Recap:

But she wasn't listening to a word she said. She was staring at the letter, her hear racing so fast it could burst any second.

It was from her parents.

Chapter 8: The Grangers

"You open it," Hermione said, shoving the letter at Ginny. Her red-headed friend's eyes turned to saucers and she pushed the harmless envelope away.

"I don't want that kind of responsibility," she said. "Just open it and get it over with. It can't be all that much worse than what they've already said."

"Who told you about that?"

"Harry," she said cautiously.

"Speaking of which—"

"He's fine. You know how he is with Malfoy. He'll get over it soon enough."

"I'm not so sure about that." She bit her lip nervously, turning the letter over and over in her hands. "He's here to stay, Gin. He's now permanently a part of our lives…"

"You're stalling," she pointed out, and tapped her shoulder. "Go on. Open it. You won't die."

"Promise?"

Ginny only laughed, her eyes glued to the letter as Hermione began to tear it open.

"Shit," she swore, the piece of parchment falling to the floor between her legs. Ginny snatched it up, quickly reading the two sentences written. She wouldn't have been happy about it either.

"What're you going to do?"

"What else can I do?" she sighed. "Look, I'm going to go down to breakfast early and clear my head. When Harry gets up can you tell him I want to talk to him in private before class?"

"Sure thing."

"And if Ron ever leaves the dorm—"

"I'll take care of everything."

"Thanks, Gin. I really need you right now."

"I know," she said with a smile, and tossed the letter into the embers in the fireplace.

For the first time in her life, Hermione was actually happy to see Draco in the Great Hall when she stepped in. She immediately took a turn for the Slytherin table, but only because it was absolutely empty. The only other occupants of the room were a few Ravenclaw first years and a lone HufflePuff with his nose in a book. And she wondered, her eyes scanning the hall, just how long it would take for the entire school to find out about her and Malfoy. And, of course, how brutal the rumors would be.

"Hermione," Draco said as she approached, having seen her walk in. "What brings you to this side of the Great Hall?"

"Our plans have changed for the weekend."

His grin dropped instantly into a frown.

"Excuse me?"

"I received a letter from my parents this morning." She paused and he didn't even try to speak. He wanted to know exactly why his weekend was being disrupted. "They were replying to my letter," she sighed. "But they didn't comment or respond to anything I wrote."

"Out with it already."

"They said they didn't want to discuss the situation through the mail, they want to talk in person."

"So you're going home then?" He was not at all happy about it. Why couldn't she wait until next weekend, when she didn't have plans? Stupid muggle etiquette.

"Yes. But that's not all." He gave a simple gesture of his hand to tell her to continue. "They…They said they want…to meet you."

Draco's grin returned with ruthless fervor.

"Perfect."

Harry shifted nervously from one foot to the other, his hands shoved in his pockets, his eyes cast at the floor. He had been dreading this conversation since last night—the real thing was far worse than the worrying and anticipation.

"This isn't easy for any of us," Hermione was saying, leaving out the fact that Malfoy seemed utterly ecstatic about being a parent with her. "I can't even begin to imagine how this is affecting you, Harry," she sighed. "You and Draco have been arch rivals since first year and—"

"Did you just call him Draco?" Harry all but spat, an intense, penetrating glare in his famous green eyes.

"We're trying to be adult about this, Harry. We agreed to call each other by our first names…for the baby's sake."

"Listen to yourself, Hermione!" With the famous eyes, and the famous scar, inevitably came the famous rage. She flinched ever so slightly at his volume. "We are trying! We agreed! You sound like you're actually with him!" he stammered. And then, startling her even more than his anger, his eyes widened and he gasped.

"No!" she cried, and lunged forward, clinging to his shoulders. "I hate him, Harry! I hate him! I don't know how any of this happened, but nothing—nothing—in this world could bring someone like me together with someone like him! Not for real! Not for good! Harry," she said, grabbing his face so he would look at her. "I am only doing what's best for my child. If you were about to be a parent you'd understand what I'm going through. But you aren't, so you don't. You're just going to have to trust me…I love Ron, Harry. I do…but, now that all this has happened, there's no chance for us being together ever again…I blew my one chance at love and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. But I would do anything for my baby, so I suppose I'm not completely losing out. In the end I'll always have my baby."

