Best Laid Plans

By: shadowglove

Chapter 1 (Draco Malfoy’s Ingenious Plan)

He devised a potion to get Hermione Granger pregnant with his child—despite the fact that she's still a
virgin! It's a dark spell, so he pretends he has no idea how in the WORLD she ended knocked up. In his
devious mind he'd imagined Hermione finally being his and giving him the heir he wants, the heir that
will make her his forever whether she likes it or not.
Of course, he never expected Hermione to doubt the fact that he is the father! When an accident makes
Hermione believe that he, Neville, Harry or Professor Snape could be the father of her child, how will
Draco convince her that it is his without letting out that he was the one behind it all?
Stupid Granger.
Stupid stupid Granger!
Draco Malfoy stopped in mid-rant, frown marring his handsome face. Okay, so maybe Granger wasn't
stupid, more like the most bloody brilliant woman ever to grace Hogwarts—but if so—how the hell had
she managed to mess this up? And unintentionally at that?
Growling, the platinum blonde threw himself on the sofa of the common room, ignoring Blaise Zabini,
who was studying by the fireplace. Blaise was probably the only Slytherin he'd given the password to
Hermione and his Common Room. Draco hadn't really cared for the position of Head Boy, the only
advantage was that he shared a Commons with Hermione.
Hermione…Granger…HOW THE HELL DID SHE MANAGE TO MESS IT UP?
Back again to his rant, Draco kicked at a cushion in his foul mood. It'd taken him months to develop the
potion, not only had the ingredients been hard to find, but he'd had to bribe his portraits to keep quiet
and not tell anyone what the hell he was secretly brewing in his room.
When the bribery didn't work he'd burnt the portrait who'd given him the most trouble and the others
kept quiet from sheer terror.
I went to ALL of that work and what do I get? NOTHING!
You'd think that the mudblood would appreciate the effort he put into that damned potion! And how
about the effort and extra sneakiness on his part to get a drop of her blood and a bit of her hair (without
her knowing) and getting her to drink the finalized potion (once again without her bloody realizing
anything)?
Oh, no. She didn't appreciate his creative genius…no, not at all. If she did she'd not have messed up her
part of the deal so horribly!
Yeah, sure, of course she didn't know what the hell he'd tried to do, and of course she'd never have
agreed to it if she had-but that was the whole point, wasn't it? If she had he wouldn't have had to test
his inner snake to the limit. If Granger would just be sensible (for once!) he would have found a much
nicer way to getting the same results.
But no.
She might be smart but she lacked good judgment.
And she'd made all his super sneakiness and amazing cunning plans go down the drain!
Had his stress made him mess up something in the potion? It was an extremely old, ancient and dark
potion that hadn't been used in over a hundred years, and had been banned from longer.
Maybe…
No! He was a Malfoy. MALFOYS DIDN'T MESS THINGS UP.
So, obviously Granger was to blame.
SOMEHOW she'd managed to-.
The door to her bedroom flew open and Hermione Granger was just a speck of color as she raced to
their shared bathroom, slamming the door behind her in a flash.
Draco blinked…what the hell?
The sound of retching met his ears and he jerked off of the sofa and stood, looking in the direction of the
bathroom as the sound of Hermione vomiting filled the Common Room.
Worry filled his silver eyes.
Was his mudblood sick?
It was probably the amount of studying she had to do. And Potty and Weaselbee weren't exactly
helping. They were always expecting her to do their homework for them so they could practice
Quidditch. It was obviously having its toll on her.
Draco clenched his fists as Hermione's sobs were heard in between the violent heaving. He wanted to go
in there and comfort his mudblood and see what the hell was wrong with her.
Sure, they'd had a sort of truce between them since making Head Boy and Girl, but they were FAR from
being chummy enough for him to suggest she go see Madam Pomfrey without her suspecting a surprise
attack from the whole Slytherin Common Room while on the way to the Hospital Wing.
"Looks like Potter's been busy." Zabini commented dryly from where he sat by the fire, eyes never
leaving the book he was studying.
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, beginning to turn to him, yet jerking back in Hermione's direction at
an amazingly disgusting sound coming from the bathroom. How much food did she have to throw up
anyway?
"Third time this week she's done that." Blaise offered up the information. "Potter stuck it to her good."
Draco growled, not liking the insinuation that Potter even knew what a dick was. "Blaise…"
"You're not so dense are you?" Zabini asked, finally up from his book. "She's knocked up. Got all the
signs. Doesn't eat breakfast, throws up, lost weight, looks pale. She fainted yesterday in Potions."
Draco nodded, remembering that. He suddenly frowned at Blaise. "You seem to be keeping an eye on
her."
Zabini had the nerve to smirk. "Unlike someone, I haven't spent the last six years making her life
impossible. We actually are quite cool with each other, study partners for Arithmancy and everything.
Or we were, until she started showing pregnancy symptoms two months ago as was so sick she canceled
our study sessions."
Draco growled, possessive jealousy swirling in him at that, until realization suddenly hit him. "Two
months ago?"
"Yeah. I'd say she's about three months along." Zabini offered, raising an eyebrow at Draco's sudden
manic smile.
Turning his back on Zabini, Draco collapsed back on the sofa with an unhealthily happy expression on his
face, glad to hear the toilette flushing. It would seem that Hermione had finally stopped vomiting.
The door to the bathroom opened and a pale Hermione crawled tiredly back to her room, looking
horrible.
Draco's large smug smirk followed her until she closed the door behind her.
Three months along was she?
His smirk was creepily content.
Lovely Granger.
Lovely lovely Granger.
"I'm WHAT?" Hermione hyperventilated, she'd finally gotten the nerve to go get herself checked—
because a virus couldn't last this long, right?—and this was far from what she'd expected to hear.
"Now, Miss Granger, I need you to calm down, breathe in and out." Madame Pomfrey ordered in her
soothing, motherly voice. "Good, yes, in and out. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, but, but, I can't—you have to be wrong!" Hermione didn't sound better, not at all. "I'm—I'm a
virgin." Blushing, she lowered her gaze to the floor. "So it's impossible that I-." Her hands dropped to her
flat stomach.
"I checked, Miss Granger, and yes, you are a virgin…but you're also three months pregnant. You'll soon
start to show."
Collapsing back against the bed, Hermione covered her face with her hands. "How is this possible?"
"Anything is possible in the Wizarding World." A voice said from the doorway.
"Headmaster!" Hermione cried out, pulling her hands from her face. "I can't be pregnant! I just can't! I'm
not the Virgin Mary!"
"I'm afraid that you are…pregnant that is." His eyes twinkled merrily, then seeing that she failed to find
that amusing, he cleared his throat and stepped closer into the room, clasping his hands behind him.
"Poppy ran some tests on you after discovering that you were indeed a virgin, and when she got the
results she came to me right away."
Hermione gulped. This didn't sound good.
"Do you remember, Miss Granger, when you were involved in an accident in Potions three months
ago?" The Headmaster asked.
"Yes, Malfoy and I were working on a potion together and Neville accidentally tripped into Harry and
both colliding into us. Our potions mixed, we all got cut on the broken vials, and everything exploded."
She paused, not liking the situation at all. "Are you saying that that has something to do with this?" She
pointed to her still flat stomach.
"We believe that somehow, the mixed ingredients formed accidentally created the Parvulus Formator
potion."
"Parvulus Formator?" Hermione hadn't heard of that potion before.
"It's very ancient, very powerful, and very dark." Dumbledore answered her gravely. "It used to be used
by powerful, Pureblood families when the man wanted a woman whom he couldn't have. He'd get the
ingredients he wanted, brew the potion, and secretly give the woman he wanted the potion. It would
leave her pregnant with his child when they might have only seen each other briefly once. In those days
the woman would be forced to marry him to quiet the scandal that would have occurred if she'd been
discovered pregnant out of wedlock."
"What a male thing to do!" Hermione hissed, just the thought repulsive.
"Yes, well, the name of the potion literally means child maker. The main ingredient for this potion is
blood from the intended mother and father. A mere drop is sufficient for the potion to work. Mostly the
potion was ingested by the mother—but if enough of it comes into contact with her skin it is pulled in by
her pores and still is effective." Dumbledore explained, eyes twinkling at her feminist rage. "And, I'm
sure you understand where I'm getting with this."
Hermione nodded distractedly and then suddenly blanched. "Dear God." Clutching her stomach, she
looked at her stomach in horror before looking at a pitying Madam Pomfrey and a damned twinkling
eyed Dumbledore. "Neville, Harry and Malfoy were cut! Either of them could be the father of my child!"
She went whiter as she remembered something else. "Dear God! Professor Snape got cut too when he
went to help Malfoy! He started waving his wand around, taking points from Gryffindor, didn't see that
the potions had made the ground slippery, and slipped, falling head first over me and got cut up as
well…" Hermione groaned. "I'm having Snape's child!"
Madam Pomfrey promptly fainted.
Dumbledore tried not to laugh. "You cannot be sure that it was your professor's child. It could be
Neville's, or Harry's—or even Mister Malfoy's."
Hermione wasn't listening. "How am I going to explain this to my parents?" She ranted to herself. "Mom,
dad, I'm knocked up and don't know who the father is. He could be one of FOUR different men, one of
them is my teacher by the way, and, oh, don't worry, I'm still a virgin!"
"Miss Granger-."
"If it's Neville's it'll be a walking disaster!" Hermione cried out in horror.
"Miss-."
"And if it's Harry's Voldemort will try to hurt it to hurt Harry!" Hermione covered her face with her
hands.
"Mi-."
"And if it's Malfoy's it'll be the most annoying little prat that every was born!" The brunette was near
tears.
"M-."
"And if it's Professor Snape's it'll be a little crooked-nosed smart-mouthed sarcastic potion master in the
making!"
By now Dumbledore realized that he was being ignored, so he remained silent, reaching into his pocket
and pulling out a lemon drop, plopping it into his mouth and sucking on it, enjoying his treat until
Hermione finally calmed down enough to remember that he was there…and that Madam Pomfrey was
still dead to the world on the ground.
"What am I going to do Headmaster?" Hermione looked up at him imploringly.
"We're going to have to owl the would-be-fathers, explaining to them what happened and inviting them
to a special meeting. But also, we'll have to announce to the school what is going on."
"But-."
"Miss Granger, you'll soon be showing."
She sighed. "Okay."
"Great. I'll make the announcement tonight!" Looking absolutely giddy, Dumbledore stepped over
Madame Pomfrey and walked out of the room.
Hermione, remembering the Mediwitch, leaned over the side of the bed and looked at her prone figure
with a sigh before pulling out her wand and pointing it at her. "Enervate."
As the Mediwitch stirred from her faint, Hermione caressed her stomach, finally believing the truth. A
little life-form was inside of her, growing.
Someone truly needed her.
A small smile formed on her face. "Heya little one." She frowned. "Who's your daddy?"
Draco hadn't paid much mind to the owl that'd arrived moments before with a letter from Dumbledore.
Anything the old fool had to say to him was unimportant and could wait until after dinner—no matter
how 'important' it stated it was in cursive letters on the envelope.
The Slytherin sat between Blaise and Millicent, eating, wondering what was going on. He noticed Potter
flushing in embarrassment around an equally uncomfortable Hermione, who kept ducking her gaze
repeatedly and murmuring. Longbottom ran into the Great Hall, saw Hermione, and promptly fainted,
causing Professor Vector to use Levicorpus to levitate his unconscious self to the Hospital Wing.
The Weaslette and Weaselbee were listening to Harry with eyes wide, looking at Hermione as if she'd
grown another head.
And what was weirder?
Professor Snape kept sneaking glances in her direction.
Draco frowned, not liking all the attention his woman was suddenly getting.
Still, he congratulated himself on a plan well executed. Hermione was pregnant with his child, and she
was smart enough to know that that child was the lasso that'd bind them forever. She wouldn't want to
give up her child, and he wouldn't give it up either—which meant that Hermione was stuck with him.
He'd win her over with his charms during her pregnancy.
Nothing could go wrong.
Brilliant Malfoy. He congratulated himself smugly. Absolutely BRILLIANT!
Dumbledore stood, getting everyone's attention as he spoke. "Something has occurred that must come
to the attention of the school." The old man announced gravely. "During a Potions accident three
months ago, the mixed potions created a potion now banned by the Ministry, and unfortunately Miss
Granger was infected."
A hush went through the houses.
Draco sat straighter in his seat.
"She was infected with the Parvulus Formator potion and she is now three months pregnant."
Everyone in the Great Hall gasped as one, turning to look at the horrified looking Gryffindor.
Draco's eyes widened. A Potions accident three months ago? He remembered it well and smirked. It'd
happened a day or so before he'd finally bribed a House Elf to slip the potion into Hermione's glass of
Pumpkin Juice.
The idiots had come up with a cover story-he wouldn't have to create one himself! How perfect.
"The problem is that no one is sure who the father of Miss Granger's baby is."
Draco's self-satisfied smile froze on his face.
"Four males were hurt in said accident and can be the possible fathers." Dumbledore continued. "They
have been owled and informed of the situation."
The hall was deadly silent.
Draco suddenly wished that he'd read the letter the owl had brought him.
"The possible fathers of Miss Granger's child are Mister Neville Longbottom…"
"That explains him fainting." Someone in Ravenclaw told the other.
"…Professor Serverus Snape…" Dumbledore continued.
"How romantic!" Someone in Hufflepuff exclaimed dreamily, never noticing the death glare Draco sent
her way. "I always thought there was a deeper reason behind his always picking on her!"
Now that Draco thought about that…he growled in his godfather's direction…growl turning feral when
he noticed said godfather watching HIS woman.
"…Mister Harry Potter…"
"Most likely." Someone in Slytherin (talk about betrayal!) sniggered to his friend. "I mean, all Potter and
Granger do is make cow eyes at each other. I mean, I bet you he knocked her up and they decided to use
this as an excuse to make it look as if they're both innocent little saintly virgins."
Draco memorized the face of the Slytherin and began planning something horrible to happen to him
'accidentally'.
Hermione's baby was his dammit! How could anyone believe for a moment that his woman would ever
put out for Potter?
Sure…she didn't know she was his woman, but…
"…and Mister Draco Malfoy."
The hall was silent before it burst into laughter.
"Yeah right." Seemed to be the favored sentiment of his classmates. "As if Malfoy could be the father."
"My money's on Potter." The same Slytherin announced.
"Mine too." Another joined Malfoy's growing 'Must Get Hexed Soon' list.
Alone in his corner of the table, Malfoy gritted his teeth. It seems that everyone believed Hermione's
baby could be anyone but his-and it was his!
It wasn't supposed to go like this!
His paternity was never supposed to be questioned!
How in the world was he going to prove that it was his without letting slip that Hermione's condition
wasn't accidental at all?
Brilliant Malfoy. He snarled to himself as Hermione blushed when a foolishly smiling Potter placed a
timid hand on her stomach. Abso-fucking-lutely brilliant.

Chapter 2 (Point 1 For Draco)

Hermione Granger wasn't one who liked attention directed on her, which was probably why she liked
being the best friend of the Boy-Who-Lived, because no one noticed her. Their eyes were always on
Harry, and sometimes on Ron, but never on the fuzzy haired muggle born girl that kept both males from
flunking each year.
But now, definitely, the attention was on her.
Then again, she was possibly having The-Boy-Who-Lived's child. So there was reason for it.
Then again I could be having Neville's, Malfoy's or Snape's child.
She shivered at the thought.
At least with Harry she had a strong, solid friendship.
Looking at the four men congregated in Dumbledore's office, Hermione tried to imagine what her child
would look like with said fathers. Her heart clenched with fear. She couldn't see her features or
colorings going well with any of the men present! The only that came closest to her was Neville, and
honestly, Hermione was praying to all the gods that he wasn't the father. She'd much rather be having
Snape's crooked nosed infant than Neville's blunder babe!
"Everyone knows why you've been asked to come here." Dumbledore seemed to be enjoying this more
than healthily possible as he watched the squirming men. "One of you is the father of Miss Granger's
baby."
"Headmaster?" Harry asked from where he'd taken the seat to Hermione's right.
"Yes Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"Can't we just have a DNA exam done?" He wanted to know. "That way we'll all know who the father is
and the rest can leave."
"You sound pretty sure that my kid is yours Potter." Draco Malfoy growled from his seat in the corner.
Hermione's eyes widened, as did everyone else's as they turned to the one they'd least expected to
assume paternity if proven he was the father. "M-Malfoy?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "What Granger? You think that any of these specimens can be the father?"
He snorted in disgust. "In the letter Dumbledore sent us it clearly states that the blood of both father
and mother is the main ingredient."
"So what Malfoy?" Harry snarled, taken back by Malfoy's attitude but not enough to keep the hostility
between them gone.
"Please Potter. My blood is the dominant one here." Malfoy snickered. "You're the least likely of all
FOUR of us to be the father, you're a half blood. At least Longbottom and Professor Snape are
Purebloods." Sneering at a shivering Neville, Malfoy snorted. "You really think a bumbling idiot like
Longbottom would have blood stronger and more dominant than mine?"
Neville made a face at him.
"And while Professor Snape is pureblooded, I'm purer." He ignored the glare his godfather sent him and
continued, baffling Hermione more and more. "So, common sense dictates that I am the father of
Granger's baby." With that he stood, pushed Neville out of his sat next to Hermione, and sat down next
to her, placing an arm around her shoulder possessively, smirking at a glowering Harry.
Hermione froze when he touched her. Why the hell was Malfoy willingly touching a mudblood? Why did
he seem insulted at the fact that people thought the others could be the father of her child? And why
was he so adamant in the belief that it was his?
And the million dollar question…
Why did he seem so smugly pleased that it was his?
"He does have a point." Professor Snape pointed out. "Due to the nature of the Parvulus Formator I
highly doubt that Mr. Longbottom is the father. Not only does blood purity count, but dominance, and
frankly, Longbottom is as dominant as a French poodle."
Neville blushed.
Hermione felt bad for Neville, but she was so relieved at the fact that there was little chance that she
might have a little Longbottom. I mean, truthfully, who wanted their name (or that of their child) to be
LONGBOTTOM? No wonder Neville had such self-esteem issues!
"And so Potter, being half-blood, shouldn't be a candidate either." Malfoy strengthened his hold on her,
snickering at Harry over her head.
Hermione only caught onto the fact because she'd turned to look at him in horror. Why was he touching
her? It was, like, a hug or something.
"Actually-."
That was enough to drain the smirk from Malfoy's face as he turned to glower at his godfather.
" Mr. Potter has a very good chance of being the father." Professor Snape pointed out neutrally. "The
Parvulus Formator ALSO has to do with the power in the blood, and with his past suicidal misadventures
Mr. Potter has proved himself to be powerful—for a Gryffindor half-blood."
Hermione nodded her head vigorously, clinging onto the hope that she would be able to stand her
baby's father. "Yes! I mean, Harry has to be the most powerful wizard after Dumbledore himself!" She
ignored Dumbledore's obvious blush at that praise. "Who else has faced Voldemort so many times and
lived?"
Neville whimpered at her mention of The Dark Lord's name.
Malfoy growled menacingly in her ear at being so obviously hopeful that her child was Harry's.
"You also are a likely candidate, Serverus." Dumbledore told him, enjoying Serverus' turning paler at the
remembrance that he too was one of the maybe fathers.
"Dear Merlin, I need some Firewhisky." Snape groaned, forgetting that he was in the presence of
students.
Hermione groaned in horror at the thought of sharing joint custody with Snape. She could just see it, her
child coming back home after spending the weekend with his father, the boy bloody traumatized by
Snape's bachelor pad and loose potions.
He'd probably accidentally ingest a potion Snape left lying around and turn into a rat—and Snape, drunk
on Firewhisky, would end up seeing him, getting a rat trap—and-.
She covered her eyes in terror at the thought.
No joint custody for Snape!
No!
Feeling Malfoy squeeze her shoulder reassuringly, Hermione removed her hands from her face and
looked up at him wide-eyed. She blinked when he smirked at her—a nice smirk.
Okay. Who is this polyjuice copy and what has he done with the real Draco Malfoy?
"What about my question on DNA testing?" Harry asked once more, sending Malfoy an irritated glance.
"We have paternity tests, but due to the complexity of this potion it might hurt Miss Granger and her
child." Dumbledore thought about it for a moment. "There is another way to test, but it can only be
used once every two months."
"Great." Malfoy announced chirpily before turning to look at her. "Test me so we can get this over with."
His assurance of his paternity being proven correct left her speechless, and she could only lose herself in
his silver eyes. Malfoy was supposed to rant and rave at anyone even thinking that he could have a child
by a mudblood—not look ready to hex anyone who doubted that he was the father!
"S-s-s-sir, I want to be the f-f-f-first." Neville squeaked from his seat.
"Is that okay with you, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked.
Hermione gulped and nodded, eyes still connected with Malfoy's—who was still smirking at her. "Yeah—
yeah. Do Neville first."
She'd never seen that smirk before.
It was actually—sexy.
She shook her head, blush tinting her cheeks. I didn't just think ANYTHING of Malfoy's was sexy!
Dumbledore reached for his wand and called Hermione and Neville to stand forwards.
"Watch where you point that thing, old man." Malfoy warned darkly from where he sat. "That's my baby
she has in there."
Hermione turned to look at Malfoy once more as Dumbledore cast the spell. Both Neville and her looked
up when they heard a baby crying above them, crying hysterically as if it was being tortured, before the
sound stopped.
What the HELL?
Malfoy was laughing his arse off. "See? Even the kid was disgusted at the question!"
Hermione frowned. "What's he talking about, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore tried hard not to look amused, yet was failing horribly. "It's an ancient spell that allows us
to momentarily communicate with the child. If the child is crying then the male is not the father."
"And what happens when I do the spell with the father?" Hermione asked, intrigued beyond measure.
She was also worried. That had been her child? He or she was going to have killer lungs!
"Well, Granger," Once again Malfoy spoke, standing. "When you do the spell with me, the baby will coo
or gurgle."
"Then Malfoy, you're going to be vastly disappointed when I do it with Hermione and it coos!" Harry
shot up from his seat, face turning red in anger.
"Coo?" Malfoy made a face at that. "It'll probably choke with laughter that you think you could be its
father!"
Hermione turned to look at Neville, surprised that he looked disappointed.
"Mister Longbottom, you may be excused." Dumebldore waited until he'd left before turning to smile
brightly at Hermione. "Well, Miss Granger, now you'll only have to tell your parents that one of THREE
men could be the father of your child!"
"Yipee." She mumbled sarcastically, ignoring Harry and Malfoy, who were still screaming insults at each
other behind her.
Draco growled as he watched Potter sitting on the sofa with Hermione. A couple of days had passed, and
while both Hermione had opened up to him a lot during that time, Draco knew that they'd have
advanced a lot more if Potter didn't keep interrupting their 'Mommy and Daddy time' (as Draco called
it).
And Snape? He'd been acting odd. He let Hermione answer all of the questions in class, and he gave
Gryffindor points when she did! The bloody old git was trying to obviously gain points with Hermione,
and what was worst? Draco had heard Hermione commenting to the Weaslette that Snape wasn't half
as bad as she'd thought he was!
Gnashing his teeth together in anger, Draco had to at least admit that it was good that no one was
thinking that Longbottom was the father of his child!
…A fact the Weaslette had seemed more than pleased to discover.
…hhhhmm…
Had Potter's ex lost interest in him in favor of Longbottom?
Draco snickered at the thought and decided to point this out to Potter the first moment Hermione had
to go to the bathroom.
Hearing his mudblood giggling, he looked up from the homework he was doing in the common room to
keep an eye on them, and growled deep in his throat when he saw Potter placing his ear on Hermione's
stomach, his face almost buried in her lap.
How dare he?
And why hadn't Hermione written to her parents as yet to tell them about what was happening?
Seeing Potter kiss Hermione's still flat stomach, Draco's quill broke in two. He quickly got a new one, a
fresh piece of parchment, and began to write. He'd wanted to play fair, but dammit, he was a Slytherin!
It was expected of him to play dirty!
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Granger,
He wrote in his elegant cursive, smirk in place.
My name is Draco Malfoy, son of Lord Lucius Malfoy of the First House of Malfoy, and of Lady Narcissa
Malfoy of the First House of Black.
He paused to examine the letter so far. He didn't know much about muggles, but he knew that in the
Wizarding World, one let one's ranks and nobility mesmerize (and if need be—intimidate) the lower
classes into submission.
Your daughter, Hermione Jane Granger, and I share the duty of Head Girl and Boy of Hogwarts, which
you of course know, is a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Yeah. Let them know that not only was he nobility, but he was responsible as well. Parents went for that
sort of thing.
It is my duty, as Heir to the Malfoy fortune, and future Malfoy Lord, to let you know that your
daughter is pregnant with my heir.
He paused, sending an evil smirk in Potter's direction.
It is my full intention to marry your daughter, and I would have done so before now if it weren't for
Mister Harry Potter. You must have heard about him from Hermione, heard of how he is a friend of
hers.
But has Hermione told you how dangerous his company can be? Not only does he have a Dark Wizard
trying to kill him and all of his friends—but he's not the smartest wizard. And despite the fact that
Hermione and I are going to have a child together, he has tried to turn her against me due to our past
differences.
He couldn't help but grin madly at his stroke of genius.
Make Potter the villain in their minds and Hermione's parents would rally to his cause quicker than they
would have if Hermione had written to them first.
So I am asking you for your help to secure your daughter's hand in marriage once we have graduated
from Hogwarts.
He winced. Him, Draco Malfoy, asking muggles for help.
How low the mighty have fallen.
Waiting for your response,
Faithfully yours,
Draco Malfoy of the First Houses of Malfoy and Black
Looking over his letter, Draco folded it and placed it in an envelope, sealing the envelope with the
Malfoy family seal. He went to find his owl and told it to find Hermione's parents.
Going back to the Common Room, he kept an eye on Potter, a maniacal smile on his face the whole
time.
"DRACO MALFOY!" Hermione screamed as she stormed the room, letter in hand. The one she wished to
murder wasn't in the Common Room or in his bedroom, so she just plopped on the sofa with a growl. He
was probably out practicing Quidditch for the game they had with Ravenclaw next week.
Good. He'll be extremely tired when he gets back and it'll be easier to kill him that way!
Fuming, she reopened the letter and looked at its contents with a wince.
Hermione,
It said in Computer cursive.
First of all, your father and I want to tell you how utterly disappointed in you we are. Not about your
pregnancy mind you, but it saddens us that you wouldn't TELL us about it! We are your parents my
love, and while being grandparents at this age had NEVER crossed our minds, we're here for you.
She sighed in relief. That had been her biggest fear about telling her parents the truth.
But it also is insulting that we had to learn of this through the father. You'd made him sound so
HORRIBLE when you'd speak about him when you were home on vacation—but his correspondence
proves him to be nothing short of a gentleman, in both breeding and manners.
When she'd first read this she'd been dumbstruck, trying to figure out who they were talking about.
Who had written to her parents without telling her?
Draco Malfoy has written us a brief yet utterly revealing letter telling us of the child you two will be
having, and letting us know of his intentions concerning you.
She blinked.
Malfoy had intentions?
He wishes to be wed to you to legitimize your child before it's birth, and your father and I cannot help
but commend him for being such a responsible young man.
Utterly SLYTHERIN is more like it!
This Harry Potter friend of yours, on the other hand, sounds quite immature and not very dependable.
Our advice is to ignore HIS advice and give Draco a chance. He IS the father of your child, so you MUST
have found him AGREEABLE long enough to CONCIEVE our grandchild!
But I don't know if he's the father! Hermione wailed to herself, and then turned utterly red when she
realized what her parents were insinuating. It didn't happen like that! I swear! I'm a virgin!
But she realized how her parents would take that.
That said, your father and I want you to invite Draco over to spend Christmas holidays with us. We
want to get to know him better, for he seems like such an agreeable chap.
Hermione snorted.
You are lucky that you have someone who worried enough about you to take it upon himself to 'face
the in-laws' on your behalf. Your father nearly pissed his pants when he had to meet my parents—and
we were only going out!
Well, they did have a point there. Neither Snape nor Harry had done anything to alleviate her situation
despite the fact that they knew she was terrified at the thought of telling her parents about what was
going on.
Why had Malfoy done that?
He couldn't even be completely sure that the baby was his!
…Why did he want it to be his?
Give him our love and tell him that we are grateful for his honesty and are anxious to make his
acquaintance and that of his family.
Mom and Dad
Shit!
Hermione's eyes widened as she remember yet another reason why it'd be wrong for Draco to be the
father of her child.
Draco's family!

