Author's note: I have just read through my last Author's note and it makes absolutely no sense. I suppose my younger brother came in to distract me. Basically, Reetinkerbelle said something very encouraging to me. Therefore the last chapter was for her.

This one is dedicated to the high life. the Life which started just last friday, and will continue for about three months. Princess Sapphire knows what I am talking about.:)

Chapter 23 – The Godfather

It had been quite some time since Hermione had actively sought Malfoy out. She had kept mostly to herself after the wedding ceremony. Preferring to suffer in silence rather than rant to him, and suffer though the abhorrent pet names and sexual innuendos and jokes about marriage that he threw at her just because he knew how much it would make her blood boil.

Damn him.

She glanced down at the rings that hung around her neck.

He knew she would love them, and hate what they stood for.

Damn him straight to hell. Or to whatever the wizarding version of hell is.

And now she was looking for him because she needed to yell at him.

She would never have found him, for he was heading down one of the Dungeons and entering Severus Snape's office.

"You sent for me, professor?" Draco asked standing in front of one of the dark green straight backed chairs.

Severus Snape looked at him, his features bland; he did not wear his usually grim appearance. It seemed the potions master was relaxing.

"I wished to inquire, Draco." he said one corner of his mouth twitching upward. "How are you and your er-vibrant wife?"

Draco very nearly sighed. He knew this discussion was coming.

"Well, Professor we are blissful happy and awaiting the birth of our first child."

Snape arched an eyebrow.

"Draco." he said shaking his head. "You do not honestly think that for a single moment I was fooled by your charade, do you?"

Draco smiled and shook his head.

"Of course not, professor." he said a grin on his face. "But I knew that you would be intrigued. Intrigued enough, in fact, to grant us an audience with Headmaster Dumbledore. I also know that you would not raise your concerns to the headmaster unless you had sufficient proof that Madame Malfoy and I were carrying on with a charade."

Snape was impressed in spite of himself.

"Very well, Master Malfoy." he said. "You seem to have everything planned out. What were you going to tell your father?"

Draco scoffed.

"I planned to tell Lucius nothing." he said harshly.

He could have sworn that he saw a hint of smile on the potion's master's face.

"You mean to tell me that you have no intention of following in his footsteps?" Snape asked. He already knew the answer. In fact, he had been waiting for an opportunity like this since the boy had entered Hogwarts.

Draco shook his head.

"Professor," he said levelly. "If I joined the death eaters, they would take this child away." his face suddenly went grim. It lost the playful scorn and sense of accomplishment it had carried earlier. "I will not allow them to take my child away from me and my wife. No matter how much I loath her, it is my duty to protect her."

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"And how do you know that you have not already compromised your child by letting me in on your little secret? How do you know that I won't sell you to the dark lord?"

Draco very nearly smiled.

"Because, you, Professor Severus Snape, are no Deatheater." he said. "You would not have taken us to Dumbledore if you were. You would have taken care of everything all by yourself, and not gotten the headmaster involved. Now that you have included him, the Dark lord will have less chance to take the child."

Snape was now very impressed by his protégé's perception.

"But even before that," Draco said. "Dumbledore would not have allowed you access to the students if you were truly a staunch supporter of you-know-who. The dark lord may think he has a spy in the upper echelons of Dumbledore's army, but really, he has nothing."

Snape's face betrayed no emotion.

"And how do you know I am not duping Dumbledore."

Draco said nothing for a moment, content to level Snape's coal black eyes with his scalpel silver. He knew his potions master and god father more than even his father in some ways.

"I know."

"And what would have happened if I had actually been working for the dark lord?"

Draco smirked.

"I would have enough proof to have you sacked." he said. "I wanted a way to escape my fate as a Deatheater. This situation has provided me with that. Either way I was going to get into Dumbledore's good graces."

Snape shook his head.

"You are a conniving little prat aren't you?"

"Through and through."

The potions master did not smile, although for the first time in a while, a very long while, he wanted to.

"I have a question, professor." Draco said after a while.

"Yes, Master Malfoy?"

"Where do I sign up for this 'Order of the Phoenix' that everyone speaks so highly of?"

Try as he might, the old bat of a potion's professor could not stop the slight twitch of his lips.

"You really want to turn your back on your father?"

"If you-know-who and his mindless minions think that I am going to let them ruin the small family that I inadvertently found myself responsible for, they have another thing coming."

Snape nodded slowly.

"Call him Voldemort." he said after a moment.

Draco nodded; a small half smile appeared on his face.

"Him too."

"I'll help." the Slytherin head of house agreed. "I'll teach you everything you need to know."

"But only on one condition."

Snape paused, Draco's expression was grave.

"You get me one of those white hats that everyone seems to be raving about." His half smile turned into a smirk. "Although I'm not sure why, White hats tend to make people look like nurses or nuns."

This time, the potions master did smile.