This was painful chapter to write.

Chapter 14: Chapter 14

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Love

Sw.

The Other Side of Hell

I sat in bed, with unseeing eyes. Draco was kneeling in front of me. He had gotten me a calming draught.

"What's the matter Hermione? Talk to me."

I flicked my wand and levitated the note, so he could read it.

I hugged my legs, and looked at the door. Poor Tom, sad and lonely Tom. The beast with the angelic face had been unleashed, now the world would know true horror.

Draco's face radiated unabated joy. He hugged me and kissed me.

"Oh Hermione, this is wonderful. Mother will be thrilled!"

His joy was contagious. My eyes watered, never in my wildest dreams had I imagined I would be granted a family. I couldn't help but smile.

"Draco you do realize all hell will break loose?"

His smile faded, and his wandering stopped.

"He need never know. We should leave this place immediately, he surely will want to see you this morning we must avoid this at all costs."

I rose and looked into my drawers.

"Too late. He was here earlier."

"What?"

I turned and looked through the window absentmindedly.

"It was for the best. He knocked on the door. Had I not opened the door, he would've entered the room and killed you on the spot. His shock saved your life."

He sat on the bed and rested his head on his hands.

"We are doomed."

I smiled.

"We were from the very beginning."

He smirked at this.

"You are right. But you do realize he will be out for blood?"

I reassumed grabbing my clothes for the day.

"Yes, but not only our own. I bet by this time tomorrow blood will run. We should prepare ourselves. Get ready, we are leaving today."

An hour latter we sat in front of Antoine.

His bright violet eyes had lost luster.

"So we come to part, it had to happen. But in my opinion this is far too soon. I understand, but still I'll see you go with pain in my heart."

Draco could barely contain his smile.

"Draco Malfoy, take good care of this woman, in her hands rests the fate of many of us."

Draco's eyes hardened.

"Never forget that for Malfoy's family always comes first, you've played us. I'll remember this."

I stood.

Antoine came to stand before me.

"Child, you and your kids will always be welcomed in my home. If things turn for the worse, feel free to come here. I'll protect you and your kids."

I hugged him and whispered in his ear.

"You betrayed me. This is the last you'll ever see of me. Given time I'll forgive you. Tom never will. I promise you this, ere he is gone, he'll come looking for you."

I stepped away, and he took a parcel from bellow his robes.

"Nonetheless, my offer stands. Here is my last gift for you. A picture and THE cup if you get my meaning. I would suggest you deal with it once you've had your baby, for his safety."

I took a step back.

"Draco, would you mind handling that package. I am not taking any chances, there is no way I'll touch that parcel while I'm pregnant. I won't chance being dragged into it."

I put everything back into my purse, while Draco got ready.

Antoine had a look of utter melancholy on his face.

"I never saw Tom as happy as when he was with you. He'll come around, just give him time to cool off."

I smirked.

"I know he will, and in due time that'll be his ruin."

There was a knock on the door and Draco entered.

The fine English gentleman, with a classic black suit and a gray tie, his happiness only augmented his natural beauty.

Whatever may come, he'd stand by my side.

I hugged him, needing to feel sheltered and loved. His scent was a mix of woods. Being a head taller than me I felt almost childlike in his arms.

"Hermione, we must go," he gently pushed me to the side giving me a kiss on my forehead.

"Thank you for your hospitality Antoine," even his voice had a tilt of joy.

Antoine stood and hugged him, "Boy, you owe me more than you can imagine. Be good, be brave, die a good death."

Draco's features hardened, but he remained silent.

Antoine made a move to come close to me, I took a step back. He inclined his head. "Bye little one, be strong, be smart and endure to live a happy life."

I grabbed Draco's hand, intertwining our fingers.

At this Draco turned and stared walking.

Antoine's voice made us halt, "You may apparate from any place in my house."

He had barely finished saying this when I felt the nauseating feeling of sidelong apparition.

When we landed I had my eyes closed, nausea was building in my body, the room was spinning.

Draco grabbed both of my arms and whispered meaningless nothings into my ear. I took long, slow breaths to steady myself, till it passed.

I opened my eyes and gazed into his loving eyes. I felt a chunk of ice melt from my wounded heart at his love.

He stepped aside and allowed me to see where we were.

I panicked. Malfoy Manor, my own personal Hell.

I could feel the goose-bumps rise from my legs to my arms. I swallowed several times. My breathing became erratic.

"What's the meaning of this Draco?"

He hugged me, and instantly I felt the panic begin to ebb away.

