Chapter 29
The next 8 weeks were luckily, quite uneventful. I was still anxious a lot of the time, concerned every time I walked out the door he would try something, regardless of having constant protection with me. Credit where it's due, the aurors all blended in extremely well. I was just used to having them around now. They would dress appropriately for wherever I went, wearing smart wear when I had meetings for work just blending into the back ground and casual muggle clothes whenever I was out. I would see one of their faces about whenever I was out, and though I didn't like the thought of it at first, it now brought me great comfort to see them. We had actually all become pretty good friends. We had only received one more parcel which was addressed to Draco. The note read 'You could have done more' and contained a photo of Bellatrix carving into my arm. Funny how he thought that wasn't already engraved into my memory that I needed a photo to recount it. We put it with the others and said nothing more about it. If anything it only made us stronger. We were at the doctors waiting to be called in for my 20 week scan. I was pacing up and down on the phone in front of Draco and Theo as they sat.
"I understand but you agreed to that percentage and have signed for it already and I can't change it now Mr Willmott." I hated this guy.
"Can I talk to one of the men on the team darling?" I laughed a little. Such an ass.
"No you can't. They will tell you the same as I did and need I remind you I have the exact same authority as the both of them. Now if you don't like it, you can buy yourself out. Otherwise, have a nice day." I hung up the phone and chucked it into my bag. "I cant believe him. 'Let me talk to one of the men darling' ugh I hate him." I flopped down on the seat muttering and mocking his stupid voice as they were both smiling at me.
"I hate him too. But I do love watching you handle it. It's so sexy watching you crush other mens dreams." Theo said winking at me. I laughed and Draco hummed next to me.
"I second that. He’d better quit patronising you though or I’ll be buying him out just so you don’t have to deal with him anymore. Or even worse so we don't have to deal with him when you can't work anymore.” I scoffed and put my hands on my bump. It was a lot bigger now. Still not huge but definitely getting harder for me to walk in heels and be on my feet too long in the day. “Okay so I have a bet going with Avery that it's a boy, he’s sure it’s a girl. What are you thinking? Reckon I’ll win?" I laughed and looked over to Avery who was sat pretending to read a magazine across the room.
"Well I hope Avery wins. Poor guy has to put up with watching me all the time and I can be a handful, as you both know."
“That may be true darling but Avery is being paid to put up with you.” He leaned forward looking past me to Theo. “We do it for nothing in return.” I gasped making them both laugh.
“Nothing in return? Correct me if I'm wrong but I don’t recall last night being nothing in return! I’m sure Avery would rather..” Both their eyes widened and I was interrupted by Liz calling my name.
“Hermione Granger.” They both cut their eyes at me as if daring me to finish the sentence. I stood up and bent down getting my bag whispering.
“Let’s just say, that was priceless.” I winked and they shook their heads following me into the room.
"Hermione you look just great. Your bump is pure perfection. Are you wanting to find out the sex of the baby today?"
“Aw thank you Liz. I don’t feel it that’s for sure. And yes we do.”
"I'll just do the usual checks before we do the scan." She took my blood pressure and my weight though didn't tell me what it was and I led on the table while she did the ultrasound. "The size of the baby is good, you can see the head here, and there are the feet, and a little hand there." She was pointing each part out as she spoke. "Congratulations, you're having a girl." I smiled and laughed victory clear in my voice.
"Have I said before how much I love being right? Better pay up when we leave Draco." I joked looking up at them. They were still staring at the screen, both of them tearing up, not talking. I frowned and Liz cleared her throat.
"Let me give you all a minute." Liz stood and left the room and I sat up turning to face them.
"Are you both okay? Are you disappointed? Sad? Happy? In shock? You gotta tell me your thoughts here because I..."
"We're having a girl." Theo stated again. I nodded and he wiped at his cheek removing the tear. "She's going to look like you sweetheart. She's going to be beautiful." I let out a small laugh and shook my head. They were so sweet.
"We're going to protect her forever." Draco said still looking at the screen. I looked back at the screen smiling fondly then furrowed my brow and turned back to them.
"Hold on, you're not going to.."
"Yes darling, we are most likely going to be more protective of her, than we are of you." Draco confirmed.
"You thought we were bad with you, just wait." Theo said in agreement. I shut my eyes groaning and led back on the table. Poor girl is never going to be able to date anyone, ever. I looked down and spoke to my bump whispering.
