"Yellow." Rico told them.

"Gold." Augustus argued.

"Yellow!."

"Gold!."

"Liar!"

"Cheat!"

"Girlfriend stealer!"

"It's Amber." Guerrero told them, sipping his juice with a bored tone.

The boys eased down at their ring leaders statement as Draco walked into the Excalibur, pulling off his sunglasses. He sat down next to me and pecked my cheek as I watched the snake they found this morning, a brow raised. "Is that an El destino del viajero?"

"Si. The 'Fate Walker' an interesting tale." The serpents green eyes floated to Guerrero as he spoke in choppy English. The metallic, murky yellow scales shined a shade similar to the color on my grandmother Irena's family pendant that Daphne would wear in January. "Cousin to Black-Belly Gartner. Two breeds: yellow and gold. Yellow gentle, kind and good luck. Gold ill fortune."

The snakes seaweed green eyes fell on me and flicked it's tongue, heading my way gracefully. Rico and Augustus went pale. Draco's pale hands went on my waist protectively. Somehow we both had spent the same amount of time in the sun and I had turned bronze while he stayed pale.

"Do you really believe this nonsense?" I poked at him, watching the timid creature.

"It's a snake with fangs, and you're carrying my child." He reasoned, watching the animal as it neared.

"I think he's just a lost snake, wondering why in Merlin's beard we're watching him."

"Parseltongue now, are we?" I held my hand out to the small animal and it slid on my hand, coiling its self around my wrist. The animal laid its head in my palm, it's slick scales cold on my sun kissed skin.

"It likes you." Guerrero watched, surprised. "I'll double in size in about four weeks. They eat a lot."

"What- no, we are not keeping it!" The snake looked at him, black skin sliding over it's eyes. The blond leaned away from me, a brow raised. I laughed as he glared at me. "How is this funny, Tori?"

"You're afraid of an animal in which you out weight by more than a hundred pounds, Love." I laughed at his pursed lips. Bloody hell, that expression's priceless! "Are you ready to go, Draco?"

"I'm serious, Tori. We're not keeping that thing. It's a wild animal."

"Then I'll let it go when it wants to, Draco."

"The Ministry won't let you come back with that thing."

"If Herpo wants to go home with me, I'll call Laura Daniela with the Department of Imported Species and have her okay it. She owes Dad for paying for her last year of school." I told him coolly. The three boys watching us were bright red from trying to suppress laughter they gained from Draco's reaction.

"You named it?"

"I'm trying to at least. I don't think he likes Herpo. Come on, Draco, lighten up!" I told him, raising my left hand to his cheek. The snake slid up my arm to avoid the close proximity with the wizard. "I'm suppose to be the moody one here."

The blond shook his head, leaning into my cheek. "Do the Greengrass sisters always get their way?"

"No. My parent's wouldn't let me trade Daphne in for an owl when she broke my Quick Cauldron when I was nine."

The trio was laughing so loudly that Guerrero's mother came out, ordering them to quiet down during business hours as we left. We headed for the entrance back to the muggle part of the city and Draco took my right hand. We had four days left in Mexico city before we were set to head back to Britain and deal with the scandal we left there. Lucky-bloody-me.

"Your sister owled." Draco handed me the parchment as he put on his sunglasses. We turned the corner past a chart selling venom absorbing minerals from a hundred year old looking hag. He glanced at the snake and ran back to buy some, giving me time to open my letter slowly and fearfully.

Daphne wasn't ever one for howlers but she was Slytherein sly when it came to chewing people out, on paper or in person.

'Dear Astoria,

I hope you're enjoying your vacation. I'm here at home, finishing wedding plans and listening to my fiancée and our parents disown you in every bloody way know to Morgana!!! Do you realize the mess you two have caused? Mum and Lucius almost Avada Kedeverad each other after she claimed Draco seduced you! Not to mention, Dad and Narcissa have consumed more alcohol together this week than they ever did when they were knocking cauldrons at school (This was a major shock to me and should also be to you and Draco. Imagine, you two could have been siblings!).

You two are selfish, inconsiderate and horrible bastards! When you get back, you better pray to Merlin that the newspapers don't hear about this or I will gladly give an interview! Oops, too-bloody-late! Nine papers have commented on Gerard replacing you at the Prophet and Andy has given me full details of how you went awall with Draco.' -

I cut the letter off right there, feeling the burn. I went awall?And Gerard replaced me as the head political columnists? That man didn't realize that Potter was engaged until a month after the event! What-the-bloody-hell!

"Who am I going to be defending you for murdering?" Draco asked as we made it to the tunnel.

"Nobody I'm going to let ruin this trip." The snake crawled up around my neck, causing the father of my child to glare at it. "Are you seriously jealous of a snake?"

"No." He lied.

I rolled my eyes, laughing. When we arrived back at out hotel, I put my bag on the patio and the snake crawled down my arm and onto it, looking at me as if lost. I looked back at him, sighing as I sat down. Could you communicate with a snake without being Parseltongue?

"Here's the deal. We've been doing this bet thing about not shagging each other for about a week, and it's taking its toll. So if you could stay out here for a bit and sun bathe or whatever you do, it would be bloody spectacular. Alright mate?"

