"Mummy? How did you and Daddy fall in love?" A tiny, blonde child enquired from the folds of her mother's burgundy robes.

"Why do you ask, honey?" Hermione replied, ruffling her child's hair affectionately as she leant down to kiss her forehead.

"'ncle Ron was talking about Daddy being mean in school," Rose whispered conspiratorially, clearly sharing something that she had found out illicitly. "How can you love someone whose mean mummy?"

Hermione sighed, once again exasperated by Ron's ineptness and the obvious confusion it had caused her young daughter. Even though Rose had undoubtedly been spying on Harry and Ron while they babysat the children, she would have to speak to him about what was and was not appropriate to discuss in the vicinity of her young, impressionable, resourceful daughter. She starred down at Rose's curious, blue eyes and saw only the innocence that had been denied both of her parents. If Hermione had anything to do with it, her innocence would remain intact for many years to come.

Cautiously, she asked, "what did Uncle Ron say?"

"That Daddy was a bully and that he was mean to you," Rose replied hurriedly. "And-and…"

"It's okay Rose. What did he say?"

"He still did not understand how you can k-kiss him." The words left her lips in one hurried exclamation, which belied her relatively calm appearance.

Hermione chuckled as she hugged her daughter to her side. She was instantly very grateful that Ron had not been discussing anything more horrifying about Draco or the Malfoy family, because even though Rose was slightly upset by Ron's words, it was nothing in comparison to what he could have divulged. Nevertheless, she answered her daughter carefully. "It's true. Daddy was not always very nice to mummy in school and once mummy even hit him for being mean to her." Rose gasped, shocked by the sudden revelation. "However, sometimes we're mean to the people we really like."

Rose shook her head in disbelief.

"Now Rose," Hermione admonished. "You are not always very nice to Albus yet you love him just as much as James and Lily."

Stubbornly, Rose shook her head, refusing to acknowledge the truth of Hermione's words. "He stole my doll. I hate him."

Hermione laughed, sweeping her daughter into her arms and dancing with her. "Some days I hated your father too, but then he did something very brave and I fell in love with him."

"What did he do?" Rose asked laughingly as she bounced around in Hermione's arms.

"He stood up to your Grandfather and saved mummy's life," Hermione replied honestly.

"Grandfather Luc-ius?" Rose asked quietly.

"Yes," Hermione replied, waiting for Rose to process all the information she had been given. After all, it was quite a lot for such a small child to understand.

"Daddy must be very brave," Rose finally said. "Grandfather Luc-ius can be very scary."

"He was very brave and that's why mummy fell in love with him," Hermione stated, reassuring her daughter of her father's goodness even as she simplified the truth of how she fell in love with Draco.

"Mummy?" Rose enquired, tugging on the arm of Hermione's robe in order to get her attention.

"Yes love?"

"I'm going to marry Albus one day," Rose replied solemnly. "If you and Daddy can stop hating each other and fall in love, so will me and Albus!"

"Albus and I, dear." Hermione corrected softly. Smiling mischievously to herself, Hermione couldn't help but imagine Draco's face when he found out that his beloved daughter had set her heart on marrying a Potter. She really hoped she was there when he found out, because the expression on his face would be priceless.

"Albus and I," Rose repeated. "Do you think Daddy will be happy when I marry Albus?"

"I think he'll be absolutely speechless," Hermione smirked.