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Questions of Science	By : AnasellaEmm Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 27601 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Disclaimer: I still don�t own this stuff

A/N: I don�t even know how to apologize for taking so freakin long getting this update out. I�m a horrible person for making y�all wait so long and I don�t deserve all the wonderful praise you guys give me. But I thank you all deeply for the nice things you say and I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

The chapter title comes from the song: �First Time� by Lifehouse

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Chapter 15: We�re Crashing into the Unknown

�Are you still sulking about those two idiots who haven�t �approved� of our relationship?� Draco asked Hermione as they sat in the library each reading their own preferred tome.

Hermione frowned at Draco who was sitting across from her on the couch while she sat in the armchair. �I�m not sulking and they�re not idiots,� she said bluntly.

Draco rolled his eyes. �It�s been three weeks of you sitting around in your free time, moping and being miserable. I expect any day now for you to break into some sort of Hamlet soliloquy about how unfair your life is.�

Hermione�s frown deepened and she chose to ignore Draco. There was some truth in his argument. No matter how happy she was in her relationship with Draco, the niggling thought of how her two closest friends were upset with her decisions kept a stronghold in the back of her mind.

�They haven�t even talked to me in three weeks,� Hermione admitted sadly, even though Draco knew this. �When I went to see Isabelle on the weekends, they purposely avoided both her and me.�

Draco feigned interest in his book as he slowly planned a slow and exceedingly painful death for the carrot-top retard and the four-eyed wanker. Using a failing fa�ade, he wanted to let Hermione know that they would come around.

�Don�t worry about it, love. They are just stubborn,� Draco said through gritted teeth.

�You�d think that since Charlie and your mother are an item now that Ron would be a bit more tolerant,� Hermione said.

�What did I say about mentioning that?� Draco asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Hermione gave Draco a pointed look. �Oh please, as if you didn�t see Charlie leaving the manor this morning wearing the same clothes he had on last night.�

Draco scowled. �As an exceedingly brilliant neuropsychiatrist, you are the first to understand that I have tried to master the art of repressing images and memories. Thanks for bringing it all back to the surface,� Draco said with malice.

Hermione laughed. �And what did I say about repressing things?�

�That the more I repress, the closer I get to losing my sanity and eventually losing you,� Draco repeated in a monotone voice as he rolled his eyes yet again.

�So, what have you repressed lately?� Hermione asked, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

Draco didn�t fall for it though. �No, Hermione. I will not allow you to psychoanalyze me for the billionth time. You think you�re sneaky in the ways you try to get me to spill, but darling, let me just tell you that I�m a Slytherin and we wrote the book on sneakiness. So, just stop bothering.�

�Hmph,� she scoffed.

�You can �hmph� all you want, love, I�m not budging,� he replied, perusing his book idly.

�I�m expecting a floo from Isabelle, love, so I�ll leave you to your sneaky Slytherin glory,� Hermione said cheekily.

Draco grinned as Hermione left the room. He enjoyed their playful banter almost as much as he enjoyed making love to her, which was a whole damn lot.

--------------------------------

�Oh, Hermione, he just left,� Isabelle said despondently through the floo. �I�m seriously so upset with him.�

Hermione smiled sadly. �Don�t let what�s going on with him and me get between the two of you. He�s still a wonderful bloke and one of my best friends. He�s just being a bit mean at the moment.�

�Three weeks is not at the moment,� Isabelle said strongly. �I refused to sleep with him until he accepts what�s going on with you and Malfoy.�

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. �Why do I find that hard to believe?�

Isabelle�s smile shined brightly. �Ok, fine� it hasn�t really turned out the way I planned. He�s very convincing, especially after he comes over after a long day of Auror� ing. Lord, Hermione, the body on that man��

�Ok, Belle, thanks for that,� Hermione said with a grimace. �You don�t need to punish him with your failed abstinence.�

�Well, obviously, the abstinence thing isn�t working, but Ellie and I are talking to them almost every day about this. They know we�re upset. And we�ve been using guilt trips to the best of our abilities, making them see how miserable you are and how upset you are about all of this.�

Hermione grinned. �Like Draco says, they�ll come around. Although I don�t think he�s entirely too pleased with that idea. In fact, if they do come around� I think he has other plans for how to receive them. Agonizing ones.�

Isabelle chuckled. �Well, I wouldn�t stop him. Those two are so annoyingly stubborn that I just want to scream.

