Disclaimer: HP is not mine. It never was. Or will it ever be.
A/n: How I missed writing for these pastfive weeks! I became quite busy after writing Dilemma. But now I am back.ü
With the sequel.ü
I am sorry this came out really late.
Hope you all like this. It will be a little different with part one, as they usually are and I guess this story would be a little difficult to understand without reading the first part. This is entirely based on it and most of the story is connected with previous events. So, I say you read the first one for now before this, if you are reading this for the first time.
If you have read the first one already, then Welcome Aboard in this ship.ü
Enjoy the ride.ü
By: Aningme
Dilemma: The Sequel
Chapter 1
The city lights of England shimmered through the night as she stared at her bedroom window.
It was running late, and still he wasn't here.
She had waited for him for hours now, which was quite a surprise.
He never comes home late. Hermione Granger thought. Never.
Perhaps some trouble came along at work. She would never really know. Her husband was a living king, anyway. He had to rule over his empire of electronics and all that implausible machines he so loves to play with in order to gain income. Not that he really needed his income. He was filthy rich as he is. Just the typical Draco Malfoy.
"May I serve some hot tea while you wait, ma'am?" A man of thirties, suited in shiny black uniform, stepped forward upon gaining her attention.
She stared back at Harvey, Draco's loyal assistant, and smiled. "Yes, please."
Harvey gave her a curt nod and headed back to the kitchen.
Alone again, she stared back at the window and sat in a comfy chair across the table, making herself comfortable. She wasn't feeling very well tonight, it seemed. Her head was already splitting in two.
And she felt the need to vomit.
"I can see shadows under your eyes." A deep, melodious voice suddenly muttered down the door.
She was already smiling before she even turned to him. "Well, I am growing tired of waiting for you, Malfoy." She replied, her face pale from the dazing light of the room.
He gave her an apologetic smile and walked over to her. He looked magnificent in his business suit. "I apologize," He began, sliding off his suit and kneeling in front of her. He grabbed her hands and locked them in his. "I couldn't escape the swimming sharks at work. They couldn't help it but snap at me."
"Well, who could?" She answered, slowly leaning over his face. "They can't get enough of you."
He chuckled at that and snogged her lips before she could even back off. "Well, on the contrary, I can't get enough of my wife."
My wife, he thought, sighing at the very thought. It had only been a month since she walked the aisle to him. And yet, he still couldn't believe and accept the whole thought of having her, having her as his wife.
"Then I suggest you come home early and we'll talk about that." Your wife, she thought. She couldn't help it but feel her stomach form a big knot at the thought. It hadn't been so long since that day. And she could still remember every bit of everything since she said the words "I do."
"I'll make the appointments." He grinned.
"Busy life."
"Flamboyant life." He amended. "There's a difference you know."
"Like what?" She asked, as Harvey stepped in and served tea.
"Busy life could be defined as my life without you." He smiled and gestured for a cup of tea himself. "Flamboyant life, well, let me put it in simple words: I have you."
She couldn't help but twitch her lips in a smile. "You do have a way with words." She sipped a little of the warm tea and closed her eyes, resting them a bit. "So it seems those sharks have chewed you up today."
"Yes they have." He turned to a chair beside her. "In fact, Weasley was there too."
"Ron?" She seemed to have brightened up so quickly. "You saw him today?"
"Yeah. Business matters, of course. He wished you well too."
"That's great." She propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her palms. "You sure are taking this all too easily."
"What is?"
"Ron and everyone else." She answered. "Feels like it was just yesterday when both of you tried to ruin each other's lives. And now…" She trailed her words off with a smile.
"Years indeed have passed us so quickly." He commented, feeling warm with her smile. "Weasley is taking this all easily too."
He watched her sigh contentedly and blow at her tea, her smile not vanishing one bit.
He reached over and held her hand. "You're working overtime?"
"No." She answered. "I've shifted hours long before."
"You should've rested instead of waiting for me."
"I didn't wait long, anyway."
"Even so." He thought of the possible patients she could have faced today: fevers, flu, accidents… It was his car crash accident that brought her back in his life. And as he could see it, it was never easy on her side. "I would be home anyway whether you waited for me or not."
"Of course you would." She nodded. "I just… well."
"Well what?"
"I just wanted to spend time with you." She said absentmindedly. She had been a little too emotional for these past few days. She couldn't help it but miss him.
He smiled at that, and leaned over her to kiss her. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, pulling at her chair. "I missed you too." He whispered, his brows resting on hers. "We could spend the weekend in the cottage. We'll leave first thing in the morning."
She lifted her hands to his face and caressed it. "That would be great."
He stood up, still holding her hand, and pulled her to their bed. "You get some rest then." He sat at the bed and patted on it. "You really need one."
