Hermione

I was rarely late, but Rose had been unnecessarily difficult when it came to getting dressed this morning. She wanted to look perfect for 'bring your kid to work' day, but her young age impaired her fashion sense and it had been a real challenge getting her into something that appeased her fashion sensibilities and matched.

I scooped Rose up once we exited the floo and sprinted across the wide expanse, dusting her off and juggling her bag simultaneously. Most people knew to get out of my way when I was like this, even children. A pair of brunette sisters could actually be seen diving out of my way out of fear of being trampled.

"Mummy, look-!" That was all she got out before I slammed into someone. Rose landed on me knocking the air from my lungs, but whoever else was not so lucky. The man I ran into had landed on his bum, a stack of parchment went flying creating quite a mess. From the fluttering papers I couldn't rightfully tell who I had run into, but I noticed a small blonde child before me. He appeared to be fine, but peered curiously at his father.

"Daddy okay?" He asked. The man grunted and glared at me. Those striking grey eyes pierced me even through the fluttering of the parchment.

"Yeah, daddy's okay." I recognized the baritone drawl. Naturally I'd run into Malfoy. No matter what we shared a month ago he frequently reported me to my superior for my messy handwriting and refusal to look where I was going. He frequently claimed that 'the Granger-Weasley girl mercilessly trampled him because her nose was in a book.' I knew for sure he'd be reporting me today.

"Mummy sowwy," Rose cooed maturely, wizarding children were typically more verbally advanced than muggle toddlers. So while she was on the same emotional level as any other three year old, she could speak much better than one. "Mummy is late." I often apologized for her in the same way and couldn't help the surge of pride that came along with it. He began gathering his papers.

"It's quite alright little Weasley." The little Malfoy stared curiously at my daughter as I helped his father pick up his scattered papers. What was the little bugger looking at? Rose looked much like her father. She had the same freckles and ginger hair and her father, but the ginger curls were bushy and untamed like my own.

"Daddy says Weaweys are good fow nuffing bwood twaitows." Excuse me? Rose puffed out her chest and scowled at him.

"Yow daddy is a stupid head!" I couldn't help smirking as she stood up for herself. She was much like me in terms of her brains and her kind nature, but when it came to temperament she was Ronald Weasley's child through and through.

"Yow daddy is a stupider head!" Little Malfoy on the other hand didn't seem to have his father's refined cruelty, but then again maybe that came with time. If I were perfectly honest I'd say he was simply blunt. After all, he hadn't said that he thought that Weasleys were good for nothing blood traitors. He'd simply repeated his bigoted father's words. Rose was livid and Little Malfoy, unsure of why she was angry in the first place, shoved her when she got too close.

"Woah, Scorpius!" Malfoy shouted, "what did I say about pushing girls?" The little blonde cowered away from his father's disapproving gaze. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was more Ron's than Malfoy's. He looked scared and kind of confused as if he weren't at all very bright.

"You said not to hurt girls, but I didn't hurt her she isn't even crying." The little blonde insisted. The bigger Malfoy turned his son's head so he could see the little girls tears. I watched his grey eyes widen, by now I'd lifted my daughter into my arms.

"Miss, I is sowwy." He looked up at me, looking so much like his father. For some reason the idea didn't repulse me. I knelt before him, still holding Rose securely as she sniffled and glared daggers at the boy.

"How old are you Scorpius?"

"Three,"

"You're a pretty big boy then, aren't you?" He nodded, "well then maybe that means you should apologize to her. After all, only babies apologize through messages." I released my grip on the ginger girl, "go on." She turned to face him just barely, waiting on his apology.

"I is sowwy Weaswey. I shawe my kidditch toy." He handed her a figurine of Krum.

"My name is Wose," she told him proudly, climbing out of my arms, "thanku fow apomogozing." He beamed at her and wrapped her in a toddler hug. It would have been cute if not for the older blonde's staring. He was in no way discreet and it was a bit unnerving.

"Daddy can Wose and me play kidditch?" Little Malfoy asked. The taller blonde looked at me. As the head of the International department he was probably waist deep in paperwork and a toddler wouldn't be all that helpful. When I thought about it I wasn't even sure why he'd brought him, it was more inconvenient than it was worth. I shrugged, I didn't mind watching the tots so long as his son didn't cause anymore trouble. He handed me the toddlers bag.

