Dearest Readers,
here now the next installment of the story. Thanks for sticking with it so far. Hopefully you'll like it all the way through.
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It had been two weeks now that Lucius Malfoy had been apprehended. He was still in Azkaban and still very much himself as the lawyer checking the Malfoy affairs had found a mayor stumbling block for performing the Kiss straight away as had been planned. Draco was only going to inherit the estate in the case that he could proof to be father to a legitimate child of his own on the day he was proclaimed the official successor. It would not be possible to make this proclamation before March next year. It was only mid November right now. There was also the issue of his child having to be born within wedlock, which at the moment was highly unlikely as Hermione was still unconscious and the chance of her ever waking up again was regarded as slim.
Harry, Ron and Neville were sitting in the Leaky Cauldron for a butterbeer or two. The mood was subdued as the reason for this meeting wasn't just to relax with your mates but also to hear the latest about their friend from Harry, who had been at St. Mungo's earlier that day. It was Neville that finally broke the silence and tackled the subject the all tried to avoid and needed to talk about at the same time.
"How was she?"
There was a long pause. Then a clearing of throat was heard and then a rather hoarse sounding Harry said, "There was no change. She is still out cold."
He had been allowed to see her from the start, being one of the few people with this privilege. Ron was only ever told about her condition and so far his boss had point blank refused to let him see her. The Weasley boy had been furious at the beginning, but had been unable to sway his superior to change his mind.
"Have you asked Shaw to let me see her together with you, Harry?"
"Yeah," a pause followed, "he still doesn't want you in there. He wouldn't say why either. Sorry, mate."
"I really don't get it! Why are you allowed to see her and I'm not? She is as much my friend as yours."
"I can't see her either." Neville interjected.
His friends both looked at him.
"Have you tried?"
"Yes, the other day when I was visiting my parents..."
That would have been a cheerful occasion, Ron thought. He remembered having met the Longbottoms in the ward for the incurable cases together with Gilderoy Lockhart.
"Who is allowed to see her in any case?" he asked.
"Not sure. Malfoy's mother of course as he is the same room as Hermione. Then there are her parents, Shaklebolt and the aurors on duty, but nobody else as far as I know."
"And you."
"And me, yeah. Though not even all healers are permitted in. Shaw has a very tight grip on them as well."
They drank their butterbeers and indulged in their own thoughts for quite a while.
"What has actually happened, Harry?" Neville asked in a hushed tone. "I mean, when you were in..."
Taking a deep breath his friend rubbed his eyes before answering.
"Draco was about to kill his father. Hermione was already out. She could have been dead for all we both knew. I presume that he thought she actually was dead, killed by his..."
"That's horrible!"
"Yes, Neville, it is. Shaw reckons she must have tried to cast a shield charm, that's why she is still alive, but..."
"Not really." Ron finished the sentence.
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"Jay, I don't know, if I can do this any longer."
Narcissa Malfoy was sitting on the couch in James Mulligan's flat. She had remained with him even after her husband had been apprehended.
"Don't worry, Cissy, everything is going to be just fine."
Her face told him that she wanted to belief that, but had a really hard time to actually do it. He stood behind her and slowly wrapped her arms around her. Something he had wanting to do for years now.
"Jay..."
She felt herself shudder at his caring touch. She hadn't been touched like this in the past twenty years. Trying to keep her composure she felt him lean his cheek against hers. It was such an alien situation! Lucius had never displayed any kind of affection for her, not in this way in any case. He had been denied his rights in their marriage for several years before he had decided enough was enough, that time demanded an heir. He had been neither very considerate nor very gently, just very efficient And he got his heir...
Being pulled to her feet she realised that she hadn't noticed that James had rounded the couch and was now wanting to hold her in his arms. Could he see what she had been thinking about? His features were soft, but she knew him well enough so that the determination underneath didn't stay hidden from her.
"Cissy, he is not going to come back."
Something else she tried to belief and found difficult to do. The man that was still her legal husband and would remain so until the Kiss was actually performed had managed to get out off Azkaban once. Who could say with absolute certainty that he wouldn't manage it again?
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The darkness was still there and he had been wondering, if he should try to wake up or let go of the fragile hold he still had on the world that had taken the one he loved from him in this most cruel manner.
