The Beauty and The Beast

Chapter 39: Rekindled

Draco's P.O.V
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We rushed into the building that held Hermione. The sound of feminine screaming reached my ears and my blood froze. The task force halted beside me.

Please, not her. Not her.

The soldiers threw me a pitiful look as they quietly snuck into the hallway. We reached a bronze door, the screams right behind it. I braced myself for the worst as the tactical team burst in.

I saw her first. She was sitting, her back to the wall. Her gaze lifted toward me and an unreadable look crossed her face. My insides were bursting with happiness as i rushed up to her. She was okay. She looked okay.

"Oh god, you're okay. You're okay. Oh thank the lord" I chanted as I wrapped her in my arms. She hesitated.

"What happened?" I asked and tears welled in her eyes. She began sobbing softly. I picked her up and plopped her into my lap, letting her cry into my chest.

"I'm sorry. I tried to stop him, I really tried" she whispered and I looked at her in confusion.

"What did he do, love?"

"He...he" she began crying again.

I soothed her, massaging her scalp and whispering comforting things into her ear.

"He raped me"

My blood froze. No. Fuck. I opened my mouth and closed it several times. After a minute or two, I hugged her close, resting my head in her hair. The baby. Oh shit, the baby!!!

"Are you okay!?!"

"I'm fine, just shaken, but the baby. We need to check on the baby!" She yelled and I got up, explaining the situation to the officers. The nodded and hauled her onto the stretcher, rolling her into the ambulance.

I got in and held her hand. I was shaking from happiness and sadness, somehow at the same time. It took me three days to find her, and that made me happy. So fucking happy, because she was safe. But it made me miserable to even think that the baby could be gone.

"We're going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay, sweetheart" I said and she nodded. I kept telling myself it was okay, all the way until they placed the gel on her stomach.

We eagerly stared at the screen, waiting for the image to pop up. But when it did, tears rolled down my cheeks.

The baby was safe. It was fine. I sighed in relief as Hermione cried. I wiped her tears with my thumbs and kissed her forehead.

We were ok. The baby was safe and healthy. Hermione was safe. Hermione passed out from exhaustion and I felt myself let go moments after. All I could sense was happiness.

***

We arrived back at school with one day left for graduation. They caught the guy, and he is in Azkaban. Turns out he did this before. To not one, not two, but over 120 women.

We were tackled with hugs and praises as soon as we entered. Luna was crying and Harry looked like he was going to. After hugging half the world, we opened the dorm and stepped inside, immediately collapsing on the bed.

We sat there in silence for a while. I noticed she was keeping her distance. She got up and went to the bathroom while I sat there, miserable. My words were in the air, and we both knew it. She came out and sat on the bed, waiting for me to say something.

I jumped down from the bed and crouched in front of her, gently grabbing her head in my hands. I began playing with her hair as she lowered her gaze.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You know I didn't mean it. I was just so fucking worried about you and our baby and I wasn't thinking straight. I wanted to come with you so that I could protect you, and when you said it was a risk you were willing to take, it made me upset because I didn't think you were taking this seriously. But I know you were, and always have and really sorry" I said, resting my head against hers and she smiled, kissing my cheek.

"It's ok. I get it, I would've completely flipped out too. But I have two questions. How did you know I was missing and what did he want that was yours?" She asked and I gulped.

"I found out you were missing because McGonagol came by asking why we didn't go to the check up. I was confused because we did and then she explained that it wasn't with the doctor she had called. Then we went to the mall you went to and saw Aria with a couple bags of clothes. She was pale and was freaking out. She said that she came out of the bathroom and saw you weren't there and thought you went to get food, so after paying for the clothes, she went to find you and couldn't, and then she called me, but I was already on my way" she said and I nodded.

"As for your other question..."

"What?"

"He was friends with mom, at least that's what he said, and he wanted...her ring, that I got her on her birthday. It was really special to me because it was the only thing I had of her left. I never have it to him, and he said I would regret it. So he took you, and called, asking for the ring. I immediately told him that I would give it to him, but he wanted more. Wanted you. I got angry and blew up. They traced the call to this facility and that's where we found you."

She grinned, leaning down to peck my lips. I gently grabbed the back fo her head and pulled her into me. I licked her bottom lip until she opened and dove my tongue inside. I gently pushed her onto the bed, tilting her neck to give myself more access. I peppered soft kisses down her collarbone and up her neck. She moaned when my lips hit her earlobe.

I grinned at her, pushing her further up the bed, making sure to be mindful of our baby.