Chapter 16
Draco
Draco was so ready for this year to be over.
It had been better than expected, much better actually, but the last few weeks had been crazy.
Hermione’s world revolved around revision for NEWTs, which was normal according to Potter and Weasley. Sure, Draco studied a lot, too, but Hermione got stressed out the minute she wasn’t studying, which resulted in everyone else stressing out as well. In a weird way, their roles from the beginning of the year were reversed. It was no longer Hermione making sure Draco didn’t skip meals, but the other way around.
Additionally, his father’s letters had become quite short and his mother hadn’t written in a while. Draco was worried, terrified really, and he just wanted the year to be over so he could go home and see for himself how she was.
A few days before the school year was over, Draco and Hermione had finally written their last exams and Hermione actually burst out into tears of relief. Draco was about ready to join her, but instead put an arm around her und pulled her close.
She calmed down rather quickly. “Sorry, that was pretty intense.”
Draco considered it wise just to nod and give her a quick, reassuring kiss.
“How did Charms go for you?” She asked, looking up at him.
Charms theory had been their last NEWTs exam. “Alright, I think.” He was actually pretty sure all subjects had gone well.
Hermione nodded, head on his shoulder. “I think mine was alright, too.” She frowned. “I’m just not so sure about History of Magic yesterday. I think I could have been more precise with my answer to question 2 …”
Draco interrupted her. “Hey, no need worrying about that now. I’m sure you did great. Let’s go outside and take a walk.”
She smiled and nodded. “You’re right.” Together they left the common room. Halfway to the main gate, Hermione started to speak again. “How …”
Again, she was interrupted, but not by Draco this time. “Mr Malfoy!” Quick steps approached them from behind and when he turned around, he saw Headmistress McGonagall following them downstairs.
The look on her face made something inside him grow cold. Not his mother, please everything, just not his mother.
Hermione seemed to have the same feeling as she squeezed his hand tightly.
McGonagall stopped in front of them and the compassion in her eyes made him want to be sick right then and there.
“Mr Malfoy, please follow me to my office. I received a letter from the Minister, your parents’ house arrest as well as your ‘confinement’ to Hogwarts has been lifted a few days early.” She hesitated. “Your mother was brought to St Mungo’s this morning.”
Yes, he may actually be sick. “Is she alright?”
“I don’t know. You can floo to St Mungo’s from my office.”
He nodded mechanically, felt Hermione give him a quick hug, felt himself hug her back with numb arms, before he followed Headmistress McGonagall to her office. They stopped in front of the fireplace. “If you come back, you can floo to this office at any time. In any case, let us know.”
Again, he nodded. “Thank you.” With that, he threw a handful of floo powder into the flames and left Hogwarts for the first time in almost a year.
Hermione
She watched Draco go and fought the urge to beg McGonagall to let her go with him. But while she really wanted to be there for him and also wanted to know how Narcissa was, she wasn’t sure whether that wouldn’t be imposing on a very private moment.
After all, while she had written back and forth with both Narcissa and Lucius all year and felt like she knew them, the only times they had met personally had been under less than pleasant circumstances. And although she knew Draco was planning to propose to her soon, she was not yet part of the family.
So she held herself back and looked for her friends instead.
On her way, she met Professor McNair. His smile was pleasant; so he didn’t know. “Miss Granger, I have something for you in my office, if you have a moment.”
She nodded and followed him quietly.
“Is everything alright?”
“Draco just flooed to St Mungo’s. His mother is there. Apparently, the Minister deigned it necessary to end the house arrest early so she could go to the hospital, so I guess something is wrong.”
McNair sighed. “They should have done that earlier. Mr Malfoy told me that his mother hasn’t been doing well for a while.”
She nodded. That was true, she had even complained to Kingsley, but he had claimed that it was safe enough considering a healer cared for her. She should have been more adamant instead of focusing on the bloody NEWTs all the time.
They arrived at McNair’s office and after entering he gave her a small wooden box. She took it and looked at him in confusion. “What is that?”
