Hermione cried, raising her wand and trying again. "Rennervate," she muttered. She couldn't believe it wasn't working, that he wasn't waking up. He couldn't leave her, he just couldn't. She loved the man with all that she was. She remembered the day he sought her out after she thanked him for saving her life…
Hermione had been walking around the lake after finishing a three foot long essay for Transfiguration. It had been a difficult essay describing if it was possible to transfigure a human into multiple objects without harm to said human.
She sighed as she sat down on a large rock by the edge of the lake, a tentacle of the Giant Squid poking up and swatting at a thestral that had dove in for a drink. She still found it surreal that she could now see the black skeletal beasts, the beasts that are only seen by those who had seen death. She had once found it fascinating, now she found it quite sad.
Footsteps crunching on leaves alerted her to a presence; turning she spotted the blonde head of Draco Malfoy walking, hands in his pockets, a small smile on his face. Hermione wondered how the boy could be so happy, having read the article about his father's suicide that morning in the Profit.
Deciding it was best to not bother to figure out the mind of the Slytherin, Hermione turned back to the lake. A few moments passed, the footsteps getting closer and closer to her, until they stopped beside her.
"Granger," the Slytherin mumbled. Hermione looked up surprised.
"Malfoy," Hermione nodded, turning back to the lake.
He sighed and muttered quietly, "I've been looking everywhere for you."
Hermione turned, eyes wide in surprise. "Why ever would you be looking for me?"
Draco shuffled his feet in discomfort, "I-I wanted to say I was s-s-sorry for the way I treated you last week."
Hermione's eyebrows drew together in confusion.
"I shouldn't have yelled at you," he clarified, "I've had a lot of time to think about it and I just wanted to say, that there's no need to thank me for saving you, when you and your golden boys saved my life that night as well."
Hermione was quiet for a moment as she gazed at the boy, "who are you and what have you done to Draco Malfoy?" Hermione finally asked.
Draco couldn't help but chuckle, his face ending in a smirk, "He's right here," he shrugged, "My fathers death gave me the chance to let go of the past. I'm no longer under his control. I'm free to be who ever I want to be."
Hermione nodded, "I'm sorry to hear about his death."
"I'm not," Draco said shaking his head, "my mother and I can finally live in peace now. You may not believe this, Granger, but I'm not as bad as you may believe me to be. My father was a very influential man, a very terrifying man, a very controlling man. He influenced and controlled my life and who I was, and it took me a long time to realize I didn't like who I was becoming. I'm sorry for the way I treated you all these years, you didn't deserve that."
"Are you sure you're Draco Malfoy?" Hermione asked.
Draco nodded seriously, "will you accept my apology Granger? All of them in fact?"
Hermione was quiet for a moment before nodding. "I accept."
Hermione cried, tears falling down her face. "I need you Draco, please I need you. Ara, remember her? Our daughter? The one who saved us? You need to come back for her. Please! Rennervate!"
Hermione and Draco were yelling at each other, "You're the biggest prat I've ever met Malfoy!"
"Takes one to know one Granger," Draco retorted.
Hermione laughed, "is that the best you can do, you heartless git?"
"At least I don't have a birds nest as hair,"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I don't understand why you won't give them a chance!"
"They hate me Hermione," Draco shouted, "They won't give me a chance so why should I even bother giving them one! I heard them the other day. I know they don't believe I've changed! They didn't even speak one word to me, just saw me walking down the halls, minding my own business, and yet I'm still a ferret to them!"
Hermione huffed, "It's not like I'm asking you to be best mates with them! I just want to be able to introduce you to my friends as my boyfriend! We've been dating for three months now and you haven't met a single one! You even refuse to be seen with me if Ginny's around!"
"Weaslette has such a big mouth the whole school would know in seconds if we told her," Draco sneered.
Hermione growled, "don't talk about her like that!"
"Well it's true! Her and her poor helpless family! The lot of them are the worst of gossips!"
Hermione raised her wand, "take it back!"
