Of Ducks and Roses [PG-13] for ayboo_da_bish (4/4)
Title: Of Ducks and Roses
Author: The Virgin Butterfly
Rating: PG-13
Recipient: ayboo_da_bish
Disclaimer: J.K.R’s characters are not mine.
Warnings: Minor character death, slight innuendos, alcohol usage and swearing. (Ha ha… just noticed I wrote down no character death as a no-no on my form… oh well…)
Author Note: The last chapter. I hoped you enjoyed this little journey, I know I have. So there are a few people who deserve thanks: first off to my AMAZING beta, UnseenLibrarian, who managed to beta this story at the last second against all odds and did an amazing job battling the evil forces of my spelling (trust me, it's hard!). Second, to my best friend, Mel, who despite being a thorn in my royal ass, has been this story's most avid groupie and cheerleader! None of my stories would be written unless she gave me such fantastic compliments on my writing. Love you, Newton! May you all enjoy this journey as much as I did.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Chapter 4: Hope:
Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes.
Draco and Hermione's apartment
Sunday, 3 May, 1999
Draco woke up to the sound of his alarm clock, its shrill sound making him moan and close his eyes harder, wishing desperately to go back to the wonderful dream he had. Another annoyed sigh came from the brunette witch who was draped over him, mumbling at him to turn the bloody thing off. He untangled himself from the still-sleeping girl and shut off the alarm, only then looking at her.
Hermione was lying on her stomach, her back bare and smooth while her waist and legs were hidden underneath his green silk sheets. Her face rested on her folded arms, her hair wild on the pillow and her breathing even. He couldn't help but admire her curves with his eyes as his fingers itched to touch her skin, to make sure that the night before really happened and that her being with him in his bed wasn't just another dream.
Slowly, he leaned down and kissed the top of her spine. She sighed contently, smiling in her near sleep. His heart swelled and he smiled gently and gave her another kiss, making his way up her neck and jaw, finally giving her a chaste kiss on the mouth.
"Hermione, princess, wake up for a minute," he murmured against her mouth then moved back. She whimpered, moving her face up a little to get closer to his lips. He chuckled lightly, brushing her hair away. "I have to go to work, Blaise and I have a shift today until ten tonight. I have to leave now." She whined again, lifting one hand and touching his face gently.
"I don't want you to go," she murmured, pulling his head down and connecting their lips lightly. There was nothing rushed about the kiss, it was soft, short and tender, and yet Draco could feel his blood begin to boil; if he stayed with her any longer he was going to be very, very late.
"I don't want to go either," he told her, untangling himself grudgingly from her for the second time that morning. "I'll see you tonight, princess." She nodded, her eyes still closed, and flopped back on the bed. He chuckled and kissed her cheek once again before dressing up, grabbing an apple from the kitchen and apparating away to the hospital.
"Good morning," he greeted Blaise with a brilliant smile.
His best friend looked at him with an annoyed look, groaning slightly. "Yeah, yeah… Morning…" he muttered, clutching his head.
"What's wrong with you?" Draco asked, slightly annoyed that Blaise was raining on his parade. "It's a beautiful day; the skies are blue and the birds are chirping."
"You are really annoying, do you know that?" He frowned at Draco and looked to the floor, rubbing at his eyes. "Daph and I drank a lot and went to sleep really late last night; she and Potterette kept buggering Potter and me to dance with them until She-Potter was called to the hospital; apparently Fleur finally gave birth. We ended up getting to the manor at five, and then I had to wake up at this horrid hour to get here…" he grumbled. "So what's got you so chirpy?"
Before Draco could tell his friend all about his night they were interrupted by their superior. "Ah! Malfoy! Zabini! Glad to see you both managed to wake up and get here on time!" Healer Rogers smiled at them in his usual all-too-toothy grin. "Let's get to work! Zabini you're with me-" Draco mouthed a 'sucks for you, mate' to Blaise who grimaced at his bad luck, "Malfoy you're with Healer Patil, she needs some assistance today and she asked for you, saying you did an exceptionally good job last week with her." Draco grinned at his best friend; Padma Patil, an ex-Ravenclaw from their year who had turned into a Healer while still in Hogwarts, was once of the nicer and most efficient Healers in the hospital. She would let the interns do hard and demanding procedures, guiding them with a sure hand and hard-earned praise. Draco and Blaise only rarely got to work with her and they were grateful for every time.
"Malfoy?" She called, her head appearing behind her office door. "Come along. We have much to do today." He stepped into her office, waving happily at Blaise who looked as if he was being tortured by one of Healer Rogers's idiotic jokes.
"Good morning, Healer Patil," he greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning," she answered absentmindedly, looking through the papers on her desk. "We've got a few interesting cases today," she told him, reading the files. "Mr. Rosewood somehow managed to get his wand stuck in a rather problematic place; some joke, I would guess. You see, he can't sit," she said, looking at Draco and smiling. The blonde intern laughed at the predicament, thinking immediately of how Hermione would laugh when he told her of this that night, her giggles ringing through the apartment. "Also…" she looked at another file, "Ms. Brown had a pedicure accident and she magicked away a few extra body parts; my sister is also with her, same problem. Our last case before lunch would be Fleur and Bill Weasley and their daughter, Victoire. She was born very late last night and we just need to check up on them." She smiled at him and he grinned back, happy that he would be able to see the oldest Weasley and congratulate him so soon after the birth. "I finish my shift after that, so you'll be working with healer Cabot until the end of your shift tonight. Now let's go."