“The vial with the Animagus potion is in there. As you will soon leave Hogwarts and you know the potion needs to be kept in a dark place, I put it in there. Don’t open it until there’s a thunderstorm.”
“I won’t. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this!”
She was really looking forward to that thunderstorm, it was getting a bit tedious. As instructed, she had kept the Mandrake leave in her mouth for a month. Since this was supposed to be a surprise for Draco, she hadn’t wanted him to notice, so she had attached it to the inside of her cheek instead of under her tongue, so he hadn’t felt or tasted it while kissing her. After a month, she had brought the leave to McNair so he had been able to complete the potion.
Since then, she had each morning and evening pointed her wand to her heart and had spoken the incantation “Amato Animo Animato Animagus” and by now she did sense a second heart beat each time she touched her chest with her wand before speaking the incantation. She was ready, all that was missing was the thunderstorm which was needed to complete the magic.
It made her a little nervous that she would likely be at the Burrow again when it was time. There was no privacy in that place.
But she would have to go back before she made her own money and she had not heard back from the Ministry yet. According to Lucius that was normal. They usually waited until school was over so the applicants could bring their NEWTs results to their interviews.
But all that seemed so vastly unimportant now. Her thoughts were on Draco.
Draco
At St Mungo’s he went straight for the reception. “Excuse me. I’m Draco Malfoy. I was told to get here because of my mother. She’s pregnant.”
The receptionist nodded. “Yes, Mr Malfoy, follow me.”
“Do you know how she is?”
“I’m not authorised to give information of that nature.”
Great.
He followed the woman to a more luxurious looking part of the hospital; he knew that this was where the wealthier patients had private rooms. He had been there once, after a flying accident. Practicing the Wronski Feint hat turned to be a bad idea for a seven-year-old boy.
And then he saw his father in front of one room, listening intently to a healer. He looked tired, something only Draco and Narcissa, the two people who knew him best, would see. He most certainly did not look the way Draco imagined he would, if the worst had occurred.
Still, his patience had just run out and he walked past the receptionist to join his father as quickly as possible.
And when Lucius heard the steps, turned to look at him and smiled – truly smiled, smile reaching his eyes and all – Draco’s legs almost gave way from relief. His mother was alive and in no immediate danger. He didn’t need anyone to tell him that now.
He knew Lucius wasn’t a supporter of affectionate gestures in public, but he didn’t care right now. He was so glad to see him and to see that smile that told him that he would see his mother, too, and soon, that he just hugged him the moment he stood before him.
To his father’s credit, there was only a small moment of hesitation before the gesture was returned and Draco felt his father’s arms around him.
When the let go of each other, he gave him an apologetic smile. “Mother is alright, isn’t she?”
“She is. Or will be. She’s currently recovering from giving birth to your sister.”
“My … sister? But isn’t it too early for that?” He looked between his father and the healer.
“Almost two months early, yes.” It was the healer who answered. “But it was getting too dangerous for your mother to continue the pregnancy, and around seven weeks early is usually going well. She’s a bit small, but healthy. There are some charms and potions that will keep it that way.”
Draco smiled. He remembered that McNair had in his younger years developed a potion that had since saved many prematurely born babies. The baby received a few drops each day and it stabilised the immune system that was still weak at that age and helped them to develop normally. He would have to thank him.
“Can I see them?”
Lucius looked at the healer. “Was there anything else?”
“No, if anything is wrong, have me called at any time, otherwise I will check on your wife and daughter in a few hours.”
“Thank you.” He carefully opened the door to his mother’s room and Draco followed him inside.
His mother was asleep and looked terribly pale, but Draco told himself that this was to be expected after a difficult pregnancy and birth.
Quietly, he made his way to the small crib next to the bed.
There she was, fast asleep as well, a little wrinkly and red in the face, dressed in a warm and soft looking onesie that also covered her tiny hands, and she wore a hat, under which she doubtlessly already showed a few white-blond strands of hair. She was the most adorable thing Draco had ever seen.
