Life Of Lies: Chapter 11

I'm back! Hello my wonderful readers. I am so sorry for not updating sooner but I've been so busy. I had my exams, a few close relatives have been sick and my cousin had triplets so I've just been all over the place. I hope you like this chapter. I've also uploaded an original piece onto fictionpress under glossy10 if any of you would be so kind as to read & review. Thanks a million!

Enjoy!

Everyone but Maria and Draco left about an hour later, when Leah started to cry. Saying her goodbyes to everyone, she walked up the stairs to her room.

She transfigured a simple cot out of a drawer in her room and started to walk around the room, gently rocking Leah and humming softly to her little girl.

Leah fought against her drooping eyes for as long as she could, but soon gave in and fell asleep. After placing her in the crib, Hermione cast a quick monitoring charm around the room, to let her know if Leah woke up.

Going back downstairs, she saw that Professor Dumbledore had entered the room and Draco had left. She made a quick mental note to talk to Draco later, he had been acting weird ever since she told the truth to everyone.

As she looked at Professor Dumbledore and Maria talking, the twinkle in his kind blue eyes told her that he knew who Maria really was. It amazed her and also creeped her out a little how Dumbledore seemed to know everything.

"Hermione, how are you feeling my dear?" He asked as she entered the room.

She walked over to the couch where Aiden, who must have dozed off while she was upstairs, was sleeping soundly. Sitting down next to his head, she gently stroked his hair, knowing that it relaxed him.

"Surprisingly okay, considering the circumstances, everyone has taken the news better than I had thought they would well, apart from Harry punching the wall. Ask me again after I tell Remus and Severus." She sighed rubbing a hand down her face.

She really didn't want to face them yet. It was only fair that they knew but she knew that both of them would be extremely angry.

Maria's head snapped up at the sound of Severus' name. "Severus, as in Severus Snape?"

"Yes" Hermione answered, "I keep forgetting that we could never talk about Hogwarts back in that house, but Professor Snape's the Potions Master here at Hogwar..."

"Severus works here" She was cut off by Maria. She looked hopeful, with almost a pleading look in her eyes.

"Did you know him at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked. Maria never really talked about Hogwarts. Now that she thought about it, Maria never talked much about her life before at all.

"Yes, I believe you knew him quite well, am I right Ms. Thorpe? Maria smiled slightly.

"How did you guess?"

"You still look very much the same, my dear. Eye colour and hair colour doesn't change much to your appearance. Although I am happy that it is all you have changed. Twenty years in hiding can cause people to lose themselves."

She smiled sadly, "I can only hope that I am the same person I was twenty years ago."

Hermione got up off the couch and walked to where Maria was sitting in the armchair beside the fire. "If the person you were twenty years ago was kind and loving, then you are definitely the same person. You are an amazing woman, and I love you like my own mother."

She grabbed Hermione in a bear hug, clutching onto her as if just to hold herself together a little longer, as tears started to run down her face.

"I love you too sweetheart. You and my two beautiful grandchildren."

A few minutes later Maria released her and started to dry her tears when Dumbledore spoke again.

"There has been quarters added on beside the Head's quarters, Ms. Thorpe. Do you mind if I call you that?"

Maria smiled at the wizard "Please call me Jane, or Ms. Thorpe if you insist but please not Mrs. Granger."

"Of course Jane, but I must insist that you do the same, after all you are no longer a student here. Now, you can stay in the quarters next to the Head's common for as long as you wish. This door here, connect the too common rooms." He pointed to a new door in the corner.

"Now, I shall retire to my chambers for the night, after all it has been quite and eventful and tiring day. Please do try to get some rest tonight." He said as he walked out of the portrait. "Goodnight."

Hermione turned to the other woman as the portrait shut, "Jane Thorpe. I like that name much more than Maria Granger."

"I think I will be returning to my own name now. After all there is no need to hide anymore." She pulled Hermione into a hug and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking over to the connecting door.

