Disclaimer: I am not and therefore never will be J.K. Rowling; and as such the story I shall post consists of my own plot, and borrowed Characters from J.K.
"Who was that?"
"Lavender Brown of course"
"She's pregnant?"
Chapter 9: Bloody Proof
"Yeah, I don't know who the father is; she either doesn't know herself which wouldn't surprise me or she doesn't want to share it."
Draco shook his head, "Shit," he looked towards Daphne, "Did she seem surprised that she was pregnant?"
She shook her head, "Of course not, she stopped getting her anti-pregnancy potion about six months ago, she obviously hoped or knew this would happen… She was over the moon when she came in last month and I told her she was pregnant… She did that really grating squeak, hugging me and such." Daphne flung her arms around momentarily as a sign of frustration before roughly tucking the bedding underneath the bed. "That woman annoys me too much, and yet they insist I am the one to deal with her."
"Do you have any inclination of who the father is?" Draco fished for a definitive answer for his assumptions.
"Well my guess is a wizard" she paused and Draco furrowed his eye brows, "She's not the strongest magical ability and that baby is stronger than her, so my guess would be a wizard. As for who? I have no idea. You'd have to ask Pansy if she knows who Lavender's going out with. Imagine if it was a married man… Pansy would die to bring down a Gryffindor." Draco paled considerably.
"Daph, I need you to not tell Pans… if you do it will blow back up in her face." Then a light bulb seemed to go off in the back of his head, "I'll go speak to Ms Brown… see if I can get who the father is out of her."
Daphne furrowed her eyebrows at Draco, wondering what he was going to do, and why he was doing it. "I have an assumption of who I think it is… and if it is, as much as I would love to bring them down, I can't do it to the other innocents involved."
He decided not to go into detail about his assumptions preferring to keep his cards close to his chest. Daphne simply nodded, "I hope you will tell me, but I won't mention anything to Pansy."
Draco nodded smiling, "That's all I ask" he quickly kissed each of Daphne's cheeks, "Now if you'll excuse me I'll leave you to hormonal women and see you next weekend?" He was referring to the next Quidditch Match taking place this coming weekend between Puddlemere United and Appleby Arrows, her answer was a nod before Draco took off down the corridor.
He reached the lift having sprinted to find Lavender still waiting.
Deciding to play it cool he stood back from her and when the lift arrived he stepped forward before bowing slightly stretching his arm out to the door, "Ladies first" she giggled and stepped forward. "Do I know you? You look familiar" he stated as he stepped in after her.
She looked up at him briefly, "Yeah, I'm Lavender Brown!" She squealed.
He faked a smile, "Ah a Gryffindor."
She smiled again, "And you're a Slytherin Mr. Malfoy."
He smirked, turning the Malfoy charm up, "Call me Draco," he leant forward capturing her hand bring it to his lips.
She pulled it away slowly, "I guess I shouldn't be doing that…" Draco stated seriously, and when she looked up at him he sighed, "You're already taken, I assume."
"What makes you say that?"
"Well you've just been to the maternity ward, and anatomy deduces that there must be a man in your life."
Lavender nodded slowly a strong waft of her perfume reaching Draco's nose, causing him to gag slightly.
"And who may I ask is the lucky man?" he asked as the lift pulled to a stop at the ground floor and everyone vacated the small space.
She blushed but didn't answer, so Draco used another tactic, "I for one always thought you and Ron Weasley were a good match," her smile grew. "Is it him?" Draco asked, "You're blushing, is that my answer?"
She nodded mutely, "Well congratulations are in order I guess." He shook his head as if to expel a bad thought catching Lavender's attention.
"What?" she asked quietly.
"Nothing… it's just I didn't think him and Granger had split, I haven't heard anything unless Potter's helped to keep it out of the press." Her smile faltered momentarily.
"Won-won said he was leaving her soon." Draco unconsciously rolled his eyes, how many times had people used that line… and he felt more nausea overcome him at her use of his Weaselbee's nickname.
"Well still I must congratulate you both," he glanced at the clock above the reception desk, "Oh look at the time, I really must be going I've got a meeting in five minutes. It was nice seeing you Ms. Brown and good luck." He faked a smile before leaving the hospital.
--11.30am--
By the end of his meeting with Head of the British and Irish Quidditch League, Draco was in a foul mood, he had a continuous scowl gracing his features. Hebarked at people who got in his way as he made his way from level seven: Department of Magical Games and Sports, to level two: Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
He stepped out of the second level and walked casually over to a receptionist's desk, "Can I help you Mr. Malfoy?" she asked politely, smiling up at him.
He nodded, "Yes, I'm looking for Hermione Gr- Weasley?" the woman looked over his shoulder briefly but Draco didn't bother to turn around.
"Ah yes Mrs. Weasley's just come in," she paused as she pulled out a parchment with a map on it, "Her office is here" she pointed on the map, "Walk down this corridor, turn left and then the first right, that's her section. Her office is the end one there." She smiled sweetly as Draco took the map off her, scanning it, before giving it back.
