"I'm calling it. They'll get married one day." Liliana beamed as she watched Giana and Aiden lay on a playmat. At four months they were getting more active than the tiny newborns they were before, and at the present moment Aiden appeared to helping Giana roll over onto her tummy by yanking on her hand. At least that's what the mothers were construing their clumsy children's movements as.

Hermione briefly smiled. "The Malfoy and Zabini line coming together? That smells like trouble."

Liliana laughed and nodded. "Definitely," she grinned as she continued to watch the kids. Then she turned to Hermione to share in the adorable little gurgles they were making when she frowned. Hermione was sitting in her armchair, watching the children just as she was, but it was plainly obvious that heart wasn't in.

"Oh, Hermione, what's wrong? Morning sickness? Are your hormones acting up? I know when I was pregnant my emotions were all over the place."

"No, no, it's not that." Hermione shook her head. "It's just… Well… Something's wrong with Draco."

"What?" Liliana screeched in alarm. "What's wrong with him? Is he sick?"

"No, he's not sick, but he… We haven't…" Hermione sighed and just decided to blurt it out. "We haven't had sex in a week."

Liliana's eyes bulged. "Really? Just last week Blaise was telling me that we have to up our game to catch up with you two."

"Yes, well, consider yourselves the champions." She brooded and cupped her face with her hands. "It's like he's avoiding me which is odd because I can tell that he wants to go at it. I just don't get it. And now I'm wondering if I've done something to keep him at a distance."

"Don't think that way! It couldn't possibly be you. I'd bet every dollar it's him. I wonder what's going on with him." Liliana tapped her chin. And then just like that her face lit up, and she began to eye Hermione with a gentle smile. "A week, you say?"

Hermione nodded.

"Right around the time when Draco and my trouble-making husband had that lunch?"

Hermione picked up on her friend's tone and let her hands fall from her face and to her lap. "I know that voice and that look. What is it?"

Liliana smiled and then laughed. "I think Blaise got into Draco's head -damn him."

The brunette furrowed her brows and sat back on the couch. "And said what? Not to sleep with me?"

"Precisely,"

Hermione blinked. "What? What on earth for?"

"To rattle your cage," Liliana replied simply. "Blaise, the little devil, did the same thing to me when I was pregnant. Took full advantage of my hormones and horniness with the hopes that I'd grow restless and throw myself at him."

Hermione huffed and irately crossed her arms over her chest. "That's absolutely ridiculous!"

Liliana smirked. "Were you ready to rip Draco's clothes off?"

The brunette fidgeted in her seat before meekly replying, "Maybe."

"Then I'd say it was well worth it -for him anyway. Although I must say that you held out longer than I'm sure he thought you would. And that's precisely why you'll probably have much more fun than I did when you execute your revenge."

"Revenge?" Hermione asked with a curious brow.

"That's right." Liliana nodded happily. "It'll make him drop to his knees faster than you can blink. And you've barely begun to show? Oh, yes, that'll make our task much easier. Come on, let's get Giana and Aiden ready and then out we go."

"Where are we going?"

"Shopping, of course."

Draco came home satisfied. He had a contract that kept Hermione, his children, and everyone who might come in harm's way safe. It lifted such a weight off of his shoulders that could've gone to Weasley's house for a social visit and not want to off himself.

Instead he stopped by his mother's so that he could hand off that list of miscreants she had asked him to take a note of. He had expected to be met with silence as he was accustomed, but his face was all joy when he heard Aiden's little laughs coming from the living room.

"I wasn't expecting to find you over here." Draco grinned as he walked over to the large bassinet that his mother had bought for when he spent time with her. He lifted him out of the bassinet and held him against his chest. "It's after nine, little one. You're supposed to be asleep."

"He was asleep when I left him." Narcissa walked into the room. "But obviously he knows when his father is around. How did it go today?"

"Better than I expected."

Narcissa pursed her lips in surprise. "They all signed?"

