I have come to the realization we can't call this thing a 'love-hate relationship'. There's no vast argument anymore since Draco, whether he'll admit it or not, has gotten over what I pulled at his flat. Every time we're together, we seem to fit like puzzle pieces. And despite the awkwardness that can come with talking about the pregnancy, the chemistry between us is so cosmic that we always end up in bed together, if no one interrupts us. Whether that's a good or bad thing I haven't yet decided.

I rose from bed around eight the next morning and moaned when I realized how sore I was. Did a month without sex effect Draco that much? I looked down at my body and saw hickeys everywhere from my neck to my thighs. I looked back at my pillow, the young Malfoy himself. I watched as he snored softly under my black sheets. He was so pale yet his skin so warm...

I smirked, unwinding my fingers from his and grabbed his shirt, buttoning the few plastic circles still connected to the cotton. I went to the bathroom, vomited, brushed my teeth and walked to my living room. A snowy white owl sat outside my window absentmindedly. I let Hedwig in and gave her a nut from the canister on my coffee table. I pulled the letter from her claws and opened it, frowning. Potter had canceled our interview for the Bulstrode Case and told me to give my questions to Holly and he would fill them out. The Potter's owl pecked my hand and I went to grab another nut, my eyes landing on the paperwork Healer Chang had give me. I put three nuts in her pouch for the trip and grabbed ink and a quill from the table. It was better to do this now than never.

"Good morning, Sleepy Head." I laughed, walking in to find the blonde wincing as sunlight came in from my window.

"How do you get up this early?" Draco moaned, putting an arm over his face.

"I don't follow the lawyer's diet." I told him, sitting down next to him and laying my head on his chest.

"The what?" He asked, snaking his right arm underneath me.

"You work ungodly hours for a couple months and then take a couple days off to catch up on sleep." I told him matter-of-factly. "You forget, my Dad is the famous Crider Greengrass, the only lawyer Sebastien Schwinger has ever lost to."

Draco chuckled, dropping his arm. "Is that why you dropped out of law school?"

"That and I don't like wearing pantyhose."

He pulled me up to his face and kissed me softly. I reciprocated the gesture and then pulled away, handing him the papers. "What are these?"

"I need your family history information for my healer."

"But it's Saturday." The young Malfoy pouted, tossing it on my nightstand. "I'm laying naked in your bed and you want me to fill out paperwork? You're an odd woman, Astoria."

I rolled my eyes as he pulled me on top of him, my legs straddling his sheet covered waist. His fingers went for the few working buttons left on his shirt and trailed his hands down to my stomach, manhandling my hips. My eyes caught Draco's, making my heart race. I moved down as if to kiss him and shifted to roll off him.

"Work and then play, Malfoy."

He sighed and sat up, grabbing the packet. "Can you at least close the curtains?"

I snapped my fingers and the material moved. He glanced at me as he opened the ink canister and set it on my nightstand. "Where did you learn to do that so well?"

"Professor Attica taught me my sixth year and then McGonagall took over after I surpassed my classmates." I told him, waving over his tattered shirt. The clear buttons I had torn off the night before flew back on the cotton and fastened themselves. "Snape taught you, right?"

"I'm not as good as you." Draco admitted as he dabbed his quill in ink. "He was a good teacher but I never caught on. A lot of things were going on my sixth year."

His left wrist caught my eye at the mention of the morbid year at Hogwarts. The Dark Mark was a sign of evil and fear for many people in the magical community but I wasn't one of them. Perhaps too many of Mum and Dads friends had them. I put my fingers on it and traced the skull softly, the movement of his quill halting for a second. I continued despite his pause.

"I'm going to have to ask my mother about some of these." Draco informed me when he began writing again. "I don't remember what my great-grandmother died of."

I nodded simply, suddenly very curious. "Have you told your parents yet?"

"I have brunch with Father around eleven and Mother usually joins. I planned on telling them then. What about your"- I cut his question off, snorting.- "Never mind."

It was odd, how casual yet sensual this was. I had never experience anything like this before. It was closer than a friendship but more relaxing than other relationships I've had. I sighed, deciding not to harp on it to much. I could waste time trying to define this but it didn't seem important at that moment.

"How do you think they'll react?" I asked, my voice hollow.

