AN: Hello to all!!!!! I'm writing this quickly and in little time, because I'm going to a Luau campout tonight, and I wouldn't have a chance to update until Tuesday if I didn't update now. Well, you guys took my threats seriously. I now have (drum roll) 209 reviews for this story!! I am SOOOOOOOOO happy! Now, to business: SHOUT-OUTS!!!
Lynn-Dumbledore: I'll try to check out your story; the title reminds me of a story my friend and me are writing!
Maggy A.: I'm pretty sure I put in the sixth chapter that Hermione left Emily with Harry when she went to the Burrow . . .
SatanBarbie: Uhhhh, I'm pleased to make your alter ego's acquaintance . . .
pIPPINpIRATE: yes, I've seen the trailers, and I still stand by the fact that Tom Felton is the hottest guy in the entire universe . . .ONLY SIX MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Counting today and Friday)
alavna: just for begging, you get a shout-out!
atom-rocks: sure, I'll try to read your story! I know how it feels to have no decent number of reviews. Before I published Me and Emily on this site, I had hardly any reviews for stories that I thought were great! (coughMalfoy's Twincough. . .coughcheck it outcough. . .)
auditoriumnazi: you're a DarkBoy77 fan, too? YAY! (did you happen to see one of my reviews for Harry Potter is on FIRE [1] where I am begging him to put tootsie rolls and gushers in the next chapter when I was on a sugar high?)
SlytherinDaggers: cliff hanger because it makes people review (hehehehehe . . .) and Draco and Amanda will be explained in this chapter.
angel-dolphin1: oooooooh, exams, NOT fun. . .
u8mytwix: that's TWO reviewers with candy bar names. . .(You and KitKat001)
HPFanatic04: I think you should change your penname to something like TFFanatic04 . . . in fact, I might change my name to TOM FELTON IS HOT if I ever get the guts to do it . . . you know what? The cast of the HP movies could be reading this, using disguised names, and reviewing for our stories, and we don't even know it!! Hmmmm, here's an idea! IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE CAST OF THE HARRY POTTER MOVIES PLEASE TELL ME IN A REVIEW AND DON'T LIE OR YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUESCES!!!!! There, now that is taken care of! (now about 10 people are going to review my story claiming to be Emma Watson or something, oh well!)
AlanPatty07: You are a true and faithful reviewer to review seven times for each chapter just so I would get to the 170 mark. I was online when you reviewed each time, so I got to see your reviews right after you wrote them!
And, two reviewers (Horsemaster1 and Lady Stone of Snow Mt.) claim to be my 170th reviewer, so I will have to count and see, and I shall tell you who the REAL 170th reviewer is the end of the chapter.
NOW, I can type the chapter!
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Draco. She only knew one person with that name.
"Draco Malfoy?" asked Hermione in a would-be casual voice.
"Why, yes! I-"but he broke off. "Granger. Hermione Granger," he said simply.
Hermione narrowed her eyes. She hadn't forgotten all the childhood taunts, all the insults he threw at her that made her Hogwarts life hell. But she couldn't bring that up now, not with little three-year-old Amanda right here, who had been brought up so mannerly and lovingly.
Wait a minute – lovingly?
Hermione looked at Draco curiously. He must have changed, if he's able to raise a child so well, unless there is a mild-mannered mother in the picture. There had been quite an awkward silence that needed to be filled.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy," said Hermione, "you are quite welcome for me returning your daughter to you." Hermione had a lot of questions she was dying to know, but she had spent well over two hours helping Amanda find her father, and she really ought to be getting back to Ginny. She dared to continue her statement, but he beat her to it.
"Miss Granger, I know what you must be thinking about me," he said, sounding very gentlemanly, "and I think we should get together for lunch or something so we can sort it all out."
Hermione regarded him curiously. "I think that is a very good idea," she said, after a short pause. "How about noon tomorrow in the Leaky Cauldron?" she suggested.