Chapter 3 (Confusion, Thy Name is Hermione Granger)

Potions was more uncomfortable than usual. Hermione sat between Dean and Lavender, she usually sat
with Ron and Harry, but the last couple of days had been too odd, and she was now forced to be in the
room with the three possible fathers of her child, so she decided to stay as far away from all three of
them as possible.
It wasn't helping that all three of them were acting weird.
She could take Malfoy being a miserable and despicable prat—not being so helpful and demandingly
protective. These last days he'd initiated chats with her—intelligent and meaningful chats that left her
dumbstruck at the depth to him he seemed to have hidden from her all throughout their shared
childhood. Of course, they still fought, but it wasn't nasty like their fights used to be, and she still didn't
know how she felt about that.
She could take the protectiveness from Harry because they'd been friends for years and he'd always
been protective of her—but what she couldn't take was his sudden interest in her as a girl, and his
comments on her appearance that left her blushing like a, well, like a virgin.
And she could take Professor Snape treating her like dirt—he'd done that ever since she'd known him—
but his niceness concerning her was beyond creepy. Sure, she loved that he was finally appreciating her
knowledge despite her being a muggleborn and a Gryffindor—but she could only take so much attention
from her forty-something year-old professor without getting queasy!
And, of course, the bets weren't helping.
Some guy in Slytherin had started up a betting pole as to who the father of her baby was, and despite
Lavender and Parvati's assurance that no one was paying attention to him other than the Slytherins,
Ginny had been more truthful and reluctantly admitted to Hermione that students from every house
were placing money on their bets.
According to the redhead, the bets were favoring Harry as the father, although Snape was a close
second, the 'forbidden love' idea winning over the whole of Hufflepuff.
And Draco was limping far behind on the votes. It would seem that only a handful of Ravenclaws were
voting for him…which surprised Hermione. Shouldn't Slytherin be voting for their guy?
Then again, most of Harry's votes were from Slytherin…
Something flew onto her desk in front of her. She blinked at looked at the origami snitch and raised an
eyebrow as she turned to look at Harry, who gave her an embarrassed smile.
Shaking her head, Hermione made sure Snape was pestering Neville before opening the note by pulling
at the flittering wings.
Why did you go and sit next to Lavender and Dean? Ron and I miss you over here…
…You look very pretty today by the way…
She blushed scarlet and forced herself to write back. This was what she was finding so odd about the
situation. At first she'd really wanted Harry to be the father because he was the only candidate she
really liked—she'd imagined them living nearby and having joint custody of the child, still being good
friends and parents at the same child.
NEVER had romance entered the equation in her daydreams!
I promised Lavender that I'd help her today. Sorry, didn't mean to make you two—err—miss me. And, uh,
thanks…
She sent the snitch back and breathed out, glad that she and Lavender had become friends after the
blonde began going out with Ron. The taller girl had actually been the one to offer her friendship to
Hermione, and despite their differences, Lavender had proven to be a friend, like today, when she
offered Hermione to sit by her since she knew how uncomfortable the brunette was with this whole
situation.
Hermione blinked when a hummingbird origami flittered in front of her face. She grabbed it quickly and
hid it right as Professor Snape turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow before once more turning his
attention to Neville—who was now near tears.
The hummingbird was a hard origami, so it definitely wasn't from Harry.
She pulled at its wings slowly.
Still angry at me?
It asked in regal cursive letters.
Hermione couldn't help it, she smirked and turned to look at Draco Malfoy, who was watching her with
the sexy smile he'd been giving her ever since that Could-Be-Fathers meeting in Dumbledore's office.
She hadn't killed him when he'd returned from quidditch practice that night two nights ago, but she'd
shoved the letter in his hands, and had refrained from talking to him, or even acknowledging his
existence, until this moment.
So, I was thinking…
Writing began to appear magically.
Baby names…while you've been ignoring me I've been thinking about them and I've decided on the
only two acceptable names for our child.
Draco Junior for a boy, or Dracona for a girl.
She placed her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud, but didn't manage to silence her
snort. Lowering her head, crumbling the note in her hand as Snape once more looked in her direction,
Hermione pretended to be coughing to try and cover up her laughs.
"Are you alright, Miss Granger?"
Shit. Fist clenched tight over the note, she looked up to see that Snape was by her side. "Yes sir." She
nodded, trying to look as innocent as possible, her cheeks red from retained laughter.
"I don't know, Miss Granger, you look red. You might be coming down with a fever." He placed his
freezing hand against her cheeks and pulled it back when she was obviously warmer. "Miss Granger, I
think you should go see Madam Pomfrey."
"No sir—I'm fine!" Hermione protested, sure she heard a growl coming somewhere from the Slytherin
side when Snape grabbed her hand and pulled her from her desk.
"Miss Granger, you might not care about your health, but must I remind you that you're pregnant and a
little draft could be murder for your child?" Snape wanted to know, pulling her towards the door of the
Potions room. "I will take you to the Hospital Wing myself since you are being so childish about your
own health and that of your child."
After barking an 'I'll be back' to the rest of the class, Snape escorted her to the Hospital Wing, the doors
hadn't even closed completely behind them when loud shouts of 'I TELL you, HE'S the FATHER!' could be
heard from within, along with someone who said 'If ANYONE wants to switch bets, or add another, then
come along and place your bet while they are growing!'.
Sometime during the walk she managed to hide Malfoy's note in her robe and when they reached
Madam Pomfrey, Hermione was more than annoyed when the Mediwitch commended Snape on
bringing her.
She was pregnant…not dying.
Also, she couldn't help but notice the adoring glances Madam Pomfrey sent an oblivious Professor
Snape as she spoke to him about how a good father he would become if her child truly was his.
Hermione shivered at the thought of Snape telling her how to behave, act, and rear her child all her life.
The only good thing was that he was way older than her, so he would most probably die of old age by
the time the child reached its teens and leave Hermione to raise the child the way she wanted to.
With a sigh, she bore through the tests that only proved her point that she was healthy, and then took
the potions Madam Pomfrey gave her to keep her healthy.
When Professor Snape told her it was better for her to go and rest the rest of the day, she didn't bother
argue with him and went to Malfoy and her Common Room, collapsing on the sofa and promptly falling
asleep.
If Draco had to listen to that idiot of Melchasidek Lestrange and his stupid "Who's the Daddy?" betting
pole, he'd kill him…or something worse, like castration. Of course, if the results had been more
favorable he probably wouldn't have minded, but how could the whole of Hogwarts believe that Potter
and Snape had better chances of being the father than him?
Potter had a bloody fifty percent! And Snape? Snape had FORTY! And so what did that leave Draco with?
TEN MEASLEY PER CENT!
He nearly missed Hermione, but she murmured in her sleep and turned as she slept on the sofa.
The blonde stopped in mid-mental-rant and just watched her, a soft smile appearing on his face as her
wild curls tumbled around her like a dark halo.
He remembered the day he'd realized his true feelings for Hermione, and in true messed up Malfoy-
sense, it'd been the day she'd punched him in Third Year. If she'd hexed him he probably wouldn't have
realized it, but it was the skin on skin thing that made her his forever.
Punching him was probably the most 'personal' thing anyone ever did to him. His mother had never
touched him for than necessary, leaving the changing of diapers and such to the house elves. Even his
father had used crucio to punish him for being such a 'disappointment', for letting a mudblood beat him
at grades and letting Potter beat him at Quidditch—as if Draco had willingly allowed them to beat him!
It wasn't his fault that Hermione was a certified genius—or that Potter had been so undernourished for
so many years he was now a skinny bag of bones and flew faster on the broom because of that!
As pathetic as it sounded…Hermione had been the first person to touch him that he could remember.
Truly touch him, even if it was a punch…and then he'd wanted that fire.
He'd tried (unsuccessfully) to put her under the Imperio around Fourth Year, but she'd easily deflected
it. Draco didn't know how she'd done it, especially since she didn't even seem to notice it, and instead of
falling deadly in love with him and becoming his, going with him to the Yule Ball—she'd gone with Krum.
Draco had felt so betrayed.
By both of them.
He remembered being at the Quidditch game before school started and even mockingly telling Harry to
take care of his 'mudblood', because he'd overheard his father talking to the Dark Lord and knew of their
plans to attack and kill the muggleborns. At least Potter had protected Hermione, so Draco's risking his
own neck to warn them in his own way hadn't been in vain.
During that time he'd wanted to be like Krum, best quidditch player in the world—but then in Hogwarts
he'd noticed the way the Bulgarian seemed to follow Hermione, and the looks they sent each other—
and then she went to the Yule Ball with KRUM, while he, Draco Malfoy, had been forced to go with
Pansy Parkinson!
Kneeling besides her sleeping body, Draco smiled softly as he ran his fingers over her porcelain cheek.
But she wasn't pregnant with Krum's baby—she was going to have his child.
His other hand went to her stomach, and he closed his eyes, taking in a contented breath of air.
He didn't care if the whole school believed Potter was the father…in the end…he knew it was him, and
that was all that mattered.
If he'd opened his eyes then, he'd have realized that Hermione had opened her eyes and was watching
him silently, but by the time he'd slowly opened his eyes she'd closed her again and was pretending to
be asleep.
"You're too bloody cute…" He chuckled to himself as he eased his arms around her and picked her up
into his arms. Walking to her room, he whispered her password and waited for the portrait to open the
door before tenderly laying her bed, wrapping her up, and after a moment's hesitation, he kissed her
forehead.
Turning his back on her, he left her room, never once realizing that she was awake, and watching him
leave with a dark blush covering her cheeks.
That night, Hermione had gone over about a hundred pep talks, trying to give herself the courage to
leave her bedroom. But every time she thought she'd gotten the courage to do so, the memory of
Malfoy's surprisingly soft lips on her forehead burnt in her memory, and she'd blush a red that would
give a tomato envy.
He called me cute.
Blushing even redder, she placed her hand on her stomach and looked down at it as if waiting for her
baby to either scream or coo. She wished she'd tested with Draco instead of Neville! If she had she'd
know if her baby was Draco's—and if it was—then her blushing at his innocent kiss and words wouldn't
be so bad.
Hermione Jane Granger, you are a Gryffindor, you can do this.
Squaring her shoulders in determination, she left her room and nearly stopped in her tracks when she
saw Malfoy sitting on the sofa, hair tousled, tie hanging loose around his throat, the two top buttons of
his shirt undone.
She gulped, and it must have been loudly because he looked up at her and smirked.
"Granger."
"Malfoy." Hermione nodded and in a move that surprised them both, she went and sat next to him,
looking at the homework he was completing. "Answer B is wrong." She informed him carelessly.
Raising an eyebrow at that, he looked at the question and then at the answer he'd given. "What's wrong
about it?" He asked, not nastily, but slightly amused with the whole situation.
"Well, if you added Eye of Newt you'd blow up or turn completely purple—depending on if you added
the Lemongrass before or after the Hinnes Root." She informed him in what Harry and Ron liked to call
her 'librarian' voice.
He chuckled. "Oh really?" There was a moment's silence as he just looked at her, before he cleared his
throat and returned his eyes to his homework. "Did you come here to correct my work, Granger, or was
it for something else?"
She tried not to smile at how uncomfortable he suddenly seemed. "Actually, I came here to tell you that
no way in hell, even if it were your child, that I'd name my baby Draco or Dracona."
"Granger!" Draco's eyes widened comically as he placed his hands on her stomach. "Don't curse in front
of the kid!"
She couldn't help it, she laughed. "It hasn't even developed a bloody brain yet, Malfoy. It doesn't
understand-."
"Granger…" He growled, pressing his hands tighter on her stomach, as if trying to make sure that the
fetus couldn't hear what she was saying. "I'm going to ask you to refrain from using such vulgar language
while around my heir or heiress. Such language might be suitable for Weasley and Potter, but for a
Malfoy it isn't."
"Good thing this baby's a Granger then." She shot back, face serious, yet deeply enjoying this argument
in the making.
"Gr—wh—what?" He exclaimed, horrified. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"
"Language, Malfoy." She sing-songed, throwing back his words in his face.
"Granger…" Malfoy growled. "That baby will be my heir—it will not go by your surname!"
"You can't be sure it's yours, Malfoy. It could very well be Harry's—or Serverus'."
"Serverus, is he now?" Malfoy's growl was pure jealousy…which shocked Hermione to no small extent.
"Y-yeah, w-well, we might have a child in common." Hermione tried to convince herself that she was not
getting butterflies in her stomach at the thought of Malfoy being jealous. "Serverus said that it would
just confuse the baby if its mother calls its parents referred to each other as 'professor' and 'miss
Granger'. Serverus said we should be on first name basis—for the sake of the baby's mental clarity."
"Oh he did, did he?" Malfoy was practically snarling.
There was a knocking from the portrait to the Commons.
"Hermione!"
She shot up quickly. "Coming Ron!" The brunette was about to go to the portrait when her hand was
grabbed and she was twirled around into Malfoy's strong body with an 'uff!'. Her cheeks burnt scarlet as
his hands went around her, keeping her to him. "M-Malfoy?" Was he going to kiss her?
"Go away Weasley." Malfoy shouted towards the portrait, silver eyes boring down into Hermione's dark
ones. "Its night, drafty, and she won't be going wherever you're planning on taking her."
"Oi, listen here Malfoy-!"
Neither listened to Ron's rant as Malfoy pulled Hermione closer to him and she gasped, lips parting
slightly in surprise at not only his actions—but at how she was letting him do this.
This is Malfoy. You should be hexing him right now!
"-if you don't open this door right now-" Ron continued to threaten.
Malfoy's gaze went to her parted lips, and his eyes seemed to darken.
She gulped and licked her lips, watching as his gaze followed that action.
The redhead was still issuing threats. "I'll bloody hex you till-."
Malfoy leaned down until his lips were just a breath away from her, his eyes boring into hers, before he
whispered. "What's wrong with Draco and Dracona?"
"They're a little egotistic on your part, don't you think?" She whispered back, trying to hide a groan, for
as they spoke, their lips touched softly, almost as if they were kissing.
"What names do you like?" He whispered, his lips brushing against hers caressingly.
"I—I—I hadn't thought m-much about it…" And with his lips brushing those almost-kisses against hers
she could hardly think at all.
"We can't call our baby it forever."
"ARE YOU EVEN BLOODY LISTENING TO A WORD THAT I'M SAYING?"
Hermione hadn't even heard Ron's latest rant, she was entranced by Malfoy. "You have a point there."
He suddenly smirked. "So you're admitting that it's mine."
"I can't very well discard you, can I?" She asked, looking away, blushing, never noticing his smirk grow as
he let go and stepped back. She frowned at the silence. "Did Ron leave?"
Malfoy shrugged, pocketing back the wand he'd pulled out the moment he'd let her go. "I placed a
silencing spell on the room."
She couldn't help but smile at him. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, we can't have him screaming like a fishmonger while we're looking at names, can we?" Malfoy
asked as he grabbed her hand and led her to the sofa.
"No." Hermione gulped as he reached for a baby name book and leaned back in the sofa, tugging on her
so that she was leaning back against his chest so they could both look at the name book. "We can't."
She didn't notice him taking in her scent before tapping his wand to the book and waiting as it opened
and began speaking the names and meanings.

Chapter 4 (Run Professor Snape, Run!)

"Damarcus." Mafloy called yet another 'D' name as he looked up from his newest and largest baby
names book yet. Ever since Herminoe had shot down every name he'd picked, he'd gone through baby
name books like a baby did diapers…no pun intended…
" No." Hermione shook her head, having ignored him after the first couple of names he'd called out.
She'd clearly told him that until it was proven that the child she was now five months pregnant with was
his, she wouldn't chose a name. She needed to know who the father was and chose it with him.
But Malfoy wouldn't give up.
"Daquan."
"No." She turned the page the book, continuing to read. These last two months had brought a lot of
changes in her life. Not only was she showing, but someone had leaked out information to the press,
and she'd had a fluttery Rita Skeeter sending letters begging for an interview with the woman who was
to have 'The Great Harry Potter's Love Child'…who was the same woman who'd 'cheated on him with
that Bulgarian Bon-Bon' some years back.
"Darnell."
"No."
Malfoy made a noise of unhappiness before returning his gaze to the book. "Darwin—like that wizard
that was banned from the wizarding world a while back for his ludicrous beliefs that we evolved. He was
banished to the Muggle World if history is to be believed." Draco made a weird sound that was a
mixture of a snort and a chuckle. "Wonder whatever became of the chap."
Hermione didn't even grace that with an answer, reading her romance book on how the considerate and
quiet hero made his beautiful and intelligent woman happy and peaceful during her long and arduous
pregnancy.
Now, if only her boys could do that.
"Dayanara."
"One: That's a girl's name." And her last check up with Madam Pomfrey (in which Malfoy, Harry and
Serverus had all insisted on attending and bickering with each other the whole time) had proved that the
baby was a he. "And two: You do realize that that means husband slayer, don't you?" She asked idly,
flipping the page and sighing at how romantic 'Maximus' was with his lady 'Penelope'.
"Declan."
She looked up at him in confusion. "What clan?"
Malfoy sighed with manly impatience, journeying to the next name. "Delbert."
" What is this-the 18th century?"
"No Delbert then…"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and 'D' names anyway? Egocentric much?"
He decided to ignore that little tidbit, chocking it up to pregnancy hormones. "Dennis."
"The Menace?
"Huh?" He asked, looking at her as if she were insane.
"Muggle culture." Hermione replied dismissively. "You wouldn't get it."
"Oookay then." Shaking his head, Draco rolled his eyes. "Denver-."
"Colorado!" She cried out loud, causing him to jerk slightly in surprise.
He eyed her warily. "Denzel-."
"Washington!"
He put down the book. "What is it with you and the United States?"
"What is it with you and names that begin with the letter D?" She countered.
"Touché." Draco announced and they shared a smirk before he jumped right back into his now all-time
favorite book. "Desmond."
"I like that name." Hermione announced suddenly.
Draco immediately brightened, a smile lighting his handsome face.
"The guy that gave me my first kiss was named Desmond." She sighed dreamily, obviously caught up in
the memory, blush covering her cheeks, eyes twinkling very much like Dumbledore's.
His smile turned into a scowl as Draco used his wand to wipe out the name completely from the book.
"Stupid name and stupider meaning." He grumbled to himself as he searched for a better name.
"Dexter."
"And now you'll say that his sister will be named Dee Dee."
Draco, obvious not in tune with muggle cartoons and not knowing of Dexter's Lab from cartoon
network, smiled lecherously at her from over the top of his book. "Thinking already of giving him a little
sister? Granger, you insatiable sex-machine you."
She couldn't help it, she laughed loudly, throwing the closest thing she could find at him, and lucky for
him it was a light paperback romance novel she'd just finished before reading all about her handsome
Maximus.
Chuckling to himself, enjoying the light comrade they'd formed, Draco breathed in and out, eyes locked
on the next name, smile growing freaky. "Drake."
"That's just an alteration of your name, Malfoy." She rolled her eyes heavenward. "Now, if you've
finished reading out the worst names you could possibly find in that annoying little book of yours-."
Apparently, he hadn't. "Dusty."
"Honestly, do you hear the names you pick out or are you deaf?" She asked, snatching the book from
him and sitting on it to keep him from snatching it back. "Now, go practice Quidditch or something else
that'll take you out of the Commons and away from this blasted book."
Draco made a face at her yet got up and grabbed his broom, mock-bowing before leaving the Commons
with a swish of his robes.
"Alone-at last!" Hermione looked up at the ceiling with a cry of elated thanksgiving, before returning to
her book and to Maximus with a dreamy sigh.
Alas, Hermione's short-lived peace was not to last. Just as she was getting to the part of the story where
Maximus totally humiliated some slut who'd tried to steal him from docile, sweet, beautiful, and utterly
PREGNANT Penelope-.
"HERMIONE!"
"Agh!" She cried, nearly falling off of the sofa at the unexpected scare.
Well of COURSE it's an 'unexpected' scare. If it'd been 'expected' then it wouldn't have scared me!
She'd been reading too many romance novels lately, they all seemed to use that phrase, and by Merlin,
she was beginning to use the language from her books in her real life.
Why, just the other day she'd been out in the bleachers (covered from head to toe thanks to her three
bossy guys) watching as Malfoy and Harry left the Quidditch field with their teams. Both boys had
somehow lost their shirts, and she'd mentally described them as 'handsome Adonises, with chests
glistening with moisture as they walked through the fields of green like Neptune rode upon the seas in
his chariot of seafoam'.
That was when she began to realize that she might be reading a little too much romance—and Greek
mythology.
"HERMIONE!"
"Ron, for pities sake, shut up! I'm coming!" She cried, getting up and heading to the door. Lately she'd
been agitated and easily angered, but who wouldn't be in her place?
While her nausea had disappeared by now, it'd been replaced by killer heartburn or indigestion every
time she ate…and what was worse? Since her pregnancy was such a fragile thing due to the way she'd
conceived her baby, many of the potions and spells normal pregnant witches used could hurt her baby,
so she just had to be strong and bare the many uncomfortable things happening to her.
On top of the heartburn, she'd begun to experience constipation and pelvic pains, increased
perspiration, and sometimes even nosebleeds, all which Madam Pompfrey told her was normal during
the fifth month of pregnancy. And on top of everything? She was big enough to start seeing stretch
marks—she shivered at the horrors.
So, yeah. Who could blame her for being a little cranky?
Saying the password, she watched as Ron and Ginny Weasley waltzed into her Common Room, giving
her a smile. Ronald bent down and began 'baby-talking' to her stomach—only managing to make her
feel bigger than she was, and Ginny rolled her eyes at him, helping Hermione back to the sofa.
"How are you feeling lately?" Ginny asked as she sat down next to Hermione, while Ron bent in front of
her, talking to little "James Sirius", as Harry had announced he wanted his son to be named, in baby-
words that made the brunette want to hit him over the head with Draco's huge and heavy baby name
book.
Hermione was sick of telling everyone that they couldn't just assume the baby of theirs. She was sure
her son was so confused, with Harry calling him 'Jamsie', Serverus calling him, well, 'Sevvie', and Draco
calling it any name that began with a 'D'.
"Tired." Hermione answered, glad that she had Lavender and Ginny on her side. Even Parvati slapped up
the guys when they were just being too guyish.
"Do you think you'll be going to the game we have against Slytherin tonight?" Ginny asked, slapping at
Ron's hand, which was continually rubbing Hermione's stomach. "It's not a pet Ronald!"
"Oi! I'm the godfather! I can rub my godson's head as much as I want!"
Ah, yes, yet another assumption by a would-be-father. Harry had asked Ron to be the godfather of his
child.
Hermione groaned silently, closing her eyes. What if this baby wasn't Harry's? Then what would happen
with Ron's 'Godfather-hood'? She knew that neither Serverus nor Draco would want him to be the
godfather of their child.
"And how do you know that his head is in that direction?" His sister wanted to know with a Smarter-
Than-Thou voice that made Hermione quite proud.
Ron opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, the tips of his ears turning red. "Godfather
instincts." He finally returned lamely.
Shaking her head at him, Ginny returned her attention at the mother-to-be in their midst. "I think you
should stay in tonight, it's cold, and it'll probably be awkward for you—two possible fathers of your baby
competing for the snitch—and since you've become friends with Malfoy—it'll probably be hard for you
to know who to cheer for."
Dear, sweet, incredibly perception Ginny.
Ron, on the other hand… "Pssft. Please, as if little Jamsie could be Malfoy's." He snorted with a
dismissive wave of his hand. "And Mione would cheer for Harry. Come on, everyone knows that he's the
father of Jamsie. I'm so sure that I betted all my allowance on it."
"Ron!" Ginny screeched.
"Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed horrified at the thought that a friend of hers had entered the "Who's The
Daddy?" betting poll, which was accumulating more money each day as people (even some teachers and
ghosts) placing their money on whom they believed to have fathered Hermione's little baby.
"What?" Ron asked, eyes wide in manly innocence. "It's the best, surefire way to make some money in
time to buy myself a proper set of dress robes for the Yule Ball we're having this year."
Hermione knew Ron's hatred and shame of the pass-me-downs from his family, but still, this felt of
betrayal!
Ginny, seeing what Ron couldn't, shook her head and changed the topic. "So, when are you doing the
next test again?"
"Tomorrow night. It'd been planned for tonight, but because the game of Gryffindor and Slytherin was
scheduled for tonight, we decided to wait till tomorrow." Hermione answered, resigning herself to the
fact that Ronald wouldn't stop rubbing her stomach any time soon.
Ginny stood, grabbing her brother by his ear, and pulling him yelping to his feet and away from the tired
brunette. "We have to go, Harry called a pre-game meeting. See you later." And with that she pulled Ron
—still by his ear—out of the Common Room.
Hermione shook her head, smile on her face, as she watched them go.
A frown touched her face as she thought about tomorrow night. She already knew who she was going to
test. It was going to be Draco. She—she needed to know whether he was the father or not.
Grabbing her book once more, Hermione opened it, hoping for some peace so she could continue to
read…but after a couple of chapters she fell asleep, dreaming of a Maximus that looked suspiciously a
lot like Draco Malfoy.
It was the desperate knocking on the door that awoke her hours later. Hermione jolted up and
narrowed her eyes as she stood and went to the portrait, saying the password, giving a squeal when
Professor Snape rushed in and ordered the portrait to close, urgent as if the devil—or Voldemort—
himself were behind him.
Hermione took one look at her Potions professor and knew something was wrong.
Serverus Snape was paler than usual, sweat dripping down his forehead, panting from lack of breath as
he bent, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath, jerking at every little sound he heard. His robes
and hair were disheveled, and his eyes were wide in fear.
"Serverus, what is it?" Hermione asked, hurrying to him and placing a hand on his trembling back. "Are
we under attack?"
"Yes." He wheezed.
"Death Eaters?" Hermione cried out, hand going to her stomach rapidly.
"No, worse." He panted, obviously having come here running.
Her heart froze. "Voldemort."
"Worse." He broke out in a fit of coughs and wheezes, clearly out of shape.
Hermione's fear gave way to confusion. "What could be worse than Voldemort?"
"The Board of Parents!" Professor Snape shivered in fear of just the name.
Hermione's eyes widened in confusion and surprise. "The Board of-?"
"Someone in Hufflepuff wrote to their mother about our 'Forbidden Love' and how I'd gotten you
pregnant! Said student said that the idea of you being pregnant for Potter was just a cover up I made
you tell to protect me! Of course said parent was the head of the Board of Parents! And now they're
here to either castrate me or make me marry you!"
Hermione nearly fainted. "What?" Her married to Professor Snape?
She must have fainted, because the next thing she knew she was lying down in the Hospital Wing, with
an amused looking Dumbledore, tsking Madam Pomfrey, a profusely sweating Professor Snape, and a
roomful of parents either glaring murderously at Snape or sending her pitying glances.
"I don't care how this came to be, Albus." Katherine Bones announced, turning to the Headmaster.
"Potion or not, that professor might have gotten this poor, innocent child pregnant! My daughter told
me that he always had his eye out on lovely Miss Granger—who's to say he didn't somehow do this on
purpose? Will you not charge him for it or at least force him to assume his responsibility?"
Snape looked like he was about to faint.
Madam Pompfrey must have noticed this too, because she hurried towards him with a Pepper Up
potion.
"Dear, how are you feeling?" A familiar voice asked to her side as the parents all erupted, talking at the
same time, demanding the Headmaster do something.
"Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione cried out as she turned to see the woman standing next to the hospital bed,
glad that there was a familiar, friendly face there. Receiving the hug from the woman she'd adopted as
her mother in the Wizarding World, she smiled tiredly at her. "I'm so glad that you are here."
"If any of you had listened to Albus, you'd have realized that there are two more who could be the
father other than Serverus." A voice that sent cold chills down Hermione's spine announced, and Lucius
Malfoy appeared in all his regal beauty, raising an eyebrow in her direction before turning his attention
to the Headmaster. "If you are to be believed, Albus, then you should be able to perform that spell now
and either liberate Serverus from this, or condemn him. Either way, do it quickly…" He sent another
expressionless glance in Hermione's direction. "…I have business that cannot be put aside for this."
Hermione gulped, glad when Mrs. Weasley squeezed her hand encouragingly while giving Lucius a glare.
"Miss Granger." The Headmaster said, getting her attention. "Do you feel able to try the spell?"
Hermione nodded. She'd wanted to test Draco—but she needed to do this for Serverus—who, even with
the Pepper UP potion, looked like he would faint any moment.
"Good." Dumbledore smiled at her before turning to his Potions teacher. "Serverus, if you'll stand by
Miss Granger, and Mrs. Weasley, if you'd please step away." When Professor Snape quickly made his
way to Hermione's bedside and held her hand for the spell to work, he received many murderous glares
from the parents, causing him to close his eyes and beg the gods for mercy.
The Headmaster mumbled the words and a white light shot at them.
The sound of a baby crying above them announced to the world that Serverus Snape was not the father
of Hermione's baby.
Serverus nearly fell to his knees crying in happiness.
Hermione closed her eyes and breathed out a breath of relief. She didn't notice the parents sending a
last scowl in Snape's direction before nodding to Dumbledore and leaving the Hospital Wing. She didn't
notice Lucius Malfoy staying behind, watching her oddly as she breathed in and out, trying to keep from
jumping up and down in happiness.
"Congratulations, Miss Granger." Dumebledore's voice to her right caused her to open her eyes and
smile at him. "You only have two could-be-fathers. Misters Potter and Malfoy."
Sensing movement, Hermione noticed Lucius and she went pale as his eyebrow raised even higher, an
indistinguishable glint in his cold eyes, before he twirled around and left the Hospital Wing, probably off
to tell Voldemort that there was a 50/50 chance his son had disgraced the Malfoy name and could be
the father of a mudblood's baby.
Dear God.
She was going to die.
Draco was surrounded by his classmates, all cheering as Slytherin had caught the snitch in record time.
He wished Hermione had been there to see him beat Potter, but he had told her that if he saw her out
there in the drizzle he'd leave the game just to take her back up to their Commons and magically bind
her to the warm, dry room.
"You heard what happened during the game tonight?" Some Hufflepuff asked a Ravenclaw as Draco and
his cheering classmates passed. "Snape…Hermione…proved…father…baby…parents…Hogwarts."
Draco froze, causing Crabbe and Goyle to bump into him. He turned to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff,
eyes narrowed. What were they talking about?
"Yeah, I heard they had a private testing without Potter or Malfoy there." Someone else whispered to
her friend as they passed by. "The Board of Parents wanted him to marry her! Can you believe that?"
Draco choked on his saliva, and began coughing—causing both Crabbe and Goyle to slap him on the
back.
"I heard Dumbledore congratulated her when it was over." Yet another Hufflepuff hissed. "They're still
at the Hospital Wing."
Draco didn't stay to listen to anything else. Pushing away from his classmates, he turned and began
running quite un-Malfoy-like towards the Hospital Wing, never realizing that his father had been hiding
in the shadows all the while, quietly observing him.
"You know, Miss Granger," Professor Snape announced as they slowly left the Hospital Wing. He'd
offered to walk her back to the Commons, for while it'd been proven that he wasn't the father, he'd
grown fond of the baby within her. "Despite the fact that I am immensely happy that I am not the
father, I have to admit the fact that I am also slightly disappointed."
"Really?" She asked surprised.
"Yes." He clasped his hands behind his back, now looking like the self-controlled and emotionless
teacher she knew. "At my age, and with my situation, and the war, it'd be impossible for me to find
someone and have a child of my own."
Hermione looked at him with a smile, there were incredible feelings in him. "Yeah, well, if you can't be
the daddy, why don't you be his godfather?"
Professor Snape paused, looking at her in surprise. "What, Miss Granger?"
"I want you to be my child's godfather." She reached for his cold hand and placed it on her stomach,
laughing at his look of awe when the child chose that moment to move. "I don't think he's complaining,
do you?"
"You-you-you want me to be his godfather?" Snape asked in surprised. "Even though I-."
"You're a good man, Serverus." She told him honestly. "You're a little rough around the edges, but I have
a feeling everyone is going to spoil this child, so he'll need someone who'll put down his foot and be firm
with him."
Snape smirked in a pure Slytherin way. "I could do that."
Hermione threw her head back and laughed. "I'm sure you could."
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." A feral growl was heard from the shadows, and both looked up in
surprise to see Malfoy glaring at them.
"Who won?" Hermione asked, oblivious to the fact that she still had Snape's hand pressed to her
stomach, or that Malfoy was glaring a hole into said hand.
"I heard you two went behind our backs and did the spell." Malfoy snarled back.
"Yeah, we did. Wow, news travels fast in Hogwarts." Hermione paled, remembering Lucius once more.
"And considering the results, Serverus and I were talking about the future."
Malfoy suddenly paled, taking a step backwards, confusion written on his face. "T-the results?"
"Yeah." She nodded, wondering why he looked so horrified. "I was just telling Serverus how he'll have to
be firm and strong with my son and not spoil him like everyone else is going to."
"As if I'd spoil him." Yet Snape seemed smugly pleased for some reason or the other.
Malfoy took another step backwards, looking like he'd faint any second now. "Wh-what a-are you t-two
t-talking about?"
Realizing that Malfoy was stammering, and that Mafloy's didn't stammer, Hermione let go of Serverus
and took a couple of worried steps towards him. "Are you okay Malfoy?"
"Snape can't be the father." Were Malfoy's last words before he fainted in the middle of the hallway.

