A/N: Hey everyone! So first of all, thank you so much for 1k+ views! It means a lot to me. Anyways, hope you guys liked the last chapter. I tried explaining Draco's feelings during the war, it wasn't much, but I hope it was enough to tell you all that it wasn't easy for him, not at all. Yes, the ending was a bit dramatic, but it's something that had been planned ever since I started writing this. Read the A/N at the end to find out when the next chapter will be out. On with the chapter! 

"WHAT?" Hermione couldn't believe what he was saying.

"I-I don't know... T-the Healer j-just said..." Draco was still shaking, he too couldn't believe what the Healer had told him.

Athy, who had noticed the change in her father's magic and mood, started crying. Hermione quickly tried to sooth her, but her mind was elsewhere.

"We need to go to St Mungo's now." Draco grabbed her hand, and apparated both of them to the Wizarding Hospital.

Athena didn't stop crying when they arrived there, her cries only got louder because of the apparation, which made everyone look at them, and they started whispering among themselves.

But Draco was too tense to pay attention to them. He did nothing but run towards the reception, and said, "I am Draco Malfoy, Healer Matthew called me here. Where's my wife?"

The receptionist, who had just graduated from Hogwarts, stared at him in shock. Draco Malfoy? The death eater Draco Malfoy?

"I asked you something, woman!" 

She couldn't say anything. Why was he even allowed to come here? Shouldn't he be in Azkaban or something for everything he did? 

Draco couldn't control his temper anymore. "WHERE IS MY WIFE?" He yelled and slammed his hands on top of the counter. As he did that, Athy let out a loud wail. 

Hermione walked towards him, and placed her hand on his bicep. "Calm down, Draco, please." Turning towards the receptionist, she asked, "In which room number is Astoria Malfoy?" 

"S-she is in r-room number 549." She stuttered. 

Draco immediately turned around and was about to walk away when he looked at his daughter, who was crying in his best friend's arms. 

He took Athy from her, and tried to shush her. Before they could start walking, Draco heard someone calling him. "Mr Malfoy! Healer Matthews here." 

He turned towards the man, and was about to ask something, but the Healer continued, "If you would just come with me for a minute..." Matthews looked at Hermione, and added, "I would like to discuss a few things with you." 

Hermione squeezed his bicep and said, "Go on, I will be here."  

He nodded and walked away from her. The ex Gryffindor witch turned towards the receptionist, narrowed her eyes at her. 

"What is your name?" She asked. 

"Claire Smith, ma'am." 

"As far as I know, whoever wishes to work in St Mungo's, has to take an oath, right Claire?" When she nodded, Hermione continued, "Can you repeat that oath for me?" 

"Y-yes. Tend to the sick and wounded, listen to people patiently, answer their questions calmly, and treat everyone equally, no matter their status, gender or anything else." 

"Very well." Hermione nodded. "Do you know that you just broke two out of those four promises of the oath? You were supposed to listen to Mr Malfoy patiently, and treat him just as you treat everyone else. Why did you not do that?" 

"I-I was scared." Claire muttered, looking at her hands. "He is a D-death Eater, and we all know how his kind used to treat people working in St Mungo's during the war." 

"He was a Death Eater, not his. The Wizengamot declared him free of all charges eight years ago. And now, he works in the Ministry as an Auror, and let me tell you, he is a damn good one as well. As for the second thing, I do know how the other death eaters were like to the people working here. But that's the thing, the other death eaters, not him. You yourself said that his kind used to do that, but not him, never him." 

"You look quite young, did you just graduate from Hogwarts?" When Claire nodded, Hermione continued, "Then maybe you have heard all about the war, and everyone's role in that."

"I have. There were some people in my year whose elder brother or sister had played a role in the war, and some who were in their first year during the war."

"Then you might know about the prejudice against Slytherin as well?"

"Prejudice against Slytherin? Seriously? They are the ones who are prejudiced against us, specially Muggle Borns. All of them are evil."

