AN- No I don't own the characters
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Chapter 9
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Hermione watched her little boy with a grin. He kept closing and opening his eyes, making gurgling noises, and humming sweet sounds. She couldn't help but giggle and kiss his soft cheeks.
Aidan.
So, that was what Draco wanted to name him?
Reluctantly, she agreed. She was only okay with it because she liked that name too. Not because Draco Malfoy was the father and that he should have the right to name him. No matter what his ego thought.
"How's he doing?"
Hermione looked up and smiled as Astoria entered their room, balancing a platter of food with her left hand.
"He just woke up. What's that you have there?"
Astoria shrugged, placing the tray on the table next to the bed. "I brought you breakfast. Narcissa wanted the house elves to serve it to you but Draco told us about your house elf freedom act."
Hermione frowned. "What?"
"Well, I mean, he didn't exactly tell us in a nice way, of course." Astoria rolled her eyes. "There was lots of name-calling, and saying things like how you shouldn't have a say because –"
"Because I don't belong in the Wizarding world, I know," Hermione finished for her, wrapping Aidan with a blanket as she gathered him in her arms. Draco was too predictable; she knew exactly what he said in that conversation.
Astoria bit her bottom lip, looking ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I really don't think that way anymore. Not since you helped the Malfoys and –"
"I got it, thanks," Hermione said, cutting her off again.
She didn't mean to sound cold but it was just too early to deal with that conversation right now. Where was Harry, Ron, or even Ginny? They promised her that they would be here today.
The atmosphere in the room was beginning to suffocate Hermione. She could feel Astoria's eyes gazing at her baby and her. Who wouldn't look at him? He was only a few hours old and already he was getting more attention than she had done in her lifetime.
"He looks just like Draco," Astoria murmured, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She lifted her hand to softly caress Aidan's head. "You're very lucky, Hermione. I know you'll be a great mother."
Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise before smiling. "Um, thank you. Really, Astoria, that mean's a lot."
Another awkward silence.
"I better let Narcissa know you're both awake," Astoria said, clearing her throat to break the silence. She gave Hermione a quick smile before leaving the room.
Once Hermione heard the door click close, she couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh. Finally, she was alone. She looked down at Aidan and saw him staring up at her.
Hermione grinned. "Good morning, baby."
Aidan blinked and gurgled. He lifted both of his hands to clench and unclench his fists as his eyes darted from the ceiling to Hermione. He made a small soft cry before yawning and closing his eyes again.
Hermione laughed. "Oh no, don't tell me you're sleepy again?"
Again, Aidan opened his mouth and let out another gurgle. He reopened his tiny grey eyes and stared at his mother again. He scrunched up his face before reaching his hands up towards her and letting them fall, smacking his face by accident.
Hermione laughed, taking his hand. "What are you doing, you silly boy?"
She could have sworn Aidan was giving her the infamous Malfoy glare before he started crying again.
"What's wrong, darling? Are you hungry?" Hermione asked, adjusting his blanket.
Thankfully, whilst she was pregnant, she was smart enough to read about all that she could about breastfeeding. She sat up straighter and pulled down the top of her pajamas to expose one breast. She grabbed another soft blanket and laid it on top of her to cover herself and Aidan.
She lifted the blanket so she could see Aidan searching for milk and winced when she felt his mouth latching onto her breast. Hermione recovered from the discomfort and smiled. Astoria was right, she was lucky. Even though the beginning was hell, the outcome was beautiful.
"What are you doing?" a voice with a bored tone asked from the doorway.
Hermione jerked in surprise, causing Aidan to let go.
He cried again, searching for the source with his mouth, although his eyes remained closed. Hermione adjusted the blanket again to cover her modesty and watched as Aidan kept struggling. Noticing his trouble, she supported her breast so he could have an easy reach. After a few moments, he finally latched on.
Embarrassed at being caught at such an intimate moment, she looked up and glared at the intruder. "What do you want, Malfoy?"
Draco raised an eyebrow as he stepped inside the room, closing the door. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Hermione snapped. "I'm breastfeeding."
"Why can't you just do it magically instead of –'' his face crumpled into a dramatic and disgusted expression ''– the Muggle way?"
"Seriously, what do you want?" Hermione asked, keeping her voice soft so Aidan didn't get frightened.
"Mother got this for you." He tossed a gift-wrapped box towards her. Thankfully, she caught it or else the infant would have taken the blow.
Not that he cared.
Hermione's eyes lit up with childish excitement she opened the present. She grinned, pulling out a new soft baby blanket and a teddy bear.
