An Unexpected Turn of Events

A/N – For my fabulous fans who have been so devoted to this story, I am so happy to be back to writing. Don’t freak out. I understand that this chapter is very very very short, but the story continues tomorrow or Friday depending on when I can get the chapter finished and all the new and exciting things will be revealed.

I am also announcing that I will be bringing out another story within the next month or so. I hope all of you who like my writing will continue and read all the stories that are to come.

Thank you again for your support and enjoy this little chapter!

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“Draco?”

She spoke his name again, but he still couldn’t answer her. All he could do was stare at her and clutch the baby girl to his body. Stunned was not the correct term for this feeling he had for her. He was beyond the point of being stunned.

“Hermione…”

Something about the way she looked lying there in that bed made him stutter. It was like he had never seen her before and she was just a dream or maybe a ghost. This had to be some trick of magic or worse a trick of his mind. He shook his head and blinked his eyes, but still she lay there, wide-eyed and awake. She stared up at him in a mild confusion.

“Draco? What are you doing here?”

For the first time since his father had died. Draco cried. The tears poured down his face and he sobbed intensely into the soft tuft of hair on Cassiopeia’s tiny head. That’s when Hermione noticed the bundle Draco clutched in his arms. Her brown eyes lit up and she sat up in the bed frame, starring at the infant almost shocked that there was one.

“Draco…is she…” But Draco shushed her despite the wave of tears as he approached the bed. He extended the soft bundle toward the woman and she took the little girl from his arms. Hermione held the child in her arms awkwardly and stared at her. Cassie stared right back at her, her soft brown curls sticking out amidst the sea of pink wrinkly skin. Hermione looking at this child that she knew nothing of was almost as heart breaking as the moment Draco found out that Hermione was ending their affair, so many years ago. Her eyes welled with tears and she looked up at Draco with hesitation. Draco smiled through his happiness and sat on the end of her bed.

“Ms. Granger. I would like to introduce you to your daughter, Cassiopeia Perdita Malfoy.” The introduction was more than Hermione could take. The tears broke from behind her honey eyes and flowed down her face and she drew the baby close to her chest, sobbing. She stroked the baby’s head and rubbed her back, listening to her breathing and cried. And then she laughed. Before long, Hermione was suffocating Cassie with hugs and kisses as she cried and laughed.

“I have another surprise for you Mione.” Draco’s words stopped her and she looked toward the crib. It couldn’t be. Draco rose from his seat at the end of the bed and walked to the crib drawing Perseus out and bringing the sleeping infant toward his mother. Hermione almost dropped Cassie when she caught sight of her son. Wrapped in the small blue blanket, Perse looked like an angel.

“Hermione, I would like to introduce you to your beautiful, first-born son, Perseus Florizel Malfoy.” As Draco handed the baby to Hermione, she sobbed, holding the twins to her and admiring their little faces. Full of tears, Hermione almost screamed in joy.

“They are so beautiful! Draco. They are so so beautiful.” Everything was finally right in the world. Everything was complete.

“You’re safe Hermione. You’re safe now and no one can hurt you anymore. I’m here to protect you."