Hey guys! I'm glad everyone likes the story so far and that makes me extremely happy. For those who haven't picked up on where is story is taking place, it's at the end of the 6th book and heading towards the 7th. Remember, you're reviews make me write faster and feedback would be great! So enjoy this chapter! HUGE THANK YOU TO SQWIZ (Ash)!
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
- Wish you were here ~ Pink Floyd
"What in bloody hell is going on!" A man shouted to a group of cloaked figures and Dumbledore, who looked just as amused. Several people chuckled before all of them pulled back their hoods, earning a loud gasp from Harry. Tears slowly brimmed his eyes as he stared at his best friend, who he thought went missing two years ago. He quickly pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his sleeve before felt two arms circled around him and he hid his face in her shoulder.
"Hey Harry." Hermione whispered as she held the shaking boy and tried to calm him down. Someone cleared their throat behind them and the two turned to face two blond haired witches, the older one holding a tired child. Aimee rubbed her eye tiredly before a small smile formed on her face and she reached out for her mother. "Hello, Aimee. Tired aren't you?" She whispered before placing a kiss on her child's forehead and getting a shake, a yawn following after the false response. Aimee snuggled into her mother's loving embrace before she started to hum the mysterious lullaby.
Harry stared in awe before rubbing the girl's back and looking at his best friend. He saw a woman that he didn't expect to see for a very long time. Hermione looked from her daughter to Harry before smiling gently. "Whose daughter is this, 'Mione?"
Hermione moved some of her curly chestnut locks, so Aimee's face was visible to the black haired boys. "Who does she look like?" She whispered and watched Harry's facial expression carefully as his eyes slowly began to widen in shock before his mouth began to open and close like a fish out of water. "Scary isn't it…for the longest time, I had a hard time looking at her because of how much she looked like Fleur." She chuckled softly as Harry nodded before letting out content sigh and his eyes soften with adoration. His hand carefully moved to the resting child's face as his fingers danced on her soft rosy cheeks and tucked some of her curls behind her ear.
"She's beautiful, 'Mione." He whispered to her before removing his hand and resting it on Hermione's shoulder. He meant it, she was the spitting image of Fleur now, and he wondered how that beauty was going to grow in the future.
"I know…isn't she?" A whisper came from another masculine voice before the two turned their heads to a blonde haired man, who Harry pulled her wand out on. Draco held up his hands, in defense before throwing his a small smile. "I'm not here to fight, Potter. At least not you anyway so."
Hermione stepped in between the two guys before facing Harry and let out a worried sigh. "I was afraid of this happening…" She muttered to herself before Harry slowly lowered his wand and looked at her with a strange expression. "Harry, Draco is here with me and everyone, to help look for the Horcruxs like Dumbledore was telling you about. That was our mission to do, find them and destroy them before the Death Eaters become too powerful and over run Hogwarts." She told him with a stern look before she turned her attention to the tired man next to her. "What did you need, Draco?"
Draco let out a sigh before rubbing the back of his neck before he stared back into her soft amber eyes. "It's time," was all he said before he turned away from the two and walked towards his girlfriend, who was sitting in front of the fire pit with everyone else. Hermione closed her eyes slowly before muttering some unknown words and turning back towards Harry.
"Come on." Hermione said before walking over to the fire pit with the child and Harry followed right behind her. He still didn't understand why Hermione was doing this, searching for those cursed items that the Dark Lord's life held. Wasn't it supposed to be him? The Chosen One? "Stop thinking, Harry. This is a time to just relax." She whispered before sitting down beside Gabby and Eliza, who smiled at her and the three began to talk about what has been going on.
Harry took a spot next to Dumbledore and a man that he didn't know at all. The black haired man smiled at him before extending his hand towards his way. "Hiya, Harry! My name is Gerald but people call me Greg." Harry raised his eyebrow before shaking the well built man and giving a small smile in return. His voice was American but how could any of them know him? Everything was so confusing to the point his head was almost felling like it was going to explode. "I played Quidditch with Viktor when we were younger, if that helps out any questions that you might be thinking." He added before returning to his conversation that he had with Viktor. How did he know that!
Dumbledore cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention before thinking over what he had to tell them. "I first would like to say to every single one of you, thank you. For everything that you're doing, even though it's dangerous. But also for saving me and Harry…I would have died if you guys didn't come and rescue us." A sniffle escaped from him before he shook his head and looked at Hermione and Gabby in particular for this part. "We're all going to the Weasley in a couple of minutes and no one is going to be left behind." Hermione shrunk slower as he completely stared at her now before smiling. "Well now, let's get ready!"
