Disclaimer is in the summary, but in case you missed it, The loverly J.K Rowling owns the characters in this story (Well, most of them) and I am most definitely not getting paid for this. I wish I was, but wishes don't always come true. Leave a review, lovelies. I hope you like my story.

"Just one more push, honey; just one more."

There was a loud scream, multiple laboured pants and then the sound of a baby crying.

"It's a girl," the nurse said, and then there was the sound of a woman's happy gasp and joyful tears, which quickly turned to saddened weeps.

"Is there anyone you'd like to call, dear?" another nurse asked, handing what she assumed was a happily sobbing woman her baby. "Any family you need to inform?"

"No," she replied, gently running a thumb across the cheek of her daughter's face as she cried. I'll never regret this. "My family is right here."

Three years later, Hermione Granger sat on the floor of her flat, surrounded by torn envelopes and letters from places she'd applied for a job, all of which were scribbled on with her somewhat-messy handwriting, and various pictures in red crayon.

"Mummy! I hungy!" her daughter screeched from beside her.

"I know, Lissy, I know… just give me a minute," Hermione replied, crossing another job off her list of possible choices. She currently had three 'see us for an interview's, and five 'no's.

"Mummy! Wants food now!" the younger Granger slammed her three-year-old fist down on the ground, then proceeded to pick up a blue crayon from beside her and draw multiple scribbles on a letter from the Ministry of Magic.

"Felicity Bella Granger," her mother scolded. "What have I told you about drawing on my letters?"

"But I hungy, mummy… I needs food now," Felicity argued cutely, pouting.

Hermione sighed. "Alright," she said. Her daughter promptly stood and ran to the door of the kitchen as fast as her little legs would take her. "But then you sleep!" Her mother called after her as she stood to follow her.

As she cooked scrambled eggs for her three year old, Hermione noticed a small dot coming towards her, and she opened the window quickly as a large grey owl came into view, dropping a large stack of paper on the bench beside her. After checking that no muggles had seen – as she lived in a muggle neighbourhood, this was always a possibility – she handed the owl a treat and smiled as it flew off into the distance.

"Mail! Mail! We has mail!" her daughter squealed excitedly from her high-chair, bouncing up and down with a large grin on her face.

"Calm down, Lissy," Hermione chuckled, placing a small bowl of eggs in front of her. "Eat your lunch."

"Nummy! Eggs!" Felicity squealed, seeming to have forgotten the mail, which Hermione picked up from the bench, moving to sit at the table beside her daughter.

Among at least seven more what were probably rejection letters for the young mother, Hermione noticed a small piece of paper with very elegant writing on it. She pulled it from within the pile and looked it over. It read:

Malfoy Magical Children's Childcare Centre

We are happy to offer our services to whoever requires them.

Boarding is available, for a small fee, for those who are unable to travel daily to our area, or who require it; otherwise, there is the option of simple day-care.

The children will be cared for by none other than me, the lady of the house, Narcissa Malfoy, and I will be assisted by multiple trained witches and wizards, along with the family house-elves – all of which have been freed, and are now working as paid employees for the family.

If you wish your child to attend, do not hesitate to send a reply to the Manor, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

We are terribly sorry for our actions in the past, and we hope that we will be forgiven one day.

"They really must have been through a lot to go into the child-care business, hey, Lissy?" Hermione laughed, reaching over to read the Daily Prophet that sat on her table.

Her daughter just gave her a quizzical look before turning back to her eggs, which she promptly shovelled into her tiny mouth. Hermione just laughed again.

"Mummy... what's chile-car?" Felicity asked after a minute, finally finished with her eggs. Hermione stood up, taking their plates over to the sink and washing them the muggle way.

"Child care, honey," she said. "That's where mummies and daddies take their babies while they work. Someone else looks after them, and then the mummy and daddy come to pick them up and take them home." Hermione tried to explain it in terms her three-year-old would understand, but she knew she didn't have to try hard – her daughter was intelligent for her age.

"My go chile-car, mummy?"

"If mummy gets a job, maybe," Hermione replied. "Do you want to go to-" she was cut off when a large black owl flew in through the still-open window and landed on the bench. "Two owls in one day," she murmured, pouring herself and her daughter a drink of juice each. "I'm popular."

She swiftly untied the note from the owl's leg, fed it a small treat for its trouble, and when it didn't fly away, she made a noise in confusion and walked to the next room to grab a quill, because the sender obviously wanted an immediate reply.

