Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything else other than the plot.

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Chapter 6

"God! I haven't been out alone with a real guy since Josh and I broke up!" Hermione said with a smile as she walked along beside Draco.

"You and Josh broke up?" asked Draco with a confused look on his face.

"Yea, having a daughter is a lot of stress to put on a relationship in which there is no love. Let me tell you I didn't love him and he sure didn't love me," Hermione said with a remorseful smile.

"Yea, but if you could do it again would you have done anything differently?" asked Draco surprised she was telling him all of this.

"No, Nicole is too much a part of my life to ever imagine life without her. She's my world, I wouldn't survive without her," Hermione said with a smile.

"Yea, she is too much a part of this year. Even I couldn't imagine this year without her. It has only been a few days and I'm already too attached to her," Draco said looking at Hermione. "As is her mother. She means too much to me for me to let anything happen to her. I'm sorry if I over reacted earlier when you accused me of hurting her. It's just the idea of hurting a child makes me angry. My father used to abuse me as a child. My mother just stood there and didn't do anything. She didn't protect me. That's why I was so sad when I heard that you took Nicole away. My mother never loved me enough to do that for me," said Draco looking at his feet instead of at Hermione.

"I never knew, Draco. Or I-" Hermione stammered.

"No Hermione. I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I just want you to understand why I do things sometimes," Draco said still looking at the ground his vulnerability written all over his face.

"I won't ever pity you, Draco," Hermione said pulling his face up to her level. As she did so she pulled it closer to herself.

"Thank you," Draco whispered as e connected their lips. The kiss was short and sweet but it held all of Draco suppressed sadness and Hermione's care for him.

"Draco when ever you need me, I'll be there for you," Hermione said as she climbed the stairs to her room.

"I know. Thank you," Draco said kissing Hermione's hand and Nicole's head while he handed Nicole over, "Good night, both of you."

As Hermione lay awake she thought about that first kiss and how this would change things. Nicole would have a father figure. Draco would be there for Nicole until the end of the year, even if they broke up. He will be here because whether he cares about Hermione or not he cares about Nicole. He was such a great guy. Draco, and now he's going out with me… or is he? We didn't really discuss dating. We just… kissed? Does that mean we're going out? Or is he thinking of a friends with benefits kind of thing? What if he's thinking of something like that? I can't do that! Not with Nicole around! I have her to think about!

He cared about both of them and wouldn't let anything hurt them. He was a great guy. Such a major difference from the jerk he had been the year before. Hermione thought about what could have made him change. It sure was a great change.

Sorry it took me so long to update. I had my play. It's over now. It's so sad. I'll miss it. Hope you like it. Read and Review.