Standing over the basin I've been washing my face in
Jet black mascara racing down my cheeks til I taste it
Staring at my reflection every slight imperfection
Staring back at me naked as a girl can be
-Beautiful Cause You Love me, Girls Aloud
A Rebel With A Tainted Heart Chapter 14
Hermione's mind was racing at what felt like a hundred miles an hour. She couldn't focus on one thing for more than a few seconds before her mind had drifted off to think about something else and so on. It was extremely frustrating, particularly for someone such as Hermione who was usually relatively calm and collected. However, now, she was the exact opposite and it was driving her crazy.
Once again, her eyes flickered to the large mahogany clock that hung near the top of the wall across from the bed she was sat on. 13 minutes and 17 seconds. That was how long had passed since the Healer who had originally brought her in to check her over had disappeared off, stammering about needing another Healer. By now, Hermione was beyond agitated and wanted nothing more than to storm out of the room and down the hall. Draco was practically dying for Gods' sake and she knew nothing about what was going on because some bloody Healer had ordered her, ordered her, to stay in the room.
She hadn't even realised it, but at some time during the 13 minutes, she had begun tapping her fingers annoyingly on the side of the uncomfortable enchanted bed. I'm even annoying myself now, Hermione thought, rolling her eyes in frustration. The room was plain, not a book in sight and for the brunette this only added to her irritance. She was itching to know what was happening; she hated not knowing what was going on.
A knock on the large door made her jump slightly and her fingers ceased the irregular tapping as the door opened quickly, revealing a still tear stained Narcissa. Hermione noted however, that the older woman looked slightly happier than she had previously and the younger girl sighed inaudibly, relaxing visibly. Draco was okay for now, at least.
"Hermione, are you alright? I was worried when you didn't come back out," Narcissa spoke softly, tucking a white blonde strand of hair behind her ear.
"I have no idea what's going on. The Healer examined me and said he needed to go get another Healer around 15 minutes ago," Hermione shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.
"And Draco? Is he well?" She added, asking the question that she had been afraid to voice since they had been taken away from him.
"The Minister was able to find Abraxas, Lucius' father, and bring him here. They took him away to get his blood taken and then they rushed away to theatre with Draco, but it all seems to be going alright so far, thank goodness."
Hermione could see the worry on Narcissa's pale face and gestured to the space beside her on the bed so the woman could sit down and breathe. As she sat down, she wrapped an arm around Hermione, drawing her into a warm hug.
"I am sure everything will be fine Mrs Malfoy," Hermione spoke quietly, trying to reassure Narcissa and desperately trying to convince herself also.
This was Draco Malfoy. The snobby little brat she had met on the first day of Hogwarts as he tried to befriend Harry before insulting Ron. The arrogant little sod who had teased her in second year and who they all suspected had opened the Chamber of Secrets. The pompous blond who she had punched in third year after he had been 'attacked' by the hippogriff, resulting in the execution of Buckbeak (which the Golden Trio had avoided). The fourth year who had become the amazing bouncing ferret courtesy of Barty Crouch Jr disguised as the Auror Alastor Moody. The blond arse who became a member of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad in fifth year, getting them all in trouble because of Dumbledore's Army. The lost boy in their sixth year who ended up with the Dark Mark, had cried in the bathrooms and got hurt because of Harry. The seventh year who was hardly there because his father had forced him to be with the Death Eaters at all times.
Draco Malfoy couldn't survive all that to die at the last hurdle. It couldn't happen, it wouldn't happen, Hermione wouldn't allow it. She had sacrificed so much over the years; she had been so different from Muggle children, from her parents, her family. She had lost so many people over the years; she couldn't lose him as well. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were the two people that no one would have deliberately put together. No one could ever have imagined them together, in love, or to be married – it just didn't seem at all logical. And yet, here they were.
A knock on the door made both the women jump as the door was opened by the Healer finally returning with another Healer in tow, finally.
"Miss Granger sorry for the wait, this is one of the Senior Healers here – Healer Roberts."
Healer Roberts was a small man, around the same height as Hermione and he was quite old. He had slightly curling long grey hair which was pulled back at the nape of his neck. His beard was the same colour as his hair, and it was pulled into a beaded tie and left hanging long. In some ways he reminded the brunette a lot of Dumbledore – they certainly shared some physical attributes.
