Under the Wand: Dramione fanfiction

Eight

Hermione woke up from the nightmare, her chest feeling heavy and tears making their way down her face, to find Draco's arms around her. Scorpius was in his crib next to the bed in the Manor, and Hermione smiled lightly.

It was only a dream. Scorpius wasn't injured or kidnapped, and her adoring husband wasn't dead. She only hoped Narcissa wasn't.

"Draco," she called lightly, tapping his shoulder.

He whispered a "hmm?" before sitting up and wrapping his arms around her.

"Another dream, then?" He asked, kissing her back and cuddling her to him.

She nodded, pulling her red nightgown down as it had ridden up throughout the night.

"More like a nightmare," she whispered. Tears threatened to spill over her eyes as she looked over to Scorpius.

"He's okay," Draco said as if voicing her thoughts. He kissed her lightly on her forehead and smiled at her. "We're safe."

She smiled lightly as she hung onto him as if she'd let go, he'd disappear.

She couldn't shake the feeling of dread when the sun rose through the sky, illuminating the innocent face that belonged to a sleeping Scorpius.

At breakfast, as Draco read through the newspaper and scowled at Rita Skeeter's words on the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione couldn't stop thinking. Had it been a dream, or, a premonition?

Narcissa smiled kindly as she mixed cinnamon oatmeal with milk and spoon-fed her grandson.

"Mione," Draco called lightly, tapping his pen on the table. "You need to eat."

She looked down at her untouched plate of eggs and truffles, breathing in the scent of the breakfast, before pushing her plate away from her and standing up and grabbing her son from a worried Narcissa.

"I'll be outside," she said as she walked away and sat in the grass with Scorpius in her lap.

It was peaceful to her to be outside, in the fresh air and sunshine, with her son in her lap. She'd almost forgotten the nightmare when she felt that feeling again.

She looked around; she was no longer in the grass with Scorpius. Nor was she at the Manor.

Instead, the peace she had previously felt had all dissipated, replaced by the dread pitting up in her chest.

She looked around, gasping softly as she took in her surroundings: she was back home. But, it wasn't her home. It was the war-torn shambles that once held a home where she felt love from two Muggle parents that never understood her powers.

She walked softly through the archway where the front door used to be, her eyes pooling with tears as she saw her parents sitting on the couch, and a much younger Hermione, tears streaming down her face, whispering "Oblivate" to erase the memories of her childhood from her parents' memories. They'd never remember the daughter they had loved and had lost.

She walked upstairs, looking at the many photos lining the staircase walls. Her parents at their wedding, honeymoon, traveling the world.

She felt hot tears leaking out from her eyes as she entered into her old bedroom. Many posters of famous scientists, musicians, and authors adorned the walls. The dresser, littered with first year books and papers, sat untouched as she traced her fingers along the edges.

She briefly recalled spending time in this room, reading and re-reading the manuals to prepare for end of term exams.

She trailed over the picture on the nightstand of her, Harry, and Ron in the wintertime two years ago. They'd taken the photo after ice skating, where she'd felt jealousy over catching Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy snogging in the public loo.

Then, almost blindly, she'd heard a thumping noise as Crookshanks approached her doorway, curling up onto her bed. She'd missed the old cat. She knew that in real time, he was curled up next to Ginny at her house, probably dreaming about his owner. She rubbed his ears and he purred gently, locking her hand with his tongue.

She sighed as she walked away, towards the doorway downstairs, before looking back.

"Goodbye," she whispered before turning the knob.

~~~

Hours later, Hermione woke in her and Draco's bed, sweat beads soaking her skin and the feeling of a damp cloth on her head.

"You're awake," Narcissa whispered as she made Hermione drink a few sips of tea.

Draco sat silently on the sofa with Scorpius in his lap. He watched intently as Hermione tried to speak but couldn't find her voice.

"You have pneumonia," Draco said. He kissed Scorpius' head as his chubby fingers traced Draco's cheek bones.

"You would've died out there if it weren't for Dilly finding you. Your heart had stopped!" Narcissa exclaimed, whereupon she nodded approvingly at her house-elf, Dilly.

Dilly smiled kindly as she felt Hermione's head.

"You've no fever anymore, Ma'am," she replied.

~~~

Hermione grunted unappreciatively as Dilly dressed her in the robes with Narcissa looking on approvingly.

"I'm still sick, therefore it is not smart for me to strut around this place like a lady of the manor!" She declared and Narcissa sighed.

"My girl," Narcissa said, looking at her with kind and tired eyes, "one day I'll be gone. I've already passed the inheritance to Draco, and you, and Scorpius. My days are now numbered. So please, for my sake, plaster on a smile and be by Draco's side."

Hermione sighed and plastered on the fakest smile she could muster while Dilly finished dressing her and doing her hair.

"Missus is presentable now!" Dilly replied happily as Narcissa smiled at her loyal house-elf.

~~~

Draco smiled lovingly as he stood straight and stout next to the Manor's staircase with his mother by his side, and Hermione holding Scorpius on the other side.

"You look lovely," Draco whispered to his wife.

Hermione blushed at his endearment.

The photographer took the photo and then grinned appreciatively as Draco gave him 50 pound and a 1787 Château Margaux.

Then the old man hobbled out of the Manor with the camera tucked under his arm and the wine bottle in the other hand.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Narcissa whispered to Hermione as Draco walked off to the kitchen with Scorpius in his arms.

"No, I gather not," she said.

The old woman smiled and kissed her cheek.

"I'm off to bed, then. Goodnight, my dear," she said.

"Goodnight!" Hermione called after her.

~~~

In the morning, Hermione came to gather that Narcissa had passed away in her sleep, and now she felt rather guilty for complaining about the family photo a day before.

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