Recap:

"He really wants to be with you, huh?"

"As much as I don't want to be with him…"

Chapter 11: Melantha

Harry stared at his girlfriend and his best friend—who stood side by side—as if they'd sprouted extra limbs from their heads. They were smiling innocently at him, with just a touch of a pout. And they were asking the impossible. For him to spend the weekend at Malfoy Manor.

Ginny fluttered her long black lashes and came to sit on his lap, hugging him tight around the neck.

"Please baby," she pleaded, kissing his cheeks and nose and lips. "We're not even going to be around him a whole lot. And you get to see Melantha."

"Melantha!" he stammered. "But how—"

"Well apparently she's Draco's aunt."

"No!" he gasped, and would have jumped to his feet had it not been for Ginny on his lap. "You can't be serious. She's related to Malfoy?"

"Afraid so," Hermione cut in.

"Have you met her yet?"

"Not yet. That's another reason I want you and Gin there. Incase it doesn't go well."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Harry laughed. "There's no way it won't."

As Hermione predicted, Draco had agreed to allow both Ginny and Harry to come along. He must have hid his agitation well, because she didn't see him falter in the least. He was calm and cool as if he and Harry had been best mates since first year. Well, almost.

"How's saving the world going?" Draco asked, sitting awfully close to Hermione in the carriage on the way to the Manor. Harry did all in his power to keep from lunging at him. He didn't deserve to be that close to her. To anyone.

"Splendid," Harry replied fast as quicksilver. "How's impending fatherhood?"

"Same." He pursed his lips into a sneering smile that only Harry seemed to notice. Hermione and Ginny were deep in conversation, leaned towards each other and ignoring the boys of the carriage. "Hermione's simply glowing with child, don't you think?" he asked, placing a bold hand on the small of her back. She didn't notice, or, if she did, she didn't care.

"I think that once we get to the bottom of this you won't have anything left to smirk about."

And then the carriage came to a halt.

"We're here already?" Hermione asked, sitting rigid, her eyes darting back and forth. Draco's arm lashed out, as if on reflex, and grabbed her hand. Their eyes met and locked, and it was like they were the only two in the cabin. He moved as close to her as possible, taking her other hand and pressing them to his chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced as his forehead touched hers. And then, taking one of his hands, he caressed the side of her face and whispered something only she could hear. "Alright," she whispered, smiling meekly, then turned and climbed out of the carriage.

"What did you say to her?" Harry demanded, ignoring Ginny's heated glare.

"What she needed to hear," Draco shot back, then he too slipped out the door to help unload the luggage.

"I don't trust him in the least."

"You don't have to," Ginny said, grabbing her purse. "But don't you dare make this harder on Hermione than it already is."

A few minutes later all four students walked through the massive doors of Malfoy Manor, Draco, of course, leading the way. And, same as the previous visit, the first place he went was straight up the right staircase, only this time going to the guest wing.

"Potter. Weasley," he said, opening the second door on the left. "You're here." And then he continued down the hall.

"What a gentleman," Harry scoffed. He dragged his and Ginny's suitcases into the room, hefting them onto the grand four-poster, green velvet draped bed. "Where's your room?"

"Same as before I assume," Hermione said with a shrug. "It's down the other hall we passed." She motioned absently, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end; she could almost feel the anger Harry was giving off. This was the last place on earth he wanted to be. "Draco's old room."

"Oh?" He came forward, grabbing the doorframe as if it were preventing him from doing something he'd regret. Hermione shrunk back further into the hall. "And where is his new room?"

"I don't want to be here either, Harry," she said, dodging the question. "But the last time his aunt was supposed to be here. She ended up getting called out on Order duty a few hours before we arrived. And I am not about to leave my child with someone I've never met before."

"Where is his room Hermione?" he said through his teeth.

"No need to get hostile, Potter," came Draco's silky, mocking voice as he stepped up behind Hermione. "And to answer your question, I'll be right next door to her, just incase she needs anything during the night."

Before anyone knew what was happening, Harry had Draco pinned to the wall, his arm shoved against his throat. His fingers were inches from his wand, when he felt Hermione's pressed hard into his cheek.

"Don't be stupid, Harry," she said, her heart breaking at the thought of having to defend Draco a second time. Why did Harry insist on doing this to her? "He's only trying to rile you up. Don't let him." She lowered her wand, pulling him back and into a shaky embrace. He practically fell into her arms, holding her as if she were his life force. "Unpack your things. I want to have a word with him."

Once she and Draco were behind closed doors, and in his room to be more precise, she went off on him like a firecracker.

