Chapter 12: Detour
Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction based on the Harry Potter universe by J.K. Rowling. We do not own anything, except the plot and a few characters created by us to further the plot line in the future.
Hermione couldn't sleep all night. She constantly kept checking her wide window for her owl to return, even though she knew Narcissa wouldn't answer at three in the morning. Hermione decided to take a bath you try to get rid of the anxiety of waiting for an answer. She lit candles that are scented like the ocean and played slow classical music to calm her nerves. She finally leaned back into the tub to see the water at its highest, still exposing her bump. The warm water counteracted with the unknown breeze on her stomach from not being immersed underneath the heat. Hermione relaxed and laid her head on the makeshift towel pillow. She exhaled the nerves as she sat in a tub full of relaxation. She got out of the tub when her hands were shriveled up. Hermione got back into her pajamas. It was too early to get dressed. The sun wasn't even up. Hermione walked into her kitchen and turned on her light. It was blinding. It took a minute to adjust her eyes. Hermione boiled hot water on her stove and poured it into her favorite cup. It was a mug her parent's bought her when they went on their trip to France. It was a cliché tourist souvenir cup with the Eiffel Tower along the exterior. Since she couldn't drink caffeine she made herself a cup of tea. Hermione pulled a tea bag out of the cupboard and dip it in and out of the water. The liquid began to change color until it was polluted with jasmine. Hermione brought the cup to her bedside table. She grabbed Peter Pan, which Blaise had taken out and put it back into her bookshelf and took out The Notebook. She was in the mood for romance. Hermione went back into her bed. Her sheets were no longer warm and were quite cold from the early morning chill coming from the window. Hermione took a sip of her tea before she began reading.
Hermione woke up with a shock. The Notebook was open on her chest; about a quarter through was read. The sun was shining indefinitely through the flat. Hermione jumped to her feet and checked the clock. It was 8:23 AM. Hermione couldn't believe she fell asleep. Hermione looked out her window to see clear skies. Not a bird in sight. Causing her heart to skip a beat, she heard Owl Eyes behind her from across the room. He was sitting on his perch with a golden envelope attached to his feet. Hermione ran as fast as she could across the small flat. She slid off her heels to keep her from running into her dresser. Owl Eyes graciously shook the letter of his ankle, letting Hermione catch it. Hermione ran her fingers over the Slytherin green Malfoy crest seal. She slid her finger until the opening and ripped it open. The letter came out with ease as the envelope floated to the floor. Hermione opened the pressed parchment. She read up and down the lines but had to readjust her eyes. Hermione read the words.
Miss Granger,
I would positively love to have tea with you! Come whenever you please. Draco and I will be expecting you.
With Love,
Narcissa Malfoy
The name that stuck out the most was his. Draco had been alerted of her arrival. Hermione thanked herself for not including the details of the visit. He could have read it. Hermione was nervous on how Draco would react. Would his reaction be good or bad? Hermione could only hope that he would be caring. Hermione began rummaging through the bag of maternity clothes Ginny had given her. She wanted to look presentable in front of her son's father. All that was left were the robes that showed house pride. Hermione was so over Gryffindor.
"Seriously Ginny is this all you own?" Hermione shouted at no one.
Hermione became frustrated with the maternity robes. Why did they have to be Gryffindor colors, not that there is anything wrong with the colors, Hermione didn't want to be a cliché Gryffindor. But today she didn't have much choice. She picked out a maroon robe with beautiful golden spirals. Hermione didn't want to enter the Malfoy Manor with a Gryffindor maternity robe. That's when she remembered that she knew a charm that changes the color of clothing. She grabbed the robe and set it down on her bed, and pointed her wand at the robe. "Colovaria."
The color changed from maroon and gold to a wonderful black and silver.
"That's much better." Hermione said satisfied.
Hermione walked into the bathroom to get ready and try to tame her wild bed hair. Hermione stared at her make-up. She knew she was making a big deal out of this, but that was because it was. It wasn't every day she told Draco he had a son. Hermione took a deep breath. She washed her face to give herself a clean canvas to work on. Hermione began on her eyes. She did a light shade of brown over the lid and used lighter and dark browns from corner to tip to make it a smokey eye. She stroked her lashes in black mascara and used eyeliner to define her eyes. She then worked around the rest of her face: covering up blemishes, and making sure her foundation blended down to her neck. Hermione finished off with her lips. She used a shade of light pink on her flushed lips.
