Twists of Fate

Twists of Fate

By Samantha Malfoy

Hermione smiled down at the baby boy nestled in her arms; her fourth child, Ryan Andrew Malfoy. Hermione looked up at the four smiling faces around her. First was her husband Draco, the love of her life. His eyes were focused on their son, and it still amazed Hermione how much awe was present in his eyes when he looked at their children. Next Hermione smiled at her eldest child, Arianna Jade, beautiful at seventeen. She would be graduating from Hogwarts in a month. Hermione beamed with pride every time she thought of Arianna. The girl was well on her way to taking away her mother's title as the brightest witch to enter Hogwarts in her time. And Arianna was a Slytherin, seeker, and Head Girl. She had so much of both of her parents in her, and had given her parents so much to be proud of. To Arianna's right was the Malfoy's second child, Nicholas Draco. Nick was just finishing his second year at Hogwarts, also a Slytherin, and a living replica of his father. If Nick didn't love to read so much, Hermione would say he didn't have an ounce of her in him. Nicholas had Draco's mean streak; Hermione had gotten more than one letter from the school telling her that Nick had been caught hexing his classmates, but Hermione loved him just the same. She knew he would grow out of it. If only Draco would stop encouraging him! Hermione's eyes traveled to her youngest daughter, Cadence Olivia. She was six and already a force to be reckoned with. If Nick was a replica of his father, then Cadence was the replica of her mother. Almost everything about her appearance screamed Hermione, but she had Draco's grey-blue eyes. And she was a Malfoy through and through. Cadence got into more mischief on her own in her six years than her brother and sister combined. With Arianna almost fully grown, Cadence possessed almost all of her father's attention. He spoiled her like a princess, just as he had done with her sister. Hermione's gaze returned to Ryan. She and Draco had planned to stop at three, thought it was all they were destined to have, but apparently Ryan was meant to be a surprise. And, when Hermione had sent Arianna back in time in February, she made her promise not to tell her past self that she was pregnant. It still baffled Hermione's mind how much one little hour visit from her daughter could change her life forever.

.x.

"What in the world?" Thirty-eight year old Hermione Malfoy asked herself. She was staring down at a letter, addressed to her in what was unmistakably her own tidy handwriting. What baffled Hermione even more was that the letter looked to have been in this hidden nook in the face of the fireplace in the Malfoy Manor library for years. Hermione, still the ever-curious one, opened the letter and gasped; she had forgotten she was meant to find this. For, the letter was of course the very one her eldest daughter had predicted she would find almost exactly twenty years ago. Hermione needed to sit down, so she did, in one of the plush old armchairs in the room, and propped her feet up - her ankles had been killing her - and rested her hands on her seven months pregnant belly. Staring down at this twenty year old piece of parchment all of the memories from that fateful night came flooding back to her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione Granger glanced, ever so slightly, to her right, where Draco Malfoy, her sworn enemy, the Head Boy to her Head Girl, her now future husband, and current date to the upcoming Valentine's Day Ball sat, with a dazed look on his face. Hermione expected her own face held the very same expression. Her mind was still reeling from the visit with Arianna, her daughter. It still sounded so impossible. This whole night was filled with impossibilities. But somehow, deep in Hermione's heart, she wanted to believe everything the amazing girl had told her.

Hermione suddenly felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and looked to her right again; Draco was staring at her.

"What?" Hermione wondered aloud.

Draco just shook his head and stood up, walking away from her towards his bedroom.

"Where are you going?"

"Bed. Good night Granger." And with that, he was gone.

Hermione shook her head, and decided to retire for the night herself. With any luck she would wake up and have this all have been a dream.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"You're what?!"

"Going to the Valentine's Day Ball with Draco. Honestly Harry, you'd think you'd be a bit more open-minded, what with you shagging Pansy every chance you get and all."

Harry had the gall to look indignant. "Hermione-"

"What? It's the truth. And I've already told you the circumstances; you'd think you would give me a break!"

"Do you actually want to go to the Ball with that prat?"

"That prat is my future husband and the father of my children! Of course I want to go with him!"

"Hermione, don't ever say that again. That thought, of you and him...you've taken me to a very bad mental place that I would've died happy not seeing. Listen, I know you've liked the prat since the beginning of term but honestly Hermione, think this through a bit more. Please. I don't want my best friend getting her heart broken."

Hermione smiled at Harry's concern. He really was the best friend a girl could ask for. She and Ron had never been as close and she and Harry. They just got each other.

"Harry, you have no idea how much your concern means to me, but really, I need to do this. Can't you understand that?"

"Of course I do. I just needed to make sure you had really thought about this. If you really want to go to the Ball with Malfoy, then go. Far be it for me to be a hypocrite about it. Pans is just going to love this you know. She's been saying for months that the two of you should just shag and get it over with; get rid of all that sexual tension or some rot."

Hermione blushed. Thank God Harry was ok with this; though she knew he would be. Now all she had to do was find the perfect dress.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"No, no, definitely not. Honestly Hermione, you'd think you wanted to turn him off of you forever!"

Hermione smiled. Who would've ever thought that Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson would be dress shopping together and actually liking it? It was the last weekend before the Ball was to be held, and the two girls had spent the day looking through every dress that Gladrags had to offer. The Ball this year would be a mix of muggle and wizarding wear, so Gladrags had a stock of muggle dresses in just for the occasion. Hermione had yet to find anything she liked, and everything that she did like, Pansy said made her look like a frumpy old maid.

