Winds of Desire

Confessions

Two weeks pass since Hermione has last seen Draco. Oh yes, he texts her, but that is not the same as having him beside her. Never in a million years would she think herself, Hermione Granger, would miss an 'acting Death Eater' boyfriend of her's, Draco Malfoy. For she thought in just a few months she would be marrying Ronald Weasley, but instead everything changed right in front of her, like the London skies in spring.

But she loves Draco. It is not yet as strong as a love she used to have for Ron of course, but it is there. Draco is Arabella's father and even though it was a mistake that night by not using contraception she never would call her daughter growing inside her an 'accident' or a 'mistake', no matter who the father is.

Hermione sits in her favorite spot, Ginny and Harry's porch swing, watching the gray clouds race by. It is raining again, as it has been almost four days out of the week. Her hair whips back and forth in the wind, which is quite breezy, but luckily the porch shields her from the downpour.

Ginny and Harry are gone to the Burrow, still staying there for their 'safe spot'. She has to admit she feels a little lonely even though she requested to come to the Potter property to stay for a few days. But she is hoping if she is here alone Draco will come and see her. He knows she is there because she texted him that she is. At least soon she will have her little one to keep her company even if Draco has to be gone to do his 'duties' with the Death Eaters to keep them alive. She wishes that they never came back, but she knows Harry is working very hard on getting them back into Azkaban.

Crack. Hermione looks near the front of the Potter property as she hopes to see Draco walking toward her. But it is Ron Weasley, with sopping wet red hair around his forehead.

"Hey Hermione," He greets, coming to sit beside her. "Where's my sister and Harry?"

"They are still at the Burrow I just wanted to come here for a few days," Hermione says, still looking out at the rain. She doesn't want to look at Ron, because she is afraid every time she looks at him old feelings will threaten to lurch inside of her and she knows this is only because she doesn't know where Draco really stands.

"Why? To get away from me? Seeing if he will come visit you?" Ron questions, disgust coming across his features.

"That's none of your business Ronald," whispers Hermione, closing her eyes as she tries to avoid biting his head off.

"That is a little dangerous of you to be here all alone when you are very pregnant Hermione!" Ron scowls.

"Oh well, Ron! It's the only way I can maybe s- never mind...and plus you lost the job to take care of me quite a few months ago!" Hermione retorts venomously back.

"How are you?" Ron asks. He looks at Hermione, wanting to change the subject because he can't stand another fight and feels hurt by her last comment.

"I'm fine..." She lies. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good I guess. I'm back with Lavender," Ron tells her, now looking out at the rain as well and shrugging his shoulders. Drops of rain drip off of his chin and pour down his face as he holds onto a pillar, not wanting to make Hermione feel too uncomfortable distant wise.

"You don't look too happy or thrilled about it," Hermione observes, now searching him and not noticing any happiness when he mentions Lavender's name.

"I'm not particularly in love with her, but I do like her a lot even though I wish she was you," Ron says honestly, the hurt laced in his voice.

"Well, I'm sorry Ron," Hermione apologizes, looking away from him again.

"It's okay, Lavender is a good woman. But she's not you, that's all. But I need to get over that," Ron says, shaking his head and looking out at the rain again.

Hermione doesn't say anything as she sometimes feels the same way about Draco, wishing she was still with Ron with Draco being gone as a 'Death Eater'. The old feelings have been arising a little within her heart again lately no matter how much she tries to conceal them. She blinks the tears away and refuses to look at Ron, she doesn't want him to see her face and she forces them to subside.

"How's the baby? How far along are you now?" Ron inquires; glancing at Hermione's swollen stomach.

"I am almost twenty-five weeks, so we are getting closer every day. She kicks now, like crazy," Hermione mentions, grinning at the mention of her baby. That is the one thing that can always soothe her, the mention of her little one.

"Well, you look very cute pregnant," Ron compliments her.

"Thanks," Hermione replies with a grin.