Chapter 5 (Of Surprising Commands and Dark Marks)

Lucius Malfoy was furious.
After leaving Hogwarts he Aparated to where his Dark Lord was still in hiding, planning his next move.
Voldemort had grown stronger these last months, and had begun to look human once more. His powers
were getting to the strength they'd been before he'd been defeated by Potter as a babe, and the Dark
Lord was preparing himself so that he wouldn't suffer another defeat when he met the Boy-Who-Lived
the last time.
"Lucius." Voldemort raised an eyebrow at his most loyal servant, other than Wormtail of course. It was a
shock still for most of his followers to see him, for Voldemort looked very much like Tom Riddle, the only
difference was that his eyes were still blood red.
Bellatrix Black and the other women of the court didn't mind being his concubines anymore now that
he'd returned to being so handsome.
"I have disturbing news to tell you, My Lord." Lucius announced, and promptly told the Dark Lord all he
knew. Somehow, the ancient Parvulus Formator potion had come into contact with the mudblood
Granger, bitch of Harry Potter, and she was five months pregnant with the child of either the boy-who-
lived-to-blunder-their-every-effort-at-world-domination or his son, Draco.
There was silence as the Dark Lord sat upon his throne, hand on his chin, as he was lost in thought.
While he wasn't one to smile or crack a joke, he'd been unusually somber these last months, and Lucius
feared that this would only cause him to lash out at the Malfoy family as a way of reliving his stress.
"What chances are there that that child isn't Potter's? And be truthful Lucius, remember I can tell when
you're lying to me." He growled menacingly. They'd heard rumors of Harry Potter having a 'Love Child'
with his mudblood bitch, but the Dark Lord didn't believe anything Rita Skeeter said in her articles.
But this, this was from an inside source.
Lucius winced and spoke through tightly clenched teeth. "There's a 50/50 chance that it could be
Draco's." He shook with rage at the thought of the Malfoy blood being tainted with mudblood. "I'll have
them disposed of, both mother and child. I will not-."
"I'll tell you what you won't do Lucius." The Dark Lord hissed, causing the other man to blanch and take
a couple of steps back in fear. "You will not touch a hair of that girl's head. Do you understand me?"
"Y-yes my Lord." But Lucius couldn't understand why.
There was silence as the Dark Lord was deep in thought. "You tell me that she's supposedly a complete
mudblood? No magical heritage at all?"
"None at all my Lord." Would the Dark lord let him kill her now?
"Good. Perfect." Standing, Voldemort went to leave the room, and stopped at the doorway. "I'd keep a
protective eye on that girl, and if I were you, Lucius, I'd pray that that child ends up being your son's."
Lucius Malfoy watched his lord walk away, leaving him alone in the throne room. The blonde blinked,
utterly confused. His sovereign was keeping a secret from him, he could tell this, and he also knew that
it was in his best interest to be patient and wait for the Dark Lord to reveal it to him without asking and
pestering him.
Aparating back to Malfoy Manor, Lucius frowned darker. He was going to have to keep an eye on the
mudblood and make sure she was safe.
Maybe even have another little conversation with her.
He growled.
He definitely was going to have a little conversation with his son—the son who'd kept this whole
situation secret for the last five months!
Well, the Dark Lord had said not to harm a hair of the mudblood's head, he never said that Malfoy
couldn't discipline his son.
With an evil smirk, Lucius went about his business.
Draco groaned as he felt someone tapping his cheek, and he opened his eyes to see Hermione leaning
over him, her long curls falling into his face, her eyes wide in fright.
"Malfoy?" She asked, and he realized that her hand was on his cheek. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I believe, Miss Granger, that the shock was too much for him." Damn Snape for sounding so smug—
wherever he was!
"Should we take him to the hospital wing?" Hermione asked him, and Draco suddenly realized that she
was sitting on the cold ground, his head cradled in her lap, and the hard thing against his other cheek
was her stomach.
Draco closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. He was lying with his head in Hermione's lap, with her
hand against one of his cheek, and the other next to her stomach—where their child-.
His eyes shot open as he jolted into a sitting position, remembering what had caused him to faint in the
first place. "The baby!"
"He's fine." Hermione reassured him, still looking worried. "It's you I'm worried about. Are you okay?
People just don't faint like that because of nothing."
"The baby-it's not Snape's!" He grabbed her arms and shook her slightly, as if trying to shake some sense
into her.
"I know." Her eyes wide as he continued to shake her.
Draco froze, hands gripping her tighter. "Y-you do? S-so y-you're not marrying Snape?"
Hermione burst out in laughter, which was joined in a lesser degree by their Potion's teacher. "Of course
I'm not marrying Serverus! We'd end up killing each other! And anyway, the baby isn't his—why would I
do that?"
Draco frowned, letting go of her, frowning. "That's the last time I take whatever a Hufflepuff says
seriously." Pushing himself up, Draco helped Hermione up as well. "The cold's not good for Danar."
"We're not naming him Danar." Hermione muttered, dusting herself off, ignoring Snape, who watched
them in amusement.
"Congratulations Young Mr. Malfoy." Snape told him, and when Draco looked up he froze at the
knowing look in the elder man's eyes. He knew. Somehow the old geezer knew that Draco was the
father—and not accidentally at that!
Draco gulped.
"Oh, don't congratulate him yet." Hermione announced obliviously as they began to walk back down the
darkened hallway. "Harry's still a likely candidate at fatherhood here."
Draco chanced a look in Snape's direction and winced when he saw the sneer on the elder man's face.
The blonde felt like hitting himself. He was see-through! His godfather would tell him father—or he'd
blackmail him…he just knew it.
"Hermione!" Potter appeared running down the hall, still dingy from Quidditch, and caught her by her
waist, lifting her in the air and twirling her around.
Hermione squealed in surprise and giggled in glee.
Draco growled deep in his throat.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for running in the halls—and trying to cause a pregnant woman to get dizzy
and vomit all over the floor." Snape drawled.
Both Hermione and Potter winced, and the dark haired boy tenderly placed her back on the ground,
ignoring the other two men and turning to Hermione. "Is it true? Some Ravenclaws told me that The
Board of Parents were here and that they made you test Snape and that he wasn't the father."
Draco grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. Sure, POTTER had heard it from the Ravenclaws, and
he'd listened to Hufflepuffs and ended up looking like a fool
"I saw Malfoy's father, he didn't look too happy." Potter's words caught Draco's immediate attention.
"He didn't even stop to sneer at me when he saw me in the hallway. He—he didn't upset you or
anything, did he Mione?"
"No." Hermione shook her head. "But he knows that you and Malfoy are the only two people left that
could be the father of my child."
"You know he'll go back and tell that to Voldemort." Harry hissed, beginning to walk away with
Hermione, arm around her waist. "We have to talk to Dumbledore about making sure you and the baby
are safe. No doubt Voldemort will want to hurt you and my child."
"Harry, we're not sure it's yours." Hermione was stressing as they turned the corner.
Once Hermione and Potter were out of earshot, Snape turned to Draco. "I had my suspicions from day
one, your behavior was too suspicious for me not to—but I'm sure of it tonight. Miss Granger's
pregnancy isn't an accident, is it, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco was about to deny it when he remembered that his godfather was a master in Legimancy. "No. It
isn't." He lowered his head in defeat, shocks of blonde hair falling into his face. "I know that that baby is
mine because I gave Hermione the Parvulus Formator without her knowing." He gulped before saying
forcefully: "That baby is mine." He waited for Snape to threaten him for such an act, taunt him on his
stupidity, hex him for becoming a blood-traitor, something.
"I can't wait to see Potter's face when that truth comes out."
Draco jerked his head up and looked at his godfather is surprise. "Sir?"
Snape's sneer became a smirk. "What? You're my godson, and truthfully, I'd prefer knowing that Miss
Granger's child had some hope for the future."
"B-But she's not a pureblood—-and the Dark Lord-."
"She's the smartest witch of all times, and the most powerful as well." Snape shook that off dismissively.
"And your father will have already told the Dark Lord."
"So, you're not going to tell anyone that I impregnated Hermione deliberately?" Draco asked carefully,
not believing him fully. "Why would you do that? There must be a catch. No one does me a favor
without expecting something in return."
"There is something I wish you to do for me in exchange for my silence." Snape looked at him seriously.
"I want you to take care of yourself, Miss Granger and that child of yours. Neither your father nor the
Dark Lord will be happy when they discover that she's pregnant with your child."
Draco was taken back by this gesture from the man he'd often times thought feeling-less. "Thank you,
godfather." He whispered, humbled at this show of humanity.
Snape nodded, and then winced, placing a hand on his wrist. "The Dark Lord calls me." He informed
through clenched teeth. "And I wouldn't be surprised if it has to do with your situation. Go." He shooed
Draco away with his hand. "I'm going to see what I can find out. And don't bloody leave Hermione with
Potter, he can barely keep himself safe!"
"Yes sir." Draco nodded before turning and hurrying down the hall after Hermione and Potter.
Dumbledore sat listening to Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Ginny Weasley, and Susan Bones with
interest. When he'd come back to his office from the Hospital Wing to find the Gryffindor girls trying to
guess his password by saying the names of all the candies they knew—he'd been intrigued—and quite
amused.
And now that he listened to them, he couldn't help but smile in deeper amusement. He wondered if
Miss Granger knew what good friends she had.
"I believe you're right." He nodded, smiling and Miss Brown's bright smile. Obviously the plan had
originally been her idea. "I shall announce it tonight at dinner."
"Thank you, Headmaster." Ginny stood, reminding him of her mum when Molly had been going to
Hogwarts. "We think that the whole school has to understand that what Hermione is going through is
stressful, and not some sort of freak show."
"And if they're busy with this, they won't have time or energy to continue bugging her, or making fun of
her, or continuing with the stupid bets." Susan put in.
"Plus, it's an important class." Parvati announced, sitting straighter in her chair. "I even heard mum
saying that this evening when she left with the Board of Parents."
Dumbledore nodded, agreeing with them completely. "But you do realize, ladies, that you will be
sacrificing yourselves for this?"
"Hermione has always been a good friend to all of us, even before we were friends to her." Lavender
replied with a raised chin. "We're doing this for her as a thank you for all the help she's given us over the
years."
Dumbledore smiled brightly. "Good then. Now go, dinner shall soon start."
The girls stood excitedly, and after saying their goodbyes, hurried to their common room.
The Headmaster shook his head. Things were going to get interesting around here.
Hermione sat between Harry and Ron that night at dinner. She was starving, and was waiting
impatiently waiting for the food to appear. Her stomach was grumbling, and her mood growing darker
and darker.
What was keeping the food?
The Headmaster stood. "I was approached by certain young ladies this evening that brought to my
attention some happenings that troubled me, but thankfully, said ladies had an answer to all the
questions I had."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at how the girls at her table sat straighter, giggling amongst themselves.
"And it is my great pleasure to announce that we will be having a special, extra curriculum activity
available for the six and seventh years, which is mightily recommended to join." Dumbledore
announced. "The Assimilated Baby Project will help assimilate a normal, adult relationship, and better
prepare you students for life out of school. Those who wish to join said project, please see me after
dinner."
There was an uproar as the girls all giggled and talked amongst themselves, and the boys groaned as
their girlfriends turned to them excitedly.
Hermione turned to Lavender, who was smiling proudly at her.
" They can't mind your business if they are puking every morning, now, can they?" The blonde asked
innocently.
With a squeal, Hermione threw herself onto her friends, giving the girls all a huge hug. "I love you guys!"
Draco ignored Pansy and Millicent as they began to babble excitedly about this new class, obviously,
they planned on signing up. He watched as Snape appeared and went to his place at the teacher's table.
But the look he sent him meant that he'd found out something about what the Dark Lord was planning,
and needed to talk to Draco immediately after dinner.
Draco nodded, before sending a worried glance in Hermione's direction, watching as she hugged the
Weasley girl.
The Slytherin clenched his fists. He was keeping his woman and child safe—even if he had to go up
against the Dark Lord himself.

Chapter 6 (Lucius Malfoy Worst Nightmare)

Voldemort hadn't been in a good mood when Snape Aparated to his hidden lair. A raid on a muggle
village had gone terribly wrong when a new member of the Death Eaters had nervously bumbled up the
killing curse and instead of saying Avada Kedarva, he'd screamed out Avana Kenarva, and then lost
control of his wand as the bright pink light that shot out of it turned the clothes of all those it hit into
tight, bright pink tutus, completed with ballet shoes, stockings, and tiaras.
It wasn't necessary to say that the countless Death Eaters that got hit with that spell didn't appreciate
their new uniforms. None of them had the legs for tutus and stockings. The only thing that saved them
the utter disgrace of the unbefitting, body tight outfit was the fact that they still kept their masks
(although it was a colorful, theatrical version of it) and thus no one was sure which of their fellow Death
Eaters were so out of shape.
"Idiots!" Voldemort growled, kicking at a whimpering, prostrate Wormtail, who, in the end, always got
the brunt of his master's wrath, whether he deserved it or not. "I am surrounded by incompetent idiots!"
Snape cleared his throat to signal his presence. "My Lord, you called for me?"
Voldemort looked up, crimson eyes shining. "Serverus, you came rapidly."
"The old fool was no where around to suspect my departure." He explained blandly.
"Well, Lucius told me of a most intriguing thing." The Dark Lord turned to him, giving Wormtail a last
kick just because he could. "It seems that you've been a candidate for fatherhood to the child of some
student and you never even told me." He sneered in amusement. "I feel so unloved."
"It was an embarrassing thing, my Lord, I didn't want anyone to know." Snape snorted.
"Yes, well, I hear that that child could be either Potter's or Draco Malfoy's. Is that true?" He asked,
turning his back on his spy, running his fingers over the desk in which lay a large scroll and a couple of
potions. "And is it true that the Parvulus Formator was involved in this particular conception?"
"Yes, to both accounts." As always, Snape only said the necessary. "The girl in question has been proven
to still be, in fact, a virgin."
"How…intriguing." Voldemort gazed down at the scroll intently. "And she is a mudblood?"
"Yes my lord." Snape wondered why the Dark Lord was so interested in this, and why he wasn't growling
already about Malfoy's son disgracing the family name.
Wormtail looked up from where he was crouched on the ground. "M-my L-Lord! I-I-I-I can a-attest to
that! Wh-when I was R-R-R-Ronald Weasley's rat I heard them t-t-t-t-talking about it c-c-c-countless t-t-
t-t-times."
"Serverus, have you ever wondered why the pureblood families are having pure squibs? Why so few of
their children have any magical abilities, and those who do are so very weak?" Voldemort suddenly
asked, looking up from the scroll.
"No my lord." Snape frowned, wondering where this conversation was leading to.
"Because, my dear Serverus, they aren't pureblooded, not at all."
Snape's eyes widened comically. "My Lord—what are you talking about?"
"I discovered an ancient scroll, dating back to hundreds of years, that speaks of a time when wizards
ruled. It would seem that even without magic, the common people rebelled, and either killed the
wizarding families, forced them to go into hiding, or enslaved them, and with the little magic they'd
learnt from their masters, they instigated themselves as the new race of wizards and witches."
Snape's eyes were large like saucers. "So all the leading pureblood families-."
"Are descendants of muggles who overthrew their wizard lords and took their place." Voldemort
finished smoothly.
"Dear Merlin." Snape staggered back in shock before shaking his head, eyes narrowing. "What does this
have to do with Miss Granger?"
"Wait—wait—ahh yes." Voldemort turned to the scroll, which had suddenly turned royal purple. "I had
Wormtail sneak into her room and steal a hair of hers from her brush and bring it back to me. And now…
here are the results…"
Snape tried not to look interested, but he knew that he was failing horribly. "What results, my Lord?"
"An ancient form of DNA testing so old I doubt Old Dumbledore even knows of. He'd have to have
studied the dark arts extensively to know about this particular spell." He announced, picking up the
scroll and reading it, watching as a history tree appeared, naming famous wizards in history, including
Merlin, Vivienne, and…Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazaar Slytherin?
"What d-d-d-d-d-does it say my lord?" Wormtail asked from the floor.
"Hermione Jane Granger, of the First True Houses of Ravenclaw, Slytherin, sole descendant of the child
born to Merlin and Vivienne, named Horacius Grangerion…" He continued to read the list of famous
wizards in history until the Muggle Rebellion, in which Willard Grangerion and his young wife escaped
and changed their names to Granger, to escape enslavement or death.
Snape and Wormtail were looking at the Dark Lord with mouths wide open.
"She is a distant cousin of mine, co-heiress of Slytherin, a secret child born to him by Rowena Ravenclaw
before he was killed by Godric Gryffindor. Rowena disappeared and reverted to her mother's maiden
name, Granger before her pregnancy could be discovered." Voldemort announced, rolling the scroll
back up. "That child of Miss Granger's better belong to the son of Lucius Malfoy, or I will have to
terminate the pregnancy myself."
Snape looked up at Voldemort. "My Lord, what are your plans?"
Voldemort was silent for a moment. "I will keep this new revelation quiet for now, only Lucius shall be
informed of it. Imagine how the Death Eaters, who have been fighting for the 'purity' of blood, will take
the discovery that in truth they are at best, half-bloods?" He continued without waiting for an answer.
"And as to young Miss Granger, I'll be keeping an eye on her. I am most anxious to meet her, and the
baby, if it doesn't prove to be the child of Potter."
Wormtail blinked. "M-m-m-m-my Lord—h-h-h-h-how did you k-k-k-k-know that she was a p—
pureblood?"
"Elementary, Wormtail." Voldemort made a face of disgust at the cowering man. "The Parvulus
Formator only works on pureblooded females."
Draco met with Professor Snape in the Potions room after dinner, and listened to his Godfather repeat
everything that'd happened while in the presence of the Dark Lord, his mouth falling open during the
beginning and remaining that way throughout the whole monologue.
When it was over, the blonde collapsed in a seat, looking at his feet in amazement. "Are you saying that
I am a mudblood who just has some aptitude at magic?"
"At best you're a half-blood, but considering how you're family has always strived to be 'pure' and
refused to marry anyone who wasn't, then I'd say yes. You're a magically inclined mudblood." Snape
announced mercilessly, laying down the truth like a knife.
"I need a drink." Malfoy stared lifelessly at the ground.
"Mister Malfoy, we're in school premises." Yet Snape conjured two goblets of Firewhisky and passed one
to his godson, both downing the drink in one gulp, wincing at the burn in their throats.
"The only bright side I can see of this is my father being a mudblood." Draco found the silver-lighting in
the situation and smirked, looking at Snape. "Can you imagine his reaction when the Dark Lord tells
him?"
"He'll throw a hissy fit." Snape snorted into his goblet, as it magically refilled itself with Firewhisky.
"Or faint." Draco offered, smirk deepening at the thought of his father's eyes rolling in the back of his
head and him falling on the ground, messing up his designer robes. "I wish I was there to witness it."
"Well, you won't." Snape ordered harshly. "The Dark Lord didn't want me to tell anyone, but considering
that this involves your child, I decided that it was only fair that I tell you."
"Hermione, a pureblood, and me a mudblood." Draco shivered. "What has the world come to?" He took
another gulp of liquid from his now refilled goblet. He suddenly went pale. "Dear Merlin! I'M the one
who's making our child a Half-Blood!"
Snape was much too amused with this situation for it to be considered healthy.
"Why are you so amused anyhow?" Draco growled. "You're pureblooded as well—or should I say—
mudblood?"
Snape's smirk grew. "Actually, I'm a half-blood. Always have been—I just let everyone else assume that I
was a pureblood."
Draco groaned. "Great. Just great."
"Do cheer up young Mister Malfoy." Snape's smile was growing smugger and smugger by the moment.
"You're not the only mudblood in Slytherin."
Draco's eyes widened as he turned to his godfather. "Yet another irony of life. Slytherin, 'house of the
pure', filled with mudbloods and half-bloods!"
"Yes, well, as entertaining as this conversation has been—imagining Lucius fainting and whatnot—I
believe you should be getting to Miss Granger now to keep her safe. The Dark Lord will have someone
watching her—and my bet is on Wormtail." He announced, before he pursed his lips. "I recommend
getting rat traps immediately."
Draco, who didn't know of Wormtail's animagus form, raised an eyebrow at that. "Oookay." He got up,
left his goblet on the desk, and went to the door before stopping. "Thank you, godfather, for your help."
"Enough with the sentimental crap—that's for Hufflepuffs." Snape waved that off. "I'm doing this for
Miss Granger, poor thing will have enough suffering coming her way, having to deal with a child and you.
So just go and protect that girl. Merlin knows she'll be dead by morning if she has Misters Potter and
Weasley as her bodyguards."
Draco smirked. "Yes sir."
Snape pursed his lips tighter, and finally allowed them to become a smile when Draco left. "That boy will
be the death of me."
Hermione found herself in the Gryffindor Common Room that night, listening to her friends babble
excitedly about the new project. She doubted they'd be so excited when they were heaving in a toilet
every morning, but she decided to let them keep their good mood for right now.
It would seem that almost all of six and seventh year Gryffindors had entered, and from the gossip
Parvati and Lavender had, the other houses had signed up as well—even Slytherin—which took her by
surprise.
"So, the partners will be named out tomorrow night." Lavender announced, sitting in Ron's lap.
"Oi, you mean we mightn't be partnered together?" Ron wailed. It'd taken Lavender bribery and threats
to get him to sign up, and it was obvious that the thought of having to go through what Harry and Draco
were going through—with someone other than Lavender—was terrifying for him.
"Oh, my big baby." Lavender turned and kissed him, silencing him, thankfully.
Hermione and the other girls giggled at how red, yet contented, Ron was after that.
They continued to talk until Hermione fell asleep on the sofa in the middle of the conversation. Ever
since her fourth month she'd found herself getting tired easier, and finding it hard to stay awake.
Harry smiled over at her. He'd always had a crush on Hermione, yet he'd realized that she never saw him
as anything other than a best friend, and sometimes a son in need of a mother, so he needed this child
to be his. It could be his only chance with Hermione.
Getting up, the Boy-Who-Lived went to the sofa and picked her up, smiling as she curled into him,
continuing to sleep. Blushing at the giggles and catcalls coming from his housemates, he made a face at
them and began to make his way to the Boy's Dorm, so he could put Hermione to sleep on his bed
because when she'd become Head girl, her bed had disappeared from the Girl's Room.
"Harry!" Seamus announced as he entered the Common Room. "Malfoy is outside, demanding to see
Hermione."
Harry made a face. "Tell him she's asleep and staying here with me tonight." And with that, he hurried
up the stairs to get as much distance away from him and Malfoy as possible.
True to both Snape's and Draco's predictions, Lucius Malfoy did faint when the Dark Lord broke the
news to him, and once he'd returned to his own house, he'd thrown a hissy fit to rival any teenaged girl's
any day. He'd decided to burn the portraits of his lying and mudblood ancestors, only keeping the
portrait of himself and his wife and son.
Well, soon-to-be-EX-wife. He was not going to be married to a mudblood—even if he was a mudblood
himself. He'd never liked Narcissa much, he'd married her for her beauty and because she was
supposedly the only pureblood his parents found acceptable for him.
Well, he'd just finished burning his mudblood parents' portraits and was done with the marriage. Snape
could have Narcissa for all he cared. He knew Snape had always had an eye for Narcissa, and he'd always
been smugly proud that he'd gotten her when Snape hadn't, but now he couldn't use that against Snape.
Snape was Half-Blooded, he was higher in rank than Lucius himself.
And the blonde couldn't stand that fact.
And the little mudblood bitch of Potter's? She was the direct descendant of not only Merlin the Great,
but of Salazaar Slytherin himself!
Lucius collapsed into his cushiony chair in his study room.
When had the world gone mad?
Why hadn't he gotten the memo?
He'd planned on torturing Draco for the possibility of that child being his—but if that good-for-nothing
son of his wasn't the father of Hermione Granger's baby—he'd kill him for such a horrific failure. That
girl was their last chance at glory, their last chance to show up everyone else as they always had!
She was the distant cousin of the Dark Lord. If she were to become a Malfoy then it'd make them family
by marriage to the Dark Lord himself!
Imagine being able to brag about that at the Death Eater conventions!
He sighed dreamily at just the thought.
That was it.
He was paying Miss Granger a visit.