They went through the patients, working efficiently and smoothly, and quickly reached the Weasleys. The entire Weasley clan was seated outside the room, waiting for the okay to go in and see their new niece; including Pansy and Harry, Ginny's head leaning on his shoulder. They all looked very happy and very tired as they smiled up at Draco.
"Draco, dear, it's lovely seeing you here," Molly told him, hugging him warmly.
"Mrs. Weasley," Healer Patil said, smiling at the exhausted mother. "Mr. Malfoy and I need to go in now and check on Victoire before we can let you meet her. So if you would just let my intern go, we would be happy to let you in as soon as we can."
"Oh!" Molly exclaimed, smiling sheepishly and releasing Draco.
"I'll see you all later," he told them, squeezing Molly's hand then walking into the room where the new family was. But not before he heard Fred and George grumble, "How come Malfoy gets to see her before we do?"
"Congrats, guys!" he said, smiling brightly at the new parents. Fleur beamed at him, holding Victoire close to her chest as Bill stood up and shook Draco's hand.
"How come you're here?" the oldest Weasley asked in surprise.
Draco pointed at his badge. "I'm shadowing Healer Patil here for today," he told the red-head, seeing the woman take the baby from her mother's arms and begin the check-up.
"Malfoy, come do your job, will you?" she kidded, holding the little baby up to him. He walked towards Victoire and took her from the Healer's hands, cradling her gently as he marveled at the beauty of the little child. Draco couldn't help but daydream of a pregnant Hermione holding the hand of another child with silver eyes, auburn curls and a sharp, know-it-all mind. He smiled sheepishly at the couple.
"She's beautiful," he told them honestly, studying her bright blue eyes.
"And healthy," the Healer added, running her wand over the little body. "I think you can call your family in now, but remember they can't be here for too long, both the baby and the mother need to rest," she said, looking pointedly at Fleur who smiled guiltily. Bill nodded and took little Victoire from Draco and held her with wonder in his eyes.
"I still can't believe I'm a dad," he muttered.
"You'll be great, Bill," Draco reassured, walking to the door. "I'll go call them in." Bill nodded in thanks then his eyes retuned to his daughter.
"Malfoy," the Healer said, calling his attention for a minute. "You can go to lunch now and afterwards go find Healer Cabot. Have a nice day."
"You too," Draco said then walked out and stood in front of the family, smiling brightly at them. "You can go in now, but you need to be quiet and let Fleur rest as much as she possibly can." The Weasleys thanked him profoundly then walked in, their eyes only for the baby.
Harry stood by the door, letting his wife in and smiling tenderly at her. "So how did things with Hermione go last night?" he asked, surprising Draco.
"Things went… amazing…" Draco mumbled, reddening. Harry smiled knowingly and winked at the blonde, walking in after his wife.
He made his way to the cafeteria in a daze, his mind a few hours back on the night before, reliving everything that had happened.
"Drake!" Blaise called and he made his way towards his friend. "Mate, you're grinning like a fool, stop it, you're freaking me out!" he said, laughing.
"So sorry," Draco muttered sarcastically but the venom was lost as an image of Hermione's lips appeared in his mind.
"Well at least now I know what happened with little Miss Granger," Blaise said, grinning slyly. Draco nodded, not rising to the bait.
"Seriously, dude, you've got to snap out of it, you look like a love sick puppy."
"Well, maybe I am," Draco deadpanned, taking a bite from Blaise's sandwich. "The things that girl can do, the things she makes me feel… it's… I really think I'm in love with her, Blaise. She really is it for me."
"Wow," his friend said, his eyes wide with surprise. "That's pretty… wow… I'm happy for you, mate," he told him, smiling.
"I'm happy for me too," Draco grinned and Blaise laughed.
000
Healer Cabot was the personification of the confused doctor. He was a short, heavy man with a bald head and a short, white beard. His glasses were huge and made his muddy eyes seem even bigger and buggier then they were and he tended to misplace them quite a lot. He was a gentle, soft-spoken man and Draco rather liked him. But he was so easily confused that it usually took every ounce of patience Draco had to deal with him nicely. Fortunately, today Draco was feeling as if the world was his and so didn't mind so much that Cabot was especially slow or baffled. He moved smoothly through the day, doing everything he was told with a flare. His self-confidence, a thing he had been unable to find since the war, appeared to have come back and with style.
The world was good; he was in love, and the girl he wanted to be with for the rest of his life was at arm’s reach, just waiting to be swept off her feet by his rather charming self. He couldn't seem to stop grinning at everyone; a few old witches gave him the odd eye at his attitude but he couldn't care less, honestly. He could finally have a family the way he had dreamed of having, he realized with a start, his smile turning brilliant.
Finally, he was done with his shift. Breathing a sigh of relief he apparated away to his home and his love, wishing to tell Hermione exactly what he felt for her.
He found the apartment dark, empty, and cold. He shrugged it off, guessing she had gone to see one of her friends and just lost track of time. He slipped off his shoes, socks, pants and shirt and went to sleep, too tired from the events of the last twenty-four hours.
