A.N. This is my first attempt at an Harry Potter fic, hope you will like it. Please let me know what you think...

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Disclaimer : I do not own anything. Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling and the Warner Bros. Company.

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The Aftermath

Chapter One

She shifted nervously on her seat holding onto her young daughter carefully. She regretted her decision to come back to London now; here she would never be a nobody. Hermione Granger was a famous name, she was the best friend of Harry Potter and a renowned member of what everybody now called the Golden Trio, officially that is. Here she was, in the subway of London, going to meet with the highest members of the ministry. St-Mungo's had actually highly recommended that she meet with them, for the sake of her child. She never would have thought such a young child could be so many problems, her daughter was barely two years old and she already was the cause of her mother's troubles. The toddler was sleeping soundly in her arms as Hermione played with her soft curls, smiling fondly. After the battle at Hogwarts, Hermione had spent a whole year helping to reconstruct the school in the hope of finishing her last year and receive her diploma but her plans had changed.

She had had a short and difficult relationship with Ron and was completely defeated when she found him to be cheating on her, with none other than Lavender Brown. She had heard from Harry that they had married recently, but only because Lavender was pregnant with twins, apparently Ron was really bitter about the situation and was not very enamoured with the girl anymore. Hermione smiled to herself, well that serves him right, she thought bitterly. After that incident, she had flew to France to forget what had happened in her life, and to make a new beginning, and a new beginning it had been.

It was in France as she worked at the Beaux-Bâtons Academy as a replacement teacher that she had met him, out of all the men in the wizarding world it had to be him; the one and only wizard whom she had despised during all of her years at Hogwarts, the wizard who tormented her to no end. It was true to say that after the battle at Hogwarts he had been a totally new person, after the events in his own manor where he had refused to deliver them, he had protected them in a way. After the ministry of magic gave the students who were considered seven years their exams, Hermione Granger had received from Professor McGonagall the valuable title of best student of the school for the seventh year in a row. So after the event regarding Ron, is was fairly easy for her to find a suitable job even in another country.

Her relationship with Draco Malfoy was unexpected to say the least, he had moved after his father had been arrested for helping Voldemort, and was now living in France in one beautiful villa his family owned. They had met through mutual acquaintances from the Academy and had been on a couple of dates together before it had become more complicated. His father was released from Azkaban during the end of their relationship and it was becoming a problem suddenly that she was muggleborn and that he was a renowned pureblood. They were arguing constantly and it was obvious to her that is would never work between them so in the end she just left him, and returned to her old life, teaching everyday, reading every night. He had returned in England shortly after she had left him and never had they been in contact since.

When she had found out about her state, never once did she contemplate the idea of telling him because she knew exactly what would happen, he would ask of her to terminate her pregnancy or worse, if it came to Lucius Malfoy's ears that there was a member in his family who was not pureblood, her child would be in danger. Harry and Ginny had asked her several times to return to London after she had had the baby, but her fear for the safety of her daughter could never stop gripping her chest painfully. She had finally accepted recently to come back to her beloved country because she had heard about Lucius Malfoy's death in the Daily Prophet. Only that could make her feel safe enough to come back home, she had accepted a job at Hogwarts on the condition that her daughter could live there with her permanently, which of course Professor McGonagall thought to be perfectly normal.

Her daughter shifted slightly and she caressed her soft blond curls gently to sooth her. She looked up to see how far they were from the ministry; they would be there shortly. She couldn't transport her daughter magically because she feared for her health, which was why she had been in St-Mungo's with her earlier that week. She didn't want to take her post as the new transfiguration professor before she was certain her daughter was well and healthy. She was comforted by the idea that Harry was presently at Hogwarts too, teaching the defence against the dark arts class; and that Ginny and Madam Pomfrey would be the ones taking care of her daughter if anything happened. Ginny was happily training to be a medi-witch with Madam Pomfrey, while Harry was taking a break from his auror carrier, because it was becoming rather boring recently as most of the former Death Eaters were now either captured or dead. Hermione was glad to have familiar faces around her once again, she slowly got up when they reached her station and she rapidly made her way out of the subway holding her young child against her protectively. She reached the familiar red cabin walking slowly, she got into the cabin and picked up the phone.

"Ministry of Magic, how may I help you?" asked a synthetic voice.

"I have an appointment at two o'clock with the ministry and the council, name's Hermione Granger." She responded politely.

"Thank you Miss Granger, please hold on tightly, you may proceed into the ministry."

"Errr, thank you." She said quietly holding onto the safety bar when the elevator started moving.

She went down several floors before reaching the main entrance of the ministry; she got out of the elevator and spotting the young woman at the reception made her way to her to make her presence known.

She smiled politely, "Hello, I'm Hermio…."

"Ah, Miss Granger, what a pleasure," she interrupted Hermione.

"Yes well, could you inform me as to in which room am I to meet with the Minister?"

