A/n: Hey!

I finally made it through...ü

Anyways, here's another chappie.ü

I hope you enjoy this as much as you guys didon the last one.ü

Have fun!ü

By: Aningme

Chapter 21

Dilemma: The Sequel

He hissed violently as he felt the sharp stab of pain throbbing in his head, sitting up from his bed.

The headache wouldn't ditch him, he thought, and just ran a hand through his golden hair. Perhaps a little Sober Up and a cup of coffee would deal with it and spare him from further suffering. He wanted to be back on his feet and be a normal walking person again. But apart from that, he never liked being dependent on meds, just like the stuffs Harvey and Hermione kept on letting him gobble down.

As he swung his legs at the sides of his bed, he slowly and testily stood up, hoping really hard that his legs wouldn't wobble. And when they did for a couple of times, he cursed. He knew Harvey slipped in some tranq in the pasta he ate the night before. He felt so dizzy when he swallowed some of it.

And now, he felt stupid for letting them tranq him.

He was frowning all the way to the bathroom, rummaging for a couple of Sober Up pills and a glass of water. And staring at his face on the mirror, he studied himself and the blotted blood on his cut lip.

He looked like he passed through hell and back.

He reached up to his hair and finger combed it until he was satisfied with how it looked. He splashed some cold water on his face to freshen up, and grabbed a shirt and some trousers. Brushing his teeth, he studied the growing stubble on his chin, deciding whether to shave or ignore it. And as he reached for the shaving cream, the bathroom door creaked open, mildly startling him.

"Good morning Harvey." He pleasantly greeted, reaching for the shave and running it through his chin. "How did you wake up this morning? Feeling great, I hope."

"Am I hearing a spill of sarcasm?" Harvey raised a brow; studying him from head to toe. "You're testy because you're tranq'd under your nose. But, you needed it. Couldn't do anything about it."

"You could have just let me sleep like normal people do at night, without any tranq." He turned to him, his smile nearing to a sneer. "And now my head's ringing, thanks to you."

"I wasn't the medical expert here, may I say." Harvey pointed out, grinning. "You go and complain to the doctor. "

"Yeah, I'll do that," Draco nodded, finishing off his chin. "After I command a search for the whole household for tranqs and dispose them. Or better yet, keep them. For when you're the one who's sick, I'll choke you down with all the tranq I can get and let you suffer with it."

Harvey laughed at that, heartily this time. "You're feeling much better now, don't you?" A little pale around the eyes, but better.

Draco grabbed a towel and washed his face clean, glancing at him. "A lot better." He commented, and threw the towel in the small shaft on the wall. "But enough with the tranqs, please?"

He said it almost so sincerely, it made Harvey chuckle. "Alright, I promise."

"Good." Draco smiled at him. Then, just stared at him. "I also want to apologize too… About last night."

Harvey felt his body tense, feeling the steer of the conversation to a delicate topic. "It was nothing."

"I know I shouldn't have done that…" He paused, just stared at him, the man who took care of him for all these years, the man who saved him from the shadows of his past, the man who would do everything for him, and the man who stood for him and loved him.

Samuel Harvey, the man who became his father. "I'm just … I just want to apologize. I should have thought about you and Hermione and…" He sighed, not knowing what else to say. "I'm just sorry."

Harvey nodded, staring back at him. "I know you are."

He nodded back, and stared at the floor, like a child guilty of breaking a glass window. "So… Do you think you can trust me again?"

Harvey didn't answer for a moment, almost hanging Draco by a thread. But when Harvey smiled, he sighed in relief.

"Of course I trust you." He mumbled; his voice soft with gentleness, just like how a father speaks to his child. "That will never change."

Draco felt his throat constrict. "Thank you." Was all he managed to say.

Harvey just smiled at him ever so casually. So pleasingly. "You're all I have left." He muttered, almost not letting him hear him. But before he said anything more, he straightened up his back and cleared his throat. "Would you like some breakfast then? Tea?"

"Coffee would be great." Draco replied, and watched Harvey turn and head for the door to do his job. "I also wanted to tell you that I have already decided."

Harvey reached halfway to the door knob and paused, glancing at him.

"I wasn't a great husband to her." He muttered, his eyes gazing at particularly nothing. "I wasn't helping her through this situation that I've caused."

"You didn't cause this to—"

"I should have protected her." Draco interjected, his voice turning hard. "I knew how evil runs through her veins and yet I let her run free in this house…" He paused, let the air settle in. "I already decided. Nothing will change my mind."

"So it is." Harvey nodded. "Well then, I give you my blessings to your errands."

"Harvey." He watched him slowly turn to him. "I'll leave everything on your hands until I come back."

His dark brown eyes held his silver ones a moment, and then smiled. "Of course, sir. It's taken care of."

Draco smiled back. "I appreciate it."

It was indeed a wonderful morning.

Hermione stared at the morning sun as she stepped out from the safe grounds of the fortress into the dewy air of the gardens. She was dazzled at the sight of the sky and the greens, flowers, and shrubs that seemed to be growing ever so beautiful every second. She never saw such an intense beauty this close to home.

