Chapter 29

They were gathered for breakfast again. The meal was apparently becoming an auspicious occasion in her life.

Hermione looked around at the strange assortment of people Draco had invited. None of them on their own would have been odd, but the group together was puzzling: his parents as well as Harry and Pansy. Not that she minded, per se. She simply wondered what her fiance was up to, because she recognized the look on his face, and he was certainly up to something.

But that wasn't anything new. Draco seemed to have been working on some hidden agenda for the past couple of weeks. She'd waited- very patiently- for him to explain himself and she had a sneaking suspicion she was about to learn what it was.

Because if smugness was a physical ailment, Hermione was certain that Draco would be in danger of expiring at any moment.

No. Scratch that. He would have been gone days ago.

She wasn't certain what had him feeling most pleased with himself: the ring on her finger, the baby who called her 'Mama,' the copy of "Witch Weekly" sitting on the table with a picture of the two of them gracing the cover, or the puppy snuffling about at their feet. The last had garnered his father's clear disapproval; which she was fairly sure was actually intentional on her fiancé's part- a childish attempt to annoy his father- given that the dog was usually relegated to the garden while they ate.

Though, perhaps, it was the amount of sex they were having in order to try and get pregnant. The healer had warned them that even with the flushing draught she'd taken, it might take several months for her fertility levels to return to normal given the length of time she'd been been on a contraceptive potion, and not to expect a pregnancy right away. Draco seemed to have taken it as a personal challenge.

She suspected it was the combination of all of these things.

But she was mostly apprehensive about the fact that Draco wasn't the only Malfoy in the room who looked so pleased with himself; actually, all of them did. Except for Scorpius, who was too busy trying to shove an entire crepe into his mouth all at once to care about anything else.

After ten minutes of quiet eating she ran out of patience and set her set her fork down- careful not to allow it to clatter against her plate in his parents' presence. "Okay, what's going on?"

Draco set his own fork down and regarded her for a moment, and then he turned to his parents. "Mother, why don't you go first?"

Narcissa nodded and rose from the table, headed towards the floo room where they'd left their cloaks. She returned carry a box wrapped in silver paper with a royal blue ribbon- traditional Malfoy House colors. She handed it to Hermione, smiling warmly.

"What's this?" Hermione asked.

"An engagement present from Lucius and myself."

Hermione blinked at her in surprise. "Oh, well thank you, but that was unnecessary."

"Nonsense," the older woman waved her off.

Hermione glanced at Draco and he gestured for her to go ahead so she ripped into the paper and lifted the lid to find a stack of parchment. Not knowing how to react to such an unusual gift she began to look through them. There was a contract of some sort and then what appeared to be some financial statements.

"Look at the last one," Draco encouraged, confirming her suspicion that he'd already known about this...whatever this was.

She flipped to the bottom of the stack. The last piece was a letter. Hermione began to read it, and as she made her way down the page she felt her eyes widen. She could only stare, blink, and then read it again. "This looks like a letter from Rita Skeeter resigning from the Daily Prophet."

"That's exactly what it is," Lucius said, she looked up to see the man who had been sitting stoically through the meal grunting responses when he was asked a direct question but otherwise not interacting with the rest of them. But now he was sitting back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, completely relaxed, a self-satisfied look on his face.

She heard Harry snicker. "It's no jar but it's pretty great, isn't it? You'd think the bug would have learned not to cross you by now Hermione."

Hermione shot her friend a sharp look. "You told them about the jar!" She hissed.

Harry shrugged, unrepentant.

"I'm glad he did," Lucius interrupted, "that was quite imaginative, ruthless even, I wouldn't have thought you had it in you."

"She's going to make a fine Malfoy," Narcissa smirked her.

"Seriously, Granger, that was downright Slytherin. I approve," Pansy added, toasting Hermione with her pumpkin juice.

Well that was a...confusing series of compliments. She glanced at Draco out of the corner of her eye. "Hot," he mouthed.

