Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable character or work.
A/N: Is anyone here still? I am so sorry guys. I never meant for the wait to go that long. As I said before I made a career change and that has quite literally been sucking everything I have out of me. I hope to get back to very regular updating soon! Thank you all for your kind words and patience and I hope you're still around!
Fifteen
"These goblins are going to be the death of me," Hermione sighed as she shoved another crisp into her mouth. Her hearing had ran over as both sides of the argument cried foul. Hermione had barely had a moment to breathe let alone get a word in edgewise. Her head was aching from all of the shouting and she was dreaming of a warm and bubbly bath when she got home. Charlie, ever the saint, had found her when she hadn't shown up for their lunch date and had brought her food as well.
"Bill might be able to help you figure something out you know," he offered, snagging one of her crisps and dodging the smack she aimed at his sticky fingers. "I could see if he could stop by for lunch tomorrow."
"Err, actually," she said, taking a long pull from her drink, "I'm having lunch with Draco Malfoy tomorrow."
Charlie raised a brow, "Do tell."
"It's nothing," she waved him away, leaning back and resting her hands on her stomach, "He showed up here and well, it's complicated."
Charlie laughed dryly at that, "Everything is with him."
"Charlie-"
"No, I get it," the man said, meeting her eyes, "He's the father of your baby and you want to give him a chance but Hermione, how many times are you going to let him hurt you before you give it up?"
"You were the one saying I should give him a chance," she argued.
"No," he shook his long red hair and stood up from his chair, "I still think the man is a tosser, I was trying to be supportive."
She narrowed her eyes, "So you think I'm making a mistake?"
"I never said-" he exhaled and rubbed a hand down his scruffy face, "I- I still like you Hermione. A lot. I just don't want you to get hurt."
She felt her heart twist at that, " I appreciate the thought Charlie but I can take care of myself-"
"He's getting married-" he said, "Do you really think he'll stick around after that?"
"I don't know," she answered honestly. And she didn't. How soon would it be before he realized parenting wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Would he leave then?
"I just- We're all here for you Hermione but someday, someday I might not be." he said softly and he shook his head once more before he left the room without even a glance back at her.
Her headache didn't improve and she left early in the hopes that once at home she could relax enough to clear her head. She knew Charlie still felt for her and really she had noone to blame but herself. She hated that she was hurting him but she would be lying if she said she thought they should give it a go.
Sleep found her early that night and she once again slept restlessly until the dawn peeked through her window and pulled her from her nightmares. She dressed and made a pot of tea as she watched the muggle news and floo'd early to work. It wasn't until she arrived that she realized the spectacle she had unknowingly walked into.
If one of the Weasley's fathering her child had been bad, the public finding out that Draco Malfoy was responsible was even worse.
No sooner had she stepped out of the grate were the flashbulbs going off and she cried out in surprise as questions were shouted at her.
"What in the bloody- Hermione?" Ronald asked as he stepped through the grate behind her, "What's going on?"
"Miss Granger, have you been imperiused?" One reporter shouted.
"Excuse me?" she asked indignantly.
"Don't engage," Ron said in her ear as he pushed his way through them, his chest against her back, "Get out of here the whole lot of you!"
"How do you feel that your ex is pregnant with a deatheaters child."
Ron turned then, shouting something as Hermione hurried through the atrium and it wasn't until she had cleared the wand check that she was able to relax, though only just.
"You okay?" Ron asked as he reached her once more.
She nodded, "Thank you, for that."
He grinned, that exasperated grin that had once driven her mad, and shrugged, "It was nothing."
"What are you doing here anyway?" she asked as they walked down the corridor side by side. Ron quitting his job at the ministry had been a source of contention in their relationship. He had said he would never go back if he could help it.
"Oh, Harry asked for a consult on some new kind of shield device. Said it was like some muggle coat that kept bull nets away?"
Hermione's brow furrowed as she tried to grasp what he was saying before she finally laughed, "well, whatever it is, it's good to see you."
"You too," the man smiled, "You're looking a lot more...round."
"How you ever managed to find a witch to procreate with you Weasel is beyond me," Draco's voice drawled from behind them and they both turned around to see him standing behind them, "Good morning Hermione."
Ron was scowling as he stared at the man before him, his mouth opening and closing as he thought of something to say and Hermione finally rolled her eyes as she spoke up, "Thank you for your help this morning Ronald, it was greatly appreciated."
The red haired wizard nodded once before he left, a scowl still etched across his face as Hermione turned to Malfoy, "I thought you were going to be accepting."
"What?" he asked innocently, "I was being kind."
"That was kind?"
Malfoy nodded, "I've said much worse about him."
She pursed her lips, "Why do you hate him so much?"
"He's an imbecile," he supplied.
"He's not-"
"Well he ruined it with you so I'll hold on to that judgement," he said lowly and Hermione felt the blood rise to her cheeks as she realized he had just paid her a compliment. Kind of.
