Merlin's Coven

Merlin’s Coven

Chapter 8

“I just wanted to say…thanks. Thanks for your help tonight. And congratulations.” Harry Potter stuck his hand out to Draco. Draco was flabbergasted to hear the words, but he stuck his hand out and shook Potter’s hand.

“Your welcome. It was all of us though, and we merely did what the coven commanded we do,” Draco said quietly as not to wake the sleeping Hermione.

“I had my doubts about this coven in the beginning. I still do, but what you did tonight, saved my life and the lives of The Order. Now, if you don’t mind, Franz has set us up on a double date. With all of this stuff with Voldemort going on, I think I have forgotten how to cut loose and have fun. Best to you and ‘Mione. Tell her congratulations for me, won’t you?” Harry turned to leave.

“Why not tell her yourself? “ Draco said noticing Hermione peeking out from the covers with one eye, not wanting to interrupt a possible reconciliation between her best friend and her husband.

“Congratulations Hermione. You are going to make the best mother,” Harry smiled.

“And Draco will make the best Father,” Hermione added. Harry looked at Draco, as if questioning that notion and then turned to leave.

“That was brilliant! Spectacular! Ron bounded over to Draco now.

“Let’s let Hermione rest. She needs it,” Draco said, looking at Hermione, as if commanding her to rest, because she needed it. Hermione didn’t argue and Draco closed the drapes of their bedchamber and left with Ron. “Good teamwork back there,” Draco said slapping Ron’s hand.

“Yeah, I mean I know You Know Who got away, but we dealt those fucking Death Eaters a deathblow tonight!” Ron was overjoyed and excited. Draco too was feeling good. Amidst all of the excitement of the wedding and the battle, Draco remembered that he was still Headboy and in so, they still had school tomorrow. He reminded the members of the coven that tomorrow was a new day and then he crawled into bed with his…wife. It felt so strange, but good, to call his smart and beautiful Hermione, his wife. He curled an arm around her middle and Hermione, reflexively nuzzled into his chest. Draco held his wife and slept peacefully with the stars twinkling above them.

Hermione was up early the next day. She had a full day of classes, and she wanted to stop by the library to do some research on pregnancy, and also on Merlin and any related prophecies. She felt sluggish this morning as she rolled out of bed, literally. She looked in the mirror and decided that her belly had grown even bigger. Her robes barely covered her bulging stomach now.

“Beautiful,” Draco said with his thoughts, stepping behind her and kissing her neck. Hermione smiled at the image in the mirror. Draco was the beautiful one. She was a short,fat,dumpy looking Gryffindor girl and he was this majestic Prince.

Draco joined Hermione at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. There was no reason for him to return to Slytherin. They all hated him anyway, and he could care less. Hermione could barely stomach food, the smell of pumpkin juice making her sick this morning. Ginny and Lavender, and even Pansy looked strikingly beautiful she noticed. Hermione couldn’t tell if it was that they looked beautiful, or that she felt so crummy and looked so ugly. Still, the Gryffindor table looked more crowded then usual.

“Ginny, is it me, or are there more people at the table this morning?” Hermione asked, pushing her plate of food away. Draco scooted her plate back to her, whispering to her in her thoughts, that she needs to eat, if not for her, for their baby. She reluctantly forced a bite of toast down.

“We’ve all been getting hit on. It’s bizarre, really. Oliver told one Ravenclaw seventh year, to take a hike. It was sweet really,” Ginny giggled.

“Me too! Cormac McLaggen asked me out, the second I stepped into the Great Hall,” Lavender Brown blushed.

“You too Pansy?” Hermione gazed down the table to ask Pansy if she too was being hit on, but Ron’s tongue was clearly harboring her ability to speak, as they made out over their pumpkin juice and pastries. Tonks strode by with Lupin and winked at Hermione and Draco. She too, looked stunning., her face all a glow and Lupin’s hand around her waist. It seemed everyone was feeling great and looking great, but Hermione.

“You’re beautiful,” Draco said aloud after sensing her thoughts. “You ready for Potions this morning?” Draco cringed, knowing that their assignment was to make a particularly nasty smelling sulpher potion. He knew it was not going to be an easy assignment for Hermione what with her sudden aversion to smells.

“Oh my Gods! Look who Harry is kissing,” Ginny pointed and covered her mouth. Harry had entered the Great Hall with Cho Chang on his arm. He turned and kissed her and then made his way over to the Gryffindor table as she proceeded to Ravenclaw.

“Cho again eh,Harry?” Ron commented, coming up for air with Pansy Parkinson. Harry blushed and stared down at his food,ignoring Ron’s question. Franz Herrin plopped his book bag down next to Harry, taking a seat.

