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Chapter 13

A Little Too Late

Engaged… to be… married?

Hermione felt her stomach literally disappear.

They were already engaged.

She was too late.

She'd come back for nothing.

"Married?" came Scorpius's hesitant voice from below her.

No, no she hadn't come back for nothing, she reminded herself. Scorpius needed her. At least for now. The look of joy on Scorpius's face when she wrapped him up in her arms was one she would never forget.

"Yes, Scorpius," said Draco. "Engaged to be married. Michelle is going to be your mother."

Hermione, unable to look at Draco, looked down at Scorpius instead. He seemed positively frozen, just like one of his rabbits. She couldn't tell if he was scared, confused, angry… or any combination of the three… or none of them at all.

Draco, realizing that Scorpius was a little shocked and he shouldn't expect a response from him just yet, looked at Hermione.

"Hermione?"

She looked up at him.

"You've returned to the manor to stay?" he asked.

Hermione swallowed hard.

"Only until another governess can be found," she answered stiffly. Scorpius, upon hearing this, forced his hand out of Hermione's and ran at top speed toward the west side of the house.

"Scorpius!" shouted Draco and Hermione together. Draco started to step down off the patio after him but Herimone held up her hand.

"No. You stay. I'll go."

Draco wanted to argue but he knew that Scorpius would be more receptive to Hermione, so he let her run after him instead.

Scorpius had a running start so it took Hermione a few minutes to finally reach him. She found him underneath an oak tree, his knees held to his chest while he cried.

Hermione's heart broke.

She walked up to him slowly and sat down gingerly next to him.

"Scorpius?"

He sniffled.

"Scorpius, what's wrong?" she asked quietly, touching his shoulder.

"Everything!" he sobbed. Hermione wrapped her arms around him and he snuggled into her side.

"That's a very broad answer," she said. "Why don't you talk to me…"

He sniffled again.

"Father is marrying Michelle," he moaned.

"I know," she said, and her heart wrenched painfully.

"I don't want him too!" he cried. Hermione looked at him curiously.

"I thought you liked Michelle?" she asked him.

"No!" he said, between hiccups. "She's… bossy… and she's mean… and she's only nice on the outside… inside she's all rotten!" he wailed.

"Scorpius, where in the world are you coming up with this!"

Another hefty sniffle.

"I've heard her talking… talking to Father…" he started. "She talks bad about me…"

Hermione's sadness was turning to anger, now.

"What do you mean, Scorpius? What does she say?"

"She says that my… my magic is too powerful… that Father needs to… to reign it in…"

Hermine thought about this a little.

"Scorpius, you are very powerful," Hermione said. "And some day that will be a good thing, but you need to learn to at least control it… are you sure that's not what Michelle meant?"

Scorpius shook his head vigorously.

"She made it sound like Father should try to take it away…"

"And what did your father say? Did you hear what he said?"

"No," Scorpius sniffled. "I ran away before they could see me…"

Hermione was calculating.

"What else has she said?"

"She thinks I'm… that I'm bad…"

"Bad? Like an improper child?" Hermione asked.

Scorpius nodded.

"Oh, Scorpius…" Hermione said. "You're not a bad kid at all… You're a promising young wizard who's improving his skill and knowledge every day. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, but you're not a bad child."

He looked up at her with red and puffy eyes. "Really?"

"Really. I've never thought you were some sort of hopeless case that couldn't be helped."

Scorpius hiccupped and smiled, then buried his face in her side again.

"Are you really going to leave again?" He sniffled. "I don't want another governess…"

Hermione was touched.

"I don't know, Scorpius. It depends on a lot of things."

"Please stay," he begged her, looking up at her again. "Please."

Hermione smiled sadly.

"I will stay so long as your father still wants me here."

"Promise?" he asked.

"I promise."

Harry,

How could you have let me be so dreadfully stupid… I was hardly gone twenty-four hours, but when I returned, Draco announced that he and Michelle are now officially engaged. If I needed any more proof that Draco isn't in love with me, that was it.

On another hand, if I needed any further proof that I am indeed in love with him… that sure did it. It's been a long, long time since I've ever felt so devastated…

But I certainly didn't come back for nothing. I've realized how much Scorpius needs me. He's so upset that Michelle is to be his new mother… he hates her, he thinks she's an awful woman. How could I desert him when he needs someone who won't look down on him the way she does? It makes me wonder how Draco can turn a blind eye to that. I've promised Scorpius that I will stay here as long as Draco wants me here, and I'm going to hold that promise. Like you said to me earlier, Hermione Granger doesn't run from her problems. There's something going on here that's bigger than just me, and that's the raising of a child.

