A/N : 'Just A Dream' - Nelly

"I wish you'd hold me when I turned my back."

"So on fire, so in love, way back when we couldn't get enough."

"Do you remember how it used to be, we turned out the lights and didn't just sleep."
_

Hermione. She had just finished Amycus Carrow off. Theo wanted to run over and grace her with a hug, instead he found that his own father was sauntering toward her. "Not my Goddaughter, not my best friend!" were the only thoughts caressing his numbing mind when his feet picked up from the ground. Hermione wasn't going to die, not this time, not on his watch. He was sent back to save her life; his mission was to keep her safe.

"NO!" he screamed brutally, thrashing Hermione to the ground. He threw out his arms to keep her from being hit with whatever came her way. Knowing his father, he was one-hundred-percent sure that it would be the Killing Curse. The thought didn't have to cross his mind, it was instinct; he'd die for her.

As the jet of green light struck him in his chest, he realized it wasn't at all like it had been explained in the books he read in any of the Defense of Dark Arts classes. No; His whole life up until that moment didn't flash before his eyes—instead images of a smiling Hermione appeared through his mind, racing on his Firebolt with Draco around the Malfoy Manor courtyard during their summer holidays, and Matti nuzzling her nose into the crook of his neck when they awoke from a night full of lovemaking. He realized the things that mattered the most to him were his happiest thoughts. He managed to turn toward Hermione and give her one last smile, letting her know that he loved her in the best way that he could.

The world darkened around Hermione's face and before Theo could feel anything, let alone himself falling to the ground, everything went black.

A light stretched across the horizon he was heading to, finding that a familiar face stood awaiting his arrival. The woman was standing tall, clad in a beautiful white dress, an emerald sitting on her high chest, her black hair loosely flowing down her shoulders and back. A pair of beautiful blue eyes smiled down at him.

"Theodore, my sweet boy." she said quietly, holding out her arms for him.

"Mother?" he asked, astonished to see her—Apolla Nott—standing there, looking just as she had the day she died.

The woman nodded, still smiling, as Theo walked forward and into her open arms. She caressed his hair, laying soft kisses upon each of his cheeks, "You've done so well, my love. I am so proud."

"Mother." he choked, "Mum." He began to cry, "I've missed you so much."

"I know, and I, you." she swept her fingers through his hair once more.

"Mum – I… I failed you. That monster! Merlin!" Theo's head lay still against her chest.

"Oh, my love, you didn't fail me. You never have. Your father will get what is coming for him, I assure you…" she sighed, "Theodore, you are still so young. You still have so much life to live."

Theo huffed, "It's a little too late for that now, don't you think?"

Apolla chuckled, "Oh, dear, still so stubborn. I believe you have a beautiful woman you need to get back to and a Goddaughter as well. You have a family you have made all on your own and they need you."

"Can I?" he asked, pulling away from Apolla's embrace, but still managing to keep her hands in his.

"It is entirely up to you, sweetheart."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

XXX

Theo managed to open his eyes only slightly. The sounds of a high pitched beeping filled his ears; he grimaced. He moved his head a small bit to the right and his hazy vision followed down his arm, noticing he had white bandages wrapped around the center of his arm with weird plastic strings protruding from beneath it. Gazing onward, down to the attached hand, he found a grey object squeezing his index finger. He felt his heart begin to race wildly, Where the hell am I, he thought.

His stomach began to churn and his sight began to tunnel. Wincing as he tried to sit up, he looked over to his left and found that…Hermione—was sleeping in a chair, her legs propped up on a second chair, and a book entitled What to Expect When You're Expecting, was supported open and laid flat across her swollen belly. He felt his breath start to flutter into a faster pace and his head dizzied. Without a second notion, he leaned forward and began vomiting all over himself and down the bed.

The sleeping witch stirred out of her dreams, dropping her book to the floor as she ran over to him. "NURSE!" she called out, "Theodore! Hey, breathe!" She started to rub calming circles on his back, cooing soft hushes, repeating herself by telling him to take deep breaths.

Once he was able to catch his breath, he picked his head up and looked Hermione right into her amber eyes. "Am I dead?" he asked with nervous caution, "Where am I?"

The nurse, or whatever Hermione had called it, had run into the white room before she could answer all of his questions.