"See, that's where you are wrong, Claire." Hermione crossed her arms in front of her. "Yes, some Slytherins were prejudiced against us, but did you know that almost all of the Wizarding World is prejudiced against them? I hate to say this, but my best friend, Harry James Potter, was one of them. He hadn't even met a Slytherin properly, and yet he decided that he didn't want to be in Slytherin because he had heard from someone that all bad wizards in the history were in Slytherin. Let me tell you when he realised his mistake, it was after the War, when Luna told us what all had really happened at Hogwarts. She told us how she had seen a few Slytherins healing those who were wounded, how some of them had even protested when the Carrows wanted to use the Cruciatus Curse, and lastly, she told us how Draco had ensured that they would get proper food, and he himself was the one to heal their wounds when they were held prisoners at the Manor. It was then he realised that every story has two sides, and unfortunately, he chose to believe only one of them."

"I don't understand why you are telling me this-" She started but was cut off.

"I am telling you this for your benefit only. Either you stop this prejudice against people, and treat them equally or I am going to tell this to your supervisor, and I don't think he will be happy to know about that. Have a nice day." Hermione smiled innocently at her and walked away.

Claire gulped as she saw the retreating figure of the ex Gryffindor witch.

Who knew Hermione Granger could become a scary witch when someone made her angry?

-----------

"Good morning, Narcissa." Pansy greeted her as she stepped out of the floo.

The Malfoy matriarch stood up from the couch and walked towards her guest. "How are you, dear?" She hugged the younger witch.

"I am fine, Narcissa." Pansy smiled and wrapped her arms around her friend. "But I have been really busy with the work, and that's why it took me so long to visit you. Plus, Blaise has been annoying me so much lately." 

Narcissa laughed. "Then it is a wonder you that have managed to control yourself and not hex him." 

Pansy was just about to say something when an Italian Wizard stepped out of the floo behind her.

"What are my two favourite witches in the whole world talking about?" Blaise walked towards them and gave Narcissa a one armed hug as she pulled away from Pansy. 

"I am flattered, Blaise really, that I am one of your favourites." Narcissa grinned at him.

"Don't take him seriously, Narcissa. Though I suggest you never take him seriously. Just last week he told Hermione and Astoria that they were his favourite witches in the world. But at least, Draco is better than him, he doesn't go flirting with everyone." Pansy shook her head.

"It's not called flirting, darling. I was just being my usual charming self, you know?" Blaise smirked at her. "Anyways, did you just compare me to that egotistical git?"

"That's my son you are talking about, Blaise." Narcissa narrowed her eyes at him. "But I can't say that I disagree."

Then she looked at the portrait of a younger looking Draco, which the said wizard had hung on the wall a few years back, and sighed. "I am sorry, my Dragon, but even you know that your ego is on a whole different level."

The raven haired witch laughed. "Pretty sure Draco will be shaking his head right now, wherever he is. But your son is a real charmer, Narcissa, I am sure you know that almost all of the girls, those who were in our year, and some who were younger, had a crush on him during Hogwarts."

"You can't compliment another man when your boyfriend is standing right here, Pansy, especially when that man is his best friend. And need I remind you that I am more charming than him, and those girls loved me as well." Blaise scoffed.

His girlfriend smiled innocently and patted his cheek. "Whatever helps you to sleep at night, darling."

Their banter would have continued, if it weren't for Narcissa who shook her head and grabbed Pansy's hand. "Come on you two, let's go to the gardens. You can continue your lover's quarrel when you go home."

Blaise followed his girlfriend and his best friend's mother to the Malfoy gardens, keeping a look out for the Albino peacocks, who never failed to startle him. 

He still remembered how those damn birds had chased him and Draco when they were about four year olds, and were simply roaming out in the gardens. 

And on top of that, they had received scoldings from both Lucius and Narcissa, for bothering their precious peacocks. Though they were prohibited from eating sweets when the two boys had started arguing and blaming each other. 

