Review offering insight to the story:

"Hey (A)Manda, you updated...thank the lord, well you know how much i love Werewolf Tamer because of that review i personally sent you and i hope that you got that, it wouldn't let me post the whole thing! God damn it! It took me forever to write. Now you know that i love all the invoices of the characters, especially Harry and Ron's because they seem so lost, and that seems realistic in a story line, you don't make them stupid but you make them try to grasp the point, which a lot of authors need to do, because sometimes i read the fic and i am like 'o what do they mean' and you do that, and it is magnificent you are a author that is special, something that takes you on a (realistic) adventure and you can never go back. Meeting The Grangers: In a lot of your fic's you have Bill Granger as a very nurturing person to Draco, seeing past his mistakes, making bygones be bygones, and that is really love, because Draco needs and deserves a father figure in his life, and that is what Bill Granger is, and the emotion you put in the little part where the Granger's where there, i really got to know him better. Seeing how he protected Draco after Ron and Harry stared to un(right!!)obviously miss treat Draco, and that made me squeal in side myself, which you should find that i do that a lot with your fics. Also interrupting the review, sorry for replying so late, um... i had a get together with my friends and i just finished reading when they came over, and i was like DAMN! I can't write my really, really long review(s) that i love writing, and you love reading...Back to the review... That was a really good chapter! I loved everything in it, i loved the Granger part like i told you before, because i love the relationship between the two families, i loved the part with Patti, her and Neville in a bath, that is a not so attractive thought laughs weirdly. BLAISE IS PROPOSING TO GINNY! FINALLY MAYBE WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE A WEDDING IN THE NEAR POSTS!! NAH GINNY WOULD WAIT TILL HERMIONE IS BACK! DAMN YOU WOMAN! – you know i really like Blaise and Ginny and well their is not a lot of fics about them, so when i saw Patti slip (she would be one of the last persons i would tell a secret too, can't keep it in) and that made me jump this high off of my seat. So i am very, very, VERY! Happy with this chapter, just letting you know. Draco the healer! I love it all! I love it! I love it! I LUST IT! w/e. This is a fic, like WT, that needs to be updated every other day...rofl...because this is something that keeps on bugging me till you update! So thanks for updating. Do we get to see Molly in the next chapter, or is it going to be an interlude on the past...and such...either way i am sure it will be really, really great! So write your beautiful writing. I am still so in love with you..." - laugh.live.learn (Rachel) of FanFiction net.

Thank you to the following reviewers: Kanui d'Astor, AnaDry, grace, sandpaw, MiKaYGiRl, Weaselbee, Danielle, SimpleeLovely673, Draco Improbus, Steelo, Disposable Tears, LovelyInc, qnofserenity, Caligirl-HPLVR, fadedrainbows-babe, RipleyWriter93, Hamilcar, Ar-Narwen, LittleBellaSwan, lilmzhln18, sarahyyy, ProperT, Zarroc, RedRoseGrave, xmisundazt00d, MsRisa, silverlovedragoness, pstibbons and especially gryffindork.2007, mskiti (Tabi), laugh.live.learn (Rachel), SeanEmma4Evr, CrystalizedHeart (Mel) and galloping-goose (Zeus).

Secret Life
Interlude
-Daddy-

August 2000

Draco arched his back, brushing it against the large tree behind him in hopes of alleviating the itch between his shoulder blades. Hermione glanced back at him curiously before returning her attention to the book they were sharing. The tall tree at their backs provided shade and comfort, and Draco rather liked the sound of the creek a couple yards into the woods. Their entire property had a calm comforting feel to it, and he felt reassured in the fact that only those who were more than trustworthy knew where it was. There was something to be said about having a secret life, while it held a certain edge of uncertainty, it had its upsides when it came to privacy.

Hermione snuggled closer to his chest, her head finding the right spot on his shoulder. She held the book propped up on her knees and he returned his attention to the words that were waiting for him to read. Her left hand sat on top of his palm, her fingers curling and uncurling, short nails grazing against his skin and lulling him into a sense of relaxation. He leaned his cheek down against the top of her head, his eyes half closed as he stared at the book, too comfortable to move his eyes across the lines any longer.

