New A/N as of December 13, 2011 6:00 pm in Dubai: Last night, I was reading my story again on my phone when I noticed a mistake in Hermione's age. Don't worry, I fixed it now. Thanks anyway to my best friend Jhaynie for pointing it out :)
A/N: Hey guys! You must be wondering what this is about. Well, I'm a bit impatient, and I just can't wait for the results of the poll since no one seems to be voting anymore! So, I decided to have a little fun of my own by making a new story that just crossed my mind a while ago while reading a fellow writer's story. I'm still going to continue A.P.I.G.W., don't worry, but I'll update after a while. Maybe next week or something.
Now, READ!
Hermione's P.O.V.
Chapter 1
Another day has passed. It has been almost 11 years already. No letters, no form of communication at all.
If only he knew.
It was a fine summer morning. Such perfection doesn't deserve this kind of start.
I woke up from yet another one of my repeating, haunting dreams. Ever since the day he left me, I have been getting nightmares every time I fall asleep. Dreams, flashbacks of him. Nightmares of him leaving me again and again.
It's time I let go of the past.
Groggily, I sat up and rubbed the traces of sleep from my eyes. I looked at the calendar beside my bed. Today's the day. My daughter's birthday.
I stood up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I won't go to work today, I promised her. We'll spend the whole day together.
After I finished showering and wrapped my body in a towel, I wiped the steam of the mirror and looked at my reflection. The image of my 29 year-old self stared back at me. Nothing ever changed.
I sighed and returned to my room to grab some clothes and change.
Afterwards, I went down to the kitchen and started preparing a huge breakfast. Some of the guests are sure to get hungry if I don't prepare enough food.
I finished cooking and crept up the stairs to her room. I opened the door and went to the bed to admire my daughter's sleeping form.
Her long, curly blond hair was sprawled across her pillow. She looked so much like an angel. So much like her father.
I caressed her cheek and watched as her eyes fluttered open. Her stormy gray eyes.
She smiled, "Morning, Mom." she said and sat up to rub her eyes sleepily.
"Good morning, Cassie. Happy birthday!" I exclaimed and pulled her to a hug.
"Thanks. I can't believe I'm ten now! Thanks for staying home today, Mom." she said, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"Of course, it's your special day. Now, hurry up and get dressed. Your aunts and uncles are coming here any minute now. You wouldn't want them consuming all your food, do you?" I asked.
She giggled. "Yeah. Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron are always hungry!" she exclaimed and went to the bathroom.
I stood up and went downstairs to wait for the visitors to come.
At exactly 9 o'clock, the doorbell rang. I walked to the door to find my friends standing there. Ron and Luna with their daughter Mary Anne, and Harry and Ginny with their daughter Lily and their son James. I smiled and ushered them in as we exchanged our greetings with each other.
"So, where's the food?" Ron asked immediately upon entering.
Luna slapped his arm playfully. "I'm sorry, Hermione. Ron seems to be getting more attacks from Wrackspurts now."
"That's alright, Luna. Life will be boring without them, anyway." I said, smiling widely. Luna beamed while Ron prattled on about the amazing qualities of the doorbell.
"So, James will go to Hogwarts this year, right?" I asked Ginny and Harry.
"Oh, yes." Ginny replied proudly, "Only a week to go before we wave him off to school. I still remember when Mum used to wave us off." she sighed.
"Yeah. How is she, by the way?"
"Oh, she's fine. She likes taking care of Roxanne and Fred. It keeps her occupied. Cassie will be going next year, right?"
"Yes. She's already waiting for her 11th birthday already."
I heard someone coming down the stairs and smiled.
"Our beautiful birthday girl is here." I announced dramatically as Cassie descended the staircase wearing a simple white sundress.
"Hey y'all! What took you so long? I thought you wouldn't come!" she joked and hurried down to hug her aunts and uncles, along with her cousins.
Well, they ARE distantly related by blood. The Weasleys are related to the Blacks, and Narcissa Black... Damn, I can't even say his last name in my thoughts!
Anyway, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Luna had been very close to me, I treat them as my brothers and sisters.
"Hey, Hermione. Aren't we gonna eat yet?" Ron suddenly asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
We all laughed and went to the dining room to start eating our breakfast.
"Hey, Hermione?" Harry asked me suddenly while drinking coffee in the living room. The children were in playing in the backyard while us adults caught up with each other.
"So... have you heard from him lately?" Harry continued. Uncomfortable silence followed his question.
"Why would you ask that?" I asked a bit stiffly.
"Well, there are... rumors... that he's back here in Britain."
"What?" I said sharply.
Harry flinched. "Th-they were just rumors. No one has confirmed it yet. And the Prophet isn't saying anything. You know them, especially that Skeeter woman. She'll right anything."
I exhaled. Although I was secretly hoping that the rumors were true, I was relieved, too. I don't think I'm prepared to meet him yet.
"As long as he doesn't get near Cassie..." I said.
"Hermione, don't you think he has a right to know?" Ginny suddenly asked. "I mean, I know Harry would be pretty mad if I had a child with him and he didn't know..."
"No." I said, determined, "She's not his child. She's only mine."
