Previously:
"I... That is to say he... I mean I have it from a respectable..." he was cut off as Elizabeth's voice sounded from outside.
"She's not feeling too good, you can't go in there"
"She's my wife of course I can go and see her" the office door opened to reveal the red head that had caused Hermione so much anguish.
Chapter 12
"What are you doing here Ferret?" Ron snarled as he stepped into the office.
"It's nice to see you to Weasley; your manners are disgraceful as always. But I was here to check on Hermione if you must know"
"I must she is my wife after all" Draco laughed.
"You have the audac-" he was cut off by Hermione's voice.
"Don't" she looked at Draco rather than her husband, as if telling him to not say anything about him knowing, Draco simply nodded.
"We were in the middle of a discussion when you so rudely waltzed in Weasley, so if you don't mind" Draco pointed towards the door.
"I don't think so Malfoy, I'm here to speak to my wife, and speak to her I shall" Ron stood his ground stamping his foot onto the floor.
When Draco made a step towards Ron, Hermione intervened. Although she seemed even smaller than usual with no shoes on stood between two men who were both almost six foot in height, she was still as formidable as ever before. She put her hands onto Ron's chest first, pushing him towards the sofa she had previously been sat on. Before spinning around towards Draco, who was closer than she realized meaning her still outstretched hand rested on his chest as she did a one-eighty.
Making sure Ron wasn't watching them Draco grasped her hand squeezing it ever so lightly, as a sign of strength. He would willingly sit in the room with Weaselbee if it meant he knew she was safe. She softly squeezed his hand back before reluctantly pulling it away.
"Malfoy, I'll speak to you later" she was uncertain he would comply as she saw a hint of his anger show through his calm mask, but he simply nodded stiffly once before going to pick his briefcase and overcoat from the side of the settee Ron was sat on, before marching out of the office.
Had anyone saw Draco Malfoy leaving the Ministry of Magic, they would have said he looked fine, calm and collected like always, only underneath the surface that Slytherin head of his was working overtime scheming for a plan that was above all others and would get him what he wanted.
Heels clicking on the floor of the manor Pansy Zabini walked eager to find out the latest gossips she knew were stirring in the underbelly of Wizarding Britain the biggest gossip since, well since the end of the War, and she was determined to be the person to enlighten the rest of the country.
When she opened the set of double oak doors to the office it was to find the place a wreck, the French, diamond encrusted chandelier smashed into millions of piece at the centre of the room, papers thrown about, pictures hanging; just about, by their hooks, on the walls. The prized family portrait smashed to the floor and nearest the fire a copy of the days "The Prophet", having landed unceremoniously on the floor open at a picture of Weasley, Ronald Weasley that is and Hermione then Granger looking every bit the happy couple- with the headline, "The Ministry's Annual Banquet 2011."
Pansy wasn't sure exactly why the room was so much a tip but she had an inkling that it was to do with that picture. So picking up her pace slightly she navigated through the house and out to the Quidditch field at the rear, when she opened the door it was to find it empty.
Wandering back to the house she was concerned, 'Where could Draco be?' he usually went to cool off in the Quidditch arena away from everyone else. But if he wasn't there, lord only knows where he was or what trouble he could be making for himself.
Re-entering the house she called for a house elf, "Hows can Mipsy be helping Miss?"
"Have you seen Draco?"
"Master Malfoy is in Lord Malfoy's study"
Without even thanking the elf Pansy moved off into the house, instead of going left to Draco's destroyed office she ventured right towards the eldest Malfoy's office. A roundabout trip to find the blonde man she wanted Pansy had finally located him as she pushed open the door.
Draco was pacing glass tumbler resting on the office desk, muttering to himself as he went along.
"He doesn't deserve her" Suddenly he grabbed the glass and threw it into the flames of the lit fire causing a gust of a flame to rise before settling back into the hearth.
Pansy's surprise gasp made Draco realise he was no longer the only occupant of the room.
"Pansy just the person I have been meaning to floo call, come in" Draco walked to the other side of the rather large, dark wood desk, sitting down on the leather chair there, before signalling Pansy to sit opposite.
"You'll know how to make my plan work... How shall I bring down Weasley?"
Pansy's eyes widened, never in her life especially after the final year at Hogwarts would she believe her old friend Draco Malfoy would finally want to bring down Hermione Weasley, the bushy haired witch had surely pissed him off badly to be "brought down" as he referred to it.
"Well Drake I have a file at home that may be useful" Pansy started a smirk gracing her features, "She is after all forever in the news, and I have always had a vested interest in the family and friends of Harry Potter."
Draco's brow creased, "I'm not sure you know who I'm talking about Pansy"
"Hermione..." Pansy's lips curled "Weasley"
Draco shook his head, "You know she never gets any hassle from either me or my family we have a lot to be thankful for, especially to her. Her husband however is free reign."
Pansy's mouth opened in understanding, "What has he done?"