�Yes, they are,� Hermione agreed. �But I really miss them, Belle, and I hate that they�re not happy with me.�

�I hate it too, doll. I�ll keep working on Harry and I�ll tell Ellie to step up the persuasion, but she�s finding that difficult at the moment since she and Ron are still newlyweds and barely leave the bedroom.�

�Another piece of information I don�t need, thank you Belle,� Hermione frowned.

�With all of the sex you must be having with Draco, you�d think you would get comfortable with the subject,� Isabelle mused.

�Belle! Really, no need for that,� Hermione could feel her face flush.

�C�mon, Herms! You�ve been doing the nasty with that hunk of man-meat for nearly a month and a half! And I still haven�t gotten any details!� Isabelle countered.

�And you�re not going to get any,� Hermione said plainly.

�Ugh, you are so boring,� Isabelle laughed.

�Some people might call me modest or private,� Hermione said.

�Yes, but I�m not some people,� Isabelle said obviously.

Hermione laughed and shook her head. �I�ll talk to you later, Isabelle, tell everyone I said hi.�

�Bye, Hermione. Will I see you this weekend?�

Hermione shrugged. �Maybe, I don�t think I can stand coming around and not seeing Harry and Ron.�

Isabelle blew Hermione a kiss and her head disappeared from the flames. Hermione took a deep breath and stood up from before the fireplace, steadying herself when she became dizzy from standing up too quickly.

�You ok?� Draco�s voice sounded behind her.

�Yeah, I just got up too fast,� she said. �Were you listening to our conversation?�

Draco smiled. �No, I just walked in. My mum wants to talk to you.�

�Really? Is she ok?� Hermione asked.

�She�s fine, just wants to talk,� Draco replied.

Hermione nodded and followed Draco out of the room.

Finding Narcissa alone in her wing, Hermione told Draco she�d meet up with him later and went to sit next to Narcissa on her couch.

�Dear, is the door closed?� Narcissa asked.

Hermione nodded.

�Good, because I don�t want Draco overhearing this,� Narcissa cautioned.

�What is it?� Hermione asked worriedly.

�Oh it�s nothing serious, but I just wanted to talk to you, woman-to-woman,� Narcissa mentioned.

�Ok, so what did you want to talk about?� Hermione asked.

�I was just wondering, Hermione, if Draco was mistreating you,� Narcissa said seriously.

Hermione�s eyes widened. �No, not at all, Narcissa. What gave you that impression?�

�Well, you�ve been so sad lately,� Narcissa said with a concerned look. �And since all we talk about during our therapy sessions is me, I figured, you never got a chance to get things off of your own chest.�

Hermione smiled. �That�s very sweet that you noticed, Narcissa, but I�m just a bit upset over my friends who don�t really approve of Draco and me being together.�

�Oh, I see,� Narcissa said with relief clearly sketched on her face. �But you would tell me if Draco ever brought you grief?�

Hermione�s grin grew wider. �Draco brings me grief on a daily basis with that sharp tongue of his and that blasted sarcasm, but I don�t think he would ever purposely, truly upset me.�

Narcissa smiled at this, �I�m glad, darling. You make Draco so happy and I just want the best for the two of you.�

�Thank you, Narcissa. It means a lot to me that you care. Now, on to more pressing matters, how are you doing?�

Narcissa�s smile slowly faded. �I�ve been doing well, Hermione. But I have to ask you, is there a possibility that I could stop taking the anti-depressant potions? I�m willing to keep taking the two other potions, but I�m getting a bit tired of taking the anti-depressant.�

Hermione nodded along. �It�s a really good sign that you�re recognizing the adverse effects of taking the anti-depressant and that you�ve discovered on your own that you don�t want to take it anymore. We will do a trial week where we can take you off the potion gradually; reducing the doses you take until you don�t have to take it at all.�

�That sounds great,� Narcissa said happily. �Are you sure it will be beneficial?�

�I�m positive. I�ve always been an advocate of using less medications and more therapeutic practices, such as communication applications and personal meditations. I think you�ll do very well off of the anti-depressant.�

Narcissa smiled. �Thank you, Hermione. I really mean it. I�m so glad that you�re my Healer.�

�Me too,� Hermione agreed. �Now, are you going to join Draco and me for lunch or is Charlie coming over?�

Narcissa�s cheeks turned a light pink hue as a soft smile graced her lips. �Charlie actually went to Romania to settle some work-related things. He won�t be back for a month.�

�A month? That�s an awfully long time,� Hermione said. "It's still such a new relationship."

�Well, we�re not really in a relationship, per se,� Narcissa said, a mischievous smile overtaking the soft one.

Hermione looked confused. �You�re not in a relationship?�

Narcissa thought for a moment. �It�s purely� physical.�

�Oh my,� Hermione blushed.

�Well we both agreed that it wouldn�t progress more than that and we�re both perfectly fine with that,� Narcissa said.

�I see,� Hermione said dumbly. �Does Draco know about this?�

Narcissa laughed. �No, he does not. I mentioned once before that this was just a fling, but I don't think he took me seriously. I�m not quite sure how he would take it and I�d rather not upset him.�

�I don�t think you should tip-toe around your son like that, Narcissa. Are you afraid he would get mad at you again?� Hermione asked.

�I don�t like it when he�s angry,� Narcissa admitted.

�Well, then I think this will be a good exercise. You will tell Draco that you are not in a real relationship with Charlie and that it�s just a sexual liaison,� Hermione said as she went into professional mode and tried not to blush at the conversation.

�Ok,� Narcissa said uneasily. �Do we do that now?�

�If you�d like, we can do it right now. Now before we do it, I want you to do me a favor,� Hermione assessed. �When you speak to him, you�re going to put on the true Narcissa Black airs that I know have been hidden.�

Narcissa nodded. �So basically, act as conceited and uncaring as possible?�

Hermione laughed gaily. �Whatever gets the job done.�

�Alright then, let�s go traumatize my son,� Narcissa said, standing up in her regal fashion.

Hermione stood up and followed Narcissa out of the room, knowing that this would go smoothly and that she�d simply kill Draco if he was difficult.

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�Wherever could he be?� Narcissa asked as they passed the first floor library for the second time.

�I�m not sure, did you ask one of the house-elves?� Hermione asked.

�Hmm, good idea. Cammy, dear, could you tell us where Draco is?� Narcissa asked the passing house-elf.

�Master Draco is running around the manor outside� Cammy promptly answered.

�Oh that�s right, it�s noon,� Hermione said. �He always goes running at noon.�

�Well, we should intercept him. I feel confident enough to do this now and I don�t want to lose my resolve,� Narcissa said.

�Ok, we�ll see him in the garden, since he just runs circles,� Hermione suggested.

They walked out to the garden and luckily for them, Draco had just run past them. He slowed down when he saw them and jogged over to where they stood by the glass doors.

Hermione could feel her eyes widen and her mouth go dry� and other parts south of the border become a bit wet. She had seen Draco in all sorts of nakedness, but seeing him after running, wearing just some running shorts and a smile had a very arousing effect on her.

Sweat clung to his body and his hair was pushed back away from his face, highlighting his strong and handsome features.

�Can I help you ladies?� his husky, out-of-breath voice brought Hermione out of her lust-induced reverie.

�Draco, I need to speak with you about something,� Narcissa said in a crisp, solid tone.

�Ok� now?� he asked, holding his side and trying to pretend he had no idea how much he was affecting Hermione, who was looking at him like a starved woman.

�Yes, that would be best,� Narcissa spoke. �Draco, dear, I just came out here to tell you that I am not in a relationship with Charlie.�

Draco folded his arms across his broad chest which obstructed Hermione�s view. �Ok. I�m sorry about that. You want me to beat him up for you?�

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. �We never had a relationship. So it isn�t as if he ended things with me.�

�I�m not sure I completely understand,� Draco said.