Draco walked along the corridor he had been directed, taking a left he saw a flash of a brown curly mane as it rounded the corner, picking up his stride; he rounded the next right to see Hermione walking ahead of him.
"Hermione?" he shouted causing the person to swivel revealing them self to him, though their footsteps didn't finish.
A woman's voice sounded "Mrs. Weasley," only seconds before Hermione stumbled slipping on some water on the floor and crashing to the floor.
Draco dropped the cloak he had looped over his arm, his anger dissipating as he rushed to help the injured woman. He soon became surrounded by employees as they rallied to help any way they could, glad to be able to stop their work even momentarily.
He barked out orders to the people around sending them off for certain things before he graciously picked the unconscious women off the floor, asking which one was Hermione's office.
An older woman stepped forward to lead him to Hermione's office, "It's this one," she ushered him in switching on the lights dimly so that he could see what he was doing. A younger man entered seconds later holding a damp cloth, passing it to the woman before scurrying back out to his desk gawking through Hermione's office window much like the other employees.
Hermione's work colleagues all whispered amongst themselves wondering but mainly speculating why Draco Malfoy, world renowned Quidditch player, was here in this part of the building as well as being here to see Hermione Weasley of all people. As far as the gossipers knew she rarely if ever spoke to the man, and thus he had no real reason to be here.
Inside the office Draco's wand was running up and down Hermione's body focusing on her head and ankles for any sign of injury. Though none were identified her shoes were ruined: the heel having snapped off and they had slight water damage, as well as being in good need of a polish. A head trauma had knocked her unconscious, though there was no terminal damage.
Draco carefully took each shoe off, giving the foot a small massage to start blood flow, before he turned and exited the room to find his over cloak. A rather chirpy, attractive woman walked towards him.
"Here you go Mr. Malfoy!" She handed the coat over as a blush spread across her cheeks before she blew a kiss towards him.
Laughing to himself with his notorious smirk on his face, he walked back to Hermione's office, closing the blinds to deter the onlookers as he went. Once back inside, he knelt next to Hermione, holding her hand as he spoke to the older woman who was still in the room.
"I'm Draco Malfoy," he handed his unoccupied right hand over to the woman.
"I know who you are Mr. Malfoy-" she said shaking his hand.
He interrupted her, "Please call me Draco- Mr. Malfoy is my father."
"Well, M- Draco, I'm Elizabeth, Mrs. Weasley's assistant." Draco's tongue extended as if he had a bad taste in his mouth, 'Weasley'.
But Elizabeth chose to ignore him, "What, may I ask, are you doing in this neck of the woods."
Draco smirked, when Hermione had first used that Muggle term during their seventh year he had been confused, but know he knew what it meant he found it odd that another witch was using it to.
"Either you're Muggle-born or Hermione said that saying to you."
The woman smiled obviously used to people being slightly rude to her, "I'm half-blood and yes Hermione did tell it me. But that doesn't answer my question."
He conceded bowing his head slightly, "I came to see if she was alright" he rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand as he looked towards the other woman, "She's had a rough couple of days."
"I wasn't aware you and Hermione were on friendly terms…" she trailed as she added in her head 'especially as you're being very affectionate.'
Draco was saved from replying when a delirious Hermione came to, "Ron?"
--Tuesday--
--Hermione--
Having taken the previous day off work to sort out some of the added security measures at her and Rose's new house Tuesday was Hermione's first day back to work. She had sent an owl late Sunday evening in order to make an appointment for sometime on Monday to meet with the Minister for Marriages, unfortunately a letter had returned stating the Minister was out and she wouldn't be back until Tuesday. Hermione had then made an appointment for first thing in the morning Tuesday, deciding to get it out of the way before she got back into her routine.
Though Hermione thought it would be an easy affair, simply a case of ask for a divorce and you shall receive- fate seemed to have another idea as Hermione found…
--Morning--
Hermione wasn't due back into work until lunch time so she decided to use the visitor's entrance into the Ministry of Magic; walking along Great Scotland Yard she came to the run down red phone box she needed, looking around to make sure there were no Muggles hanging around she entered the phone box.
She picked up the receiver to be able to dial the number: 6-2-4-4-2 and a voice suddenly sounded out in the confined space. "Please state your name and business."
"Umm, yes Hermione Granger, I'm here for a meeting with the Minister for Marriages," a slight pause followed at the other end before a silver visitors badge appeared with her name and purpose, before the phone box began acting like a lift taking her down towards the Atrium of the Ministry.
She walked along the crowded Atrium towards the golden gates at the end of the corridor, her heels clicking on the polished dark wood floor periodically with each stride she took, and the occasional double step as she avoided someone coming at her or an inter-department memo. She stopped mid way to be awe inspired by The Fountain of Magical Brethren before she continued to the gate and the security by it.
"Morning Mrs. Weasley," the aging watchwizard: Eric Munch said as she approached.
"Good morning to you to Eric," she glanced down at him as she stopped, at his furrowed eyebrows she simply said, "I'm not due in until dinner. I have another meeting to get to."
"Oh just go in," the man stated as he waved her ahead.
