Chapter 16

Faith

"You're… pregnant?" Draco repeated dumbly, still staring at the fading pink cloud around her stomach.

"Yes," Hermoine gushed, "with a baby girl…"

Draco was dumbfounded.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Hermione said, smiling.

Draco was trying to make his still sleepy mind comprehend and analyze this. Hermione Granger… his brand new fiancée… who he'd slept with a grand total of once… was pregnant with his child… with his little girl…

"We're going to have a baby…" Draco said quietly, touching Hermione's stomach.

The first rays of the sunrise were just starting to peek over the horizon and slip into the room… a beautiful new day in celebration of a beautiful new life…

"Draco, I hardly even know what to say," Hermione said, beaming. He leaned forward and kissed her.

"You don't have to say anything. The glow in your features says it all." He swung his legs over the side of the bed, stood up, and took Hermione tenderly in his arms.

"You don't feel like it's too soon?" she asked quietly.

"Even if it were, it's not like we can put it off and wait now…" he replied. She let her head rest on his chest a moment.

"What are we going to tell Scorpius?" she asked.

Draco pondered this.

"I think he needs to get adjusted to the idea of us being engaged first…"

Hermione nodded. There was a silence.

"I want to get married before the pregnancy becomes obvious," she said suddenly, looking up at Draco.

He was a bit startled, she could tell.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "What if something happens like it did with Isabella?" She saw his eyes darken with lingering sadness but she pressed on. "If I die after having our baby, I want to die as your wife…"

He was silent for a moment before pressing her to him tightly.

"If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do," he said. "But just because we are doing it quickly doesn't mean we have to cut back on anything you might want…"

"I don't need a lot, Draco," she said. "But we can talk about that later…"

"You're right, we can," he replied. "Perhaps later today when it's not first thing in the morning…"

"Right," she affirmed. She sighed. "There's no way I can go back to sleep after this…"

"Me either," he agreed. "Why don't we get dressed and go have some coffee while we wait for Scorpius to get up?"

"Sounds wonderful," she said.

At 7:45, Hermione went up to Scorpius's room to wake him. It only took a few gentle nudges before he stirred and rolled over to see her.

"G'morning Hermione…" he mumbled.

"Good morning, Scorpius," Hermione said. "I think that you'll find today to be very interesting," she continued.

"Why?" he asked, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes.

"Well, let's just say that there are a few things that are different at the manor…"

As she helped him dress he continued to ask questions and she continued to give vague answers.

"Now Scorpius, I have a secret," she began as she led him out of his room and down the stairs. He walked by her side, clearly frustrated at the lack of information Hermione was providing, but gazing up at her adamantly.

"What is it?" he demanded.

She stopped and knelt down so she was at his eye level, then brought her voice down to a dramatic stage whisper.

"Michelle is gone!"

"Gone?" he whispered back, his eyes wide.

"Yup, gone!"

"But where is she? Is she coming back?" he asked, still not daring to raise his voice.

"Nope, she's never coming back." Hermione smiled.

"But… I thought she was to marry father?" he asked. Hermione beamed.

"She was, Scorpius, but then she and your father decided that it was better if he married someone else…" she began. She paused and he was shaking from the suspense.

"Who?" he demanded.

"Well…" she paused again. "Me."

Scorpius gasped and covered his mouth with both of his hands. His eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline. Clearly, he was totally speechless.

"Don't just look at me like that, give me a hug…" she said, and Scorpius suddenly regained the movement of his limbs and threw his arms around Hermione's neck.

"Happy to hear that?" she asked, letting him go and smiling at him.

"Yes!" he said. "You're so much like my mother already." He paused. "But what do I call you?"

"Whatever you like," Hermione answered.

Scorpius thought for a moment, then crossed his arms decisively.

"I will call you 'Mother,'" he stated. "It's only proper."

Hermione smiled. "And it will be so exciting for me to call you my son."

Scorpius beamed.

"Now how about we go downstairs and get some breakfast and you can tell your father just how excited you are about this?"

"All right!" Scorpius said, and bounded down the stairs ahead of Hermione and raced into the dining room. By the time she managed to catch up, Scorpius was in his father's arms and clinging tightly to his neck.

"So I guess you told him?" Draco asked, smiling.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I did."

"He seems like he's dealing with the news all right."

"Yes, it would seem he's coping," Hermione agreed. "But breakfast will be on the table soon, I think we should sit down and consider eating…"

Draco agreed and put Scorpius down. He scrambled into his chair as Draco and Hermione gingerly sat down and held hands across the table.