"Every last one." Draco gently shifted Aiden, who was having a blast drooling on his neck, so that he could fish out that list for his mother. Narcissa took it, lightly tutting at every name she saw.

"I shall have them over for dinner." She announced. Draco eyed her suspiciously.

"And do what?"

"For deniability reasons, I won't tell you."

Draco smirked, then chuckled, and glanced down at Aiden's whose big grey eyes were staring up at him. "If anyone ever messes with you, you know to go to your grandmother."

Narcissa beamed. "Naturally. I'm glad it all turned out well. That means I can get started on that celebration, the details of which have been swimming around my head for days now."

Draco shook his head. "Of course, but hold off on the planning just for a bit longer. I need to have a special talk with Harlow first."

"Harlow?" Narcissa furrowed her brow as she glanced back at her son's list. "His name isn't here."

"Because he didn't openly protest. But, I have reason to believe that he knows what Uncle Tiberius did to Hermione. And if he did, he might know a way to circumvent it completely." Draco sighed and used his wand to clear away the mass of baby drool that was slipping down his chest. "Hermione and I got lucky. There's no other way to describe it. I don't want any future children to be based on luck."

"I agree." Narcissa nodded. "Do what you must. In the meantime, off home you go while we let this little one finally get some rest."

"And my son isn't coming home with me, why?" Draco questioned as his mother carefully lifted Aiden out of his arms.

"I think Hermione's quite looking forward to having you to herself." Narcissa replied evasively. "She did leave Aiden here with me after all."

The wheels in Draco's head instantly began to turn. A boyish grin filled his features and he was far to excited to care that he probably shouldn't be too obvious with his mother present. Instead he kissed both his son and mother goodnight and practically ran across the massive piece of land that separated his mother's home from his own.

"Hermione?" Draco called once he opened the door.

"Bedroom!" She called back. Once again Draco was quick on his feet. He reached the bedroom that he shared with his wife in record time, but frowned when didn't immediately see her.

"Hermione?"

The brunette in question popped her head out between the crack of the bathroom door and grinned. "Hi," she smiled happily before disappearing behind the door again. Draco found the behavior odd, yet ridiculously tantalizing just the same. It could've also helped that they hadn't had sex in one full week. He was basically dying.

"What are you doing in there?"

"Trying something out." she replied from within the bathroom. "My morning sickness has finally stopped so I decided to treat myself."

"I see." Draco said as he closed, and locked, the bedroom door. "What did you buy exactly?"

"I bought this."

Hermione finally came out of the bathroom. Draco was on the verge of happy tears when she did. One thing about his wife was that she wasn't a lingerie-wearer. It wasn't her style, and that suited her fine. He quite liked her when she was simple. That, of course, didn't mean he didn't love it when she "shook things up." This was the very definition of that.

"That's what you bought?"

"Yeah." Hermione smiled with a gentle shrug. She looked down at the nearly see-through pink slip that hugged her body and stopped right at the top of her thigh. It could be a shirt, honestly. "I decided I wanted to be a bit freer with my nightwear for a bit. A good choice, don't you think?"

Draco swallowed and grinned. "Yes. A very, very good choice."

Hermione giggled a bit and sighed happily. "Good. Now you should hurry up and get dressed for bed."

She's caving… She's finally caving!

"Okay,"

"And once you're there,-"

Sweet Merlin. Blaise was right. It was worth it. It was definitely-

"-we can go to sleep."

Draco furrowed his brow. "What?"

"Sleep," Hermione repeated. Draco watched helplessly as his wife walked over to the bed and got under the covers. "We told Margie that we were going to pass by the Manor tomorrow morning to see how things were moving along with the orphanage, remember?"

"Right, but Hermione," Draco said as he stiffly headed towards the bed. He practically crawled onto it. "It's still early. We don't have to go to sleep right now."

