August 16, 2004

'Deep breaths Hermione. Deep breaths.' I plaster a smile on my face and walk into the street. Even when I still feel the buildings crowding over me, I keep a steady pace and try not to falter. 'Gringotts. Apothecary. Knockturn. Home.' Short, simple, and in no way resurfacing painful memories.

At least that was the plan. But plans don't last long upon contact. There was tension in the Alley as everyone stared at me. Rita's articles at work here once again. Four days. I've been back for four bloody days and already the Britons made me want to leave.

"Traitor." I pretend I don't even hear the voice behind me and stay in my cool façade.

"Coward."

"Deserter."

Tears prickled behind my eyes as I saw the faces sneering and throwing hateful looks at me. 'I risked my life for all of you!' I wanted to scream. 'When you left the fight to children I fought for you! What else do you want from me?'

Discreetly tightening my hand around my wand I let none of my thoughts reach my face. Don't let it show that their words mean anything. 'Ignore them. Ignore them. You've done this a thousand times before Hermione. You can do it a thousand times more.'

I was climbing Gringott's steps when I heard it. It was louder than the rest. "Who's the father, whore?"

Every blood vessel in my body froze. Sharply turning on my heel, I face the offending person with my wand at ready. "Excuse me?" I nearly hiss. "I don't think I quite caught that. You wouldn't be happening to be calling me a whore, are you?"

The man didn't say a word. No one did. My magic was wild and suffocating everyone else's. "Of course, you didn't. I mean you people do remember who helped defeat Voldemort right? You know that I'm hailed as the Brightest Witch of the Century and would have no problem raining hell on this country.

"Listen to me and listen to me well. Say what you want about me, my work, my blood status. But the moment that you insult my daughter I will remind you why I've earned my titles. If you don't believe then maybe you should ask the Germans what happened to the pureblood fanatics that tried to lay a hand on my daughter."

With one last glare at the people of the Alley, I make my way into the bank. I wanted to get out as soon as possible. Even more so from the country.

Two hours and forty-five minutes later, I walk back into the sunlight with an account ledger and an extracted promise to advocate for better treatment of sentient beings. All the royalties and investments were paying off nicely and the donations were still coming in. I would have to see what projects I can take on while mentoring at Hogwarts.

"Hermione."

My chest tightens when I hear his voice and my heart raced at the sight of haunting green eyes that have chased me for the past six years. A real, honest-to-God smile blooms on my face and I've forgotten all about the marginalization from him and everyone else.

"Harry." I breathe out. By Merlin, I missed his smile, his face, his everything.

Harry meets me halfway in Gringott's stairs. His arms wrap around me and I allow myself the time to forget that there was once a time where we never went longer than a class period without speaking.

His arms release me and we're back in reality. "I've heard that you've been terrorizing the general populace." He says jokingly but there's a hardness in his eyes I can't ignore.

My smile disappears. A shrug from my part and a more hardened look. "Is that what they're calling it?" I ask even when I know that yes, they would call it that. I shrug and move out of Harry's reach. "They can call me the next Dark Lady as long as they leave my daughter alone."

Harry grits his teeth. "That's another thing. No owls in years and then you send one to invite us to dinner at Neville's? What are you doing back in England Hermione? Since when do you have a daughter?"

I force myself to smile. "Loving the welcome home, Harry. But you're going to have to interrogate me in a more private area. My life isn't a quidditch match for the world to gawk at in the busiest shopping district in magical Britain."

He chuckles darkly. "My best friend of seven years leaves me for six years with maybe some owls now and then. I don't hear anything from you for two years-"

I glare at him all traces of my earlier happiness at seeing him gone. "Don't you dare blame me. Every time I tried to contact you it was all about Harry Potter."

"-and when you do come back I have to find out by way of rumors and newspaper. I deserve to know the truth!"

"And I deserved a friend," I respond blandly. I want to keep talking but I'm too aware of the people crowding the Gringotts steps. I shake my head. "Come to Neville's or don't Harry but I'm not arguing with you here."

I try to push past him to the Leaky Cauldron but he didn't move. My chest throbbed painfully, breaths came harder and I cursed myself. I was not going to have a panic attack in the middle of the Alley. "Harry please, I'll tell you what you want to know just not here."

