Breathe

by magical*little*me
 
 
 

* I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way *
 

"Shhhhhhh, don't peek!" said Draco to Hermione. "Just trust me on this one. It's for the better"
he said, the hint of a smile on his face.

"Of course I trust you!" said Hermione, who was still trying to get the blindfold off here face.
"I just don't like being blinded like this. And what's so important that you can't tell me somewhere
else?"

"Just wait and see" said Draco mysteriously. "I think you'll be quite surprised"

"I just hope it's good" said Hermione, though her smiling face didn't quite match her words.

Draco led her through a sweet smelling meadow, and a piney forest, and then to the edge of a
cliff. "Now sit down" he urged gently. "Be careful"

He settled her down, watching to make sure she didn't slip and fall. The cottony spores of
dandelions floated around them, seeming even more magical then what they had learned in school.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now" said Draco, trying to stop his excitement from leaking into
his voice.

Hermione removed her blindfold and gasped with delight. The scene in front of her was more
beautiful than anything she could have ever imagined. The rusty sun was setting, sending the
heavens into hues of pink, blue, and orange, streaking across the sky. Slate blue clouds moved
just ever so slightly, brilliantly adding on to the effect.

"It's beautiful" said Hermione, who was still slightly breathless.

"I just wanted everything to be perfect, you know?" said Draco nervously. "Did I do something
wrong?"

She held him in a tight embrace. "Everything is perfect" she whispered in his ear. "But for what?"

Draco grinned, changing back to his usual cocky self. "For this" he said.

He bent down on one knee and withdrew a small case from his pocket. "Hermione Ann Granger,
will you marry me?"

Hermione almost fainted with happiness. "Oh yes! Yes, I will!" she cried, throwing her arms
around him.

They spent the rest of the night together, holding each other, just watching the stars.
 

* I watch the sunlight dance across your face
And I've never been this swept away *
 

"Oh my god, I just can't believe it" said Hermione, flustered and red faced. She lay back on
the hospital bed. "We have twins!"

Their three year old son Alex, a silvery blonde with brown eyes, peeked over the metal edges
of the bed. "Why're they so red?" he asked curiously.

Draco ruffled his hair affectionately. "All new born babies are like that" he said with a smile.

"Oh" said Alex. "What's their names?"

"I don't know" said Draco. "Let's ask Mommy about that."

"Clara" answered Hermione immediately. "It's my grandmother's name. There've been five
Claras in my family since the beginning. I want to carry on the tradition."

"And the other one'll be Rowena" decided Draco. "She just looks as smart as you were
before, and as smart as Rowena Ravenclaw"

"It's decided then?" asked a nurse with a clipboard. "Can ya repeat that for the record?"

"Clara and Rowena Malfoy" said Draco with a smile. He leaned over and gave Hermione
a hug. "I'm so happy" he whispered to her.

"So'm I" she whispered back.

"Can I hold them, Mommy? Can I, please please please?" begged Alex. "I'll be extra careful,
promise!"

"When they come home" said Draco. "Just be patient"

"But I wanna hold them now!" whined Alex. "I won't drop them"

"Once won't hurt" said Hermione. "And besides, we're right here"

"All right then" Draco agreed, with a sigh.

"Yay!" cried Alex.

He lifted himself onto Hermione's bed, and she handed his sisters to him. He just gazed at
them, one in each of his short little arms.

They stared up at him with solemn grey eyes, and already, tufts of brown hair were visible
on their heads. Alex smiled at them, and one of them reached out and grabbed his finger.

"I think I'll like her the best" he announced to his parents.
 

* All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms *
 

"I wish things would stay like this forever" sighed Hermione happily as she nestled back in
Draco's arms.

"So do I" said Draco, "but unfortunately, they can't. I've got a Quidditch game in fifteen minutes."
He stood up, gently letting Hermione fall onto the grass.

"I'll be rooting for you" she said with a smile. "Who're you playing?"

"Gryffindor" he groaned. "It'll take a lot of luck, if I'm going to win"

"Well, good luck anyways" she said, escorting him to the Quidditch Pitch.

*~*~*

"And the score is tied!" roared Ron, the new announcer. "The only thing that matters now is
the Snitch, whoever catches it is the winner!"

Draco looked up, sweat dripping from his forehead. It was just like Weasley, to put even more
pressure on him. He flew around, scanning the field with his eyes.