"They'll probably get bloody furious and threaten to disown me." He admitted when he finished, putting the paperwork and quill back on my nightstand. Draco slid down and pulled my body to his so that we were eye level. His hand fell on my naval, circling my tattoo and kissing me before he spoke again. "Though I expect Mother will 'accept it for social calling' and Father will too."

I pouted my lip. "Why do you have the predictable family? I can barely remember my mother's birthday let alone pick out a present for her. It's beyond me what her reaction to this will be."

"When I came home in the summer during my childhood, we were together all the time. They wanted to make up for us being apart, even during the war. The summer before my second year we went to see the Tenochtitlan Empire in Mexico. Have you ever been there?" I shook my head and he continued, smirking fondly. "It was wonderful. The wizards there are proud of their old religions. I remember hating Father for forcing me to listen to the stories from a wise man. By seventh year, it saved my arse. I passed my Ancient Ruins N.E.W.T. because of that trip."

I felt slight envy for him. My family's idea of a vacation was far different than his. Daphne and I ended up with one of the nanny's, Dad was always at a conference and Mum socialized with the acquaintances at our hotel. Perhaps it's the isolation I grew up with that inclines me to embrace every relationship I have so strongly.

"What day is it?" Draco asked, breaking my thoughts. He ran a hand through my hair, his fingers still rotating around my belly button. They brushed against my piercing, sending shivers up my spine.

"October twelfth." I told him. "Why?"

"I want to take time off after the Sumner Case and take you there, hopefully before you're to far along. I hear it's lovely in the fall."

I stared at him, stunned. "I-I would have to talk to Andy. I'm sure he would let me by if I did updates and owled them to him."

"Good." He kissed me again and rose, glancing at my clock. "I need to leave soon. I'm going to grab a quick shower."

This love-hate relationship defiantly needed a new name.

*HarryPotter!*HarryPotter*!HarryPotter*

I went to the Ministry after Draco left to drop off my interview questions for Potter. His abrupt cancellation left me unsettled. This man once called an 'emergency, private press conference' with me so I could help him and Weasley pick out anniversary gifts for their wives. Needless to say, if Potter did cancel on me, it was over something very important.

I walked on the elevator and multiple people stared at me, whispering. I raised a brow, wondering why they were talking about month old gossip. I stood in the back and a gray haired witch smiled at me.

"When are you due?"

I stared at her as everyone else on the floor watched for my answer. "Excuse me?"

"Still in shock? It happens to the best of us. Is Malfoy at least paying child support, dear?"

I dashed out of the elevator when it stopped at the Department of Judicial Membership. The only one way everyone would know this quick is if Daphne had told Mum. Holy Mother of Merlin, was I bloody screwed. If I wasn't already disowned, I was for sure. And once Schwinger heard about this, Draco was going to be in for it.

"Astoria?"

The smell of wine and cigars filled my nostrils, making me cringe. Not today, please Merlin, tell me my senses are playing jokes on me! I turned and matching cherry wood orbs met mine. I forced a nervous grin, hating myself for not dealing with the crowd on the elevator.

"Hullo Dad."

My father stared at me, as uncomfortable as I was. This is probably the first factual word that he has said to me in at least four years, and it was probably because of pure shock.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. I raised my eyes with shock. He wasn't giving me the fake look of concern he usually gave me. Crider Greengrass factually looked worried at my surprise arrival. "Is something wrong?"

"No, Dad, um... the elevator had an awful smell and I had to get off. I was actually heading towards the Department of Mysteries."

Dad nodded, his thinning brown hair still as he moved his freckled head. I noticed he had gained a little weight and that at nearly sixty years old, he still had no wrinkles. He was still as tall of Draco, about five inches taller than myself. I guess his family's history of osteoporosis hadn't hit yet. I don't know why I was just now noticing these things. Perhaps it was because I spent all my time at the house avoiding his disappointed look.

"I was just heading out to lunch. If you're not busy, perhaps you would like to join me? I was going to Sheridan's and you're dressed for the setting." I shifted in my green and white robes, unsure how to answer. Despite how stupid Dad tried to act with gossip, he heard about everything Mum did. He knew I was pregnant and even though I expected him to resent me more, he was asking me to join him at his favorite restaurant where all of his co-workers hung at. "Unless you have other things to do? Or would you like to go somewhere else?"