Was there still hope for them? Had there ever been any hope? She hadn't laughed at him when he had found her in the deserted courtyard and neither had she tried to leave when he had kissed her. She had been facing up to her fears before she had been willing to come to him with the news of them going to have a child together and the courage to stay with him.
Hermione was his light and hope. If there was a chance for her to ever be with him again he would better make sure he was there for her when that happened. He just loved her too much as that he was willing to let her go.
The skin he could feel with his outstretched fingers was no longer as cold as it had been. The dragon was slowly moving as he stroked the wings folded on its back. No, he wouldn't let go just yet. As long as the cubs were still tapping their tiny paws on his back and he could feel her dragon move there was hope.
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It was nearing the end of November. Hermione and Draco had by now been spending close to a month in a state of absolute unresponsiveness. Neither of them answered to the attempts to attract them back into reality of Healers and visitors alike. Harry had been sitting beside her bed every morning before going to work for the past fortnight. It had been strange and awkward to see her in such close proximity to their childhood enemy.
Childhood... That seemed decades ago. Five months ago they had left school. Five months ago his best friend had spend a night with... him. Resulting in her finding out that she was pregnant and the father to her child wanting to seriously spend the rest of his life with her. They had to grow up way too fast due to having to fight Voldemort. Or trying to stay alive despite the Dark Lord taking over his life in Draco's case.
Harry took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Something he had never really done in the past, but since he came here every morning it had become a kind of strange habit. He only ever did it while sitting next to bed that was occupied by his best friend, and her boyfriend. It felt so weird to see them snuggled close to each other, both not aware of the other. Or maybe they were and it was just that the outside world couldn't intrude the world they had withdrawn to.
There had been occasions when he had met Mrs. Malfoy here. She seemed to spend the night in this chair when ever James Mulligan was the auror on duty. There had been moments when he had been seriously wondering, if there was anything going on between his older colleague and the always regal looking woman. Though, there had been the occasional glance between the two that fueled this notion. It wasn't really any of his business, but his curiosity had been roused by it.
Hermione's face looked peaceful. It had lost the ghostlike greyness and if he hadn't known any better, he would have said that she was just sleeping. It was a deathlike sleep though. One out off which she might never wake up again.
He shook his head. He shouldn't entertain thoughts like this. She was going to wake up again, any day now. He hoped...
His thoughts were wondering to his own fiancée, Ginny. She had pretended to be fine when ever he had send her an owl or met her in Hogsmead. He knew better.
The short time he had believed himself in the same boat as Malfoy had been rather strange, but very illuminating nevertheless. It had been a wonderful feeling that came with the knowledge that a new life would be coming into this world and that it would be forever connected with him. Imagining their offspring to have Ginny's eyes and his hair had made him smile. Maybe Ginny's hair and his eyes would have been just as cute. There had been the moment when he had been wondering, if Malfoy would let him read the first part of that book Hermione had got for him. The one for the modern wizard.
The door opened and Wilson entered. He nodded towards Harry and then went over to speak with Dawlish in hushed tones. This was his cue to leave and go to work. With one last glance at the seemingly sleeping form of his friend he left the room together with his colleague in order to floo to the Ministry.
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It was the last weekend in November and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had decided to visit Ginny. They had never visited any of their children while they were at school before, but Harry had let slip that she was still rather down about the whole being cursed into thinking she was pregnant affair and would need some encouragement. The latest Defence against the Dark Arts teacher had also for some strange reason taken to deduct points form her and giving her detention for the most ridiculous things lately so that she had been close to quitting school altogether.
Mrs. Weasley had be intend on giving that teacher a piece of her mind, but Mr. Weasley suggested a family diner in The Three Broomsticks instead. As a kind of morale boost for their daughter. He had made sure, that Ron, Harry, George, Alicia, Fleur, Bill and Percy would all be there as well. Teddy Lupin was staying with Bill and Fleur at the moment, so Ginny could distract herself with the little fellow and maybe get over the loss of her own child that never existed.
Harry had been wondering, if he should just forget about being careful and... He had dismissed the thought moments later. She wasn't really in the right frame of mind right now. She had exams to prepare for and her place with the Harpies was something she didn't want to loose.
