AN: Sorry if you already read this chapter. I forgot I had changed to villain name in chapter 1 from my original draft. Store owners name should have been Edward. My bad. I am so sorry need to keep better notes I guess. Thank for reading.
Hermione sat in the rocking chair in the corner of Laykyn's room, she had only slept an hour or two after the conversation with Malfoy. She watched her daughter's chest rise and fall with each breath, every now and then a muscle would twitch or her facial expression would change as the dreams she was having progressed. She had needed to talk after Ron, absolutely, but why did it have to be Malfoy? She replayed the conversation in her mind over and over. He had been civil almost caring. What the hell was he playing at? Hermione tried to wrap her mind around the whole conversation. She closed her eyes and tried to quiet her mind so that she could get a few more hours sleep. And I agreed we would spend the day with him tomorrow.
On the other side of the common room Draco was dealing with his own thoughts. What the bloody hell was I thinking. Granger doesn't want to hear about my issues. I certainly don't need to hear about hers...I am gonna kill Weasley next time I see him. His mind began to stray to thoughts about the witch on the other side of the dormitory, thoughts that he definitely had no business having. One year. Not even a full year at that. Then I can disappear from the wizarding world again. I can spend some time with Laykyn but starting tomorrow I distance myself from Granger. She deserves someone better than Weasley and she doesn't need to deal with my issues on top of her own.
When Draco finally drifted off to sleep his dreams were a rapid succession of scenes some happy, others terrifying, others simply confusing, Hermione and Laykyn playing Candyland, his father wand drawn bearing down on him a sippy cup of juice spilled on the floor by his feet, his mother crying in the corner as his father applied the cruciatus curse to him for failing a test in 6th year, him, Hermione, and Laykyn playing Jenga, the three of them eating popcorn and watching one of those kid movies, he and Hermione on couch talking...kissing! This dream progressed, the kiss fluctuating from soft and sweet to intense and heated and back again. Her lips tasted sweet and she seemed to melt into him. He lost track of where he ended and she began. Her scent was intoxicating. If he let her pull back for even a second he felt like he couldn't breath. He lost himself in her. Suddenly Lucius appeared, he could see his father over her shoulder. Lucius raised his wand he saw the words forming on his lips. The green light began to glow at the tip of his wand. Draco tried to move her out of the way tried to block the killing curse but even as he tried he knew it was too late.
Draco woke up breathing hard. That was why he had to separate himself from them as soon as possible. He had to cancel their plans today. He couldn't be seen with them outside of the common room ever. And barely even inside the common room. If something he did took that little girl's mother away from her he could never forgive himself. And he didn't even think about Hermione that way. He couldn't. A shrill squeal from the common room broke his thought process.
"We get to spend ALL DAY with Mr. Draco!" Draco heard Laykyn's excited exclamation from the common room. Crap. Draco thought. He couldn't cancel now, but he still had to distance himself.
"Laykyn, wait.." Hermione's voice echoed over the sound of tiny feet running toward his room. He heard a second pair of feet chase after the first bit too late. His door was slung open and it felt like his bed had been hit by some sort of explosion as the hyperactive, overly excited four year old leapt onto his bed singing. "Wake up Mr. Draco. We gotta go. Come on, wake up." He sat up in the bed scooping the little girl up and making her squeal in delight as he tickled her. He looked up to see Hermione framed in his doorway. She had on a pair of jeans that he noticed hugged her hips perfectly and a deep green v-neck sweater that cut down in the front just enough to make it necessary for her to wear a tank top under it. She smiled at her daughter's laughter and walked slowly in the room. "Sorry Malfoy, I tried to catch her. But obviously I missed." Draco realised he must have been staring at her she blushed and nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Come on,Thena, let's let Mr. Draco get dressed. We will see you at breakfast." She gave a small smile and a wave as she tugged Laykyn who was still bouncing back out into the common room. Draco crawled out of bed. Tomorrow, I will separate myself from them, tomorrow.
It took Draco a bit longer than normal to decide on what to wear that day. Jeans of course but it took him a while to finally decide on a long sleeve button down shirt Ms. Esther had bought him for Christmas last year. He was pleased when his hair cooperated and parted in the correct spot. He entered the great hall and took his seat at the end of the table fighting to keep the smile he felt pulling at the corners of his mouth hidden.