They had returned from their honeymoon nearly a month ago, but sometimes it felt like it was still happening. They spent their time in Paris, mostly in an expensive and luxurious hotel suite, though they did take in some of the sights. There was a peace to everything, as though he didn't have any worries left. They were there still, in the back of his mind, but he was so overwhelmed with just enjoying the peace around him that they all seemed to melt away. He remembered when he was younger, and the idea of marriage and a real life seemed unattainable. He looked around at the world before him and saw only death and destruction. He saw the powerful and the powerless, destroying everything in their path for what they thought was right. He saw his parents, his mother the submissive wife and his father the power hungry lunatic. He saw Voldemort and Dumbledore, the Golden Trio and Death Eaters.

What mattered to most was survival, and he didn't think there was a good chance of that. So he did what needed to be done, he stood up for the possibility of a future, even though he didn't believe he'd ever really have one. Even if Voldemort was destroyed, Draco's father wasn't going to be very forgiving. But he did it anyway, he stood beside Dumbledore in the last attack and he proved his worth to the right side. And because of that, because he didn't just step down and accept his place as a pureblooded Death Eater's son, he was given a chance. A chance to have a real life, to create a future, to have a wife and children, and everything everybody else was privy to. And it was more glorious than he'd ever imagined. Love and loving, a concept he'd never understood until he started something with a girl he'd both admired and feigned loathing for.

Perhaps the world would never know of them, maybe only when they had both died would it be written that they were husband and wife, carved into marble slabs in the ground. But for as long as he had her, in this secret life they shared, he wouldn't let the outside problems ruin the peace. He loved her, loved every part of her. Even her fears over best friends who just wouldn't understand, or calculating father's that just begged to be rid of a muggleborn witch. This life was theirs, even if only a handful or two of people knew of it. He knew. He knew she loved him, far more than most could imagine. He knew she wanted this, all of it. That while it hurt to keep something from her friends, she was willing to do it if she could keep having this. And while he wanted to tell everyone, wanted to brag about the fact that he was forever bound to the most brilliant and beautiful witch in all of Great Britain, he respected her need for secrecy.

It wasn't as if he wanted anybody to intrude anyway. Without Potter and Weasley knowing, that was just two less people to come into their world and interrupt the peaceful balance. They had their friends, a good bunch of them that they enjoyed having over or going out to see. They had a group of adults, parents, friends, and mentors, that all supported them and held them in high regard. They had their jobs, which gave them both a sense of completion in the world. And they had each other, which they would have been content to have alone. Had they not confided in their best friends, or their parents, or the people who had helped shape them throughout the years, then they still would have had one another, and they could've survived just fine with that.

"I think she'll be a lovely mother," Hermione said, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Who's that?" Draco wondered, turning his eyes down to the book to find her quite a few pages ahead.

"Marley," she replied, as though it were the most obvious thing. She was referring to the Muggle woman in the biography they were sharing, the one he had been neglecting the last while for his musings. "You weren't reading again, were you?" she asked, sounding amused. "You always fall into your thoughts when we're out here."

Draco smiled, kissing her head and reading some of the book to see what was happening. "I thought Marley decided she wasn't going to sleep with Johnathon," Draco commented. "She wanted to wait until he was in love with her, like she is with him."

"She tried to, but he was too tempting," Hermione said, shrugging. She turned to him, staring up into his eyes. "I think she'd be a great mother, don't you? I mean, she's been a doctor for years now and she's had a number of children come through her ward. She doesn't have a great deal of experience with kids, but she tends to be quite generous and kind, don't you think?" she asked, almost looking worried. "And she's smart! She's a doctor after all. So she could read numerous books on children in the nine months before she has it. And there's various other things she could do. Films, classes, yes, there's many ways she could learn to become a great mother."

Draco stared at her, a little confused. "Well, there's still a lot of the book left, I'm sure we'll find out," he offered, his brow lifting slowly.

"But d'you think she'd be a good mother?" she asked anxiously, her eyes staring searchingly into his.

