"That's ridiculous!" Draco shouted. Moody had just delivered the news that Draco would not be joining the raid that evening at the manor. "That bastard killed my mother! He nearly killed me! I know the manor better than anyone!"
"What if you're faced with your father? Did'ya think of that?" Draco was silenced, caught off guard. What would he do? He wondered if his father would try to kill him. "There's too much risk for you to be there. You'd be a prime target"
"I thought Potter was the prime target."
"Don't be smart! You're too close to this! Besides, someone will need to stay here and make sure Hermione stays put."
Draco wondered how much Moody knew about their situation but didn't press the matter. He agreed with this point. Hermione was stubborn and didn't like the idea of staying behind while her best friends faced Voldemort. He understood her desire to be there by Harry's side but there was no way Harry, Ron or Draco would let her go anywhere near the danger.
There were several Order members at the house preping for the raid. Tension was incredibly high and no one spoke much. Moody had pulled Draco aside to deliver the news and then rejoined the others in the kitchen where Shacklebolt was reviewing the plans. Draco watched Hermione as she sat between Harry and Ron. She clutched Harry's hand and Draco understood.
Too soon they were preparing to depart in their various groups. They were to Apparate inside the manor at the same time at various points. At least, if Snape was unable to dismantle the wards in time.
It was nearly time for the groups to depart. Hermione gave everyone hugs, trying valiantly to hold back tears. She clung to Harry and Ron together and the three of them held each other for a long time.
Moody was the one to break it up so that the teams could be on time.
Draco went to Ron and quietly wished him luck. Ron accepted with shock on his face. "If you see Mangela," Draco added, "Hex him for me, would you?" Ron smiled and nodded. Draco then went to Harry and offered his hand. "Wish I could be there when you when you kill the bastard," he said.
Then, one by one, the groups left. The popping sounds of Apparation seemed to echo in the kitchen and then suddenly, there was silence. Hermione turned to Draco, crying quietly. He took her in his arms and whispered words of reassurance, even though his own mind filled with worry. There was nothing for them to do but wait.
Hermione had finally fallen asleep, curled in Draco's arms. It had taken her a long time to fall asleep and she refused to take any sleeping draught, unsure it might harm the baby. Draco woke suddenly, sensing something was off and listening carefully. Had the others returned already?
Carefully, he removed himself from Hermione and slipped from the bed. Taking his wand from the night stand, he headed to the door and stepped out into the hall, the floor creaked underneath his bare feet. He cast a complex locking charm on the door behind him. The hall was nearly pitch save for the weak light from the street lamps outside. Stealthily, he climbed down the stair case, his ears alert for any sounds and his wand poised to strike if needed.
Halfway down the steps he saw a shadow move below, his grip tightened on his wand. Breathing heavily, his heart pounding, he moved in the direction of the shadow. Suddenly, his wand was pulled from his hand as if someone had grabbed it and the soft glow of Lumous filled the room. He found himself face to face with his father.
It was the first time Draco had laid eyes on his father since he was sent to Azkaban. He hardly recognized the man; gone was the imposing figure, the long, blond hair and the immaculate clothing.
Before him stood a man who had aged a decade in the last year; his hair dull and thin, his clothing hung sloppily and there was a demented look in his eyes. Draco had never been frightened of his father until that moment.
"They told me you ran," Lucius sneered, his voice raspy, "hiding like some dog with its tail between its legs. That you had taken the mudblood with you and then joined them!" His once handsome face contorted with disgust. Draco didn't speak; it was clear that there could be no reasoning with the man, his father's fury came off of him in waves, magical sparks ignited in the air. "I didn't believe them. I had to see with my own eyes," Lucius continued, his voice was quiet and dangerous, "and here you are, just as they said."
"Father"
"You are no son of mine!" Lucius's raged, aiming his wand at Draco.
Fear froze Draco. There was no escape, his father would curse him and he would never see Hermione again or hold their baby. There was movement behind him and both he and his father turned at the sound and found Hermione standing in the doorway. Draco moved to stand before her. Lucius looked back at his son, his precious, pureblood heir, who now stood before a mudblood, protecting her! His fury peaked and he shouted the cruciatus curse. At once; a flash of green and Draco fell to the ground with a powerful force.
And then, laughter, hysterical. Draco blinked in confusion. Had his father missed? He looked up and saw the madness of Lucius Malfoy then turned to check on Hermione. His blood froze; she lay in a heap on the floor, blood trickling down her forehead. He understood instantly that she had pushed him away from Lucius's curse and had been struck herself. Lucius was so tickled at the turn of events that he couldn't stop laughing.
"NO!" Draco shouted.
He pushed himself from the floor and rushed at his father, slamming them both to the hard wood floor. Lucius's skull struck the ground with such force that it cracked upon impact. Draco lay there for a moment, in shock, as a crimson pool spread under his father's head, his clear grey eyes staring at the ceiling. Draco pushed himself off his father's body and crawled over to where Hermione lay.
"Oh, Merlin," he sobbed, "I'm so sorry."
