"I'm sorry, Ginny. I can't."
"Harry Potter!" Ginny put both hands on her hips, "When were you planning on telling me this? When it was time for the girls and me to head for the Floo?" She demanded, losing her patience.
Harry sighed and pushed up his glasses a bit. "I didn't know I wouldn't be able to watch Teddy!" He defended, slowly losing his own patience.
Hermione watched the two, sitting along side Luna on the couch in the Burrow. Angelina and Fleur were standing, trying to ignore the engaged couple's argument and start one of their own. By the way Harry and Ginny had been acting Hermione could tell the wedding was getting to them. More than it should have, perhaps.
"The Ministry called me in last minute, I promise." He said, much calmer now.
Ginny let her hands drop, letting her defenses down seeing as Harry had already done the same. There was no sense in fighting. "These preparations have to be done today, Harry. Mum and Dad are out today; meeting with Charlie for lunch and everyone else is busy. I'd take Teddy with us, but we won't be back till later tonight. He won't be able to be out that long . . ." She sighed, going over things in her head once more.
Hermione stood, "I'll watch him."
All eyes darted towards her faster than an Unforgivable Curse.
"No, Hermione." Harry said flatly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You watched him last night for Ginny and I and—"
"And we were fine!" His friend interjected smoothly. "It's okay, I'll watch Teddy. I really don't mind." Ginny's face fell a bit and Hermione added, "Not to say I don't want to join you ladies, but as you said before, Ginny, these plans have to get done today. I just want your day to be perfect, and if that means I have to watch Teddy again—it's okay." She smiled and Ginny stayed quiet for a moment.
Finally, the redhead spoke, "Fine," She sighed, "But this is the last time you're ditching us, Hermione Granger."
Hermione let out a small laugh, "Agreed."
"Alright then," Angelina took a step towards the fireplace. "Ready?" She looked at Ginny.
Fleur and Luna followed behind Angelina and Ginny nodded, giving Harry a quick peck on the cheek before speaking, "Let's go." She stopped and gave Hermione a hug, "Thanks, 'Mione." She whispered and went off for the days events.
"A thanks from me too." Harry turned to her with a simple smile across his lips. "You saved a whole lot of trouble today."
Hermione shrugged a shoulder, "It was nothing." She grabbed her handbag from the couch and asked, "Is Teddy still sleeping?"
Harry looked up the stairs then back at Hermione. "I would think so. He—"
"'Mione!" Teddy appeared at the top of the stairs with a big smile. He slowly began trotting down the stairs and Harry chuckled.
"Okay," He shook his head. "I was wrong."
The witch laughed, "Do you mind if we make a few runs to some Muggle shops?" She asked Teddy's guardian.
Teddy reached the bottom and hugged Hermione's leg before running off and finding his toy snitch on the ground near the kitchen table. He began playing intently and Harry didn't see anything wrong with her request. "Doesn't sound like a problem to me," He said casually. "Where to?"
"Oh," Hermione thought a moment. "No where extravagant. There's not much to do at my flat and I know a nice Muggle ice cream shop in town near my old house."
"Sounds like fun," Harry walked over and knelt down by Teddy. He planted a kiss on the top of the kid's head and walked over to the Floo. "I wish I could join, but sadly, work gets the upper hand." He joked. "Try not to get into too much trouble. I'll be by later to pick him up before our dinner with the family, eh?"
Hermione nodded and waved him goodbye.
Walking the streets in the Muggle World felt nice. The wind didn't blow as hard and the ice in the air wasn't as skin chilling.
The people passing by didn't fail to give short glances at the pair walking. Teddy's hair attracted attention from most. Hermione would just smile and grip Teddy's hand a little tighter. Eventually, the wind began to pick up a little and she slid on Teddy's winter cap with the fuzz ball on top to keep him warm. Since his hair was out of sight, the looks and whispers had gone to a halt.
Teddy, however, just enjoyed his strawberry ice cream. He had it smothered around his mouth, and a little on his sweater. While he ate, he walked a little slower and Hermione glanced down at him from time to time. She always smiled when she saw how messy he had become while enjoying his frozen treat.