He had absolutely no idea why this Marley woman and her ability as a potential mother should matter to him, but it obviously meant something to Hermione, so he searched around for what he knew about the Muggle. She had been a doctor for a good few years, the best in her field, and she was well known as a generous woman. In the book, she supported various charities, was a vocal activist in the fight against AIDS and Cancer, and was very precise and orderly about everything. She was hardworking but knew how to relax. She fell in love with Johnathon after meeting him at a rally for child victims of War, and he seemed to be a great person. Draco didn't see any reason to believe Marley wouldn't be a great mother, in fact she sort of reminded him of someone. "Yeah, I think she'll be a great mum. She's sort of like you, that way."

"Me?" Hermione breathed, her eyes falling to the book and then racing back up to his face.

Draco grinned, nodding. "Yeah, you and her have a lot of the same characteristics. I know you'll be a wonderful mother one day, so I can only assume she would be too," he assured. Tears rose up in Hermione's eyes and Draco tried to figure out what he had said wrong, or right, that had caused that reaction. "Uh, you all right, love?" he wondered hesitantly.

"Fine," she told him, her voice croaky and choked up. "Wonderful! Fantastic!" she exclaimed, nodding.

"Oookay," he replied, slowly shaking his head. "D'you want to go inside? Maybe have a rest?"

Sniffling, she shook her head, turning around to hug him tightly. Though he had no idea why she was so utterly upset, he held her warmly against his chest. She cried quietly on his shoulder, her arms tightening every once in awhile. Rubbing her back, he put the book down on the grass and cradled her, still trying to figure out what might have happened to cause such a reaction. He felt like a bit of a dolt. It was as if there was a blinking sign in front of his eyes and he was just too thickheaded to read it. Something kept telling him that her crying was happening for a very obvious reason, but it just wasn't getting through.

And then, his heart leapt. While it did a wild somersault, things all clicked into place. All her questions, her worries, the similarities between her and Marley that had her upset. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions, maybe she just loved the idea of having a baby. But there was something in his head, something expansive and beautiful. And he felt a burst of hope and excitement swell in his chest. Was it true? Could she be? Were they going to be parents? He wanted to ask her, wanted to shout the question with a loud, boisterous, hopeful voice. But if he was wrong, then his spirits would be dampened and she would certainly notice. And maybe she wasn't ready to ask, or maybe she just wasn't ready.

Were her tears because she didn't want to have a baby yet? Was she concerned about how it would affect them? Their relationship, their careers, their lives entirely? For some reason, it all seemed to pale in comparison to being a father. A grin had found its way onto his face and he could vividly see himself holding a daughter or a son in his arms. He could see himself reading books on children and how to raise them properly. He could hear himself telling him or her to pick up their toys or wash their hands or to finish their dinner. The idea was invigorating and he felt like laughing, with joy, with excitement, with wonder.

He hadn't noticed, but his hand had fallen to rest against her stomach and it stroked her belly lovingly. Her tears had quieted and she was just sitting in his lap, her cheek against his shoulder and her arms loosely hanging down from his shoulders. Was there a life there? Was his daughter or son slowly growing inside of her flat stomach? Would he have a baby in his arms nine months from now? Could he be a good father? Better than his own? Would he raise him or her right? With good morals and an acceptance and understanding of the world and people that he hadn't learned as a Malfoy child? Would his child love him unconditionally? Or would they find fault in something he did wrong one day? Would he mess them up or would he mold them into a fantastic person? Was he good enough to be a dad? Was the Wizarding world ready for another Malfoy? Would his son or daughter be welcomed? Would he or she be a Gryffindor or a Slytherin? Or maybe a Ravenclaw? If they were a Hufflepuff, would he be disappointed? He didn't think so. What did this mean? Would Hermione have to tell Potter and Weasley? Would they even notice she was pregnant? They'd have to be blind not to! Was their secret going to get out then? And if it did, would it put his son or daughter in danger? Lucius wouldn't like it one bit. A half-blood. He grinned. His beautiful half-blooded baby.

Hermione sniffled, her fingers grazing the back of his neck, stroking the skin absently. "A woman came in the other day, she was my age. Her and her boyfriend are very much in love, but in their intensity, they had forgotten about pregnancy charms. So she came to me in hopes that I could check for her. She didn't know how to do it herself and she didn't know who else to ask. So she feigned a different ailment and when I came in to see her she told me the truth," she told him, quietly. "She was so scared, Draco. So worried that she was going to make a bad mother. That even though she loved children, she would fall short as a mum and ruin whatever chance her baby would have for a good life. She looked so young, sitting there with tears running down her face."

