Hey guys. Sorry it took so friggin' long. I just couldn't come up with any ideas for this chapter! But this is the only one I've had trouble with, so this long time gap thing, shouldn't happen again.
-KaTeYkAt
Thursday:
Draco opened his eyes and blinked against the bright sun streaming through his window. Beth lay asleep next to him. Peeking through her open bedroom door he caught a glimpse of her unused bed, the sheets slightly ruffled from her sitting, waiting for him to fall asleep so she could crawl into bed next to him.
This had been happening frequently ever since Daphne died.
The yearbook still lay open on his chest, and as he looked over the pictures once more, he wondered how he could have gone to school with Hermione for seven years and had never caught even a peep of the flirty, saucy, brilliant witch that she was. He smiled up at the ceiling.
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Hermione awoke to a tapping on her window and bright sunlight streaming through the glass in rays, spotlighting the floor with tiny circles. She stood slowly, tying a dressing gown around her body and approaching the tawny school owl perched outside the window.
Hermione picked a graham cracker off her dressing table (she and Beth had indulged in s'mores after the ball) and fed it to the owl before taking the letter it presented to her and watching the owl swiftly fly away.
The sky was a cloudless blue, and the owl against the beautiful backdrop of the sky was most likely the prettiest thing Hermione had ever seen, and she had a hard time tearing her eyes away to read the letter she gripped in her hand.
The letter was addressed to her in a swirly lettering. She ripped it open, her patience draining from her so fast that it left her dizzy and full of adrenaline.
Dear Miss Granger and Family,
Today, Thursday, June 24th, is dedicated to Care of Magical Creatures. You will attend breakfast and from there will be escorted to your destination.
Your former Headmistress,
Minerva McGonagall
Then in Professor McGonagall's signature calligraphy;
Hello, Hermione dear. How have you been? I hope you slept well. I do apologize about all the secrecy, though I can share with you that this; your year's particular reunion is going to be the best ever. I hope to see you at breakfast.
Minerva
Hermione stared at the letter, reading it several times before taking a deep breath. Care of Magical Creatures. Joy. Hermione was looking forward to this reunion, but not to the prospect of keeping Beth out of danger or something else unpleasant was not as appealing.
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Harry eyed Ron curiously. He was eating very little at the moment, which was very unheard of in the Weasley family, and was intently watching the door.
"What are you doing?" he asked curiously, chewing on a piece of bacon.
"Waiting for Hermione," he replied, not taking his eyes away from the door. Harry looked toward Ginny, who was tearing at a piece of toast and rolling her eyes. Lavender took a shaky breath and popped a strawberry into her mouth.
The Great Hall doors swung open and a high-pitched scream echoed throughout the Hall. Everyone clamped their hands over their ears and turned to look at the source of the noise.
"Mum! It echoes in here too! That is so cool!" Beth said excitedly, looking at the ceiling in wonder. Hermione removed her hands from her ears and looked around sheepishly. She mumbled an apology and grabbed Beth's shoulders, guiding her toward the Gryffindor table where Ginny, Harry, and Lavender were laughing hysterically.
Hermione scowled at them. "Shut up," she mumbled, grabbing a roll from the basket nearest her. "Beth! Sit down!"
Beth looked up from her position on the floor, where she was attempting to be Mrs. Norris, and grudgingly sat on the bench next to her Uncle Harry. He ruffled her hair and she grumbled at him, swatting his hands away.
Malfoy watched from across the Hall, a tweak of jealously sparking inside his chest. He could see the way Weasley was looking at her. And he was married! Lavender kept glancing at him hopefully, but was continuously let down. Honestly! Why didn't she go and snog Finnegan in a closet like she used to?
"So, I'm glad to see the Deatheater didn't kill you, then," Ron said nonchalantly, ripping a roll in two. Hermione looked at him, irritated.
"Seriously, Ron?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I take back that kiss I gave you in fifth year, page 312."
Ginny burst out laughing. "I saw that picture! Did you see the one where you punched Malfoy! Good God, I nearly peed myself!" Hermione laughed and turned away from Ron, who was fuming.
"I know! I felt so bad!" They went on talking about the yearbook while Ron tore at his food. Little Drew sat between his unspeaking parents chewing softly on a piece of bacon. Beth looked at him in sympathy, and invited him to play Tic-Tac-Toe with her.
Harry stared ahead at Malfoy, watching him carefully. He stuffed a piece of bacon in his mouth, and laughed lightly at something Blaise said.
Dawn sat next to him, talking animatedly with a pretty raven-haired girl who was a prettier version of Pansy. He couldn't remember her name. Patty? Patrise? Across from her was a girl with long, wavy brown hair and a small face. She was buttering a roll, and looked exactly like the woman sitting to her left.
That's Millicent Bullstrode! Wow, what happened? She's actually decent looking. So that must be her daughter, uh, something with an 'M', he thought.
Malfoy actually looked alright, but there was something behind his eyes; something broken. It gave Harry the chills, and he turned away, taking a bite of his eggs.
"Attention, please," called Professor McGonagall from the Head's Table. She looked around happily, her eyes shining from behind her spectacles. Everybody got quiet; mother's shushing their children and father's comforting fussy babies. "As you probably know, today is dedicated to Care of Magical Creatures." She paused. "You will meet outside, by Hagrid's cabin," she gestured toward the window, "and will await instruction's there. Have fun," she said, sending a wink in Hermione's direction.
Hermione stood up, brushing crumbs off her blouse. She turned to where Beth was sitting, but she wasn't there anymore. She took a deep breath. "Did anyone see where Beth went?" she asked.
Nobody did.
Hermione started to panic.