"You're welcome. We should get going back to my mum's. It's best if you come back there, it's not safe here," Ron tells her, standing up and putting out a hand for her to take.

"But it's raining, I don't want to be sopping wet," Hermione complains, not budging.

"Come on 'Mione, let's go! Draco isn't going to come here." Ron beckons, not liking the idea of her being there alone.

She hates the mention of her nickname he used when they were together, but she doesn't say anything this time because she kind of misses it. She decides to listen to her ex-fiancé and grabs his hand and they then apparate.

The Burrow is a welcoming scene for Hermione; she has wanted to be alone for the last few days being depressed about Draco's rejoining despite him just being a spy. In that time, she discovered that being alone is probably not the best thing for her. Ron and she are both wet as they walk inside the house, it is warm in there with the wonderful smell of roasted chicken cooking.

"Hey Hermione!" Ginny greets, coming to hug her best friend and then looks at her brother suspiciously. "Hey Ron, where were you two?"

"Your house, I went there because I didn't know whether you guys were still here or not, I haven't been here for about a week. I have been with Lavender at the apartment and with George at times," Ron explains.

Hermione feels more and more frustrated every time she hears the mention of Ron and Lavender together in their old apartment. But she doesn't wish to start a quarrel, so she keeps quiet about it.

"Well I have a surprise, he came here looking for you," Ginny says to Hermione, pointing towards the back porch.

Hermione feels her heart racing. Draco came to see her after two whole weeks! Ron scowls and rolls his eyes at his sister for ruining everything he is trying to do as Hermione waddles excitedly toward the back of the Burrow after a hello to Molly and Arthur. She walks in on Harry and Draco talking about what is going on with the Death Eaters. He smiles when he sees her and Hermione feels the butterflies all over again.

He stands up and hugs her to him. "It's almost over, Harry is about to get them," Draco whispers to Hermione.

"Good, I'm glad!" Hermione says because she hates that she has to be scared again. Not only because she's Harry Potter's best friend, but because she is now the girlfriend of Draco Malfoy.

Draco then gets on his knees and kisses Hermione's stomach. "Daddy loves you Arabella," Draco whispers to Hermione's now exposed baby belly as he pulls her shirt up gently across her skin. He then says, "You are getting bigger- in just two weeks, even. You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Hermione smiles at his sweet words. Draco smoothly rubs Hermione's bare skin.

_______

Ron sits on the living room couch and has a clear view of Draco and Hermione, as much as he hates Draco, he respects him for taking care of Hermione. He can clearly see Hermione really loves him, even though they haven't been together for as long as Ron and Hermione were. Ron feels pain in his heart when he sees Hermione so happy, but he knows it is for the better. He knows that she deserves someone who will never cheat on her, someone who is not him because of that very reason. So he should just be with Lavender now, really be with her.

_______

Hermione can't stop smiling, seeing Draco makes her feel so happy, happier than she ever felt with Ron. So much confusion- and her pregnancy hormones don't help!

As Draco hugs Hermione to him, he feels so happy as well, he really does love Hermione Granger and nothing can change that. He has fancied her since the third year of Hogwarts when she punched him, that impressed him beyond measure, but before now he would never mention it to a soul, especially because he never realized it himself. He missed her the last two weeks he hasn't seen her.

The rest of the night passes quickly, and Draco can't stay. He has to stay only until about midnight, and then get back to the manor before anyone notices his absence. He hates leaving her. Especially in these times, while she is very pregnant with his child.

He kisses Hermione goodbye and then apparates again back to the manor. But something startles him once he was there... Mr. Greengrass and Yaxley stood before him, "Where were you, Malfoy?" Mr. Greengrass sneers.

"I was at-" Draco starts.

"You know what, it's no matter. I know your secret, so does many others. So you need to confess so we can just put you into custody in your own dungeons. We know everything. My Astoria told me. I know you are having a baby with that filthy mudblood, and that you are with her, have been for a while." Mr. Greengrass says darkly.

"No, I'm not, that's the Weasley boy's child, he's with her!" Draco shouts, trying to act confident, not showing Greengrass how he has started shaking.