"Make me," Draco said raising his wand too.
"You'll regret it if you hex me,"
"And why would that be?"
"Because you'd hurt the baby!" Hermione screamed in frustration. Draco froze, wand raised, his face paling and his eyes widening.
"The-the-the what?" he stuttered.
Hermione's face was red as she lowered her wand, "I didn't mean to say that."
"Didn't mean as in isn't real? Or didn't mean as in didn't want to tell me?" Draco asked.
"I didn't want to tell you," Hermione whispered. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen! We were being careful, I don't know how this could have happened! I'm sorry Draco."
Hermione began to cry and Draco took a few steps forwards until she was in his arms. He smoothed her hair down, "Don't cry love," Draco said, "and don't be sorry. This is a good thing."
"Is it?" Hermione mumbled, wiping her eyes.
"Yes," Draco said smiling, "and you know what would make it better?" Hermione shook her head. "Marry me Hermione. Marry me. I know we've only been together for three months but it would be the right thing to do! Will you marry me?"
Hermione was speechless for a moment, "no," she finally uttered, "I can't Draco. I'm sorry but no. We've only been together for three months and the only reason you're asking me is because I'm pregnant. I love you, I do, but we've only been together a short time and I'm not ready to make such a big decision in my life yet. Don't get me wrong I want to be with you, but I can't get married yet."
"But what about the baby?" Draco asked sounding sad.
"No matter what happens Draco Malfoy, you will always have a place in this baby's life. I promise you that."
"You have a place Draco," Hermione sobbed, "you have a place, you can't leave us! Remember Ara's birth? Remember? You were so scared, so terrified, you feinted! Please, don't leave me! Rennervate!"
"Push Hermione!" the healer said as Hermione, hair sticking to her face as sweat rolled down from her forehead, pushed with all her might. Draco stood there beside the hospital bed, hand in Hermione's as she squeezed it with all the strength she could muster.
"You're hurting me love," Draco choked out.
"Hurting you?" Hermione huffed, "I'm hurting you? Would you like to be lying on this bed pushing out an eight ounce baby Draco Malfoy? Because I'd gladly switch place with you!"
"Alright one more big push!" the healer said encouragingly.
Hermione pushed again and Draco couldn't help but look down to see his daughter come out of his wife; she was covered in fluids and Draco, taking one look at the sight of her sliding out, grew queasy and fell to the floor, feinting.
"But you were a fantastic father, you are a fantastic father," Hermione sobbed, "you were always so wonderful with Ara when she was little, and it was you who suggested, once Ara was a few years old, that we should try for another baby. Do you remember that? You were watching Ara play on her broom, flying around the living room with it, and you turned to me and said you wanted another baby. Come back for that baby, Draco, come back for Gemini! Rennervate!"
Draco watched as Ara flew around again, a smile on his face. "She's wonderful isn't she?" Draco whispered to his wife.
"We did well," Hermione nodded in agreement. "She's the perfect angel."
"I want another one," Draco said suddenly. "Ara's a few years old now, I say we try again."
Hermione opened her mouth in shock before laughingly pulling her husband in for a kiss, "What if I told you I was already pregnant?" she asked.
"Are you serious?" Draco replied.
Hermione nodded happily, "Healer confirmed it this morning."
Draco picked Hermione up and spun her around, kissing her as he placed her back on the ground. "I love you Hermione Granger."
"I love you as well Draco Malfoy."
"And Lyra, our baby girl, you're little lovey. She needs you Draco, please, come back for her. Where would she be without her father to guide her? Where would any of our girls be without you? You're our rock, our foundation. You keep us together. Where would we be without you Draco? Lyra especially needs you. Remember Lyra, remember how happy a surprise she was for us? Remember the wonders of the day of her birth? Please come back! Rennervate!"
Hermione and Draco sat together on Hermione's hospital bed, the small bundle of joy that was now Lyra in Hermione's arms. Ara and Gemini were both fast asleep on two beds that Draco had transfigured from chairs.