And with that, everyone stood up for a good stretch and one by one, they all headed for the forest entrance. Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at Aimee's attire, switching it into her night gown before walking beside a nervous Gabby. The older woman didn't blame her. It's been almost over two years since she had last seen her sister without saying goodbye, so who knew how Fleur was going to react to seeing her baby sister. Especially now that she is seeing Draco Malfoy of all people!
"We can do this together, Gabs." Hermione whispered reassuring to the younger woman as they walked through the forest together and with her free hand, she grabbed the pale hand next to her. She gave her a squeeze to make it known that she meant it. Gabby looked at her with a small smile before squeezing back, they both knew that they had to prepare for the worst and the best. Aimee moved a little in the loose embrace before her breaths were brushing against Hermione's neck, bring tears to her eyes. Oh how she wished this would end soon and she blinked back her tears as the pond came into sight. They were almost there and she didn't even realize it.
"So 'ow are we going to get there? Ze usual way?" Eliza asked everyone as she grabbed her elbow and looked at Hermione, who looked troubled. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Draco shot her a calm look and shook his head at her, telling her not to ask right now. He grabbed Gabby's other hand before everyone apparited to the Weasley's house. Oh now was this visiting going to turn out?
Just as the Weasleys' had finished eating a late meal due to the unexpected battle that happened at their beloved Hogwarts, a loud knock came from the back door and everyone quickly stood up, ready for anything as Arthur pulled out his wand and headed out of the room. Everyone waited for the curses to start flying everywhere but instead a joyous cry came from the matriarch of the family. They all looked at each other before running out and into the living room where a group of unexpected guests stood. Molly let out a cry as she ran over to Hermione and hugged the woman, who had failed to notice the sleeping child in her arms.
Aimee awoke as she felt something pressing into her back and she began to whine, causing Hermione step out the embrace before cooing the girl. As she looked back at Molly, who was staring wide eyed at her, she let out a sigh before taking a seat in one of the many chairs that the living room held. "Molly, I would like you to officially meet my daughter, Aimee." She said proudly before smiling brightly towards the older woman, who had silent tears falling down her face. "May I go put her up in like room, so I can explain?" Molly nodded and told her to put her in the nursery on the third floor, not knowing that Fleur was up there at the same moment trying to calm down a fussy Wyatt.
As Hermione headed up the stairs towards the second floor, a set of footsteps warned her that someone else was coming towards her. She looked up and saw Bill, standing there with his arms folded over his chest in disgust as she made her way towards him. He slowly began to descend next to her and he failed to catch the smirk that flash on her face before her foot flew out, causing the eldest red head to trip down the stairs. Loud thumps rang throughout the house as his nose and leg smashed off the wooden steps and just before the last several stairs appeared, his legs caused the step below him to smash and he sunk down into it. A loud moan of pain whaled past his lips as everyone rushed over to him, except for Hermione, who continued up onto the third floor as if nothing happened.
Aimee slowly began to stir as she heard people talking loudly below and then something else caught her attention. She wiggled out of her mother's embrace as they landed on the third floor and hurried down the hallway as the noise grew louder. It felt like natural instinct to run towards it as if she had knew it all her life and she slowly reached up and grabbed a hold of the door knob of the nursery door.
As Fleur turned around as her ears picked up the sound of the door opening, her eyes widen at the little brown haired child that suddenly came running over to her. She bent down until she was eye-leveled with her before placing a small smile on her face. "'Ello? What's your name, Bella?" She asked the adorable child before listening to the childish giggle from her.
"Aimee. You sang lullaby. Sing again, please?" Aimee asked politely before wrapping her arms around Fleur's pale neck and snuggling into the warm body. Fleur lifted up the child curiously before feeling calm and at peace as her lullaby soon came out in a hum. Aimee soon closed her eyes and soon her breaths became even, telling Fleur that the child was asleep but continued until the song was finished. Her hand stroked through the brown curls and she placed a gentle kiss to the child's head.
"She's the spitting image of you, you know that." A voice rang out into the room and Fleur turned around to see Hermione leaning against the door frame with her arms closed over her chest. A small content smile appeared on her face as she pushed off the wall and walked over to blonde beauty. "Love…I would you to officially meet your daughter, Aimee Isabella." Hermione whispered as her hand stroked through the brown curls of their daughter before meeting Fleur's teary wide eyes.