When it came time to cross the street, Hermione knelt and took Teddy in her arms securely. He trusted her enough to continue on eating and not mind the obscure moving metal machines near him. Hermione crossed the street quickly and set Teddy down once they reached the coffee shop entrance. Looking up, she noticed the shop actually had a name. G&S. It wasn't a very casual name, Hermione observed. None the less, she was thirsty and it was convenient.
"Eat?" Teddy suddenly asked, poking at the ice cream cone.
Hermione nodded, "Yes, you can eat that." She took his hand in hers and led them into the shop. The bell jingled and Teddy looked up, a bit startled. Hermione just smiled and he went back to eating.
"Hello!" A different woman at the counter smiled. She was a bit plump, but had very pretty features along with incredibly straight hair. "Can I get you anything?" She asked politely.
Hermione looked around and spotted Draco. He was facing the doors direction this time and his nose was buried in what looked like the same book as last time. His hair was a bit frazzled, Hermione noted. "Oh, uhm, yes," She answered and led Teddy with her to the counter. "May I have water please? Thank you." The woman nodded and disappeared somewhere to retrieve her order.
"Stalking me, Granger?" Draco sneered, glancing up from his book at the sound of her voice.
Hermione turned, Teddy's hand still tightly in hers. "Funny, Malfoy." She replied. "This just happens to be a lovely little shop, if I do say so myself. Maybe your taste isn't so despiteful after all."
Draco didn't reply, but looked at Teddy, his eyes narrowing a bit. It wasn't until then that Hermione remembered Teddy was technically related to Draco. She felt a rush of awkward feelings in the pit of her stomach. "I didn't know you were a mother, Granger. Didn't waste any time with that one, did you?" He said.
A bit confused, Hermione looked down and realized Teddy still had his cap on. She guessed Malfoy assumed it was hers and Ron's since he couldn't see Teddy's natural hair color. That thought was a bit . . . uncomfortable.
"No," Hermione let out a small, weak laugh. "His name is Teddy. Teddy Lupin." Draco's eyes narrowed more and he turned back to his book. She sighed and took Teddy to the table. Sitting, she pulled the toddler in her lap and took off his cap. "What are you reading?" She asked after an ocean of silence.
The platinum blonde stayed quiet for a moment, but then parted his lips. "Just something to pass the time." He answered shortly. Hermione noticed how worn out he looked. She could see dark circles under his eyes and his skin had gone pail tremendously. He looked tired and grumpy all together.
"Are you . . ." She began and then paused. "Feeling alright?"
He glanced up, "Why would you care?"
"Done!" Teddy announced, letting out a small burp.
Hermione reached over and grabbed some napkins to wipe off his ice cream stained mouth. "Hold still,"
Draco watched, to his dismay, as Hermione scrubbed as gently as she could at Teddy's face. "Merlin, Granger, what did you let the kid eat? Paint?"
"Don't be a wanker, Malfoy." She glared, finishing up her cleaning.
"What are you even doing here anyway?"
She lifted a brow, "What am I doing here? What about you? As if you weren't aware this is Muggle London, Malfoy."
Draco's jaw set a little tighter. He had been looking at the window as she spoke, only half paying attention. "Granger." He sounded as if he were speaking as a warning, "Leave me alone." With that, he stood and closed his book, preparing to leave.
Hermione looked up, a bit startled at his sudden change in mood. Teddy noticed and looked at Draco with mean eyes, "Not nice!" He said, pointing a finger.
"Oh, Teddy," Hermione directed his small hand down, "It isn't polite to point." She caught Draco's eyes with her own, "But he's right. What's the matter with you?" When he began to walk away, Teddy jumped from Hermione's lap and ran after the Malfoy. "Teddy!" She grabbed their stuff and rushed after him, missing the woman at the counter with her ordered water.
