A/N: Reunited at last. I hope you all enjoy :o)
"Draco, we should not be standing out in the open like this. It is time we get a move on," said Lucius after helping Narcissa locate her wand. All the while, Hermione and Draco never removed their lips from one another.
"I suppose you're right," said Draco, still kissing his wife tenderly. "What do you say, love? Your place or mine?"
"That depends," said Hermione, kissing him some more. "We have a small, shielded area and a fire. What do you have?"
"Two tents set up and a third in our bags if we need it."
"Your place it is then," she said, "but we're not alone. Astoria and … and Pansy are with us."
Draco pulled back and raised his eyebrows. "Pansy is with you?"
Hermione nodded.
"What the hell did you bring her for?"
"You'll see," said Hermione with a sigh.
She took his hand and guided him back towards their clearing, with Lucius and Narcissa just behind them. Hermione had hung a blue light on a tree outside of their campground so they would be able to find it again, despite all of the enchantments.
They stepped into the clearing. Hermione went to wake up Astoria while Draco walked over to where Pansy was laying, taking a good look at her.
Hermione barely had to shake Astoria before she was shooting up and pulling out her wand, absolutely ready to attack.
"No need for that," said Hermione with a smile. "We found a couple of stragglers in the forest."
Astoria first looked at Lucius, who was currently putting out the fire, and then at Draco, who was crouched down beside Pansy, checking her pulse.
"Don't tell me I missed the reunion," she whined. "After all of this, I didn't even get to see your faces when saw each other for the first time after months of separation? That is so unfair!"
Hermione laughed. "I'll show you in a Pensieve when this is all said and done."
"What's happened to her?" asked Draco, who was still looking at Pansy.
Hermione walked over and crouched down beside him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "She tried to help me escape a few months back. Even though she made it look legit for when they used Legilimency on her, Daphne forced some Veritaserum down her throat and got her to confess. They locked her in the basement and have been torturing her ever since."
"But I went into the basement. She wasn't there."
"Your friend, Blaise, covered her with an invisibility cloak," answered Narcissa from behind them.
Draco looked back at her and asked, "Was it your intention to help Hermione escape the whole time?"
"Of course it was."
"Then why did you destroy the microphone?" asked Lucius, still seeming skeptical of his wife.
"I had to do something to prove myself, Lucius. Otherwise they would not have let me in. I only destroyed one. I was counting on them being daft enough to not check for more."
"But why would Daphne do that to her?" asked Draco, moving back to Pansy. "Aren't the two of them friends?"
Hermione sighed and kissed his cheek. "It's a long story, Draco. One I'll tell you later. But, for now, we really should get going."
"I know. It's just …" Draco took a deep breath and turned to look at her. "Sophie and Phillip are with us. I can't imagine they'll be happy about her being here."
"She helped me, Draco. Many times. If it weren't for her I would already be dead. If you leave her behind then, I'm afraid, I will have to stay with her."
"I'm not suggesting that. This just … isn't going to be pretty."
Draco reached out to lift Pansy up but Lucius beat him to it. "Stay with your wife, Draco. I will take care of this one."
Draco nodded. He and Hermione stood up. He took her hand and walked over to Astoria, pulling her into a tight hug. "Don't you dare try to play the hero again," he ordered.
Astoria smiled and hugged back. "Whatever you say."
Once they had everything gathered and cleaned up, Hermione and Narcissa removed the enchantments from the area and Lucius - holding Pansy - took the lead back towards their tents.
Draco and Hermione walked with their arms wrapped securely around each other, neither planning on ever letting the other go.
When they got there, Sophie and Phillip had put up a light in the trees similar to Hermione's to guide them into the secured area. They walked into it just as Phillip was walking out of the tent.
"There you are. I was just going out to look - Hermione?"
Hermione smiled and released Draco just long enough for Phillip to scoop her into his arms and lift her off her feet.
"Thank Merlin you're all right!"
"Careful of the stomach, please," said Draco, cautiously monitoring the hug.
"Why?" asked Phillip, suddenly noticing that it felt larger.
He put Hermione down and she pulled back her cloak.
"Holy crap!" he said, reaching out his hand and touching it. "You're having a Mini Malfoy?"
"I am," she said proudly.
"Phillipe, are zey back?" asked Sophie as she walked out of the tent, her eyes widening when she saw Hermione standing there, barely noticing her stomach. "'Ermione!"
She ran forward and reached her arms out but, before they made contact, Hermione lifted her hand and slapped Sophie hard across the face. Sophie clutched her throbbing cheek, looking both shocked and hurt at her friend.
"That was for kissing my husband!" shouted Hermione, pointing an accusatory finger at her.
Phillip was the only one who chuckled. Everyone else was too stunned to do anything. Hermione looked at him.
"I presume you did the same," she said, motioning towards Draco.
"Of course. Only, much harder. Feel free to hit Sophie again."
