My Constellation--Dramione

Part 2

Her nightmares that night differed slightly from her more recent ones. Instead of reliving her torture at the grotesque and twisted hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, another element was added. Draco stood in the corner, not only grinning evilly at her disfigured form slumped over the ground and being pinned by his aunt, his vision transferred between Hermione and his father holding a baby. Her baby.

In her sleep, Hermione lurched forward and her hand sliced through the air to follow him. Lucius trailed a taunting finger over Archie's skin and it made him cry in trepidation. He reached out for his mum, but Draco forced his little arms at his side.

"My baby!" she cried out. Her eyes snapped open and her body was coated with a film of glistening sweat.

Ginny groggily lit a lamp in the corner and propped her head up on her hand. "Bloody hell, Hermione, it's not even three in the morning!"

Still half-asleep, Hermione hit the wall as hard as she could in protest. "Oh my God, what did I do?!"

Ginny had absolutely no idea what her delusional friend was on about. "Hermione! Calm down." She slowly stood up and sat beside a shuddering Hermione. She quickly casted a silencing charm on the door so as not to disturb anyone's sleep. She placed a firm grip on Hermione's shoulders and shook her at a pace to wake her up but not give her a head rush. "Hermione, you're just dreaming. Wake up!"

But Hermione was awake. "Oh my God!" She melted into Ginny's arms and began sobbing heavily. The hiccups wracked her body and the sleepy redhead felt utterly useless.

"Shh," she hushed soothingly. "It's okay."

After quite a bit of time hugging and exchanging assuring comments, Hermione grew tired once again and laid her head down on the pillow.

"They have him..." she mumbled helplessly.

Ginny played along as she settled into her own sheets before cashing out herself. "Have who?"

As she was being consumed by heavy slumber, Hermione muttered two final words that sent them both to sleep. "My son..."

Ginny believed she was dreaming.

Hermione woke up with the phantom pain of her realistic dreams only hours before.

"Hey, were you okay last night?" Ginny asked, letting her once-light demeanor of the morning fall to a serious one. "You were screaming an awful lot. Could've given a banshee a run for her gold."

Hermione thought back to the nightmare. "No, but I think I'll be alright. Eventually."

Ginny turned over. "C'mon, spill."

"Certainly not!" She glared incredulously at her friend, not entirely surprised by her forwardness, but not please either.

"What? Come on!" begged Ginny.

"You have to understand—" Hermione began, but she was interrupted by faint noises wailing from the hallway. She tried desperately to ignore the feeling of her heartstrings being tugged on. "—this is personal—" the noise that echoed through the Burrow was an unmistakable cry.

"Is that—?"

"Archie." Hermione confirmed. She stood up calmly so as not to raise any suspicion. Fleur and Bill coincidentally shared the same floor as Ginny's room, and therefore gave the girls easy access to the source of the cries.

It being her brother's room, Ginny carelessly intruded and opened the door for Hermione to enter. The married couple were downstairs eating Molly's feast of a breakfast. "Maybe we should get—" the redhead suggested, but was cut off when Hermione made it clear she wasn't listening.

"Aw, come here, little star," she shushed. She bent down smoothly and returned to her standing position with little Archie in her clasp.

"Herm—"

"Did mummy leave you again?" Archie let out a final fuss before his breath leveled into steady patterns. "I know, life is tough."

Ginny's eyes grew to the size of saucers. She couldn't exactly comprehend the scene playing out before her.

Her shock was further extended when Hermione began humming a tune to a lullaby she'd never heard before. At least, it sounded like a lullaby. It was a sweet melody, gentle to the ears, and she opened her mouth only slightly to mumble the lyrics. "When I am queen, dilly, dilly, you'll be my king..." She only paced the room, bouncing on the balls of her feet to rock him.

Archer was completely cashed out within minutes. Hell, even Ginny was being lulled back to sleep.

"'Mione, what was that?" she asked, finally, after Hermione kissed his forehead and laid him down to pursue his sweet dreams.