✖He's Not Mine [An Utterly Ridiculous Dramione Baby Story . . . Sort-of]

TWENTY-FOUR

A VERY HOGWARTS FAREWELL

January dragged on for ages, while February, March, April, May, and June flew by.

Valentine's Day brought another round of strip poker in the Room of Requirement -- this one a game in which almost everyone participated.

Eight days later, they stormed the Hufflepuff common room to surprise Hannah Abbott with a hand-baked birthday cake.

Ron's birthday was spent in Hogsmeade, downing Butterbeer after Butterbeer and sharing the most embarrassing stories they could find of the birthday boy.

April Fools brought a nice joke carried by the Weasley twins which somehow succeeded in drenching Professor McGonagall with muddy water. The boys were banned from the property for a decade, or until she cleaned and dried herself off.

Twelve days later, a bunch of seventeen to nineteen year old witches and wizards snuck off school property to wish a blue haired boy a very happy first birthday and watch him try to mimic everyone's features.

May second was spent in silence, everyone thinking about people they had lost, some plagued by deaths they had caused. The night brought back endless nightmares and little to no one slept that night.

Three days later, things brightened when Rom decided it would be wise to prank Lavender for her birthday. It didn't end well for him -- well, as far as anyone else knew.

Draco's birthday was Hermione's favourite. She had been the first to wish him by very generously emptying a bucket of ice water in him at three in the morning when she woke and couldn't go back to sleep. Tobias had witnessed the spectacle, having woken when Hermione tripped into the nursery and brought a shelf down with her (she managed to cast a silencing charm on the nursery to keep Draco from waking), so when he was handed a bottle of water to drink, he threw the sippy cup at Draco. The Slytherin ignored Hermione as best as he could for as long as he could, while she laughed as everyone followed suit. Draco didn't have a dry moment that day.

Twenty five days later, hearts were heavy with sadness and a feeling of leaving behind a very dear friend. For the first time in what felt like years, the school gathered to bid farewell to people who hadn't died, who had merely graduated.

But for some, Hogwarts wasn't what they would miss most. They had gotten attached to the little boy that had once been their greasy Potions professor, but they made peace with the fact that they wouldn't be spending every day around each other.

Hermione watched from a distance as Draco spoke to Pansy and Blaise, the baby boy balanced in one arm and the baby knapsack she'd bought in Hogsmeade slung over his other shoulder.

She had just said goodbye to Professor McGonagall and was waiting with Ron while Harry greeted the woman.

"Don't be ridiculous, Potter," they heard her snap. They smiled; they hadn't expected her to be teary and she didn't disappoint. "Being an Auror doesn't suit you anymore. You'll hate it."

She glanced at the pair watching her. "Mr Weasley will thrive there, but you . . . you are a born professor, Potter, and you can't change my mind."

"I am eighteen years old, professor," Harry said, sounding like he'd said it a hundred times already.

"So? Hogwarts will still be here when you decide to return."

Harry shook his head and smile. "Goodbye, professor."

"Take care, Harry Potter. And good luck."

Harry, on impulse, decided to hug the only motherly figure he had that could even begin to compare with Molly Weasley. McGonagall was surprised, but like with Hermione, she hugged her student back.

"Miss Weasley," she said when Ginny approached. "I shall see you in three months time."

Ginny smiled and nodded. "Yes, professor. I'll be back. Harry?"

She held out her hand and Harry took it. With one final glance at his teachers and the school, they got on the train and left.

■■■■■

Hermione stood up very suddenly. "I have to go . . . do something."

Harry and Ron shared a glance. "Like what?" Harry asked.

"Er . . . something."

Lavender sighed and leaned against her boyfriend. Ginny flicked her boyfriend's forehead. "She's too polite to say she's wants to go pee. Go on, Hermione."

Lavender grinned. "Listen, if you need moral support while you're 'peeing' just call and Ginny and I will come running."

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, but more like jogging, because we're tired."

Hermione smiled, but it looked more like a grimace as she left the compartment.

"She's not going to the bathroom," Harry said. "Hermione hasn't had a polite day since she last spoke to Narcissa Malfoy."

"We know, Harry, but you can't just ask her where she'd going like that. She's too confused herself."

"Yeah," Lavender agreed. "Don't make her more confused."

"Wait," Ron said. "Now I'm confused."

"It's okay, love, we have a whole train ride to explain."

Harry suddenly grinned. "You know, as your best friend, I haven't really fulfilled my duties well."

"What's that look for, mate?"

"Remember when Lavender was drawing hearts on the window of our compartment?"

Both Ron and Lavender looked mortified while Ginny started to laugh. It didn't get any better when Harry simply continued on with more embarrassing moments, each one making the couple go redder and redder. Five minutes in, Lavender and Ron started retaliating.

"You said he liked her because she has nice skin!"

■■■■■

Hermione closed the compartment door behind her and stared at the Slytherin in front of her.

"Did you want to say a proper goodbye or is there something specific?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"Tobias needs you," Draco said simply. "Now, please."

Hermione didn't need to be told twice and followed Draco down the train to the compartment he shared with Blaise and Pansy. The two passed the baby boy to Hermione, glanced at Draco, then each other, and left.

Hermione gently sushed Tobias and let the rocking motion caused by the train lull him to sleep. She stared at the boy, unable to admit to Draco that she didn't think she could continue without Tobias. She'd become attatched to him.

"You know, we could always continue staying together," Draco mused.

Hermione lifted her head, and Draco continued. "I mean, this here is proof that Tobias can't survive without you. For his sake, maybe we could suffer it out a little longer?"

Draco would not admit that he liked Hermione's company at three in the morning when both were woken by their nightmares and they sat to discuss it, effectively lessening how terrifying they could be to remember.

Hermione smiled. "Yes, I suppose it would be cruel to force him to live without one of the two people he thinks are his parents."

"I knew you'd understand."

"The only problem is going to be having to actually buy things for him, seeing as we won't have the luxury of the Room of Requirement."

Draco nodded as he sat down. Hermione sat down too, after settling Tobias in the car seat she and Lavender insisted Draco use on the train ride.