Cafe

Chapter 27

It was finally February 1st, and Hermione was standing outside her new apartment door with Draco. She was thrilled to be moving in with him, no more working around whose place they were going to stay at, or lugging clothes around. They were going to be together, and she was beyond ready. 

Ginny had tagged along to make sure everything was done efficiently as possible, seeing as she was in no fit state to be carrying anything around. George, Angelina, Charlie, and Harry were there as well to help them move and Hermione couldn't have been more grateful. She had told them countless times that they didn't need to spend their whole day helping seeing as they all had magic it would go quickly. 

Hermione walked through the rooms with Ginny and Angelina making final decisions about where she wanted everything. The boys meanwhile had taken all the shrunken furniture and levitated into the rooms that the girls had specified. The work didn't take long and before they all knew it they were sitting in the living room discussing the upcoming wedding and baby. 

"I cannot believe that the baby is going to be born so close to the wedding," Hermione said having done the math in her head around 10 times before saying it out loud. 

"Yes, I've already given it a good proper warning it is to stay put until after. Couldn't go and miss my own brother's wedding now could I." Ginny placed her hand on her stomach and gave it a good stern look.

"Already practicing to be as hard as Mother are you?" George winked at Ginny and everyone laughed. 

The joy spread through Draco like never before. He had been thinking about it for quite some time, but days like these made him think about it twice as hard and long. He wanted to marry Hermione Granger, and he wanted it to be soon. He wanted a life with her, to grow old with her, and to watch their children make friends like the ones he was making now. 

"Thank you all so much again for coming to help us move it. We appreciate it so very much." Hermione hugged her friends once more, and Draco shook their hands smiling at them. Who would have known that meeting Margaret and buying that cafe would bring him so much love and happiness? 

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Hermione laid her head on Draco's shoulder when she came and sat back down on the couch after she had shown everyone to the door. She wanted to stay like this forever, but tomorrow was Monday and she would be back to work. 

"You know," Draco started, "In Greece, you seemed pretty adamant on turning Malfoy Manor into something incredible. What happened to that?"

"We both go too busy, you know that," Hermione was already tired, and tomorrow she knew she would put in a long day. There were trials for people sentenced with terrible crimes. She knew it was going to bring the nightmares back. It always did. 

"Well, I was thinking we could make it an Orphanage." Draco watched Hermione sit up the look on her face was pure shock. "It has enough rooms, I am sure of that. And the kitchens are big enough to support plenty of people. We could find the best Healers, and Professors, and perhaps mothers how have lost their children to help run it. I never want to live there again, but seeing it end up as rubble seems like an idea that would haunt me forever. 

"Draco, I don't know what to say. That sounds like a wonderful idea." 

"I want someone to grow up happy there. I know my father didn't, and I know I certainly didn't."

"Draco," Hermione didn't know if she had the time anymore to plan something of that magnitude, let alone put it into effect. 

"Oh, sweetheart, I know you are much too busy to take this on. I can do it, and um...Ginny offered to help me."

"Ginny is about to have a baby..."

"Well, she told me she is bored out of her mind staying at home every single day. Harry and all her brothers think she is going to break at any given moment, and she needs something to distract her before she is locked up taking care of a child. She gave up her whole career to be a  mother."

"Harry isn't going to lock her up," Hermione was mortified that Ginny thought that. She could understand the boys being extra careful with her, and treating her differently. Bill was the only one that had a child, but she was still going to be around.

"She is just worried that once the baby comes that it will consume her. You will be working all the time, and once Harry goes back to work she is going to be at that house all day. By herself."

Hermione felt tears in her eyes. How had Draco known all of this about her closest friend and she didn't?

"I had no idea,"

"Of course not Hermione, she didn't even want to tell me. I could just tell she was feeling anxious and I asked her about it. My mother told me once that she  hated being alone all day while my father was working, and so I just guessed that was what was bother her."

"She doesn't have to give up playing. Once the baby is here, and a little older she can go back to playing, or coaching. Or start a whole new team if she wants." Hermione was ready to pick the phone up right then to tell Ginny all of this, but Draco just pulled her in tight. 

"Darling, you and I both know that she cannot wait to be a mother. And she is going to be incredible at it. She just wants to know that all her friends will be there for her. She might feel a bit lonely afterward. It is really common so I am told. I only brought it up because of the Manor, I didn't mean to make you upset."

Hermione tried to clear her thoughts. Of course the Manor. That was the real conversation after all. She made herself a mental note to start getting lunch with Ginny twice a week so that she could get out of the house when the baby came. 

"So, what do you think of my idea?"

"I love it Draco. I think it is a great idea. Just wonderful."