Draco replied coolly.
"What's the matter with you?" Harry asked, "you seem unusually distant."
Draco smirked, "why Potter, I didn't know you cared."
Harry laughed again, "I'm a caring person deep down." He teased, "no really though, is something bothering you?"
The tall businessman shook his head slightly, "all is well Potter, you shouldn't worry."
"You know," Harry continued, "I wanted to invite you two to dinner one night."
"Really now," Draco said with a hint of sarcasm, "we'll only be too happy to spend an evening in your delightful company."
Harry only grinned, "glad to hear it, I'll owl you." And they continued walking their separate ways.
Draco felt frustrated that everyone seemed to want their company at a time when they couldn't even enjoy a whole dinner together on their own.
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Harry must have owled Hermione about their lunch. She came into his study asking when they were free.
"Any time that suits you." He had replied but instead of making things easier, she seemed hurt by his words.
"When will you be working?" She asked in a quiet voice, sounding quite defeated.
Draco raised his eyes and noticed for the first time that she looked exhausted. Her cheekbones seemed closer to the surface – she had lost weight. Her expression drawn and her eyes had shadows under them. "Hermione, you look terrible!" he burst and immediately regretted his words, even before he saw hurt flash once more across her features.
"Great one Malfoy." She replied with barely concealed disdain.
He rose and knelt down beside her chair, "Hermione, so many things have gone wrong lately-"
"Don't bother." She snapped, standing abruptly, "I can't believe I ever trusted you to look after me." Her words cut like a hot knife through butter, "I was so stupid to ever hope you would support me through this and clearly I was an idiot to believe you when you said you wanted this baby!"
He was standing opposite her, taking in her scarring words in the only way he knew how; with a blank face. "I know it's bee difficult for you-" He began but was interrupted again.
"No you don't! If you have even bothered to care you would have realised it's been more than difficult; I can barely make it through each day!"
"I'm trying to say," he continued, attempting to hold some sense of rationality, "is that we're both experiencing some trouble."
"If you didn't want it-"
"But I do!" He interrupted in a frustrated tone, "I already told you I do and I don't see why you're thinking I would lie to you."
She was scowling, "you said you wanted it but then you just returned to how you were before; obsessed with your work and not giving two quacks about me or the baby!"
He stepped closer, anger simmering in him, "I'm not the one who spends every waking hour in my office or on Diagon Alley to avoid coming home. I do care though it's not like you've ever given me the chance to!"
She stuck out a finger and poked his sternum, "don't you try and make me feel guilty! You think I don't know you're still awake when I come home? But you chose to say nothing!" She emphasised her final word with another poke.
He glared, "what am I to say? Every time I do you turn around and try to bite my head off!"
"Oh I wonder why Malfoy." She spat, sarcasm dripping from her words. That was the second time she had called him by his surname. It disturbed him more than he thought it should.
"I tried to make it better and all you do is yell and blame everything on me." He glowered.
She wasn't afraid of his piercing eyes that were the colour of steel, "What made you so unsure? Why didn't you talk to me? You pulled away from me, not the other way around!"
"You don't know anything I felt Granger, so don't judge my actions."
She seemed furious all of a sudden, so full of hateful anger he felt it spread from her like a heat wave. "I'm a Malfoy," she said, her voice quiet and deadly, "in case you forget; I'm you wife." She turned and left, the door closing softly which seemed worse than if she had slammed it.
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I hope you like it so far, it seems pretty morbid and sad but don't worry, things will get better.