Disclaimer: Tis' a sad, sad, day in the land of JK Rowling. Because
today... I official denounce my role as her undertaker. I will no longer
use her characters... such as Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger... or, of
course, Harry Potter.
Lol, yeah... like THAT'S ever going to happen. Scared ya, didn't I ;o)
B4 on MPES:
Do you still think it was your fault?" Eric, again, paused, then nodded.
"It was my fault, Uncle Draco. You can't change that... but you did show me that it wasn't as horrible a thing as I thought. I'll always feel a little guilty that you missed so much... that Draco missed so much... but at least I can say, hey, I was there." Draco smiled proudly.
"That's all I could ask," he said and opened his arms. Eric smiled and accepted his embrace. Draco held him tight. "You're a good kid, Eric," he said, letting go. Draco smiled and Eric turned back toward the floor, then he looked up.
"Thanks, Uncle Draco. I really do feel better. I'm going to go get ready now," he said and Draco smiled at him.
"No problem, Eric," he said and watched the boy leave the kitchen, before he ventured off to partake in bath-time.
~*~*~*~ (I like this better than the roses)
CHAPTER EIGHT: Macaroni Pictures
As Draco walked down the hall, he saw Hermione, leaning against the wall next to the bathroom, looking toward the floor and biting gently on a long fingernail. Chuckling softly, he approached her.
"What are you doing?" he asked and Hermione looked up, smiling at him.
"He won't let me watch him change," she said, sounding almost embarrassed and Draco laughed, kissing her. She smiled at him, then frowned slightly. "It worries me, though... I can't come in until he's in the water... and... I just worry. He's still so little..." Draco smiled and kissed her again, then he stepped up to the door.
"Draco, everything alright in there?" he called and she smiled, looking again to the floor.
"Yes, Daddy! Don't let Mummy in yet!" called Jr. from behind the door and Hermione laughed.
"See? He's fine," Draco told her and Hermione nodded, unable to keep the smile from her face. Draco tilted his head. "Did he tell you about his feeling, love?" Hermione dropped her grin slightly and looked up, nodding.
"What do you think it means, Draco? Do you think he REALLY knows what I'm feeling?" Draco nodded.
"I'm positive he does. You should have seen him when you woke up this morning, Hermione... it was terrible," he said, but still smiled. Hermione's frown continued to increase.
"I don't like this at all... I don't want to hurt him just because I'm sad... it's not fair," she said and Draco tilted his head.
"Oh, Mia," he said softly, pulling her into his arms. "All that means is I'll have to make sure you're not sad anymore, right?" She laughed softly and buried her head into him. "I don't think this is bad, Mia... I think it's amazing, really."
"I know... but I don't see what good can come out of it. I mean, what if something happens to him, Draco? If he gets hurt, I'll be upset, and it'll just hurt him more..."
"Shh... it's okay, Hermione. He's been this way his entire life, love, and he's fine. From what little of it I saw in your picture book last night, I know. The day everyone came back... you were both so happy, but then... I wasn't there, and you cried, and he cried... how would a four month old know he should cry at a time like that? It was because you were sad, Mia. And... even the day he was born... he didn't cry, right? Because you weren't upset, you were too happy for him to cry. Remember at the very end of the tape... Ginny says that he might have been worried about you? She was right, love. You know it, and I know it," Draco said and Hermione nodded, still holding him.
"But what if it gets worse as he grows up, Draco? What if, when he's fifteen, I break a nail and he's hit with an immense pain and falls off his broom during a Quidditch game or something? This could be really dangerous... and he might blame me. You know how teenagers are toward their parents... and it's usually for no reason. He could hate me for this, Draco..." she rambled, squeezing her eyes shut. Draco kissed her head softly.
"That's ridiculous, Mia. Junior loves you... he's only five and he already understands this. He won't hate you, I promise. He might hate you for his name, but not for this..." Hermione laughed and Draco smiled. "I mean honestly, love. Draconis Silvius Demetrius? The kids at school are going to wreak havoc on him," he said playfully and Hermione smiled.
"I thought it had a nice ring to it. How did you know?" she asked, contentedly smiling.
"He told me... and Eric Allen told me his name too," he told her. "As payment for breakfast, I think."
"Eric's going to get picked on too... Allen was his original last name, and Harry didn't want to totally strip him of his identity, so he moved it up a notch. I told him he was crazy. Eric Allen Potter, Edgar Allen Poe. He laughed at me and said he was going to go teach Draco how to spell his name," she said and Draco laughed.
"Mummy! You can come in now!" Jr. called and Hermione broke away from Draco, opening the door. Draco stood still and she turned back to him.
"Are you coming?" she asked and he smiled widely, stepping in after her. Hermione smiled softly and knelt beside the tub, which was full of bubbles and one very wet Jr. "Draco, spell your name for Daddy," she said as she began to work some shampoo into his mop of blonde hair. Draco smiled, ready to listen, and sat on the closed toilet, leaning forward in anticipation. Jr. smiled brightly and took a deep breath.
"D-r-a-c-o-n-i-s, S-a-l-v-i-u-s." He took a breath. "D-e-m-i-t-r-i-u-s, M-a- l-f-o-y," Jr. finished, beaming. Draco widened his eyes in awe. Jr. had said it so quickly; Draco didn't even know if he'd made a mistake... but if he had, there hadn't been many. Hermione smiled proudly.
"That was very good, Draco. You almost got it all right that time," she said and Jr. frowned.
"What did I mess up, Mummy?"
"Silvius is spelled S-i-l-v-i-u-s, not S-a-l-v-i-u-s, and Demetrius is D-e- m-e-trius, not D-e-m-i-trius. But that was very, very, good, love. I'm proud of you." Again, Jr. beamed. "Do you want to try again?" He nodded and took another breath.
"D-r-a-c-o-n-i-s, S-i-l-v-i-u-s, D-e-m-e-t-r-i-u-s, M-a-l-f-o-y." Again, Draco held his mouth open. Hermione turned to him, smiling widely.