Chapter 7 (Win Over Miss Granger)

Hermione woke up in a bed that was not her own, with an arm around her waist, and someone snoring
softly into her ear. She froze in horror, trying to figure out how she'd gotten into this mess and who the
hell she was in bed with.
It took her a couple of minutes to realize that she was in the Boy's Commons, and that Ron and the
other boys were still sleeping, snoring loudly since it was a Sunday.
The brunette turned in his arms and blushed scarlet to realize that the one with his arm around her was
none other than Harry Potter. Sure, it hadn't been the first time she'd slept in his bed with him, she'd
done it during the nights his nightmares were at their worst, but it was completely different from this…
Easing out of his hold and his bed, she hurried out of the Boys room and was glad that the Commons
was empty. Anyone seeing her coming from the boys' dorms, blushing as scarlet as she was, would have
spread news and gossip all over school.
And she didn't need that.
…Especially since she was pregnant.
Emerging from the Gryffindor Commons, she nearly tripped over something in the entrance. Looking
down, her dark eyes widened when she saw the blonde asleep in the doorway. Her heart sped and she
couldn't help a small smile that lit her face as she bent awkwardly thanks to her stomach, running her
fingers hesitantly through his messy locks.
He'd slept outside of the Gryffindor Commons waiting on her.
Pressing her back against the wall, Hermione slowly and awkwardly slid down until she was sitting next
to his sleeping figure. In his sleep, Draco Malfoy looked so innocent that it shocked her, for while he'd
changed these last months, she'd never seen him look so unguarded.
He was truly handsome.
"Malfoy?" She whispered, shaking him slightly.
In the blink of an eye he'd twisted and pushed her against the wall, his wand pressing against her throat.
Her heart caught in her throat at the deadly expression in his eyes, before he realized who she was and
his wand dropped to the ground, horror crossing his features.
"Hermione." He whispered, looking away in shame. "I—I didn't know it was you. I'm so sorry! It's my
reflexes…"
"Hey-it's okay." She tried to calm him, tried to tell him that after years of waiting for someone to try kill
them in their sleep, Harry and her had developed similar reflexes.
"No it's not okay." Draco growled, his eyes narrowed and haunted as he dared look at her again. "I could
have hurt Dietrich or you."
She couldn't help but chuckle. "You name him Dietrich and I will hurt you."
He didn't seem to find the situation funny as he stood and pocketed his wand, helping her to her feet as
well. "You're cold." He pulled off his cloak and placed it around her shoulders. "Come, you should be in
bed—your bed. It's 6 a.m. on a Saturday for fuckssake."
They walked in silence, until Hermione couldn't take it any longer. "Malfoy—what were you doing
sleeping there?"
He stiffened. "I came to escort you back home last night but you had already fallen asleep and Potter
wouldn't let me in to get you."
"So you slept out in the hallway?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, ignoring the butterflies in her
stomach when he referred to their Dorm as their home.
"Seemed like the best thing to do." He shrugged that off as they took a left and started up the stairs.
"How am I supposed to keep you and Daniel safe if I'm not with you?"
" My cousin's name is Daniel." She said as a way of discarding that name, yet Hermione was touched by
the concern he had for her and their child.
The brunette froze on the stairways. Their child?
No. I can't start thinking of it as 'our' child until I'm sure he's the father! It could very well be Harry's!
Yet with every little detail, despite all against them, Draco Malfoy was winning her over, and she just
wouldn't find it right if this child wasn't his.
"Are you feeling alright?" Draco asked, worried at how she'd stopped walking and was slightly pale.
"Come, let's go see Madam Pomfrey."
"I'm fine." She shook off that offer.
"No, you're pale." Draco placed a supporting arm around her, trying to turn her around gently so they
could make their way to the Hospital Wing, but she wasn't being cooperative. "Hermione Granger, we're
going to see the Medi-witch. If Potter, Weasley and the other Gryffindorks somehow infected Darius
with their carbon monoxide or something-."
"Draco Malfoy, I am tired, cranky, and hungry." Hermione stomped her foot stubbornly. "I'm looking
more and more like I'm hiding a balloon under my robes with each passing day, my feet and fingers are
swelling painfully, I just woke up in a very uncomfortable position with Harry, I just want to go to bed, I
won't name my son Darius, and-."
"You woke up in bed with Potter?"
Of course that would be the only part of her rant he'd pick up on.
"That's not the point I was trying to make!"
"How the bloody hell did you end up in bed with Potter?" He growled into her face, neither of them had
noticed that the stairway was changing directions for the second time now.
"I don't know! Harry must have placed me there when I fell asleep in the Commons!" She growled back,
clearly not in the mood for this at this time of the morning, without breakfast in her stomach and
hopefully some coffee.
"I'm going to kill him." Draco promised in a dark voice before turning to her. "Did he touch you?"
"He had his arm around my waist, if that's what you're referring to-but in that small bed it'd be nearly
impossible-."
"I'm going to kill him!" Draco interrupted, throwing his hands murderously in the air.
"You will do no such thing!" She cried out, suddenly realizing that he could very well be serious.
"Oh, and who is going to stop me?" He scoffed, looking her up and down. "You and Desidorus?"
"His name won't be Desidorus!" She snapped, giving him a little shove out of pure frustration. "Honestly,
do you want him to be a complete weirdo?"
"My great grand father was named Desidorus Malfoy." Draco defended hotly.
"And since when are Malfoys normal?" She shot back.
He opened his mouth and promptly shut it once more, deciding to give her his back and keep quiet for
once, silently coming up with a plan on how to do what the Dark Lord seemed so unable to do: Kill Harry
Potter.
Hermione sighed, taking in a deep breath before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Draco, I'm sorry, I
didn't mean to insult your family. I'm just very bad tempered right now and I'm snapping for nothing
and-it's a hormonal imbalance that's causing me to be crankier than normal."
He surprised her by placing a hand over the one she had on his shoulder, treading their fingers together
and turning to her with a breathtaking smile. "You just called me Draco."
She blinked, blush spreading over her cheekbones. "Yeah, well, you call me Hermione, don't you?"
His smile grew. "How about we ask the House Elves to bring us some breakfast in bed? That way you
won't be so hungry. You need to have a balanced diet if Dominic is going to be healthy." He led her off of
the stairs towards their Dorm.
"Dominic?" She asked as they journeyed down the hallway. "That's not an ugly name."
Draco's face lit up.
"I'm not saying that we should commit to it." She cautioned as she pulled a stray curl behind her ear.
"I'm just saying that you finally found a name that's not horrible."
They maintained this content and relaxed atmosphere until they reached their Dorm and Draco said the
password. The portrait swung open, and they entered, smiles freezing on their faces as they saw the
Commons filled with toys, stuffed animals, blue baby clothes, and in the middle of it all was one horribly
out-of-place Lucius Malfoy.
Snape hadn't told Dumbledore about his meeting with the Dark Lord, because, to be truthful, he didn't
know how to let the old man know all that he'd learnt, and he didn't find it necessary. This wasn't going
to help them win the war, so he kept the knowledge to himself and drank Firewhisky in the safety of his
room.
Hogwarts was going to be enough of a mess and distraction anyway with this new 'project' of
Dumbledore's. Snape shivered as he thought of the whole seventh year and some of the sixth year girls
moody, temperamental, and terribly sensitive. They were horrible enough as they were now, and they
were going to be experiencing virtual pregnancies…
He shivered at the thought and downed his glass.
And the old fool had decided that none other than Snape himself should be in charge of this new
project.
Him?
In charge of some hormonal teenaged girls?
Was the old bastard trying to drive him insane?
Was he punishing him for something he'd done in his past life?
The Potions master shook his head, no one else in the whole castle could be going through the horror he
was going through right now.
"Miss Granger!" Lucius Malfoy announced with the cheeriest smile he could muster, as he pushed past
his shocked son and embraced the near catatonic young woman, kissing both her cheeks and pulling
back to observe—what he hoped to be—his son's handiwork. "You're still very small for five months. Are
you sure you're eating properly my dear? We can't have an undernourished Malfoy, now, can we?"
She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Uh—uh—Mister Malfoy?"
Draco just looked at him as if wondering if he was a polyjuice imposter.
Lucius frowned slightly. Maybe he was being a little too cheery. He turned a stern expression in his son's
direction. "Its early morning, and you have the mother of your unborn heir walking around the drafty
castle? Have I taught you nothing boy? An heir must be protected at all costs."
"What are you doing here?" Draco asked, taking a protective step between Miss Granger and himself,
looking at him suspiciously.
"Does a father need to have a reason to see his son?" Lucius asked innocently, then seeing the eyebrow
Draco raised, he cleared his throat. "Does a grandfather need a reason to see his grandson then?"
The female behind a protective Draco cleared her throat nervously. "Mister Malfoy, it still has yet to be
proven that Draco is the father of my son. It could very well be Harry's."
Both Lucius and Draco growled at that, surprising each other into looking at the other wide-eyed.
Draco ignored his father (much to his chagrin) to turn to Miss Granger. "Hermione, the sooner you
accept that Damien is mine, the better this will be for everyone."
"Will you stop confusing him?" She snapped back, hands on her hips in protest. "If you keep calling my
son by a different name each time you talk about him he'll be so confused he'll end up being daft!"
Lucius winced at the thought. "Malfoys aren't daft."
"Then tell your son to pick a good name and stick to it!" She told him irately.
Lucius blinked in surprise at the snappish command. He was beginning to see the similarities between
her and the Dark Lord already.
Draco made a face at her. "You said you liked Dominic."
"Only because it's the best option you've give me so far—not because I want to name him Dominic!" She
growled a purely Malfoy growl.
Lucius smiled smugly. She was living up to their family name already.
"Her-mi-on-ee!" Draco whined.
Lucius winced at the sound.
"Draco Malfoy-if you don't shut up now I'll hex you into next century!" She shrilled.
"You wouldn't dare." He sneered. "I'm the father of your child. You wouldn't want to have to tell Dorien
that you killed his father—do you? And you won't be able to say that Potter's the father, because my son
will have the Malfoy hair. It's hereditary."
Lucius ran his fingers through his Malfoy hair.
"I'll just say your father's the father then." She made a face of disgust when she realized what she'd just
said.
Lucius considered that idea seriously.
Draco seemed to notice that and gave him a murderous glare before turning back to Miss Granger,
placing a hand on her shoulder in a soothing manner. "Mione."
She sighed. "Yes?"
"Let's just get you that breakfast?"
She smiled at him.
Lucius, realizing that this was the best mood she'd been in since they'd arrived, decided that this was the
time to spring into action. Well, not spring per se, because Mafloys didn't spring… "Miss Granger, I took
the liberty of buying these things for my grandson."
He placed his hand around her shoulder and led her further into the room that now seemed a baby
paradise. "It's just the bare necessities of course, I will need you to accompany me on a more extensive
shopping spree for what the heir will need—I must commend you on conceiving a son on your first try
by the way-."
"—But I didn't try." She tried to protest, yet Lucius continued as if she hadn't spoken.
"I have spoken to Dumbledore and he's agreed to give you the permission you need to come with me to
Diagon Alley and Wizard London so we can buy the necessary things for the newest Malfoy."
"I'm not leaving you alone with Mione." Draco growled from behind them.
Lucius gave a sigh. "I suppose you can come along as well."
She hesitated. "I—I—what if this child isn't a Malfoy?"
The elder man sent his son a threatening glare at just the thought before smiling charmingly at the girl.
"Then consider it a gift on our behalf to Mister Potter and yourself." Don't worry my dear, even if I have
to falsify those results somehow and cast a spell to die his hair Malfoy blonde that child WILL be a
Malfoy!
Miss Granger looked at him calculatingly before nodding graciously. "Then, if the Headmaster thinks I'll
be safe with you—and Draco comes—I'll go with you."
His smile was blinding. "Good, and we shall have breakfast at a lovely restaurant I know."
She pulled away. "I—I'm going to my room to get ready." With a hesitant smile at Draco, she hurried to
her room.
Lucius waited until her portrait closed behind her to let the smile drop from his face, his usual sneer
reappear, and turn to his scowling son. "Tell me there's a decent chance that you've finally bested Potter
in something."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "What are you playing at, father?"
"Distrustful of your own father?" Lucius tsked before turning his back on him, sneer growing. "Good,
because I'd be on my best behavior if I were you. You're not my only heir anymore and are not as
invaluable as you once were."
Draco's shoulder collided purposely and aggressively with his as the younger man headed towards his
room. "I stopped fearing you a long time ago, father." And with that he disappeared into his room.

Chapter 8 (Meet the Grangers)

Six teddy bears, nine baby pajamas with the words "Malfoy Heir" inscribed on them (Lucius' insistence),
ten set of knitted shoes, two magicked pacifiers that actually slipped a little sleeping drought to the child
when he couldn't sleep at night, three strollers and one cradle later, Hermione began to stop expecting
a band of Death Eaters to jump out from some assorted pile of baby accessories and shoot the killing
curse at her.
Once she relaxed she couldn't help but be charmed by Lucius Malfoy. When he wasn't sneering about
ones blood, or mistreating House Elves, he was actually quite an intriguing conversationalist. And,
Hermione had to admit that she'd always had a secret fascination with his hair. How a man could have
such perfect hair was a mystery and a sin, and she couldn't help but hope that if this child of hers was
indeed a Malfoy (as the nine pajamas brightly proclaimed) that he'd have his grandfather's hair.
Right now they were strolling down Diagon Alley, with Draco scowling as he trailed behind them a
couple of steps. Somewhere between the toy store and the clothes shop Lucius had looped her arm
around his, and he'd led her around on his arm, ever the gentleman, recounting the Malfoy family
history and/or asking her about her family's history.
Of course, she'd been suspicious about his sudden interest in her muggle heritage, but after he seemed
genuinely interested in the 'tellyvizon' and the 'tellyfon' (both which he admitted he'd heard mentioned
by Arthur Weasley at the Ministry) she'd relaxed completely and allowed herself to be charmed by him
completely…much to Draco's apparent disapproval.
"Then Lord Derek Malfoy, of the Danish Malfoys, came to England and met my great grand mother,
Marigold Lestrange."
Hermione looked up. She'd been captivated by his vivid stroll down the Malfoy long and quite
interesting history, but this was surprising. "You are family to the Lestrange?"
He sighed, as if it hurt him to have to admit that. "Ah, yes."
"And the Parkinsons." Draco spoke for the first time in over two hours. "Which was another reason why I
never wanted to marry Pansy—although that's what you wanted me to do for so many years—isn't that
true father?"
His father looked vivid at that, yet refrained from looking at his son. "Yes, well, times change Draco." His
smile was forced as he returned his attention to Hermione, who eyed father and son quite suspiciously,
wondering about the underlined hostility between them. "Miss Granger, you must be famished. I hope
that living with Draco hasn't led you to believe that we Malfoys aren't gentlemen."
Leading her down the next path, Lucius stopped at a quite expensive restaurant she'd always wanted to
eat in but never had. His grip on her tightened slightly. "Why don't you go inside with the others and
allow my son and I a moment to speak privately my dear?"
"The others?" Hermione asked, and then, seeing his charm double in a breath-taking smile, she
suspiciously followed his gaze to a couple sitting by the window, looking around them at the magically
transported dishes with wide-eyed amazement, whispering furiously amongst themselves. "Mother?"
She asked, taking a step away from smirking Lucius and growling Draco. "Father?"
When they turned to her, she gave a cry of happiness and hurried into the restaurant as fast as her
swollen feet and large bulge would allow. The brunette threw herself into her father's arms and then
kissed her mother's cheeks, crying with happiness as they began speaking excited about the magic
around them, and asking her if all magic users did this or that.
She'd missed them so much, and the fact that Lucius Malfoy had invited her parents for lunch was mind-
blowing.
She'd definitely have to reevaluate her previous thoughts about him.
"He was such a gentleman." Mrs. Granger announced as they sat back down at the table for five and
waited for Lucius and Draco to enter the restaurant. "He appeared in our house and introduced himself
so gallantly."
Mr. Granger nodded, less enthusiastically, yet obviously impressed. "While I am in no way commending
you for getting knocked up, I must admit, at least you picked one that's loaded."
"Father!" Hermione cried out.
"Gerry!" Mrs. Granger hissed scandalized, looking around with a mortified expression around her,
wondering if anyone had heard that.
"What?" Mr. Granger asked. "I was terrified that she'd end up with that deadbeat friend of hers who'd
always had a crush on her."
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"Reggie Weaselbee." He waved that off dismissively.
"Regan Wiley." Mrs. Granger corrected, albeit, incorrectly.
"Ronald Weasley?" Hermione squeaked, horrified that her father thought that of one of her best friends.
"No, that's not his name." Mr. Granger shook his head. "Roland Wesley?"
"No, honey, I think it was Ralph Wembly."
"His name is Ronald Bilius Weasley." Hermione repeated, trying to stress that.
"Ridiculous. Who'd name their child Bilius?" Mrs. Granger wanted to know with an indignant sniff.
Who would name their child Hermione Yet she decided to keep that quiet.
"Speaking about names." Mr. Granger announced as Mrs. Granger keep murmuring to herself, trying to
remember Hermione's friend's name. "What have Draco and yourself decided to name our grandson?"
They'd been keeping tabs on the pregnancy through letters, and surprisingly enough, those letters had
been directed to and answered by Draco and not her.
It still pissed her slightly that they wrote to Draco more than they did her…and they'd never met Draco
yet.
"Dad, please don't mention names in front of Draco." Hermione pleaded, suddenly realizing how tricky a
situation this could be. What if the child ended up being Harry's? Her parents thought it was Draco's,
had accepted that as a fact, and seemed more than pleased.
" So, what does my future son-in-law look like?" Mrs. Granger discarded her mental R and W name
search to smile mischievously at her daughter. "If he's anything like his father-." She let that sentence
die off as she blushed scarlet and began to fan herself at just the thought of Lucius Malfoy.
Mr. Granger raised an eyebrow at his wife.
Hermione, who could understand her mother's feminine appreciation of the elder Malfoy, found it
impossible to keep a smirk off her face.
"She's mastered the Malfoy smirk with amazing ease." Lucius announced, causing the Grangers to all
look up at him. "Gerry, Mary, I'd like to introduce you to my son, Draco."
Draco, who's face had been all hard lines, softened and gave them a smile as he shook Mr. Granger's
hand and kissed Mrs. Granger's. "I'm so glad to finally meet you."
Mr. Granger gave that discreet male nod of acceptance.
"And we are you." Mrs. Granger elbowed her daughter mischievously, obviously comparing Draco to his
father and finding him just as visually appetizing. "Mia never told us that you were so handsome."
"He takes after me." Lucius responded quite seriously as he sat, causing Draco to scowl at him, Mr.
Granger to raise an eyebrow, Mrs. Granger to sigh dreamily, and Hermione to giggle at the absurdness
of the whole situation.
Lunch was surprisingly enough quite enjoyable, and Hermione knew that her mother absolutely adored
Draco, and that the blonde had passed her father's silent observation and had been fully 'accepted' in
the elder male's eyes. She'd spent most of the time silent, with Draco's arm around her chair, listening
as the Malfoy men charmed her mother into a shimmering, blushing school-girl, and caused her father
to look slightly threatened (with Lucius) and slightly amused (with Draco).
When it was time for them to go, Hermione hugged her parents and had a little cry with her mother.
"You two come and visit us for Christmas." Mrs. Granger ordered her daughter in a whispery voice.
"We will." Draco responded for Hermione.
"You know." Mr. Granger announced after shaking hands with Lucius. "You never did tell us what you're
naming our grandson."
"Devon." Draco announced proudly.
Hermione winced.
Lucius raised an eyebrow, obviously not approving.
Mr. Granger blinked.
Mrs. Granger gasped, absolutely scandalized. "You're naming him after your first boyfriend?"
Draco growled and turned to Hermione. "I thought you said your first boyfriend was named Desmond."
"No." Hermione shook her head patiently. "I said my first kiss was Desmond."
Mrs. Granger gasped again. "The last time you saw Desmond you were ten!" She turned on her husband.
"I told you that he looked at Mia strangely!"
"He was twelve, Mary." Mr. Granger tried soothing her. "And her cousin, how was I supposed to know
that he-?"
"Your cousin?" Draco snarled, rounding on Hermione.
"Step cousin." She corrected with a raised finger, but Draco didn't seem to care much for technicalities.
"You and I are going to have a serious conversation when we get home missy." Draco promised in a
growl.
Mrs. Granger and Mr. Granger exchanged amused expressions as they watched the two young adults.
Lucius looked positively bored. "Alright then, I'll return Gerry and Mary back home." He turned to
Hermione and reached for her hand, giving it a gallant kiss, ignoring Draco's deep, possessive growl. "I
already spoke to the shop keepers and everything we've bought have been taken to Hogwarts while we
were eating. They should be in your room by now."
"Thank you Mister Malfoy, for everything." She smiled at him.
"Please, call me Lucius."
She blushed and grinned widely. "Thank you Lucius."
Draco placed his arm around her shoulder in a possessive gesture, glaring at his father. "Well, we should
be going, Mione should rest."
Hermione groaned. What was it with everyone telling her that she needed to rest?
With one last kiss for her parents, she and Draco left.
There were few things that amused Blaise Zabini. He could count on his fingers the times he'd been truly
amused. There was the time Draco had to go to the Yule Ball with Pansy—the time Longbottom blotched
up a potion and accidentally turned Snape into a toad—and of course, there was last week, when it was
revealed to everyone that the Weaslette and Longbottom were officially a couple.
But this…this was by far the most amusing thing ever.
Sitting in Draco and Hermione's Common Room, the Slytherin watched Potter and Weasley growl and
hiss at every article of clothing and every stuffed toy that appeared via House Elf or Magical Courier. It
would seem that Hermione hadn't told them that she was planning on going shopping for baby clothes
—with Draco—and the look on Potter's face when the Malfoy Heir pajamas arrived had been priceless.
The bloke had practically exploded.
And Weaselbee was puce in the face…what a truly horrid color.
"I can't believe she let him get these stuff!" Weasley announced. "Why would she allow him to buy
clothes for Jamsie?"
Raising a regal green Malfoy Heir pajama with the tips of his fingers as if it were infected, and sneering
at it, Potter shook his head. "Dumbledore said that Malfoy Sr. was here. Obviously this was his idea."
"But why would he want to buy Mione stuff?" Weasley voiced the question that'd been bugging Blaise.
"He hates her because she's a muggleborn."
"I don't know what he's up to—but I'm going to find out-and expose him to Mione." Potter promised,
ignoring Blaise. "Let's get out of here."
The Slytherin watched them go with a raised eyebrow, smirking when Weasley ran into the huge stroller
that'd magically appeared in front of him. The lanky boy fell over and knocked the stroller over as well,
his limbs getting tangled up with the blue lace and long material thingies that looked a lot like safety
buckles.
Shaking his head as Potter tried unsuccessfully to untangle his friend, Blaise relaxed on the sofa.
If the fate of the Wizarding World lays on the shoulders of THOSE TWO…we're so screwed.
"We have the results of the Baby Project." Dumbledore announced as he spoke to the students in the
Great Hall that night. "Professor Snape, who shall be in charge of the project, will name the couples."
"I'm so excited!" Lavender announced as she squeezed her boyfriend's hand.
Hermione, seeing the evil glint in Snape's eyes as he stood, grinned in expectation. She knew that if
Snape had been forced into this he would bring down as many with him as possible.
"Here are the names of the couples paired up for this project." Professor Snape announced. "Vincent
Crabbe and Parvati Patil," He continued naming names and causing groans of frustration or shrieks of
horror from the students paired up. "Ginerva Weasley and Gregory Goyle…Neville Longbottom and
Millicent Bulstrode."
Ginny gave a little squeak…
…so did Neville.
"Weasley, Ronald…"
Ron and Lavender squeezed each other's hands.
"…Pansy Parkinson."
Ron lowered his head in obvious disappointment.
"Lavender Brown…"
Ron was silent, waiting in dread to hear the name of the boy who would 'father' his girlfriend's child.
Hermione could have sworn she saw that evilness in Snape's eyes darken with mischief as he called out
the father of Lavender's soon-to-be-baby. "Harry Potter."
"What?" Harry exclaimed, horrified. "But I didn't sign up!"
A muscle jumped in Ron's cheek. "Just like you didn't put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" He growled,
turning on his best friend.
"But I didn't!" Harry tried to calm his friend. "I already have a child on the way—why would I sign up?"
"So how did your name get there?" Ron wanted to know, face turning red in anger.
Hermione raised an eyebrow as Draco and Blaise discreetly high-fived each other over by the Slytherin
table, but when both boys noticed her raising an eyebrow at them, they gave her a look of such
innocence that she couldn't help but smile at them.
Slytherins.
Snape continued calling off names, but no one was quite listening. They were all watching in morbid
fascination as Lavender tried to calm down Ron, who kept muttering that Harry had somehow
orchestrated this whole thing so that he could steal his girl.
Hermione shook her head and began to eat, for while this was entertaining, her baby needed
nourishment. She was about to stab her chicken with her fork when a butterfly origami fluttered in front
of her face.
Opening it, she read what was written.
Hmmm…with Potter now occupied with the very complicated and time consuming Extra Curriculum
Virtual Baby Project…he won't have much time to bother—I mean GRACE—us with his presence
anymore, will he? How convenient that his name somehow ended up amongst those who signed up
for this project…don't you think?
Looking at the Slytherin table, where Draco was smiling quite innocently at her, Hermione couldn't help
it. She laughed.
Slytherins.

Chapter 9 (Adult Life According to Snape)

