We lived in peace for nearly six months after I learned the truth about Hermione's past. I saw Brax on occasion and though it was always a bit difficult, I became more and more used to the idea of him and Leila and of me and Hermione. It was okay. We were working cases together, helping muggles and even now some witches and wizards get rid of problem monsters and spirits. It wasn't the easiest job in the world, but I liked the challenge. We all seemed too, though we had been seeing less of Leila recently.

In any case, Hermione was almost due and I was almost a father, though looking back that thought hadn't really hit me yet. It didn't seem real.

Elliot was back at Hogwarts, and we'd get letters from him every week about what he was doing, his friends (which he now had) and his grades and his classes. I almost forgot that things could go wrong because they seemed so good. But I was blind. Things could go very, very wrong. And they would. Not quite yet though.

Instead, things were about to get complicated.

It was just after midnight when I heard a knock at the door. The knock quickly escalated into a pound.

Hermione sat up in bed. "What's that?" she whispered.

"I'll go check. You stay here." I slipped out of bed, grabbed my wand off the nightstand and slipped out the door.

Fear washed over me for a quick moment as I considered the possibility that when I opened the door I'd find Dracula standing on the other side. That was kind of a silly fear, though. Dracula had never been the straightforward, knock before entering kind of creature.

I threw open the door, my wand out.

"Don't kill me," said Brax. His hair was messy and wet from the rain and it was cold but he wasn't wearing a coat.

I lowered my wand. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I stepped out of the way and he stepped inside. I shut the door behind him.

"Is everything all right?" I asked.

He shook his head. "It's Leila."

"Is she sick, hurt? What?"

Brax took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the sofa. "She's in love with someone else."

I raised an eyebrow. "So? So are you."

Brax looked up and smiled at me, then the smile faded into a frown. "She wants a divorce."

"Oh." I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about that. Brax held up his end of the bargain with Dracula and married Leila. His parents should be safe, so why did Brax seem so upset? "Couldn't this be? I'm not sure but a good thing."

He shook his head. "She's having a baby."

A bit stunned, I sat down on the sofa beside Brax. "Are you sure it's yours?"

Brax glared at me.

"Come on, you said she was in love with someone else. That she's leaving you for this other man. It's a legitimate question."

"I honestly don't know, Tom. It could be. It could not be. What if it is? I can't just let her walk away with my child, if it is."

I put my head in my hands. "I thought she wasn't romantic. I thought that's why she married you because your money and name was worth it."

"I guess she'd just never been in love before, not really. It makes you do things you never thought you would."

I knew that better than anyone. I almost couldn't blame Leila, but then I could. I'd blame anyone who hurt Brax.

I placed my arm behind Brax's back, my fingers on his shoulder. Then I heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked. "Brax? Tom? What's happening?"

"Let's make some tea," I said. "You look like you could use some tea." I stood up from the couch and nodded my head toward the kitchen. Hermione followed my lead and met her in the kitchen.

"Leila's leaving him," I whispered.

Hermione's eyes got wide. "What?"

I grabbed the tea pot, filled it with water and put it on the stove. "And she's having a baby."

"Is it Brax's?"

"He doesn't know."

"I really can't believe Leila!" Hermione spat. "I actually liked her."

"We all did. Brax did. But now…"

When the teapot whistled, I flicked my wand toward it and it floated over and poured three cups of tea.

"Poor guy."

"What's he gonna do?" I asked.

"Don't know." That was Brax's voice – and he was leaning in the doorway. "I shouldn't have come here."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

Tears started to form in his eyes and he just shook his head. "Nothing."

"Brax," I said.

"It's just you two. You're a family. And I just, I don't know who I am. What am I anymore?" He turned and started walking toward the front door.

"Brax, stop!" Hermione shouted, but he didn't listen. He just walked right out the front door.

I paused for a moment and then breathed out. "We need to go after him. He's not okay."

Hermione shook her head. "I think he just needs you right now."

I looked back at her. "I shouldn't."

She nodded toward the door. "It's okay. Go. I'll be here when you get back."

I leaned in and kissed her. "I love you."

She sighed. "I know."

With that, I grabbed my coat and went after Brax.

A/N: I'm really sorry this is so short, especially after it has been so long. I felt like I needed a short chapter to get myself back in the swing of writing this story and re-introduce myself to all the characters. I'm hoping my next chapter will be longer and that I will post soon. Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it, and I'm so, so sorry for how long it's been. (Also, there's a Brax POV fic I posted a while back called "Sound of Forever" that's comes from the time leading up to Brax's leaving Hogwarts. Check it out if you haven't :))