"He's got a banana for a snack and some dried cranberries. There's also a sippy cup, a bottle of juice, a change of clothes, and a couple of pull ups. I regret to inform you that he isn't fully potty trained so if he starts screwing up his face he's probably shitting himself."

"Malfoy!" I hissed, "watch your language." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh come off of it Granger. They're three and probably won't remember a word of it." I glared until he surrendered, "whatever you say."

"I take lunch at 12, does he have any food allergies?" I'd dealt with one too many pureblood children that had severe allergies and no one bothered to tell me. I was beginning to think that all of the inbreeding really fucked them up. I giggled a bit at the thought.

"No nuts, soy, no gluten, no dairy, no shell fish. Oh yeah and no soda."

"Whats up with you fancy purebloods and your bloody allergies?" I muttered.

"He's also got an epipen in case he accidentally comes into contact with nuts." He went on as if he hadn't heard me, but judging by gust of air he expelled from his nose he'd totally heard me.

Upon exposing his son's long list of issues he began to look a bit worried. I'm sure he'd left his child with others before, but I could understand the anxiety of leaving your toddler with someone you vaguely know from school. If I was honest I'd never in my life leave Rose with Malfoy if our roles were reversed.

"It'll be fine. He'll be fine. I'll give Rose something else for a snack so he won't be tempted and I know how to give a toddler a shot. Say good bye to daddy, Little Malfoy." The little blonde hugged his daddy's legs.

"Bye bye daddy. I be ok. I be good. No peannie butty, no swimp, no chickie nuggies, no milkshake, no soy miwk, no coke! I know it daddy. No worry." The taller blonde planted a kiss on his forehead before handing me the epipen personally.

"I'm trusting you," for once his quicksilver eyes locked with mine and I could see every streak of blue and fleck of cobalt for the very first time. My breath caught and memories from a month ago made me hot. I ignored the flashes of the God like man as he'd crushed his lips against my own and worked me in a way no one ever had. My mouth went dry and for the longest time I could do nothing more than nod stupidly. He smirked and pulled away, breaking eye contact. He felt it too. His hand was too warm for him not to. Without a second look I shrunk Scorpius' bag and pocketed it along with Rose's before taking both of their hands and leading them to my office.

I was twenty minutes late, but to my surprise my superior had already been informed that I was 'stopped' by the international law enforcement head. Stopped my arse, I'd knocked that poor man on his bum. I set the children up on the floor with a couple of quidditch toys before setting to work. I may not have been swamped in paperwork, but I was definitely busy. I worked directly under Daphne Greengrass for domestic magical law enforcement. It was my job to separate the jobs based off of a damage scale and then dispatch the proper aurors to handle it.

As if thinking of Aurors summoned him, Harry came bursting in with an armload of papers. These had to be his completed missions. I never sent him anywhere dangerous -much to his dismay- so I made up for it in quantity. Albus smiled up at me and climbed onto my lap. I found it amazing how he looked so much like his father and found myself marveling at wizarding genetics. Each family had a defining factor, whether it be blond hair or blue eyes it was somewhat like a mother. For instance Rose will always be identified as a Weasley as will every other child that comes from the man.

"'Ello auntie Mione! Daddy said we see you today and I see you!" Albus had his mother's cerulean eyes, but his father's inky black hair. He hadn't been spared the curse.

"Do you have something for me?" I asked, motioning to the papers in his arms. He handed them over in a slightly crumbled mess. Greengrass was going to love this.

"Daddy say they top secret." I took them with a pained smile. He was born the same year as Rose and Scorpius, so he and his brother were also three.

"They are, are you having fun with your daddy?"

"Mhm. We runned 'round a lot and I no tired." As if on cue he yawned big, "I even got to gib some to the big bond man."

"My daddy?" Scorpius shot up and headed over to Albus, "him got hair like me and is big?" Albus looked fearfully at the blonde child for a moment. He was just as painfully shy as his father and mother once were. It distressed Ginny to no end, but Harry always smoothed the boy's hair and assured him it would be alright.

"Now, he's talking to you Albus. What do you say?" I coaxed gently. I agreed with Ginny in regards to his shyness. He'd never be sorted into Gryffindor with that attitude. His little fists clenched my ministry robes as if his life depended on it.

"Y-yeah."

