Aurelian (Dramione)

Chapter 32: Good Sense Take Leave

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"Aurelian, sweetheart…"

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"Can you please play with something a little quieter?" Hermione asked softly, sinking deeper into the sofa.

THUNK. THUNK.

The noise stopped and Hermione sighed in relief. She felt bad asking him to stop because he was being such a good little boy that morning, but her raging headache could not take it. Draco had been right. It turned out to not be allergies. She was sick.

She had gone to bed the previous evening with a stuffy nose and an itch in the back of her throat and awoke up five o'clock that morning feeling absolutely miserable. She had a sore throat, an ear ache, and her sinuses were throbbing. Her body ached all over and her head pounded painfully with each heartbeat. It was rather rare that she fell ill, but when she did, it came on full force. Normally, she would retreat to bed and sleep it off the best she could, but with a child to care for, it wasn't an option. She had tried to work on translating scripts for the fidelius charm, but she just couldn't bring herself to concentrate. Instead, she collapsed onto the sofa and watched Aurelian play with his toys.

She closed her eyes and tried to find the motivation to get up. She found enough earlier to make Aurelian some breakfast, but the two of them were still in their pajamas. She just needed to summon the energy to get the two of them dressed and go to the store to buy some pepper-up potion. If she could just do that, she would be able to get through the day.

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"Please, Aurelian. Your troll makes too much noise. Please won't you put him away and play something quieter?" Hermione pleaded in a whimper.

"My did, Mummy," he answered.

Hermione lifted her head. Aurelian was kneeling in the middle of the living room playing with the toy cars that her mother had bought him. In the toy box, she saw the troll's head sticking out.

"Da door, Mummy. Someone here," he told her.

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Hermione sat up further and stared over the back of the couch at the front door.

"Just a minute," she called. She took a deep breath and forced herself off of the warm comfortable cushions and trudged her exhausted body to the door. If it was just some solicitor, she was afraid she might hex them.

She opened the door and a tiny, hopeful smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"I know Potter said we'd get together when he was done with his shopping, but I got an owl and I…" Draco paused. "Merlin, are you okay? You look terrible."

"Gee, thanks," she chortled.

"I was right. You're sick. Are you alright?" he asked, letting himself in.

"Hi, Daddy! Mummy sick," Aurelian announced with a small pout.

"Yes, I see that. Have you taken anything?" he asked. He instinctively placed the back of his hand against her forehead. "Merlin, you've even got a fever."

"I'm alright. I haven't taken anything yet. I don't have anything in the house. Aurelian and I were just about to get dressed and go get some," she told him. She glanced at the clock as she said it. "Merlin! It's already eleven o'clock?"

"You should have contacted me. I would have-"

THUNK. THUNK. THUNK.

Draco turned around and looked curiously at the door. Without thinking, he opened it.