Scorpius just grinned at them.

After lunch, Draco and Hermione were sitting together in the parlor. Scorpius sat in the corner experimenting with his potions kit.

"You do know what has to happen today, right?" Draco asked her, holding her hand tightly.

"Aside from dinner and bedtime, you mean?" Hermione asked playfully. Draco didn't smile and she held her tongue.

"No, Draco, I don't know," she said quietly.

"We have to visit my mother."

There was a silence and Hermione was glad that Scorpius hadn't been paying attention.

"To tell her we are engaged?" Hermione asked finally.

"Yes."

Another silence. Hermione knew that was a meeting that was bound to be disastrous.

"If we catch her at her afternoon tea, she might be slightly more agreeable," he added.

"But Draco, what about Scorpius?" Hermione asked quietly. She didn't want to expose him to the fight that would surely ensue.

"We'll take him with us. Maybe his presence will help my mother stay calm. Though he hates her, she loves Scorpius. I'm not sure why."

"It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that he's a perfect miniature of you, could it?" Hermione smirked.

Draco smiled but didn't reply.

"When does your mother have tea?" Hermione asked. It was 1:30 already.

"Three o'clock," he answered. "We'll head over right around then."

Hermione was holding the hand of a very irritated Scorpius as they arrived on the lawn of Draco's mother's home. It was a grand tudor style – much smaller than Malfoy Manor, of course, but still larger than the average single family home. The property was surrounded with a wrought iron fence and gated, but they had landed within the confines of the yard. Two grand stone statues – which Hermione realized were snakes – stood on either side of the front door like guards.

Scorpius squirmed. "Why do you have to tell her?" he complained.

"Because she has to attend the wedding, Scorpius," Draco answered.

"Don't invite her!" he said stubbornly.

"Now, that would just be rude, darling," Hermione said as they walked up to the door. "Just understand that this is something your father and I have to do as a necessary step in me becoming your new mother."

Scorpius scowled.

"We need you to be on your very best behavior, all right?" Hermione said as Draco knocked at the door. Scorpius nodded stiffly.

The door opened to reveal a butler. He was dressed in a conservative black suit with a bow-tie.

"Draco! How lovely. Your mother wasn't expecting you, was she?" he inquired.

"No, Cepheus. We're making a surprise visit," Draco explained.

"Ah!" he said, then gazed down at Scorpius. "I see you've brought the youngest Malfoy with you, as well!" he added. He then noticed Hermione. "And a guest…?"

"My governess," he answered quickly, not wanting Cepheus to alert his mother of the reason for his visit. Hermione was glad the ring on her left hand was concealed by the way she was holding Scorpius's hand.

"Ah," said Cepheus again. "Very well, this way. Your mother is in her study having tea."

He showed them to the door, which was open and revealed Narcissa sitting in a wingback chair by the bay window and looking out wistfully. An end table sat beside her, on which resided a silver tea service.

"Call should your mother require me," said Cepheus, and with a bow he walked away.

Hermione couldn't help but to think that Cepheus seemed dreadfully ordinary in comparison to Dmitry and Davius. But then again, Cepheus was an ordinary wizard and not an Orhomme.

Draco stepped in the room first and Hermione and Scorpius followed, standing a little behind him.

"Hello, Mother," Draco said quietly. Narcissa looked up.

"Draco!" she said warmly. "What a lovely surprise…" her voice trailed off as she noticed Hermione and Scorpius behind him.

"I'm sure you remember I told you that I hired Hermione Granger as my governess."

She nodded, her suspicious eyes betraying her warm (although frozen) smile.

"Hermione has proven to be quite excellent in teaching Scorpius," Draco began. "She has made a maternal connection with him in a way that I have never seen with anyone else."

Narcissa waited.

"As time progressed while Hermione has been in my employment, I must confess that I took notice of her in ways beyond a strictly professional manner."

"Draco…" Narcissa began. There was a warning in her voice. Draco plowed on.

"As such, it soon fell to me that I began to have a great affection for Hermione, and so happened to grow to love her."

Narcissa's smile disappeared entirely. Draco was now extremely glad that he'd hidden Michelle from everyone here, including his mother. This would be much harder if Narcissa knew he'd given up a marriage to a pureblood woman in order to marry Hermione.

"Given that, I have come today to announce to you properly that Hermione is to, very shortly, become my wife."

With a clatter and a crash, the teacup and saucer Narcissa had been holding hit the floor and shattered to pieces. Hot tea was flowing across the hardwood floor boards in small rivers.

