Granger's Café
Pairing: Draco/Harry.
Disclaimer: Hermione decides that the drama in the wizarding world is growing too much. She decides to open up a café in the muggle world, so as to enjoy simplicity during the day. Little does she know that one of the applicants for a job there, will cause a whole new circle of drama for her. And how exactly will her little café benefit Harry and Draco's lives, and how will it banish the drama from both worlds they live in? You know what they say, about Granger's café; her food is like magic, that's what they say, because it keeps all your problems and troubles at bay.
Reviews: Okay I am not getting e-mail alerts for any of the reviews, faves and adds of my stories (I know that sounds extremely big-headed) and so any reply's may be severly delayed.
Thank you for all your kind cliff-hanger related reviews in the last chapter, along with the much-appreciated 'Ginny-must-die' Reviews. They just make my day!
YEY! I am back from holidays and finally going to update I hope you all enjoy it!
~000~
Chapter Twenty-Two: Sonogram
Narcissa opened the door to her new little flat which she had bought with the money from her Black Family Account along with a new wardrobe. She smiled and opened the door wider. "I'm glad you could make it"
The brunette woman on the other side of the door, awkwardly tugging at the sleeve of her muggle sweater, smiled timidly. "I'm glad I could make it too"
Narcissa allowed Astoria to slip into her fairly large flat. "I'm glad your hair is back to its natural colour"
"Me too" Astoria sighed with a form of relief as she subconsciously stroked her hair that clung to her cheek. "When is the appointment again?"
"It's at half past two and as it is not in Diagon Alley or Knockturn Alley I think muggle clothing is more appropriate" Narcissa stated, remembering Astoria's protestations earlier. Astoria merely nodded. Narcissa glanced at the clock in the kitchen Sirius had given her. It read 2pm.
Turning to face Astoria whilst buttoning up her Prada winter fur coat, Narcissa asked, "ready?" Astoria nodded and took her arm and felt the hideously sickening tug on her navel as they apparated to a small alley in Oxford Street.
O
Harry smiled as Lily sprinted over the playground field to the school gates, red curls flying out form under her wool knit hat, cheeks and nose glowing pink, knee-length coat billowing open and her mittened fist clutching a sheaf of papers. He bent to a crouch to embrace her as she dived into his chest. "HI Daddy!" she squealed, hugging his neck tightly.
"Hey Lilles!" Harry beamed brightly against the afternoon chill. He released her and she thrust her papers under his nose. "What have you got there?"
"I drew some pictures in art class!" she beamed triumphantly.
Harry released his daughter and took her painting and looked at it closely and felt his heart stop. It was an A3 sheet of paper with seven people on it. The two taller men were black-haired with green eyes, blonde-haired and grey eyes. The three younger boys were two dark-haired, and one blonde, one with brown eyes the other green and the blonde with grey. The little girl was red-haired with hazel eyes. The taller boy was brown-eyed with blue hair. Harry swallowed. "What's this Lilles?"
"Our new family!" Lily grinned brightly.
Harry suddenly felt very hot in the cold November air. "That's very sweet Lily, I'll hang this up when we get home, okay?"
Lily merely shrugged as she slipped her hand into her father's and they proceeded to walk the crisp afternoon home to Hermione's house. Lily officially expressed she loved it when Hermione walked her and Hugo sometimes. Hugo was staying behind for football practice. Since Hermione had introduced Ron to it after seventh year, the latter had insisted on Hugo play it. Hugo loved it as much as his father. The walk was amazing and cleared Harry's head although thoughts of Draco continued to enter every waking moment.
... Pale neck arching back as his hot lips massages the blonde's throat making orgasmic moans ring out in his ears ...
Harry clenched Lily's hand making his daughter wince. "Daddy what's wrong?"
He threw a smile down at her, "nothing sweetie, Daddy was just thinking about Draco"
Lily beamed brighter at this, "I really like Mr. Malfoy, Daddy, he's very sweet to you"
"I think so too princess"
"Are you in love with him?"
Harry stopped his eyes wide open. He swallowed thickly, "what makes you say that, honey?"