The look was finally complete. She wore her hair into a braided bun and let strands fall to frame her face. Apart from the Yule Ball and Draco's party, she had never gone so far out to look good. Hermione turned off the bathroom light and walked past her calendar. On today's date, there was a clipart picture of a pregnant woman, which signified when she entered a new month in her pregnancy. Hermione was officially five months along. She couldn't believe where the time went. She definitely had the belly to show for it, though. If she didn't know, she would have thought she was carrying twins. Hermione fed Owl Eyes and Crookshanks, trying to come up with anything that could stall the time. Narcissa said whenever, but Hermione didn't want to come too early.
Hermione finished dressing and sat on the breakfast bar drinking a cup of Earl Grey tea while she read small parts of Peter Pan to her son. In Hermione's pregnancy book, it read that at this stage of pregnancy the fetus could hear what is going on outside of the womb. Hermione stroked her bump as the book laid out flat on the counter next to her tea. She eventually took a break and made herself some eggs and toast to accompany her tea and continued reading.
"'Wendy,' Peter Pan continued in a voice that no woman has ever yet been able to resist, 'Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys.'"
"You better remember that." Hermione told her bump as she read. She felt her son roll around, gently moving along her uterus. Hermione read to her son, until she was half way through the book. Hermione looked at the clock; it was 10:30AM exactly. It seemed close enough to eleven to go over. Hermione brushed the food off her teeth and gave herself minty breath. She checked herself one last time before she left.
"Wish me luck!" Hermione told her pets. Hermione thought of the Manor gates as she apparated. The drastic movement caused Hermione to feel nauseous, a feeling that didn't pair well with nerves. Hermione leaned on the gates and took a breath. I can't believe I am doing this, I can't believe I am doing this. Hermione felt a deja vu feeling staring at the front doors. It reminded her of when she was going to tell Draco the last time. It didn't pan out as expect. Thinking about the memory discouraged her.
No more running, Granger! She told herself, trying to coax her brain into moving her legs. One leg at a time, her feet began to strut proudly along the gravel. You can do this! She kept chanting, you could do this! Hermione walked up the steps and firmly pressed her finger on the doorbell. The loud clanging chime could be heard from within the manor. Echoing across the wide house. Through the stained glass, Hermione could see a figure. They were her height, so it wasn't a house elf. The door swung open and revealed Narcissa.
"Miss Granger! I am so glad you're here!" Narcissa said pulling Hermione into a hug. "I must say I was quite surprised by your letter."
"I just thought I should make use of your offer. I hope you don't mind the short notice." Hermione told her weakly.
"Nonsense, you are always welcome!" Narcissa smiled as she led her into the dining room. She walked over to the huge glass windows and looked past the plush curtains.
"I was going to have tea served in the drawing room, but the weather is too perfect to pass up. I think we should spend sometime in the garden." Hermione saw the sunlight shining on Narcissa's face.
"That sounds wonderful!" Hermione beamed. Narcissa opened the curtains so the whole room would be light.
"Dorri!" She called, as the words left her lips a house elf appeared before them.
"Yes, Madam?" The elf smiled as she curtsied.
"We've decided to move tea time to the garden. The weather is so nice. Speaking of which, open all the curtains. I want some sunshine in this place. The house elf nodded as she popped away. Hermione still didn't like the fact that Narcissa used house elves as frequently as she did, but she couldn't deny how eager they all seemed to please her. They almost seemed happy.
"Come, the garden is this way." Narcissa said having Hermione follow behind her. Narcissa opened the glass doors that led into the garden. It was a thin room that curled around one of the corners of the manor. The flooring was paved stone with a dirt trail along the sides that had plants in it. Hermione was absolutely amazed. Flowers of every color were all around the room. Some even slipped through the glass ceiling. Strange plants she had recognized from her years in Herbology lined the paneled glass walls.
"Narcissa this is beautiful!" Hermione said taking it all in.
"I've been working on it since Lucius... left. I have been spending my free time in here." It was so colorful and peaceful. Hermione was shocked to hear that Narcissa grew everything.
"With no husband and Draco all grown up, I wanted something I could put my love into." Hermione felt sad for Narcissa. She didn't think about it until now, but Lucius wasn't exactly the greatest man and Draco wasn't exactly the easiest guy to get along with. Hermione forgot to stay on track. She came here to tell Draco. Come on, Granger! She spent minutes just trying to keep her motivation up. She didn't even realize that Narcissa had shown her almost all the flowers in the garden.
"Uh, Narcissa?" Hermione interrupted. Narcissa stopped talking about her Bouncing Bulbs and looked at her.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" Narcissa asked concerned. Hermione's face was full of worry and concern.
"I had intentions when I wanted to stop by. I didn't come by to catch up..."
