Surpriiiiise! I'm terrible, I know. My laptop's hard drive was wrecked so I lost all my files, including everything for this story. I was so sad about it that I was going to completely desert this story, but I was suddenly inspired by my love of Dramione. Har har.

Here is chapter three of this horribly depressing affair. One more horribly depressing chapter, then we'll have quite a few happy moments again. Reviews are greatly appreciated, as always. And thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who's favorited and followed this story despite me going AWOL.


Finite Incantatem

oOo

Chapter 3: Dawn – Part III

December, Philippa – two years and ten months

Hermione shivered as she eased herself into consciousness. Magic kept the fire in their room from dying all throughout the night, but the manor's old stone walls, however thick, did little to temper the pre-winter cold. It was almost Christmas.

Glancing at the little clock – yet another heirloom piece – on her bedside table, she sighed. It had only been three hours since she fell asleep upon arriving home, and the leftovers from her sleepless night were piled beside the little clock. She closed her eyes again, however futile she knew it was; it wouldn't be long before her daughter bounded in to wake her parents.

The knock on their door came soon, and Hermione wandlessly magicked the door open with a wave of her hand. Philippa toddled to Hermione's side first, craving her mother, whom she hadn't seen since yesterday morning.

"Hi, Mummy," the child said, quite timidly. Her mother instantly felt guilty – her exhaustion had made her quite strict and intolerant, lately.

Hermione reached out to stroke Pippa's blonde curls. "Hello, sweet girl. Did you sleep alright?" A nod. "That's good. What did you do yesterday?"

"Watch kidditch. I played with Ajax. Unca Theo beat Daddy."

Draco occasionally played a spot of Quidditch with his school friends, his friends from childhood, on Saturdays. Hermione and Pippa rarely accompanied him to those because Hermione thought it was important to give him some time to himself. And the Slytherin get-togethers weren't for the men alone - Pureblood women played Quidditch, too, and the ladies of Slytherin weren't the chummiest sort. At least not to her. Draco must have arranged for Blaise to bring his own son so Pippa wouldn't be bored.

"Uncle Blaise didn't let you ride his broom again, did he?"

"No, Mummy."

"Alright, then." She swung Pippa onto the bed. "Go wake Daddy."

Philippa crawled across the mattress, but Draco caught her as she readied herself to pounce on him.

"Daddy's already awake." He raised her high above his head then brought her down to kiss her cheek. "Good morning, Pip."

"Morning, Daddy," she said, returning the kiss. She turned to her mother and did the same. "Morning, Mummy."

"Good morning, love," Hermione hummed as she hugged Philippa to her chest. Pippa lifted her head, and looked curiously at both her parents.

"What's wrong, baby girl?" Draco asked.

The toddler sat up from Hermione's embrace. "Kiss Mummy morning, Daddy," she ordered.

Draco and Hermione looked hesitantly at each other, before Draco moved towards the middle of the bed, prompting Hermione to do the same. He wrapped his arms around her, and she, instinctively, settled her head on his shoulder before quickly pressing her lips to his. He followed with a kiss to her forehead.

"Good morning," he said simply. As soon as he'd held her, the breath he'd been holding was released. She was shivering, so he ran his hand up and down her arm, and her body stilled.

His skin smelled woodsy and spicy and familiar, as it always did. That and his warm hand on her arm almost lulled her back to much needed sleep.

"Mummy, no!" Pippa exclaimed. "Auntie Ginny's baby. You promise."

Hermione untangled herself from Draco, sat up against the headboard, and let Pippa sit on her stomach. "Isn't that right? Auntie Ginny has a new baby. She's a pretty little girl, just like you."

"What time d'you think the hospital lets visitors in?" Draco asked his wife.

"Ten, if I remember correctly," she replied. "The Weasleys will definitely be there as early as possible. Now, baby girl," she turned to her daughter, "if you get into your pretty blue dress and behave at breakfast, Daddy can take you to Diagon Alley so you can get a gift for the baby before you see her."

Pippa's brown eyes lit up. "Blue dress?"

"Mhmm, your new one from Grammy, with the white dots. Baby Lily will like blue."

"What gift?"

"You can get her a bear like the one Uncle Harry gave you when you were born."

"Potty Bear?"

Hermione side-eyed Draco, who, unusually, wasn't even smirking. He had started calling the stuffed toy "Potty Bear", and it stuck with Pippa as she learned to talk. Really, of all the inappropriate names for a teddy bear.

"Just like Potty Bear. But don't let Daddy name it," Hermione told Pippa. "Go find Grammy Cissy and ask her to help you dress, alright?"

Pippa sped out of the room as fast as she could with her short legs, and Draco threw off the covers, standing up with hands on his hips. There was a displeased look on his face.

"Please," he said evenly, "tell me you want us to come back here and pick you up after we buy the present."

"I wish that were so, honey, but I'm so tired. I've only been home a few hours," Hermione reasoned, "and I'd like to catch up on the sleep I lost this week. Not to mention I have to sort out the paperwork I couldn't finished last night."