"Don't worry darling girl, I'll be on your side." Draco and Theo laughed and I felt a small hit on my hand. I gasped and they both ran round to the front facing me, speaking at the same time their voices full of panic.
"What happened?"
"Whats wrong?" I shook my head and felt it again. It was so magical. I grabbed one of Dracos hands and one of Theos and put it in the same place.
"Speak again. Just say anything" Theo frowned and spoke.
"Hermione whats going on?" I felt it inside of me once again and they both jumped at the feel of her hitting their hand their smiles big.
"This is the weirdest feeling ever."
"Good weird?" Theo asked smiling at me.
"The best. I think she likes the sound of your voices." Liz came back in and looked at us all smiling knowingly.
"First kick?" We all nodded and she sat back down. "That's great. I'm sorry to ruin this mood, but Hermione I just need to point out that your blood pressure is quite high, a lot higher than normal. It's nothing to be worried about for now but have you been under a lot of stress recently?" I bit my lip and nodded the worry clear on my face. "Please try not to panic, I just needed to make you aware that high blood pressure can sometimes lead to premature labor, if not kept under control where possible." My heart sank and I looked down as Draco placed his hand on my shoulder smoothing up and down my arm.
"What does that mean?" Theo asked.
"It can lead to certain complications during child birth if the baby is born too soon. It's not common, but it is possible, so just make sure you take it easy. I'll check it again next time and we'll review you then. Now, you're free to go, but I need to talk to Dads further, if you don't mind." We all frowned but I nodded and left waiting outside with Avery and Lloyd after collecting the scan photos. They came out a few minutes later.
"What did she want?"
"We'll talk about it at home. Come on." Draco took my hand in his and we got into the car to take us back. He paid Avery the winnings for losing the bet at the door and Draco got him and Theo a drink. I sat down on the sofa, Theo making his way to the kitchen.
"Have you ate lunch today babe?" Theo shouted back to me.
"No. I didn't have time earlier. I had to leave a meeting and come straight to the appointment." Theo came back in a few minutes later with a sandwich and handed it to me. "I don't want.."
"You're not leaving until you eat it." I sighed and Draco came to sit with us handing Theo his drink.
"So what did she want?" I asked biting into my lunch.
"She just wanted to check in with your eating. She said you're actually not as heavy as she'd like. You're not a 'healthy weight' for someone as far along as you are, considering the baby's size." I frowned as Draco spoke.
"Really? I feel like all I do is eat." I said making Theo explain further.
"But due to the stress and your anxiety with the whole Weasley thing, you're throwing up most of what you eat, and stress alone makes you lose weight as we know. So we need to reduce your stress."
"How are we going to do that? I don't think it will lower until Harry catches him." They looked at each other then back to me.
"Well we have a suggestion, but you're not going to like it. Actually it's not even a suggestion at this point." Draco said sipping on his drink. I knew what he was going to say.
"You're not going to let me work anymore are you?" He shook his head.
"Sorry darling. I know you enjoy it and you know we wouldn't do it if there was any other choice but it's the only part of this that we can control." I looked to Theo who smiled sadly nodding.
"It's not forever. If we can do something to prevent it, then we will." I nodded and sat back sighing. This sucks. I loved working, it gave me something to do and took my mind off of everything else for a few hours a day. It could be stressful but I didn't mind.
"I feel like I've just been fired. Have I still got Sams number? Can I sue you?" I joked and they both laughed drinking their firewhiskey.
"You can try. But you won't get far, even with Sam. Who I actually saw not too long ago downstairs at the bar. He actually asked about you Hermione." I scoffed and continued eating. Draco frowned and looked to Theo.
"You didn't tell me you saw Sam? What did he say?" Theo grinned and winked at me before turning back to him.
"Nothing that concerns you." Dracos face dropped and I laughed. "I'm just kidding, not a lot really, he asked how she was, I said she was well and may have slipped in the engagement and pregnancy, because obviously I had to. That was pretty much it." Draco scoffed and Theo nudged his arm. "You're so cute when you get all jealous." Oh no. He hated being called cute, Theo was clearly trying to wind him up. Draco hummed and turned back to me.
"Would you like to watch Theo be punished later? Because we're heading that way." Theo grinned very pleased with himself.
"Aw I miss winding you up. I mean I can still do it, but it's just not as fun not being able to get in trouble. Theo gets to have all the fun."
"Oh please, you think he's not been keeping count of all of your little stunts? Because he has." My eyes widened and Draco nodded.