Hogwarts was in chaos.
Well, at least sixth and seventh Year Hogwarts.
Little 'House-like' cubicles had been placed throughout the castle and the 'couples' had been moved in
immediately, but not before each drunk a potion that not only started the simulated pregnancy, but
made it so that sexual intimacy between them was completely impossible. Professor McGonagall had
insisted on the second part, for while Dumbledore and Snape had thought it rather a waste of time to
put an anti-intimacy property to the potion (the girls would be pregnant for crying out loud…the men
had argued…why would they want to have sex?) McGonagall and Poppy had all shared knowing, female
looks and insisted on their point.
Yet even still, they'd harshly warned the students not to try and get around the potion and have sex.
But that in itself wasn't what had Hogwarts in an uproar.
No, Snape had taken the Project a step further than the girls had planned it, and had decided that it
would be a Adult Life Simulator as well, meaning that the 'Free Period' they used to enjoy would now be
taken up in 'jobs'. While the girls all went through pregnancy, the boys were forced to learn how it
would be like in the future, having to juggle home life, work, and possibly studying at the same time.
And, of course, he was the one who assigned the 'jobs' to the boys.
While Dumbledore had described the idea as 'absolutely brilliant', the sixth and seventh year boys used
four-letter-words to describe it—and did so quite loudly whenever they were sure the Potions Master
was no where around.
And to top things off, Snape seemed to have picked the 'couples' by those he was sure would make each
other as miserable as possible. When Hermione had playfully accused him of this when they were having
tea together while Draco and Harry were practicing Quidditch, the Potions Master had candidly
announced:
"I'm trying to simulate a true marriage." He'd taken a sip of his tea. "And what members of a true
marriage don't make the other miserable?"
She'd laughed at that, and the rest of their get-together was spent talking about "D", as they'd decided
to call the boy until it was either confirmed Harry's, or Draco found an appropriate name for him.
The next month was, in every boy's opinion, the most frightening thing to ever happen to them. Ron
(who'd been assigned as the manager of a tea-pot store by Snape) had stopped talking to Harry (who
Snape had decided would be the grounds keeper of Hogwarts…he'd wanted to make Harry a House Elf,
but after Hermione argued the point that that wasn't a job he'd reluctantly given him the job he found
most disgusting).
The redhead still believed that Harry had somehow did things so that he'd get Lavender as his own, and
the fact that Lavender and Harry got along perfectly caused the jealousy and anger to fill the youngest
male Weasley, who wasn't doing so well in his 'marriage' with Pansy Parkinson.
The girls were all cranky and aggressive due to their hormones, and the boys had all experienced a slap
or a punch, and two or three admitted having been thrown up on.
What surprised all were Ginny and Goyle. Despite how stupid and ugly he could be, it would seem that
Gregory Goyle was the most doting, tender man a pregnant woman could pray for. He was a train
conductor (Snape had decided that that was one of the only jobs the 'dolt' could do), and although they
didn't get a lot of 'money' from that, and Ginny was—in true Weasley form—expecting twins, they
seemed quite content.
When Hermione had visited their cubicle 'home' to spend some time with a cranky and irritable Ginny,
she'd watched their interaction, and had been stumped. Goyle arrived home from 'work' to dote on
Ginny's every whim, getting her a tea, cookies, and even sneaking out to Hogsmeade to get her
whatever junk food her cravings desired. He was mild and meek despite her numerous outbursts and
childish name-calling, and he was even quite nice to Hermione.
And Ginny wouldn't stop singing his praises whenever he wasn't around…for when he was around she
was too busy telling him off for something or the other.
"What about Neville?" Hermione asked carefully.
"We decided that we should break up until this is over." Ginny waved that off, not even reacting to
Neville's name as she had weeks before. "I mean, I'm pregnant with Greg's child for crying out loud. I'm
practically another's wife."
The brunette smirked at Ginny's use of Goyle's first name.
"They said we should be showing soon." Ginny announced with a smirk. "That next week the potion will
turn us four months pregnant. Goodbye morning sickness…"
"…hello stretch marks." Hermione sing-songed.
"I know." Ginny frowned in resignation, then she suddenly brightened. "Greg says he doesn't mind it
though. Says that I'll have it because I was 'rearing our young' so they'll be more like war scars…you
know…something to brag about."
Hermione couldn't help it, she grinned broadly. Ginny continued talking about something 'Greg' had told
her while they'd been getting ready to go to bed, and the brunette's grin turned nearly maniacal.
The redhead obviously had no idea that she was actually falling for Gregory Goyle.
Talk about Beauty and the Beast.
"So, are you nervous?" Ginny finished by asking. "I mean, one more month and you'll know if you're
having Jamsie or d-something."
"Yeah, I am."
"The other night, while he was massaging my feet, Greg said that Malfoy's dad had told his that the baby
was Malfoy's." Ginny announced, looking more like her mother then she'd admit. "No one can
understand why he wants D to be his grandson."
"He said something about another heir." Hermione replied, remembering a conversation she'd had with
Lucius when he'd appeared in Hogwarts and offered to take her to lunch at a restaurant in Hogsmeade,
sans Draco. "I think heirs are very important to the Malfoys, and Lucius was always worried because
Draco was an only child."
"Makes sense." Ginny leaned back in the Lazy Boy she'd had Goyle buy her with his first 'paycheck'. "I
might be a pureblood, but mum and pa raised us differently so I don't understand many customs. But
Greg's been filling me in on details, and he says that the first child is always very important to Pureblood
parents." She blushed, looking down at her nails suddenly. "Said that he wished this were a true
pregnancy, because I'm the nicest pureblooded woman he knew, and he knew that with my blood his
parents wouldn't be against us having a child together, you know?"
Hermione, having heard the things Ginny called Goyle to his face, wondered what sort of women the
boy knew.
There was knocking on the portrait. "Goylette!"
"I wish he'd stop calling me that." She growled. "WHAT DO YOU WANT MALFOY?"
"Is Mione there?"
"YES!" Ginny screamed back.
"Will you open the damn door and stop screaming like a fishmonger?" Draco was obviously annoyed.
"If you weren't my husband's friend…!" Ginny snarled, getting up and heading to the portrait, mumbling
to herself about how Draco didn't appreciate 'Greg', and how she was going to have to have a long
conversation with her 'husband' about his 'friendships'.
The moment the portrait flew open, Draco Malfoy strolled into the room gracefully, despite the fact that
he was covered in dirt and sweating from the Qudditch practice. "Moine." He smiled and swooped
down, placing a kiss on her forehead.
Like that first time a month ago when he'd kissed her, Hermione blushed, despite the fact of how
innocent the kiss was. "Dray." This last month, with Harry busy with Lavender, things had begun to
change between Draco and herself. Things had become more intimate in a way she'd never knew
existed.
It was as if they were always touching each other, even if it were quite brotherly, and Draco had taken
to always having a hand around her, kissing her nose, forehead, cheeks…and kissing her already large
stomach.
She loved it when he did that.
"I'm never getting rid of you, am I Malfoy?" Ginny moaned in resignation as she returned to her Lazy Boy
when Draco sat down next to Hermione on the sofa. "We're connected through my best friend, and my
husband." She closed her eyes at the horror. "Our children will probably marry against our explicit
wishes."
"Don't worry Goylette." Malfoy announced easily as he leaned back and placed his arm around
Hermione's shoulder. "I'd kill your son before he could ever place his grubby hands on my daughter."
"I'm having a boy." Hermione reminded him, eyebrow raised, expression of distaste on her face at his
scent. He smelt of sweat and really needed a bath.
"Who said I was talking about Darien?" His smirk was pure sex.
Hermione blushed dark scarlet as she realized what he was not-so-subtly hinting at. It wasn't the first
time that she'd wondered what it would have been like to conceive D the traditional way, and as always,
with that thought came strong images of her beneath Draco Malfoy, withering in pleasure as he began
to thrust into her.
The blush reached her breasts, and her eyes darkened as she remembered the dreams she'd been
having of late. When Madam Pomfrey had warned her about this being one of the side-effects of her
overload of hormones she'd laughed it off—but the erotic dreams she'd been having about Draco
Malfoy weren't anything to laugh at.
"Mione?" Ginny asked, worried. "Are you okay?"
Hermione blinked and looked at Ginny and then Draco, clearing her throat nervously when she noticed
his smirk…as if he'd known what she was thinking.
Her gaze lowered to his lap and shot up once more, eyes wide.
Dear Merlin…he was sporting a hard-on.
"S-sure, I'm just a little tired." She stammered, cursing herself as Draco's smirk grew devilishly.
Draco shot up and helped her to her feet, smirk wide. "Goylette, my girl and I are going to our room…
Dorm room…"
Ginny suddenly grinned like an idiot as she looked from a horribly embarrassed Hermione to a smugly
pleased Draco. "Have fun you two, don't do anything I wouldn't." She called to their backs as they left
her 'home'.
"That doesn't leave us with options if what I heard is true." Draco snickered softly as the portrait closed
behind them.
Hermione closed her eyes in horror, thinking about what Ginny had told her she'd done with some guys
from Slytherin and one or two from Ravenclaw. They weren't going to do that.
Her teeth caught her bottom lip and kept the groan from emerging when the hand Draco always kept
innocently around her waist lowered to her hip, rubbing her softly over her robes.
"Let's get you to bed." He whispered into her ear, causing her eyes to roll in pleasure.
Dear Merlin…She groaned mentally as he led her away from the 'Project Homes'.
A week passed, and Harry Potter leaned in the corner of 'their room', arms folded over his chest,
watching Lavender Brown as she sat on 'their bed' long, silky blonde hair flowing down her back and
over her pink nightgown as she ran a brush through it over and over again, whispering numbers with
each stroke as she looked at herself in a full-length mirror she'd asked a House Elf to bring for her.
A pink housecoat covered most of her nightgown, yet it was open in the front, and did nothing to hide
the obvious bulge.
"200…201…202…203…" Lavender whispered to herself as she lowered one hand to her stomach. They'd
discovered that morning that they were going to have a little girl, and since Harry and her had agreed on
names from the beginning of their 'project' together their little girl had a name already.
Lavender had wanted a color name like hers, and Harry wanted his daughter named after his mother—
even if she were only virtual—and he had to admit that the name was pretty.
So Scarlet Lily it was.
Pausing, Lavender suddenly noticed him in the mirror and turned to look at him, a smile on her face.
"Hey Harry. I didn't notice you when you came in." She turned slightly on the bed, placing the brush
down and resting both hands on her stomach. "Been there long?"
"Just a couple of minutes." Slightly embarrassed at having been caught staring at her, Harry smiled
sheepishly, pushing away from the wall and scratching the back of his head as he made his way to the
bed. "How was your day? How are you feeling? Do you want anything? Any urges?"
She laughed, blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "No Harry, thanks though."
He frowned in concern as he nervously sat down on the bed. "Is that normal? All I hear from the other
guys is how their girls are driving them crazy with their strange urges. You haven't had one this whole
time."
"Maybe I'm having an easier pregnancy?" Lavender asked, a questioning gleam in her eyes as she picked
up the brush and began to brush out her hair slowly once more.
Harry couldn't help but think that she looked so beautiful in her nightgown, so relaxed with him,
brushing out her hair.
He quickly scolded himself for thinking that. Hermione was pregnant with his true child, and this was his
best friend's real girlfriend. He had no business thinking those things.
Seeing his frown, Lavender did the same. "But if you want something to complain about with the boys, I
could always think up some strange and crazy urge in the middle of the night and wake you up to get it
for me."
He couldn't help but laugh.
She smiled, obviously relieved to see his frown disappear. "You should smile more Harry."
He blushed, ducking his gaze. "Yeah, well, there haven't been much to smile about lately, has there?"
Her smile vanished immediately, and a pained expression crossed her eyes. "Ron still won't speak to me
you know. He blames me for this, says that I somehow wanted you to be the father—that that is why
the girls and I asked Dumbledore to do this, so that one of us could have a chance at you."
Harry sighed, shoulders slumped. "He's been accusing me of similar stupidities." His blush returned full-
force when he felt her hand on his. "Lavender?" He gulped as he raised his gaze to hers.
"I want you to know that it's a lie." Lavender told him truthfully, sadness tinting her voice as she sighed
and pulled her hand away.
He was surprised to realize that he wished she'd kept it on his.
"I really love Ron, and it hurts me so much for him to be acting this way." Beginning to brush her hair
again, she turned her back to Harry.
The Boy-Who-Lived wondered why his stomach clenched painfully when she'd said that.
"It's adultery."
Ronald Weasley looked up at his 'wife' as she glared at him, hands on her narrow hips, a small bulge
sticking out betraying her 'pregnancy'. Dressed in a short and revealing black silk night dress, she looked
fetching, yet so unlike Lavender that it was disconcerting. He couldn't pretend she was Lavender.
"Please."
"Listen to me Weasley." Pansy announced, wobbling towards him and poking him painfully in the chest.
"I don't care if you two were together before this, but you signed up, no one forced you to. Right?"
He nodded reluctantly.
"Then you accepted the risk of not being paired up together, so suck it up and act like a man!"
He winced as she poked him harder.
"Believe me, the idea of having your child isn't appealing to me." The dark haired girl announced as she
continued to poke him with every word. "But this project will give me the extra credits I need to
graduate with the grades I need, and I will not have your stupid insecurities spoil up my future, do you
hear?"
"Yes ma'am." Ronald nodded rapidly, suddenly realizing why all of Slytherin were afraid of Pansy
Parkinson. She might be terribly pretty and petite, but she was fierce, and quite capable of hurting a guy
twice her size.
"And I will not have points taken from us because my husband is lusting after another woman while I am
getting huge with his child!" Her fingers gripped the front of his shirt and she pulled him towards her,
black eyes promising the agony of hell if he somehow managed to piss her off worse than she already
was. "So you will stop playing this one-sided my-dick-is-bigger-than-yours game with Potter and
concentrate on our marriage and our baby, you understand?"
He hesitated.
"Think closely what you're going to say." She growled, a muscle in her cheek jerking. "Because I come
from a long line of powerful wizards, I know some dark magic, and most of all—we sleep on the same
bed…so I can really hurt you if I don't like your answer."
Ron gulped. "I'll stop bothering Lavender and Harry for the remainder of our marriage."
She nodded for him to continue, still gripping his shirt.
"I'll pay attention to this project and to our child." He sighed. "And I won't make Snape take points away
from us."
"Good Weasley. Our daughter has some hope for the future." She announced sarcastically, letting go of
his shirt and pushing him away slightly while doing so.
Watching her saunter back to their bedroom, Ron's eyes widened as what she'd just said finally sunk in.
"It's a girl?" He asked as he hurried after her. "When did you learn this?"
"At the check-up with Madam Pomfrey this morning you should have been with me at but were too busy
bothering Brown and Potter." Pansy growled, going to the bed and getting in, pulling the sheets over her
body.
He suddenly felt bad, pausing in the doorway. "We—we should think about names."
"Already done." She snapped, turning her back to him. "Her name is Jasmine Roe Parkinson." Pansy
replied tersely. "While you were exploding veins trying to make Brown and Potter split, I was readying
for our child."
"Parkinson?" Ron squeaked, all that she was saying hitting him home, and hard.
"What? You ignore our baby up to this moment and you expect me to give her your last name?" She
hissed, turning to look at him. "She might be virtual, but no baby deserves that treatment from her
parents." Her voice choked and her eyes moistened suspiciously. "And I know that from experience."
Turning her back on Ron, Pansy didn't budge the rest of the night.
And Ron felt like an arse when he realized when he saw her body shaking silently, that she was crying.

Chapter 10 (Bitter Sweet)

At first it'd been barely noticeable.
But when during their last Care of Magical Creatures lesson Hagrid became blonde, with orange eyes
and a tie-dye beard, wearing a coat of many colors and bright pink sandals that screamed out "I'm So
Hot!" every time he walked—well—Hermione couldn't ignore it anymore.
Everyone had blamed that on some prankster, but Hermione had felt the power exploding in her right
before Hagrid's drastic make-over, and had the sneaking suspicion that maybe D was at fault…but he
was still a baby within her womb…he couldn't do wandless magic, could he?
Her suspicion grew throughout the next couple of weeks as mysterious things started happening
throughout Hogwarts.
Collin's head turned into a camera and every time he blinked there were bright flashes, and he coughed
up pictures.
Mrs. Norris turned into a sexy cat woman, all fur and curves—although she still hadn't been able to
speak. Her sex appeal in the teen boys' eyes died when she saw a mouse and pounced on it, tearing it
apart and eating it in front of everyone.
Blaise Zabini underwent a sex-change, much to his horror when he walked out of Arithmancy completely
different than he'd been when he'd entered. His short spiky dark hair became waist length curls, and
he'd had a figure to kill for, with a rack that imbalanced him so much he was constantly bumping into
things.
The fact that Hermione had been near all of the individuals now permanently in the Hospital Wing, too
embarrassed to leave until they were fixed—was ignored by everyone…everyone but the brunette.
Were these things her baby's doing?
It was only that day before the test to see whether Draco or Harry was the father, that Hermione
suddenly realized it was D who was somehow creating mischief before his birth.
She'd been minding her own business—enjoying some time alone in the library. Now that she was
starting her seventh month she was so big that it was hard for her to get around by herself. She was so
fat she resembled a whale, and couldn't see her feet anymore—which made putting on her shoes quite
difficult.
Draco had been so wonderful throughout the whole experience. He was always there to help her, spoil
her, and comfort her whenever she cried over how fat she'd become.
Right now she was reading something her mother had sent her via the long letter Mrs. Granger had sent
Draco—who'd apparently been writing her mother and telling her about how Hermione was doing, and
asking what he could do to help her.
In the seventh month, the fetus can hear his mother's heart beat. He knows Mommy's voice and is
starting to hear voices outside mom's body. He can hear the voices of his family. The baby is also
aware of changes in light. He can detect light and dark, especially extremes, such as bright sun light.
The baby's eyes are open and eye lashes are growing. If the baby is a boy, the testicles will descend
this month. Your baby may suck his thumb. By the end of the month, the baby weighs between two
and two and a half pounds. He is between thirteen and fifteen inches long. If the baby were to be born
now, his chances of survival increase.
As the baby grows, it is getting crowded in the uterus. The baby won't be able to move as feely in the
fluid. This results in lighter movements felt by the mother. The kicks may not be as strong as living
conditions get cramped. Sometime after twenty eight weeks the baby will settle into a head down
position. Most will stay in this position for the rest of the pregnancy.
At your monthly visit, the doctor will listen to the baby's heart rate and check the fundal height. This is
important for detecting problems such as too much or not enough amniotic fluid. The nurse will check
your weight and blood pressure. A urine sample will be taken to check protein and sugar levels.
You may have a glucose tolerance test at this visit. This checks how well your body is metabolizing
sugars. It is useful for detecting gestational diabetes. You will be given a glucose solution to drink.
Blood will be drawn to determine how well you are processing the sugar.
If you fail this test, you will be given a three hour test. This involves drinking the solution and having
blood drawn over a three hour period. This gives a better indication of how the body is processing
sugar over time. Don't panic if you have to go back for the three hour test. Most women who fail the
one hour test pass this one.
You may begin to feel some of the discomforts of the third trimester. Some of the common
discomforts include constipation, heart burn, headache, indigestion, nasal congestion, back ache and
leg cramps. As your belly grows, your center of gravity shifts. This may make you feel clumsy. Your
growing baby may also make sleeping more difficult.
Many women begin feeling Braxton Hicks contractions during this month. These are practice
contractions. They are not very painful, but feel more like a tightening. These contractions don't cause
the cervix to efface or dilate. Real contractions get stronger and closer together. The general rule of
thumb is to call if you have more than four contractions in an hour.
Some women begin to notice colostrum in the breasts. This is the baby's first milk. Don't worry if you
don't have colostrum leaking. This is not an indication that you will have trouble breastfeeding. Many
women have no noticeable colostrum and go on to have a great experience breastfeeding
Hermione couldn't help but smile slightly. It was so like her mother to send her a page from some
medical diary to help explain things. She'd been sending her similar pages after learning of her
daughter's condition, yet it'd been growing in amount lately, and each touching points she'd cried
against Draco's chest about. It was obvious that he was paying attention to her complaints and had
written to her mother about them to see how to help her.
Her smile grew tender.
Draco…
She'd grown to care deeply for him. She knew it was wrong, considering who they were and on what
sides of this impending war they were on, but she couldn't help it.
She was falling in love with Draco Malfoy.
"I can't let you do this anymore."
Hermione looked up at Annis Karakoff, a sixth year Slytherin girl with green eyes and sandy-blonde hair.
"Um, what are you talking about?"
Unlike most of the other girls, Annis hadn't joined up for the family project, so her figure was like that of
a super model's. "Listen to me and listen to me good, mudblood." Annis growled, narrowing her eyes
dangerously at her. "These last months you've been acting above your position, and you've put the
Imperius on Draco. I'm not going to let you continue doing this like all of Hogwarts."
"First of all, I'm not acting above my position. I am Head Girl, and mudblood or not, I'm still in the
authority to take away fifty points from Slytherin for your disrespect. Which I'm doing. Right now."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at the other girl. "And second of all—you definitely don't think a lot of
Draco if you think I have him under the Imperius. Only those of weak characters can't fight against it,
and if there's one thing everyone knows about Draco, it's that he is anything but weak."
Annis gasped. "You're in love with him!"
Hermione raised her chin defiantly, ignoring the looks they were receiving from those in the library. "I
think I'll take fifty more points from Slytherin for insulting the Head Boy by calling him weak."
The blonde narrowed her eyes dangerously as she hissed. "I won't let you mudblood filth desecrate this
institution and contaminate the few pureblood families still here. I'll finish the work our Dark Lord
started!" And before anyone could detect what her intentions were, she pulled out her wand and saying
a spell Hermione had never heard of before, she sent it flying at the pregnant girl.
The bright red light hit Hermione head on, throwing her back against the wall violently. A scream of pain
erupted from within her as she fell down to her knees, grabbing her stomach, eyes closed tightly.
Suddenly there was a sensation within her and power exploded from her body, rushing towards Annis
and throwing her back, incinerating her wand on contact.
The beautiful blonde screamed as large warts began to appear all over her face, and her nose began to
grow long, with nose hairs curling out from each nostril. Her eyebrows went bushier than Hagrid's had
ever been, her body burned in pain as she hunched forwards and her knees gave way on her as arthritis
and osteoporosis infected her bones.
The two screaming girls had caught the attention of the whole school, and Harry and Ron appeared in
the library. Both hurried towards Hermione but were thrown back as some invisible force kept them
away.
Someone pushed past them violently, and Draco Malfoy, face pale in terror, hurried to Hermione's side
and dropped onto his knees, pulling her withering, convulsing body onto his lap. The shield had let him
in, and everyone watched as tears fell from his face as he pulled her close, burying his face in her, crying
loudly.
"Hermione..." He sobbed as she cried out in continual pain. "Hermione, you have to pull through."
"The baby…" She opened her eyes, and wiped at them when she realized that she couldn't see well,
cringing when her hands came away bloody. She was crying tears of blood. "…if you have to choose,
save the baby."
"No." He shook his head desperately, tightening his hold on her. Neither realized that Dumbledore and
Madam Pomfrey and others were trying to get to them, but the magical barrier was keeping them out.
"If I have to choose I'm choosing you, Mione." Draco's voice cracked. "We—we can have another child—
but I need you to be alive to do that!"
She closed her eyes tightly as a strong contraction hit. "Draco, even if this baby isn't yours I-."
"Dammit Hermione!" Draco growled in frustration, terrified as he felt her beginning to slip from him.
"Deacon is mine! I gave you the Parvulus Formator!"
The confession caused gasps to resound throughout the library.
Draco closed his eyes and hung his head. "I wanted you—I have for the longest time—and I knew the
only chance I had with you was if we had a child…" He closed his eyes tighter. "I brewed the Parvulus
Formator potion and ordered a House Elf to slip it into your Pumpkin Juice."
Hermione felt herself getting lighter, felt as if she were slipping into some other-world where weight
mattered not. "Why?" She needed to know why he'd done that.
"I—because—I—dammit!—I love you Hermione!" His face was tortured as he forced his eyes opened
once more, repeating softly. "I love you."
With the little strength she had left, she brought his hand to her stomach, holding it against her lovingly,
before raising and caressing his cheek softly. "I love you too, Draco Malfoy." She closed her eyes
contentedly at the look of pure happiness crossed his silver eyes as he lowered his face and softly
pressed his lips against hers.
It was during their first true kiss that the pain returned with a pain that made her scream into Draco's
mouth, and in seconds something inside of her exploded and she faded away into thin air.
"No…" Draco whispered as he looked down at where she'd been seconds before. "No!"
A week had passed since Hermione dematerialized before their very own eyes. It'd been a week since
Draco, overcome with grief and rage, had turned his wand against a horribly disfigured Annis Karakoff
and if it hadn't been for Snape and Dumbledore, he'd have thrown the killing curse at her. The killing
words were half-finished on his lips when the disarming curse had been sent his way by both the
Headmaster and Potions Master.
Seven days since the Aurors had been sent to try and discover what had what happened to Hermione.
Seven days since Lucius had went to the Ministry to threaten to have each and every one fired if his
newest heir and his mother weren't found and returned to them.
While Draco's confession of having given Hermione the Parvulus Formator had surprised all, it was the
power that allowed Draco to go to Hermione when the others had been kept back that backed up his
claim of paternity. It'd been proven that the protective power manifested had been that of the child
trying to protect its mother, and having sensed its father, he'd allowed him through the shield.
Surprisingly enough, the Ministry were so over their heads with the whole mess that they only gave
Draco a telling off for using the banned potion.
The Karakoff family had suffered various mysterious and untraceable curses and hexes. And Annis' uncle
Igor, who worked in Bulgaria in the school Durmstrang, had been called back to England as a protection
for his family against the many horrible things happening to them in retaliation against what their stupid
daughter had done to the much loved Hermione Granger…and the Malfoy Heir.
Annis Karakoff was residing now in St. Mungos, and wouldn't tell anyone what spell she'd used on
Hermione, although it was obvious that it was an ancient, dark one.
Despite her reference to the Dark Lord, both Lucius and Snape had gone to see Voldemort after the
happening, and he'd denied any involvement in it—seeming furious at the Karakoff girl and demanding
they have some Death Eaters 'do away with the problem'. While Snape had had some reservation about
'offing' one of his students, Lucius had no such qualms, and he'd led the Death Eater group that'd
invaded St. Mungos and finished Annis Karakoff right under the Ministry's very nose.
Draco wouldn't leave his room, and openly snickered when news of Annis' death reached him via Blaise
Zabini (who'd finally been returned to a male), whom was the only one he allowed to see him.
"I let Hermione slip through my fingers, literally." He whispered in an emotionless voice, eyes staring
unseeingly into the flames in the fireplace. "I let her down, Blaise. I let her get hurt and taken away from
me. And by whom? A stupid bitch."
Blaise listened patiently before sighing. "You didn't let her down Draco. How were you supposed to
know that Annis would turn out to be such a psychotic bitch?"
"Ever since I can remember, father has taught me that the heir must be protected." Draco was obviously
disgusted with himself. "And I couldn't protect him or the love of my life. I. Couldn't. Do. Anything!"
Blaise was suddenly glad that no words of comfort he could give Draco would be listened to, because
Blaise wasn't used to giving words of comfort, so it was fine with him. Still, he hurt to see his best friend
in such agony.
Looking out at the window as Draco to a swig of the large bottle of Firewhisky Blaisehad sneaked in for
him, the brunette prayed for the first time since he'd been born.
Let her be alive. Let her be okay.
His worried gaze rested on Draco, who was well on the way to getting drunk.
He'll destroy himself if she isn't.
The pain had disappeared, leaving only the feeling of nothingness that was so reassuring. She could hear
voices around her, someone barking orders to those around her, before feeling a hand caressing her
cheek, pulling strands of her hair out of her face.
Days passed like this as she remained in her comfortable bed. Sometimes she could hear other people,
hear him as he whispered to her, and despite the first crawly-creeps he'd given her, with each day she
grew to expect his voice—the only thing she had that linked her to something other than the darkness
and numbness that'd taken over.
"Her child is my heir." The voice was once again harsh as he spoke to someone else. It was always harsh
when speaking to others—not like when he spoke to her. "The heir of Slytherin."
She frowned in her darkness, wondering what he was talking about. Slytherin? What was that? Was that
his last name?
She blushed. Even in the darkness she'd known that she was pregnant, she'd sensed her child, and that
while it'd suffered a slightly traumatic experience, it was quite healthy and content that she was fine as
well.
And if this man was saying that her child was his heir…that meant she was his wife—or lover in the least.
Her blush grew.
Who was he?
An eternity passed before she finally awoke, seeing the light of day in what seemed to be a million
lifetimes. The first thing she saw was that she was lying in a regal bed, and the next was the handsome
dark haired man sitting in the chair next to the bed, watching her with such intensity that it was slightly
unnerving.
"You've awoken." His voice was rich.
"Who are you?" She asked, sitting up in bed, laying a hand on her large stomach.
He smiled handsomely at her. "My name is Tom Riddle."
Something like recognition filled her. She'd heard that name before, seen his face, but she just couldn't
remember from where. That in itself set her at ease, at least at ease enough to ask the question that
would change her future and that of all those she'd once known.
Looking up into his dark eyes, she pulled back a stray curl, and took in a deep breath before asking:
"Who am I?"

Chapter 11 (Of Truths and Lies)