"That was perfect, Draco," she told Jr., who smiled widely as she kissed his cheek, then dumped a cup of water over his head. Jr. closed his eyes and giggled as the water cascaded off of his features.
"Draco, where are you, child?" called Narcissa from somewhere down the hall and Hermione smiled.
"Which one do you want, Narcissa; I've got them both!" she called back and heard the older woman laugh as she made her way to the bathroom.
"So you do," she said softly, smiling as she stepped into the doorway.
"Nanna! Nanna, guess what!" She laughed.
"What, Draco?"
"I spelled-ed my name and I only gots two letters wrong!" he said excitedly, holding up two soapy fingers and she smiled.
"That's wonderful, sweetie," she praised happily and Jr. beamed. Hermione laughed softly.
"So, which one was it that you wanted, Narcissa? I do believe this one's quite indisposed," she said, pointing to her son in the tub and Jr. looked curiously at her. He was silently mouthing the word indisposed, trying to sound out it's meaning. Narcissa waved a hand.
"That's alright, I'll take the other one." Draco smiled and let his breath through his nose.
"Coming, Mother." Narcissa smiled and stepped away from the door, retreating back toward the kitchen. Hermione smiled up at Draco and he leaned down to kiss her. There was a squeak from the tub as their lips touched and Hermione automatically turned her head, fearing Jr. had slipped below the water. To her relief, he'd just turned toward the wall. Smiling, she turned back to Draco, and kissed him deeply.
Jr. picked up a soap crayon and drew a stick figure on the wall in bright red.
"Hello," he said to his inanimate friend. "My name is Draco, and my parents are being really, really, gross."
Hermione broke the kiss right in the middle, resting her head on Draco's chest as she laughed, and he smiled. Then, she turned back to the tub. Jr. was peaking over his shoulder at her, and she laughed again.
"Oh, I'm going to get you," she threatened, breaking free from Draco and attacking Jr. with tickles. He giggled and splashed about, shrieking in laughter. Hermione made sure to only tickle below his armpits so that she was able to hold him above the surface. Draco smiled at the scene from his position behind them. After a moment, Hermione stopped, wrapping her arms around her son and holding him tight. He smiled until she kissed his cheek again, then stuck out his tongue. Hermione laughed and pulled back. "You got me wet, kiddo." Jr. spun around and looked innocently at her.
"That face will get you places, kid," Draco said and Hermione laughed.
"It got YOU places, didn't it?" Draco smiled and kissed her.
"Oh, indeed. I should go see what mother wants," he said and Hermione nodded, kissing him again and watching as he left the room, looking back before heading down the hall.
"Mummy," Jr. said and she turned back to him, still smiling.
"What, baby?"
"Did you name me after a snake?" Hermione laughed.
"What are you talking about, Draco? I named you after Daddy. Is Daddy a snake?" Jr. shook his head.
"Not that name. Daddy said Silvius is some guy who was a snake... or something. I was confused," he said and Hermione smiled warmly.
"Snape, love. Severus Snape. That's the man's name, baby. And yes, I did name you after Snape. He was a very good friend, of sorts, to Daddy and me," she explained, using a sponge to scrub the stick figure from the wall, while Jr. helped, using his hands. He nodded, but was silent for a moment.
"Mummy, if I was a girl, were you really going to name me Nerissa?" Hermione laughed.
"Have you been talking to your father, or what?" she asked and Jr. smiled, nodding. "Yes, baby. I promised Daddy I would name you that if you were a girl... but your middle name would have stayed Silvius."
"How come my first name isn't Demetrius?" She raised her eyebrows at him.
"Would you rather it be?" He shook his head furiously and Hermione laughed. "I missed your Daddy very much while he was away, and I changed my mind right at the last minute. Someday, I'll show you what really happened when you were born."
"Why not now?" he asked, smiling widely, but Hermione shook her head.
"I think even Daddy was too little to see that video," she said, smiling widely and Jr. dropped his jaw.
"Am I going to have to wait THAT long?" She laughed.
"No baby. I'll make you a deal. The day you get your letter from Hogwarts, I'll show it to you, okay?" she asked and he held out his hand. She took it with a smile.
"Okay Mummy."
"Are we ready to get out now?" Jr. nodded and Hermione stood to get a towel for him.
~*~*~*~
"Mother?" Draco called as he stepped into the kitchen.
"I'm in here, love," called a voice from the pantry and Draco stepped toward it, confused at why it was so dark. As he stepped in, a tiny light caught his eye. He turned to get a closer look, only to see that it was his mother's wand, lit as she waited for him.
"Why's it so dark, Mum?" he asked, coming toward her and she smiled, raising the wand to illuminate her face.
"I feel absolutely horrid asking you to do this when you've just come home, love, but..." she said, then embarrassedly held up a light bulb. Draco laughed and shook his head. "I can't reach it, and Hermione's no taller than I am. I don't want the boys getting on chairs, and I'd like to have some light in here before your brother gets home." Now Draco laughed heartily, taking the bulb from her.
"Since when is Harry my brother?" Narcissa looked surprised.
"Gee, I don't know... I guess since he became Junior's Uncle."
"Little light, Mum?"
"Oh, sorry dear," she said and raised her wand to shed some light on the bulb-less fixture.
"So I guess Uncle Ron is my brother too, hm?" he asked good-naturedly and Narcissa smiled.
"I guess so," she agreed and Draco shook his head.
"Well, that's great; that means all those other Weasleys are my brothers too? Wow. When I left, all I had was you, and now I come home to enough family to fill the knight bus." Narcissa laughed. "Why aren't they Hermione's brothers?" The woman smiled and shrugged.
"Even if they are, that makes them your brother-in-laws, doesn't it?" Draco sighed and twisted the bulb into contact, shedding light throughout the pantry.
"No, Mum. Everyone seems to forget that we're not married." Narcissa's smile dropped slightly.
"Aren't you going to fix that?" she asked nervously and Draco looked down, shaking his head.