"Don't lie to us little Malfoy, you know you shouldn't have told the five of them that morning about this if you wanted it to be a secret!" Says Yaxley, shaking his head as he joins in.

"Why are you here at midnight anyway?" Wonders Draco.

"We were just leaving when we ran into you here!" Yaxley grins. "We just finished another meeting, in fact you should come into the drawing room, Dolohov wants a word. Where are your robes, boy?" Yaxley asks as he grabs ahold of Draco's shirt and starts dragging him into the drawing room.

Dolohov is talking to Draco's father when Yaxley and Mr. Greengrass drag Draco in the room.

"Son, what are you doing? I thought you were in bed!" Narcissa asks, panicked, from Lucius' side.

"Yes, where were you?" Lucius wonders.

"He just apparated back here! So he must have not had to go to bed early, like he told us, he went and visited his girlfriend I reckon!" Mr. Greengrass answers.

"No I wasn't!" Draco yells, angry.

"You should be with my daughter, you scum!" Mr. Greengrass yells in Draco's face.

"QUIT THAT AT ONCE!" Lucius yells, "Only I can discipline my son!"

"Bull! He broke my daughter's heart!"

"Your daughter left me Mr. Greengrass! And I am grateful!" Draco drawls in a bored voice.

Lucius and Mr. Greengrass start yelling at each other. Narcissa clings to her son, pulling him into her protection, knowing this might get ugly. But Draco pushes her away gently and then stands between the yelling men.

"I AM WITH THE MUDBLOOD and I love her!" Draco screams, he can't hold it in any longer. "I AM ALSO HAVING A CHILD WITH HER, AND IT'S A GIRL. WE ARE NAMING HER ARABELLA NYMPHADORA MALFOY! NO ONE IS GOING TO FUCK WITH MY DAUGHTER OR MY GIRLFRIEND! I AM DONE PRETENDING TO BE ONE OF YOU! I WAS NEVER ONE OF YOU!" Draco bellows as his face turns a dark red. His father looks dumbstruck, Dolohov is laughing, and Yaxley just looks disgusted.

"I told you Lucius, he'll come back... this is just a phase!" sneers Dolohov, still laughing.

Yaxley has his wand pointing at Draco and is mouthing a spell, Narcissa screams at him to lower his wand, crying and begging Yaxley and Lucius. Lucius is livid, shaking from head to toe in anger now. He grabs ahold of Draco's ankle and apparates with him where Narcissa won't see.

"I WILL NOT LET MY SON LOVE A MUDBLOOD! YOU ARE NOT MY SON DRACO! THERE IS NO WAY YOU LOVE THAT DISGRACE OF A GIRL!" Lucius screams when they land. "HOW DARE YOU EMBARRASS ME THAT WAY IN FRONT OF THE OTHERS?! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT?"

Draco screams back. "I AM NOT YOU FATHER! YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHO I LOVE OR CAN'T LOVE! IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT YOUR OWN SON FOR WHO HE LOVES THAT'S YOUR DEAL FATHER, I'M DONE WITH YOU! You are DEAD to me!!" And Draco starts to walk toward the Burrow since he directed them there and knows Lucius can't see it.

Everyone inside the Burrow hears the commotion and looks outside, Arthur sees Lucius' wand point at Draco's back but Arthur runs with his wand out to the porch and- "Stupify!" Screams Arthur. Lucius Malfoy freezes, his blue eyes look stunned as Arthur walks toward them.

Harry follows Arthur and said "Accio cuffs!" Two very heavy-duty hand-cuffs come whizzing out of the open door between Ron and Hermione who just walked out on the porch.

Harry cuffs Lucius as Arthur tends to Draco, calling for Ron to help bring him in the house. Then Harry screams for Hermione as she is the best with the memory charms. Hermione walks farther outside and stares into Lucius' eyes, he looks her up and down with what looks like would be a disgusted look.

