Chapter Sixteen
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With the help of Harry's invisibility cloak, breaking Hermione out wasn't too hard for Draco. They made sure Harry was seen at a pub downtown all night, so no one would ever say he had been involved.
Hermione and Draco were soon hiding in a dark street in muggle London. Draco was carrying a bag, and was holding the key to what Hermione guessed was a car.
"Where are we going?" she asked him, the fear in her voice was obvious.
"We have to do something before we leave, just a quick stop." Hermione looked inquiringly at him.
"Where?"
"Pansy Parkinson." Hermione stared at him.
"Look, I have something to tell you, and we don't have time for a lot of questions, okay?" he looked into her eyes and inhaled.
They sat down on the pavement behind a car and Draco explained to Hermione that he just found out about his daughter and that Pansy was holding her hostage. But he never mentioned anything about Bellatrix.
"Oh my God, Draco!"
"I need you to help me get her away from Pansy," he whispered. She eyed him cautiously; the look on his face
was something she had never seen before. He looked helpless, pleading, and even desperate.
"But how?" Draco took her hand and they ran to a black Mercedes.
"I'm going to keep Pansy occupied, and I need you to sneak in and take the baby."
"What if she hears me?"
"Hermione, I can't leave my child with her."
Hermione could see that he really meant it and, before she knew it, she was on her way to Pansy Parkinson's flat.
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Hermione hid under Harry's cloak in the corridor and watched as Draco knocked on the door. Pansy opened the door in her nightgown.
"Oh, Draco, what are you doing here?" she asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"I missed you," he smiled seductively at her. Hermione couldn't believe that the line worked, but was glad when it did.
"I thought you hated me now," she pouted childishly.
"Pansy, I could never hate you." Hermione watched in awe as Draco kept the lies flowing.
"And what about Mallory? Don't you want us to be a family?"
"Yes, I do," he leaned forward and put a strand of hair behind Pansy's ear. "But you shouldn't try to blackmail me with my own daughter."
"It wasn't my idea it was -."
Draco's lips crashed against Pansy's and she grabbed Draco by the collar and pulled him inside. Hermione hurried inside before the door closed. She waited in the hallway by the front door for about ten minutes, just as they had agreed on, and then started sneaking across the flat to Pansy's bedroom. She heard grumps and moans from the bed on the side of her. It wasn't that she wanted to look, but she couldn't very well help it.
She saw Draco on top of Pansy, the covers ending just at his lower part. Pansy was moaning loudly, and Hermione could hear that she wasn't faking it. The muscles in Draco's back were tensing up with every moment.
Hermione stood still for a second and felt the heat rising in her face. She saw Draco's face turning in her direction; he was checking to see if she was there. She snapped out of it, and walked towards the baby's crib.
She looked down and saw a beautiful baby girl in the bed. She lifted her up, gently, careful not to wake her. She adjusted the pillows in the crib so it looked like a baby was underneath. For a moment her conscious tried to step in and tell her that she couldn't possibly take a child from its mother, but Draco had saved Hermione's life twice and she had to believe he was telling the truth about his daughter. Besides, she had heard Pansy all but admit it.
She slipped the baby under the invisibility cloak and carefully walked out. She briefly slipped her hand from under the cloak, giving a thumbs-up to Draco - it was done. She waited at the door with the baby, afraid the baby might wake. She could have silenced her with a spell, but Draco had warned Hermione that Pansy might have spell-censors in the flat.
After about twenty minutes Draco emerged with Pansy close on his heals.
"Oh, Draco my love, please spend the night!" she pleaded.
"Can't Pansy, you know I don't like to do that." He kissed her cheek and started to put on his cloak. He opened the front door and, so Hermione could sneak out, he left it open and turned back to Pansy.
"When will I see you again?" she asked and tilted her head.
"We'll see," he said and kissed her on the lips.
"I love you, Draco," she said.
Hermione watched Pansy from under the cloak; she could see that Pansy really meant it. She could see love, hurt, sadness and some fear on her face. Draco grabbed his coat and turned to leave.
"Draco?" Pansy called after him down the hall.
Draco stopped walking and slowly turned around, Hermione held her breath, fearing that they had been caught.