Hermione and Pansy had begun a tentative friendship near the beginning of the year, after Hermione had found out about her and Harry. Pansy had turned out to be the exact opposite of everything Hermione thought of her. She was funny, with a twisted sense of humour, and she was very much a Slytherin; sly and cunning with a sharp wit and an incredible amount of ambition, she also exhibited qualities Hermione attributed to other houses and would've never guessed to see in a Slytherin; she was brave enough for Gryffindor, intelligent enough for Ravenclaw, and kind enough for Hufflepuff (though Hermione would never dare tell her this). Hermione found that Pansy was exactly what she was missing in being friends with Ron and Harry; a best girlfriend to share secrets with and go shopping with and do all the girly things that Hermione secretly yearned to do. Hermione and Pansy were well on there way to becoming lifelong friends.

"I've found it! Oh Hermione, come here, it's perfect! Draco will drop dead when he sees your sexiness in this!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, and then they almost popped out of their sockets when she saw the dress Pansy was holding up. The dress was black; so black in fact that it almost looked purple. It sparkled in the light and was made of something that Hermione had never seen before. It was soft as silk. Hermione just had to try it on. When she did, it fit her perfectly. The dress was strapless and clung to every curve of her torso. At the waist it flared out into a beautifully draped skirt that ended at her knees. She stepped out of the dressing room and Pansy's jaw dropped.

"It's perfect."

"I know."

"You have killer legs. We'll get you some sexy heels and Draco won't be able to keep his eyes, or his hands, off of you."

Hermione blushed. "His hands probably won't be anywhere near me."

"Hermione, trust me. I've known Draco Malfoy since we were little kids. He's a total leg man. Now buy the damn dress and let's go!"

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

It was finally Friday, the day of the Ball, and Hermione was a nervous wreck. Dumbledore had given all students the day off from classes, even though only fourth year and up would be attending the ball. Pansy and Hermione were going to be getting ready in Hermione's room, and she would be there soon. Hermione however, had something else on her mind.

She had successfully avoided seeing or talking to Draco for more than a few minutes at a time since Arianna's visit. She didn't want to give him a chance to change his mind about taking her. She knew she was acting like all those girls she hated, but really, her situation was different. Her whole future was riding on Draco taking her to this ball.

There was a knock outside the common room and Hermione snapped out of her daze. Pansy was here and she needed to start getting ready. The two girls spent most of the day doing hair and make up and making themselves beautiful. When they were all finished, just in time, Pansy left to meet Harry. She had tried to convince both boys to try to get along for one night so they could all go down together, but Draco had outright refused, and Harry looked like he wanted to.

So Pansy had left and Hermione was now standing in front of her mirror in her room just staring at herself. Pansy had done a wonderful job on her hair and makeup. Her hair wasn't sleek and straight like it had been for the Yule Ball in fourth, but it was just nicely wavy. They had both agreed that Hermione should wear it down, and she was glad they had. Her makeup was almost non-existent; just a touch of silver eye shadow, and mascara and eyeliner, and strawberry gloss on her lips. She wore matching earrings and necklace, a present from her grandmother last Christmas. The necklace was a simple white gold chain with a three stone diamond drop pendant. The earrings matched, and were like little replicas of the pendant on the necklace. She wasn't used to such expensive jewelry, but she knew she would need something like this to go with the elegance of the dress. After standing in her room for ages and readying herself for tonight, she was finally ready to go down to the common room and meet Draco.

She opened her door and began to descend the stairs. When she finally caught sight of Draco she nearly fell the rest of the way down. There he stood, pure-blooded Draco Malfoy, in a muggle tuxedo. And damn, he looked better in it than any muggle she'd ever seen. It must have been the shirt, she surmised. He wore a shirt to match his eyes. Everything else was all black. They matched perfectly, and Hermione assumed that Pansy had something to do with that. When she finally regained the use of her legs, Draco had begun to make his way over to the bottom of the stairs.

"You look beautiful. Although beautiful doesn't even begin to describe it."Hermione smiled. "Thank you. You know, you don't look so bad yourself."

Draco smiled back; really smiled, and Hermione almost melted right there.

"Shall we?" he asked offering her his arm.

She took it. "Let's go. You know, I can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces."

Draco smirked. "I can't wait to see the look on the Weasel's face."

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

The ball was in full swing. Draco and Hermione had opened the floor, as per their duties as Head Boy and Girl. They had even been getting along all night, and Hermione was actually having a good time.

The Great Hall had been decorated in the theme of a Black Tie Event. Everything was decorated black and white and Hermione felt like she'd stepped into an old movie. The Hall had been enchanted to open up into a beautiful garden, and Hermione was just dying to go outside. Draco answered her wish.

"Hermione, would you like to go out for a walk?"

Surprise must have registered all over her face, because Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Yes, of course. I'd love to."

Draco took her hand and led her outside. As soon as they were out of earshot of everyone, Hermione turned to Draco.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

His face changed then. He looked different somehow. And then she realized it. He wasn't guarding his expression; his emotions were playing out on his face with no barrier to stop them.

"Because of her."

"Arianna?"

"Yes. But it isn't just that. She just, she said some things to me that made me realize some other things."

Hermione chuckled a bit. "Well that was very cryptic."

"I don't know how to explain it to you."

"Was it what she said about you being capable of, er, love?" Hermione blushed, just a little bit, at this statement.

