Chapter Thirty-One

Narcissa arrived at 3 o'clock sharp that afternoon, just as Hermione was coming inside from her ride. Hermione was horrified; She was wearing informal riding clothing, smelled like horse and was dripping wet from head to toe, leaving small puddles wherever she stood for too long.

She murmured the best apologies she could summon, "Please make yourself at home. I'll be only a moment – to change my clothes. I can't apologize enough for…"

"Don't worry about it," Narcissa insisted, waving her daughter-in-law's worries away. Hermione noticed she looked very uneasy about something. "I can only be a few minutes – it is very important Lucius does not know I am here, do you understand?"

Aha, Hermione thought, so she's here against the knowledge of her husband. Ignoring the small pond she was creating by her feet, Hermione nodded vigorously. "What…?"

"Where is my son?"

"I've no idea," Hermione answered truthfully – she hadn't seen Draco all day.

Narcissa tapped the inside of her wrist on her left hand, "Draco. Draco, please come here immediately."

Hermione stared at the woman: Had she gone mad? Tapping her wrist?

"Mother?" the voice echoed into the entrance hall from the top of the right staircase where, sure enough, Draco stood with a book in between his hands. "What are you doing here?"

"Come here quickly, my son," Narcissa requested.

Hermione was astounded - how had they communicated like that? It would be something to study in the next few days, that was for sure.

Draco came down the stairs a little jauntily, as though he had some secret knowledge no one else knew. Hermione noticed he was wearing all black; It made his pale skin even milkier, giving him a subtly cadaver-ish look. He looked Hermione up and down with something like embarrassment at her attire; She looked down at the floor, where a new puddle was beginning to steadily drip from her pants, pooling around the mud she was tracking in with her sodden boots. She, too was ashamed at the mess she was creating.

"Your father doesn't know I'm here, so I must be quick so he does not notice I've gone," Narcissa relayed in a breathy voice. She knew she was doing something her husband wouldn't like, and so she was anxious. Hermione didn't blame her – had SHE been married to Lucius, she would have… well…

"What's this about?" Draco inquired. It was interesting – Hermione could tell he loved his mother, just from the way he looked at her.

A momma's boy. Of course.

"Let's go somewhere private. The next room will do," Narcissa requested. Her wish was granted and once the three entered the room, Narcissa immediately began putting secrecy charms on the room. Hermione set about drying herself off with her wand, still self-conscious in her less-than-visitor-worthy attire. Dora would have been horrified.

Once she was convinced they would not be overheard, Narcissa whirled around and announced with confidence, "I've found a solution to the prophecy."

Draco made a noise of outrage, "How do you even KNOW about that? You were supposed to remain unaware!"

"Your wife told me," Narcissa answered matter-of-factly.

Draco shot her a look that clearly meant he intended to reprimand her. Hermione ignored him.

"There is no immediate solution," Hermione replied, being sure to keep the dejectedness from her voice. "I've looked through every book, looked up every spell… there isn't a single one that can rearrange a prophecy of that magnitude, it's…"

"I never said anything about rearranging a prophecy," Narcissa interrupted, "but I do have a way to fix your problem."

Hermione and Draco both fell silent, refusing to look at one another.

"There's a spell…" Narcissa began. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Narcissa stopped her with, "…that doesn't appear in any spell books. Pureblood couples made it up back in the 1100s when arranged marriages were becoming more and more popular, but with less and less regard to how the couple felt about the union."

"There's… a way out?" Draco murmured. Hermione couldn't help but be slightly hurt at the hopefulness in his voice. Was she really all THAT bad?

"I'm afraid not, especially not since the document was signed in binding ink. Even a divorce is out of the question."

Draco's face didn't change; Hermione had the feeling he'd already been expecting that answer.

"But there IS a way out of the heir situation."

Hermione tinged pink; Draco kept a straight face.

Narcissa continued, "There's a spell that will plant a child inside of you to grow, without engaging in the… animalistic activity that normally is the cause."

Even Draco was blushing now.

"I don't want to be a mother!" Hermione burst out. "I haven't even had sex before!"

Narcissa looked her daughter-in-law up and down, clearly not believing her one ounce. "Well if you don't want to do it, then fine. I was just trying to help. Stay that way. It will just keep raining and Lucius will just keep threatening you until the whole world floods us out."

Draco was watching Hermione very carefully, observing the inner turmoil. He had no desire to be a father, either – but what his mother was offering… was an opportunity to stop the world from ending, without having to have sex with Hermione. While the situation still wasn't very desirable, it was certainly a good compromise to him.

"But… would it… be mine? That seems like a pretty important part of the prophecy to me," Draco queried.