Hermione laughed and leaned over to rub her hand over his chest. "You little night owl." She then pushed down the covers a little so that she could reach over and press her lips to his. The soft kiss she started with was turned deep by her husband in seconds. His hands were under her nightgown and on her waist quick enough, but before she lost her frame of mind or the purpose of this endeavor, Hermione pulled away from his teasing mouth and smiled.

"If you really insist on staying awake," Hermione said slowly. She remarked how dark and filled with lust Draco's eyes were and she was internally jumping in triumph. "Make sure you dim the light with your wand, okay? I don't want the light to disturb me."

Draco's face fell. Hermione, on the other hand, gave him one last kiss, tucked herself back into bed and settled neatly onto the pillows with her eyes closed. Draco sat back on his heels, his mind, heart, everything racing. He eventually got up, scratched his head, before groaning and heading towards the bathroom. He needed a shower. The coldest shower he could handle.

Blaise sat across from Draco and analyzed his best friend. The man looked...off. His hair was lacking its usual shine, his facial expression was grumpy and very reminiscent of years prior, and everything little thing seemed to be bugging him. Like mistakenly pouring in too much sugar into his tea.

"Damn it," he exclaimed and set the sugar down.

Blaise quirked a brow. "What's wrong with you?"

"You're what's wrong with me." Draco grumbled as he looked up. "It's been over a week, Blaise and she hasn't cracked. Not even a slip! What's worse is that she went shopping and bought lingerie. Lingerie, Blaise. And she's been wearing a new one every night for the past three days. If she pulls out another one tonight I'm going to die. I swear I am."

Blaise didn't say anything. He merely grinned like a madman because this sounded oh so familiar.

Liliana, you meddlesome witch.

He had to give Draco credit though. Blaise had only lasted two days when his wife had pulled the lingerie bit. Well-played by the women, he had to admit. Very well-played.

"What the hell are you smirking at?" Draco snapped.

Blaise chuckled and picked up his cup. "You're testy when your cock's on pause."

"If you don't stop talking I'm going to kill you."

Blaise smiled. "And murderous too. How charming…"

"You're not too far off with that last bit."

"Should I be protecting something of mine?" Blaise asked as he crossed his legs. Draco rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't talking about you." Draco told him. "I'm going to see my cousin Harlow after I leave here."

"Ah, yes. You told me about him in the meeting." He replied with a serious face. "Do you think he'll be helpful?"

"I'll make him be."

"Send a Patronus if you need help. Hermione's just as much family to me as she is to you."

Draco smiled. He knew Blaise meant every word of that and so he kept him in mind as he left his best friend's side and apparated the somewhat splinch-worthy distance it was from London to Aberdeen. Naturally, he didn't tell the man that he was coming. Luckily his cousin Harlow's habits were so uneventful a watch could be set by them. And so, at a quarter to four in the early evening when Draco knew that the man would be just finishing his tea and something light to eat, he knocked on the door of a very secluded home.

"May Tesley help you?" A small, frail house elf answered. Draco felt unnerved seeing him. Hermione's forced-upon house elf Frizzle was much healthier than this one. Clothed too. To see one looking so decrepit after being around one so well cared for was a drastic change.

"I'd like to see Harlow. You'll take me to him."

"Yes, sir." The house elf bowed. "Right away, sir."

Not his own house elf, but still one bound by the Malfoy family no matter the distance in relative. Draco was taken through the elaborate house until they made it to, not the second, but the third floor of Harlow's massive home. Perhaps Hermione was finally getting to him, but this was definitely much too much. Especially for a single person.

"Master Harlow, you have a guest."

"A guest?" Harlow repeated. He had been lounging on an armchair, sipping something dark, and staring into his fireplace. He turned around where he sat. "I'm not expecting any-"

He froze.

Draco smiled. "You didn't think I forgot about you, did you Harlow?"

Harlow gulped as Draco turned to the house elf.

"Leave."

The house elf bowed. "Yes, sir."

