A/N I haven't abandoned this story! No fear! I've just been pretty busy so it took a while to finish this chapter. I appreciate all of your reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
xxxxx
The bed shifted and Hermione turned her head to look at them. Draco sat beside her, Adeline in his arms. He had been soothing her and she lifted her head to look at her mother. She crawled out of Draco's arms and into bed beside Hermione, curling up into her side. Her little hand pats the spot beside her. "Daddy, lay down."
Draco looked between the two and shifted a bit. "Oh, I don't want to hurt your mum. She's still healing, A-Adeline." Hermione sent him a weak smile, her eyelids fluttering.
Addie lifted her head. "It's okay, right, mummy? Daddy won't hurt you." Her small hand extended out to her father and Hermione shifted a little closer to the edge of the bed, trying to make room. He sighed quietly and crawled onto Adeline's other side, laying on his right so that he was facing them. Addie smiled, grabbing his hand and holding it in her tiny one.
Draco stared at her for a moment, the way she was immediately comfortable with him. His eyes lifted to Hermione and found her staring at him. A tear slipped down her cheek, teeth nibbling on her lower lip. She inhaled shakily, whispering as Adeline's breathing evened out. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, Malfoy. You don't have to be responsible for her. I made the decision to keep her. Whatever you want to do, I'll understand."
"Granger…" His voice was low as well, a small warning in it. His silver eyes searched her face and he realized that she was still afraid of his response. She was afraid he'd break little Adeline's heart. "I meant what I told her. You're not alone anymore. I don't know what this will mean for us, but I am her father. I will be. I'm not going anywhere."
Tears slid down her cheeks and she looked away from him, trying to contain herself. He gave her the moment, looking down at the sleeping child. His lips twitched a little. She looked so innocent, so beautiful. Her golden blonde hair framing her face, her hands holding onto Draco's. He slipped his hand out, finger moving to push some hair from her cheeks, feeling the soft skin. "She's beautiful." He murmured, shaking his head. He looked back up to her mother who had wiped the tears from her face. "Will you tell me about her?"
Hermione looked at him through wet eyelashes and nodded, chuckling quietly. "Yes, anything."
And so he asked every question he could think of. What the pregnancy was like, what the labor had been like. Hermione had taken his hand, catching his gaze. It had caught him by surprise, but then he realized what she'd been doing. Occlumency. She was giving him permission to look, to be there in those moments beside them.
He leaned in, breath falling evenly as he relaxed and she opened her mind to him.
And then he fell in.
xxxxx
She had been painting a mural in the nursery, a palette in her hands. She had placed a spell so the fumes would not affect her or the baby. Hermione leaned in to swish a pink petal on when she felt it. Her eyes widened, dropping the brush onto the side table.
"Oh! Do that again." Her hand moved to the bump, feeling around. Her heart soared and she shifted her hand over the mound. A small joyous laugh escaped her as the baby inside of her kicked once more. Tears sprung into her eyes and she nodded, leaning against the crib.
"Wow…you're really in there, aren't you, little dragon?"
Draco watched the interaction, his lips curling into a smile. Hermione had sounded so ecstatic. She'd looked so happy. So beautiful. The memory shifted.
Hermione doubled over on the couch, her fingers curling over the edge of it. Her chest rose and fell as the contraction hit her again. A medi-witch appeared in the corner, moving to wipe at her brow. "Oh, Ms. Granger! Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital? We can make sure you get the medication to lessen the pain."
"No!" Hermione cried out, sweat all over her face. She tried to straighten, her cheeks flushed pink. "No hospitals. I can't risk it. I can't." She groaned as she bent over again, her lips parting in a cry of pain.
The medi-witch helped her lay back on the couch, her hands moving under the sleeping gown. Hermione's face contorted in pain, back arching. "Okay. It's time, Hermione. You're going to have to push." Hermione looked frightened, searching the space around them. "I have everything we need, okay? I have everything for the babe. It's your turn, mama. You have to push."
Tears streamed down Hermione's face. Draco knelt beside her, finding he hated the look of pain. He hated that she had done this on her own. He reached his hand out, trying to hold her.