"Is him scawed?" Scorpius asked me. When I nodded he hooked his fingers and feigned at the raven haired boy "Blegh!" Albus jumped out of his skin and buried his face in his hair. At his reaction the little blonde cackled wildly. Maybe he was as indecent and cruel as his father and I just hadn't seen it yet.

"Scorpius!" I scolded, "you apologize right this moment." He gave me a not-so-ashamed smile.

"Wimp." He muttered, "I sowwy." It was clear he didn't mean it. The little troll was just like his father. Charming in some ways, but mean as a rattlesnake. Harry glared at the blonde.

"That's definitely Malfoy's kid." He muttered, "is it Malfoy trait to me so damned mean?" Again with the cursing! I glared at him.

"What? He's not gonna remember it." Malfoy's words exactly.

"I no mean!" Scorpius said with a stomp of his foot, "right 'Mione. Me no mean?"

"No, Little Malfoy, you're not mean, but what you did to Albus was very mean." He looked a bit ashamed of himself this time, deciding to pout under my desk.

"Mummy I hungy." Rose complained, snack time had been about an hour ago and the grapes I'd given her were in no way holding her over.

"Me too, Miss, 'Mione." Scorpius called from under the desk. It was just about noon, there would could be no harm in taking lunch 15 minutes earlier than usual.

"Care to join us?" I asked Harry. He shook his head no.

"Al here is tired. He was too excited last night and didn't get much sleep because of it. I'm going to put him down in my office." I nodded and began readying the children for lunch. Scorpius wouldn't put his shoes back on for anything and I ended up wrestling the child into his adorable little sneakers. Rose was no easier when it came to her hair ribbon. She squirmed and cried and made the quidditch figurines attack me. All of this for a hair ribbon.

Scorpius chose the place for lunch, simply because if he chose it that meant it was on the Malfoy approved places to eat. He chose a small diner a few miles from the office that apparently specialized in gluten free foods. Not surprisingly the pureblood witch who owned it gave me hell at the door. It wasn't until Little Malfoy threatened to 'tell daddy' did she relent and let us in. I tried to ignore the dirty looks she gave me, after all she was the one with a problem.

"Your daddy takes you here a lot?" I asked Scorpius once I'd settled the two at the table. He nodded, intently coloring his menu with a crayon.

"When I good him give me a cookie too. Him say I can only eat cookie from here." He winked as of he'd been incredibly sneaky and I snorted.

He'd ordered grilled chicken nuggets and grapes as a side and while our orders took their precious time coming I still took the time to inspect all three plates for traces of magic, additives, and DNA. After all, there was nothing a good old fashioned lugie couldn't fix. When I was satisfied I handed them back, sitting his epipen on the table.

Rose shoved her macaroni away crying yucky moments after she received it and while my first instinct was to choke the living daylights out of the self absorbed little prick behind the counter I refrained. Rose was only three and I'm sure the texture of the macaroni was simply unfamiliar. Her disapproval didn't mean she's been poisoned. So ten minutes and twenty dollars later I found something that she would eat and he could be around. She (grudgingly) accepted some grilled nuggets. She was clearly still unhappy and didn't each much, but she'd eaten enough to hold her over to dinner.

Another hour into working I noticed Scorpius making little wheezing noises. He and Rose had been sharing my cloak since I put them down for a nap after lunch. Seriously regretting offering to watch the child I stood from my work and rubbed my eyeballs, hard. Knowing the child was stricken I eased him out of the chair, careful not to wake Rose. His hands and feet were essentially covered in hives and puss so I chanced a look under his shirt and down his pants. Malfoy said nothing about materials and I was certain that he hadn't eaten anything he was allergic to. Panicked I lifted Rose and brought the cloak with me, careful to keep him from touching it.

Malfoy was at his desk, clenching and unclenching his fists as his clients ranted and raved in thick middle eastern accents.

I opened the door without knocking, far too panicked to worry about superior-inferior protocol. "Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy. May I speak to you out in the hall?" When his venomous expression reached me I added, "it's Scorpius." His expression faltered for a moment and he excused himself from the raging men.

"I don't know what happened. We ate at Green Boys and I double checked his plate, no soy, no dairy, no gluten, no nuts. I put him and Rose down to a nap an hour ago under my cloak when I heard him wheezing I brought him straight to you."