"I don't know. I hope so, but it's really up to Hermione. I'm not going to mention it... not yet anyway. She hasn't said anything, and I don't want to push it on her." Narcissa smiled widely and stepped forward, embracing her son.
"You sound as if she hates you, love," she said and Draco smiled.
"I don't thin she quite hates me," he said and Narcissa laughed.
"Far from it, dear. You know, she's probably not even thinking about it... In her eyes, you've been married since you ran away, before your father died." She paused. "Did she show you Junior's video?" Draco smiled and nodded. "I've seen that thing more times than I can count, Draco. Did you notice they called her Mrs. Malfoy? Repeatedly?" He nodded, and she mocked him with her own nod. "And did she once correct them?" He sighed, smiling.
"No."
"Exactly. In fact, she corrected them when they called her Granger. I was there before she went into delivery, dear. It said Granger on her chart, of course, because that's legally her name... but she practically ripped off the doctor's face when he called her that. We had a good laugh about it later. She loves you, baby. If you want to wait for her to say something, go ahead. I'm sure she will, but maybe not right away. Hermione's a lot like me in that sense, love. She likes to pretend when it's better than reality." Draco smiled.
"Thanks, Mum," he said, then paused. "You know, you could have just magiked that light bulb up there. You are a witch, are you not?" he asked suspiciously and Narcissa broke away, laughing.
"Yes, but there's something about using magic to fix muggle things that just doesn't seem right," she said and Draco laughed, shaking his head and following her back to the kitchen after she'd gotten the jar of pickles she'd come back there for.
"What's with all the muggle stuff, anyway, Mum?" Narcissa set the set the jar on the table and opened the fridge.
"Eric and Draco go to a muggle school, sweetie. Hermione wanted them too, and I just couldn't say no to her, so we fixed the house all muggle like. This way, their friends won't be scared out of their minds when they come over." Draco nodded.
"Makes sense," he agreed, leaning against the counter and watching her make lunches. There were two almost identical lunch boxes on the table: one was navy blue and embroidered with a big gold lion, the initials E.A.P. printed below in the same gold thread. The other was black, and encrusted with a silver dragon, the initials D.S.M. below. Draco smiled to himself. "Mum, did the boys pick those out, or did Harry and Hermione?" Narcissa paused and looked at the lunch pails.
"The boys, dear. If it'd been Harry and Hermione, they'd be all red and Gryffindor-y." Draco laughed.
"I guess you're right," he agreed. Narcissa smiled, then went back to her packing. She slipped two pieces of bread into plastic containers, then closed the covers on them. Draco raised an eyebrow. "You pack them bread sandwiches?" Narcissa laughed.
"No, of course not," she said, walking to the cupboard. She pulled down a bag and showed it to him. "Potato chips... and ketchup, which they get at school. I have no idea where they thought of it, but it is pretty good. They've eaten them everyday for a month, so far." Draco laughed and shook his head.
"Last I knew, the world was normal," he mumbled to himself, looking at the ceiling.
"You've been gone a long time, love," said a voice from behind him and he chuckled, turning to see Hermione attempt to comb Jr.'s hair as he raced to the kitchen. "Junior, come on sweetie, hold still." With a pout, Jr. stopped, right in the middle of the hall. Hermione, who was still trying to keep up, ran right into him. She laughed. "Don't you get smart with me," she said warningly, but didn't sound at all angry. Jr. beamed up at her.
"What jacket do I wear today, Mummy?" Jr. asked and she smiled, crouching down in front of him and continuing to comb his hair.
"What day is it, Junior?"
"Thursday, Mummy." She smiled and nodded.
"Which jacket do you wear on Thursdays?" Jr. stared blankly and Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "You've been wearing it on Thursdays for almost a month, baby."
"The blue one?" he asked and she nodded. Jr. beamed.
"Right. Your tie is behind the bathroom door. Ask Eric to help you tie it, okay?"
"Okay, Mummy."
"Go get dressed," she said, and Jr. smiled, running toward the stairs and straining to take them two at a time. Hermione stood as she watched him go, shaking her head, then turned back to Draco, who had been watching the entire scene, smiling. Hermione smiled at him as she entered the kitchen. "What?" He shook his head.
"Nothing," Draco said softly and Hermione took a deep and happy breath, stepping forward and pecking his lips before mechanically helping Narcissa with the lunches. While Narcissa voyaged for fresh fruit, Hermione attempted to open the jar of pickles, with little success. Draco laughed at the determined look on her face.
"Oh, shut up," Hermione said, smiling as she tried to glare. Draco shook his head.
"You can have a baby, but you can't open a jar of pickles?" he asked, taking it for her and opening it easily. Hermione laughed.
"Entirely different muscle group," she pointed out and Draco laughed.
"Maybe you should try using the other," he said and Hermione laughed, but Narcissa slapped his arm. "Ow." His mother rolled her eyes and continued in her work.
A few minutes later, Eric strolled into the kitchen, wearing a light blue collared shirt, navy blazer with the Ceres Central School crest on his left breast pocket, and red tie with his baggy jeans.
"Good morning, Eric," Narcissa said and he smiled at her.
"Good morning, Nanna."
"Where's Junior, Eric?" Hermione asked, leaning against the counter, next to Draco, who rested a hand on her back.
"Trying to put on his tie, I think. He wouldn't let me help him," Eric said, shrugging and slipping the milk money Narcissa gave him into his pocket. Hermione shook her head, checking her watch.
"We're going to be late if he doesn't hurry up a little," she said, smiling. Draco smiled down at her. "I'll give him two more minutes," she decided, crossing her arms and Draco laughed softly. Then, small feet were heard clomping down the stairs. Hermione smiled, turning around to watch Jr. run toward her. Then, she turned to her unorthodox nephew. "Eric, why don't you go get in the car, okay? Draco and I'll be out as soon as we get his shoes on." Eric smiled and nodded, grabbing his lunch pail.
"Okay, Aunt Mina. Bye, Nanna," he said, moving toward Narcissa, who bent to give him a kiss.
