Chapter 14

Hermione had immediately contacted a lawyer to see what her rights were and what Draco's were as well. She had been lucky to be spared fifteen minutes as she was desperate and the matter was urgent. It would cost her though. The law was quite ambiguous at various points she was told, and Hermione realized with a jolt that she was more familiar with Muggle law on this subject, as she knew some divorced Muggles, which didn't apply to her nor her daughter.

"He would have to be actively harming the child," her new – and first – lawyer explained. "That would be a solid ground. Of course," she whispered conspiratorially, "since this is the Malfoys we're talking about, some money into the right hands will greatly help your case."

Hermione nodded. This advice should appall her but she would go to great lengths to keep her daughter close.

"How about insurmountable differences?" she said.

"I'm afraid that's divorce law, my dear," the wise old woman said. "Not about custody rights."

Hermione sighed. "Of course," she said. "My head has been swimming these last few days…"

Her lawyer nodded sympathetically. "It will not be easy," she warned her. "He will be a formidable foe." The glance in her lawyer's eyes told Hermione that she was up for the fight, however Hermione herself, was far less eager.

"He could win," she whispered.

"Honesty compels me to tell you that he could." The grey haired woman with springy hair across the desk told her. "And if you are very unlucky he might get full custody. That you've kept silent about the existence of the child does not help your case; it might make some judges frown…"

Hermione nodded and bit her lip. "So, despite there being a fair chance I might win, you would recommend mediation first?"

"Yes," her lawyer said. "I would, as interesting as the case would be for me personally." She'd already explained to Hermione that it could easily become a test case of pure-bloods against Muggleborns – a gauge of the sentiment in larger society.

"I'm not prepared to become a high profile court case just yet," Hermione replied, with a smothered voice. "I'll suggest the mediation you mentioned."

The lawyer shook her hand. "I wish you well," she said. Hermione thanked her and went home. One last night with her child she'd have at the very least….

Draco felt conflicted. He wanted to at least meet the child. His daughter. But whatever should happen next? He'd gotten Hermione all riled up by mentioning joint custody but he had no idea if that would actually work. Whatever would his parents say? They were bound to find out. Did he even want joint custody of a child? He had no idea what to do, yet if the child was his he did have rights, damned! Draco didn't even want to think about Astoria and what she would say about all this.

Hermione's flat wasn't much to look at, not from outside anyway. "I bet she doesn't get paid very well," he muttered under his breath as he climbed the stairs towards her floor. He'd found it too presumptuous to apparate inside her home. "But any child of mine will only ever get the best."

Hermione opened the door to him. She looked rather gaunt he thought. "Good morning," he said. "Slept well?"

"No, of course not," she hissed. "How could I have?"

He shrugged. It was no concern of his. "I slept like a baby," he said. "And it's a baby I've come to see."

Hermione nodded. "Come in," she said, and he stepped inside her little flat. It couldn't have been more different from his own. Small, cramped, but homely too. Cozy even. Warm instead of cold like his own large designer apartment.

Draco was ready for battle, armed with arguments and logic, but he wasn't prepared for the sight of little Lucy. She was lying in the playpen licking her fingers and looking very seriously.

Hermione stood by as he just gazed at her. "She's so small," he whispered. "So tiny."

Her mother smiled at him. "She does have your hair," she said, "clearly…"

"Who'd you name her after?" he said. "It can't have been my father."

Her eyes darkened at that. "No, after my grandma," she replied. "She was called Lucy and she was… well, a role model for me, so that's why."

"My parents don't know yet," he murmured, "though they might have heard the rumors by now. I have no idea how they'll react to this."

"They will probably find her blood tainted," Hermione said, and Draco didn't have a reply. They would think precisely that.

"Could I…?" he asked. Little Lucy smiled at him and he felt his heart melt.

"Of course," Hermione said and lifted the girl out of her playpen and into his arms. "You should support her head like so," she said, helping his hand into the right position.

Draco hadn't held a baby for ages. "She doesn't mind me," he said, slightly accusatory, as he rocked Lucy very softly in his arms.

He noticed Hermione bite her lip at that. "I went to a lawyer," she blurted out, "and she suggested mediation."

"You already visited a lawyer?" he said. "Yesterday?"

"Straight after you'd cornered me, yes," she said. "I felt… well, under attack."

He frowned. "I thought we would try to sort this business out without lawyers," he said, his voice thick with fury. He laid Lucy back into her playpen.

"She is not 'this business,'" her mother remarked sharply. "And I wanted to know where I stood, going up against the Malfoys."

"I told you, quite expressively, that we should not bother with lawyers just yet," he said. "And you immediately went to see one…. So much for being trustworthy," he smirked.

"I was worried," Hermione muttered, casting her eyes downwards.

"You were worried?" he replied, raising his eyebrows. "Hermione, you are bound to have the support of quite a few… unlike me."

"Money still speaks," she said, "and not all judges are favorable towards women in custody battles."

Draco shook his head. "What does our great friend Ron have to say about all this? Or dear Harry?" The sarcasm dripped from his tongue. "Have they offered to be godparents yet?"

Hermione sighed deeply. "Harry was shocked; he's sort of coming round to the idea. Ron, well, he's not. He doesn't want anything to do with me anymore." A sob escaped from her throat and he noticed her eyes becoming teary.

Draco felt oddly deflated. Why should he care about any of this? Yet he found that he did. "More evidence he's not worth feeling bad over," he said roughly. "He's petty and smallminded."

Hermione laughed through her tears. "You're one to talk!" she hiccupped. "About pettiness…"

He shrugged. "I know," he said. "I like to think I worked on that though…"

"Draco," she said, hesitantly, and he felt very uncomfortable at her serious tone. "Yes?" he said softly.

"You don't think… You don't really see her as… less somehow, do you? Because of me? I'm not sure I could bear it."

He swallowed hard. "How could I?" he replied, oddly hurt, as he briefly glanced at Lucy. "I'm her father. She's my first and only child, of course, I don't."

"Good," she said, relieved. "That's good. It's a starting point at least."

That irked him. "I'm not here to be judged," he said, "by the likes of you. I'm here to find a solution."

"How do you feel about mediation?" Hermione asked. "Do you think it could work?"

"I think we should try," he said. "If only for her sake."