She quickly looked away as she felt her cheeks heat. "But I don't understand what this all means, why would she resign?"

The Prophet had already printed a retraction of their article which so thorough they might as well have been groveling to the injured parties. Skeeter had issued her own personal apology. And then they'd given an exclusive interview: herself, Draco, Harry, Lucius and Narcissa from the Manor; Scorpius playing with James and Albus watched over by Pansy in the background. It was a major story the Prophet had missed out on entirely.

Ron and Astoria came out looking foolish at best and Rita and The Prophet both took major hits to their reputation. Hermione had assumed that would be the end of it.

"What you hold in your hands is proof that Lucius purchased enough shares of the Daily Prophet to gain a controlling interest. He then persuaded Rita to resign rather than be fired. Then he signed all of his shares over to you, Dear," Narcissa explained.

Hermione just blinked at her as she processed what she'd just been told. They'd basically bought her the biggest paper in magical Britain as an engagement present. She was living in a different world now, one she wasn't sure she was ready to be a part of.

"I- I mean, I don't, you're giving me The Daily Prophet? I- really?"

"I think you broke her," she heard Pansy laugh.

"I no, I cannot possibly accept this, it's far too much," she started to push the box away from her.

"If it helps alleviate your concerns about the expense, we used the money reclaimed from Astoria's divorce settlement, so really you could say that she bought you an engagement present and Lucius just facilitated the purchase," Narcissa said, an almost feral look in her eyes which reminded Hermione that no matter how harmless she appeared, with her delicate beauty and designer robes, that this was not a witch to be crossed.

"Take it, Hermione," Harry encouraged. She looked at him in surprise. "That paper has been a thorn in your side pretty much ever since you found out about magic. I know their irresponsible journalism drives you crazy. Take it, and turn it into something respectable." Well, now she understood Harry's presence this morning, Draco had known she would be flabbergasted and had enlisted her best friend to persuade her..

"I have a job, and I don't know the first thing about running a newspaper."

He smirked at her in a way that made her think he'd been spending a little too much time with Draco. "So hire somebody to do it for you, Malfoy seems to be good at that." He tilted his head and glanced at Lucius. "Maybe Malfoys in general, actually."

"Astute observation, Mr. Potter."

She felt Draco take her hand and looked to him. He gave her a nod, a slight plea in his eyes and she realized if she continued to protest, she would insult them. "Thank you," she said quietly, meaning it. Because while it was obscenely generous and a little too within the Malfoy playbook to make her entirely comfortable, it was also oddly thoughtful.

"My turn," said Draco, jumping up and practically sprinting out of the room.

"What! No!" She called after him, but he ignored her.

He returned carrying a similar sized package to the one his parents had given her, this one wrapped in green paper with a darker green ribbon, representative of House Black. He presented it to her with a little flourish and then he turned to Scorpius who had apparently decided he was done eating and wanted in on whatever his parents were doing, and was grunting and reaching towards Draco.

Hermione sighed and looked back and forth between the gift she was holding and the gorgeous ring on her left hand that he's presented her with just in time to show off for the Witch Weekly interview. "You do know that, by definition, an engagement ring is an engagement present, right?"

"Not in my world," he smirked, "traditionally I should present you with proof that I have the means to support you. However," he interrupted her before she could protest, "if you like, you can consider this more as a present for me than for you. But I am absolutely not taking it back."

She sighed again, looking at the box like it might bite. "Is it Witch Weekly?" She asked wryly.

Everybody laughed except for Draco who's eyes went wide, the picture of innocence. "No, but would you like me to get Witch Weekly for you, love?"

"Oh stop," she rolled her eyes and looked at Scorpius, "why is your daddy always up to something?" She began to untie the ribbon and he tried to lunge out of Draco's lap to get to it. "Would you like to help?" She asked, reaching out for him. Draco passed him over and she put the box in front of him and showed him how to rip the paper off, he immediately tore into it, squealing with glee.