"Well, well, Mister Nott! Welcome to the land of the living!" the short brunette woman greeted and immediately began to clean away his vomit—sans magic.

"So… I'm not dead?" his breath began to hitch again and the nurse laughed.

"No, no, dear boy, you're very much alive! We will get Doctor Bettine in to see you here shortly." she said as she replaced his sheets and now added a warm blanket. Theo eased his head back into the pillow. "You just need to keep yourself calm, dear." The lady in blue left to retrieve this Bettine fellow.

Turning his head once more, he found Hermione sitting beside him now. She reached out for his hand, and took it in her own, squeezing it gently. "I was so worried…" she whispered.

"Hermione… You're… You're alive?" he muttered, not believing the scene playing out in front of him.

"Yes, Theodore… I am." she ran her hand over his forehead, raking her fingers through his hair, "The baby is alright too."

Theo's blue eyes moved to her belly and widened. He removed his hand from Hermione's and reached out to touch her abdomen, "Have you found out what it is?"

Hermione furrowed her brows and narrowed her eyes down at him, "Yes…Theo, It's a girl. Do you not remember?"

Theo coughed shaking his head and much to his surprise, blood wasn't shooting out from his mouth as he was accustomed to. "Draco?" he asked suddenly.

Hermione bowed her head and shook it as well, "He… He's not…" she felt the words turning into sobs, and she wiped away the falling tears and sniffled, "He's not doing well, Theo. He needs a blood transfusion."

"What happened to him? Why—How am I alive, Hermione? I was… I was hit with the Killing Curse. And blood trans…fusion? What do you mean? Why not a blood-replenishing potion?" he whispered harshly, running his free hand over his face. The beeping began to sound off loudly once more as his heart thundered in his chest. "Can you turn that bloody thing off? Please!"

"Theo, you need to calm down, your heart rate is going up! Please… relax." Hermione calmly said, pulling his hand from his face. "You weren't hit with any Killing Curse… Theodore, we were… we were in a car crash. Blood-replenishing potion wouldn't do what we'd need it to do… And, the muggles just ran out of the last bit of 'O Negative' blood. They're keeping him stable and have sent out for more. You match his blood-type but they needed your permission to donate."

Theo sat up abruptly, ignoring the pains coming from his insides, "Yes! Give him my blood! Whatever we need to do! Just give it!"

Hermione stifled a laugh, "I'll let the nurse know. I am going to go check on Draco. Now that you're awake..."

"What the bloody hell is a nurse?"

"It's like the healers at St. Mungo's, only this is what they are called in the muggle world." she answered, rising from her chair. She bent down, kissing his forehead, "You should probably get some rest until the doctor comes in to see you, but I will let the nurse know to come and get your permission for the donation."

As she was heading for the door, Theo called out for her, "Hermione, wait."

She turned, her hair pulled back in a messy braid. She had on a pair of black joggers with the word Slytherin printed down the right leg and Malfoy 7 on the other, and a grey jumper that was tightly stretched over her baby bump. "Yes?" she asked, her face tired, pale, but still beautiful.

"Can you come here for –"

Before he could finish his request, the witch was already pulling him into an embrace, letting out quiet cries. He held her the best that he could from his sitting position, her tummy against his chest. He felt a small bump, tap, and then again. Theo pulled back from the hug, and Hermione smiled, clearing her throat, "She's happy you're awake."

Theo could feel the tears welling up behind his own set of eyes. He stifled a sniffle and nodded his head, "She? Huh… Well what about that… Go get the healer, Granger Danger."

She pursed her lips into a smile, "Welcome back, Theodore."

After Hermione had left the room, Theo laid his head back into the pillow and drifted back into sleep, remembering flashes of red and green lights and the faint sound of a horn blaring in the distance.

XXX

Draco ran to Hermione, taking her reaching hand into his. "This isn't forgiveness, Draco, but our best friend is…" she swallowed hard, knowing that he would know exactly what she was going to say. She silenced herself before she could let go of all the courage she managed to muster up.

Nodding with understanding, he took what he could get. The pair turned back to the crowd of destruction, 'The Boy Who Lived' had ran a path in front of them.

"HE'S ALIVE! HARRY POTTER IS ALIVE!" — The shrieks and cheers came from both sides of the fluttering mass of witches and wizards, causing each of them to freeze in their feigned stature.