A month had passed since Hermione awoke in her bed in Riddle Manor. Those days had been spent with
the Lord of the Manor, Tom Riddle himself, and had been quite informative. Apparently she was a
Pureblooded distant relative of Tom whom he'd taken in after the death of the father of her child. Since
for some reason he wouldn't explain—Tom couldn't have children—and since she was his only living
relative, he'd named her son his heir—the Heir of Slytherin.
She knew she was young, probably around seventeen, and she didn't think she was one to sleep around
—especially if she came from the prominent Granger family—so that must have meant that she was
married to the father of her child. An arranged marriage perhaps?
Hermione couldn't be sure because whenever she tried to get information out of Tom he always found a
way not to answer her. That in itself made her suspicious, but he was her cousin, he wouldn't be keeping
any harmful secrets from her.
Tom took over her education, teaching her their family history, and how her parents hadn't known of
their magical heritage or that despite the fact that they'd forgotten all about magic and wizards, they'd
somehow managed to marry descendants of other prominent Wizarding Families—who had been exiled
as well.
"What have you decided what to name him?" Tom asked as they sat on Hermione's bed. He'd been
tutoring her on the dark arts, and was reading out of a large, ancient books when he'd put it down and
tentatively reached forwards and rested his hand on her stomach, rubbing his thumb over the material
of her blood-red gown.
Deacon is mine! The desperate voice, always accompanied by the face of a handsome yet agonized-
looking young man with platinum blonde hair and silver eyes haunted her dreams every night.
"Deacon." She replied, smiling at him sadly. The name wouldn't have been her choice, she could tell, but
she couldn't get the blonde man out of her dreams, and so she'd named her child for him. Maybe he
was the father of her child? Maybe she was remembering something that had happened before his
death.
"Deacon Riddle." Tom nodded, taking his hand away and continuing to read names of dark spells and
potions to her and waiting for her to give him a summarized version of the ingredients needed and what
they were supposed to do.
She wondered what her husband's name had been—but it was yet another thing Tom thought she
didn't need to know.
There was a knock on the door.
Tom made a face, putting down the book irritably. "Come in."
Wormtail inched his long nose in slowly, looking around frantically, eyes wide. His visits to her room
never seemed to end well for him. For some reason Deacon didn't like the other man, and did
something to him via bouts of spontaneous magic, using Hermione as his very own magic wand.
"M-ma-ma-master?" Wormtail screeched, keeping most of his body shielded by the door.
"What do you want?" Obviously exasperated, Tom raised an eyebrow.
"Master! Please forgive me for interrupting your time with the Mistress!" Falling on his knees, Wormtail
began to crawl his way rapidly towards the bed.
One might see this as Wormtail's way of showing respect to his leader, but those few whom Tom had
allowed around Hermione knew the humorous truth. It was common knowledge that Wormtail was
frightened of Tom, but it was even commoner knowledge that the fat, ugly man was terrified of
Hermione's belly. Ever since their first meeting—when he'd suddenly acquired a large elephant trunk, a
butt able to challenge JLO's, gills (he had to be immediately immersed in water to keep from dying of
lack of air) and claws for hands and feet—well—he tried to avoid the pregnant woman and her belly
from hell whenever possible.
Looking up frantically at Hermione's large stomach with every two steps, obviously making sure that
nothing magicky was happening, ready to turn and run out of the room at the first sign of wandless
magic, Wormtail looked rather ridiculous. He'd strapped a large silver tray on his back—obviously as
some sort of shield, and he was wearing some sort of helmet—also made from silver.
With so much silver you'd think he thinks Deacon is a werewolf.
She paused as that hit her hard. Somehow she knew a werewolf—she'd gotten that nostalgic feeling
when she'd thought the word.
Her heart clenched.
Was the father of her baby a werewolf?
Was that why Tom didn't want to tell her about him and was glad that the complex spell he'd had used
to bring her from where she was being held prisoner had left her with amnesia?
"What do you want?" Tom hissed, and not for the first time Hermione sensed something dark within her
cousin.
Wormtail gave a little squeal, freezing in mid-crawl—-literally.
"Deacon!" Hermione scolded, placing her hand on her stomach, reproaching her son. She'd been so sure
he'd behave himself this time. "Unfreeze him this instance!"
Tom raised an amused eyebrow, placing his hand over the one Hermione had on her belly, feeling her
skin tingling from the residue of magic. "I'm going to enjoy raising this boy."
"Don't you think he might have had something important to say?" Hermione asked, motioning with her
chin towards Wormtail, who'd been frozen in mid-crawl, eyes wide, mouth open, showing some missing
and/or rotten teeth.
"It's Wormtail." Tom drawled, as if that in itself should answer her question.
She giggled and he curled his fingers around hers, pressing down softly on her stomach.
There was another knock.
Tom growled and his eyes flashed…crimson?…as he turned to it. "What?"
It squeaked open and a dark haired woman entered. She would have been beautiful if it weren't for the
scar that looked relatively fresh, which ran from the bottom of her left eye to her chin—as if she'd been
sliced.
"My Lord, My Lady." She curtsied. "Snape is here to see you My Lord."
"What is he doing here?" Tom jolted up, something like worry crossing his eyes. "Where is he?"
"Coming this way." There was something in the way that Bellatrix said that that bothered Hermione, as
if she and Tom were having a silent conversation and leaving her in the dark.
Tom nodded to her. "Keep Hermione company until I come."
Once again it was as if they were saying something that only they understood.
"Of course, it would be my pleasure." Bellatrix nodded and Tom strode out of the room (but not before
kicking at the frozen Wormtail, who fell over at the blow)—the sound of the door locking causing
Hermione to narrow her eyes.
Who was this Snape? The name sounded familiar.
The moment Tom's footsteps couldn't be heard anymore, Bellatrix's face changed from carefully neutral
to a large, maniacal smile as she threw herself down on the bed next to Hermione, propping her chin up,
sly expression in her smile and eyes. "So?"
Hermione blushed. "I'm pregnant for crying out loud Bellatrix!"
The dark haired woman pouted. It was as if whenever Tom wasn't around she was a completely
different, juvenile person. She acted as if her youth had been taken from her, and she was now trying to
live it with Hermione as much as possible. "But he's great in bed."
"Not something I need to know." Hermione complained.
Worry crossed those eyes. "Don't you think he's handsome?"
"Of course." Anyone who said he wasn't was either blind or lying.
"And he has such a great body, don't you think?" Bellatrix grinned toothily, obviously relieved at
Hermione's confirmation that he was handsome.
"I haven't been checking him out so I wouldn't know." Hermione muttered through clenched teeth.
"Why not?" Bellatrix asked, eyes wide.
"I'm pregnant!" The brunette cried out, pointing agitatedly at her stomach.
"And I'm married." Bellatrix said in a 'what-the-hell-does-that-have-to-do-with-anything' sound in her
voice.
"He's my cousin."
"Distant. Only through the two children Salazaar Slytherin had by two different women. So, you see,
technically you're barely related at all." Bellatrix waved that off. "He's making your child his heir anyway
—why not just make it official? Give your baby a father."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "My baby has a father."
"Had a father."
Hermione's heart stopped. This was it—the confirmation no one wanted to give her.
The father of her baby was dead.
Even though she couldn't remember this nameless man who'd fathered the mischievous child she would
have in a month, Hermione couldn't help but picture him as the silver-eyed blonde in her dreams—and
her heart clenched painfully at the thought that he was dead. She'd loved him. Even if she couldn't
remember him, she remembered that she'd loved him.
"Why don't we cut off some of his warts or something?" Bellatrix asked excitedly.
"Huh?" Hermione cried out, looking at her in horror. "Whose?"
"Wormtail's." Bellatrix was practically bouncing on the bed at the idea. "He's frozen—he won't mind—
until he unfreezes of course." Seeing the look Hermione was giving her, Bellatrix winced. "But-…" That
look intensified, as did Bellatrix's wince. "Not even one wart? Come on! We'd be doing him a favor!
Might even get him laid-." She sneered as she looked over at the frozen—turned-over man. "Okay,
maybe not. But he'll still look better!"
Hermione tried valiantly to keep from laughing at the whiny-sound in the elder woman's voice as she
pleaded to be able to cut off at least one of Wormtail's many warts.
"You're no fun." Bellatrix complained in a very dramatic way, covering her eyes with the back of her
hand. "No wonder the babe has to pick on Wormtail. Someone has to balance out your niceness." She
suddenly was serious as she frowned in concern at Hermione. "It's not healthy to be so happy and nice
all the time you know. Maybe you should ask the Lord to send for the Medi-witch to check you out—it
could be due to a chemical imbalance in your body."
She couldn't help it. The sincere worry in Bellatrix's voice at how happy and nice she was caused her to
let loose the laughter she'd been trying to keep in.
And that was how Tom found them when he entered.
Hearing a voice clearing behind her, Bellatrix suddenly jumped off of the bed, pale in terror. "My Lord! I
didn't hear you return!"
"I assumed as much." Tom announced neutrally. "You can leave now."
"Yes my Lord!" Bowing to him, Bellatrix did the same to Hermione before hurrying to the door.
"And take Wormtail with you."
"Yes my Lord!" Using Levicorpus, Bellatrix levitated Wormtail out of the room with her, closing the door
behind her.
Tom turned to Hermione. "I'll have her punished immediately."
"What?" All laughter died from Hermione, her eyes widening. "Why?"
"For over-stepping her boundaries and acting like your equal." His neutrality while saying this was
slightly chilling.
"No!" Hermione reached over and grabbed his hand—the first time she'd touched him—and noted his
cheeks faintly…flushing? "Please, I, I enjoy her visits. Ever since the Medi-witch told me I should stay in
bed due to my pregnancy I've been bored and she's entertaining."
"So you find my company boring."
"No!" Groaning at how she could get herself into these situations, Hermione tugged on his hand, and he
nodded, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I really enjoy our time together—even the times when you're
just teaching me, you know? You're amazingly intelligent, and although I don't remember anything of
my past, I get the feeling that I was missing out on a lot of intelligent conversations."
He smirked as if he knew something she didn't and wouldn't comment.
"All I'm saying is that there as some things that only a woman can talk to another woman about." She
lowered her gaze and let go of his hand. "So, please don't punish Bellatrix."
There was silence before he nodded. "I won't punish her, this time."
"Thank you Tom!" She smiled up at him brightly.
He looked at her before clearing his throat and going to sit in his chair once more, picking up the book
and beginning to read to her again, this time placing his hand on her stomach and leaving it there.
Hermione leaned back, closed her eyes, and concentrated on answering his questions correctly.
Neither realizing that Bellatrix had her ear pressed to the door, a frozen Wormtail still levitating behind
her and small, touched expression on her face, not for the first time understanding why those few who
knew Hermione Granger here in the Manor adored her.
They were all in their last months of pregnancy.
Well, not all of them.
Millicent Bulstrode and Susan Bones had both lost their babies in the first couple of months, and the
depression and pain they'd gone through had caused both the Slytherin girl and Gryffindor girl (who'd
attended therapy together) to form a close friendship—as did Neville and Susan's 'partner' Collin.
So, other than the fore mentioned, every girl who'd entered the project were in their last months of
pregnancy.
Some couples had split up because they couldn't deal with 'real life' as Snape had told them, and he'd
flunked them quite happily…well…as happily as Snape could.
People snickered on how a month had progressed so quickly, and how Goyle and Goylette were the 'old
married couple' of the group. Goyle proved he could endure torture, name-calling, and thanks to the
fact that Goylette liked to throw things at him when she was in her numerous fits (be it hexes or hard
blunt objects), he'd improved his reflexes incredibly.
Goylette seemed to thrive on making Goyle miserable (something she never quite achieved) but if
someone said something about him she was the first to shoot a hex at them and then blame her actions
on hormones whenever the professors tried to scold her.
It didn't surprise anyone how well Potter and his blonde 'wife' were getting along. Those two had gotten
along smashingly from the beginning, so when Brown went into premature labor during her seventh
month no one had been surprised to see Potter in the labor room with her, or walking a hole in the floor
out in the waiting room when he'd been kicked out of the delivery room.
The child had been born and placed in a special unit of the Hospital Wing. It was incredible that a virtual
baby could look so real…and so much like its mother. Potter and Brown spent all their free-time in the
Hospital Wing by the incubator that held their fragile child and kept it alive.
What did surprise the whole school was the Weasley-Parkinson alliance.
It wasn't a secret that that marriage had seemed doomed from the beginning. Parkinson was left taking
care of the pregnancy from the start since Weasley was too busy trying to make Potter and Brown's lives
impossible, but the day Hermione disappeared, something seemed to change, and from the next day
everyone noticed the change in Weasley.
For one, that next day he'd gone to sit in the Slytherin table next to Parkinson, and although they almost
immediately began to argue loudly on whether she was eating enough and whether he had the right to
suddenly demand anything of her—the undercurrent of the fact that Weasley was finally taking an
active interest in this 'relationship' left everyone surprised—and Brown looked more than a little jealous
once in a while.
And that was only the beginning. From that day forth Parkinson seemed only able to get away from
Weasley when she retreated to the Girl's Bathroom—and once—when Weasley had been waiting for
her outside and heard a girl screaming—he'd rushed right in…and been clobbered by a million girls
throwing him right back out.
Draco really couldn't care less about all this, But Zabini found it all amusing and made it his duty to keep
the blonde informed on all that was happening in the castle.
Draco shook his head. He didn't care about anyone else's problems, he had his own. Hermione was alive,
he knew it, Dumbledore knew it, Snape knew it. Because the Parvulus Formator needed the blood of
both parents, Draco was connected to Hermione. He could feel her, and he was relieved that he felt that
both she and their child were okay.
The blonde spent all of his free time with Snape, and they'd discovered that the spell used on Hermione
was an ancient transportation spell last used in the Dark Ages. It had a dual effect. Not only did it
transport the person to a specific place, but it also had the effect that if the person was with child—child
would be aborted if it were mudblood. It'd been a violent spell used by the Purebloods to keep the
mudblood population under control.
Draco gnashed his teeth, thanking all holy that his child was a half-blood thanks to Hermione. If not—
then he would have been killed the moment that spell hit her.
Hearing a plop he looked up in time to see Snape arriving from his impromptu visit to the Dark Lord.
"So?"
Snape brushed off his robes, mumbling something to himself before looking up with a sigh. "He
intercepted me before I could reach the room. Black warned him."
"Black?" Draco made a face.
"Bellatrix." Snape replied.
"My aunt going by her maiden name now?" Draco asked.
"Yes." The Potions Master nodded, frown growing. "I sensed great power in that room, Draco. And the
Dark Lord looked uncomfortable when he met me half-way, steering me away right away, as if trying to
hide something from me."
"Or someone." Draco growled, clenching his fists as he remembered the conversation Snape had had
with a drunken member of the servants of Riddle Manor. He'd let it slip how the Manor was so much
nicer now that the "Mistress" was there, and while that in itself had rung warning bells in Snape's head,
it was the servant's speaking of the Mistress' 'delicate pregnancy' that sealed the deal.
"He's keeping her in the Manor." Snape nodded, with a disdained sigh. "What I don't understand is why
he's keeping this information from Lucius and I."
They continued speaking for half an hour, sitting, waiting, getting nervous though neither would admit it.
Why hadn't Blaise returned as yet?
Had he been discovered in Riddle Manor?
There was another plop, and Blaise Zabini appeared before them, pulling off the invisibility cloak they'd
stolen from Potter. "I saw her."
Draco and Snape both stood up.
"He has her in the bedroom next to his." Zabini replied as he went to sit next to them with a tiredness
that worried them. "She's bedridden, looks like the spell he used weakened her, and the medi-witch he
had taking care of her ordered her to bed."
"How is she?" Draco asked, leaning towards Zabini. "Other than being weak is she okay? Does she look
sick? Is he mistreating her?"
Zabini hesitated and wouldn't meet Draco's eyes.
Neither were a good sign.
"Spit it out man!" Snape exploded in an uncharacteristic show of emotion.
Zabini winced. "He—uh—The Dark Lord is treating her—um—great." He cleared his throat nervously.
"He's, very, uh, touchy-feely."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean touchy-feely?"
Zabini seemed to realize that the only way to say this was straight-forwards. "Dude. The guy was
touching her stomach, hands, face, wherever-over and over again, and your aunt? I heard her trying to
get Hermione to sleep with him."
"WHAT?" Draco shot up, a couple of mirrors and glass objects breaking around him.
"Talk about betrayal in the family." Snape smirked, then got serious at the seething look the younger
man was giving him.
"There's something else man." Zabini mumbled, obviously not wanting to say this.
"What else could there be?" Draco growled.
Zabini began counting off on his fingers what he'd discovered on his mission. "He's named your son his
heir, your woman his Mistress, and from something I overheard, I'm guessing he told her you were
dead."
Draco collapsed into the sofa once more, eyes wide and emotionless. "The bastard…"
"We have to tell Dumbledore about this." Snape reluctantly said, getting up.
Draco and Zabini reluctantly agreed, getting up and heading with him towards the Headmaster's office.

Chapter 12 (Labor Pains)

"What do you mean we can't do anything?" Draco pounded his fists down on the Headmaster's desk.
"She's weak, Mister Malfoy." Dumbledore replied calmly. "We're going to have to wait for her to give
birth before we can plan to do anything—if we do otherwise we could risk both mother and child."
"So you mean that we're going to just leave Granger there?" Blaise asked incredulously.
"Albus, I don't think that's the best idea." Snape announced coolly.
"Actually Severus, it is the only way." Dumbledore announced with a sigh. "If we go now not only will we
put Ms. Granger and her child at risk—but we will also put your position as a spy at risk as well."
Snape sighed and looked away. "He's right."
"I can't believe you're just going to sit there and let THE DARK LORD put his paws all over my woman!"
Draco kicked at something on the ground in frustration. "Some Order you all are." With that he turned
and stormed out of the room.
Blaise shook his head at the men before following Draco out.
Dumbledore sighed sadly as the portrait closed behind them. "He's really in love with her, isn't he,
Severus?"
"Yes, and he's as possessive as his father with what he considers his." Snape nodded. "Poor girl."
"It could have been worse." Dumbledore tried to think positively, wincing at the thought of someone
like Tom Riddle in love with Hermione. "Someone less favorable might have taken a fancy to her."
"True." Snape agreed. "It could have been Potter."
Dumbledore shook his head at his friend, a wry smile on his face.
A couple of weeks passed, and Harry sat next to Lavender, running his hands through her tangled blonde
locks. She'd fallen asleep in the chair next to him, her head leaning against his shoulder from where
they'd been spending all of their free time next to the incubator that had Scarlet Lily. Thankfully, the
baby seemed to be getting better, and Madam Pomfrey thought that she had a good chance of making
it.
Harry gulped when Lavender mumbled something in her sleep and snuggled closer into the crook of his
arm. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her scent as she returned to her restful sleep. The Boy-Who-Lived
knew that he was falling in love with his best mate's girlfriend, and he didn't know how to stop. He'd
never paid any attention to Lavender before, but being with her for so long brought out all of her
wonderful qualities, and he guessed that if his mother were alive, she'd be like Lavender.
It was because of his conflicting emotions with Lavender that he didn't mourn much over the fact that
Hermione's baby was Malfoy's.
He looked up at Malfoy and Zabini, who watched him with neutral expressions. "You're saying that he
took her."
"Yeah. We got confirmation last week, but Dumbledore didn't want us to do anything about it." Draco
nodded, dressed in his customary black, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I'm not about to let the
Dark Lord continue to place his hands on my woman, or my child."
Harry didn't know what to do.
On one hand he wanted to pulverize Malfoy for purposely impregnating his best friend, but on the other
hand he'd realized since Hermione's disappearance Malfoy actually had feelings—at least were Mione
was concerned, and that the blonde was willing to do anything to get her back.
"We're asking for your help, Potter, don't make us repeat that." It looked as if it hurt Zabini to have to
ask him for anything. "And if Granger meant anything to you, you wouldn't have to think things over so
much."
"I'm not." Harry cleared. "I'm in. Mione's my best friend and I'll do whatever I can to help you get her
away from Voldemort. What's the plan?"
Zabini winced at the Dark Lord's name.
"We're still forming the plan." Malfoy continued to look neutral. "We'll let you know when it's finished
and when we'll strike."
Harry nodded and watched as they turned on their heels and stalked away in pure Slytherin fashion,
with their capes billowing behind them.
"Hmmmm." Lavender mumbled in her sleep, pressing herself closer to him.
Harry looked down at her and smiled.
"No, no! I specifically said I wanted rose quartz pink not primrose pink!" Pansy threw the sheets back at
Ron, who (being momentarily blinded) tripped on a discarded baby toy on the ground, and fell headlong
into the pile of assorted baby things they'd bought together in their last Hogsmeade trip with the money
Ron made as manager of the teapot store.
Trying to find his way from the killer baby thingies (as he unceremoniously called them), Ron finally
found his way out of the primrose pink bed sheets. "What's the bloody difference? They're both pink!"
"Shows how much you know!" Pansy declared, two spot of red on her cheeks as she huffed at him.
"Rose quartz pink whispers delicate femininity, while primrose pink screams I'm a hussy!" She glared
down at Ron. "Do you want to be the one to blame for our daughter becoming a hussy?"
"No." Ron blinked up at his furious wife from his place on the ground surrounded by the baby thingies,
feeling more and more lost with every day that passed. He didn't see how a certain color pink baby
sheets predetermined one's child's sexual promiscuity, but Pansy was the woman of the relationship, so
he trusted that she knew what she was talking about.
Pansy sighed, leaning against the wall. "I'm sorry Weasley. You're trying, you really are, and despite how
absolutely clueless you are, I'm really glad that you're taking enough interest to blunder up as horribly as
you've been doing up to this point."
Ron, having no idea if she'd just insulted or complimented him, decided to stay silent.
"I mean, if my father had paid any attention to my sheets…" She looked up at him, surprising Ron when
her dark eyes were watery. "What I'm trying to say is—and listen well Weasley because I don't give out
compliments easily—but, well, if this child was real, she'd be lucky to have a daddy like you."
He smiled like an idiot when she threw herself into his arms and hugged him. Ron's arms went around
Pansy, patting her back awkwardly.
"I still want you to take back those primrose pink sheets and get me the rose quartz pink ones." She
mumbled into his shirt with a couple of sniffs for good measure.
Ron chuckled. "I might just mess up again and bring you a different shade of pink."
"Then I'll keep sending you back till you get it right." She chuckled hoarsely against the material of his
shirt.
He chuckled as well.
There was a knock. "Oi! Ron!"
The redhead looked up. It'd been a couple of weeks since Harry had come to him to tell him of what
Malfoy and Zabini had discovered. While at first he'd wanted to invade Riddle Manor that very instance
with wands a blazin', he'd finally seen the light when Malfoy, Zabini and Harry had knocked some sense
into him.
Ever since then, the four of them had been having nightly sessions in the room of requirements to
discuss their plans on how to infiltrate the Dark Lord's home and get Hermione and her baby back.
Not only had their secret project helped somewhat with the inter-house hatred between the four, but
the tension between Ron and Harry had dissipated somewhat as well.
"Coming Harry!" Ron called out before turning to Pansy, who'd pulled away from him and was now
heading towards their bedroom. "I—I'm going to be out for a while."
"Yeah, I know." She whispered, closing the bedroom door behind her.
With one last look at the door, Ron turned and headed towards the exit.
"He's a bit cranky these days."
Ginny snorted at that. "Cranky is an understatement during his good days." She looked down at Goyle,
who was sitting on the ground, massaging her large, swollen and aching feet. "It's the date." Seeing him
raise an eyebrow at her, she scowled at him. "Honestly Greg. Don't be such a dolt! Hermione's due date
is any day now. That's obviously what has him in such a horrid mood."
"Oh." He nodded in sudden understand, never once stopping his massage. "I see."
"Miracles never cease." Ginny mumbled under her breath.
"I can understand why he'd be like this then." Goyle announced slowly. "I'm nervous enough with you
soon going to give birth, and you're right here with me. No one knows if Hermione is even alive."
"She's alive." Ginny protested, bottom lip trembling.
Realizing that he'd done yet another thing to upset her, Goyle recoiled. It seemed like no matter how
hard he tried, he could never do anything right. And for Ginny, he'd tried—he'd tried a lot.
The Slytherin frowned, trying to think of something to take her mind off of Hermione's obscure
situation. "How about a spot of tea then?"
"Peppermint?" Ginny sniffled.
"'Course." He grinned when she did as well. Getting up, he headed towards their small makeshift
kitchen. "Two sugars and some cream, right?"
She nodded. "Yes please." The redhead watched the taller boy. "Hey Greg?"
"Ya Gin?" He asked, turning to her.
She smiled softly at him. "Thank you."
Blushing scarlet, he cleared his throat and nodded rapidly, turning clumsily on his heels and hurrying
into the kitchen.
"He's been campaigning in the north, has been doing so since Snape and I went to 'visit' him." Blaise
informed them as they sat on the floor around the blueprints of Riddle Manor Draco had ordered one of
his House Elves to steal from his father's study. "Word is that he's beginning to lose support and he's
gone there to rally those he still has and convince the rest to follow him."
"So he's left Hermione alone." Ron recapped. "Which means the best time to attack would be right after
she gives birth while he's still in the north." He frowned. "But how will we know when she gives birth?"
"I'll know." Draco spoke. "Thanks to the Parvulus Formator I'm connected to Hermione, so when she
gives birth to my heir, I'll know. I'll feel a jolt of magic or something like that that will let me know."
"Should be any day now, shouldn't it?" Harry asked, eyes on the blueprints, frown on his face. Despite
the fact that he knew that Hermione and he couldn't be, he couldn't help but feel a jolt of resentment
and jealousy whenever he thought of Malfoy having her.
"Yes." Draco nodded, eyes dark and emotionless. "Any day now."
Deacon had been moving constantly all day, and that plus the fact that she hadn't been sleeping well the
last month and was constantly uncomfortable due to her size, well, it made Hermione one cranky witch.
While she'd lost her wand before arriving at Riddle Manor, Hermione discovered that she'd been able to
perform wandless magic when she concentrated. She didn't know if it was because of her baby's magic
enhancing hers, or if she just had never known she could do wandless magic, but she was too cranky to
look into it.
Tom had disappeared after that evening that this Snape character had come uninvited, and she hadn't
seen him since. The brunette didn't know how to feel about this because while Tom was her pillar of
support, her only family left, she sensed that he was keeping something dark from her, and she knew
that he had Bellatrix keeping an eye on her, reporting back everything to him.
Frowning, she got up and wobbled to the bathroom.
The dreams of the platinum haired man didn't let her sleep. It was as if every night she'd dream of him—
but wake up not being able to remember anything about him other than his hair and some phrases from
her dreams—and after a couple of hours only his color hair stuck with her.
Who was this man?
Was he the father of her son?
Flushing the toilet, Hermione headed back towards the bed. She'd felt worse than ever that day, and
now she felt exhausted.
A jolt of pain pierced her stomach, and liquid ran down her legs.
"BELLATRIX!" She screamed, clutching at her hard stomach.
The door flew open and the older woman ran in the room, freezing when she saw Hermione. "It's time."
She whispered, before screaming for someone to call for the Medi-Witch.
Draco gasped for air, and then in seconds it was gone. He opened his eyes and looked up to see Blaise,
Potter and Weasley looked down at him from where he'd collapsed on the ground in worry.
"Malfoy, what the bloody hell was that?" Weasley asked.
"It's happening." Draco groaned at the pain in his ribs when Blaise helped him onto his feet again. "She's
having the baby."
Potter tensed and looked away.
Blaise nodded. "It's time."

Chapter 13 (Chaotic Birth of Deacon Scorpius Malfoy)

Spontaneous magic was flying everywhere, bouncing off of every shiny surface and hitting House Elves
and human servants alike.
Wormtail, who'd been left behind by the Dark Lord, had transformed into his animagus form at the first
sign of wandless magic and scurried into the night. Unfortunately for him, he'd forgotten the reason why
he hadn't transformed into a rat before—the cat—which chased him out of the house, and for all they
knew, could still be hunting him at that very moment.
But no one really cared whatever befell the fat, ugly man.
"I have sent an owl to inform My Lord of the soon birth of his heir." Bellatrix informed Hermione, who
was screaming obscenities that would have made the Dark Lord himself blush like a virgin. Bellatrix
couldn't help but wonder where the petite, younger girl had heard such vulgarities.
"Like he cares!" Hermione screamed, ignoring the Medi-witch, who was telling her to ignore the
contractions and not to push for right now. "He left me here all alone when I needed him the most! He
can rot for all I care!"
Bellatrix winced. "My Lady, that's the pain talking."
"Don't you start telling me about pain!" Hermione roared, and Bellatrix ducked as a flash of pink flew
from Hermione's body towards her. It flew over her head and hit a serving girl behind her who'd been
bringing towels. The girl gave a scream—which ended up becoming a quack—and the newly
transformed duck flew out of the room in terror.
Bellatrix began to understand why Wormtail found the pregnant woman more frightening than the Dark
Lord himself.
"I want him!" Hermione began to cry as the pain wracked her body.
"Who?" Bellatrix asked hesitantly, still slightly bent in case more wandless magic shot out at her.
"I don't know!" The brunette exclaimed in frustration, tears streaming down her face. "All I know is that
he should be here with me now and he isn't!"
The black haired woman took a couple of steps back in worry. Was the baby's magic beginning to
overrule the spells they'd placed on her, allowing her to remember Narcissa's brat?
This isn't good. The elder woman frowned. The Dark Lord specifically wanted her to forget all about my
nephew, he placed the Obliviate on her himself while she was still unconscious from being brought from
Hogwarts by that spell.
"I don't give a damn!" Hermione had obviously forgotten all about the older woman and was now
snarling at the cowering Medi-witch. "I want to get him out of me now! If I feel like pushing I damn well
will push!"
"But My Lady-." The Medi-witch began.
A purple light out of Hermione and hit the woman right on the huge mole on her forehead, causing her
to fall backwards, unconscious.
"My Lady!" Bellatrix cried out, hurrying to the Medi-witch and pulling out her wand. "Rennervate!" But
nothing happened. The woman was dead to the world, snoring loudly, and sucking her thumb,
mumbling something about a gardener and 'no—not now—my husband's still home!'
Hermione screamed as another contraction hit her—and hard.
"Dear Merlin." Bellatrix whispered as she turned to the sweating, crying woman. "What are we going to
do? I need to find a Medi-witch. MARA!" She screamed, then remembering that Mara had recently been
turned into a duck, winced. "CALLIOPE!"
A small woman ran in, looking around for any loose magic. "Yes ma'am?"
"I need you and the others to keep an eye on milady. I have to go and try find another Medi-Witch."
"Another?" Calliope's eyes widened as they rested on the snoring Medi-witch. "What happened to her,
ma'am?"
"Please Enrico!" The Medi-witch giggled, swatting playfully at something in her sleep. "When my
husband hired you to trim the hedges I don't think he was—ooohh yeeesss!"
Calliope went beet red.
"Oh for the love of Gooooooooooood!" Hermione screamed again as the contraction hit, harder than
before. Her eyes widened and she went pale. "Something's not right."
Hearing those words, Bellatrix hurried towards Hermione and then stopped, heart stopping. There was
blood…too much blood. She's losing the baby. "I have to find a Medi-witch!" And with that she ran out
of the room, cursing the fact that she'd have to walk a mile away from the Manor to be able to Aparate
away.
She started running as fast as she could-Hermione's screams ringing in her ears the whole way.
Something was wrong.
When Draco, Blaise, Potter and Weasley Apparated a mile outside of Riddle Manor, they'd had to hide
immediately when they heard someone hurrying towards them. They'd recognized his aunt, Bellatrix
Black, hurrying to the Apparating place, her face pale with horror. She'd been so preoccupied that she
hadn't sensed them—and had disappeared with a desperate pop.
The four males shared an uneasy look between them and began running towards the Manor, not sure
what to expect.
They'd designed costumes for themselves, as a way of mocking the Death Eaters. They were wearing
pure black, with black capes with hoods that covered their heads, shadowing their faces, and black
masks. They could easily hide in the darkness of the night, and their way to Riddle Manor was without
any problem.
Once they entered the Manor, Draco knew for sure that something was wrong.
The guards, House Elves, and servants were all too distracted. They'd disarmed everyone in their path
too easily, and that was when Draco heard the screams…
Hermione's screams…
He hurried towards the sound, stunning and disarming anyone who appeared before him, before
bursting into the room where the screams were coming from.
He froze when he saw Hermione lying on the bed, skirt pushed up her thighs, blood soaking into the bed
around her, tinting the sheets a rich red. She was pale, her body trembling, her eyes closed tightly as she
screamed in pain.
A maid was hovering over her, face pale in worry, wiping at her sweat-covered forehead. "Mistress,
don't worry. Ma'am will come back with another Medi-witch."
"Something's not right, Calli." Hermione whimpered, neither had noticed the four intruders as yet.
"Something's not right!"
An elderly woman with a large mole on her forehead, sleeping on the floor, giggled in her sleep. "I think
we can give you a bonus for your extra work this past year, Enrico."
Blaise raised an eyebrow at the woman.
Draco couldn't take his eyes off of Hermione. She was shaking in pain, growing paler by the moment.
Hermione.
As if she could hear him, she turned her head and her eyes connected with his. Her eyes widened and
she let out a terrified scream, which turned into a pained one as another contraction hit her hard.
Draco tried to tell himself that since, with his disguise, she obviously couldn't recognize him, it didn't
make sense to feel so hurt by the terror in her eyes.
The maid looked up and screamed. "Guards! Guards!"
"They're all tied up at the moment." Potter spoke, his voice disguised by the charm they were all
wearing.
"Take whatever you want!" The maid told them, taking a protective stance in front of Hermione. "Just
leave the mistress be!"
"Oh no, we're here for her!" Weasley announced, taking a menacing step forwards.
Draco could have hit him. Couldn't they tell that Hermione couldn't recognize them, and that she was
getting more and more terrified?
Blaise placed a hand on Weasley's shoulder and pushed him back, taking a step forwards instead. "She's
in need of a Medi-Witch." He told the servant. "We're taking her somewhere safe and we're getting her
some help."
"Safe?" Hermione growled, eyes narrowed. "Who the hell do you thugs think you are! I'm giving birth!
You want to kidnap me from my home and-."
"This place isn't your home Hermione." Draco growled jealousy, sensing her obvious desire to stay just
where she was.
She looked up at him, surprise in her eyes. "D-d-do I know you?"
Draco couldn't help but feel betrayed. Even with their disguises and their voice-changing charms, she
should be able to sense that it was him. "We're here to take you home, Mione."
She shivered, tears falling down her cheeks. "I do know you. I just don't know from where." She
narrowed her eyes, wincing as pain racked her body. "Who are you people?"
"People are risking their asses for you." Blaise told her and unceremoniously pulled out his wand and
sent a stunning spell at the maid. "Come on, we have to go. Bellatrix will have gone to look for a Medi-
Witch and would have told the Dark Lord about this—they'll be here any minute and we need to be
away from here by then."
Draco nodded and headed to the bed, pausing. "Hermione, I'm going to pick you up, and for the good of
both you and the baby, you shouldn't fight me."
Tears of pain and confusion were falling from her eyes, but she nodded, biting down on her lip to try and
muffle her scream of pain as he picked her up and a contraction hit at the same time.
Draco breathed in her scent, closing his eyes in happiness at having her with him once more, before
turning to the others. "Let's go."
They'd made it to the Apparating point and had Apparated away only minutes before Bellatrix returned
with a Medi-Witch she'd found…and a whole half hour before Voldemort Apparated—having gotten the
owl.
By the time the Dark Lord was torturing the guards and servants for letting Hermione be taken, the four
youths were pacing outside the Hospital wing in Hogwarts, as Hermione's screams could be heard from
within.
Snape and Dumbledore appeared and while they gave the boys a good telling off for their stupidity
(well, SNAPE told them off, Dumbledore just shook his head at them), both commended them on being
able to go in, get Hermione, and get out without getting hurt or having their identities compromised.
"A little theatrical for my taste." The Potions Master sneered at the disguises they were still wearing.
"But apparently effective."
"They were Zabini's idea." Potter offered.
"Obviously" Snape waved that off dismissively. "Cunningness is a Slytherin trait after all."
They fell into silence as Hermione screamed worse than before. They could hear Lavender Brown,
Madam Pomfrey, and Hannah Abbot (who hadn't entered the 'Project') rushing around.
Suddenly the door opened and Brown appeared, her apron covered in blood. "Malfoy."
Draco hurried towards her. "What is it? Is it over?"
Hermione screamed.
Draco winced.
"No." Brown looked rather uncomfortable. "I need to talk to you." She led him away from the rest.
"Listen, there's something you should know. Hermione—Hermione needs you there with her, although
she doesn't realize she needs you."
He narrowed his eyes at the beautiful blonde. "What are you talking about? I'm the father of her child!"
"Yes! But she doesn't remember that!" Brown growled at him, then sighed when he went pale. "Malfoy,
when you brought her in she couldn't recognize any of us. Madam Pomfrey checked for spells while
Hannah and I got things ready for the labor, and she's found several of them—most memory altering
charms. And to top it all, Hermione's mind was Obliviated, most probably by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-
Named—-the magic behind the spell was too strong to be someone else."
Draco didn't know how to react.
"She doesn't remember anything that happened before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-her cousin?-
rescued her from the men who killed her husband and took her captive to take her baby away from her
when she was about to give birth."
"WHAT?" Draco cried, confused and irritated by the whole situation.
"Shut up Malfoy!" Brown warned, and then continued, more subdued. "That's what she believed
happened—and Madam Pomfrey did what she did to convince Hermione that we weren't the same bad
guys stealing her back to take her baby away from her. Hermione can't be put under more stress! She'll
lose the baby and maybe die! Madam Pomfrey did what she must to calm her!"
"And what did she do?" And why did he have a bad feeling about all of this?
"Well, even though she didn't recognize you, Hermione felt some sort of connection with you, and since
she believes that her husband is dead-." Brown stopped, biting her bottom lip nervously.
"What. Did. She. Do?" Malfoy growled.
"She could always be told the truth after she's recovered." Brown squeaked nervously.
"Brown!"
She squealed in fear at the promise of pain in his voice if she didn't answer him.
"Hey!" Potter appeared, pushing past Draco and placing a protective arm around Brown, oblivious to
Weasley's eyes narrowing angrily at him because of this possessive gesture. "I won't let you talk to
Lavender like that!"
Blaise and Snape, seeing the way Weasley turned puce with repressed rage when Brown leaned her
head against Potter's chest as he tightened his hold on her, shared amused smirks.
"Listen to me Potter," Draco ground out. "You might have helped me get Hermione back, but don't think
for a moment that gives you any right to-."
No one would know what Draco had been about to say, because the sound of wheels and arguing
females caught their attention.
The doors flew open and they blinked in confusion when they saw Goylette and Parkinson sitting
together on Goylette's sofa—which had mysteriously gained wheels—and was moving by itself?
The men blinked once more, as the sofa came to a halt in front of them, and the two women, sister-in-
laws if one were to get technical, looked up at them in expectation.
"Is it true?" Goylette asked.
"Answer dammit!" Parksinson demanded.
"Is what true?" Weasley asked, looking at them in reproach. "Pansy, I told you to stay in bed tonight!
You weren't feeling good the whole day and you're in your last week! Madam Pomfrey told both you
and my pigheaded sister to stay in bed and-."
"Hey!" Goylette cried out at what he'd called her.
"Weasley, you listen and you listen to me good." Parkinson growled at him. "I can take very good care of
myself, and I wasn't about to let Ginny come here and know before me."
"So, is she back?"
The men froze, looking around them frantically, trying to find the bodiless, panting voice.
"Goyle?" Snape asked, eyes wide, looking up at the ceiling and around him, even twirling around rapidly.
"Where the devil are you?"
A hand shot up from behind the sofa, and Goyle stood shakily, panting tiredly, face red. Apparently he'd
been pushing the sofa carrying the two very pregnant women from Goylette and his 'home' all the way
here.
Blaise smirked. "Only you would forget to use the Locomotor spell."
Another scream from Hermione evaporated the humor on their faces.
Draco turned to Brown. "I'm not going to ask you again, Brown."
She nodded. "Madam Pomfrey told Hermione that you—that you—you are the twin of her dead
husband." Sensing the storm behind his silver eyes, she hurried on. "It worked. Hermione relaxed
immediately and wants you there with her. She wants you there for the birth."
A muscle jumped in Draco's cheek.
"We'll work on a way to retrieve Miss Granger's memory." Dumbledore assured Draco.
"Can I go to her now?" Draco asked, voice calm, surprising everyone. "I—I just want to be near her."
Brown smiled at him, a twinkle in her eyes. "Yes, come."
After Draco Malfoy appeared the labor went surprisingly well, and at the first stroke of midnight,
Deacon Scorpius Malfoy was born, amidst bursts of wandless magic, a profanity screaming mother, a
Medi-witch who looked rather frightened at the murderous looks Draco Malfoy sent her, and two
twitchy Medi-witches in training.
"He's beautiful." Draco whispered as he held the squirming bundle. While Deacon looked identical to his
mother in features, he had the Malfoy hair and eyes.
"He looks like you." Hermione whispered tiredly, shyly, as she smiled softly at him. Now that she had
him in front of her, she couldn't help but remember the man in her dreams, the one that told her he
loved her—her husband.
So this man was his twin.
Draco smiled at her beautifully. "Yes, well, he's got some of his mama in him too. I mean, look at the
nose." While he was smiling, his eyes were moist. "I—I missed you Mione, I—I was so worried-." He
cleared his throat suspiciously when he voice cracked and he looked away. "I thought I'd never see you
again."
Hermione was surprised by the intensity of his emotions. She must have been close to him. That was
surprising. Then again, she'd been married to his twin, and she somehow remembered reading that
wives of twins either became just as close to their spouse's twin, or bitter rivals with him/her.
She was glad that she'd grown close to Draco Malfoy. She'd need him now that her son was born and
Tom was away…and her husband was dead.
"I'm glad you're back."
She looked up at him, blushing at the tenderness in his eyes as he watched her.
Trying to convince herself that her heart wasn't beating rapidly, and that his smile didn't make her feel
like she had butterflies in her stomach, Hermione shyly smiled back.