"No Dad, I would love to go to Sheridan's with you. Let me drop these off upstairs with Potter's receptionist and I'll be free for the afternoon."

Dad rode with me, stopping the stares that would have come if he hadn't. There was an upside for your father once being the most ruthless lawyer in Britain. Holly Scamander took the papers for me, smiling. "I'll be sure he gets them, Maim. Tell me, has the Minister talked to the States about releasing the embargo on Canada?"

"I'm actually posting that in tomorrow's addition." I told her. "Let's just say the cat killed it."

I always loved Sheridan's. Dad began taking me there when I was thirteen when his dreams of me becoming a lawyer began to flourish. All of his co-workers were impressed with my interest in politics and ambition to keep up with people much older than me. Daphne came once during Christmas of her sixth year and hated it. The only time I remember receiving one-on-one time with Dad was here and I cherished it very much.

"Good evening Crider. Astoria, I haven't seen you in ages!" Lucinda, the hostess exclaimed, glancing down at my stomach. I swear, Daphne and Amethyst Greengrass where going to die slowly and painfully. "I kept your seat on the patio open."

It was a lovely day to sit out on the marble patio. Men and women sipped drinks and ate lunch, unwinding in one of the last warm days we would probably have this year. Many enjoyed a pipe or cigar while talking. Dad and I sat down at the farthest table from the doors like we always did. He was the type of man who had people come to him and never the other way around.

Dad ordered his regular meatball and tortellini while I asked if they still served honey-glazed cutlets. When confirmed, Lucinda left with our orders and he pulled him cigar out. People around us glanced at me but seemed to worried about their lives to care about testing out gossip.

"They replanted the morning glories on the veranda. They used to be yellow."

"The dark blue ones are less of an eyesore." He told me, stopping when he was about to light his cigar. "Since the wind's blowing from your direction, will the smoke hurt it?"

I stared at him, surprised by his question. During both of Mum's pregnancy's, he smoked whether the wind was blowing away from her or not."I should be fine, Dad."

He nodded and lite up, putting his wand in his robe pocket after wards. "How's the paper doing?"

"Well. Andy's been going nuts between that and wedding plans but nothing unexpected."

Dad shook his head, blowing smoke out away from me. "That's what he gets for marrying the expensive one. He shouldn't be complaining much since I'm covering three-fourths of the bloody affair. When is the date again?"

"January twenty-second, Dad."

"Four months and ten days." Dad shook his head as our food and drinks came. Lucinda smiled as she handed father his usual red wine and me another glass. "I hear apple juice is a favorite of yours these days, Astoria."

I pulled a green bean off my plate and nibbled on it in response. When she left, Dad cleared his throat and spoke evenly. "Do you mind if I ask a few questions about the... baby?" He sounded like he was giving me 'the talk'.

"Sure..." I said, going red but not too uncomfortable. Knowing Crider, it would be quick.

"Are you keeping it?"

"Yeah."

"Is it healthy?"

"So far. I'm only a month in."

"How is your finance status? Will you be able to care for yourself? Is Malfoy helping? Is Malfoy being a part of it's life? How are his parents handling this?"

I stared at him and raised a brow. "Is this an inquiry or an interrogation?"

Dad sighed, shifting as he straightened up his robes. "I apologize. There are a lot of unanswered questions and stories going around."

I sipped my juice as my father took the chance to get more wine in his system. Perhaps it was the only thing keeping him from running away from me.

"I'm handling myself fine as my money allows. Draco, as far as I can tell, plans on helping physically and financially. He is telling is parent's today about the baby."

He nodded, taking another sip of wine. It was a wonder that he could make murderers admit to the goriest crimes without blinking but talking about this was sending him to the bottle.

"One more. Are you getting married?" I stared at him, stunned.

"Draco wants to take me to Mexico City next month." I shot out whether it helped me or not.

"To elope?" Merlin, no. If he was I was going to kick him out of my bed for sure! "If so I would prefer it here so I can at least pay for some of it."

"Dad, we're not getting married." I clarified.

"You're mother and I did when she was expecting Daphne." He told me matter-of-factly.

"Okay, we're defiantly not after that reminder."

