“ Push, love she’s almost here!” Draco says excitedly. Hermione squeezes his hand. “ I see her! She has got a head full of curls!” He says as he watches his daughter come into the world. He watches with a large smile on his face as the baby is laid on his wife’s chest. Hermione looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He leans down and kisses her forehead. “ She’s here, She’s here.” Hermione whispers as she rubs the baby’s back. “ You did amazing Hermione, she is beautiful.''He says as cries fill the room. He watches as the mediwitches take his daughter to clean her, and wrap her in a pink blanket. '' Mr Malfoy, you can come and talk to her if you wish. We have to watch her oxygen levels for a few moments before she’s free to go back to her mum.” He looks at his wife for permission, she nods her head and releases his hand. Draco walks over to the small cart, and looks down at his daughter. Instantly falling in love with her. He feels tears stinging his eyes again as she wraps her entire little hand around his finger. “ Hi there little love, I’m your dad. I am so excited to finally meet you.” The baby stops crying and Draco is looking into the same amber color eyes as his wife’s. “ Does she have a name yet?” The mediwitch asks jotting down some notes in a file. “ Nova Claire Malfoy.” Draco informs her. “ Well Miss Nova, you passed all your tests, you want to take her back to mum, dad?” the mediwitch asks as she picks up the pink bundle. Draco jumps at the old woman's words.” Umm walk... with her?” The woman chuckled as she holds Nova out for Draco. Another woman comes to stand behind him and positions his arms for him as his daughter is handed to him. Draco sees Hermione stifle a giggle as she watches him walk over to her bed at a snail's pace. She shifts in the bed, giving him room to settle next to her. Hermione examines the baby in his arms, softly rubbing her cheek with the back of her finger. “ Well I would say she looks like the perfect combination of the two of us. No denying that Malfoy hair.” Draco chuckles softly, acutely aware of his movements. “ I believe that would be the Granger hair, with the Malfoy color.” Hermione smiled “ True, can I hold our daughter please?” Draco stood from the bed, and awkwardly shuffled the baby over to her mother. “ I didn’t realize she was going to be so tiny, and breakable.” he says as he rummages in their bag for the camera. “ You’ll get the hang of it, plus she will grow.” Draco snapped several pictures of Hermione and Nova, then several of just Nova. His little family was perfect.
An hour later the mediwitch returned. “ Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy I am so sorry for the intrusion, however security is having a hard time with the guests in the waiting room. Mrs. Malfoy and Mrs. Potter are both jinxing the guards trying to get back here.” Hermione huffed “ you can send them in, we have held them off longer than I expected.” The woman turned to leave but Draco stopped her. “ Is that safe? All those people passing her around, and not to mention the germs.” The mediwitch and Hermione both exchanged looks with one another. “ If you would like Mr. Malfoy we could take the baby to the nursery, your guests can still see her, she will just be behind a glass wall.” Draco nodded in agreement. “ Ok follow me then Mr Malfoy. Once we get Nova settled you can go and retrieve your guests.” Draco kissed Hermione and followed behind the old woman. “ The waiting room is right out those double doors, I will place Nova in this bassinet in the front so all your guests can see.” Draco crouched down to place his face near the floating bassinet. “ Nova, I will be back soon ok darling. Your grandmother is going to be so excited to see you, and all those redheads are your mummy’s friends. Sorry in advance for their horrid behaviour. Your dad's friends, they won’t act like that. I’ll be just a minute.” He stood and made his way to the waiting room. The three guards were huffing and painting when Draco reached the double doors. “ Mr Malfoy, we are very sorry. We thought three of us would have been plenty to police the maternity waiting room.” a guard with purple splotches all over his face said. Draco looked at the other two guards, they were in similar shape. One had his legs bound together, while the other had giant sized hands. Draco shook his head and gave them all a hundred gallions for their trouble. He paused before opening the door. He could hear Potter trying to reason with three angry witches. As he opened the doors, he saw Harry being levitated to the other side of the room. “ What in the fuck is going on in here?” Draco asked the room. All heads snapped to him. Four witches rushed him. “ Draco!” “ How is Hermione” “ When can we see the baby!” “Who does she look like? '' Draco took a few steps back, and held out his hands in front of him. “ Listen, Listen!” The women stopped talking and took a few steps back into the room. “ Thank you! Now if you wild animals will calm down, I’ll tell you.” Harry was walking back over to his wife “ Gin why don’t you come sit so Malfoy can talk to everyone.” Draco gave Harry a small smile and walked to the middle of the room. Once everyone was back in their seats Draco informed them about Nova. “ Now, I am allowed to take a few of you at a time to the nursery window before you see Hermione. Mother, Pansy, Potters, you want to go see her?” The three witches rushed out of the door, while Harry shook Draco’s hand. “ Congratulations Malfoy, I am so very happy for you both.” “ Thanks Potter, and thanks for trying to keep things in here under control.”
