Thanks to jessirose85 for betaing the chapter.

Disclaimer- I own nothing of Harry Potter. It belongs to JK and JK only. But the featured story is fortunately mine.

"WHAT?" yelled Draco and Hermione in unison.

Narcissa held up her hand to silence them. "It's a long story that happened a long time ago." She said calmly, "The night was stormy and I was at the last week of my pregnancy. Lucius was away in Europe on business.

"I went into labor towards midnight and I was assisted to St. Mungo's by your grandfather, Draco. There had been an accident at a large potions lab earlier that day so rooms were short. I had to share one with another woman who was also in labor."

"My mother?" whispered Hermione in a hoarse voice.

Narcissa turned to her, looking steadily into her eyes and said, "Maybe your mother."

"But her parents are muggle born." Protested Draco, voicing Hermione's thoughts.

"I am getting there son." Replied Narcissa in an irritated voice and continued, "I knew instantly that the woman was a muggle because her side of the room was disillusioned to look like a muggle hospital. I also heard some of the Healers talking about how they had found the woman stranded on the street outside and in a lot of pain and so they had brought her in. The woman's condition was critical and there was not much time for an alternate arrangement. Meanwhile, Abraxas was throwing up a ruckus about a Malfoy being saddled in the same room with a muggle.

"We gave both gave birth at precisely the same minute and within seconds, both babies were handed to another healer who took them outside the room to be cleaned. I was given a potion that knocked me out almost instantly. A few hours later, I woke up to another chaos. Apparently, when your grandfather saw the healer coming out two babies, he thought I had given birth to twins, completely forgetting about the other woman who had given birth as well. He used to wear the Blood Changer around his neck at that time so when he touched the babies; the non magic baby received the magical touch from it."

"Oh Merlin! I don't believe this!" hissed out Hermione.

"He soon learned about his mistake because the locket on his chain vanished and immediately, he set out it brew the detecting potion to find out which baby the Blood Changer had transferred itself into. He did not listen to the Healers who told him that it was the boy baby who was the Malfoy and the girl baby was a muggle. You grandfather had to make sure himself."

"We brought Draco home and Abraxas tested out the potion on the baby. The potion did not detect the Blood Changer so my baby was definitely a Malfoy. But the Blood Changer was no longer in possession of us. And Abraxas took this secret to his grave." Narcissa finished.

"What happened to the muggle woman?" Draco asked.

"Her memory was modified that very night and she and her baby were transferred to a muggle hospital. Your grandfather never told me her identity, so we still cannot be sure if it really was Hermione's mother."

"So we need to make the detecting potion again," Hermione said determinedly, "can you tell us how to make it?"

***

Two days later, Draco and Hermione stood in the kitchen before a steaming cauldron of a pale and swirling silver potion.

"There, I think we have got it right finally." Said Draco, flicking away drops of sweat from his forehead. Hermione stared at his bent head waiting for him to look up at her. But he did not. It had been like this since they had come back from their visit with Narcissa and Andromeda.

Hermione could not figure out what was wrong with him. For the last two days, he had hardly spoken to her at all, throwing himself completely into the task of preparing the potion, needing little assistance form her. He had more or less completely avoided looking in her eyes and Hermione did not know why. She was hurt and frustrated by his attitude and frankly, if it hadn't been for the fact that Ameera kept her constantly occupied, Hermione would have gone crazy with worry.

But now, it was midnight and the baby was fast asleep. Draco turned his back to her to wash his hands in the sink. Another impending task loomed before them because now came the time for Hermione to undress herself completely so that Draco could see where the potion detected the Blood Changer in her body.

"Alright, now, take off your robes and drink the potion." Draco said tersely with his back still to her."

Hermione swallowed nervously and he must have heard it because he said, "Uh, I could get out of here if you want me to…"

Hermione watched the muscles in his shoulders bunch up tensely. The air around them sizzled with heat and anticipation. Suddenly, Hermione found herself calm again and almost smiled because she could see that Draco wasn't as nonchalant about the situation as he appeared to be.

"No, Draco. I want you to stay," she said slowly slipping her dark robes from her shoulder. The cloth fell around her feet leaving her completely naked. With a wave of her hand, she turned off the dim light in the kitchen, walking towards the window so that she was submerged in silver moonlight.