"Yes. And other things she said to me when you weren't there. I rather think I'd like having her around in the future, so I thought I should attempt to get to know you now."

"You know, everyone is capable of love, Draco. I don't think you should allow yourself to think that I'm the only person you could fall in love with, just because of what Arianna said. That's a lot of pressure to put on me, not to mention yourself."

"Maybe I could fall in love with someone else. I don't know. All I know is what she told me. She said you were it. The One. And I think the least we owe her is to give it a shot."

"Give what a shot?" Hermione asked, though she was hoping that she already knew the answer.

"Us." And with that, Draco took a step forward, took Hermione in his arms, and kissed her.

Hermione felt like her entire mind and body explode in that one kiss. It was prefect, in every single way. It was like here, in Draco's embrace, was where she was meant to be forever.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione glanced back down at the letter in her hands. It was short, and to the point, and didn't tell her anything she didn't need to know. She knew the consequences of messing with the past, and apparently so did her future self. The letter read:

Hermione,

I know that by now you'd all but forgotten you were meant to find this, but now that you have it's all coming back to you. I know that you've already found the book you need; if everything went right you found it on your first night in Malfoy Manor. You'll be sending Arianna soon. February the first, at 10:00 pm. Do not forget that, it's extremely important. Find the book, There and Back Again: A Wizard's Guide To Time Travel and turn to page 437. You'll find the spell Peragro Aevum. It won't be difficult to cast, especially for you. Just study it well. Good Luck and God Bless.

H. Malfoy

It was written in her style and tone, signed the exact way she'd been signing her name for the past sixteen years, and bore the Malfoy family crest at the bottom. Peragro Aevum. To Travel Back. How appropriate. Hermione could still remember the day she'd found the book. It had been the day Draco had proposed to her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Draco, where are you taking me?" 19-year-old Hermione asked her boyfriend of two years, Draco Malfoy, as he led her through yet another identical hallway in Malfoy Manor.

"Just a little farther, love. I have a feeling you'll love this room."

Hermione was about to complain some more about the fact that her feet were killing her, and that she was starving, and that she hated this damn house already when Draco opened the doors to the most magnificent room she had ever seen. The walls were filled with books, from floor to ceiling, and that would have been enough for her. However there was more. Placed beautifully between the shelves and shelves of books were beautiful stained glass windows that made the room glow in different colours. On one wall, directly across from the doors Hermione stood in now, was the largest and most ornate fireplace Hermione had ever seen, surrounded by chairs that she just knew she could get lost in. This was the library of her dreams.

"Oh, Draco," she gushed, "it's- it's- I don't have the words to describe it. This is perfect. Beyond perfect. I-" She trailed off then, and turned to face him. "I love you so much. Thank you for showing this to me." And with that she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with every ounce of her soul.

When they broke apart, Draco rested his forehead against hers. "I love you too, baby. More than anything. More than I ever thought possible." He then pulled away from her and took her hand, leading her over to the west wall of the library. "I think this section will interest you, love."

Hermione quickly scanned the titles at her eye level. "These are all books on time travel." Hermione was confused for a moment, when it struck her. "Oh! Is it here? The book for Arianna?"

"If it's anywhere, this is where it will be. I haven't really had a chance to look for it yet, but I have no doubt that you will find it."

Hermione smiled at him and then set to work. She had been looking not five minutes when she pulled a book off the shelf.

"This is it Draco. This is it!" Hermione was practically jumping for joy.

Draco looked at the book in her hands. It was a rather thick book considering how little wizards knew about time travel. The cover was black, the writing ornate, and gold. 'There and Back Again: A Wizard's Guide To Time Travel'. His eyes moved back up to Hermione's smiling face.

"Can you believe it, Draco? It's actually here. I'm actually holding the book!"

"Open it."

"What?"

"Open it."

"Oh! Oh, of course." She hesitated.

"What are you waiting for love?"

"I don't know. I just, feel sort of, apprehensive. What if the spell isn't in here, or is too difficult -"

"But love, you've technically already cast the spell. It's got to be there. Just open it, go on."

She looked into his eyes, and then down at the cover of the book in her hands.

Hermione finally opened the cover, and what she saw was not at all what she expected. Inside the book, there was a hole, cut in the pages. And nestled in red velvet inside the hole was a beautiful diamond engagement ring. The ring was white-gold with a princess-cut diamond framed by a pink sapphire and diamond setting on either side. It was the ring of Hermione's dreams. She looked up again to see Draco on one knee in front of her. He reached up and took the book from Hermione, removed the ring, and set the book on the ground. He then took her left hand in his and looked up into her tear-filled eyes.

"Hermione, I love you so much it amazes me every day. You amaze me every day. Growing up the way I did, I never in a million years thought I could find someone to love the way I love you. I never thought I had that kind of love inside of me. But I was wrong. Someone told me that I had that kind of love buried deep inside of my heart and just needed to find the right person to bring it out in me. You are that person. You are the only woman for me. You make every dream I've had come true. You are a dream come true. I want to love you for the rest of my life, so please, let me. Marry me, Hermione, make my life complete."