"No, it's fine. I've gotten it out of my system." Hermione rubbed at her hand.
"I am sorry," cried Sophie, letting go of her cheek. "Can we 'ug now?"
Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Yes, we can hug now."
She held out her arms and Sophie ran into them.
"I am so 'appy you are safe!" Sophie said, crying into her shoulder. She pulled away and wiped her eyes. "Was zat a baby bump I just saw Phillipe touching?"
"Yes," said Hermione, pulling the cloak back again. "I suppose I should just take this thing off so it doesn't keep being such a shock."
"No, you can keep it on," said Phillip. "The last person with us isn't really in a condition to appreciate it."
"What do you mean? Who else is here?" asked Hermione, whipping her head towards Draco. "Is someone hurt?"
"I am not really sure 'hurt' is the right word," said Draco, taking her hand again and glancing sideways at Astoria. "Weasley's here with us."
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Ron?"
Draco nodded.
"I don't understand. What's wrong with him?"
After taking a deep breath, Draco asked, "Aren't you wondering how we knew you were here, Mione?"
"The thought crossed my mind, yes." She paused and went white. "Ron?"
Draco nodded again.
Astoria brought her hands up to her mouth and gasped into them.
"Is …" Hermione gulped … "Is he dead?"
"No. Not yet."
Without a word, Astoria ran into the tent Phillip and Sophie had come out of.
"He's in the other one, Stori!" Draco called after her.
She ran back out and into the other tent. Hermione followed her, with Draco at her heels. When they got inside, Astoria was already sitting on the side of Ron's bed, weeping as she reached down to touch his cold cheek.
"What's happened to him?" Astoria asked, turning her glossy eyes to Draco.
"He told us everything he could just after you came to Thinx. When he started to die, Seth cast a powerful Freezing Spell on him. He's been like this ever since."
"You can do that?" asked Hermione.
"Guess so."
"How …" Hiccup … "can we remove it?" asked Astoria.
"We don't want to remove it, Stori," said Draco. "Not yet, anyway. If we do now he will die."
"Then when?" she whimpered.
Draco looked at her hesitantly. He wasn't sure how to proceed with this.
"Draco … please, just tell me."
Draco sighed and walked over to her, crouching down so he could look into her eyes. "No matter what, when we unfreeze him he is going to die. But the Healers at St. Mungo's think if … if the person he made the Unbreakable Vow with perishes then there might be a chance we could revive him."
"My … my father? For Ron to live we would have to kill my father?"
"For the small chance that he might live … yes, I'm afraid that is what we have to do."
Astoria whimpered again before looking down at Ron and stroking his hair.
"We have people preparing for battle on the other side of the shield. I should warn you now. The Weasleys already plan to take him down."
"I … I need a moment," said Astoria, crying harder.
Draco didn't move.
"Please?"
Without a word, Hermione went over and took Draco's hand. She pulled him back to a standing position and guided him towards the exit, looking back just once before walking outside. She wished she could sit next to Ron right along with her, but Hermione being there was not what Astoria needed right now. Not after everything that had happened.
When they got back outside, Sophie was currently going ballistic on Lucius and Narcissa in French while Phillip was nowhere to be seen.
As soon as Sophie saw Hermione walk out of the tent, she pointed at the girl still in Lucius' arms and asked, "Why ees she 'ere?"
"I already told you. I promised her mother," Narcissa said sternly. "If I had not made that deal then there is a very good chance Hermione would be sliced open right about now."
"But she murdered my baby!" Sophie said in a slow, deep voice.
Hermione sighed and took several steps closer to her. "Sophie … the last thing I'm going to do is stand here and make excuses for Pansy. She did wrong that day by not trying to stop them sooner. By even being there. And she knows that. That's why she helped me. She was the first to figure out I was pregnant and she kept my secret for me. She treated my morning sickness, she warmed my floor, she fed me when the others were more than ready to let me starve. When the purebloods decided they wanted to dispose of me, it was her quick thinking that kept me alive. She convinced them that our baby is what the prophecy is referring to."
Draco's jaw dropped slightly as he began to repeat the prophecy in his head, trying to figure out of it might be true.
"Blaise tried to rape me one night -"
Now Draco stiffened as the little color he had drained from his face.
"- and when she heard me scream, she came running to my aid. Granted, I stole Blaise's wand, stunned her and made a run for it, but she never cared. She, instead, found a way to try and help me escape and has been tortured every day since for it. Goyle said she hasn't been conscious for days. When we grabbed her, Quinn came down looking for her and I am positive it was not just to say hi. So while Pansy has done some horrible things in life, Sophie, what happened to you being no exception, I think she's damn well suffered enough for it. She's coming inside."
Sophie lifted her arm and used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. She looked at Pansy and then at Hermione, unsure of how she was supposed to be feeling.
"She really deed all of zat for you?"
"Yes," said Hermione. "I owe her my life."
"Zen I guess I cannot object. I weell make up a bed for 'er."
