A/N...TheRimmerConnection did a great job betaing, but I dabbled afterward and didn't send back for her to review, so I might have a couple of little boo boos. Also, don't be shocked it chapter take a little longer to be posted over the next month. Family holiday yippie!

Previously... Hermione rolled over and reached for the bottle of Gatorade that Bob brought her. She uncapped it and took the last slip. As she laid her head back on her pillow, she heard Ginny's voice. Her eyes flickered open and she sat up. She slowly made her way into the living room, where Ginny was leaning against the back of the couch. Draco stared at a long roll of parchment, worried.

"Hey," she said, leaning against the wall. Draco shot up and was by her side before Ginny.

"What are you doing? You should be in bed," Draco scolded. Ginny nodded, agreeing with Draco.

"You've been pretty ill today," Ginny said, sliding her arm under Hermione's, "You should be in bed resting."

The two walked Hermione to the couch when she resisted going back to the bedroom. Draco stayed at her side while Ginny went to the kitchen to get drinks.

"Where's baby girl?" Hermione asked. Draco slid an arm around Hermione, hoping to warm her and ease her shivering. She rested her head on his shoulder naturally.

"Doodle bug is sleeping in the spare room." Hermione looked up, right eyebrow arched.

"Doodle bug?" Draco nodded. "And have you called her that to her face?"

"Yes, and she doesn't mind." He looked toward the hallway. "She'll be smarter then you were in school. She's a real Einstein that one."

Hermione laid her head back down. "Yes she is. I have a feeling she's brighter then I was at her age. I spoke to a nursery for advanced children, but I'm wondering if that means she'll start magic earlier." Draco opened his mouth, but she sat up, shaking her head. "I know it's improbable, but I just get this feeling. I can't explain it." She sighed and slouched back. "It's nothing. All parents think their child is the brightest, fastest and far better than all the others."

But Hermione didn't dare say anything about the little odd things she'd noticed at times. Cookies on the counter, when she would have sworn she put them up on the top shelf; or toys that she put away because they were broken, then found in Maggie's toy box fixed and like new. Just hinting at the idea that Maggie could already be controlling magic, sounded crazy now that she said it out loud. She was probably just over-stressed as a single mum.

"Pumpkin, you're tired and not feeling well. Let's talk about it all tomorrow."

Ginny walked in with three teas, milk and sugar. Once it was all placed on the coffee table, Ginny fixed Hermione's tea as Hermione read the scroll.

Hermione sipped her tea then looked at Ginny. "If I hadn't been, um, ill last night, we would have been there. This is my fault, but I won't let it happen again." Hermione wiped a tear from her cheek. Draco opened his mouth to protest, but she gave him a look that told him to keep quiet.

"Okay. Look, it's late and I'm tired. May I crash here tonight?" Ginny asked. Draco spoke first, telling her she was always welcomed. He stood and helped Hermione up. Once Ginny had her by the arm, he retrieved the spare set of bedding from the guest room. He set up the couch and lay down. It was going to be a long night. He already knew there was no way he was going to sleep. Not only was he alone on the couch, when he wanted to be in bed next to Hermione, but he was worried about the one missing muggle.

Maggie's face was the first thing Draco saw that morning.

"Morning doodle bug," he said with a stretch. He took an inventory of himself, hoping he hadn't stripped down to his pants in the night. Maggie looked at him as he patted under the covers.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Feeling what I'm wearing," he answered honestly. He knew there was no point in trying to lie. Not to Maggie.

"You have an undershirt, socks and underpants." Draco stopped mid-pat and looked up at the child. He felt the flush creep up his chest and reach his neck.

"And how do you know?" he asked as he sat up, wrapping himself tighter in the blanket.

Maggie scooted off of the arm of the couch on to the seat. "Your blanket was on the floor and you were hugging a pillow. Why do you sleep like that? You had your leg –"

"Breakfast!" Hermione said, interrupting Maggie before she could finish her question. Maggie shot off the couch and ran to the kitchen.

