Lion Cub / A Dramione Story

July 1st 2006

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July 1st

(Hermione)

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Three things happened in quick succession of one another.

First, a pit formed in the bottom of her stomach. She practically felt her skin go pale and clammy as Draco rushed to Theo and tried to get more information about what he meant by his words. Hermione was having a hard time stringing it together as well.

'I think Andromeda told her'

Really, it could have meant anything. But the urgency with which Theo had arrived, and how disheveled he had appeared. Well, Hermione had rarely seen a witch or wizard in that state of magical depletion. The last time she'd witnessed someone so worn out and exhausted, was during the Battle of Hogwarts. Theodore Nott had been at it for hours, struggling to contain Narcissa Malfoy's explosive rage.

Two things floated in her mind: That Andromeda had assumed Narcissi had received the paper detailing the information about Hermione and Draco's relationship to each other and their son, or Andromeda has assumed she already knew and was bringing it up in casual tea conversation.

Hermione knew that Draco had been in conversation with his Aunt quite regularly since reuniting at the Burrow that one night. He had informed her that Andromeda was under the exception of his to keep quite about Leo until Narcissi's mental state was stable enough - or it became too much of a burden for them to hide it anymore. Had Draco forgotten to inform his Aunt that Narcissa was still not in the know? Perhaps Draco had only assumed Andromeda would await his instruction.

Either way, Hermione could guess it was one of the two bombshells that had been dropped. That she, a Muggle-born witch who had fought against his family in the war was now dating her son. Or that Narcissa Malfoy was now aware that she had a mother grandson, with said Muggle-Born witch. It could be either - or both.

The pit in her stomach had immediately been followed by a cry from the hall they had just gone down. That was the second things.

One of the boys was awake. At the most inopportune time it seems.

Draco, who was now leaning over Theo, both concern for his friend and petrified horror in his eyes at what his mother might know, very sharply turned his head to noise. It seemed his instinct. Fatherly instinct told him everything he needed to know. It was Scorpius who had woken up to all the noise. The fact that the cry was too shrill to be that of a seven-year old.

"I'll get him" Hermione whispered, barley taking her eyes off the the weakening Theo and her very worried boyfriend.

The third thing to happen, just as Hermione was pulling away from the living room, came not as a shock to her or Draco. She heard a loud thump before her vision caught the body falling to the ground. Draco's arms reached just in time to catch his head and ensure he didn't sustain any damage: quick Healer reflexes.

Thep had passed out.

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"Dada! Dada!" Scorpius whined.

Hermione was doing her best to soothe the distressed toddler, she was using all the tactics that had worked on Leo, but to no avail. The boy only wanted his father, who Hermione was less than ready to bring him too. The last thing Hermione had seen as she ducked into Scorpius' bedroom was Draco catching Theo as he passed out. She guessed it was simply from exertion on his magic, and tiredness from trying to contain whatever magic Narcissa had unleashed in her nervous wreck.