"He looks at you all the time, like when you cook and when you're reading and stuff"
Harry felt his cheeks flush red and he knew it had nothing to do with the cold. Draco looked at him? How had he not noticed how often the blonde looked at him? They practically lived together! He felt himself glow inside. Half an hour later they were outside Hermione's front door. Harry pressed the doorbell and waited. Hermione soon opened the door covered in flour. "Hi guys" she smiled.
Harry cocked an eyebrow, "Hi, 'Mione, since when did you start flour parties without us?" he teased.
She flushed and wiped her hands down her apron. "Funny, Harry, funny. Come on in" she led the way into her kitchen which was smothered in flour and a cooling cake. "I'm baking a cake for Ron's birthday"
"Yummy!" Lily squealed darting past their legs to flatten her painting on the table. "Look Auntie Mione I made this in art today!"
Hermione looked at the painting and smiled, "this is quite adorable my dear" Lily grinned and disappeared to her room upstairs. Hermione turned to Harry "so how was your day?"
Harry shrugged, "not much. I bought a new laptop. I finally found out how to set-up my old laptop and I was thinking of giving it to Draco as a ... early Christmas present"
Hermione smiled, "that's really very sweet of you, Harry. What do you need a new laptop for anyway?"
Harry shrugged. "Jotting down my thoughts and maybe writing a little. Maybe a book. Who the hell knows?" he laughed. Hermione giggled along with him. "I just thought I'd give him something to occupy himself. He's been really edgy lately, you know, with Astoria and the baby"
Hermione nodded, her eyes downcast, "Yes, I cannot imagine how is feeling. Most pureblood families that are hell-bent on producing an heir, like the Malfoy's. He probably only expected to have one Harry, you, yourself, have three children along with Teddy. Maybe it seems all a little too much for him. You should keep a closer eye on him"
Harry paused for thought. He had not even considered that side of things. His blood froze. "I'll do that Hermione, I don't think I can risk another close-encounter. He is so precious, Mione, like a china-doll"
Hermione smiled as a blush crawled onto Harry's cheeks. "Why not stay for dinner, Harry? I know Ron's party is tomorrow but ... still. It's been a while"
Harry hesitated. "But ... you said I should keep an eye on-"
"You're not joined at the hip. He knows you're seeing Lily today anyway"
Harry ran a nervous through his hair, a feeling of dread tugging at his navel. "Hm ... alright" Hermione beamed and returned to her cake.
O
"ASTORIA MALFOY!"
Narcissa looked up from the muggle wedding magazine she had been flicking through to see how much various things cost for muggles. Apparently not many people could afford the bomb-shell prices. Astoria was sat rigid next to her, like a statue. Her eyes were wide and frightened, her knuckled were white where she was clutching at her coat. Narcissa reached over and put a hand over her daughter-in-laws. "I'll come with you"
Astoria's face spun round quickly. Her watery eyes shimmered and she nodded her head a fraction. "O-okay"
Together they gathered their things and made their way to the open door along the corridor. The little room was not unlike a private room at St. Mungos, though it was smaller. It had linoleum flooring, white walls, a stiff looking bed, and a sonogram monitor beside the bed. A friendly looking nurse in a nurses uniform stepped in behind them. "Good morning. I'm Doctor Mantel" she held out a hand for them each to shake. They did so. Dr. Mantel smiled and gestured towards the bed. "Please lay down Astoria, I just need you to roll up your jumper and then we'll begin" Astoria shivered slightly. Narcissa nudged the younger woman onto the bed and gradually Astoria lowered herself against the headrest, her body tense with nerves. Dr. Mantel turned back to them as Narcissa seated herself. "Now before we begin I wish to ask whether or not you'd like to know the sex of the baby if we're able to tell?"
Astoria glanced briefly at Narcissa before shaking her head, "No ... I don't want to know"
Dr. Mantel smiled brightly. "Alright this will be cold" she stated after a few minutes of starting up the monitor. Astoria hissed as the frosty gel was squeezed out over her stomach like a shiny translucent blue snake. Astoria winced whenever Dr. Mantel tapped on the computer keys and then she bit back whimper when the small mechanism was placed on her stomach, splat, in the middle of the gel snake. It was moved all over her stomach. A blurred image appeared on the monitor.