"Do you wish for Mrs. Malfoy to stay?" The older Healer spoke for the first time and Hermione was surprised at the deep voice he had.
"Yes, it's fine," Hermione nodded and Narcissa stood up off the bed, taking Hermione's hand and allowing the younger brunette to lie back as the Healer examined her. After a few minutes he stepped back and linked his hands together.
"Well Miss Granger, it is confirmed, you are pregnant."
What.
She felt like all the air had been knocked out of her body. Her first reaction was to utter a string of curse words but Hermione thought better considering the company of the room. Her second reaction was Draco. What is he fell into a coma? What if he never woke? What if he never knew if she was pregnant? What if he never met his son or daughter? What if he got worse, and God forbid, died?
Hermione's third reaction was the Malfoys. They were still Purebloods. And she was just a Muggleborn. Would they really accept her? Or her and Draco's relationship? Or the baby? They had seemed to, well Narcissa did, up until now, but would the baby change everything? And Lucius, how would he react? Was he out of Azkaban on probation/ Would he return? Would he die in there? Would he see his grandchild? What if it was twins – oh god, grandchildren?
Would she and Draco have to married before the baby was born? Was that Pureblood tradition? And his grandfather – Abraxas, how would he react to Hermione? And the news she was carrying a mixed baby? What would anyone think of that? Would they be accepting? What if she was hated?
Her fourth reaction was – well, shit. What about her parents? And school? But then, this was a requirement in the Marriage Law. And Pansy. At least Hermione had someone else to go through it with. Pansy was three months pregnant with twins, so Hermione could always go to her if she was struggling. And she had Ginny, Blaise, Theo. At least she wasn't alone.
Her fifth reaction was once again Draco. What would he think? Would he want a half baby? Would he want a baby with a Muggleborn? How would he react? Would he be excited or disgusted? Would he leave her? Defy the Marriage Law? Maybe he would think that no magic would be better than a life with her and the baby. Oh god, she was panicking.
And suddenly, Hermione realised something. It wasn't an epiphany or a moment of intelligence. No, it was just the fact that she had been sitting silently for ten minutes, staring at the Healer opposite her with wide eyes. I must look like I belong in the loony bin, she thought to herself, moving a little just to demonstrate to the people in the room that she hadn't gone into a state of shock or died.
She felt a hand touch hers carefully, wary at first until she felt the fingers close gently around her own. Narcissa took the young girls hand, holding it tightly and looking at her to make sure she was alright. It was clearly a big shock, one she had not been expecting. She knew that Hermione had said she hadn't been feeling well the past few days but it had been all day the girl had been feeling off, not just in the mornings.
Now she thought about it more, Narcissa was stupid for not realising it – Hermione had all the symptoms of being pregnant. Although her morning sickness showed up as all day sickness in the young woman's case. It had started early apparently, Narcissa didn't get morning sickness with Draco until she was 4 or5 months in, when it should have been easing up instead of beginning. But Hermione couldn't have been that far along, and she didn't have a bump at all. She could only be somewhere under 3 months gone, Hermione had definitely fallen pregnant after Pansy had.
"Miss Granger?" The younger Healer tried, clearing his throat softly and crouching down so he was at eye level with Hermione. The brunette snapped her head up to look at him, blinking her eyes a few times.
"Yes sorry, uh, it's just a shock is all and I was just thinking a few things over is all," Hermione spoke quietly, her voice sounding crackly and not at all like her own.
"I am sure it is. But you know that everything will work out, you have nothing to worry about Hermione," The Healer said kindly, smiling a little to try and reassure the young woman.
"Would you like to know how far along you are?" Hermione nodded and the older Healer grabbed his wand, muttering something before he spoke aloud.
"You are around 5 weeks pregnant Miss Granger - congratulations. If that is all Healer Graham I shall be leaving now." With that, the Dumbledore look a like vanished out the door swiftly.
"Is there anything wrong with the baby?" Hermione whispered to the Healer who smiled softly at her.
"No, you have a perfectly healthy baby Hermione. I just had to get a Senior Healer to check you over and make sure it wouldn't be detrimental to your health. Half blood babies with the parentage Pureblood and Muggleborn are rare but they occasionally happen. Sometimes it can be difficult because of the different magics surrounding the families and it can affect the mother during her pregnancy. I also had to get him to check because you are relatively small Hermione and you have quite a small bone structure especially compared to Mr Malfoy who is extremely tall at around 6ft5. We had to be sure the baby wouldn't be too large too early that it would press against important parts of your body, therefore affecting you," The Healer explained carefully and both women nodded as they listened to him.