Hermione pushed, her eyes closing, her head pounding. She cried out, fingers white knuckling against the arm of the couch. She gasped, her chest heaving. She shook her head. "Another push, Hermione. I can see the head."
"I can't. I can't." Hermione shook her head, sweat shining on her skin, dripping down to her chest. Draco couldn't tell what were tears and what was sweat on her face. He looked from her to the medi-witch, brows furrowed together.
"Push, Granger. You can do it." He murmured, knowing that it didn't really matter. This was long done.
"Push, Hermione. You can do this. Five more minutes of pain…for a lifetime of happiness." Hermione lifted her head at the ceiling, taking in a deep breath. She groaned, but pushed, her temples tight. The couch creaked under her grip. Another breath and she pushed again.
"That's it. That's it!" The medi-witch nodded happily, her hands out in front of her. Hermione pushed once more and then her body went limp, she fell back against the pillows propping her up. The medi-witch waved her wand.
And a baby's cry filled the air. Tears sprung into Hermione's eyes. Tears sprung into Draco's. He let out a breath he'd been holding, watching the medi-witch move closer, a bundle in her arms. The baby was covered in afterbirth, but was crying, little fists balled up. "You've got yourself a beautiful baby girl, Ms. Hermione."
Hermione broke out into sobs, taking the baby in her arms. "A girl?" She pressed a kiss to the newborn's head, holding her to her chest. "Hi, baby. Hi! I'm your mummy." She brushed her finger against her daughter's cheek. "I'm never going to let anything happen to you…little dragon."
Draco was kneeling beside them, nearly touching her shoulders. He blinked, his own tears flowing down his cheeks. He looked down at the newborn, wishing he could hold her, touch her. She was beautiful.
The memory shifted again.
Hermione held the two month old to her chest, pressing their noses together. She giggled and made her way down the steps of MACUSA, putting a set of papers into her bag. "Now, when you're old enough, you'll be able to go to school." She kissed her head, shifting and putting the baby into the baby carrier attached to her person.
"Elizabeth Adeline, if you fall asleep now, mummy will tell you a story about your father later, okay?" She blinked down at the two month old, who's lip twitched as if in a smile. Hermione giggled, heading towards the subway. "Come on, we've got to get you to daycare."
Another shift.
Hermione placed the cake in front of her daughter, smiling at the look of excitement on her features. The one year old sat on the table, leaning forward to stick her fingers into the cake. The witch laughed, taking a photo of her as she attacked the cake.
"Oh, tell me you have a second cake to share! It's the only reason I came." A man came into view and Hermione rolled her eyes. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, moving to sit on the other side of the table.
"Of course I did, Bran. This is just for her to enjoy." She paused, tilting her head as Adeline covered herself in icing. "Although, now I'm realizing I'll have to bathe her before everyone else shows up." She laughed and leaned in, picking up the child in her arms. Adeline held cake in her little fist, bringing it to her mouth.
Hermione opened hers, asking for some and she was gifted with a fistful. She laughed happily, the icing covering her chin. "Let me take a photo of you two before everyone arrives." Hermione pressed a kiss to her daughter's cheek and the man picked the camera up, snapping a photo.
Another shift. Draco straightened, looking at the scene in front of him.
Hermione kneeled in front of the slightly older girl. She was crying, her hair up in a ponytail. Some of the strands were curly and some were straight. She had a fringe on her forehead, but she was crying. Her little chest rising and falling. "I-I don't wanna go, maman! Please."
Hermione herself tried to hold back her tears, frowning. "I know, little one. I know. But it's just for a little while. You're going to make so many friends and mama will be here to pick you up at the end of the day, okay?" She wiped her daughter's face, pulling her into a hug. She pressed their foreheads together. "Remember what mummy said about being brave? It's in you, my love. You are going to have the absolutely best day. You're going to have so much fun and after school, we'll go have ice cream and you can tell me all about it, okay?"
Adeline whined, but nodded, looking up at her mother. A familiar man stepped in behind them, giving them a big grin. "Oh, is that the little dragon herself?"
Addie's face lit up and she twisted from her mother, giving him a wave. Hermione pat her back gently, whispering. "Go one, baby. Bran will take care of you." She pressed a kiss to her cheek and ushered her forward. Adeline took Bran's hand and waved at her mother, already looking sad again.