"No! Aren't I your best friend? Don't I deserve to know? Hermione, no matter what happened I'll never think less of you."

Water rushed over my head. I hadn't felt frozen over since Germany. My heart returns to a normal heartbeat and a dark, ugly anger burn in me. "Think less of me?" A cold laugh escapes me. "I don't care what the world thinks of me, Harry. It's already thought the worst. Your opinion won't hurt me."

He looks like I slapped him. The Golden boy probably never had someone look down on him since he won the war. There were no, 'I'll help you's or promises to stand by me. Of course not. "We'll talk later Harry. I still have errands to run." I try to brush past him again and succeed.

But the fact that I denied his importance lit him up too. Harry's hand clasped almost painfully around my arm. "I need to know. What was so important that you had to abandon your home country for six years? Why did you abandon me!"

"You want to know why I left Great Britain? I was tired." I said emotionlessly. Our row would be front-page news tomorrow. But a hysterical Hermione Granger was not a picture they would get. "I. Was. Tired. Of your war, of the hatred, of missing my family. I gave everything for a war that never should have been mine in the first place. And I was tired." I look him in the eye. "And then I was pregnant."

Harry looked shell shocked. "What?"

"Need I explain the birds and the bees to you do I Harry?" Cold indifference is what I embodied. The outside couldn't hurt me or see inside. I was unshakeable even by the truth that I almost didn't want to let out.

"Who's is it? Is it Ron's!"

I chuckle drily. We were attracting attention now. "Six years and people still think that Ronald and I would ever be a thing," I stare straight into his eyes, never wavering, "Any Harry. You know exactly who's the father."

I had wanted to wait until Sunday. Let his reaction happen indoors, away from prying eyes, but it was always about catering to Harry Potter's needs. And I was too cold to care about him. "You have a daughter Harry. Her name is Evangeline and she turns six this Thursday. Do try to attend since waiting and extra two days is a foreign concept to you."

Still not caring about the shocked looks present in people's faces, I remove Harry's hand from my arm and continue on my way. 'Apothecary. Knockturn. Home.'

"Where do you think you're going?"

An eyebrow raises in response. "I told you. I have errands to run."

"You can't just say something like that and walk away!"

"Watch me." One foot in front of the other I make it as far as the next dark corner before I give up and hide to release my tears alone.

Draco's p.o.v

I silently watch Granger walk away from Potter and into a secluded hidey-hole. I had to have been the only one to notice her warm aura change into a cold imitation the more Potter pushed her into talking. Her body was tense during most of their exchange, only letting up when she threw barbs at him.

I had to agree with Granger. Telling someone you hadn't seen in years that you were pregnant with his child wasn't something you wanted to do in the busiest shopping district of London. Still, my chest tightens at the thought of not knowing my beautiful son Scorpius.

Granger was shaking. It was a surprise no one had noticed her yet but they were probably ignoring her existence in favor of helping their Golden Boy. Part of me wanted to leave her alone but the bigger, better part of myself said to lend the hand that no one else would.

Screw it.

I swerve and dodge around the dozens of people in the Alley. It was packed with students, parents, and the nosy interlopers to the latest celebrity drama. By evening every person would know that the Man-Who-Conquered had a daughter with the Brightest Witch of the Century. By tomorrow it would be all over the world. No one could hope to have international fame and keep a secret like this one. Hell, I'm surprised no one figured it out sooner.

Making sure to approach the wound-up witch with loud footsteps, I kneel beside where she'd fallen and watch with wide eyes as tears fall from honey eyes. "Granger? Are you okay?"

The realization that there was someone was with her sent Granger into a flurry to make herself presentable. When her hand shook for the third time trying to pull at her robe I step in and do it for her. She was more distraught than I thought.

"Gr-Hermione?"

Her name seemed to open a whole new bout of tears. "No, I'm not okay! The British people hate me for not living up to their expectations and now Harry goddamned Potter made me reveal to the entire world the parentage of my daughter. What do you think the press will do with that information? Burn her alive! "

Her cries were getting worse. If I didn't get her out of there people would notice soon. "Come on. Let's go someplace more private. You can rage there all you want."