"Please come back soon. I'm so happy you came tonight."
"I always do," he winked at her and kept walking.
He walked straight to the car and looked up to see Pansy watching him from the window. He opened the passenger seat and pretended to put his coat in there as Hermione climbed in and then he sped away. Hermione pulled off the cloak and Draco saw his baby in her arms.
"Is she okay?" he asked.
"Yes, she's fine," Hermione said, lovingly caressing the baby's chubby cheeks, her eyelids were fluttering slightly. "She's so beautiful, Draco."
"She's a Malfoy, isn't she?" he sneered, accelerating.
"Where are we going?"
"North," he answered.
"I feel really bad about…" Hermione started.
"Don't!" Draco ordered and steered the car towards the highway.
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An alarm went out the next day. All over the news it was written that Hermione Granger was wanted for murder and was now on the run with Draco Malfoy. Harry was brought in for questioning, but since all of The Leaky Cauldron had seen him noting could be done. No one they knew believed the rumors about Hermione, of course, but Ron did mutter something about her running away with Malfoy. He seemed to think he should have been the one to break her out. The investigations about the murders were still open, but only two Aurors were on the case now. The ministry had decided that Hermione was guilty. Harry believed it to be Burton's fault, though, since he had told the Daily Prophet that she was guilty.
Harry went to Kingsley Shacklebolt for help, and he gave Harry permission to carry on his own side investigation, also sure Hermione was innocent. But Harry knew Kingsley couldn't dismiss the evidence, it would look very suspicious.
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One week had passed and Hermione had still not used the ring. They changed locations every night, breaking into an empty Muggle house and then leave again in the morning. Hermione wished she had known about the plan, she would have told them to bring a tent like the one she, Harry, and Ron had lived in during the war.
Draco left Hermione and Mallory alone a lot; he would go out and try to find news about what was happening. Hermione was absolutely smitten with the child. She had jet-black hair and silver eyes. She was a happy child, and she could charm anyone to tears.
Hermione started a fire, it was late autumn and England was getting cold. Draco returned with a shopping bag. "Is that food?" Hermione asked. He nodded and put it on the counter. Hermione started to look through the bag; he had bought steak and potatoes.
"Wow!" Hermione nodded contently and Draco gave her half a smile. He looked over at his daughter, he was still rather afraid of her. Mallory started crying and Hermione looked at Draco.
"Pick up the crying baby, Draco," she ordered and he walked over and lifted the child. He was holding it rather like one would hold a Quaffle - as far away from himself as he could.
Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over and helped him shift positions. Draco held her in his arms and looked down at his daughter. She smiled up at him but she couldn't really focus on his face.
"So how old do you think she is?" he asked.
"Three months maybe," Hermione answered. She found it very endearing seeing Draco with his daughter in his arms. She walked over to the stove and started cooking. Mallory soon fell asleep on her father's arms.
"I just can't get over it Draco, why would Pansy do this?" Draco looked away. He hadn't even told Hermione half the truth about what had happened.
"Wine?" he asked and placed Mallory back in her crib, Hermione nodded happily. Draco corked up a bottle and poured some red wine for her.
"This house is very nice," Hermione thought aloud. It was a middleclass house somewhere in the north of England, and the family had a room for a baby. From the plastered travel schedule on the fridge Hermione had figured the family had rented a house in Thailand for the winter.
"Maybe we'd dare stay a few nights," Draco suggested. He was happy to see Hermione so at ease. They had usually rushed out in the mornings, drove all day and then crashed into bed when they reached an empty house.
"Do we dare?" she smiled at the thought of being allowed to spend more than just one night at the same place. She could watch some television, sleep late, take a long shower….
"I think so," he said.
He walked over to the fireplace and lit a fire. He then walked back to her and their glasses touched in a toast. Draco's eyes lingered a bit too long on Hermione, and she blushed. Draco watched some muggle television and Hermione started setting the table. She drank the rest of her glass and Draco refilled it when he returned. They sat down and started eating in silence.
"So you and Pansy…." Hermione started and Draco looked up.
"What about it?" he sounded more hostile than he intended. He had a habit of doing that.
"Well, what's the story?"
