Chapter 3
February 26th, 2005
As Draco gets ready for the annual quidditch game him and all his friends throw together every year, he can’t help but feel more empty as the years go on. Its been almost 5 years since he married the “perfect” pure-blood wife and yet he couldn’t feel more unhappy about it. Astoria did not want him for him, she wanted him for his money, his jewels and his Malfoy name. He made sure to sneak her a contraceptive potion any time he had to complete his husbandly duty, he did not want kids with her, he knew they would be unloved and he couldn’t bring kids into the kind of world he lived in now. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have plenty of kids that occupy his time, his friends have plenty of them.
Harry and Ginny have two and third on the way. James Sirius, 4 and Albus Severus, 2. Blaise and Pansy have Sofia Grace who just turned 4 this month and Gianni Antonio who is the same age as Albus, with birthdays just days apart. Neville and Luna have Daisy Ann 4, Moly Jane 3, and Rue Scarlett 2. The most unlikely couple, Ron and Daphne (Greengrass) have Hugo, 2 and is very pregnant with little Rose due in two months. And lastly Theo and his muggle husband Matt adopted a brother and sister just last month. Ash River who is 2 almost 3 and his sister, Willow Celeste, who is only 6 months old, but full of life.
Draco is always busy with his friends and their kids and though he knows he will never have his own kids in the loveless marriage he’s in, he likes to think about what his life would be like were he to have his one ones running around.
“Aye Draco, get out of your head and come on we’re ready to start the game” Yells Harry.
”Ya ya Potter don’t get your knickers in a twist I’m coming, and don’t worry I’ll still catch the snitch before you, regardless where my mind is at”
An hour into the game Harry and Draco both catch sight of the snitch and race for it, as they begin their descend down towards the grass, Draco reaches his arm out, fingers almost around the snitch as he feels a body smash into his side. He knows he’s falling off of his broom but his head is spinning and theirs nothing he can do to stop it. As he drifts out of consciousness, he can hear his and Potters name being called, next all he feels his darkness.
At St. Mungos (Astoria’s POV)
”That is my husband and you will tell me exactly what is going on. No one seems to know why he won’t wake up. I thought you were professionals and knew what you were doing, I thought-“
”Mrs. Malfoy please, if you could calm down we could tell you what is going on” the healer pulls out a chair motioning for her to take a seat.
“We have found that your husband has some memory issues going on that seem to be blocking him from waking up. We aren’t sure how long he could remain to be out, but in our professional opinion, we think removing the block would help him wake up.”
”You don’t know what these memories are that were taken away?” Astoria asked, more than a little nervous.
“No, I’m sorry but we wont know what these memories are until he wakes up and ask him, we could wait and see if he wakes up but from the look of our scans the prognosis isn’t good.”
”Can I please have some time to think about it.”
”Of course Mrs. Malfoy, take all the time that you need” and with that the Healer Stroud left the room and Astoria was finally alone with her husband.
”Dear Draco what could you possibly be hiding in that brain of yours, why wont you wake up.” Astoria knew it wasn’t good of her to think, but if he never seems to wake up than maybe she can have more than just the Malfoy name, she could find someone to actually love her, who gives her more than just money, to give her their time and affection, which Draco never has.
Still at St. Mungos (Ginny’s POV)
”Mrs. Potter, we just finished with your husband, he lost a lot of blood and is still unconscious but you may go in to see him. Just know it will be a while for him to wake up.”
”Thank you Healer Stroud.”
As Ginny goes in, she sees Harry laying in the hospital with bandages around both legs and his right arm, there’s some scrapes along his face and that with time will completely fade. As the night goes on she becomes more unsteady and feels like now is as good as time as ever to write a letter to Hermione. It’s been about 6 months since she’s written one and would love to tell her about her pregnancy. She gets a quill and piece of paper from her bag and begins to write about everything that’s happened in the past 6 months, including Harry’s accident, she doesn't make it sound too terrible, but exaggerates it just a tad, hoping that maybe she could get her to come back home to visit them. She knows she should feel bad for telling a little fib but she misses Hermione so much and just wishes she could see her again, she knows Harry would love to see Hermione as well.
America (Hermione’s POV) March 1st, 2005
It’s been a crazy past 5 years but Hermione wouldn’t change it for anything. She has an amazing job as a Healer, specializing in the brain, more specifically memories after she spent time becoming the wizarding hospitals trauma healer. She had to find someway how to reverse the memory charm she placed on her parents. It took her two years but she finally figured it out, she was able to reverse all of their memories without any side effects, and has been helping other people since. She is head of her own department, making more than enough money for her life style, and gets to make her own hours. Which is perfect for her busy life, with not one but two kids. At 3, almost 4 years old, twins Lyra Claire and Leo Finn keep Hermione more than busy. She has them in what muggles call, Prekindergarten, and they absolutely love it. On the weekends she’s not on call as the main trauma healer, she spends it traveling with her kids all around America, they may not be old enough to remember every where they’ve been but she has plenty of pictures of the two blond, curly haired children to show them once their are older.
