Chapter XVII:

Maybe she shouldn't be worried about her baby, they were certainly a fighter, kicking away and releasing magic to batter her stomach! The misogynistic ferret was adamant that this only confirmed that he was going to have a strapping, bulstruous boy. Personally she knew a lot of strong women, but she let him indulge himself whilst she panicked about her father in law. The fact that she hadn't heard anything from him made his shadowy omniscient presence all the more sinister. At least, she hadn't heard anything until one morning at breakfast an unidentifiable grey owl swooped down to deliver a letter. It wasn't the usual majestic creature, so she ripped it open just like she had the one from the Ministry before it. This letter didn't bring such good news though.

My dear daughter in law,

I write to ensure you are keeping our discussion private. My son has become a rather more rash and emotional man since he married you and I feel that if he knew he wouldn't understand my necessity in the way that you do. We understand each other well, don't we Hermione? I always knew you were intelligent, in fact it outraged me that my pure-blood son could not beat your surely inferior knowledge, but now I see how that brain of yours can be a benefit to me. I hope my grandson inherits your intelligence, dear. We know Malfoy physical features will be dominant, naturally. Thank Salazar. I shall be in contact again soon.

Lucius Malfoy

He might as well have signed off with HRH. She folded the parchment with a sharp crease. "What's that?" Asked Draco, curious at her response.

She glanced at the other letter on the table. "The Ministry offered Ron, Harry and I auror jobs right after the war. We all decided to go back to school instead, although they took some convincing, and I said I didn't think it was for me anyway. They've offered me a job in the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures.

He chuckled. "Perfect for you, Miss S.P.E.W." She was always surprised by how much he seemed to know about her for the limited exchanges they'd shared. "Seriously, congratulations."

"How about you? Do you have any career prospects, or will you subvert stereotypes by making our relationship even stranger to the public and being a stay-at-home-Dad?" She joked, but she was mentally crossing her fingers. She might not love Malfoy but it was clear that he would love this baby and if she had to be the abusive parent she wanted it to have one that would give it unconditional love.

"Well I always assumed I would be independently wealthy, but I'm not sure my father's fortune will be a reliable source of income after my insubordination."

She shook her head. "He won't deny it to you. That wouldn't fit his whole 'family first' aesthetic." He seemed almost disappointed, difficult as it was to imagine him working rather than lounging about in a manor. "But I mean, don't let me be the one to stop you from getting a 9 to 5. What would you do?"

He shrugged. "I love Quidditch, but we have a family to support so I'm not just going to go off travelling around the world and leave you here." She smiled faintly, a warm embrace lessening the chill that had crept into her bones.

"You've always been fantastic at potions," he smirked cockily and she rolled her eyes. No matter how much she might pretend these moments frustrated her, they really were a security blanket, dragging her back to the old days when lines weren't so blurred between friend, foe and fuckbuddy.

"What can I do with that? Apart from teaching snotty First Years?"

"I thought you loved children!"

"Young ones," he laughed. "Not pre-pubescent know-it-all twats."

"Like I was?"

"Exactly."

She threw the cushion from her seat at him, but then she had to snatch it back because she was finding these wooden chairs exceedingly uncomfortable in her current state. Unfortunately she forgot that she was still holding the letter in the hand that she reached out, and he dropped the cushion into her hand whilst grabbing it from her. She didn't have her wand, but she desperately tried a wandless incantation anyway, crying out "incendio" in the direction of the paper.

Shouting out "what the fuck!", Draco dropped it and cast an extinguishing charm, but it was too scorched to read. He looked at her expectantly and she pushed the other letter towards him.

"I did get the job."

"Great." He deadpanned. "But what was the one you lit aflame?"

She swallowed hard and then bit out, "I don't have to tell you anything. What are you, the Gestapo? Anyway, I thought Slytherins were supposed to be sly, that was the most transparent machination I've ever seen!"

