Rating: T
Genre: Romance/Drama
Ships: Hermione/Harry, Hermione/Draco
friendship
Summary: After the War ended, Harry decided he needed to escape from the Wizarding world to
collect himself. However, upon returning seven years later, he finds that he left far more than he meant
to.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my twisted mind... currently, it can't help but
envision a handsome, 24 year old Harry Potter... shirtless. lol. Sue me and you'll get everything in my left
pocket... which is nothing, sadly.
Left Behind
Chapter One
"Mumma, I don't want to read that one," a little girl exclaimed, wrinkling her nose.
"You say that every night," Hermione reminded, with an amused sigh. "Do we really need to read another, just so you can tell me its rubbish and you want this one?" she asked, smiling lightly.
"Yes," her daughter told her, grinning. "I want to read... That one!" she said, pointing excitedly.
"Love, you hate that book," she assured. "I barely get through the first paragraph and you're already telling me that there is no way a Goblin would say such things."
Huffing, the little girl placed her hands on her hips as if to make a stand, though was rather hard since she was dressed in a white nightie with brooms sewn all over. "Goblins wouldn't say that, mummy!" she exclaimed, loudly. "Grippy would never, ever say those things!"
Hermione smiled, stifling her laugh. "Grippy? He may not be like these books portray, but I have a feeling he wouldn't be ecstatic about you chopping his name like that. Yes, Griphook is a kind and generous goblin, and most of these stories have been completely written out of context. In fact, if you'll remember correctly, I have tried to give these books away to Goodwill or the like, but you absolutely refuse."
"I can't be the reason other kids read such nasty books, mum," her daughter reminded, her eyes wide. "That would be like spreading lies!"
"All right, all right," Hermione said, sighing. "Now, just let me read you your favorite book and you can finally go to sleep. Molly is coming by to pick you up early tomorrow," she reminded.
"Is uncle Ron going to be there?" she asked, excitedly. "I want to play with Jasmine," she told her, hopefully.
"Ron won't be there, but his daughter will. He has a game out of town, you know how the season is. But I think your aunt Luna will be," she told her, grinning.
Climbing out of her bed, the tiny slip of a girl began jumping on the bed, enthusiastically. "I haven't seen Jazzy in three whole weeks," she told her mother, shaking her head.
"Magnolia, you place your bum in bed right now," Hermione chastised. "It's nearly nine thirty," she reminded, wrapping her arms around her daughter and lifting her high into the air.
Giggling, the small girl shook her head, causing wavy black hair to fly around all over. "Mummy," she whined, though she was still smiling. "I hate it when you call me by my whole name!"
"Would you rather me call you by Magpie?" she asked, frowning.
"No," she told her, letting herself be placed back in bed and pulling up her blankets. "Only uncle Draco can call me that!"
"Yes, yes, I know!" Rolling her eyes, Hermione tucked the thick blanket in around her little girl and leaned across her, resting her elbow on the mattress. Opening the book, she inhaled deeply. "Once upon a time, which was really only seven years ago, there was an on-going war between a very dark wizard and most of the Wizarding world," she read, smiling as her daughter yawned and settled into her bed.
"Of all the strong and bright wizards and witches, only one could save the world and all of its innocence. From a small child, the dark Lord was banished, only to arise later, seeking revenge and power. But as the child grew, so did his power and need to save those around him. He had suffered a great loss from the dark Lord, losing his beloved parents when he was but a year old. However, this only fueled this boys' want for triumph over the dark Lord.
"During his seventh year at Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the boy-who-lived, as dubbed by the Wizarding world, lived up to his reputation. Taking with him his best friends, they created the Golden Trio; three people who were bent on helping all those around him to create peace in the world. Faced with the dark Lord once more, the one and only Harry Potter was able to defeat the evil man, saving all those that stood behind him.
"The dark Lord was never seen again, nor was he to be feared. Once, the name Voldemort had struck fear in the hearts of many, but now only holds a brief remembrance of a man who did not understand the true meaning of love. For Harry Potter had used such feelings to defeat the once powerful dark Lord.
"Now, the Wizarding world is a free and relatively peaceful place, thanks to our savior, wherever he may be."
"Mummy," her little girl asked, her eyes fluttering closed. "Where is daddy?"
Inhaling sharply, Hermione felt her throat constrict. Rarely did her little girl ask where the man who was supposed to be there for her was. "Daddy... is still on his vacation," she replied, sighing. It wasn't a lie; he had left long ago, looking for some kind of solitude from the fame that came with his triumph.
"When will he be back?" Magnolia wondered, snuggling her head into the pillow.
"I- I don't know darling," she admitted, shaking her head. "Don't tell me you're tired of me already," she kidded.