Draco was pushed to the end of the line of admirers. “ She is beautiful!” Pansy gushed. “ Look how tiny she is!” Ginny chimed in. Narcissa was whipping tears from her eyes. “ She is absolutely gorgeous Draco, I am so proud of you!” Harry nudged Ginny “ We will go see Hermione while you guys have a few moments.” Ginny pouted but followed Harry away from the nursery window. “Oh Narcissa, just think of the tea party’s we can put on!” Pansy says handing Draco a small blue ruffled dress. “ Gee Pans I don’t think this will fit me but thank you anyways.” Draco says as he holds the dress up to his chest. Narcissa playfully smacks Draco’s arm. “ It's tradition in polite society to give a baby an outfit. Its lovely Pansy I’m sure Hermione will love it.” Narcissa said. “ No way! My son will not share a nursery with a Death Eater's spawn!” an angry voice shouted. Draco whipped his head to where the voice came from. A group of men were standing at the door to the nursery looking at them. “ Sir!That is uncalled for! Don’t make me call security.” A small mediwitch tried to stand in between the two groups. “ No, what's uncalled for is scum like them, allowed to walk free and procreate. You need more pompous little pureblood soldiers, Eh Malfoy?” Draco clenched and unclenched his fists. “ We can leave ma'am, we don’t want any issues. Please let us know when that family leaves.” Pansy and Narcissa start walking towards Hermoine’s room. Draco looks back at Nova, and follows. He hears one of the men say “ We should just put that poor baby out of its misery being born in a family like that.” Draco stops and walks towards the group. “ Did you just threaten my child?” “ Draco!” Pansy calls after him but Draco just keeps stalking towards the group. One of the larger men start walking towards him “ No Malfoy, no threat. No child should have to grow up with your kind.” Draco goes to pull out his wand, but remembers its back in Hermione’s room. “ I’m going to get security gentlemen, you were warned!” The mediwtich walks away with a blue bundle in her arms. The group of men all turn to face Draco and draw their wands. “ Come on Death Eater, don’t be a coward draw your wand.” Draco didn’t break stride and met up with the first man and landed a swift punch to his jaw. Five lights shoot from the other men’s wands. Draco is able to dodge three of them but the last two hit him. One sent him flying back into the brick wall while the other sliced up his hands. He scrambles to his feet only to be stunted by several security guards. Before he succumbs to the darkness he sees his wife standing in the doorway of her room, and Potter running over to him.