"Have a good day, Eric," she said with a smile and Eric turned around, running toward the door.
"Mummy!" Jr. called as he ran into the kitchen, wearing the same blazer, shirt, and jeans as his cousin, but smaller. The front door closed quietly in the background. "I can't do it, Mummy," he said sadly, holding up the ends of a pure white tie and she sighed.
"I told you to ask Eric for help, didn't I Junior?" she said softly and Jr. frowned, nodding his head guiltily. "It's okay, baby, maybe he can do it in the car," she said, moving past him and picking up a pair of shiny black shoes from just outside the doorway. "Come here, baby," she said, and Jr. came to her, slipping his shoes on and holding her shoulders as she tied them.
"Why can't you tie it, Hermione?" Draco asked; a question that had been bugging him for a while. Hermione looked up.
"Because I don't know how," she said, smiling guiltily. Draco laughed.
"Seven years at Hogwarts and you don't know how to tie a tie?" She shook her head.
"No. I had Harry do it, then I just slipped it down when I wanted to take it off. Much faster." Then, she paused. "Why don't you do that, Junior?" He looked amazed.
"I don't know, Mummy. I never thinked of that," he said shaking his head and Draco laughed. Jr. turned to him. "Can you do it, Daddy?" Draco smiled and nodded. Jr. looked ecstatic as he turned and raced over to his father, who knelt before him, smiling as he quickly tied the tie. Hermione watched, not even bothering to stand back up, leaning against the cabinet beside her, smiling. She looked up at Narcissa, and the older woman actually looked near tears.
"There," Draco said, slipping the knot to the top and tucking the end into Jr.'s jacket.
"Wow, you're even faster than Eric! Thank you, Daddy." Jr. said and Draco smiled. "Are you coming to take us to school? I'll give you my turn to sit up front," he suggested and Draco laughed, mussing his hair slightly as he stood. Draco turned his eyes to Hermione, as if asking, and she smiled brightly.
"Are you?" she asked and he looked between them, both wearing an identical look of hopefulness.
"If you want me to," he said, looking to Jr., then turning to Hermione. She looked ecstatic. He stepped to her, holding out his hands, and she took them, standing and placing a kiss on his lips. Draco smiled.
"Goodbye, Nanna," Jr. said and hugged her as she handed him some quarters.
"Bye, baby. I'm looking forward to that picture you were telling me about," Narcissa said, smiling, and Jr. gasped slightly. He turned around.
"I forgotted to ask you, Daddy. Do you like macaroni pictures?" Hermione stifled a laugh and Draco smiled widely.
"I love macaroni pictures, Junior."
A/N: Omg, I just love this story. I know, I'm being sort of big-headed, but I really do love it. I go back and read it repeatedly just because it makes me smile... Lol. Okay, now I'm REALLY getting annoying. If you like this half as much as I do, you'll know what I mean ;o)
PRF: Did I scare you guys with that ::review or no story:: comment? Lol.
Erilyn Rose: Indeed I did! Sorry you didn't know, I thought you were on the mailing list...lol, I guess not. Would you like to be? If not, that's fine... I could have sworn, though... anyway, I'm glad you like it so much! I like it too :o)
Couch-potato06: Okay, given, but still... a crush? I would expect this of Snape, but not of you. ::gasp! Harsh...:: ;o)
Dragonfly: Envious? Lol. I know... she's got it all... but I'll bring in some conflict, no worries ;o)
Daisy: I cried during the first chapter too... when I was writing it, and when I proofread it the first time. Of course, I don't cry anymore, but, lol... I'm glad you did. That makes me feel warm and tingly... ;o) Lol, so I have the Maidus touch? Lol. New news to me... in fact I remember touching a certain Ecstasy... and it BURST into FLAMES! Lol. I don't like that fic much, as you may be able to tell...lol. And about that whole Harry/Eric having the same feelings because of Harry's Mum/Draco... in fact, I DID think about that, and in fact it IS going to come up. B on the lookout ;o) it won't be til like chapter 11. And, as for length, I don't know how long this is going to be... until I get through all the issues I want to... and probably until they get married. Some stuff is going to happen... It should be pretty long. Like this PRF....lol.
Princess: Lol, thanx! I don't know where that came from... it just... POPED out of my head... or something. Lol. I don't think your fics are that bad! I've read way, way...WAY worse; trust me. This fanfic thing is my life... which isn't always a good thing. Lol. And, surprisingly, the only flame on this I've gotten, is when I only had the first chapter up... someone called me antifeminist because I made Ginny and Hermione stay home from the war... and I'm like, dude, she's PREGNANT.... she can't very well go... McGonagall is like 90, and SOMEONE has to take care of the school. So what if I didn't explain why Ginny was there? Maybe they only gave training to Draco and Hermione's class... which would maker her too young, right? Lol. Right.
Naurhen: I'm not sure which I like better... I think, maybe this one. But only because Guilly is getting a little cliché. Did you notice that? If you read the most recently posted chapter, you'll see what I mean... lol. Thanx for reviewing! Is your pn your REAL name... because that is pretty cool. Lol. There was this girl named Shezabel who reviewed me one time... and I was like DUDE! But that wasn't really her name... lol.
Silver Dragon Goddess: No problem! You are one of my best reviewers! I don't mind if you miss one once in a while! Take a break, damn you...lol. Wouldn't want my top reviewer passing out from sleep deprivation, would we? No, no, no...:oD
Exlibris: Thanx. I though that Happy/Sad tears thing was kind of cute, myself... :o) As for conflict, yes... there will be some. It's introduced primarily in Chapter 10, but it's still very vague. Not a lot happens yet, but none the less, it's introduced. Sorry it took so long for me to... but I mean, he was gone for six damn years... there's a lot of explaining to do, I think... lol. The primary conflict was actually mentioned in chapter 2... before Draco even was re-introduced... but I didn't expect anyone to pick up on it, so don't feel bad. I did it on purpose.