He cradled her limp body in his arms as he cried. For a moment he sat there in the darkness, rocking her back and forth. At last, he stood, Hermione in his arms, carried her to the kitchen and stepped into the Floo.
The lobby of St Mungo's was full. Draco emerged from the hearth in his bare feet with Hermione in his arms into the crowd of people waiting to be seen. Silence spread through the people as one by one they recognised the handsome young man and the famous witch in his arms. Whispers floated throughout the room. Draco ignored them as he carried Hermione to a healer. The young man dressed in lime green stood silently, his mouth open in shock, as Draco approached.
"This is Hermione Granger," Draco's voice was rough, "she's been struck by the cruciatus curse."
Draco was questioned by two Ministry officials about the events that evening. The officials grew frustrated with Draco's lack of cooperation. He wasn't even able to name the location of the attack.
"How inconvenient for you," one remarked, "not being able to tell us where the alleged attack took place."
Draco did not respond to the man's sarcasm. He was in shock; having lost his unborn child and his father whom he had killed with his own rage. It was too much for him to deal with and he cared little about the inconvenience of it. He didn't care for anything at the moment.
"It doesn't look very good," a second official spoke. "There's no way for us to check your story. Maybe it's not true. Maybe you attacked Ms. Granger with the curse?'
A tear fell down Draco's cheek but he didn't say anything. What did it matter? he thought. It should have been him, not Hermione and their unborn child. The curse was meant for him.
"Take him away," the second official ordered the first.
Draco didn't react as the man pulled him to his feet and led him away. The official returned minutes later and sat down at the table with the other.
"Why bring the girl to St Mungo's if he'd done it?"
"Guilt?"
"I don't know, possibly. The boy looks like he's in shock."
"Killing someone will do that to a person."
"He admitted to killing his father but I don't believe he attacked the girl."
"All we have is his word."
Draco sat in the corner of a small cell, images of Hermione laying lifeless on the floor in his head. Hermione had so much more to live for; friends, family, a bright future, a child on the way... He closed his eyes and escaped into sleep.
"Draco?" He looked up and found Tonks standing outside the cell, concern etched on her face. "I've come to get you."
One of the Ministry officials unlocked the cell but Draco didn't move from the bench. Tonks entered and sat down beside him, placing an arm around his shoulders. "I'm so sorry."
"Am I going to Azkaban?" he asked.
"What? No!" She kissed his temple and hugged him closer. "Come on, let's get you to St Mungo's."
"I'm not hurt," he mumbled. The last thing he wanted to do was to return to St Mungo's.
"You're in shock," Tonks said, "you should see a healer."
She coaxed him up, her arm around his shoulders as they headed to one of the Ministry's Floos. Draco was relieved to find very few people in the lobby of the wizarding hospital this time round. A junior healer collected him shortly and took him to an examination room where he checked his vitals.
"You'll be alright," the young man informed him cheerily, "but we'll keep you here over night for observation."
There was a knock at the door and Healer Bombay entered, her long, dark plait over her shoulder. The junior healer went over Draco's file with her before leaving. The woman approached Draco and smiled warmly and introduced herself.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
Draco shrugged his shoulders. The mediwitch reviewed his files.
"Everything looks fine. We'll keep you here overnight and then you can return home."
Home? Where is home? he wondered.
"Would you like to see Miss Granger?" He didn't answer right away, unsure he could face her lifeless body again. Would he regret not saying goodbye?
"She's been asking for you," Healer Bombay continued.
Draco looked at the woman, confused.
"I'm sorry, didn't anyone inform you? Miss Granger will be fine."
"How?" he barely choked the word out.
"We think because she was not the intended target combined with the fact that the curse wasn't strong enough. It's difficult for a father to harm his child, even in a fit of rage."
Draco was speechless.
"I'm afraid we weren't able to save the baby," she added softly.
A sharp pain pierced his chest and he blinked away tears.
"Shall I show you to her room?" Draco nodded and followed the woman. She stopped by a door and turned to him. "They've set up a bed for you so that you can share the room."
He nodded, absent mindedly, anxious to go inside and see if it was really true. Healer Bombay smiled and walked away, heading back the direction they had come from. Draco found Hermione asleep, her eyes lids fluttering, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath. A relieved sob escaped him.
He went to her bedside, took her hand and kissed it. Her eyes fluttered and then opened . She smiled up at him sleepily.
"Hello." Her voice was weak.
"How do you feel?" he whispered, his thumb stroking her hand.
"Alright." She paused for a moment and then spoke again. "We- we lost the baby, Draco."
"I know. I'm sorry."
A tear leaked from her eye and trickled down her cheek. "I didn't think I'd gotten that attached to it," she explained.
He didn't know what to say so he gave her a kiss on the lips.
"Don't go," she whispered sleepily.
"I'm not. I'll be right here," he assured her and kissed her on the forehead before moving to the spare bed next to hers. He was almost afraid to sleep, afraid that when he woke he would discover this had been a dream and he would still be in the cell at the Ministry. He turned on his side so that he could see Hermione sleeping, listening to her soft breathing, his eyes closed and soon he had fallen asleep.