Hermione lifted the lid and found...more parchment. She began leafing through the pile until she came across a photo of Ronald Weasley in a very compromising position with a scantily clad witch, made much more explicit by the fact that is was a wizarding photo so the figures moved. She immediately clamped one hand over Scorpius' eyes and slammed the lid back down on the box with the other.

"What the hell, Draco!" Scorpius reared back in surprise at her raised voice, pressing himself against her chest. "I'm sorry, Bug," she apologized, kissing the top of his head. "But seriously," she said more quietly, looking at her fiance, "what the hell?"

The stupid man just grinned at her. "Sorry," he said, not sounding at all sorry, "I left the really disgusting ones out."

"I did not need to see that," she hissed, "now tell me why I was looking at it?"

"Weasley was stupid enough to mess with somebody who has far more resources at his disposal than he does."

"Yes, I am aware of that, what does that have to do with possibly scarring Scorpius for life?"

"He's fine," Draco waved her off, "he was lucky enough to not know what he was seeing. Anyway, you have some idea about the scope and reach of Malfoy Enterprises, correct?"

She nodded, she knew enough to know that their resources and connections were immense.

"But did you realize that we have an entire team to investigate potential associates and rivals? All within the auspices of the law, of course," he assured her, a little too quickly to seem totally honest. She narrowed her eyes at him and he sent her a challenging look. "The laws of the nation where the person in question is being investigated, that is."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his clarification. "Go on."

"Which means that I have a team at my disposal at all times whose entire job it is to uncover the secrets people would rather stay buried. I also have a mother, and a Pansy," he looked at each of the witches in turn.

"You do not have 'a Pansy,'" the other woman shot back, her voice scathing. "I do not work for you."

"No, you just like to know everybody's business, which can be very helpful," he countered.

"Whatever," she responded, glaring at him, he didn't flinch.

"I still have no idea what's going on, except that Ron's apparently having an affair which isn't all that surprising, but I don't want to get involved," Hermione interrupted their staring contest. She looked at Harry who was suspiciously quiet, she could tell by the look on his face that he had not been kept in the dark about this either. He looked sad, resigned, and a little angry. "Harry?"

"Just listen to them," he said quietly. "I'm not enjoying this but...it needed to be done."

"Somebody please explain."

"Ronald Weasley has not conducted himself as a respectable wizard should," Narcissa provided.

"Excuse me, Narcissa, but I could have told you that without this," she gestured to the box.

"Yes," she nodded. "But I do not believe you were aware of the extent of it. I was out of touch with much of society for several years after the war so I didn't witness this first hand. But it is no secret that almost right from the beginning Mr. Weasley began trading on his fame, he new come wealth, and his association with Mr. Potter to indulge in less than savory activities."

Hermione just stared at her fiance's mother, wishing she would just come out and say what she meant. Apparently Pansy could read her mind.

"It's the worst kept secret in magical Britain that he's a man whore. He uses the fact that he is one third of the Golden Trio to talk his way into witches knickers, promises them things he can't give them and probably had no intention of giving them in the first place, and then is surprised when it blows up in his face and yet he can't seem to stop himself." She shuddered dramatically. "He's disgusting, honestly. I've been gone so I didn't know before, but it took almost no effort for me to get people talking once Draco requested that I ask around."

She looked at Harry but addressed her question to Pansy. "Are you sure? I mean how did we not know about this?"

"Because until recently the three of you seemed like a solid group and the Weasleys are a prominent family, practically exalted these days. Nobody wanted to be the one to openly accuse him and have it backfire on them."

"But surely one of these women-"

"He's been paying them off," Draco interrupted. "At least the ones he can't convince to just be satisfied with having had the opportunity to bask in his glory," he snorted.

"But how can he afford that?" As far as Hermione knew the quidditch shop he had opened once he retired from the auror corps did well, but it wasn't a gold mine. And he did get a stipend for being a reserve auror. But she knew for a fact he'd blown through the reward money he'd been given after the war. She had a hard time imagining he could pay off a blackmailer, much less multiple blackmailers.