000
"She's gone!" Draco cried. "I've looked every where! The Potters', every single one of the Weasleys', Neville's, Luna's, the Ministry, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, The Leaky, the Rose Gardens, I even called her parents' in Australia! No one's heard anything from her!" he screamed, throwing a vase against the wall and watching it smash to smithereens. "Her boss told me she sent him her resignation letter this morning. She's gone, and I don’t get it!" He banged his fists against the table top. "I don't get it, Blaise, everything was so good; I was happy, she seemed so happy yesterday morning. And now SHE'S GONE!" He fell to the couch, burying his head in his hands.
"This is the only thing she left," he muttered, handing Blaise the note he had found that morning in her empty room.
'Don't look for me.
Sorry.'
"I'm sorry, Drake, I don't know what to tell you," his friend said, reading the note over and over.
"Tell me you know where she is, damn it!"
"But I don't," he told him calmly, angering Draco farther.
"I need her, Zabini, here, now, with me," he said through gritted teeth.
"I can't help you," Blaise said, sighing. "You won't be able to find her if she doesn't want to be found, Draco, and you know it. Just let it go, she'll come back when it's right for her."
"Let it go? LET IT GO?! I love her, Blaise! I can't just give up on her when I know she wants me, too!"
"Well, maybe she doesn't want you!" Blaise yelled, his calm haze finally cracking. Draco stopped short, looking at him with shock.
"You're the one who told me she does…" Draco mumbled.
"Yeah, well, maybe I was wrong! I sure was about Daphne…" he muttered, looking at the floor.
"Wha… what do you mean?"
Blaise sighed. "She and I had a huge fight last night about our jobs; she ended up staying the night at her mother's house."
"I'm… sorry… I had no idea…"
"It's alright," he sniffed. "You've got enough trouble with Hermione disappearing. And I'm sorry for what I said. She does like you and want you."
"Did she tell you that?" Draco asked, wanting to know if he had missed something.
"Not directly, but I could tell by the way she wouldn't stop talking about you during our date, we hardly talked of anything other then you really; it was kind of annoying actually," he grinned weakly. "I'm sure she'll turn up at some point, Drake, just give her time to accept the way she feels for you. You've known how you feel for ages; she's been oblivious to all of this. Just give her time."
Draco nodded, not trusting his voice. As hard as it was for him, he would give her time, he would let her come to terms with the fact that he liked her and wanted her and that she wanted him, and when she came back, he was going to make her his, permanently.
000
Time passed.
000
Saturday, 8 May, 1999.
000
Sunday, 9 May, 1999.
000
Monday, 10 May, 1999.
000
Tuesday, 11 May, 1999.
000
Wednesday, 12 May, 1999.
000
Thursday, 13 May, 1999.
000
Friday, 14 May, 1999.
000
Saturday, 5 June, 1999.
Draco's birthday was a loud affair, orchestrated by Molly Weasley in the hopes of cheering him up. He was opening his presents somberly, not really paying attention when Harry gave him a rectangular present, wrapped in green paper with a gold bow. He immediately knew who it was from.
Draco ripped the paper away and looked at the book that was revealed. On the inside cover of 'Matilda' two words were written in her beautiful, familiar handwriting.
'Happy Birthday.'
000
Wednesday, 30 June, 1999.
"Are you alright, Malfoy?" Healer Patil asked him, giving him a look of concern.
"Yeah, yeah… just fine…" he muttered, unable to hide his depression.
"Draco," she said, putting her hand on his arm. "If you need a friend, I'm here."
"Thank you… Padma…"
She smiled at him, but he felt no warmth inside; his heart was empty, a hole, left by her.
000
Sunday, 25 July, 1999.
In a massive ceremony both the Ministry and the hospital had arranged, Draco and Blaise were declared Healers. The minute Blaise got his diploma he jumped up enthusiastically and into the arms of his fiancée, Daphne Greengrass. Draco looked into the crowd. There sat his friends, Neville, Luna, Pansy and even Padma, along with a group of waving red-heads, but he only saw the shake of the head a certain Wizarding-Savior gave him.
She wasn't there.
000
Saturday, 14 August, 1999.
Draco came alone to Weasley and Pansy's wedding. He sat down and watched his friends dance. He drank, a lot, and by the end of the night, had to be dragged to his apartment by Blaise and Daphne who made sure he was okay then went home.
He didn't fall asleep; instead, he walked around the rooms in his drunken stupor, wishing he could still call it home.
He didn't walk into her room.
000
Wednesday, 22 September, 1999.
Draco and Blaise stood in the Rose Gardens. It was Draco's first visit there since she left and the whole thing made his heart ache for her. The sun was just about to set as they looked out across the colorful fields, admiring the view.
"She really is an amazing girl," Blaise said, whistling as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, coloring the sky. "I can understand why you love her so much."
Draco just nodded, unable to say anything.
"Listen, Drake, I've been meaning to ask you something…" Blaise began, shuffling his feet.
"What is it?"
"Willyoubemybestman?"
"What?!" Draco asked, chuckling slightly and looking at his embarrassed best friend.
"Will you be my best man?" he asked again, his dark cheeks turning a lighter shade as he blushed.
The blonde wizard was now laughing openly, as his friend looked at him with a scowl. "Of course I will, mate. After all, what are best friends for?"
000
Friday, 29 October, 1999.
Blaise and Draco were sitting down in Blaise's manor, just drinking Firewhisky in silence as Daphne was out in the yard with her fiancée's mother, going over wedding arrangements. It was one of Draco's good days, when he almost couldn't remember why his heart hurt so much. On good days, he was almost happy again; just as Draco was contemplating this, Harry Potter flooed in.