And then, he saw it! There it was, just behind Potter's head. Thank god Potter didn't see it.
Now if only he could get to it in time!

Draco dove, pushing his body as close to his broom as possible. Potter turned around at the
last minute, and tried to grab the Snitch but it was too late. Draco was already clutching it in
his hand, grinning victoriously.

An earth shattering cheer came from the Slytherins. Their Quidditch team flew down and
hoisted Draco into the air. He smiled, again and again.

"I did it, I actually did it" he mouthed to Hermione as they passed her.

She gave him a knowing grin. "I knew you could" she mouthed back.

*~*~*

Later, when the crowd had left, Hermione snuggled up comfortably in Draco's arms once
more. "Can we stay like this now?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nope. I want to take you for a broom ride"

"But Draco" she protested, clinging onto him, "I'm afraid of heights"

"You won't be of this" he said, lifting her to her feet. "Come on. For me?"

"You just had to say that, didn't you? You know I'd do anything for you." she said, glowering
at him. "Where's your broom?"

He handed it to her. "Right here" he said with a smile.

They both got on, and Draco pushed off into the sky. After a while, Hermione lost her
nervousness.

"Hey, this is kinda fun" she said throwing out her arms.

And they flew, with the birds, weaving through the fluffy mass of clouds.
 

* The whole world just fades away
The only thing I hear
Is the beating of your heart *
 

"Mom! Mom! I got in! I'm a witch!" screamed Clara as she rushed into the kitchen where
Hermione was cooking.

"I knew you would" said Hermione, putting down her wand to give her daughter a hug.

"I just can't believe it" said Rowena, her grey eyes glassy. "I'm actually a witch"

"I know! I know! I'm just so excited!" said Clara, jumping up and down, acting nothing like
the eleven year she was.

"Whoa, calm down" said Alex, coming into the kitchen for his breakfast. He pulled out a
chair and sat down. "No need to get that hyped up"

"She gets too excited about little things" commented Rowena, eating her cereal.

"I do not!" argued Clara, her eyes blazing.

"We'll have to go get your supplies" said Draco, looking up from his paper. "Your wands,
your books, your robes..." He trailed off, and looked at his watch. "How about we go to
Diagon Alley today? We have to get Alex's new books anyways"

"Okay!" said Clara. She rushed upstairs. "I got to get dressed!" Her cry could be heard
throughout the house.

A few hours later, the twins emerged from Ollivanders, a cauldron full of books in one hand,
their brand new wands in the other.

"14 inches, ebony and unicorn hair" sighed Clara happily. "Mr Ollivander said it would be
good for Charms. I can just imagine it now"

"Oh, Clara, your head's always in the clouds" said Alex, flipping through one of his DADA
books. "Be more realistic"

"She is realistic" offered Rowena, looking happily at her wand. "She's just more...imaginative.
She ought to make a great writer someday"

"Yeah right" snorted Alex. "I'll betcha you two don't even know how to use your wands"

Hermione gave a sigh and put her head against Draco's shoulder. "Whatever happened to
Alex's promise about liking her the best?"

"It was Rowena he was talking to" said Draco as he watched his bickering children, "and he
still is rather fond of her"
 

* Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby, all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's suppose to be
I can feel you breathe *
 

"I think you'll like that one" said Draco with a grin as he handed his Christmas present to
Hermione. They were sitting up in their room, far away from the kids. They had come home
for Christmas and the house was louder than ever.

"Oh! It's beautiful!" gasped Hermione as she unwrapped her present. It was a necklace, a
heart shaped charm upon a thin silver chain, an aquamarine centered in the middle of the
charm.

She didn't get a chance to say anything else. Just then, Alex burst into the room, being
attacked by pillows, which were held by his two younger sisters.

"Mom! Dad!" he whined, trying to hide behind them "tell them to stop! They're messing up
my perfectly gelled hair!"

This brought a giggle from his sisters. "Serves you right for teasing me so much!" shouted
Clara, banging on him with her pillow.

A large cloud of feathers erupted from her pillow and filled the room in a burst of white. They
swirled around the three excited children until finally dropping to the ground.

Rowena poked her head out from the feathers and looked around curiously. "Hey!" she
exclaimed to her siblings, "where's Mom and Dad?"

"I dunno" said Alex, scratching his head, their fight forgotten. "They were here a minute ago."

