"Truth"
by Dorthey Star
Dear Draco,
Jemima asked about you again today. Honestly, she is as stubborn as you. She keeps asking when she's going to meet you and what you're like. I tell you she is the spitting image of you. I just wish she could have known you. You two would have gotten along so well! Harry took her for a fly today and let her fly on her own. She flies as well as Harry (in other words, she flies loads better than you! I'm just teasing). He looks after her like she's his own. No, I'm not romantically involved with Harry. Him and Ron ask me every time they see me 'who is Jem's father?' I swear they are two of the stupidest gits on the face of the earth. I mean, she looks just like you. They know you so they should recognize that she looks exactly like you. Maybe they're in denial? They're probably saying to themselves 'Malfoy can't possibly be that sweet child's father!' Today Jem is with the Weasley's at the Burrow. Molly has practically adopted her. She's made a hit with everyone except for Percy. I think he suspects who her father is and hates her for it. Fred and George are trying to get me to let her test some of their "harmless" joke stuff. Don't worry, I tell them no every time. Ron tells Jem of our times at Hogwarts. Who would have ever thought that Ron would become such a good writer? I mean his memoir about growing up with Harry (Harry hated it when Ron published that) was a bestseller for a long time. Then again, people might have bought it to know what Harry was like around his friends. Ron keeps telling me that he'll help me write a memoir, too, but every time I decline. Jem got her Hogwarts letter today. That means I'll have to quit my job. When she's at Hogwarts, DO NOT TELL HER! I will tell her when the time comes. Keep an eye out for her and if she gets into Gryffindor, don't take after Snape and become cruel and heartless towards the Gryffindors. Make sure that no one hurts Jem, but don't become her 24-7 guardian, all right? She would suspect that I asked you to watch over her and she would absolutely hate me for it and you. We're going to Diagon Alley Saturday to shop for her school things. We'll be there around noon. We're going to grab a bite to eat at the Leaky Cauldron before we start shopping. If you just, you know, happen to be there, then I could introduce you to Jem (although I dare say you two have met before) as her Potions Master and head of Slytherin. I wrote Professor McGonagall yesterday and told her that I could not come back for the next seven years…my, that sounds like a long time. I'm going to have to look for a job. There was an open position in Muggle Affairs. I think I'll go for that since I'm Muggle born. Jem wants to get her hair cut. Right now her gorgeous hair that she, luckily, inherited from you, is down to about her middle back. She wants to get it cut to about her ears. I absolutely refuse to let her. She was blessed to have beautiful looks and she should be thankful. When I was eleven, I had bushy brown hair and those huge front teeth. Jem her has perfect teeth. I guess that was she gets for having you has her father (not that anyone is complaining or anything). Jem should be home any minute so I'd better end this letter. If she happened to read it…well, enclosed is a picture of her that I took yesterday when we went down to the beach. I hope to see you soon.
Love,
Hermione
Draco Malfoy folded up the letter and put it in his pocket.
"What was that, dear?" Pansy asked. Draco, not wanting to have lunch alone, invited her along. Draco glanced at his watch. It was exactly noon.
"It was nothing, Pansy," Draco sighed as Pansy batted her eyelashes at him. He was in no way interested in her. There was only one woman for him, but she happened to be the one woman that he couldn't get. As if knowing that he was thinking about her, Hermione walked through the door with an eleven year old. She had long blonde hair, gray eyes, and a pale complexion. She was smiling at something Hermione had just said to her. Hermione looked up and met Draco's eyes.
"So that's the fatherless brat," Pansy said. Hermione shut her eyes tightly and counted to 10 slowly.
"Pansy, you know that every father has a child. Jemima has a father just as you have a father," Hermione has coolly.
"Yeah, but my father actually loved my mother," Pansy retorted. Draco had to bite his tongue before he said 'Yeah, well, Jemima's father loves her mother, too,' and blow their cover. Hermione ignored Pansy's remark.