Draco looked up, and saw Hermione looking healthy. He also noticed the blush across her cheeks.

"Morning," she said, still grasping for something to say.

"Morning. I'm thinking I might have been doing something, um…" Hermione snickered. Draco stopped trying to talk; he just sat there staring at the floral pattern on the blanket.

"No worries, it wasn't that bad."

"Just tell me," he asked, "I want to be able to look her in the eyes again."

"You might have been mildly humping the pillow you were hugging." Draco groaned. He didn't feel sticky in his pants, so that was good. "I re-covered you and that made you roll over. Then you snored," she said as she turned around. "Get dressed and come eat."

Draco nodded, collected his clothes and made his way to the bathroom.

He tilted his head under the spray of the water. While the water's noise isolated him from the world around him, he entertained what it would be like to have Hermione and Maggie in his life.

He would Floo home from work at the Ministry, he would change jobs, naturally, taking the head position in the department. Hermione would be at the family table with Maggie working on her studies. He grinned, imaging a pregnant Hermione. Yeah, a couple of kids sounded nice. He added a toddler in a high chair with blocks to the mental image and made Maggie older. Hermione smiles and holds out her arms, welcoming him home. Dinner she made would be warming in the oven. She would make food the Muggle way, without the help of house-elves. He would sneer and she would glare at him with her hands on her hips whenever he would bring up having the elves cook and clean. Smiling he straightened himself from the spray and reached for the soap.

As he washed, he thought of the downsides: their children would be Malfoys and they would be outcasts. They would endure the same glares and whispers that he received. They wouldn't be truly trusted by the Wizarding world. Yes, he had a good job at the Ministry. Yes he was offered the head posting in the department, but people still looked at him sideways, still double-checked him and still wondered 'Is he still a follower of You-Know-Who?'

He snapped out of the daydream. Sure, he was living comfortably, money-wise, but he was still remembered as a wannabe Death Eater. As a son of a Death Eater. Not in his lifetime would that change. Not in his children's, if he had any, would it change either. He wouldn't let himself think of it again. It didn't matter how much he wanted a family of his own, he couldn't do that to them. He wouldn't cause them the heartache of being social pariahs because of what his father did. And what he had done.

Hermione sat down at the table and sipped her tea. She listened to Maggie tell her about her and Draco's adventure shopping. She thought it all sounded wonderful, but worried slightly about the bond that they were forming. Ginny woke early and left for home, promising to return mid-morning with her books. Hermione wanted to spend as much time with Maggie as possible. She needed to make up for the time she had been gone. Maggie sipped her juice and smiled at her.

"Mum."

"Yes dear?"

"Does James have a family?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Just wondering. Does he have a wife and kids?"

"No. But he still has his mum." Maggie nodded, then got up and dropped her dishes in the sink. Draco walked in and made himself a plate. He sat down and started eating, trying to get his thoughts straight.

"Mum was talking about taking me sightseeing. You have to come. It's going to be so much fun." Draco looked up and caught Hermione's eyes, which were telling him to say yes. He should have said no and could have, but he looked at Maggie's big browns, and 'yes' just popped out.

Late that night, Draco sat in the Lazy-boy while Hermione sat on the couch reading her books. She feverishly flipped pages, desperately seeking her answers. Draco saw the bottle of bubbles that Maggie had forgotten and felt a pang in his heart. How could he have fallen for the child in such a short time?

"I've narrowed it down, but I'm not sure." Hermione reached for another book and started flipping pages.

"Narrowed what down? Why do you refuse to clue us in?" Hermione shook her head.

"Not yet. I may not even be right, and if that's so then I don't want us missing something and getting in a mess. I don't want us to narrow our minds. We have to stay wide-eyed."

"If you would stop being a pain and just clue us in, we could help." He stood up and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm calling it a night."

"Night," she muttered. He rolled his eyes and made his way to the spare room. He convinced himself that he needed space from Granger. He needed to be able to walk away when this was all done and not look back.