Throwing a disillusionment charm over us, I grab Granger's arm and guide her to a secluded tea shop not many would think to frequent so early in the day. "Your strongest calming tea please," I said when we were inside and visible again.

The waitress takes one look at Hermione and nods.

"Gr-Hermione. I know that we have a bad history between us and I can't condone your decision to keep your daughter a secret but if you want to talk…"

For a moment I thought she would just stay there and not say a word. She just sat there staring at the table. "It happened after Ron left us."

Pause. "What happened?" I asked. Maybe if I got her talking she could leave whatever was holding her back behind.

"We slept together." The waitress leaves the cuppa and I wave her off. Granger continued to speak.

"We were hurt, cold, and in need of comfort. My period stopped coming a few months back but it had always been irregular so I didn't pay it much mind. I thought that it had been the stress or the lack of food that stopped it completely. When Ron came back that night was just an incident better left forgotten."

"You only slept together that one time?"

She shrugged in response. "It only takes one time Draco." She gripped her cup tighter. I hadn't noticed when she first grabbed it. "You have to believe me when I say that I didn't know. If I had I would have packed my bags and left for my parents."

Okay then. It didn't explain why Potter didn't know or why it caused such a strong reaction from her, but it was obvious that she wouldn't say another word.

"Okay."

Her head shot up. "Okay? Is that all you're going to say? No reprimands for not telling Harry or even why I left the country?"

I shrug. "Sure, I'd like to know but I'm hardly the best person to ask. Like I said there's bad blood between us. Besides, we're all entitled to our secrets."

Granger gaped at me for a few seconds before regaining control of herself. "You might be the first person to say that to me Malfoy. Thank you."

The rest of our tea was drunk in silence. People came and went but we remained in our isolated bubble.

"Why are you doing this Malfoy?"

For a moment I consider getting up and leaving the tea shop behind. I didn't have to answer but guilt and gratitude kept me rooted to my spot.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." Granger was more composed more and her face clean of any trace of her previous makeup.

"I'm sorry." Stony silence from her. The noise from the shop dulled in comparison to the roar of my conscious demand for absolution. "For looking down on you and for being a total arse. I'm sorry for not standing up to my Father and siding with the Dark Lord. I was wrong-"

"Draco. I know." Her hand left her cup and squeezed mine. It was my time to be the emotional one.

"No, you don't know! Merlin Granger, I made our school years miserable. I tortured muggles and muggleborns. I helped that madman Hermione. The blood of all those innocent people will never leave me."

"The fact that you're repentant shows that you want to make up for what you did. Not many people look back and accept their actions for the horror they were. That you do means that you're trying to be a better person now."

"I'm so sorry Hermione."

"If forgiveness is what you want then I give it to you: I forgive you Draco Malfoy."

Explosive Encounter at Gringotts!

By Rita Skeeter

Since Hermione Granger stepped foot in Great Britain again last week everyone has been on the edge of their seats to see what kind of reunion the Golden Trio would have. And today we got it.

After entering Diagon Alley and terrorizing the good citizens of Britain, the salacious witch greeted her former friend Harry Potter most enthusiastically, almost as if she "forgot" Ginny Weasley even existed. But the warm welcome didn't last for long. When asked about her reasons, the foreign witch sidestepped the questions agreeing to speak with him only if they moved to another location. Makes one wonder about the price of her information and the ethicality of her information gathering.

Of course, our dear hero held strong and made the witch confess her sins for all of Diagon Alley to hear. Like many had believed, Hermione Granger ran away from Great Britain after not being able to deal with the weight of her failures. And so Miss Granger disked away into the night and took her daughter with her. Who's father turned out to be none other than Harry Potter himself.

Yes, dear readers. Hermione Granger's daughter is none other than the Potter Heir. Using Mr. Potter's surprise she fled. Was it to hide her shame? Does she even have any shame? Dear readers, I have been one of the reporters trailing Hermione's career and controversy has trailed her every step. Now she has also separated a child from her father. Is this the latest in the Granger saga? What other despicable acts will this witch perform next?

Brown hands tear the paper apart. This Skeeter was causing problems again. He would have to deal with her once and for all. Hermione would not shed another tear because of that damned witch. Mwari* be his witness.

*Mwari is a deity. I won't say which religion to not give any spoilers but feel free to guess!