Merlin only knows why the Malfoys had to be so extravagant. He even heard a rumour that Draco wanted to buy some gold quills as well for writing his reports, but he had decided against that when he had received a glare from his wife. 

"Oh and to answer your very first question, Blaise, we were talking about you." Narcissa told him. 

Blaise groaned. "Now I know how Draco used to feel when you all would talk about him everytime. I get that I am special but don't you two have any other important topic to talk about?" 

Pansy shook her head and said, "Draco is really growing on you, Blaise. Now you have even started talking like him." 

He sat down on the chair next to his girlfriend, while Narcissa sat down across from them. Blaise had just taken a sip of his tea, when Narcissa asked, "So Blaise, when are you going to propose to our Pansy?" 

Blaise choked on his tea. Pansy chuckled and patted his back. He thanked her, and turned towards the other witch. "Salazar, Narcissa, are you trying to kill me or something?" 

"What?" She asked him, a look of confusion on her face. "I didn't do anything except ask you a simple question, dear Blaise." 

He shook his head. "You do not ask questions like that so casually, Narcissa. And why are you asking such a question so suddenly?" 

"A really simple reason, you are taking too much time. You two have been dating for what, like four years, now. And not to mention you have loved Pansy since your first year." 

"How do you even- wait, don't tell me Draco was the one to tell you that?" Blaise narrowed his eyes at her, all the while cursing his best friend. 

"Of course he was." Narcissa smirked at him. "He will never be able to hide anything from me, and even if he would, then I will get to know the truth from someone else." 

He sighed. "And here I thought he was my best friend and that I could trust him with everything. At least Theo's not like him. I can trust him. Note to self: Never tell any secret to Draco ever again." 

Pansy stared at him. "You are the one to talk. Who was it that told us that Draco had a crush on Hermione during Hogwarts?" 

"Can someone please tell me why my girlfriend is taking my best friend's side today?" Blaise shook his head. He looked at the watch, and then stood up. "I should go now, I have a meeting in about nine minutes. I'll see you two later." 

Before he could walk away, Pansy stood up as well and kissed him. "Will you be able to come here for dinner today?"

"I'll try my best." He smiled at her. "Anyways, who all are coming here, Narcissa?" 

"You two, Draco, Astoria, Athy, the Potters and Hermione." She replied. "Oh and how could I forget? Last but not the least, my husband of course, who is currently having a meeting at Malfoy Enterprises." 

"Poor Lucius, his own wife not remembering him. But anyways, I don't think it was necessary to mention him, he won't miss a dinner with us." Blaise said. 

"But wait, are you sure it is wise idea to invite Hermione when Lucius will be present?" Pansy asked her. "You know how he reacted the last time they were present in a room. Though thankfully he behaved at Athy's birthday."

"Don't worry, I have warned him to behave this time. And if he doesn't, let's just say that facing my wrath, won't be good for him." Narcissa replied. 

"You are forgetting Draco. We all know how protective he is of her, I am sure he wouldn't be able to control his temper if Lucius said anything bad about her." Blaise turned towards his girlfriend, and kissed her forehead. "Enjoy your day, Pans." 

"So what will be having for today's dinner?" She asked as she sat down after Blaise had disapparated from the house.

"Oh I have decided to make everyone's favourite dishes today. For example, there will be pizza, which is Blaise's favourite, lasagna which is yours, brownies which are Astoria's, and then apple pies, which are of course, none other than Draco's favourite." 

"The apple pies, huh?" Pansy chuckled. "Draco will be really happy today then." 

-------------

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING?" Draco yelled as he grabbed the Healer by his collars. 

He had had a talk with Healer Matthews while Hermione was talking with Claire. He had wanted to go inside Astoria's room earlier, but he was told that she was still unconscious. 

When it had been a few minutes of talking with the Healer, Draco decided to enter the room again and was surprised to see that Astoria was awake, and was smiling at him. He quickly crossed the room and kissed her forehead. She took Athy from him, and laid her down next to her on the bed. 