Hermione smiled through the tears cascading down her cheeks. "Did you even have to ask? Of course I'll marry you Draco." He then slid the ring onto her finger and stood up, wrapping his arms around the love of his life and crushing her to him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione smiled to herself. Oh how she had screamed at Draco when she finally realized that the book he had used as a ring box had been the very book she needed. It had turned out he had just copied the cover onto a fake book and had hidden the real one away in his study. They had launched right into wedding plans that very day. Hermione had been so excited. She chuckled to herself. It was more like she had launched right into wedding plans, and Draco had launched right into avoiding launching into wedding plans. But Hermione had had her best friend and her soon-to-be mother-in-law, both party planners extraordinaire, on her side, so Draco really hadn't been needed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hermione, honestly, you couldn't decide on a thing if your life depended on it. You are so lucky to have me here."

"Of course I am Pansy. I thank the Gods every day." Hermione replied sarcastically.

Pansy scowled. "That's too much time around Draco rearing its ugly head again. I'm not so sure I like the idea of the two of you getting married." She paused. "Oh, who am I kidding? I love it!"

Hermione smiled and hugged her best friend. "Of course you do. Because it makes me practically Slytherin and you can stop being ashamed of the fact that your best friend is a Gryffindor."

"Now all I have to do is get Harry to propose and I can stop being ashamed that my boyfriend is a Gryffindor too!"

They both giggled.

"Oh, Pans, you know you'll have to propose to Harry. He'll never have the nerve."

"Yes, well, I thought it would take hell freezing over - twice - for Draco Malfoy to tie the knot, but look who proved me wrong on that one."

Hermione beamed.

"Can you believe it? Just two more days and I'll be Mrs. Draco Malfoy."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "You are turning into a Hufflepuff, Hermione, and I definitely can't have a Hufflepuff as my best friend."

But Hermione went right on smiling. Pansy couldn't help but smile too. She really was so happy for the two of them. Hermione and Draco deserved this.

"Ok, I know you are all gooey inside, but there really are some last minute details that I, as your Maid of Honour, feel I need to force you to pay attention to."

"Oh, alright Pans. What next?"

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Draco stared into the mirror in front of him and straightened his tie. He was more nervous than even he had expected. Draco looked out the window to the beautiful September day and tried to calm his nerves. Just then, the door to his room opened, and in walked his best man. Blaise Zabini had been Draco's best friend since his first year at Hogwarts. Hermione had spent the seven months in between his proposal and today trying to convince Draco to let Potter be his best man, but even though the two were friends now, Draco didn't feel comfortable having anyone but Blaise be by his side the day he would marry the love of his life. Hermione, of course, had eventually given up, knowing that it wasn't her choice, and so Harry was to be a groomsman.

"You ready?"

Draco looked up at Blaise. "Already?"

"What do you mean already? You've been in here over an hour. But yes, already. They're ready for you out there. Apparently, Hermione is waiting."

Draco smiled. He couldn't wait to see her. As per tradition, Draco hadn't seen Hermione since the night before, when she had left to go stay at Pansy's for the night. He knew she would be absolutely breath-taking, and he was so ready to be married to her. Draco looked back into the mirror and began to straighten his tie again.

"It's as straight as it's gonna get. Come on, Drake."

Draco nodded. "I know. I know. Just give me a minute." He took a deep breath in and realized he had no reason to be nervous.

Both men walked out the door and into the open field where the wedding was set to take place.

Meanwhile, in the bridal room Hermione was the epitome of calm. Her Maid of Honour, Pansy, on the other hand, was not.

"Hermione, where's your bouquet? Why don't you have your veil on? Is your garter in place? Where's your father? Why hasn't he come to tell us it's time yet? Why are you so calm?!"

Hermione smiled. "Calm down Pans. I'd hate to see you on your wedding day."

"On my wedding day you will be Maid of Honour, so you will be the one having a minor heart attack!"

"Pansy. I love you. You are the best friend I could ever ask for. The best Maid of Honour I could ever ask for. But if you don't calm down and help me get this veil on, I may be forced to kill you!"

Pansy smirked. She calmed down at once. "If you can be all calm, cool, and collected then so can I."

"Good. Now, my bouquet is right over there by the door where you put it not five minutes ago. My garter is on. My dad should be here any minute. So, all I need from you is to help me with this veil and I'll be all set."

Pansy walked over to her and began fixing the veil in place. "Oh, Hermione, you look so beautiful. I'm so jealous!" She laughed. "But, really, I'm so, so happy for you."

"Thanks, Pans."

All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door.

"Hermione? Are you ready, sweetheart?"

It was Hermione's father, Richard. Pansy opened the door and smiled.

"I'll just be going then."

"I'm ready, daddy."

Richard beamed at his little girl. "You are absolutely beautiful, pumpkin. Let's go."

Draco and Blaise were standing at the alter with Dumbledore, who would be officiating over the wedding. It felt to Draco like they'd been standing there forever, when really, it had only been minutes. Finally the music started and the ring bearer and flower girl began their walk down the aisle. Anna, the flower girl, was a cousin of Draco's, and Henry, the ring bearer, a cousin of Hermione's. Next came Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter, and then Daphne Greengrass, a friend of Draco's in his year in Slytherin, and also a co-worker and friend of Hermione's and Logan Cresswell, a friend of Draco's who went to Beauxbatons. Ginny and Daphne wore matching dresses that Hermione had let them pick out themselves. The dresses were gold strapless with and were elegantly plain. The girls picked the dresses so they wouldn't overshadow Hermione. They still looked beautiful though. Anna wore a white sleeveless A-line gown with a deep red sash at the waist. Next came Pansy, and the colour of Anna's sash was explained. Her dress was identical to the other girls', but deep red in colour. Hermione had insisted that Pansy's dress be unique, and so they had chosen the colour together. The groomsmen wore gold ties that matched the dresses, while both Blaise and Henry wore red ties. The flowers were bouquets of red and champagne coloured roses, and completed the beautiful look of the wedding party.

