A/N: For those who have started university know how busy the schedule is! I'm sorry for updating really late but I have been so busy with lectures and stuff that I haven't had any time! I can't promise when my next update will be so sorry in advance for all the waiting you might have to do =/

Chapter 11

Wow! Fate has a real knack in timing! There were so many thoughts running around in her head, that Hermione couldn't register what was what. Did he really ask her that question or was she imagining it? And the phone call, why was she feeling this way? Nothing made any sense!

"I'm sorry," she muttered before taking Aidans hand and walking away.

Draco stood there, perplexed as he watched his life walk away, out the door and out of his world.

"Something doesn't feel right,' Draco muttered looking at the empty doorway.

"What apart from the fact that you got rejected?" Fred said, not believing his eyes or his mouth.

Ginny whacked her brother for being insensitive and moved towards Draco. "You're right; she just got a phone call from someone. She didn't tell me who it was or what it was about, she just left."

Draco didn't say anything as he tried to put all the pieces together. After a few moments of silence, something began to beep from inside Draco's pockets.

Taking out his pager, Draco sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I have to take this, excuse me," and with that he left the others and headed for the apparation point.

---

"Hey Sam, I got a page?"

The young nurse behind the reception nodded her head and batted her eyelids. "Yeah it's the patient in ward 2, there were some complications."

"Ward 2,' Draco thought to himself and then it came to him. Muttering a quick thanks, Draco rushed towards the ward and pushed the door open.

"What have we got?" Draco ordered, discarding his jacket and grabbing the chart.

"His heart stopped and he's been asystolic for over a minute now."

Rolling up his sleeves, Draco clapped his fingers together and started performing CPR. "Come on Richard, don't do this,' One, two, three, 'Hermione's come back into your life and you've got a beautiful grandson,' eight, nine, ten, 'Don't leave them!" thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.

The continuous beep continued beeping. It was no use, he was gone but Draco still went on, trying not to lose hope.

"Dr. Malfoy, I think we should call it,"

Draco just nodded and stared at the pale man's face, his blue lips and cold skin. I'm sorry. He sighed and looked at his colleagues, "Right thank you everyone. Has the family been informed?"

"No, Mr Granger's daughter is waiting outside; I'll just go and inform her," the nurse made a move to leave when Draco stopped her.

"It's alright, I'll go."

Picking up his belongings, he walked out the ward towards the waiting area where he knew Hermione was waiting. There she sat, anxiously biting her nails and with Aidan sleeping with his head in her lap.

"Hey, Mione," Draco started, not knowing how to break the news to her. Sure, he's done it several times but this was a different, more delicate case.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" She asked, confused, 'If it's about what happened before, then,"

"No, this is strictly work," Draco muttered, looking slightly baffled. Realisation dawned on her pale and tired face. She looked up at him, waiting, expecting the worse.

"I'm sorry Hermione, there was nothing we could do," he got ready to console her but there was no emotion on her face. She just stood there, motionless, nodded her head and as if she understood what he had just told her. Minutes passed as he waited for her to express herself, anything would have done. Crying, shouting, anger, anything but not the silence.

"Thanks,' her voice croaked. She knelt down to pick her bag up and placed it under the nook of her arm.

"That's it? You don't want to ask me anything, what happened or, or anything?" Draco asked, bewildered at her behaviour.

"No, why would I?' she croaked out again, attempting to pick Aidan up with dropping her bag or her coat. "Why should I even care, I mean look at what he's done to me, to everyone who loved him. To his wife. I hate him." Her voice was croaky and thick, as if she was trying to stop the sobs that were fighting to come out.

"Don't say that, you don't hate him,' Draco whispered as he put a hand on her shoulder to calm her frantic behaviour. But she shrugged it off and chucked her belongings on the chair.

"I do, I hate him! I hate him for all the things he said to me, I hate him for cheating on mum and I hate him for treating us like shit and I hate him for not caring!" Hermione screamed as Draco pulled her towards him, and she cried, letting everything out.

"Come on let's get you home,' he manoeuvred his body to pick Aidan up with ease while Hermione collected her belongings. Draco put his arm around Hermione and they walked out to reception. "Hey Sam, could you take me off duty for tonight,' the receptionist gave him a confused look, 'I have to take my family home." And he left Sam with a shocked and wide-eyed expression.