Fleur was in shock as tightened the embrace around her daughter a little before tears slowly began to spill from her eyes happily. She had a daughter…a choked out gentle cry before she rested her forehead on Hermione's shoulder and slowly the cry turned into laughter. As she raised her head, she placed a kiss on her lover's cheek before raining them all over her face as the two giggled madly. "'ow old?"
"Two years old…she'll be turning three in November." Hermione whispered as she rested her forehead against Fleur's, who eyes' widen once more in surprise before Hermione raised an eyebrow at the look. "What is it, love?"
"Birthday, when…" "November 22nd." Hermione responded to Fleur right away and then Fleur looked at a sleep Wyatt and then to Aimee. "They're twins, amour. But 'ow?" Fleur told her curiously before taken a step back and placing the sleeping girl next to her brother. How? The only thing running through her mind until a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, clearing her thought. "Wyatt 'as the same birthday and ees the same age, ma cheri. 'Ow…"
"How can they look so much alike yet act so differently? Who knows and together we'll be able to find that out." Hermione said to her with a small smile before placing a kiss on Fleur's bare shoulder and then another one. Fleur leaned back in the embrace and rested her hands on top of Hermione's. The room remained in silence as the two just stared out the window and into the night sky, in each other's arms enjoying the moment that they had. With one last kiss to pale shoulder in front of her, the chestnut haired woman removed her arms from around Fleur's waist before taking a step back. "I think there is someone that wants to see you." Hermione said as Fleur turned around and saw none-other-than her baby sister with tears shining her eyes.
"Soeur!" Gabrielle whispered loudly as she ran over to her sister with tears falling down her face and wrapped her arms around her. The two whispered rapid French to one another as they cried out of worry for one another and Hermione stepped out of the hallway, giving them some privacy. And just as she turned around, Draco was leaning there against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and she joined him in the same position.
"The Weasleys, Dumbledore, Harry, Gerald, Eliza and Viktor left to take William to the St. Mungo's after he "accidentally fell" down the steps." Draco smirked as he air quoted the accidental part and the two chuckled before he turned his head and looked at her. "It wasn't an accident was it?" Hermione mirrored his smirk before turning her head with a nod and sinking down onto the floor, followed by her concerned friend.
"He's a threat to our relationship, Draco. Bill…he likes to, how do I put it, "undress" my fiancé with his eyes and stare at her sickly." Hermione spat as her hands turned into fists and she lifted them up above her head as if she wanted to pound them against the ground. She managed to get herself under control before closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She needed to relax or she'd get upset again. This didn't need to happen twice in one day.
Draco chuckled lightly before closing his eyes and removing the smirk from his face with a sad smile. "You know, I had that feeling once." Hermione looked at him curiously when she opened her eyes and rested her arms on her knees as she tucked them up. "The night of the Yule Ball, when I saw Gabby, my breath literally was sucked out of me and to sound even cheesier…she was the only thing I could stare at all night. The way she danced, the way she smiled…it captured my heart." His smile slowly began to bloom into something bigger and Hermione watched in awe. "But when I saw her with Ginny…I felt every emotion that I was known to. Despise, loneliness, anger…I wanted to go over to Gabby and tell her how I felt but…but…"
"You didn't have the courage to tell her and all you could do was watch from a distance." Hermione finished off for him as she sighed before resting her head on her arms and smiling softly at him. "That happened to me when I first saw Fleur, when I was in France before our fourth year minus being upset and all. In my eyes, she was just…wow." The two chuckled over their sappiness before Hermione continued as the two failed to notice that the two women were listening on their conversation. "Beautiful isn't expressing enough of how she looks to me but an angelic being…was close enough for words for me. Her pale complexion tells me she's delicate but strong when upset. Her embrace as she held me told me that she was my protector and I was her jewel. Her eyes…seeing into my heart, no my very soul, promising it that I'm hers' forever and her golden strands on the top of her head is like a halo of her innocence and love that she has only for me." She rambled on and on about the love of her life with a dreamy smile slowly sliding down onto the floor to the point she was laying down on the wood with her arms behind her head.
"I know you're leaving something out, Granger." Draco asked curiously before crossing his legs Indian style and continued to stare down at his best friend, who didn't seem to be in this world anymore but more like up on Cloud 9.
"One thing I can tell you, Draco, is that when you finally do get to see Gabby, you'll literally forget how to breath and feel like you're not worthy of touch such a creature. It experience literally is mind blowing yet gentle, you'll never be able to say the words 'beautiful' or 'angel' without looking at her." Hermione looked over at Draco, who looked at her with gentle and carefree eyes before he looked at the door, where the two girls were in.