"Great..." He muttered, "Granger I need you to do me a favor. If I walk out on them I'm losing a 30,000 galleon deal. Can you take him to St. Mungos? Please?" He didn't want to leave his son, I could see it in his eyes, but he was a single father that lost his inheritance for switching sides and if he lost this deal he'd have trouble caring for the boy even if he still lived with his parents at their manor. From what I heard through the grapevine they charged him to stay there and I knew for a fact that all of these hospital bills couldn't be cheap. Understanding his struggle I nodded, "Merlin Granger, you are heaven sent. I'll send your superior a note. Thank you." He kissed his son goodbye before handing me a Manila folder with his and his son's information in it. I clutched both children close to me before apparating away. Rose watched horrified as I lay the trembling, wheezing boy on the bed.

"Mummy, he okay?" She asked confused. I pet her reassuring as the healers ran tests on the toddler. His grey eyes shot open in that moment, but he seemed to be frozen until his entire body began to shake uncontrollably. I covered Rose's eyes and backed her out of the room.

"Mummy," she was crying fiercely now, snot and tears mixed and mingled as she did, "Scow okay?" She demanded, "he okay?" I handed her over to the woman watching over the children in the nursery. I was sure she saw plenty in her time here as she expertly hoisted Rose up and simultaneously handed me the sign in sheet.

"Yes, Scorpius will be okay, but you've got to be good for mummy. If you're bad I'll have to come get you and then Scorpius might get sicker."

"No worry mummy, me good." I nodded and went racing back to the hospital room the blonde child was in. They'd stilled his convulsions but his vitals were all over the place. I found myself glad that the little tyrant was okay.

"Mr. Malfoy has sent you to speak for him, correct?" A healer pulled me aside. His thinning hair and thick mustache implied that he'd been here a while.

"Yes," I originally expected another allergy, but then there was the seizing and the oxygen tube stuffed up his little nostrils. I couldn't help thinking I was in over my head.

"His "pure" blood is attacking his system, too many years of inbreeding are killing him. We need to magically extract the faulty strands of his DNA and replace it with muggle DNA and we need you to give us permission to do so and find a willing muggle." If I gave them permission to compromise the only thing that ever meant anything to Malfoy he'd kill me. I had no doubt about that. He may not be as insufferable as he once was, but he was still Draco Malfoy, son of a 'reformed' death eater, and blood purist.

"I'll call his father, will he be alright for now?"

"He's holding on." Holding on. It was a term that should never be associated with a toddler. I nodded and apparated away. I landed in his office with a crack.

"He needs you," was all I could think to say. The angry international men looked upon me with disgust, "it's 30,000 galleons or your son." He rose from his seat.

"It's been a pleasure. We'll reschedule through Marie, show yourselves out." He gripped my arm and then we were gone.

Malfoy had very long legs and he wasn't the most patient man around. He left me in his dust as he went running for his son. I stumbled through the door to see him arguing with the nurse.

"What's going on, Granger?" He asked me, the nurse was now useless.

"Being a pureblood is killing him. According to the Healer his DNA is fighting him and his body is too little to take it. His exact words about his condition were 'he's holding on.'" I never thought I'd see Draco Malfoy cry, but I watched the tears well up in his eyes, "it's not totally hopeless." I assured him quickly, if he cried I would cry. He had to keep it together, "he wants to extract some of his DNA and replace it with a muggles. That should stop his body from attacking itself."

"Where would we find a muggle willing to do that?"

We? "I could ask my mother, she's fully muggle and she understands magic. But we don't have much time so we'd have to hurry and ask her." As if to mock us and say 'time's up' the toddler began to shake again. This time the foam that slipped from his open mouth was tinged in red. His little fingers were going blue and his body jerked and twisted as if he couldn't breathe.

Malfoy slammed the panic button so hard he'd nearly broken it and clenched my hand hard as healers and nurses rushed in.

"We're out of time. What's your choice, Mr. Malfoy?" His tears were released, but his voice was strong and steady.

"Do whatever you have to do to save him." He ordered.

"But Healer Rathbone, we don't have anyone to replace the DNA with." The toddlers heart rate was slowing even with the aid of magic and his eyes were threatening to roll back into his head.

"What about a muggle born?" Malfoy asked. I stood bravely beside him waiting for his answer. I didn't wish death on a child.

"It'll have to work." Malfoy looked directly at me.

"Hermione, please." His tears poured freely along his cheeks and he'd gritted his teeth to keep from making sobbing noises. The blonde was not a cute crier, but his desperation moved me and my body moved of its own accord.