Hermione shook her head, "You know I can't do that Eric, regulation dictates you need to register my wand" being a stickler for the rules was one characteristic of Hermione's which hadn't been lost over the years.
"Mrs. Weasley you have worked here for about ten years, I know you don't mean any harm."
"Yes, but how do you know I'm not a Polyjuice version? Seeking to bring down the Ministry?" She tried to justify her sticking to the rules.
"Because you wouldn't go spreading that around, you would have walked past by now," a voice drawled at the side of Hermione.
Eric chuckled, "Right you are Mr. Zabini" Hermione turned to make sure it was the man she thought it was- Blaise Zabini, "And what can I do for you this lovely day Mr. Zabini?"
"You can register my wand… I'm due to the Portkey Office soon, yet another trip to Italy is needed." He shook his head as he held out his wand for the older gentlemen. Who took Hermione's once he had given Blaise his back.
When Hermione's had been checked she turned around to find Blaise waiting for her, quirking an eyebrow she waited for him to explain. "I thought we could talk," she raised her eye brows more at the statement but nodded anyway. "I heard you have been hanging around Malfoy Manor?" it was more a statement than a question but it broke the awkward conversation slightly.
The simply nod in answer to his query satisfied him that she was going to answer; "I don't care about the reasons though Pansy will probably hex me to next week for not asking, I just have the feeling that something important is going on between you and Draco…"
Scrunching her nose Hermione held her hand up to stop him, "Nothing is going on between me and Malfoy, he was kind enough to offer me somewhere to stay when I needed it. That's it."
"It's just I came back from Italy to find my wife grilling our son about you and Draco, though she wouldn't tell me what it was."
"Have you spoken to Malfoy about it?"
Blaise shook his head, "He's due round to Zabini Villa tonight for our weekly get together" he shrugged his shoulders, "I doubt he'll even answer my question directly… he often needs to have fifteen glasses before he unwinds and drops his guard. Like the time in seventh year when he found out he was bet-" he cut himself off abruptly.
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, 'He couldn't possibly be talking about the time Malfoy came back to their dorm smelling like a brewery'. Draco had returned to find Hermione sitting on a chair near the fire, a blanket wrapped around her to her shoulders and book in hand. He stood rooted to the spot just inside the door as he stared at her form… for all intents and purposes she looked asleep. A book was held tightly in her hand, but it wasn't in a position she could read it. The position she was in looked rather like she had stopped mid sentence and fell asleep. Draco's mumbling had roused her slightly but she didn't open her eyes, she heard a few comprehendible words such as "love" "sorry" and something about a "shock" he stopped himself through his mid confession by falling asleep on their common room settee. She had found out the next day that he was betrothed to Astoria Greengrass and summarised that's what he had been mumbling about.
"Maybe you and Rose is it?" Hermione was brought from her thoughts by Blaise speaking again just before the lift came, "Can come round to the Zabini Villa as well?"
"That's a generous offer Blaise, but… I just want a quiet night in." She stepped into the lift before him.
He nodded "I know we don't really get on, but considering our children are both off to Hogwarts this time around, I thought we could try."
"That seems fair," she simply stated, and the lift began moving. "Rosie mentioned she had met Amando the other day." She smiled a knowing smile, "If I remember correctly you called that name to one of your Owl's. Except he, had Mister before."
Blaise smirked, "Nothing gets past you does it." He nodded his head slightly still smirking, "Amando means lovable in Italian- when he was born Pansy said he looked cute and lovable… she never says that about other children, thus we called him Amando."
"Does Amando know what his name means?"
Blaise chuckled, "Unfortunately that boy already thinks he's god's gift to women, it's his mother and her friend's fault really, they're forever cooing over him. Imagine what would happen if he knew his name means lovable. Though, he probably will find out soon enough anyway because he's learning Italian- he says he wants to show off what he knows; in his mother's words, "Girls love a man who can speak another language." Blaise shook his head, "He also wanted Scorpius to learn it to so he could communicate with him like me and Draco used to do."
Hermione furrowed her brows, "I wasn't aware Draco could speak that much Italian"
Blaise nodded a smirk forming on his face, "Rather gifted actually, but don't tell him I said that. He also knows French and prefers to use that."
Hermione smiled, "I'm well aware he knows French he used to mutter in French if he fell asleep on the common room couch or curse in it occasionally."
"Let me guess, you know French?" she nodded and Blaise let out a hollow chuckle, "Draco would die if he knew you spoke it to." Hermione never got to ask what the dark-skinned man meant as the lift stopped on Level Six: Department of Magical Transportation and he stepped out bidding Hermione a good day.
Hey guys, look time no see, please don't kill me, a lot has happened again this month, and my workload at Uni is crippling. You should be grateful this is in at all, unfortunately I forgot to do it for my birthday, which was the 22nd November, as promised to a dear reader of mine.
But it's before christmas, an early present for you all.
Now, to take my time t advertise- for all that don't know about this site you should check it out, especially if your a Hermione fan. It's Grangerenchanted a Hermione centric site, the link is on my profile.
Thanks to everyone that reviewed the last chapter ;)
And please review this one.
All my love Scorpio219 x.x.