The Chosen One sat down, poured himself a drink then took a sip from it.
"Ginny's pregnant," He muttered finally, taking a great big swig from his glass.
"Ginny's… pregnant?!" Draco cried looking at Harry in shock. The-Boy-Who-Lived nodded solemnly, finishing his drink. "And why are you not jumping up and down in joy? Aren’t you the one who's always wanted to have a large family as early as you possibly could?" Draco asked, smiling at his friend.
"I am… I'm just… slightly shocked… that's all…" Harry answered, smiling sheepishly at Draco and Blaise. They both laughed at him, and soon he joined in. When they finally calmed down, Draco raised his glass and called, "Cheers, Harry! May you and Ginny always be happy with the future little Potters!"
"Cheers!" his friends answered, clicking their glasses to him.
"Oh, Merlin help us," Blaise laughed. "More Potters! So when is she due?"
000
Tuesday, 16 November, 1999.
Blaise sat Draco down and gave him a drink.
"What's going on?" the blonde asked suspiciously.
"It's been seven months, Drake…"
"So?" Draco asked, already on the defense.
"So, I think it's time for you to move on and-"
"No!"
"You didn't even hear me through!" Blaise objected, scowling at him. "I mean, you and Padma have gotten pretty close, and I'm sure she's interested. Why don’t you just listen to me for a minute?"
"I don't need to! You were the one who told me to wait for her! You were the one who told me she'll come back! I am not giving up on her! And definitely not for Padma!" Draco yelled, standing up and banging his fists on Blaise's office desk. "Don't you understand?" he asked, his voice deflated. "She's it for me. She's my Daphne, my Ginny, my Pansy. No one else will do."
"I understand, Drake, and I know what you feel. But I don't think she's coming back. And it's hurting you. You put all your energy into finding her. You don't show it at work or with any of our friends but I can see you're depressed. You can't stay this way; clinging to a dream that will never come true!"
"I am not giving up!" and with that said, he left Blaise's office, banging the door loudly behind him.
000
Friday, 24 December, 1999.
It was eight months after she left and Draco was seated at the Weasley Christmas table. It was well past the end of dinner but Weasley, Pansy, Harry, Ginny and he were still sitting there; drinking quietly and all thinking of the same thing- where she could be.
The large grandfather clock chimed two when Draco got up, but before he could leave, a round and pregnant bundle of red curls whooshed through across the room and hit him.
“She-” hit “left-” punch “because-” shove “of-” stab “YOU!!!!”
He stopped dead. “What… what do you mean…?”
“She was in love with you, you big oaf! And now she’s gone! And it's ALL YOUR FREAKING FAULT!!!” she screamed, collapsing on him, her small hands still hitting his chest in a clear sign of pain and frustration.
“Wait! W-H-A-T?! She loves me?!” Draco asked, holding Ginny's shoulders. She screamed at the pain of losing her best friend and he tried to shake her. The red-head only nodded, crying hard. He sat her down and looked at her. “Where is she?!?!” he asked, his voice frantic now. He turned to the two boys. “Please! Tell me! I need to see her! I need to tell her I love her too!”
They looked at him with a hard glare, looked at each other, then, finally, “Alright," Harry said as he and Weasley got up. "We'll tell you."
000
Thursday, 30 December, 1999.
Draco was standing in front of a slightly run-down apartment building in Paris, checking the name plates by the door. It took him nearly a minute to find the one labeled 'Parkinson' on the third floor.
In two minutes he was there. This is it, he told himself mentally as he stood in front of the door, the hand holding the humungous bouquet of roses shaking slightly. With his free arm he rang the door bell.
"One moment!" Her voice called out sounding tired and defeated. Then the door opened and Hermione Jean Granger stood before him, a wry smile on her face until she recognized him; than her features turned to surprise, fear and relief all mixed into one.
"I knew you'd find me," she whispered, tears already standing in her eyes like they did all those months ago at the Rose Gardens. He gave her the flowers in his hands and for a second she disappeared behind the sheer mass of roses before she moved them aside.
"Hermione," he breathed, looking at her as if she was a mirage. Her face looked the same, if not a bit more tired and wry. Her hair was longer and even messier but he loved it that way. His eyes kept moving down and that was when he saw her stomach; even though she seemed to try to hide it behind a large shirt he could see it was very round. It took him a minute to realize what he was seeing. Hermione was pregnant and, by the sparkle in her eye, it was his. He looked her in the eye, from where the tears were now flowing freely as she smiled wryly at him, her hand not holding the flowers gently touching her stomach.
The vision he had had while seeing baby Victoire came back with a rush, and he saw himself hugging Hermione's large belly while a little rose-bud child ran around them, laughing and smiling brightly.
And so, gaining hope from the sparkle in her eyes and the roundness of her belly, Draco told her what he'd been wanting to say for the last two years, ever since she came to Grimmauld Place and cried in his arms.
"I love you."
- the end
You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye
You'll come back
When they call you
A\N: For all those who wandered: Draco and Hermione's daughter was born a month and a half after; her name is Matilda Rose Malfoy. She has her father's eyes, her mother's hair, and her nose is constantly buried in a book. Three years later they had little Remus Severus Malfoy. He's a real snake with chocolate-brown eyes and near-white hair and loves his little cat Tonks. The happy family is currently expecting their third child, a boy.
ferretbush_post is the account the mods use to post the gifts. It has not created any of the gifts.
