A/N: ***TRIGGER WARNING AT END OF NOTES ***

Okay, there was going to be another chapter before this one. However, I was reading it and threw it out so fast. In my Grinch voice, pretended that I had a phone book listing all the Who's down in Whoville. "HATE, HATE, HATE!"

So, it'll never see the light of day. Had to go.

Oh, it's Wednesday and not Friday night getting the update? What can I say. I'm excited. And I'm sorry. I'm really, REALLY sorry. I hurt myself. Just remember this story is a happily ever after, but it'll be made so much sweeter. More notes at the end. And again. I'm sorry.

***TRIGGER WARNING: Kidnapping***

Chapter 26, All Good Things

It had been three weeks since they'd had their lunch with Narcissa where they had learned that Aurora had already met Lucius. On the day that Lucius had arrived back home, Draco had pulled his wand on the man and demanded answers that his father was unwilling to give.

Even with Harry leading the charge against Lucius in trying to dig up anything that linked him to the threatening letter, there was nothing to be found besides the threats being a direct result of his actions. Even Theo with his natural Legilimency skills weren't able to find out what sort of scheming Lucius was up to. The entire situation had Hermione on edge and it seemed to be grating on her daughter, who hadn't been allowed to go anywhere besides their home and Louie's house.

Hestia had gone above and beyond giving Hermione permission to work from home, so that she didn't have to leave her daughter. Not that her going into work would have done anyone any good, there would have been no way that she would have been able to concentrate if she'd been away from Aurora. Draco would go to work for short periods of time, after explaining the circumstances to the legal department's head, he was only working as a consultant and not taking on any new cases of his own. If he wasn't at work, he was with Hermione and Aurora at their farm house, even claiming the guest bedroom for himself after sleeping one night on Hermione's pull-out sofa bed in her sitting room.

Helen and Roger had even begun limiting their trips off the property, just in case someone was to try and use them to get back to their home and have access to Aurora. All groceries were picked up by Draco, who had even started using the muggle stores instead of the wizarding one.

The conversation that had begun between Hermione and Draco had been put on pause until this mess was dealt with. Meaning, even though she'd noticed the stolen glances and the brushes of their hands when they passed each other, Hermione was not going to act on anything more with Draco until whoever was threatening their daughter was delt with.

"Mummy, I'm so bored!" Aurora loudly complained as the screen door from the porch slammed closed behind her as she stormed into the house, coming back from her grandparents' house.

"Aurora Jean, I'm sorry, but it's just not safe to leave right now my sweet." Hermione answered bending over and rubbing her daughter's rosy cheek.

"I want to see Nana Cissy. Or play at the park." Aurora complained crossing her arms over her chest after she'd pulled herself into one of the bar stools sitting at the island.

At this, Draco popped his head in from the dining room, where he had set up his own working area away from Hermione's kitchen workspace. "We could go to the park." He said, making Hermione turn on his sending daggers with her eyes.

"Out of the question." She snapped at him before turning back towards Aurora and reaching her hand up to try and touch her face, but Aurora quickly swatted it away and jumped down and ran to where Draco was and launched herself into his arms crying, at the same time sending a small fireball that Hermione quickly doused before it could connect with anything.

"Can we, daddy? I promise I'll be good." Aurora said tipping her head to the side and rubbing the tears that had started to form in her lashes.

"You've got to be kidding me. What's wrong with the perfectly good playset that Gran and Papa bought you for the yard?" Hermione asked motioning out the window where Roger and Theo had put together a monstrous contraption for Aurora and Louie's pleasure.

"That's boring, we haven't left the house in ages, mummy. I want to go play at the park and make new friends." Aurora whined nuzzling into Draco's throat and giving Hermione the biggest eyes, she could muster.

Hermione turned her glare on Draco who let out a breath as he looked down at Aurora in his arms and then back at Hermione. "Potter has, what no less than three Aurors guarding her at all time and the plus my private security team that I also have working around the clock. We could slip into the muggle park that's right across the street from Theo and Potter's building, then if anything goes wrong, we can easily get her to safety. You know just as well as I do that Potter has his whole damn building and not just his flat warded to the teeth. No one is getting in there unless he wants them to."

Looking between the two blondes, Hermione rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms. "Well, yes, alright I suppose. It has been a bit of time being cramped up in this house, and it's not as if Harry's address public record, so no one would automatically think about watching that particular park." Hermione said giving into their demands.

"Yes! Daddy, that park has an ice cream stand, did you know that?" Aurora said wiggling out of Draco's arms so that he would get her on the floor.

"No, I didn't know that. I seem to get the idea that I just got played for her to be able to get some ice cream as well as time at the park." Draco said watching at their daughter disappeared heading up the stairs to go and change into some ridiculous getup that Hermione wouldn't have the heart to discourage her from wearing.