"Jemima, this is Draco Malfoy. He'll be your Potions teacher at Hogwarts. Malfoy, this is Jemima Granger, my daughter," Hermione said. Then, as an after thought, added, "And that's Pansy Parkinson."
"Hello, Professor Malfoy, hello Miss Parkinson," Jemima said politely.
"Hello, Jemima. Are you coming back this year, Granger?" Draco asked, looking up at Hermione.
"No, but after Jem graduates I will come back. It was, uh, nice to see you two, but we need to get going," Hermione steered Jemima over to a table on the other side of the room. Draco stared after them, but when he remembered who he was with he quickly looked away.
"Isn't that brat ugly?" Pansy asked wickedly as she started to shovel food in a most unladylike way.
"Drop it, Pansy," Draco sighed tiredly. He knew he shouldn't have invited Pansy along, but he hadn't wanted to eat alone.
"Draco?"
"What."
"When do you leave for Hogwarts?"
"Tomorrow."
"Draco?"
"What."
"When are we going to get married?"
"WHAT?!" Draco practically yelled. He clapped a hand over his mouth. A moment later, he brought it back down to his side and spoke. "Where did you get the idea that we were going to get married, Pansy?" he asked in a quiet, cold tone.
"Well, we went to the Yule Ball together-"
"That was 17 years ago!"
"And I'm the only girl you seem to be interested in-"
"I am not interested in you, Pansy," Draco sighed.
"Then why did you invite me to lunch today?" she said, her bottom lip trembling.
"Because I didn't want to eat alone today."
"Then why did you have to come. You could have eaten at Malfoy Manor with your bratty mother."
"You will not insult my mother like that," he said in a dead quiet voice, his wand drawn. Then, before he could do anything, he swept out of the room. Hermione stared after him, wondering what had happened.
Hermione,
I bet your wondering about Pansy, right? Well, I didn't want to eat alone, so I decided to invite her. Why I picked her, I don't know. She somehow got the impression that we were going to marry. When I asked her how she get that impression, these are the points she used: I went to the Yule Ball with her (nearly 17 years ago!), she was the only girl I was "interested" in (I'm not interested in her), and I invited her to lunch (only because I didn't want to eat alone). Then, she went and insulted my mother! You are right, Jemima is beautiful. She has wonderful manners, too. I remember when you first showed her to me. She was such a small thing. What house do you think she'll be in? She has Malfoy blood in her, but she is very much your daughter. Maybe she'll get into Ravenclaw…that's a neutral house. If she got into Hufflepuff, I might not ever claim her…you know I'm lying about that. I would gladly claim her any day. So she flies better than me, eh? Well, she'd better not get onto the Gryffindor Quidditch Team if she's sorted into Gryffindor. That would kill me when Gryffindor plays Slytherin. Percy actually has some brains, huh? Well, I knew one of the Weasley's had to have at least a bit of brains. Of course I'll watch out for her. What is a father for? Not that she'll find out from me. You know, she'll probably be furious with us for not telling her. When do you plan on telling her? I want to be there when you tell her, or at least be available for her to talk to and ask questions to after she talks to you. Good luck with whatever job you find instead of teaching.
Yours,
Draco
Hermione put the letter in an elaborate ebony box and spelled it to keep it locked.
Draco, she wrote
She thought you were going to marry her because you invited her to lunch?! Ah, I remember the Yule Ball. I went with Viktor Krum and Harry and Ron with the Patil twins. I had such a lovely time, but I don't think Padama and Pavarti had such a nice time with their dates. It would be wonderful (to me) if she gets into Gryffindor; it would look odd if my daughter got into Slytherin. So, yes, let's root for Ravenclaw. I don't know when I'm going to tell Jem. When I do, I'll write you before I tell her and we'll figure something out. I want to be alone with her when I tell her, but maybe you can be at the house? I don't know. I have no idea what I'm going to do for 7 years! it will have to be a good job, one that I like. I'll start looking for jobs with the Ministry, I guess. I'll come to visit during the school year.