Before he could say anything, he had seen the report lying on the table. The sentence, 'She cannot be healed,' stood out to him. It was enough to make him storm out of the room, and yell at the Healer. 

Even though Healer Matthews had clearly told him that they didn't know whether or not they will be able to save her, to see those words written clearly on the report had a completely different effect on him. 

"Draco!" Hermione's eyes widened as soon as she saw him. She quickly walked towards them, and removed Draco's hands from the Healer's collars. "Please calm down, Draco." 

"You know Granger, considering how I usually am, people would think that I am acting really calm in this situation." Draco glared at her. He turned towards the Healer and said, "Surely there must be a solution? Are you even a real Healer or not? Or do you want money for healing someone, is that it?"

Healer Matthews did nothing but shake his head. "Mr Malfoy, please listen to me. Nothing can be done. Mrs Astoria Malfoy only has a few minutes. I am really sorry." 

Draco shoved past him, and entered the room. Hermione turned towards the Healer and asked, "What actually happened to her?" 

"She touched one of the most poisonous plants, rare Venomous Tentacula in the Potions' shop that had been opened recently. One of the staff present there found her lying on the floor of their back room. She had fainted and they noticed that the box of that plant had shifted a little bit from its original position, so they thought that she must have touched it. They immediately brought her here, but unfortunately, we couldn't do anything. Venomous Tentacula can kill a person, but its rare species, which she had touched, immediately kills a person. It's a wonder that she is still alive.... But not for long." Healer Matthews explained it to her.

"So there is absolutely nothing that we can do?" Hermione asked, on the verge of crying. She couldn't lose her friend, not now, not ever. 

"No. If we could have, then we would have done anything." He sighed. "I should go now. Call me if you need anything." 

Hermione nodded and watched as the Healer walked away. She wanted to go inside the room, but at the same time, she wanted to give them some privacy. 

She slumped against the wall and took out her phone, dialing Narcissa's number. She would have sent a patronus, considering it was much faster as the phone took a few minutes to call someone because of the wards surrounding the house. 

But she couldn't cast a patronus right now. Not even her happiest memory would have helped her to do that. 

Not when this all was happening around her, and she couldn't do anything to help them. 

A few minutes later, the door opened. "She wants to talk with you." Draco muttered, his voice cracking. Hermione could see tears streaming down his face, and entered the room without even hesitating for a second. 

He closed the door after her, leaned against it, trying his best to stop crying. Hermione looked away from him, and gulped. Slowly, she walked towards Astoria and took her hand in hers. 

"A-astoria..." She whispered. 

The ex Slytherin witch smiled. "Will you please do me a favor?" 

Hermione nodded. "Anything, whatever you want." 

Astoria looked at her husband who still hadn't accepted that she was going away, and was staring at the floor. "Take care of him, and Athy." She told her friend. 

"What?" She gasped. "I-I... Astoria, what are you saying?" 

"Hermione, please." She squeezed her hand gently. "I will not be able to rest until I know that there is someone who will be there for them. And I know that someone can be no one except you. And you owe me remember? For giving you the first copy of Hogwarts: A History." 

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing will happen to you, okay?" She said, even though she herself knew that it wasn't true. "I am s-sure there is a solution and I won't give up until I find it. You will get better-"

Astoria chuckled. "We both know that is a straight lie. And since when do you lie, Hermione? Just do this for me, okay? Take care of them for me." 

"I am sorry I gave you that list, Astoria." She said, as one by one, tears escaped her eyes. "I-if it weren't for that, you wouldn't have gone there and...." 

"There is no point in thinking about what ifs, Hermione. And it's not your fault. In fact, you did everything you could to help me, but...." She sighed and then turned her gaze towards the wizard standing away from them. "Draco, come here, please." 

He walked towards the bed, and stood next to it, all the while looking away from them. His wife reached for his hand, but he pulled away. "Remembered me now, have you?" 