Draco felt a little worried. He already gotten himself hyped up for the idea of being a father and now he was starting to think that maybe she was just upset about work and a patient she'd had. Maybe it was empty hope he'd been feeling. He tried to console himself with the thought that he had forever to have children, that maybe in a few years they'd be blessed. But there was a sense of loss already settling in. He wanted a child. He wanted to have a little one nine months from now. He wanted to be a dad. Despite all the questions and the worries and the concerns over how he or she would turn out. He was ready. He could do it.

"She wasn't pregnant though. And you know what she did when I told her that?" she asked, turning to stare up at him. "She cried harder. Because while she wasn't sure she wanted to have a baby, the idea that she definitely didn't was just as upsetting." She laughed then, a soft, melodic sound. "I thought she was just a little crazy then," she admitted, shaking her head. "But she did remind me of something." Nodding, she bit her lip.

"What's that?" Draco asked, reaching up to brush her hair back over her shoulder.

"That love makes us a little foolish. That sometimes, a blessing is wrapped in disguise. And we don't always see it coming or expect it or even know if we're really ready for it. But sometimes, things we don't plan for happen, and they're the most wonderful things we could've wanted. We didn't know it until we had it, and there's still some worries and numerous questions, but there's also something else. Like... Like a sense of completion and a blind hope for the future." She smiled up at him, tears slipping back down her cheeks, silent but happy.

"After she left, I sat down and I thought about all of that. And I... I thought about you and our wedding and our beautiful honeymoon. And I realized that things won't always be that perfect. Because there are interruptions and expectations and not all of them are great, but some of them... Some of them are beautiful," she told him, her voice shaky. She inhaled, her voice catching as she finished with, "You should remember that eight months from now, when you're holding our daughter in your arms and she's crying all through your peaceful night!" She burst into laughing tears.

Draco felt his mouth pull up into a slow, excited grin. He let out a laugh that sounded strangled and he had to swallow the thick swelling of emotion in his throat. He was going to be a father. He was going to have a little girl. Him! With a beautiful daughter! He wanted to shout it out and hear it echo back in all of its reality. He hugged her instead, his hand cupping her cheek and brushing away her tears. His arms wrapped tight around her small frame and he breathed shaky air in and out, trying not to become an overly sentimental man. His eyes closed, while his fingers ran through her long hair. They were going to be parents. Eight months! So little time and yet he wished he could be holding his baby girl right then.

"I'm going to be a dad," he murmured against her shoulder, squeezing her briefly.

She laughed, nodding against him. "You'll be a wonderful daddy, Draco," she told him, sniffling and giggling joyfully. "We are going to be the best parents she could ever hope for!" she told him, strong and happy.

Five Months Later

Draco stared outside from his seat in the dining room, a cup of coffee steaming from his hands. A light feathering of snow was falling over the rolling hills across the property and he felt a sense of content as he sat in the warm house, a peaceful quiet resounding all over. Hermione was upstairs, still sleeping away the morning. It was her day off and she was using it to her advantage. She had been leaving work at a more regular time, the stress and hustle and bustle of everything wearing her out. She often took her papers home and worked on them between naps, rather than sitting up half the night in her office.

Lifting his mug, he sipped some of the hot coffee and sat back in his chair, his eyes falling closed. Christmas had come and gone, a lot of it spent at the Weasley's, where most of the family had come to learn about Hermione's pregnancy and marriage. Hermione still thought it'd be best not to talk to Potter and Weasley, simply because she felt she was perhaps a little too deep in for them to forgive her. Shockingly enough, the two Auror's hadn't mentioned Hermione's protruding stomach, which actually made his wife cry for hours when she returned home from the Weasley festivities. He remembered soothing her into sleep as she wept over the fact that her own two best friends didn't notice that she was the size of a house and waddling everywhere. He did his best not to laugh and reassured her that she was just as beautiful as the day he married her and that obviously Weasley and Potter had a little too much spiked egg nog and that's why they hadn't noticed. Privately, he came to the conclusion that Potter and Weasley were unceremoniously the two most thickheaded people to ever live.