Love,
Hermione
The house was empty after Jem had left for Hogwarts. Hermione was sitting cross legged in the middle of her living room floor, looking at job ads, when Jem's owl, Natalie, flew in and dropped a letter in Hermione's lap.
Mum,
Hogwarts is great. You were right when you said I'd like it. I met Anna Longbottom. She says her dad is Neville Longbottom and you might know him (she says that her dad has talked about you before). We've become really good friends. I got sorted into Gryffindor. Professor Malfoy had a disappointed look on his face, but just for a moment…did he want me in Slytherin? Speaking of him and sorting and Slytherin and Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat said the oddest things. It talked about me having Malfoy blood and how I should be in Slytherin because of that, but that house didn't suit me at all and I was more suited for my mother's house, Gryffindor. What did it mean by that?
Love,
Jemima
Hermione dropped the letter. The sorting hat knew. It had practically told her who her father was. She had to get to Hogwarts fast. Quickly, she grabbed a quill and wrote a quick note before leaving.
Harry,
I have to go out on business for a few days. Please watch the house and collect all owls that might come to my house and the Daily Prophet. Please? Thanks!
All my love,
Hermione
PS Jemima got into Gryffindor!
Draco looked up from the book he was reading to look at the figure that was standing in his doorway. She was wearing a gorgeous scarlet dress with beautiful gold embroidering on it. It was Hermione.
"What are you doing here," Draco asked, standing up. Hermione walked into the room and shut the door behind her.
"I am here to set the sorting hat on fire," Hermione said coolly with no expression on her face.
"What happened?" Draco asked.
"Let me quote," Hermione pulled out Jemima's letter. "The Sorting Hat said the oddest things. It talked about me having Malfoy blood and how I should be in Slytherin because of that, but that house didn't suit me at all and I was more suited for my mother's house, Gryffindor." Hermione lowered the letter and looked into Draco's eyes.
"Did she ask you if I was her father?" Draco asked quietly.
"No, but she could be keeping her suspicions about that to herself. If I was in her position, I would do the exact same thing. I don't blame her. I've tried to make her life as ordinary as possible, but it will never be normal as long as she has no father that she knows of!" tears threatened to fall from Hermione's eyes.
"Don't cry. God, I can't stand it when you cry, Hermione." Draco pulled Hermione into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulders and his hand stroked her back.
"What are we going to do, Draco? What am I supposed to tell her? Oh, don't worry dear, the Sorting Hat says that to everyone or The Sorting Hat always lies. I can't do that! It never lies." She moaned.
"Tell her. Tell her who her father is, Hermione. There is nothing else to do. She may hate me for the rest of our lives, she may hate you, but she'll hate us more if we don't tell her," Draco whispered. Hermione nodded.
"What's the password to Gryffindor Tower? Do you know?" Hermione asked.
"It is 'Light and Life'. Go now, Hermione. I'll be here if she wants to ask me any question. You know where my bedroom is in case I've gone on to bed, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon." Draco sighed.
"Thanks, Draco," Hermione said and kissed him on the cheek. She found Jemima in Gryffindor Tower, sitting and talking with a little girl with black curls.
"Mum! What are you doing here?" Jemima asked, and jumped up to hug her mother. "Mum, this is Anna Longbottom. Anna, this is my mum." The little girl that was sitting next to Jemima had short curly brown hair and hazel eyes.
"Hello, Ms. Granger," Anna said politely.
"Hello, Anna," Hermione returned. "Is your father Neville Longbottom?"
"Yes, ma'am, he is."
"Tell him that I said hi, all right, sweetheart?" she asked, and Anna nodded. Hermione turned to Jemima. "I need to talk to you, honey, alone please."
"Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes, Anna," Jemima said and hopped up. She and Hermione went out into the hall and into a deserted classroom.
"I got your owl, Jem, and I wanted to explain a few things…I'll start out with telling you about who your father is. It will clear up a lot of things. Your father's father is a very, very evil man. He hates people who have Muggle parents, like I have. He calls them 'Mudbloods' which is the worst thing you can ever call a Muggle born witch or wizard. It's like saying they have dirty blood.
