Hmm. Looking back over this chapter, I probably wouldn't have done it like this now. It seemed all dramatic back then, but somewhat poorly written.

-insert regular disclaimer here-

Hermione stared back at her former school enemy, her eyes narrowing, "Excuse me?"

"I don't believe I stuttered," Draco snapped, yanking Kevin and Shane back behind him by their sleeves, "I don't need them getting infected by... you."

"Dad!" Eloise exclaimed, her eyes widening, "What the Hell?"

"Language, Eloise," Lucius Malfoy snarled, causing her to flinch. Hermione's jaw dropped, unable to believe he used that tone with her niece.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that," she hissed.

She had never, not once, found Lucius Malfoy frightening, and nothing had changed, even as she aged. He glared at her, his lips forming a sneer, "I'll speak to my granddaughter in any manner I see fit."

"The granddaughter you've never cared for before?" Hermione exploded, "Don't even think for a moment they suddenly belong to you... How long have you had them... A week? Maybe two?"

"What difference does that make?" Draco demanded, cutting his father off, "They are my children, our blood. I won't have filth like you ruining anything for them!"

"Who's been looking after them for most of their lives while daddy-dearest was off doing Merlin knows what?" Hermione choked back. She could almost feel herself radiate off hate, as Draco looked slightly unnerved for a moment, but he soon dawned a similar expression to his father.

"Oh you want to get into this again, Mudblood?" Draco growled, "Because I'll-"

"STOP!"

Hermione and Draco followed the teary voice back to Annie, who's eyes were looking slightly red as she wrapped her arms around her sister's neck, "Stop yelling at Daddy, Auntie 'Mione... And stop calling Auntie 'Mione that!"

Hermione wanted to grin as Draco's eyes fell to the ground, hopefully in shame. She had taught her niece what Mudblood meant some time ago, and the small girl had always hated hearing it.

"Perhaps this should be handled in the privacy of a home?" Narcissa Malfoy suggested from behind Lucius, moving over to Annie and scooping her up tenderly, "I don't think we need to draw attention to ourselves."

"And what house were you thinking of, Cissa dear?" Lucius inquired tightly, his gaze still on Hermione.

His wife tossed her hair over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow, "I was thinking ours, Lucius."

"Ours?"

"Yes," she snapped, "Draco get out the portkey... We're finishing this discussion at home."

"Mother-"

"Now!"

Hermione smirked as the Malfoy men grumbled to each other, but Draco rummaged through his pocket, drawing out a small pocket-watch. It seemed Narcissa had the most power in the family. Nothing had changed.

Hermione had been to her best friend's wedding, Joyce Jameson, with a grudge. She did not approve of her marrying Draco Malfoy, since she still found him a miserable little ferret, but there was nothing to do to change someone's mind, especially when they were in love. It had been a very small ceremony, only Draco's closest family and friends came, and really Hermione was the only person on Joyce's side. Her impression of Narcissa Malfoy was raised during the wedding day, since she found the woman wouldn't leave her alone. She sat with her during dinner, and they ended up chatting through most of the night. Lucius got in the odd word here and there, but he clearly found Hermione's presence annoying, and left.

Narcissa set a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder and pulled her closer to touch the wand. Lucius and Draco shot each other side glances, but Narcissa cleared her throat forcefully and they both stared down at the watch. The moment Eloise finally touched the watch, everything began to spin and Hermione shut her eyes, instantly feeling her stomach begin to spin just a little faster then everything else. The street in which they had been standing in disappeared and Hermione found herself met with the familiar sight of the Malfoy Manor's entrance hall. She had been there on a few occasions with Joyce to pick up Draco and go out.

The sound of a dog howling met her ears, and she frowned as a small German Shepard scurried straight for Annie. She never remembered the Malfoy's having a dog. Joyce used to allow dogs in the house, but once the number grew over four she kicked them all out onto her property, much to Annie's dismay.

"Take the dog upstairs," Lucius ordered Shane, "And keep yourselves busy with something up there."

"Why can't we-"

"Just go, mate," Draco sighed, rubbing his temples. Shane glared and nudged Kevin, who slowly followed him up the stairs. Hermione guessed the children were now occupying the second floor.

"Take your sister, Eloise dear," Narcissa insisted, giving Annie to Eloise. Annie's eyes were trying to stay open, and Hermione guessed they had been out most of the day, for the little dear seemed tired.

"C'mon, Bo," Eloise said sharply, causing the small puppy to yelp and hurry off up the stairway in front of the two girls.

"Well," Narcissa said loudly, "come along, Hermione, we seem to have some ... differences of opinion to discuss. Let's do it in the parlor. Lucius, perhaps you could tell the kitchen's to make us some tea."