Narcissa raised her brow. She didn't understand what Hermione meant.
"I came here…" Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled her worry, "I came here to tell Draco that he's the father." Hermione told her. Narcissa mouth went open as she dropped a flowerpot from shock. It fell to the ground and left shards of ceramic everywhere. Hermione jumped back to avoid getting hit.
"You dropped your-"
"Are you serious?" Narcissa asked.
"Your flower pot, it's-"
"I can reparo it." Narcissa told her forgetting about the pot, "Are you really planning to tell Draco?"
"Yes, I think I am." Hermione said with confidence.
Narcissa stepped over the broken pieces and pulled Hermione into a hug. Hermione was taken by surprise, but wrapped her arms around her.
"Oh, Miss Granger! I can't thank you enough! He's been so depressed about the child not being his. I am sure this will make everything better!" Narcissa couldn't help, but hug her tighter. She released when she realized Hermione was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"It's been so hard, not telling him." Narcissa told Hermione, "I said I wouldn't say anything, but it's been so difficult being a mother and knowing something that could help your child."
Hermione nodded, "Where is Draco?" She asked getting straight to the point. Narcissa was beaming, "He's on the Quidditch pitch."
"So soon after the accident?" Hermione asked surprised.
"Yes, he told me, he's had worse and nothing with ever deter him from flying." Narcissa said with a laugh, "So stubborn boys are."
Hermione smiled, "I will go tell him."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Narcissa asked.
"No," Hermione told her politely, "This is something I have to do by myself." Narcissa nodded. She pointed to the door from the garden that led to the outside.
"You can go out this way, just follow the gray stone path and the Quidditch pitch shouldn't be too far off."
Hermione thanked Narcissa for the directions and headed off. Each step she took she thought of something horrible and then something wonderful. Each step intervolved until she found herself reaching the dirt of the Quidditch pitch. She instantly looked upward, assuming he was in the air on a broom, but there wasn't even a bird in the sky. Hermione's eyes went down to her eye level to see Draco cross from her. His back was turned and he hadn't noticed her presence. He was wearing his Slytherin Quidditch uniform, gloves and everything as she saw him spike a bludger with a beater. It flew all the way into the hundred-foot trees surrounding the property and came hurling back, only to have Draco hit it mercilessly back into the air. Hermione stood there just staring at his muscles. They flexed as the beater made impact with the bludger.
Come on, Hermione. Do it!
"Hello, Draco." Hermione said rocking back on her heels. Draco turned around in shock, but his face showed anger. Hermione could see his teeth gritted and his hand clenching the bat so hard it could break.
"What do you want?" He hissed. Hermione was taken aback by his forceful rage.
What's gotten into him? Hermione could hear warning alarms in her head, but she couldn't run away again. She had done too much of that. Hermione decided to let it go, and remain friendly, "I have something important I need to tell you." Draco raised his brow uninterested as Hermione saw the bludger coming back, "Draco watch out!" Draco turned back just in time as he caught the ball with his hands. It sent him to the ground, wrangling like a snake with it. Draco tried to keep his grip on the ball as it tossed him around in the dirt. Hermione ran over quickly as found the Quidditch ball case and opened the latch to the bludgers hole.
"Draco over here!" Hermione pushed the case closer to him. Draco finally got close enough that he picked the ball up and shoved it into the case. Hermione pulled the chain over the ball and locked it up tightly.
Draco collapsed to the floor panting. Hermione pushed the case to the side and went to his side.
"Here let me help you."
"I didn't ask for your help, Mudblood." Hermione felt her confident fall like the ceramic pot. It was broken into pieces as she stood there.
"Get off me!" He told her. Draco got to his feet and dusted himself off. His scowl was still on his face. "So what did you want?" He asked uninterested. Hermione was trying to fight back tears. She was not going to cry in front of him. Hermione swallowed all the curse words she was going to say, knowing they had little effect.
"Nothing." Hermione told him with venom, "I have nothing to say to you." Hermione began to walk away. She was done.
Draco rolled his eyes, "Someone has their knickers in a twist." Draco muttered loud enough to hear. Hermione turned around and marched back into his face.
"Why do you have to be such an arse? Can't you treat someone like an equal for once in your life!" Hermione felt tears fall on her cheeks, "You are such a whining egotistical git!" Draco was surprised by her anger, "What happened to the word mudblood not bothering you?" He asked her, emphasizing the word Mudblood. Hermione felt her wand in her hands as she pointed it at his throat. Draco looked as terrified as he did in third year. She had it firmly as his neck. She could feel the vibrations of his quivering through her wand. She removed her wand and kicked him. Draco fell with his hands clamped over his groin as he wailed in pain.
