A/N: Once again, I would like to thank all my readers. You wouldn't believe how surprised I was to find that after two days, I have 6 reviews, 141 hits, 1 c2s, on 5 peep's favorite list, and 8 people's alerts. You guys are truly my incentive to keep writing these stories. Thank you all.

Hermione leaned against her kitchen counter, watching the boys interact with Draco.

Right now, the boys were lying on the carpet in front of the fire playing Chutes and Ladders. . . . Well, the twins were playing, Draco was learning. He had never even heard of Chutes and Ladders before. So it wasn't a big surprise that Draco kept getting chutes.

Hermione looked over to the clock. Nine p.m. "Okay, boys, time for bed," she said.

All three of the boys groaned. "Come on mom, just another hour," Ayden said.

"Yeah, we're not even tired," Damien said, yawning.

"What will another hour hurt?" Draco said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It'll hurt in the morning when the boys have to wake up and go to school. Come on you two."

Mumbling, the boys got to their feet, following their mother towards the stairs. They stopped though and turned back towards Draco. "Will you be here tomorrow?" Damien asked Draco.

Draco looked up towards Hermione. "It depends on your mom," he said.

Both boys turned. "Can he come back tomorrow?" Damien said.

"He'll be here when I guys get out of school, I promise," Hermione said, not taking her eyes from Draco's.

The boys cheered and rushed past their mother, up the stairs. Ayden stopped and looked back at Draco. "Out of all mommy's boyfriends, I like you best."

"All mommy's –?"

"Okay, time for bed," Hermione said, putting her hands on the boy's shoulders and pushing him up the stairs. "Mommy will tuck you both in."

"Goodnight, Uncle Draco!" the boys called down.

"Night," Draco murmured softly.

Ten minutes or so later, Hermione came back downstairs to find Draco sitting in the armchair again. "Uncle Draco?" he said.

Hermione curled up on the sofa, her legs stuck underneath her. "Unless you can figure out how to explain to two four-year-olds that you're their dad, then Uncle Draco's going to have to be okay for right now."

"I want to be Dad, Hermione, not Uncle Draco."

"Then tomorrow, we can try to explain it to them. It won't be easy, trust me. Their attention span is very . . . small at this age."

"They seem to remember 'all mommy's boyfriends' just fine."

Hermione could feel her face get hot. "I haven't had any boyfriends. I've just gone a couple of dates. But, guys don't tend to ask you out again when they figure out you have two kids at home and an overprotective friend."

"Weasley?"

"Ron, yes."

"How often is he over here?"

"Pretty often. He's been helping me with the kids, is all."

". . . . I would have helped."

Silence. Hermione twisted her fingers together, looking every except at Draco. "How've you been, Draco?"

"You always change the subject."

"I see no point in continuing a conversation that's going to end in us fighting and shouting and waking the kids."

Draco finally looked away from Hermione, letting her relax a bit. "I've been fine. How about you?" he said after a moment.

Hermione smiled softly. "I've been okay. I got another job."

"Another job?"

"Yeah. I still work for my firm, but since I'm the boss, I don't have to go in everyday. So my employees owl me with questions and I write back. It got boring though, sitting around the house, so last year I got a job at St. Mungo's. I'm just finishing my training."

"All ways on the move, huh?"

"All ways."

"Is that why the kids go to that Muggle preschool."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "They fed you the same lines the fed Ron, huh? It's not a Muggle preschool. It is run by a witch who teaches reading, math, and stuff like that, is all. I'm sure they told you, though, that Ron, Harry, and I still make sure they get a wizard's education."

Draco nodded. Hermione continued. "We don't teach them too much. Just enough so that when they get to Hogwarts they'll know something."

"Going to have them memorizing all of Hogwarts, A History?" Draco asked with a smirk.

"Of course not," Hermione said, smiling. "Just half of it."

Draco grinned at her. After a moment, he stood to his feet. "I better be going. . . . What time do the kids get out of preschool?"

"Usually, I pick them up at four, but if you want to pick them up earlier, I can make arrangements. But they have to go to school, so no picking them up any time before one o' clock."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Before he Apparated he looked down at Hermione and said, "Something about you has changed."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm still the same Hermione. . . . I've just learned more."

Draco nodded. "You know, you're going to have to explain this whole 'secrecy for four years' thing sometime."

Hermione nodded back. "Sometime. . . . Just not when my kids are asleep."

With that Draco Apparated away, leaving Hermione to her thoughts.