Laykyn moved her plate so she was sitting beside Draco. She immediately went into a long story about a quidditch game she had seen with her uncles. Draco listened as attentively as he could but he couldn't keep his mind from wandering. Seeing Granger silhouetted in the doorway of his bedroom that morning had reminded him of his dream. He found himself wondering if she really smelled like she had in his dream. Sweet but not really a floral smell and not like vanilla either… he couldn't quite place the smell.
"Mr. Draco? Are you listening?" Laykyn was staring intently at him.
He shook his head focusing back on the girl. "Sorry, still asleep I guess. What were you saying?"
She seemed to accept his excuse and continued. "I was saying that maybe you could convince Momma that I need a training broom. Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron tried but they aren't exactly the smartest people. Aunt Ginny tried but Mom didn't listen to her either."
"What makes you think she would listen to me?"
"You're smart. Everyone says so even Momma."
Draco smirked at Laykyn's comment. He chanced a glance at Hermione. She was reading a newspaper. Muggle by the looks of it. The pictures weren't moving. She looked upset. "What's wrong, Granger?"
She laid the paper down so that he could see the article she was reading. "A newborn baby boy was taken from a hospital in London. They think that the baby's father took him. Apparently his mother had a restraining order out on the father because of abuse and he wasn't taking it well." She shook her head a faraway look in her eyes. "I can't imagine what she is going through."
"Granger." She looked up at him, "you don't have too. Laykyn is right here." He gestured to the curly brown head beside him. "You ready to head to Hogsmeade."
She smiled, nodded, and folded up the paper. "Ready to go, Laykyn?"
Laykyn quickly scooted her chair back and stood up taking Hermione's hand. She motioned for Draco to follow and began dragging her mother out of the Great Hall.
It was a crisp fall morning the leaves on the trees just beginning to change color. Draco and Laykyn took turns telling corny jokes, as they walked to the edge of the school grounds, seeing who could get the biggest eye roll from Hermione.
As they reached the edge of the grounds Draco smirked at Laykyn. "Why can't you play cards in the jungle? There are too many cheetahs." They both burst out laughing again, it no longer mattered if they got the joke or not. The louder they laughed the bigger the reaction from Hermione.
"What is red and smells like blue paint?" This was the third time she had told this joke. Once with green, once with yellow and this would make twice with red. "Red paint!" They burst out laughing again just as hard as they had every other time.
"Okay," she said fixing both of them with what was supposed to be a death glare. "If you two don't behave we will go straight back to the castle."
"Yes Ma'am," they both replied instantly.
She looked back and forth between the two before scooping up her daughter and apparating to the village. Draco followed after them.
They landed in the street of Hogsmeade. Hermione set Laykyn down. "You two have only known each other two weeks but I would swear… if you two spend much more time together you're gonna give me grey hair."
Draco smiled down at Laykyn and held up his fist for her to fist bump, which she did immediately, grinning back at him.
They spent the morning strolling through the village talking and laughing. They visited the Hogsmeade branch of Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Lunch at the Three Broomsticks was followed by a trip to the Shrieking Shack Hermione told the story of how Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs had come to be friends, or her version anyway. The four wizards had become some of Laykyn's favorite story characters and Hermione had created all sorts of adventures for them to go on. ""But really Padfoot' Wormtail whined, 'the professors never believe me when I tell them a dog ate my homework.'"
Laykyn giggled, "Momma that's not Wormtail's voice. Do it right."
Hermione looked at Malfoy apprehensively. She took a deep breath and repeated "The professors never believe me when I tell them a dog ate my homework," in a high squeaky voice. Laykyn giggled uncontrollably and Hermione felt her cheeks redden as she heard Malfoy give a low chuckle.
Next was a trip to Honeydukes where only the threat of a hex from Hermione kept Draco from buying Laykyn every sweet in the store. Ice cream followed. Draco had no idea how one little girl could make such a mess with chocolate ice cream and sprinkles. It took Hermione a little while to get her cleaned up and unsticky.
They wandered down a side road until they came to the bookstore Draco had talked about. The painted window read Harrison Brothers Books. Draco opened the door and Hermione smiled and thanked him. They stepped inside and the sight Hermione saw was heavenly. There were books everywhere, not only on the bookshelves although there must have been at least 50 bookshelves. There were books on the windowsills and the checkout counter, stacked a dozen high on coffee tables and side tables by the big, plush reading chairs. Books on the tables small tables at the end of every row of shelves, and even books stacked in haphazard piles on the stairs. Hermione walked to the nearest aisle of books and ran her fingers along the spines as she read the titles. Draco and Laykyn followed behind her.