Two days later Hermione was back at work and Draco was back at his bar stool. The past two days all they had done was bicker and piss each other off. Hermione was leaning on the counter talking to a guy who she had just served a beer, and it was driving Draco mad. Latisha walked by and smiled. She gave him a little finger wave and turned up the sexual tension when she blew him a kiss. He watched her sashay to the far end of the bar, his eyes focusing on her hips and arse. A hand clapped his shoulder firmly sending a jolt of panic through his chest. He looked and found Bob grinning at him. "Hey there, long time no see."

"Hey Bob," Draco muttered, sitting down relieved. "How you doing?"

"Pretty good. Looks like you and the missus are on the outs." Draco just nodded. Bob solemnly nodded. Bob looked toward the far end of the bar, watching Latisha for a moment. "Well hell. I think I gotta remind you two what you seem to be forgetting," he said in a stern voice. He waved Hermione over and looked back and saw Marc. He waved him over and motioned him to stand by Hermione.

"What's up?" Hermione asked, looking at Marc and Draco. Draco shrugged and Marc looked just as clueless.

"I'm going to reaffirm your vows." Draco and Hermione both looked at Bob in a mild shock.

"No. No no no no," Hermione pleaded. She looked at Draco, begging him with her eyes to agree with her.

Draco saw the pleading look, but whether it was wanting to do it just to piss her off, or the liquor talking, he told Bob "That's a bloody fantastic idea."

Bob walked around the bar and washed his hands. He came back with a glass of water and set it on the counter. He motioned for Hermione to stand next to Draco and for Marc to stand behind them.

"I haven't married anyone for such a long time, let's just hope I remember the words." Bob chuckled and proceeded.

"James, this is really not a good idea," she whispered into his ear. He waved it off.

"Shh, Bob is starting." Draco turned his attention back to Bob, and Hermione followed suit. She felt like she had no choice. If she told Draco why she thought this was a bad idea, it could ruin everything. Especially if she was wrong.

"In front of this witness and these people, I stand here to join this man and this woman together. From the dawn of time man and woman were to join and bind together. Since Lilith and Adam, you've been meant to join." Bob turned to Draco. "You man, do you take this woman here before you to be yours. Do you vow to put her before you? Do you vow to protect, honor, love and be faithful to her, until the last breath leaves your earthly body?" Draco nodded.

"I do vow." Bob cheerfully nodded and turned to Hermione. "You woman, do you take this man here before you to be yours. Do you vow to put her before you? Do you vow to protect, honor, love and be faithful to him, until the last breath leaves your earthly body?"

Hermione's heart beat painfully in her chest. She couldn't say no, it could blow their cover.

"I do vow," she said with a shaky voice. Bob smiled and nodded.

"Here in front of me and these witnesses, I accept and acknowledge your vows. Here drink this water and be blessed." Draco accepted the glass and drank half of the water. He handed over the glass and Hermione finished it. Bob and Marc congratulated them and hugged them both.

"Now go home Anna, I'm giving you the rest of the night off to consummate. Again and again and again," Marc said chuckling. Hermione's face reddened, but she nodded and left to get her things, not seeing Latisha seething in the corner.

On the bus ride home, both were silent. When they entered the apartment she heard the roll of thunder. Cursing the weather she flinched. She really didn't want to rely on Draco tonight.

"Come here my wife," Draco teased. "Aww come here. We're newlyweds, we're supposed to at least cuddle on the wedding night." Hermione nodded. Yep, they were newlyweds.

The storm severely increased, knocking the power out.

"Crap. Come on, let's get to bed and ride it out." Draco said as he walked her to the room. They lay in bed, Draco holding Hermione as he hummed his favorite songs and nursery lullabies to her.

When she fell asleep, Draco kissed her forehead and told himself that today he had enjoyed having a fake wedding with Hermione. He kissed his 'bride' once more before letting himself fall asleep, not noticing that the storm quit just as fast as it started.