Slim-Shady's-Modeling-Baby: Lol. Thanx. I can always use more brownie points ;o)
Lol, yeah... like THAT'S ever going to happen. Scared ya, didn't I ;o)
B4 on MPES:
Do you still think it was your fault?" Eric, again, paused, then nodded.
"It was my fault, Uncle Draco. You can't change that... but you did show me that it wasn't as horrible a thing as I thought. I'll always feel a little guilty that you missed so much... that Draco missed so much... but at least I can say, hey, I was there." Draco smiled proudly.
"That's all I could ask," he said and opened his arms. Eric smiled and accepted his embrace. Draco held him tight. "You're a good kid, Eric," he said, letting go. Draco smiled and Eric turned back toward the floor, then he looked up.
"Thanks, Uncle Draco. I really do feel better. I'm going to go get ready now," he said and Draco smiled at him.
"No problem, Eric," he said and watched the boy leave the kitchen, before he ventured off to partake in bath-time.
~*~*~*~ (I like this better than the roses)
CHAPTER EIGHT: Macaroni Pictures
As Draco walked down the hall, he saw Hermione, leaning against the wall next to the bathroom, looking toward the floor and biting gently on a long fingernail. Chuckling softly, he approached her.
"What are you doing?" he asked and Hermione looked up, smiling at him.
"He won't let me watch him change," she said, sounding almost embarrassed and Draco laughed, kissing her. She smiled at him, then frowned slightly. "It worries me, though... I can't come in until he's in the water... and... I just worry. He's still so little..." Draco smiled and kissed her again, then he stepped up to the door.
"Draco, everything alright in there?" he called and she smiled, looking again to the floor.
"Yes, Daddy! Don't let Mummy in yet!" called Jr. from behind the door and Hermione laughed.
"See? He's fine," Draco told her and Hermione nodded, unable to keep the smile from her face. Draco tilted his head. "Did he tell you about his feeling, love?" Hermione dropped her grin slightly and looked up, nodding.
"What do you think it means, Draco? Do you think he REALLY knows what I'm feeling?" Draco nodded.
"I'm positive he does. You should have seen him when you woke up this morning, Hermione... it was terrible," he said, but still smiled. Hermione's frown continued to increase.
"I don't like this at all... I don't want to hurt him just because I'm sad... it's not fair," she said and Draco tilted his head.
"Oh, Mia," he said softly, pulling her into his arms. "All that means is I'll have to make sure you're not sad anymore, right?" She laughed softly and buried her head into him. "I don't think this is bad, Mia... I think it's amazing, really."
"I know... but I don't see what good can come out of it. I mean, what if something happens to him, Draco? If he gets hurt, I'll be upset, and it'll just hurt him more..."
"Shh... it's okay, Hermione. He's been this way his entire life, love, and he's fine. From what little of it I saw in your picture book last night, I know. The day everyone came back... you were both so happy, but then... I wasn't there, and you cried, and he cried... how would a four month old know he should cry at a time like that? It was because you were sad, Mia. And... even the day he was born... he didn't cry, right? Because you weren't upset, you were too happy for him to cry. Remember at the very end of the tape... Ginny says that he might have been worried about you? She was right, love. You know it, and I know it," Draco said and Hermione nodded, still holding him.
"But what if it gets worse as he grows up, Draco? What if, when he's fifteen, I break a nail and he's hit with an immense pain and falls off his broom during a Quidditch game or something? This could be really dangerous... and he might blame me. You know how teenagers are toward their parents... and it's usually for no reason. He could hate me for this, Draco..." she rambled, squeezing her eyes shut. Draco kissed her head softly.
"That's ridiculous, Mia. Junior loves you... he's only five and he already understands this. He won't hate you, I promise. He might hate you for his name, but not for this..." Hermione laughed and Draco smiled. "I mean honestly, love. Draconis Silvius Demetrius? The kids at school are going to wreak havoc on him," he said playfully and Hermione smiled.
"I thought it had a nice ring to it. How did you know?" she asked, contentedly smiling.
"He told me... and Eric Allen told me his name too," he told her. "As payment for breakfast, I think."
"Eric's going to get picked on too... Allen was his original last name, and Harry didn't want to totally strip him of his identity, so he moved it up a notch. I told him he was crazy. Eric Allen Potter, Edgar Allen Poe. He laughed at me and said he was going to go teach Draco how to spell his name," she said and Draco laughed.
"Mummy! You can come in now!" Jr. called and Hermione broke away from Draco, opening the door. Draco stood still and she turned back to him.
"Are you coming?" she asked and he smiled widely, stepping in after her. Hermione smiled softly and knelt beside the tub, which was full of bubbles and one very wet Jr. "Draco, spell your name for Daddy," she said as she began to work some shampoo into his mop of blonde hair. Draco smiled, ready to listen, and sat on the closed toilet, leaning forward in anticipation. Jr. smiled brightly and took a deep breath.
"D-r-a-c-o-n-i-s, S-a-l-v-i-u-s." He took a breath. "D-e-m-i-t-r-i-u-s, M-a- l-f-o-y," Jr. finished, beaming. Draco widened his eyes in awe. Jr. had said it so quickly; Draco didn't even know if he'd made a mistake... but if he had, there hadn't been many. Hermione smiled proudly.
"That was very good, Draco. You almost got it all right that time," she said and Jr. frowned.
"What did I mess up, Mummy?"
"Silvius is spelled S-i-l-v-i-u-s, not S-a-l-v-i-u-s, and Demetrius is D-e- m-e-trius, not D-e-m-i-trius. But that was very, very, good, love. I'm proud of you." Again, Jr. beamed. "Do you want to try again?" He nodded and took another breath.
"D-r-a-c-o-n-i-s, S-i-l-v-i-u-s, D-e-m-e-t-r-i-u-s, M-a-l-f-o-y." Again, Draco held his mouth open. Hermione turned to him, smiling widely.
