Draco watched George lead her away with another pang of envy. In all honesty, it wasn't fair. She seemed only mildly affected by his appearance in her life, but his mind was spinning behind the cool exterior. He had a son. That alone was one thing. But for some reason, he had had the audacity to think that she hadn't moved on. What was he expecting? For her to wait for him forever? He hadn't waited for her. He was in a relationship now, swiftly moving down the marriage path. Wasn't he?

There was one problem with that. He hadn't moved on from her. These small twinges of jealousy proved he still had feelings for Brynn…and he hadn't had feelings for anyone since her.

"Look, Daddy!" said little Colm.

People were staring. Some were shocked that a Malfoy had entered the Weasley shop at all, but most were staring at the resemblance between the boy and himself. Stare all you want, wankers.

"What is it?" Draco bent down to see what the small child was holding in his little hands.

"Isn't this cool?" Colm was grinning wildly, cheeks flushed, as he held up a small toy car. "It flies!" As he spoke, the little red toy car whizzed out of his hands and flew in a small circle around his head before settling back in his open palms.

"Why don't you get it then?" Draco asked.

Colm's nose wrinkled. "I got one before. It wouldn't stop flying and Mum had to hex it."

"Maybe that one was just faulty. If your mother has to hex this one, I'll take full blame."

"Really?"

"Sure."

Colm nodded, smile returning, and moved on down the isle. As he looked longingly at the array of candies George had newly added, he glanced down at the car and then looked to his father. "Daddy? Can you hold this for me?"

"Sure," Draco repeated, taking the toy car delicately from his hand.

"Thanks, Daddy!" Then the little boy's arms wrapped around his legs in a small, fierce hug, and Draco, stunned, had no idea how to respond.

Before he could react, however, Colm pulled away and focused his attentions back to the shelves.

"Daddy," said Colm, round face focused firmly on the items. "Did you love Mum?"

Draco blinked. "Uh…"

"Because," the boy continued unheeded, "George says that when a baby gets made, two people love each other very much. If you loved Mum, why didn't you come find us?"

"I…" Draco sighed. "I don't know if you're old enough to understand, but I promised a…friend of mine that I would leave your mother alone. I didn't even know about you."

"That's what Mum said, that you didn't know." Colm nodded again. "It's okay, you know. I forgive you."

"You…" The young man cleared his throat, voice thick with sudden emotion. I have a son. I have a little boy who just forgave me for not being there for the first four years of his life. I don't deserve that.

"I wasn't lonely," said Colm. "I had Mum. And George. George has been like a dad, so it's okay that I forgive you."

Another pang of jealousy shot through him. Jealousy and anger.

"Mum doesn't though, Daddy," Colm continued, his blue eyes trained on a Skiving Snackbox. He looked thoughtful for a minute. "Mum says 'hate' is a bad word and I shouldn't say it. But I've heard her tell George that's how she feels about you."

"She hates me?" Draco struggled to keep his voice mildly curious. Why bother? He's four.

He's pretty intelligent for a four-year-old, he amended.

Well, he is a Malfoy. A surge of pride accompanied that last thought. He's a Malfoy.

Then he frowned. Colm Malfoy? That sounds absolutely dreadful. He needs a French name.

"Daddy, you're making a weird face."

Draco blinked, shaking himself out of it. "Sorry, Colm. I was just thinking."

His son is quiet for a bit. "Did you ever think about Mum?"

All the time.

"Speaking of your mum," he said, carefully avoiding the boy's question. "Why don't you go find her?"

"She's talking to George in the back—"

"If you go get her, I'll take you to a sweet shop."

The boy whipped his head at Draco. "You promise?"

"I promise."


"So please explain to me what the deal is with him." George took his shot of firewhiskey, downing it quickly and wincing.

"I can only have one of these," she warned him. "I do have a kid." She downed hers as well, coughing slightly as she swallowed.

"You just can't hold your alcohol." He flashed her a grin. "But seriously. What's the deal?"

"It's not so odd, George. I did tell you I was in Slytherin. So was he. I'm a pureblood, so was he. I had no friends, no family, I talked with no one…I was perfect for what he wanted at the time."

"So what were you guys? Friends with benefits?"

She barked out a laugh. "Hardly. I finally know exactly what we were. In school, I called it being 'fuck buddies'."

