three little words ; 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞

4. Wanting

Draco

It had been only a few days before he regretted his decision. I shouldn't have left her, he thought sadly. She doesn't love him, she told me that she loves me. Why would she stay with him?

But the answer was already obvious: Rose, the sweet, unsuspecting 4-year-old that changed everything. Of course, Draco didn't blame the young girl. She was innocent, and nothing she did would make Draco mad. It was that Weasley he was furious with, he was the one that messed up this whole agreement. He couldn't live without Hermione, he couldn't live knowing that she married the wrong man.

He wanted to do something, he wanted to go back and kiss her, take her and Rose away to his house and just live there with them. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon as long as Ron was still involved. He wouldn't go down without a fight, that was for sure. But somehow, Draco had to best him without hurting Hermione.

He trudged up to the library, pulling out his diary with the lone entry in it. With sadness filling him, he read it all over again.

I'm never going to let her get away from me, he wrote. I love her, and I'll get back to her. I understand our agreement, that we can only come back together when we've figured out our future, but I wish I hadn't gone along with it. I can't stand it, not seeing her anymore.

What if she's fallen in love with another man? What if I'm not what she wants anymore? What if he can do anything for her, bring her to his family's house without having to worry about arguments breaking out?

I won't accept it. I won't let her slip away, not when I've just grabbed hold. Hermione Granger will not be forgotten. I will find her. She will remember our love, and that will be the only thing that matters.

He'd felt so confident then, just like a child. He'd been determined to find her, convinced that she hadn't forgotten about their love. She couldn't have forgotten about the nights they spent alone in the classroom, she couldn't have forgotten the time she found out about her being a Seer. He was the one that had comforted her, he was the one she confided in. Ron wasn't in the picture, she insisted that she wanted nothing to do with him.

Yet somehow, that wall crumbled.

Somehow, something happened, and Draco wasn't there, he wasn't around to wipe her tears. That's how and why she chose Ron instead of searching for him.

Exiting the large room, he climbed the steps to his own bedroom, closing the door behind him. Finding a quill and ink, he sank into the desk chair and began the second entry in his old, forgotten, childhood diary.

Three days ago I gave up the love of my life to a man that she admitted to not loving. I don't know what else to do. She has a child with him, and I'm the Hogwarts sweetheart that she forgot. I can tell that she wants me to be happy with her decision, to be happy with whomever she chooses, but I know that I've already lost. A blind man can see that.

But despite this, I love Hermione Granger.

Hermione

She couldn't stop seeing the sadness in Draco's eyes as he pulled away after she left him. She watched him from the window, waiting for him to do something to run inside and tell her that he wouldn't stop fighting for her, because if he had, then she'd know that he still cared for her.

Instead, she watched him swallow and lift his wand in a shaking hand. He was gone before she could blink another time.

Ron came up behind her and growled, "I never liked that guy. At least he's out of our lives forever."

She turned and snapped, "He is the most tortured person I know. Because of that, he was kind to me. Don't you understand what that's like? He put his worries aside so I could be okay." She pulled away from his embrace, ducking under his arm and rushing up the stairs, calling for Harry.

When Harry left, she scooped up Rose and kissed her cheek. "What's wrong, Mommy? Was Mr. Malfoy mean?" her daughter asked, seeing her watery eyes.

Hermione smiled weakly for her child. "No, everything's fine. You look tired. You should take a nap, darling. Then you'll be all energized for tonight. We're going out to eat, how's that sound?"

Rose's cheeks flushed pink with excitement. "Yes! I'll go to bed, right away!"

Hermione set her to bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. Her daughter closed her eyes and sighed. "Wake me up, okay?" she said, peering at her mother.

She nodded. "Okay." She padded down the hall, past Ron who was trying to apologize and failing miserably, into her room. Closing the door and locking it, she knew that he wouldn't use magic to get in. He'd give her the space she wanted. So she lay down on the bed and let out a choked sob. She'd ruined everything. Every chance of Draco being in her life was crushed. There was no way now that he'd come back, no way that Ron would let it happen. He was probably sitting at his house right now, calling her a filthy mudblood, cursing himself for falling for her.

She sat up. She needed to tell Draco something, and it didn't matter if he wanted to hear it or not. He had to know, he deserved that much.

She pulled out a piece of parchment and pressed quill to ink and began writing.

Dear Draco,

I'm sorry about today. Things didn't end the way I wanted them to. I want things to work out between us, believe me. I want you to come over more, I want you to have more time with Rose and I. But I need to tell you something. I wish I could say it in person.

I'm pregnant.

Hermione