"That was perfect, Draco," she told Jr., who smiled widely as she kissed his cheek, then dumped a cup of water over his head. Jr. closed his eyes and giggled as the water cascaded off of his features.
"Draco, where are you, child?" called Narcissa from somewhere down the hall and Hermione smiled.
"Which one do you want, Narcissa; I've got them both!" she called back and heard the older woman laugh as she made her way to the bathroom.
"So you do," she said softly, smiling as she stepped into the doorway.
"Nanna! Nanna, guess what!" She laughed.
"What, Draco?"
"I spelled-ed my name and I only gots two letters wrong!" he said excitedly, holding up two soapy fingers and she smiled.
"That's wonderful, sweetie," she praised happily and Jr. beamed. Hermione laughed softly.
"So, which one was it that you wanted, Narcissa? I do believe this one's quite indisposed," she said, pointing to her son in the tub and Jr. looked curiously at her. He was silently mouthing the word indisposed, trying to sound out it's meaning. Narcissa waved a hand.
"That's alright, I'll take the other one." Draco smiled and let his breath through his nose.
"Coming, Mother." Narcissa smiled and stepped away from the door, retreating back toward the kitchen. Hermione smiled up at Draco and he leaned down to kiss her. There was a squeak from the tub as their lips touched and Hermione automatically turned her head, fearing Jr. had slipped below the water. To her relief, he'd just turned toward the wall. Smiling, she turned back to Draco, and kissed him deeply.
Jr. picked up a soap crayon and drew a stick figure on the wall in bright red.
"Hello," he said to his inanimate friend. "My name is Draco, and my parents are being really, really, gross."
Hermione broke the kiss right in the middle, resting her head on Draco's chest as she laughed, and he smiled. Then, she turned back to the tub. Jr. was peaking over his shoulder at her, and she laughed again.
"Oh, I'm going to get you," she threatened, breaking free from Draco and attacking Jr. with tickles. He giggled and splashed about, shrieking in laughter. Hermione made sure to only tickle below his armpits so that she was able to hold him above the surface. Draco smiled at the scene from his position behind them. After a moment, Hermione stopped, wrapping her arms around her son and holding him tight. He smiled until she kissed his cheek again, then stuck out his tongue. Hermione laughed and pulled back. "You got me wet, kiddo." Jr. spun around and looked innocently at her.
"That face will get you places, kid," Draco said and Hermione laughed.
"It got YOU places, didn't it?" Draco smiled and kissed her.
"Oh, indeed. I should go see what mother wants," he said and Hermione nodded, kissing him again and watching as he left the room, looking back before heading down the hall.
"Mummy," Jr. said and she turned back to him, still smiling.
"What, baby?"
"Did you name me after a snake?" Hermione laughed.
"What are you talking about, Draco? I named you after Daddy. Is Daddy a snake?" Jr. shook his head.
"Not that name. Daddy said Silvius is some guy who was a snake... or something. I was confused," he said and Hermione smiled warmly.
"Snape, love. Severus Snape. That's the man's name, baby. And yes, I did name you after Snape. He was a very good friend, of sorts, to Daddy and me," she explained, using a sponge to scrub the stick figure from the wall, while Jr. helped, using his hands. He nodded, but was silent for a moment.
"Mummy, if I was a girl, were you really going to name me Nerissa?" Hermione laughed.
"Have you been talking to your father, or what?" she asked and Jr. smiled, nodding. "Yes, baby. I promised Daddy I would name you that if you were a girl... but your middle name would have stayed Silvius."
"How come my first name isn't Demetrius?" She raised her eyebrows at him.
"Would you rather it be?" He shook his head furiously and Hermione laughed. "I missed your Daddy very much while he was away, and I changed my mind right at the last minute. Someday, I'll show you what really happened when you were born."
"Why not now?" he asked, smiling widely, but Hermione shook her head.
"I think even Daddy was too little to see that video," she said, smiling widely and Jr. dropped his jaw.
"Am I going to have to wait THAT long?" She laughed.
"No baby. I'll make you a deal. The day you get your letter from Hogwarts, I'll show it to you, okay?" she asked and he held out his hand. She took it with a smile.
"Okay Mummy."
"Are we ready to get out now?" Jr. nodded and Hermione stood to get a towel for him.
~*~*~*~
"Mother?" Draco called as he stepped into the kitchen.
"I'm in here, love," called a voice from the pantry and Draco stepped toward it, confused at why it was so dark. As he stepped in, a tiny light caught his eye. He turned to get a closer look, only to see that it was his mother's wand, lit as she waited for him.
"Why's it so dark, Mum?" he asked, coming toward her and she smiled, raising the wand to illuminate her face.
"I feel absolutely horrid asking you to do this when you've just come home, love, but..." she said, then embarrassedly held up a light bulb. Draco laughed and shook his head. "I can't reach it, and Hermione's no taller than I am. I don't want the boys getting on chairs, and I'd like to have some light in here before your brother gets home." Now Draco laughed heartily, taking the bulb from her.
"Since when is Harry my brother?" Narcissa looked surprised.
"Gee, I don't know... I guess since he became Junior's Uncle."
"Little light, Mum?"
"Oh, sorry dear," she said and raised her wand to shed some light on the bulb-less fixture.
"So I guess Uncle Ron is my brother too, hm?" he asked good-naturedly and Narcissa smiled.
"I guess so," she agreed and Draco shook his head.
"Well, that's great; that means all those other Weasleys are my brothers too? Wow. When I left, all I had was you, and now I come home to enough family to fill the knight bus." Narcissa laughed. "Why aren't they Hermione's brothers?" The woman smiled and shrugged.
"Even if they are, that makes them your brother-in-laws, doesn't it?" Draco sighed and twisted the bulb into contact, shedding light throughout the pantry.
"No, Mum. Everyone seems to forget that we're not married." Narcissa's smile dropped slightly.
"Aren't you going to fix that?" she asked nervously and Draco looked down, shaking his head.