"You didn't think I would just let you get away with everything did you? I've been reasonable considering you are pregnant so sometimes it isn't your fault, but what you pulled with Mr Rayner the other week?" I had a meeting with a guy and it was known that all you had to do to get him to sign was show as much skin as possible. So my outfit was a dress that flowed out just under my boobs, showing all leg, all arms, and even a little cleavage. I'd never do that really but I really wanted him to sign and was feeling super lazy that day. Theo threw his head back laughing.
"Oh yeah that was absolutely golden. To be fair in that dress you didn't look pregnant, and you did end up signing the biggest contract yet. So I'm not even that mad about it I don't think." He paused for a few seconds. "Maybe a little actually."
"I was fuming. So, don't worry darling. You'll get what you want soon enough." He winked and I got butterflies. The baby kicked again and I laughed a little to myself.
"Will she be Fenwick? When she's born?”
“Ah now that’s up to you sweetheart. If you want to take my name when we get married that’s fine. Draco said he is, but you don’t have to, if you don’t want. So she can have whatever name you choose.” I thought about it for a moment. Granger was my Fathers name, but it’s not like I would have kept it even if they still knew me.
“In that case me and her will be Fenwick. Besides even if my parents did still know me, I wouldn’t have kept Granger.” I cleared my throat and looked down at my bump. “They would have been such great grandparents.” I shook my head and sighed. “Never mind.”
“Hermione come on. It’s not never mind.”
“I can’t dwell on this forever Theo. I can’t change it, I did it for a reason, and luckily I know now it was worth it. I’m okay, really.” I continued to eat and a crack of apparition made me jump as I dropped the plate on the floor and screamed. Theo put his hand on his chest.
“Merlin’s ballsack Potter warning next time would be good!" Theo said jumping just as much as me.
"Yeah Potter we are trying to make her less stressed off the back of our appointment today and that, is really not helpful." He said clearing the food off the floor. “But Theo that was bloody hilarious the way you jumped too.” Theo stared down at Draco his face not amused.
"Sorry. Why? What's wrong? What’s happening with stress?” He was clearly panicked and I stood up facing him.
"Don't worry I'm fine, just high blood pressure. It can lead to premature labour so I'm not allowed to work anymore." I raised my arms in question to Harry. "What if I was naked? Or if we were having sex down here? Please text before you apparate." Harry pulled a face making Theo double over in laughter.
“Do you tend to walk around naked or have sex down here often?" Theo continued to laugh and Draco smiled.
"Do you want the answer?" He asked taunting him. Harry shook his head and Draco nodded. "Didn't think so."
"Okay jeez I will text from now on. I've never known people who have sex as much as you. Anyway, I am here because I have reached out to see if Ron would talk to me multiple times, but I haven't heard anything back. We still have no idea where he lives and it’s proving very hard to track him down considering he rarely goes out looking like himself.”
"Doesn't Kingsley have any say in this? I mean he does work for the Ministry so surely he has to answer to someone?"
"Kingsely has tried, but he's being lenient. Given who he is, unless he actually breaks the law, he's not overly involved." Theo rolled his eyes muttering about it being stupid that he is basically untouchable.
"What if I reached out to him?" Harry frowned and Draco spoke before he could answer.
"Not happening." Draco said shaking his head.
"He'll talk to me though right? I’m the one he wants so it makes sense."
"Hermione he is clearly, unhinged. To work with my Mother? You know how much he hates us, he has to be unwell to even consider doing that in the first place." Theo was not happy with the thought either.
"Yeah he clearly needs help, who knows what would happen if you were in the same room as him. You're not being used as bait. We'll think of something else." I turned back to Harry in silent question.
"No." I sighed my frustration building.
“You’re all being ridiculous.” I picked up my bag and walked toward the door.
"I'm going out. I can't be here right now, and don’t either of you follow me. I need some time alone.”
"Well where are you going?" Draco asked after me as I was walking toward the door.
"I have bodyguards following me everywhere I go, why don't you ask them. They're going to be moving in with us at this rate because this clearly isn't getting sorted." I walked out the door slamming it behind me and walked forward a confused Avery and Lloyd close on my heels.
DRACO POV
“Do I go? I don’t wanna piss her off anymore than I need to.”
"They'll stay with her, she’ll be safe with them." Potter said trying to reassure us, probably as well as himself. I nodded once and sat down my anger rising quickly. I was so tired some days of feeling these emotions. I missed being able to occlude them, tuck them away nicely into compartments and not deal with them. Some days were easier than others, but today was a hard day. I hoped this wouldn't last much longer. I just wanted to feel normal again, not that I knew what that really was anymore. I can't remember a time before this that I didn't occlude my emotions away.