Author: The Virgin Butterfly
Rating: PG-13
Recipient: ayboo_da_bish
Disclaimer: J.K.R’s characters are not mine.
Warnings: Minor character death, slight innuendos, alcohol usage and swearing. (Ha ha… just noticed I wrote down no character death as a no-no on my form… oh well…)
Author Note: The last chapter. I hoped you enjoyed this little journey, I know I have. So there are a few people who deserve thanks: first off to my AMAZING beta, UnseenLibrarian, who managed to beta this story at the last second against all odds and did an amazing job battling the evil forces of my spelling (trust me, it's hard!). Second, to my best friend, Mel, who despite being a thorn in my royal ass, has been this story's most avid groupie and cheerleader! None of my stories would be written unless she gave me such fantastic compliments on my writing. Love you, Newton! May you all enjoy this journey as much as I did.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Chapter 4: Hope:
Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes.
Draco and Hermione's apartment
Sunday, 3 May, 1999
Draco woke up to the sound of his alarm clock, its shrill sound making him moan and close his eyes harder, wishing desperately to go back to the wonderful dream he had. Another annoyed sigh came from the brunette witch who was draped over him, mumbling at him to turn the bloody thing off. He untangled himself from the still-sleeping girl and shut off the alarm, only then looking at her.
Hermione was lying on her stomach, her back bare and smooth while her waist and legs were hidden underneath his green silk sheets. Her face rested on her folded arms, her hair wild on the pillow and her breathing even. He couldn't help but admire her curves with his eyes as his fingers itched to touch her skin, to make sure that the night before really happened and that her being with him in his bed wasn't just another dream.
Slowly, he leaned down and kissed the top of her spine. She sighed contently, smiling in her near sleep. His heart swelled and he smiled gently and gave her another kiss, making his way up her neck and jaw, finally giving her a chaste kiss on the mouth.
"Hermione, princess, wake up for a minute," he murmured against her mouth then moved back. She whimpered, moving her face up a little to get closer to his lips. He chuckled lightly, brushing her hair away. "I have to go to work, Blaise and I have a shift today until ten tonight. I have to leave now." She whined again, lifting one hand and touching his face gently.
"I don't want you to go," she murmured, pulling his head down and connecting their lips lightly. There was nothing rushed about the kiss, it was soft, short and tender, and yet Draco could feel his blood begin to boil; if he stayed with her any longer he was going to be very, very late.
"I don't want to go either," he told her, untangling himself grudgingly from her for the second time that morning. "I'll see you tonight, princess." She nodded, her eyes still closed, and flopped back on the bed. He chuckled and kissed her cheek once again before dressing up, grabbing an apple from the kitchen and apparating away to the hospital.
"Good morning," he greeted Blaise with a brilliant smile.
His best friend looked at him with an annoyed look, groaning slightly. "Yeah, yeah… Morning…" he muttered, clutching his head.
"What's wrong with you?" Draco asked, slightly annoyed that Blaise was raining on his parade. "It's a beautiful day; the skies are blue and the birds are chirping."
"You are really annoying, do you know that?" He frowned at Draco and looked to the floor, rubbing at his eyes. "Daph and I drank a lot and went to sleep really late last night; she and Potterette kept buggering Potter and me to dance with them until She-Potter was called to the hospital; apparently Fleur finally gave birth. We ended up getting to the manor at five, and then I had to wake up at this horrid hour to get here…" he grumbled. "So what's got you so chirpy?"
Before Draco could tell his friend all about his night they were interrupted by their superior. "Ah! Malfoy! Zabini! Glad to see you both managed to wake up and get here on time!" Healer Rogers smiled at them in his usual all-too-toothy grin. "Let's get to work! Zabini you're with me-" Draco mouthed a 'sucks for you, mate' to Blaise who grimaced at his bad luck, "Malfoy you're with Healer Patil, she needs some assistance today and she asked for you, saying you did an exceptionally good job last week with her." Draco grinned at his best friend; Padma Patil, an ex-Ravenclaw from their year who had turned into a Healer while still in Hogwarts, was once of the nicer and most efficient Healers in the hospital. She would let the interns do hard and demanding procedures, guiding them with a sure hand and hard-earned praise. Draco and Blaise only rarely got to work with her and they were grateful for every time.
"Malfoy?" She called, her head appearing behind her office door. "Come along. We have much to do today." He stepped into her office, waving happily at Blaise who looked as if he was being tortured by one of Healer Rogers's idiotic jokes.
"Good morning, Healer Patil," he greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning," she answered absentmindedly, looking through the papers on her desk. "We've got a few interesting cases today," she told him, reading the files. "Mr. Rosewood somehow managed to get his wand stuck in a rather problematic place; some joke, I would guess. You see, he can't sit," she said, looking at Draco and smiling. The blonde intern laughed at the predicament, thinking immediately of how Hermione would laugh when he told her of this that night, her giggles ringing through the apartment. "Also…" she looked at another file, "Ms. Brown had a pedicure accident and she magicked away a few extra body parts; my sister is also with her, same problem. Our last case before lunch would be Fleur and Bill Weasley and their daughter, Victoire. She was born very late last night and we just need to check up on them." She smiled at him and he grinned back, happy that he would be able to see the oldest Weasley and congratulate him so soon after the birth. "I finish my shift after that, so you'll be working with healer Cabot until the end of your shift tonight. Now let's go."