Narcissa smiled. �I think you should know that Charlie and I are not in an emotionally connected relationship, just one of physicality.�

Draco furrowed his blond eyebrows and chanced a look at Hermione. She gave him a look that he couldn�t quite decipher.

�So you�re telling me that you and Weasley are just� having sex?� Draco asked.

Hermione felt the awkwardness level in the garden soar. Narcissa just kept on smiling, truly playing the Narcissa Black part to a �t�.

�Yes, that�s right. And we are both fine with it. I�m not looking for your approval or to make you upset. I just felt that you ought to know.�

Draco ran his tongue over his lower lip: an action Hermione recognized was one he made when he was thinking about something.

�Ok, as long as you�re fine with it and as long as he doesn�t do anything to hurt you or make you upset, then you do whatever makes you happy,� Draco said, surprising both his mother and Hermione.

Narcissa threw her arms around Draco, kissing his cheek and hugging him tight.

�Mum, I�m all sweaty,� he complained.

�I don�t care,� she sniffed, holding back her fragile emotions.

Draco smiled and hugged her back.

Narcissa excused herself after a moment and left Hermione and Draco out in the garden.

�Like what you see?� Draco asked, standing with his hands on his hips, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips.

Hermione smirked back. �Maybe,� she countered.

�Maybe, eh?� he asked, grabbing her by the arms and bringing her flush up against his chest. �I saw the way you were practically drooling, love. Maybe I should start inviting you to watch me run if I knew how much it worked you up.�

Hermione laughed. �You are so full of yourself.�

�I know you�d like to be full of myself, too,� he whispered in her ear.

Hermione felt a shiver go down her spine, even with the warm weather, she could feel it. Draco nibbling on her earlobe didn�t help matters in the slightest.

�Ok, Mr. Runner, I�ll race you to your wing. Ready, set�� She ran off before she said �go,� leaving him shaking his head and letting her take the lead.

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Stroking his white-blond hair out of his eyes as he slept, Hermione could feel the tears welling up behind her eyelids. She wouldn�t have usually gotten so emotional, but she just couldn�t quite understand why she was tearing up.

The stress of Harry and Ron being obstinate fools, treating Narcissa, trying to get Draco to talk more about his troubles, and having copious amounts of wonderful sex could really get to a girl.

She kissed his forehead and settled into his side, basking in the soft warmth of his strong body.

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Hermione awoke to an empty bed. She lifted her head up to scan the room and found Draco standing at the window, looking out over the grounds. He had pulled on his boxers and a white t-shirt. She could have stared at him for hours, but she put on her own underwear and shirt, finding them scattered on the floor.

She went and wrapped her arms around him from behind, running her palms over his chest. He didn�t move from his position, just kept looking over the grounds, as if the extremely beautiful woman who held his heart wasn�t giving him her undivided attention.

�What�s wrong, Draco?� she asked, worried about the hint of grief she caught in his eyes as she moved to stand next to him.

�Hermione, I�m so sorry,� he said, his tone thick with emotion. He wouldn�t look at her, only at the foggy grounds beneath them.

�What on earth are you sorry about?� she asked with a confused smile.

�I love you, Hermione� I do,� he said slowly. �I only want you to be happy. And I�m not just saying that and I know it sounds clich�, but I really do want you to be happy.�

Hermione smiled. �And you�re sorry about that?�

�I�m ending our relationship,� he said solidly.

Hermione�s arched eyebrow hid her surprise. �What?�

�It�s over between us. You�re not happy because Potter and Weasley don�t want us together. So I�m solving it by ending what we have.�

�Wow, you�re an idiot,� Hermione said plainly.

Draco turned angrily towards her. �I�m the idiot? At least I�m not basing my happiness on what two fucktards think about my love-life. I�m serious, Hermione. I�ve thought long and hard about this. It�s over. I can�t stand being the reason you�re upset.�

Hermione couldn�t believe her ears. �But you�re not the reason I�m upset, Draco� it�s Harry and Ron.�

�And why are you upset with them? Because of me,� he retorted. He turned back to the window, a lump forming in his throat. �I�ve already arranged with Healer Brandon for a new Healer for my mother.�

�Wait� so I�m being fired and dumped at the same time? Real classy, Draco,� Hermione said. Her anger was slowly ebbing towards fury, only abated by the small hope that he was joking.