"Beth? Beth!" she yelled, but the sounds in the Great Hall were too loud. "Beth!"
"Hermione Granger," called a voice over the noise. It was magically amplified. Hermione closed her eyes. Why hadn't she thought of that? "Granger!" The Great Hall was silenced.
Everyone turned to look at her and she peered around Gregory Goyle's monstrous body to find Malfoy smirking at her. Beth and Dawn standing slightly behind him, holding hands. "Hi, mum," said Beth, waving at Hermione.
Hermione smiled and waved back. Malfoy chuckled. "What's taking so long Granger," he asked, and she glared at him.
She walked toward them, punching Malfoy in the shoulder when she got close enough. "Let's go then," she said walking toward the doors. Malfoy smiled and shook his head at her retreating form. He jogged after his daughter.
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"Did you see them? They looked just like a family."
"How are we even sure they aren't. Did you see the way Draco was looking at her?"
"That is adorable,"
"How sickening," said Ron, as he and Lavender trudged through crowds of people all talking about Hermione and Malfoy. Just saying the name left a bitter taste on his mouth. Lavender rolled her eyes. She was really sick of hearing about Hermione and Draco.
Drew wriggled his fingers, breaking free of Lavender's hand, and disappeared into the crowd, running toward Hermione.
Malfoy and Hermione walked in a comfortable silence on their way to Hagrid's, ignoring the whispers and the stares. They were both used to it by now, her being a part of the Golden Trio, and him being the son of a deatheater.
Drew threw himself at Hermione, before being trampled be Roger Davies and his family. He latched onto her leg and Hermione stumbled, falling into Malfoy. Draco was caught off guard by the sudden weight, and also stumbled. Soon they were a heap of arms and legs on the ground.
Drew started to cry, and Hermione sat up, pulling him toward her. Draco sat up too, rubbing his head. Dawn and Beth, who had stopped gabbing long enough to see that their parents were no longer behind them had doubled back, and broke through the crowd that encircled them.
Lavender was having a panic attack, searching wildly for Drew. Ron told her to calm down, and led her toward the small crowd of people. Then they heard Drew's crying.
"Momma and Poppy are fighting. They alwayzz fight! Why? Mynee, why they alwayzz fighting!" People turned to stare at Ron and Lavender. Ron stood stiffly while Lavender started to cry too. Hermione stared at them blankly while pulling Drew closer to her.
Blaise started herding people away, and the only people that remained were Harry, Ron, Lavender, Hermione and Draco. Ginny had taken all the children down to Hagrid's. Ron watched emotionlessly as Draco stood, and then helped Hermione stand, holding out his hand.
"Well then," Harry said, breaking the silence, "let's go." He gestured toward the hut and started walking.
Beth held Drew's hand, whispering comforting words to him.
Hermione shoved her hands in her front pockets and squinted at the sky. She sighed.
"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" Draco whispered to her. Hermione shook her head. Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Alright then. But in time?" She nodded, and they continued walking down to Hagrid's.
There were coos and yells here and there, but mostly there was laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.
Hermione stopped walking suddenly, she took a deep breath.
FLASHBACK:
Hermione was walking to her Care of Magical Creatures Class, caressing her lips. He had kissed her. HE HAD KISSED HER! She fingered her time-turner, wanting to relive it, again and again.
She arrived to class late, but she went unnoticed. She pulled out a leather book.
This was the day she had started The Diary.
END FLASHBACK.
"Hermione?" Draco said, concerned.
"I'm sorry," she replied, shaking her head, attempting to clear it. She had known coming here would be too much for her. Too much. "Let's go, she said, walking away from Draco and immersing herself in the crowd.
The Diary.
Hermione needed to sit down.
Where was Beth? She needed to hold her baby in her arms. Their baby.
"This is so cool!" Beth screeched, sitting on top of a hippogriff.
"Hermione!" Draco yelled. She turned and fell into his arms. She was taking deep breaths now. Draco rubbed her back, and she tried so hard not to cry.
"Malfoy, I think I need to lie down," she whispered.
"I agree," he replied. "Let me go tell Potter, so he can keep an eye on the girls.
"Okay," she whispered. He disappeared into the crowd, but he was back a moment later.
"Let's go." He said, putting a protective arm around her shoulders and leading her back toward the castle.
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Ron watched as Malfoy led Hermione back to Hogwarts, his eyes flashed. He whispered to Harry, "Where are they going?"
"Oh, Hermione said she wasn't feeling well, so Malfoy's taking her back to her room."
Ron felt uneasy about the whole thing, but turned his eyes back to his son, whose tears had yet to dry.
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Hermione tore the room apart, looking for The Diary. She knew she had brought it with her, she was sure of it. She brought it with her everywhere.
She finally remembered she was a witch. "Accio the Diary," she stated and it came flying out of her purse.
She hugged it close to her and opened it to a random page, collapsing onto her bed.
Today, we were sitting in the common room. It was just the two of us. I could feel his magnetic pull, and it scared me how attached I was.
"Why can't we tell Harry and Ron about…us?" I asked. He got a sad look in his eyes.
"Because, Hermione. This is my last year at Hogwarts, and that troll isn't even allowing people in their own years date. What makes you think we can get away with it? I mean, as soon as you graduate we can get married. We can do whatever you want to do, we can elope."
I shrugged. I knew he wanted to whisk me away to America. He wanted to leave this dark, Voldemort invested country and leave. He wanted to get married in the City of Atlantis and come back five years later with three kids. He wanted to be with me.
And that scares me. It scares me how much I love him.
HEYYYY! Finally, right? So what'd you think? Please let me know in a review, I'm sorry it took so long!
-LateKate :D