Hermione watched them disappear, only then allowing herself to burst into tears.
The last two memories were recent. Adeline showing her powers this past Saturday. And the attack.
Draco pulled back from her memories and she lifted her hand, wiping his tears away. He nodded. "Thank you. Thank you for letting me see her birth."
Hermione brushed her thumb over his cheek, nodding. They'd been so focused, so lost in the memories.
They hadn't even noticed the door open. They hadn't realized anyone was in there. And then Ron's voice floated through the room, spitting venom. "What the bloody hell is going on here?"
xxxxx
Draco jumped off of the bed, his eyes widening. He was caught off guard, looking away as he wiped his face of the evidence of his emotions. He turned his back to the Weasel, although probably not the wisest thing to do given how angry he seemed to be. Hermione shifted in her bed, making sure not to disturb the sleeping child. She sat up a bit.
Ron was angered, Hermione could tell. It was coming off of him in waves. She shook her head. "I'm pretty sure Daphne will be upset that you're in here. She said she'd get you when I was ready."
"I thought you'd be asleep. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." His eyes went to Draco, who had turned back around, his usual cold features back on. "I thought you'd be alone. Did I interrupt something?"
He was trying to remain calm, collected in front of the sleeping child. She appreciated that. Hermione winced a little as she pushed herself to sit up straighter. She looked over at Draco and he looked down at the ground. "You did. Draco and I were talking."
"Draco?" Ron blinked, looking between them. "Since when is he Draco? Do you forget what he did to you all those years ago?" He was upset, but his voice was quiet and perhaps that was worse.
Hermione frowned at him. "He's been Draco for years now, Ronald. You have never been able to move on from it-"
"And you shouldn't be able to, either. Hermione, you were tortured in front of him, remember? In his home? And he did nothing." Ron looked at her incredulously and she sighed, shaking her head.
"I know. I have not forgotten that, Ron. It's literally carved into me. I remember." She pressed her lips into a thin line, brown eyes searching his face. "But Draco has grown up. He's not the same boy he was back then and if you just gave him the chance-"
"A chance!" Ron scoffed, blinking. He shook his head as if trying to shake off such thoughts. He actually looked like he was going to be sick. "Hermione, how can you just forgive him for all of the things he did?"
"Because he's her father!" Hermione snapped, exasperated. Her eyes widened and Ron looked appalled. If he looked sick before, he was about to pass out now. He looked betrayed. "He's her father, Ron."
"Did he force himself on you?" Ron spat out, glaring at the blonde wizard. Hermione gaped at him, letting out a gasp.
"Ron!" She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "No. He didn't. Draco and I- we spent a few nights together. After the war…it wasn't a one-night stand or something we forced or-"
"So, instead of finding comfort in your friends…you went to him?" Draco sighed, taking a step forward, his hands in his pockets. Ron straightened, pushing his shoulders back.
"Get off your high horse, Weasley. You used to frequent bars, picking up women to numb the pain of the war." Draco crossed his arms over his chest, brows furrowing together. "You found comfort at the bottom of a bottle. Potter found comfort with his wife. Everyone needed something. We were all searching for anything to quiet the screams. Trust me, we didn't plan it."
Hermione looked between them, worried of a fight breaking out. Adeline shifted again, curling into her mother's side. Ron looked down at her, frowning. "The thing is, Ronald, I didn't want to talk about it. I just needed someone and Draco and I- it just happened."
"How?"
Hermione's brows furrowed in confusion, tilting her head. "I'm- I'm sorry, what?"
"How did it start? I don't understand how you two just…happened?" He leaned back against the wall, scratching at the scar by his temple. Hermione's eyes fell to it. "After everything he did, how did you just decide that Draco Malfoy was the person you wanted to sleep with? The person you had to sleep with?"
Hermione's brows furrowed together and her hand came up to massage the growing headache. She frowned, shaking her head. "Ron, I- I don't see why that's important. It happened. It happened and I left. I found out I was pregnant and that was it." She sighed, looking up at him. "I didn't tell him. I left him out of it. He had no idea. That was my mistake." She looked over at the blonde wizard. "I should have told him about her. I can't change the past. But Adeline deserves to know him as he is now, not who he was in the past."
