Disclaimer: See Part One.

Summary: It occurs directly after Hermione has given birth to Elana and Ariel.

Part Two

Hermione stood over the identical bassinets watching her children as they slept. She never expected to be a mother, to get married really. And she certainly didn't expect that of all people she would not only marry Draco Malfoy but to bear his children as well. She searched each child's face hoping to find some feature that would show that they were truly hers … but she could find none. While, she certainly hadn't expected them to be miniature replicas of herself she had thought that there would be some trace of her in them. And in the few weeks since they'd been born she'd found that they had more than their fair share of Malfoy features.

"It's strange isn't it, how much they resemble their father yet look nothing like the mother."

Hermione turned stiffly placing herself between her children and their grandfather as he smoothly walked into the room with the aid of cane. "What are you doing here Lucius?"

Pale eyebrows rose at her protective stance as Lucius moved with ease into the room until he towered slightly above her peering down his nose at his barely two week old grandchildren. "I've come to see my grandchildren, if you don't mind." He waited for her to move placing his steel cold gaze on her until she did.

Hermione moved to the side suspiciously watching him as she allowed Lucius to see her young son and daughter. It was the first time he seemed to have any interest in the children outside of when Narcissa forced him to come see them. She might not like the man, nor did she really trust him but she was living in his home and he was now the grandfather of her children … and would always be so she'd have to make do. She watched as Lucius ran a finger across Elana's cheek. Her daughter unconsciously turned toward the touch as her lips pursued together in a reflexive suckling motion. Lucius smiled.

"Did you know Ms. Granger, when Draco approached me about marrying you to keep you from suffering the Dementor's Kiss; it was my suggestion that he let you die." In that one instant any neutral feelings Hermione had promised herself she'd held for Lucius vanished as she tensed, standing up straighter. He turned toward her then fixing her with his cold grey eyes. "Were it not for the presence of my grandchildren, I'd kill you myself."

She froze, glaring at the older man as he simply returned to gazing at his grandchildren with a small smirk. "That's comforting to know. As much as I am enjoying your company, it behooves me that there must be something else that requires your attention, far away from me and my children."

"Now, now Ms. Granger, there is no need to get upset after all I would think it prudent that there be no need to tell lies and such to one another. Despite the fact that we now share a blood link, I see no reason why we should sully ourselves with half truths to one another. Unlike my son, I prefer to claim no ignorance to your linage – on the fact that you are a Mudblood."

"As if I didn't already know that and the name is Malfoy." She bit back even though she wasn't quite sure what she felt for Draco or their marriage. They were in fact married and it was time Lucius acknowledged it.

"Be sure not to forget yourself, Ms. Granger I am one of the few people who know just how cold and calculating you really are." His eyes turning colder which reminded Hermione of another time as her eyes unwittingly traveled to his injured leg. "That however, is of no consequence in this matter. Other than of course to say that I don't like nor do I trust you."

Her newly ample chest rose as she crossed her arms over it and studied Lucius momentarily. "The feeling is entirely mutual, Mr. Malfoy. So given our mutual dislike, what exactly is it that you want from me?"

Lucius eyed her critically before moving to address her from the other side of bassinet. "I have a proposition for you."

"What sort of proposition?" She asked suspiciously.

His brow lifting sardonically as he gave her a small sneer. "Not what you're thinking, I'm sure. I have no predilection for tainting myself with a Mudblood."

Hermione rolled her eyes in return.

"How would you like to return to your Muggle home and see your parents?"

"For how long?" She asked forgetting, for a moment in her desperation, that she was dealing with Lucius and that no deals with him would be made without a sacrifice. She'd longed to see her parents once more; it had been nearly three years. She bit her lip hesitantly as she thought of how surprised everyone would be to see her when she returned married with children to Draco Malfoy.

"A month, maybe two it would depend entirely on you, my dear Ms. Granger."

Gazing at her children she pondered if she would be able to return to her former life as Hermione Granger, once Head Girl, friend of the Boy who Lived with children. Then, another thought occurred to her, what about Draco? He was extremely protective of their twins, there were charms guarding the children around the clock since their birth. Would he even willing to allow her to take the children with her when she returned? "What about Draco?"

"My son has no problem with you returning home to see your family. The children however must remain here—,"

"I won't leave my children," she interrupted. "If I return they have to go with me … I'm still … I'm still …" she paused as felt heat flood into her face. "I'm breast feeding them. And even if I wasn't I couldn't leave my children."

Lucius bared a malicious smile and raised brow before returning his gaze to his grandchildren. "There are ways; we could wean them from your breast milk. Don't be naïve enough to thinking that they could not live without you." Lucius' eyes flashed with an unveiled threat but Hermione was too lost in her own thoughts to notice. "They won't be here alone after all. Draco, will of course be here and as I am sure you are relieved to know so will Narcissa. The children will not wont for a thing."

Although, she would miss her children greatly she needed to see her parents again. She debated inwardly whether she could go to just be Hermione Granger for one brief period of time if just to reacquaint her parents before she introduced them to her children. "I accept your proposition with a few conditions of my own."

"Of course," he acquiesced awaiting her conditions.

"I don't want to leave while Elana and Ariel are still feeding from me and quite frankly two weeks old is too young for me to wean them." She didn't mention that she couldn't bear to leave the twins so early. "And I don't want anyone to know just yet that Draco and I are married. I want to tell them in my own time." One of the twins started to cry.

"That seems quite appropriate. I agree to your terms Ms. Granger."

"Good." Hermione agreed and turned her children, seeing that Elana was awaken, it was feeding time. "Now if you will excuse me, I need to tend to my children." She leaned down and plucked up her daughter from the bassinet cradling the child to her chest.

"Yes, of course. I'll see to getting the arrangements made for your departure." Bowing back slightly Lucius walked around the bassinet leaving Hermione and her children alone.

Gathering Elana closer to her she watched as he left before moving to the rocking chair and unbuttoning her blouse.

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