Draco turned around just in time to see Harlow busily trying to grab a handful of Floo Powder. The blond aimed his wand.

"Petrificus Totalus,"

The man froze for real this time and landed backwards onto the softly carpeted floor. Draco desperately wished it had been something harder. Instead he walked over to the man on the floor and kneeled beside him.

"Listen to me, Harlow." Draco began as calmly as possible. "I'm already in a foul mood and you are not on my favorite persons list right now. Considering those two conditions I would highly suggest that you answer my upcoming question before I torture you. Is that understood?"

Harlow could say nothing, but he did move his eyes which Draco took to be a sign of acquiescence.

"Good." Draco aimed his wand once again. He knew the perfect spell, an adjustment to the Body Bind spell, that let him loosen certain body parts while still keeping the bind intact. He did so for Harlow's head so that the man could speak.

"Now, what do you know of the curse Uncle Tiberius put on my wife?"

Hermione was smiling. She was turned sideways as she looked in the mirror and there, right there was proof of everything and that her doctors weren't making it up. To recall Lavender's choice of words, the brunette was finally showing a bit of "pudge." It was slight. Had she not known she was pregnant she would think she had eaten too much or was just bloated. But no. There was a little person growing in there and it made her eyes water.

Aiden's little laugh nipped that quickly, however. Hermione turned and grinned as she watched him in his playpen shake a toy like his life depended on it. She pulled down her shirt and leaned over him.

"You and your sibling are going to be a huge handful, aren't you?"

As evidence of that Aiden's toy went flying out of the playpen and onto the floor. Hermione laughed as she bent over to pick it up. When she did there was a loud knock that reached her ears. Normally anyone who came to see her or Draco would be arriving by Floo, so naturally she was intrigued.

"Come on then," Hermione said as she lifted Aiden out of the playpen. "Let's go see who's come to visit."

Hermione took her time going down the stairs. The closer she got to the front door the more she realized that it wasn't a "knock" at her door, but rather hideously loud bangs. She frowned.

"Who is it?" She called while still keeping a considerable distance away from the door.

"Draco Malfoy!" A feminine voice cried. "You get your arse out here this instant!"

Hermione knew that voice. She was also highly curious as to why she was screaming at the top of her lungs for her husband. Hermione used her wand to summon Aiden's bassinet. Once the boy was safely inside (not to mention a Muffilato Charm around him to keep the noise level down), she went to the door and opened it.

"Dra-! Oh..." Pansy paused. Not that she was embarrassed by her actions. She merely retracted the the hand that had been hammering away at the door and crossed it with her other arm. "Where's Draco?"

"Why do you want to know?" Hermione asked. She made sure to position her body well enough so that the obviously angry witch was barricaded from entering the house and so that Hermione's unborn child was out of immediate harm's way.

"It's none of your concern." Pansy huffed. "It's between Draco and I. Not you."

"Well, considering that this is my house, my door that you were trying to break down, and it's my husband that you're yelling for, I'd say it's very much my concern."

Pansy was completely red in the face. Any redder and she'd be mistaken for a tomato.

"You just love that, don't you. You've got a Malfoy, you've got the name, you've got the money. It was probably you who put him up to that dirty trick in the first place."

Dirty trick?

"Draco's an autonomous person." Hermione said, hiding her confusion as best she could. "He's more than capable of doing what he wants."

"We'll see about that." Pansy sneered. "My father will find a way out of that contract. I promise you that."

"He can try, but he won't." Came Draco's voice from behind Hermione. He stood beside his wife and leaned against the doorframe. "Last we spoke we were on good terms, Pans. I let you latch onto one of my cousins for Merlin's sake."

"That was before you cursed my father."

Hermione's eyes bulged, but Draco ignored her for the moment.

"I did what I had to."

"Did what you had to?" Pansy repeated in complete astonishment. "He's my father!"

"And Hermione's my wife." Draco said simply. "She takes precedence over everything."