�You still have a job at St. Mungo�s,� Draco said, his hands gripping the window pane so hard that his knuckles were whiter than the rest of his skin. �I just didn�t think it wise for you to stay here.�

Hermione blinked back tears. �Well, too bad it�s not up to you. Your mother seems to have taken a liking to me and I don�t think she would like you switching Healers on her.�

�Too bad it is up to me,� he said. �The new Healer will be here tomorrow at noon.�

�What about you being Draco Malfoy and being on the run from the government and all that bullshit?� she asked, her voice rising in pitch.

�Healer Brandon has placed a secret-keeping type charm on the Healer. He won�t be able to tell anyone,� Draco said, his eyes closed.

�Oh, so it�s a he? Afraid you would fall in love with the next female to fall into your damn spiderweb?� Hermione spat.

Draco turned to look at her. She could see him holding back his emotions with his eyes. �So that�s it? You think I fell in love with you out of convenience? After all I�ve done to prove to you that I love you with everything I possess and that I�ll do anything to keep you happy?�

�You think breaking up with me will make me happy?� Hermione yelled.

�Yes, Hermione! If we�re not together then your idiot friends will talk to you again, and they�ll do whatever it is that makes you regard them with such high esteem� Draco countered.

�So that�s it? Everything we�ve been through? Over? Just because you find yourself so noble that you�re doing me a favor by breaking up with me?� Hermione asked, fire coming alive in her brown eyes

�I love you, Hermione,� he reassured; his eyes back towards the windows. �God, I really do. You think I want to end what we have? But I can�t stand to see you so miserable. It hurts me more than you think, and maybe I�m being selfish in trying to prevent my own pain in seeing you so hurt, but I�ve made my decision.�

Hermione�s gaze steeled. �Fine, I�ll be gone within the hour.�

Draco turned back to her. �Stay tonight,� he pleaded. He actually pleaded. An action rare for him.

Hermione laughed harshly. �Yeah, right.�

�For my mother,� he added.

Hermione shook her head. �I�ll be gone within the hour, Malfoy.�

His breath almost hitched at the use of his surname. �Hermione, please� don�t be like this.�

�You have a lot of nerve. You also are a liar,� Hermione said, walking away from the window, unable to stay standing next to him.

�How am I a liar?� Draco asked, following her.

�You say you love me, but now I know that it�s all a lie. I�m upset with Harry and Ron, not with you, you jackass. Well, now I�m upset with you. But I can�t believe you think that breaking up is the right thing to do. You know what? You�re right� you have officially lost your mind.�

�I only want you to be happy, Hermione,� Draco said, his frown prominent on his face.

�I�m happy when I�m with you!� she screamed. �I don�t care about what Harry and Ron think.�

Draco�s face stiffened with a scowl. �If you didn�t care, you wouldn�t be miserable and moping around and just having the emotional variance of a bi-polar patient. So don�t tell me you don�t care what they think!�

Hermione gasped a sob and shook her head. He was right and she didn�t want to believe it.

�Hermione, please don�t think that I don�t love you. If I wasn�t in hiding from the Ministry, I swear I would have married you,� Draco said, startling Hermione with this revelation.

Another sob escaped her as she stood by his door, listening to things she did not want to hear. She shook her head again. �Don�t say that, Draco. If it�s over between us, then don�t say things like that.�

�It�s up to you whether it�s over between us. Either you can stop caring about what others think of our relationship and everything will work out fine, or you can admit to yourself that Potter and Weasley�s approval means more to you than my love.�

�That�s n-not f-fair, Draco!� Hermione wept. Her emotions were starting to get on her nerves. Since when was she such a sniveling, crying girl?

�I know they mean a lot to you, but I don�t want to be second-in-line to them,� Draco said, her tears burning a hole through his heart.