While the wedding party made their way down the aisle, Draco became more and more impatient. He once again reached up to straighten his tie. Draco was dressed in a tuxedo, just like all the men, but his one difference was that his tie was silver. Hermione had told him before hand to pick a silver tie but had not told him why.

Just then the bridal march began and Draco stopped all fidgeting, locking eyes on the ravishing beauty on the arm of her father. Hermione wore a strapless, A-line gown. At her waist was a silver sash that cascaded down the front of her dress in ruffles. The silver of his tie matched her perfectly. Draco stared at his beautiful bride and she took his breath away.

The rest of the ceremony passed by in a blur for both Draco and Hermione, until the moment they had been waiting for.

"Do you Draco take Hermione, to be your wife? To have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow; to love unconditionally, to support, honor and respect, to laugh with and to cry with, and to cherish for as long as you both shall live?"

Draco looked into his love's eyes and saw the tears on her cheeks. He was in awe of her beauty, and in awe of how much love he felt right then.

"I do."

"Do you Hermione take Draco, to be your husband? To have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow; to love unconditionally, to support, honor and respect, to laugh with and to cry with, and to cherish for as long as you both shall live?"

Hermione stared into his eyes for a moment, and saw them glistening with tears. She knew Draco would not let them fall, but to see him even close to tears made her heart melt. She loved this man more than she could ever imagine.

"I do."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his half-moon glasses as he smiled at his two former students.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, witch and wizard, partners forever in life and in love. Mr. Malfoy, you may now kiss your bride."

And kiss her he did.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Hermione lay in the bed of her honeymoon home on the island that Draco's family owned. She smiled, looking at her husband lying beside her.

"I love you, Mr. Malfoy," she whispered.

His voice came back to her through the darkness, just as quiet, and just as filled with love. "I love you, Mrs. Malfoy."

Unbeknownst to both, they had just conceived their first daughter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione remembered the day she had found out she was pregnant with Arianna. It had come as such a shock. She knew, of course, that she would be pregnant with Arianna in their first year of marriage, but she had no idea it would happen so fast.

She and Draco had been married for a little over a month when she found out that she was, coincidentally, a little over a month pregnant.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione's eyes snapped open. She jumped out of bed and ran for the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before emptying the non-existent contents of her stomach.

It was the third time this week Hermione had woken up for this reason, and she really wished this stomach bug, or whatever it was, would go away.

She felt her hair being lifted away from her face and knew she had woken Draco on her mad dash to the bathroom.

"Thanks," she said, sitting against the wall beside the toilet, "I think I'm okay now." She smiled up at her newlywed husband. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

Hermione stood up then, and began to brush her teeth.

"It's alright, love. I just hope there's nothing wrong with you. That's the third time this week. Maybe you should see a Healer."

"Oh, Draco, I'm sure it's nothing. Just some kind of bug. Maybe it's nerves; I have my first practical today. If it will make you feel better I'll talk to Healer Smythe today after my exam."

Draco nodded. "All right. I'm just worried about you."

"I know, love. For the life of me I can't figure out what it is. And I'm training to be a Healer; I should know."

Draco laughed. "Leave it to you to worry more about the fact that you don't know what's making you sick then the fact that you are sick in the first place."

Hermione scowled. "Shut up." And with that she kissed him on the cheek and left to get ready to leave for St. Mungo's.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"You're pregnant."

Hermione's head snapped up. "What?!"

"You're pregnant, Hermione. Congratulations," Healer Smythe replied, with a smile on her face.

Hermione gaped. "But- but- how? I mean, I know how, but...oh my god."

The Healer gave her a confused look.

"I'm pregnant."

"Yes, about a month along. I'd say you should make an appointment with an OB-Healer. As soon as possible. Now you've finished your practical, correct?"

"Yes," Hermione said, distractedly.

"Well, I think you should have no problem finishing your training before the pregnancy becomes an issue. I'll see you next week Hermione; and congratulations again."

Hermione sat in stunned silence while the Healer left the office.

"... I'm pregnant..."

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Hermione returned home to find Draco working in his lab. Draco had gotten a job at the Ministry, in the Auror department, specializing in Potions Research. Hermione knew he was working on something very important; he'd been in the lab every night this week.

"Honey, I'm home," she said quietly from the doorway to his research area.

Draco turned around. "I know, love. I heard you apparate in."

Hermione smiled. "Of course you did. How was your day?"

"Alright. I'm making absolutely no progress on this potion, but other than that. How about you? Did you see a Healer today?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And I was right, it was nothing." Hermione smiled to herself. This news would make Draco ecstatic. She wanted the way she told him to be special.

"Are you sure? People don't just throw up for no reason, Hermione."

"I'm sure. It's just a stomach bug. You worry too much, darling."

"Only because I love you too much."

Hermione smiled. "I love you too. Now, what shall I make for dinner?"

"Nothing."

"Draco, I've given the house elves the night off. I'm not -"

"I know, love. I'll take you out for dinner."

"Well whatever for?"

"So that you don't have to cook."