"Mother bought the blanket. The teddy though, that's magically made. You don't have to worry about him trying to bite it or anything. It's not dangerous like the Muggle ones," Draco said, watching as Hermione stared at the teddy. He cleared his throat before continuing. "The teddy was mine, actually. But mother thought your son might like it."
Without thinking, Hermione fully grinned at him. "Thank you."
He didn't like this unfamiliar feeling he was experiencing.
It was too... warm.
"I didn't give it to you, Mudblood,'' Draco drawled, making sure to keep his voice harsh, "Mother did."
Hermione blinked before nodding. "Right," She said, as she is finishing breastfeeding Aidan. "Well, thank your mother for me when you see her, please."
"Whatever," Draco shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant while crossing his arms and walking towards her.
"Is that all you came here for?" She asked, letting Aidan hold onto the teddy bear as she unwrapped him from the old blanket, replacing it with the new, softer one.
"Can't a father see his own child?" Draco asked, a sly smirk forming on his face.
Hermione stiffened.
What the hell?
His own child?
Was he seriously talking about Aidan? She shook her head slowly. How dare he? The anger rushed through her veins so quickly that Hermione had to close her eyes for a second to take a deep breath.
"Excuse me?" she hissed, her voice low as she reopened her eyes to shoot a glare at the man. "How dare you even – you wanted nothing to do with him! How dare you call yourself his father?"
"Easy," Draco said casually. "Don't forget, Mudblood, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even have a child."
Hermione wanted to punch his pointed face, "Fuck you, Malfoy. Get the hell out of my room."
"Ah, but technically, this is still my room." Draco grinned maliciously, nodding around them. "So, I think it is I that should tell you – as you so kindly put it – to get the hell out."
"You're a bastard," Hermione whispered, noticing Aidan was falling asleep again.
"Wrong person," Draco smirked, making himself comfortable on the edge of the bed.
Ignoring Draco, she covered her breast and pulled the blanket away from them. She pushed herself back until her backside hit the wall and placed her son beside her. She took another soft blanket and wrapped it around Aidan, making sure none of the cold touched him.
"Why not just perform a warming spell or something?" Draco asked, his lips curling into a sneer. "Why do you have to make things so difficult?"
Hermione continued to ignore him. Sighing, she bent down to kiss Aidan's forehead before murmuring, "I love you, darling," in a soothing voice.
She could hear the blonde's irritated sigh.
Why was he still here?
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"Are you ignoring me, Mudblood?" Draco snapped, clearly annoyed.
How dare she ignore him? Here he was, giving her his room, his best Healer, and his hospitality, and this is how she repays him?
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione grumbled, getting up slowly to not disturb the sleeping infant.
"What's his name?" Draco asked, his eyes resting at the baby. Merlin, he's so tiny.
"That's none of your business," Hermione mumbled, walking to the mirror to cast a glamour charm on herself to disguise her exhaustion and messed hair.
"So, you're using spells to do your hair and face but you refuse to use spells on the baby?" Draco asked accusingly, raising an eyebrow as he watched her.
He could hear her letting out a heavy sigh.
"Merlin, you don't get it, do you?" She asked furiously, turning around to face him. "I want to do things by hand when it comes to Aidan. A child needs his mother's –"
"Aidan?" Draco interrupted.
Hermione blinked. "What?"
He rolled his eyes. Honestly, they call this witch the brightest of her age? "You named him Aidan?"
She could feel the heat blooming around her face. "Yes, so what?"
Draco grinned widely, causing Hermione to frown in surprise. Merlin, she had never seen him grin like that before. He almost looked boyish. Maybe even handsome.
No.
He was still a rotten git.
"I'm glad you took my suggestion into consideration," he said, placing his hands on the back of his head before lying down on the bed. His eyes were still glued to hers.
"I didn't," she snapped, glaring at him. "I picked it because I liked that name too."
"Mmm, I'm sure," he smirked, turning to his side so he was fully facing at her.
Hermione continued to glare back and she crossed her arms. She hated the way he was looking at her, but she refused to show how much it was affecting her.
His piercing gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips. He noticed the way she was nervously biting her bottom lip and inwardly groaned. Despite her filthy blood, he wasn't blind. She was an attractive woman. His gaze lingered on her lips until it moved downwards, and he made an appreciative sound in his throat.
Hermione flushed. She knew what he was trying to do, and it was working. It was making her uncomfortable. "What are you staring at, Malfoy?"
"You." His smirk widened. Clearly he was enjoying her discomfort. "Care for another fuck, Granger?"
Hermione gasped and felt the impulse to cast a jinx at him. Draco blocked it with lightening-fast reflexes.
