Until the end Dramione

Chapter 25 Prophecy

- I didn't expect to see you here, Draco," began Pansy, a little mockingly. Now that you're a pariah with the Death Eaters, you come crawling to me? That's pretty wretched of a Malfoy, but it doesn't matter. I'll take care of you if you like.

Draco stood up and looked at her wearily. He wondered how he still managed to think about looking at her, or adopting a weary air, especially after what he'd just discovered. It all seemed so... real. And deep down, he felt it. That everything he'd just seen was true. It wasn't a hallucination. Far from it. Hermione was who knew where, in someone else's arms, and what's more, pregnant. It could just as easily have been the lyrics to a Celestina Warbeck love song. So miserable. He felt so miserable. And that... Pierre... He must have been the happiest man in the world.

- Hello? Are you listening to me?" persisted the bulldog head that had been talking to herself for a few minutes now.

- You should get rid of your incapable house elves... that'll teach them not to respect a Malfoy... he said with a morose, dark expression of anger.

- Who are you talking about? Prousk? Bix? Mozi?" she scoffed. They did their job well for once, apparently. My parents didn't appreciate your betrayal and they were very clear about it. Whatever. Are you coming?

- Where?" he retorted, more brutally than he would have liked.

- My parents left me alone here. They'll be back in a week.

Still in the same frame of mind, the Slytherin followed his friend to the black door he'd just left.

*

- Pierre, I'm pregnant!" repeated Hermione, on the verge of tears and ready to break down.

- B-but... I... we... we didn't...

The young man could hardly take the blow. He was livid and felt powerless in the face of his fiancée's apparent distress. She looked at him pleadingly, seeming to apologize. He couldn't help it; without further ado, he rushed over to her and hugged her. Total incongruity! The Gryffindor hardly realized what was happening. Why was he hugging her, especially after what she had just told him! She pulled away from his embrace, confused and troubled.

- What are you doing? I... I've...

- I know," Pierre whispered, looking her straight in the eye. I heard your parents talking about a blond boy with an icy stare. He's the father, isn't he? I'm sure you loved him and probably still do. But he made you suffer; otherwise, you wouldn't be here. And if he did, he doesn't deserve you. But I'm here with you and I love you. And know that even if that child you're carrying isn't mine, I'll look after it as if it were. Hermione, I'll give you all the respect and love he failed to give you. You can count on me.

And he took her back into his protective arms. Hermione couldn't stand it any longer and burst into tears. How could he react like that? Where in the world could she have found someone like him? He was so perfect, everything any girl could have dreamed of; understanding, loving, protective... How could she still think of Draco with such a perfect being by her side? She didn't understand it. And she blamed herself. Blamed herself for not being able to turn the page when happiness was already within her grasp.

In the meantime, another subject was worrying her; all her headaches, all her visions... There was only one possible explanation for all these strange phenomena, however improbable and even inexplicable it seemed. She was afraid of what might happen. For if her visions were correct, Draco had already returned to her former home, hoping to find her there. She'd felt his disappointment when he'd learned she'd moved. But she wasn't ready to tell Pierre yet. For the moment, she wanted to make the effort to accept him and, why not, to love him.