Hermione and Draco arrived at her flat late that Christmas night** and they were both tired and wanting to go to bed, but Hermione wasn't going to forget about Draco's sad look from earlier that easily. She waited a bit, and when they had gotten ready and into bed, she decided to ask him.
"Draco, why were you so upset earlier?"
Draco sighed and leaned back, looking at the ceiling, not daring enough to make eye contact with Hermione. It was the thing that he had always wanted and known that he could never have, and it was hard to admit that to himself, let alone someone else.
"You can tell me anything, darling, you know that, don't you?"
"I know Hermione; it is just that I have never spoken this aloud to anyone."
Hermione waited for what seemed close to an hour in silence before she finally heard Draco start to speak again.
"Sitting at dinner, it just brought back desires that I have always wanted, and I know that I will never get them."
"Like what, Draco?" Hermione was trying not to rack her brain for answers, but instead, she tried to be there for him.
"Ever since I was little, I had always envied those who had a large family. Siblings that grew up together and shared a bond that I will never know. I have always, for as long as I can remember, wanted a large family, and I know that I will never have one,"
"Why won't you have one, dear? Who said you couldn't have one?"
"It is just that Malfoy's have one son. It is just the way that it had been for as long as I can remember. Looking back on our family. It is just how it is,"
"Well, there is no reason that you can't change that. You changed how you view the wizarding world; what is to say that you can't change how many children the Malfoy line carries on."
"Well, what if I cannot? Then my child will be just as lonely as I was,"
"Well,' Hermione was trying to think of the best way to word this, "Perhaps your ancestors were just marrying and having children with the wrong people,"
Draco looked up, astonished by what Hermione had just said. She was looking at him like it was the obvious answer that maybe if they hadn't been only marrying purebloods, then maybe something would be different. But also, she was looking at him like she could be the key to his dream. He was trying to read the expression on her face, trying to understand what she was thinking.
"Hermione?" Draco wasn't sure what he wanted to ask her, but he felt 100 questions rush into his mind simultaneously as he said her name.
"Draco, you know that I love you, right?"
"Yes,"
"Well, I am not going to hide the fact that I wouldn't move in with you unless I saw this going somewhere. I want a future with you. I don't think that is coming as a surprise to you. I want you to know that I want a large family as well. We can make it happen, Draco. There are plenty of ways that we can make that happen."
Draco was speechless. He just pulled her into his lap and kissed her lovingly. That was all he needed to say right now.
When Hermione woke up the next morning, a great idea hit her suddenly. It would be New Year's Eve in less than a week, but she felt compelled to throw a party at her flat with her friends. She thought it would be a nice thing to do before she started her new position. Who knew how much time it would steal from her once again. Though she was determined not to let it control her life, she wanted to succeed in the position.
"Draco,"
"Yes?" He called from the bathroom.
"Do you think we can have a party on New Year's eve with our friends?"
Draco popped his head out the bathroom door with a perplexed look on his face. "What kind of party?"
"Well, to celebrate the new year. Celebrating us together, Ginny and Harry expecting, George and Angelina. Blaise would, of course, be invited, and anyone else you would want to invite. Just a couple of people that are close to us to bring in the new year. The new start to our lives."
"I don't see why not, though it is coming up rather fast."
"Well, I can get it all gathered together and then send it all out today."
"If you want to have a party, dear, I would most certainly like to come."
"Then, it is settled." Hermione got up from the bed, went over to her desk, and started writing everyone down that she would need to owl today. This was certainly short notice, but if all her friends could come, that would be incredible.
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Hermione has been thrilled that all her friends wanted to come celebrate the new year with her. Ron has even said that he may swing by. Hermione didn't know that it took a lot of effort and persuading on Harry and Ginny's part, but she was excited that he had even agreed.
"Draco do you think we should have bought more food? There are going to be a lot of people here tonight and I am not sure we picked up enough."
Draco looked at the counter in front of him, he couldn't even see it under all the plates of food and bowls of snacks Hermione has prepared. "Dear, I promise it is enough. We have plenty."
Hermione hadn't hosted a party in a while and she was getting nervous about it. It was just months ago that she wasn't even making it to things that she was invited to and now she was throwing a full-blown party herself.
"Why don't you go take a bath to calm down and I will finish everything else up. By the time you are ready everyone should be arriving. It is going to be alright Hermione, everything looks wonderful."
"Alright," Hermione headed into her room and drew herself a bath. While the tub filled up she laid out the clothes that she wanted to wear and then sunk into the warm water. She often over-thought most things in the bath, and this time was no different. She loved being with Draco and their discussion about children just last week has caused her to think more and more on the matter. She felt ready now to take those steps, but she truly felt that she wouldn't have been if it wasn't for Draco. What about him made her feel so different? When she thought about all of this is made her feel a mix of emotions. She was happy because Draco made her feel that way. Excited about what the future held for her. Scared that it was all too good to be true and that she would be left heartbroken. And most of all at this particular moment sad that she never had this with Ron. She had loved him for so long and she wished that it had worked out some days. It seemed like they should have been together, and yet here she was with someone so opposite her.
"Hermione." Draco was knocking at the door and she opened her eyes. "Are you alright it has been over an hour?"
"Really!" She jumped out of the tub and quickly dried herself off. "I'll be right down."
"It is just Ginny and Harry so far, so don't panic." Draco shook his head and laughed to himself. She really had lost all sense of time he thought. Perhaps that was the real reason why she was always at work so late. She couldn't sense time passing around her.
"She alright?" Harry asked Draco as he walked back into the living room.
"Just lost track of time is all."
"Of course she did." Ginny laughed. Around 20 minutes later Hermione entered the room with most of her friends. She kicked herself for not being with Draco through everyone arriving.
"Heard you lost track of time," George winked at her and she smiled.
"How have you been George? Wedding planning going alright?"
"It is extensive, and I am properly useless when helping Angelina."
"Why's that?"
"I could care less about the stuff, I just want to marry her."
"Well dear that is probably the nicest thing you have said about me this week," Angelina kissed George's cheek and smiled at Hermione.
"So I suppose I should ask you how it is all coming together then?"
"Great, Molly has been a big help, and I think we are pretty much done. Now to just do it."
"That is great. I am really happy for the two of you."
"Thank you all for coming! I am so happy that everyone got to come and spend this time together. I hope everyone has a happy New Year." Hermione was leaned into Draco standing at the front of her living room talking to her friends. It was almost midnight and she could tell that this upcoming year was going to be a good one.
"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Happy New Year!" Everyone shouted and Draco leaned in and kissed Hermione. She smiled at him as they looked into one another's eyes and Draco had never been so sure about anything that he wanted this person in his life forever.