The Baby Project: Put me back together

Hermione- Chapter 11

I've never thought much about break-ups. I knew they happened, of course, but I hadn't really considered the impact of them. Whether your heart is being broken, or you're breaking someone else's, it's never easy. 

I broke Ron's heart. 

Guilt sweeps over me in a strong wave, its force making me suddenly halt. 

"Oof," Ginny mutters, crashing in to me. "Why'd you stop Mione?"

I shake my head, trying to clear my mind of any Ron-related thoughts. 

It only makes me feel worse. 

No. I need to focus on the present, not the past. 

Right now, my present self is on a walk with Ginny and Cho. We're bundled up in our winter coats, although it's only October. The wind is bitter and i wrap my coat tighter around my not-quite-thin-enough frame. 

I can vaguely hear the girls talking, and it is only when Ginny squeals excitedly that I start to pay attention. 

Then Ginny is hugging Cho excitedly, pulling on my arm and squealing loudly. That girl has LUNGS.

Cho doesn't look nearly as happy, but she forces a smile anyway. 

I feel bad for not paying attention to them, but curiousity gets the better of me.

"Hmm, what did you just say?"

Cho opens her mouth to speak, but Ginny gets there first.

"Cho's having TWINS!"

I look at Cho for confirmation. "Madame Pomfrey told me this morning," she says, still smiling. 

I rasie my eyebrows. "That's great Cho!" I say, but her smile only gets weaker. 

I sense that she's not happy about this, but I don't want to say anything in front of Ginny.

We generally chat after that, but Ginny can't seem to help circling back to babies.

"Have you thought of any names yet?"

"Won't it be exciting to have twins?"

"I wonder who they'll look like!"

I love Ginny, but all I really want to do right now is go to bed, and all this baby talk is really tiring me out.

Or maybe it's the fact that I haven't eaten for 26 hours.

Cho seems to feel the same way, because after Ginny has departed from our merry trio in a flurry of hugs and air kisses, she turns to me, her smile not quite sincere.

"What am I going to do Mione?" She whispers, her voice breaking slightly.

I hug her, and she falls into my embrace.

"Ron's still not come around then?" I ask, although I already know the answer.

"That's the problem, how am I going to tell him?" She sniffs, and I feel a drop of moisture fall onto my shoulder.

"It's ok, we'll find a way Cho," I soothe as she cries harder.

My heart breaks for her.

She doesn't deserve this.

None of us do.

Before long, I am crying too, the exhaustion and hormones getting to me.

What am I going to do about Ron?

How am I going to tell Draco about this?

Why should I?

My mind is a mess of questions and thoughts, all jumbled up together and impossible to make sense of.

I just want to think.

I don't remember Cho taking me back to the apartment.

I don't remember her handing me over to Draco.

I don't remember him stroking my hair as I fall asleep.

I don't remember how that simple gesture soothed me, made me feel safe.

I don't remember waking up in his arms.

Again.

But this time, it is different.

I have nothing to lose.

So when he stirs next to me and lazily smiles at me in those few seconds his guard is down, I seize the opportunity to lean in closer.

He inhales softly, his mesmerising grey eyes staring into mine, silently asking me a thousand questions.

"Yes," I whisper, and our lips meet in a soft, beautiful kiss.

It is so different from kissing Ron.

With Ron, kisses were always rough and dreadfully elongated, which I didn't like but didn't have the courage to admit.

With Draco, it is short and sweet, and leaves me craving another.

And the best part is, I don't regret a second of it.

"Morning," he says sleepily, still seemingly not have realised the severity of kissing a mudblood.

"Morning," I reply, stretching lazily.

It is almost perfect, staring into his eyes, until I feel the queasy feeling of nausea creeping back in.

I push him aside and bolt to the bathroom, but don't quite make it there. I collapse on the floor, my legs too weak to hold me up any longer.

I'm so tired.

The most surprising thing is, Draco comes and sits next to me, not saying anything, just sensing I need the opportunity to let it all out.

I take it, and cry into his lap, not realising he is cradling my head until after my tears subside.

Huh, who would have thought Draco Malfoy would have a sensitive side?

A/N: Hiya, sorry for the lack of updates recently, I was rereading through some old comments on this story and that gave me the motivation to finish this chapter! Thank you all so much for that!

Enjoying it so far?

Lots of love

Saf xx