Hermione peered over Harry's shoulder trying to make out the writing on the parchment he was pouring over at his kitchen table. He was so immersed, he didn't notice what she was trying to do until her face was almost even with his.
He snatched the parchment up and shuffled it around a bit. "Sorry, 'Mione. This is classified. I can't let just any one know about this. It's... official Auror stuff."
Hermione scoffed. "Since when am I lumped in with 'just anyone'?" She didn't say so, but the comment stung a bit. Harry was her best friend. As a general rule, they didn't withhold information from each other.
"Aw, 'Mione, don't look at me like that. You know what I mean." Harry tried to reason with her, noticing the tiny furrow she got between her brows when she was upset. "Kinglsey would have my job, if not my head if this got out."
Hermione glanced over to where Kaida was happily playing with blocks in the living room floor. "Is it- Can you tell me if it's something serious?"
Harry grimaced. "We don't know anything for sure. We're investigating, but mostly it's just a bunch of rumors. People are still scared from the war. They're quick to cry 'Death Eater,' but they haven't given us anything concrete."
Hermione's head snapped up and she leveled Harry with a triumphant stare. "There are rumors that the Death Eaters are what, re-forming as a terrorist group?"
Harry glared at her. "Dammit, Hermione, I don't understand how you do that."
Ginny and Ron came clomping down the stairs. Ginny had been trimming Ron's hair, as it had gotten particularly unruly. She had told him either he let her cut it or he couldn't join them for dinner. His stomach had won out over wanting to irritate his sister in the end.
"How Hermione does what?" Ron asked, a crooked grin ghosting over his lips.
Harry sighed. "Weasels information out of me without so much as an effort."
Ron's face fell as he noticed the envelope Harry was holding. "You didn't tell her that the-"
Harry interupted him before he could finish his sentence. "I just said there have been... unconfirmed sightings of wizards... who may or may not be Death Eaters. And that is all that I've said, and that's all I'm going to say and this conversation is over. Who's hungry?"
Ron looked too relieved, though maybe that had to do with the fact that he was now salivating over the roast chicken Ginny was taking out of the oven.
"Gin, you don't seem... suprised." Hermione accused, eyeing her friend suspiciously.
"Erm... Harry might've mentioned it to me. After imbibing copious amounts of alcohol and a couple of illicit promises on my end. I was going to tell you, I swear, I just didn't want to worry you."
Harry was beet red. "Ginevra, you can't just go around telling people about my cases. I'm not even supposed to discuss it with you."
"Hermione is not 'people'," Ginny scoffed, "She's the last third of the Golden Trio. Just because you two became Aurors and she took a desk job, doesn't mean she shouldn't still be included in your goings on. Especially when it might concern her directly."
"What do you mean it might concern me directly?" Hermione demanded. Kaida let out a shrill shriek as her block tower toppled over on the rug. She began rebuilding it with her adorably chubby hands and Hermione felt legitimate fear for the first time in a while.
"Ginny if you say another word-"
"Apparently they're targeting muggle-borns. Suprise, suprise, huh?"
"That hasn't been confirmed!" Harry hissed. "Don't get her worked up over nothing!" He turned to Hermione who wasn't worked up per say, more... attentive... alert. "Hermione, all we have is a couple of people who say they saw something. Please don't worry about this. If I thought you were in danger I would tell you, I swear it."
"Yeah, 'Mione. Ginny is blowing this way out of proportion." Ron agreed, throwing a sweaty arm around her shoulders. "Me and Harry have this completely under control. We'll let you know if we get anything worth while."
Hermione just nodded, slightly dazed. It had been bad enough in the war, wondering if she might be grabbed up by a snatcher at any moment. Wondering what Voldemort might do to her. Now she had Kaida to think about. Surely they wouldn't... I mean, a baby. But they were Death Eaters, after all. And if they had reformed after two years with their own agenda, who knew what they might be up to or what they were capable of.
She forced a smile to her lips and pulled out a chair. "I'm not worried," she said as she took a seat. "Like you said, it's probably nothing. People are just scared."
She was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince her friends. Ginny narrowed her eyes, but remained silent. Harry and Ron relaxed visibly as they all sat down around the table and conversation returned to safer subjects.

Draco chewed his lip, an old habit resurfacing as stress consumed him. He strode purposefully up the street. He was worried for nothing. There was no real cause for alarm. He was being ridiculous. He knew he was being ridiculous. But he kept walking just the same.
He had to at least warn her. Or perhaps warn was too strong of a word. He wanted her to be aware. Just... in case.