In just three months, his daughter would come into the world, and he couldn't be happier. Not even the fact that the world would never know he and Hermione were the parents of the most incredible child ever to be brought to life could dampen his spirits. They'd already picked a name for her, after pouring over every book of girl's names ever made. Her first name would be Rowena, after the Ravenclaw founder, smartest of all Hogwarts Witches. And her middle was decidedly Vega, which in various languages means things like "Life of Heaven," "the Messenger of Light," "Victorious," and "The Soaring Eagle."

Draco heard the creak of the stairs and knew Hermione was awake. He stifled the need to run to the bottom of the stairs and help her down, simply because she always gave him an earful about how she was fully capable of walking down a set of stairs without his help. His body sat in rigid wait and only relaxed when he heard her bare foot touch the floor finally. She made her way into the kitchen, mid-yawn, with her hand across her large stomach. She looked radiant, dressed in a big, white robe and wearing a long nightgown that reached her ankles, which she constantly told him looked fat, though she couldn't see them anymore without a mirror.

She stopped beside him, bending down to press a kiss against his cheek and plucking his empty mug from his hands. "Are you hungry?" she asked, making her way to the sink. "I have a real hankering for eggs and hot cereal."

"Really?" he asked, trying to hide the look of disgust. The idea of the two foods together turned his stomach, especially after the last time she wanted it... he hadn't known she meant to mix them. She didn't appear to realize that things that seemed normal and delicious to her, turned his stomach. Whenever he tried to tell her however, she got moody, and told him that everything she ate was perfectly normal and he was the picky eater. He learned to stop correcting her and just started making his own meals. She didn't appreciate that either, telling him that she could make his breakfast, lunch, or supper just fine. Sometimes, she enjoyed normal things, but lately, she'd been eating more and more of the most unusual meals.

"Yes," she told him, nodding quickly. "With blueberries! And maybe some chocolate cake on the side. Do we have any chocolate cake?" she wondered, opening the fridge.

"I actually already ate," he assured, rising from his seat and walking over to her. She was rubbing her back again, frowning into the fridge as she looked around. He took up massaging her lower back and abdomen, knowing that would be the next thing to bug her. She sighed contentedly, and the furrow of her brows eased away. Her hands hung limp by her side and she leaned back into him a little, though her eyes still scanned the shelves for her desired breakfast items.

"You finished the last of the cake last night. There's lots of hot cereal left and I believe we have a few eggs on on the door shelf," he told her. She nodded, turning the door a little and smiling as she pulled a couple eggs from the holder. She also grabbed the milk and grapefruit juice before closing the door. She waddled slowly to the counter, and Draco followed, happy that rubbing her back and stomach kept her from getting too agitated.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" she asked, glancing back at him. "I'm starved."

"I'm fine," he replied, shrugging. "How was your sleep?" he asked, a grin appearing as he felt Rowena kick suddenly. He'd never get used to that feeling, it perked him up every time. She was very active, always moving. Hermione couldn't explain what it felt like on her end, but he could see the soft smile on her mouth as she felt their daughter move.

"Good," she replied, nodding slowly. "I've lost my slippers again though, I'm afraid. I looked all over the room and couldn't find them anywhere. This is the third time this week!" she exclaimed, frowning as she pulled the hot cereal down from the cupboard and placed it on the counter.

"I think you left them in the nursery," he offered, pulling out a pot and pan for her to cook. "D'you want me to grab them for you?" he asked.

Hermione nodded at him, tapping her chin as she began the process of her breakfast. "Yes, please," she told him absently.

Draco made his way upstairs, his hand sliding up the smooth, cool banister. He walked into the small bedroom, equipped with a pink and white crib, a dark brown rocking chair, and various toys and outfits from friends and family. A changing table sat beside a window overlooking the back yard. From so high, he could see the shrouded creek as it flowed over rocks and some of it sat chilled to ice from the weather. Hermione's fluffy white slippers sat in front of the rocking chair, the lamp still on from the night before and a book sitting on the end table. Picking the shoes up from the floor, he smiled as he looked around the room, feeling comforted in how ready it all looked. Just three months, he told himself.

