I do not own HP or make any money here, at all. J.K. owns everything.

AN: Finally, another update. Not too long left, now. :)

Another month passed and the holidays were upon us. In the days prior to the short vacation, I tried to pay closer attention to Draco's movements- especially after the conversation Ron and I'd had. It didn't please me, but I had to admit that maybe Ron was right, and Draco was definitely behaving strangely. It didn't help that I also knew, from Daphne, that he was supposedly in love with me, or infatuated, or whatever.

I tried not to let it bother me too much, but after his fifth time past me in the office kitchen, I had to say something.

"Malfoy, what is wrong with you?"

He gave a slight jerk and stared at me. "What?"

"What is with all this following me around and pretending you're mad about me?"

He went stiff and his cheeks flushed. "I am mad about you, as a matter of fact, though this is hardly the place to discuss it."

I scoffed. "This is the perfect place to discuss it, since you already made our relationship office gossip months ago."

"So we have a relationship?"

"No!" I stamped my foot. "That is not what I meant. Draco Malfoy, you listen to me and listen good- I am not now, nor have I ever been, nor will I ever be, in love with you! I barely tolerate your presence as it is. So I want to know why in hell you think you have the right to go mooning over me as if you stand a chance with me, when your ex girlfriend is clearly still in love with you, herself. Astoria is a very nice girl, you know-"

He began to look angry and stepped closer to me. "What is wrong with you, Granger? Meddling in my personal business, confronting me in the office- I'd say your hormones are getting the better of you. The brat must be a Weasley, after all-"

I hauled off and slapped him hard across the face and just like third year, I felt no remorse.

"Leave me the hell alone from now on, Malfoy," I hissed. "I'll owl all progress reports to you just so I don't have to see your miserable, scheming face."

Draco rubbed his cheek, looking surprised, hurt and incredibly angry all at the same time. He took one menacing step towards me, seemed to think better of it, and turned on his heel. I watched him leave the kitchen with zero satisfaction. An officemate walked in after he'd left and eyed me warily.

"What?" I bit off and he backed out again slowly. No doubt off to tell his coworkers that I was on some kind of hormone bender.

I probably was, at that. But at least I felt confident that I'd dealt with Draco's spastic, deluded infatuation once and for all.

When I got home that night to see Ron standing outside my flat, a carton that presumably housed custardy delights in its depths in one hand, I was more than happy to see him. It had been over a week since we'd last seen one another- he'd been extremely busy with auror business. Ginny hadn't seen much of Harry, either.

Ron barely let me open the door and ask him why he hadn't flooed over (because he'd stopped at the custard shop, dur) before he bombarded me with his own questions.

"How are you?" he asked, setting the carton aside and carefully tugging my wand from my hands. He took me in his arms and began nuzzling my neck. I purred agreeably for a moment before I answered.

"Alright. Tired. Crabby, earlier. How are you?"

"I'm fine," he murmured, his hands skimming down my sides. "Good news- might distract you from the Malfoy incident."

"The Malfoy- what do you mean?"

He shrugged and continued nuzzling. "Heard about it at work. Someone told someone who saw someone who said you'd had it out with him. You know."

I pulled away, suddenly upset again. "No, I don't know, Ron. Please enlighten me."

He sensed my mood change and, miracle of miracles, he stopped nuzzling and looked at me very seriously.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up, I know it bothers you. And I know you hate office gossip. But you can't have it out with a prat like Malfoy and expect people to stay quiet. And honestly, would you have told me yourself?"

"No," I admitted, disgruntled. "So, better tell me what your news is."

"Not if you want to talk about yours first," he offered and began opening the custard. I shrugged and peered over his shoulder, which was more like peering around it.

"He approached me…ok, I approached him. I confronted him about all these ridiculous things people have been saying about him and me and, well, I knew you were suspicious of him…so I had it out. He wouldn't cooperate, so I told him to stay away from me, that it was over and I would owl the progress reports to him."

Ron turned and swept me into a giant hug at that. "Merlin, Hermione, you're brilliant."

I laughed. "You already know that."

"I do, but…well? Do you feel any better?"

I frowned. "About Malfoy? Not…not really, no. I wish I did. I just don't know what to make of him anymore."

Ron's face softened and he hugged me again, kissed my cheek. "Don't think about it anymore. From now on it's just you, me, and-"

"Baby makes three," I finished for him. He laughed with me, that time and I felt the baby move. Ron went very still, his arms still about me.

"Was that her?" he whispered. I nodded and buried my face in his shoulder. "Merlin," he breathed and suddenly set me away from him. He got on his knees in front of me and put both hands- so large and strong- on my ever growing belly.

"Hey, little…what should I call her?" he asked suddenly, looking up at me. I shrugged, smiling, afraid to speak for crying. I was so happy my eyes had welled up.

"Rosie," he announced suddenly.

"Rosie?" I asked.