"I wondered the same thing, and he can't," said Draco simply. "Once Pansy and Mother told me about the affairs I asked my team to confirm that information, and then I had them investigate his business and his general financial situation."

"Draco," she whispered. "What did you do?"

He looked at her very seriously. "I know you can take care of yourself. But occasionally I'd appreciate it if you would allow me to take care of you. And I promised your father I would make sure that he couldn't hurt you like that again."

She stared at him. "Finish explaining."

"Weasley's completely underwater financially. Did you know that he borrowed the money to open his shop in the first place from George?"

She glanced at Harry and shrugged. "I suspected, but it was none of my business."

Draco nodded. "There's nothing wrong with that in theory, and if Weasley was a responsible business owner it might have been a good investment for George. But he immediately ordered too much stock, expensive stock, and he used a lot of it instead of selling it. He treated the shop as a means of wish fulfillment of his own quidditch dream, rather than a way to support his family. On top of that, he and his wife have an expensive lifestyle- Brown really likes to shop, and as you know she doesn't work herself. Then there are the witches he's paying off. He's taken out so many loans against his shop and even his own home that it's almost unimaginable. He never would have been able to do it if he wasn't who he is, and frankly it's unconscionable to have taken advantage of that."

Hermione nodded; she agreed.

"And I suspect that's part of the reason why he lashed out at Potter too. If his disciplinary hearing goes badly and he loses his position as a reserve auror, he loses that source of income as well. As it is, he'll almost certainly at least be fined."

Hermione held Draco's gaze as the pieces fell into place. "You've bought me a quidditch shop, haven't you?"

"I prefer to think of it as I bought, 'us' a quidditch shop."

"And I'm guessing Ron doesn't know?"

"I thought I'd give you the pleasure of informing him. I used a shell corporation to go in and buy out his debt. Right now he thinks he's been saved, that he has some kind of dream-come-true investor."

"And the pictures?"

Draco shrugged. "Insurance, in case he decides to throw a fit and tries to do something as stupid as that interview again. Also, I thought you might need to see it to believe it. I'm sorry, maybe I should have asked first, or at least warned you. I was a little excited." Suddenly he looked anxious. "Did I overstep?"

Hermione took a few deep breaths, she really wasn't sure how she felt about this. Part of her was triumphant and was very much looking forward to going and rubbing this in Ron's face. But another part of her felt like this was going too far, and that Draco should have consulted her first. Lucius and Narcissa were going to do what they wanted regardless, but Draco was supposed to be her partner.

And she wasn't a fool, Draco was enjoying this. He wasn't even trying to hide it, which was sort of irritating. But she also believed that no matter how much fun he was having, to him that was just a bonus, he'd truly done this for her. Just like he'd stood up for her against Courtney and Jennifer before they'd ever even been a couple, against Pansy when she first discovered their relationship; he put her first. She was slightly uncomfortable with his methods but she couldn't truly question his motives.

"Harry?" She asked. "Are you okay with this?" She felt bad asking him, like she was putting him in the middle of something that was really just between her and Draco, but he'd chosen to involve himself by being here this morning.

There was only a brief pause before her friend answered her. "He was always insecure," Harry stopped speaking and seemed to gather his thoughts. "We've discussed this. But he's let that, and the attention he's gotten- attention that I'm not convinced he entirely earned, to warp him into something ugly. I don't like it, and I can tell it's difficult for you too, but it's time for him to face the consequences of his choices." He finally looked up and met her eyes, his were sad, but also certain.

"You're right." She looked at Draco. "Thank you. It's an unusual but thoughtful gift." She smirked at him. "But be honest, you just wanted an excuse to have a quidditch shop."

He laughed.

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Lucius and Narcissa went home after brunch but Harry and Pansy stayed behind. Harry was obviously in need of a little emotional support. James and Albus were at the Burrow with Ginny and Hermione could tell that he was concerned about the eventual fallout of Draco's actions, he but didn't have his boys to distract him. Hermione suspected Pansy's motives for sticking around were two fold: she refused to allow Harry to look like a better friend than she was, and she was concerned that Hermione was angry with Draco.