“She’s beautiful,” he whispered, knowing without looking up from his new sister that his father was standing right next to him. “What’s her name?”
“Cassiopeia.”
Finally, Draco turned his head to look at Lucius, grinning. “And mother agreed to that?”
“Yes, she did indeed. It was her idea, actually. But she already calls her Cassie.”
Draco chuckled. He knew his father’s disdain for nicknames, which he partly shared. This was why he was probably the only person in the world who called Ginevra Weasley by her proper name.
But Cassiopeia was quite a mouthful, although he liked it very much.
She opened her eyes. Draco had read somewhere that the eyes of newborns were usually blue and that was the case here, too. He knew they would turn grey in time; it was like that for all born Malfoys, old magic and such, but right now she looked like she had their mother’s eyes. Her little arms began to move. Draco did his very best not to make an undignified noise.
“Do you want to hold her?”
Draco stared at his father in shock. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I have no idea how to hold a baby and she’s so small.” He may or may not have sounded slightly panicked.
Lucius chuckled and carefully took her out of her crib. “Look, Cassiopeia, your brother wants to meet you.”
And then he automatically held out his arms and the next moment he was holding her, cradling her carefully to his chest. She looked up at him and Draco knew he’d do anything for her, anything at all.
xxx
An hour later his mother woke up, too, and although she was still weak, she was as happy to see him as Draco was to see her. He hugged her carefully and it was such a relief. He had worried about her for far too long.
“How did the NEWTs go?” She asked smiling as her husband carefully handed her the baby so she could feed her.
“Good, I think.” He grinned. “Hermione was constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but otherwise everything went well.”
Lucius chuckled. “Her letters did seem a little frantic lately.”
A little frantic was the understatement of the year.
When Cassie had finished her meal, Draco ended up holding her again. “I should have brought the camera,” he mused and smiled as she yawned.
“They have a camera here, the medi-witch said she would bring it later.”
“Good. Am I going to go back to Hogwarts?”
His father considered this for a moment. “I’d say it’s up to you, but I think you should. Enjoy your last few days there. I will stay here with your mother anyway, so you’d just be home alone when you’re not here. And tell Hermione that she’s welcome to stay at the Manor after school.”
Draco smiled broadly. “I will. Thank you! She wasn’t too eager to return to the Burrow, I think.” He knew that was unusual. Lucius Malfoy was a traditional man in many aspects, he usually would not approve of her moving in before the wedding.
“I can’t blame her.”
“I’d like to propose to her soon. Are the engagement rings in the Manor or in the vaults?”
Neither one of his parents looked surprised. “If you floo home before going back to Hogwarts, you will find a box with several of them in my study, in the shelf next to my desk. You can choose one you think she’d like.”
Hermione
It was after dinner already and Hermione was pacing back and forth in the common room. When Ron had told her to calm down, she had glared at him in a way that had made him fall silent until now.
It was almost 8 when Draco finally entered and Hermione let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t look like he had just lost a parent, indeed he looked rather happy.
“How is your mother?” She asked anyway and Draco’s smile widened.
“She’ll be fine. She has to stay at the hospital for a few days, but she’s alright. And so is my sister.”
Hermione beamed before hugging him. “I was so worried! What’s her name?”
“Cassiopeia.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few photos, which he handed to her. Their friends came closer to catch a look. Luna was bouncing with excitement. There were three pictures, one of Narcissa holding a tiny bundle, she looked pale and tired, but happy, one of Draco holding his sister and a close shot of Cassiopeia lying in her crib, looking up into the camera with big eyes.
“She’s so cute! And so tiny. She was born early, wasn’t she?” If Hermione remembered correctly, the due date would have been in August.
Draco nodded. “Yeah, about seven weeks. But the healer said that’s not a problem.” He grinned. “Thanks to a potion McNair developed years ago. They had to induce labour because it would have been too dangerous for mother to carry her to term.”
“Well, what matters is that they’re both alright.”
“That’s true.” He smiled at her. “And father said you’re welcome to stay with us after school.”