"All right," he replied. Hermione noticed they were being overly polite to each other, which must be making Amanda curious.
"One thing I must straiten out before our lunch appointment, however," said Hermione. "I'm not a 'miss', I'm a 'misses'," she finished. Whether she wanted to be or not, she was still married to Jim until she filed divorce papers. She then walked out of the eerie shop, out of Knockturn Alley and into Diagon Alley, and back up into the Leaky Cauldron. She then headed strait for her room, where Ginny was waiting for her.
"So, how many jobs did you apply for?" asked Ginny as soon as Hermione stepped into the room.
"None," said Hermione simply.
"What? Why?"
"I ended up helping a little girl find her dad."
"Aw, how sweet!"
"It didn't exactly end quite the way I expected, though," said Hermione.
"Details, woman!" said Ginny excitedly.
"Two words: Draco Malfoy," said Hermione.
"Draco Malfoy what?" asked a perplexed Ginny.
"The little girl's father was Draco Malfoy," said Hermione. Ginny gasped.
"WHAT?!?" she shouted, and Hermione was sure the people down the street must have heard her.
"Gin, it's okay! I think he's changed from who he used to be. How else could he lovingly raise a child three years? And besides, he invited me to lunch so he could explain it. So I'm going to need you tomorrow at noon to sit for Emily again, all right?"
"Uh, sure Hermione," said Ginny.
"He might bring his daughter, so you could end up sitting for her, too," added Hermione. "Don't worry, though, she's an angel."
"Right," said Ginny uneasily.
0o0
The next day, Hermione waited nervously at a table in the pub at 11:55. She didn't know why she was nervous; he was going to be doing most of the talking anyway. After a few more minutes of Hermione's fidgeting, Malfoy walked in, holding the hand of Amanda, who was walking by his side. He looked around for a second, then walked over to Hermione's table.
"Look, I didn't have anywhere to take Amanda, like a day care center or something, so I had to bring her. I love her dearly, but she's going to hinder our conversation a bit, don't you think?" said Malfoy quickly and quietly.
"Follow me," said Hermione, getting up from the table and heading towards the stairs. "Tom, please save me table!" she called to the bartender.
"No problem, Hermione!" he said as she, Malfoy and Amanda went up to Hermione's room, where Ginny was feeding Emily from a bottle.
"Ginny can watch Amanda for you," said Hermione. Ginny looked up and said Hello to Hermione and nodded to Draco. Hermione took Amanda's hand and led her to Ginny.
"Amanda, this is Ginny, she's going to watch you while your daddy and I talk downstairs, okay?" said Hermione.
"Okay," said Amanda softly.
"Well, that was highly convenient!" said Draco cheerfully as he and Hermione walked down the steps and back to their table. "Is she, like, the Leaky Cauldron babysitter? I noticed she had a baby there, in addition to Amanda," he remarked as they sat down. Hermione knew he was trying to be funny, but she didn't laugh.
"No, she's not the town baby sitter. The baby she had up there was my own, Emily," said Hermione softly.
"Oh," was all Draco could manage to say.
"Well, you came here to explain something to me, so go ahead," said Hermione.
"Well, firstly, I want to tell you that I'm not the git that I used to be in school. Three things changed my immature behavior: one, graduating from Hogwarts told me that I was facing the real world now, and I wasn't going to get anywhere by insulting anyone. Two, the death of my father shortly after graduation; he didn't seem to be forcing actions on me anymore. And, third, because of my dear Amanda. Now that I have a child, I need to be on the best of my behavior around her. I suppose you were wondering about her as well?" he asked.
"Yes, actually," said Hermione.
"Well, back in sixth year, during Christmas break, when I was still my ego-obsessed self, I got a girl into bed with me, and I accidentally made her, well, you know . . ." Draco trailed off.
"Pregnant?" asked Hermione, lowering her voice.