*~*~*

A laughing Draco and Hermione ran down the stairs, shutting the door behind them. They
scurried down to their basement, where a fireplace was being heated. Locking the door
magically behind them, they settled onto a sofa, their presents still in their hands.

"Finally, some peace and quiet. Now where were we?" asked Draco, taking her hand in his.

"I believe I was about to give you your present" said Hermione, leaning back comfortably.

"That can wait" Draco decided. "How about we just enjoy the privacy for now?"

"Sounds great!" Hermione said with a smile.

And so they snuggled up by the fireplace, sipping mugs of hot chocolate.
 

* In a way I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumbling down *
 

"I still can't believe I hated you back then" said Hermione with a laugh, flipping through the
photo album.

"Hated me?" said Draco in disbelief. "You detested me! I was your worst enemy! And you
weren't afraid to tell me that either. Remember third year? You slapped me because you
were so angry"

"Oh I'm sorry" said Hermione, reaching out to touch his cheek.

"It didn't hurt much" said Draco. "You weren't very strong. I was just...shocked"

"Shocked?" repeated Hermione, slightly offended. "Is that why you ran crying to Snape?"

"I didn't run crying to Professor Snape" said Draco indignantly. He flipped the page in the
album and groaned. "Oh, I don't even want to think about that picture" he said, pointing at
it. "In fact, I think I'll go burn it"

Hermione took one look at the picture and let out a hearty laugh. "I can't believe Colin
actually managed to catch that on film" she giggled.

"It wasn't that funny" pouted Draco. "It really hurt"

"Yes it was!" said Hermione, tears running down her face. "How can you call that 'not funny'?
You were turned into a ferret and bounced around the room! D'you know how hard Ron
laughed that night?"

"You wouldn't find it so funny if it happened to you" protested Draco.

"Yes, I would. I happen to appreciate good humor" said Hermione, trying to look superior.

"You think so?" asked Draco, slightly amused. "Let's try it then!" He whipped out his wand
and with a bang, a small ferret with brown fur appeared in the place where Hermione was.

It looked up at him furiously and tried to scratch him with its tiny claws. Draco jumped back,
surprised at its viciousness.

"I shouldn't be surprised" he said to no one in particular. "She was quite vicious at as a girl
too."

The ferret looked even angrier, if that was possible.

"You aren't laughing now, are you?" he mocked. "Now for the final step" He raised his wand
again and swished it around, making the ferret bounce around the house.

When it finally bounced back into the room, Draco swished his wand again, and the ferret
instantly stopped, and turned back into Hermione.

"I think I'm gonna be sick" she groaned, and sat back dizzily onto the place where the chair
wasn't. "I was wrong. It's not so funny after all"

"Oh but it was" said Draco, his eyes dancing. "I'll never forget the look on your face when you
started to bounce"

He ducked just in time to avoid getting hit by a pillow.
 

* Closer than I've ever felt before
And I know, and you know
There's no need for words right now *
 

Their wedding was beautiful. It was held in the backyard of Malfoy Manor, which Draco had
inherited from his father. The garden was overflowing with fragrant roses, red, white and yellow.

Soft music drifted through the yard, from a small organ in the corner of the yard. Chairs were
put throughout, leaving an aisle to walk through down the middle.

A buffet table was set up by the fence, filled with delectable foods. Lush green vines were
thread through the white picket fence, a small blossom placed here and there.

The guests started to file in, taking their places. Dumbledore stood at the altar, smiling and
holding a book. Around him were hundreds of pictures, all showing good memories.

Draco stood beside Dumbledore, nervously adjusting his tie.

The organist started to play the wedding march, and the yard instantly fell silent. Along came
four bridesmaids, all dressed in baby blue dresses, gliding elegantly along. Their hair was tied
back neatly, with a ribbon that matched their dress.

Two cute little flowers girls danced along the path, scattering flower petals as they went.
Hermione, in her cream coloured wedding dress followed, two more little girls holding her
train.

She held herself with grace as she walked along, smiling a bit self conciously. A lacy veil
covered her face just slightly, letting no one see that she was nervous.

She finally reached the altar, where Draco was waiting for her patiently. "Don't be so nervous"
he told her, squeezing her hand. "Nobody's expecting you to be perfect here"

"Thanks" she told him, glad that someone was here to go through this with her.