Chapter 14 (Hogwarts: The Musical)

It wasn't like she was calling them liars, but something was definitely up.
Hermione frowned as she sat in the Great Hall, and watched the students as they bumbled around her.
She'd caught sixteen whispered comments, ten pitying looks, five hushed "You mean she doesn't
know?", two fights that'd nearly broken out when some Slytherins wanted to 'tell you the truth Granger'
and the two called Harry and Ron had intervened, and one mishap in the Great Hall where Draco
Malfoy, her supposed brother-in-law called her "luv".
So, as she'd said before, something was definitely up.
She kept her peace, of course. Things like this had been going on all week since she'd been back, but
that didn't mean that she wasn't keeping her eyes and ears open.
Everything was normal, or what she'd imagine was normal, until Neville Longbottom burst into the Great
Hall wearing an ill-suited pink bikini and singing La Macarena. A smoky blue miasma followed him into
the Great Hall, and sudden chaos broke out as Millicent Bulstrode suddenly jumped up onto the table
and tore off her shirt, swinging it around her head as she gave a loud, off-key rendition of Grease's
"You're The One That I Want!" to none other than Blaise Zabini, who looked up at her in horror and shot
up from his seat, backing away from her slowly.
Students started ripping their clothes off and singing irritating songs. Hermione rose from her seat and
took a couple of steps back when Ron and Harry jumped out of their seats and began a duet of "Can't
Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe." to Lavender Brown.
Ron held his spoon like a microphone.
" I've heard people say that
Too much of anything is not good for you, baby
Oh no
But I don't know about that
There's many times that we've loved
We've shared love and made love
It doesn't seem to me like it's enough
There's just not enough of it
There's just not enough
Oh oh, babe"
Harry, holding a breadstick, continued with the next lines.
"My darling, I can't get enough of your love babe
Oh, I don't know, I don't know why
Can't get enough of your love babe
Oh, some things I can't get used to
No matter how I try
Just like the more you give, the more I want
And baby, that's no lie
Oh no, babe"
Hermione's eyes widened. She knew that all the other students were making similar fools of themselves,
but she just couldn't tear her eyes off of Ron and Harry as they sang this particular song to the blonde,
who looked from one to the other as each sang to her.
Ron sang.
"Tell me, what can I say?
What am I gonna do?
How should I feel when everything is you?
What kind of love is this that you're givin' me?
Is it in your kiss or just because you're sweet?
Oh, all I know is every time you're here
I feel the change
Somethin' moves
I scream your name
Do whatcha got to do (?)"
Harry continued.
"Oh, if I could only make you see
And make you understand
Oh, your love for me is all I need
And more than I can stand
Oh well, babe
How can I explain all the things I feel?
You've given me so much
Oh, you're so unreal
Still I keep loving you
More and more each time
Oh, what am I gonna do
Because you blow my mind"
The redhead and the black haired boy crooned together into their makeshift microphones.
"Oh no, babe
My darling, I can't get enough of your love babe
Yeah, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know why
Can't get enough of your love babe
Oh my darling, I can't get enough of your love babe
Oh babe
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know why
I can't get enough of your love babe
Oh babe"
Getting up, the brunette's gaze traveled over the Great Hall, where similar circumstances were
happening. The miasma had reached the Teacher's Desk and Dumbledore was now swinging his arms
around singing to a blushing McGonagall.
"I heat up, I can't cool down
You got me spinnin'
'Round and 'round
'Round and 'round and 'round it goes
Where it stops nobody knows
Every time you call my name
I heat up like a burnin' flame
Burnin' flame full of desire
Kiss me baby, let the fire get higher
Abra-abra-cadabra
I want to reach out and grab ya
Abra-abra-cadabra
Abracadabra
You make me hot, you make me sigh
You make me laugh, you make me cry
Keep me burnin' for your love
With the touch of a velvet glove
"Albus…" McGonagall cried out, fanning herself repeatedly as he continued to serenade her.
I feel the magic in your caress
I feel magic when I touch your dress
Silk and satin, leather and lace
Black panties with an angel's face
I see magic in your eyes
I hear the magic in your sighs
Just when I think I'm gonna get away
I hear those words that you always say
Abra-abra-cadabra
I want to reach out and grab ya
Abra-abra-cadabra
Abracadabra
Every time you call my name
I heat up like a burnin' flame
Burnin' flame full of desire
Kiss me baby, let the fire get higher"
"Ms. Parksinson! You've just given birth not three days ago! Please control yourself!" Snape's frantic
voice could be heard.
Hermione turned to see the man who was the godfather of her son, and blinked when she saw the
mother of Ron's virtual baby straddling the pale teacher, who kept trying to push her off of him
unsuccessfully.
Pansy Parkinson ran her finger down his sweat-covered face, pouting seductively at him as she began to
sing.
"I like where we are
When we drive in your car
I like where we are
Here
'Cause our lips, can touch
And our cheeks, can brush
Our lips can touch here
Well, you are the one, the one that lies close to me
Whispers "Hello, I miss you quite terribly"
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms"
"Miss Parksinson—control yourself!" Snape gulped, eyes wide in terror as he once more tried pushing
her off of him. "Please!"
Then Susan Bones pronounced the two words that would make Snape's night worse. "He's mine!"
Pulling Pansy off of Snape by her hair, Susan promptly took her place on the hyperventilating Potions
Master's Lap and belted out:
"I know you're down again
You see nothing but rain
You put your friends through Hell
That's why we get along so well
You see
I always was your girl
Always will be
You and me against the world
We know the years can give
Romance to the street where we once lived
You wonder why no one called
Between you and me, we scared them off
Maybe we're wrong and the world is right
But don't tell me that tonight
Self assured, an amusing guest
That's the way I like you best"
"Miss Bones!" Snape's voice choked. "Your aunt is already against me!" He looked positively about to
cry. "Just go away and leave me alone!"
"Stay away from my Sevvie!" Pansy called out, pulling Susan back by her hair. The two girls began
fighting, with the males who didn't seem to be affected by that blue miasma cheering on, a Slytherin boy
beginning to call for bets on who would end the victor.
But, alas, Snape's night wasn't going to be getting any better, for Padma Patil sauntered and took
Susan's place on Snape's lap, smirking evilly at him.
"Close your eyes, make a wish
And blow out the candlelight
For tonight is just your night
We're gonna celebrate, all thru the night
Pour the wine, light the fire
Sevvie your wish is my command
I submit to your demands
I'll do anything, boy you need only ask"
Snape went beet-red sputtering: "Ms. Patil, please! Control your hormones!"
She giggled and leaned in close, singing in his ear.
"I'll make love to you
Like you want me to
And I'll hold you tight
Sevvie all through the night
I 'll make love to you
When you want me to
And I will not let go
Till you tell me to
Sevvie relax, let's go slow
I ain't got nowhere to go
I'm just gonna concentrate on you
Sevvie are you ready, it's gonna be a long night
Throw your clothes on the floor
I'm gonna take my clothes off too
I made plans to be with you
Sevvie whatever you ask me you know I'll do
"Now you—let go of my buttons!" Snape slapped away at Padma's hands as they busied with the
buttons to his robes. She'd unbutton and he'd furiously re-button. "50 points from Ravenclaw for
sexually harassing the teacher!" he eeped as her hand trailed down the front of his robes and
disappeared between their bodies. "Get your hands off of there this instance!"
"Sevvie tonight is your night
And I will do you right
Just make a wish on your night
Anything that you ask
I will give you the love of your life
I'll make love to you
Like you want me to
And I'll hold you tight
Sevvie all through the night
I'll make love to you
When you want me to
And I will not let go
Till you tell me to"
If it wasn't so creepy it would have been funny to see Snape sweating so profusely.
Hermione realized that somehow some type of musical lust potion must have exploded, thus sending
everyone into chaos, but she couldn't understand why some of the students weren't being affected by
it, namely herself, Lavender Brown, and Blaise Zabini (who was running around the Slytherin table with
Millicent in hot pursuit still singing "Cause I need a man—and my heart is set on yoooooou!").
She was glad that Draco had taken a sleeping Deacon up to their shared Commons. She didn't even
want to think of what would happen if they'd been affected by this weird concoction. She knew he was
only her brother-in-law, but for some reason her stomach hurt at the thought of him singing his love to
some other girl.
But what if he began singing to me?
Feeling guilty at the smile that graced her features at that thought, Hermione shook her head of frizzy
hair.
He's my brother-in-law, he's my brother-in-law, mustn't think those thoughts about him.
"MERLIN! NO! HELP! SOMEONE SAVE ME!"
Hermione was the only one who reacted to that scream, and turned to see that Blaise had been caught
by Millicent, who was puckering her lips and trying to kiss him—the only thing that kept her from kissing
Blaise was his hands on her face—pushing it away as he leaned back as far as possible.
"SOMEONE HAVE MERCY!"
She couldn't help but laugh as Blaise Zabini screamed to high heavens, squirming and trying to get away
from Millicent, who kept puckering her lips and trying to kiss him.
"GAWD! NOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
She pulled out her wand and called out the body-binding spell, watching as Millicent went stiff as a post
and fell back.
Blaise looked on, eyes wide, looking around the room of lust-filled singers and finally resting on her. His
eyes went wide before he smiled and winked at her.
She nodded back at him.
Hermione frowned and turned to see Harry grabbing her arm, falling on his knees, bringing her hand to
his heart. The brunette stepped back and tugged on her hand. "Harry?"
"My life is brilliant
My love is pure
I saw an angel
Of that I'm sure
She smiled at me on the subway
She was with another man
But I won't lose no sleep on that
'Cause I've got a plan
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're beautiful it's true
I saw your face in a crowded place
And I don't know what to do
'Cause I'll never be with you"
Her brown eyes widened in surprise and sadness. Was—how—did he really feel that way about her?
"Yeah she caught my eye
As we walked on by
She could see from my face that I was
Flying high
And I don't think that I'll see her again
But we shared a moment that will last 'till the end
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're beautiful it's true
I saw your face in a crowded place
And I don't know what to do
'Cause I'll never be with you
The brunette bit her bottom lip, hoping that Harry wouldn't remember this whenever the effects of this
spell/potion/whatever wore off. She didn't love him like that! She wanted him to leave now before he
sang anything else that would jeopardize their friendship.
"You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're beautiful it's true
There must be an angel with a smile on her face
When she thought up that I should be with you
But it's time to face the truth
I will never be with you"
"Potter, get back to Brown." Blaise Zabini announced, suddenly next to them, placing an arm around
Hermione and pushing Harry back.
Harry turned and headed back towards Lavender, who was glaring at Ron, who was now tugging at
Pansy singing "I'm Stuck", trying to keep her away from Professor Snape.
"Thank you." Hermione whispered as Blaise, hand still around her waist, maneuvered her away from the
lust-obsessed youths.
"No problem Granger." Blaise smiled down at her. "Now, we're even."
The brunettes were so busy smiling at each other that they didn't notice the blonde who'd just returned
from putting his son to bed.
Draco Malfoy stopped in mid-step, looking around him, eyes wide.
When had Hogwarts become an open orgy?
He watched as couples pranced around each other, singing horribly and groping each other. Also, was
Millicent frozen on the ground?
Silver eyes narrowed, trying to find Hermione in this mess. He'd been trying his best to keep distance
between them-but it hadn't worked well considering that he couldn't stand to be away from her for
more than an hour. He needed to find a way to let her know the truth without her killing him for having
kept up that stupid lie.
It was killing him.
Where the hell is Hermione?
Potter was busy crooning to a blushing Brown, so he didn't have to worry about him.
And Weasley was…was Weasley throwing a jealous fit (expressed in song) over Parkinson mooning over
Professor Snape?
PROFESSOR SNAPE?
Was Parkinson out of her mind?
But the more that Draco looked, he realized that she wasn't the only one. There were at least three
other girls fighting over the nearly catatonic Potions Master.
Draco blinked.
Gotta find Hermione...and figure out what the hell is going on here.
That was when he saw them.
Growling deep in his throat, Draco's silver eyes narrowed as they fell upon Hermione and Zabini, who
were both smiling into each other's faces, and Zabini—ZABINI HAD HIS ARM AROUND HER WAIST-AND
SHE WAS LETTING HIM KEEP IT THERE!
She was his dammit! She'd just had his child!
But she doesn't know that. His conscience argued. She thinks you're your own twin and so that would
make her a free agent.
FREE AGENT MY ARSE!
Draco stalked towards them.
Dammit, he'd wanted to give her some time but if Zabini was going to try and get in with her while she
was amnesic then that didn't mean that he should play fair!
"Mione, Zabini." He growled once he reached them, dislodging the hand Zabini had around his woman
and putting his own hand around her waist, tugging her towards him possessively.
Hermione blushed and looked up at him, eyes wide.
Zabini looked confused at the blatant hostility, then it seemed to click, and he smirked. "Getting a little
insecure there, are we, Malfoy?"
"The teachers are all bloody hormonal idiots at this time Zabini and wouldn't notice it if I hexed the crap
out of you, so I wouldn't push it if I were you."
That only caused Zabini to smirk more and he bent over and kissed Hermione's cheek! The bastard!
"Night Mione. Thanks for the save again." Winking at her, smirking evilly at Draco, Blaise left the Great
Hall.
Hermione's eyes were wide and her hand went to her cheek.
"I'll tear him apart limb from limb!" Draco growled, eyes narrowed as he watched his fellow Slytherin
slither away. "The bloody bastard knows not to touch what's mine!"
She looked up at him. "What's yours?"
"Yes, mine." Draco snarled at her, forgetting for a moment that she didn't remember anything. "And
don't you forget it Mione."
She blushed scarlet. "I—I—your brother—you—me—yours?" She paused and then frowned darkly.
"There was no brother, was there?" She growled at him, realization dawning darkly on her face.
Draco's eyes widened, realizing his mistake. "I—uh-."
"I need some space." She muttered to herself, pushing him away and beginning to stalk out.
"Mione-." Draco went to go after her.
Hermione muttered something under her breath while pointing her wand at Millicent. The fat, ugly girl
woke up, saw Draco, and screamed.
"DRAKIE-POOO! LET YOUR MILLIE KISS YOU!"
Draco went pale and he began to back up as Millicent got to her feet and began running towards him,
arms outstretched and lips puckered. The blonde couldn't take it, he abandoned the Malfoy pride and
turned on his heel, running away from the girl in horror.
Okay, ditch Millicent, find Hermione, Avada Zabini.
Giving a cry when Millicent grabbed onto his cloak, Draco undid it and left it in her hands as he hurried
in speed, ducking under the table and side-stepping Goyle and horribly humongous Goylette, who were
in mid-snog.
The blonde groaned as he heard Millicent screaming. "DRAKIE-BABY, COME TO YOUR MAMA! GIVE ME
SOME SMOOCHIES!"
Hopefully this was a 24-hour bug, or otherwise he'd be scarred for life.

Chapter 15 (The Ravishment of Severus Snape)

I couldn't help it, I couldn't, really, but I had to harass Snape as much as I could with this potion, because
I personally found the thought of him being the hidden fantasy of the Hogwarts girls quite hilarious…I
give Raia, my muse, kudos for that inspiration—this chapter was written with her whispering ideas into
my ear while I was typing!
Next chappie is going to be more Draco-Hermione centric. For anything to happen between them
Hermione needed to know the whole deal, so that was why I wrote this chapter, so she could figure
everything out quickly and be able to go from there…and to torture "Sevvie-Pooh" of course…snickers…
Wearing the torn remains of what had once been his favorite robes, Snape ran down the hall with four
female students (one from each house) running madly after him, half naked, screaming "COME BACK
SEVVIE!" and "HE'S MINE!". Never in his life had he felt such terror, or faced such horrors as lust-filled
teenaged girls, and he felt nearly faint at the thought of the Board of Parents hearing about this!
Please! Put me up against Voldemort! Leave me in a candy-filled room with Dumbledore! Let me play
dress-up with Potter and Weasley! JUST NOT THIS!
He rounded the corner, panting hard, firmly deciding that if he survived this night he'd go on a diet and
exercise program.
"LET GO OF ME WEASLEY!" Parkinson could be heard crying out, beginning to sing.
"Every now and then
I find myself wond'ring about you baby
Seems now and again
I can't escape the thought of all that might have been
Every now and then
Mornings the hardest time
I wake up dreamin' 'bout you and I
Some days I can't remember them all, oh yeah
Evenings are painful still
I can't help wond'ring if always will be
How can I've know this thing, this emptiness, baby?
I don't mind every night
Just once when I feel like I feel tonight, yeah, yeah, yeah
Weasley could be heard answering back.
"Hey, look what you have done,
Showing me the sun,
And now it's shining through,
It's nice to be with you.
Hey, I like the things you say,
And I like the way
You do the things you do,
It's nice to be with you.
Each time that I give my heart
To someone new,
They just turn it blue,
But this time is my time,
And my time is all the time
I have to be with you.
So, please, never go away,
Say you're going to stay"
Pansy sniffled, sounding close to tears before singing:
"Farewell, good-bye
God knows we tried
Our union so unsure
Could never endure
So we turn the page
say good-bye
and walk away from everything
that we worked so hard to save
Brought down by our storm
Our Eden is no more
But we were so lost in love
That we never found resolve
So we turn the page
say good-bye
and walk away from everything
that we worked so hard to save
Weasley countered with:
"Even now
When there's someone else who cares
When there's someone home who's waiting just for me
Even now I think about you
As I'm climbing up the stairs
And I wonder what to do so she won't see"
Pansy shook her head.
"Wish I could be the one
The one who could give you love
The kind of love you really need
Wish I could say to you
That I'll always stay with you
But baby that's not me
You need someone willing to give their heart and soul to you
Promise you forever, baby that's something I can't do
Oh I could say that I'll be all you need
But that would be a lie
I know I'd only hurt you
I know I'd only make you cry
I'm not the one you're needing
I love you, goodbye"
The redhead's eyes glinted strangely as he leaned towards her, trapping her against the wall with his
hands on each side of her head:
"Doesn't matter where you run to baby
Doesn't matter where you try and hide
Sooner or later loneliness is gonna drag you back to my side
There ain't no use in trying
Might as well give up
Because you're mine"
Weasley crooned the last part before he picked up a petite Parkinson, threw her over his shoulder, and
ran in the opposite direction with her kicking and screaming.
" WEASLEY!" She screamed as Ronald Weasley kidnapped her and took her away from there.
Never had Snape been so relieved to have a Weasley near.
"SEVVIE-BABY!" Padma Patil could be heard screaming, gaining on him, thanks to the fact that Susan
Bones and Marge Matthews from Hufflepuff had gotten into a cat fight. "YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T
HIDE!"
Snape closed his eyes in horror, thus never seeing the door opening and a hand shooting out until said
hand grabbed the front of his torn robes and pulled him inside of an abandoned and dark classroom.
Someone pushed him against the door and pressed against him, her hands covering his mouth to
smother his girlie scream.
The sound of girls stampeding and screaming their deformation of his name was heard, shaking the
whole room, until everything was silent once more, and Snape's eyes finally grew accustomed to the
dark and he recognized his kidnapper.
"Miss Granger!" But against her hand it sounded more like: "Mihsp sgednger!" He pushed her back, face
pale, gulping nervously, hands out in front of him defensively just in case she threw herself at him again.
"Not you too!" He whined, before clearing his throat nervously. "Now Miss Granger, I know that for
some reason I've suddenly become a stud muffin, but please, control your sensual, carnal urges. I am
your professor and—are you laughing?"
Sure enough, the brunette girl was doubled over laughing her arse off at his expense.
Snape frowned, trying to straighten the tattered remains of his robes. "Well, Miss Granger, if you
haven't pulled me into this room to ravish me, then pray tell why?"
"I'm sorry, professor, were you enjoying the run?" Wiping at a tear, she giggled some more at his scowl.
"I thought I'd save you before you were gangraped—and tell you that I think I know what happened in
there and how to reverse it."
Suddenly realizing that there was a brewing cauldron in the room, Snape looked up at the heavens,
hearing the Angels singing 'Hallelujah' somewhere up yonder, before turning to Hermione once more.
"Granger, if that counter potion of yours works, Gryffindor will get 100 points from me!"
She beamed, before explaining that she'd gone straight to the library after the outbreak (why wasn't
Snape surprised?) and she'd looked up lust-potions and after narrowing it down to what ingredients
Snape had in the Potions room (the Potions Master was so anxious to get rid of his pursuers that he
decided not to ask her HOW she knew what he had in his storage room), and given the singing side-
effect to the potion, and its aerial ingestion—well—Hermione had narrowed down the potion that
Neville had somehow accidentally created while trying to practice for their exams in a couple of weeks.
"And that is the antidote." She pointed to the cauldron, hurrying towards it and pulling it out of the fire.
"Could you open the door please?"
"But—but—but what if they are still out there?" His eyes widened and he paled at the thought.
"Let's hope they are." Hermione replied. "When I add this handful of Pixie Dust it'll explode, and the
fumes will fill Hogwarts, and when inhaled will counteract the lust-song potion."
Hearing this, Snape ran to the door and threw it open. He didn't have time to curse her smirk because
she threw the handful of pixie dust into the cauldron and jumped back as it exploded in a bright blue
light, before the fume rose like a mist and drifted out of the room, filling Hogwarts.
Both student and Potions Master went to the door and listened as little by little the singing began to
stop. They breathed out a sigh of relief.
"75 points for Gryffindor."
"Hey!" She pouted. "You said you'd give me a hundred points!"
"That was before the smirk."
She pouted deeper, yet it was growing into a smirk which the Potions Master returned. Suddenly the
smile left her face as she frowned. "Professor Snape? Both Draco and yourself told me that I'd asked you
to be Deacon's godfather, and I know that I'd only do that if I trusted you completely." She took in a
deep breath. "So I need you to tell me the truth."
He nodded, understanding what she was referring to. "I will." And he did.
Three hours, two "WHAT?", and one sniffling teen mother later, Snape finished the whole story, telling
her everything, even things she hadn't known before, like the fact that she truly was a Pureblood, and
that Draco Malfoy had fallen for her long before discovering the truth himself. When she'd doubted
Snape about Draco's affections, he'd told her how Draco'd been the one to give her the Parvulus
Formator to get her pregnant deliberately because he couldn't think of another way to have her for
himself.
"Unimaginative bloke." Snape had called him after explaining Draco's motive behind the Parvulus
Formator.
"So you're saying that Tom really is my distant cousin, but he's some Dark Lord who gets off on killing
people who weren't born in a magical family and those who are friends with them—all because of some
shitty childhood he had thanks to his bastard of a father."
Snape winced, yet since she'd saved him from a fate worse than Crucio, he decided to let her language
slip. "In a nutshell." He agreed.
"And he's named my son his heir." Hermione recapped once more, frowning. "As in the next heir to the
rulership of these Dark Bingers-"
"Death Eaters."
"-of whom Bellatrix is a part of…and Bellatrix is also the aunt of Draco Malfoy—who is the true father of
Deacon because he gave me a potion to get me pregnant with his child while I was still a virgin. She also
killed Sirius Black, her cousin and my best friend Harry Potter's godfather, who'd been framed by
Wormtail of all people for helping Tom kill death of Harry's Parents and was sent to Azkaban but later
escaped because he was an animagus. Harry and I helped him and Buckbeek escape and Sirius was kept
hidden until that night when we battled it out and he fought Bellatrix and fell through the veil."
Snape nodded, having known all of this information secretly.
"Back to the more pressing topic." The brunette shook her head, continuing. "I was falling in love with
Draco Malfoy when Annis Karakoff—by Tom's command—thought she was killing me but was testing my
blood and that of my child while at the same time kidnapping me and sending me to Tom by some
ancient spell. At Riddle Manor my memories were altered and some completely erased by Tom himself,
who doted and took care of me as if he really gave a shit but he was only after my son since he isn't able
to have one of his own!" She growled.
Snape decided not to point out the fact that The Dark Lord didn't have to act so nice with her or change
her memory. He could have locked her in the dungeon until she'd had her child and then killed her quite
easily—it'd been known to happen before.
For some reason Voldemort had treated Hermione like his mistress, and the Queen of the Death Eaters.
It was something that bothered Snape very much—much more than Dumbledore's unhealthy fetish for
candies and sweets.
Especially since the Dark Lord had kept her all to himself and hadn't wanted Lucius or himself know the
truth, preferring to let them think she was dead.
He'd acted…possessively…towards her. As he if truly believed that she belonged to him and truly was his
Queen, worthy to sit at his right hand and govern over the Death Eaters with her son as his heir.
And that sort of devotion was never a good thing when it came to the Dark Lord.
Hermione, oblivious to Snape's line of thoughts, continued with her irate rant. "And when I'm beginning
to care for everyone I find out they are murderers and rapists—and I nearly lost my baby while giving
birth because Draco wasn't there and according to the potion he's supposed to be there—but then he,
Zabini, Harry and Ron attacked and kidnap me (again!)and I have problems giving birth; so Madam
Pomfrey decides that the best way to help me since I'd been led to believe that I'd been married and
that my husband was dead—was to pretend that the father of my child was his own twin!" She groaned,
covering her face with her hands. "My life's a bloody daytime soap opera!"
Not knowing what a soap opera was, Snape kept silent.
She cried a bit more before wiping at her eyes and smiling sadly at him. "Thank you for telling me all of
that. I'm more confused than ever, but it was something I needed to know."
"If it helps any, I'll have Potter, Weasley, Draco and myself put our collective memories in pensieves so
you can see the events for yourself. It should help jumpstart your own memories."
She smiled. "Thank you. I'd really appreciate that."
He cleared his throat. "Well, it's late and you have a child that I'm sure will be wailing his lungs out if he
wakes up in need of a diaper change or whatnot and you're not there. So, off you go before I have to
deduct points from Gryffindor and give the Head Girl a detention for being out in the halls past curfew."
Her smile grew genuine at this, and she stood on her tip toes, planting an innocent kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you Severus, for everything." And with that she left a stunned Potions Master.
Blushing, Snape placed a hand on his kiss and then realizing what he was doing, he yanked his hand
away and snorted, chin raised. "Insufferable Know-It-All." Yet there wasn't any malice in his voice as he
said this, leaving the room and heading to his own one.
He smirked as he passed some students heading to their Commons. They all looked confused and dazed,
not sure what in the world had happened. That was one of the side-effects of the antidote, no one
would remember the fools they'd made of themselves while under the lust potion.
Thank Merlin. I'd never hear the end of it if everyone remembered those scandalous girls and their
sinister intents!
He shivered at the thought, before smirking. Hermione hadn't understood why Brown, Zabini, Draco,
Snape and herself hadn't been affected by the lust-potion, and he'd decided to leave her in the dark. It
wouldn't do to let her know that those truly in love couldn't be affected by that lust-potion—which
made you completely mad about the people you secretly had romantic feelings for.
Well, those who were truly in love or who had placed immunization spells on themselves against lust
and love potions and spells as he had.
Brown was obviously true in her feelings for the Weasley boy—although it would seem that while the
redhead cared for her, his attention was turning quite fervently (and passionately if his kidnapping had
anything to say of the matter!) towards Parkinson.
Hermione and Draco were truly in love with each other—even if they hadn't admitted it to each other
yet.
The wildcard was Blaise Zabini. Who in the world was Zabini 'truly' in love with?
Not that Snape particularly cared about the love-life of his students, but he'd never seen Zabini show
any interest in any girl, so who in the world could he be in love with?
He hated to admit it, but his curiosity was piqued.
He was so caught in his thoughts, the Potions Master never noticed as he entered his room and pulled
off his robes. Saying a spell to turn off the lights, he was still trying to think of anyone Zabini had been
seen with that could be a potential romantic candidate (including boys because, who the heck knew for
certain what Zabini's sexual preference was?) when he slipped in between his sheets and closed his
eyes, readying for a night's peaceful sleep.
It wasn't until someone cupped him and whispered the body-binding spell into his ear that he realized
that he wasn't alone in his bed of black silk.
"Who is it?" Snape cried out in a voice squeaky from fear, terrified as the female, unidentifiable in the
darkness, began to pull down his boxers. "Unhand me you vile rogue!"
The girl leaned and whispered into his ear:
""I'll make love to you
Like you want me to
And I'll hold you tight
Sevvie all through the night
I 'll make love to you
When you want me to
And I will not let go
Till you tell me to
Sevvie relax, let's go slow
I ain't got nowhere to go
I'm just gonna concentrate on you
Sevvie are you ready, it's gonna be a long night
Throw your clothes on the floor
I'm gonna take my clothes off too
I made plans to be with you
Sevvie whatever you ask me you know I'll do"
"Miss Patil?" Snape cried out in horror as the beautiful naked Indian Ravenclaw straddled him. When
her mother and the Board of Parents found out about this…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Chapter 16 (Memories and Forgiveness)