"Yes," he said, also lowering his voice. "I convinced her to keep the child, saying it wouldn't be right to do an abortion. I may have been a git, but I did have a heart for those I cared about. Anyway, she had the baby – Amanda – about two weeks after I got back to school in seventh year. She contacted me and said that she would take care of the baby until I got out of school that year, but her parents wouldn't let her keep Amanda any longer than that, so she was trusting me to take care of her once I graduated. She would take on my last name as well. So, after we all went home from Hogwarts for the final time, I stopped by her house to pick up Amanda Katherine Malfoy. Julie – the mother of Amanda – was practically in hysterical tears, because she didn't want to let her baby go. I don't blame her. Julie's mother eventually forced Amanda away from Julie and into my arms and slammed the door. My impression was that Julie's mum wasn't too happy with Amanda. I haven't seen Julie since," he finished. Hermione was in awe. She couldn't believe that her worst enemy from school was pouring out his soul into her. Maybe he really did change.
"Wow, Draco, that's an amazing story!" said Hermione. "You've spilled all this into me, so I guess I have to tell you my story in return," said Hermione.
"You called me Draco," said Malfoy.
"Oh, yeah, I did, didn't I?"
"Well, carry on with your story," he said, and Hermione told her story for the fourth time.
0o0
Malfoy didn't react quite as badly as Harry and Ron did. He did look pretty angry, but he had sense enough to not create a scene in public.
"Unbelievable! I thought what I did was bad, but at least I didn't have any evil schemes behind what I did to Julie. I did it with Julie because I loved her; he did that to you out of spite? I can't believe anyone would want to do that to you, Hermione," he said quietly.
"You called me Hermione," she noted.
"I did, didn't I?" he said. There was a silence for a few seconds.
"Well, I think that's about all that needed to be shared, right?" said Hermione.
"Yes, I do believe so," said Draco. He paused for a slight second, then, "Hermione, would you join me for lunch again sometime? Like, this Saturday? Same time, same place?"
Hermione wasn't expecting that. "Well, certainly," she said after considering for a split second. "I would love to join you for lunch again, although we didn't get around to eating this time, did we?"
"No, we didn't. We were too busy talking," said Draco.
"Well, I'll see you this Saturday, then," said Hermione, getting up from the table.
"Okay," said Draco.
"I'll go upstairs and get Amanda for you, if you want?" suggested Hermione.
"No, I think I'll walk up there with you to get her," said Draco. So, he and Hermione walked up the stairs again to Hermione's room. They discovered Ginny lying on the floor, looking under the bed.
"Ginny, what on earth are you doing?" asked Hermione.
"Looking for Amanda, we're playing hide and seek," said Ginny, getting off the floor.
"I'll help," said Draco. He paced around the room. "Hmmmm, she's not under the bed, not hiding in the dresser drawers, she's certainly not in Hermione's shoes . . ." he said. They heard a soft giggle coming from the closet. "Maybe," said Draco slowly, walking over to the closet. "She's in the . . ." he put his hand on the closed door knob, "closet!" he finished as he pulled it open to find Amanda sitting there, doing her best to hold in giggles.
"You found me daddy!" she said as she jumped up and hugged him. Hermione and Ginny were laughing. When they had calmed down, Ginny told Hermione and Draco that Emily and Amanda were both fine, and Emily was currently sleeping. Just when Draco was about to leave, he dug into his pockets and laid a considerable amount of coins into Ginny's hands. Before she could protest, he had bid Hermione good-bye and was gone.
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AN: And, the 170th reviewer is. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alanpatty07? I counted twice, and both times it came out that Alanpatty07 was my 170th reviewer. It really doesn't make sense, but oh well! Number's don't lie! Congrats, Alanpatty07!
Okay, I didn't leave a cliffhanger that time. Not a big one, anyway. So, you guys know what to do. And, since it worked so well last time, I'm giving you guys a goal again: No updates until I have 240 reviews, got it? Good. Now, you know what to do: REVIEW!!!!!!