Title: Raising Draco's Son
Category: Books » Harry Potter
Author: Katerina Petrova Salvatore
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T
Genre: Romance/Angst
Published: 01-07-05, Updated: 08-11-11
Chapters: 1, Words: 2,422

Chapter 1: Introducing Me

Title: Raising Draco's Son

Author: mmecullen

Date Published: January 2005

Summary:
Six years after graduation, Hermione thinks she's living the best of her life. She has her precious Mike, her own flesh and blood. Raising a son would have been so difficult without a father, so destiny has its way of leading them to him. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned for Hermione because Draco Malfoy is no fool. He wants her back. He wants them back.

Disclaimer:
Standard disclaimers apply. Everything you recognize here was, is, and NEVER will be mine. The plot, though, is mine.

Author's Notes:
This story is in the process of revision. I was thirteen when I started writing this story and it was completed a year after, when I was fourteen years old. It's been almost four years and now I'm seventeen years old. I recently checked out my stories and realized how horribly written they all were so now I'm trying to rewrite everything. Tell me what you think of the new story!

CHAPTER ONE

Heavy drops of rain were pouring down the roof of each apartment along Camden Street, London. Hermione Granger would have been frightened, if only she didn't know that cold nights as this had been normal since she had learned water cycle from her science textbooks back when she was six years of age.

Mike Granger, on the other hand, thought differently of the rain. He loved watching them through the windows of his spacious bedroom – sometimes it was his personal music that would make his reading time even more interesting. Of course, any typical five year old kid would have considered Justin Bieber a more entertaining alternative, and let's not forget – they wouldn't be so inclined to spending hours on reading books unlike Mike did. Hermione took pride in this; he was her son, without a doubt.

Hermione was just busying herself with some of Mike's photo albums – updating them diligently with utmost care and pleasure. Each photograph had been taken by the proud mother (and sometimes by her best friends as Ron Weasley had previously taken it upon himself to learn how to use the camera), capturing every single memorable moment in Mike's childhood. She couldn't help but smile as she fixed the last photo in place – it was that of Mike shooting his first ball. Hermione had never been good at sports, but her son definitely showed a lot of potential. It was never easy for her to acknowledge why, but deep down she knew the reason why. It runs in the family, she thought.

The door opened with a loud crash, startling Hermione all at once. Mike fell flat on the floor with a loud thud, yet he was smiling as he excitedly said, "Mum, Uncle Ron and daddy's here!" Hermione was off her bed in an instant, helping her son up. "Oh, dear, are you all right?" Carrying Mike in her arms, the two headed down the staircase to welcome their guests. It should have bothered her that he was about ten pounds heavier than before, but what could she expect? His son was a growing boy, a dashing one at that.

Mike easily escaped his mother's arms as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Once again, he insisted not to be carried by Hermione anymore – never again because he was no longer a baby. Besides, he had started attending nursery just this fall, and he wouldn't want anybody to know that his mother still did such things to him. Hermione chuckled as she remembered the day his frustrated son came up to her and said he never wanted to be carried again. There was no denying that he was his father's son. With his platinum blonde hair, pointed nose, pale skin, and striking icy blue-gray eyes, and sometimes clever attitude, Mike was a young dead-ringer for him.

"Fancy seeing you both here!" Hermione said happily as she approached her best friends and enveloped herself in their arms. She could easily cry, she thought, for missing them both a tad too much. It had been six long years since they graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and although they still saw each other frequently, the three had been preoccupied with so many things. Their traditional Friday Nights had long been forgotten, something that made Hermione really upset on more than one occasion.

Hermione perfectly understood, nonetheless.

Ronald Weasley, together with Luna Lovegood, had two children named Arthur Fred and Andromeda Weasley. He worked for the Ministry, just like his Arthur Senior, now Minister of Magic following Rufus Scrimgeour who had been sacked for his alliance with the now fallen (and dead) Voldemort.

Harry Potter, after defeating Voldemort, proceeded to become a professional Quidditch player who frequently toured around the world. He played forPuddlemere United as Seeker. Harry married Ginny Weasley shortly after the war, their seventh year anniversary almost coming up. Their children were named Lily, James, and Sirius.

Harry was first to kiss his godson's forehead and tousle his hair adoringly. "Mike, son, how are you doing?"

"Oh, very well. Thank you. How about you?" said Mike with a smirk. "How's Aunt Ginny? Lily? James? Sirius?"

The adults chuckled in response. "They're all just as well. Aunt Ginny sends her love. By the way, how's school, chap?" asked Harry, aware of Mike's recent achievements. Hermione had told him all about Mike's first day in nursery over the phone.

"School's the best!" said Mike excitedly, pumping his fists in the air.

"Just like 'Mione," said Harry and Ron in unison.

"Mike—he's doing great as usual," said Hermione proudly.

The next two hours passed by quickly and soon enough, both men had to leave, lest their wives would be upset. Moreover, Harry had Quidditch practice the next day for the upcoming game against Bulgaria.

Before going to bed, Hermione checked on her son. Sure enough, he was already heavily asleep. His book, just as usual, covered his face. Mike alwaysfell asleep on his books. Smiling, she took the book off her son's face and kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you so much, sweetie," said Hermione, as she turned off his Spongebob nightlight.

That night, Hermione fell asleep without much ease, her thoughts still on what Harry and Ron had told her earlier.

