We apparated back to the apparition point at the end of my block Sunday evening. I glanced at the clock and saw it was about ten o'clock. Astoria yawned, looking around the deserted point. "I'll go to the Leaky Cauldron in the morning and get my things. I bloody owe Longbottom. I need to floo the people repairing my apartment from your place to see if they're finished."

"How much do you owe them?"

She shrugged, her tan face illuminating in the dark. "I can handle it. You've spoiled me enough these past two weeks as is."

I bit my lip, not replying. Call it patriarchal, but I felt secure paying for everything these past two weeks. It gave me proof she and the baby were being taken care of. Astoria sighed, running a hand through her hair. Black strands laid in her sun bleached hair, giving her a rebel look.

We walked back to my flat hand in hand, tucked in cloaks to manage the cold, November weather of London. That bloody snake coiled its self around her throat in an attempt to keep warm under her hair. If knew if Lucan was going to hurt Astoria, he already would have but it didn't ease me in the slightest. Every time I look at that thing, those black lids slide over its eyes and I'm looking at the Dark Lords snake again. But the yellow bastard made her happy, so I wasn't going to demand Astoria get rid of it. Yet. When we arrived to the front door, Norman looked up and smiled widely.

"Mister Reacredinţă şi fată drăguţă! Ai s-au întors din Mexic! Te-ai bucura de soare? Oh, ai adus înapoi un prieten? Nu mulţumesc, nu-mi pasa de şerpi. Că unul este unul special!"

"Multumesc, Norman. Suntem obosit, dar voi veni mâine şi vă va oferi detalii peste pauza de cafea ta!"Astoria told him, kissing his cheek. Lucan stared at him and slid down her shirt. Slimy bastard...

Blaise was gone, that being no surprise to either of us. We walked into the flat and I turned the fire on. My roommate had kept it surprisingly clean and there seemed to be no traces of the multiple one night stands I'm sure I would hear about taking place in this room. Astoria took her cloak off and laid it on the couch as she sat down, Lucan slithering out of her shirt and over towards the throw rug in front of the fire.

"And you said he wouldn't adjust."

I rolled my eyes, grabbing her bag and putting it in my room. I flicked on the light and pulled off my cloak, holding my wand to it. Packages for my parents and Astoria's family fell came out of nowhere and organized themselves. I sat down on my bed and sighed, releasing the thoughts I had been hiding from the witch in the front room for two days.

Gomez said Astoria was in danger... Merlin, why was the entire world set on declaring her at harms risk? Was she suddenly bloody Potter or something? I pulled removed my sweater and kicked my shoes off, sand spilling out of them. I smirked at the minerals on my designer carpet, thinking of all the sand we'd come in contact with on this trip. The entire city probably hated me right now but I was bloody glad Astoria had come to me after her fight with Wathen.

"Draco? Do you want help?" I looked up as the witch walked in, glancing at me.

"If you want." I told her, pulling her bag up. I bit my lip, as she sat down next to me, pulling items out of it. Somehow after spending fourteen consistent days with the woman, I still wasn't used to her presence. Once my room was filled with all the clothes and shoes she'd collected on the trip, the brunette began folding them while I unpacked my own clothes. I opened my dresser and started to pile them back in but stopped, glancing at her piles. "Tori, hand me my wand?"

It rose and floated over to me as she folded. I grabbed it, charming the drawers to expand in size and summoning the piles she'd folded into them. The witch looked up at me, alarmed.

"What are you doing?"

"You're over here so much, you might as well keep some clothes here." She bit her lip, causing me to raise a brow. "What?"

"I don't think that's a good idea. I mean to say, by having a spot in your room for my clothes, it might incline to other people that we're thinking about... moving in together."

"And?" I leaned against my dresser, staring at her. She couldn't be serious? "We just spent two weeks in Mexico and you... explain this to me, Love."

"It's nothing against you and I'm glad we went away. It's just... moving in is a big step."

I stared at Astoria, trying to figure this out. Before we went to Mexico, I was the one with major security issues but now it seemed to like the tables had turned in the most irrational way. She was in an ongoing relationship with me, carrying my child and yet she was afraid of something like sharing a residence.

"What were you planning on doing once the baby comes? Have me come over during the weekends?"

"Draco, don't take it like that." She pleaded, playing with the threading on a scarf in her lap. Her cherry orbs looked back at me, making my knees buckle. "We have six more months to figure that out. I just don't want to rush things when everyone's watching our every move."

Says the half-breed calling the mudblood dirty. "Since when do you give a bloody hell what people think?"

"I've already lost my job because of the extent we're obviously willing to go for our relationship." Astoria reasoned. "Schwinger is already going to be furious with you and I don't want you to lose a career you're so passionate about. Especially when you won the Bulstrode Case because bloody Rodger Davis forgot to Miranda rights."

We stared at each other for a second and I sighed, levitating the clothes back into her bag. This wasn't the time to push this and I knew it. Both our families were ready to murder us and I didn't want a Halloween replay to happen now. Astoria smiled at me as she went on folding. I put all my things away and sat down on my bed, watching her. Why the bloody hell she was doing this by hand was beyond me, but watching her work was easing to my mood. The only claim I could get evidence for about her wellbeing was that, right now, she was safe in front of me.

There was a loud 'POP!' and a woman screamed 'Snake!'. Astoria and I rose and walked in to find Blaise with a pretty, Hispanic female in a tight, blue dress. She stared at Lucan as he watched them, black eye lids on. The short haired female shook wildly, staring at the serpent.

"Kill it!"

"How about we do you in first." Astoria shot protectively. She stepped closer to the snake and it looked at her, crawling up her leg and into the loops of her muggle jeans.

The woman shivered in disgust. Blaise looked over at me, shaking his head.