"Granger... She's pregnant Pans" he suddenly blurted out.
Pansy's whole front cover story suddenly came crashing around her, "I... I thought..." she stood from the chair she had been sat in, running her hand through her short hair as a sign of nervousness. "She... And you... Didn't..." she closed her eyes willing the faint dizziness away. "I thought you said she and you hadn't shagged?"
Draco looked taken aback by Pansy's theatrics as she stood swaying ever so much.
"I did, and we haven't but that's not who I'm talking of Pans... I'm talking of the Ginger gits bimbo, tart on the side, his Mistress." Draco made air quotations at his final name for Lavender.
"Wow, this is big..." Pansy paused unsure if she should ask the next question or not, "Am I to print this?"
If Pansy was being truthful she thought the immediate answer would be a big emphatic no, but when a definite "Yes" left Draco's mouth she stood shocked.
"So what else do you need?"
"Information, every little scrap of information you have on the whole family... I'm going to bring that git down to earth thee most painful way possible." Draco's face contorted into his infamous sneer, as he poured himself a glass of fire-whiskey. Staring into the flames of the fire he said "His whole world will soon be crashing down around him."
"Draco what are you planning to do?" Pansy asked curiously.
"I'm going to hit him where it hurts" Draco downed the tipple left in his glass before turning to the dark haired girl, "Now about those files."
By the time Draco had gathered all of the necessary files from Pansy, the entire two dozen, he was ready to begin his plan. Even if it was nearly eleven o'clock at night, time flies when your scheming to bring someone down.
Stepping out of the hearth of Malfoy manor he was immediately stopped by Miffy the House Elf, who seemed slightly upset if the twisting of her hands were anything to go on.
"Miffy came to tell Master Draco, that Mrs Weasley is here to see him"
"Thank you Miffy" he looked at the pile of files he needed to take upstairs, "Miffy can you do me a favour?"
"Of course Master Draco" the Elf smiled slightly.
"Can you take these to my study? I'm sure by now Mother has sent one of you up to clean the mess I made" the Elf nodded before levitating the files to her height before she disappeared with a pop.
When he walked into the lounge which guests all usually congregated in, he realised at once why Miffy was upset. Hermione was upset; blotchy cheeks were the giveaway.
"Hermione" Draco greeted as he entered the room, she gave him a weak smile as a reply "I didn't think you were coming, it's late."
Hermione glanced up to the grandfather clock tucked away in the corner of the room, as if only now noticing the time she gasped, standing and collecting her things as she went. "I'm sorry I didn't realise the time."
Draco slowly walked over to her grasping her wrists as she frantically tried putting everything back into her overturned handbag. "What's wrong?" he whispered just in her ear.
"It fell over, and I-"
"Not that, what's wrong with you? Why are you here?"
Without answering she turned around, Draco allowing her to do so by letting go of her wrists, and dropped her face into his chest, where she proceeded to sob. His arms soon enveloped her as he slowly rubbed her back in circles as a sign of comfort.
This was the scene Pansy walked in on when she came to ask Draco some questions about her article, she could see the look on her friends face, and she had never seen it before. And it was then she made her decision- she would help him any way she could.
Once Hermione's sobs had quietened to the point of Draco thinking she was very close to falling asleep whilst stood, he gently removed her hair from around her face so he could see her, and said "Hermione, I have something to tell you."
He didn't want to be the bearer of bad news when she was in this state, but there was no time like the present, or so he had been told.
Hermione simply sniffed a few times wiping at her eyes before pulling herself away from his chest, missing his warmth instantly. "I don't think I'm up to talking at the moment, can you tell me in the morning?" he nodded. Draco hated seeing this strong capable woman brought to her knees by a low life cheating husband such as Ron Weasley, and it made the hate in his stomach intensify, to the point of an almost physical pain waiting to be unleashed.
"I know it's a bit rude of me to do this, especially on such short notice but, could I possibly stay here tonight? My house is lonely and I couldn't stand being there."
"You know my home is always open to you" he smiled wryly, "But what about Rose?"
"She's sleeping over at Ginny and Harry's"
Draco nodded, "Do you want the same room you had last time?" when she nodded an affirmative, Draco motioned towards the door, "Come on I'll take you up."
Once at the room, Draco stood at the door for a moment before walking in to the room and out of the door to the balcony, into the crisp night breeze.
"I really need to tell you something" he called back after a few minutes, "What if I told you, I know how you can get a divorce?" he tugged at the collar of his shirt, realising that despite the temperature outside he was considerably warm.
"I don't know how better to say this, but she's pregnant"
A/N: Ladies and gentleman, that is the long awaited Chapter 12- hopefully now that I'm off for summer I will be able to write a lot more, and get a few more chapters wrote and uploaded.
Thank you for staying with me... if you have... and hello to all, if there are any, new readers :)
Until my next update;
Scorpio219 -x-