Draco wakes up in shackles in a white room. A wizard is kicking at his feet. “ Wake up Death Eater, you have to be conscious for your trial.” He blinks taking in his surroundings. “ I’m sorry, did you say trial?” he asked the man. The man rolls his eyes and throws Draco a bottle of water. “ Yes, I hope it's quick and you get sent where you deserve, attacking babies, that's a new low I didn’t know existed.” Draco looked at him questionaly. “ What am I charged with?” The wizard hauled Draco to his feet and started walking him down a long hallway. “ I said what am I being charged with, I demand to see my solicitor.” Draco said fighting the man. “ I would love a reason to put you in a body bind, keep fighting me and thats whats going to happen!” Draco stopped fighting and let the man pull him to a small room. Inside the little room his solicitor and Potter sat at a small table. “ Need me to keep him shackled?” “ No take those things off him!” Potter jumped up and yelled at the man. The wizard undid the shackles and left the room. “ What the hell happened Potter?” His solicitor pulled out some paperwork as Harry sat down rubbing his temples. “ It seems Mr. Malfoy you’re being charged with criminal assault of five male victims, and a mediwtich. Then a count of child endangerment, because one of the male victims son was hurt when the mediwitch fell.” Draco’s eyes bulged “ What?! I never touched the mediwitch or the four other guys. I only hit the one guy, then they attacked me!” “ We know that Mr Malfoy, but we have to convince a jury of that.'' His solicitor showed him the paper of the charges. “ Check my wand. I didn’t have it on me, I didn’t cast a spell for almost three hours before that happened.” Harry looked at him sadly “ They won’t let us use that, or let the mediwitch testify.” “What! This is crazy! How long have I been in here? Where is Hermione?” Draco was clenching and unclenching his fists. “ You’ve been here for two days, Hermione and Nova are getting discharged from the hospital right now. They are hoping to make it here before your trial.” Draco’s mouth flew open. “ Two days! I’ve been here for two days! Potter, you were there, you know what happened!” His solicitor shook his head. “ It seems dirty politics are at play here Mr. Malfoy.. They won’t let us use any evidence that would clear you. It seems one of the men saw you give money to the three guards and now they fear you could buy your way to being innocent.” Draco stood and slammed his hands on the table. “ I am innocent, this is insane!” “ Draco you have to be calm, this is what they want. They want you to make a scene. Don’t play into it.” Harry said. Draco sat back down and put his head in his hands. “ Potter, I need you to make sure they are safe. If I get sent away, you take care of Hermione and Nova.” “ That’s not going to happen Mr Malfoy.” The solicitor said, at the same time Harry said “ I will Draco, they will be ok.”
Draco was sat at a small table next to his solicitor. The guards had him place his hands on the table and sticky jinxed them there. He could hear people coming into the courtroom. A baby cried and Draco strained to look behind him. Hermione made her way down to where he sat. “ Draco! I am so sorry! I tried to get them to release me earlier, but they wouldn't, are you ok?” Draco looked at his wife, holding his daughter. They were the two most beautiful things he had ever seen. “ I’m fine love, I was just worried about you two.” Hermione shifted the baby so Draco could see her face. “ Hello, little love. Its dad I am so sorry. I never wanted you to see this. I love you Nova, be a good girl for your mummy.” Hermione sniffled, “ Don’t talk that way, you are coming home with us, I know it.” Draco looked up into his wife’s sad eyes. It shattered his heart into a million little pieces. He knew he was going to be sent away, and she did too. “ Hermione, take Nova and stay at the manor. You shouldn't have to raise her alone. I already talked to Potter and he has promised me, he will take care of you for me.” Hermione placed the baby in one arm and grabbed Draco’s hand. “ I don’t need Harry, I need you. I love you Draco, Nova needs her dad. You have to make sure you come home.” Draco fought against the sticky jinxs so he could squeeze her hand back, but failed. “ Love, we both know I’m getting sent away, don’t be scared. I promise you no matter how long it is, I will come home to you, both of you.” Nova looked at Draco. Draco smiled at the curly haired baby in Hermione’s arms. “ Hermione, it will be ok. It won’t be for long and I will be right back by your side. I love you.” The judge and jury walked to their seats. “ I love you Draco, no matter what is said today, I know you're a good man! I love you!” She gave him a kiss and took her seat behind him in the gallery.
The judges' gavel echoed across the room. Draco could hear Hermione scream “ No!” and shouting from the Gallery. Two guards came and hauled him out of the courtroom. Draco could hear the commotion all the way to the elevator. The noise that rang out most clearly to him was the sound of Nova’s crys.