Sophie walked towards the tent. When she got inside, Phillip was standing just to the side of the entrance, tears visible in his eyes. She looked into them and sighed deeply.
"Eet ees for 'Ermione, Phillipe."
Phillip gazed back at her and asked, "Did she use the Cruciatus Curse on you that day?"
Sophie shook her head and continued towards the beds. It was true. Pansy had never laid a spell, or a hand, on her. She was simply there. Sophie just had to keep reminding herself that.
Back outside, Lucius and Narcissa exchanged a look before following Sophie inside. Hermione tried to follow after them, but Draco grabbed her wrist and held her back.
"Hermione, I need you to be honest with me. Did … did Zabini ever … did he, or anyone, ever succeed in … in -"
"No, Draco," she said, looking into his eyes. "No one ever raped me. For the most part, I was untouched."
Draco sighed in relief.
"I just wish I could say the same for everyone." She glanced towards the tent Astoria was in with Ron. "She may not have been there for long, but Rita wanted revenge and she used Blaise's anger at Daphne to get it."
"Rita?" repeated Draco, crinkling his forehead.
"Yes. Rita Skeeter. The mastermind behind all of this, if you can believe it."
"But … Astoria zapped her."
"I know. That's why she wants revenge." Hermione grabbed onto Draco's hand and squeezed it. "There is a lot I need to tell you, Draco. Mostly about our baby, and I'm sure there's plenty you need to tell me, but can we please go inside first? My feet are killing me."
Draco smiled and nodded. He lifted her chin with his hand and kissed her before scooping her up and carrying her inside.
When they got in there, Sophie was using her wand to fill he bathtub with hot water while Narcissa put up a divider so she could start undressing Pansy. Lucius was searching through the backpacks for some clean clothes for her while Phillip just stood there, watching.
"Let me help with that," said Hermione, fidgeting so Draco was forced to put her down.
"No, 'Ermione. You stay wiz your 'usband," said Sophie, poking her head out from behind the divider. "Narcissa and Lucius were just saying zat you all 'ave a lot to talk about. I weell take care of zis."
"Are you sure?" asked Hermione, glancing sideways at Phillip. She was not blind to how distant they were acting towards one another.
"Yes. I am more zan capable of giving someone a bath." She smiled halfheartedly. "You Malfoys should all seet down and bring each other up to speed. I weell be listening."
Sophie went back behind the divider and Narcissa came out. She took the clothes that Lucius had found and gave them to Sophie. After that, she, Lucius, Hermione and Draco all took a seat, Draco wrapping his arms securely around Hermione while she leaned into his shoulder.
Phillip lingered near the bathtub, unmoving until Sophie finished bathing Pansy and needed him to help her carry Pansy over to her bed. He was slow to agree, but still eventually did it for her. Sophie then remained in a chair beside the bed, casting Healing Spells on the visible wounds Astoria had been too weak to tend to herself.
While all of this was going on, the Malfoys were informing each other about everything. Draco and Lucius talked about the Fellowship of the Dragon, the microphones Seth had created and they had planted, the battle at the Leaky Cauldron , the destruction of Malfoy Manor, the Love Chamber, and the spell Draco was currently working on.
Hermione first talked about how it was she had been captured. Then she moved on to the baby and how it gave her the ability to use powerful wandless magic, the purebloods theories on the prophecy and about her almost escape. She told them all about Pansy, and Theo and how he was trying to help her control the wandless magic better.
"So Theo is Kingsley's spy?" asked Draco, trying to figure out if he was surprised or not.
"Yes," said Hermione. "He seems to really hate his father and is determined to see him suffer."
"So is anyone other than Theo in there on our side?" asked Lucius.
"Goyle and Ethan," answered Hermione.
Draco recoiled at the sound of his former friend's name.
"But Goyle is more or less a prisoner there," defended Hermione after noticing Draco's reaction. "Please, don't be angry with him, Draco. He tried to set me free when he first found me locked up in the basement, but Blaise stopped him. And he stepped aside when I tried to escape. He's not bad. Just confused."
"He lied to me."
"Because he was scared. You can't blame him for that. And then, when he wanted out, they locked Pansy up and he would never leave her there."
"Since when does Goyle care about Pansy?"
Hermione blushed. "Uhh …"
Draco's eyes squinted, and then widened. "They did not!"
"They might have … just once! To get back at Daphne. But if it weren't for him I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be alive right now."
"So who is this Ethan you speak of?" asked Lucius, trying to get the younger Malfoys back on topic.
"The Greengrasses vampire," Narcissa answered. "Perhaps you have met him, Lucius. Being so close with Arron for all of these years, I can't imagine you haven't."
Lucius suddenly turned very white. "Narcissa, I -"
"I think I will make some tea," said Narcissa, standing up and walking towards the kitchen.
Lucius followed her with his eyes. When he turned back to Hermione and Draco, they were both staring at him.