“So you two looked pretty hot and heavy last night. I told you she wanted you,” Franz said punching Harry in the arm mockingly. Harry ignored him and continued to eat with his head down.

“Good for you Harry. After last night you deserved a little TLC,” Ron said glaring at Franz. Something about the new boy just did not feel right.

.

Potions was a catastrophe. Hermione vomited twice, while Draco cast cleansing charms. Students were backing away from her like a pregnant girl was a fully grown mountain troll or worse, like if they got too close to her, her pregnancy might rub off on them. Draco could tell that the alienation was getting to Hermione, even though she put on a brave face for Draco. Draco finished the potion for her, since he was better at potions then Hermione anyway, and then asked the Professor if they could leave early. He propped Hermione up against the wall in the corridor and gave her a once over, making sure she was alright.

“It’s all over with. That potion almost made me throw up too, so don’t feel bad. But we got full points for it, so no need to worry.”

“I’m not worrying Draco,honestly. You did wonderful. Thank you for cleaning up after me. I feel so embarrassed. The last thing I want, is for my husband to have to clean up my upchuck, the day after our wedding.”

“You are having my baby. It’s the least I can do.”

“Draco, do you regret this? I mean…I’ll let you out of this if you want. I know it happened so fast.”

“Do you think I’m so shallow, that I would leave you because you got sick a couple of times?” Draco looked wounded by her words.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just…Look at me Draco? I’m tired and weak. I’m fat and ugly. My hair won’t do a thing, except frizz and the baby won’t stop kicking me.” Draco said not a word as he picked her up and carried her down the corridors. Students gawked at them and whispered behind their backs. The door to the Room of Requirement opened and Draco put her straight to bed.

“I have Charms next. Come on Draco help me get up. You know I can’t get out of bed on my own anymore.” Hermione was growing larger by the day. She looked to be at least five months pregnant now. At this rate, she would deliver in another month.

“You are staying right here.” Draco called out to the forest sprite, Worth. He appeared out of nowhere at Draco’s command.

“Worth, I want you to go to all of Hermione’s classes and retrieve her books and classwork for her. Then you will stay and watch over her, until I return.”

“Thanks Draco. I really owe you,” Hermione said, her body feeling like dead weight as she lay back and rested her weary head and swollen feet.

“Don’t worry about it. I love you. Your health is so much more important then some silly classes,” Draco kissed her on the lips and then smiled and left. He wanted to explain the situation to Hermione’s teachers, before Worth got to them and then he planned on checking out a few books from the restricted section of the library, for Hermione to delve through. He felt that she needed to stay in bed. She did look weak and very tired and while Draco, still thought she was beautiful, he had noticed the changes, as it seemed her life force was dwindling, and it caused him worry.

.

Hermione did her classwork first. She felt loads better being away from the crowds of immature students, who acted as if they had never seen a pregnant woman before. With all of her studies finished, she reached for one of the many books Draco had given her, from the restricted section. The first three books, had some basic information about Merlin and his contributions to the wizarding world. While fascinating reading, it wasn’t exactly what she was looking for. She reached for a book entitled Ancient Prophecies and opened it. This was not a subject that held great weight with Hermione. She had always thought that Divination was a ridiculous subject and that every witch and wizard held their own fate in their own hands. To believe otherwise, was to give up their power to some fabled wives tale, from centuries past. Still, with recent events such as they were, Hermione Granger, married and pregnant, and part of a coven, there was no denying the fragility of her situation. She turned the pages slowly, the giant book lying on her lap. The baby kicked her hard in the ribs and she groaned, patting her ribs and talking to the baby boy inside her.

“Do you like this book, son of mine? Surely you can find a better way of telling me, without kicking Mummy,” Hermione sucked her breath in when she felt the child roll inside her. She pulled her shirt up and decided that it was time to accept her body the way it was. She stroked her abdomen and the baby pushed out against her hand, with what she was sure was a little hand. Hermione giggled this time, as if playing a game with her unborn baby. She suddenly caught sight of his blond hair out of the corner of her eye and when she turned, there was Draco,book bag in hand, smiling proudly at his new family. He dropped the bag of books for Hermione, and sunk into the bed next to his wife. His hands roamed over her belly, and he looked mystified at feeling his baby move insider her. Hermione, never would have known that Draco Malfoy had this warm, tender side to him, but then again, she had never really taken the opportunity to know him before now. He stroked her belly and whispered to his unborn son, how he was going to teach him how to fly and a myriad of other completely ridiculous and absolutely adorable things. The baby pushed against his hand as Hermione ran her fingers through Draco’s hair.

“You know…I never had a happy family life, but this, this feels so good. I can’t wait to see our child. I want to hold him and be able to look into his eyes and tell him how much his Mummy and Daddy love him,” Draco said and Hermione began to cry tears of joy.