"What do I have to do?" I asked steadily. They had me lie on my back beside the child. As an extra touch I held the boy close to me, whispering sweet nothings to him until the flick of a wand knocked me out.

I woke up what I assumed was hours later and every pore of my body quivered with pain. Beside me Scorpius lay quietly, his face was so pale that I had only his warmth as proof that he lived. Looking beyond the young blonde was a larger blonde. He'd squeezed in beside Scorpius and held the boy close to him in a fierce and protective way. His cheeks were still red and tear tracked, but for now he slept peacefully. On the bed side table was a thick packet and while it was probably legal mumbo jumbo I couldn't resist scanning the pages.

Congratulations on your healthy son. DNA transfers are done at great risk to both patients, the process removes infected strands of DNA from the troubled patient and splits it in half before removing the infected half and substituting it with a healthy strand from the volunteer. The side effects of DNA transfers are nausea, headache, and fatigue. If the volunteer or patient experience any combination of symptoms it is recommended that they report to a healer automatically.

To ensure the transfer takes it is required that patient and volunteer remain together for six months. Short separations (such as bathroom breaks and shower times) are allowed, but longer separations (work, school, ect.) can be detrimental to the patient's recovery.

While I had no real right to be angry I couldn't help the slight resentment I felt toward the blondes. I'd been thrown into their world all because of my need to do good. The thing was...it was my choice. I saw his tears and stepped forward. I wanted to save his life, because if it were Rose shaking helplessly on the bed I'd want him to lie beside her and save her. That's all it was. I stood and stretched, ignoring the screaming pain that pulled at my muscles.

"Mummy?" A small ginger poked her head around the corner, "mummy!" She rocketed into the room and squeezed my legs, "you say him be ok, but...you no okay." She was sniffling and crying in frustration and confusion as she spoke. Despite the pain in my body I lifted her up and attempted to soothe her upset.

"I'm just fine, Rose. I promise that I am." She continued to sob, causing the eldest Malfoy to stir.

"No. You no ok! I sawed you cwying!" She insisted, "I sawed you the Mafoy towed me you be ok and boughted me cake, but I knowed you no ok."

I held her at arms length, "am I crying now?" She shook her head no, "do I look like I'm in any pain?" Again she said no, "then I'm fine, Rose. I need you to be a big girl for me, okay?" She nodded enthusiastically, "I need to talk to Mr. Malfoy, can you watch Scorpius for me? If you need anything just shout 'mummy' alright?" She nodded and went to scramble up onto the bed with the toddler. Malfoy stretched and followed me out of the room.

"Did you read the packet?" I asked him. When he shook his head sleepily I handed it to him, giving him time to read.

"So..." He said once he'd finished, "what are you going to do?"

"Oh so it's no longer we?"

He flinched, "we aren't the best of pals. I assumed it was your bleeding Gryffindor heart that convinced you to lie down beside him. I doubted that you even thought it through. I can't ask anymore of you when I have nothing to give you. I'll just have to ensure he accepts the new DNA."

"You're willing to risk a toddlers life for your pride?"

"If that were the case you would never have seen me cry." He ground out, "I simply know why is probable and Malfoys don't beg."

"Not even for their son's life? That's interesting. After earlier today I thought we might be able to tolerate each other for a little while longer, for him at least. Well don't let me stop you." I huffed.

"I didn't say we couldn't," he said slightly desperate, "I just didn't want to push anything else on you."

"You just implied that I'd let a toddler die for my own selfish dislike of you." The entire DNA transfer process was making me grumpy if truth be told, not to mention Mother Nature had taken it upon herself to visit prematurely. He seemed confused at best.

"What do you want me to say?" He asked, holding his hands in front of him. He looked so ridiculous I snorted in laughter.

"Misser Mafoy...Scow no look so good." We both bustled back inside to see the toddlers face scrunched up in pain. As I approached the lines evened out.

"Pick him up," Malfoy suggested. I scooped the child up, cradling him as if he were my own. I felt the boy relaxing in my arms. Rose on the other hand looked jealous, but I didn't have room for both in my arms so I gave Malfoy a meaningful look. Understanding, he plucked her up off of the ground, this could work out if he understood that in order for me to help him he had to help me. She didn't seem to mind him and snuggled into his shoulder, playing with his hair.

Maybe this could work out after all.

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