Well, she certainly hadn’t expected that. Neither had Harry and Ron.
She just wanted to tell Draco that she would love to, but Ron was faster. “You know, if you don’t want to move into the Manor, you can always come back with us.”
Hermione rolled her eyes. She knew he meant well, but she had a feeling that he still hadn’t understood what her plans were. “Ronald, that’s very sweet, but I’m going to move in sooner or later anyway. When I’m married to Draco, it would be kind of silly to live in some apartment instead of his ancestral home which is big enough for several families.” She turned to Draco. “That’s very nice of your father. I’d love to!”
And that was true. She was still grateful that the Weasleys had given her a place to stay when she had needed it, but if she was completely honest to herself, she had to admit that living in a manor would definitely be more comfortable. It wouldn’t be so cramped, it would be easier to get some privacy for her first Animagus transformation and as a huge bonus, Draco and Lucius had told her about the library she was very eager to see.
Sure, during the War they had been caught and she had been tortured in Malfoy Manor. But the memories she’d had of Hogwarts, the memories of the battle in which she had seen her peers die, had thought Harry was dead, even if it had just been for a few dreadful minutes, were even worse than that and it had taken her only a short time to get used to being here again. She was sure she would be able to get used to the Manor as well, especially since Narcissa had told her in a letter that it looked completely different now from what she would remember.
Ron, however, was stuck with another thing entirely. “Married?”
Draco
The next day, Draco went in search of his potions master. He’d had an idea and while he knew the Golden Trio – his girlfriend included – would not have asked for permission, he chose the path that promised no trouble. He found him rather quickly. “Professor McNair? Do you have a moment?”
The man was obviously just on his way to the Great Hall, but he stopped and turned around. “Of course. How is your mother?”
“She’s going to be fine. And I have a sister. Thanks to your potion for premature babies, she’s fine, too.”
McNair returned his smile. “That’s good to hear.”
“Yes, I’m so glad she’s here now and mother can recover.” McNair knew best how much he had worried – except for Hermione, he was the one who had listened to him probably a few times too many. “I have a question. Since we’re home tomorrow, would it be possible to take Hermione out tonight after curfew? Just to the lake?”
His teacher raised an eyebrow. “I’ll inform Mr Filch that he’s not to stop you. Planning a last date on Hogwarts grounds?”
Draco smiled. “Kind of.” He reached into his pocket and produced a small box, which he opened. In comparison to the others, the ring was simple, the diamond small and tear shaped, the white gold intricately made and wrapped around the diamond like branches. He was sure Hermione would like it more than any of the rings with huge, gaudy gemstones.
McNair’s smile grew. “That’s a beautiful ring. Good luck, then.”
Lucius Malfoy
Day Two at the hospital and Narcissa was already getting better. It was an immense relief. Many people may believe that Lucius cared very little about most people, and they may not be completely wrong, but he didn’t know how to live without her. She was the first person he had ever loved and who had ever loved him, losing her would have been devastating.
And now he was standing in the bathroom, changing a diaper which was much smaller than Draco’s first ones had been. Still, it was apparently true that such things were not unlearned and girls had their perks. The first time he had changed Draco’s diaper, he had peed him in the face. A girl couldn’t do that, so that was good.
She also was relatively calm while he put her onesie back on. Smiling down at her, he picked her up again. He had a feeling that he would be wrapped around her little finger in no time and he found he didn’t care. “All done, Princess.” She made a little noise and still smiling, he opened the bathroom door … and heard a familiar voice. He hadn’t heard it in a long time, but it was still familiar. Andromeda Tonks, his wife’s sister. Less crazy than the dead one, but still annoying.
Well, he only had himself to blame. He had written her yesterday that they were at the hospital and Narcissa had given birth. He had not invited her to come, but no good deed ever went unpunished.
“What do you mean – Lucius is changing a diaper?” Both women looked towards the bathroom door. Well, the smile on Narcissa’s face was almost worth it.
“Lucius changed Draco’s diapers all the time.”