"She's perfect," Hermione whispered.
"Yes," Draco agreed kissing Lyra's little hand, "she is, you are, our whole family is."
Hermione looked up at her husband and smiled at him, "Marry me Draco Malfoy."
Draco blinked at her, "what?"
Hermione smiled, "Marry me. Right here. Right now. You, me, and our three beautiful daughters. We deserve to be a real family together. Marry me."
Draco's face broke into the biggest and brightest smile, "yes, Hermione. Yes." Draco had asked Hermione a few times over the years but she had continued to say she wasn't ready, that it wasn't the right time, and eventually Draco had given up, trusting that she would inform him of the right time. That time had finally come. "There's an officiant always present in the hospital, let me see if I can find him."
"Hurry back love," Hermione smiled; Draco kissed her forehead before rushing out of the room.
It didn't take him long to return with a short man dressed in dress robes. "I caught him just as he was about to leave," Draco panted, "paid him quite the sum to stay."
"You will be needing a marriage license," the officiant stated. Draco's smile fell from his face and turned into a frown.
"How long will that take?" he asked.
"I have it right here," Hermione smiled, reaching into the drawer beside her bed. "I got it last week."
"Really?" Draco asked surprised.
"Really," Hermione smiled. "I'm ready whenever you are."
"Let's wake up the girls first," Draco said, "I want them to be alert and present for this special moment."
Hermione watched her husband as he softly shook the two young girls awake. Blinking and rubbing their eyes they slowly walked over to their mothers bed, yawning.
"Mum what's going on?" Ara yawned.
"Your father and I are getting married," Hermione smiled.
"Are we ready?" The officiant asked and the couple held hands, nodding. It was a short and sweet ceremony held in the hospitals private room; a nurse, who had come to check on Hermione and Lyra, stood in as the witness. The vows were exchanged and the officiant murmured a charm that bound the two together forever.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife; Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. You may kiss your bride."
"Gladly," Draco smirked, leaning down to kiss his wife passionately.
"Ewww," Ara said covering her sister's eyes and closing her own. Hermione and Draco chuckled as they broke apart. The bells chimed one in the morning.
"Looks like Lyra's birthday and our anniversary won't be on the same day exactly," Hermione said softly.
"That's better love," Draco assured her, "that way she gets her own day and so do we."
"I love you,"
"I love you too my little lion."
Hermione bawled, leaning over his body. None of her attempts had worked at reviving him. His body had remained as lifeless as it had the second she began, and as the minutes ticked by, Hermione could slowly feel his heart slow, his breathing lessen. Tears rolled down her face, soaking Draco's shirt as she clutched onto him. He couldn't leave her, he couldn't.
"Hermione," a familiar voice said, and a soft hand landed on her shoulder. "You have to let go, Hermione."
"I can't," she sobbed brokenly.
"We need to get him to St. Mungo's."
"Draco," Hermione cried holding on tighter. "Please Draco, come back to me."
"C'mom Mione," another voice said, and Luna pried her fingers away. Hermione clutched onto the girl as Ginny helped Bill support Draco's body.
"I'll get him to the hospital, try to calm her down before she comes." Bill said. Ginny nodded and watched her brother turn on the spot, disappearing with Draco's body.
"What if he doesn't come back," Hermione cried, "what if he's gone forever?"
No one knew what to say; they just stood there watching the brunette sob.
A/N: Ok I lied, to all those who asked about Draco's fate and I said they'd find out in the next chapter (AKA this one)... I lied... it's the NEXT one! I'm Sorry Okay? Please forgive me!
Anyways, I hope you liked this one! Did I make anyone cry? I loved writing all the flashback scenes and giving you an eye into what Hermione and Draco's life was like! And for all of you who wondered why they waited so long to get married... now you have your answer! Hermione was being stubborn (as usual).
Please review and make my weekend! Only 2 more chapters to go! And just so you know, at the end of the last chapter I'm going to ask you guys if you liked the ending or if you want an epilogue... but you gotta read the ending first!