Arthur Weasley had organised a separate room form them to enjoy their meal in. Arriving one by one the séparée had filled with talk and soft laughter. Teddy had demanded to be held by every female present before he was content to just sit on Ginny's lap, playing with a strand of her hair. Longing eyes had been lingering on her, but the young man watching her knew he had to be patient. Their time would come.
Halfway through the meal George suddenly stood up. Alicia trying her best to pull him back down on his seat. He clunked his knife against his glass and waited until the conversation had ebbed away.
"Dearest family. Today is the day that I asked Alicia to go to the Yule Ball with me all those years ago. She said yes then and when she proposed something very serious," he waggled his eyebrows in a conspiratorial manner, "a while back it was me agreeing to it."
The girl by his side blushed. Not that is was really visible, but her expression made more than up for it.
"We have been wondering, how long to wait for you all to learn about our... arrangement and have decided that under the current circumstance today is as good as any day."
He took Alicia's hand and bent down to kiss the back of it.
"Dear family and friends, present and absent, I'm herewith announcing my engagement to Alicia. We have decided to get married."
Stunned silence was engulfing everything , but only for a moment. Then everybody was congratulating them. Hands were shaken, backs clapped and Mrs. Weasley managed to hug her future daughter-in-law without soaking her delicate dress with her tears of joy.
After everybody had settled down again they had finished their meal with lots of laughter.
It was quite some time later that George had pulled Harry into a secluded corner of the room and looked at him for an unsettling long time without actually saying anything. When he spoke his voice was low and hushed.
"How are you holding up, Harry?" Concern lay behind every word.
"I'm okay." He hesitated. "Why do you ask?"
"I know that you have been to see Hermione every morning in hospital."
"Oh."
"How is she doing?"
"Well... She's not awake."
"And Malfoy? He was supposed to be okay, wasn't he?"
"Yeah, but he hasn't woken up since that first time when he wanted to..." He broke off. He wasn't sure, if his friend would appreciate him telling folk about Malfoy sharing her bed.
"He wanted what?" George raised an eyebrow.
"You must swear not to tell anybody. Especially not Ron!"
"Okay..." The Why? was clearly displaying on the Weasley's face.
"Hermione and Malfoy are in close proximity."
"What?" A frown was now directed at the younger wizard. "What are you talking about? Like their beds being close to each other?"
Harry shook his head. It took a while and then the next question was a mere whisper, "They are in one bed? Together?"
A short nod was the only answer.
"And the healers actually allow that?"
"They are thinking that it is the only reason why she is still alive. Why they are both still alive. Something about feeling the other making them wanting to return from the Shadow Worlds or something like that."
A low whistling was the answer to this.
"No wonder, nobody is allowed to visit. Dad has tried even to talk to Shaklebolt in order for Ron to be able to see her. He was just told that your boss was point blank refusing any one more spectators as he put it." He looked straight at Harry. "And in Ron's case that would probably be the case..."
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There was still the all encasing darkness, but now there was also something warm. It took a moment before he realised that it were warm and gentle fingertips. They were brushing over his cheek. He sighed. Where ever he was right now, he would make sure that he stayed here. Feeling her warmth infusing his soul with light and love again was just too wonderful, especially after having thought it impossible that he would ever feel anything like this ever again.
Her body had been so cold when he had first touched it, but now it was full of life again. She was alive again. He kissed the pads of the fingers lingering on his lips. A deep growl was resonating through his mind. It was the lioness, she wasn't sleeping any longer. Small paws were yet again scurrying over his skin. A contended sigh escaped him.
"Draco?" He smiled. Opening his eyes his gaze was captured by the deep brown that was shinning right before him.
"Lea." She smiled. Oh, how much had he been longing to see this smile again, to feel the fire it ignited within him. He let out a heavy sigh.
"I love you, my dragon."
He grinned and bridged the distance between their faces. Finding her soft mouth his eyes flattered shut and he just felt himself getting lost in the sweetness of the kiss.
"Merlin! I'm sorry!"
Where did that voice come from all of a sudden? He opened his eyes and could see that Hermione was thinking something down the same lines. He sighed. She smiled. Then it was her turn to re-attach her lips to his and make him forget about that intruding voice. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear a door closing.