"I believe I need some air," he said, standing up and heading outside.
"What was that about?" asked Draco as soon as he was gone.
"I have no idea," Hermione lied. For some reason, she felt a strange sense of loyalty towards Narcissa. Most likely because she saved her life but who could say for sure.
Now that everyone was up to speed, Draco did not see any reason to just be sitting here, next to his wife, without snogging her senseless.
He used his finger to lift Hermione's chin from his shoulder and began to kiss her tenderly. Her hands trailed up his back, beginning to pull at his jumper as his kiss became more desperate.
Nearly five months they had been apart. No kissing, no shagging, no heart-skipping-a-beat feeling in their chests. But they had each other now, and if their lips said anything in that moment, it was that nothing had changed. Their passion and desire for one another had not ceased, and they both desperately wished they were not stuck in a tent with several other people right now.
At one point during their growingly-heavy snogging session, Draco felt a pair of eyes on them. He opened his and looked past Hermione's head to see Phillip watching them closely. He reluctantly pulled back from his wife and asked, "Something on your mind, Phil?"
"Oh, sorry," said Phillip, only now realizing that he had been staring at them. "I was … just curious."
"About?"
Even as Draco spoke, Hermione continued to plant sensual kisses on his lips and jaw.
"Well, when you screamed 'she's here' and ran out of here earlier, I was pretty sure you had snapped, but then you came back with Hermione in your arms. How did you find her, exactly?"
Hermione stopped kissing him. She pulled back and crinkled her forehead. "You knew I was out there?"
"Yes," answered Draco.
"But … how?"
Draco sighed. He wasn't sure how to properly answer this without sounding crazy. "I heard you singing our song."
"You heard me?"
"I did."
"But that's impossible. We were too far away for you to have heard that. Not to mention the enchantments."
"So you really were singing?" asked Draco, suddenly feeling a small bit of relief. Maybe he wasn't crazy after all.
"Yes, I … I was. Our song is the only thing that will calm the baby."
"I've been dreaming of you. Almost every night for a while now. I hear you singing that song and, sometimes, I can even see you. Last week I could have sworn I held your hand."
Hermione crinkled her forehead further. "Were you in a chair in a hospital room when you held my hand?"
Draco's eyes widened. "I was. I was watching over Weasley while the Healers spoke with his family and accidentally fell asleep."
The room was silent.
"So … you two have been communicating this entire time?" asked Phillip, trying to understand.
Hermione looked at him and then down at the baby. She put her hand on her stomach. "I don't know. I know I don't actually have basis for comparison, but this pregnancy just hasn't been normal. Pansy said that there have been reported cases of mothers using wandless magic when they feel their baby is being threatened, which I can, but I've been able to do more than just that. I can do Occlumency and Legilimency without any effort at all and, every time I see Blaise, hexing him comes so naturally, even when he isn't trying anything. And now this … this communicating while asleep. I have no doubt that this is the baby's doing as well."
"Aw. The little Malfoy wanted Mommy and Daddy to be together again," said Draco, reaching down and putting his hand on top of Hermione's on her stomach.
The baby kicked powerfully. Both Draco and Hermione pulled their hands back.
Looking at Hermione, Draco smiled and said, "Either it really loves us or really hates us."
"I'd prefer to think the former."
Sophie looked over and smiled as Draco and Hermione cooed about their baby. While she felt nothing but joy for them, seeing them so happy only made her think about her own baby. Christmas had been especially hard since that was right around the time it was supposed to have been born. When forced to spend the night in Draco's guestroom with Phillip, it turned out she was not the only one to remember this. Their sadness over it had turned into an angry fight, which turned into an even angrier shag. Neither of them had talked about it since.
Phillip turned and caught her eye. Sophie's heart skipped a beat as he smiled at her, not blind to that same sadness she felt hidden well behind his joy. She smiled back. Then, very suddenly, Phillip was no longer looking at her but past her, his eyes becoming very grave as his smile faded to nothingness.
Sophie followed his gaze to see that Pansy was stirring. Her first signs of movement since they had brought her here. Her eyelashes began to flutter as her mouth twisted from the pain of her shifting. Pansy's eyes opened slowly. She waited for them to focus before turning her head to look at the figure lingering beside the bed she was laying in. It took her a moment to register the face, then she looked horrified.
"W-where am I?"
Sophie stared down at her for a moment, unable to breathe as the girl stared back at her. A murderer by association, though, it was hard to say where the line really was.
"Safe," was the only word she managed to choke out.
"Hermione!" Phillip called.
Hermione looked over from the sofa, where she and Draco had already resumed their lip lock. She gasped when she saw Pansy's open eyes and ran over.
"Pansy, are you all right?"
"Granger?"
"Malfoy."
"I told you, I'm …" She made a pained sound as she tried to move again … "not acknowledging that."
"Stop moving. We 'ave barely scratched ze surface of your wounds. I do not even want to know what your insides are like," said Sophie.