Astoria frowned at it. "What's that?"
"That is your uterus" Dr. Mantel explained. She then pointed on the screen to a small white peanut shaped blob. "And this ... is your baby" Astoria and Narcissa tilted their heads from side-to-side in unison. Dr. Mantel chuckled and directed her index finger to a small peanut sized and shaped baby floating in the strange abyss known as Astoria's uterus.
"That's my baby?" Astoria asked utterly stunned. "Wow its so small"
Narcissa gazed at the little blob that was her second grandchild. It was so tiny it could fit about thirty times in the palm of her hand. So small. Her heart felt swollen within her chest. She had only expected a single grandchild. But now she was to have two. No words could describe how she felt. She squeezed Astoria's hand. "It is ... it's beautiful"
O
Draco gnawed on his lower lip. There was nothing to occupy himself during this particular afternoon, and it was getting late. Where was Harry? Should he not have been home by now? He drummed his fingertips on the tabletop.
Where was he?
His breathing became more frantic as he continued to drum his fingers on the tabletop. His thoughts wondered to Astoria and the baby growing inside of her. How did Harry feel about this? He had acted all merry but Draco still did not know for certain. He was the Golden Boy after all. You could never really tell. Draco did not even know how he felt. Yes, he was excited that he was having another child, but at the same time he would be taking a baby from his lovely wife. He knew she had done some horrible things in her life, but so had he. He wanted to sit Harry down and have a serious conversation about this. About them. Where did they stand? What were they to one another? He clawed at his greasy blonde hair.
Harry? Where are you?
The clock ticked away each quarter hour loudly. His fingertips pressed harshly against his skin and his nails created crescent moons in the pale white flesh.
HARRY!
He pushed himself away from the table and moved into the kitchen. He shifted through the drawers. What if Harry could not be with him because of this baby? What if he could not be a father to a baby that was not his own? It was almost as though Draco had cheated on Harry, and asking him to bear the child from the other half of his life. It was insane!
Why won't you come home?
His hand dove into various drawers, becoming more frantic with each one, sweat hissing on his forehead. He grabbed a slender knife and twirled it around between his forefinger and thumb, letting the lights dance along the blade.
He's probably left me.
Sweat began to hiss and puddle on his skin. His throat was contracting feverishly. Harry wouldn't come home. Tears flew into his eyes. He didn't want to live alone without Harry. His Harry. He wanted Harry home. Where was he? Sweat soaked heavily into his pyjamas. He had had a lazy day and had looked forward to cuddling up next to Harry in front of a movie. He directed the blade to his skin and pushed. He hissed as the skin was pierced and the blade dragged sideways across it. He trembled, the knife shaking in his fist. Tears ran down his pale, hot cheeks. He continued doing it continuously, hot blood seeping through down his arm. Blackness was flooding in front of his eyes. His knees felt heavy and dragged him heavily down onto the floor. He vaguely remember hearing the click of the front door.
"Draco?" approaching footsteps and a blurred figure next to him. "Oh Bloody HELL Draco what do you think you were doing?"
... Blackness.
~O~
Hermione stared disapprovingly down at Draco the next morning. She had stopped by after dropping Lily and Hugo off at school. Harry was sleeping in a tangle of white hospital bed sheets in a cot beside Draco's bed. He had clearly slept fitfully. She sighed. Draco had slept in more-or-less one position. His covers were tucked tightly around him. She did not know how to feel. Something was wrong with Draco, she knew, they all did. But what had triggered this attack was beyond her. She checked at her watch. She needed to get to the cafe. She would let Mona have an extra shift and let Harry stay here. Besides Mona had been begging her for a few extra shifts and now Hermione had an opportunity. She took a small envelope with Draco's name on the front out of her handbag and placed it on Draco's bedside table. She then ran a hand over her growing stomach and decided to leave. She turned and walked out of the ward.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Draco's eyes snapped open. He had not wanted to listen to yet another lecture from Hermione. Not right now anyway. He readjusted himself to turn on his side and faced the sleeping Harry. The damned boy had saved him. I guess he didn't leave me, Draco thought and suddenly a wave of shame pulsated through his veins. He really needed to stop being so paranoid. He chewed his bottom lip. Harry looked so peaceful even if he had slept horrifically.
