"Aunt Pansy it's easier if you crush the beetle eyes, like this," Damon said taking the knife from the witch and turning it to the side as he brought the flat end of the blade down on the beetle eyes. "Do you see how they pop and the juice secretes?" he asked as he picked up the cutting board and added the eyes to the brewing potion.

Smiling Pansy asked, "Where did you learn that?"

Stepping back from the hot cauldron Damon settled himself back on the stool he had been occupying as he watched Aunt Pansy and Aunt Astoria work in the potion lab. Before he could answer he heard the drawling voice of his father, "His mum is Granger Pans where do you think the kid learned it?"

Turning Damon was surprised to see his father lounging against the door jamb. Chuckling his aunt turned back to the potion to stir it the necessary times, "Of course, what was I thinking."

Chuckling Draco sauntered into the potions lab and took a seat on the empty stool next to Damon. "Besides being schooled by a ten-year old what are you guys doing down here?"

"I'm finishing up my blood replenishing potion and Astoria is cutting up the next set of your ingredients for your poly juice potion. And Damon was down here when we got here," Pansy answered without taking her eyes off her cauldron.

"What were you doing down here? The potions lab isn't a playground," Draco said sternly turning to his would be son. Shrugging Damon met his father's glare head on and answered, "I was curious to see if it looked the same as it does in the future."

Irritated that the kid had the nerve to not even flinch Draco snapped, "Spare me the future rubbish."

Noticing the tension filling the room Astoria cut in, "So Draco we heard an awful shout earlier from upstairs. Mind telling us what in Merlin was going on up there," Astoria serenely asked without taking her eyes off the lacewing flies she was cutting.

Glaring one last time at Damon Draco turned his attention to the blonde across the room, "It was just Longbottom. He got a tad upset when I told him that I was marrying Granger," Draco drawled. With that announcement Pansy, who thankfully was finished stirring her potion, turned around bug eyed; as there was a loud shout from Astoria. "Ow dam it Draco," she exclaimed pulling her finger into her mouth as she had slipped and cut her finger. "You can't spring that on someone who has a knife," she yelled sucking on her finger.

"Well luckily Longbottom didn't have one of those," Draco said snarkily.

Narrowing her eyes Pansy asked, "What are you talking about? Marriage? You can't just erase years of dislike and one day decide to get married." Shifting Draco glared at Pansy, "Well Pans you can if you need to fulfill a requirement in order to…have something," he said glancing sideways at Damon who was steadily watching him.

Sputtering Pansy looked between Draco and Damon wide-eyed, "But….but….," sighing she threw her hands in the air, "I know as well as you do the ramifications Draco but this is crazy," she exclaimed, "Hermione has to know then, right?"

"Do you honestly think she would've agreed any other way?" he drawled rolling his eyes.

"Hold up. Time out," Astoria called, "Somebody want to explain what is going on? Why do you have to marry?" she asked.

"It's because our family has a curse placed on them that prevents bastards from being born. So in order to have me they have to be married," Damon piped up from his seat.

Jumping off his stool Draco turned angrily to his son, "How in Merlin's beard do you know about that?" he shouted.

Glancing at his father and then to Pansy who was quietly moving around the potion counter he settled his gaze back to his father, "You told me."

Crossing his arms Draco glared, "I most certainly did not."

Nodding Damon mimicked his father as he crossed his arms and glared back, "Yeah actually you did. Right after mum died you sat me down and told me all the Malfoy secrets. You wanted me prepared if anything should happen to you," he stated. Damon watched as his father took a deep breath as though he was trying to stay calm, he was usually very good at reading his father's mood but right now he didn't understand the anger coming from him. Apparently Aunt Pansy did as he watched her lay a hand on his father's shoulder, "Draco?" she said quietly.

Shrugging Pansy off Draco turned and stomped towards the door, "No, no way am I doing this. I've changed my mind," he said before storming out the door and up the stairs. Looking between his two aunts he asked, "What was that?"

Sighing Pansy made her way to the door, "That was your father's insecurities rearing their ugly head." Making her way around her work station Astoria took his hand and helped him off his stool, "It usually doesn't end well when he gets like this," she commented as they followed Pansy up the stairs to the kitchen where they could already hear shouting.

"So I haven't worked out any details yet but I thought we'd marry before we started on this mission. I know it seems rushed but I've always wanted a nice summer wedding and we may be…..distracted later," Hermione quietly told Ginny. The two had moved farther down the table and were quietly discussing what Hermione had read in her journal which then moved onto talking about her impending marriage.

Smiling Ginny nodded, "I have a beautiful white summer dress if you'd like to borrow it. With the war you can't just go walking down Diagon Alley to Madame Malkin's, you know."

Nodding Hermione smiled sadly, "I know. The protective enchantments carry through to the backyard which would be plenty big so I'm hoping to have it here. I guess I should talk to Mal-" she stopped as she heard someone slam into the kitchen behind her. Turning she stood quickly as Draco was looking around wildly before zeroing in on her. "Perfect, Granger I'm changing my mind. We're not marrying," he snarled making his way to the door leading to the upstairs. Stepping into his path Hermione cut him off, "What are you talking about, Malfoy? We decided that we both wanted this," she asked calmly.

Glaring Draco looked at the witch in front of him, "No I don't want this. I don't want you and I don't want that kid. Whatever drivel is written in that book of yours is complete crap. I'm a Malfoy," he shouted, "I don't sully myself with mud bloods or have half bloods as children. You're delusional if you think I can be that person from your fairy tale journal," he continued harshly as he pushed her out of the way and strode out the door. Falling back Hermione caught herself on the kitchen table as she watched him storm out of the room. Eyes wide she realized that she wasn't breathing and let a whoosh of air out of her lungs.

