The Choices in Life: Chapter Eight
Summary: Hermione accidentally falls pregnant after a night out partying. Who's the father? You'll have to read to see. And what will happen when Hermione has to choose between the men she loves, and her own child?
Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
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Last Time:
"Draco, can I have a little... time?" She asked.
Draco smiled. "As much as you need, my angel," he said, kissing her forehead and stepping out the door.
Hermione watched him walk to his car, placing the ring box into his pocket.
He seemed for real, but was he really?
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Chapter Eight: Yes.
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One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life:
that word is love.
- Sophocles -
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"Yeah, sure lifted all the pain from my life," Hermione muttered sarcastically as she threw aside the latest devotion of love from Harry's secret admirer. "Harry why are you showing me this?"
"I'm proving that you're taking this whole situation the complete wrong way. It's there in black and white. It's meant to free you of pain, not create more."
Hermione rolled her eyes; it had been two weeks since Draco had proposed and she still hadn't given him an answer. She was getting there, she just hadn't made a decision yet; which was where all the problems had begun. She, Harry and Ron had been over the pro's and con's on being with Draco and what he had done; but she was still so unsure.
Was this a sign? Was she not meant to be with him? The thought of her baby not having a father made her sick; but trying to pretend the thought of the fact that the only reason he was with her was out of pure guilt.
Harry must have recognised the look of uncertainty come over her face because he sighed and said, "Mione, he seriousy loves you."
"How did you know what I was thinking?" she accused, standing quickly.
"You're always thinking that when you get that look."
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "If you were female, you'd understand," she muttered as she left the room.
"Are you saying I don't understand?" Harry asked, following her out of the room.
"Harry, darling, you have no idea."
"So you mean Ginny or Lavender would get you more than I would."
Hermione thought for a second. "Actually, that's exactly what I'm saying."
"So if I acted like a chick I'd get you better?" he asked.
"You could try to get me."
A grin came across his face. "Fine, I'll do it!" he announced.
"Do what?" Ron asked as they answerewd the kitchen.
"I'm going to act like a chick, just to prove Mione wrong."
"About what?" Ron asked, spooning ice cream into his mouth.
"The fact that men can't get women no matter what they do."
"I never said that..." Hermione began, but gave up. "Look, you're being silly. I have to go, Draco's meeting mke for a
drink."
"Should you be drinking when you're pregnant?" Ron asked, his mouth full of chocolate fudge.
"I won't be drinking, he will," Hermione told them as there was a knock on the front door.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at the boys, as if enquiring if one of them had inviting someone over.
"Who the hell is that?" Ron asked, answering her question.
"I told Draco I'd meet him there," Hermione told them as she made her way to the front door.
She pulled the door open as she pulled her hand bag onto her shoulder. "I thought I told you I..." she said before looking out the door. At this moment her mouth feel open as her handbag slipped onto the floor. "Flick...?"
"Mia... I... I didn't know where else to go," Flick whispered, leaning against the door frame.
Hermione's eyes bludged. "Quick, let's get you inside." She helped the younger girl walk towards the kitchen. "Harry! Ron! Get my first aid kit."
"Mione, why woluld you need your..." Harry began to ask until his eyes fell on the bruises across Felicity's face. "Ron, get the kit."
Ron stood motionless for a few moments before running to get the kit.
Harry's grabbed a tea towel, splashed water over it and helped Flick to sit before beginning to clean the cuts on her collarbone, cheek, arms, back and stomach.
Hermione sat next to her, eyes still wide. "Flick, what happened, sweetie?"
"He... he just lost control," was all she managed to whisper.
"Who? Who lost control?"
Flick gulped with difficulty, as though her mouth were extremely dry.
Hermione rushed to get her a glass of water as Ron re-entered the kitchen, first aid kit at hand.
Harry snatched the kit from Ron and began tending to Flick's ailments; though regreting the fact that he couldn't heal her magically. Spending all that time in the Hospital Wing as a boy had taught him the simplest spells of healing
magic.