"Careful now, Mudblood," Draco snickered, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"You're a bastard," Hermione repeated. "A complete and utter –"
"Ah, like I said, wrong person," Draco interrupted, getting up walking towards her, "I'm not the bastard, Granger."
Hermione took a step back. It was pretty much useless since her back hit the mirror, trapping her. "Then, who is, Malfoy?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Draco asked softly, although there was a harsh glint in his eye. He nodded towards Aidan, but kept his gaze on her. "Your filthy spawn, Granger, that's who."
Hermione gasped. Before she could say anything else, the door flew open.
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Narcissa and Astoria rushed into the room, their eyes wide at the scene before them. Astoria quickly went to Hermione's side as Narcissa started towards Draco.
"Draco Malfoy, how dare you?" Narcissa scolded. She looked over at Aidan and quickly cast a silencing charm. She glared back at Draco. "How dare you call your own son that word when that boy has you as his –"
''Mother, that's enough," Draco interrupted impatiently, stepping away from Hermione to face his mother. "I wasn't joking when I told Astoria and Blaise that I don't want that half-blood –"
"Still?" Hermione asked, her voice low in a whisper. She was in shock... How can he say that now? She hated to admit it, but she thought that he would have felt at something for Aidan! After all he'd done for them? He gave them his own bedroom, and, for Merlin's sake, he even named him!
"Yes, still!" Draco snapped, disturbing her thoughts. "He's still half Muggle –"
"Look at him, Malfoy," Hermione interjected, ignoring Astoria's silent protests and walking towards him, "look at Aidan and tell me you don't feel anything at all! Tell me that you don't care even a little for your own son."
Draco merely looked at the sleeping infant with disinterest for a second before turning back to her. His voice was hard and sure. "I do not want him, or you, Granger. Like I said before, I never want to see you and your spawn again."
Hermione didn't understand. Yes, she was mad at him to the point that she didn't want him to see her giving birth, but if he was willing to try and - dare she think it, change - then she would let him see Aidan, even for only a little while.
It would have been the least she could do after he showed a little bit of kindness.
With the look on his face and the way his lips curled into a snarl as he glared at her, challenging her to talk back, it's clear he still doesn't care. Not one bit.
"Malfoy –"
"Fuck, Granger!" Draco shouted angrily, ignoring his mother's sounds of outrage. "Did you think I was joking? That I would change my mind?"
Hermione felt the familiar sting behind her eyes and quickly looked away. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her hurt. He's seen enough.
"All right," she said, her cracked voice betraying her defiance, "if that's what you want."
"Thank Merlin!" Draco rejoiced, "Finally! Yes, that is what I want, Mudblood. I don't need you or that child to mess with my reputation –"
"I said I got it," Hermione interrupted coolly. She walked around him until she reached Aidan. Gently, she gathered the peaceful looking infant in her arms and took out her wand.
She paused and looked back at Draco, "When – when I leave, this will be permanent."
Draco raised an eyebrow before flicking his wand. "I've just altered the room's wards so you can freely apparate out of here, Granger. I'm waiting, but you keep opening the mouth of yours."
Hermione swallowed hard before continuing. "If you don't change your mind before I leave, I will make sure that you don't see Aiden, or hear about him, Draco. You won't be part of his life."
Draco huffed impatiently and rolled his eyes.
"I'm serious!" Hermione said. "One day, if you've changed your mind for whatever reason and decide that you do want to be part of Aidan's life, it will be too late."
Draco barked a laugh. "Oh, please, in your dreams, Granger. That will never happen, I can assure you."
"I'm giving you one last chance, Draco –"
"Bloody hell, Granger," Draco laughed, "are you honestly that desperate? How many times does a bloke have to tell you?"
He strode towards her until his face was only inches from hers; his breath hitting her with every harsh word.
"I know how girls think. Don't for one day think that I could ever feel anything for you and Aidan, Granger. Just because I gave you a son, it doesn't mean anything. Do you understand?"
Hermione looked down at her still-sleeping son, before looking back up at his biological father.
"I said, do you understand?" Draco asked slowly, his voice low.
"Perfectly," she replied, nodding.
Taking a step away from him, she lifted her wand and glanced at Astoria and Narcissa. She gave them a sad smile. "I'm sorry for everything." Her eyes lingered at Astoria. "I'm so sorry.''
Before they could say anything, she apparated away.
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Once Hermione had appeared to her destination, she tightened her embrace around Aidan and dropped down to the ground in exhaustion. She leant against the wall and peered down to see Aidan awake and staring at her.
She didn't realize her tears had finally fallen until her son reached his tiny fingers upwards to catch one of the teary tracks on her cheeks.