Home… She suddenly thought.

She just called this place, this palace… her home.

"Well baby, your momma's a little confused." She muttered to particularly no one, rubbing her belly caressingly. "I'm a little freaked out about everything and everyone." She admitted, frowning. "I even hurt your father terribly because of that. But he's getting better now. He's upstairs sleeping. He needs a lot of rest to recover." She paused, as if thinking. "You're worried about your father, aren't you? Well… I'm worried too." She stepped towards the front door steps and sat down on it. "I guess you'd also want to stay near your father, huh?" She smiled. "Yeah… I think that would be better for you." She glanced down and sighed at her belly. "For both of us."

She breathed deeply and closed her eyes pleasingly.

"Hermione." Draco muttered at the house scanner by the wall as he buttoned up his shirt. The coffee woke him up pretty good and his head settled with the couple of Sober Up pills he got. Harvey warned him that he'll feel good for a span of time and break down when the caffeine and meds wear off. But he felt so great to just to sit around and stay in bed the whole day.

He wanted to spend his time with Hermione and just be with her, since she's still here. He wasn't able to talk to her that much after they ate. It only took one noodle to knock him out dead on his back.

Bloody tranq. He spat, scowling.

Hermione Malfoy: Gardens, front porch.

"What?" He suddenly hissed, frowning at the scanner. "What's she doing there? Is she leaving?"

Have a good day sir.

He hissed out a curse again before running towards the stairs and jog all the way down the foyer, his mind suddenly panicking.

She couldn't be leaving at this early time in the morning. She couldn't leave him without even saying good bye.

As he raced towards the front door, he slugged it open and braced to run for her to the front gate. He thought of begging her to stay for a moment, even just a moment. He needed to talk to her. He needed to be with her.

But when he saw her sitting at the porch steps, her shocked face staring back at him, he choked his thoughts down, composed himself, and panted for air, relief overwhelming him.

She wasn't leaving. She was just out for fresh air.

"Draco." She stood up, studying him. "Are you alright?"

He breathed in a few more breaths before he answered. "Hi."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "I just thought you were…"

She stared back at him as he just gazed at her.

"Why aren't you in bed?" She interjected, her brows knitted together. "You need a lot of rest to recover."

"I felt better." He reasoned out, smiling.

"You're still a little pale around the edges." She pointed out, stepping closer to him. She reached out for his brow and rested her palm. "Fever's gone. But you need more sleep. We don't know if the fever will come back."

"I never slept this long in my whole life." He said, raising a brow. "You tranq'd me, remember?"

"Well, you don't have the right to complain, mister. You needed it." She laughed as he pouted. "You're pouting. Stop that."

He smiled at her ever so pleasantly. "I thought you were leaving."

"I just went out for fresh air." She amended, studying him. "Is that what's the running all about?"

He smiled sheepishly.

She laughed, suddenly charmed with him. He still looked wan. But she suddenly felt drawn to him. "Come here."

He walked towards the steps and sat with her.

"Look around." She mumbled, pleasing her eyes over the garden again for the millionth time. "You built such a wonderful place here."

"So I did." He replied, looking around too. It was indeed beautiful in every angle, in every way.

But it was never been this beautiful, having her beside him to be pleased with it.

"You know what?" She began, her back suddenly perking up, excited about her decision. "I have already decided."

He glanced at her. "About what?"

She stared back at him and just had to adore the way the morning sunlight played with his golden hair… And his lovely silver eyes… "About my work. You know, being a doctor." She continued and sighed, looking away from him. "I think I'll be back around the hospital." She paused, as if considering it still. "Yeah… I think I should."

"Well, yeah, maybe you should. But could you?" He asked her.

She thought about it, and she already made up her mind. "Yup. I think I could." She smiled at him. "Yeah, I could. I mean, Mrs. Dubley's there to guide me. I haven't seen her in a while too. It would be good to be around with work. "

He nodded at her, just watching how her eyes glint up with her ideas, how her mouth moves with every word. "Then you should."

She sighed again and stretched, taking in the morning fresh air. "I think it would be great." She muttered. "You know, when I saw you in that tub last night, things suddenly came barging in my head. I knew what to do, how to stop your fever, what to give you, what you need…" She stopped and looked at him. "I don't know what triggered it. But I just suddenly felt great knowing what to do." She just watched him stare back at her, listening intently at her. And as he held her gaze ever so calmly, her emotions that came at her that night suddenly came back to her. She felt her throat tighten, her mouth suddenly gone dry. But she forced herself to ignore it, swallow it in. "Maybe I needed to be what I was before this happened…" She muttered, suddenly feeling the urge to reach over to his face, just to touch him. "Maybe I need to come back…"

"Come back where?" He mumbled.

"Here." She answered. "With you…"

She saw it. She saw the sudden flare of temper in his eyes, of insult, and of guilt. She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly reared back and waited.