"They feel a bit like jelly," said Pansy, finally holding still.
Sophie held up her wand and asked, "Where first?"
Pansy hesitated before pointing to her right side. Sophie lifted her shirt and went to work healing a large bruise.
"How did I get here?" she asked, looking at Hermione.
"Your mother made a deal with Narcissa. She got her in to help me just as long as she promised to get you out."
"My mother?"
Hermione nodded.
A tear dripped out of the corner of Pansy's eye. She was quick to wipe it away. Then, moving her gaze to Hermione's stomach, she asked, "How long has it been?"
Hermione looked down at her large baby bump and sighed. "Four months."
Pansy whimpered but she did not cry. She couldn't. Not in front of the French witch.
Draco walked up behind Hermione and put his arms around her. "Feeling all right there, Parkinson?"
"Not especially," she said. "Just to be clear, I am here, right? I mean, I haven't gone mental from overuse of the Cruciatus Curse or something and am imagining all of this?"
"Well, if we are all part of your mental fantasy world, I personally wouldn't believe a word we said."
"Draco!" Hermione smacked his chest. "Pansy, you're fine. We're not figments of your imagination. You really are free from that place."
Pansy gave her a faint nod. She then lifted her hand, realizing how light it felt. "Where's Goy - Ah!" She winced as Sophie hit a particularly tender spot.
"Sorry," said Sophie, though, there wasn't a whole lot of feeling behind the word.
"Drink this," said Narcissa, walking over with a half-finished bottle of firewhiskey, instead of the tea she had mentioned. "It will help with the pain."
She forced some down Pansy's throat. Pansy choked a little and cringed again. Sophie laughed before taking the bottle from Narcissa.
"I've got zis."
Narcissa shrugged before walking off again.
"Goyle's still in there," answered Hermione once Pansy could breathe again.
The little color left in Pansy's cheeks melted away. "You left him there?"
"We had no choice," justified Hermione, even though she still wasn't happy about it herself. "He'll be fine, Pansy. Theo and Ethan will see to that."
"Theo?" she questioned. "How much did I miss?"
"Plenty," said Hermione. "But we'll catch you up to speed later. Right now, just focus on getting better."
Pansy glanced at Sophie again, still unsure whether or not this was all right.
"Draco."
Draco and Hermione turned to see his father standing in the tent's entrance.
"I set-up the third tent out here, so that you and Hermione might have some privacy."
Draco and Hermione looked at each other, both eager to have just that. But …
"Eet ees fine, you two," said Sophie, noticing their hesitation. "Go ahead."
"Are you sure?" asked Hermione, even though Draco was already pulling her away.
"Of course. Eet 'as been nearly five months. You deserve zis time alone."
Now Draco was tugging on Hermione's hand. She bit her lip. "Well, all right." Looking down at Pansy, she said, "Feel better," and then finally let Draco pull her away.
When they were gone, Pansy watched as Sophie continued to heal her wounds, never once making eye contact.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked quietly after some time had passed.
Sophie sighed and looked over her shoulder at Phillip, who was still watching them closely. Looking back at Pansy, she said, "You 'elped 'Ermione when she needed eet. Right now, zat ees all zat matters."
Pansy winced as Sophie healed what she could only imagine was broken ribs. She was trying really hard not to scream.
"You can let eet out, you know," said Sophie, referring to her cries of pain.
But Pansy took this in a very literal sense and, instead of screaming, ended up looking at Sophie with tear-filled eyes and saying, "I'm sorry."
Sophie was surprised by the suddenness of the apology and wasn't quite sure how to take it. She turned white as her breath got caught in her throat. Her eyes swelled as she tried to fight back her tears.
"Eet ees all ri -"
"No. No, it's not," said Pansy, shaking her head and crying harder. "We had all been drinking that night, and when Blaise suggested we go and mess with Draco, I thought it would be funny. But then you came in and … and everything happened so fast."
Several tears escaped Sophie's eyes. She was quick to wipe them away.
"I know it seems like I only stepped forward because you were pregnant but it wasn't just that. I swear it wasn't just that. But I was drunk and my mind was acting slowly. I didn't …" She gulped … "I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
"Please … stop," said Sophie, holding up her hand, trying to somewhat control the tears falling from her eyes. "I know you deed not curse me, and zat you were ze one to remove ze Silencing Charm so ze others would know to come for me. And you 'elped 'Ermione, who ees one of ze most eemportant people een my life, so believe me when I say zat I am grateful, but I will never forget zat you were zere."
"I don't expect you to," whispered Pansy. "I just … wanted you to know."
Sophie nodded and went back to healing Pansy's ribs. She could not bring herself to look back at Phillip, who she could hear whimpering behind her. None of them said another word for the remainder of the night.
XXX
The moment Draco and Hermione were alone in their own tent, they were locked to each other, Draco carefully walking her backwards until they reached the bed.
