A/N - Another HG/DM fic.. lol! This is basically just like an introduction, not alot happens really but the story wouldn't work without it. I hope you like it...

Disclaimer - Hermione and Draco do not belong to me, nor anything else mentioned in the Harry Potter Book however Ella and the plot belong to me.

Défunt - Chapter 1

Hermione Granger walked silently down the damp, water strewn streets off Cranberg Row. It was a dark damp day and matched her mood perfectly. She was worried and miserable. Her husband, who was working for the order, had been becoming more and more distant with her as time progressed. He hadn't always been like that, she remembered his promise but it had gradually faded into nothingness and this caused her great sorrow.

It had been a warm sunny day, and Hermione had set herself on a bench overlooking the lake. That spot had been her favourite; she would sit there for hour after hour watching the water gently rippling in the light breeze, with the large oak tree that sat just behind her, she loved this oak tree, she admired the way it always seemed to have leaves upon its branches even in the middle of winter.

She had sat on that bench for hours, just thinking about him. They had been a couple for a month now, of course Harry hadn't been happy when she told him, nor Ron, but they seemed to be coping better now. She had been so happy lately, since she'd found a new part of life, love.

She was deep into her thoughts when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She turned and saw the platinum blonde haired boy; that had been occupying so much of her time lately, Draco Malfoy.

"Oh, Hi" She said her face lighting up

"Hiya, what are you doing?" He said smiling at her pretty face that simply enlightened him.

"Oh, nothing, just thinking" She had said

He walked around the side of the bench and as if she might not want him too he asked "May I sit down"

"Of Course" She said. She didn't usually have company on her seat by the lake; she liked it best that way, but today proved to be an exception.

He had sat down and placed a loving arm around her shoulders. She smiled slightly as she looked into his eyes. He had made her life worth living, for before that she hadn't seen much point in her life, except from being the know-it-all figure that people new her for, and she loved him for helping her become who she now was.

"I love you so much" she had said "So much…"

He had smiled and placed a loving kiss onto her lips before looking up into her eyes.

"I love you too" He had whispered "I will tell you that everyday, Hermione, I promise"

Hermione could remember those words, they had meant so much to her, but his promise had been broken; it seemed his work had taken over, it seemed he had forgotten about her.

Hermione turned the corner and reached her destination. Just visible through the dark fog was a small blue building, the words "Little Blue Nursery" was painted in yellow paint above the door. It was a shabby kind of building, but it was all they could afford.

Hermione and Draco had a three year old daughter, Ella. Hermione had become pregnant during their last year at Hogwarts and had given birth a few weeks after graduation, to a beautiful blonde-haired-brown-eyed girl. Draco had been over the moon at his new daughter and Hermione and he had watched their daughter grow from baby to toddler. But now he seemed to be forgetting her, just like he forgot Hermione.

Hermione reached the wooden blue door and pushed it open with a creak. The nursery was painted a pale shade of blue, to match the outside. Scattered around the wooden floor were various muggle toys and bits of broken biscuit left behind by the few children that attended the nursery.

Hermione looked round and saw Ella running towards her, her pretty pink princess dress flowing out behind her along with a sheet of her blonde hair. Ella had claimed that dress her own the first time she arrived at the nursery. Ella had bitten anyone who even touched a thread of the beautiful gown and all the children had now learnt not to go near the thing, she definitely had her father's streak in her.

As Ella ran to Hermione she picked her up, wrapping her arms around her daughter. As Hermione hoisted her up onto her hip, Ella rested her pale face against Hermione's shoulder.

"Mummy" she whispered into Hermione's ear

"Hello" Said Hermione "Did you have a good time?"

Ella nodded bringing one of her small thumbs up to suck.

Hermione made to walk toward the reception desk where she would sign out, but she turned as she heard someone shout.

"Eda!" Hermione turned to face the speaker, and saw a little dark haired boy running towards her, his arms outstretched. As he reached Hermione, he dropped his arms and stood in front of her nervously. Hermione smiled weakly at the innocent creature that stood in front.

"Dan!" Said Ella excitedly, smiling at the boy, before turning to Hermione "Mummy I wan say bye"

"Ok then" Said Hermione smiling gently as she lifted her to the floor. Ella ran up to the boy arms outstretched in exactly the same way that Dan had just done. She reached him and wrapped her arms around him

"Bye Bye Dan" She said to him smiling

"Bye Bye Eda" He mimicked.

Ella marked a small kiss on his cheek before giggling and running back to Hermione, who was stood watching the scene her arms folded and a look of mild curiosity on her face.

"Who was that?" Asked Hermione again picking up Ella and lifting her to the usual spot on her hip.

"My fwend" She said smiling.

Hermione was sat on her maroon sofa, Ella asleep on her lap and TV remote in her hand, gently flicking through the various programs. Hermione sat quietly watching the old biddy on TV going on about how to clean a mirror. The program wasn't really interesting her, but she was in too much of a bad mood to do anything, Draco was once again still at work, he had left at 6am that morning without so much as a peck on the cheek goodbye.

Hermione glanced at the ancient grandfather clock on the wall opposite and saw the hands make "10.30". She sighed, she might as well go to bed now, there was no point staying up and waiting for Draco, he was sure to be hours yet.

Hermione put Ella to bed, undressed and then got into her double 4 poster bed. She pulled the covers up around her and let out a hearty sigh, he was late again.

A/N - Just incase you didn't understand the relevance from the tital "Défunt" to the actual story, Défunt mean late in french, or so I was told, but it made a nice first chapter name. I hope you liked that chapter, some of the things mentioned in it were not actually relevant to the story but I found they made the story more interesting, just so you dont get annoyed if the are not mentioned in later chapters. I havent really got the plot for this story sorted yet but I have a rough idea... Umm... expect the next chapter in around 5 days, I have school now :'( cries it sucks.