Once outside of the hospital and in an abandoned alleyway, Draco apparated them all back to his home. He could feel Hermione's head drop onto his shoulder as tiredness overcame her. Minutes later, they were safe and warm in his bedroom. He sat Hermione down and then placed Aidan on the bed, pulling his shoes off and placing the covers over him.

He then turned to Hermione who was staring into space; trails of dry tears streaked her face. She was shivering, with cold, Draco didn't know. He conjured up a blanket and placed it over her. It seemed to wake her up from the trance.

She didn't speak, just stared as he took his jacket off, unbuttoned his shirt and then removed his shoes. And then he walked to his wardrobe and pulled out some clothes and then made his way towards her. "Here, you should get out of that dress," he muttered, holding out the clothes. Hermione continued staring at him and realised how much he had changed over the years.

"Thanks," She whispered, taking the warm clothes out of his outstretched hand. But she didn't make a move of getting changed.

Realising he was the reason, Draco made a move towards the door. "I'll go and get you a warm drink,' he gave her a warm smile and then disappeared, closing the door behind him. Hermione muttered a quiet thanks, not sure if he heard her or not.

---

Ten minutes later and Draco was still standing in his kitchen contemplating over the night's incidents. A lot had had happened, most of it not good. So absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't realise the time flick by. Another ten minutes later, Draco realised the time and quickly conjured up a drink and made his way upstairs. Damn, Hermione probably thinks I'm avoiding her! Stopping outside his bedroom, he took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. She was lying down, stroking Aidan's hair, lost in her thoughts. He came and stood before her and placed the mug of hot chocolate beside her on the table.

"Hey,' he whispered and she looked at him, 'Drink this and try and get some sleep. You've had a long day." He handed her the mug and she took it, their fingers making contact. Hermione tried to ignore the feeling in the pit of her stomach and concentrated on not spilling the drink. She watched as Draco tucked the covers under her and Aidan, as he watched Aidan sleeping, a small smile on his lips. How she missed that smile of his, one of his special features because it was always reserved.

"Goodnight," he gave her another smile and then walked towards the door. He was about to leave when he heard her anxious whisper.

"Am I a bad person for hating him?" She emphasised on the last word ever so slightly. He looked at her but she wasn't looking at him. Her head was bowed, thinking hard.

"What? No of course it doesn't. You have your reasons,' he told her, sternly but honestly. She just nodded her head as if she understood but he could see the painful expression on her face.

"Hermione, sweetheart, believe me when I say that you are the most wonderful person anyone could have in their life. You have a heart that is so full of love that there's no room for hate, you're a beautiful person, an amazing mother and your father was lucky to have a daughter like you.'

"Then why did he not care?" she asked him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"He did, he always did. He just didn't show it like you wanted him too. And I know he regrets that." And Hermione believed him because no matter what, Hermione knew that there was some sense and some truth in his words.

He walked up to her and took her face in his hands, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "He cared for you Hermione and don't let anything tell you different.' He kissed her forehead and hugged her, stroking her hair gently. "Now get some sleep,' he squeezed her gently and pulled the covers over her. He was about to leave when he felt her cold hands around his.

"Stay, please?" her sleepy voice pleaded with him and there was no chance of him saying no. He just nodded his head and climbed into bed with her, wrapping his arms around her shivering body and kissing her forehead.

And in that small amount of time, he felt as if things could only get better.

A/N: I know it was an emotional and slightly depressing chapter but I think it was kind of important to bring the two characters closer than before. Now onto the fun part, OMG! I cannot believe that I have over a hundred reviews, I just realised whilst writing this chapter. You guys are the best =D Thank you for encouraging me to keep writing this story and for showing your support =D And like I said before, no promises on when the next chapter will be updated, so please don't be angry. And as always, your ideas or any improvements are always welcome so don't hesitate to tell me that the chapter was full of crap because I can only get better =D I'm rambling now so I shall go! Review and let me know your thoughts =D Oh and last thing I promise, I got word of a forum where you all can discuss everything about fan fictions, not just HP, you should check it out! It's relatively new so yeah!! fanbbs (dot) net