Where Leo is quiet and calculating, Lyra is his polar opposite. She is outgoing and will talk to anyone who will try to hold a conversation with her, as well as you can hold a conversation with a 3 year old that is. She has no problem with making friends, children or adult, and loves nothing more than her pet bunny, Lola. Leo is more of an observe from the sidelines kind of kid. He doesn’t do well around new people and really only talks to his mom, his sister and his preschool teacher. They may be opposites but Hermione loves them both just the same. They are the light of her life and she is more than content with just the three of them.
It was a cold Sunday as they were all resting in the living room, watching one of their favorite movies, Shrek 2. As the kids are about asleep, they are suddenly woken up by a peck on the window. Hermione would know that owl anywhere, Harry.
“Mommy birdy, birdy at window. I want pet the birdy mommy” little Lyra is up towards the window before Hermione has a chance to set Leo off her lap.
”Here Lyra, give the owl a treat for mommy” Hermione hands Lyra a small treat to give to the owl, holds her up to the window as Lyra holds out her hand for the owl to take. Hermione sets the little girl down and she hops over to the couch and cuddles up to her brother as they continue to watch the movie.
Dear Hermione,
It’s been a while since I sent a letter, but I wanted to tell you my news. Me and Harry are expecting another baby in September! He is of course hoping for another boy but I know this time it’s definitely a girl, call it mother’s intuition.
I’m writing this letter to you while I set next to Harry, who is currently unconscious, at St. Mungos. He had an accident and lost way too much blood. Both of his legs and one of his arms are wrapped due to getting broken from his fall. He also has a concussion and they have him in a magically induced coma till the swelling of his brain goes down naturally. They said if they tried to do it magically it would possibly make it worse. Merlin Hermione I’m so scared, looking at him lying there is so scary. I have two little ones at home and they don’t have any idea what is going on.
I’m sorry to dump all this on you, I know how much you have going on in your life but i just needed to vent to someone and I miss you so much.
Godric I wish you were here but I understand why you can’t. I just wanted you to know I was thinking of you and I hope to hear back from you soon.
Love Ginny
Hermione read and reread the letter 3 or 4 times, she wasn’t sure by now. She knew she shouldn’t even think about going back, but if its his head that’s hurt, than she’s the best of the best and Harry doesn’t deserve anything less than that. She takes some long and slow breathes trying to figure out what to do. She calls over her neighbors daughter, who occasionally babysits for Hermione, and asks if she can come sit with the kids for an hour or so.
”Hey babies, mommy has to go into work to talk to her boss, Aly will be here to spend some time with you but I promise I wont be long okay?”
They both look up at her and nod before going back to their movie, not even 5 minutes later there’s a knock on her front door.
”Oh Aly thank you for coming over on such short notice, I promise I’ll only be gone an hour.”
”It’s no problem at all, you know I love spending time with the twins. Lyra, Leo I’m here! Who wants to play hide and seek!?”
Hermione takes that as her cue to sneak out the front door and head to the hospital. She apparates about a block from and walks the rest of the way, its chilly today and she was not wearing the correct attire to be out long in the cold. She hurries in and up to the 8th floor where her boss’s office is.
”Miss Granger, to what do I owe this pleasant visit” Healer Matthew asks.
”I know this is extremely last minute and very unprofessional of me, but I need to take the next week off, I have a family emergency pop up in Britain that needs my immediate attention”
”Of course Miss Granger, if you need more time please don’t hesitate to ask. I know you have plenty of competent people who work under you and I know they will make you proud on your week away.”
“Thank you Mr. Lauder. Promise I’ll notify you right away if anything changes” and with that she heads to her office to collect a few notebooks she thinks she may needs and then heads to the American Ministry. She needs a port-key back to Britain and its the fastest way to get there, with her port-key leaving in exactly one hour, she heads back home and pays Aly, then begins to pack up her kids suitcases then moves on to her own. She shrinks it all down and packs it into her beaded bag as she gets her kids properly dressed.
”Mommy, where we go?” Asks Leo quietly.
”We are going to Britain baby, where mommy grew up. One of my friends is hurt and I need to help him”
“Mommy always heals mine and sissy’s boo boo’s.”
Hermione kisses the top of his curls and goes to pick him up and hold him on her hip, she does the same with Lyra. They both nuzzle their heads in her neck as they know what’s about to come, neither of them care for apparition and she knows going by port-key will upset them just the same. As she feels the key in her hand heat up, she feels the familiar pull behind her navel. When she opens her eyes shes in the back parking lot of St. Mungos, she had to pay a little extra so she didn’t have to be seen in the middle of the British Ministry. Keeping her kids out of the paper was her main goal of her whole trip.
She makes her way into the hospital, one kid on each side of her holding a hand, she makes it up to the front desk.
”Hermione Granger, my goodness its been years since anyone has heard or seen you. My Godric how you’ve grown, now I know I’m not supposed to say” she leans in a little closer to her and whispers “room 6008 deary” sends her a wink and motions for the elevator behind her. Hermione’s heart starts to pound a little faster in her chest as she ascends up the elevator.
ding floor 2
Hermione has no reason to be this nervous, they were her best friends for years.
ding floor 3
Not were, still are…..still are her best friends, that she hasn’t seen in nearly 5 years.
ding floor 4
She wonders how mad Ginny is gonna be at the fact that she never told her she had two kids.
ding floor 5
Oh Merlin what if she figures out who the father is.
ding floor 6
”Hermione”