Disclaimer: All Harry Potter related characters, places and themes belong to J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury and Scholastic.
Chapter 2
Hermione was startled out of her demure when Mrs Weasley bustled into the kitchen, to prepare breakfast.
The week of mourning topped of with Hermione's appearance seemed to have brought back some of Mrs Weasley's former self and she busied herself in the kitchen, chasing Hermione and Harry out with their mugs of stale coffee.
Hermione laughed and climbed up the stairs two at a time entering her room. Retrieving the jumble of clothes from her bag, she managed to pull out a set of matching pencil skirt and jacket. Picking up a white top, she headed off to the shower, flouncing out ten minutes later, trailing the scent of green apples.
Smartly attired and donning a touch of make up, Hermione slipped her sunglasses onto her head, holding her mass of curls from her eyes. She then hurried down the stairs to the dinning room.
Mrs Weasley had certainly out done herself. Waffles and pancakes, along with platters of sausages, eggs and ham littered the table, with numerous jugs of orange juice surrounding them.
Hermione smiled for the first time since she had found out.
Over breakfast, Hermione was introduced to Kristen and Shawn, George's and Katie's two children. She also met Anthony and Claire, Fred and Alicia's children, along with Marie, Fleur's and Bill's daughter. Harry and Ginny's two boys were at summer camp, due to return home today but meanwhile, Hermione became acquainted with their only daughter, Lily.
Breakfast was a boisterous affair, and Molly and Arthur Weasley chaired over it with retired experience. Things only became out of hand when George and Fred brought out their latest invention, the rolling roll-up. And yes it was a sweet which transformed the taster into a rolling ball.
Chaos ensued when Anthony and Marie transformed into balls and rolled about the pancakes and syrup and when Fleur seeing her only child transformed into a ball became somewhat hysterical until Hermione successfully transfigured them back, and Bill delivered revenge in sneaking the sweets between the twins pancakes.
Hermione did not stay long enough to see the result, it was 9'o clock and she quickly bid her leave. Thanking Mrs Weasley for the meal, she promised Harry and Ginny that she would stay in touch and immediately agreed to dinner with them on further notice, she then headed up to her room, retrieved her small suitcase and apparated with it to the Weasley Willow.
She appeared in a study. Hermione did not recognise it, but a brief glance at its collection of Quidditch apparel and framed photographs allowed her to confirm that she had arrived at the right place.
The sound of one apparating met her ears and Hermione turned to meet her company. The silver eyes of Draco Malfoy met her. Her eyes widened and she immediately stepped away from him.
"Malfoy." She uttered in greeting, her training as a diplomat immediately kicked in and her voice cleverly disguising her internal emotions.
"Granger." He uttered monotonously his eyes taking in the young witch before him. If he was surprised by her appearance he did not let on to it.
Neither spoke and were simply content at eyeing the other. It was Hermione who finally averted her eyes and offered the genial comfort she was so known for yet Malfoy had never been at the receiving end of.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Pansy was your good friend."
Draco scoffed. The sincerity in her voice discomforted him and he was once more reminded of the disgustingly Gryffindor habit of attempting to love the world and everyone in it.
"More than you would ever know Granger, Weasley was just about the worse mistake she made."
Hermione let out a sharp growl. She would never have put it past Malfoy to insult the dead, yet hearing it aloud and about her best friend no less, could not help but let her re-visit the childhood hatred she held for the man before her.
"It's a disgusting habit to be jealous of the dead, Malfoy."
Malfoy stepped towards her, he had forgetten how infuriating the woman before him could be. Hermione did not flinch under his intimidating stature and instead stared back up at him with her unfaltering brown eyes.
"Ah Greetings Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger, glad to see that you are already acquainted, if you please" a small wizened man had appeared in the study and was now directing the two of them towards a pair of chairs.
The tension in the room immediately dissipated and Draco stepped away from Hermione and settled into a chair. Hermione took in a calming breathe before following suit.
Mr Wescott shot a narrow glance at the pair in front of him. Ms Granger, he noticed, was staring ahead her hands wringing themselves in her lap and her mouth troubling her lips. Pretty lips at that he noted, before shaking his head and reminding himself of the matter at hand.
"Before we begin, I shall need to do an identification spell."