They went through the patients, working efficiently and smoothly, and quickly reached the Weasleys. The entire Weasley clan was seated outside the room, waiting for the okay to go in and see their new niece; including Pansy and Harry, Ginny's head leaning on his shoulder. They all looked very happy and very tired as they smiled up at Draco.
"Draco, dear, it's lovely seeing you here," Molly told him, hugging him warmly.
"Mrs. Weasley," Healer Patil said, smiling at the exhausted mother. "Mr. Malfoy and I need to go in now and check on Victoire before we can let you meet her. So if you would just let my intern go, we would be happy to let you in as soon as we can."
"Oh!" Molly exclaimed, smiling sheepishly and releasing Draco.
"I'll see you all later," he told them, squeezing Molly's hand then walking into the room where the new family was. But not before he heard Fred and George grumble, "How come Malfoy gets to see her before we do?"
"Congrats, guys!" he said, smiling brightly at the new parents. Fleur beamed at him, holding Victoire close to her chest as Bill stood up and shook Draco's hand.
"How come you're here?" the oldest Weasley asked in surprise.
Draco pointed at his badge. "I'm shadowing Healer Patil here for today," he told the red-head, seeing the woman take the baby from her mother's arms and begin the check-up.
"Malfoy, come do your job, will you?" she kidded, holding the little baby up to him. He walked towards Victoire and took her from the Healer's hands, cradling her gently as he marveled at the beauty of the little child. Draco couldn't help but daydream of a pregnant Hermione holding the hand of another child with silver eyes, auburn curls and a sharp, know-it-all mind. He smiled sheepishly at the couple.
"She's beautiful," he told them honestly, studying her bright blue eyes.
"And healthy," the Healer added, running her wand over the little body. "I think you can call your family in now, but remember they can't be here for too long, both the baby and the mother need to rest," she said, looking pointedly at Fleur who smiled guiltily. Bill nodded and took little Victoire from Draco and held her with wonder in his eyes.
"I still can't believe I'm a dad," he muttered.
"You'll be great, Bill," Draco reassured, walking to the door. "I'll go call them in." Bill nodded in thanks then his eyes retuned to his daughter.
"Malfoy," the Healer said, calling his attention for a minute. "You can go to lunch now and afterwards go find Healer Cabot. Have a nice day."
"You too," Draco said then walked out and stood in front of the family, smiling brightly at them. "You can go in now, but you need to be quiet and let Fleur rest as much as she possibly can." The Weasleys thanked him profoundly then walked in, their eyes only for the baby.
Harry stood by the door, letting his wife in and smiling tenderly at her. "So how did things with Hermione go last night?" he asked, surprising Draco.
"Things went… amazing…" Draco mumbled, reddening. Harry smiled knowingly and winked at the blonde, walking in after his wife.
He made his way to the cafeteria in a daze, his mind a few hours back on the night before, reliving everything that had happened.
"Drake!" Blaise called and he made his way towards his friend. "Mate, you're grinning like a fool, stop it, you're freaking me out!" he said, laughing.
"So sorry," Draco muttered sarcastically but the venom was lost as an image of Hermione's lips appeared in his mind.
"Well at least now I know what happened with little Miss Granger," Blaise said, grinning slyly. Draco nodded, not rising to the bait.
"Seriously, dude, you've got to snap out of it, you look like a love sick puppy."
"Well, maybe I am," Draco deadpanned, taking a bite from Blaise's sandwich. "The things that girl can do, the things she makes me feel… it's… I really think I'm in love with her, Blaise. She really is it for me."
"Wow," his friend said, his eyes wide with surprise. "That's pretty… wow… I'm happy for you, mate," he told him, smiling.
"I'm happy for me too," Draco grinned and Blaise laughed.
000
Healer Cabot was the personification of the confused doctor. He was a short, heavy man with a bald head and a short, white beard. His glasses were huge and made his muddy eyes seem even bigger and buggier then they were and he tended to misplace them quite a lot. He was a gentle, soft-spoken man and Draco rather liked him. But he was so easily confused that it usually took every ounce of patience Draco had to deal with him nicely. Fortunately, today Draco was feeling as if the world was his and so didn't mind so much that Cabot was especially slow or baffled. He moved smoothly through the day, doing everything he was told with a flare. His self-confidence, a thing he had been unable to find since the war, appeared to have come back and with style.
The world was good; he was in love, and the girl he wanted to be with for the rest of his life was at arm’s reach, just waiting to be swept off her feet by his rather charming self. He couldn't seem to stop grinning at everyone; a few old witches gave him the odd eye at his attitude but he couldn't care less, honestly. He could finally have a family the way he had dreamed of having, he realized with a start, his smile turning brilliant.
Finally, he was done with his shift. Breathing a sigh of relief he apparated away to his home and his love, wishing to tell Hermione exactly what he felt for her.
He found the apartment dark, empty, and cold. He shrugged it off, guessing she had gone to see one of her friends and just lost track of time. He slipped off his shoes, socks, pants and shirt and went to sleep, too tired from the events of the last twenty-four hours.
