'And what happens to all your clothes?'

'Charity.'

'Even your shoes?'

'I won't be wearing them, will I?'

Draco shrugs. I know he hates this as much as I do, but the doctor called this morning and gave me even worse news. Three months isn't enough time at all. Bugger.

'Okay,' he sighs, moving down the list our lawyer made up for us to consider, 'what about your assets?'

'I don't know ... you decide.'

He sighs again. 'I can't do that for you, love. It's your will.'

'How am I supposed to divide it?'

'Who do you want it to go to?'

'You, our son, Harry and his family, Ron and his family, the Weasley's, my parents, Neville, and Remus.'

'All even?'

'Yes.'

He nods, and I remind myself to thank him later for all this work.

And then the door bell rings.

'I'll get it,' Draco says, standing up before I can.

He walks out of the room, and I just sit there. All of a sudden I feel weak - just like the doctor said I would. I can feel the tears threatening to come from my eyes, but I hold them back.

'Welcome!' Draco exclaims from the door, and it causes me to turn in my seat.

'Welcome'? What is he on about this time? And then it hits me as two people walk into the living room alongside Draco. One is a woman with red, curly, bushy hair, and the other is a boy. Our boy.

'Mrs. Malfoy?' the woman asks, reaching her hand out for my own, and I take it, still sitting, and Draco gives me a look from behind the woman's back.

'Yes,' I say, breathlessly.

'I'm Serena Belaque, from the adoption agency.'

I know I'm beaming, but I just can't help it. 'Hello,' I say, at a loss for words. I see Draco try to hide his laughter at me.

'This is Anthony Short,' she continues, gesturing to the boy in the doorway. He looks up shyly, and I smile at him.

'Hi, Anthony,' I say.

'Hello, Mrs. Malfoy,' he recites. How many of these kinds of things has he gone through? I wonder to myself.

'We just have a few things to discuss before you both get custody of Anthony,' Selena continues, falling into a routine.

On cue, Anthony walks over, sitting down next to me on the loveseat. Draco hovers just behind me, his hand my shoulder, while Selena takes the armchair, spreading out papers onto the already paper strewn coffee table.

'Now,' she says, handing me a piece of heavy parchment, 'that's his birth certificate. His mother died during birth, his father was killed a year later by Death Eaters. He lived with his grandparents until –'

'I was nine years old,' he continued softly, staring down at his shoelaces. 'Then oma died. Opa couldn't handle me, and he sent me off to my aunt's house. She never cared about me, and I never had any friends because she never let me go out. Once I arrived at Hogwarts, she went on a permanent vacation to somewhere. They haven't found her. McGonagall sent me to the agency where I've lived with nine previous foster parents. Unfortunately, none of them would keep me for long. My last stay was a month long, and I've been living in the orphanage since.'

'We've had to take him out of classes for today for this meeting,' Selena said, apparently not noticing the tears in Anthony's eyes. 'So, will you take him?'

'Of course,' Draco and I say in unison. I can tell from the tone in his voice that he is unimpressed by this woman's attitude.

'Good,' she continues, ignoring Draco's scowl. 'Which name will he take?'

'Whatever he wants,' I say quietly as Draco turns around furiously and walks to the other end of the room.

'Well, you can deal with that later, I suppose,' she says nonchalantly. Anthony looks up at Draco, who lets out a very exasperated sigh. It's all I can do to keep from laughing at the expression on the young boy's face. He looks to me for an answer, and all I can do is shrug. He smiles for the first time, and I'm taken away.

'Who will take custody of him?'

'Draco Malfoy,' I say automatically

'Not you?' Anthony whispers to me as Selena scribbles on her many forms.

'We'll tell you later,' I whisper, putting my hand on his own.

'Do you have any questions?' she asks finally, positioned on picking up her papers.

'Does he bring with him any inheritance?' Draco asks from the doorway.

'No,' she answers, sounding almost bored as she begins to put the papers back into her bag. 'All the money bequeathed to him was used in supplies, clothes, and food.'

'Okay,' Draco says, coming back over to the loveseat. I chance a glance at Anthony and find his face creased with anger. Squeezing his hand, I shoot him a questioning look. He shakes his head slightly in response.

'I'll drop these off the ministry,' Selena is saying as Draco walks her to the door. 'Good day.'

And he slams the door in her face.

'What a witch,' he says.

Anthony and I only laugh.