Hermione and Draco both took out their wands and uttered the incantation, after which both their birth names appeared above their head. Both Draco and Mr. Wescott noted the unmarried status of Hermione. Draco with disregard and Mr Wescott with sudden excitement.
Miss Granger.."
"It's Hermione, please"
"Ah! Hermione, yes, Hermione, Mr. Weasley has left a letter to be handed to you."
Hermione smiled politely talking the letter from the lawyer's out-stretched hand.
Draco let out a soft scoff in disgust as he watched the blush appear on the aged lawyer's face as he uttered Hermione's name.
"Mr. Malfoy, if you please," Mr. Wescott then took out a large scroll of parchment, and slowly unrolled it, starting the tedious task of dividing the treasury.
Meanwhile Hermione's own fingers were unfolding the crumpled parchment, her eyes eagerly lapping up the familiar penmanship.
Dear Hermione,
I am not sure under what conditions this letter would find you, but it probably means that I am no longer around to tell you its contents myself.
Since we were young I am not sure if I ever told you, but I have always appreciated all the times you have helped Harry and I to get through our school work. Harry is a swarmy git if he has not told you how much you meant to us, and I admit that I myself share the blame. Countless times have you seen us, me through difficult times be it during school, the war or even now several years after the war.
But now that you are here, Hermione, I wish to entrust you with the only thing I care of in this world since seeing that if you have this letter then I am no longer capable of caring for her to my maximum capability.
I know that you will be the best person to look after Aria, Ginny and Harry have their own children to look after and Mum is not as young as she used to be, there is no other person I would trust Aria with other than you. I know how tied up you are with your work, but I know that Hermione, out of the three of us you were the least likely to get married. Before you scold me for having an emotional depth of a teaspoon, it's only because I know for a fact that there is no man out there who is good enough for our Hermione, hell we sure know for a fact that I certainly wasn't good enough.
Hermione, my greatest wish is for you to experience the joy a child can bring, and I will never forget the countless times I have seen that glowing smile on your face as you look upon any of the children. Hermione you are the only one I trust with Aria, and I am sure that I am leaving her in capable hands.
I am so glad that we saved you from that troll on the first week of school, if not I would have never have met the most bravest and brilliant woman in the world. I would have never have met Hermione Granger the brightest witch of the century and my best friend to boot.
I will always love you.
Best of Friends,
Ronald Billius Weasley"
Hermione was hardly ashamed of the tears that had so hurriedly slipped from her eyes and down her cheekbones as she read through the letter. Wiping her eyes she slowly folded the letter and slipped it into her jacket's pocket. Neither Malfoy nor Mr. Wescott noticed this and were just running through the last bits of the will.
"So, their treasury as been divided and sent to their respective parties and everything as been assigned; Mr Malfoy, you will oversee the estate until Ms. Aria comes of age 18. That will be all for today.."
Draco let out a soft breath and let his hands run through his hair. The property was manageable, large, but nothing he couldn't manage having overseen his own manor since the death of his father.
"Ah! But of course. Ms Granger and Mr. Malfoy I almost forgot. You have been named joint guardians of Aria."
Hermione looked up in surprise. "Pardon?" She had expected herself to be named as sole guardian of Aria, joint guardian was just queer given their relationship, she thought with a wryly. Draco's eyebrow raised slightly, his eyes narrowing as he took in the mumbling lawyer in front of him.
Mr Wescott smothered a smile as he pushed a parchment across the table. "It says here that Mr Malfoy and Ms Granger are to both oversee the welfare of their six year old daughter Aria."
"There must be a mistake. I do not think that this arrangement is in the best interest of Aria…"Hermione trailed off. Sure she was looking forward to having Aria, but the letter did not say anything about Malfoy being looped into the bargain.
"We have nothing in common" Hermione added with a note of finality. She knew this was true. Sure he had aided them somewhat in the war, that she would grudgingly admit, but other than that they held no other common views on any matter, even then, he's motives for his action then were in vast contrast to her own.
Draco smirked enjoying the pink tinge that appeared in Hermione's face, knowing that it was because of him and only him. How this witch always made it apparent the effect his presence had on her only made tormenting her more entertaining.
"On the contrary Granger, I believe we do have something in common." He drawled placidly glaring back into Hermione's flashing eyes.
"Do share." She questioned her annoyance apparent.
"Neither of us has or has ever had a boyfriend." Draco smirked as Hermione glared at him, her mouth set into a stern grim. She clenched and unclenched her hand in obvious irritation.