"Gelato has no relevance here Hermione!" He exclaimed. "And for your information, I did have a better plan but I used my slyness and adaptability to change it when I was presented with a more immediate opportunity." He slammed a fist down on the table. "Stop trying to distract me! What was in that damn letter?" She shook her head. "Tell me!"

His voice raised considerably and she shrunk back with a visible shiver. He let out a frustrated hiss through his teeth but pushed back his chair and stormed off, leaving her sitting there with a distinct feeling of shame and his lingering disappointment that she hadn't trusted him. But his feelings didn't matter right now, what was important was that their child could grow up as safely as possible. At first it seemed like a huge oversight on Lucius' part to have sent a letter that didn't disappear or was only visible to her, then she realised that, of course, it was all built to torture her more. So she had to work harder to hide this from him, from everyone. She couldn't tell Draco. He would go all 'white knight' and attack his father, and that couldn't end well. Lucius would kill him, or her, or both. She couldn't deprive the baby of him, she didn't want to deprive herself either, deep down. "It's going to be okay," she whispered under her breath to her stomach. Somehow.

After Ron's face appeared in the fireplace, Hermione told him she'd be right over. She should tell Draco though, right? Maybe she should just leave a note? Too late. She was already peeking around the door to the nursery to find him magically assembling furniture. He'd only started an hour or so ago but the room looked so much more complete. It made her heart skip realising that it was ready and waiting for its occupant to arrive. She cleared her throat. "I'm going to Ron's cottage. They just had the baby."

"I'll come." Her eyebrows furrowed. It had been a couple of days since The Big Blowout and they hadn't really spoken; the manor was big enough to accommodate this. All they'd exchanged were a few jilted pleasantries at dinner, other meals they'd been eating separately. Winky was quite concerned. "I want to get out of the house," he explained, so she acquiesced and headed back downstairs. Her speed was really rather hindered now, and she could feel him a few feet behind her in a way that set the hairs on her neck on end. Why couldn't he just walk beside her? Why couldn't he just forget about the letter?

They eventually reached the fireplace and Hermione took a handful of powder, threw it in and said clearly, "Primrose Cottage!"

The name might sound peaceful but the reality certainly wasn't. Weasley family members, including Harry and Daphne of course, buzzed around the tiny home as her husband turned to his fellow Slytherin for some comfort. "My claustrophobia acts up in small houses." Hermione rolled her eyes and set off to find Ron, stopping on the way to tickle James, Luca and Victoire. She'd just spotted her anxious but excited looking friend when Molly took her arm firmly but with a familiar motherly beam. "Hello Hermione, how are you?"

"I'm fine," she smiled back. "Excited to see the babies."

"Oh yes," Molly clucked. "That Sally-Anne is a character. But is everything alright in your marriage?"

Hermione paused, her nerves building, but there was no suspicion in the matriarch's eyes, only concern. She knew nothing. "Yes, of course."

Molly didn't look so sure. "Usually pregnant women have a little more glow, and though I can see that, there does seem to be something niggling at you."

"Nothing important," The assertion of the lie may not have been fully convincing, but it did enough for Molly to move on, slightly.

"Good. I worry, dear, you know. We all thought you would end up with Ron in the end. I know the young Malfoy may have switched sides but I'm sure he's not who you would have chosen, and my boy's partner doesn't seem to like the term."

"Ronald and I may have gotten together in another life Mrs Weasley," Hermione said decidedly. "But we have this one. And I'm just happy to have him as my best friend." The older woman embraced her a little forlornly and then sent her in her son's direction, as he juggled two ginger babies between all the adults clamouring to hold them. When he saw her he beamed and called out,

"Mione! Come meet Hugo and Rosie." H and R, Hermione and Ron? A coincidence? Was he over her? She wasn't sure, but she knew her feelings for him had melted back to friendship. That time was passed. Draco glanced over at them curiously from where he appeared to be interrogating Harry, probably about the stupid letter. Fantastic.