“Shocking.” But it wasn’t quite as biting as it had been at school. Apparently, him updating her regularly on her sister’s health had made an impression.
“It is wonderful to see you again, Andromeda.”
“Likewise, Lucius.”
Both of their voices dripped with sarcasm.
“Why didn’t you bring your grandson?” Narcissa asked.
“Because he’s quite a handful right now and I’m sure you still need rest.”
“That she does.”
Andromeda ignored him. “So I left him with Molly Weasley.” Now she turned to Lucius. “Not a word.”
“I wouldn’t dare. My own son is friends with not one, but two Weasleys. My future daughter-in-law is friends with the entire family, and that is a lot. I’m training myself not to react to that name at all anymore.”
Narcissa burst out laughing, but Andromeda was uncharacteristically quiet for a moment. “So it’s true? When Draco wrote to me that he’s with Hermione Granger, I actually thought that had no future. At least without disinheritance.”
It was probably not fair to be offended, but he was, just a little. Narcissa saw it and smirked. “There’s very little my son could do to get disinherited; marriage is not one of those things.”
There was a peck on the window. A Hogwarts barn owl. Once Hermione arrived at Malfoy Manor, he would give her one of the eagle owls they had bred. A proper owl.
He handed Cassiopeia to his wife, who proceeded to show her to her sister, and went to the window. The owl had the nerve to look offended for not getting a treat. He closed the window and opened the letter.
Lucius,
Narcissa,
Congratulations on your daughter! Draco showed us the pictures; she’s beautiful. I’m glad everything went well and I’m very much looking forward to seeing you.
Thank you for inviting me to stay at the Manor. I know it’s unusual before marriage and I really appreciate it.
See you soon,
Hermione
“I don’t think she sounds terrified of us,” Lucius drawled, handing Andromeda the letter.
She read and looked up in surprise. “Indeed she doesn’t. You let her stay at the Manor?”
Lucius shrugged. “The alternative is sending her back to the Burrow. That is not a proper place for the future Lady Malfoy.”
Andromeda snorted. “Bloody snob.”
Hermione
They were all sitting together, having a drink and celebrated the end of their last school year.
While she was happy, Hermione did feel a little nostalgic as they talked about all kinds of things they had done in those seven years of attending Hogwarts and more than once everyone but her, Harry and Ron stared in disbelief as not nearly everything they talked about was public knowledge.
After a while, Draco stood up and pulled her up with her. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Where are we going?”
“Outside.”
“Smart move, mate,” Ron, more than a little tipsy, stated. “They can’t give you detention anymore.”
“Believe it or not, Weasley, since I’m not part of the Golden Trio of Criminals and Trouble Makers, I got permission.”
“Lame!”
“And what do you mean by criminals and trouble makers?” Hermione did her best to sound offended. She remembered all too well how McGonagall had once asked them “Why is it when something happens it is always you three?”
“I said what I said. Come.”
She followed him outside and it suddenly it really came to her that this was one of the last times she would walk through these corridors. “I’ll miss Hogwarts,” she said, taking Draco’s hand.
“I won’t.” His tone was playful and she was also playful when she hit his shoulder. They both laughed.
“I envy you a little.”
“No, you don’t. You’ll take control of the Ministry in no time.”
“I wasn’t even invited for an interview yet!”
“But you will be.”
She smiled at him. Their dreams were very different, but he had been nothing but supportive whenever she had told him of hers and she hoped she had made him feel the same way when he had talked about his plans.
They left the castle and it was a beautiful summer night. The sky was clear and as much as Hermione hoped for a thunderstorm, this was nice.
Draco led her down to the lake, where a blanket on the ground indicated a picnic. Since they had already had dinner, there was just cake, probably from his family’s elves, and a bottle of champagne.
That was so sweet.
Smiling, she turned to Draco and froze when she saw he had gone down on one knee. This as not a Wizarding tradition, this was him honouring a tradition she had grown up with and he had only just learned about sometime during this year.
