Disclaimer: I do not own the lovely world of Harry Potter. Enjoy.

Two-hundred ninety-nine days after the funeral...

Hermione smiles at James as he clunks about in his three year old glory. She hands him a block and watches as the smile so often seen on Harry's face creeps up the child's face. She laughs at his antics. A knock on her front door pulls her attention away from James. Placing a stuffed animal in front of him she dashes to the door. Pulling her sweater tighter around herself as a draft gusts through her cracked front door, she smiles at the gentlemen on her front steps. Pulling the door wider, she ushers her guests into her home.

James screeches in delight as her new guests make way into her living room. Draco turns suddenly to Hermione as she brings up the rear. "You have a guest."

Hermione laughs as she settles back down on the couch. "Ginny had Al two days ago. James is a roomie til Harry and Gin settle into their new chaos of a routine. I expect James will go home either tonight or tomorrow morning."

"I can find someone else to watch Scorp," Draco says, refusing to sit down.

Turning to glare at him, Hermione shakes her head firmly. "Absolutely not. James needs socialization as much as Scorp does." She plays with a loose curl near her face.

Draco simply stares at James. "Merlin, he looks so much like Potter." He finally sits and places Scorpius on the blanket on his belly near James.

James eyes the newcomer with a curiosity that reminds him of a young Ginny Potter née Weasley. James takes his stuffed animal and clumsily places it next to Scorp and goes back to playing with his block. Hermione smiles and turns her gaze back to Draco. She eyes Draco in his dapper suit.

"When is the fundraiser?" Hermione asks.

"I have to meet Mother in an hour. She has a date for me." Draco replies glumly. "She believes it's time to move on."

Hermione's smile falters for a moment. "So soon?"

Draco scrubs his hands down his face. "Mother comes from an old line. A Black would have been into a courtship by now with plans of an arrangement in the works."

Hermione tilts her head in thought but allows Draco a moment to absorb being forced into moving on from his wife, the mother of his child. Hermione purses her lips and watches as James lays down sprawled across the blanket near Scorp and closes his eyes. Scorp gurgles and settles and rolls onto his back. Hermione stands and places a blanket across the children and motions for Draco to follow her to the kitchen. Pulling down the same bottle of whiskey from his visit before Astoria's funeral. Grabbing a rocks glass, she pours a finger into it and places it on the table for Draco.

"I know it's hard, but stand up to your mother." Hermione states in a quiet tone. She eyes him and feels a stirring in her belly. Nervous energy toils through her fingertips. This handsome man would be the death of her.

A spark of magic pulses through Hermione as her magic does not have anywhere productive to go and her hair frizzes slightly. Draco either doesn't notice or ignores it and Hermione is grateful. Get yourself together, girl!

The glass clinks onto the table now empty. Hermione tilts her head again and shrugs. "Enjoy the fundraiser. Just do what you're comfortable doing. No one can make you move on if you aren't ready…"

Draco nods. "I don't want to be ready yet." He fiddles with his signet ring that sits on his right ring finger. A silver band still lays gently on his left ring finger.

Hermione smiles sadly and nods. "Only you can set your path." She steps into his personal space and pulls him gently into her arms and hugs him tightly. A typical Gryffindor display and one that Draco quickly accustomed to in the time that he has spent around Hermione.

Hermione smiles as his arms circle her waist and absorbs her strength. "Just enjoy your time at the party and raise some money for a hospital that has done some good deeds with it."

Draco smirks and steps out of her warmth. "That I can do."

Hermione watches as Draco slinks back into the living room to place a kiss on Scorp's head. She then escorts him to her door and waves as he disapparates from her front steps. Closing her door, she slips back into her living room and watches the snuggling cubs deciding to ignore the stirrings she felt being near the elegant man too new at being a widowed father.

With love,

Kaleigh