Dad pursed his lips, taking a bite of his meatballs. We ate in silence for the next ten minutes. A waiter past us with two plate's and the smell of trout and meatloaf mixed made me grab my mouth. Dad stared at me as I rose and rushed to the loo, many people stunned. As soon as my entire lunch had been emptied, I stood up and walked to the sink. I looked in mirror as beads of sweat covered my face. So much for a casual lunch.

The door opened and two women entered, stopping when they caught sight of me. Pansy Parkinson, now McLaggen, and Alicea Forester stared at me as if I had screwed their husbands. Well, after they were married anyway. I splashed water in my face, trying to ignore them. The two woman turned to each other and spoke loudly.

"Say Alicea, I thought there was a dress code here. No whore's aloud." So clever! I wonder why the Prophet never hired her on as a full time writer!

"How the hell you made it past security then is beyond me." I muttered, standing up. "How's married life? Enjoying maxing out Travis monthly extraction allowance?"

"Actually it's lovely. Our honeymoon was beautiful, though we spent most of it in our hotel room."

I snorted. "If I went to the Caribbean, I wouldn't waste my money to look at a hotel ceiling."

"That's humorous." Pansy announced, putting a hand on her hip. "I hear you've been doing that a lot these days."

"Ce inima crede, de limbă vorbeşte." I told her simply as Foresters eyes widened. I snapped my fingers and my face dried. "'What the heart thinks, the tongue speaks'. Don't apply your personal thoughts to me, Parkinson. They're very inaccurate."

"That's McLaggen to you." The woman spat.

"Okay, if you want to burden yourself with titles."

Somehow, Dad made me promise to ask Draco if our childs the soon-to-be parent's and grandparent's could get together. I sighed as I made my way back to my flat, my mind spinning. My father was making a hard effort not to use the usual lawyer-client cover. But the emptiness of the past years still ate at me.

Once I was inside, I went to my couch and sat down. I looked down at my forming potbelly and sighed. So much for being a size eight. I heard something drop in my bedroom and I rose, walking back cautiously. I entered my bedroom and found shattered glass on my floor, my window open and the curtains blowing from the wind. I snapped my fingers and a green bottle that I had never seen before laid in my hand. I looked around, cautious. My bed was still unmade from that morning. My nightstand had the ink pot that Draco had used this morning in tact. My closet door was wide open, showing my obsession with outlet shopping in shoes and robes.

I sniffed and a smell hit me. I inhaled again and began coughing and choking as I backed up, closing my door. The hint of the invisible stench began sweeping under my doorway and I ran to the hall. I slammed it shut and put an Sealing Charm around the cracks of the door but could still smell the horrid oder. I began backing down the hall, wondering what it could be and who put it in my room. I jumped when I felt hands go around my waist and turned to face Andy.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

I stared back at him, confused. "You can't smell it?"

He knitted his eyebrows together. "What am I suppose to smell?"

I inhaled again and suddenly the scent wasn't there. I walked back to my door and unlocked it, pushing it opened. The hint of artificial cinnamon filled my nostrils. The older man looked at me with a brow raised. I shook my head, shrugging.

"It must be this cinnamon potpourri Daphne gave me yesterday."

I walked down the hall of my flat and opened my bedroom door. It smelled clean and my window was shut. I walked over to it, opening it and looking out onto the London street. People passed by hurriedly on the sidewalk and in cars but no one seemed particularly suspicious.

"Are you looking for something?" He asked, walking up behind me.

"Maybe it's this neighborhood." I told him, trying to find a reason for my hallucination. Perhaps Dad shouldn't have smoked that cigar at lunch. "London's a nice city but maybe it's time for a change of scenery. What do you need?"

"Help. You're sister is going nuts." As if I didn't know that before hand. "She wants to invite my parent's to our wedding."

I stared at him suddenly began laughing. Andy wrinkled his nose at my humor. Mister and Mistress Wathen came to see him at work last January and our entire staff was on eggshells for a month before their arrival. Andy was so nervous that he had me alphabetizing his liquor cabinet. When they finally arrived, we all almost died. I'll admit my parent's are perfectionists but they took it to a whole new level. Mistress Wathen could see the under wire of my bra so she made me wear her wool sweater, despite my allergy.

"Andy, Daphne won't survive with your parent's at the wedding."

He sat down on my bed and sighed. "I could have been raised by werewolves but no, Merlin gave me Abigale Joy and Stacy Clarence."

This was going to be an interesting wedding indeed.