Her husband shot her a seething look, then swept off, his hands in tight fists.

Narcissa led Hermione down the hallway and into a large sitting room. It looked slightly different then the last time she had sat in there, but she decided it was not the time to focus on the decor of the manor. Draco slumped down on the chair beside the couch Hermione had taken a seat on, and Narcissa elegantly settled down on the couch across from her.

A small house elf appeared a moment later, setting a tray of tea and cookies down on the table between them all.

"Anything stronger in there, father?" Draco whispered as his father entered to stand behind Narcissa, a hand on her shoulder.

Lucius sighed, "No... I'm afraid nothing strong enough."

"Hush, both of you," Narcissa ordered, gripping her husband's hand and running her thumb over the top of it.

As much as Hermione disliked Lucius, she found he and Narcissa made an excellent couple. She mellowed him out, and he seemed to look after her wonderfully.

"Now," Narcissa sighed, looking over to Draco. "It's all yours."

"Stay away from my children, Mud-"

"I would prefer Granger, if you could manage," Hermione spat, her jaw squaring as she glared at the Slytherin.

He rolled his eyes, "Fine. Granger... Keep your hands off of my children."

"I would, but I can't," Hermione snapped, folding her hands together, "I raised them while you were gone. Joyce worked much more then I did... And without a father to look after them, they needed someone."

"I-"

"I don't care for the reasons you have for leaving one of my best friends," Hermione stated, looking down her nose at Draco, "nor do I care why you would have nothing to do with the children. It was your loss in the end."

Draco stared at her and she finally noticed hurt flashing across his cold eyes. Lucius cleared his throat, "A perfect reason for Draco to want to keep his children to himself now."

"I won't just block them out of my life," Hermione argued smoothly, looking Lucius directly in the eye, "and now that they've seen me, they won't forget me."

"I wonder why you are here, to be honest," Lucius drawled, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't the Order flee?"

"Most did," Hermione replied through a tight pair of lips, "I decided to stay, since I knew there were people who may need me here."

"What about Potter and Weasley?" Draco demanded.

Hermione shot him a glare, "Ron and Harry are none of your business."

"And they are not the reason she is here," Narcissa ground, shooting her son a narrowed stare. "The children should be our main topic."

"Cissa," Lucius sighed, "you know I had to alert a Ministry official... She is the enemy."

"Yes," Narcissa sighed, "but Lucius... She hasn't done anything, nor was she planning on causing a problem. You'll tell the official that, won't you?"

Lucius stared down at his wife and groaned, then roll his eyes, "Of course, dearest."

"I'd appreciate it, sir," Hermione said politely, remembering what sort of people the Malfoy's were.

"I'd like to see my nieces and nephews more often," Hermione stated as a silence settled over the room, "I love them so much... I have so many memories with them."

"Could you tell us some?" Narcissa inquired, leaning closer with excitement. Hermione shrugged, "Nothing spectacular mind you... Just little things, like Shane fell off his broom and broke his arm so terribly when he was seven, and Kevin went through three weeks of food poisoning when we finally realized he wasn't allowed to eat broccoli, which Joyce had been making his soup out of, hoping he'd get better. Eloise has had... incidents, and Annie... Annie once yelled at the Minister of Magic for speaking foully to Joyce when she had done a rather poor review on something at work. Oh you should have seen his face... Completely shocked to have a little three year old telling him off."

Hermione smiled over the memory, and noticed the room had loosened up slightly.

For the next hour, Hermione told the Malfoys about the children's past, leaving out a few details Shane and Eloise should tell their new family for themselves, but she told almost everything she knew.

"I suspect Joyce's parents may want to see them sometime," Hermione mused as she took a sip of tea. Luicus had simmered down, even taking a seat on the couch beside Narcissa, and joining into the conversation quite a bit. Draco was even acting ... civil.

"Where are they now?" Narcissa pondered. Hermione shrugged, "I think still on their tour of the world. Last I heard they were in Denmark having a look around for the cheapest beer they could find."

Lucius chuckled and Draco smirked, snatching a cookie off the tray. He looked back to the entry way of the room and rolled his eyes, "You four may come in now..."

Hermione looked back over her shoulder and grinned, watching Eloise shuffled in with her siblings close behind her. They settled down across the couches, Kevin and Shane on either side of Hermione, Annie on Draco's knee, and Eloise beside Narcissa. Hermione still wasn't entirely happy with the situation. She didn't really want the children to be living with a dangerous family, such as the Malfoys, but they seemed happy, and it wasn't right to take away Draco's own flesh and blood. She swallowed a bit of cookie, listening to Shane and Kevin ramble on about how they weren't eavesdropping, just waiting until they were allowed in. Hermione giggled, but inside she was slightly nervous about meeting a Ministry official.