Harry sighed, leaning in the kiss Hermione lightly on the mouth, the way a brother would kiss his sister.

"And you'll always have me."

Hermione beamed up at him. Of course she knew he would come around, no matter what. It was the journey to get there that had frightened her.

"Just don't expect me to attend any barbeques with the family."

She laughed at his obvious joke, laced her arm through his, and they headed to class.

The last thing Hermione needed right now was another rift between her and those she loved. So, as Friday evening approached, the only people other than herself, her parents, and Draco that knew about the extent of her trip home was Ginny. There was no getting around that, for the simple reason that she'd read the letter. All anyone else knew was that she was going home—and Harry knew that she was going to patch things up with her folks. Ron knew this as well, but only because both Harry and Ginny had been talking to him, whether he responded or not.

Hermione had yet to see him since she learned the news.

She exited the Great Hall almost cautiously, her eyes scanning the corridors for any sign of a lightening blond Slytherin. Just her luck, her nerves worn almost into non-existence, he was the last person to walk through the doors, a single black bag slung over his shoulder.

"Ready?" he asked casually.

She rolled her eyes and headed in the direction of Dumbledore's office. She had decided a few days before that it would be easier for them to simply use his fireplace and take the Floo Network to her house. Draco had reluctantly agreed, which had made her chuckle because the only reason she could think that he didn't want to go was because he would get his robes dirty.

Ten minutes later they were tumbling into her family's living room, choking on the huge cloud of dust. They didn't use the fireplace very often, therefore they didn't clean it very often.

"Hey," Hermione said nervously, giving stiff nods to each of her parents. Draco looked on with quiet inquire. Obviously there was something going on that he wasn't aware of.

Her parents only returned the nod, motioning for her and Draco to sit on the couch closest to the kitchen door. They opted to stand.

"This is the boy you wrote about?" her father asked, eyeing him as if he were a strange and dangerous creature that must be either caged or killed. At this point, Hermione didn't put it past him if he did either.

"Yes."

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he said, offering his hand to her father. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Hermione's jaw had dropped. Good, he thought, holding back his smirk. It was just the reaction he was hoping for. Always keep her guessing, that was the plan. If it could even be called that. "How much has Hermione told you about the arrangements I've made?" he asked, then brought her mother's hand to his lips. Beside him, Hermione was almost in labor.

"Nothing," Mrs. Granger said icily, her eyes focused on her daughter. "What plans, Hermione?"

"Draco's family has a lot of money," she said first, not knowing how else to start. "A few months ago his parents died in…an accident. He inherited their fortune and their home, and he wants us to live and raise the baby there."

So far they gave no reaction. Draco was now seeing why she had so dreaded coming here. This family was as warm as a meat locker.

"And he's also taken care of the three months after the baby's born when we'll still be in school. His aunt was named his guardian and she's also living at the Manor. She said she would be glad to watch the baby for us…We'll go there on weekends...and in the evenings too sometimes…Neither of you will have to lift a finger or spend a dime." What had started out as a barely audible speech, quickly turned into a barely understandable one, her words so fast and anxious.

Draco reached over and took Hermione's hand, ignoring the subtle changes in her parents' expressions. And to his complete surprise she allowed this, giving his hand a squeeze, as if to say thank you.

"Listen, Hermione," her father said, his tone almost resembling a calm human being. He stepped forward and knelt before her, one hand on her knee. "Your mother and I are still trying to wrap our heads around all this. It's going to take some time for us to…be comfortable with the idea of being grandparents. We know we might have overreacted, but you have to understand what a shock this was, especially on top of the fact that you never told us about the accident at school."

"I know I screwed up, daddy," she sighed. "But I promise I will do anything in my power to make it up to you."

He smiled at her, then leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Her mother remained stock-still, her arms crossed rigidly over her chest.

"And you," he said, standing and addressing Draco. "I guess this is where I welcome you to the family."

"Thank you," Draco replied, the picture of gentlemanly perfection.

"Thank you," her mother said, "for providing so well for our daughter."

"Then you will allow her to live at the Manor?"

"Hasn't she told you?"

All eyes fell on Hermione, who shrunk back as if they were all plotting to torture her.

"They're moving," Hermione squeaked. "To America."