Draco Malfoy was sentenced to twenty-two years in azkaban. Luckily for him his wife was Hermione Granger, so his sentence was reduced to eleven years. Draco was not ashamed that he cried himself to sleep most nights. He kept replaying the altercation over and over in his head. If he would have just walked away maybe none of this would have happened. He would then stop himself and think what would have happened to Nova if those men truly wanted to hurt her. He would also think maybe this wouldn't have happened if he wouldn’t have been so paranoid about people holding her. Hell they were getting to hold his daughter now and he wasn’t.
Eleven years later
Draco stood next to Pansy on the platform. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it, she could sense the tension rolling through his body. He had not been around this many people in eleven years. Draco had so many emotions going through him. He was so excited to finally see his daughter again, but he was nervous. Would she be scared of him? They had sent letters to one another for years, but would Nova be excited to finally meet her dad? The worst thought kept him up most nights…. would she hate him? He knew Hermione had tried to explain as best she could to a child, but would Nova understand? “ They should be here any minute now.” Pansy said, interrupting all the thoughts swimming in his head. She led him through the crowds of families, making their way to a large group. Harry waved when he saw them, several children stood around him. Draco walked up and shook his hand. “ Nice looking family you have, Potter.” Harry grinned and introduced him to his three children. Harry motioned for Draco to turn around. Draco turned and saw a fury of white curls bounding down the stairs, Hermione close behind. Draco stood stunned. His little girl was beautiful! Hermione had sent him tons of pictures over the years, but to see her in person was another thing entirely. “ Nova’s coming!” a small redheaded child called. Harry clamped Draco’s shoulder “I’ll keep everyone here if you want to go say hello on your own.” Draco gave him a nod and started walking towards his family. Hermione spotted him within seconds, a large grin spreading across her face. He smiled back at her and pushed faster past the crowds of families. Hermione stopped, and whispered to Nova. Nova’s face lit up and she started jumping, trying to see over people. He is a few feet away when his daughter finally spots him. She takes off, sprinting towards him.
Draco falls to one knee as his daughter crashes into his arms. “ Dad! You made it!” Nova says as she flings her arms around Draco’s neck. He engulfs her in a hug, he has waited eleven years to finally give his daughter a proper hug. “ Hi, little love. I wouldn’t have missed it!” Draco says, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. He was so relieved she wasn’t afraid of him. “ May I pick you up?’ Draco asks her once she unhooks her arms. Nova giggles” Yes, you may.” Draco lifts Nova to his hip and takes a few steps to Hermione. His wife wipes her eyes and steps into his free arm. “ Mummy you were right, dad does give great hugs.” Draco laughs and kisses Hermione’s forehead. “ I missed you both, so much. Nova I am sorry I missed your birthday a few days ago.” He places his daughter back on her feet, and gets back down on his knee. “ I have a gift for you” He pulls out a small, stuffed, orange cat. Nova grabs the cat, and hugs it tightly. “ Thank you so much! It looks just like Crooks!” “ I didn’t want you to miss him while you are away at school.” Draco says, smiling at the little girl. “ We must get going, we don't want you to miss the train!” Hermione says as she pushes an overloaded cart towards the train. Nova slips her small hand into Draco’s and they both follow her.
Once their little family meets up with the rest of the group it's all hugs, and tearful goodbyes to the children. It was Nova’s turn to board the train. She walked hand in hand with both her parents. Hermione bent down and fixed her robs “ You will have so much fun darling, don’t you worry. If you have any issues you can just find your cousins, they promised they would help you.” Nova nodded and looked up at Draco. “ Dad, will you write to me?” Draco smiled” I will answer every letter you send me.” He pulled out two small sweets and handed them to her. “ plus you will be needing more of these.” Nova pocketed the small candies and hugged both her parents. They watched as she entered the train and found a window seat. The train whistle blew and Nova waved goodbye to them. “ We are buying a house close to Hogsmead.” Draco said as he waved. Hermoine smacked his shoulder playfully. “ We are not, she will be home in a few months.”