'I can't believe you, Draco Malfoy! The nerve you have!' I was spitting every word I said. Draco only looked back at me calmly. There wasn't a slip of expression as I paced his study, almost igniting the Persian rug below aflame. 'You allowed him to come within the Malfoy wards? You allowed him to approach your wife? He came to our house on our son's birthday! You folly and say he came to talk business, and he sure as hell didn't come to wish our son a happy birthday. He's as evil as he was before!' I was so angry with him. I was so angry with myself! How could I let the human version of Voldemort slip right by me?

'He is none of your concern, Hermione. He works for me, as an employee, and I treat him as such. You don't need to worry over things that I've already handled.' He stood up and approached me, as he did many times in the past. Draco had never dare touch me after that night in the Slytherin Commons, but one could never be too careful. I mentally felt the wand in my dress' secret pocket. Had anyone heard my thoughts, I'm sure they would have said that I was in an unhealthy relationship to be afraid of my husband. But they didn't me well enough to know that what he and I had was complicated.

'He most definitely is! Honestly, Draco! If he would dare to come to our home on our son's birthday to kick up a storm, what else is he willing to do to upset me? How could you just let that entity waltz right into our own-'

'And so I let Potter and Weasley into my own home. Not a difference.'

'It is when we're fighting for two different things.' I replied with venom in my voice.

You could fight with that mean until your last breath, but you would not get anywhere he didn't want you to. After that encounter, I vowed to avoid Draco any chance I could. I didn't want to see or talk to him. He was stubborn and arrogant and mostly inconsiderate! From where I sat, Blaine dropped his spoon on the floor and watched in marvel as Bipsy immediately popped beside him to retrieve it. 'Blaine.' I warned him softly and stirred my porridge for the seventh time. If there ever was someone who disregarded an elf's health, it was Blaine.

'Mummy, Aunt Tily promised to take me to the Insect Imporium of Isaac Isa today.' He pursed his lips when Auhdie scowled. 'Seems she loves me more than Auhdrena.' Blaine sent her a dirty look. Auhdie ignored him and smiled into her glass of juice. She knew I would come to her defense when she was taunted, especially by Blaine. Blaine had such a crude and rough sense of humor. The silliest and meanest things made him turn red with laughter. Sure, he wasn't evil and malicious like his father was when he was such an age, but his humor was similar.

'Stop that, Blaine Malfoy! Her godfather is taking her to the zoo today with Lily.' He brightened up by the mention of Lily Potter. I often wondered if he had crush on her, or if he was just mildly interested in her. She was a sprite of a little gal; Miranda couldn't understand a joyous child- or perhaps she couldn't enjoy a child at all? I was promised to baptize his next child, whom he hoped high was a boy. Lily was a favorite of mine, though I would never admit so. I tried to refrain from doing so- unlike Draco, who made it clear that he loved Dragocione Zabini and Isabella De Bleu more than the rest. And so I equalized it with spending extra time with Amadeus and Lily, along with Charles and Tommy. It wasn't easy having so many "nephews" and "nieces". Christmas time loved them equally, at least! That was one holiday Draco made sure was widespread to every child we knew.

A soft knock on the door caught their attention as they raced to see who was at the door. Bipsy usually opened the door; for Draco made it clear he didn't want the children opening the door to potentially dangerous beings. I doubted that could ever happen- Draco knew precisely who was Malfoy grounds every hour of every day. I placed my spoon ungracefully in my breakfast and followed their giddy voices. I smiled at Harry Potter, who was engulfed my Auhdie and Blaine. I hugged him softly and moved aside so that Miranda and Lily could come through the door. 'Hello, Miranda.' Her soft brown hair was in an elegant chignon and her floor length pea coat didn't look as if she were going for a low-key picnic. Miranda lightly grasped my shoulders and blew air kisses to both cheeks in a French greeting. Was she even French? I wasn't sure.

'Hello, Mrs. Malfoy.' Her smile didn't reach her eyes. She thrust Lily towards me, who hugged my knees. Ginny detested Miranda as evilly as she did Susan Bones. Miranda wasn't such a bad person…she was just a little impersonal and such. Susan was caring enough for her little boys, but was always in such disarray that we often felt bad for her. She was the head secretary of the Minister of Magic- that was to be beheld, but how little she knew of her own children brought her down a notch, definitely.

'My little lily pad.' I bent down and kissed her nose. My jeans were tight and my cotton sweater hung loosely off of one shoulder- an outfit Harry disapproved of. I rolled my eyes, returning Harry's scowl with a smirk. 'Well, you guys should be going.' I slid Audhie's coat on her small frame and helped her tie her scarf before sending them off.

'Mommy, why are Uncle Blaise and Uncle Harry different?' Blaine asked as we walked to the sitting room where he would play with his mechanical toys. Blaise was fond of buying him new toys for little occasions, like every new word he knew. I could still remember Blaine's excitement when he opened the Herkules 200 broom on his recent birthday. The whole Italian Zabini family spoiled my son rotten. The Weasleys spoiled Auhdie into a sassy little girl with noble cravings, like chocolates.

'What do you mean?' I gave him a queer look as I held the door open for him.

'Why are they so different? They talk different…they talk to different people and don't talk to each other.' He sighed and settled on a cushion next to me.