"I can already admit, that I can't say 'beautiful' or 'angel' or any other descriptive word like that without Gabby being around. And…by what you're telling from being with Fleur, I know for a fact that she'll grow up to be just like her sister." A lone tear escape from the blonde haired eye before she stood up and looked anywhere but Hermione, who was smiling at him. "Just tell Gabby I'll be downstairs if she needs me." And with that, he took off for downstairs, curing himself for feeling so soft or saying his inner most secret to his best friend.
Hermione chuckled as she watched him and then turned her head towards the door, where the two Delacour women stood with tears in their eyes and memorized by the words the two said about them. The Gryffindor flicked her head in the direction of where Draco went and Gabby immediately ran after him, calling out his name in loud whispers. Hermione then looked over at the love of her life, who slowly bent down to the point she was on her knees and leaning over the young witch.
"Did you really mean…what you told, just now?" Fleur whispered loving to Hermione, who stared up at her in adoration as she reached up and ran her hand through Fleur's hair.
"Every word with all my heart and being." Hermione whispered back before leaning up and kissing her with everything she had for the woman as she felt tears fall down Fleur's face. This was it; her life was right in front of her and in the next room asleep together. Her pride and joy…and now she can openly admit that nothing was going to separate them again. Where she went, she was going to take Fleur right along with her. There was going to be no more I's in her life, just we's and ours.
The two slowly picked themselves off the ground and made themselves back into the room, where their children laid sleep and closed to door. Closing off any doubt or hardship they thought they might have to experience in the time to come and hopefully, years to come.
Meanwhile downstairs in the Weasley's living room, Draco was pacing in front of the fire place with the words that Hermione told him ringing in this head like a never ending chant. He let out a frustrating sigh before sinking down into the love seat facing away from the staircase and covering his face with his hands, not hearing the gentle footsteps coming down the stairs and over towards him. Gabby quietly walked over to him and stopped in front before sitting on her knees and resting her hands on Draco's larger ones.
"Is everything alright, amour?" Gabby whispered tenderly to him as he shook his head without removing his hands from his face. "And why is that?" She questioned him as she plied his hands away from his handsome face and lifted it up so their eyes met.
"I told my best friend a secret that wasn't meant for ears to hear." Draco whispered back before looking away from her and blushing slightly as he heard a light chuckle come from his girlfriend. "What's so funny?"
" I…'ave a confession to make." Gabby blushed as Draco looked back at her and waited for her to continue. Standing up slowly, Gabrielle sat down next to her mate before letting out a very shaky breath as she intertwined her fingers with Draco. "Fleur and I…'eard what you and Hermione were talking about, about us I mean." She looked in the corner of her eye at him, who was staring at her with his mouth wide open with a beat red face and tears glistening in his eyes. "Draco…"
"You heard everything…even when I…I" Draco started out in a shout as he stood up from the seat and towards the end it came out shaky as a tear fell out of embracement. Oh how he want to crawl into a hole and hide in it forever. The young man rested his hands on the top of his head as he turned away from the younger woman as another tear slipped down his face. But then the unexpected happened, a pair of thin pale arms wrapped around his waist as she rested her forehead in the middle of his shoulder bladders.
"You know…I was thinking the same thing when I was with Ginny and you Pansy." A sad chuckle escaped her pale slips before she tightened her embrace around him and Draco looked over his shoulder to look at her. He felt something wet seeping through his thin shirt before he realized that it was her crying. "I thought…I thought I was never going to be able to 'old you like this…and be able to tell you how much you mean to me." She continued and with that, Draco spun around and bent down, kissing the beauty in front of him. Both had suffered enough and now they had each other, they no longer need to dwell on the past as long as they had each other.
And now both Delacour girls could say proudly to their parents, they had found their partner for life. But they had to worry for their lovers' safety as they knew; the two English had just begun and had a long way to go. For Gabby, all she needed was to be near Draco and she felt at peace and safe. Meanwhile for the two older pair, they more to worry about; one had the weight of the Wizarding world on her shoulders and the other had a family to protect. Will everything work out as they hope it would? Or will one slip up cause a life time of happiness to fall down the drain?
But one thing was for sure was that they had found what everyone looks for in a life time: true love.
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Lol. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I just finished up chapter 4, so be expecting that chapter soon!
Until next time!
Sara