Going back downstairs, he dropped them beside her feet and smiled as she slipped them on, trying to see them but failing to find a comfortable way to look around her stomach. She huffed, rubbing one hand over her belly and using the other to pour herself a glass of grapefruit juice. He couldn't understand how she could drink the stuff, it was far too sour for his taste, but he held back from wrinkling his nose at it. She couldn't stop drinking it these last few months and he kept the fridge well stocked.

"D'you have to go into the office today?" Hermione asked, scratching the underside of her stomach and frowning down at it. "I feel especially big today," she told him, shaking her head. "Do I look as big as I feel?"

Draco shook his head, noticing the tears already collecting in her eyes. He was becoming a natural at this whole routine. He knew it inside out by now, and it felt kind of nice. She was moody, uncomfortable, easily bored, and constantly absentminded. She ate weird things, was incredibly independent one minute and in need of reassurance the next, and she juggled between thinking she was fat and worrying she was underweight for her pregnancy month.

Reaching out, Draco took her free hand and rested the other on her stomach, before kneeling down. "You're beautiful," he told her simply. "I know, I know, you think I'm lying," he said, before she could blurt out her angry reply. "But believe me. After all, I'm the one who can see your small ankles and your slim legs, and your nice, round bum. So really, who are you going to believe? You, who can't see any of those parts, or me, who loves every one of them?" He shrugged, rubbing his palm over her belly button before kissing her stomach and leaning his ear against it. "What d'you think, Rowena, is your mum beautiful?" He looked up at her, taking in her watery smile. A small kick could be felt from their daughter, and Draco laughed, standing up and pressing a kiss against Hermione's forehead. "I told you so."

Hermione shook her head, trying to frown at him but failing as she smiled widely. She sniffled, lifting her grapefruit juice to her mouth once more. "You, Draco Malfoy, are getting far too sympathetic these days," she told him.

Draco shrugged, leaning back against the counter. "Fatherhood agrees with me," he replied, simply.

Hermione crossed over to him, turning her chin up and capturing his mouth in a slow, adoring kiss. "Yes, it does," she agreed, before returning to making her odd breakfast.

A/N Hey readers, sorry it took so long for me to put this update up for ya'll. I hope you enjoyed this interlude, it was one of my favorites! Another chapter will be up within the week!

On a rather odd note...

So, the other day I was talking to my beta and I asked her to put in order which Weasley boy she enjoyed reading with Hermione best (given that she's not a Ron/Hermione fan -much like me-) and she wrote them all down in a list. My personal preference is as follows:

Charlie (While the books haven't elaborated much on him, I like Charlie overall. I have a story coming out involving him and Hermione soon. I'll let you know when it's been posted here, if any of you are interested.)
Fred (I find him more interesting than his twin... I can't explain it. lol. And I think Hermione could use some real humor and fun in her life.)
Bill (He's cool, lol.)
George (It's all down hill for me after this one... lol)
Ron
Percy

And I was wondering what you all thought. Who's your favorite Weasley boy with Hermione? (I have a feeling there are a lot of "Ron! Of course!"'s coming, but I'd still like to see if anybody else has a rather odd preference for the Weasley boys and Hermione.)

Oh, and of course, for those of you who don't like her with ANY Weasley, or those of you who'd like to answer this too...

Put in order of the following boys, which you think would work out with Hermione best LOGICALLY...

Harry (The best friend... it only makes sense)
A Weasley boy (I'm not a big Hermione/Ron shipper... and by that I mean at all, lol. But I do think that she would logically fit with one of them rather than the other choices)
Viktor
Draco (Unfortunately, the series leaves very little inclination this way, lol. That's what fanfiction is for though, eh?)

Now put them in which you like with Hermione best. As I've done here...

Harry - Draco (They're fairly equal for me! -shrugs with a chuckle)
A Weasley boy
Krum (I never much liked her with him)

Thanks for answering a few questions, I was just wondering what the overall thought on Hermione and what ship most of my readers prefer. Feel free to leave your answers in a review or PM me if you prefer. Your choice. No pressure though, I don't mind if you don't feel like answering:D

Hope you're enjoying the story, thank you for reading and reviewing.

Much Love,
-Amanda