"What the hell was that?" asked Harry quietly.

"It was a Malfoy scared," Theo answered as he approached Hermione as one would approach a wild animal, "Hermione?" he asked quietly. "Let's sit down," he said pulling out a chair and sitting her down in it.

"What made him go off the deep end like that?" Ginny asked as Theo shrugged.

"It was my fault," said a small voice from behind. Everyone turned to see Damon, Pansy, and Astoria coming through the doorway from the potions lab.

"No, it wasn't your fault, sweetheart," Pansy said quickly. Pulling out two chairs she sat across from Hermione and motioned for Damon to sit down. "I've been his best friend since diapers and if you're going to marry him Hermione you're going to have to understand how he thinks."

Raising her head Hermione focused on the dark haired girl across from her, "He called me a mud blood," she whispered.

Nodding Pansy sighed, "He didn't mean it."

"He sure as hell sounded like he meant it, Pans," Ron snapped.

Closing her eyes Pansy took a deep breath before opening them and focusing on the witch across from her, "Listen I'm not making excuses for him. I know he can be a right prat but you also have to understand why he is the way he is. From an early age it was literally beat into him that Malfoy's do not show emotion," pausing as Hermione mumbled, "I know that."

"Yes well he doesn't like attachments and I think when Damon talked about the fact that in the future you both died, it upset him," Pansy continued.

"You don't think it upsets us too?" Harry demanded. "To know that if we had continued on the path we were on that all of us in this room would've eventually been killed."

"I know," Pansy said quietly. "It's just harder for Draco. He's never had anyone to really care about and protect. I mean he tries with us but it's still very hard for him to open himself like that and when it comes down to it he knows we can protect ourselves if need be. I think he was reminded downstairs that he had a wife and a child and he was unable to protect them in the future. It's hard for him to take that burden on," she finished shrugging.

Moments later everyone looked up as Hermione pushed her chair back loudly and stood up with a look of determination, "Well then I guess I'll just have to beat some sense into the bouncing ferret," she stated as she strode out of the kitchen. Chuckling Theo glanced around and commented, "He isn't going to know what hit him."

Quietly opening the door to Malfoy's room Hermione stepped in to find him lying on his bed with his arm over his face. Hearing the door click shut he stirred but didn't move, "Go away Pansy. I'm not in the mood for your psycho babble bullshit," he said harshly.

Narrowing her eyes Hermione raised her wand, "Oww! Dam it Pans," he yelled sitting up. Lowering her wand Hermione marched over to his bed and plopped down, "If you would've had the decency to look at who was in your room. You'd know that I'm not Pansy," she remarked.

Rolling his eyes he moved back against the head board, "What do you want Granger? You didn't get it through that bushy head of yours the first time; that I don't want anything to do with this?"

"No obviously I didn't because I think you're lying. Tell me what happened?" she demanded.

Scoffing he crossed his arms and glared at the petite witch, "Who the hell do you think you are? I wasn't lying. I know you've conjured up some crazy fantasy about us but sorry I'm not going to play your knight in shining armor."

Cocking her head she studied the blonde wizard, "I think you're scared," she whispered. Rolling his eyes he asked, "What would I be scared of, Granger?" Shrugging she responded, "You're scared of having a wife and child. I think you're scared that we could get hurt and I think you're scared of being the kind of father your father was."

"God dam it Granger," he yelled lunging for her and pinning her to the bed, "Don't talk about my father. You know nothing about him!" "But I do Draco," she whispered, "You told me about him. You've only read half the journal, Draco, there are entries as the pregnancy went on about him and you. You're fears of becoming like him. At one point you did the same thing you are right now which is lashing out, trying to get me to hate you."

Breathing heavily Draco stared down at her before slowly moving off of her and standing up, "What do you want me to do? This kid shows up out of the blue and blindsides us with this shit. According to your book of secrets we worked our way to this point. It literally took months and all of a sudden in two days I'm just supposed to be okay with gaining a wife and kid?"

Sitting up Hermione reached out and pulled him back to sit down, "It's okay to freak out," she said chuckling a little, "If you honestly think that I'm not you're crazy." Sighing Draco pushed himself back against the headboard again, "He sat down there talking about how we died like he was talking about the weather. He's ten years old and he's already seen more death than any of us. What if we do this and nothing changes? Just because we know where these horcruxes are doesn't mean it's going to be a picnic to get them. People may still die. You may still die because I can't protect you," he said as he massaged his temples. Feeling the bed shift Draco looked up to find Hermione sitting in front of him, "It's a risk for all of us. I'm not delusional I know that we could go on this mission to Gringott's and one of us may not come back. However, I'm going to be fighting just a little harder to stay alive because of the future that I know we could have."

Shaking his head Draco chuckled, "This is insane you know that right?"

Nodding Hermione smiled, "Yes I know. However you did illicit a challenge this morning that I have all intentions of winning." Furrowing his brow Draco asked, "What challenge?" Smirking Hermione hopped off the bed and strode towards the door. "You don't remember?" she asked innocently. "We were right there on your bed when you challenged me to teach you how to love again." Opening the door Hermione glanced back, "I have every intention to accept and succeed at that challenge, Mr. Malfoy," she said winking before turning and closing the door with a click.

Snorting Draco laid back again trying to figure out how she had managed to calm him in less then twenty minutes. It usually took his friends at least an hour to get through to him. 'Dam witch,' he thought rolling his eyes.