"Lucius Malfoy was confirmed to have died from contracting the Vanishing Sickness. They tried to keep it a secret for the longest time possible but it was of no use. Ron here can tell you how quickly it spread like wildfire in the Ministry."

"Yes, for quite some time some people thought that his shoes had been jinxed so that they ate his feet. It was nasty. The healers at St. Mungo's couldn't do a thing. I'd say, poor old man, but we all know how ridiculous I'd sound. I'd say, serves him right."

"And D-raco?" she had asked.

"Gave half of his inheritance to the Ministry."

Draco must be troubled, thought Hermione. Sure, he was no longer one of her favourite people in the world (apparently), but still, she felt empathic. He was the father of his child, after all, and for that single vital reason, she was more than grateful to him for giving her the most important person in her life.

As expected of any single mother, Hermione felt sorry for Mike. She had ignored every single question he had asked concerning the whereabouts of his real father. It didn't take long before he gave up on asking about him altogether, his father evidently forgotten, but not quite so.

The next day would have been no different to Hermione, if it weren't for the stout Barn Owl making a bit of a disaster outside her window.

"A letter?" said Hermione in disbelief. She made no attempt to be in touch with anyone (besides the people she was closest with) in the Magical world since graduation. She decided that it was best to leave everything behind and forget the past, although each day, it seemed, was a struggle for her all the same.

Hermione retrieved the letter from the owl carefully. It was dry-sealed with the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry red stamp, which made it obvious that the Head Mistress, Professor McGonagall, must have sent it.

Opening the envelope, she scanned the letter quickly. It was an invitation to the annual batch reunion at Hogwarts, definitely the first she ever received. She could only wonder how they had traced her address or worse, if anybody else knew where she lived.

It made her petrified and tremble with … fear.

For years she had struggled to live a normal life. She even pretended that she never attended Hogwarts, dropped school in her Seventh Year to join Harry and Ron in finding Horcruxes to defeat Voldemort, and could perform magic at all. Her wand was hidden beneath a pile of old clothes in her closet, her favourite books hidden in the attic.

She needed to make a decision soon.

It didn't take long for Hermione to decide on what's best for her and Mike. Mike already turned six, and soon enough, he would find out about his magical abilities. That she could not deny. Mike was a half-blood wizard, after all. It was useless to hide for much longer, because deep down, Hermione knew for a fact that the Magical world was very dear to her, even more than the place she grew up in.

So when Mike begged to go to the bookstore one day to purchase more books, Hermione knew just what to do.

"Ready?" Hermione asked, her wand slightly showing beneath her Burberry coat. As soon as Mike took notice of the strange thing he had never seen before, Hermione held his hand and Apparated them to Diagon Alley.

"What the bloody hell?" Mike couldn't help but gasp out loud. "Mummy, am I mental for seeing people that should exist only in my fairy tale books? And what was that?"

"No, they're quite real, pumpkin. They just wear strange clothes," answered Hermione with nonchalance. "Go on." They walked to the alley and finally reached the doorstep of Flourish and Botts.

"Wow, mummy! This is the biggest bookstore ever!" The vastness of the place completely amazed him, his previous thoughts apparently and quickly forgotten.

Hermione showed him around and until she finally brought him to the children's section. "Don't wander off too far from here, all right?"

"Granger, what on Merlin's beard are you doing here?" Hermione turned around to meet Harry's questioning eyes. She knew she should have informed her friends first, but in her haste to get here, she forgot to tell anybody else.

"Looking around for books?"

"'Mione, I thought you never wanted him to know! Or anybody else for that matter!" Even Ginny did not approve of her impulsive appearance.

"Surely you two would know that I wouldn't do anything unless I've thought it through?" replied Hermione matter-of-factly.

The couple immediately apologised for their unnecessary outburst, something Hermione completely waved off.

Meanwhile, a book with ornate cover caught Mike's eyes from a distance. It was quite huge – unlike any of his books at home. It was the latest edition ofHogwarts: A History.

"Hogwarts: A History? What is that supposed to mean?" He found the title quite entrancing. Before he realised it, he was already reaching for the book to no avail. Finally, he saw big pale hands (that looked quite familiar) reach for the book effortlessly.

"You want the book?"

Mike nodded his head decidedly as he turned to his side to get a full view of the man. He was very tall and Mike easily recognised how striking the man was. He could not help but wonder if he would grow up to be like him someday.

The man got down so he was at Mike's level.

"Are you like those strange people outside? What's with the robe anyway?"

Draco completely ignored the question. Surely this boy must be feeling under the weather if he had to ask him that question. The boy wouldn't be here unless his parents had brought him along.

"What is your name?" inquired Draco as he held the book captive.

"Mike. Mike Granger, sir," Mike replied courteously.

"And who accompanied you to the bookstore?"

"My mum," answered Mike.

Draco raised his left eyebrow curiously. "Who is your mum?"

"My mum told me that I should not speak to strangers," said Mike with a smirk, a smirk Draco was all too familiar with.

'Granger. How predictable.'

"All right, how about if you could just nod or shake your head to one question and I'll buy you this book for free?"

"I s'pose that's all right."

"Is your mum's name Hermione?"

Mike hesitated to answer for a couple of seconds before he finally nodded his head in confirmation.

Draco felt like he was suddenly running out of breath. How could Hermione's son look a lot like him? It just did not make any sense! Surely, this was not his son! She would have told me, Draco thought.

Then it hit him. Of course it's Hermione; she wouldn't have!

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