000
"She's gone!" Draco cried. "I've looked every where! The Potters', every single one of the Weasleys', Neville's, Luna's, the Ministry, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, The Leaky, the Rose Gardens, I even called her parents' in Australia! No one's heard anything from her!" he screamed, throwing a vase against the wall and watching it smash to smithereens. "Her boss told me she sent him her resignation letter this morning. She's gone, and I don’t get it!" He banged his fists against the table top. "I don't get it, Blaise, everything was so good; I was happy, she seemed so happy yesterday morning. And now SHE'S GONE!" He fell to the couch, burying his head in his hands.
"This is the only thing she left," he muttered, handing Blaise the note he had found that morning in her empty room.
'Don't look for me.
Sorry.'
"I'm sorry, Drake, I don't know what to tell you," his friend said, reading the note over and over.
"Tell me you know where she is, damn it!"
"But I don't," he told him calmly, angering Draco farther.
"I need her, Zabini, here, now, with me," he said through gritted teeth.
"I can't help you," Blaise said, sighing. "You won't be able to find her if she doesn't want to be found, Draco, and you know it. Just let it go, she'll come back when it's right for her."
"Let it go? LET IT GO?! I love her, Blaise! I can't just give up on her when I know she wants me, too!"
"Well, maybe she doesn't want you!" Blaise yelled, his calm haze finally cracking. Draco stopped short, looking at him with shock.
"You're the one who told me she does…" Draco mumbled.
"Yeah, well, maybe I was wrong! I sure was about Daphne…" he muttered, looking at the floor.
"Wha… what do you mean?"
Blaise sighed. "She and I had a huge fight last night about our jobs; she ended up staying the night at her mother's house."
"I'm… sorry… I had no idea…"
"It's alright," he sniffed. "You've got enough trouble with Hermione disappearing. And I'm sorry for what I said. She does like you and want you."
"Did she tell you that?" Draco asked, wanting to know if he had missed something.
"Not directly, but I could tell by the way she wouldn't stop talking about you during our date, we hardly talked of anything other then you really; it was kind of annoying actually," he grinned weakly. "I'm sure she'll turn up at some point, Drake, just give her time to accept the way she feels for you. You've known how you feel for ages; she's been oblivious to all of this. Just give her time."
Draco nodded, not trusting his voice. As hard as it was for him, he would give her time, he would let her come to terms with the fact that he liked her and wanted her and that she wanted him, and when she came back, he was going to make her his, permanently.
000
Time passed.
000
Saturday, 8 May, 1999.
000
Sunday, 9 May, 1999.
000
Monday, 10 May, 1999.
000
Tuesday, 11 May, 1999.
000
Wednesday, 12 May, 1999.
000
Thursday, 13 May, 1999.
000
Friday, 14 May, 1999.
000
Saturday, 5 June, 1999.
Draco's birthday was a loud affair, orchestrated by Molly Weasley in the hopes of cheering him up. He was opening his presents somberly, not really paying attention when Harry gave him a rectangular present, wrapped in green paper with a gold bow. He immediately knew who it was from.
Draco ripped the paper away and looked at the book that was revealed. On the inside cover of 'Matilda' two words were written in her beautiful, familiar handwriting.
'Happy Birthday.'
000
Wednesday, 30 June, 1999.
"Are you alright, Malfoy?" Healer Patil asked him, giving him a look of concern.
"Yeah, yeah… just fine…" he muttered, unable to hide his depression.
"Draco," she said, putting her hand on his arm. "If you need a friend, I'm here."
"Thank you… Padma…"
She smiled at him, but he felt no warmth inside; his heart was empty, a hole, left by her.
000
Sunday, 25 July, 1999.
In a massive ceremony both the Ministry and the hospital had arranged, Draco and Blaise were declared Healers. The minute Blaise got his diploma he jumped up enthusiastically and into the arms of his fiancée, Daphne Greengrass. Draco looked into the crowd. There sat his friends, Neville, Luna, Pansy and even Padma, along with a group of waving red-heads, but he only saw the shake of the head a certain Wizarding-Savior gave him.
She wasn't there.
000
Saturday, 14 August, 1999.
Draco came alone to Weasley and Pansy's wedding. He sat down and watched his friends dance. He drank, a lot, and by the end of the night, had to be dragged to his apartment by Blaise and Daphne who made sure he was okay then went home.
He didn't fall asleep; instead, he walked around the rooms in his drunken stupor, wishing he could still call it home.
He didn't walk into her room.
000
Wednesday, 22 September, 1999.
Draco and Blaise stood in the Rose Gardens. It was Draco's first visit there since she left and the whole thing made his heart ache for her. The sun was just about to set as they looked out across the colorful fields, admiring the view.
"She really is an amazing girl," Blaise said, whistling as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, coloring the sky. "I can understand why you love her so much."
Draco just nodded, unable to say anything.
"Listen, Drake, I've been meaning to ask you something…" Blaise began, shuffling his feet.
"What is it?"
"Willyoubemybestman?"
"What?!" Draco asked, chuckling slightly and looking at his embarrassed best friend.
"Will you be my best man?" he asked again, his dark cheeks turning a lighter shade as he blushed.
The blonde wizard was now laughing openly, as his friend looked at him with a scowl. "Of course I will, mate. After all, what are best friends for?"
000
Friday, 29 October, 1999.
Blaise and Draco were sitting down in Blaise's manor, just drinking Firewhisky in silence as Daphne was out in the yard with her fiancée's mother, going over wedding arrangements. It was one of Draco's good days, when he almost couldn't remember why his heart hurt so much. On good days, he was almost happy again; just as Draco was contemplating this, Harry Potter flooed in.