Professor Snape was still missing.
Holding Deacon to her breast, Hermione looked down at the beautiful son she had with the man she
was sure she'd loved, but felt too angry at for his deception to talk to. Deacon's coloring was all his
father. His hair was an impossibly white blonde, like his pale skin, and his eyes were the same Malfoy
silver.
You're going to kill the ladies when you hit puberty.
Deacon gurgled in apparent agreement and held onto her finger, sucking it contentedly, never realizing
that his godfather had been absent from classes for three days now.
Of course, the fact that Padma Patil was also missing, and considering how apart Snape's quarters was
from the rest of the castle and how air-locked it was, Hermione had a good idea as to why her professor
was missing. She'd shared her suspicions with Dumbledore, who'd nearly choked on his lemon drop.
With the Marauders Map, Harry and Ron had confirmed that Snape and Padma were in his room, both
dots almost perfectly aligned—giving everyone a good idea of what exactly was happening down there.
The Headmaster and the other professors had gone to Professor Snape's rooms to try and save him, but
no spell they could use allowed them to open the door, Floo in through the chimney, or Aparate inside.
Dumbledore then turned innocent eyes on Draco, Harry, Ron and Blaise and announced vaguely how
maybe the door would give way to brute force. Of course, the boys were disgruntled at the term 'brute
force' but tried their best to knock the door down, but Snape had always had his things reinforced
magically so no one could come into his room and kill him while he was asleep, so all the boys got for
their efforts were bruised (and in some cases dislocated) shoulders and points taken from their houses
for the four-letter words that escaped their lips from the pain.
Getting desperate, the Headmaster had decided to use the floo channel to at least get a good look of
what was going on inside and what they were up against. When he'd returned he'd been sucking his
thumb, quite pale, muttering things no one else understood, and saying that never again would he do
that.
"We're going to have to contact Miss Patil's mother and let her know of the situation." McGonagall told
the Headmaster, who was still shivering from his experience in the floo channel.
Bouncing Deacon up and down against her shoulder, Hermione frowned at her professors. "But you
can't do that! Padma's mum is on the Board of Parents!"
She didn't know if the fact that she'd had a baby gave her the air of being a grown-up, but lately the
professors were listening more to her, and the students as well. "No, what we need to do is get some of
the antidote into Severus' room. He obviously walked to his room before the antidote could get there—
and his room is always locked tight—once the door was closed there was no way of the antidote
reaching Padma."
"We have to tell Mrs. Patil of what is going on." McGonagall told Hermione. "Its school policy and Miss
Patil is under our protection."
Blaise smirked and leaned towards Harry, whispering: "The only one under anything is Snape."
Harry bit down on his bottom lip to keep from guffawing with laughter.
Ever since they'd teamed up to save Hermione, the four boys had developed a friendship of sorts…
except Draco and Harry, who'd developed a weak tolerance of each other.
"Harry please!" Hermione snapped, bouncing Deacon so rapidly his curls bobbed and the baby looked
relatively sick. "This is something serious! Our professor is being held against his will by a sex-crazed
student who wouldn't be doing this if she weren't under the potion's control!"
"Yeah Potter." Draco echoed, rescuing his child from Hermione's rage-filled, nervous bounces.
Deacon practically shrieked in relief when Draco held him still in his arms.
"Oi, Malfoy." Ron sneered. "You'd do anything and agree to anything she says to make Hermione talk to
you again."
Draco glared murderously at Ron.
Hermione rolled her eyes, but all the while wondering if that was true. Did her ignoring him since she'd
discovered the truth hurt Draco? Made him desperate to get on her good side again, as Ron was
claiming?
Interesting.
"Yes Potter." Blaise tuned to Harry, as if he himself hadn't been the one to start all of this with his
comments. "It's got to be a traumatizing moment for Professor Snape…Losing one's virginity in such a
way." He tsked, shaking his head at the 'horror' of it all.
Harry and Ron couldn't keep their laughter at bay.
The ends of Draco's lips twitched suspiciously, but one reproachful look from Hermione and they were a
hard line once more.
" Well, we might just have to wait out the potion's effects." The Headmaster announced slowly.
"But the potions lasts a week!" Hermione shrieked.
"Look at the bright side Granger." Blaise announced, causing her to raise an eyebrow at him. "He's
already used up three of the five days."
"That's not a 'bright side', Zabini." She replied haughtily. "He has two more days of constant—that!"
"I don't know about constant." Harry ventured, still trying to keep in his laughter and failing. "According
to Dobby, Padma has House Elves bringing them food. So they must at least have an hour's rest before
she starts again."
Her eyebrow had raised higher. "And this is supposed to relieve my anxious tension how?"
"Why don't you just order a House Elf to get them out of there?" Draco wanted to know.
Hermione twirled on him. "House Elves are not slaves to be ordered around! They just have to learn to
stand up for themselves and if they'd just accepted the clothes I'd knitted for them and made sure they
were paid for their work-." She paused, eyes wide.
Despite the fact that she'd been shouting at him, Draco's face was bright with his amazed smile. "You're
beginning to remember!"
She paused, blinking. "But-but that's supposed to be impossible! Madam Pomfrey said that due to the
complexity and quantities of the spells cast on me, natural memory recovery was impossible!"
"But you remembered." Draco took a step towards her. "You remembered spew."
Her eyes narrowed. "It's S.P.E.W.! Not SPEW! What is it with everyone that they can't-?" She paused,
mouth falling open.
Draco's grin was that of a mad man. "See! You're remembering!"
She looked up at Draco in awe. "You—you called it spew on purpose, didn't you? You did it to jog my
memories."
He nodded, glad that she was finally speaking to him, and that her memories were returning to her,
even if they were memories that didn't have anything to do with him—for now.
Clearing his throat nervously, Draco held Deacon with one hand and with the other he gently pulled a
curl out of Hermione's face and behind her ear. "I always knew you'd remember on your own. You're
not the smartest witch ever for nothing you know."
No one noticed Dumbledore's eyes twinkling merrily as he got over the horrors of what he'd witnessed
in Snape's room by watching love beginning to work true magic.
They didn't notice Professor McGonagall heading to write a letter to Mrs. Patil to let her know of what
was happening, the Transfigurations professor pep-talking herself the whole way.
Ron frowned, but was resigned to the fact that his best friend was going to end up with a git like Malfoy
—for Deacon's sake he could accept that fact and be a man about it.
Harry's features hardened slightly at the adoration in Draco and Hermione's eyes as they smiled timidly
at each other, but when Deacon cooed happily between his mother and father, Harry sighed and looked
away.
"Not that I don't like ruining this moment." Blaise smirked, causing Hermione and Draco to jerk and look
away from each other, blushes covering their cheeks. "But what are we going to do about Professor
Snape? Do we leave him to the horrors of constant sex with a willing, beautiful younger woman?" His
smirk grew larger at the look Hermione sent his way. "Or do we try another rescue-attempt?"
"I say we leave him." Ron volunteered. "Maybe with the endless shagging when he reemerges he won't
have such a big stick up his arse as he usually does." The redhead announced flippantly. "Everyone
always said that he needed to get laid."
"Oi, Weasley!" Draco growled. "Watch your language! You're in front of my kid!"
"Thought he was your nephew a couple of days ago." Ron shot back, using a freakily Slytherin smirk. He
was definitely spending too much time with Draco and Blaise.
Draco growled, but it became a choked whimper when Hermione placed a comforting hand on his. He
gulped and smiled timidly at her, blush showing up as a harsh red against his pale skin.
"Let it go." Hermione whispered, blush having returned as well. "I understand why you did it, and while
I'm not happy about it, I've forgiven you because you did it trying to help me."
Draco gulped. "Thank you Mione."
She smiled back, ducking her gaze and taking her hand from his.
"That settles it then." Dumbledore announced, never revealing what had settled things in his mind.
"Severus has endured hours of Crucio, I'm sure that he can withstand two more days."
"But Headmaster!" Hermione cried out in disagreement.
Blaise leaned in towards Ron. "Thinking in context, Head-master-doesn't that sound kinky to you?"
Ron snickered.
"Miss Granger." Dumbledore replied. "I am going to have a castle filled with angry, irate parents in less
than it takes to Aparate outside Hogwarts. I don't have time to deal with this. Severus will just have to
wait out the potion with Miss Patil's-ermm—-company."
"That's not the only thing of Padma's he's having." Blaise hissed, and his two listeners, Harry and Ron,
nearly choked on their laughter.
Dumbledore, eyes twinkling in Blaise's direction, nodded to them and went on his merry way, searching
for another lemon drop in his robes.

Chapter 17 (Misfortune, Thy Name is Severus Snape)

Two days passed, and Hogwarts was now boarding the anxious members of the Board of Parents,
namely, mister and missus Patil. At first everything was confusion and chaos (Lucius Malfoy confused to
find out that Hermione was still alive—and quite elated to see his little grandson…and he'd reacted quite
badly and hurt at the fact that the Dark Lord would do something like that to him), but after the
situation was explained, and Dumbledore made everyone peep in through the floo channel, Snape was
exonerated of all fault and pitied quite openly.
Snape's paranoia ended up being his own downfall, because he'd protected his room against the House
Elves' magic. They couldn't do magic in his room (other than bringing food) so an Elf bringing him out or
taking the antidote to the room was out of the question.
All everyone could do was wait for the potion to finally wear off of Padma Patil, and she hopefully let
Snape free.
The Patils couldn't believe what they'd seen while peeping into Snape's room through the floo channel,
and were constantly blaming the other's side of the family for Padma's wanton ways. Parvati was
currently sulking in the corner, saying how unfair it was that her twin was the one who got to do all
those things to the professor who'd been every girl's secret fantasy.
Hermione would have laughed if the whole thing wasn't so horrible, and plus, seeing the look on Harry's
face as he watched Lavender and Ron talking together was painful. Due to the fact that Snape was
unavailable, McGonagall had taken over his classes and the Life Simulator, and she was giving everyone
an easier time—especially since Christmas was right around the corner.
Sitting next to Harry, Hermione sighed as he looked at Scarlet Lily (who'd finally gotten healthy enough
to be let out of the Hospital Wing) and Jasmine Roe playing together, as Ron and Lavender smiled at
each other, catching up on their lives. Anyone could see that despite Ron's attraction to a now sad
looking Parkinson, his heart still belonged to his Gryffindor girlfriend, whose affections for him had never
wavered throughout the whole program.
"So, we've just finished talking to the Headmaster." Draco announced as he came towards them, sitting
down on the Gryffindor table with Blaise, who had Deacon in his arms. The baby was currently chewing
on his necktie.
"What did he have to say?" Harry asked, turning to them.
"It would seem that we've turned rogue." Blaise replied melodramatically, despite the seriousness in his
and Draco's eyes. "Word that Draco and I helped kidnap Granger from the Dark Lord reached his ears.
According to another spy Dumbledore has in the Dark Lord's army, there's a reward on our heads."
Hermione gasped, going pale.
Harry frowned. "What is Dumbledore going to do about it? Voldemort will most probably attack while
you're out for Yule, it's when you'll be at a disadvantage. Both of you have Death Eater parents."
"Yes, thank you for stating the obvious as always Potter." Draco snorted, rolling his eyes in derision.
Harry narrowed his eyes at Draco.
Blaise stepped in. Between him and Hermione, they tried keeping the peace between their best friends.
"Dumbledore thought that over and that was why we were called in."
Draco groaned, obviously remembering what they'd been told.
Hermione raised and eyebrow. "It can't be that horrible."
"It's bloody terrible!" Draco assured her, placing a hesitant arm around the back of her hair and playing
with her curls. "He wants Blaise and I to spend the holidays with the WEASLEYS!"
Harry's eyes widened and he turned to Blaise.
Blaise nodded. "Dumbledore thinks that the Burrow will be the safest place for us to be, and since you,
Granger, Brown, Goyle and Parkinson will be there too he thinks we'll be safer in numbers."
"The Weasleys!" Draco cried out again in horror, as if that point hadn't already been made, which
earned him a slap in the back of his head by Hermione and Blaise.
Harry snickered.
Draco sent him a death glare.
Harry suddenly frowned. "Wait a second—you said that Goyle and PARKSINON will be staying over at
the Burrow as well?"
Blaise nodded patiently, turning from a glowering Draco to a curious Harry. "Goylette apparently has
owled her mother so much about Goyle—and they still have those twin babies of theirs to take care of—
so Mrs. Weasley invited Goyle for Yule. And Parkinson was invited by Weasley and Brown, since Jasmine
should spend the Yule with both parents as well."
"Wow." Hermione announced. "That's a lot of people."
"And that's not counting the countless Weasleys themselves!" Draco this time managed to duck
Hermione's slap.
Blaise and Harry shared snickers as the Slytherin boy bounced Deacon on his knee before telling the
baby. "Your father is so whipped it's pathetic."
Hearing a commotion, Hermione looked up to see professor McGonagall motioning for them to follow
her. The four teens stood and did, hurrying after the Transfigurations teacher as she left the Great Hall.
"What is it professor?" Hermione asked once they caught up with her.
"The potion should have lost all effect on Miss Patil by now." The tired looking professor replied. "We're
all waiting outside Professor Snape's room now for her to let him go and come out. It should be any
minute now."
Two hours later, they were still waiting.
"The potion should have worn off two hours ago!" Lucius Malfoy complained, obviously not happy to
have been kept waiting so long on his feet.
A couple of the others on the Board of Parents had conjured a table and were playing bridge while they
waited for something to happen.
"This is all your fault." Mrs. Patil was telling her husband. "I knew your sister was a bad influence on my
girls!"
"You leave Ishtar out of this!" Mr. Patil cried, defending the honor of his sister.
Draco, having sensed how tired Hermione was, had showed Gryffindor courage by battling his sudden
timidity while around the mother of his child, and placed his arm around her shoulders, drawing her
towards him from where they sat on the ground.
Hermione hadn't stopped blushing since that moment.
Blaise and Harry had been joined by Ron, the three of them keeping themselves from being bored by
telling Deacon (who was quite happy with all the attention on him) every embarrassing thing they could
remember about Draco—thankfully for them the blonde was so out of tune with anything that wasn't
Hermione he didn't hear them.
Finally, two more hours later, the silencing spell on the room was lifted, and they could hear movement
from within. There were some thuds, a couple of curse words, and then the door opened to reveal a
frazzled Padma Patil, her clothes a wrinkled mess, her hair standing on end, her makeup disastrous and
her lips bruised from…well…yeah…
"Padma Patil!" Mr. Patil cried out while his wife hurried to hug her daughter.
Parvati was still sulking in the corner.
Hermione and the others stood rapidly and watched the drama unfold as Dumbledore entered and
released Snape from the body-binding spell. He reappeared with Snape (who had his black satin sheets
wrapped around him). The Potions Master looked paler than before, and as if he'd lost a good twenty
pounds—then again, maybe he had.
The Potions Master was trying his best to not look at anyone, and Hermione felt sorry for him. He tensed
as Mrs. Patil left her daughter's side and went towards him. Snape closed his eyes tightly and his body
went as stiff as a board, obviously waiting for the attack.
He nearly squealed when the chubby Indian woman threw her arms around him and hugged him.
"Welcome to the family, son-in-law!"
Snape looked like he was going to be sick.
Padma's terrified look changed to an elated expression, her large smile blinding.
Mr. Patil sent a death glare in the horrified Potion's teacher's direction, letting him know of what would
happen to him if he protested.
Parvati broke down crying and ran away, crying about injustice and favoritism.
Crises averted, Draco took his son from Blaise and ushered Hermione to the Dorms they shared. He had
to write a letter to the Grangers letting them know that eve though Hermione was back, she wasn't safe,
and for her own safety their plans for spending Yule with them would have to be canceled.
Lucius Malfoy was confused.
As he sat alone in Malfoy Manor, annoyance began to take over. He wasn't supposed to be alone this
Yule season. Sure, it was still some days till Yule itself, but that didn't matter. He was alone…that was
what mattered.
He'd finally gotten rid of his wife—and was arranging a quick divorce from the mudblood whore, but he
was supposed to have Hermione Granger, his grandchild, her parents and even his son there with him.
He wasn't supposed to be alone.
And why was he alone?
He was alone because the Dark Lord had lied to him. The man he'd served willingly for so many years
had betrayed him. And why? That was something Lucius couldn't understand. Why would the Dark Lord
lie to Lucius about Hermione? Why say that he didn't know anything about her when he'd had her
kidnapped himself?
It didn't make any sense!
Along with Severus he was supposed to be the Dark Lord' right hand man!
And instead, he'd let BELLATRIX BLACK in on the secret and not him!
Lucius frowned.
This was giving him a lot to think about.
Mary Granger sighed as she looked at the Christmas decorations and once more read the letter Draco
had sent them. He'd kept into contact with them throughout the whole time everyone thought
Hermione was dead, and Mary knew without a doubt that this boy truly loved her daughter. He'd
brought Hermione back, and explained in his letters how Hermione had lost her memories and didn't
feel comfortable writing to them until she could remember who she was writing to.
Mr. & Mrs. Granger,
I'm sorry to have to write this, but we will have to cancel our trip to Muggle London for Yule. Word of
Hermione being at Hogwarts has reached the Dark Lord and our Headmaster is sure that not only my
comrades and I can expect retribution for rescuing Hermione—but that the Dark Lord has plans on
trying to take her back.
Headmaster Dumbledore doesn't believe that you are in danger since it is obvious that Hermione isn't
there, yet the Ministry has placed some Aurors to watch you just in case the Dark Lord tries to do
something. You are more than safe with the Aurors watching over you.
I cannot write WHERE Hermione, Deacon and I will be spending our Yule incase this owl is intercepted,
but please know that we are fine and once we are in Hogwarts once more after the Yuletime
vacations, we will get into contact with you to let you know how things are.
Please find enclosed a picture I took of Deacon Scorpius Malfoy—my son and heir—and your
grandson. I believe that we shall take more over the holiday and once we return to Hogwarts we'll
send them to you via owl.
Sincerely yours,
Draco Malfoy
Of the First Houses of Malfoy and Black
Heir of Malfoy
Mary smiled at his constant reminders of his titles. He was obviously quite arrogant when he wanted to
be, but she'd grown to care for him deeply, as had Gerry, although her husband was more subdued than
she.
Arms went around her waist and Gerry placed his chin on her shoulder, looking at the moving picture of
their only grandchild. "He's the spitting image of his father."
"He's got the Malfoy hair." She agreed in a dreamy voice, thinking of the hair she'd coveted more then
once.
"But he's got Mia's nose." Gerry pointed out in awe as the picture continued moving, and the gorgeous
baby in it gurgled at something. "I can't believe the things in Mia's world. I mean, look at this picture."
"It's like looking at a movie." Mary added softly, sniffling. "I really wished they could have been here for
the holidays." She looked up at the chimney, where three stockings with the names Draco, Hermione
and Deacon cross-stitched on them hung.
"They'll be here next Christmas." Gerry soothed her as she began to cry. "You know they didn't come
because that psychopath is after her."
"But why?" Mary wanted to know. "Why is he after my little girl? When will I meet my grandson? What
if this monster isn't defeated soon Gerry? Mia will have to go into hiding indefinitely! I don't want to
lose my daughter!"
Gerry held her close as she cried, worry filling his chocolate eyes. His wife's fears too closely mirrored
the ones that kept him awake at night.
It was the first day of their Yule Holiday, and Hermione was helping Mrs. Weasley with the cooking. Little
things were triggering small memories, such as other times she'd helped Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen,
but she kept these revelations to herself. So far she'd remembered small bits of unimportant memories
—nothing of her friends or Draco—and until she did she was going to keep them to herself.
Hearing tapping on the glass, Hermione looked up to see a Hogwarts Owl at the window. Going to open
it, she smiled when she saw the letter addressed to her.
"Thank you." Taking the letter from the owl, she gave him a piece of a cookie she'd just taken out of the
oven. The owl hooted happily and flew off with the cookie in its beak.
Opening the letter, Hermione began to read the letter.
To Hermione Granger:
You are cordially invited (along with your young Mister Malfoy of course!) to witness the blessed
union of our daughter, Padma Patil, and Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry, which shall take place in Hogwarts on Valentine's Day.
Hermione choked on the piece of cookie she'd been eating. She'd overheard Mrs. Patil calling Snape
son-in-law, but she hadn't really expected them to be able to hogtie Snape into actually going through
with it!
Please R.S.V.P. immediately.
The Patils
Soon owls began appearing at the window with similar letters for Ginny and the others, inviting them to
what would seem to be the first wedding ever to be held at Hogwarts. And if Mrs. Patil had anything to
say about it—the most lavish to be seen in the Wizarding World.
Hermione couldn't help but giggle as she thought of Snape with his hair gelled back and wearing a
tuxedo.
Molly Weasley was in her element with so many babies in the Burrow. She'd taken to them as if they
were truly her grandchildren, and placed them in one of the larger rooms. She'd surprisingly taken to
Pansy, who blushed at the many compliments she lavished on her, and was beginning to open up to
both Molly and Lavender—who'd tried her best to make friends with Pansy.
Draco hadn't been too happy when he discovered that he'd be sharing a room with Potter, Goyle, Blaise
and Ron, nor was he happy knowing that Hermione was sharing a room with Goylette, Parkinson and
Brown. According to the blonde Hermione and himself should have been allowed to share a room with
their son, but since they weren't married (or even dating officially for that matter) Molly Weasley
wouldn't hear of it.
He'd kept his peace during the Wealseys' celebrations, even finding himself amused at Goylette and
Goyle trying to handle their boisterous twins, which had inherited their mother's endless energy and
father's large size—unfortunately for the parents.
Goyle had surprisingly enough, endeared himself to both Mrs. And Mr. Weasley, and it would seem—
he'd endeared himself to Goylette as well, who kept staring at him whenever he wasn't drooling over
her—which wasn't often.
Ron and Brown spent most of the time together, smiling and giggling at each other. They'd 'accidentally'
found themselves under the mistletoe more than once, and had made good use of it. It wasn't even Yule
yet and they had already use up every sprig of mistletoe in the house.
Draco found it all disgustingly Hufflepuff of them.
The Weasleys twins were probably the only truly entertaining thing. They played pranks on anyone and
kept things from being boring.
Another interesting development occurred when Charlie Weasley finally arrived. He was the last of the
Weasley clan to appear at the Burrow, and while at first Draco had sneered at the fact that another
'carrot top' had appeared—when the newest redhead was constantly in the vicinity of one oblivious
Pansy Parkinson—well—that proved quite interesting.
"I invited Luna over for Yule." Goylette was telling Hermione. "She didn't know if she could come though
—something about Yule being the best time to spot the Clanderick and that her father and her were
planning on going hunting for one."
"A Clanderick?" Hermione made a face. "What the devil is that?"
Goylette shrugged. The redhead was busy talking with Hermione, while Goyle was sitting with both
Greggie and Georgiana, their twins, who were throwing spoonfuls of food at their poor father.
Fingering the letter in his pocket, Draco was momentarily distracted. He couldn't help but smirk at the
thought of his godfather (and the godfather of his son) getting married to none other than Padma Patil.
Then again, the thought of Snape marrying, period, was enough to convert even the greatest of
unbelievers.
The blonde could just imagine Snape sweating profusely, trying not to be sick, while sitting on Mrs.
Patil's famous frilly pink sofa, going over the guest lists and what they should serve at the reception. And
what should be their song?
Draco snorted.
And he'd been asked to be his best man.
Then again, in the short note Snape had sent him via owl he'd ordered Draco be the best man. His exact
words had been 'If I must suffer through this tragedy, so must you'.
"Potter, if you are our savior, we shall perish horribly." Blaise snickered as he beat Potter—once again—
at Wizard Chess, breaking into Draco's thoughts. Honestly, the 'Savior' of the Wizarding World sucked at
Wizard Chess.
"Stuff it Zabini." Potter growled, looking over the chessboard as if trying to find some cheating technique
the Slytherin could be using. Finding none, he took in a deep breath before announcing: "I challenge you
to a game of checkers!"
"Potter, really, I don't want to humiliate you more than you already are." Blaise shook his head, Slytherin
smirk in place.
"I will so beat your arse and make you eat those words." Potter promised.
Blaise snorted in disbelief. "Care to put your money where your mouth is?"
Potter hesitated a moment before nodding. "Sure. I bet two galleons that I will beat you at checkers."
"Two galleons?" Blaise sneered. "Potter, your lack of faith in yourself astounds me."
That caused the Gryffindor to glare. "Alright then, ten galleons."
"Ten? Better." Blaise's smirk grew. "I'll consider it your Yule gift to me."
"Don't be so smug Zabini!" Potter growled. "I am not losing!"
Potter lost.
Twice.
"Wanna change the game again?" Blaise offered, fingering his winnings gloatingly.
"How about dominoes?" Hermione asked, seeing her friend in distress.
"Dominoes?" Blaise asked, raising an eyebrow in question at her. "What's that?"
"I'm in." Draco frowned and stood up. He didn't know what 'dominoes' was, but if Hermione was playing
—and Blaise would start with the betting again—he was playing too. Knowing Blaise, who was the sole
heir to the large Zabini fortune, money wouldn't hold his interest for long and he'd begin issuing other
kind of bets…and that was something Draco wouldn't miss out on.