the key to happiness - dramione

(23)

Hermione Granger, age 24, the Minister of Magic. Pregnant. Engaged to Draco Malfoy and lives in Malfoy Manor with him.

Draco Malfoy, age 24, working at the ministry. Engaged to Hermione Granger and lives in Malfoy Manor with her.

- - - - -
"What!? Weasley!?" Daphne Greengrass shouts. Draco Malfoy nods at her.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go back to the hospital. You... well yeah.... Please stop by later." Daphne says and Draco nods again.
"Okay, see you."

"Bye Draco."
"Bye Daph." She exits the office and Draco is left alone. He sits down in his chair. Millions of thoughts goes through his head at the same time, but one specific keeps repeating over and over again. ASTORIA WILL DIE.

Hermione Granger has just finished her meeting. In five minutes her next meeting begins. The rest of the day passes by quickly for Hermione while it goes slowly for Draco.

When they're both done Draco foes to Hermione's office.
"Astoria." he says quietly as he opens the door and comes inside. "She's at the hospital. Astoria. Die. Have to. There. We. Now."
"Oh, ehum... we can go there. I just have to... okay..." Hermione mumbles.

Hermione gets a weird feeling in her stomach. She doesn't like Astoria but she has never wished her dead. That Daphne would mourn and that Draco would mourn is not something she wanted. Is it too late now? Will Astoria Greengrass already be dead when they arrive at the hospital?

Hermione and Draco go hurries and arrives just in time. When they enter Astoria's room and sit down by her bed, she first looks at Hermione.
"Hi Astoria." tries Draco. "How are you doing?" Astoria shakes her head. Obviously not good, she's dying after all.

"Please forgive me. You deserve so much more. I'm so so sorry, just please forgive me Hermione Granger."
"It's okay, Astoria. I'm so sorry too." Astoria Greengrass nods and then turns to Draco whose eyes are shiny.

"Draco remember that I love- Oh! Daph, Daphne!"
Daphne returns to the room with her parents. They all know what's going on. Astoria is dying and now Draco cries.
"Draco Malfoy I love you. And mom, and dad and Daphne too. Even Hermione... Hi... mom... Don't cry mom."

Everyone around the bed is crying except Hermione Granger who is holding a desperate Draco. And I'm that moment Astoria's heart stops pumping blood into her body and everything stops working. Astoria Greengrass is dead.

The only thing left of her are the memories and her dead body. A week later they held her funeral and it was beautiful. It takes a few more weeks for Draco Malfoy to drop it and to get back to work and to start moving on. He had to live and realise that life goes on despite that girl's death.

For Hermione's birthday on September 19th, Draco surprises her with all their friends and as a present Draco has bought her an entire shelf with new books. The birthday cake has been baked by Ginny and Harry and it is shaped like a time turner, like the one she had in her possession during their third year at Hogwarts.

With her parents' muggle camera, she takes pictures of both the cake and everything else to be able to show them later, because they are not present during the party. Hermione has reunited with her mother and her father is happy with all the peace.

When Jean Granger learned that Hermione was pregnant, she immediately invited her daughter and Draco Malfoy home. The last months of the year quickly disappear and at Christmas Hermione forces Draco to her parents' house to celebrate Christmas in a muggle house.

Draco sighs and complains a lot before they go there, but once they are arrive, he actually enjoyed it and he has fun. But that's probably nothing Draco would admit. That he had a fun celebrating a muggle-christmas. But he had it and both him and Hermione are aware of it.

The new year is approaching and Hermione Granger is more pregnant than ever. Several months ago, they were in the hospital to find out the sex of the child, when they were told that they would not have a girl or a boy. Hermione Jean Granger and Draco Lucius Malfoy were told they would have twins. Two girls.

It's a night in early January and Hermione is awake at night, having difficulties with sleeping.
"Draco." she whispers. He grunts.
"Draco." she repeats.
"Wake up Draco." She growls again.
"Draco wake up." shouts Hermione. "Draco!"

"What do you want?" he whines.
"I think it's time."
"Time for what?" He sits up in bed and understands absolutely nothing.
"Draco you dumb bastard, the kids wants to come out!" Hermione shouts. "Now!"