As he slowly climbed on top of her, he suddenly stopped and asked, "Are we able to do this?"
Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"I mean, we are not going to, like, hurt the baby or anything, are we?"
"I don't see how we would."
"But are you sure that it won't -"
"Draco!" Hermione put a finger to his lips. "I have been locked in a room, pretty much by myself, for nearly five bloody months! We're shagging!"
Draco smirked. "Yes ma'am."
He dived back in and kissed her, the taste of her lips as delicious and intoxicating as he remembered. He moved his down to her neck and began fiddling with her shirt, almost surprised when he was met with her round baby bump instead of her usual flat stomach. He smiled and went back for her lips, kissing her tenderly as he began to slowly remove her top. Hermione was quick to pull it back down.
He pulled away and asked, "What are you doing?"
Hermione blushed. "I'm sorry. But you, uhh … you said no fatties, and I'm sort of huge right now."
Draco chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Mione, I wasn't serious."
"You were half-serious."
"Maybe." He shrugged. She knew him too well. "But pregnant is not the same as fat. Besides, I want to see."
Draco tried to lift her shirt again but she held it firmly in place.
"Come on, Mione. Your breasts are maybe twice their usual size. You cannot deprive me of them!"
Hermione rolled her eyes before finally loosening her grip on her shirt. Draco smiled triumphantly before pulling it over her head in one swift motion. To his utter delight, she wasn't wearing a bra, which meant one less step for him to take.
"There. You see? Beautiful." He moved downward and kissed her stomach. "Not fat."
Hermione smiled as he looked up at her and winked. Slowly, he began to trail his lips up towards her breasts, paying a decent amount of attention to the left one before moving to the right.
"Will these stay like this?" he asked. "Because I would be all right with it if they did."
Hermione laughed and reached down to smack his shoulder. He grabbed her wrist before she could and moved up to kiss her lips again. He really couldn't get enough of them. No one could kiss like Hermione. She always used the perfect amount of tongue and teeth to drive him absolutely mad.
Draco's hand moved downward and undid her trousers, quickly slipping them and her knickers off of her while she pulled his shirt over his head. Hermione took a moment to gaze at his chest, running her hands across it and kissing it tenderly. She looked up into his eyes as she continued to stroke every inch of him.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Memorizing you," she answered. "So that I never forget what this feels like if I'm ever apart from you again."
Draco put his head down near hers and plopped their foreheads together. "Did you start to forget what it felt like to be with me, Mione?"
She nodded ashamedly.
"It's all right. I think I started to forget too."
"I really thought I'd never get the chance to do this again," she said, shedding a few tears. "I'm just so happy that you're here."
"So am I," he said, kissing her chastely. "I missed this. Just being with you. Holding you. Kissing you." A tear slipped down his cheek and onto hers. "I'm so sorry for what I said to you that night. I didn't mean it. I love you so much. I -"
"Shh," said Hermione, putting her finger to his lips again. "It doesn't even matter, Draco. We both said things we didn't mean. Let's just forget about it. We'll forget about this whole mess and go back to where we were."
Draco nodded. He kissed her again, heavier this time, and began trailing his hand down the curves of her waist, rubbing it up and down her thigh, teasing her before finally moving it between her legs.
Hermione moaned into his mouth. She was already more than ready for him. She began fidgeting with the button on his trousers and quickly yanked them off of him. When he was as naked as she was, he suddenly stopped and looked at her.
"Uhh, Mione … how are we supposed to do this with the, uhh … with the stomach." He pointed.
Hermione looked down at it and frowned. "Well, I suppose some positions will be easier than others. Maybe me on top?"
She already started to sit up and reposition herself, but Draco stopped her.
"What now?" she asked, starting to get frustrated.
"It's just that … well, I'm not sure if I can do this while staring at my child."
Hermione looked down at her stomach and then at him. She rolled her eyes. "Fine. So we'll do this from behind, then."
She began to turn but Draco stopped her again.
"Draco!"
"Sorry! It's just … I mean, I haven't seen you in so long and I kind of want to look into your eyes while we do it."
Hermione was too frustrated to appreciate the sweetness of that sentence. "Draco, you're being impossible. Seriously, just sit back and relax."
She positioned him so he was leaning against the headboard, making sure to keep his gaze on her eyes and not on her stomach while she climbed on top of him. Draco put his hands around Hermione's waist while she settled one of hers on his shoulder, the other gently stroking him before positioning him at her entrance.
Without a word, Draco kissed Hermione at the exact moment she sank onto him. They both moaned at the contact, him biting fiercely onto her lip. Well, this wasn't going to last long. Luckily, she seemed just as close as he did and she had barely begun to move.
While Hermione bounced on top of him, Draco slowly started to move his lips down her jaw and towards her neck, gently sucking on each delicate piece of skin before moving to the next. She was always so perfect, so flawless, like porcelain.