'They are different people. They…they have always been different. Daddy and Uncle Blaise are the same…and Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron are the same. They're the same in how much they love you, though. That's all that matters.' I pinched his nose softly and he giggled. My son was an impressionable child. Amadeus was the perfect kind of kid for him to be around- that little boy followed him faithfully and never did anything that Blaine cared to repeat. He more than often preferred Dragocione's companionship. Being boys, they fought fiercely with one another when angered, but were the best of friends not long after.

'I love you, mummy.' Blaine cuddled up against me and perhaps contemplated the run-around answer I gave him. I only expected the always-observant-Blaine to notice the peculiar relationships of his uncles and family. How could I explain the line of good and evil, and how it blurred more and more everyday? How could I tell him that the very house he lived in and loved was purely evil itself? It contradicted everything Draco and I worked hard to achieve. I wanted society, my parents, his mother, and our friends to know that we would give our children the type of childhood we should have been given. Of course, we could not shelter them from all of the horrors of the whole world. We promised each other that if we could stop just one evil from grasping our son or daughter, that we would have made a difference- that we would be the wonderful parents we so wished to be.

Not more than an hour later, Tilynia picked him up and I was alone in the house, less Draco in his study. I fiddled with the John Steinbeck novel I was trying to read. I finally threw it down on the chestnut table and rubbed my eyes. How much longer was I going to avoid my husband? Voldemort as unwelcome surprise, but that was Draco's business. He told me that he had dealt with "Tom Riddle" (as he liked to be called now) as soon as the party was finished with. I knew that part of the deal was out of my hands- I knew that Draco would take car of us and make sure nothing harmed me. But sometimes…I needed to be two hundred percent sure. I tapped my fingers impatiently against the armrest of the loveseat I sat on.

I sighed in defeat and got up. My ballet flats tapped against the marble floors with a soft patter until I reached the bottom stairs that led to the dungeons. I ventured past the hallways of portraits and came to his study. I fisted my hand and knocked softly. The dark oak door opened slowly, emerging a platinum haired man that towered over me easily. When he saw my face, he leaned his right hip to the door sill. I swallowed slowly. 'Draco, I…' I lost my voice.

'It's nice to see you here, Hermione.' Draco said into my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled my back against his front and ran his fingers along my sides.

'Why didn't you tell me you were coming to the party?' I rested my head against his broad chest and looked up at him.

'I wasn't aware that I was to include your approval of my own decisions.'

I closed my eyes and shook my head. 'You don't get it, Draco. You'll never understand.' I felt my eyes become glossy, so I untangled myself expertly and peered at him from a safe distance. 'You can't love anyone because you don't even love yourself.' My head began to throb. I went to walk away, but he caught my hand. My eyes averted from his. I smile internally at the little spats we had when we first had gotten together, close to seven years ago. One would think that making up and reconciling would be easier now. But I was as nervous as I was when I confronted him about our relationship that night at the Black lake.

'Hermione.' His long, pale fingers grasped my chin and lifted it so that our gazes were even. 'There.' He stepped forward, his forehead touching mine as I brought my hands to cup the fingers that held my chin captive to him.

He rested his forehead against mine. 'What are you doing to me?

I took his lips with and pulled him closer to me. 'Don't stop kissing me.' I pleaded his ear, relishing in the way his body shivered as I whispered against his skin.

'Where, Hermione?' he whispered with husky deliberation. His mouth moved from the side of my bruised lips to my jaw.

'Everywhere.' I panted. His skilled tongue devoured the sensitive skin behind my earlobe. I gripped the front of his robes tighter as the feel of his tongue drove me wild. His fingers sought the silver buttons of my shirt and stripped them from their holes. His cold hand pressed itself against my fevered navel and his fingers sprawled against the sensitive skin possessively.

Draco brought my legs to wrap around his waist in one fluid movement. I only realized how far I let it go when I felt the clasp of my bra unhook. It awoke me form my stupor with more aggression than a bucket of ice cold water could have. 'Draco.' It came out as a gasp rather than a word. He looked up at me questioningly, noticing my body tense against him.

Draco grabbed my waist with his free hand and brought us even closer. His lips pressed onto mine softly, shooting soft tickles through my body down to my toes, then back up to my face. I kept my eyes closed, basking in the sunlight of the world he offered me. I keenly accepted all those years ago when I had given birth to Blaine Malfoy. I had accepted this lifestyle, and I needed to deal with the bed I made for myself.

But I didn't mind sharing his bed.

'In return for restoring him in his human form, he gave me the immortal power for Mal Vie. He promised to not interfere with my business, which conquers a battle that could have cost my life…or the life of someone I could never lose.' He kissed my mute lips once more- so softly that I could have cried. 'I have done all of this for us…I want everything to be perfect for you. I want you to have the world- and you will have the world. You will have every world I can get my hands on, Hermione Malfoy.' I giggled against his lips. I loved when he talked like this. He was charming…he gave me whatever I wanted. But I only wanted one thing so much that it hurt…

'What will I do with the world? I only want you.' I pouted my lips against his and sucked gently on his lower lip.

'Of course, Lady Malfoy.' He teased softly. If only for that afternoon, and a few similar to that, was he wholeheartedly mine, I would take it. I would take it with every greedy fiber in my body.

I love you, Draco Malfoy. I love you so much.