"Now what? She's just left with our daughter and we have no idea where she is going or what she's thinking." Theo said agitated.
"I'll go and... wait you're having a girl?" Potter said smiling.
"We're having a girl." I confirmed as I sipped more on my drink.
"Well shit. I already feel sorry for any guy she meets when she's older." Me and Theo both laughed appreciating the mood lift, small as it was. "We need to keep a close eye on her. She's scheming something and I am very rarely one step ahead of her, but we have to be for this. She'll put herself in danger otherwise just to get this finished."
"Yeah, I was thinking that too." Theo admitted. We all knew her too well.
"She got her wand on her do you think?" Potter asked. Theo shrugged.
"She took her bag so I guess so. Why?"
"Because she's going to try and contact him. Call Lloyd, make sure they don't let her write or send any letters. She won't be able to call him which is good. So patronus is my next guess." Theo took out his phone sighing.
"Why does she have to be so bloody stubborn."
HERMIONE POV
I continued walking not knowing where I was really going. I was just so mad. I get they were protecting me, but it was so overbearing sometimes. I am not incompetent. I can still do what I used to. I don't think Ron would hurt me, he was just angry, and hurt, and wanted to hurt Draco and Theo. I needed to contact him. I heard Lloyd talking and turned seeing he was on the phone.
"Yeah she’s here. Okay. Got it." He hung up and leaned into Avery whispering something, Avery nodded and they looked to me. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
"What's going on?"
"Just Theo checking in." I shook my head and turned continuing to walk on. I needed to send Ron a letter. I continued walking and went to turn in to a post office to get some paper but Avery stood in front of me. I looked up at him in question.
"Sorry, but we can’t allow you in there. Potters orders." I let out a frustrated sigh and turned around. They already knew I'd try. I had my wand, I'll send a patronus. I went into a coffee shop and sat down, those two sat on an adjacent table to me. If I say to meet somewhere late at night then I can hopefully sneak past Theo and Draco once they were asleep. Where would be best though? I needed somewhere secluded but not too much so that it would potentially be dangerous. Maybe the park outside Grimmauld Place? I stood up and they both looked at me suspiciously.
"I am going to the bathroom. Care to join me in there too?" They laughed and shook their heads and Avery pulled out his phone. I turned to walk to the bathroom locking the door and pulled my wand from my bag.
"Ron, I need to talk to you. Meet me in the park outside Grimmauld. 11pm Saturday night. I'll be alone." I watched the otter move around me in a circle and leave out the window. I took a deep breathe and walked back out. Now I just had to think of what I was even going to say. Avery leaned over as I sat back down.
"Theo said to go back as soon as we can." His voice sounded serious. "I was even given permission to use any means necessary." He smiled and I laughed shaking my head.
"I'll just finish this then we'll go. Sorry to ruin the fun for you." He nodded and I finished my tea and we made our way back to the flat. I walked in and Theo and Draco were still sat in the same places in the living room, they hadn't moved since I left. They didn't turn their heads to me as I came in either. Draco looked up his eyebrow raised and Theo was waiting for me to speak as I sat down.
"Thanks for allowing Avery to use any means necessary to get me home. Much to his disappointment he didn't have to. And I'm not sorry, if that's what you're waiting for." I snapped making Theos mouth turn up slightly. "I get, that you are trying to protect me, I really do. But you can't protect me from everything." Theo leaned forward.
"We know we can't protect you from everything, but we'll sure as hell try to. And the thing I don't get, is that you already know that, so why do you keep pushing it? I don't think we have ever been particularly unreasonable, we never prevent you from doing anything you want, we give you freedom to do whatever you want, we trust you completely, and yet you still feel the need, to push the limits when it comes to your safety, and I don't understand why." Usually Draco was the mad one and he still hadn't spoke.
"It sometimes feels that you don't trust, that I am more than capable of handling myself." Theo brought his hand up holding the bridge of his nose.
"We have told you, so many times, that we know you are. But if we can make it so you don't have to, whats so wrong with that?"
"I'm just so used to relying on myself. I don't have anyone else fight my battles for me, and I want this over with."