The snake slithered off the table, down it's base and over to a potted plant in the shade. I watched him and smirked. We had a connection, me and...Hugo? Harper? Lark? I rose and decided to ponder on that later. I closed the patio door, walking to the bathroom where Draco was brushing his teeth.

"Brush any harder and your gum's will bleed, Love." He spat in the sink and put a handful of water in his mouth, ignoring me as he gargled. "Despite how much of a turn on this is, I can think of other things that mouth of yours is good for."

The wizard spit the water out as I kicked off my shoes and pulled off my shirt. His eyes darkened as he watched me undo two front hooks of my bra, following the movements of my fingers. Seconds later, I was pinned on the bed. He straddled me, kissing me and running his hands through my hair aggressively.

"If anyone-you-gave up." He mumbled through our kisses as he unbuttoned his shirt off.

Mmm... minty."Whatever-bloody pride-stupid... should-be-outlawed."

!HarryPotter*HarryPotter*HarryPotter!

We spent the next three days finishing our tourist attractions with the company of the serpent I eventually named Lucan. My travel mate spent a few days trying to discourage my connection with this animal but failed miserably.

"If you remember correctly, Father's name is Lucius." The bloke told me as we walked out of an antique store with a pot for Narcissa. We figured if we came back bearing gifts, we may have a slim chance of surviving the family dinner we had promised to attend.

"He has a namesake from the family? It must have been meant to be." I laughed as Draco threw his hands in the air in disbelief. This must have been how Professor McGonagall felt when she was my independent DADA teacher. Lucan wrapped himself around the wrist holding my bag, standing up on my hand to look around. Everyone around us seemed oblivious to our carry-on mate.

"You realize that the original religions here find snakes evil and relating to death?"

"But death's a natural part of life we all should embrace. Ah, Draco look. You're upsetting Lucan!" The snake slid down into my bag, rolling into a coil in the cloth.

"He'll get over it." The wizard muttered. "Turn left here."

"Where the bloody hell are we going anyway?" I asked, going down an older and more sheltered block.

"To see Gomez Fernandez. He's the wise man my father introduced me to the last time I was here."

I looked at him, confused. The block looked like the poverty stricken neighborhoods charity projects took pictures of to get money out of people. "What do we need advice on?"

He smirked at me. "If you can carry around that thing, we can go see my wise man."

A Hispanic boy sat outside a clothed hut and looked up, a brow raised. I noticed how old his clothing looked and felt pity. Draco spoke to him in Spanish and he nodded, going inside the structure. I looked around and noticed the majority of the people on this block were obviously nonindustrial wizards and witches. A woman in a face wrap looked at me, watching me with cold black eyes. I felt Lucan come out of my bag and wrap around my arm. He looked at her, his black lids covering his eyes and the woman ran away in fear. Bloody stupid folktales. Before I could ask Draco about it the boy returned.

"He says to come... it is important." The boy blocked the sun with his hand, his English choppy. His eyes fell on Lucan and he stilled.

We dunked under the draped doorway to enter a large, magically created room. A man with a long beard and dark, sickly looking skin sat on a pillow on carpeted floor, inhaling with his eyes closed. I smelled essence coming from three laps around the room and coughed.

"The blond mans boy has returned. Only now he is no longer a boy." He opened his eyes and glazed, milky orbs stared back at us. The blind man looked over to us, motioning for us to sit. He continued in an eerie and hallow voice that reminded me of Professor Trelawney. "You brought a visitor?"

"Yes." Draco took off his sunglasses as we sat, unsurprised by his guess work."This is"-

"Hush, I will find out soon. Hand?" I looked at the blond with an unsure expression and he nodded. I held out the hand that Lucan was on. I expected the snake to go up my sleeve as it usually did with Draco. Instead it dropped its lids and hissed as Gomez violently. The man jumped back and stared at me, though not able to look directly at me.

"Astoria, put it away!" Draco hissed in alarm.

"No!" I went to grab for Lucan before Gomez stopped me. "It is fulfilling its purpose."

"What?" I asked, confused. Draco looked as bewildered as I did. "You lost me."

"It has chosen you. You bear a child?"

"Yeah." I nodded. What did that have to do with it?"Why does it matter?"

"El viajero protect those unable to do it themselves." He told me.

I rolled my eyes at him. I may be weak, but I knew how to protect myself. As Justin Flinch what I did to him when he tried to get in my pants at the Goyle's wedding.

"And why am I in need?" Draco had gone blank face, as if trying to hide something.

"You have many enemies?" The man spoke, clenching and unclenching his hands in thought.

"None that are going to off me anytime soon"- I cut myself off, realizing that wasn't the entire truth.

'Truth is, your in danger... The people after you are old servants to Voldemort. The safest thing you can do is stay with Malfoy.'

'Don't think that having a Pure-blood lover will save you this time, Gondolier.'

'When you come back, Forester won't be in jail. She's under the Imperious Curse. Don't mention this to anyone if you want to stay alive...'

"A pair who lie about the same danger is one that will soon die. Young Malfoy, truth is the best form of commitment one can have. Now go."

