There's More To You Than You Let On

Chapter 26; This Can't be the End

After graduating from Hogwarts, Hermione and Draco moved into Malfoy Manor for all but two days before finding a nice apartment to move into. Blaise and Theo got an apartment together and so did Astoria and Pansy, and Ginny and Harry.

Hermione was due for labor in a week and Draco has grown more paranoid by the second. He laid up every night trying to come to his senses but always comes to the same conclusion. He had been stressed about his fathers last words to him, about the fact the Death Eaters were after him. He was afraid, but not for himself, but for Hermione and the baby. He was afraid the Death Eaters would use them to get to him and he couldn't let that happen. The only solution was to leave.

He had promised Hermione along times ago that he would never leave her, but he had also promised that he would protect her and the baby at all costs. It killed him go do this but he had to. He went to see Blaise early in the morning to tell him.

Once he got to Blaise's flat he banged on it. Blaise swung open the door with an annoyed expression until he saw the worried look on his best mate's face. "Draco, mate, what's wrong?" Blaise asked.

"I'm gonna tell you something that you have to swear not to tell a soul, not even Hermione," Draco said making Blaise give him a panicked expression. He nodded and Draco continued.

"I'm leaving. I'm leaving England," He said flatly.

"What?!" Blaise asked, shooting up from the couch he had sat in after opening the door. "Without Hermione?!"

"I have to! I have to protect her and the baby! My dad told me two things before he became a vegetable. He said that Harry and Ron were under a spell and that the Death Eater were angry and were after me! If what he said about the spells were true than that could mean the Death Eater stuff is true too! I can't risk Hermione and the baby's lives! I've got to go into hiding and no one can know where I am, at least not for now."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"No, the Death Eaters might use Legilimency on her," He said. "Everyone needs to believe I've died or that I've gone missing."

"Then how come you're telling me this?" Blaise asked.

"Because I need to know what's happening here. Once I've settled somewhere, I'll have you tell Hermione and you'll tell her where I am and she can come," Draco said. "This... this is only temporary, until Potter and his other auror friends track down the rest of the Death Eaters."

"When are you leaving?" Blaise asked after a long silence.

"Tonight," Draco said.

"But the baby's due next week, you won't get to meet him," Blaise said.

"I know," Draco said as a tear streamed down his face. "But if I meet the baby I'm not going to want to leave and that would be the most selfish thing I could ever do."

"But what if Hermione dies during childbirth because she's so heartbroken you're gone, like in that one muggle movie," Blaise said.

"She isn't going to because you'll make sure of it," Draco instructed. "Please, Blaise."

"I'm gonna miss you, mate," Blaise said after another long silence. He and Draco hugged tightly before Draco left to spend his last few hours with Hermione.

He packed a small bag and hid it in his car. He spent the day watching movies with her and listening to music and making food with her. He did everything he could to soak her in. It was late now. Almost 11.

"Mione, I'm going to the store," He said as he walked over to where she was sitting on the couch.

"Ok," She smiled. He leaned down and kissed her passionately and deeply.

"I love you," He said, almost letting his voice crack and a tear to calm from his eyes.

"I love you too," She smiled as he stood up and turned away.

"Goodbye, Hermione," He said.

"Bye, Draco," She said looking back down at her book. He left the house with tears falling from his eyes, though you wouldn't be able to tell due to the fact that it was raining. He drove to store and got a cab from there to the airport. He bought a ticket and got on the plane, knowing he was doing the right thing, but it didn't make it any easier. He had just gotten her back but he had to let her go... because he loved her and needed to protect her.

As the plane began to take off he pulled out the picture of him and her on graduation day from his wallet and smiled at it before bursting into quiet sobs. He clutched the photo to his heart and whispered a prayer that she would always be protected and that this would all be worth it.

—

Hermione went to bed that night only to be woke up in the middle of the night by a painful contraction. She turned over to tell Draco only to see he wasn't there. A million questions filled her mind but were soon pushed back when another contraction hit. She reached for her phone and called Ginny.

"Hello?" Ginny's tired voice groaned.

"Ginny- ahhh- Ginny I think I'm going into labor!" Hermione spoke through a contraction.

"Omg that's great Hermione!" Ginny squealed.

"I need you to come and pick me up, Draco's not here, I don't know where he is," She spoke as she managed to get up out of the bed.

"Ok, Harry and I are on our way. I'll have Harry try to get ahold of Draco," Ginny spoke calmly, though a million questions filled her head just like Hermione.

"Ahhh!" Hermione groaned in pain as another contraction hit.

After a few minutes Harry and Ginny finally arrived and drove Hermione to the hospital. She immediately went into the labor room and was about to give birth.

"Push, Hermione! Push!" Ginny encouraged as she held her hand.

"Ahhhh!! Where's Draco?!" Hermione screamed. "Where is he?!"

"Harry's still trying to get ahold of him, Mione. But for right now just push!"

"Just a little longer," The healer instructed.

After half an hour more of agony the baby was born. The healers took the baby away to clean him up as Harry, Blaise, Pansy, Astoria, and Theo came in. "Hey, Hermione. How are you feeling?" Pansy asked.

"Where's Draco?" Hermione asked, ignoring Pansy's question.

"Mione... no one can get ahold of him. His car was found outside the grocery store and there seemed to have been a fight," Blaise started. "They think... they think the Death Eaters took him... He's gone."

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" He-he can't be..." she began sobbing.

"We've got all the best aurors looking for him, Mione," Harry added.

"You have to find him. Please, Harry," She cried.

"We'll do our best," He said. He leaned down to hug her as the healer came back with the baby in her arms, wrapped in a blanket.

"Here we are," The healer mumbled as she set her down on Hermione's chest. Hermione held the baby in her arms and admired how much he looked like Draco. He has the same nose and his hair was blond yet a little darker due to Hermione's darker hair. His skin was quite fair and his eyes were the grey of Draco's.

"Look at that, Hermione. That's your son, Hugo Draco Malfoy," Theo said. Hermione shook her head.

"No," She said making everyone look confused. "Scorpius Draco Malfoy." She corrected.

The End

Sequel coming soon