"What's the story with your own Hogwarts lingering love?" he spat not saying a particular name.
"Draco, I was just asking," Hermione answered and ate some steak.
"All right…. Well, I don't know what to say. We were never exclusive; we kind of hooked up on and off…."
"Bet she liked that," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No, she wanted to get married after school. And, as I said before, I always figured we would one day."
"Did you love her?" she paused and tried a different approach. "Do you love her?" Hermione looked up at him and tried to read his face.
"I don't and I never did," he answered silently.
"Have you ever been in love?" she asked, almost regretting the personal question. He looked up at her and was silent for a moment.
"I don't know," he finally answered.
If you don't know, then you never have been, Hermione thought.
"Did you have any idea she was pregnant?"
"No, she just disappeared. She was mad at me once because she saw me at a bar with someone else, but.…"
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Hermione added.
"She has seen me with other women before."
"Do you have any idea what it feels like to see someone you have feelings for with someone else? It hurts -."
"Like a son of a bitch," Draco added. Hermione had another glass of wine before Mallory started crying. She jumped up and grabbed a bottle of formula, which calmed her down a lot.
"She's going to be a heartbreaker, this one," she smiled.
"Like her father," Draco joked and drank more wine. Hermione looked up at him.
"Why weren't you ever like this at school?" she asked. It was the wine making her this honest.
"Why weren't you? You were such a busy know-it-all bitch," he laughed and looked at Hermione. It was clear that she hadn't appreciated the joke.
"Draco, you were awful, honestly. I would sooner have believed it if someone said Professor McGonagall would marry Crabbe, before I would believe me sharing a bottle of wine with you."
"Same." He held his glass up to her.
"But why, though?" she wouldn't give it up. "You were so mean, to so many people. To me! You wanted me to die when the Chamber of Secrets was opened." Draco looked down at the table. He started fingering his fork. "And you wanted me to die many times after that if I remember correctly. I mean the Inquisitorial Squad, for heavens sake!"
"I guess I was an idiot," he interrupted.
"Obviously, but still!"
"Look, Hermione," Draco slammed his glass on the table, "I know I was a jerk, I have been trying to make
up for it ever since. I was raised with certain beliefs, it takes a while for them to disappear."
"And are they gone now?" she whispered, not wanting to wake the baby.
"Most of them." They were both quiet again.
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Hermione soon headed off to bed with Mallory in her crib in the room next door. Hermione climbed into her bathtub and lingered there for a long time. She felt slightly tipsy, and only one person was running through her mind. The same words playing over and over in her mind.
"You have it all wrong! When Ginny called I asked her to come over because I wanted to tell her about us. I was never going to get back together with her."
She had been playing that very sentence over and over since that night. She looked down at the blue sapphire on her hand, Draco still didn't know about it. She put it close to her lips to it and whispered, "Harry."
Nothing happened and Hermione, slightly disappointed, got out of the tub. She brushed her hair, her teeth, and then borrowed some coconut body lotion from the owner of the house. She climbed into the big bed and closed her eyes. Draco was sleeping in the guestroom, and she played with the thought of asking him if he wanted another bottle of wine for a second, they really had had a lovely evening tonight, considering. But soon she fell asleep. She couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour, because she still felt the buzz of the wine, when she heard something outside the window. She hurried over and pulled the curtains away. Harry was outside on his broom; she hurriedly opened the window to let him in.
"Harry, oh my God!" she whispered, careful not to wake Draco.
"Is everything all right? You used the ring, are you in danger?" Harry demanded, stepping on to the window ledge.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I just - I just wanted to see you!" she answered, feeling ashamed of herself.
"So you are okay?" he asked, eyeing her in her bathrobe. She nodded shamefully. Harry jumped off the window ledge and yanked her into his arms. His lips smacked hard against hers and he pulled her so tight against him that he was afraid he would break those ribs again. She pressed herself up against him.
"Oh, Harry," she moaned. Harry tugged at her bathrobe, and it fell off her. He didn't take another minute to look at her. He needed her, now.
"I'm sorry I called, it was the wine…." she mumbled between kissed. Harry pulled back.
"The wine? You are supposed to be on the run, not on a holiday," he said jealously. She smiled wickedly.
