Seven
September 3rd 2017:
“Garret informed me that Abby and Perseus knew that Lyra was receiving hate mail and threats as well.” Harry told Hermione and Draco.
“What?” Hermione’s heart broke.
“Can I talk with them?” Draco asked and Harry nodded.
Hermione followed Draco to where the kids were waiting.
“Uncle Draco, I’m so sorry. She asked me not to say anything. I didn’t think it would be a big deal. She never let me see them. Only told me about them.”
“Do you know if she kept them?”
“She keeps them in a box under her bed.” Perseus told them. “She never let me see what was written. And she didn’t even want to tell me about them. I was over one day when she received one.”
“She received them at the house?” Hermione asked
“You were alone in her room?” Draco asked.
“Yes. Because of the advice you gave me.” Hermione glared at the blonde.
“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t know”
“You said she kept them under her bed?” Hermione asked and Perseus nodded. “I’ll go get them. We can review them and see if they give us anything that can help.”
“I’ll go with you.” Draco volunteered. “I’ll tell Potter.” Draco walked out and Hermione was left with her daughter's best friend and boyfriend.
“Do you think she’ll be okay?” Abby asked.
“I think she’s strong. I bet she’s scared but she’s okay.” Hermione didn’t know who she was trying to reassure.
“Let’s go Granger.” She smiled a goodbye to the two and went to follow Malfoy.
“We can use the floo in my office.” She guided him to the fireplace. They stepped into the fireplace, “Granger residence” Hermione spoke loud and clear.
They stepped out of the fireplace.
Draco looked around curiously. So this is where Hermione Granger lives. It was very modern. White walls filled with photographs. Some had Lyra in them. Draco walked up to the wall of photos. There was one of who he guessed was eleven year old Lyra Granger, standing at King’s Cross Station. It was a still picture but Draco could still just imagine the movement behind her.
“That was taken right before she left for her first year at Hogwarts. She would meet Abby, Damion, and Perseus just moments after this.”
“She looks just like you.” Draco finally turned to Hermione.
“She acts just like you.” Draco smiled. “Her first magic outbreak was because I took her stuffed dragon away from her.”
“A stuffed Dragon?” Hermione points to a picture of a baby Lyra sleeping with a stuffed Dragon.
“A gift from Ginny.” Draco smirked. “Lyra couldn’t sleep without it from the day she was born until she was ten. She still takes it with her to Hogwarts.” Draco couldn’t take his eye off the picture. “I’m sorry Draco. There’s truly no way I can make up for what I did. I can give you all the excuses in the world as to why I kept her from you but it doesn’t make up for the memories missed.” Hermione couldn’t meet his eyes.
“I am not going to lie to you, I’m angry. But Pansy has forced it into my mind that I am at fault here too. I should have been honest with you as well.” Hermione smiled at him.
“I’ll show you her room. I’ll grab my letters as well.” Draco nodded before following Hermione up the stairs. “It’s the one on the right. I’m down the hall.” Hermione pointed to the first door while she walked down the hallway.
Draco opened the door and walked in. He smiled as he walked around. He was met with greens, blacks, and silvers. Her bed was on one wall and across the way was a wall full of books with a desk in the middle.
“Like mother, like daughter.” Draco mumbled to himself. Draco went to the side of the bed, pulling out a box. Opening it up he looked at a few letters. “Oh bloody hell.” These letters were not threats but dirty letters written by his godson. He put that box back and picked up the one next to it. Opening it up, he saw it was exactly what he was looking for.
“Did you find them?”
“Took two tries. The first time around was a box full of dirty letters from Perseus.”
“Oh Merlin.” The two laughed. “She truly is her father’s daughter.” Draco smirked. “She does remind me a lot of you.” Hermione showed him a picture. “This is her at two years old. Her blonde hair was making her look so much like you. I had originally planned on coming up with some story as to why her hair was blonde but every time I looked at her, I wanted to cry. So I placed a glamor on it.” She showed him another one. “This is from when I picked her up on the platform for winter break her first year. She came running to me begging me to redo her room. She wanted it to be green.”
“Thank you for these.” Hermione smiled at him.
“I’ll do anything I can do to make up for the moments you lost.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course”
“Were you ever going to tell me, or her the truth?”
“I always told her that when she was old enough and ready, I’d tell her everything about you. I didn’t think much farther than that. Out of everything in my life, this is the one thing I didn't think through. Not only have I taken away these moments from you, I’ve taken them from her.”
“We should go back to the ministry. Start going over these letters.” Draco stood quickly and walked out the room. The situation was complicated. He was beyond angry at Hermione Granger for keeping his daughter from him. He pushed down the want for children years ago, after Astoria revealed to him that she was infertile. He’d never forgive Hermione for keeping this from him. But can he place all the blame on her? He’s the one that lied about why their relationship had to end. He’s the one that gave her no warning before the news of his marriage broke. He hurt her. What else was she supposed to do?
He didn’t have the answer and neither did Hermione who was thinking the same thing.
When Hermione joined him on the floo, he threw the green powder down before clearly stating their next location.
When the two stepped out of the floo into Hermione’s office, everyone could feel some tension between the two.
Hermione knew she was the villain in the story. The evil witch who hid Draco’s child away for sixteen years.
And Draco had some serious mixed emotions going on in his head.
“Did you get the letters?” Ron asked
“Yes. I also found some letters written from you Pers.” Draco looked to his godson who was blushing.
“Sorry.”
“Wait, what type of letters?” Theo asked.
“You want to answer that?” Draco asked Perseus.
“Not really.”
“We will be talking about this later. I’m still upset you went to Draco to ask about sex instead of me.”
“Dad, I didn’t exactly want you knowing I was having sex.”
“When did that even start?” Hermione asked him. Perseus looked to Draco, scared.
“Uh-”
“Third year.” Draco finished his godson’s sentence
“You were thirteen!” Millicent and Hermione shouted at the same time.
“Oh merlin.” Hermione added rubbing her forehead.
“We’ve been completely safe. Draco told me all the contraceptive spells and Lyra takes a monthly potion and muggle birth control.”
“How has she done that without me knowing?” Perseus shrugged his shoulders.
“It may have been because I was helping her.” Ginny confessed.
Whatever Hermione was about to say was cut off by Harry.
“Hermione, Malfoy, can you two come with me please? Pansy and Blaise as well please.”
“We are not done with this conversation.” Hermione said to Ginny who was trying to look innocent.
“For the rest of you, everyone is cleared to go except for Abby, Blaise, and Pansy. McGonagall is on her way to get the children.”
“Why is it just us and Abby that are needed to stay?” Blaise asked, holding his wife’s hand.
“Just follow me please.”
The group of adults followed Harry into the conference room that Abby was sitting in with Auror Garret.
“Abby, will you please tell everyone what you just told me.” Harry spoke after closing the door and casting a privacy charm.
“Lyra, she, um,” Abby paused and looked between the adults in the room. “She knows she is a Malfoy. She knows that Draco Malfoy is her father.”