I have a new favorite baby animal - the dwarf mongoose. It's coming dangerously close to my love of sloths. Has anyone youtubed baby sloth bath time? They hang them on a rack to drip dry, and it's the cutest thing you'll ever see! Unless you have kids, and then maybe it's the second cutest.

Chapter 14

Harry and Draco sat across from Kingsley Shacklebolt as the Minister of Magic reviewed a file folder containing Effy's adoption paperwork. Both men waited impatiently as the seconds ticked by until the folder was finally shut. "So?" Harry asked optimistically. "Is it approved?"

Dark eyebrows rose and a humorous, tight-lipped grin settled on the older man's face. "It's unconventional," he mused. "Hermione knows that, I'm sure. I'm sure she knows better than anyone how difficult it is to adopt a child in general."

"Is that a yes or a no?" Draco wondered, decidedly less enthusiastic about Hermione's chances.

Kingsley shrugged, clearly enjoying toying with the two young men. "Mr. Malfoy, Harry tells me you've been living in the orphanage these past few months. Anything I should know?" he inquired.

Draco sighed exasperatedly. "Like what?" he wondered. "You want me to tell you she beats the kids? Sends them to bed after starving them for the whole day? Or that they're locked up in rooms with no heat or lights when they're bad?"

Harry eyed his friend warily. "You have a disturbing mind," he commented.

The blond scowled and returned his attention to the Minister. "We both know, hell anyone who's met her knows, that Hermione deserves any kid she chooses," he stated adamantly. "She's raised Effy since she was a baby. She's clothed her, fed her, taken care of her when she's sick. She's the reason Effy has a roof over her head. She's the reason all of those children have roofs over their heads, whether they live at the orphanage or have been adopted."

"Hermione's adoption rates have been high as of late," Kingsley agreed. Draco breathed a sigh of relief that things might finally be going her way. "Of course, there are so few children there now. If this little girl is adopted, that's less funding for the orphanage. Tell me, Mr. Malfoy, what does she intend to do if she has no children left?"

Harry and Draco exchanged a concerned look. Neither man had ever discussed such a plan with Hermione, and so were completely stumped. Draco took a moment to think over the question, then smirked. "She's the smartest person to ever graduate Hogwarts. I'm confident there are at least ten businesses that would hire her," he replied. "I'm sure the Ministry could use her."

Kingsley grinned and nodded. "Excellent point, Mr. Malfoy," he agreed with a good-natured chuckle. "And I'm sure the Ministry could find a place for you as well, should the need arise."

Draco shrugged noncommittally. "Sure, maybe," he said. "But I have no doubt that the orphanage will remain open."

"I take it you saw the newspaper today?" the Minister inquired. Furrowing his brow in confusion, Draco shook his head. From the drawer of his desk, the older man pulled out the day's copy of The Daily Prophet and passed it across the desk to the two men. "It seems your mother has bestowed a very generous endowment to the orphanage."

He read the article, written by Rita Skeeter, that confirmed a very sizable donation to be made to the Diagon Alley Orphanage. Angry, he balled up the paper and tossed it aside. "Excuse me," he muttered. Getting to his feet, he left the office. Harry retrieved the newspaper from the floor and skimmed the article.

"Well, that explains that," Harry concluded.

Kingsley frowned. "I'm not sure I follow."

"They disowned him," Harry explained. "Then he went to her to ask about donating to the orphanage, and she refused. Now she's issuing public statements about money and how nice it is to be back in Draco's life. He shouldn't have had to find out about this from Rita Skeeter."

"Or me," Kingsley added guiltily.

Harry nodded. "I'll go see if I can find him," he said. "I doubt he's left."

And Draco hadn't gone far. Without a wand, he was unable to Apparate and the orphanage was too far of a walk. Instead, he took to pacing in the hallway outside of the Minister's office. "Do you think she knew?" he asked, spotting Harry. "Hermione. Do you think she knew about my mother's money and chose to keep it from me?"

Shaking his head, Harry approached his upset friend. "No, I don't think she would have kept that from you," he assured him. "Hermione cares about you too much to do anything that might hurt you."

"So, then my mother is a liar," he concluded. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Maybe...now isn't the time to dwell on this," Harry suggested. "Let's just be here for Hermione. Help her get Effy first. Then go home and talk to her about it. She probably found out about this the same way you did."

Draco nodded and followed him back to the Minister's office. He sat down and apologized for his outburst, but Kingsley was quick to forgive. "So, um, Hermione," Draco said, hoping to get back on track. "What do you think the likelihood is that you'll approve the adoption?"

Hermione was seated on the living room floor while she read to the kids. Draco shut the front door as quietly as he could, hoping to escape to the attic undetected. He was quickly spotted though by a bored Daniel who immediately called out his name. Chagrined that he had been caught, Draco turned and smiled at the small group.

"Hey, how was lunch with Harry?" Hermione inquired as she closed the book and set it aside.

"Um, good," he replied nervously. He hadn't told her about their meeting with Kingsley Shacklebolt, but there was much they needed to discuss. "Ya know, it's strange. I'm still hungry. Think you could give me a hand in the kitchen?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she got to her feet. "Very smooth," she muttered as she passed him. "Gracie's asleep, by the way. She's in her bassinet in my office."

"Thanks," he said, following her to the kitchen.

She opened the icebox and removed a few items to make a sandwich. "So, what's this really about?" she wondered. "Or are you really just hungry?"

"I saw that my mother made a donation," he said, watching her to gauge her reaction.

She turned to stare at him, confusion evident in her brown eyes. "When did that happen?" she wondered. "And why did no one tell me?"

Draco breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't known. She hadn't hidden it from him. "You reckon it's true?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged. "I certainly hope so," she replied. "We could really use the money. Susan Bones, she was in school with us, wrote that a little boy had just lost his parents in a fire. He'll be coming here next week once he's released from hospital. I'm not sure how severe his injuries are or what it'll cost to care for him. Do you think she was telling the truth?"

"It's tough to say," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "In the article, she was quoted saying that she's glad this has given us an opportunity to mend our relationship. She hasn't spoken to me since we had lunch that one time. But it's Skeeter who wrote it. Maybe it's all false."

A bit defeated, Hermione merely nodded. "Yeah, probably," she agreed, handing the plate to him. "I should get back out there to check on the kids. Daniel was hoping you'd help him with his reading when you got home."

He reached for her arm as she passed him. "Wait, there's something else," he said. "Harry and I talked to the Minister today. It's not 'official' but he signed off on the adoption. You're Effy's mum."