"So do we, but you went about it the complete wrong way. Do you remember when I asked you, to allow yourself to let us lift the weight that you couldn't? To take that extra responsibility for you? Well that doesn't just stop, because you are better. We won't stop supporting you. Not ever, and it doesn't mean we don't think you're incapable of doing it, it means you don't have to do it alone. So just tell me, when and where are you meeting him?" Theo sat back in the chair and Draco sat forward now. I tried to keep my face indifferent.
"We already know you contacted him. May as well tell us now." Dracos voice was also mad.
"Saturday night, 11pm, park outside Grimmauld. If he comes."
"Has he responded to you?" I groaned hearing Harry behind me revealing his presence. I shook my head not turning around to look at him my eyes locked on Theo’s. How did it come to them working together against me?
"No. But I think he'll come."
"I'll be back in a sec." I heard a crack of apparition and sighed.
“I’m not sorry either.” Theo said sipping on his drink. I scoffed and Harry came back in a few moments later. He went to the front door to bring in Avery and Lloyd.
“Okay, so if he does show up, which I think he will, you’re just across from Grimmauld which is good because we can hide out in there. We won’t be able to be very close so please do not go out of our sight, we’ll have limited visibility as it is. He may try and apparate you somewhere, and have to let him if he does Hermione.” Draco stood up quickly.
“What why does she have to let him?”
“Splinching. If she fights it she can get seriously hurt.” Draco shut his eyes and took a deep breathe.
“Potter she can’t apparate too much this late on in the pregnancy. It’s not good for them.”
“I know that but it’s worse case scenario situation. It's better to apparate than be splinched.” He was still unsure but reluctantly nodded. “Okay Hermione your job is to get his guard down. I don't know what angle you plan on playing this?" I didn't know either. My face must have said as much. "I'm really unsure as to what his mental state is at the moment. He knows you’re pregnant and didn't care about that when he broke in before, he probably also knows your engaged."
"What if I wasn't, for this?" I looked to Draco and Theo sadly. "Maybe if I say we've broken up he'll be less agitated, or not have any reason to be suspicious you were about?" Harry tore my attention from them.
"That could actually work. It's safer for you too. You’re gonna have to really lay it on thick though. He’ll believe you if you’re convincing enough. You'll need to tell him how much you hate these two, how much they hurt you and that he was right all along.” I rolled my eyes. “I know I know but you haven’t got a choice.” Harry turned to Draco and Theo.
“Can I trust you both to keep your jealousy and anger under control for this? I can’t have you jumping in if he or Hermione says something you don’t like. Because they will say things you’re not going to like.” Theo nodded and Draco stepped closer to us.
“I’ll be fine but Potter. But I need you to swear he will not put her hands on her in a violent way or take her anywhere that we can’t get to her?” I looked to Harry who sighed.
“I can’t promise that. I wish I could but I really don’t know where he’d take you if he did. It would probably be the place he’s staying, wherever that is.”
“Would Ginny know?” I asked hopeful.
“No. She doesn’t know anything about any of this. It’s been killing me not to tell her but she can’t know yet.”
“Shell cottage?” I asked. Maybe it wasn’t a new place he was staying.
“I was thinking Shell Cottage too but I dunno if Bill and Fleur would be there. It would be somewhere he’s completely alone.”
Theo shuffled closer to Draco and leaned in to him.
“I feel like I’m watching how the war winning strategy came together.” Draco laughed and Harry rolled his eyes.
“Trust me, we were fumbling all over the place. We very rarely had a plan.” I nodded and shrugged.
“And when we did, they went to shit anyway.” Harry scoffed.
“So are we good?” Harry asked. Theo’s voice went slightly more serious.
“Potter, if it comes to a fight, where are your loyalties going to be? These are your two best friends. I like you a lot but I won’t hesitate if you side with Weasley.” Harry looked to me and smiled sadly then look back to him.
“If it comes to it, it’ll be him I hurt.” Theo nodded and I put my head in my hands. “Hermione I’m sorry but I can’t let..”
“I know. It’s just going to be hard. He needs help. That is a last resort, do you understand me? And I mean all of you. No one hurts him unless there is no other option.” I looked around to them all and they nodded. Harry stepped toward me and took me in a hug.
“You’re having a daughter.” I let out a small laugh. "I'll see you Saturday. Think about what you're going to say." I nodded and he left, Avery and Lloyd made their way back outside.
“Are you so sure that he won’t hurt you? Especially if he does take you somewhere?” Draco asked with his hands in his pockets. I wasn’t. But I couldn’t say that.
“He won’t hurt me. I’ll be fine.” I hoped I would be. If he did take me anywhere else, I have no idea where it would be.