Hermione began to mother Flick clemently.
"Mia, relax, I... it's not that bad."
"Flick! Not that bad! You look like you've been half beaten to death!" Hermione screamed.
"It could be worse," Flick muttered softly.
"Worse...!"
There was another knock at the door, this time softer than Flick's earlier urgent drumming.
"Who the f..." Hermione hissed before Harry stopped her.
"Mione, why don't you go see," he muttered, his eyes narrowed as if making it more of a command than an enquiry.
Hermione got to her feet and stormed down the hallway, pulling the door open fiercely in her rage.
"Yes?" she snapped before even realising who it was.
"Hermione, is everythibng okay?" Draco's voice asked.
"Draco?" Hermione asked, relaxing slightly as she looked up at him blankly.
"You never showed up, I got worried..."
"Draco?" Hermione whispered again.
She felt a pair of warm hands clasp over her own. "Hermione, what happened? Did something happen to the baby?" he
asked, a slight panic coming over his voice.
All she could do was shake her head.
"Then what? What happened?"
"F... Flick," Hermione whispered.
"What's wrong with Flick?" Draco asked, sounded more confused by the second.
"In the kitchen," Hermione told him, tears beginning to whelm in her eyes.
Draco clasped her hand tighter and lead her back to the kitchen. He suddenly froze as his eyes fell upon Flick. "Wha... what happened?" was all he could get out.
Harry looked up at them both, he was suddenly taking control of the situation.
"Draco, please, take Hermione to her room and make her lie down. This is a bit much for her."
"This is not too much for me!" Hermione burst out, her anger suddenly back.
Draco simply nodded and began leading her to her room.
"Draco! I'm fine. Let me go back to Flick."
"Mia, please... do what they say," Flick pleaded from where she sat.
"I... I don't this you should be alone," Hermione called back as Draco held her with all this might.
"I'm fine," Flick assured herk, even though Hermione knew she wasn't.
She collasped on the floor in tears the moment Draco closed the bedroom door.
"Hermione," Draco whispered, sitting next to her and pulling her into his arms. "You've got to pull it together. You're
no good to Flick like this."
"I... I know..."
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Hermione blinked awake, a strong arm hugged her to the side of none other than Draco Malfoy. She looked at his watch as it beeped three a.m. Her eyes travelled over the room as she discovered she was lying on her bed with Draco, the door was wide open and voices could be heard from the kitchen. She straind her ears to hear.
"...totally flipped. I hope she'll be alright, I mean, the sight of Flick completely freaked her out."
"Is Flick sleeping?" Ron's voice reached him.
Harry's voice followed. "Yeah, on my bed. She was pretty smashed, what do you think happened?"
"If any of us was gunna find out it'd be Mione," Ron muttered, his voice was muffled as if he was eating; which wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
The body next to her moved. Hermione turned in Draco's arms to face him.
Draco gave her a reassuring smile. "You okay?"
Hermione gave a weak, half forced, smile back. "I'm alright. Flick?"
"She'll be fine. Harry and Ron took care of her."
Hermione nodded, taking it all in. "Hey, I'm... sorry I freaked out before."
Draco's smile grew and he kissed her forehead. "It's alright."
Hermione genuinely smiled this time. She moved closer to him, well as close as she could get, and brushed her lips against his before their lips melted into a deep kiss.
By the time they were finished her lips felt like they were bruised; it had been out of risk of passing out from lack of air that they had stopped.
"Draco?"
"Yeah?"
"I... I love you."
"Really?" Draco asked, his voice slightly shaky.
"Yeah."
"Does this mean...?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes, Draco. I wanna be with you. I want you to be there with our baby. My answer is... yes."
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OHHHH!!!! See did you all get what you wanted? SHE SAD YES!!!! Anyway, I better get on to updating to everything else I have to update.
Until next chapter.
-Love Always,
Jnari, kisses and cookies.