"No," she told her, quietly. "I just miss him."
"I know sweetie," Hermione said, lifting from the bed. Leaning down, she kissed her daughter's forehead adoringly. "Get some sleep, Maggie. You have a long day tomorrow." Smiling, she brushed her wavy black hair off her forehead. "I love you," she whispered.
"Love you too," Magnolia mumbled, drifting away.
Blowing out the candle sitting on the bedside table, Hermione slipped out of her daughter's room quietly. Leaving the door half open, she crept down the hallway and walked down the long set of stairs against the wall. The many moving pictures arranged over the pale blue tinted wall, caught her eyes. It would be Maggie's sixth birthday in just a little over a month, and she couldn't help but be struck by how much time had passed. There were various photos of her and her little girl, aging over the last six years. Many of them included a ginger-haired clan of Weasley's and a platinum blonde Malfoy, who had curiously ended up being a very close friend. Then there was Luna Weasley, formerly Lovegood, holding her little girl Jasmine, who was only a year younger than Maggie.
Leaning against the banister, Hermione willed herself not to cry. There should be another person on her wall; a boy with raven hair and emerald eyes. Instead, she was left with open spaces all over; a hundred and one places where Maggie should be captured on camera, being held by her father. Six years and seven months ago, Harry Potter had set off for his journey alone, leaving Hermione and Ron a letter of explanation. After returning from a healer's, Hermione had planned on telling the love of her life that she was carrying their child, but instead found herself holding a goodbye note.
She was broken away from opening old wounds by a familiar voice in the background. Turning, hoping her eyes weren't as teary as they felt, she tried to smile at her best friend, but failed miserably.
"Granger, love, I hardly get to see you anymore, please try and greet me with a little more glee next time," Draco drawled, walking toward the stairs.
Chuckling, Hermione walked down the remaining steps, wrapping him in her arms. "Sorry," she mumbled, closing her eyes. "You can pretend they're tears of happiness at seeing you," she told him, smiling.
Rubbing her back, he shook his head. "Did Magpie bring up Potter again?" he asked, sounding annoyed.
"Yes, your lovely goddaughter wondered when-" Breaking off, she shook her head and hugged him tighter. "When he'd come back," she explained, her voice strained.
Sighing, Draco hugged her tighter. "I told you not to keep reading her that book about him. She knows who her dad is, reminding her that he was a hero who left isn't going to help anything."
"I know," she said, pulling back to wipe away her tears. "It's just-" Worrying her lip, she looked away, glaring at an unknown destination. "I want her to know her dad, I just don't want to have to tell her that he doesn't know anything about her. That he may never return," she admitted, inhaling painfully.
"Com'on," Draco said, pulling her toward the den. "We need a drink!" he exclaimed, smirking.
"Draco," she chastised. "I'm due in London early tomorrow," she reminded.
"All the more reason to share a nightcap with me," he replied, shrugging. "I haven't seen you or my beautiful goddaughter in nearly a month. Do spare me a few moments, will you?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. Pushing her lightly onto the couch, he walked to the bag he left sitting on a chair, revealing a bottle of red wine.
"What's the special occasion?" she wondered, smiling.
"Well, my dear friend," he said, pulling out a couple of tall glasses and popping the cork from the dark bottle. "I have not only been given a raise," he told her. "But... I've been transferred to another city," he announced.
"Really?" she asked, her smile faltering. "Well, where are you going this time? It was the States the first time, Hong Kong the second, dozens of places after, and currently, if I remember correctly, you're in southern France," she said, rather disappointed.
"True," Draco said, holding out her glass of wine to her. "However, this time I've been moved a whole lot closer to here," he told her, smirking.
Perking up, Hermione smiled hopefully. "Like how close?" she asked.
"Like fifteen minutes from here," he replied, grinning. "I've been moved back!" he announced.
Hermione was out of her seat and embracing him within seconds. "You're sure?" she asked, her eyes widening. "I know how happy you were that they were sending you around the world. I mean, this job is everything to you, I thought you liked living anywhere and everywhere," she reminded, shaking her head.
"I did," he admitted, sighing. "But I was getting tired of it," he told her. "I mean, I haven't seen Molly for nearly two months," he said, sadly. "And the last time I spoke to Ron, through the fireplace grate I might add, he ended up having to run off because Jazzy was getting into his private stash of cookies!"
Chuckling, Hermione smiled despite the situation.
"And I've missed you and Magpie," he told her, frowning. "With all of my friends having kids and me traveling the world, it just feels like I've been missing out."
"Well, you're a godfather and an uncle," she reminded, smiling. "But I guess I can understand your wanting to settle down," she said, smirking. "I just didn't think that a twenty-four year old Draco Malfoy would ever say those words to me," she joked.
