"So, did your mom ever tell you about your dad?"

Draco walked with the two boys to the park around the corner from Hermione's house. He had done as he promised and picked up the kids from 'preschool' at exactly one o' clock. Part of him was excited for this alone time with his kids, but another part was completely nerve-wracked about what he wanted, no, needed to tell them.

Ayden shook his head. "She never really said much about him. But Aunty Ginny is always saying, 'They look like their dad'."

Draco let a small smile grace his features. At least they'd always be good looking. "What if I told you I knew your dad?"

Both boys stopped, looking at each other, unsure. "It would be . . . nice," Damien said.

"You say it as if it's a bad thing," Draco said, kneeling in front of the twins.

"It's not a bad thing," Damien continued. "We'd love to have a daddy, even if we have to share mommy."

"But mommy is lonely so it doesn't matter," Ayden said.

"What do you mean lonely?" Draco said.

"Whenever we go out, she looks at other people who are there and sometimes they're kissing."

At the word, Damien stuck out his tongue and said, "Yuck."

Ayden nodded his head, agreeing, but he continued, "And mommy will look and sigh. Uncle Ron says that's her lonely face."

"Me and Ayden think that Uncle Ron wants to be our daddy," Damien said, "but we heard mommy tell him 'we're just friends'."

Draco shook his head. These kids were too smart.

Ayden reached forward and tugged on Draco's hand. "Will you be our daddy?"

Draco hesitated, wondering if this was the right time. He decided it was. "What if I told you I was already your dad?"

The boys looked at each other again, both reaching up to scratch their heads. "If you're our daddy, then how come you don't live with us?" Damien asked.

Draco stood and led both boys over to a bench, sitting them down on either side of him. "Your mom and I . . . well, we never really got a long."

"How come?" Ayden asked.

Draco shook his head. "Just . . . different ideas, different personalities. . . . Anyway, your mom had you and she didn't tell me. I just found out about you guys yesterday."

Draco tried to slow down what he was talking about, realizing he was talking to two four year olds. Hermione was right; this was a lot more difficult than it seemed. "If I'd known that you guys were my kids, I would have been living with you . . . but for right now, your mom and I still have a lot of things we're trying to work out. . . . Do you understand?"

He looked to his sides, to both kids. Damien was chewing on his lip while Ayden played with one of his many curls. Damien nodded. "So if you and mommy work out your . . . things, you can come live with us?"

Draco smiled at the innocents of it all. It seemed very unlikely that even if he and Hermione could get over their differences or the fact that she had kept the kids from him that they would become a normal happy family. But for the kids sake he simply said, "We'll see what happens. . . . Come on, I'll get you guys some ice cream."

Hermione POV

"Hermione!"

Hermione looked up as Ron came rushing into the room where she was checking over a patient.

Ron looked frantic and scared, his red hair flying all over the place. "Hermione, the kids are missing!"

Hermione turned to her patient and smiled. "You're completely healthy, Mr. Jones, and free to go."

"Thanks Dr. Granger," the old man said, walking wearily past Ron.

When the door was closed behind him, Hermione turned to her friend. "Now, what are you on about?"

"The boys, Hermione, your sons, Ayden James and Damien Michael are missing!" Ron said. "I went to pick them up at three like I normally do and Ms. Kelly said that their 'dad' had already come to get them! Do you see what this means? Malfoy went and kidnapped them!"

"Ron," Hermione said, placing her hands on his shoulders. "The boys are fine, okay? I told Draco he could go and pick them up at one."

Ron's mouth fell open. "You did what? Hermione, what if he decides to not bring them home?"

"Why on earth would he do that?"

"Uh, let's see, maybe because you didn't tell him about it for four years!"

"Oh, no, Ron, don't blame that all on me. You didn't think I should tell him either."

"Yeah for good reason!"

"And what was that? Because you want me and my kids all to yourself?"

When Ron didn't respond, Hermione shook her head. "Look Ron, I care about you, a lot, and so do the boys, but you and I are not going to happen. I'm extremely sorry to say that, but –"

"Hermione, I want to be a dad to those kids," Ron said with a strong surge of emotion. He reached forward and grabbed her hands. "And I want to be a husband to you."

Hermione took a deep breath. She realized how much Ron had given up for her and the kids and she could never thank him enough for it. But still. . . . "As much as you mean to the kids and as much as they mean to you, Draco will always be their dad. . . . And as for you and I –"

The receptionist poked her head in. "Dr. Granger, you have another patient waiting for you."

Hermione gently removed her hands from Ron's grip. "We'll talk more tonight."

Ron hesitated before nodding. Looking back at her one more time, he walked out.

Hermione sighed and then got ready for her next patient.

At five o' clock, Hermione arrived home to find the boys playing around outside. Ayden and Damien rolled around on their bikes while Draco chased them with a water gun. Hermione smiled. She never saw Draco look so happy before.

He stopped when he saw her, a guilty grin on his face as he hid the water gun behind his back. "Hello, Dr. Granger," he said.

Both boys, seeing he was distracted, hopped off their bikes and onto him, knocking him to the ground. Hermione laughed as Draco overcame the boys and began tickling them.

"Mercy!" Ayden cried.

"Mommy, help us!" Damien screamed.

Hermione rushed over and grabbed the abandoned water gun, squirting Draco in the face. He laughed, let go of the boys, and rushed at her, grabbing her around her waist. Hermione screamed as she was practically lifted from her feet. "Help me, you guys!"

Ayden and Damien let out two war cries and rushed at Draco and Hermione. The next thing any of them knew, the whole lot of them were laid out in the grass, laughing hysterically.

Hermione looked over at Draco to notice him looking at her. She smiled kindly, sitting up. "We better get inside before we all get sick."

Swooping Ayden up into her arms while Draco picked up Damien, she headed into the house. "What do you boys want for dinner?"

"Pizza!" the boys shouted.

"Funny," Hermione said as she set Ayden down. "I was under the impression that I had two kids, not three."

"Is daddy staying for dinner?" Damien asked.

Hermione looked at him and then up at Draco. "If he wants to."

"I'd love too," Draco said, smiling.

Hermione smiled back. "Great."

Had she not been looking at Draco and if Draco had not been looking at her, they both would have seen the winks the two little boys shared.