Draco walked quickly, not seeing the small boy running after him with stout legs. Those men across the street, they didn't look like just any Muggle men, Draco thought to himself. Someone had found him—or thought they had. That's why he had people attacking him in his bloody underwear and following him around like some sort of deranged cat.
"Teddy! Stop this instant!"
Glancing back, he saw Granger running towards him, her hand outstretched to something near the ground. He looked down briefly and saw Teddy close to his legs. He turned the corner, hoping to get farther away, but found himself at a dead end.
No Muggles in sight, he prepared to Apparate, only to feel a tug on his trousers. "Bloody—!"
Hermione leaped just in time and caught the back of Teddy's sweater before there was a swoop of air, her body was deformed and her vision slurred. Once she could breathe again, she opened her eyes and found herself in a living room that wasn't hers or the Weasleys'.
"Damnit, Granger." She heard Draco seethe, "Look what you've done!"
"Me?" She accused, high pitched. Hermione's eyes shot around the room, "Where's Teddy?" She demanded.
"Right behind you." He said flatly, his lip curled in annoyance.
"Teddy?" She spun around and found the little bugger snooping through a large pile of papers on the floor. He ripped some and scattered many. "Teddy!" Hermione pulled him into her arms tightly. "I'm so glad you're alright!"
Draco rushed over to the window near his kitchen and looked down between the dark curtains. Within seconds he pulled them shut and went to do the same with the others. He didn't say a word and kicked away anything that stood in this way.
"For Merlin's sake, Malfoy, what are you doing?" Hermione asked, feeling Teddy begin to squirm in her arms.
"Quiet." He told her sharply. "Accio wand." He called from the floor where he arrived. He gripped it tighter than he had during the night when he was attacked.
Hermione's lips parted to speak, but she quickly closed them when there was a sound of shattered glass outside. A man's holler followed and Draco looked at her. He put his index finger to his lips and peeked out the window he located next to him.
When he looked down, he was sure of it now.
Death Eaters.
Two of them, he counted. They had killed a man in between the buildings near his flat. They must have put a Repello Muggletum charm up because no others were looking their way.
"Malfoy?" Hermione whispered, struggling with Teddy to keep quiet.
Draco gave her a look at went back to his watching. The Death Eaters weren't in sight and he began to get a bit nervous. Bloody Gryffindors always had to get in the way.
Teddy managed to pry himself from Hermione and landed on the ground with a thump. Both Draco and Hermione shot their heads towards him in a worried manner. Either concern was different. Draco was now sure they'd be attacked; while Hermione, on the other hand, was worried he had been hurt.
Hermione grabbed Teddy quickly, "Teddy, we have to be quiet, do you understand?" She spoke in the faintest whisper. The boy looked at her with a blank expression then smiled. However, he wasn't smiling at her—but something behind her.
"Stupefy!" Draco lashed, and Hermione spun around to see a Death Eater fall to the ground, its wand rolling off to the side.
Another Death Eater appeared and held out its own wand. A Flipendo was fired and Draco hit the wall behind him roughly. Fortunately, his wand stayed laced in the palm of his hand and he attempted to stand, ignoring the new pain radiating near his spine.
The Death Eater moved to attack again before Draco got the chance to think of another spell, but Hermione had already pulled out her own wand. "Locomotor Mortis!" She recited, and the enemy fell to the ground.
Draco, on his feet, watch the Death Eater fall then spotted its partner moving for Hermione and Teddy. "Repello!" He cut off the curse before it reached the two. Before he knew it, he was between the Death Eater and Hermione. "Petrificus Totalus!"
Hermione blinked and the Death Eater was on the ground, quietly groaning in pain. The other was up now and heading for Draco. She had had just about enough, "Obliviate!"
The man fell back once more and touched his head, looking dizzy. "What . . . what am I doing here?" He asked dazedly. His mask had fallen and he looked scared, wide eyed. The sound of Teddy's crying didn't help much because the man began backing up slightly, moving away from the three.
"You were just leaving." Draco informed. "You live not to far from here. You have a wife and kids. They're waiting for you at home. Go. Don't even think about returning, do you hear me?" His voice was so venomous even Hermione seemed a bit shaken.