Draco's lips flattened into a line when he saw the stack of folders on her bedside table. "It's Sunday."

"I know."

"Are you really going to send me into the lion's den alone?"

"They won't harm you with Pippa there. Use your daughter as a shield," she tried to joke. When he didn't take it, she said, "Draco, honestly, you're being ridiculous. You've been hanging out with my friends for years."

"Never without you. Never with the whole battalion of Weasleys," he pointed out. The red-headed clan would be in full force at the hospital today, surely.

Hermione shrugged.

"Potter and Red will be disappointed. You're the only one who hasn't seen Lily yet."

"And I feel awful for that! I mean, I'm her godmother, for Merlin's sake." Hermione ran her hands down her face, half exasperatedly. "But Harry understands why there's so much on my plate right now. He'd be going through it himself if he weren't on paternity leave. Now I don't have him to handle the Aurors so my work has doubled, and I would like to get the whole affair over with before I dive into planning Pippa's birthday."

"There is always a lot on your plate."

"Yes, well," Hermione said stonily. "You know what my job entails."

"Unfortunately, I do," Draco quickly shot back. "I have to suffer an empty bed almost every night, with my wife sneaking in near sunrise."

Hermione closed her eyes and dragged in a breath. That was why, despite how chilly it was in their room, she hadn't slept closer to Draco. She had settled on the far end of the king-sized bed, leaving distance between them so she wouldn't wake him. So she wouldn't have to apologize for not getting home last night. She was tired of having to apologize, of feeling guilty for her absence. They hadn't been intimate for months. Neither of them had the energy, anyway, but she needed to be held by her husband, even only at night.

It's not like she wanted to be away from her family. She craved her daughter every moment longer that she extended her hours at the Ministry, but she couldn't drop everything and go home. Not when the Auror department was conducting checks of paroled and pardoned war criminals. It happened biannually, and this was the second round of the year, which always required an interview of parolees by a special committee, headed by none other than herself, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. What mostly kept her in the office was reviewing reports from Aurors about the thorough sweeps of parolee homes, from physicians about the psychological state of parolees, and from Ministry prosecutors about pending indictments. That the war criminals numbered in the hundreds did not make her job any less difficult.

"Why are you being this hostile?" she demanded. "You, of all people, know what's going on in the Ministry at this time. I did the parole checks last year, too, and it was just as hectic, so I thought you'd be used to it by now!"

"Am I supposed to just swallow that the Ministry is going to continue to depriving me of my wife, who already never has time for me and our family?"

Hermione fumed. Before, she had only been digging her nails into the sheets to keep herself from throwing a projectile at her husband. Now she pounced off the bed and charged at him.

"My affiliation with the Ministry is the only thing standing between this family and the humiliating, invasive process that all the other criminals have to go through!" she yelled. "Do you want your daughter to experience Aurors entering her home and going through every nook and cranny of our lives?"

Draco's arms slackened, and he took a step back as the first thing she said sunk in. He and his parents were aware that Hermione used her weight at the Ministry to clear the Malfoys, who had only been pardoned based on Harry's testimony of Narcissa's vital assistance, for every parole check without the procedural fuss. His father always said that they could never repay Hermione for everything she continues to do for the family. Draco reassured his parents that Hermione thought nothing of it because they were her family now, as well. Did she think the Malfoys owed her?

"Well," Draco said, in an entirely different tone from his previously accusative one, "I'm sorry my family's past mistakes are being such an inconvenience to you."

Hermione's eyes felt hot, immediately pained by what she had said to her husband. She and Draco stared at each other, shocked into silence by the hurtful words exchanged.

Puffs of green smoke emitted from the fireplace, alerting them to an incoming call. Hermione almost moaned in frustration, desperately wanting to apologize to Draco for making him feel the need to say what he had, but she also couldn't ignore the Floo. Her assistant wouldn't call her at home on a Sunday morning unless it was truly an emergency.

She flicked her wand to answer the call, and summoned her robe.

"Yes, Tertius?"

"Good morning, Ms. Granger – "

Hermione winced, knowing that Draco did as well when Tertius addressed her. That she insisted on remaining Hermione Granger professionally had not been an issue with Draco when she returned to the Ministry, but it bothered him that the more she became accustomed to it, the less she became comfortable with being referred to as Mrs. Malfoy.

" – I apologize for disturbing your weekend."

"It's not a problem, Tertius, we worked all through it anyway," she said to the likeness of her assistant that was formed by the green flames. She settled cross-legged on the floor in front of the fireplace, and Draco knew that she had already been sucked in. He tossed his wand on the bed in frustration. He was going to have to do his part to entertain Pippa today, and cover Hermione's, as well.

"I just got off a call with Auror Boot."

"Yes, he's assigned to that early surprise inspection of the Mulciber home today."

"Well, they found – oh, good morning, Mr. Malfoy."