His lips traced their way along her collarbone, continuing to trail downward until they found her breasts. He brought a hand up to stroke one while carefully nibbling on the other. Hermione's moans grew louder as he used his other hand to move her hips faster on top of him.
"Draco, I … I love you," she said, breathing heavily into his ear.
Draco grabbed a fistful of bushy hair and pulled her head towards his, meeting her for a sloppy kiss before saying, "I love you too, Mione."
Those words were all Hermione needed to lose control. Her body began to slow as she burned from the inside out, her toes curling as she screamed his name out in ecstasy. But Draco kept a firm grip on her hips and made her ride him through it, not letting her ease until his own high was reached.
Draco grunted her name through clenched teeth, pulling her lips back towards his and biting them hard as he finished inside of her. When it was over, Hermione put her head on his shoulder while he wrapped his arms tightly around her back. They just sat there for a moment, unmoving as they slowly began to catch their breath.
"Everything you remembered?" Draco finally asked after a long, silent moment.
Hermione laughed and said, "Yes. I hate to inflate your ego any more than it already is, but do you realize that out of all the times we've been together, not once have you left me disappointed?"
"I should hope not," he said with a smile. "Nothing turns me on more than pleasing you."
"Well, aren't you just a big sweetie," she said, grabbing his face and giving him a slobbery kiss on his cheek.
Several hours later, Draco and Hermione laid in the bed, unable to take their eyes off of each other long enough to sleep. He leaned in and kissed her eyelids. She leaned in and kissed his nose. He laughed and lifted his hand to stroke her cheek.
"I hate to ruin the moment with this, but I really need you to understand that what happened with me and Sophie … that photo was it."
"Draco, I don't -"
"No. You need to hear this," he said. "There was nothing more than that kiss and it meant absolutely nothing to either of us. I didn't even kiss her back. The only person I ever thought about, from the moment you left our house that night, was you."
Hermione took a deep breath and wrapped her arms tighter around him. "Well, since you insist on going down this road, how did it even happen in the first place?"
Draco sighed. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Phillip and Sophie … they're not doing so well."
"I did notice."
"It's been like this for a while now but he didn't actually move out until he saw that photo in Witch Weekly. He moved in with me, ironically, but they were already more or less separated before it even happened. I guess they had a fight that night or something, because Hannah called Neville knowing he was with me and told him Sophie was plastered at the pub. So I went to bring her home."
"That was very noble of you," she said, though she didn't sound especially proud of his nobility.
"Yes, well, I don't especially like it when they fight. So I went there and I got her to leave but, on our way out, she started talking about how she wished she had died with the baby. She thought we disrupted the balance by choosing you and Phillip when we are the ones who are more alike. I don't think she really knew what she was saying but, when I tried to comfort her, she kissed me."
Draco could feel Hermione tense in his arms.
"But, I repeat, I did not kiss back, and she was too drunk on firewhiskey and grief to really understand what she was doing. She feels horrible, Hermione."
"I'm sure she does."
"Please, don't be angry with her. She's been through so much."
Hermione's eyes narrowed.
"I mean, nothing compared to you! Obviously."
"I wouldn't go that far." She sighed. "Well … she's lucky I love her, and that I'm feeling pretty damn happy right now. Otherwise, I would never be willing to just let this go."
Draco smiled.
"But you. I reserve the right to stay very, very angry with you. I saw the photo. Maybe you didn't kiss back but you sure didn't push her away very quickly."
Draco blushed. "I admit it. I hesitated. I was … so lonely without you, Mione. It may have taken me a moment, but I did realize the only one I wanted to be kissing was you. I know it's no excuse but I was weak without you."
Hermione sighed and hugged him tighter. "Well … you're lucky I love you, and that I'm feeling pretty damn happy right now."
Draco smiled and kissed her. "I promise, from this moment on, the only lips mine will ever touch are yours. From now until forever."
"They'd better be," she said, kissing him back. "I guess I'd rather it was Sophie than some random slag. At least that way I know it was meaningless on her part as well." She sighed again. "I really hope it's not too late for her and Phillip to fix this."
"Me too," said Draco, kissing her again. His stomach pressed against hers and he felt the baby kick. "Someone's awake." He reached down and touched it.
Hermione smiled and put her hand next to his. "Yes. It's a lively one."
"Always 'it'. Do you not know if it's a boy or a girl?"
"No," she said, the wheels in her head suddenly turning, "but there is someone who does."
XXX
The next morning, Pansy woke up to two smiling faces staring down at her. She jumped.
"Good morning!" Draco and Hermione said brightly.
"Pumpkin juice?" Hermione held out a glass.
Pansy struggled to sit up. Draco was quick to help her.
"What's with you two?" she asked, grabbing the glass and taking a sip. Merlin, it tasted good! She couldn't even remember the last time she ate or drank anything, other than the firewhiskey Narcissa forced down her throat the night before.
