Say Something

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Stephen kept his word. He was never a bother, at least according to Hermione. Draco, however, found everything he did completely annoying. It was either the way he walked, the way he talked, and practically the way he breathed. Draco supervised every check up Stephen made on Hermione, criticizing him for all the little things. If anything, Draco was more a bother than Stephen.

Still, Hermione knew where he was coming from. She too wanted to be alone with her spouse and not be disrupted by frequent checks.

Later in the week, they convinced Stephen to let her go out. Draco had to promise to take good care of her as they left the apartment.

"He's too bloody caring for his own good," Draco muttered as they landed in a nearby park. Hermione liked to feel the fresh breeze now that the weather was nice. They began walking and Hermione spoke, "So when does this lifetime begin for us?"

"Well, it's sort of started already..." Draco didn't want to disappoint Hermione but he wasn't quite sure what she was ready to do.

"Yeah, we're married but what comes next?"

Kids, was the first thing that came to mind when Draco thought about it. Whether he cared to admit it or not, he did want kids. They were young, but he was ready.

"I'm not sure..." he lied.

"Maybe we could convince Stephen to go on a little vacation."

"Where would you like to go?"

"I've been to most of Europe on trips as a kid."

"Like where?"

"France, Italy, Ireland..."

"All nice places but let's go to a place you haven't been before. How about...Greece?"

"That's perfect!" she exclaimed excitedly, "But what about...?"

"Stephen? I can talk to him," Draco reassured. She squeezed his arm and smiled brightly at him. That smile warmed his heart more and more everyday. But an internal feeling rose in the pit of his stomach soon after. It was when he thought of never being able to see that smile again, never making her laugh. Never being able to fight or argue then make it up to her somehow. Never being able to silently tell her he's in love with her when he realized he couldn't possibly say it aloud.

"Draco," she interrupted his thoughts, "Is everything alright?"

"...Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. He hated lying to her.

_________

"Absolutely not," stated Stephen. Draco spoke to him privately while Hermione was already sleeping.

"Stephen, I'm not going to ask again. I need to do this for her."

"You can go, but I have to be there too."

"We just want to be alone!" he exclaimed, "You're a good Healer, but you and I both know well enough that I can take good care of her."

"Even if I said okay, Bott will never agree to this. And I've spoken to him, and he sure as hell doesn't want to talk to you."

"But you can talk to him. Make him agree," he still didn't look convinced. Draco inhaled deeply and let out, "She's dying. Merlin knows she is and it kills me more than you know to say it aloud, because it sounds too real to hear. But it's the god awful truth. Right now, she needs this. She needs to know what life is and to live it well. So...please, do it for her."

"You really do love her, Malfoy. Don't you?" Malfoy gave him the most honest and sincere look, hoping that would be enough.

"...Okay then. I'll try."