"You are so cute when you are jealous," she teased.
He squinted his eyes for a second then picked her up and set her on the desk in the bedroom. She started fumbling with his jacket, and then his shirt. She finally tore it off of him, and it fell to the floor. He assaulted her neck hungrily and then moved down to her breasts. Hermione started groping at his zipper and soon his pants were down his ankles.
"I love you," Harry mumbled into her bosom. He grabbed both her thighs, and plunged into her. Hermione bit her lip, trying not to make a sound; Draco was just down the hall, after all. Harry's fingers found their way between them, and he started touching her pleasurably. Hermione threw her head back and Harry started nibbling on her ear. He felt her tighten, but he wasn't there yet. Hermione kissed his neck, and ran her hands over his chest. It was so toned, so hard, so sexy. She was about to come again. She kissed him hard, and the feel of his tongue whirling around in her mouth was all she needed, and this time they came together. Hermione still on the desk, Harry standing between her thighs, his pants around his ankles.
"I love you," Harry whispered again. Hermione smiled and wiped his sweaty forehead. Harry only stayed for thirty minutes; he was terrified that someone would notice that he wasn't at home.
When he left, Hermione sat down on her bed and looked at the window. So many years had passed since they had been together in that primal way, and she marveled at the fact, that it was indeed as good as she had remembered - if not even better.
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This happened a few more times during the next couple of weeks. Harry would speed to Hermione's side for a couple of hours during the night, and then he would spend the days trying to find some evidence to prove that she was innocent. This, however, proved far harder than he could have planned. The pattern of the killings were obvious, everyone killed had had something to do with the fall of Voldemort. One could even say that they had had a "hand" in his fall. But the evidence against Hermione hadn't begun until after a while. It seemed like someone had decided to suddenly start framing her, like it was the only way to get to her.
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One night, Harry was at the Burrow with the rest of the Weasleys, having dinner. Harry was still invited for dinner, but the mood was very strange. Since the engagement to Ginny was called off they acted rather awkward towards him. Ron was taking it the best, but only because Harry was sure Ron thought he and Ginny would soon work it out. He probably thought that on-off relationships were quite common after the rollercoaster-relationship he and Hermione had shared.
"So any news about dear Hermione?" Molly asked. Harry shook his head gloomily.
"I just can't stand it," Arthur scorned. "Arresting innocent people again, just like last time."
"Well, to be fair," Harry said, "they actually have evidence against her. Even though they have been so obviously planted," he added.
"I just wish I knew she was all right," Ron mumbled and drank some butterbeer, "I can't believe she wouldn't let me know anything. She should never have moved back." Everyone was silent and thought about this for a minute.
"But to leave with Draco Malfoy," Percy thought aloud.
"Were they lovers?" Bill asked.
"Bill!" Fleur hit him on the shoulder and everyone looked angrily at him, and then sympathetically at Ron.
"I think they were," Ginny said and Harry glared at her. He hated this, they were talking bad about Hermione, and they didn't even know the truth.
"Look, I have to tell you something," Harry said and everyone looked up. "There is a lot about Hermione you don't know."
Silence.
"Hermione moved back to London," Harry's eyes glanced over to Ginny, she was holding her breath, obviously expecting the worst. "Because she was invited to become an Auror." Everyone gasped.
"She never told me!" Ron exclaimed.
"That's because she was ordered not to. She only went out with Connor because she was spying on him! Same with
Malfoy, it was part of her cover," Harry finished. Ron went pale.
"Oh God, the awful things I said to her." He looked like he would be sick.
"Don't worry, Ron dear, she knows you love her," Molly assured him.
"Oh, poor Hermione," Arthur said.
"Yeah, so please stop thinking she ran off with Malfoy, because she really didn't!" Harry continued. Molly patted Ron's cheek.
"She'll come back, it'll be okay!" she promised her son and Harry was annoyed. It was closing to a year since Hermione and Ron had ended their relationship and he was tired of people talking about them as though they were an item.
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AN: There you have it; I know a lot of might think Draco did the wrong thing. But I kind of see Draco as the kind of guy who acts before he thinks. And I believe his first instinct would be to get his daughter away from the people who killed his mother…
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