"Draco, listen to me-" 

"No!" He shouted. "I will not listen to you because you don't listen to me. You never did!" His voice broke and he finally looked at her. "You made me a promise, remember? You said that you will be with me forever and yet you...." 

Astoria smiled sadly at him, and once again reached out to him. This time, instead of pulling away, he sat down on the edge of the bed, and allowed her to take his hand in hers. "I will be with you forever, Draco. I will still be here, just not in the way I wanted to. And-" 

Her voice faltered as he suddenly grimaced in pain. "Astoria?" Draco asked as she started having trouble while breathing properly. "Tori, listen to me. You are fine, and nothing will happen to you okay, I-I will just..." He looked at Hermione and said, "Granger! Call a healer, quickly." 

But before Hermione could even turn around, Astoria spoke. "I-I need to go, Draco. Let me go, please." 

"Tori, no!" He cried as he stood up and took his wife's face in his hands. "You will not l-leave me, you will not leave Athy, okay? Tori, I l-love you!"

"I-I.... love you, D-draco, so much...." She mumbled, and gave him a kiss, their last kiss. "T-thank you f-for everything." She kissed her daughter on her forehead, who had started crying again because of the disturbance in her parents' magic, "Tell A-athy that I love her, and.... I.... I never wanted to leave her.... I never wanted to leave you...." 

And with that, her hands fell back on the bed, and her eyes closed as she took her last breath.

"Tori?" Draco whispered as she shook her. "TORI!" He refused to believe that she had left him. No, she wouldn't do that right? 

She wouldn't break her promise, would she? 

Hermione covered her mouth with her hands and cried silently as she looked at them. She couldn't believe it. It had to be a nightmare, and she would wake up really soon. 

But even if she had pinched herself, she knew it wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare, which was taking place in reality. 

She looked at Athy who was crying while sitting on the bed next to her mother, and then at Draco who was not paying attention to her, and was focused on Astoria. 

"Astoria? Answer me, love." Draco muttered as he grabbed her wrist to check her pulse. Even though he didn't found one, he didn't stop asking her to wake up. It was only when Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed it, that he allowed himself to break down completely. "TORI!" He yelled as he collapsed on the floor. 

Hermione looked at Athy who was already looking at her, and picked her up. She tried to shush her, all the while looking at Draco, who was letting out heart wrenching sobs. 

She crouched down next to him after Athy had calmed down, and placed an arm around his shoulder. He turned himself a little bit, and buried his face in the crook of neck, placing a hand on his daughter's back. 

"S-she left me, Hermione...." He whispered. "W-why does e-everyone leave me? F-first you did.... And now s-she....but she won't come b-back...." 

Yes it was one of those rare times again that he called her by her first name. 

"W-what is wrong with me? A-am I not e-enough of a reason f-for people to stay?" He turned his head and looked at the woman lying on the bed in front of him. "Tell her to c-come back, Hermione.... I-I will do anything.... P-please." 

Her heart broke as she listened to him. But she didn't know what to say to him. So instead of that, she just moved closer to him and her arm gripped him tighter. 

She wondered what would have happened if the rare items were not kept next to the poisonous ones. 

She wondered what would have happened if she had not given Astoria that list. 

Hermione wondered what would have happened if her friend had not gone to that shop. 

She wondered what would have happened if Astoria Malfoy didn't have the blood malediction. 

But the answer remained the same, right? There was no point in wondering about what ifs, there never is. 

---------

 "Hey Gin! Look at this one." Harry pointed out a particular photo to his five months pregnant wife. "Isn't it of the day Draco finally went to the amusement park with us?"

"Oh yes." She leaned in closer to him to take a better look at the photo. "I still remember how frightened he was when he first saw the roll coaster." 

He smirked. "I am grateful that I had charmed the camera to be invisible to the Muggles and take our candid pictures as well. And well we could always show our memories when he denies being scared of those rides, right?" 