His thoughts wandered back a few hours to late afternoon. He had gone over to the manor at his mother's request. She had invited him for tea that morning. He had knocked on her door and she had greeted him with a welcome much warmer than the one he had anticipated. She was still a tad resentful that the wedding she had worked so hard on was no longer going to come to fruition. She had sprung the news on him just as he had started on his soup. It had spewed from his mouth, covering the white table cloth with tiny brown dots. He had hastily muttered apologies as one of the house elves ran forward to whisk it away and fetch a new one. His mother stared at him silent and disapproving. "When?" He had asked.
"Soon." She had replied. And that had been that.
He had stayed for as short a visit as he could get away with without pissing his mother off further, and then he had apparated and headed for Hermione's house.
He stopped in the middle of the street when he reached Hermione's house. He took a deep breath, steeling himself.
"Well, that's not creepy at all."
Draco started as a voice sounded directly to his right. Ginny had materialised out of no where. "Weaselette. To what are you referring?"
She rolled her eyes. "You, lurking about like a... lurker."
Draco scoffed. "I'm hardly lurking. I'm standing in the middle of a well lit street."
"In the middle of Hermione's well lit street."
"Irrelevant."
"Whatever you have to tell yourself. Creep."
"Perhaps he was waiting for the swarm of billywigs to disperse."
A voice to his left cause him to jump again. "Salazar's soul, would you all stop that?" He snapped at the newcomer.
"I thought wizards couldn't see billwigs with the naked eye?" Ginny asked.
"Most can't. It's just a general sense of unease about four feet ahead. That's how I know they're there. Best to wait until they clear out. We don't want to get stung." Luna told them seriously.
Draco smirked and strutted forward, making it safely to the front lawn without walking through a swarm of billwigs.
"Is Malfoy babysitting with us?" Luna asked Ginny dazedly.
Draco turned as they joined him in the walkway. "Babysitting?"
"Well, the name is really misleading you see. You don't actually have to sit on the baby."
Draco's eyes widened in alarm and he turned to glare at Ginny. "Do not leave her unsupervised with my child," Draco mouthed at her sternly.
Ginny smirked, and shoved around him. "Get lost you tosser. Hermione has a date."
Draco frowned and paused, his foot on the bottom step. Ginny was already ringing the bell. He had forgotten. Forgotten all about Hermione's new muggle toy. He hated him. He had never laid eyes on him and already he hated him. And it had nothing to do with a blood prejudice.
The door swung forward and Hermione grinned at her friends. She pulled Luna into a tight hug. "Oh, Luna. It's so good to see you!"
"It's lovely to see you, too, Hermione."
Hermione spotted Draco over Luna's shoulder and she froze. "Malfoy? What... are you doing here?"
"Found him lurking in the bushes."
"Weasel," he growled.
"Fine," Ginny rolled her eyes. "I found him, standing in the middle of a well lit street like some kind of unabashed creeper. Better?"
Draco scowled. "I need a quick word and then I'll scram before lover boy gets here."
Hermione's cheeks flushed scarlet. She pushed the door open wide, allowing them all to pass through.
"Kaida is in her high chair, Gin. She just finished her supper." Ginny and Luna disappeared into the house, leaving Hermione and Draco alone in the foyer.
"Well," Hermione demanded, hands planted firmly on her hips as she looked up at him expectantly. She was so adorable when she- No. He stopped that thought in its tracks.
"I just wanted to let you know- I mean, it's not something you even need to concern yourself with-" He ran his hands through his hair, mussing it up. "I just heard today that-"
Hermione had been watching him with a somewhat guarded expression, but as he tried and failed to get out what he had come to tell her, her expression turned from guarded to slightly distressed.
"Draco, is this about the Death Eaters reforming? Do you know something about their agenda?"
Draco held up a hand to stop her. "Wait, what? The Death Eaters reforming? What are you on about, Granger?"
"Isn't that what you were trying to tell me?"
"No," Draco frowned deeply and took an unconscious step forward. "I only came to let you know that my father is being released from Azkaban soon. I didn't want you to run into him on the street without a little bit of warning first. Where did you hear that the Death Eaters have-"
The doorbell rang and Hermione started. She sighed and turned to answer it. Draco's grabbed her wrist. "Hermione, where did you hear that?"
She looked down at where his fingers were coiled around her wrist. "I can't tell you," she said, not meeting his eyes.
Draco's mood soured as a thought occurred to him. He released her wrist instantly. "Why did you think that's what I was going to tell you, Granger?"
"What?"
"Why do you assume that I would know if the Death Eaters were rebanding?" Draco demanded, taking several steps back to glower down at her.