"Please tell me now if you're planning on being this immature the entire weekend! Because I'm about ready to Floo the hell out of here!"

"Well you can't expect me and Potter to be in the same place and remain civil. You asked for it, Hermione," he sneered. "I don't see why they have to be here, but, because you wanted it, I allowed it."

"Don't you think I'm going to need more than you for support?"

"Support for what!"

"I'm terrified out of my mind right now and all anyone can pay attention to is your and Harry's childish squabbling! This woman is going to be the primary caregiver of my baby for the first three months of his life! If there's even the tiniest thing off about her I'm not going to be able to sleep until I graduate!"

Draco opened his mouth to retort, only to waver and sigh. She was absolutely right and he hadn't given it a second thought. She didn't know Melantha the way he did, the way her friends did. And though he didn't get along with his aunt particularly well, he knew she was the perfect choice.

"Why can't you trust me?" he asked, his voice low and serious, giving her pause. "If there was any doubt in my mind then I wouldn't have suggested her. I'm not evil, Hermione!" he yelled, his fists clenched at his sides. "I care about our child, and, like it or not, I care about you! So stop acting like I'm the bad guy!"

"What's all that yelling about in there!"

Hermione froze and stared with deer-caught-in-headlights eyes at the door. It wasn't Ginny and it definitely wasn't Harry. Which only left one person. Melantha Blake.

"Don't you start with me too!" Draco snapped back, then went to answer the door. And Hermione had to forcibly keep from hyperventilating. This was it, and she was completely unprepared.

"You must be the Hermione I've heard so much about," the very tall woman in the doorway said. And, despite the way she was dressed and the cuts and bruises on her face, she was one of the most gorgeous women she had ever seen. Her long straight reddish blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, with an army green bandana holding any loose strands out of her creamy blue-green eyes. Her outfit, which matched her bandana, consisted of a torn brown tank top, baggy green pants, dirty black boots, and an unzipped green sweatshirt. She was smiling warmly at Hermione, her perfectly straight teeth pearly white, as if there weren't a large purple bruise on her right cheekbone or a rather nasty gash on her bottom lip. She looked as though she'd just come from a fight. "Don't mind the appearance, doll," she said, catching her wandering eyes. "I got a little banged up on my last assignment."

"And the hideous ensemble?" Draco laughed, reminding Hermione of just how well groomed he was, though those weren't exactly the words she'd use.

"If you must know, Draco," she said, her sugar sweet voice turning instantly icy as she addressed her nephew. "I just got back from dueling with Remus."

"Remus Lupin?" Hermione asked, taking her first steps towards her.

"He sends his love," Melantha said. "And he wishes for you to have a safe delivery and a healthy baby. He's very much concerned for you, Hermione."

"He's not the only one," came Harry's voice from behind her in the hall. She spun on her heals and gasped like a schoolgirl.

"Harry! Ginny!" She wrapped them up into her arms, kissing them each on the cheek before reluctantly releasing them. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Your nephew was kind enough to 'invite' us," he said, rolling his eyes. "And when I heard you were going to be here I couldn't say no."

"I find it hard to believe that my nephew would invite Harry Potter into his home," she laughed.

"Ok, so we invited ourselves so we could see you," Ginny said.

"Well I'm glad you did. I haven't seen you since just after New Year's."

"Excuse me," Draco said hotly, clearing his throat dramatically. Everyone turned to face him, having almost forgotten where they were. "I think you're all missing the purpose of this visit."

Melantha and Hermione's cheeks simultaneously went crimson.

"We have a hell of a lot to discuss," he continued. "And I suggest we do that over dinner."

After dinner, which consisted of no talking and a roomful of angry witches and wizards, Draco retired to his room. No one bothered to object. They were all now seated in the right wing lower den, cozied up in front of a blazing fire.

"It's late," Harry yawned, stretching his tired limbs. He stood from his place on the floor, pulling Ginny to her feet as well. "Good night, 'Mione," he said, leaning down to peck her on the cheek. "Night Mel."

"Good night kids," Melantha said amiably.

And then it was only the two of them.

"Aren't you going to bed?"

Hermione looked up from the fire and shook her head.

"I can never get to sleep before midnight," she sighed, patting her belly. "He's a night owl."

"Sounds like a certain Malfoy I know," Melantha laughed. Hermione chuckled uncomfortably, praying that she would go to bed soon and leave her with her thoughts. Not that she wasn't a pleasant woman, but she still didn't know her and there was something just a little off about her. Like she was keeping a secret of something. "So," she continued. "How is the baby name hunt going?"