"You know, Hermione," Luna suddenly said seriously, "No matter how many times you say that, nothing will ever change the fact that Draco Malfoy is Cassie's father."
Silence. No one ever said his name under my roof. Until now.
I sighed.
"I don't care. I just want to keep her away from him. He bloody left her when she was still inside me!"
"But he didn't know at that time, did he?" Ron said, "You should have given him a chance. Sent him a letter saying that you're carrying the Malfoy baby!"
"And what? Sound like a desperate bimbo? He might not even believe me! He didn't even say goodbye to me! He just left me a note! A bloody freaking note!" I shrieked. Tears were falling down from my eyes. I never discussed him with anybody, and saying something after 11 years of silence was simply hurtful for me.
Ginny, who was sitting beside me, rubbed my back soothingly. "There, there, Hermione. He never deserved you. The only good thing you got from him was Cassie, and she's the best thing in your life, right?"
I nodded.
"Don't worry. Hermione." Luna said, "Everything will turn out better than you've hoped for."
"Yes. I really wish it would."
Flashback
I woke up after a very long period of sleep. I looked to my right and saw Draco smiling at me.
"Morning, sleepyhead. Finally, you woke up. I was afraid you had a comatose or something." he said teasingly.
I slapped his bare chest and rolled my eyes.
"No, really! You were like a bear hibernating at the wrong season! But a cute bear at that."
I laughed. My stomach suddenly growled.
"Hmm, let me guess. My bear's extremely hungry by now."
I nodded.
"Well, let's see what I can find in the kitchen." he said and got up off the bed and headed out the bedroom.
I stood up and stretched a bit and looked for my clothes. Last night was pretty amazing, although my body was aching a bit.
I couldn't find my clothes, so I just took Draco's shirt lying on the floor and quickly put it on and went to the kitchen.
We've been together for almost three years. We started dating during Sixth year. We're eighteen and we both work for the Ministry, so we decided to live together and bought a two-story house.
I entered the kitchen and wasn't at all surprised to smell something burning.
"Shit!" Draco exclaimed as the eggs were charred black. The middle of the pan suddenly burst into flames and he jumped back in surprise and let out a string of swearwords. I just stood there, watching him with an amused expression on my face as he tried to put out the flames with a towel. Which caught fire, too.
I tried to stifle a laugh, but no such luck. He turned around and glared playfully.
"You really should help me instead of laugh at me."
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.
"Hey! Stop laughing, you!" Draco cried indignantly.
"Sorry." I said while catching my breath, "But you were just so funny!" I exclaimed and burst into a new round of hysterics.
He crossed his arms across his chest with a scowl on his face as he waited for me to stop once again. After a few moments, I stopped, but there was something strange. I suddenly felt nauseous and ran to the kitchen sink. Once I got there, I started retching while Draco, who had followed me, held my hair for me.
After all the vomiting, he helped me wash my mouth. He took a chair and seated me on it.
"Are you alright?" he asked me with concern.
"Yeah, a bit. Nothing new, really."
"You mean, this has been going on for a while?"
"Yeah. There's no need for that panicked expression! I'm fine. In fact, I'm going to St. Mungo's for a check-up later."
"That's a relief. Do you want me to come with you?"
"Nah, I'll be fine. Besides, you have your report to finish. And Lucius did say that he's coming here today, didn't he? I don't want him here all alone, waiting for us to come home!"
He sighed in defeat. "Alright, I'll wait for you. Do you want me to cook up something for tonight?"
I laughed. "You couldn't even cook an egg!"
He shrugged, "Well, at least I made you laugh!"
"Yep. You definitely did!"
He just smiled. "Well, I'm pretty hungry now, myself."
I chuckled. "Alright, I'll cook something. I'll be taking a shower after eating."
"Mind if I come with you?" He asked suggestively and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but not this time, lover-boy. I'm still pretty tired."
He pouted a bit. "Mhhhhmmm. Okay. But you have to make up for it tonight!"
I giggled. "Alright." I said and gave him a quick peck on the lips before preparing breakfast.
I went home from St. Mungo's to find the house bathed in darkness.
"Draco?" I cried out. No response.
I flicked my wand and the living room was suddenly full of light. No one here.
I went upstairs to the bedroom to check if he fell asleep while waiting for me. 'Yeah, fell asleep at 5 in the afternoon.' I snorted.
I entered the bedroom and sighed when I saw that he's also not there. I walked across the room and sat on the bed. I noticed that there was a note on my desk, and I picked it up and read it.
Dear Hermione,
I'm sorry, but I have to forget about you. And you have to forget about me, too, if you know what's good for you. I have to leave, and I'm not coming back. I'm really sorry.
~Draco
I cried the whole night.
End of flashback
I looked at the clock on my bedside table.
12:07 am
I have to sleep, I still have an appointment with a new client of mine tomorrow.
I sighed. He's forgotten about me, I know that.
The only problem is, I still haven't forgotten about him.
A/N: Hey! I know this story is sad, but hey, I wanted to write something new. Any questions? PM me, or ask me using the oh-so-great review button!
The next chapters are full of surprises, I promise!