I can only hope that Michelle doesn't pull a stunt on Draco like she did to me. Merlin knows he'd probably do anything she asked him, but I certainly hope he's stronger-willed than that.

What I can't figure out is that Draco seemed honestly happy with my return… the same sort of happy he was when he and I were dancing on the patio and when he and I were shopping in Hogsmeade…

Or maybe I'm just reading into things too much.

Either way. For Scorpius's sake, I'm glad I've returned. It might be breaking my own heart but at least I'll be preventing his from being hardened.

All my love,

Hermione.

She read the letter over again once before deciding that it needed no corrections and sealed it carefully.

The twilight sun was shining into her room. She's spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening up here – she'd even skipped dinner – just thinking about everything. Eventually, she'd decided to simply pen a letter to Harry and let it rest. Nothing could be changed, now. Scorpius was genuinely happy to have her back, and Draco was at least putting on a front of happiness, and that was all she really needed.

After addressing the letter, she got up from her desk and opened her door to find Scorpius standing there in his pajamas poised to knock.

"Scorpius!" she said. "What did you need?"

"I just wanted to ask you to read with me before I went to sleep…" he said quietly. "I told Father and Michelle that I didn't want them to."

Hermione glanced at her bedroom clock and saw that it was almost 7:30.

"Tell you what, Scorpius," she started. "I have to go up to the attic to fetch an owl to send this letter. Why don't you walk with me and we can talk instead of reading?"

He smiled. "All right." Hermione shut the door behind them and they began leisurely walking up to the attic.

"Why did you come back, Hermione?" Scorpius asked. "Father said you were gone forever."

Hermione answered carefully.

"I came back because I knew you'd miss me," she said, smiling down at him. "And I missed you, too."

He smiled back. "Well, I'm glad you did. I did miss you," he admitted sheepishly.

"I'm glad to hear that," Hermione said. "Coming back would have been totally pointless if you hadn't wanted me to!"

Scorpius paused.

"But what about Father?" he asked.

"What about him?"

"Well… he always says that he makes all the choices… did he ask you to come back?" Scorpius asked.

"No, he didn't."

Scorpius was silent. He seemed confused.

"You see, Scorpius, not only did I know that you would miss me, but I also had a feeling that your father wanted me back here, as well."

"We had a fight this morning," Scorpius said.

"Oh?" Hermione asked.

"I was mad at him that he'd told me you were gone… that's when I apparated by accident…"

"Did he seem upset at all?" Hermione couldn't help asking.

"I don't know," Scorpius admitted. "He was too busy trying to stop me yelling."

By now they had arrived in the attic and Hermione was calling down an owl to use.

"Who is your letter for?" Scorpius asked curiously.

"A friend," Hermione replied, smiling at him.

"Which friend?" Scorpius pressed.

"His name is Harry."

"Harry who?"

Hermione chucked to herself at the curiosity of children.

"Harry Potter."

Based on Scorpius's lack of a surprised expression, Hermione guessed that Scorpius hadn't been taught about the War by anyone yet.

"Harry Potter is actually a very important person in history," Hermione said.

"Really?" asked Scorpius, wide-eyed.

"Really. Would you like to start learning about wizarding history in our lessons? I'll tell you all about him."

"Sure!" Scorpius said.

"Wonderful," Hermione replied, sending the owl off out the window. "Now, I think it's time for someone to go to bed…" she said, giving Scorpius a sly glance.

"Do I have to?" he whined.

"Yes," she said firmly. "You know your father doesn't like it when you're up past eight."

He pouted.

"That look's not going to work on me and you know it," Hermione said, and she walked quickly over to him and picked him up.

"Hey!"

"Downstairs we go…" said Hermione, smiling as she walked down the old, spiraling attic stairs. To make sure he didn't try to get away, she carried him all the way to his room before dropping him lightly on the bed. When she checked her watch, it was 7:55.

"Look at that, we even had five minutes to spare," she said, tucking him into his covers.

Scorpius tried – and failed – to stifle a yawn.

"See? Look at how tired you are…" she said, sitting down next to him on the bed.

"No I'm… not…" he said, yawning again. Hermione smiled.

"I'll see you in the morning, Scorpius."

"You promise you're not going to go anywhere?" he asked, staring at her with half-open eyes. Hermione kissed his forehead.

"I promise."

"Good…" he mumbled, and his eyes closed completely. Hermione extinguished the lamp with her wand and got up quietly, turning around to tip-toe out of the room…

And saw Draco standing in the doorway, watching her.

Her heart skipped and started fluttering. No amount of mental scolding helped.

Not wanting to disturb Scorpius, she waited until she had crept out of his room and closed the door before addressing him.