Anyone from within the Order of Phoenix would be scanned by a Ministry official, if found, and if they were guilty of spying or causing any harm, they'd either be killed or sent to Azkaban. Normally members of her Order could get around without being caught, and many were still doing it.

There was hope for her kind.

A house elf appeared in the room twenty minutes later, announcing the Ministry official had arrived. Shane looked over to his aunt, who stared at her hands nervously, and he rubbed her shoulders soothingly. He knew the Ministry liked to keep a tight hold on people from the Order of Phoenix, but his aunt hadn't done anything, so she was likely to be let off with a warning.

"Shall we send him off then?" his Grandmother inquired, rising to her feet. Lucius and his father were also quickly at their feet, and a sharp look from Lucius caused himself and Kevin to rise.

Something about respecting women and junk.

His aunt rose slowly and followed behind Lucius and his Dad, fiddling with her nails as she walked.

"Nothing'll happen to Auntie 'Mione, will it?" Annie asked, tugging on her Grandmother's hand gently.

His Grandmother shook her head and smiled, "I assure you, she'll be fine."

A relieved smile passed over Eloise's face as they all left out into the main hall. His aunt was stopped dead in her tracks just shortly behind Lucius, her jaw clenched together tightly. He peered around her and his eyes widened, the site before him just sickening him completely.

There stood trash at the Malfoy Manor front door.

Peter Pettigrew was the worst character imaginable. He was a small man, plump with large teeth, causing him to look like a rat more then anything.

"You!" Shane shouted, instantly wishing he had his wand so he could hex the miserable creature.

Peter glanced back at him and a small smirk moved across his lips, "Aah... Mr. Shane-"

"Don't speak to me, filth," he snarled, lunging forward. Lucius and his father almost looked to stunned to do anything, but Kevin had reacted quickly and was holding him around his waist tightly, trying to hold him back.

"Get off, Kev," he growled. "Why are you here? Come for another little 'session' with my sister, you sick fuck!"

"Shane!" his grandparents said loudly in unison, Lucius sounding angrier than his wife did.

Eloise let out a whimper as Peter's gaze wandered back to her and instantly his Aunt had her wand drawn, "Keep those beady little eyes to yourself, rat!"

"Don't hurt him, Aunt 'Mione..." Shane said loudly, "If you do... Then I can't kill 'im... Get OFF me, Kevin!"

"Calm down," Kevin ordered, struggling to keep Shane at bay.

"I want an explanation, now," Lucius barked, pulling out his wand, "or I will be forced to deal with all of you!"

"He raped her," Shane spat, ceasing his struggle and pointing an accusing finger at Peter. "He raped Eloise!"

"I wouldn't have called it rape, to be honest," Peter said firmly, "More like... performing a service, on her part."

Eloise let out a sob and pushed between Lucius and Shane's father, then hurrying up the stairs, until there was a loud slam of her door. Shane's father stared at the spot where his daughter last stood, then turned to Peter, a terrifyingly frightening look on his face, "You touched my daughter, Pettigrew?"

Peter stood motionless for a moment, then stuttered, "S-She's your daughter? So that m-makes her..."

"My granddaughter," Lucius snarled, "Narcissa, take Annie out of the room... Mu- Granger, please see to Eloise. Shane, Kevin, Draco... Stay with me."

I made sure my door was shut tightly before burying my face in the bed in shame.

Why was he here?

Tears were flowing down my cheeks, and I hoped Lucius would at least do something to that... bastard.

The door flew open and I whipped back, sighing slightly when I saw it was only Auntie Hermione, a worried expression across her face.

"Why'd they have to send him?" I wailed, sniffling loudly.

She swept towards me and cradled me against her chest, rubbing my back soothingly, "I know, darling, I know. Your grandfather will deal with him... He sent me up to check on you... The... men seem to want to have some alone time with that filth."

I cried harder and shut my eyes, trying to block out the look he gave me when he spotted me behind Shane.

Hopefully Shane and Kevin don't get too much alone time with the man...

They may just kill him.

"Before I allow my grandsons to maul you, Pettigrew," Lucius chuckled, twirling his wand lazily between his fingers, enjoying the look of terror in the pitiful man's eye, "I want an explanation."

Whether or not he planned on believing whatever Peter Pettigrew said was a different story. He was going to have Shane tell him what happened once Pettigrew was done jabbering on. He was having a difficult time keeping Draco back, for at the moment, his son was trying to push forward, so Lucius kept a firm grip on his arm. He noticed Kevin doing the same for Shane and smirked.