"Obliviate!" Hermione chants, tears still coming out of her eyes, thinking about how all this was because of her. Lucius is clearly wiped of memory, Harry grabs Lucius and apparates to Azkaban right after she finishes.

Hermione walks briskly into the house to her boyfriend, who is a mess laying on the couch. His face is pale and he is shaking from anger from screaming at his Father. She lays her head on his chest; she can hear his racing heart. "I'm so sorry!" She keeps repeating.

Draco shakes his head and puts his hands to her face and whispers to her, "It isn't your fault I fell in love with you Hermione." Hermione gives him a watery smile and then kisses him on the lips gently.

"Well, one Death Eater down!" Ron comments as everyone just looks at him, he is staring at Draco.

Eventually everyone settles down and starts to go to sleep, Harry still isn't back though.

______

The next day, Draco feels weak still and he lays in bed where he and Hermione slept. Ron leaves to be with Lavender again, but everyone else is still there, wondering what to do next.

Harry is back from Azkaban and reports that Lucius put up a huge fight but is back in Azkaban to the happiness of Draco. Draco worries about Narcissa though, what is she doing? Is she okay with Draco and Lucius not there?

Harry looks through all the files he brought with him, wondering how he can get everyone back into Azkaban and leaves for work.

The rest of the day nothing really happens, Draco is really down in the dumps with Hermione tending to him all day and Ginny and James just stays around Molly and Arthur. Hermione sulks all day, feeling bad for Lucius yelling at his son because of her, because he is with her.

But it isn't their fault that things happen. Things sometimes people can't explain. Like how two of the most unlikely people fall in love and now don't want to ever be apart when before you had to pay a million galleons if even to get them in the same room for a long period of time.

Hermione's thoughts briefly float to Ron and their conversation last night. If Ron never cheated on her, there is no doubt that she would still be with him now, possibly carrying his child, and wearing his wedding band that he gave to her. But no, fate had other plans.

Draco is looking up at Hermione who is watching the wall in thought, he feels concerned about what she is thinking. Does she dislike him again because of him even pretending to be back with the Death Eaters? Did she still really love him does she feel stuck because now he's got her pregnant? He wishes he could read her mind. But reading her is like reading a blank paper, Hermione has always kept things she wanted private, very private. That's one of the things Draco likes about her, she has always been so strong. Stronger than anyone he knew.

Hermione feels Draco looking at her and she grins at him in return, he grins back and she leans in for a kiss.

"I love you," Draco breathes, hoping she believes it.

"I love you too," Hermione answers back confidently.

Draco starts to think... if he stays here, with them, and stays with Hermione it will only get them killed. He needs to go back and stay away; he can't let his feelings get ahold of him. Maybe that's why he never let himself feel in the past because that's what his Father made him think like. But now it was important, the woman he loves and his first child was in danger.

Hermione looks at him with concerned brown eyes, she knows that there is something that is going to happen that she doesn't like.

Draco stands up and kisses Hermione's forehead as she lies in bed reading a book. "I have to go back," Draco says. "You will be killed if I don't. We have to not be together for now. We have to pretend we broke up. And that I hate you again. It's the only way we can both live and go on to have a normal, happy life later... I'm sorry..."

Hermione feels tears welling up in her eyes, of course more complicated things were going to happen. How can she deal with him acting like the dick he was in the old days but know he actually loves her? But did he love her? Or was this all an act? She starts to wonder... wouldn't he just stay if he really loved her?


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Gees... how bout Hermione's crazy hormones? Would she just make up her mind? The story is getting kind of close to the end.. but there's alot more to go don't worry. So tell me... what do you think Draco is going to do? Is he going to be the gentleman we all think he is and stay by Hermione's side and protect her? Or is he going to leave Hermione to rejoin because he is afriad for their lives like the old Draco would? Tell me what you think :) Leave a review in that lonely gray box. ;) Thanks so much for all of you that have been reading along the way. I hope the story is coming together for you!! Keep reading and reviewing.

Love you all!!! :D -Lindsey