"I don't want anyone else to try and help! It's me! It's got to be me!" Harry said loudly, not taking his eye-contact from the slithering man.

Voldemort retorted with a hiss, his red eyes flickering wide, "He doesn't mean this!"

"Actually, I do."

The watching crowd drew in one big breath, Draco stayed put beside Hermione. He watched how she was protectively holding her belly, and he wished to be the one with his arms wrapped around her waist; to let her know he knew.

Harry and Voldemort circled around each other like wolves desperate to rip each other apart, muttering things to one another, only that their ears could hear.

Finally coming to a halt, the two individuals in the center, pointed their wands at one another. Hermione grasped onto Draco's wrist, giving it a hard squeeze, her face full of fear.

The shrieking voice of the Dark snake yelled out Avada Kedavra In the same instance as Potter shooting out Expelliarmus. The loud bang was like a cannon fire, sparks of golden flames shot up between them, marking a spot where the two spells collided as one. The colors were dark against the sunrise. The silence around them was an eerie kind of quiet. Voldemort fell backward to the ground; the slits in his scarlet eyes rolled back with him, his arms splayed out beside him and his chest heaved no more. He was dead. His body crinkled like the veil of a snakes skin; killed by his own rebounding curse.

Cheers of happiness suddenly escaped the mouths of all around them. Hermione let go of Draco's wrist and ran forward to her friend.

"Harry!" she called her voice hoarse from her cries.

Draco stood watching from where she left him until he saw that she, Harry and Ron had disappeared underneath the invisibility cloak.

Taking hesitant steps into the Great Hall, the annoying voice of Peevesthe Poltergeist zoomed above him, singing out his own victory song. He watched as Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey and many others began the task of lying the broken and dead bodies into lines. Draco grimaced as he walked past individuals he had known from his own House.

Pansy Parkinson. Draco kneeled down beside her lifeless body, moving the hair from her face. Cupping her cheek, he felt a quiet sob escape his lips. Whispering his goodbye, he moved on down the line, arriving at the next and the next, hopefully avoiding coming across another face he knew well. At the end of the bodies he found his cousin, Tonks, lying next to her husband, the werewolf, Remus Lupin. Before he could feel his knees buckle beneath him, he faltered over his cousin's lifeless body. He knew that she just had a baby; Teddy. He felt his stomach tighten as the loud cries left his lips, "I'm so sorry." he repeated over and over into her empty hand, his voice going hollow as his nose began to stop up.

Flashback June 5, 1987

Draco had arrived with his mother, Narcissa at a small park on the morning of his birthday. They were having their usual secret-meeting with his Aunt Andromeda and his cousin Dora for a morning stroll.

"Dora!" the young Draco called out, running forward to his cousin's arms.

"Hey there, sport!" the fourteen year old girl with fluorescent pink hair greeted him, picking him up and spinning around. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks! Mummy and Daddy are taking me to get a new training broom today!" he said proudly.

Nymphadora ruffled his slicked back hair, "Yeah? I bet you're going to be an awesome seeker!"

"You think?" Draco asked with wide eyes and a peculiar smile.

"Oh, I know it! I got you something." sh

e pulled a small bag out from beneath the table her Aunt Narcissa and mother were sitting at.

Draco smiled brightly taking the bag from his cousin, opening it with haste.

"Woah! Where'd you get it?" He pulled out a small wooden box with a golden snitch resting on a velvet green cover.

The pink haired witch winked, "I have my ways."

Flashback ends.

Pulling stares from all around, Draco ignored them and kept his cousin's hand in his own. He sensed a strong hand on his shoulder, giving it an embrace, and he turned to find Harry with a solemn expression, his own tears spilling down his cheeks.

After a few moments of silence with the eternally-sleeping witch, Draco stepped out of the castle and onto the ruined grounds. He observed his surroundings with deep admiration of what the school had looked like only hours ago. The Whomping Willow had a plethora of broken branches. It now sat calmly; no waving leaves, just silence that overwhelmed it's usual demeanor.

Rubble had been covered with splatters of blood. Shattered glass was here, there, and every which way he turned. It caused a dizzy kind of feeling; his stomach lurched, forcing him to bend forward and heave out the bile that reached his throat. His nose spattered fresh blood over the bits of the school before him. After taking a deep breath, wiping the crimson from his face, he thought of Honey's and with a POP, he disapparated from the grounds of his beloved school to the front steps of the Lounge in Hogsmeade.