"Of course Miss Granger, Tilty here will show you the way to the Minister's Office." She supplied with a smile showing a house elf with her hand.

Hermione frowned, "Why, thank you."

"Tilty, show Miss Granger to the Minister's Office," said the receptionist coldly.

The house elf made its way to Hermione who was still holding her daughter carefully and smiled shyly. Hermione knelt to come face to face with the small creature, "hello Tilty, would you be so kind as to show me the way to the Minister's office, please." She emphasised the word giving a hard look at the receptionist.

"Fallow Tilty, please Miss." Said the elf softly.

"Of course, thank you very much," she said as she fallowed the creature in the many hallways of the ministry.

When they arrived at two large doors the little elf stopped and curtsied to Hermione, "here you are Miss, can Tilty do anything else for you Miss.?"

Hermione patted the creature on the head gently, "thank you very much Tilty, you were very helpful."

The house elf shot is head up to look at her, its eyes were all watery and it looked happy beyond belief. She smiled and knocked on the door that was in front of her. She heard a distinct 'crack' and realised the house elf had just disaparated when she felt the door creak open in front of her.

"Ah, Hermione, I thought it would be you. I'm glad you could come."

"Thank you Minister."

"Please, call me Amos, we go way back before that whole minister thing, and you were a friend of my Cedric."

"I would say more of an acquaintance Mr. Diggory really. But I was extremely affected by his tragic…disappearance."

The Minister smiled fondly, "why, thank you Hermione, but you and your friends have made up for this tragedy, by killing the dark lord you avenged my son."

Hermione nodded following the Minister inside, "that has a lot more to do with Harry sir, but thank you."

"Please take a seat," he said sitting himself in his own chair, "I wanted to meet you before we met with the whole council."

Hermione sat in a nearby armchair and realised that her movement had woke her daughter up, she smiled at her and helped her in a sitting position on her knees. The child remained quiet as she looked at the minister on the other side of the room.

"She is quite a beauty," said Mr. Diggory with a smile.

"Thank you sir, now I'm a little confuse as to why you might want to see me before the meeting," she said truthfully. She looked at him, while rubbing the back of her daughter absentmindedly. She was beginning to get quite nervous, she couldn't understand why St-Mungo's had sent her daughter's report here and hadn't informed her of anything.

"St-Mungo's are bound to give us any information which could be threatening the Ministry of Magic and any abnormalities," Mr. Diggory explained looking at her, "I'm sure you are aware of the special condition of your young daughter Hermione."

Hermione nodded; "I know I haven't properly introduced her into the system of the Ministry of Magic, but I am sure that you can understand Amos, that I was afraid for her well-being….her being the daughter of…" she trailed off, looking at the minister seriously.

"I see no problem with that, I understand her being special could be seen as a problem to her paternal side of the family." He nodded.

"To tell you the truth Minister, I was afraid Lucius Malfoy would see her as a threat to his family and I thought that given his history, she could be in danger because of that." Hermione hadn't realise her eyes were watery until a single tear fell on her cheek; she brushed it away rapidly with her free hand and kissed the top of her daughter's head affectionately.

"I understand consequently that her father is under secrecy, when it comes to her existence," he mentioned.

Hermione shook her head nervously, "you see Amos the reason I was so reticent about coming to meet you is that when it comes to her, there are more than enough secrets," she paused, "her father is not aware of her existence."

Diggory gaped at her, "He doesn't know?"

Hermione looked at the floor suddenly feeling ashamed and shook her head, "no, and if you don't mind, I'd rather keep it that way."

Diggory leaned back into his seat and eyed her, "It is your privilege to keep that information to yourself Hermione, I won't be telling and you can keep her last name under secrecy during the meeting later."

Hermione looked relived; she exhaled the breath she didn't know she was holding and hugged the quiet child closer. "Thank you Amos."

Her daughter whimpered and fidgeted a little, "sshh baby," Hermione comforted the child, "I'm sorry Amos, I think she's had enough of sitting on her mommy."

"She's a child, it's perfectly normal, I remember when my Cedric….," he said absentmindedly. He seemed lost in some happy memory involving his only child and sighed.

"Right, I'm sorry Hermione, and what is the name of this little beauty, if I may ask," he asked playfully as he caught her daughter's nose gently.

"Delaney Hayden Malfoy," stated Hermione.

Diggory eyed her, "a very fitting name that is, my young friend," he said watching the baby play with her hands innocently.

"Amos, shouldn't we get going?" Hermione asked nervously.

Diggory looked at the grandfather clock beside him, "Right, you are Hermione, well…." He trailed off lost in his thoughts, "sorry, here is little Delaney Hayden Granger for the moment." He said to the young mother.

He stood and held a hand for Hermione, she took it stood up as well, adjusted her daughter on her hip and followed the minister as he led her to the audience room on the second floor.

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Now this is it for the first chapter, sincerely hope you liked it...please let me know what you thought...