Hermione began to protest, but Draco, finished with his work, walked over to his wife and put his arm around her waist, leading her into the lounge room. "You deserve it. I'm sure you aced your practical today, what with the way you've been glowing since you got home. Let's say we're celebrating that."

Hermione relented. "Oh, all right. Where are you going to take me this time?"

"I was thinking we could go into London. Do a bit of shopping, and then dinner?"

Hermione grinned. "You know me too well."

Hermione was a nervous wreck. She had come up with the perfect way to tell Draco, and she just had to convince her nerves to calm down.

"Draco, come here, I want to show you something," she called to her husband, who was looking into a sports supply store. They were in muggle London, and while Draco played no sports besides Quidditch, he was still a man, and was still drawn to any sort of sports equipment he saw.

Draco reluctantly pulled himself away from the window and walked up to Hermione.

She had snuck off, while he was gawking in the window, to a little boutique just up the road, and currently held the package she had bought there. She handed said package to her husband.

"I bought you something," Hermione said, with a grin.

Draco looked down at the little pink shopping bag he held in his hands and raised an eyebrow at his wife.

"Just open it, Draco." Hermione was practically bouncing on her toes with excitement and Draco couldn't imagine what she could have gotten him that could make her so happy.

He reached in the package and pulled out a tiny pair of pink baby booties. His eyes widened and he looked up at Hermione, seeing the huge smile on her face.

"Hermione...?" he said, in awe of what he assumed she was trying to tell him. It all made sense, the waking up sick three times this week, the coyness she exuded earlier that day when she told him that the Healer had said that her sickness was nothing, even the glow she had been exhibiting all evening.

Hermione smiled at him. "Do you need me to say it?"

"Yes," he whispered.

"I'm pregnant Draco. We're pregnant. We're going to have a baby!"

"Arianna..." he murmured.

Hermione nodded, her smiling growing impossibly bigger, her hand unconsciously moving to rest on her abdomen.

Draco's eyes followed her hand, and his face, too, broke into an enormous grin. He reached forward, resting his hand on hers briefly, before enveloping her in an embrace.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Hermione stared down into the amber eyes of her beautiful baby girl. She glanced over her shoulder at her husband, his eyes locked on hers and she felt tears forming.

A Healer came into the room, asking the name of Baby Malfoy.

"Arianna Jade Malfoy," they said together.

Hermione looked back at her daughter, eyes closed now, sleeping and then back to her husband once more.

"It's really her Hermione? She's finally here," he asked, awe and wonder present in his voice."

"It's really her, Draco," she replied. "It's really her."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione thought back to her method of surprising Draco. When she found out she was pregnant with Nicholas, about five years after Arianna was born, she convinced Draco to go shopping with her to the same area of muggle London. She went to the same boutique and surprised him the same way, this time with blue booties instead of pink. With Cadence, six years after that, it had become a tradition.

Hermione grinned, and looked down at her pregnant stomach. This little one sure came as a shock. So much of a shock, in fact, that she had told Draco in the middle of their lounge room not twenty minutes after she found out. So much for tradition.

Hermione's gaze shifted back to the letter in her hands. It was time, she knew, to floo the Headmaster of Hogwarts and gain permission for Arianna to come home for the weekend. Hermione stood up and walked over to the fireplace, reached up and took some floo powder from the dish on the mantelpiece. She tossed a handful in and waited for the flames to turn emerald green. When she did, she stepped in and said clearly, "Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster's Office'.

When Hermione stepped out of the flames she was greeted by a familiar face.

"Hello, Harry, it's been too long."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mummy, tell me a story."

Hermione looked down into the amber eyes of her seven-year-old daughter. It was the same routine every night. Draco would tuck Arianna into bed and kiss her goodnight, calling her his princess, and then Hermione would go into her room and kiss her daughter goodnight, but Arianna would not permit her to leave without a bedtime story.

"What kind of a story, sweetheart?"

"About how you and daddy first met."

Hermione grinned. "But you've heard that story a million times."

"It's my favourite." Arianna smiled sleepily, and Hermione knew she wouldn't get very far into the story before her daughter fell asleep.

"Oh all right. Daddy and I were eleven and both starting our -"

"No! Mummy! You know which one I mean."

Hermione smiled again, pretending to be puzzled. "Which one, love?"

"The one with the angel."

"Oh, of course." The first time her daughter had asked how her mother and father met, Hermione had been put on the spot. She couldn't very well tell her that she herself would be the reason her parents fell in love. So Hermione had improvised. Now the story was told almost every night, and Arianna loved it.

"Well, it was mummy and daddy's seventh year at school and we were Heads. We didn't like each other very much, and that particular night, daddy had made me so angry. He'd left me to patrol the halls all by myself!"

Arianna laughed. Hermione, in return scowled. "I don't think it's that funny, young lady!" Arianna giggled. "Oh alright, take his side." Hermione pretended to pout.

"Keep going, mum!"

"Oh ok. If you insist. Well, mummy had been walking down a corridor on her way back to the common room -"

"You were lost!" Arianna giggled again.

Hermione grinned. "I was not!"

"Were too. Daddy told me!"

"Oh fine, I, at the moment, didn't know exactly where I was. Anyway, do you want to hear the story or not?"

"Yes! Yes!" she squealed.