"I don't know. I hope so, but it's really up to Hermione. I'm not going to mention it... not yet anyway. She hasn't said anything, and I don't want to push it on her." Narcissa smiled widely and stepped forward, embracing her son.
"You sound as if she hates you, love," she said and Draco smiled.
"I don't thin she quite hates me," he said and Narcissa laughed.
"Far from it, dear. You know, she's probably not even thinking about it... In her eyes, you've been married since you ran away, before your father died." She paused. "Did she show you Junior's video?" Draco smiled and nodded. "I've seen that thing more times than I can count, Draco. Did you notice they called her Mrs. Malfoy? Repeatedly?" He nodded, and she mocked him with her own nod. "And did she once correct them?" He sighed, smiling.
"No."
"Exactly. In fact, she corrected them when they called her Granger. I was there before she went into delivery, dear. It said Granger on her chart, of course, because that's legally her name... but she practically ripped off the doctor's face when he called her that. We had a good laugh about it later. She loves you, baby. If you want to wait for her to say something, go ahead. I'm sure she will, but maybe not right away. Hermione's a lot like me in that sense, love. She likes to pretend when it's better than reality." Draco smiled.
"Thanks, Mum," he said, then paused. "You know, you could have just magiked that light bulb up there. You are a witch, are you not?" he asked suspiciously and Narcissa broke away, laughing.
"Yes, but there's something about using magic to fix muggle things that just doesn't seem right," she said and Draco laughed, shaking his head and following her back to the kitchen after she'd gotten the jar of pickles she'd come back there for.
"What's with all the muggle stuff, anyway, Mum?" Narcissa set the set the jar on the table and opened the fridge.
"Eric and Draco go to a muggle school, sweetie. Hermione wanted them too, and I just couldn't say no to her, so we fixed the house all muggle like. This way, their friends won't be scared out of their minds when they come over." Draco nodded.
"Makes sense," he agreed, leaning against the counter and watching her make lunches. There were two almost identical lunch boxes on the table: one was navy blue and embroidered with a big gold lion, the initials E.A.P. printed below in the same gold thread. The other was black, and encrusted with a silver dragon, the initials D.S.M. below. Draco smiled to himself. "Mum, did the boys pick those out, or did Harry and Hermione?" Narcissa paused and looked at the lunch pails.
"The boys, dear. If it'd been Harry and Hermione, they'd be all red and Gryffindor-y." Draco laughed.
"I guess you're right," he agreed. Narcissa smiled, then went back to her packing. She slipped two pieces of bread into plastic containers, then closed the covers on them. Draco raised an eyebrow. "You pack them bread sandwiches?" Narcissa laughed.
"No, of course not," she said, walking to the cupboard. She pulled down a bag and showed it to him. "Potato chips... and ketchup, which they get at school. I have no idea where they thought of it, but it is pretty good. They've eaten them everyday for a month, so far." Draco laughed and shook his head.
"Last I knew, the world was normal," he mumbled to himself, looking at the ceiling.
"You've been gone a long time, love," said a voice from behind him and he chuckled, turning to see Hermione attempt to comb Jr.'s hair as he raced to the kitchen. "Junior, come on sweetie, hold still." With a pout, Jr. stopped, right in the middle of the hall. Hermione, who was still trying to keep up, ran right into him. She laughed. "Don't you get smart with me," she said warningly, but didn't sound at all angry. Jr. beamed up at her.
"What jacket do I wear today, Mummy?" Jr. asked and she smiled, crouching down in front of him and continuing to comb his hair.
"What day is it, Junior?"
"Thursday, Mummy." She smiled and nodded.
"Which jacket do you wear on Thursdays?" Jr. stared blankly and Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "You've been wearing it on Thursdays for almost a month, baby."
"The blue one?" he asked and she nodded. Jr. beamed.
"Right. Your tie is behind the bathroom door. Ask Eric to help you tie it, okay?"
"Okay, Mummy."
"Go get dressed," she said, and Jr. smiled, running toward the stairs and straining to take them two at a time. Hermione stood as she watched him go, shaking her head, then turned back to Draco, who had been watching the entire scene, smiling. Hermione smiled at him as she entered the kitchen. "What?" He shook his head.
"Nothing," Draco said softly and Hermione took a deep and happy breath, stepping forward and pecking his lips before mechanically helping Narcissa with the lunches. While Narcissa voyaged for fresh fruit, Hermione attempted to open the jar of pickles, with little success. Draco laughed at the determined look on her face.
"Oh, shut up," Hermione said, smiling as she tried to glare. Draco shook his head.
"You can have a baby, but you can't open a jar of pickles?" he asked, taking it for her and opening it easily. Hermione laughed.
"Entirely different muscle group," she pointed out and Draco laughed.
"Maybe you should try using the other," he said and Hermione laughed, but Narcissa slapped his arm. "Ow." His mother rolled her eyes and continued in her work.
A few minutes later, Eric strolled into the kitchen, wearing a light blue collared shirt, navy blazer with the Ceres Central School crest on his left breast pocket, and red tie with his baggy jeans.
"Good morning, Eric," Narcissa said and he smiled at her.
"Good morning, Nanna."
"Where's Junior, Eric?" Hermione asked, leaning against the counter, next to Draco, who rested a hand on her back.
"Trying to put on his tie, I think. He wouldn't let me help him," Eric said, shrugging and slipping the milk money Narcissa gave him into his pocket. Hermione shook her head, checking her watch.
"We're going to be late if he doesn't hurry up a little," she said, smiling. Draco smiled down at her. "I'll give him two more minutes," she decided, crossing her arms and Draco laughed softly. Then, small feet were heard clomping down the stairs. Hermione smiled, turning around to watch Jr. run toward her. Then, she turned to her unorthodox nephew. "Eric, why don't you go get in the car, okay? Draco and I'll be out as soon as we get his shoes on." Eric smiled and nodded, grabbing his lunch pail.
"Okay, Aunt Mina. Bye, Nanna," he said, moving toward Narcissa, who bent to give him a kiss.
"Have a good day, Eric," she said with a smile and Eric turned around, running toward the door.
