Chapter 11: Next Steps

Hermione was laser-focused, her quill gliding swiftly across the parchment as she worked through document after document. It felt good to be productive again, after weeks of distractions. Now, she was finally catching up. The meetings with the Reformation officers had been more helpful than she wanted to admit, and all she was waiting for now was Harry's report.

Right on cue, there was a knock on her office door. She looked up to see Harry standing there, holding a file.

"I've got the report from my unofficial investigation," he said with a grin.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, a giggle escaping her. "You actually wrote a report? Who are you, and what have you done with Harry Potter? You hate paperwork."

Harry chuckled and shrugged. "Well, I didn't write it. My new personal assistant did. I just... supervised."

"Ah, that makes more sense," Hermione said, smiling. "So, what did you find?"

Harry opened the file, skimming the first few pages. "I looked into the finances of Edward and Sally. Everything checks out—no shady business there. And as for Draco..."

Hermione leaned forward, her brow furrowing. "Yes? What about him?"

"I hate to say it, but Malfoy's squeaky clean," Harry admitted.

"Squeaky clean?" Hermione's surprise was obvious. "Are we talking about the same Draco Malfoy?"

Harry nodded. "I dug deep, Hermione. I tried to find something—anything—but there's nothing. Nothing after the war. Not even a minor breach of apparition zones."

Hermione blinked, processing. "Really? Not even a broomstick docking violation?"

"Not a single one," Harry said, shaking his head. "I was as shocked as you are."

"For the first three years after his trial, there's absolutely nothing on record," he continued.

"Well, that's strange," Hermione mused.

"Not really," Harry explained. "He was under strict supervision as part of his rehabilitation."

"And after the supervision ended?" Hermione asked, trying to fit the pieces together.

"Still, not much. He kept a low profile, attending friends' birthdays and weddings here and there, but that's it. He really only came out of the shadows after Lucius died in Azkaban."

"And after that?" Hermione pressed.

"That's when everything changed," Harry said, flipping to another page. "Draco took over the family business, cleaned up a lot of Lucius's old dealings, shut down the illegal operations, and even started donating to charities like Muggle Aid Alliance."

"Draco Malfoy donating to Muggle-related charities?" Hermione echoed, incredulous.

"I know," Harry said, shaking his head in disbelief. "But that's what the records show. He's clean, Hermione. You'd probably find more dirt on me than him."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, confused.

"I did beat Ron up, remember?"

Hermione laughed. "True. I'm honestly surprised Draco hasn't even confronted Ron yet."

"I know," Harry said. "It's like he's actively avoiding conflict."

Hermione let out a deep sigh, her shoulders visibly relaxing. "Thank you, Harry. That's a relief. The thought of separating him from his child was awful. I'm glad it's not necessary."

Harry handed her the report. "There's more information here if you're interested."

"You know I'm going to read it from cover to cover, don't you?" Hermione teased.

"Read what cover to cover?" a voice interrupted from behind.

Startled, Hermione looked up. Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

Draco, said Hermione, completely taken aback by his sudden appearance. Her heart raced, and for a moment, her mind went blank. She hadn't expected to face him so soon—not before reading Harry's full report, not before preparing what to say, or how to handle the conversation. And yet, here he was, standing right in front of her, looking expectant.

"Draco... what are you doing here?" she asked, finally finding her voice after the initial shock wore off.

Draco's eyes narrowed slightly, and he reached into his cloak. "I received an interesting letter this weekend," he said, pulling out a folded parchment. "I have a feeling you can enlighten me about it."

Hermione's stomach churned. She glanced at Harry, who seemed to sense the rising panic in her expression. She needed time—just a little more time to process everything and figure out what to say. This was happening too fast.

Harry, noticing Hermione's distress, stepped forward and intervened smoothly. "Mind if I take a look, Malfoy?"

Draco handed the letter to Harry, his eyes never leaving Hermione. His usual smirk was absent, replaced with a serious, almost anxious look. Harry unfolded the letter and skimmed its contents. It was exactly what he expected—a notice, indirectly informing Draco about the pregnancy. The carefully worded language didn't make it too obvious, but to anyone with half a brain, the meaning was clear.

He handed the letter over to Hermione. "Here," he said gently. "You should take a look."

Hermione's fingers shook slightly as she took the letter from Harry. She scanned the words quickly, her heart sinking further with each line. She had known this day was coming, but seeing it spelled out in writing made it all the more real.

After a long pause, she folded the letter back up and, with a deep breath, finally spoke. "It's true," she said quietly, her voice steady but her heart pounding. "I'm pregnant. And I've decided to keep the baby."

Draco's face went pale. His shock was palpable, and for a few seconds, he seemed at a complete loss for words. His mouth opened and closed a few times as if he were trying to process what he'd just heard.

"How...? What...?" Draco stammered, his usually composed demeanor crumbling before her eyes. He ran a hand through his platinum hair, visibly shaken. "I can't believe this is really happening."

Hermione watched him closely, her own emotions swirling just beneath the surface. This was a conversation she hadn't been ready for, but now that it had begun, there was no going back.

Draco finally sat down, his hands gripping the edge of the chair as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. He looked up at Hermione, his voice softer than she had ever heard it before. "You're really keeping it?"

"Yes," Hermione said firmly, meeting his gaze. "I've thought about it a lot, and I'm certain."