"Yes, Draco?" she asked.

"I just can't get over how good you are with Scorpius," he admitted quietly. Hermione shrugged.

"Most women come equipped with a natural maternal instinct."

"That may be so," Draco said, "but you and Scorpius just seem to… connect."

Then why am I not the one wearing that huge diamond on my finger? Hermione couldn't help but to think. She chased the thought away.

"I'm glad you approve of how I act with Scorpius," was all she said.

There was a pause.

"Hermione, why did you come back?" he asked.

"I came back for Scorpius," she answered firmly. "It wasn't fair to leave him that way."

"It wasn't fair to leave me to pick up the pieces, either," Draco said. Hermione shifted guiltily.

"I know, and I'm sorry," she said. "I'm back now and I'll do the picking up for you."

Draco paused, then pulled her into a hug. A hug? They'd never done that… loving embraces, yes… but not a legitimate hug…

"I'm glad you're back," he said, pulling away. "Really."

"I'm glad to be back," she answered. She paused, then, "Where's Michelle?"

"Bathing," he answered. Hermione tried not to picture how much more beautiful Michelle must look like naked, and tried harder not to think about the fact that Draco surely preferred Michelle's body over hers.

"She hasn't left my side all day," he admitted. "After you returned she became exceedingly clingy." If she hadn't been busy in the bathroom right now, Draco thought to himself, she never would have let him alone long enough to talk to Hermione.

Hermione was silent.

"It seems as if she is displeased with your return, though she won't admit it…"

The brief, crazy thought occurred to Hermione of telling Draco everything that had happened the night before – had it really been only the previous night? – with Michelle and what she'd said to her… but then realized that that would be possibly the most foolish thing she could ever think to do and let it stay in her head.

"It's probably just an irrational jealousy," Hermione reasoned to him. "Though you have been with Michelle for some time, I have been at Malfoy Manor longer than she has been staying here. It could be just an animal instinct for territorialism."

Draco shook his head at his flashback to their Hogwarts years. Hermione noticed this as he smiled.

"What?" she demanded.

"You haven't changed a bit, have you…" he said, smirking at her.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" she pressed.

He just kept smirking.

"Malfoy, I swear if you don't wipe that slimy smirk off your face…"

"What did you just call me?" he asked, nearly laughing.

Hermione recounted what she'd said in her mind and gasped, holding a hand up to her mouth to stifle her giggles.

"Oh, good Lord… I just used your surname…"

Draco's smirk turned to a smile and he shook his head at her. "Granger, you've got to keep your head in the present…"

Hermione smiled when he used her surname.

"Slimy git."

"Bossy know-it-all."

"Slytherin prick."

"Dirty mudblood."

Hermione never thought she'd see the day when she was trying to hold in hysterical laughter while being called names by Draco Malfoy…

He was smirking again.

"What did I say about that smirk?" she asked playfully.

"All I recall is an unfinished threat," he said. "Something like, 'if you don't wipe that slimy smirk off your face…'"

He stepped closer to her and she stepped backward. She felt the wall behind her.

"So? What if I don't wipe this slimy smirk off my face?" he asked, taking another step. Hermione had hit the wall and could back up no further.

"I… was going to say…" she breathed, having trouble finding words as Draco put a hand on either side of her, leaning his weight into the wall and bearing down on her, "that… if you didn't wipe the smirk off your face… that I would… take it off there for you…"

"Oh?" he said softly. "And how would you do that…"

"I was actually planning on a Confundus charm—" but she was cut off by the striking feeling of his lips on hers.

This was no quick kiss like down on the patio and not a tender kiss like the night by the bookshelf. This was hot, passionate, and needy. Every careful barrier Hermione had been constructing since that afternoon toppled before her. She let him in easily, kissing him back with everything she had, hoping in vain that this was perhaps his way of telling her that Michelle was nothing to him, that he was going to send her packing… She clutched at his shirt while his hands ran through her hair and he pressed himself against her…

And then, quite suddenly, he pulled away, leaving them both out of breath. They both tried to speak at once.

"Hermione—"

"Draco—"

Hermione quieted and waited.

"Hermione… I… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have…"

"Yes… you're right…" she answered quietly.

They were still staring into each other's eyes.

"Forgive me," he said, and abruptly turned and walked down the east wing to his room. Hermione couldn't bear to look after him and shut her eyes when she heard the sound of his door close.

He'd left her, panting, out of breath, and hot with desire… in the middle of the east corridor… just outside his son's room… before he went to go help his fiancée out of the bathtub…

Damn you, Draco Malfoy, she thought helplessly. Damn you.