She walked back into the kitchen, rubbing the top of her daughter's head – which caused her daughter to giggle – and placing her juice in front of her before taking a seat at the table. She opened the envelope, addressed to no one but 'Granger' and she promptly spat out her drink as she read it.

Granger,

Long time; no see; I hope things are well. Mother has heard from one of her 'sources' that you're back in England and have got yourself a child, and she was hoping that you'd stop by the Manor to talk about her child-care program. She's also strangely eager to meet your child. It would be appreciated if you could send a reply with Deacon as soon as possible – he's been instructed not to leave until you do – and let me know if and when you're going to meet up with her. Any time that suits you would suit her, so long as it's within reasonable visiting times for normal human beings. Again, she is incredibly eager to meet your child – please, do inform me beforehand if it's a girl or a boy, referring to it as 'your child' isn't ideal – and she hopes that you will consider taking up her offer of a month's care, free of charge, while you settle down and find a job. (This is where she spat out her drink) I advise against saying no, as my mother is a persistent woman, and she will eventually come to you. Once again, I hope things are well.

Malfoy

P.S. I'll have you know that my mother has been standing over my shoulder as I write this, and she sends her regards. Try not to keep her waiting, Granger. She's trying hard to get on your good side.

"He's absolutely bonkers!" Hermione exclaimed, wiping the juice from the table as her daughter laughed. "He expects me to write to him! And to see his mother! Ugh! He's infuriated me without even seeing me face to face! The nerve of that man!"

"Mummy?" Felicity asked, curious at her mother's outburst.

"Yes honey?"

"My wanna go chile-car."

Hermione stared at her daughter for a minute, attempting to calm herself, before she smiled. "Alright honey, I'll see what I can do."

Her daughter squealed in excitement and began jumping in her seat, grinning like she was the happiest girl alive. Hermione laughed.

"How would you feel about meeting the child care lady, Lissy?" she asked.

Her daughter's only answer was to squeal even louder, her grin widening.

The young mother picked up her quill and a piece of parchment from beside her and promptly wrote a reply to her childhood rival.

Malfoy,

So glad to hear from you; it has been a while, hasn't it? Not that I'm protesting, Hermione thought with a smirk. I hope things with you are well. My daughter is as eager to meet your mother as your mother appears to be to meet her, so I'm taking that as a good sign. I am free at any time, as I have absolutely nothing, aside from Felicity, to entertain me while I search for a job. Perhaps meeting her for lunch tomorrow would be appropriate? I do hope that that is 'within reasonable visiting times for normal human beings' and if not, please, do enlighten me as to what is. If you or your mother could let me know when and where she would like to meet me, I'd be happy to discuss with her the details of the free services she is offering. I hope to hear from you soon.

Hermione

P.S. Since my mother isn't looking over my shoulder as I write this, and my daughter is dangerously close to spitting her juice all over me and this parchment, I would like to inform you that, while your letter came as a surprise to me, the way you addressed me shocked me more. You still presume I am a Granger? How oddly forward of you. I also hope that you let your mother know that she does not have to try as hard to get on my good side as you would, were you in the same position.

She fed the owl – Deacon – another treat, tied the letter to his leg, closed the window, picked up her daughter – who'd fallen asleep in her chair – and took her to her crib, then she resumed her place on her floor, sorting through her multiple rejection letters.

A/n: Okay, I know you guys are gonna start freaking out over the OOC-ness in the next couple of chapters - which I hope to upload eventually, depending on the feedback and stuff - but there's a kid. She's going to influence the way they act and stuff, it's only natural. I also don't want heaps of... stuff about the three-year-old talk. I'm not three, so I don't know how they speak, and I'm writing it the way that I think she would talk because I'm all for character-building by voice. By the way, when Lissy says 'chile-car' she's not saying it like 'chilly car', she's saying it like it looks like... chiyall car or something. XD Anyway, writing this to let you know this is the first multi-chapter fan-fic I've written, and I'd appreciate not being judged too harshly, if you can help it. The title is only kind of temporary, but it will stay like that until I can think of a better one... if I think of a better one, that is.

I also realise that I didn't describe what Felicity looks like too much (at all, I think), but... that's all a surprise. JUST WAIT FOR THE REST OF THE STORY. XD

I also don't presume to know how prestigious rich magical people write child-care ad/brochure/flyer things, I'm a total noob at that.

Do me a favour and review... I have to figure out how that whole thing works some time!

~Originalitys