Draco's entire being seemed to become shrouded in darkness.

"I see," was all he could say.

"How could you not tell me!" Draco demanded, his already intense blue eyes flaring with anger. It just about nine o'clock, after they'd had dinner and talked some more over tea about the baby and their plans. He and Hermione were now in her room, and before he'd uttered a word, Draco had wrapped the room in a silencing charm so not to alarm her parents. "You were going to take our baby to America?"

Hermione sat, knees to her chest, on her bed, not even able to look at him. She hadn't needed to tell him for him to find out what she'd been planning. No matter what she'd told him, she was always working other plans out in her mind, finding ways to live without him. Before any of this had happened, she'd been planning on moving over there with them just until she had enough money of her own, and a secure job with the Ministry, and then she'd move back to England to be with her friends. Now she wanted to move to America more than ever.

"How could you ever think we could live together?" Hermione asked, forcing her voice to stay calm, though the anger was quickly rising in her too. It was her live, after all. And they weren't married. She could take her baby wherever she wanted. "What alternate dimension were you planning on taking us to!" She was now off the bed, only a foot before him, her eyes reflecting his rage like a mirror.

"You should have told me!" he fired back. "That baby is half mine, and as such I have a right to know when you're planning on fleeing the country! For God's sake, Hermione, you're not the only one involved. How did you think you'd get away with it?"

"I'm so sick of Dumbledore's stupid excuses!" she cried.

Draco could only give her a blank look. What on earth—

"Four times he's brushed me off about the memory potions! He said we would have our memories back soon, but no! We have to wait and wonder what the hell happened to us five months ago that made us do something so completely stupid to screw ourselves for the rest of our lives!" Her voice had reached such a high pitch that Draco had to force himself not to cover his ears.

"Hermione—"

"Don't Hermione me!" she screamed, shoving him back. "How can you stay so damn calm about all this! Huh! Is there some spell you know! Because if there is would you mind filling me in! I am—" But, before she could finish her rant, she was taken down, falling back on the bed with Draco falling right on top of her, holding her wrists to keep her in place.

"Are you going to calm down?" he asked, his lips close enough to kiss. But she wasn't paying attention to his lips, or face, or words. The pressure he was putting on her wrists was borderline excruciating. She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Noticing her pain, Draco eased off and stood up, thinking his massive muscular frame had crushed her. He was in for a surprise, however, when she sat up and clutched her wrists.

"Shit," she swore, massaging her left wrist with her thumb, then moved on to the right, completely unaware of the fact that Draco was putting two and two together.

"How dare you!" he hissed, shrinking back as though she meant to harm him. "You are supposed to be protecting our child! How can you be so selfish!"

She kept her eyes on the floor, trying desperately to ignore him.

"Hermione!"

"Well excuse me for not wanting my baby to be half demon!"

"So just because the baby is mine it doesn't deserve to live?" Of course he knew she didn't believe that. But he was so angry he'd probably say anything that popped into his head just to let the anger out.

She felt the all too familiar sting of tears rush to her eyes.

"If you even think about killing yourself and my baby again, I will get full custody so fast you'll forget you even had a child."

"You wouldn't dare," she gasped, the tears painting lines down her face.

"Try me, mudblood. I'm a Malfoy. I don't take well to being cornered."

"Let's get one thing straight, Malfoy," she hissed, her maternal instincts kicking into overdrive. She wiped furiously at her eyes, but the tears were intent on falling, and so she ignored them.

"And what would that be?" There was no backing down for either of them at this point.

"I am willing to fight to the death for my baby," she said through her teeth. "I did a stupid, irrational thing the day after I found out you were the father. But don't you think for one second that you can take my child from me. Nothing in this world can make me harm my baby."

There was silence for a full minute. And then, adding to the already bizarre and stressful events of the day, Draco sat at her side and pulled her into a hug.

"What just happened?" she asked, eyeing him with quiet suspicion.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again," Draco said, though it sounded more like a command to her.

"You really do want this baby, don't you?"

"He's all I have…"

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Well, would you look at that? I just jumbled everything all up, didn't I? Heehee! But that's what I'm good for, huh? Crazy kids and their craziness :P

REVIEW! And I shall grant you another amazing chapter :)