Dumbledore began. "Do you, Hermione Granger take this man Draco Malfoy to be your
lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer
till death do you part?"

"I do" she answered solemnly.

"And do you, Draco Malfoy, take this women Hermione Granger to be your lawful wedded
wife to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer till death do you part?"

"I do" he answered seriously, though his eyes were dancing at her.

"Then I pronounce you husband and wife!" said Dumbledore with a smile. "You may kiss the
bride."

And he did exactly that, dipping her back and delivering a long passionate kiss, just like in the
movies. "I'll never let you go" he whispered when they finally parted.
 

* Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby, all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's suppose to be
I can feel you breathe *
 

Three teens dressed in black sobbed silently as Dumbledore ended his speech. "They were
great people and I was very privileged to have known them. Thank you"

Quiet clapped could be heard as he sat down.

Cornelius Fudge stumbled up to the stage, and tried to compose himself. "Alex Malfoy, will
you say a bit about your parents?"

His sisters helped him up, and he quickly dried his tears on his sleeve. Walking up the last of
the stairs, he stood by the microphone and waited for everyone's attention. Rowena gazed
up at him with shining eyes.

"My parents" he began, "were wonderful people. They were as good as a witch and a wizard
as there was, and they loved us all deeply. But there was something that separated them from
the rest. They were brave.

And I don't mean brave as in sacrificing themselves to save someone, or fighting an evil villain,
perhaps. But they had to go through an unbelievable amount of pain to be able to prove to
everyone else that they loved each other.

Let me start at the beginning. Their first year at Hogwarts, my parents were enemies. Mom was
in Gryffindor, Dad was in Slytherin. It was a natural rivalry.

And then, at the beginning of their fifth year, they fell in love. Everyone disapproved of them
being together, Gryffindors and Slytherins had never been friends, and dating was even worse.
It was like Romeo and Juliet.

It took them months to convince everyone else to let them be together. They never gave up,
even when it seemed hopeless. Even when their friends all ignored them. They stuck together,
and they made it through.

They were overjoyed when everyone stopped shunning them, and welcomed them back into
society. They never took that for granted, because they had seen how cruel people could be.
They had me, and my twin sisters, and we all lived happily. Until last week.

My dad was shopping in Hogsmeade, when out of nowhere, someone shot him. By the time
he got to the hospital wing in Hogwarts, it was too late. He had lost too much blood, and he
knew it. His last words were, 'give my love to Hermione'

Mom was devastated without him. She sank into a deep depression, until she just couldn't take
it anymore. She killed herself.

Their story was exactly like the one of Romeo and Juliet. Two lovers from families, or in this
case, houses that hated each other. They managed to let their love keep them together for a
while, but they died. Their end was tragical.

Maybe fate just won't let two people who love each other deeply be together. Maybe it doesn't
matter how hard they try to stay together. Maybe the price of true love is death."
 

* I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way... *
 
 
 

AN: Kay this is gonna be slightly long, so if you really don't care, scroll down and just review. Or not.

First, I'm leaving, starting Monday, for a three week vacation to somewhere far far away, to visit all my relatives and
stuff. Which means no fics, no ff.net, and no Internet for three weeks. =( Well, actually, if you wanna be exact it's 23
days. And I think my uncle has two computers, both of which have internet access. But most likely, I won't be able to
use it, as I'm supposed to be "visiting" peoples and having "fun" without a computer. And I seriously don't see how
that's possible. Don't ask, I'm obsessed. Maybe all the people I have on my AuthorAlert will decide to be nice and
not post any fics for the next three weeks...heh heh...*sees all the people running at her with knives*...or not...

Second, a favour to ask. Do any of you know Darren Hayes'(from Savage Garden) favourite kind of music, artist he
admires, and philosophy on life? It's from a stupid French fake interview thing I'm supposed to do.

And last, if you've made it this far without screaming and running away, I thank you for putting up with me since forever.
Sorry for the really bad wedding vows, I've never been to a wedding, so I have no idea what they sound like. I really
don't wanna leave, I don't see how I'm gonna be able to survive without my internet...*sigh* Well, I just hoped you like
the fic. Hopefully. I'll really miss ff.net. I'll just try to read as much as I can till Monday. Review? It'll make a really nice
early Christmas present thing. Or a going away present, whatever you prefer. =)