“Thank you Draco,” Hermione murmured.

“For what? I should be thanking you,” he replied.

“Not many seventeen year old's would take on what you are taking on…Me…The baby. I’m sure your reputation has taken several hits as well.”

“Do you think I care about any of those bloody gits? If it weren’t for this coven, I would move us out of here and into our own place. Perhaps move away from this country altogether.”

“If it weren’t for this coven…You and I would not be together. And Draco, don’t you love Britain?” Hermione asked, noticing that Draco looked a million miles away. He paused and then answered.

“I suppose I do. Not that it matters much. Harry and your friends, believe I gave away the information about the Death Eaters, merely to save my own neck.”

“That is what we thought, yes. Even I thought that, until I got to know you, my sweet,sexy husband,” Hermione said in an attempt to lighten the mood. Draco leaned back against the headboard of their bed and pulled Hermione in between his legs, so he was supporting her, with her back pressed against his chest.

“And now?” Draco asked hesitantly, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. Her answer meant more to him then she could even know.

“Now, I know you must have done it because you wanted to see Voldemort dead as much as any of us.”

“Thank you." Draco breathed a sigh of relief. " You are the only one who knows the truth. Dumbledore didn’t make a deal with me. I was offered a safe house for doing nothing. I chose to give away the information that I did.”

“Why didn’t you make it known then? Didn’t you want people to know that you had changed? That you weren’t a coward? That you had turned on Voldemort and the risk of your own neck, not because you had to as means of some arrangement for protection?”

“I didn’t, because of this Hermione.” Draco rolled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark, Lord Voldemort’s mark of bondage and enslavement. Hermione turned away, and with shame in his eyes Draco retracted his arm and quickly slid his sleeve back down over the mark. “My own wife can’t stand the sight of it. Do you understand now? As long as this mark remains on my arm, people will never trust me. It’s futile for me to try to change peoples minds. This mark will always define me. Therefore, I don’t care about these bloody gits or what they think. I don't need any of them. I do care about you though. I’m sorry if looking at me disgusts you.” Hermione felt horrible for her reaction. It was true, that the sight of the mark on Draco’s arm disgusted her. It was a knee-jerk reaction. The mark carried with it, so much death and hatred and fear, and Draco, the man she loved with all of her heart, was forced to bear that mark and all that accompanied it. Hermione reached for his arm and Draco pulled it away, as if it were a serpent that may bite her, or not part of him at all.

“Draco, look at me,” Hermione said turning to look into her husband eyes. His eyes reflected a deep sadness, that was buried beneath years of torment and pain at the hands of his Father and the Dark Lord himself. She took his arm, that had been branded with evil’s mark and rolled his sleeve up, bringing it to her lips. She kissed his fingers and his hand, all the way up his arm, kissing right over the dark mark, as if it didn’t exist. He buried his head into her neck and Hermione could hear his muffled sobs, as he finally let go. Draco had never done this before, not even with his mother. He had never let anyone inside his heart like this, but now, he shed a few silent tears. He couldn’t believe that he had found a woman who could love him for himself. His status, his wealth, his looks, his involvement with the Death Eaters, none of it mattered. When he was with Hermione, he was just Draco, and he knew for the first time in his life that he had found someone who could truly see past everything else. He kissed her passionately and roughly, Hermione’s lips tingling as his teeth gently grazed her mouth with his feverous kiss.

“I love you so much Draco. We can get through anything together. I love you,” Hermione said as Draco hugged her against his chest.

“I’ll never let anything happen to you or our baby. I don’t deserve your love, but I promise you I will love you the best I know how.”

“That’s all I could ask for,” Hermione said kissing her man again. Their foreheads were together as they stared into each other’s eyes. “Want to help me find this silly prophecy? I’m not having any luck on my own. Perhaps together we could find it?” Draco smiled and grabbed a book from the stack. They read and talked and read some more and discussed what they thought their roles were in the coven, in life, in marriage. Hermione had always known that Draco was smart underneath all the orneriness and façade, but as they worked together, she fell in love with her husband for an entirely different reason. He was a perfectionist, much like herself. He thirsted for knowledge, just as she did. She was positive that none of her other classmates had any inkling how intelligent Draco really was. He was such a complex person, that she delighted in the excitement of knowing that she would spend years getting to know every facet of Draco Malfoy and that each day would be better then the previous day.

“Are you feeling any better?” Draco finally asked.

“I always feel better when I’m with you. Draco? Why don’t show this side of yourself to people?” Draco rose and eyebrow and smirked.

“What side?” he said coyly.

“You’re really smart. I just had one of the most stimulating conversations that I’ve ever had, with anybody, with you.”