"Don't you ever speak to me again!" She hissed walking off. She went full speed ahead, never glancing back. She was too upset to even look at him. She heard him groan in pain on the pitch, but she felt no remorse. That was the last straw. Hermione wiped her tears as she walked back inside. Narcissa noticed her red eyes and puffy face.
"Miss Granger?" Narcissa asked, "What happened? I thought you were going to tell him."
"I am done. I am so done!" Hermione cried, "He doesn't want to know. I hate him too much for him to even be in my life let alone my sons!"
"Miss Granger, you just upset. Calm down, I am sure that this is all a misunderstanding."
"No, Narcissa it's not. He can't let go of the past and therefore I can't either."
"Miss Granger, you don't mean any of this."
"You don't know what happened!"
"Then please enlighten me." Narcissa asked sternly, surprised at Hermione's anger.
"He called me a Mudblood, again. I am tired of him treating me like this and I am tired of you defending him! He keeps treating me like filth and I am sick of it. I am not Astoria cheating Greengrass! I will not stand for this. I never want to see his face again!"
"Miss Granger," Narcissa said in shock.
"Goodbye, Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione apparated with a crackling noise back to her flat. She couldn't help the tears falling. Hermione stood in front of her bed, crying. She couldn't stop it. She was just so angry.
"Mione?" A voice asked that was unmistakably Blaise. Hermione turned around to see him come closer.
"Merlin, what happened?"
Hermione looked at him, "Why are you here?" It came out harsh, but it was how she felt. Blaise was surprised at her tone.
"I popped in to check on you, but you weren't here. Why are you crying?"
"Your fucking best friend, that's why!"
"Merlin, what did he do?" Blaise knew that Draco could be an arse, but never remembered seeing Hermione so upset.
"He called me a mudblood again!" Hermione cried.
"Did you go over Malfoy Manor?" Blaise asked shocked.
"Yeah, I went over there to tell him he's the father."
"You did what!" Blaise exclaimed, "Why would you do that?"
"I don't know…" Hermione sniffled, wiping her tears off with her robe. Blaise came forward, but Hermione stepped back.
"What's the matter?"
"I can't do this Blaise." Hermione told him firmly. Blaise looked at her funny.
"Can't do what?"
"Us. I can't do us."
"Us? What do you mean, 'Us?'"
"Blaise," Hermione said looking into his green eyes, "I know you want something more. I can feel it, but I am not ready for this. I tried, but I just can't be with someone. I need to focus on my son before I think about anyone else."
"Is this because of Draco?"
"What? Malfoy is an arse, I am done with him."
"Mione." Blaise said taking her hands, "I am not like Draco, please don't let Draco ruin this."
Hermione was still crying, "Malfoy ruined a lot of things, but this wasn't one of them."
Blaise too was now angry. Draco did this. He ruined his chances with Hermione. Blaise backed away, "Blaise?" Hermione asked worried what he might do next. Blaise shook his head before his disappeared. Blaise found himself back in his own mansion, in his room. Everything was going fine, until Draco ruined things. Why did Hermione even try to tell him? Last time he checked, Hermione didn't even want to tell Draco. Blaise tried to remain supportive and tell Hermione to tell Draco. He wanted Hermione to come up with the decision of her own. Blaise ran his hands over his face. At an impulse he kicked the nearest thing. A leg of the canopy on top of his bed, snapped like a twig. Splintered wood fell across the sheets and the floor. The fabric draped inward from not being supported. Blaise knew Hermione was still crying. He also knew Draco was lounging around doing whatever. Draco never thought out his actions, before or after and if he did, he certainly never put them into effect. Blaise fumed like a fighting bull at the thought of Draco. That was it. Draco was going to pay.
Author's Note: Hey Everybody! We apologize for not updating last weekend; we have been adjusting to school and trying to find time for writing. We want to wish MalfoyB-DayParty a happy birthday! We are both glad that we were able to make your birthday wish come true with Chapter 12 of "The Lion's Secret". If you haven't guessed, we also have another surprise in store to give back to the readers and as a thank you for the 200 followers: Chapter 13 is also up! Woohoo! We felt that this was a really important part in the story and one chapter couldn't cover all of it. Please let us know what you think about these chapters. We advise that you read both of them since this scene is separated between the two. We would also want to notify you guys that we started a Twitter account for "The Lion's Secret", where you could go follow us. We will be post small teasers to upcoming chapters, and will let you interact with us. Well that's about it, see you guys on Chapter 13 of, "The Lion's Secret".
~AmatuerWriter98 and AnonymousMaknae