"Good. Now, where was I? Oh, right. I was walking down a corridor all by myself when an angel appeared. She told me things about myself I thought no one would know. She told me that I needed to go to the Valentine's Day Ball with a boy named Draco Malfoy. I was horrified! Oh, how I hated that boy! But she told me all about what my future could be like with him, and I started thinking it might not be so bad. Then she told Draco the same things. And to my shock and surprise, he asked me to the Ball. And we fell in love, and got married, and had you, and Nicholas, and lived happily ever after. Now go to sleep, my little angel, and have sugary sweet dreams."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry looked up from his desk, surprised. He hadn't seen Hermione in what felt like months.

"Hermione! What on earth are you doing here?" he asked, getting up to come around the desk to give his best friend a hug.

Hermione smiled back. "I missed you too, Harry."

He had the good sense to look ashamed. "You know I didn't mean it like that. I'm just surprised, is all."

"I know, Harry. We don't see each other often enough. I'm always saying that. Anyway, I do have a reason for coming here. I need your permission to take Arianna out of school for the weekend. We have some pressing business to attend to at the Manor."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Pressing business, hmm? Well I suppose she can go. Not that you need my permission anyway."

"Thanks, Harry. It really is important."

"Something to do with certain events surrounding a certain Valentine's Day Ball in our seventh year?"

"Perhaps," Hermione replied, coyly.

"Perhaps indeed. Well, I can have a student send her a note if you like, telling her to pack her stuff together and come up to my office?"

"No, no. I'd much rather go tell her myself. That way I can have a bit of a look around Hogwarts."

"I thought as much. Well, go ahead. You can floo home from here once she's ready."

"Thanks, Harry," Hermione called as she exited the Headmaster's office. Harry shook his head. Thirty-eight and seven months pregnant, and Hermione was still up to trouble. That Malfoy had rubbed off on her.

Hermione walked through the Entrance Hall and stopped at the doors of the Great Hall. She really would have rather found Arianna in a less public setting, but it just so happened to be dinner time, so all the students, including her eldest daughter, were currently in the Great Hall dining. Hermione pushed open the doors and strode over to the Slytherin table. She stopped on her way down to the end where her daughter sat, to give a protesting Nicholas a hug, telling him she was here to see Arianna.
He scrunched up his nose whispering, "Muuumm. Not in front of my friends." What a total Draco.
Arianna looked up from the conversation she was having with her own friends, her eyes going wide with surprise for a moment, before she rose and wrapped her arms around her mother. Hermione hugged her daughter back.

"Mum! What a nice surprise! What are you doing here?"

"I need a reason to come visit my children at their school?" Hermione asked, in mock annoyance.

Arianna rolled her eyes. "Of course not, mum, but I know you have one."

Hermione grinned. "Indeed. I'm here to pick you up. You're coming home for the weekend. I have some big plans for you."

Arianna's eyebrows crinkled. "Coming home? In the middle of term? Whatever for?"

Hermione smiled again. "It's a surprise, I'm afraid." Hermione looked around. You can finish your dinner. But when you're done go pack some things and then meet me in Har- er. the Headmaster's office. We'll floo home together."

Arianna nodded. "Ok mum, but this is really weird."

"I know, but just trust me ok?" And with that, Hermione gave her daughter another hug and strode back out of the Hall and returned to Harry's office. It wasn't 30 minutes later that Arianna entered with a small bag.

"Ready. Sorry it took so long. James stopped me outside the Great Hall and made a big deal of me leaving without telling him. That boy is going to be the death of me, I swear." Arianna then looked at Harry and looked sheepish. "Sorry, Harry. No offence or anything."

Harry smiled. "He's the death of me most days too."

Arianna laughed. "Ok, mum. Are we ready? And are you going to tell me what on earth is going on?"

"We are. And soon."

And with that, the two Malfoy women bid farewell to Harry and stepped in the fireplace together, returning to the Manor they called home.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"You want me to what?!"

Hermione smiled to herself. If the girl standing before her had reacted any differently Hermione would have been worried, but Arianna had taken what Hermione had to tell her exactly as expected.

"I want you to go back in time."

"Yeah, mum, thanks, I got that," Arianna said, her drawl the perfect replication of a tone her father loved to use when he was feeling sarcastic.

Hermione looked into her daughter's eyes, such complete replicas of her own, and took her hand, forcing her to sit on the couch with her.

"Ari, you didn't let me finish. You know that if I thought there were danger to you I wouldn't ask you to do this. Time travel is a tricky business, but I know you're perfectly capable of doing this one thing perfectly for me."

Arianna squinted at her mother, staring deeply into her eyes. "But how can you be so sure?" she asked, already suspecting the answer.

Hermione smirked at her daughter. She was a sneaky one. "Because, of course, you've already done it. Or at least, a future version of you has."

Comprehension dawned in Arianna's eyes. "The angel," she whispered. "The angel who made you fall in love. That wasn't just a bedtime story was it?"

"No love, of course not. You've always been our angel."

Arianna smiled. "Alright, what do I need to do?"