Hermione's eyes widened and she sputtered, "D-Draco, I just- When you said- I just thought you wanted to warn me."
Drace scoffed. "And you thought I'd be right back in the thick of it all, because...?"
Hermione looked down at her feet, embarrassed. The doorbell rang again and Hermione glanced at it before meeting Draco's gaze with sad eyes. "I should... get the door."
Draco nodded. "Yes, by all means. I think we're done here."
Hermione looked as if he'd slapped her. She smoothed her shirt and took the few steps over to the door. She pulled it wide, plastering a smile on her face that didn't meet her eyes. "Hello, Patrick."
"It's so good to see you, Hermione." The guy leaned down and kissed her cheek before stepping through the doorframe without waiting for an invitation. "I've been waiting for this night all week."
Draco knew it was probably time for him to leave, but he couldn't make his feet cooperate. Filthy muggle. With his filthy muggle lips all over Granger. He didn't like it.
Ginny rounded the corner, but Draco didn't so much as glance at her. He was too busy watching to see what mister muggle planned to do next.
"I thought I heard voices," Ginny said, beaming.
"A common occurence when there are other people in the house." Draco snapped.
Ginny shot him a look. "I'm Ginny," she said, stepping forward to shake the muggle's hand.
"Hello, Ginny. Yes, I've heard about you. Hermione was telling me on the phone yesterday about her best friend. You've seen her through some tough times. It's a good thing she has someone like you in her life. I'm Patrick."
Ginny Weasley blushed. She actually blushed. Draco felt betrayed. Fucking weasel.
"And, you are?"
Draco realised that PaTrIcK's attention had been drawn to himself. Hermione opened her mouth and stepped forward, but Draco smirked and offered his hand. "Draco Malfoy. A pleasure, I'm sure."
Patrick shook his hand and they coolly met each other's gaze.
"That's a rather odd name, isn't it?" Patrick said, smiling as if they were old chums.
"I'm named after a constellation, whereas Peter means what exactly?" Draco asked, a smirk firmly planted on his lips.
Patrick's smile fell a bit and he said, "It's Patrick. And it means noble."
"Noble." Draco shook his head. "Well, that's just fitting isn't it?"
"How do you mean?" Patrick asked. Hermione looked like she was ready to hex them both at the drop of a pin.
"Well, Hermione was a queen. So it's only fitting that she... date, someone normal."
"You mean noble?"
"That's what I said, Paul, keep it together."
"Right," Hermione said, stepping in between them. "We had better be going Patrick or we'll miss our reservation."
A wail rang out from the kitchen and Patrick was immediately pushed from Draco's mind. He took off before even Hermione had had a chance to move.
Kaida was crying in her high chair, her chubby fists rubbing at her eyes. Luna stood nearby, her expression ever neutral. Draco deftly removed the tray and scooped Kaida up into his arms. "What did you do," he demanded of Luna as Kaida snuggled against his chest.
"Draco," Hermione snapped, coming in to the kitchen just behind him. "Luna hasn't done anything, have you Luna?"
"I just wanted to check her ears for Nargles and she started to cry."
Draco spun around and shot an 'I told you so look' in Hermione's direction.
Hermione's cheeks reddened. "Right, erm, Luna, I'd appreciate it if in the future you would check with me before trying to de-nargle my child."
"Is everything okay in here?"
Draco rolled his eyes as Patrick appeared in the doorway.
"Yes," Hermione said, stepping forward to brush Kaida's curls away from her face. Kaida sniffled a bit. "Mama."
"Mama's here baby. It's okay now, love." Hermione kissed the babe's forehead.
"Maybe... Maybe I should reschedule..."
Draco sighed, internally at war with himself. "Go, Hermione. You deserve to have this. I've got her."
Hermione bit her lip, "Draco..."
"Go. You'll miss your reservation. Red and I'll keep her safe from Loony."
"Don't call her that."
"Sorry. Ginny and I'll keep her safe from Loony."
Hermione sighed and shook her head.
"Okay. I'm ready Patrick." She kissed Kaida once more and turned toward the foyer. Patrick looped her arm through his.
Draco waited until the door had almost shut to call out, "Have her home by midnight, Phillip."

A/N: I'm so sorry that I have been away for so long. I'm dealing with a lot in life right now and my mental health hasn't been the greatest. My muse has been woefully absent, and writing has been impossible. However, I'm on an upswing. I am seeing a specialist and I now have noise cancelling headphones that help my concentration immensely, so fingers crossed I can get back into the swing of things and stay there. I love you all. Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites and follows in my absence. They haven't gone unnoticed and have made me even more determined to do my best to get myself into a better headspace. Thank you for reading!