"So Hermione is fine, and the baby is fine?" Narcissa asked softly.
"Completely healthy. Unfortunately Hermione it seems like you will be one of the poor women cursed with morning sickness all throughout your pregnancy, but we can give you some medicine to help sort that out and make it easier for you. I'll leave you two alone for a while and I will check up on Mr Malfoy. Mrs. Malfoy would you like me to send your husband in?"
"Please Healer Graham. Thank you so much," Narcissa replied, hugging Hermione tightly as the Healer left.
"You know it will all be alright for you Hermione. We will all be here for you, even Lucius, no matter how much you seem to doubt it."
"Thank you," Hermione managed to breathe out, trying to calm her thoughts. The door opened and in came who Hermione was most worried about – Lucius Malfoy.
Up close, he looked even worse from his time in prison. His hair, usually a brilliant shining white blond, was more yellow and it hung lankly and tangled around his shoulders. He hadn't shaven in weeks and he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks either, judging from the heavy purplish bags under his bloodshot eyes. His arms were covered in half healed cuts and scrapes and where the magical handcuffs hung around his thin twig like wrists, they were leaving angry looking red burn scars behind. He definitely looked like he had lost a substantial amount of weight and he seemed smaller in height than Hermione remembered.
Lucius no longer seemed the confident proud Pureblood he had been 7 years ago. Now before her, he seemed lost and broken, a shell of the man he had once been. She supposed it had happened to everyone who had followed Voldemort on his insane quests, particularly those like the older male Malfoy who had been in his inner circle. His eyes still reflected the horrors they had seen, and it seemed like he too was plagued with gut wrenching nightmares that kept him awake. Perhaps that is why he looks so tired, Hermione mused.
Hermione watched as Narcissa practically fell off the bed in her energetic bid to get to her long missed husband. It had been so long since she had seen him, as the Prime Minister had forbidden Lucius any visitors during his time in Azkaban. All he was allowed to do was write letters and try not to get stabbed to death in his dark and dirty cell.
The young woman found herself smiling at the pair who had been hugging for the past five minutes tightly with no sign of letting go anytime soon. After another five minutes it was Lucius who attempted to pry his sniffling wife off him before she sat back down on the bed beside Hermione whilst he sat in a chair nearby.
"Miss Granger, you look well. I must say I am sorry that we have to meet again under such conditions, although some would say they are better than the previous time we saw each other. You are well I hope?" His polite words and polite tone surprised Hermione. In all honesty she was expecting venom and hissing. It was true that the Malfoys had apologised to everyone, including her and Lucius had written her a long letter apologising to her whilst he had been in prison. She had received it around the beginning of October, around a month after they announced the Marriage Law. Apparently word travelled fast in Azkaban when you had nothing else to do. Although he had only written to her once and Hermione had responded once accepting his apology, she felt it necessary to keep her correspondence with Lucius a secret from Malfoy. His relationship with his father was strained as it was without her adding to it.
"I feel much better now thank you Mr Malfoy. I trust you are feeling better due to being away from Azkaban?" Hermione responded just as politely.
"Most definitely. It is a relief to see my family again, you included of course my dear," Lucius inclined his head towards her, smiling slightly. Hermione's mind went into overdrive at that almost unnatural act.
Smiling is an easy language. Everybody knows it and it doesn't have to be translated. Your real smile is your ticket to win a person's heart. It has many different benefits and it is the most beautiful thing in life. It doesn't take a lot of time just a blink of an eye.
Many studies show that smiling decrease the quantity of wrinkles. Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger, and this definitely applied for Lucius. He looked much younger, healthier and less crazy. It was strange seeing such a usually dour, angry man smile but when he did he looked much better.
Despite being the embodiment of wealth and influence in the Wizarding World, Lucius Malfoy had been a ruthless bigot; he had taken great pride in his aristocratic stature and viewed himself as racially superior to Muggles, Muggle-borns and Half-bloods. He had been a shrewd, opportunistic social climber who was good at controlling others but behind his veneer of respectability, he had treated people cruelly, even his own son.