He looked away from her and stared at his hands, almost stiffening in anger. He ran a hand through his hair casually, but his face was cold, stoically cold. "You're not doing this because of me." He muttered; his voice suddenly deep and stable. "I'm sorry for what I did. It was unnecessary, I know. But I didn't do it to make you feel this way and force you to come back."

She looked down on her feet and just listened.

"You did what you had to do. If you still need more time to be in your apartment, I can wait." He turned to her, look at her face. "I can wait even if it takes years. It doesn't matter. I just want you to get better and do anything you need to do in order to get better." He pointed out.

She glanced back at him and saw his pained eyes gazing at her. "That's not the point." She amended, holding back the throbbing ache in her throat. She felt like there was a big lump stuck in her throat, wanting to burst out off her mouth.

"Then what's your point, Hermione?"

She paused, taking in the sound of his voice saying her name. "Don't you want to be with me, Draco?"

The question took him off guard. "I didn't mean that…"

"Then why don't you accept my decision? I'm trying to work it out. And I think I can do it." She nodded. "I can be the wife that I vowed to be during our wedding." She glanced at her ring and caressed it. "Though I may not remember some of my memories with you or with other people, I'm still the same girl I was before the accident." She pointed out, an odd silence suddenly wrapping them. "The memories that haunt me proved that… Those fragments that are coming back to me proved that."

He didn't speak for a moment, letting the silence dominate over them.

He closed his eyes and decided to tell her. "I'm coming back to Hogwarts." He suddenly said, turning his gaze in front of him but particularly at nothing.

"You're what?"

"I decided to go back. Finish some unfinished businesses." He tried to smile at that, but the grief that he felt so long ago suddenly wrapped around him, letting him feel the weight of guilt, of shame… "Do you think... sins could be forgiven?"

She stared at him, not knowing what to say. "Sure they can."

"No matter how heavy it is? For what it's worth?"

She couldn't understand. "Of course."

He fell silent for a moment, as if thinking about what she said. "Then I think I'm going to try."

"Try?"

"To be forgiven." He nodded. "I want to be forgiven. More than anything."

"By whom?"

He smiled now, looking at anything but her. "By you… By the Weasleys, Seamus, Neville. Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, everyone…" He paused. "By The Boy Who Lived."

Her heart suddenly skipped, her chest suddenly tightened. She frowned at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I need you to stay in your apartment and get better. I don't know how long I'll be gone, or when I'll be back…"

"What do you mean?" She insisted, holding his arm, forcing him to face her.

He just gazed at her ever so calmly, so casually, that she finally wanted to hate him. "If you want to visit here, Harvey will be here to accompany you."

She just stared at her, her eyes burning in tears of anger. "Why don't you answer me?"

He didn't answer.

"What do you mean, Draco?"

He dragged his eyes to hers, pained to see the tears threatening to fall. "I thought this curse was over me just three years ago…" He whispered, his voice getting weaker. "I thought I would never speak of it again, or even think of it again…"

A tear slipped down her cheek. "You know something…" She deduced; her eyes hot over him. "Why don't you tell me?"

"I will when the time comes." He answered. "I promise."

She wiped at her tears and studied him. She didn't know what he was saying. She couldn't understand every word. But whatever it is, however bad it is, she wouldn't be married to him if she hadn't forgiven him.

Whatever it is, she loved him before.

Whatever it is, she trusts him, just like before.

She sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment, calming herself. "Alright." She uttered, clearing her throat. She looked down at her belly and rested her palm over it, caressing it. She thought of their child, of their family, and believed in it. "I trust you."

He turned to her and watched her rub their sleeping baby in her womb.

She smiled at it and sighed. "You're father's giving me a headache." She said, making them both laugh. "But I bet you really want to go with him, don't you baby?"

He raised a brow at her as she innocently smiled at him.

"We're going with you, where ever you go." She deduced. "We're a family, and we should stick together."

He felt his throat constrict, but calmly swallowed and relaxed it. He smiled at her and nodded. "May I?"

She beamed at him and leaned back to give him more access to her belly. He touched it at first, caressing it, and laughed.

"You think it knows what we're doing?" He asked her, obviously enjoying it.

She chuckled at him and nodded. "Sure it does." She said proudly.

He closed his eyes and kissed it, resting his cheek over it. "I hope it knows how much I love you both."

She felt her heart skipping a beat. But she ignored it and lifted a hand to tousle his hair. "Your father sure has a way with words."

He caught her hand and laughed. "Sure I do." He bragged, facing her. "How else would I convince you to marry me?"

She laughed at that and tapped his cheek lightly. "And a good sense of humor too."

He just smiled at her, wanting to kiss her. "Well, that's me." He said and got up, stretching his arms and legs. "How about some nice breakfast? What do you think the baby would want?"

"Something creamy and strawberry." She mused. "Ice cream, maybe…"

He frowned. "Really? You'd know what it wants?"

Hermione looked at him and shook her head. "Men. They don't know anything."

When he just stared at her, she laughed and held his hand, pulling him inside the foyer.

A/n: That's all for now.ü

Until next update.ü