"Mummy!" Jr. called as he ran into the kitchen, wearing the same blazer, shirt, and jeans as his cousin, but smaller. The front door closed quietly in the background. "I can't do it, Mummy," he said sadly, holding up the ends of a pure white tie and she sighed.
"I told you to ask Eric for help, didn't I Junior?" she said softly and Jr. frowned, nodding his head guiltily. "It's okay, baby, maybe he can do it in the car," she said, moving past him and picking up a pair of shiny black shoes from just outside the doorway. "Come here, baby," she said, and Jr. came to her, slipping his shoes on and holding her shoulders as she tied them.
"Why can't you tie it, Hermione?" Draco asked; a question that had been bugging him for a while. Hermione looked up.
"Because I don't know how," she said, smiling guiltily. Draco laughed.
"Seven years at Hogwarts and you don't know how to tie a tie?" She shook her head.
"No. I had Harry do it, then I just slipped it down when I wanted to take it off. Much faster." Then, she paused. "Why don't you do that, Junior?" He looked amazed.
"I don't know, Mummy. I never thinked of that," he said shaking his head and Draco laughed. Jr. turned to him. "Can you do it, Daddy?" Draco smiled and nodded. Jr. looked ecstatic as he turned and raced over to his father, who knelt before him, smiling as he quickly tied the tie. Hermione watched, not even bothering to stand back up, leaning against the cabinet beside her, smiling. She looked up at Narcissa, and the older woman actually looked near tears.
"There," Draco said, slipping the knot to the top and tucking the end into Jr.'s jacket.
"Wow, you're even faster than Eric! Thank you, Daddy." Jr. said and Draco smiled. "Are you coming to take us to school? I'll give you my turn to sit up front," he suggested and Draco laughed, mussing his hair slightly as he stood. Draco turned his eyes to Hermione, as if asking, and she smiled brightly.
"Are you?" she asked and he looked between them, both wearing an identical look of hopefulness.
"If you want me to," he said, looking to Jr., then turning to Hermione. She looked ecstatic. He stepped to her, holding out his hands, and she took them, standing and placing a kiss on his lips. Draco smiled.
"Goodbye, Nanna," Jr. said and hugged her as she handed him some quarters.
"Bye, baby. I'm looking forward to that picture you were telling me about," Narcissa said, smiling, and Jr. gasped slightly. He turned around.
"I forgotted to ask you, Daddy. Do you like macaroni pictures?" Hermione stifled a laugh and Draco smiled widely.
"I love macaroni pictures, Junior."
A/N: Omg, I just love this story. I know, I'm being sort of big-headed, but I really do love it. I go back and read it repeatedly just because it makes me smile... Lol. Okay, now I'm REALLY getting annoying. If you like this half as much as I do, you'll know what I mean ;o)
PRF: Did I scare you guys with that ::review or no story:: comment? Lol.
Erilyn Rose: Indeed I did! Sorry you didn't know, I thought you were on the mailing list...lol, I guess not. Would you like to be? If not, that's fine... I could have sworn, though... anyway, I'm glad you like it so much! I like it too :o)
Couch-potato06: Okay, given, but still... a crush? I would expect this of Snape, but not of you. ::gasp! Harsh...:: ;o)
Dragonfly: Envious? Lol. I know... she's got it all... but I'll bring in some conflict, no worries ;o)
Daisy: I cried during the first chapter too... when I was writing it, and when I proofread it the first time. Of course, I don't cry anymore, but, lol... I'm glad you did. That makes me feel warm and tingly... ;o) Lol, so I have the Maidus touch? Lol. New news to me... in fact I remember touching a certain Ecstasy... and it BURST into FLAMES! Lol. I don't like that fic much, as you may be able to tell...lol. And about that whole Harry/Eric having the same feelings because of Harry's Mum/Draco... in fact, I DID think about that, and in fact it IS going to come up. B on the lookout ;o) it won't be til like chapter 11. And, as for length, I don't know how long this is going to be... until I get through all the issues I want to... and probably until they get married. Some stuff is going to happen... It should be pretty long. Like this PRF....lol.
Princess: Lol, thanx! I don't know where that came from... it just... POPED out of my head... or something. Lol. I don't think your fics are that bad! I've read way, way...WAY worse; trust me. This fanfic thing is my life... which isn't always a good thing. Lol. And, surprisingly, the only flame on this I've gotten, is when I only had the first chapter up... someone called me antifeminist because I made Ginny and Hermione stay home from the war... and I'm like, dude, she's PREGNANT.... she can't very well go... McGonagall is like 90, and SOMEONE has to take care of the school. So what if I didn't explain why Ginny was there? Maybe they only gave training to Draco and Hermione's class... which would maker her too young, right? Lol. Right.
Naurhen: I'm not sure which I like better... I think, maybe this one. But only because Guilly is getting a little cliché. Did you notice that? If you read the most recently posted chapter, you'll see what I mean... lol. Thanx for reviewing! Is your pn your REAL name... because that is pretty cool. Lol. There was this girl named Shezabel who reviewed me one time... and I was like DUDE! But that wasn't really her name... lol.
Silver Dragon Goddess: No problem! You are one of my best reviewers! I don't mind if you miss one once in a while! Take a break, damn you...lol. Wouldn't want my top reviewer passing out from sleep deprivation, would we? No, no, no...:oD
Exlibris: Thanx. I though that Happy/Sad tears thing was kind of cute, myself... :o) As for conflict, yes... there will be some. It's introduced primarily in Chapter 10, but it's still very vague. Not a lot happens yet, but none the less, it's introduced. Sorry it took so long for me to... but I mean, he was gone for six damn years... there's a lot of explaining to do, I think... lol. The primary conflict was actually mentioned in chapter 2... before Draco even was re-introduced... but I didn't expect anyone to pick up on it, so don't feel bad. I did it on purpose.
Slim-Shady's-Modeling-Baby: Lol. Thanx. I can always use more brownie points ;o)