"When I went to Hogwarts with your father, I absolutely hated him. Then, I met him after graduation. I got to know him better and I fell in love with him. We had to keep our relationship a secret, though, because your father's father was still alive and hated me. After a few years, I got pregnant with you. I left Hogwarts, where I was teaching, and went to stay with Harry and Ron, then with my parents until I had you.
"When you were a few months old, I came back to your father and told him about you. He even got to meet you. The first thing he said when he saw you was 'she's so tiny.' He suggested we marry. I was all for it, but his father…So I just refused to tell anyone who your father was even though I still love him very much.
"I had hoped to wait until you were a little older before I told you who he was, Jem, but I figure that now that the Sorting Hat told you those things you would eventually figure it out. Your father, Jemima, is Draco Malfoy." Hermione sighed.
"Professor Malfoy is my father?" Jemima asked, her mouth opened in shock.
"Yes, dear, he is. Please, don't be too mad at us- I'll understand if you're a bit mad at us- but we did it for everyone's safety," Hermione begged.
"I'm not mad, mum. I guess I can kind of picture why you'd do it. Who is Prof- I mean- Father's father?" she asked, testing out 'father.'
"Lucius Malfoy," Hermione said darkly.
"Where have I heard of him?" Jemima asked, thinking hard. She knew his name, but she couldn't think of where she'd heard it.
"He's a Death Eater," Hermione said.
"Ah."
"Do you want to talk to Draco? He knew I was coming to tell you and he said if you had any questions or wanted to talk to him, just to find him," Hermione said. Jemima thought for a moment.
"I'll talk to him for a few minutes. It's kinda weird, though, you know?" Jemima and Hermione walked silently for a few minutes until they reached Draco's office.
"Wait out here, Jemima. If anyone comes across you and asks you what you're doing out here, just tell them you're waiting for Professor Malfoy, okay, sweetheart?" Hermione asked. Jemima nodded. Hermione walked into the office. Draco looked up from the paper he was obviously trying so hard to work on.
"Hey, how'd it go?" Draco asked.
"Well, I think. She says she's not mad at us, but you never know…She's right outside the door. She wants to talk to you for a few minutes. Shall I bring her in?" Hermione half turned toward the door, but was stopped by Draco who had hugged her.
"I'm glad she knows. Yes, bring her in." Draco sat down at the desk again and Hermione opened the door. Jemima walked in.
"I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes," Hermione said, and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.
"Hello, Jemima," Draco said pleasantly. "Sit down, please." Jemima sat down.
"Hello, Professor," Jemima said shyly.
"Call me father. Or Draco. Or Malfoy. Whatever you prefer," Draco said, "Professor sounds so impersonal. "
"Okay…father…" Jemima said uncertainly.
"What did you want to talk to me about?"
"My Mum."
"What about her?"
"Do you love her? Did you love her at all?" Jemima asked. Draco blinked in surprise.
"Of course I loved her and still love her," he said as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.
"Then why didn't you marry her?" she asked.
"I couldn't. I thought Hermione explained it all to you. Your life, her life, and my life would have been at stake if we'd married," Draco said.
"So? If you loved her then you would have risked it all, right?" Jemima asked.
"You don't understand at all," Draco sighed and shook his head.
"I do understand. You didn't love her enough to marry her!" Jemima practically yelled, then ran out of the room. Draco closed his eyes and leaned back with a sad look on his face. He didn't see Hermione look in, then follow Jemima. After a few minutes, Draco miserably went and curled up on his bed.
Hermione ran down the hall, following her daughter. Finally she caught her.
"Jemima Leigh Granger!" Hermione said angrily as she led her daughter to a deserted room.
"What." Jemima asked, not at all like a question.
"What in the world did you say to him?" Hermione demanded.
"Just that he obviously didn't love you enough. He didn't, honest. If he did, he would have married you no matter what the consequences."