She considered and crawled to his side. Slumping her head on the soft pillows, she turned to him and closed her eyes.
"It's been a while since I've seen the cottage." She whispered, her voice a little slurred for sleep. "It would be lovely to see it again."
He slowly propped himself on the bed and stared over her. Her eyes were covered in shadows. Her cheekbones were protruding from her thinning cheeks. Her lips were all but turning pale.
He suddenly grew worried.
"Are you ill, Hermione?" He whispered, holding her face with his both hands now.
She slightly opened her eyes, and he could see the ghosts of tiredness in them. "I'm not. I'm just tired, that's all."
"No." He shook his head. "You look really ill. You're working yourself out again."
"I have to do what I have to do in the hospital. I've been doing this for quite some time now—"
"Maybe you should take a vacation. Maybe for a week."
"A week?" She propped herself abruptly, their eyes leveled. "I already tooktwo weeks off for our honeymoon. I can't take another one."
"But you need it."
"The weekend would be fine. I'll be fine." There were hints of worry in his eyes. "Don't worry about me, Draco."
He sighed and slumped himself on the bed. He swore to himself to take care of her much better.
She lay back too and closed her eyes again. She felt his hands crawling over her stomach and pulling her towards him. She turned to him and wrapped her arms around him too.
"I love you." He whispered to her.
"I love you too." She said and drifted off to sleep.
It wasn't that long until she opened her eyes again. The night was still dim, and the hour wasn't near to dawn. She sat up as slowly as she could, knowing Draco was still asleep. She swung her legs to the edge of the bed and got up to the bathroom.
But she never knew he was always the first to wake up before her.
Draco stared at the darkness, watching her silhouette move towards the bathroom door. Opening the lights in the bathroom, he saw a glint of her face, much more pale than what he saw hours ago before they slept. She hurried back and closed the door before he saw more.
He stood up too and silently walked over to her.
Sitting across the toilet, she flushed it and wiped her mouth with a clean cloth. She was surprised to see herself vomiting at this hour. She wasn't drunk the night before. She remembered fully of having tea with Draco.
What the hell's wrong with me? She thought, regaining herself, slowly breathing in and out.
"You're not well." His voice suddenly uttered.
She snapped her head at the door and saw him standing there, his robes neatly draped over him. "You're still awake."
His temper suddenly snapped at him. "I thought you told me you weren't sick."
"I'm not sick." She insisted. She stood up and tried to stand straight. But as she did, her head whirled and almost got her stumbling back to the floor.
Draco ran to her and caught her in a second. "I'm bringing you to a hospital."
"What for? I'm a freaking doctor, for pete's sake."
"Then you ought to know what's wrong with you." He said, carrying her back to the bed. "And you should tell me about it."
She stared back at him and saw his temper glaring in his eyes. "I have nothing to say because I'm not sick."
"People don't usually vomit in the middle of the night." He pointed out. "What do you want me to make out of it?"
She stared back at him and sighed. "I'll run tests with myself tomorrow, okay?" she decided. "I told you not to worry."
"I'll go with you." He uttered.
His temper seemed to cling on him until the morning.
Driving towards the busy streets, he just sat there on the wheel, speaking of nothing but silence. He didn't like the feeling of worrying about her. It makes his stomach toss and turn.
Perhaps he should call Madame Pomfrey for help.
"You're mad." She whispered as she stared on to the streets. "At me."
He didn't reply, and just stared at the helpless street with his cold eyes too.
"C'mon Draco, I'm not really sick." Hermione insisted, now facing him.
He turned to her as they halted for the red light. He just stared at her.
"Don't do that silence thing. It creeps me out." She pleaded. "C'mon. Stop it."
He couldn't help it but smile. "So that silence thing really does work on you."
She merely blinked and slumped on her chair. "You're making me feel guilty about nothing." She admitted, snapping her face at him. "I am not really sick. Swear."
"So normal people do vomit in the middle of the night?" He sarcastically asked, turning his car to the next block to the hospital.
Where she works.
"Well, no. But—"
"There's no buts there, Hermione. There's just none. And if you don't give yourself a proper test run in order to hide from me, I'll let Mrs. Dubley take a good look at you."
She winced at that. "I still can't believe you took Mrs. Dubley from her retirement."
"She loves the job." He uttered. "I didn't take anything from her."
She pouted. "Well, I almost forgot you are Draco Malfoy."
He smiled at that. "Here we are."
Stepping out of the car, she stared worriedly at the hospital, her nervousness eating her alive.
It was hard to pretend not to know.
A/n: Yes, it became a habit of mine tohave the first chapter really vague.
But you'll understand it. Some chapters later.ü
Aningme