Draco waved his wand and the mess was immediately set to rights and safely out of his mother's hands on the tea service tray beside her.

"Hermione," Draco said evenly, not breaking his mother's gaze, "do you think you could give my mother and I a moment alone?"

"Certainly," Hermione said quietly, and she led Scorpius quickly out into the hallway.

The door shut loudly behind them.

"What's going to happen?" Scorpius asked, his eyes wide.

"Your father and grandmamma are going to have a talk that could turn nasty," Hermione explained.

"Will she keep you from being my mother?" Scorpius asked, his lower lip trembling. Hermione smiled at him and brought him close to her.

"No, love. Your father wouldn't let that happen."

Hermione listened closely but all she heard was silence. She supposed that when the door closed, a silencing charm had been put on it.

"I will not have my only son marrying a muggle-born!" Narcissa shouted at Draco.

"Why!" Draco asked. "Why do you still hold to Voldemort's policies?"

"This has nothing to do with the Dark Lord," Narcissa sneered. "Her blood is dirty! She is impure! She will taint our bloodline if she carries a child!"

"Too late for that comment!" Draco shouted back, and Narcissa nearly fainted with shock.

"She already carries a Malfoy child!" she cried. "How could you let that happen!"

"I love her, Mother, and she will be a better mother to Scorpius and our baby girl than Isabella ever would have been."

"Draco, you are a Malfoy," Narcissa said. "You marry for blood. For class. For fortune. Not for love or good parenting qualities!"

"No, mother, that's what you did. That's what Father did. That's what his parents did. But that's not what I'm doing, and I'll be damned if you try to tell me any differently!"

"How dare you—" she started, but Draco cut her off.

"Purebloods are dying out, Mother!" Draco shouted. "There's not many left! If we keep limiting ourselves to only purebloods we're going to start inbreeding! The whole wizarding race will die out! If you want to marry for something besides love, marry for magical power. Then the wizarding race will only get stronger!"

"You cannot even begin to tell me that that mudblood woman is even slightly powerful!"

"Stop blinding yourself, mother! She's part of the reason the Dark Lord is dead!" he shouted back. "Hermione is an extremely powerful witch and she will surely help me bring forth very powerful children. If success and power is what you're after for the Malfoy family, then me marrying Hermione is a fantastic way to do it."

Narcissa was silent.

"I did not come here for your blessing, Mother," Draco said. "I came here to inform you. Hermione and I will be married next month, and there is absolutely nothing you can say or do to stop it from happening."

Narcissa took a deep, long, and slightly angry breath before replying.

"You are my only son, Draco. You're all I have left. This is not what I wanted for you."

"What would you have for me, mother? Success? I have it. Riches? I have it. Power? I have it. What I don't have is happiness."

Narcissa was quiet.

"How often were you truly happy while you were with Father?"

Her silence was all Draco needed to hear.

"No matter what you want, I don't want that kind of life for myself. I want to be happy, and Hermione is going to make me – and Scorpius – very happy."

Narcissa sighed.

"Very well, Draco. As you wish. I cannot stop you from making such a horrid mistake. I am getting to be an old woman. However, I will not pretend to be happy about it, I will not pretend to like her, and I certainly will not join you for dinner if she is there."

"All I ask is that you attend the wedding. As my last remaining parenting bloodline member, I need you there."

Narcissa nodded.

"I shall attend your wedding and absolutely no more than that."

"Thank you."

"You are dismissed," Narcissa said, and turned to look out the window again. Draco, not needing any further invitation, turned away from her and walked briskly out of the study door, shutting it behind him.

"How did it go?" Hermione asked quietly.

"About as well as you think it might have," Draco answered. They walked onto the lawn in silence and apparated back to the manor.

"Was she mad, Father?" Scorpius asked as they walked through the front doors.

"Yes, she was quite angry," Draco answered.

"Are you still allowed to marry Hermione?" he asked. Draco smiled.

"Yes, Scorpius. Hermione and I are still getting married."

Scorpius beamed.

"Why don't you go out into the gardens until dinner?" Draco suggested to him. "We'll be along."

"All right," Scorpius said. He didn't need telling twice. He was gone out the back doors in a moment. Draco turned and took Hermione in his arms.

"I love you, Hermione."

"I love you, too," she replied. He kissed her tenderly.

"I cannot wait until I can make you Hermione Malfoy."

She smiled. "Has a nice ring to it."

He smiled back. "I thought so, too."

He then kissed her ring and they walked hand in hand out to the back gardens.