Ron's jaw tense and he took a deep breath. "If he so much as makes you frown, I'm going to kill him." Ron murmured, his eyes glancing to the blonde. He took a step forward, both of them squaring their shoulders. "You've managed to fool the world, to fool her. I can't imagine the things you've lied about to get her to sleep with you. Hurt them and I'll hunt you down."
Hermione rolled her eyes at that, scowling at him. Well, she attempted to. The pain in her side was too much. She winced, relaxing against the hospital bed. Draco opened his mouth to retort, but she cut in. "Draco, if you could please…please give me a minute with Ron. I think we need to speak alone."
He looked behind him at the witch and his child and nodded, stepping around the red headed man. He cleared his throat. "I'll be right outside. I'm going to find Daphne."
He stepped out, the door closing behind him. Ron took a deep breath and turned over to look at his best friend. His tongue wet his lips and he moved to sit down at the foot of the bed. He pointed over to the sleeping girl. "She's…she's beautiful, Hermione. Very kind and…sweet." He swallowed thickly, looking up at her.
The corner of her lips twitched and she nodded, giving him a small smile. "Thank you. She's wonderful. She's everything to me."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Ron's voice was low, just above a whisper, pained and confused. His eyes looked over her features as his hand reached out to grip her hand. Hermione squeezed his hand gently. "We would've been there. We would have helped you."
"I was scared." Hermione frowned, her voice cracking. She blinked back tears, their fingers lacing together. "Draco and I- it wasn't anything but comfort. We needed comfort, both of us and we knew- it was easy. We didn't really talk, we didn't have to ask how the other was."
"But when you found out you were pregnant- why didn't you come back to us? Mum has been beside herself- she knows, we all know that you did it alone." His thumb brushed the back of her hand. "You didn't have to. No matter if it was a one night stand or if that…git is her father, we would never have abandoned you."
"I didn't know that then." She frowned, looking over at her daughter. Addie shifted, nuzzling into her mother's side. "I mean, I love you all and I knew you loved me, but I- I couldn't come back. I made my choice and after everything that had happened with the war, I couldn't stay here. It was too painful. I wanted to start over, at least until I had the courage to face you all again."
Ron frowned at her and moved around the mattress to wrap an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her in as gently as possible, not wanting to hurt her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, tears filling her eyes. "We've got you, Hermione. You're back and we're not going to let anything happen to either of you. And Malfoy-" He took a deep breath, letting his eyes close for a moment. "— I don't like him. I don't trust him, but I trust you. And for your sake and for this precious sleeping child's sake- I'll behave."
Hermione wiped her eyes, turning her nose into his shoulder and chuckling quietly. "You don't know how happy it makes me to hear you say that."
"I mean it, though- if he hurts either of you, I'll kill him." Ron's jaw set and Hermione nodded, closing her eyes. "Get some rest, 'Mione. We'll talk more when you're feeling better."
xxxxx
Draco leaned against the wall, head hitting it repeatedly. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath. Fucking hell. He had a daughter. A beautiful five year old little thing that already loved him as if he'd been a part of her everyday life. He swallowed thickly.
Merlin, he was going to fuck this up somehow. No, that was his father's way of thinking and Draco was better than that now. He couldn't think that way. He couldn't fuck it up. He rubbed at his temples and opened his eyes, jumping backwards into the wall. "What the fuck is wrong with you two?!"
Daphne and Blaise both stood in front of him, arms crossed over their chests. Blaise smirked, looking down at the shorter blonde. "Told you he hadn't heard us. Too busy wondering what type of father he'll be."
"Fuck off, Blaise." Daphne nudged him, but smiled up at the blonde wizard brightly. "How'd it go? She seems to really love you. She's adorable, Draco. Literally such a sweet little child."
"I mean, she's- yeah, she's great." He nodded, shifting on his feet. A frown graced his lips. "Part of me is so pissed at her- for keeping her from me. The other part is just relieved that they're both okay."