Draco nodded slowly, though his face remained a mixture of disbelief and confusion. He seemed to be struggling to come to terms with the reality unfolding before him.

Hermione, sensing Draco's discomfort, softened her tone. "You don't have to be involved if you don't want to be," she offered gently, though the words felt strange as they left her mouth. For a moment, it felt like she was releasing him from some unspoken obligation, a sentiment that didn't sit well with her.

Draco frowned, clearly taken aback. Before he could respond, Hermione broke off and let out a small, awkward laugh. "I mean, I want you to be involved, but... I don't want you to feel trapped."

Draco's eyes flickered with something akin to hurt before he quickly masked it. "I want to be involved," he said, his voice firm, leaving no room for doubt. "But even if I didn't, I don't think I really have a choice, do I?"

Hermione tilted her head slightly. "That's not entirely true." She paused, trying to find the right words. "Turns out there's a loophole that most people don't even know about."

Draco raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? And what exactly is that?" he asked, a touch of skepticism creeping into his voice.

Hermione looked at him, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "It turns out you might not be able to marry anyone until this is settled," she explained, "but I can marry anyone I want."

Draco's expression shifted from confusion to shock, his mouth falling slightly open. His gaze darted from Hermione to Harry, who was quietly observing the exchange with a knowing expression.

"It's true," Harry confirmed with a nod. "As long as Hermione chooses someone who's willing, she can marry whomever she likes."

For a moment, Draco seemed unable to process what he'd just heard. His heart raced, his mind churning with the implications. Then, almost as if a switch had flipped, his expression darkened. "Let me guess," he said, his voice suddenly cold, anger creeping into his words. "Weasley volunteered, didn't he?" He scoffed bitterly, his hands clenching into fists. "Of course he did. He's going to get exactly what he wants, isn't he? Even though all of this—" he gestured between them, "is his fault."

Draco shot up from his chair, beginning to pace restlessly around the room. His movements were agitated, every step filled with frustration. "Unbelievable," he muttered, his voice rising slightly. "He nearly ruined your life with that stupid love potion, and now he's going to swoop in like the hero, pretending to save the day."

Hermione stood up as well, her eyes following Draco as he paced back and forth. She could feel the tension radiating from him, the mix of frustration, anger, and helplessness swirling inside him. Without thinking, she reached out, placing a hand gently on his arm. "Hey," she said softly, "I haven't made a decision yet."

Draco stopped pacing, his stormy eyes meeting hers. "But you're thinking about it, aren't you?" His voice was quieter now, but the undercurrent of fear remained. "There's a high chance you're going to pick him, isn't there?"

"Not really," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I don't like the fact that Ron got his way in any of this. It doesn't feel right. And... honestly," she continued, "after reading part of Harry's report, it seems like you've changed quite a bit since the war."

Draco's pacing stilled, and he turned to look at her fully, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you saying?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "I'm saying I'd like to get to know you for real before making any decisions." She glanced down at the report in her hands, then back up at Draco. "I have ten more weeks before I have to make a choice, and... if what Harry says is true, and you're really as clean as this report suggests, then I wouldn't mind giving us a chance. You are the father of this baby, after all."

Draco blinked, completely taken aback by her words. He had been prepared for many things when he walked into her office that day—anger, accusations, maybe even tears—but not this. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You'd really want to give this a chance?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

Hermione smiled faintly. "I'm saying I want to consider giving it a chance. But... we need to get to know each other first."

Draco stared at her, struggling to process her words. It was one thing to be told he was about to become a father, but to hear that Hermione Granger—the Hermione Granger—was open to exploring a future with him? It was almost too much to wrap his mind around.

"Aren't you afraid I would turn out to be exactly like my father?" he asked after a moment, his voice quiet, almost vulnerable.

Hermione paused, studying his face carefully. "Do you think you'll turn out exactly like your father?" she asked, her voice gentle but probing.

Draco swallowed hard. "I don't want to," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But that's my worst nightmare." He hesitated, then added softly,

The rawness in his voice caught Hermione off guard. She exchanged a quick glance with Harry, who looked just as surprised. Draco's vulnerability made her heart ache in a way she hadn't expected.

"Draco," she said softly, "do you think I would just let you turn into your father?"

Draco blinked, then, to Hermione's surprise, he let out a soft laugh. "No, I suppose not," he said, a teasing edge to his voice. "I guess that makes you the perfect woman for me, then." His smirk returned, though there was a warmth to it now that hadn't been there before.

Harry, sensing that the conversation was moving in a good direction, cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Well, I think that's my cue to leave," he said with a grin. "You two need to talk this out, and I don't think I need to be here for it. Just... don't hex each other, alright?"

Hermione laughed, and even Draco cracked a smile. "We'll behave, Harry," Hermione promised.

"Good luck," Harry said, nodding to both of them before quietly slipping out of the office, leaving Hermione and Draco to figure out what came next.

As Harry left the office, he overheard Draco say, "I can't believe you got him to write a report."

"I didn't!" Hermione replied with a smile. "He thought of it all by himself now that he has a personal assistant."

Draco scoffed playfully. "Well, I have a personal assistant too. Maybe I'll have her write a report on why Weasley's a terrible choice."

Hermione giggled at his remark. In that moment, Harry couldn't help but wonder if these two were actually good for each other.

A/N: Thanks for Reading. Please Review.