Draco pushed himself up into a sitting position. A small envelope caught his eye. He frowned. That was not Hermione's handwriting. He tilted his head to one side in concentration. It looked like Astoria's handwriting. But when had she been there? Had he been asleep? Curiously, he picked it up as though it would bite him. He then turned it over and started ripping it open. Two pieces of paper fell out. A photograph and a small note. The note read;
Draco,
This is our new baby. There's no sex just yet. But it's so cute! Narcissa helped me to make the photo move. It's like a little peanut.
Astoria x
Draco's heart lept up into his throat. This way his baby. this little white blob that looked like another magical creature all together, was a baby-Malfoy? It did sort of look like a peanut, he mused. He smiled. He looked over at Harry and felt the smile slide a little. How would Harry react? This poor baby was not going to be rejected. He'll take care of the baby on his own if he had to. The sudden thought scared him. He couldn't do it on his own. Could he? Maybe Harry would like the baby, it was possible. He looked back down at the photograph. It was so surreal.
"Hey, what have you got there?" a husky voice made him jump. He turned his startled expression to see Harry, who had just woken up and was rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses.
Draco gnawed on his lower lip as Harry invited himself into the bed, pulling Draco against his chest. "It's um ... Astoria's baby"
"It's cute" Harry stated nuzzling against Draco's hair. "Just like you"
Draco shifted slightly, "I'm not cute"
Harry chuckled and cuddled Draco closer, "why did you do it?" he asked soberly.
Draco felt his walls break around him. He turned and buried his head against Harry's chest, tears spilling out over his lashes, and was grateful when Harry wrapped his arms around him protectively. "I got scared"
Harry frowned, "of what?"
"Losing you" came the muffled reply from Harry's chest. Harry felt his hard heart melt as he cuddled Draco even more.
"You won't lose me, you silly bear" Draco mentally rolled his eyes at the horrendous nick-name but smiled anyway as he hugged Harry's waist. They both turned to face the small photograph in Draco's hand. "It's a beautiful little baby"
Draco wiped at his eyes, "yeah ... beautiful"
That evening Harry and Draco were allowed to go home. Harry had a small knapsack slung over his shoulder with a change of clothes for him and Draco's pyjamas. Draco followed Harry cautiously. He did not want to go back to his own place but he was not too sure if Harry would want him to sleepover again. He stood just inside the doorway, shifting from foot to foot as Harry went into the bedroom to dump his knapsack on the floor. When Harry reemerged from the bedroom he looked startled that Draco was standing sheepishly by the front door. "You're not leaving are you?" he asked, fear polluting his words. Draco shivered.
"N-no I just ... I didn't know if you wanted me to stay here, not after last night"
Harry smiled weakly and crossed the distance between them. He took hold of Draco's shoulders and looked him square in the eye. "I want you to stay with me because I know you feel comfortable with me and right now I want nothing more than to protect you"
Draco felt warmth rush through him as Harry kisses his forehead. His warm lips were so soft. Draco made a small purring noise. Harry smiled and took the photo from Draco's hands. He walked to the kitchen. Draco frowned and followed him, wondering what Harry was up to. He felt his heart explode when he watched Harry stick the photo on the fridge with a magnet. Harry smiled over his shoulder and walked over to envelope Draco in his arms, his warm lips buried against the cool pillar of Draco's smooth white neck. Draco looked up into those hopeful, loving emerald eyes and felt happy. "Thank you Harry"
Harry wiped a tear from Draco's smooth cheek and kissed his mouth tenderly. "You're welcome Draco"
A/N: Finally the chapter is done. I hope you forgive me for the lateness of this update and that you enjoy the read. ^^ Thanks!