Draco pointed to a brightly painted set of shelves in the back corner. The teddy bears and various toys lying around made it obvious that this was a children's section. Laykyn's eyes lit up and Draco moved where he could watch her. Laykyn quickly picked a large picture book and sat down on an oversized pillow with the book in her lap looking at the pictures.
"This is amazing," he heard Hermione say and he stepped back around the corner to see what she was looking at. After a half hour or so Draco touched Hermione's arm to get her attention and told her he was going to pick up some potion ingredients. He left the store and after checking on Laykyn again she went back to perusing the books.
Laykyn was on her fourth picture book when she finally glanced up. Hermione had been checking on her frequently but Laykyn hadn't seemed to notice her. Laykyn now looked up from her book searching her surroundings for her mother. She couldn't see Hermione from where she was but she did notice a rather spectacular spiral staircase. Maybe Momma and Mr. Draco went up there. Laykyn closed her book and walked toward the stairs.
Black metal stairs that climbed in a tight spiral up to the second story loft. Laykyn began to climb. When she reached to second floor landing she found even more shelves more books. Laykyn slowly walked down the aisle on the far left side of the loft. The books here looked old, extremely old. She looked at the spine of the book closest to her level. "Demon Control…?" Who would need a book like that?
"I think you're wrong seven isn't the key," the voice was deep and soft but laced with urgency and frustration. "We have tried every seven. Seven years, seven months even seven hours! We need to end this!"
Laykyn heard the voice. Her first instinct was to turn and run, find her mother and she would be safe.
The next voice seemed to hiss, "seven total you idiot. We need seven Total. We have three, we need four more."
Laykyn crept toward the voices. "I told you before," the deeper voice said, "no more. I don't want to do this anymore."
"You will finish this. End of story no questions ask…," the hissing voice cut short when Laykyn accidentally knocked off one of the books and it started to make a roaring noise like a train.
Laykyn backed down the aisle quickly. Reaching the last shelf she turned and ran. She heard her mother call her name just as she collided with a solid body. Laykyn fell backward hitting the ground hard. She looked up tears forming in her eyes.
The body she collided with belonged to a man with a handsome face and a bright smile. His blue eyes shone down at her and he knelt down in front of her. "Hi little one," his voice was friendly and kind with a slight laugh to it, "this probably isn't the safest place for you to be. Come on, let's go find your parents." He held out a hand and Laykyn took it cautiously. She followed the man down the stairs. Hermione saw them and ran to Laykyn scooping her up.
"I was so worried. I took my eyes off you for a second. You were supposed to read your book not go wandering around." Hermione checked Laykyn over top to bottom and held her close. "Thank you,sir, I…" she stopped getting her first real look at the man who had found her daughter. Blue eyes, black hair, square jaw, a very handsome man.
"It was no problem," he smiled at her offering his hand. "My name is Edward, Edward Harrison."
"Harrison. So this is your store?" He nodded. "I'm Hermione Granger. I hope Laykyn didn't get into too much mischief. I can pay for anything that might have gotten damaged."
Edward chuckled, "She was fine. I keep all the book on dark magic and whatnot up on the second floor and figured that was not the best place for her to play. Just glad I found her when I did."
"Thank you," Hermione said again a shy smile gracing her lips.
Draco entered the bookstore again and felt a surge of jealousy seeing the smile Hermione gave the other man. He beat the green eyed monster back into submission before walking over to join them.
Hermione and Edward were laughing and talking quietly as Laykyn had settled back into look at another book. "Mr. Draco," she smiled looking up from her book and seeing him headed their way. Laykyn put the book down and ran over to him. He scooped her up and walked back where she had set down her book.
Draco tried to block out the conversation from the two adults talking beside them but snippets kept sneaking in. Hermione laughing at something the man had said or the way the man said her name. Finally Draco heard him ask the question he had been dreading hearing but he knew was coming.
Edward cleared his throat. "Hermione would you like to go to dinner with me this evening?"
Draco had been expecting this question but if the look on her face was any indication Hermione had not been. She stuttered for a minute before replying "I...I don't have anyone to watch Laykyn on such short notice.
Draco warred with himself for a moment before swallowing his pride and stating, "I can watch her. It's just for a couple hours." He hated himself for saying it but he had to distance himself anyway no reason for them both to be miserable.
Hermione smiled her thanks and replied to Edward, "I would love too."
His blue eyes sparkled as he smiled at her. "I will see you about 7?"
"Sounds perfect." Her smiled reached her eyes.
Edward shook hands with each of them as they left and headed back toward the store room of his shop.