Earlier this year my nephew was hospitalized with complications from RSV. It was one of the scariest times in my life, so I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is for parents to see their small baby sick and hooked up to IVs and oxygen, among other things. This chapter is dedicated to all parents that have had to go through that. Y'all are so incredibly strong 3

Also, thank you all for the wonderful reviews! You have no idea what it means to me to see people enjoying my content! It gives me the motivation to keep writing!

Baby Girl Malfoy also gets a name in this chapter!

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The day Hermione took her daughter home would go down as one of the best days of her life. After a month in the neonatal ward of St. Mungo's Athena Rose Malfoy was finally released and declared healthy. Her little lungs had finished developing and she was breathing without any lingering issues, which both Hermione and Draco were eternally grateful for.

Draco planned to take some time off to help both Athena and Hermione acclimate to the changes in their lives, especially the lack of sleep. She had thought she was tired before, but that was nothing! She, of course, wouldn't trade time with her daughter for anything in the world, but some more sleep would be nice.

They had only been home a few days when she realized that she would welcome any help he would give her.

She looked up from where her daughter lay sleeping and smiled as Draco stepped through the floo.

"Everyone okay with you taking some time off?"

He dusted off his robes and shrugged them off. "Yes. They all thought I was crazy for working while Thena was in the hospital."

She understood why people would find it odd, and to be completely honest she had wondered why he had herself. She'd brought it up after they had both been sent home and he'd explained that it was the only thing that has kept him sane.

"If I wanted to stay strong for you I had to do something to take my mind off of Athena laying up there. I didn't want you to see me break down, I wanted to be strong, and this was what helped me do that. Maybe it wasn't the right decision, but I promise to be here for you more."

It had calmed her that he hadn't stayed away because he regretted his decision to marry her and adopt her baby. She understood why he kept busy, because if she could she would have done the same.

Which brought her to the mass of parchment before her.

She had quit her job at the Ministry when Thena - the nickname they had given to their daughter - had been born. She had so much going on that she didn't even know if she would be able to leave her baby, but now that she was home and healthy she yearned for something to do. Draco had mentioned off handedly that she should start her own foundation.

"You know I'd be behind you 100%." Is what Draco had told her when she had taken interest in it, though she didn't want to make Draco fund it.

He, of course, had scoffed. "There's more Malfoy money than I could ever know what to do with. Funding a charity foundation for muggleborns would only help, not hurt. Plus, I whole heartedly agree that more effort needs to go into their welfare."

So she had begun planning. Not much, mind you, because Athena still took up so much of her time, but while her daughter was sleeping she planned. And planned and planned.

"You've been busy." Draco said as he took a seat next to her on the couch, looking over the piles of notes she had made.

"Athena's been sleepy today, so I've had a lot of down time." She hadn't realized just how much newborns slept.

"What have you come up with so far?"

Draco reached out and picked up the closest piece of parchment and began to skim through what she had written. She hated how nervous she felt as she watched his eyes go back and forth on the page, but held her tongue and kept silent.

"So you're thinking about trying to start up a program that will place abused muggleborns in wizarding families?" His tone was even, and she couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Yes. While I was in the Muggleborn Relations Department I'd come across so many families that would love to take in the children we worked with, but there wasn't any real system or financial help. Kids are expensive and most of those families already had one or two. Adding a second, third, or forth could be nearly impossible without help. I mean, obviously I'd have to consult with the Minister on what we could legally do, but once that was worked out we could help the families with buying school books, clothes, cauldrons, and other things. We could hold fundraisers and show what good the foundation could do."

He sat there for a few more moments and Hermione wondered if he would reject her idea outright. She began to think of what she would say to convince him when he placed a hand on her knee. "I think this is a great idea."

"Really?" She couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice.

He laughed slightly. "Yes, really. I've seen what happens to these kids when their families find out they aren't 'normal'. They need families who will love and support them and help them navigate this new world that they're a part of."

She gave him a grateful smile before he picked up some more parchment and read through everything she had been working on.

It felt like she had finally truly found her purpose. Being a mother, working towards Muggleborn welfare, and being able to use her ideas and experiences. Many liked to paint a pretty little picture of how muggles reacted when they found out their son or daughter was a witch or wizard. She had been lucky; her parents had supported her even if they didn't fully understand what the magical world was.

It was something she had encountered too many times in her career, too many times she had to stand by as the young witch or wizard was thrown in some orphanage and left to struggle on their own. It was no wonder so many simply went back to the muggle world once they were finished with school. She wanted to help change that. She felt as if a fire had been lit under her and it grew hotter the more she went along with the path.

"Mom contacted me earlier."

Well, that got her out of her own head. "Your mother?"

He nodded and leaned back on the couch, crossing one leg over the other. "She wants to meet her grandchild."

She blinked a few times, unsure of what to say.

"Don't look so shocked, Hermione dear." He said as he tried to cover his laughter. "Family is everything to my mother - it's why she's stuck by my father. She never really cared about blood purity, remember?"

She vaguely remembered a conversation about his mother, but she still couldn't wipe the surprised look off her face. "I think so. It's just, I don't know, surprising."

"Well, she wants to spend some time with us. I think her and father are on the rocks again, so she's coming back to Britain and to the Malfoy Manor. Apparently she's had the whole thing redone so you'd feel comfortable there when she invites us over for dinner."

Hermione was rarely speechless, but that's exactly what she was at this very moment. Draco Malfoy's mother wanted to have them over for dinner? She even went to the trouble of redoing the whole things to make her, a muggleborn, comfortable?

"I know it's hard to believe, but she's actually really been wanting to meet you. Under better circumstances, that is. Father is staying in France, so don't worry about him popping up. He's a disgrace here, but he still has some clout there."

He paused and looked at her. "Are you okay with that? I understand if you need time, really, I do."

Finally she found her voice. "I really don't know how I feel. I mean, I truly don't. I think I need time to process it all." She shook her head, truly confused and unsure of what to feel.

She felt a hand close around hers and looked up to see Draco has moved closer. "It doesn't have to be today, this week, or even this month. Take your time, seriously. I know it may be hard to understand, but mom really does understand as well."

She sighed and nodded. He was right, she didn't need to decide right now. She didn't really have anything against Narcissa Malfoy, but it was hard to remember that she was actually her mother-in-law.

She heard a soft cry from where Thena lay sleeping and got up to go pick up her daughter. Draco followed as well, and softly said, "let me."

She slowed and allowed him to reach down and pick up his daughter, cradling her carefully against his chest. She quietened down and snuggled closer to her father, and Hermione watched with a watery smile. When she first found out she was pregnant she had never thought that she would see this sight. The love that Draco so clearly held for the small baby was written on his face as he looked down at her.

"She missed you." She said softly, reaching out a hand to smooth down a tuft of hair that has been messed up in her daughter's sleep.

He smiled at her. "Yeah? Well, she'll see me plenty for the next week. Hopefully she won't get sick of me."

"I seriously doubt that would happen." She said with a quiet laugh as they both made their was back to the couch. "I do, however, think she's hungry." She said as Athena started to move her head around Draco's chest, her little mouth puckering up.

He laughed and gently passed the baby to Hermione, who pulled down her robe and allowed her baby to latch on to her breast. She smiled down at her daughter before looking up to see Draco staying down at his child feeding.

"There's just something so beautiful about you feeding her." He said with a thick voice. He cleared it and got up. "How about I go and see about dinner?"

She smiled gratefully, her stomach rumbling at the mention of food. "That sounds wonderful."