"Jemima…you have no idea what you are talking about. If he had been anyone else, we could have married. You are too young for me to be telling this to you. I had hoped to wait until you were a little more mature, because you obviously aren't mature enough right now!" Hermione said and left a shocked Jemima, who had never been told a harsh word from her mother.
Hermione hurried down the halls, to Draco's office. Once there, she opened the door quietly. Draco wasn't in the office. Hermione walked across the office to the adjoining door that was his bedroom. Quietly, she opened it.
Draco heard the door open, but he didn't bother to look and see who it was. She hates me, he thought to himself, my daughter hates me and she'll tell Hermione that I didn't love her and Hermione will be mad at me and my whole life will be ruined. Needless to say, Draco was very depressed.
Hermione got on the bed and placed an hand on his arm. Draco rolled on his back and looked up at her with sad eyes. Hermione smoothed the hair from his forehead and kissed him there.
"I am very upset with Jemima," Hermione said as she settled down next to Draco.
"Why's that?" Draco asked tonelessly. Hermione studied him.
"You know very well why. She thinks she understands what our situation was- and is- like, but she doesn't. I know you loved me-"
"Love. I still love you, Hermione," Draco interrupted.
"Love," Hermione corrected herself, "and I know that there is no way we could have married. She's not old enough to understand this. I love you, Draco," Hermione yawned. Soon they drifted off to sleep.
Jemima made her way to Gryffindor Tower, not caring if anyone saw her. All she could think of was the fury in her mother's eyes when she'd told her that Draco didn't love her. Maybe he does love her, Jemima thought to herself, maybe they're both right and I don't understand this at all. She mentally sighed. When she arrived in the Commonroom, Anna was waiting for her.
"Why the long face?" asked the cheerful little girl. "Where'd your mum go? Why'd she have to talk to you?"
"I've hurt my mum's feelings," Jemima said and sat down miserably on a chair.
"How? What did she talk to you about?"
"I can't tell you," Jemima said and sighed.
"But we swore to tell each other all our secrets!" Anna protested.
"My mum told me not to tell anyone, and I can't betray her by telling you no matter how good you guard it or how much I want to tell you. I want to go to bed. Then in the morning I'll owl mum if she isn't still here." Jemima went to bed and fell asleep after many hours of tossing and turning.
When Hermione woke up the next morning, she had no clue as to where she was. She looked around and saw that she was in Draco's arms and in his bed. She kissed him and he stirred. He buried his face into her neck as he thought about what had happened the night before with Jemima.
"I'm going to quit and become a Muggle. Leave Jemima at Harry's house. Come and live with me in the States and we can find a way to stir up gossip about ourselves," he murmured.
"As wonderful as that sounds, I couldn't do that. Not before breakfast, that is," Hermione said and stood up. She looked down and frowned. Her dress was wrinkled. Quickly, she did several pressing charms and it looked as good as it did the night before.
"Breakfast…" Draco said gloomily. "I am serious about quitting, you know. I won't be able to look at her and teach her."
"Let's go down to breakfast, dear," Hermione said and pulled him (after he got changed in the bathroom) down to the Great Hall.
"You go in and then a few minutes later I will come in. It would look to suspicious with us coming in at the same time." Hermione said and Draco nodded. When he'd been inside for about ten minutes, Hermione entered. Professor McGonagall looked slightly miffed to see her there, but welcomed her to sit at the Staff Table all the same. Ironically, the only spot was in between Professor McGonagall and Draco.
"What are you doing here?" Professor McGonagall asked Hermione in a surprised tone of voice.
"I needed to come and talk to Jemima," Hermione said and took a bite of her food.
"Minerva?" Draco said, leaning behind Hermione.
"Yes, Draco?"
"I need to talk to you and Hermione after breakfast," he said. McGonagall nodded and turned away.
"What are you going to tell us?" Hermione asked.
"You're going to tell her about Jemima's father and I'm going to quit," Draco said in a as-matter-of-fact tone.
Jemima walked into breakfast a little late. She automatically glanced at the Staff Table and saw her mother talking to Draco. She resolved to apologize to both of them later that day before they did anything drastic. She slid into the seat beside Anna.