Hermione groaned irritably.

"That bad?"

"Worse," she sighed. "He insists the baby should be named after a member of his family. I don't know anyone in his family."

"He's a traditionalist, if you haven't noticed."

"Any name I suggest is pure rubbish as far as he's concerned. At least we have four more months…May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Where does the name Blake come from? Are you married?"

The look it brought to the older woman's face told Hermione that it was not something she should have mentioned. She started to take it back, only to be silenced by a simple gesture.

"I was married," she said after a long moment. "He died a long time ago…In a duel."

"With who?" She couldn't stop herself from asking; it was as though someone else had control over her.

"With…With a…With an evil man," she finished, then stood and quickly excused herself.

"Great job, Hermione," she groaned to herself, pulling a pillow to her chest. It wouldn't be for another three hours that she finally willed herself to trek back upstairs and crawl into bed. She fell asleep the instant her head hit the pillow.

"Draco," Hermione sighed, wriggling to free her wrists from his ironclad grasp. But to no avail. "Why can't you just tell me where we're going?"

"That would defeat the whole purpose of a surprise," he said matter-of-factly, and tugged her closer, so her back was pressed against his chest. She thanked the stars that Harry and Ginny had gone shopping with Melantha. They said they wanted to buy her baby gifts, no matter how much she refused. "Relax," he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. "You'll like it, I promise."

"Promise me something else," she whispered back. He had to fight every urge in his body not to kiss her plump pink lips as they moved so close in front of him.

"Yes?"

"Don't make any promises."

He would have retorted, when he realized they were at the destination. Telling her to stay put, and rechecking the blindfold, he rushed ahead to open the giant wooden doors, lacquered black with trimmings hand painted in gold.

"I thought we were here," Hermione grunted impatiently.

"We are," came his reply, suddenly at her side again, his muscular arm snaked around her waist as he led her through the doors. "Remember when I gave you a tour of the Manor and we passed those big double doors you kept asking about?"

Hermione actually found she grew excited, her fingers itching to tear off the blindfold. He had been so adamant about her not entering that room. At night she'd attempted to seek it out, though the first night Draco caught her, and the second she wound up getting lost and ended up in the east courtyard. It took her two hours to retrace her steps and find her room again.

She felt his hands reach up and touch the cloth that separated her eyes from what the room beheld, only to frown when they continued to rest on either side of her face. And she knew exactly what was coming next. His lips brushed against hers, igniting a rumble deep within her that almost scared her. Never before when he'd kissed her had she felt such a thing. She tried to convince herself that it was because he hadn't even tried to touch her since the night she went storming to Slytherin House, but, as the kiss deepened and she didn't pull away, there was no one left to convince. Her hands somehow found their way into his hair, silently demanding more.

"Let me show you the surprise," he breathed, reluctantly pulling away. Her eagerness had not gone unnoticed. Kissing her once more, he removed the blindfold and stepped back to gauge her reaction.

"Draco!" she cried, her hand trembling in front of her mouth. "It's amazing!"

"It's yours," he said, sweeping his arm across the room. Before her was the largest library she had ever since or could conceive of. And, knowing his wealth, she knew it held the most precious and valuable books in all the wizarding world.

"M-Mine?" she stammered, staring wide-eyed at him. "What do you mean—"

"I mean," he laughed, pulling her to him, "that I am giving you, as mistress of this house, my family library. Merlin knows I hardly use it."

"You can't be serious. There must be millions of books here!"

"Of course I'm serious."

"But…But why?"

And his answer came in the form of a kiss.

Yay! Melantha has been revealed! And she's awesome, or so I'll show you later on. We didn't get to see much of her, but trust me she's cool. But why is Hermione so apprehensive with her? Hmm. :P

REVIEW! If you love me :)

Note: I have decided on a name for the baby, but I'm not going to reveal it until Draco and Hermione themselves have picked the name; both first and middle, well, actually two middle names. The first name and the first middle name are both names suggested by some of my reviewers. So yay for you:D The second middle name is a choice between two names that I've been debating over. Thank you for all your help! You're such awesome reviewers!

The top names I received were: Marius (only reason I wouldn't pick this is because it's the name of one of Anne Rice's beautiful vampires), Marcus, Alexander, Aramis, Raegan, Dante, Daemon, Damien/Damian (I got that one a lot), Sebastian (which is a name I've pondered over to name my own child when that lovely day comes), Matthias (the meaning was awesome, though more for Draco—God's gift to women), Gabriel, Xavier, Zane, Thane, and Lucas. And yes, if you are wondering, the two names I chose are on this list. Heehee!