Standing quickly, the man never looked back and vanished out the door, leaving his wand and partner in Draco's flat.
"Don't you think he'll be a little confused," Hermione wondered, holding Teddy close as he wiped away his tears. "Searching for a home and family that never was?" She began to stroke Teddy's hair, bouncing him a little in her arms to calm him down.
Draco did so much as chuckle, "Someone is bound to find him. Help him out." He offered flatly and made his way over to the remaining Death Eater. "I don't understand why you just didn't kill the prat."
"Right," Hermione rolled her eyes, still a bit taken back from the events that had just occurred. "It'd be so very wise to kill a man while holding my best friend's two and a half year old godson, wouldn't it? Not to mention he'd be watching. It isn't exactly in my plans to stun him before he's able to cast his first spell!" She mused.
"Better he sees you kill him than him kill Teddy, eh?" Draco lifted a brow, challenging her to disagree.
Hermione was quiet and Teddy spoke, "Down, down!" He said and she placed him on the ground. Oddly, the Lupin trotted over to Draco and held up his arms.
"He wants you to pick him up," Hermione told him, a small smile growing.
Draco looked at Hermione then down at Teddy, and then back at Hermione. A conflicted expression crossed his face. Stiffly, he leaned down and lifted Teddy of the ground. He wasn't as heavy as Draco thought, but he made sure to juggle Teddy and his wand carefully in both hands. He had never held a child before, and he was sure he was doing it wrong. The kid never complained, though. He just wrapped his arm around Draco's neck and rested his head down on the man's shoulder.
Hermione walked over and rubbed Teddy's back. His soft cheeks were stained with tears as were his eyes swollen from crying. She gave him a small tickle and he giggled. "Can you say Draco?" She asked and ignored Draco's hardening face.
"Dway . . . co . . ." Teddy moved his mouth exaggeratedly, struggling to pronounce the name correctly.
A laugh escaped from Hermione's lips and she smiled at Draco. He just grunted and rolled his eyes. "Draco?" She asked Teddy once more, loving the way he said the name.
"Dway-co!" Teddy giggled with a smile and hugged Draco tight. "Dway-co!"
"Oh, brilliant." Draco mumbled, wishing Hermione would take the kid out of his arms already.
Hermione shook her head, curls bouncing as she did so. "Cheer up, Malfoy!" She teased.
There was a groan and Draco's eyes shot over at the Death Eaters direction. He stayed on the ground, his mask shattered, and the spell starting to fade away. Putting Teddy back in Hermione's arms, Draco walked over to the wounded man. "Who are you working for?" He demanded, kicking the man's leg slightly.
"He's hurt, Malfoy." Hermione spoke, keeping her distance. The Death Eater wasn't particularly young or old, but deep in his middle ages. The hair visible was already graying and the skin on his face was beginning to get droop. There was scruff along his jaw and cheeks, the color of silver. The appearance made him look defenseless and weak.
"He'll be fine." Draco hissed, keeping eyes on the man in front of him as he spoke. "Who do you work for? Why are you here?" He asked sternly, gripping the man's dark robes in his fist. His wand was placed dangerously close to the man and he was prepared to blast a curse at any time. These weren't people. They were scum.
"I . . ."The man chocked on his words, "Kill—kill me, p-please." He managed, giving up the last of his hope.
"Not before you tell me what I want to know." Draco replied flatly. "Where you the one that attacked me last night?"
Hermione's eyes widened a bit. He was attacked last night? She put the pieces together mentally, guarding Teddy's line of vision away from the scene. That would explain why Draco had looked so out of it earlier. She could only imagine how he would have coped after getting attacked in the middle of the night by a Death Eater. Wizards that were supposedly extinct.
"He t-told me t-to . . ." The Death Eater shook his head, tears threating to spill from his blood shot eyes. "He'd kill us . . ."
Draco waited a moment, "Who? Who would kill you?" He asked in a quieter tone.
The man looked up at Draco, lip quivering. He whispered, "The Chosen One."