Hermione beamed at this. She pulled a letter out of the pocket of her robe. "Alright, first of all, the spell I'm going to cast will take you back to this exact spot in Malfoy Manor. You'll have to be careful not to be seen. However, it should just be grandmother in the manor, as Lucius will have already been put in Azkaban. You'll open the secret nook on the face of the fireplace;" at this point she pointed to the fireplace on the far wall of the library, "just lift that candle holder on the far side; and place this letter inside. Then you'll need to apparate to Hogsmeade and walk up to the castle. You must be quick; the spell only lasts for three hours. You'll enter the castle, being very careful not to be caught, as you'll look like a student out of bed after hours, and you must make your way to the east fifth floor corridor near the statue of Gregory the Smarmy. You'll wait there until I come along. You'll recognize me I hope. I'll be nice enough, until I find out you're in Slytherin. Then I may get a bit snippy. Don't worry about it. I'll realize you look familiar right away but won't be able to place you. It's going to be difficult, love, to convince your father and I who you are, but you'll manage. You'll just need to tell us both things about ourselves no one else would know. Once your father gets home, he can tell you what you should tell him, but for me, start off slow, with things like my birthday and my parents' names. I don't want you to startle me too much. Then you can tell me that I already know I want to be a Healer, and that I had a crush on Ron. Oh, and don't forget to hint at the fact that you know I have a crush on Draco. That will get me right away. We'll go over all of this again before you leave, sweet. You'll convince me quite easily I think. I'll realize you are telling the truth and I'll take you back to the Heads' common room so you can speak to your dad. He'll tell you what to use to convince him. Other than that, just play it by ear. You'll convince us in the end, I know you will, and then the spell will bring you home."

Arianna looked very confused. "Ok, so I have to convince seventeen-year-old you and dad that I'm your daughter. Easy enough, but why?"

"You have to get us to agree to go together to the Valentine's Day Ball."

"But why? I don't understand why I need to go into the past at all!"

Hermione smiled a poignant smile. "Because, love, your dad and I thought we hated each other in seventh year. The only thing that made us realize that we actually felt something else for each other was a little push in the right direction from you."

Arianna seemed to finally understand. "So, if I screw this up, you might never get together?"

Hermione hesitated. "Not necessarily. But you won't screw it up. You'll do just fine."

"Ok. If you think so."

"I do. Now, there are a few more things I need to tell you. You mustn't reveal anything that isn't relevant to what you are trying to change. Do you understand? And you can not tell either of us that I'm pregnant." She placed her hands on her stomach. "This little one is meant to be a surprise."

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Later that night, after Draco had returned home from his job as a potions researcher for the ministry, he and Arianna sat down in his study so he could tell her what she needed to know.

"You blew my mind when you walked into that common room when I was seventeen, little girl. So you won't need to say much. I knew you were a Malfoy right away. I just didn't realize who you were. First thing I remember you saying that threw me off was that the Sorting Hat almost put me in Gryffindor. That got my attention. Then you'll need to say things about grandmother and Professor Snape, and how I've always thought of him as my father. Tell me you know I'm afraid I'm not capable of falling in love, and that I had my eye on someone too damn brave for her own good. I'd had a crush on Hermione for close to six months by then. Then tell me about yourself without telling me who you are. Make sure you mention that you're Slytherin seeker, and that you've had the cup for five years in a row. I'll love that. And just tell me things you know will hit home. You know me well, little girl, you'll be a pro at this."

Arianna smiled as her father winked at her.
"Of course I know you well dad, I'm just like you!"

"Damn straight!-"

"Draco!"

Draco's head whipped to the doorway of the study where his wife stood with a reprimanding look on her face.
Turning back to his daughter he told her there was one more thing, and then bent down to whisper it in her ear. "Make sure you tell my little bratty self that. Even if you forget everything else, alright?"

"Ok dad, I won't forget."

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Finally, it was time. Arianna felt her hands shaking and she kept going over and over in her head all that she needed to do.

She looked up to see her mother standing in front of her, her lips moving to practice the words for a spell she'd gone over a thousand times already.
'At least I'm not the only one who's nervous,' Arianna thought to herself.
She looked up at her father, standing just behind and to the right of her mother, and he winked at her, giving her a secret reassuring smile all for herself.
"Okay hun," her mother said, taking a deep breath, just as the grandfather clock began to chime ten. "It's time."

"Peragro Aevum," Hermione spoke clearly, her wand moving in a complicated motion.
Arianna closed her eyes, and when she opened them her parents were gone, and the library looked different, in very small ways.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Hermione watched as her daughter disappeared. She turned to her husband.

"We've done the right thing, haven't we Draco. She'll be fine, won't she?" Hermione asked, needing reassurance.

"Of course she will. We only have to wait, and then she'll be home and everything will be fine, once again."

Hermione nodded.

Three hours passed in such a slow fashion that Hermione thought all the time pieces in the house were broken. But finally, as the clock chimed one, her daughter was standing before her once again.

Hermione leapt up off her perch on the couch and wrapped her arms around Arianna.

"Mum, I'm fine."

Hermione smiled through her tears. "I know, love. I was just so worried."

Arianna rolled her eyes. "Well you knew it would work!"

"I know. I just-I couldn't help it."

"Can I tell you about it now?"

"Of course! I want to hear everything."

At this point, Arianna turned to her father. "You were a piece of work, you know that! Calling mum the M-word. Honestly!"

Draco had the good sense to look ashamed, "I know. Horrid!"

Arianna grinned and then turned to her mother. "And you! All anti-Slytherin. Really."

"Well, can you blame me? What with him being the perfect example of that house in my time?"

Arianna smiled to herself. This could be fun, all the dirt she had on her parents. Maybe this time travel thing wasn't so bad after all.

.x.

And that is the story of how two lives intertwined and how Draco and Hermione Malfoy came to live happily ever after, with a little push from their eldest daughter, and one or two twists of fate.