"And what are you doing here?"
"I came to warn you," he offered, "And also to ask the ministry about setting up protective charms around the perimeter of our manor."
Hermione frowned, "Why would you need protective charms…"
"Please Granger, don't tell me you've forgotten the vitriol those reporters were spitting at you, their golden girl."
"They're at the manor?" she asked in disbelief as she thought of the flashbulbs that had blinded her minutes ago.
Draco merely shrugged as they continued walking.
"Do you need help setting up the charms?"
It was Draco's turn to blush then and he shook his head, "After the war there were certain stipulations to maintaining our freedom. One of which was that no charms would be put on the property to expel others."
"But that's ridiculous, surely you can keep people out!" she protested, surprising herself with the vehemence in her voice. "Surely you can protect yourselves."
Draco merely shrugged, "As it remains, the ministry has to grant our requests for repulsive or protective charms until the ministry deems otherwise."
"Well that's just- preposterous," she stuttered. "I can come with you, if you want. To speak with them-"
"No," the man said quickly, "It's okay, I've done it before."
Hermione bit her lip as she wondered if she should ask how the last requests had ended up but pushed it aside. Later it might be her business, when her child was spending time in the halls of the manor, but for now- for now it wasn't. The thought of her child running up and down the halls of Malfoy Manor was a sobering thought and she realized, in the space of a second, that someday soon they would have to discuss things like custody and visitation.
"Hermione?"
"Sorry, what?" she asked, looking to see Draco looking at her worriedly.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice low and troubled.
"No, no I'm fine. Sorry-" she half-smiled at his slightly panicked expression, "Just got lost in thought."
Draco nodded once, "I should get going, are we still on for lunch?"
"Of course," she smiled as they bid each other goodbye and walked in different directions.
Hermione spent the majority of her day in her office coming out only to use the restroom and ask her boss for an extension on her most difficult case. Even then she could feel people's eyes on her. She held her head high as she walked, determined not to show that their stares were anything more than bothersome gnats that needed swatting. By the time lunch had rolled around she had nearly forgotten the turmoil that was taking place inside her head and outside her office. It was only as her stomach started to growl and the baby started to grow listless that she realized she hadn't bothered to ask Draco where they were to meet for lunch.
She had just finished penning a letter to ask when there was a sharp rap on her door. She sighed as she pushed the parchment away from her and crossed round her desk, holding on to her ever growing stomach and rubbing at the knot that had formed in her lower back with a fist.
"Draco-" she said as she opened the door to see him standing there, a bag in each hand. "What-"
"Lunch," he said simply, "I thought it might be more restful if you weren't to have to leave."
She frowned, "They're still in the atrium?" she asked of the reporters.
"Afraid so," the man said quietly and she stepped aside to allow him to enter before closing the door behind him. "I also wasn't sure what you would care for so I asked Potter."
"You- talked to Harry?" she asked, her eyes wide.
Draco nodded, "I did-"
Her lips pulled up then as he pulled out the take out boxes from the bag, the smell of italian wafting through the air only furthering the incessant growling from her stomach. She crossed back around the desk, taking her seat again as Draco set the takeout container in front of her before sitting down himself.
They were silent as they ate at first, the only sound that of the scrape of their plastic silverware on foam and a clock ticking somewhere in the room before Hermione finally spoke up. "How did your meeting go?"
"Fine," Draco said tersely, his jaw tense.
Hermione narrowed her eyes, it did not sound fine. "Draco-"
"Just- drop it okay?" he said quickly and lowly, stabbing at a stray ravioli.
Hermione swallowed and set her fork down, staring intently at the man before her, "Draco those reporters are vile and unrelenting. The ministry has no right to tell you that you can't protect yourself or your home." Draco chuckled humorlessly and Hermione pressed forward, "I'm serious Draco. Is it because-"
"It's none of your business Hermione," the wizard said sharply, "Just drop it."
Hermione clenched her teeth before she spoke again, "Actually, that's where you're wrong. You see in a few months time we're going to have a child together. A child that I'm sure you would very much like to spend time with and if I can't trust that she will be safe in your home-"
Draco looked up then, finally meeting her gaze. While his expression was stony she could see more set deeply in his eyes. "You're going to keep him from me?"
"No-" she said quickly and without thought she reached across the table, her hand finding his, "No, I just- let me help you Draco. I could talk to them-"
He shook his head but his hand stayed firmly under his, "It will only make it worse-"
His words were weighted and Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat as they continued to look at each other in the space of a moment.
"Has this happened before?" she finally asked, quietly. "Have they denied your requests?"
His adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed once before he finally nodded, "Yes."
"How many times?" she asked earnestly, her fingers squeezing his hand in hers. He remained silent before she pressed, "how many times Draco?"
Finally, he blinked, "All of them."