"Sure," he responded, hands still on my stomach and I felt her move again. Ron smiled brilliantly. "Because she's made the world come up roses for us."

I did bawl, at that. Ron just smiled at my belly as I mopped my face. Custard came next, of course.

Sometime later, when the custard was almost gone, I asked, "We still don't have a definitive image. What if it's a boy, after all?"

"It's a girl," he said stalwartly. "I just…I know."

"But even at the last ultrasound, we couldn't see-"

Ron wouldn't be budged, however. Finally, to avoid my teasing, he changed the subject.

"So I had another talk with Jennet, a couple weeks ago."

I went very quiet, though the custard continued to make its way to my mouth.

"She's not pregnant," Ron continued and I dropped my spoon and grinned madly.

"Thank Merlin," I breathed and Ron nodded.

"But she did admit that someone put her up to it."

"What?" I asked. "But who- how- Malfoy," I ground out. "That's why you've been so suspicious, isn't it?"

"It wasn't Malfoy," Ron said. My jaw dropped. "I know, I was as surprised as you are," he went on. "But it wasn't. It was that Greengrass woman."

"Daphne?"

"No, her sister-"

"Astoria. But why would she do that?"

"I have no idea," Ron admitted. "I thought you might, well, if it was alright with you, that is, that you might try to have a talk with her."

I sat up straighter. "Me?"

Ron looked uncomfortable and covered my free hand with his own. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was important and I thought that I stood any reasonable chance of speaking with her about it. You at least know her sister," Ron pointed out. "Please, Hermione? I'm not saying you have to, just- think about it?"

I relented and nodded. "Ok. I'll think about it. But only if you let me eat the rest of your custard."

Ron groaned. "Fine, fine. You drive a hard bargain, woman," he said and pushed his plate toward me. I nodded and continued to eat. "There is one other thing," Ron said cautiously. I raised a brow.

"Go on."

"Sorry for all the shoptalk," he murmured and squeezed my hand. I shook my head.

"You gave me more custard. You've earned a minute…or two of my time," I replied, licking my spoon. Ron's eyes followed my tongue's movement. I put the spoon down, still grinning madly.

"Er, well…it is about Malfoy this time," he finally said, coming back to himself. "You remember the first appointment we had, with the ultrasound?"

"Of course," I replied immediately. "You had to leave early because of some leftover dark magic…"

"Yeah. Well, turned out that the magic that was 'tripped' by some unwitting muggles was actually a booby-trap of sorts placed by the elder Malfoy. The accident itself happened not a few yards from the boundary of the grounds of Malfoy Manor."

I gasped. "Ron! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Because we had to go through all the proper channels and investigations first. We daren't tell anyone about it until the Malfoys could be cleared from any suspicion- or proven guilty, either way. It's a hefty accusation these days, meddling in dark magic. You know that."

"I do," I admitted. "But, Ron…" My voice trailed off and he gripped my hand more tightly. I looked up at him again. "So, what did you find out, then?"

"Oh, they were cleared, but barely. Draco Malfoy may have been seen nearby by one of the muggles, but there was so much residual magic and since the incident was on the border of their estate, we couldn't really do anything about it. Especially since no one was hurt." He eyed me. "But I still think it's suspicious that it was a Malfoy curse, near Malfoy land, that Draco Malfoy was seen nearby, and that it happened the same day, the same time, that we were supposed to spend the day together. And that he showed up to take you around, himself, not ten minutes after Harry and I had left."

I put my other hand over my mouth. "Oh, Ron. You think he did it just so he could spend time with me?"

Ron's face was dark, but honest. I suddenly felt ill. "But I don't care for him! He knows that! Besides, that's so drastic…"

"Maybe for you or I," Ron replied. "Not for a Malfoy, really, if you think about it. He's been maneuvering to spend time with you and the baby ever since he found out. What about the time he followed you and Ginny into that shop?"

"Oh, but…" I yanked my hand free of his, clapped both mine over my mouth, and dashed for the bathroom. I just made it in time.

Minutes later, Ron was rubbing my back in a gentle, circular motion and I was holding onto the edges of the toilet.

"All that lovely custard," I moaned. Ron sniggered, but did not say anything.

"I can go out for some more," he offered and it was me who managed a weak snigger that time.

"Hardly. No, stay here, please. I don't…" I stopped, unsure of how to continue. I didn't want to be alone, all of the sudden. It wasn't that I was frightened of Draco, necessarily. More that Ron was such a comfort, and I loved him, and I'd had some upsetting news.

"I'll stay," he answered before I could finish. "It's no problem." He grinned suddenly. "I love to keep my two girls company."

I smiled back at him weakly as I wiped my face. I wasn't sure what any of this news meant, or what sort of trouble Draco and Astoria were dragging me into, but I at least knew that I had the best of men at my side and in my bed. And that was all that mattered, for the night.