"But"- Draco shook his head and grabbed my arm, making me follow him. We walked down the street, getting stares from people. "Draco... what"-

"Wait until we're out of here." He told me evenly, holding onto my right hand tightly. Lucan stayed on my left as Draco shoved his sunglasses back on. I noticed the groups had began watching us closely, whispering as we passed. The dark eyed woman caught my eyes again, her face cloth falling to reveal a horrible scar on her face.

'You return after all, Gondolier.'

We arrived on the pedestrian street again and Draco sighed. I looked at him as he smirked. "Take that with a grain of flood powder. Gomez told Father and I the last time were here that he was in danger. He's aware we were with the Dark Lord and he's using old religion to tie that thing into his readings. What did you think of it?"

"I think someone needs to lay off the essence. I thought Dad was a bloody chimney." I stopped, my mind racing. I looked back down the alley, shaking my head. That woman.... "I think I'm suffering from dehydration. How about we grab lunch and head for the beach?"

"Sounds good." Draco pulled me to him and gave me a peck on his mouth, his arms tense. "What do you feel like?"

"Chicken. We still need to get Daphne and the arse an engagement present too."

He nodded as we walked down the sidewalk. "How about someone who can spell the Ambassador of Venezuela's name correctly?"

"Nah, we'll let them figure that one out. How about a snake to protect Andy from all the rebelling political fans I've gained over the years?" I joked, my eyes sparkling at the image.

"Yeah, we can give them this one." Lucan looked at him with his black vision. Draco looked from the snakes expression to my similar one and sighed. "There's no need for it. You realize I would never let anything hurt you, Tori?"

"I know I'm safe as long as I'm with you." I told him, grabbing his hand and pressing his knuckled to my mouth as Lucan slid up my sleeve. "And even if that's not enough, I still have Lucan to save me."

The blond glanced at me in exasperation, laughing at my joke. "You and that bloody snake!"

"Don't hate my serpent protector. He's doing a very good job, so is backed by your wise man." I told him, catching a whiff of chicken from a restaurant down the block. I felt the snake tighten around my arm and smiled."So we both deserve chicken for the work we've put in today."

"I don't constitute laying in a hand bag and making fun of school age, political book worms as 'work'."

"You try to carry around an unborn being that enjoys sitting on your bladder and we can talk." I shot at him. "And trust me, its going to get worse. I was at the Harpies and Cannon game to interview Shackbolt about the Norwegian famine when Potter went into labor. I think she broke four of her brothers fingers."

"Weasley would break his leg on a pebble. If Granger wasn't married to him, he wouldn't survive." We entered the restaurant and sat at a booth. I looked at Draco as he took off his sunglasses to examine a menu, a brow raised. "Yes?"

"How often do you have meetings with Potter?" I inquired, wondering if he had Travis's policy about my friendships.

"A couple times a month, Why?" Draco asked, flipping a page.

"It's been eight years since you two left school and you still hate him?"

"He's still 'Scar Head' to me and always will be. The chicken does sound good." The blond told me.

"And if I get along with him, do you mind?"

"Your friends are you business. Just know the second he tries to shag you, he won't be 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' anymore." I snorted at that thought.

"I doubt that will happen. Ginny Potter is way too pretty and has the meanest Bat-Eyed Boogie Hex I have ever seen." I laughed as Draco winced in remembrance.

We ate dinner and walked down to the beach sitting under an umbrella away from the overcrowded bar. I took in the warm sun while lying on Draco's taunt stomach. His fingers ran through my hair as Lucan crawled down the leg of my shorts. "Frisky little perv, aren't you?"

"I haven't even done anything, Love." Draco looked down at me, glaring at the snake. "I'll accept the fact we're taking that thing home with us tomorrow. But it is not sleeping with us."

Bloody hell, we were going home tomorrow? "Draco, ever thought of becoming a lawyer in Mexico? You don't have to fight a language barrier?"

"No thanks. I burn easily-Bloody hell, Tori!" I grinned at him as I put a handful of sand on his face. He grabbed me, spinning me around and pinning me to ground, straddling me. Luncan hissed and crawled off me, back to the safety of my bag. The pale wizard looked down at me, his eyes magnified in the evening sun. "Tori, you pissed off Lucan. Tisk, tisk."

I laughed, throwing my head back. Draco put his mouth on my earlobe and sucked on it, making me moan. "Love, not here. There are people all around."

"Where?"

I looked back and saw everyone had gone to the bar or back to their hotels for the night. The blond moaned and slid his hands to my shorts, unbuttoning them and shimmying them off so that I was just in my bikini. He pulled my tank top off and kissed my bare stomach up to my chest, playing with the back of my bikini top. I wrapped my legs around his back and pulled him closer to me, feeling sand shift under me. Draco came back up to my face and I went to kiss him but he held me down, looking into my eyes.

"What happens when we get back won't change this, will it?"

I stared back at him, knowing he was talking about our relationship. "Not when you're about to shag me on a beach in Mexico."

He nodded, taking his left hand off of my wrist to undo the belt on his pants. "Good."