“Yeah? And this surprises you, why?”

“I dunno…I guess I had just always assumed that you challenged me in classes to get on my nerves or maybe to impress your Father.”

“Well I feel slightly insulted now, but I suppose that assumption is fair, though it isn’t accurate. My Father never cared if I made top marks. He cared if I became a Death Eater. He cared that I shouldn't make him look bad in public, but grades were never at the top of his list. Quidditch was…this is true. He would threaten to curse me, before matches, if I didn’t catch the snitch.”

“You are marvelous at quidditch Draco! That’s so unfair.”

“Yeah, but Potter always beat me. I always wondered, if I would have beaten him, if I hadn’t had the constant threat of my father looming over my head. Potter always played with his heart in the game and I wanted that too, but Father took the fun away for me, by making it about him and his self worth.”

“Well he isn’t around anymore. Maybe you will get the chance to find out what you really have someday.”

“It isn’t important anymore Hermione….but thank you. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you too,” Draco said cutting to chase and saying what it was he knew Hermione wanted to say.

“Did you read my mind just now? I still can’t get used to you being in my head, though it’s sort of comforting.”

“No Hermione. Just like you, I am enjoying getting to know my wife as well. But there are still things that I don’t know about you,” Draco said with a sly smile.

“Yeah, like what? Go ahead and ask?”

“Well…like, do you like when I do this?” Draco slid his tongue into her mouth and gently sucked at her tongue. Hermione moaned and closed her eyes falling into his masterful kiss. Just as she found herself lost in heavenly bliss, he pulled away. “Or this?” he bit down gently on the muscle between her neck and shoulder and Hermione cried out as satisfying tingles shot through her body. “So , which do you like better?”

“Mmm, I dunno. Could you give me a sampling again?” Draco nodded and went in for a kiss again. Before long, the newlyweds were embroiled in a marathon kiss that was a raging inferno it was so hot. Hermione tugged at Draco’s robes wanting to feel her husband’s manly chest against hers. He gave her what she wanted, finally lifting her leg over his hip and sliding himself into her, as they lay on their sides. With the blanket pulled up and over them, Hermione felt so warm and loved as Draco slid into her slowly and gently. If she could have figured out a way to study and do this at the same time, she would have been living her ultimate fantasy, he felt so good and right. She almost had her fantasy too, with stacks of books sliding over the bed as he pumped his length into her.

Draco fell asleep after he pleasured his wife and himself, his soothing deep breaths like a pattering rain in Hermione’s ears. She opened the final book and began to read, wherever her finger landed on the page.

He will take the false name of the one true God

And the dead will walk the Earth

An army of evil will spread fear

And a beast will be born from the rape of an innocent

By lightning, as green as the grass after a spring rain, the Britons will fall to the beast.

.

Hermione shuddered. She nudged Draco and he roused with a smile.

“You should be resting too. Come on, sleep with me,” Draco wrapped an arm around her.

“Draco I found something,” Hermione said and Draco yawned and then took the book and read the prophecy. His face went pale.

“False name of God? Lord Voldemort? Lord? This has to be it. He has raped someone and impregnated her. Draco, your turn,” Hermione said excitedly.

“What do you want me to do?” Draco asked, confused.

“I opened the book and put my finger down blindly and I found this. You do the same and find the second part of the prophecy…You are the light. You are the light of my life. Come on! You do the same. There has to be a second part about us. It’s you that has to find it, I just know it,” Hermione said pushing the book on Draco when he pushed it away.

“Hermione, there is nothing “light” about me. I don’t think anyone would describe me that way. Trust me…most think a rain cloud follows me around. People fear me Hermione. Thanks, but you go ahead,” Draco pushed the book away again.

“For me? Humor me,” Hermione plead.

Draco took the book and casually laid it down on his lap. He didn’t draw his eyes away from Hermione as he opened the book to some random page, and slammed his index finger down, anywhere on the page.

“Are you satisfied now?” Draco said. He watched as a wide smile played over Hermione’s face. Only then, did he look down. He was astonished by what he read, right where his finger had landed.

And a coven will be formed

One is the beginning and she will mother the child

One is the end and he will father the child

Together they complete the circle

“That’s it Draco! I get it now! The maiden said part of the prophecy that night in the Great Hall, remember?” Draco nodded piecing it together himself.

“I’m the beginning! I was chosen first!”

“And I’m the end…I was hit with the bolt last,” Draco said staring into Hermione’s eyes.

“Ginny and Lupin and all of them made up the rest of the circle,” Hermione said eagerly.

“Together we completed the circle,” both Draco and Hermione said in unison. Both Hermione and Draco now dove with their eyes into the book, their hearts racing as they read the rest of the prophecy.

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