Laughing, Draco nodded with wide eyes. "Yes, well I never believed I'd say them either," he admitted, shaking his head. "After all of the women I've met world wide though, I'm really quite interested in meeting a nice woman 'round here and just relaxing for awhile," he told her, his shoulders fell from their stiff position.
"That's great," she told him, patting his arm. "I've always wanted to be a godmother," she exclaimed, grinning.
Draco snorted, smirking with amusement. "What makes you think I want you to be my kid's godmum? What credentials do you have? Any references I can see?"
Scoffing, Hermione crossed her arms. "I'll have you know, I have been a fabulous mother for the past six years," she told him, her nose lifting into the air with false attitude.
"All right," Draco said, lifting his wine glass to his lips. "I'll take your word for it."
A short while later, while Draco settled down in the guest room as his flat hadn't been set up yet, Hermione made her way into her comfortable bedroom. Crawling into her long, brown sleigh bed, she pulled the thick white duvet over her legs and leaned back against the headboard. Two pictures sat on her night stand; one was of her and Maggie while they sat on a blanket in the park nearby, eating a packed picnic. While the second held rather painful memories as she gazed at it; taken just a few short days before Harry had left. It showed the two of them, wrapped in each other's arms, walking around the Black Lake. It was nothing fancy; no kissing or dancing or anything of the sort. His arms were wrapped around her waist, his head leaned against hers; her hands were settled over his, while she smiled out at the setting sun over the Lake. It was beautiful, though the reminder was marred by her sadness over it all.
After years of being in love with her best friend, she had finally had her feelings returned. The War had ended, marked victorious for the Light side. Draco had shown his spy abilities, handing off information to the professors while still looking like a would-be Death Eater as he stood beside the likes of Severus Snape and his father, Lucius Malfoy. However, when the war came to a head, Draco had shown his true colours, transferring to the right side and blowing away three Death Eaters that stood to kill Molly and Ginny Weasley, and then another who had been ready to simply snap Hermione's neck. Though nobody but McGonagall had extensive knowledge about Draco's standing, it became apparent just who he was fighting with. When everything was over, after the green light had dimmed from Harry's triumph over Voldemort, the Light side gathered in silence at the Great Hall.
Everything had been explained in full detail, from Harry's prophecy to Draco's spying for the Order. Though many had hopes a miracle would reveal Dumbledore as alive, no such news had come to relieve them. After all was said and done, the Golden Trio had embraced with the unimaginable high of victory, hugging with tears and happiness in full thrust. Ron broke away first, to pick Luna up and twirl her around excitedly. Then, to everyone's surprise, Harry had done something nobody expected; he kissed his best friend of seven years, Hermione Granger. And it wasn't just any kiss, it was passionate and loving; full of everything Hermione had hoped it would be. Both of them had still been crying, but not so much that Harry could say it had been 'wet.'
Weeks turned into months, and before Hermione knew it, she was even more in love with Harry than she had been before they were together. He woke something up in her and she couldn't help but think that his smile had grown with alarming warmth since the demise of Voldemort. He no longer looked as haunted as he once did and she had high hopes that perhaps life would turn out right for him; for them. It was nearly two months from Harry's eighteenth birthday when they made love for the first time; after a collective four months together, they took the next step. She couldn't describe how delirious in love she was with him, she was practically floating in a world all her own. Filled with late night getaways, flying around on his broom, though the first few moments always terrified her. Consumed with warm kisses, trailing from her mouth to her belly button, and cuddling in front of the warm fire. She had thought that everything was perfect, until he began to draw away.
A week before his birthday, he had confided that while things seemed to be going wonderfully, he was beginning to fall apart from how much attention he was getting whenever he stepped out of the house. It wasn't that he hated that people were so thankful, he just couldn't take being hounded every minute of the day. He couldn't even walk to the grocery store without being mobbed by admirers or reporters. Finally, it came to an end. While Hermione was off at the healers, Harry had packed up his belongings and scrawled out a couple of notes to the two people who meant the most to him.
Collapsing where she stood, Hermione had sobbed, knowing that he had left her without a second thought. But it wasn't just her that he had left, but his unborn child too. She hadn't known anything about it, only finding out that day that she was carrying a one month old fetus in her stomach. Of course, who should find her in her broken state but her new friend Draco. Not being one for consoling weeping women, he awkwardly helped her off the floor and simply held her on the couch until she fell asleep. Finding the letter still clutched in her hands, he had assumed it was because of Harry leaving. Upon waking up, to find that he was reaching desperately for a book behind him, that was just inches from his fingers, Hermione had accidentally startled him.