"Your mum doesn't look too mad. She looks…" Anna trailed off, looking for the right word.
"Pensive," Jemima finished.
"Pensive?" Anna asked, looking at her friend, puzzled.
"Yeah. It means 'thoughtful' and stuff."
After Breakfast, Draco and Hermione followed Minerva to her office.
"Now," Professor McGonagall said, "what was it that you two wanted to talk to me about?"
"Jemima, mostly," Draco said.
"She's a beautiful child," Professor McGonagall said.
"Yes. She takes after her father," Hermione said softly in a sad tone of voice . The room was silent. "I want to tell you who her father is. I've talked it over with him and he agrees. You see, I couldn't tell anyone because of his father…" Hermione trailed off and shut her eyes. She could feel Draco slip his hand into hers and give it a squeeze. "Draco is her father." There was a stunned silence in the room.
"My, I wasn't expecting that this early in the morning," Professor McGonagall murmured quietly.
"You see, while we were teaching before Jemima was born, we'd been having a secret relationship. My father couldn't know or else he would have killed both of us and Jemima after she was born," Draco said.
"That's why I had to keep Draco's part in this a secret," Hermione explained.
"Why are you telling me this?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Last night I told Jemima who her father was. She was really upset and said some horrible things that I won't go into," Hermione said.
"After she found out, I knew I couldn't look her in the face again, so I'm here to resign," Draco finished.
"Resign? But, we need you. I don't know if I can find a replacement this soon!" Professor McGonagall said, worriedly.
"Professor Lupin might be up for it. Of course, he wouldn't be Head of Slytherin. You could give that…honor…back to Professor Snape," Hermione suggested.
"I guess I could write him…Ah, you two always did make life tougher," Professor McGonagall murmured.
"Sorry," Hermione and Draco said at the same time. Professor McGonagall shooed them out of the office.
"What now?" Draco asked and rubbed his eyes as they stood in the hallway against the wall.
"I've got to find Jemima and talk to her. After that I've got to go back home. Harry'll be wondering what's happened to me," Hermione sighed heavily.
"Well, I guess I should go to tell my house about my decision. Bye Hermione, keep in touch," Draco said and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. Hermione pulled him into her arms for a hug.
"This will all work out in time, I'm sure," she whispered into his ear before heading down the hall in the opposite direction of the Slytherin Commonroom.
Draco stepped into his Commonroom. All the Slytherins stopped what they were doing to look at him.
"I've come to inform you," he said, "that due to unnamed circumstances, I've just resigned. Professor Snape will become your head of house and you will be getting a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Draco said and left.
Hermione found Jemima on her way to her first class of the day.
"Mum!" Jemima said, and hurried over to Hermione. "I'm sorry, mum. I've realized that I don't understand it at all. I'm really sorry about what I said to you and Prof- I mean, dad," Jemima said in a rush of words.
"It's all right, honey. I didn't really expect you to understand. I've just come back from talking with Professor McGonagall. Draco is resigning."
"This is all my fault, isn't it?" Jemima moaned and put her head in her arms.
"No, sweetheart, it isn't your fault at all," Hermione said and pulled her daughter closer to her.
"I love you, Mum," Jemima murmured against her mother's robes.
"I love you too, darling," Hermione said. She knew that Jemima still didn't understand, but someday she would. Someday she would be able to accept her father and to get to know him. Not in the near future, of course, but someday.
THE END
Disclaimer: I own Anna and Jemima. JKR owns everything else.
Author's Note: tee hee. I bet *most* of you didn't expect this. I never said anything about a sequel/companion to "Two Worlds Apart" did I? Well, expect the unexpected. Here's what I have to say about any dreams and hopes you have for Draco and Hermione: only time can tell. Hmmm…story name idea? *light bulb appears over her head* Anyway, a Snicker's bar for everyone who reviews!
Love Always,
Dorthey Star
"I'm different, just like everyone else," -unknown