"Of course, you did, she is your child after all, the art of manipulation is in her blood." Hermione said smirking at Draco while she gathered up the collection of work littered across the kitchen counters and the small breakfast nook, putting them back in her briefcase.

Draco just rolled his eyes and strolled back into her dining room, where he also cleaned up after himself to get them ready to leave for a few hours. Hermione walked over to her cabinets and pulled out her little picnic basket and began filling it with all the things that Aurora and Draco liked for snacks and also a few drinks, because once they were at the park there would be no leaving unless it was to come back home.

Hermione quickly summoned her silver otter and send a message to the Aurors and the security team where they would be going so that they could have the opportunity to go on ahead of them and secure the location before they arrived with Aurora. It wasn't that Harry had said that Hermione needed to keep Aurora home for her safety anyway. That had been a decision that Hermione and Draco had come to, even though Harry had insisted that the Aurors he'd assigned to them were well trained enough that making short trips into the muggle world to stay sane would be safe.

Stretching her hands above her head, Hermione let her neck drop as giving out a bit of a moan from her tense muscles in her back and neck. The feeling of strong cool hands made her jerk forwards, before she looked back and saw Draco standing behind her with his hands raised.

"You've been looking a bit tense the last few days. Don't think getting out of the house is just for Aurora, you've been couped up here just as long and also carrying the stress of this investigation that is really dragging its feet." Draco whispered as Hermione relaxed back into his touch, letting her chin drop to her chest.

"I just feel like something is coming and I don't know how to stop it." Hermione confessed, her voice hardly a whisper at her confession.

"I know, love. I can feel it too, but I'm worried about our mental state if we don't let the wild child free for at least a few hours." Hermione's breath caught in her throat at the term of endearment that Draco had chosen to use for her. It wasn't that she didn't think they had grown closer over this time together, but this was a step in the direction that she had hinted at wanting to head towards after their return from Paris.

Hermione had seen the owls from Draco's attorney swooping in and giving him status updates on his divorce proceedings and how that was going. Apparently, it was going to take a bit longer than they'd anticipated because Astoria wasn't satisfied with the conditions that they'd discussed when he'd met with her to inform her about Aurora.

Astoria was now claiming that due to unforeseen circumstances that she should be entitled to the inheritance that would have been set aside for any children she'd given birth to. Her new attorney had insisted that it was Draco's treatment of Astoria for why she'd begun using Pixie Dust in the first place, and the cause of her being barren. Since all of this would be public record, Draco was refusing to let that be included since it would negatively impact his career.

So needless to say, any thoughts of furthering a relationship with Draco wasn't exactly on the table. Even though the man had all but moved into her home three weeks ago, that was beside the point. They were just very good co-parents, for the moment.

"I agree, she already has accidentally set the bloody barn on fire twice this week alone with a fireball and scorched my parents' garage more times than I can count. If we don't do something with her, she's going to end up burning the entire farm to the ground." Hermione said sighing remembering walking out and seeing the main barn entrance in a blaze of flames and then also the roof. Luckily, Missy was not inside it both times it had happened.

"She gets the temper from you, you know." Draco whispered into her ear, his lips just grazing her earlobe.

Turning around and backhanding him in the chest, Hermione let out a chuckle as Aurora came bounding into the kitchen changed into a pair of dark pink athletic shorts, a character tank top that had blues and yellows on it, and a pair of lady bug rain boots, and leopard spotted sunglasses. "I'm ready to go make some friends!" She announced holding her hands up in the air showing off her outfit.

"Gets her sense of style from Potter though" Draco quipped and before Hermione could hit him again had danced out of her reach. "Alright my lovely ladies, let's head off, shall we?" He said looking over at Hermione who nodded her head.

"Yes, we can floo over to Harry and Theo's then walk across the street to the park from there." Hermione said snatching up the basket and following out of the kitchen behind Draco and Aurora.

ooo

It turned out to be a perfect day for the park. Theo had even offered to join the trio saying that he would be able to hear if someone was possibly up to something before, they ever acted, and Hermione couldn't argue with that logic.

Aside from Hermione, Draco, and Theo there to guard Aurora, there were also three Aurors and two of Draco's private security team that were hidden with the use of Disillusionment Charms so that for Aurora it wouldn't feel like she was being watched. There had been wards placed around the park that would alert any of the adults if someone who was magical and not supposed to be there entered the park.

Hermione and Draco enjoyed watching Aurora boss her godfather around as she saw fit, giving themselves a little of bit of downtime while she played and they laid out on a blanket. Hermione even pulled out a book to read for enjoyment, something that hadn't happened much since being stuck at her house.

The birds chirping was a welcome background noise, and the entire atmosphere was calm and relaxed. Muggle parents accompanying their children didn't wander too close to where they were sitting thanks to the muggle repealing charms they'd set up around their little picnic, but it still allowed for Aurora to occasionally play with other children on the play equipment. There were no tantrums and more importantly, no accidental magic or fireballs.