Pansy blinked, completely taken aback. With a chin raised and a deep breath she replied, "Above lifelong friendships too, apparently." Then she looked at Hermione before replying, "You'd better be worth it."

Pansy disapparated on the spot. Hermione abruptly turned to confront her husband, but found him missing. Instead he had retreated into the house and gone over to Aiden.

"The mean lady didn't scare you, did she?"

"Muffilato Charm, Draco." Hermione told him. She watched him take it off as she closed the door behind her and folded her arms. "What was she talking about? You cursed someone?"

Draco cringed at the way her voice sounded. So...accusatory. He turned to her with their son in his arms, hoping that what he told her would sound less devious if he was cradling an infant.

"It's not as barbaric as Pansy made it out to be. You remember that meeting I held last week?"

"With the ones who profit off of Malfoy investments, yes. What of it?"

Draco took a deep breath. "I gave them an option. Either lose out on their dividends or sign a non-lethal Unbreakable Vow-embedded contract. The contract will keep them from hurting you and our family. Not to mention your friends or their respective families."

Hermione's mouth fell open. She let her hand blindly feel for an armchair that she knew would be behind her and finally sat down.

"Draco, that's… That's…"

"I meant what I said to Pansy, Hermione." Draco continued while she was speechless. "You come before everything. I won't have my family living in fear just because of who we are. Merlin knows I did enough of that." He added in a grim joke. "I just hope you don't think less of me for the methods I chose to keep you safe."

Hermione's face softened. "...A non-lethal Vow?"

Draco nodded. "And they had a choice. As it seemes, money was a hell of a lot more important than not harming you or the kids."

Hermione flinched. "Well, that's depressing."

"A bit," he agreed as he switched Aiden from one arm to the other. He looked down at his son, somehow falling asleep within the past few minutes. Then he looked at Hermione, slightly hunched forward, but properly seated or not baby number two would still be evident.

Draco grinned. "What would you do if I told you there's a chance we won't have to try as hard for baby number three?"

So much for slouching as Hermione sat straight up. "What?"

"More than one fruitful thing came out of my meeting last week, and today I proved it." He said as he set the sleeping boy in his arms back in his bassinet. "A cousin of mine let slip that he knew about Uncle Tiberius' curse. I paid him a visit today. And then I brought him to Healer Hasbrook and Dr. Lonnegan to confirm what he said before making a final pitstop with him to Potter's office."

Hermione leaned forward in eagerness. "And?"

"I don't want to promise anything, but as it looks right now? It can be removed."

It can be removed.

Those words hit Hermione's chest like she'd been punched in it. She hadn't even realized that Draco had walked over to her and was kneeling by her side.

"Hermione?" He waved his hand in front of her face. "Hermione?"

"How?" She asked weakly. "If they couldn't remove it before then how-?"

"Harlow gave Uncle Tiberius the curse." Draco informed her. "But he modified so that it could do the most damage. We didn't know that before. Now that we do, it's possible that we can try to get rid of it. For good this time."

Hermione felt sick. She closed her eyes and put a hand to her mouth as she felt bile slowly climbing up her throat.

"...It's too easy." Hermione shook her head. "After...months of trying you suddenly get everything you need with one shake-down of a person?"

Draco smirked. "You didn't see the shake-down."

"Draco, be serious."

"I am." He said as he gently moved her hand from her face. "And maybe, just maybe, things are working in a way so that we don't have to jump through a hurdle for once."

Hermione sucked in some air and sighed. "Are you sure about that?"

Draco didn't want to lie and say yes. Instead he stood and gathered her in his arms so that he could carry her to bed. She looked absolutely exhausted.

Author's note: And it's here! Lol. Thanks for being patient with me :)

Replies to guests

Guest: Thank you! Glad that you did.

Guest2: Greedy doesn't even describe them! Like really? And you got your answer about Harlow :)

Guest3: Thank you! I'll keep trying my best!

Guest4: Haha enemies beware is right!