Hermione wiped her cheeks and opened the door, half-walking, half-running to her wing. It hurt that he wasn�t coming after her, but nothing hurt more than the pain taking residence in her mind that he had ended things with her� and that she had to pack and leave within the hour.

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�What do you mean, you�ve let her go?!� Narcissa said loudly, pacing in front of her son�s fireplace, as he laid face-down on his couch.

�I mean, it�s over between us and you�re getting a new Healer tomorrow,� Draco repeated, muffled by having his face buried in the couch cushion.

�I don�t want a new Healer,� Narcissa scowled. �Why didn�t you consult me about this? I love Hermione like my own child, and I do not want her to leave.�

�Too late,� Draco mused. �I�m sorry mum, there was no way around it.�

�Of course there was a way around it,� Narcissa started, but Draco cut her off.

�I didn�t enjoy spending time with her when she was miserable. And I especially didn�t like being the cause of it! I�ll say it again, but I just want her to be happy like she deserves, so if you cut out the middle man, which is me, then she will go back to her old happy existence that her friends approved of.�

�Draco Malfoy, you are thinking so foolishly! She is happy when she is with you. She�s hopelessly, madly in love with you and you are just going to make her even more miserable.�

�She cares too much about what those idiots think that I don�t want to compete,� Draco retorted.

�God, you are so insufferable and every inch a Slytherin. When the going gets tough, the Slytherin gets the hell out of there.�

Draco lifted his head up and he looked angry. �It would have been incredibly selfish of me to keep up a relationship with her that was ruining her friendships with two people she obviously cares about. Last time I checked, Slytherins were the most selfish character-types.�

Narcissa let out a drawn-out sigh. �Fine, if you are happy with making the both of you miserable, then I certainly don�t want to put a damper in your activities. I�m going to go talk to her, make sure she knows that someone still cares about how she is feeling.�

Draco scowled and ignored his mother as he buried his face back into the couch cushions, half-trying to smother himself and half-trying to escape his excruciating hurt.

--------------------------------------------

Hermione�s bags sat packed against the door, ready to be shrunken so she could stick them in her purse. She buckled the strap on her flat sandals and brushed away the cascading tears from her cheeks.

A knock at the door sounded and Hermione�s heart betrayed her by dearly hoping that Draco was on the other side of that door.

She straightened up and brushed away any stray tears. �Come in,� she croaked out.

Narcissa walked into the room and quickly strode over to Hermione, enveloping her in a warm hug. This simple action spurred Hermione to tears again. She rested her face on Narcissa�s shoulder, sobbing silently.

�I don�t want you to go, Hermione,� Narcissa said softly. �I�ve come to care for you as if you were the daughter I never had. I wish things were different and I wish you could have made a home here at the manor, but sometimes things don�t always go as we plan.�

Hermione pulled back, smiling sadly and wiping her face. �I�m going to miss you, Narcissa. And I promise I�ll come see you as much as I possibly can. You have made so much progress and I know you will do well with any Healer you get. I�ll tell the new one that you�re going to be weaned off of the anti-depressants,� Hermione said wrapping her arms around the older woman, hugging her tight.

�Hermione, dear, as much as I disagree with my son�s actions, please remember that he�s never loved anyone more than he loves you. He thinks this is for the best and I truly believe he just wants to see you happy. Although, he�s nowhere near happy right now.�

Hermione�s stomach felt strange at the news that Draco was miserable. �I love him so much, Narcissa.�

Narcissa suppressed her own tears. �I know, darling. And he loves you just as much.�

�I wish I didn�t care what my friends thought, but I can�t help it, Narcissa. They mean so much to me, I mean, we�ve all been through so much together and they�re practically family to me. I hold you and Draco with just as much esteem.�

Narcissa smiled. �This will all work itself out, Hermione. I don�t for one second believe that this is the end of your relationship with Draco.�

�Really?� Hermione asked.