"Sir, this isn't a good idea." Hermione stated monotonously gesturing towards Draco who was leaning against the desk, the smirk drawn across his features. She trained her eyes on Mr Wescott.
"Mrs Weasley did say that if you were to decline then the parentage of Aria would fall to a Mr. Parkinson." He uttered slowly, shuffling through his papers.
Hermione shuddered. Pansy's brother was probably the last man who could be entrusted with a child, a young girl as well. She bit her lip her thoughts racing across her mind. It was the least she could do for Ron, she did owe him that much.
Slowly she took up the pen he offered and signed her name next to Malfoy's.
"Excellent. Aria will be arriving here shortly from a school camp Goodday!" With that Mr. Wescott gathered up the papers and apparated from the room, leaving Hermione and Draco behind.
Hermione sighed and collapsed back into the couch, her legs drawn under her as she assessed her new situation.
Draco looked on at the young witch in front of him. What was Pansy playing at he thought, sure she was mad at him two week ago when he started dating Monica, whom she deemed was the biggest slut on two legs. But surely she wasn't mad enough to do something like this to him. After all what did he know about bringing up children with Granger none the less.
"Funny, Weasley's will mentioned nothing about his family or Potter; trouble in paradise?" He questioned smirking in amusement as Hermione's head whipped back to his and she shot him a sharp glare.
"It is none of your business." Hermione uttered. She did not let on that the same fact had been nagging her own mind the entire morning. Why her and Malfoy? Anyone else in the Weasley family would be more than well equipped if not experienced to handle the delicate situation.
Draco sighed and sat down in the couch besides Granger. He almost smirked as he felt her visibly stiffen beside him. Simply to make her uncomfortable he stretched his arm out behind her and spread his legs wide enough to touch hers.
Hermione pushed herself to the edge of her seat before she turned around and glared at him once more.
"What is wrong with you?"
Draco chuckled at her obvious discomfort. "Tetchy tetchy Granger. All ready to become a Nanny to my godchild and work in my house?"
Draco witnessed the numerous emotions flashing across Hermione's face.
"You have got to be kidding me. I am not stepping one foot into that…that..house and neither is Aria. We will be staying in my flat and you can visit from time to time I suppose. I assume we could work out shifts of some sort between my work schedule, and whatever you have on."
Draco took in Hermione's words without blinking, an impassive smirk plastered across his face.
"Granger, Aria is moving to my Manor. Say it, Malfoy Manor. She will not be contaminated by the filth you call your home."
Hermione pushed herself out of the couch and rounded on him with her eyes sparkling in fury.
"Don't even consider it. Aria is staying with me, nobody in their right mind would let a young girl stay in the disaster of a building you call your home. Is that clear?" Hermione retorted, her brown eyes flashing menacingly.
Draco spared her a look, and a face appeared in his head a young girl with brown fuzzy hair and the same fiery brown eyes, a head girl badge pinned primly above her left breast. Head room ten years ago he recalled, where he had first met Hermione's fury.
Somehow nobody else did anger as well as Granger did, he mused to himself.
"Hello…?"
Hermione turned around as an uncertain voice filled the corridors. Her eyes shot up to meet Draco's and bracing herself she followed the voice calling out.
"Aria?"
"Aunt Hermione! Uncle Draco!" the young girl cried out turning her blue eyes upon them. Hermione bent down and hurriedly swept the young girl into a hug.
Pulling herself back she eyed the girl before her. Her blonde hair was tied up in a single pony tail and she was decked in a pair of khaki shorts and a green polo tee-shirt embosomed with a crest.
"Aunt Hermione? Am I… am I going to stay with you now?" the young girl questioned.
"Well, you will be staying with both Mal- Uncle Draco and I."
"Oh! Are we all going to live together?"
"Actually..."
"Aria, why don't you go pack and come meet us in the drawing room." Draco uttered, ruffling the young girl's hair before sending her off with a pat on her back.
Hermione smiled fondly at her retreating figure, and then let out a sigh. Turning she faced Draco, trying to keep her anger in check. "Why don't we stop by at my place first and we can discuss what to do and where to go from there?" She replied hopefully proposing a quick compromise.
Draco nodded in assent and the two of them started to fire preservation spells at the house.
a/n: Don't you just love that Malfoy.