"Of course it is. And that part of you that's upset, that's natural. It's a big deal. It's your daughter. I'd be surprised if you weren't upset." Daphne gave him a reassuring smile, squeezing his shoulder. Draco pulled her into a quick hug, chin on top of her head. He let out a sigh, closing his eyes as she returned the hug. Her hand rubbed his back.
They were best friends and they'd known each other since they were in cloth diapers. She pulled back to look up at him and noted the silent tears sliding down his cheeks. She frowned, looking over at Blaise. He shifted awkwardly on his feet, throat bobbing as he swallowed. He hated seeing his friend like this, too.
Draco pulled back and wiped at his eyes, turning from them and sniffling. He shook his head as if it would help rid him of those emotions.
Draco took a deep breath, turning back to look at them. Blaise stepped forward, arms crossed over his chest. The look he gave, it was all Hit Wizard. Serious and calculating as he thought. "No one can know. If she wants to tell the Weasley's, Longbottom. Fine. But someone- some group- is after your daughter. Granger is a formidable witch and that's enough to have them hunting her down. But we'd be remiss to think that adding your bloodline to the mix won't further entice them. The child of a Sacred Twenty-Eight and the smartest witch in the wizarding world. Half blood or not, that means something."
Draco pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. Blaise was all security detail right now and he was grateful for that. His best friend was a fierce wizard and he took his job seriously. Draco could think of no one better to work with. "No one else knows. They'll remove me from the case and I can't have that. I can't stand on the side while someone-"
A loud explosion cut him off, heat exploding over them. Daphne cried out in pain, her hands coming up to her face as they hit the ground. Blaise cursed, moving over her immediately to put out the flame on her right side. She was screaming, writhing around.
A loud ringing was in their ears, sounds muffled as people began running. He was vaguely aware of Ron Weasley stepping out of the room, eyes wide. He ran to his girlfriends side, crying out for Blaise to go to Hermione. "I got her! I have her, Zabini! Get Hermione and Adeline out."
Hermione. Draco blinked as he rushed to his feet, shaking his head to clear the cloudiness in it. He ran to the door, pushing it open. Blaise followed behind him. He could hear the Weasley clan running out and Mcgonagall shouting orders, ever the war hero.
Hermione was on her feet, Adeline crying as she stood beside her. "Go to your father." She ordered her, ushering her to Draco. He scooped her up in his arms, hand on the back of her head. She cried in his arms and he shushed her. Hermione was limping, blood soaking the front of her gown as her wound had reopened.
"Granger." Blaise moved to her side, lifting her in his arms, ignoring her cry of protest. "Shut up. We're getting you out of here." He pushed open the door and stepped out, eyes softening as he watched Ron kneeling over a sobbing, screaming Daphne.
Draco looked around, taking in the chaos. There were wounded littering the halls, Healers running around. But that was normal for this place. What wasn't normal, was the masked figures making their way through the space, green and yellow and red spells coming from their wands.
A flash of red beside him and he gripped his wand, relief coming over him as he recognized the Potter female. He pressed a kiss to Addie's temple, pulling back to look at her. "Go with your aunt. Daddy will follow." Ginny's eyes widened at his words, but she took the small child from him, holding her tight. Addie sobbed, straining against her arms and watching as her father lifted his wand. His silver eyes set, a storm clouding them as he waved a protection barrier over them.
Blaise moved Hermione into Neville's awaiting arms and she cried out in pain, her hand covering her abdomen. Ron held Daphne up, her right hand covering her burnt face. He could smell the charred skin, his stomach flipping. Molly took Daphne in her arms, wrapping her into side. "Go." Blaise ordered them all, his own wand in his hand.
Harry and Ron stepped forward, the former looking much better now than he had before. Blaise looked over the rest of the crew who had hung around, most of the men, Luna, Fleur. His heart pounded.
The last time they had been in this situation was at the Battle of Hogwarts. He turned on his heel as Draco shouted in pain, a spell getting through the barrier.
"Bring it down!" Blaise shouted at his partner, glaring across the space to the masked wizards. "Wands up."
They slipped into a formation just as another rumble came around the hospital. The foundation shook, more screams filling the floors above them. Draco's blood ran cold. There were more of them than they'd realized, but he'd be damned if they got to his family.
He would kill every last one of them.