The Chosen One sat down, poured himself a drink then took a sip from it.
"Ginny's pregnant," He muttered finally, taking a great big swig from his glass.
"Ginny's… pregnant?!" Draco cried looking at Harry in shock. The-Boy-Who-Lived nodded solemnly, finishing his drink. "And why are you not jumping up and down in joy? Aren’t you the one who's always wanted to have a large family as early as you possibly could?" Draco asked, smiling at his friend.
"I am… I'm just… slightly shocked… that's all…" Harry answered, smiling sheepishly at Draco and Blaise. They both laughed at him, and soon he joined in. When they finally calmed down, Draco raised his glass and called, "Cheers, Harry! May you and Ginny always be happy with the future little Potters!"
"Cheers!" his friends answered, clicking their glasses to him.
"Oh, Merlin help us," Blaise laughed. "More Potters! So when is she due?"
000
Tuesday, 16 November, 1999.
Blaise sat Draco down and gave him a drink.
"What's going on?" the blonde asked suspiciously.
"It's been seven months, Drake…"
"So?" Draco asked, already on the defense.
"So, I think it's time for you to move on and-"
"No!"
"You didn't even hear me through!" Blaise objected, scowling at him. "I mean, you and Padma have gotten pretty close, and I'm sure she's interested. Why don’t you just listen to me for a minute?"
"I don't need to! You were the one who told me to wait for her! You were the one who told me she'll come back! I am not giving up on her! And definitely not for Padma!" Draco yelled, standing up and banging his fists on Blaise's office desk. "Don't you understand?" he asked, his voice deflated. "She's it for me. She's my Daphne, my Ginny, my Pansy. No one else will do."
"I understand, Drake, and I know what you feel. But I don't think she's coming back. And it's hurting you. You put all your energy into finding her. You don't show it at work or with any of our friends but I can see you're depressed. You can't stay this way; clinging to a dream that will never come true!"
"I am not giving up!" and with that said, he left Blaise's office, banging the door loudly behind him.
000
Friday, 24 December, 1999.
It was eight months after she left and Draco was seated at the Weasley Christmas table. It was well past the end of dinner but Weasley, Pansy, Harry, Ginny and he were still sitting there; drinking quietly and all thinking of the same thing- where she could be.
The large grandfather clock chimed two when Draco got up, but before he could leave, a round and pregnant bundle of red curls whooshed through across the room and hit him.
“She-” hit “left-” punch “because-” shove “of-” stab “YOU!!!!”
He stopped dead. “What… what do you mean…?”
“She was in love with you, you big oaf! And now she’s gone! And it's ALL YOUR FREAKING FAULT!!!” she screamed, collapsing on him, her small hands still hitting his chest in a clear sign of pain and frustration.
“Wait! W-H-A-T?! She loves me?!” Draco asked, holding Ginny's shoulders. She screamed at the pain of losing her best friend and he tried to shake her. The red-head only nodded, crying hard. He sat her down and looked at her. “Where is she?!?!” he asked, his voice frantic now. He turned to the two boys. “Please! Tell me! I need to see her! I need to tell her I love her too!”
They looked at him with a hard glare, looked at each other, then, finally, “Alright," Harry said as he and Weasley got up. "We'll tell you."
000
Thursday, 30 December, 1999.
Draco was standing in front of a slightly run-down apartment building in Paris, checking the name plates by the door. It took him nearly a minute to find the one labeled 'Parkinson' on the third floor.
In two minutes he was there. This is it, he told himself mentally as he stood in front of the door, the hand holding the humungous bouquet of roses shaking slightly. With his free arm he rang the door bell.
"One moment!" Her voice called out sounding tired and defeated. Then the door opened and Hermione Jean Granger stood before him, a wry smile on her face until she recognized him; than her features turned to surprise, fear and relief all mixed into one.
"I knew you'd find me," she whispered, tears already standing in her eyes like they did all those months ago at the Rose Gardens. He gave her the flowers in his hands and for a second she disappeared behind the sheer mass of roses before she moved them aside.
"Hermione," he breathed, looking at her as if she was a mirage. Her face looked the same, if not a bit more tired and wry. Her hair was longer and even messier but he loved it that way. His eyes kept moving down and that was when he saw her stomach; even though she seemed to try to hide it behind a large shirt he could see it was very round. It took him a minute to realize what he was seeing. Hermione was pregnant and, by the sparkle in her eye, it was his. He looked her in the eye, from where the tears were now flowing freely as she smiled wryly at him, her hand not holding the flowers gently touching her stomach.
The vision he had had while seeing baby Victoire came back with a rush, and he saw himself hugging Hermione's large belly while a little rose-bud child ran around them, laughing and smiling brightly.
And so, gaining hope from the sparkle in her eyes and the roundness of her belly, Draco told her what he'd been wanting to say for the last two years, ever since she came to Grimmauld Place and cried in his arms.
"I love you."
- the end
You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye
You'll come back
When they call you
A\N: For all those who wandered: Draco and Hermione's daughter was born a month and a half after; her name is Matilda Rose Malfoy. She has her father's eyes, her mother's hair, and her nose is constantly buried in a book. Three years later they had little Remus Severus Malfoy. He's a real snake with chocolate-brown eyes and near-white hair and loves his little cat Tonks. The happy family is currently expecting their third child, a boy.
ferretbush_post is the account the mods use to post the gifts. It has not created any of the gifts.