Narcissa nodded, then checked the time. "The spell takes DNA from both people and mixes them appropriately, as if it had been natural. But as it seems your wife has no intent whatsoever of going through with it, I'd better be on my way. If your father notices I was here…"

"I'll do it," Hermione exploded, oblivious to the fact that she was dripping on the floor again.

Draco stared at her. Narcissa smiled, "I was hoping you would."

"I don't want it. I know I'm not ready," Hermione clarified, a frown on her face, "but I don't want anyone to die because I'm unwilling."

How like a Gryffindor, Draco thought to himself.

"Alright, quickly then," Narcissa ordered, taking her son's arm and practically dragging him across the room. "Take her hand."

Draco did so without complaint, although he didn't care for it all the same. Her hand was warm; His was cold – it only highlighted their inherent differences, right down to the warmth of their very blood. Snakes and lions had never made good lovers…

.

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Unable and unwilling to spend the evening even in the same house as Draco, Hermione showered and changed her clothes immediately after Narcissa left and took off for Godric's Hollow.

Harry and Ginny were inside, with Bill and Fleur – something Hermione hadn't been expecting. To make matters worse, Fleur was showing off a very telling bump on her stomach, while Ginny was feeding Teddy Lupin from a bottle. Hermione instantly felt like a wretched piece of dirt as she entered the room, putting on a great show to smile and greet everyone warmly.

"'Ow good eet eez to see you!" Fleur exclaimed. Hermione and Fleur had never been close, but things had changed dramatically since the war, with everyone. "And under much better circumstances zan before, I theenk."

Hermione didn't agree completely, but kept that thought to herself – it was a selfish thought, after all. Of course they were better circumstances! It was only she who was miserable now...

"They sure are," she agreed aloud, greeting Fleur with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

"Good to see you, Hermione," Harry said smilingly, crossing the room to pull his friend into a much-needed hug. Hermione was reminded again of how well Harry knew her that he held her a little longer than was necessarily; She was reluctant to let him go, but soon joined Ginny on the couch.

Bill and Fleur did not stay long – as Bill had put it, they were just going around to all the family to tell them the news and wanted to make sure both Harry and Ginny heard it straight from them. After many more congratulations, the pair left to return to their home, at Shell Cottage.

Mostly likely to be alone in their bliss, Hermione thought crossly. She hated being bitter – and recognized that she was – which made her hate it even more. She glanced at her stomach with resentment. The weather had not let up yet, either.

Ginny handed Teddy over to Harry, who handled the child with more ease than Hermione had expected from him.

"I'm so glad you're here, Hermione," Ginny voiced honestly, pulling her friend into another much-needed hug. "Sit down. How are things?"

Hermione could see instantly how both her friends' faces changed from happiness for Bill and Fleur to wariness and pity for her. Hermione immediately felt out-of-place: Something she wasn't used to. She didn't WANT pity. She didn't want people to expect her to tell them horrible things about her life every time she came around, either.

In a split-second, she decided she wasn't going to tell them about the baby.

"Fine, actually," she answered bravely. "The house is lovely. Draco's almost never home – he and I stay out of each other's way… it's almost like just being in a great, big house by yourself. Kind of like wandering around Hogwarts at night, actually – you two would be right at home."

She'd made a joke; The tension immediately broke as Ginny and Harry laughed. Teddy gurgled happily.

"Want to hold him, Hermione?" Harry offered. "I've got pretty good at it now." He was extremely proud of himself.

"Sure," she agreed, holding out her arms to take the baby.

"He likes it when you tickle his chin," Ginny put in, gazing lovingly at little Teddy.

Hermione rested the little bundle in the crook of her arm, gazing down at the tiny face. Teddy smiled a little. Reaching one arm slowly down, Hermione tickled his chin, just as Ginny had said. Teddy laughed a high-pitched, gurgling laugh and his hair changed from a calm brunette into a bright aquamarine.

His eyes were wide and trusting, happy and warm. Hermione gazed into them deeply, feeling the easy trust, the perfect contentedness.

So this is what I'm in for, she thought. I can do this… I can...

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Author's Note: Thanks bunches to MyLookOfDenial., -Arria Rose-, tfobmv18, margaritama, gitgit, pussycat06, RIPJameSiriusLupinTrueMarauder, Shaiya Star-Gazer, InvisibleLilacNights, and ebbe04 for the reviews! Cookies around for all!

So here's a challenge for all you readers: when you review, see if you can leave me one piece of constructive criticism! I want to know what you think my weak points are... and I want to make this fic completely in character and believable and satisfying. I'm really hoping you will... just don't be mean. Haha

Oh and just a heads-up, in early March, I'll be traveling for work so there will be a brief period of inactivity. I'll let you know again as the time gets closer.

Thanks!