"Well...W-Well I was making a visit to their little... house," Peter started, his breathing beginning to grow heavy, "And... And well, Lucius you know how it used to be! They were my prisoners, for the time being, while my group went through the house! And... S-She's a very pretty little thing... So I took her back and... I..."

"Raped her?" Shane suggested, rolling his eyes, "Don't even try to fancy it up with words... We had to listen to her scream!"

Peter wrung his hands together, "Yes... Well... That's not why I'm here, is it? I need to figure out if this-"

"Miss Granger is here under my invite," Lucius drawled, as much as it disgusted him to say, he wanted to keep on task, "and really you aren't needed here as a Ministry official anymore."

Relief swept over Peter's face, "Then I suppose I can... go?"

"I don't think so," Draco growled, finally pushing past Lucius, much to his annoyance. "We still need to figure out what we'll do to you to make it up to my daughter."

"I-If you hurt me... He'll know!" Peter stated, trying to sound as threatening as he could.

Lucius rolled his eyes, "He favours us more then you anyway... Crucio!"

Hermione shut the door gently to Eloise's room after her niece had asked if she could just be alone for a while. She sighed, remembering how Eloise had acted when the incident actually happened. She must have only been about thirteen; two years ago. Something like that was scarring, however.

She tiptoed down the stairs and found Lucius and Draco speaking together in hushed tones near the door. Pettigrew was gone, and Shane and Kevin were somewhere else, most likely with Annie and Narcissa.

"Well," Draco mused loudly when Hermione finally made it down the stairway, "that was one little detail you failed to tell us about!"

Hermione glared at him, "It's something personal to Eloise! She would have told you when she was ready... On the other hand, maybe not at all! It's something horrible to live through!"

"Oh and you would know?" Draco demanded.

Hermione swallowed heavily and looked at the floor for a moment, "Yes... Yes I would know."

"Were you raped, Miss Granger?" Lucius inquired lightly, his hands folded calmly in front of him. Hermione assumed her answer before would have given it away, but perhaps he was clarifying it.

"Yes, yes I was," she stated, straightening her shoulders. "After I graduated from school and the war was in full swing, I was raped by a Death Eater."

Draco shifted awkwardly at the situation, while Lucius held an impassive face, "Did you know who it was?"

Hermione shook his head, "He had his mask on and never spoke."

"I'm very sorry, Miss Granger," Lucius muttered.

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "I'm sure you are."

The only good thing about her experience was that she knew how to handle Eloise after Pettigrew was finished with her.

"Were you there with Eloise when it happened?" Draco asked suddenly.

Hermione nodded, "Who do you think had to look after her? The group of them took Joyce somewhere... Merlin knows what they did to her."

"They... took Joyce?" Draco stammered, "Was she okay? What happened?"

"I don't know," Hermione admitted, shrugging her shoulders, "I had a sobbing thirteen year old to deal with. Joyce was big girl and could fix herself up."

"Would you be interested in staying for dinner, Miss Granger?" Lucius asked suddenly, "Draco... Maybe you could go speak with your daughter?"

Hermione watched with some amusement as Draco send a look over to his father; clearly, he had no idea what to say to his daughter.

"Eloise?"

I looked up from my pillow and another tear rolled down my cheek. I cleared my throat and ran a hand over my hair, hoping I would not look too much like a mess, "What, Dad?"

"May I come in?"

"Whatever."

I was not really in the mood to talk to someone about it, but I don't think Dad understands girls enough to take the hint.

"Hey, love," he said uneasily, shutting the door behind him.

I glanced up and gave him a weak smile, "Is he gone?"

"We dealt with him," he stated, a look of disgust passing over his face, "I don't think he'll ever be within fifty meters of you again... Or Shane and Kevin for that matter."

"They hate him so much," I mumbled, moving back on my bed so he could take a seat on the edge.

He chuckled softly, "I think your grandfather sensed that... They did most of the ... work."

I frowned, "What sort of curses did they use?"

If they used Unforgivable Curses... People will be able to find out! They could get in so much trouble! What was Dad thinking!

"Don't worry," Dad cooed, his eyes looking sincere. "Penalties for using Unforgivable Curses were lifted a long time ago."

"Mum never told us that," I choked. "She told us people would take us away if we used them."

"I suppose she just didn't want you to use them," he suggested, smiling a bit. "You see... She's the better parent out of us."

"That's obvious."

I instantly felt bad for saying it when I watched his face fall, but it was the truth about it. I can't lie to him.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

He shook his head, "It's true... I'm trying though."