"I know you have your worst memories in this place, believe me so do I. My mother will protect us and care for you. We cannot live in the wilderness in your condition; you need a healthy diet and many cares. Mother has been longing for grandchildren for the longest time; she will take you in like a daughter. There is no need to worry about father or Tom here. Father cannot enter mother's side of the Mansion. Since all the gatherings of Death Eaters are carried out here, Tom would never know to look for us here.

It is the safest place to raise a little one. The magic from my apparition will mingle with the other thousand times I apparated to this same spot. As long as we don't use magic here, we should be safe. Once you've had the baby, we can continue destroying the Horocruxes."

I inhaled that distinct scent of cleanness in the air.

"Ok. I'll trust your instincts."

He smiled, and schooled his features into cold indifference.

We stood in a long corridor, with marble floors. This corridor ran in a rectangle shape covering the entrance to a magnificent garden. Huge windows were romantically dressed by white curtains. On the other side of the windows, there were dark mahogany doors and wide corridors.

"Mother!" Draco's voice rang freely to every corner.

For a moment I feared someone would hear him, but then I remembered the size of the place meant screams went unheard.

A couple of moments passed before I heard the clear sound of heals, a fast paced clamor, getting closer by the minute.

Then she appeared, Mrs. Malfoy; a well bred lady, with her blonde hair and purple dress. Pearls were meant to be worn by women such as her. The pearls were an ornament to this beauty of a woman.

I had never seen her like this. Her teary eyes spoke volumes of her love for her son.

"Draco…"

She hugged him, the way only a mother can.

To my utter astonishment she kissed him on the cheek and sobbed, "My boy."

Draco's features softened. "It's alright Mother, I am here. It's alright."

"He has declared you public enemy number 3, what were you thinking?"

Draco smiled.

"Mother, there is something you should know. Dry your tears, for I come bearing a gift for you. Remember all those times you'd say you wanted grandchildren? Well, there is a little Malfoy inside of the girl standing behind me."

Narcissa's blue eyes sparkled; she set her gaze on me.

I couldn't help but feel small in front of such a woman.

I gulped, as she walked closer to me.

She got her wand, and I fearfully looked at Draco. He just nodded and winked.

Against my every instinct I allowed Mrs. Malfoy to cast what she pleased on my person. Draco would never let me get hurt.

I closed my eyes and flinched, expecting to feel the spell. After a couple of seconds in which nothing happened, I opened my eyes to find a trail of blue smoke rising from my belly to my eye level. The smoke formed the Malfoy crest.

It was a pregnancy spell, to detect the heirs to the Malfoy name.

Mrs. Malfoy turned to look at her son. "One can never be too sure."

I colored at this.

"Come here dear," said Mrs. Malfoy, indicating I should follow her.

I did and Draco, caught up with me. Grabbing my hand and kissing it.

We walked by many master pieces, draperies, paintings, unique artifacts, all of them with a distinct beauty or value.

Draco caught me staring and whispered.

"All of these are mother's inheritance from the house of Black."

I marveled.

We came to a parlor, where Mrs. Malfoy called an elf.

The small elf was all smiles and devotion to Mrs. Malfoy.

"What can Murly do for Mrs.?"

"Bring me a healty breakfast. Murly we are expecting an heir to the Malfoy name, take special care in the making of all food that is to be served from now on and let no one know of this."

The small elf ran towards me and looked into my eyes as she set a hand to my belly. A huge smile appeared on her face, so big was it I thought her face would split in two.

With a pop the elf was gone.

"Please sit down. Now I'd like to hear how you are alive. Last time I saw My Lord, he was bent on your destruction Draco. My did your father pay, though he had it coming."

Draco made to start speaking.

"I'd prefer if Hermione told me the sequence of events."

I looked into her eyes, expecting disgust, only to find a small smile and unknown warmth.

"Mrs. Malfoy, it all…"

"Please from now on call me Narcissa, you are to be the mother of my grandchild."

I blinked.

"Narcissa, well…"

And so I told her everything, down to the last dot, well except for the Horocruxes.

As I was finishing the story, Narcissa interrupted me.

"There is something missing in your story, why did Antoine appear all of a sudden in your life. Why did you enter my sister's home?"

I blanched.

Draco laughed.

"Hermione, dear, there is one thing I forgot to tell you about mother. She is quite the bright witch. What Hermione here forgot to say, is that we have been hunting Horocruxes."

Narcissa's features became troubled.

"I feared as much, my Lord is too smart for his own good. But Horocruxes is going too far even for him."

Draco grabbed my hand, "Don't worry Hermione, we can trust my mother. She is the best occulmens out there. To my knowledge only she and Snape can fool the Dark Lord."

With a pop our food appeared, and so began my life at Malfoy Manor.