"Please don't wait too long to tell the truth Mya, you have a brother and parents out there who worry about you every moment of the day. Now, take Professor Dumbledore's advice and get some sleep. I can tell that tomorrow is going to be a busy day." She closed the door softly behind her.

She gently lifted Aiden off the couch and carried him up to her room, transfiguring some pajamas and changing his clothes. She enlarged the cot so that it would be big enough for the two of them and gently placed him under the covers. Then after getting herself ready, crawled into bed.

She quickly cast a charm over her two sleeping babies to ensure that they weren't interrupted in their sleep and let the exhaustion of the day wash over her giving in to sleep.

She was running through a house, it was dark and damp and the floorboards creeked and rattled under her feet. There was someone following her. Someone bigger.

She was terrified, she didn't know where she was going, where she had come from or why she was there.

Fear seeped into her bones, she looked down at her hands and saw a tiny blue blanket between her fingers. It was Aiden's. Her babies. Where were they. She couldn't find them.

She kept running until she got to a door, the ground was muddy by her feet but she wasn't outside. She heard the footsteps getting closer so she opened the door and ran inside only to stop dead in her tracks.

There infront of her were two fresh graves with Leah and Aiden carved into the headstone's. She let out a scream and broke down in hysterics, collapsing on the ground.

She heard the footsteps right behind her but didn't care, she sat there crying for her children and let the shadow wash over her.

Hermione woke up suddenly and screamed when she saw Draco standing over her. He looked horrible. Deathly pale and scared. Of course he was, he was enjoying a nice dream involving Hermione when he was woken up by the woman herself screaming.

He rushed into her room, not caring that he was in only his boxers and saw her thrashing about on the bed. She was screaming and sweating. He tried to wake her up but he wasn't able to.

Finally she sat up in the bed shaking and panting, only to scream again when she saw him. After finally realising who it was she grabbed onto him and burst into tears.

He gently rubbed her back as she broke down in his arms, whispering quietly to her and trying to get her to calm down.

"He.. He killed my babies" she finally choked out. He continued to hold her, realising that she had dreamt that her.. her.. he had killed the two people she loved most in the world.

"I.. couldn't.. do.. anything" she hiccupped. "I'm supposed to protect them and I failed. I couldn't stop him. I was so scared that he would hurt one of them. If we left he could've found us. He was always so angry. And I left them there and came to school. I'm horrible person, I should've saved them." She cried.

It suddenly clicked with him that this wasn't just about a bad dream. She blamed herself for him hurting Aiden. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, gently wiping the hair from her face.

"Hey, look at me" he whispered gently "You are not a horrible person Hermione, you are a great person and from what I've seen today, a wonderful mother. Those two beautiful children over there absolutely adore you. None of it is your fault."

She looked down at the bed again and Draco gently lifted her chin with his finger forcing her to look at him. "Those children are going to be amazing because you are their mother. You're strong, intelligent and beautiful. An excellent role model. Never doubt yourself."

"I don't know why I feel so comfortable around you" she whispered. "I'm never scared when I'm with you."

Draco leaned down and captured her lips in a soft, loving kiss. When they broke apart Hermione grabbed his hand.

"Stay with me. I feel safe when you're here."

He smiled and climbed in behind her as she scourgified the sheets, making sure not to touch off her. She slowly grabbed his arm and pulled it over her waist, making him to spoon her. She snuggled into his warm embrace, feeling herself drifting off to sleep.

"Goodnight Draco" she whispered.

"Goodnight beautiful.

(A/N Maria is now Jane.)

Again I'm so sorry for the delay. I hope you liked this chapter. I know it's very short, but there was some Dramione fluff for everyone. I'll try and update by the end of the week. Thank you so much for sticking with me. Please Review and try to visit my story on fictionpress if you get a chance.

Thanks to all my reviewers for chapter 10

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