"I'm going to take Aurora for an ice cream." Theo said walking over to where Draco and Hermione were laid out enjoying the sun, holding Aurora's hand.

"Yeah, alright mate. Want to grab me a chocolate cone?" Draco replied to Theo's retreating back, not getting an answer as his friend walked away. "Or not I suppose." Draco muttered under his breath looking back over at Hermione who was shooting him a grin.

"He's your best friend." Hermione said laughing at Draco's pout from being ignored. "I always knew he was an odd one, especially willing to put up with Harry's sass and dramatics. More power to him, if you ask me." Hermione finished saying, winking at Draco who had only laughed looking at her.

"Yes, well, I grew up with the prat. We were either going to be like brothers or enemies. No in-between possible." Draco chuckled looking down at his hands, flexing his fingers. "Say, Granger. We haven't really been alone much to finish that talk seeing as things have been a bit hectic the last few weeks."

Perking up a bit, Hermione turned her body so that she was fully facing Draco and nodding along. Theo and Aurora would be busy for a bit, and Hermione could still see them standing in line waiting for their ice creams from where she sat. This wasn't going to be the full conversation that they were needing to have, but the man had been living in her house for the last three weeks. If they could stop skirting around a few things, it would be making their living arrangements easier. There were things that they needed to discuss at some point, and while Aurora was distracted, this was as good of time as any.

"About what you said, you know after we got back from Paris. I know my divorce isn't finalized yet, and I feel like this conversation has been pushed off a few times. First by me starting it and then you telling me about Aurora, and then the last time that you tried to start it and our lovely daughter with her impeccable timing."

"She really does have that, doesn't she?" Hermione interjected, laughing thinking about how Aurora was good about diverting the conversations happening around her.

"I wouldn't mind giving this thing between us a go." Draco finished looking up at Hermione, pulling her gaze straight into his molten silver. She could lose herself in his eyes and wouldn't ever complain, the way he looked at her made her feel like she was almost precious. Something that he wanted to take hold of and never let go. "I want you, Hermione. I want you, and I want Aurora. I don't just want to co-parent with you, I'd like to see if we could make a family together, a proper family that is."

Hermione was speechless. There was nothing more that she wanted than exactly what he was asking for. Instantly thoughts of more white curly head children popped into her mind. Draco sitting on one of the uncomfortable sofas at St. Mungo's maternity ward next to Aurora while she had her arms wrapped around a little blue blanket beaming up at Hermione where she laid resting in a bed.

It was everything and more that she could have ever wished for in this lifetime. Things that she thought she'd never be able to have, but just maybe it was within her reach.

Before she could reply, a scream coming from where the ice cream stand was pulled her attention away from Draco. Standing, unmoving was Theo, while the worker had his arms wrapped around her daughter trying to cover her mouth with his hand.

"AURORA!" Hermione screamed as the man looked up at her before he turned on the spot and disappeared into thin air.

Jumping up from where they had been laying out, Hermione rushed to the spot, even though she knew it was pointless. There would be no trace of where whoever had been there had gone. There was no possible way for Hermione to find out exactly where Aurora had been taken to, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try.

Waving her wand around, not caring that there were muggles standing near them, Hermione cast any tracking spell she could think of, coming up empty with each attempt.

Hermione turned to Theo and with an open hand she slapped him across his face, causing his entire body to jerk and topple to the ground. "HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!" Hermione yelled at the brunette now sprawled on the ground, still unmoving.

"Hermione, he's under the Imperius Curse, wait, wait!" Draco said settling himself between Hermione and Theo, holding his hands up to stop her assault on the unconscious man. "Send for Potter." Draco said putting his trembling hands on her upper arms and gripping so tightly Hermione knew that there would be bruises left behind.

With her own shaking hands, Hermione waved her wand attempting to call her silver otter. After the third unsuccessful go, she gave up looking at Draco now sitting on the ground still trying to bring Theo back around. "I'm going to their flat to use the floo. I'll be right back." She told him, not waiting for a response, took off running towards the building across the street.

Someone had her daughter. Someone had cursed Theo. Someone had taken out five guards. Someone had ripped down the wards that they'd set up around the park without them knowing.

As Hermione ran into Harry's building and sprinted up the stairs towards his flat. Whoever had decided they could lay a hand on her daughter was going to pay. Hermione was going to find them, and she was going to make them pay.

A/N: I said I'm sorry, and I am.

Now, before anyone gets out a pitch fork and says how could they be so careless… They weren't, they were doing the best they could with as much protection they could to keep her safe. Just sometimes that's not enough.

Now, before anyone gets too worried, I'm going to let you in on a secret. They are not going to blame each other for what happened. They'll be blaming themselves. I told you this is a happily ever after story and it will be.

Their reactions and how they will be responding to this tragedy are mirroring my own relationship with my husband after our son died. So, no it's not out there and yes this really will bring them closer.

Next update will be out no later than Monday, but it might come sooner as I am a bit excited.