Hermione glanced over her shoulder at Draco, who had just passed behind her on the way to the bathroom. "Good morning," he muttered without looking at Tertius as he shut the bathroom door.

"Sorry about that. You were saying?" Hermione prompted.

"Auror Boot's hounds found traces of feralis in the cellars. There was a laboratory, hidden the same way as Platform 9 ¾ ."

"That's a lot of magic. Did it show up on the Mulcibers' wands?"

"No, ma'am. The wands they used belonged to Mr. Mulciber's deceased parents."

"Where are the Mulcibers now?"

"The Aurors brought them in."

While Hermione gave instructions to Tertius, Pippa came back, already dressed. She spotted her mother in front of the fireplace and joined her.

"Philippa, no, you're going to ruin your dress!" Hermione exclaimed as she pulled her daughter up from the sooty floor. The girl's eyes widened and her lip quivered, a reaction Hermione had been causing far too often, and she quickly relented. She held Pippa's hand, stroking the back of the palm with her thumb. Much gentler, she said, "Darling, go sit on the bed and wait for Daddy, alright? Mummy just has to finish talking to Tertius."

"Okay," the girl mumbled, as well as a greeting to Tertius. She obediently climbed onto the bed.

Hermione turned back to her assistant. "Do they need me to come in today, Tertius?"

"Ms. Granger, you were already here all week."

"I know, but it's really no problem. I don't have other plans today."

"I'm sure Auror Boot can handle it."

"Yes, you're right. He's done a really good job as deputy while Harry's – "

"Ms. Granger!" Tertius suddenly shouted. "Turn around!"

Hermione did so, and saw the folders on her bedside table aflame. Draco's wand was in Pippa's hand, and the child was beginning to cry.

"Shit!" She grabbed her own wand and went around to her side of the bed, yelling "Aguamenti!" so many times that she didn't hear Tertius say that he'd call her again later.

Draco heard Hermione curse and ran out of the shower, throwing his robe on. He saw her putting the fire out as he went back into the bedroom. He pried his wand from Pippa's hands, carried her off the bed and cradled his terrified daughter.

"It's alright, Pip, you're fine. Mummy put the fire out."

Narcissa entered. "What's going on?" There were charred documents and a puddle of water on the floor.

"Pippa, we told you never to touch our wands!" Hermione reprimanded.

Draco shushed her. "Look at her, Hermione, she's absolutely shaken."

"I'll take her." Sensing another row, Narcissa stepped forward, lifted Pippa from her father's arms then headed for the door. "My poor, poor darling. Let's get you some breakfast, yes?"

Narcissa evacuated her granddaughter from the room and was able to close the door before Hermione slapped Draco's arm. "You left your wand where she could reach it! How irresponsible!"

"If you hadn't been so distracted by your work! I was obviously not in the room so it was your job to mind her!"

"Well, look at this!" Hermione wildly gestured at the ruined paperwork. "Now I have to actually go to the office and have these replaced!"

"Go the hell ahead! It's not like you wanted to spend the day with us, anyway!" He stormed back into the bathroom to finish dressing, slamming the door on his way. When he came back out, Hermione had already cleaned up the mess and was standing by the window, looking out at the garden.

He knew he should hold his tongue, but he wanted to shame her for still choosing to go to the Ministry when the incident should have made her stay with them in order to comfort their daughter.

"You know," he started. She didn't turn around to face him, not that he had expected her to. "Maybe it wasn't purely an accident. Maybe she aimed at those bloody files because she knows they're why her mother is less interested in her."

Hermione's mouth fell open but she kept her back to him. She listened to his footsteps as he walked out of the room and closed the door. As soon as he was gone, she crumpled on the floor and cried, shamed by the truth in his words, and angered by his refusal to understand her situation. Why couldn't he just step in for her? She always did whenever his work made him unavailable, and that wasn't a rare occurrence.

She couldn't remember being this swamped by professional responsibilities in her entire life, but how much her department had improved since she took the helm was largely gratifying. In sharp contrast, her marriage was in shambles, and she refused to accept that it was her fault alone. Draco acted as if she were the only one who had been neglectful. Why should he alone be allowed to make a name for himself? She didn't think pursuing her career again would be this damaging to her family, and Draco himself had assured her that it wouldn't hurt their family.

But it was hurting them, and both of them had made themselves increasingly scarce in order to avoid confronting the problem. They couldn't keep living that way. They had a child, for Merlin's sake, who shouldn't have to settle for everyone's attention but her parents'.

Hermione just had to get through the next couple of weeks. Then the Ministry would be in holiday recess, and Pippa would enjoy her mother's undivided attention all throughout Christmas. The parole checks just had to be wrapped up, then she would have two months to plan Pippa's birthday. It would be the best celebration her daughter has had. Hermione hoped it would be enough to make up for her absence, Draco's absence, her recent short temper, and for her and Draco's fights, which Pippa was definitely, unfortunately aware of.


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