"Of course. And the way he would scoff everytime we had to wait in a line to get tickets was just...." Ginny laughed. "And also-oh!" 

"What happened?" Harry threw the album on the floor and turned towards her. "Is it the baby? What happened?" 

"He just kicked, Harry!" She squealed. "Albus just kicked right now." She took his hand and placed his hand on her stomach. As if to prove her point further, their baby kicked again. 

"Merlin...." He grinned and kissed her. "I have been waiting to feel his kick for so long. But I just hope he won't turn out like his elder brother. Speaking of, have you seen James? The house is really quiet, you know?" 

"Finally remembered him, have you?" Teddy raised his eyebrows as he entered the room. The eight year old picked up the photo album from the floor and sat down on the couch. 

"Where is James, Teddy?" His godfather asked him. "What is he doing?" 

"Oh you know, nothing new. Causing mischiefs as usual." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh right, you asked what he was going. So he just flooded the bathroom when I tried to give him a bath, and now he used his accidental magic to cover the whole bathroom with bubbles." 

"Not again." Harry groaned. "That boy needs to learn the meaning of discipline." 

"What do you think would have happened?" Ginny asked him. "He is named after two Marauders, and he is our son. Not to mention, he is related to the Weasleys." 

Harry sighed. "Poor McGonagall. Wonder how she will deal with him. Specially when Athena would be there with him. They are literally inseparable." 

-----------

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" Alan Greengrass shouted just as entered the hall, his wife just behind him.

"Alan, be quite." Elezra Greengrass muttered. "This is a hospital for Salazar's sake."

"I don't give a damn, Elezra. I just want to know where is-" He broke off as he spotted his son in law sitting in a chair a few feet away, while his granddaughter was sitting on Hermione Granger's lap, next to Draco.

"Draco!" Alan quickly walked towards him. "Where is Astoria? Healer Roberts told me that she was brought here." He had been reading his favourite book in the library of the Greengrass Manor, when he had received a patronus from his friend, Healer Roberts, informing him that his daughter was brought to St Mungo's.

He did not answer, nor looked at his father in law. He kept staring at his hands, his face showing no emotion.

"I asked you something, Draco." Alan placed a hand on his shoulder, and shook him lightly. But he still didn't answer. 

It was like Draco was in a trance. He did not know what was happening around him. He did not want to know what was happening. For him, it was like his world had just stopped. 

Seeing as Draco would not speak anything, just like he had been doing for the past one and a half hours, Hermione said, "Astoria...  S-she touched a poisonous plant, Mr Greengrass. And the Healers, they couldn't do anything to save her...." 

Elezra gasped. What was she hearing? This Granger girl had to be lying. There was no way Astoria had left them. 

Before they could properly process what she had said, Narcissa and Lucius arrived along with the Potters, Blaise and Pansy. 

"Hermione!" Narcissa walled towards her, and asked, "Is she-" 

She nodded before Narcissa could finish her question. She watched as the others gasped, and Alan had to hold Elezra tightly, because she looked as if she would collapse any time. 

His mother walked towards him, and crouched down in front of Draco. "My Dragon.... I am-" She was cut off again. 

Draco abruptly stood up, and walked away from there before anyone could stop him. Narcissa wanted to go after him, but was stopped by Lucius. 

That time, even Lucius could not say anything. He simply looked away and his jaw clenched when he saw Athy sitting on Hermione's lap.

Nobody knew what to say, but it didn't matter. Because no matter what they said, it wouldn't be enough to bring Astoria back.

A/N: That's it for this chapter. It was 4600+ words. Hope you guys liked it. So it was supposed to be a completely sad chapter, but I wanted to add a few normal scenes as well. I don't know if you can tell or not, but there will be angst coming soon. Hope you all won't feel the urge to throw things at me. Random question: If you could change one thing about the HP series, what would it be? Answer in the comments below. Vote, comment and please share my story. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you! 

Next chapter on 25/10/20(Sunday). 

Until next time.