A/N: Ooh, Ginny had a little girl! And you guys thought it was going to be bad! Come on people! A little optimism please! I'm not that cruel... I just made Hannah out to be a dirty slut but oh well. I never really liked her...
--
"She's beautiful," Hermione told Ginny as she watched her best friend give her newborn daughter a bottle. "I just can't believe she's actually here."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. You don't actually realise how real it is until she arrives!"
The two laughed. "She definitely has arrived! Everyone loves her. Even Draco. She's bought out the softie inside of him."
Ginny smiled, "Actually, 'Mione, I think you did that but you're right. He is a big softie, he'll make a great father someday." Ginny looked at Hermione hopefully. Hermione was never the type of girl to talk about her feelings openly but Ginny knew she had changed.
She was still the Hermione that concentrated on her schoolwork. She was still the Hermione that wanted to get far professionally in her life. She was still the Hermione that wanted to make a difference in peoples lives, even if they were house elves. But she had changed, even if she was still the same to others.
Ginny knew Hermione inside and out enough to know that she wasn't the same person anymore. Since she met Draco she had changed. Since she met Draco, she had changed for the better.
A few moments passed of just Ginny and Hermione oohing and aahing over the new baby girl. Their partners, who were standing at the door, were watching them until Draco cleared his throat and bought everyone back down to Earth.
Hermione glanced up and saw Blaise standing in the doorway, with Draco, staring at his precious newborn.
"Well I think we'll be off. School starts back tomorrow and I'm just taking a slight guess in figuring that you too would like some time alone with the bub before your families come back," Hermione smiled at Blaise and he shot her a grateful look.
Draco shook hands with his best mate to say goodbye, gave Ginny a hug and even kissed the little girl on the forehead. Hermione took a bit longer with her goodbyes, which were mainly spent fussing over the tiny baby.
As Blaise closed the door behind the departing couple, Ginny broke the silence and spoke up.
"It's kind of funny how much love you can have someone you hardly know," she whispered, smiling down at her daughter.
"Yeah, I felt the same thing when I first saw you again," Blaise said in response while walking towards his new family.
--
The car ride back to Malfoy Manor was anything but quiet. Draco sat and listened to Hermione as she went on and on about the baby. Baby Shannae Mia was absolutely beautiful and Draco just knew Hermione was going to spoil her rotten.
"I just can't wait to have one of my own. I know I have so much to before then. You know I have to finish school and get a job and get married but I just can't wait to have one!" she said, her voice screaming excitement.
Draco chuckled. He had never seen Hermione this happy about something that did not involve exam results or their relationship.
"Baby you can have your own child whenever you want, just give me the word and I'll be there. No questions asked."
"Thanks but I still have so much to do. I wonder if Gin will let us look after her for a night if she and Blaise want to go out?"
Draco raised his eyebrow. "What about school?"
"Oh after school. Once we've graduated."
--
Hermione woke up bright and early the next morning, excited to be going back to school that day. She rolled over in the large king sized bed that she and Draco slept in to find that he had already woken up.
She decided to shower, get dressed and pack the rest of her belongings before getting some breakfast so that's exactly what she did.
Her 20 minute shower seemed to last forever as she anxiously counted down the seconds until she was back on the Hogwarts' Express, returning to Hogwarts for her final term at school.
'Wow,' she thought to herself while washing the shampoo from her hair, 'it seems like just yesterday I started at Hogwarts.'
'It's so weird that I'm starting my final term of classes tomorrow. Man, it's crazy.'
--
Draco had decided to get up bright and early that morning. He had planned a special breakfast that he and Hermione could share before they left for Kings Cross Station. He knew it wouldn't be long until she woke up and he was write. He had just got out of bed and started walking down the hallway just outside his bedroom when he heard Hermione roll over in bed and walk into the bathroom.
As he made his way down to the kitchen, a little envelope on the dining room table caught his eye. 'Draco & Hermione' was written across the front of the envelope and he instantly recognized the handwriting.
'Geez, Blaise. I'm gone for just a few hours and already you feel the need to contact me,' he said to himself.
He carefully opened the envelope, as he always did, and pulled out a small photograph and a letter.
Hey Draco, hope this letter finds you in good spirits. I know just how much you love going back to school! I'm just messing with ya mate. Good luck, give the Gryffindor's hell!
-Draco chuckled to himself. 'Even though he has a baby with one, he'll never give up the Gryffindor bashing,' he laughed a little louder. 'Oh what the hell,' he thought, 'neither will I.' He continued reading the letter. -
I can't believe I'm a father now. I never, in my whole life, dreamed of feeling this complete – even though I'm still missing large portions of my memory.
- Draco laughed once again. Blaise was never the type to show how he really felt and wear his heart on his sleeve. It was typical of him to break the serious notes with a joke. –
Shannae is the most adorable thing in the world, next to her mother of course. I think everything's gonna be fine. Hey, Malfoy, the Weasley's aren't as bad as we first thought! They won't make bad in-laws.
Anyway, good luck at school, make me (and the other Slytherins) proud and treat Hermione well. I don't mind that one, she's not a bad catch.
-Blaise.
Draco smiled. He was happy that Blaise had figured out what's important in life. He was happy that Blaise was happy.
Draco then picked up the photograph that came with the letter. It was of Blaise, Ginny and baby Shannae.
'They all look so happy together,' he thought. He didn't even know that 1-day-old baby's could look happy, but Blaise and Ginny's daughter had managed to.
'I hope 'Mione and I can be like that one day.'
--
Hermione practically bounced down all of the steps of Malfoy Manor. She was so excited to be going back to Hogwarts that she nearly missed a step and fell. But her newly-found grace helped her out, and thankfully, she made it down without injuring herself.
When she had reached the bottom step, she couldn't help but sniff the air.
"Wow!" she said outloud, "that smells great!"
Her first thought was that Draco had had a house elf make them something, or maybe even had bought in a chef. As far as she could remember, the last time Draco could breakfast, it hadn't smelt this great.
--
Draco smiled when he saw the surprised look on his girlfriend's face.
"What's all this?" she asked, standing on her toes to give Draco a good-morning kiss on the cheek.
"Oh, just a little something I cooked for my favourite girl on her first day back to Hogwarts – for the final time, I might add," he smiled.
"Well, thanks baby. I'll have you know it's greatly appreciated," she said, taking a sample of the fabulous-looking scrambled eggs. 'Hey, it's nothing fancy,' she thought, 'but it smells, looks and tastes great.'