"Aidan," Hermione said softly, leaning down to kiss the top of his nose, "it's just you and me now."
He blinked, but thankfully didn't cry. He just continued to stare at her with those eyes that reminded her so much of his father.
Draco.
Merlin, did he really hate her that much that he didn't want to be in the life of his own son? He was serious. He didn't want Aidan.
She looked back at the infant and bit her bottom lip as she felt her heart weighing heavier.
"I'm so sorry, Aidan –" Her voice broke as she clutched Aidan tighter "– I'm sorry."
She was sorry that his father didn't want him. She was sorry that in the future he was going to question why his friends had dads and he didn't. Most of all, she was sorry that she couldn't be good enough for him. Unknowingly, her self-doubt was beginning to increase.
Despite all the books she had read, this was different.
She pulled Aidan even closer into her torso and brought her face down to his cheek before finally letting all the stress and pain pour out of her.
"Pardon me, madam," a concerned voice said moments later, "are you all right?"
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Hermione quickly wiped the tears from her eyes before looking up to flash the man a fake smile. "I'm okay, thank you."
Wait... he looks oddly familiar. Hermione tried to wrack her brain with the names of people she knew back at work.
"Are you sure?" he asked, bending down until he was at eye level with her. He noticed Aidan and nodded towards him. "Is your baby alright? Not hurt, I hope?"
Hermione felt foolish. She should have apparated inside her flat immediately instead of appearing in the first place she had thought of.
The man frowned before standing up and extending his hand towards her. "Do you need any help?"
She took it gratefully and stood up. "No, thank you. I've um... I fell."
He raised an eyebrow. "You fell. In the middle of a dark alleyway?"
Hermione blushed. "It wasn't that dark," she mumbled.
The man tilted his head to the side, examining her. "You look like someone I used to know."
"Funny, you look familiar too," she replied, extending her hand for a handshake.
Since he had been such a gentleman and the only person who had been nice to her today, she could at least introduce herself.
So, she beamed another fake smile. "Hello, my name is Hermione Granger."
The man's eyes widened with surprise before he grinned with recognition. "Why, hello there, Hermione Granger." He shook her hand and smirked. "My name is Theodore Nott."
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"Why didn't you tell me?"
Draco rolled his eyes towards the ceiling before looking back at Astoria. Couldn't he just enjoy his dinner in peace?
"Tell you what?"
"You know very well what," Astoria snapped, violently placing her goblet down on the table. "Why didn't you tell me that you and Hermione –"
"Don't," Draco snarled, glaring at her. "First of all, the boy isn't mine, all right? Get that through your pretty skull, Astoria. Second of all, it's none of your business."
Astoria gawked at him before hissing, "None of my business? Excuse me, but I happen to be your future wife! I have every business to know who my husband fools around with –"
"Your duty as a wife is to help create an heir and make yourself look pretty," Draco told her, already bored with the conversation. "Surely, as a Pureblood, you already know that."
Astoria closed her mouth and stared at Draco for a while. This was who she would be marrying? Shaking her head in disgust, she threw her napkin on the table and stood up.
"I'm going to pay Blaise a visit," she snapped, "to see what he's done to my wedding dress so far."
"Am I supposed to care?" Draco asked in his bored tone, sipping his soup.
Well, you should,. "I just thought that I would let you know."
"No need to ask for my permission," Draco smirked, "but you can go if you want."
Before she did something she would regret, Astoria left.
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Finally.
Draco let out a heavy sigh. He dropped his spoon into the bowl and leant back to rub his face. Merlin, he was so fucking tired. First, his mother is showing a bit of interest towards that boy and Granger… and now his fiancé?
Stupid Mudblood. Everything was her fault.
With a grunt and sudden loss of appetite, he stood up and walked towards his room. He kicked the door open and glared down at the wrinkled blankets Hermione had used for her and Aidan.
He hesitated for only a second before casting Scourgify on the bed. There was no way he wanted Mudblood germs on his bed.
After he finished preparing himself, he threw himself onto the bed with a loud groan. Finally, some peace and quiet. Finally, he could relax and not have to deal with Granger and her filthy half-blood offspring.
So he should feel happy, right? Ecstatic, even. But, for some obscure reason, he felt different.
Shaking his head at his foolishness, he rolled over to turn onto his side. He grunted as his ribs unexpectedly made contact with a strange object.
Sitting up, he pulled the blanket down to see what it was and felt a soft weight slamming down on his chest.
Hermione forgot the teddy bear.
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THANK YOU TO MAGICIS-MIGHT FROM TUMBLR FOR BETA-ING THIS CHAPTER! YOU'RE AWESOME!
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