His head against the cool wooden door, he anticipated the agony of going in. He plopped his hand on the silver handle and turned it hesitantly, allowing the bell to chime with the movement, notifying the lady of the house of his arrival.

He stepped in. Matti wasn't at her usual spot, the place didn't have the sound of quiet music playing, and Theo's office door was open but the lights were off. Draco took another step, and from the stairs he noticed a familiar witch; Honoria. She smiled sympathetically as she made her way down the steps to him. Taking his hands into her own, she led him to Theo and Matti's room.

Much to his surprise, he found that he wasn't the only one who had the mind of coming there. Theo was lying peacefully, looking as if he could have been sleeping. Draco diminished that thought with a silent laugh, he's not snoring obnoxiously. His eyes moved to the arm that was braced over Theo's waist. Hermione had her nose nuzzled into the crook of his neck, her face puffy, swollen and red. Her gaze was blank and stared off into the distance, tears were puddling beneath her face like a drip from a leaky cauldron.

Matti sat at the end of the bed, her own expression distant. He moved to the chair that was sitting next to the four-poster. Sitting down, he reached his hand out and grabbed the cold hand of his best mate.

"You lot need to eat." Honey said quietly, "I know you might not have an appetite, but…" Seeing that she wasn't getting a response from the three, she nodded and left the room. She expected that much.

"Matti, you should take a sleeping draught." Hermione said just above a whisper.

"So should you." the sad witch replied.

Hermione shook her head vaguely, "No. I deserve to go without sleep."

Draco furrowed his brows, "Woman, are you mental? Of course you need to sleep!"

Hermione sat up to her elbow, "Excuse me?" she whispered harshly.

"Oh don't be daft, you need sleep. If not for you, but for…" He caught the look of shock glowing over her cheeks. As much as he wanted to be in her kind graces, he hadn't the time to deal with the namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense of a pregnant woman's emotions at the time. She needed the rest, and by Merlin, she was going to get the bloody rest.

"You – You know?" she asked dumbly, her eyes widening.

Matti perched her head up from her hands, "Could you possibly take this… elsewhere?"

Hermione nodded and kissed Theo on his head. Draco already moved to the hallway and up to his room, his witch following after him.

Once in the room, the door slammed behind her. She stood with her arms crossed protectively over her chest, "How long have you known?"

Draco plopped down onto the bed, digging his palms into his eyes, "Uh… Since, you were…" He didn't want to say it out loud, he didn't even want to remember his aunt hovering over her body.

"Since I was tortured? How did you know?" Hermione still stood her ground, not moving an inch forward or backward.

"Your ring." he nodded toward the faint glow on her middle finger. She looked down and it dawned on her that he knew about the moonstone's origin and properties.

"Oh." she calmly stated, she dropped her arms to her sides and walked over to sit beside him on the bed, "Draco, I… I understand why you did what you had to do… What I don't understand is why you didn't tell me."

"It's a lot more than you can possibly imagine, Granger." he replied with sorrow, "This…" he waved his hand around his head, "was never supposed to happen."

Hermione cocked her head, "Draco, if you told me the world was flat, I'd believe you. If you told me the sky was orange, I'd believe you. I've invested so much trust in you, because, I meant what I said… I do love you. You doing what you did, doesn't take away my trust in you. I'm just disappointed that you lied. I am hurt more than disappointed. But I want you to be a part of our…daughter's life…"

Draco drew his head up, "It's a girl?"

"According to Luna Lovegood, yes." she smiled lightly.

Draco breathed through his teeth, "A little girl… I… Well I hope she takes after your brains."

Hermione shook her head, "Would you want your daughter to be so caught up in someone or something and then have it all pulled out from beneath her, leaving her in heaps of tears and sorrow?"

Draco huffed, "No, because she won't be allowed to love or even look at anything that could possibly hurt her."

Hermione playfully slapped at his shoulder, "So…Tell me, Draco, why did you lie?"

"Hermione, what do you know about time-turners?"

"I know a lot of things about time-turners, I've…erm, even had one in my possession. Third year actually, for classes."

Draco nodded his head knowingly, "Would you believe me if I said, Theo and I came back from the future…with a mission to save your life?"

XXX