"Malfoy," yelled Hermione. "Are you out of your mind?" She raked her hands through her hair and began pacing the room. "My God, you can't be serious. Severus, please tell me you didn't blow your cover to Malfoy."

"Of course I didn't," Snape snapped back. "What's so shocking about Malfoy wanting out from under the Dark Lord? He's married now and he has a son. I think he's worried about what his being a Death Eater will mean for them."

Hermione whirled on him. "Malfoy is an evil bastard."

"Malfoy is from one of the oldest wizarding families around. He's well respected by the Ministry and by the Dark Lord. He would be an incredible ally," said Snape coldly.

"He's more obsessed about being pure blood than Voldemort," yelled Hermione.

Snape winced at Voldemort's name. "He's my oldest and most trusted friend," he insisted.

"Then you need new friends," snapped Hermione. "I wouldn't support Lucius Malfoy's entry into the Order if he handed us Voldemort's head on a platter."

"Stop saying his name," growled Snape.

"Don't yell at my wife," said Remus, stepping closer. "If she says no about Malfoy then that's the end of the discussion."

"You don't even know Malfoy," said Snape. "What right do you have to make that kind of judgement against him?"

"I know Malfoy," said Hermione icily. "I know what he's capable of. He's trapping you. Maybe you've forgotten, but it was Malfoy's home Remus and I were being held in over a year ago. Now I don't know how he found out about you, but he must know. There's no other explanation. You have to be more careful," she finished the last sentence at a yell. "It's not only your life we're dealing with here."

"Malfoy doesn't know anything," argued Snape. "His comments to me haven't revealed anything but worry. He's losing confidence that the Dark Lord will prevail. He'll come to our side because it's us who will win."

"Typical Slytherin," scoffed Remus. "He's sees that your fortunes are turning so he wants to switch teams."

"That's right," said Snape unapologetically. "Slytherins have a natural instinct to stay alive. Unlike Gryffindors we don't go running into danger for no reason whatsoever."

"You call fighting for the weak, for those who can't fight for themselves, no reason," asked Remus.

"Yes," replied Snape.

"All right, enough," shouted Hermione. "We're not getting into this argument."

"I agree," said Snape. "Will you help me or not?" he asked simply.

"No," snapped Hermione. "Aren't you listening to me? Malfoy is trouble. He's pure evil. And he's trying to trap you."

"Malfoy's no different than I was," argued Snape.

"You're wrong," said Hermione, stepping forward and putting her hand on his arm. "You're nothing like him."

"You know nothing about me," said Snape, pulling his arm away from her. "I'm exactly like Malfoy. Do you honestly believe I was a Death Eater and never got my hands dirty?"

"That's enough, Snape," said Remus. He took Hermione's hand and very subtly pulled her away from him. "She's told you no twice. That's the end of it."

"That's not the end of it," replied Snape. "If you want me to continue passing information to you then you'll at least consider this."

"Severus, please don't do this," begged Hermione. "You need to listen to me. Malfoy is setting you up. He's not to be trusted."

"I'm not to be trusted," said Snape. "Yet you trusted me. You trusted me with your life. And his for that matter," he said pointing at Remus.

"I know that," replied Hermione. "I trusted you at our most desperate moment. And now I'm asking you to trust me. If you pursue this thing with Malfoy, you will die. Voldemort will find out what you've been doing and he will kill you." Hermione stepped away from Remus and took Snape's hands. "Please," she whispered. "Please trust me."

Snape stared into her eyes and for a brief annoying moment wondered how anyone denied her anything. "I'll let this drop for now. But if Malfoy…"

Hermione threw her arms around him with relief. "Thank you, Severus."

Severus pulled away from her. "I guess I'll leave then," he said uncomfortably.

"Would you like to stay for a little while?" asked Hermione. "I could make some lunch or something."

Severus shot a look at Remus who was glaring at him. "Thanks," he said with a smile. "But I really must be leaving."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "It's been a while. Maybe we could catch…"

"You don't have to trouble yourself, Hermione," said Snape coldly. "We're not friends. We just work together."

Hermione frowned. "I just thought…"

"I'll be in touch through Dumbledore if necessary," said Snape.

Hermione nodded once.

Severus returned her nod then disapparated.

Hermione took a deep breath then exhaled before walking from the room.

"Hermione," called Remus, hurrying after her.

Hermione made her way into the kitchen and was busy pulling stuff out for lunch.

"Hermione," said Remus again. "What were you thinking bringing him here?"

"I didn't," she answered, keeping her back to him.

"Then why was he here?" he asked angrily, "in our house, where our son is?"

Hermione whirled around. "Don't do that," she snapped.

"Do what?"

"Act like you're the only one who cares about Nathaniel's safety."

"Well when you bring Death Eaters into our house you make me wonder."

"He's not a Death Eater," Hermione defended.

"Once a Death Eater always a Death Eater," countered Remus.

Hermione glared at him and then pushed past him and left the room.

Remus gave her some time to cool off before following her into their bedroom. Hermione was lying on the bed turned away from him. "Hermione," began Remus tentatively.

"Go away," she sniffed quietly.