She wasn't. She was a little puzzled by his secrecy. But as she lay with her head on Draco's lap that afternoon watching Harry and Pansy entertain Scorpius on the floor (and that relationship was something she really needed to consider) spinning her engagement ring around and around on her finger, she had something like an epiphany. Whatever his reason for keeping his actions to himself- she accepted that it could be as simple as the fact that he thrived on drama- and she would most certainly be asking him for an explanation, she trusted him completely, and that was really all that mattered.

She lingered in the bathroom that night, allowing him to settle into bed before she emerged. He was seated against the headboard, eyes locked on the bathroom doorway, not even pretending his wasn't waiting for her. She smiled at him and crawled onto the bed until she was straddling his hips. His hands flew to her waist to keep her in place.

"I apologize if this morning was a little much...it's since occurred to me that that's the Malfoy way, but it's also not something that you're used to."

"I've been reliably informed that I too will soon be a Malfoy." His eyes lit up at this declaration and she smiled to herself.

"Yes," he sighed, "but you shouldn't be expected to suddenly start doing things my parents'-" he sighed- "or even my way."

She caressed his cheek with her thumb. "Why did you keep what you were doing from me?"

"At first I just didn't want to upset you. I didn't know if I'd find anything."

"After that?"

He grinned at her a little sheepishly. "I wanted to surprise you?" He shrugged and looked away.

"I also thought you might stop me out of some misguided sense of loyalty. And Hermione," he said, he voice turning hard, his face determined, "that stupid rodent is done hurting my family."

"You told Harry," she countered.

"Yes," he looked away from her briefly as he ran one hand up her waist. "Because I wanted his support, but in the end I don't care what he thinks. If you had explicitly told me to back off...I would have and I really didn't want to." He closed his eyes, but didn't release his grip on her. "I can see now why you might be angry."

She considered that. "I'm not angry, and that probably has something to do with how much I'm looking forward to seeing Ron's reaction when we tell him. But don't make a habit of keeping things from me, please."

"I can agree to that. But I'm always going to want to take care of you, it's not a weakness on your part to let me. I know you feel the same way about me. I'm told that's what this whole relationship thing is supposed to be about, I was informed by a very reliable source." He poked her nose and winked at her.

She met his eyes. "You're right. But we've both had terrible experiences on that front."

"You're right as well. So we'll do better."

She nodded, and smiled at him. "Enough of this serious stuff." She peeled the covers back, finding him completely naked underneath. She raised an eyebrow his direction. "Somebody is eager."

"Hopeful," he corrected, surging forward to kiss her. "I'm a selfish bastard," he murmured into her ear, "I've accepted that, but you and Scorpius will always come before those selfish needs. However, I also can't imagine a day where I won't want you desperately."

She laughed huskily. "You know, at this moment I'm okay with that," she said as she hiked her nightgown up and carefully lowered herself onto him; her eyelids fluttering shut at the pleasure of the way he filled her. He groaned.

"I'm extremely grateful Scorpius was having so much trouble teething that day in the Alley," she gasped as she moved atop him.

"Me too," he laughed, tugging down the cups of her nightie and circling one nipple with his tongue, "but maybe this isn't the best time to mention our son."

She laughed in return, never hesitating in her pace but arching into his mouth. "I just wanted to say that I'm very glad you accepted my help."

"Sweetness," he murmured, his hips pumping in rhythm with hers. "That was the best decision I ever made."

Author's Note: So this is the penultimate chapter of this story. I do have a sequel planned, but I will be taking a little break before it makes an appearance. I adore this version of these characters and I would hate to get burnt out. But you can be on the lookout for it, at this point I plan to call it 'A Few New Looks.' In the meantime I've posted something new called 'Calla' which is a pureblood Hermione story if you're interested. Regardless, I can't thank you guys enough for the love and support this story has gotten- and again, there will be one last chapter. Thanks for reading!