“Hermione, in just one year, you have become one of the most important people in my life. I love you and I can’t imagine spending my life without you in it and I promise I will do my best every day to be the man you deserve.” He pulled out a box from his pocket and opened it. The ring was beautiful. She had half feared he would give her one with a huge stone, but thankfully he knew her better than that. And while she had expected the proposal, they had discussed it after all, she still had tears in her eyes as he asked the question. “Will you marry me?”
“Of course I will!”
xxx
Of course everyone from their friends group was still sitting in the common room when they came back and of course Draco had either told someone or they were just less clueless than her, because the first thing Ginny said was. “Show us the ring!”
“What ring?” Ron looked at her in shock. It seemed not everyone was in.
Ginny just rolled her eyes at her brother and came towards them, closely followed by Luna and then Harry and Neville.
Ron slowly got up and followed the others.
“It’s beautiful!” Ginny grinned, but Luna was quicker in hugging them both. “Congratulations!”
Harry hugged her, too, a little longer than Luna, and Hermione almost cried again. “Congratulations. I’m really happy for you.” He smiled wryly at Draco. “If someone had told me that a year ago, I would have laughed. But I guess you two make a good couple. Congratulations. I hope you know how lucky you are.” He held out his hand and Draco took it. She was so happy they got along.
“Don’t worry, Potter, I do.”
Ginny was next to hug them both. Neville, like Harry, hugged Hermione and shook Draco’s hand.
For a moment Hermione wondered how Ron would react, but to her relief, he smiled before pulling her close. “I’m happy for you ‘mione.” Then he turned to Draco. “Didn’t think I’d say that, but congratulations. You better treat her well.” And to everyone’s surprise, and probably slightly inspired by a considerable amount of alcohol, he hugged him.
Draco
While he would be the only one of them to return to Hogwarts, Draco did feel a little nostalgic as he boarded the train for the last time, dragging his and Hermione’s luggage behind him; she was just carrying Crookshanks, who was cranky about being locked up in his basket. He would probably feel better when they arrived in his new home. After all, a whole manor and the huge manor grounds would be fun for him to explore.
For the last time they sat down in the Hogwarts Express and for the first time he sat with Hermione and her … no their … friends. He could have had that sooner, if he hadn’t been such a prick, but better late than never.
They bought an absurd number of sweets (he and Potter paid for everything) and before they knew it, they were in London.
They said their goodbyes, promised to get together soon, and he and his fiancée – his fiancée! – went to the apparition point. Next, they were standing in front of the huge iron gates with the Malfoy family crest in centre. “I’m sure father will give you access to the Manor. The gates will respond to you then.” He pushed them open and they both went inside. Once the gates were closed, he pointed at Crooks, who was back in his basket. “You can let him out. There’s a magical barrier around the property to keep the peacocks in. Not that those spoiled birds would go anywhere, but father is slightly paranoid about them.”
Hermione laughed and put the basked down before opening it. Crooks stalked out and looked around. Then, as if he had lived there all along or considered this to be finally the proper residence for him, walked off towards the house, head and tail up high.
Before they reached the door, it opened and Lucius stood in the frame, awaiting them.
He looked down sceptically as the cat approached him, stood there for a moment to look him up and down, and then walked past him into the house without a second glance.
Draco couldn’t help but laugh. “I think he disapproves of you trespassing his new territory.”
His father raised an eyebrow. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
He greeted them both and Draco was pleased that his greeting for Hermione was unusually warm – at least for his standards. He could see that it put her at ease. While she hadn’t said it out loud, he could imagine that she had been slightly nervous. There was a difference between writing letters and meeting in person and immediately sharing a house, no matter how big.
“Is mother home already?” He asked as they went inside.
“No, she will be home tomorrow. I just came by to greet you both. I’m sure you can keep yourselves busy until we are back. Just remember, if you show your …” He looked at Hermione’s hand to confirm that Draco had indeed proposed already. Draco noticed a small, satisfied smile on his father’s lips. “… fiancée the library, you probably will not see her for a day or two.”
~tbc~