The person in front of Hermione now was not the same man that he had been previously. It was obvious that his personal experiences with Voldemort and Azkaban had changed him greatly and definitely changed his outlook on life and his beliefs towards others. The Lucius Malfoy sitting smiling at Hermione the Muggle-born was the same person as the man who had called her a Mudblood and tried to have her rounded up like an animal. For Hermione, it was almost impossible to believe they were the same person.
She had forgiven Lucius for Draco and Narcissa's sake but she could not forget his previous actions, especially towards her, and she didn't think she ever would. Draco was in the same situation as her, his relationship with his father was as strained as ever, but more pressure was on it now that the War was over. Draco had often spoken to Hermione about how, whilst he still loved his Father, he could not feel close with him and maybe never would again. They had a close connection when he was a child, but as an adult Draco could not imagine them ever being as close again.
Hermione felt sad when she thought about all they had been through. Her, Draco, Narcissa, Lucius, Ginny, Blaise, the Weasley's, Harry, Theo, Luna. No one should ever have to experience what they had experienced, especially at such young ages. The brunette only realised after a while that she had been in fact sitting staring at Lucius for quite some time and hesitantly coughed before shifting around on the bed a little.
"Are you alright dear?" Narcissa asked her concernedly.
"Sorry, yes, I didn't mean to stare at you, I kind of zoned out, sorry," Hermione apologised, cheeks tinging pink in embarrassment, but Lucius merely waved it off with a pale hand.
"It is quite alright my dear; it is to be expected after recent events."
After a few minutes silence, it was Narcissa who broke the calm quietness.
"I can't stay quiet! Lucius you're going to be a grandfather, Hermione's pregnant!" The older woman's excited trill echoed around the room, surprising both the others.
"Sorry dear, but I wasn't sure if you were going to say it or not," Narcissa added, throwing a sympathetic look at the younger girl who merely smiled at her eagerness.
"Well I believe congratulations are in order. I must say this is rather exciting."
Hermione's jaw dropped open at Lucius' statement. He wanted to be involved in their lives?
"So you want to be a grandfather?"
"Of course, why not?" The blond haired man grinned, and it slightly unnerved Hermione but she couldn't help but smile back at him.
A knock on the door once more made them all jump, but they relaxed when they realised it was one of the Healers treating Draco. The man was covered in blood and looked tired but his face was otherwise clear of emotion and Hermione could feel her hands getting sweaty as she became anxious of what he was going to say.
"Mr and Mrs. Malfoy, Miss Granger. Good news, we have managed to stabilise young Mr Malfoy, and the blood transfusion was successful, he is well on the way to recovery. He is awake now and talking to Abraxas Malfoy. You are free to go and see him now in Room 208." The Healer smiled briefly at them before exiting the room.
Lucius was the first to stand, helping Hermione down on the bed first with a steady hand before helping his wife down also, who Hermione watched in awe as she slid off the bed carefully. Were this family ever anything but fluid and graceful?
"This will be interesting; we have not spoken to Abraxas in many years. Hermione I feel I must pre warn you as Abraxas is, um, intense," Narcissa whispered to the young girl as they walked together down the corridor with Lucius.
"Do not worry too much my dear, it is not good for you," Lucius murmured to Hermione.
Don't worry, yeah, this was Hermione they were talking about. She worried about absolutely everything, oh god, deep breaths Hermione, she thought to herself. At least Draco was fine and going to recover, that was the main thing. After all, they were only going to be in the room with the man for a short while – what was the worst that could happen?
A/N: Okay I suck at updates seriously. I want to take this time to fully apologise to all of you guys, I am atrocious at updating I know! And I know how annoying it is when you're reading a story and it's half-finished, I suckL I've been so busy and then I had no wifi for a while which sucked, like it was absolutely horrendous omfg I nearly cried, like seriously. My dad had to buy me a McDonalds to calm me down lol ok. So yeah, next chapter, as always I hope you enjoyed it and I will keep writing asap! So please review/favourite/follow etc it would mean a lot cause I love you guys yayJ Thanks so much for sticking with the story for so long!
Okay questions! - Who thinks Lucius is being real? Is he faking his 'niceness' or is he being truthful? Do you guys think he has changed? Do you want him back in Azkaban or to stay at home? Do you think Abraxas will be rude or nice? Will Lucius and Draco reconcile or hate each other? Hermione's pregnant– baby, twins or not? Boy/Girl what would you prefer and name suggestions? Let me know – I'll take all into consideration!