"You're doing all right," I chuckled, sniffing loudly and wiping under my eyes. He drew out his wand and summoned a Kleenex box from my bathroom, which I accepted happily and brushed away the running make-up.

"I... I don't really know what to say about that rat," Dad confessed, wringing his hands together. "Are you... okay?"

I stared at him; oh he's trying so hard.

"I still have nightmares about it," I whispered, ripping my Kleenex in half, then in half again. I have this weird habit. Whenever it's a distressing situation, whatever I'm holding I start to rip in half until it's all in tiny little pieces.

"And... I used to see his face everywhere," I continued, my eyes getting watery again. "He wouldn't even leave his mask on when he did it... He'd tell me I was dirt... It's so horrible to think about."

"You're lucky you had some family there to help you," he commented, grabbing my feet and pulling me towards him across the bed. I nodded my head and sniffled again, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. It was a sad attempt at comfort, but it got the message across. I pushed my pillow to the side and slid both my arms around his waist, then rested my head on his chest, enjoying the meek attempt at comfort.

Dad and I sat in my room for almost an hour. A lot of the time was spent on the hug that got a little better after a while, and the rest was spent talking about Quidditch, sadly enough. It was the one major thing we had in common. He was actually interesting to talk with; once he got over the initial uneasiness of being alone with me. A house elf entered my room at about six o'clock to tell us dinner was on the table. When I made it downstairs, Kevin pulled me aside, an excited look on his face.

"Aunt Hermione is staying with us!"

"What?" Dad and I exclaimed in unison. I was happy about the news, but the look on Dad's face gave the opposite impression.

"She's staying?" I repeated, my insides twisting with excitement, "How come?"

"Grandma-"

"Grandmother," Dad corrected in a foul tone.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Grandmother invited her to stay with us... She said it was a payback sort of thing for all the years Aunt 'Mione looked after us!"

I squealed happily and did a little jump on the spot, something I normally only did if I was over the moon about something.

Auntie Hermione has lived with our family before, but that was before Annie was born. She stayed with us for almost two years, then Shane left for school and I soon followed, and she moved out to her own apartment. I have a feeling she stayed with mum so she could look after us, since we weren't exactly model kids growing up. Shane used to paint the walls with dirt from the garden when he was six, Kevin broke things to get attention, and I used to pin Kevin down and smother him with mum's darkest lipsticks.

Good times.

"Draco," Grandmother hissed. "Didn't you hear dinner has been sitting on the table-"

"I'm coming, mother," he sighed. "Come on, you two."

We followed him into the large dining hall and I hurried over to Auntie Hermione, wrapping my arms around her, "I just heard you were staying!"

She smiled and rubbed my arms, "The Malfoys asked me where I was living, and clearly Narcissa wasn't happy with it, and she asked me to move in here. I have a feeling I'm going to be Annie's babysitter for a little while, but I can handle it."

"So are you living here now?" I inquired in her ear.

She nodded, "Narcissa insisted... Lucius wasn't happy about adding one more to the household, but I'll just learn to stay out of his way."

"That's what we do," Shane chuckled from beside her. I grinned and walked to the other side of the table, taking my seat between Dad and Lucius. Annie still sat near Grandmother, I have a feeling it's because Grandmother cuts up her meat for her.

Shane and Kevin sandwiched in Aunt Hermione at the other side, and Dad stared sourly at his food.

I thought dinner would be awkward, but Grandmother and Hermione seemed to keep up the conversation, Grandmother prodding Lucius to join in every once and a while. I finally remembered the question I wanted to ask, and since Aunt Hermione was a Gryffindor, it would be easier to ask her.

"Aunt 'Mione?" I said suddenly. She looked at me and raised an eyebrow, signaling me to continue, "Did you know Ginny Weasley growing up?"

She nodded, "Yes I did... We were best friends, to a degree. Why?"

"I met her today," I explained. "Was she someone who hung around with Slytherins and Gryffindors?"

Dad and Aunt Hermione made eye contact and burst out laughing, causing Lucius to roll his eyes and Grandmother to look a little shocked.

"No," Aunt Hermione giggled, wiping the corner of her eye with her pinky. "No... Ginny Weasley was the least likely person to ever be around a Slytherin, unless it was during a Quidditch match. Why do you ask?"

I frowned, "Well... She's married to Severus Snape, so-"

My aunt choked on her drink and Kevin patted her on the back as she struggled for some breath, "Well... Um... She was forc-"

"Falling in love with him," Dad cut her off. "During school... So they got together after school, since the houses didn't apply as much then."

"Y-Yes," Hermione sighed, shooting Draco a glare, "That's why."