She gulped in a cup of the potion and felt the liquid trickle down her throat, leaving behind a trail of cool sensation that seemed to settle in her heart. She felt her body become feather light as if she would be air borne any second. Blinding white light burst in her eyes making her gasp loudly.

"Draco," she said in a shaky voice, "I think something's happening to me."

***

Draco took in a swift breath of air as he gazed mesmerized at the sight that greeted him.

Hermione, in all the glory that he had ever imagined her in. Hermione, pale and naked and lit up by the moon. The soft silver rays danced on her skin erotically and he was suddenly angry at the darkness that kept parts of her beautiful body hidden in shadows. His eyes traveled up the slim, long legs, the highlighted thighs that looked so soft and inviting. Her womanly core was in shadows but her slightly rounded belly caught the moonlight once again. His eyes sought out the soft peaks thrusting out of her body proudly, begging to be loved and caressed.

Now, his gazed settled on the place right in between her chest from where a spot of white light emerged. He could feel her gaze on him as he approached her, as if in a trance, to place his palm over that light, trapping it with his fingers. Even as he watched, the light slowly ebbed away until he could no longer see the glow trying to escape from between his fingers.

He started to remove his hand when, in a swift movement, Hermione trapped it in place with her own. He could feel her heart beat race up against his palm as his own heart followed a similar reaction.

And still he did not meet her eyes.

He kept his eyes closed when Hermione wound her arms tightly around his neck, drawing her naked body flush against his and put her lips on his. He wrapped his hands around her waist, kissing her back feverishly, hungrily. She pushed him back on a chair, straddling his lap and plunged her small hands into his hair. Her actions left no doubt to her intentions. She wanted him. She wanted tonight to be theirs only. Even as she was whispering the words in his ears, Draco achingly pulled back.

The sheer strength that it took to pull away from this temptation almost caused him to stagger but he knew that this body that he still held so preciously had been abused beyond belief and he had been a part of the abuse. It did not feel right that he should be able to claim this body so easily. It seemed barbaric to take advantage of Hermione like this. He had sworn to himself that he would only take her when she had given her whole heart to him.

For the second time that night, he turned away from her. But this time Hermione was having none of it. She made him face her roughly, burning him with the intenseness of her dark gaze. She cupped his face in her hands forcing him to look into her eyes as she whispered fiercely, "Look at me, dammit, look at me!"

***

And he did. He slowly drew up the girly lashes and trapped her dark gaze in his misty ones.

Guilt screamed in his eyes vibrating through Hermione spasmodically. "Oh Draco!" she moaned clutching his head to her chest. Now she understood. It had been a mask. He had not shown any emotion that day to her tale of imprisonment because he had felt directly responsible for what had happened to her and it had torn him apart inside. This was why he had been distancing himself and had not dared to look at her.

"Hermione, baby, I am so sorry…I am so sorry…" his voice came muffled against her neck and Hermione tightened her hold on him as she stroked his head.

"Draco, you have more than made up for it, darling." She said gently. "You have protected me and my baby, you have kept us safe, you have offered to marry me and be a father to my child. I don't know how I can ever repay you for all this."

He shook his head without saying anything and instead kissed the soft flesh of her breasts where his head lay nestled. Hermione shivered in longing.

"Make love to me, Draco," she pleaded, "let's give each other everything that we both need to heal ourselves."

He groaned and pushed her away to get up from the chair. "No." He said firmly. "Not until you get over your fear. I can't bear to have you look at me like I am your rapist again."

"You promised me you'd help me, Draco."

"I will-"

"Then let me sleep in your bed tonight. We don't have to do anything. I just want to sleep in your arms."

He stared at her for the longest time and then finally took her hand in his and led her to his dark bedroom. She scrambled on his bed and watched him take off his t shirt and leave only his cotton trousers on. He joined her on the bed, pulling the covers over their bodies and taking her in his arms. Soothed by the rhythmic beats of his heart, Hermione fell into the most peaceful sleep in more than a year.

***

A/N- Thank you for reading. Please review!

Do you think my Draco seems out of character? Am I making him too much of a nice guy? Let me know so that I can correct him. Thanks!