�Not at all. You two belong together. I mean, the both of you are going through so much misery because he holds your happiness above all else. You ignored his past indiscretions, no matter how awful they were and loved him for the man he is. That�s just not the disposable kind of love.�

Hermione nodded numbly. �I want to be the strong type and hold my head up high, but I don�t want it to end. I feel so weak just admitting that.�

�Of course you don�t want it to end. You have a strong bond together that not many people are lucky to experience. Just play along with Draco�s illusion that this will make you feel better. Because, honey, he doesn�t want this to end. Not one bit� but he wants you to have your friends� approval, which as you�ve said, means a lot to you. Hermione, he�s miserable.�

�Well, it�s his own damn fault,� Hermione said with difficulty. Because the fact of the matter was: she didn�t want him to hurt.

Narcissa laughed softly. �I�ll be expecting you back soon at the manor, Hermione. I won�t let the new Healer get too comfortable here. I�ll tell him outright that you�ll be back very quickly.�

Hermione smiled and kissed Narcissa�s cheek. �I hope that�s what really happens.�

�Oh, it will,� Narcissa assured. �I�d tell you to just leave your stuff here, but then that would probably be pushing it.�

Hermione laughed and then sighed. �I should get going.�

Narcissa nodded, linking arms with Hermione and walking with her towards the double doors of the wing.

�You know what, Narcissa? I will be back. I love that stupid man and I will give him time to think about how stupid he actually is. But I�ll come back, after he�s begged and pleaded. It�ll be good for him to see what he�s missing.�

Narcissa grinned widely. �Now that�s the Hermione I know and love.�

Hermione laughed as they walked down the stairs. She hesitated as they came across the double doors to Draco�s wing. As a last moment decision, she opened his door without bothering to knock and walked right in, Narcissa still holding her arm and smiling secretly.

Draco hadn�t moved from his pathetic position of lying face-down on his couch. Hermione and Narcissa came to stand in front of him. One of them cleared their throats and Draco slowly brought his head up, eyeing the intruders, before shooting up to a sitting position at seeing Hermione.

�I�ve just come to say goodbye for now,� Hermione said, her voice clear and her stance stately.

Draco nodded slowly. �Goodbye, then. Thank you for everything.�

He sure knew how to play the apathetic fool.

Hermione smiled and turned on her heel, Narcissa in tow, smirking.

The minute they were outside of the room, Hermione�s smile disappeared and she almost sank against Narcissa, feeling quite dizzy.

�Are you alright, dear?� Narcissa asked, gaining a firmer grip on Hermione.

�Yeah, that was just a lot harder than I thought,� Hermione said, her eyes closed, trying to blind out the vertigo.

�I�ll walk you to the Apparition point,� Narcissa said, trying to distract Hermione from the crash they heard from Draco�s wing. He always was an advocate of breaking things when he was angry.

As they neared the Apparition point, Narcissa gave Hermione one final hug, before saying goodbye and winking. �See you soon!� she shouted before watching the young witch apparate away.

---------------------------------------

As a last-minute decision, Hermione didn�t apparate to her own flat, but to Isabelle�s. Knocking on the door, Hermione hoped Harry wasn�t there, because she wouldn�t have been able to restrain herself from causing him bodily harm.

�HERMS!� Isabelle�s voice cut through her thoughts of vendetta. �What are you doing here, babe? It�s only a Tuesday.�

For some unknown reason, the tears started again. Hermione flung herself into Isabelle�s embrace and felt herself being guided to the couch.

�What�s he done now?� Isabelle asked softly, stroking Hermione�s curls.

�He ended things with me,� Hermione sniffed, pulling away from Isabelle.

�He did what?!� Isabelle gasped.

Hermione told Isabelle everything. She found herself defending Draco on more accounts than one, telling Isabelle that he did it so that she could be happy and so that Harry and Ron would talk to her again.

Isabelle sat stunned once Hermione had relayed the entire story. �Wow� kind of romantic in a twisted way.�

Hermione shrugged. �I�m so emotionally drained, Belle. Seriously, I�ve never felt so out of touch with my mind before.�

Isabelle furrowed her dark blonde brows. �What do you mean?�

�I�ve just been crying and getting really upset over small things. Not just today but for the past couple of days. I think ever since I told Harry and Ron about Draco and me. I feel like I have depression symptoms, just not as strong.�

Isabelle thought for a moment. �What else?�

�When I was with Draco, I would push those sad thoughts away but I think he could tell that I was still a bit melancholy. I miss him already.�

Isabelle�s brain was working in full Healer mode. �Anything else been going on with you lately? Besides the emotional disparity?�

Hermione gave her a perplexed look. �Um� well, I�ve been having bouts of dizziness at times, but that could just be attributed to the stress.�

Isabelle stood up from the couch and disappeared into her room, coming back out with the golden wand all Healers carried.