He snorted and said, "Seriously? That sounds like more than one night stand. That's…several night stands, Brynn."

"Yeah. That wasn't accurate either. We weren't buddies. We just sort of…fucked. Recreationally."

"Recreational fucking," George said thoughtfully. He raised his shot glass, pouring more firewhiskey for himself. "I'll toast to that."

She laughed, a real laugh. "George. Honestly. How do I tell my son that his father and I didn't…"

"Easy," said George, leaning back. "You explain to him that Malfoy is his biological father, but he can't be his dad."

"I don't know how a four-year-old can make that distinction, George—"

"He's smart, he'll understand—"

"All he understands is that Draco looks like him and Draco is his father. He wants his father." She sighed. "I want to believe Draco cares about his son, but…"

As usual, nothing escaped George. "You want to believe he still cares about you. You fell for him, didn't you?"

She remained quiet for a while. "I have a kid. I need stability. Draco…If Colm gets hurt because Draco can't be around…"

He nodded his understanding, and there was a comfortable silence.

"What will you call him now?" said George. "Malfoy, I mean. Is he your ex boyfriend, your ex lover—what?"

"I don't like using terms," she said, giving him a tight-lipped smile. "They complicate everything."

"So would it complicate things to call us friends with benefits?" George threw her a wink.

She rolled her eyes. "I slept with you twice, George. I appreciate you being there for Colm, and I want you to keep being there for him. For both of us."

"Correction," he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, "I rocked your world twice. I am at your beck and call whenever you need a little…break."

Her mind filled with images. They'd both been slightly tipsy the first time he kissed her.

"Too much firewhiskey," she said, hands lightly in his hair as he nipped at her neck.

"That and you are really devilishly pretty," he had muttered, his breath hot against her skin. "How long has it been since you've been with someone?"

"The time I got pregnant was the last."

He had undressed her quite rapidly, his touch trailing warmly down her body. "Too long." She felt his grin against her lips.

Sex with George had been enjoyable, hot, relaxing, and completely free of any scary emotional feelings. When it was over, George was still there for her, there for her son, and there was no weirdness, no awkwardness. Even so, tempting the fates twice had been more than enough for her.

"Don't look so serious!" He laughed. "I'm not 'falling' for you, Brynn. You can calm down. I've actually got my eyes on a girl currently."

"Who?" She raised her eyebrow. "Ordinarily, I'm sure a person in my position would attempt to guess, but I'm not exactly the most in-tune with other people's emotions…"

He laughed again and said, "I figured as much. I don't want to mention a name until I'm ready to—"

"It's Verity."

George froze, eyes wide. "How did you—"

"You were looking at her as you were saying it. I know she's behind me, I can smell the perfume. It's very potent stuff." Her nose wrinkled slightly.

"You're more in-tune than you thought," said George, smiling.

"If only I could be so in-tune to Draco."

"He's been out of your life for four years. What did you expect?" Speak of the devil, thought George, observing the tall blonde-haired man as he stepped into the back with a scowl on his face.

Brynn turned as well, seeing that George's gaze was drawn to something over her shoulder.

"What's taking so long?" Draco grumbled. "I'm ready to leave."

"Pretentious bastard," she muttered under her breath. "Because it's all about you."

Then, suddenly, Draco raised an eyebrow and said, "Where's Colm?"

Brynn straightened immediately. "What do you mean, 'where's Colm'? He was with you."

"I sent him back here to come get you about twenty minutes ago—"

Brynn was on her feet before his sentence was even finished. "You let him walk off on his own?"

"Don't yell at me," he snapped. "It was barely ten feet from where I was—"

"I told you to watch him!" she screamed, panic filling her voice to overflowing. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She pushed past Draco, shouting Colm's name into the store.

"George! George! I can't find him!"

George ran out with her, and when she saw him she latched onto his arm.

"I can't find him," she repeated, tears leaking from her eyes. "I can't find my son."

"I'm sure he's f—" began Draco.

"How could you leave him?" she shouted at him.

People in the store began to stare and Draco's scowl deepened. "I didn't leave him—"

"I told you to watch him! You couldn't even watch him!"


A/N: i'm going back to trying to update every day. we'll see how long that lasts...

anyway, oh shit D: Colm's gone! review and i might give him back!