He sat on the bed and put his hand on her shoulder. "Honey, I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Her shoulder shook in silent sobs and she pulled away from his touch. "Leave me alone."

Remus could never stand to see Hermione cry so he stood and went to the other side of the bed so he could see her face. "What's the matter?" he asked gently.

"Nothing, I just…" she sniffed. "Oh never mind," she cried and turned away from him.

"Hey," he said softly, reaching out and turning her back towards him. "What's the matter with my girl? You've been down for a little while now."

"Oh Remus," she cried and went into his arms.

He stroked her hair and held her tight, letting her cry against him. "You know, Madam Pomfrey said it was normal to feel a bit blue after giving birth."

"I don't have postpartum depression," she said, wiping the back of her hand across her nose.

"Then what is it?"

"I'm sorry I didn't stop Severus. You're right. We agreed to keep Nathaniel away from Order business."

"Forget it," said Remus. "I shouldn't have just flown off like that."

"No, you had every right to. I'm completely messing everything up."

"What are you talking about?" asked Remus.

"I'm a horrible mother."

"No you're not," said Remus.

"Yes I am," Hermione argued. "I can't handle it. I can't make him eat on time or nap on time. He never stops crying. I've read dozens of books and nothing helps. I'm failing."

Remus laughed gently which only made Hermione angry. "Hermione, there hasn't been a book written that's going to teach you how to be a good mother."

"Don't laugh at me," said Hermione, standing up. "Remus, just leave me alone." She left the room and this time Remus didn't follow her.

Later that night when they were in bed Remus tried once more to make amends with Hermione. He curled up next to her and put his arm around her waist. "Hermione," he whispered gently. "Talk to me, love."

"Remus, I'm tired," she said quietly.

Remus sighed and rolled away from her. He punched his pillow and tried getting comfortable, but it was a long time before he fell asleep.

Neither Remus or Hermione slept well that night and both of them woke up grumpy. They shuffled silently through their morning routine passing the baby off to each other while each of them showered and dressed.

Nathaniel, seeming to sense the tension between his parents, had the good sense to behave all morning.

"I have to work late today," said Remus, "another Order mission." He had Nathaniel in his lap and was busy feeding him his morning bottle so he didn't see his wife's face.

"So what else is new?" asked Hermione.

Remus looked across the table. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Nothing," said Hermione.

"Obviously you're still angry from yesterday," commented Remus.

"I'm not angry," she denied.

"Why don't you grow up, Hermione," he said angrily. "I'm doing the best I can."

"And I'm not?"

"I never said you weren't."

Hermione stood angrily and went around the table. She lifted Nathaniel from Remus' arms and took the bottle to finish. "Just go to work," she said, leaving the room.

"Hermione we're not done," said Remus, following her from the room.

Hermione ignored him and went to Nathaniel's room. She set him down in his crib and he immediately starting fussing.

"We're having a conversation here," Remus informed her, entering the baby's room.

"I don't want to speak with you right now," she said.

"Stop acting childish," he snapped.

"Don't you dare speak to me like that," said Hermione. "You only have one child and it's certainly not me." Nathaniel's cries started to get louder.

"Well then stop acting like a child."

"Remus, I swear to God…"

"We agreed to keep our life with the Order separate from our home life. We agreed we wouldn't expose Nathaniel…" began Remus, beginning the argument exactly where it had left off the night before.

"We're back to that?"

"Yes."

"Well I think you're being unreasonable," interrupted Hermione. "There's no difference between personal and professional in a war. It's all personal."

"We've managed it so far," argued Remus.

"That's only because I've been stuck at home while you…" she trailed off, feeling a tightening in her throat.

"Where is all of this coming from?" asked Remus, feeling truly bewildered.

"Would you just leave me alone, Remus," begged Hermione.

"No," he said, coming closer and putting his hands on her arms and rubbing them gently. "I don't want to leave you alone. I want you to talk to me."

"You don't want to hear this."

"Of course I do. It's obvious something is bothering you. If you can't talk to me who can you talk to?"

"You don't want to hear this," she repeated. "All you want to hear is how happy I am and how perfect our child is."

Remus paled and dropped his arms. "You're not happy with our life then?" he asked quietly.

"I didn't say that," she said quietly. "I love you and I love our son. I just…" she paused and tried to blink the tears back. "I just didn't expect it to turn out this way."

"Didn't expect what to turn out this way?" he asked warily.

"My life," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Remus stepped away from her as if she had slapped him. "Your life?" he asked. "Your life?" he repeated. He looked down at his feet and then picked up Nathaniel and slowly left the room.

Hermione followed him. "Where are you going?" she demanded.

Remus whirled on her and Nathaniel's cries were ringing in both of their ears. "I love you, but I'm tired of having the live with the constant threat that you might leave. So I'm going to do us both a favor and leave first." He leaned down and grabbed Nathaniel's diaper bag, which was waiting at the entrance of the house. "When you figure out what you want to do with 'your life,' you let me and your son know." Then he walked out and closed the door behind him.

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A/N: And the questions keep coming. Okay, I'll answer another one.

Question 1: Will Remus and Hermione have a baby girl? I've toyed around with the idea of more kids, but I'm not sure it will fit into the structure of the story.