Someone to Watch Over Me

Chapter 19: Interlude

"How about all A's. Anna, Annabelle, Annabella, and Annie," Hermione suggested.

"Sure, we could just call them all Ann for short," Snape said sarcastically.

"Oh, I guess that would be confusing."

She threw the baby book down on the table and picked up her sandwich again.

"This is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be," she commented.

"Do you have any family names you want to use?" Snape asked her.

Hermione just shrugged, no longer meeting his eyes.

"Hermione, you have informed your family about all of this, haven't you?"

"You're using legilimency on me, aren't you?" she demanded.

He looked around the Leaky Cauldron to see if anyone had heard her. Though the place was packed, no one seemed to be looking at them.

"I'd appreciate it if you refrained from shouting out my 'special abilities' in the middle of a crowded restaurant," he warned dangerously.

She just rolled her eyes.

"Really, you're so paranoid; you could give Moody a run for his money."

His eye twitched, and he had to count backwards from ten before speaking again.

"In answer to your question, no I was not reading your mind."

"Then how did you know I hadn't told my parents yet?"

"Because I know you, Hermione."

"Oh," she replied sheepishly.

"Do you think they have any cheesecake here?" she asked suddenly.

"I think you need to talk to your parents," he said, not allowing her to change the subject.

She sighed.

"They think I'm out saving the world, not married and having four babies at age twenty."

Snape studied her for a minute.

"Do your parents love you?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

"Then don't you think it's wrong to deny them the knowledge that they're about to become Grandparents? Don't you want your mother with you when the time comes?" he asked as gently as he could.

He groaned and looked up at the ceiling in dismay. The tears had started again.

She was crying so hard that she could barely speak.

"I c-couldn't stand to see the disappointment in their eyes!" she wailed.

A waitress was suddenly at their table with tissues.

"Thank you," Snape said, taking them from her.

He stood up and had barely moved toward her before she flung herself into his arms sobbing in earnest.

He gave a strained smile to the on-lookers, and throwing some money on they table, ushered her out of the restaurant.

He settled her on a bench outside in a semi-privet alcove, and then sat down beside her. He rubbed her back reassuringly while she tried to pull herself together.

When the sobs had been reduced to sniffles, he picked up where they left off.

"You can't hide from your parents forever."

She glared up at him, and then gave a defeated sigh. "I know."

"They might be disappointed, but they also might be happy for you. I'll even come with you if you'd like," he offered.

She smiled at him.

"No. I think I should tell them by myself. They need to get used to the idea before I unleash you on them. I'll call on them tonight."

He nodded.

"Are you ready to do some more shopping?" he asked with false enthusiasm.

"Sure."

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When Draco got back from his meeting with Dumbledore, Joyce was the only one home. She was sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea. Her face was white as a sheet, and her eyes were bright with unshed tears.

"Hello Joyce. Are you okay?" he asked, hesitantly.

Joyce looked up at him, startled.

"I- yes. I didn't hear you come in. Would you like some tea?"

He shook his head.

"You don't look okay. Is something wrong? Where is everyone? Is it Ginny?" he asked, anxiously.

"No, it's not like that, Draco. Ginny's fine. She went with Blaise to see to the horses. Severus and Hermione went baby shopping. I just got back from work a few minutes ago. I'm upset because... I lost a patient."

Draco gave her a confused look.

"You can't find one of your patients?"

"No, my patient died."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Joyce. Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head.

"I think I'm going to lie down for a while. You'll tell Blaise where I am?"

He nodded and she left.

And he thought he'd had a bad day. He'd spent almost six hours listening to Dumbledore detail a plan to bring down the Dark Lord. Draco hadn't had any part in it, and was quite perturbed at having to sit through it all for no reason. Dumbledore had said he'd thought Draco would want to know what was going on. Draco had responded that that was great, so now if he was tortured, he could announce Dumbledore's plan to Voldemort and all the Death Eaters.

No one had found that funny except for him. It made him miss Ginny, she would have laughed.

It was Ginny's laugh that brought him out of his reverie.

She and Blaise came strolling into the kitchen.

Ginny looked incredible. Her brilliant Auburn hair was coming loose from her ponytail, her normally porcelain complexion was spotted with red from the cold November wind, and her eyes were sparkling with a happiness he hadn't seen before.

He was hit with a stab of jealously at the thought that Blaise had been the cause of this change. However, all thoughts of Blaise quickly faded as she turned that beaming smile on him.

"Oh, Draco! I had so much fun. I wish you could have been there," she said, throwing her arms around him and planting a kiss on his mouth.

"Me too," he said, returning the kiss.

Blaise cleared his throat, and Draco sent him an annoyed look.

"Has Joyce come home yet?"

"Yes, she's taking a nap."

"Is she ill?" he asked anxiously.

"No, but she is a little upset. A patient of hers died today."

The words had barely left Draco's mouth before Blaise had disappeared.

"Poor Joyce," Ginny commented with a frown.

Draco tightened his arms around her, and buried his face in her hair.

"How did your meeting go?" she asked sliding her hands down to massage his rump.

He groaned, then pulled back to look at her.

"I'm going to wait until everyone is here so I only have to go over it once," he said, pulling her hips against his.

She gave him a knowing smirk.

"And I just thought of something we can do 'til then," she whispered, and then stood up on tiptoe to nip at his ear lobe.

He picked her up and placed her on the table, moving to stand between her legs.

He pulled her shirt over her head and threw it behind him, making her giggle. He then started kissing down her neck and along the cleavage at the top of her bra.

She moaned and arched her back, begging him to touch her.

He nimbly unfastened her bra, and tossed it over his shoulder just like he had the shirt.

They were startled by a horrified squeak, and turned to see Hermione and Snape standing awestruck in the doorway.

Ginny quickly crossed her arms over her breasts, her face turning redder than it ever had before.

Hermione snorted, and snatched Ginny's bra from where it had landed on Snape's head.

"Really, do you have to do it where we eat?" she asked, tossing Draco the bra.

Snape mumbled something about getting a drink and left the kitchen.

Hermione sighed tiredly.

"When you're done, come to my room. I want to show you all the things we bought," she told them and then left herself.

Ginny and Draco looked at each other for a minute, and then burst out laughing.

End Chapter 19