�Why�d you bring out your prognosi-wand?� Hermione asked. �I�m fine, Belle, just stressed out.�

�Just humor me,� Isabelle said, a determined and knowing look crossing her eyes.

Hermione sighed and lay down on the couch. �You�re such a drama queen, Isabelle.�

�Have you taken any pain-relieving potions or anti-histamine potions recently?� Isabelle asked in the professional voice she used at the hospital.

�No,� Hermione responded.

�Do you have a regular menstrual cycle?� Isabelle questioned. �Sometimes an irregular cycle could be causing your raging moods.�

�It�s usually pretty regular� come to think of it�� Hermione trailed off.

Isabelle passed the prognosi-wand over Hermione�s body three times, watching the mist of color stay a stagnant bronze.

Isabelle smiled when the color stayed bronze as she completed the prognosis incantation. A double-check and Isabelle couldn�t contain her chuckle.

�What are you laughing at?� Hermione asked shakily. She had been counting weeks and months in her head, praying that she hadn�t figured out what Isabelle already knew.

�Shit, Hermione; you�re preggers,� Isabelle said with a silly grin.

�Preggers? Is that slang for mildly depressed?� Hermione asked futilely.

�It�s slang for you�ve got a little baby Malfoy sitting in your womb ready to make your dramatic relationship with Draco a lot more interesting,� Isabelle said, sitting down next to Hermione with a large smile. �Congratulations!�

Hermione smiled, surprised that she wasn�t hyperventilating at the news that she was pregnant� with Draco�s spawn� right after he had broken things off with her. Strange world.

�How far along am I?� Hermione asked, not caring to figure it out herself.

�About a month,� Isabelle replied. �So about the same time that you told Harry and Ron, which would explain your varying moods and your bouts of dizziness. Some women get dizziness and some get morning sickness and then some get both. It�s still a bit early, so you might not get the morning sickness yet, if at all.�

�This day is officially the most interesting day I�ve ever lived. I�ve been dumped, fired, and knocked up. It�s like one of those horrid romance novels you read when you think no one is looking,� Hermione teased.

Isabelle laughed. �Mock all you want, Herms. But those books are seriously awesome. But now�s not the time for that. You�re going to spend the night with me here and then tomorrow we can sort all of this out. We�ll figure out how we�re going to tell Draco��

�He�s going to lose it,� Hermione considered. �Don�t worry, I�m going to tell him, but it�s a lot for him to take. He�s still a prisoner in his own home� and, goodness� I just don�t know how he�s going to feel about this.�

�You�re not worried that he�ll take you back just because of the baby?� Isabelle asked.

Hermione smiled. �Oh, he was going to take me back regardless� this predicament will just help things along.�

�I love this confidence you�ve gotten from living with the Malfoys,� Isabelle laughed. �Let�s hope the kiddo doesn�t turn out to have the arrogance of its parents.�

Hermione playfully slapped Isabelle on the arm. �This is really real, isn�t it?�

�Yep!� Isabelle said excitedly. �I�m going to be an auntie!!�

�I�m going to be a mummy, oh dear god, I�m going to be a mother!� Hermione exclaimed. �And the idiot love of my life is going to be a daddy.�

�Isn�t it fun knowing something he doesn�t? Serves him damn right,� Isabelle said.

Hermione half-smiled. As much as she loved Isabelle, she wished she was with Draco, celebrating this news, instead of feeling a pit of emptiness within her knowing they were apart for an unpredictable amount of time. All she could do now was play the waiting game until morning and hope that the intense sorrow she felt from his absence wouldn�t give her a restless night. She was sleeping for two now.
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