Which is when everything had changed. While telling Draco the entire tale, he had rubbed her back as she hiccuped through the whole ordeal, being much more helpful that she thought he would. Hours later, after she had managed to cry herself to sleep again, she woke to find him making tea in the kitchen of her flat. From that day on, she had found someone to confide everything in. He was rather grossed out by a lot of the pregnancy details, but in the end, he turned out to be an incredible confidant. He even came with her to a muggle Lamaze class because Ron had chickened out at the last minute, thinking it sounded scary. The boy could fight off Death Eaters, but he couldn't hold her hand through breathing exercises. Days turned to weeks and eventually to months, and before she knew it, she was laying in a hospital, ready to give birth. While both Ron and Draco had promised to be there, Ron had passed out almost immediately, while Draco held her hand through the entire thing, wincing the whole time.
Hermione couldn't have asked for a better godfather for her little girl, named in full as Magnolia Elizabeth Potter. Though the nurse had almost accidentally written Malfoy, much to Draco's amusement. The two of them had never shown any romantic interest in each other, as he was quite comfortable telling her of his recent bed partners, though never in grotesque detail. They were simply best friends, nothing more and nothing less. He had helped her through the loss of Harry, childbirth, and then motherhood. Playing as the adoring uncle, he never overstepped his boundaries, though they were fairly large to begin with. He had been there to witness Maggie's first steps, first words, and certainly her first attack of magic, as she had accidentally sent him flying back against the wall when he tried to stop her from climbing on the counter. She had been startled to hear his voice and upon turning around wildly, she wandlessly threw him backward. He shrugged it off, more amused than hurt, but Hermione was quite surprised at her potent work.
Still, Hermione's heart craved the father of her child, more than anything else. For the first year, she had been desperately hoping he would come back, that he would arrive before Magnolia was born. Then, for the next three years, she had fallen into a bitter hatred of her best friend and former lover. Lastly though, over the past three years, she had learned to accept what had happened, and now she was more interested in Maggie having a dad, rather than her having her ex back.
She had help from all of her friends, finding that the Weasley's were really quite generous in their love for her. Ron had been overwhelmingly upset when his best friend had left him with nothing but a letter, but he stuck by Hermione through everything. He married Luna a month before Hermione gave birth, and tried to help her out as best he could when it came to babysitting, diapers and everything that went along with a baby. He was a little inept in that department though, and upon finding out Luna was pregnant months later, he took a course on being a father, much to Hermione's surprise. Molly often babysat Maggie when Hermione had to leave for work; as she was now working to find a cure to the many ailments St. Mungo's had to deal with.
Her life had turned out beautifully, despite the disappearance of one Harry James Potter. He never wrote and there was never any mention of spotting him in any Wizarding papers. She believed him to be living somewhere in the muggle world, away from the media that hounded him. While many knew Maggie was his daughter, it had been kept from the papers for her own safety. Most people understood, though Rita Skeeter had to be blackmailed into agreeing not to write one word about Hermione's daughter. It was rather hard not to know that Maggie Potter was her father's daughter, as she had his same startling green eyes and raven black hair. Her face though, clearly resembled Hermione. Having a small, pert nose, and a splash of freckles over her cheeks. She had her mouth and warm smile, though thankfully she hadn't had to suffer through large teeth; at least not so far.
Maggie had become everything to her, which had actually surprised her in some aspects. She had only been nineteen when her little girl was born, and completely unsure if she was ready to be a mother. However, the moment the healer had placed her little girl in her arms, all insecurities had flown out the window. Maggie's little hand had curled around hers, causing her to burst into happy tears with the knowledge that the tiny baby in her arms was all hers. As a single mother, even with all of the help, she had grown a tight and lasting bond with her daughter. There wasn't a day that went by when Hermione didn't hug, kiss, or tell her little girl that she loved her. She had involved Magnolia in books at a very young age, but she never pressured her to read, as she wanted her to enjoy it, not hate it. Parks were a regular place for them to be found, whether it be them playing together, or simply lazing on the grass, reading a book. At six years old, Magnolia was simply the most important person in all of Hermione life, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
What Draco had said earlier was still ringing in her ears. He was going to be settling down; another friend to see with a complete family. It only reminded her that Maggie needed a father; not uncles and godfathers, but a real dad. It may not be Harry, but somebody was going to have to replace that empty space sometime. Waving her hand, Hermione made the candles snuff out before rolling over in her bed. It was time for her to let go of the past and think of a future. With a deep sigh, she decided it was time for her to start dating again.
To Be Continued...
A/N Hi, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. The next will be in Harry's POV, I believe. This is NOT a Hermione/Draco, they only have a very close friendship, which comes in handy later on. If you don't like the ship Harry/Hermione, then I suggest reading another story. Thank you all for reading, please review!