The Burrow hadn't changed one bit since Hermione had seen it last. The tiny home still slanted as though the ground beneath it was unstable and there had been an addition to the back of the house. Hermione walked up the drive after telling her driver to pick them up no later than four that afternoon, apprehensive of how the Weasley family would treat her. They had always been kind to her but now that she was a Malfoy, she wasn't entirely sure how well that would go over. Mr. Weasley and Lucius Malfoy had never had a complete understanding.

To her great surprise, Mrs. Weasley opened the door with an excited squeal. "I can't believe you're here!" she cried, pulling Hermione into a soft hug. Her eyes gazed downwards to the sleeping baby. "Isn't she precious?" she cooed, gently lifting Malinda's hand. The baby stirred but did not wake and Mrs. Weasley returned her attention back to Hermione. "She's adorable, Hermione. You haven't changed one bit!"

"Thanks," Hermione managed to say, taken aback by all the sudden attention being lavished on her and her daughter. "How are you?"

"Oh, this is silly!" Mrs. Weasley cried, ushering her inside. "Come in, sit down, let me get you something to drink. Are you hungry? Did you eat breakfast?"

Hermione laughed. "I'm fine, thanks," she assured Mrs. Weasley. On the chair beside her, Malinda began to stir, her eyes fluttering. Hermione picked up the tiny baby, still marvelling at the new baby smell, and began rocking her back and forth on her lap.

"Can I hold her?" Mrs. Weasley asked quietly. She had just put on the kettle for some tea and walked towards Hermione with her arms out. Hermione smiled and nodded, hoisting the baby up in her arms. Mrs. Weasley took her with great care and Hermione kept reminding herself that Mrs. Weasley herself had had seven children; she was a pro when it came to babies.

"Molly, dear, is the kettle on? I could do with a cup of tea, if you don't mind." Mr. Weasley came bustling through the kitchen doorway only to meet Mrs. Weasley's fierce gaze. His eyes travelled from the baby on his wife's shoulder to Hermione sitting in the chair to his left. Hermione waited with great trepidation, wondering what Mr. Weasley's reaction would be.

To her relief, his face broke out into a smile. "Hermione!" he greeted her, holding his arms open wide. She stood and hugged him quickly. "It's been forever! How are you doing?"

"Fine," she answered, feeling some of the post-partum depression sink in. Tears sprung to her eyes as she was incredibly happy to be accepted at this substitute home with such love and generosity, as though nothing had changed. "I'm just fine." She sniffled.

Mr. Weasley gave his wife a subtle look and started to back out of the room. "Well, it's nice to see you again, Hermione. I won't be long; you'll be here when I get back?"

Hermione nodded, wiping her eyes. "Probably."

Mr. Weasley smiled and left the kitchen. Across the room, Mrs. Weasley gave Hermione a small smile. "Let's talk," she said, pulling out the chair beside Hermione, who was now crying softly. "What's wrong?"

"Everything!" Hermione moaned, burying her face in her arms. "Everything all at once. Draco and I are fighting more than ever because he doesn't like being woken up in the middle of the night to a crying baby."

"He'll get over that," Mrs. Weasley assured her.

"It's not just that," Hermione continued, lowering her voice. Her eyes darted around the kitchen. "It's my friendship with Harry and Ron. It's changed somehow. I don't know how to explain it, but every time I see them, no matter how hard I try to convince myself, it seems like that part of my life is dead. I've tried reviving it but it just doesn't seem to work." She sniffled again, feeling more hot tears spring to her eyes.

Mrs. Weasley didn't speak for several minutes. She simply looked thoughtful, absentmindedly bouncing Malinda on her shoulder. "I think every friendship and relationship changes in life," she finally said slowly. "Some of them for the better and some of them for the worse."

"How do I know which one mine is changing to?" Hermione questioned, taking Malinda back from Mrs. Weasley. She was fast asleep again but instead of tucking her away in her seat, she simply held onto her.

Mrs. Weasley smiled gently. "I think you'll find out when the time's right," she said. "But remember, no friendship ever stays the same. The friendship you had with Harry and Ron at Hogwarts will have somewhat died because none of you is the same anymore. People change, too. That's the basis for a relationship and how it changes through life."

"So you're saying," Hermione repeated, "that even if our friendship has changed, that doesn't mean it's over? Even if that original spark isn't there anymore?"

"You just answered your own question. 'Original' describes how your friendship was at Hogwarts; that doesn't necessarily mean that the same spark will always be there."

Hermione nodded, finally understanding. She looked at Mrs. Weasley and couldn't contain the glow of warmth that she had for this wonderful woman. She seemed to be the only person that understood her and what she meant. Not only that, but she had put into words what Hermione could only form in her mind. She hugged her gratefully and managed to enjoy the rest of her visit.

Hermione arrived home just before Draco returned from work. Quickly, she made it look like she was busy reading in the sitting room, not too eager to share her daily experience with her husband.

Draco was in a much more cheerful mood that evening then he was that morning. He spent several moments playing with a gurgling Malinda before eating supper and retreating to the sitting room where he began reading his evening newspaper. It struck Hermione how oddly Draco reminded her of her own father back in their Muggle home.

She slept well that night, with no worries on her mind, no fretful feelings flitting in and out of her brain. As if she sensed the calmness in her mother, Malinda also slept peacefully, only waking once during the night, making Draco a very happy father. So happy that when Hermione awoke in the morning (after Draco had left for work) she found a sweet note on the table from Draco, just saying how much he loved her and that he would see her that evening. Hermione felt peaceful; she no longer had doubts about her best friends and her marriage was holding fast. It was a nice feeling and she hoped that it would last.