"Well, Draco and I have been talking," Hermione put a hand on his knee, "and we have decided that we want to know."
"Know what?" asked Pansy before taking another sip.
"When you made the Pregnancy Test Potion, you told me the color it turned for that first minute showed the sex of the baby, and I told you I didn't want to know what it was without Draco."
"And, as you can see, I'm here now," said Draco, holding out his arms. "So what is it?"
Pansy looked around the room. Sophie and Phillip were watching closely from the sofa, stuffing their face with pancakes while Lucius and Narcissa lingered behind their son and daughter-in-law. All leaned in as they waited for Pansy to answer. She smiled and took another sip, lifting one finger to let them know to give her a minute.
Draco closed his eyes and started repeating, "Boy, boy, boy," over and over again.
"Of course, we will love it either way," said Hermione, smacking her husband.
"Of course," he said with a smile. "But just a little bit more if it's a boy."
She smacked him harder.
"Well, you're in luck," said Pansy, finally putting down her glass. "It is a boy."
"YES!" shouted Draco, jumping to his feet and lifting his fists in victory. "The Malfoy name lives on!"
He turned around and he and his father proudly slapped hands.
Hermione looked at Narcissa and smiled. "A girl next time," she said with a wink. "We'll make sure to break the Malfoy tradition."
Narcissa smiled back and nodded.
Draco suddenly grabbed Hermione and pulled her to her feet. He swung her around while continuing to repeat, "Boy, boy, boy," over and over again. She laughed and embraced their reverie. This was what pregnancy was supposed to be like. Sharing in these joy-filled moments with the ones you loved. She was just so happy that she and Draco were given this chance, even if it was later than she had hoped.
Just then, their moment was interrupted by a bright bubble of light materializing over their coffee table. Sophie squealed at the suddenness of it all.
"What is that?" asked Hermione, pulling Draco over to it and eyeing it curiously.
It appeared that they were staring down into the forest at several figures, who were walking through it. The purebloods.
"Shortly after we got here, we found your owl flying around the forest," said Lucius, walking over with Narcissa.
"Polly?" asked Hermione, looking at Draco.
He nodded. "She must have headed here right after we escaped Malfoy Manor."
Hermione smirked. "I always knew she was smart."
"I put a bewitchment on her and we sent her back out to keep an eye on things for us," said Lucius. "Any living being she sees will appear in this light."
"That's pretty bloody brilliant," said Hermione, trying to get a good look at who it was they were watching.
There were four figures, all wearing cloaks. One looked up, noticing the owl. Blaise. He didn't stare at it for long, though. It was obvious that the one standing next to him was Quinn by the way he leaned in and spoke to him, making them both laugh out loud. They turned to the other two figures and said something before heading in the opposite direction.
Then the others turned so they were facing one another. The one looking in the owl's direction was Gorden. After a fair deal of talking, he headed off to their left. Then there was just one.
"Turn, dammit!" said Hermione, clenching her fists.
It was almost as if Polly heard her because, suddenly, the owl hooted. The final figure turned and looked up. Everyone's breath hitched as they stared into the broken eyes of Arron Greengrass. He turned back and walked deeper into the forest.
"Follow him," said Hermione, by the off chance that the owl really did hear her.
Polly flew after him.
The entire room was silent.
"Well … I suppose it is time we all went hunting," said Lucius, looking around at everyone. No one objected.
"Wait!"
They all turned to see Astoria standing near the entrance of the tent. She walked over to them slowly and looked into the bubble of light, staring solemnly at her father's figure.
Draco looked at her and sighed. "Stori, I know this is hard but -"
"No, it's not. My father needs to die. I've accepted that," she said coldly. "It's just … I want to be the one to do it."
Everyone gasped.
"You … you want to kill your father?" asked Hermione.
"He left me there, Hermione. When Blaise brought me back, that beetle bitch told him to leave so he wouldn't break his vow and he listened. He actually fucking listened! He doesn't love me. If he did then he never would have …" She gulped … "let Blaise lay a hand on me. I see no reason to show him any mercy. Let me do this. I need to do this."
She looked pleadingly from face to face, praying there were no objections.
Finally, Lucius looked at her and said, "If this is what you want, then I see no reason for any of us to stand in your way."
Astoria sighed in relief. "Thank you."
"Narcissa, you stay here with Hermione and Pansy," ordered Lucius.
"Stay?" repeated Hermione. "But I want to help."
"Not with my grandchild, you won't," he said. "You're who they want, so we need to keep you out of their reach."
"But -"
"No buts," said Draco, turning to face here. "Stay here, Mione. We'll be back soon."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she stared back at him. She nodded. "Please, promise me you'll be careful. I just got you back. I don't think I could handle losing you again."
Draco nodded and kissed her. He pulled away slowly and headed for the exit with Lucius, Sophie, Phillip and Astoria, looking back at her one last time to take a moment to memorize her face. So that he might never forget what it looked like if he was ever apart from her again.