"Is there anything you won't give this slag?"

"My documentation pass at the Ministry. She'd become the Top Analysis of the year and my BAR would be gone before I could say 'I plead'." I told him, catching eyes with the woman. Her orbs were black and she looked oddly familiar, though I couldn't place her. "Draco Malfoy, nice to meet your acquaintance."

"Amy Shepard, same here. Blaise has told me so much about you two." The woman stated, glancing at the snake on Astoria's waist with disgust. "Astoria Greengrass... you're rather popular right now."

"How so?" She snapped, crossing her arms.

"Well, Witch Weekly's been talking about you a lot. I must admit, I admire you. To give up a baby at fifteen"-

"Ah, yeah! Amy, love, why don't go get me a drink!" Blaise panicked as Astoria's eyes widened. The woman wisely disappeared into the kitchen. "I guess there's some stuff that you two haven't been informed of."

"Spill or Lucan gets you for breakfast." The witch ordered, her eyes going wide with anger.

My mate looked back at me, a brow raised. "She named the bloody thing! Mate, she's got your wand in her hand."

"Just show us the damn articles, Blaise!" I snapped, not denying his statement.

Witch Weekly's front page from this month was one of Astoria at fifteen in maternity robes. The brunette stared at the cover and read the article, her face going red. Amy, Blaise and I sipped scotch, preparing for the blow.

"I want to decapitate Courtney Skeeter, castrate Travis McLaggen and pull out every one of Pansy Parkinson's finger nails one-by-one." She stated as Lucan wrapped himself around her wrist. "Apparently Blaise knocked me up when I was fifteen and this is a picture of me before we gave our daughter up, or so Travis and your ex-slag claim, Draco."

Bloody hell. "Blaise, please tell me my parents don't know about this?"

"They know but don't believe it. Daphne told them that was a Halloween picture from Tori's fatty days and it was all stomach- Ow, I was merely confirming the story!" My Mate stated as he was shocked by an invisible force, Astoria glaring at him. "And trust me, there was no way in hell I could have knocked you up. I always use a Contraceptive Spell unlike Draco here."

"Blaise, shut-the-bloody-hell-up or I won't put your name on the sedition charge I'm filing for you, me and 'Tori on Monday against Witch Weekly." I sighed, sitting back in the couch as I drained the last of my drink. Merlin help me! Things couldn't get worse than they were now.

"Oh, Potter flooed this morning." Blaise told me, smirking at the picture of Astoria. "He said to tell you 'the blood test came back positive. I'll see you Monday for lunch at the Hogs Head at twelve o'clock.'"

My glass dropped to the floor. Astoria looked at me, a brow raised. Blaise watched me, worried.

"Mate, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just tired. I think I'm going to head for bed. Amy, it was nice making your acquaintance."

"You too, Malfoy." The witch answered back.

Astoria rose and followed me, Lucan on her arm. We entered my room and she took off her shirt, watching as I removed mine. "You okay, Love?"

"Fine. Just dreading dealing with Sebastien tomorrow."

She nodded understandingly, putting Lucan in her bag. "You could always do what Dad did."

"Black mail him?"

"No," She chuckled, pulling one of my tee-shirts from my dresser and pulling it on as I stepped out of my pants. "Threaten to call his father."

I raised a brow at her, crawling under my blankets as she followed me in. "You've lost me, 'Tori."

Astoria laughed, laying on my chest. "Schwinger's father was an auror during the First War. He was reported missing in action and found a year later at the home of a widowed witch, his memory lost. It was revived and he returned to Schwinger's mother. Three months later, the widow gave birth to a charming young man named Crider Greengrass after her deceased husband"-

"No bloody way!" I looked down at her, stunned. "Crider is Sebastien's brother?"

She nodded, smirking. "Fraulein Schwinger refuses to accept any part in it but Herr Schwinger accepted it enough to pay for all of Dads law school. They both know about it but have refused to openly announce it in fear it will tarnish the famous Romulus Schwinger's good name. So they just compete and try to outdo each other politically to deal with the tension."

I shook my head in disbelief, watching her face. "Bloody hell... that's rockers."

"It's one of the many shocking tales of the Greengrass bloodline." She told me, running her hand over my chest. Her eyes fluttered as she yawned and sighed. "Trust me when I say there's plenty more to come."

"That's what I'm afraid of." I muttered, pulling her close. I laid my face in the crook of her neck, kissing the skin on her neck as she drifted off to sleep. Merlin, if she only knew...

***

I was in the Hogs Head seconds before I realized it was entirely empty except for three persons at a table in the middle of the room. Granger sipped water from a glass while Weasley and Potter drank rum. The mudblood looked up at me as I strolled over, sitting in the empty seat as my blood boiled. Potter looked at the bartender, who walked to a stairway and disappeared.

"Malfoy, you look like you didn't take advantage of your vacation?" The bloke shot. "Bloody shame since that little adventure ruined your reputation. How long are you suspended from work again?"

"I would accuse you of having a thing for Astoria but I know it wouldn't go anywhere. She's so out of your league, Potter, that it's pathetic."

"Please, any woman who can make Cormac McLaggen blush in the pillow talk category dominates every bloke in London." Granger muttered, sipping her water as she pulled a file out. She slid it over to me with a signed paper from a Muggle physician, diagnosing Astoria with the Fără A umbla gene. "She's the wife of a Hit Wizard, is as credible as Dumbledore himself and is well aware of our ways. I can bring her in to confirm this at any moment."

I glanced at the paper, shaking my head. "I don't believe it. This whole concept is ridiculous."

"Whether you do or not, we have proof that the people after her do." Weasley told me, popping his knuckles. "Abigale Montgomery was found murdered at her flat in Frankfurt, Germany this weekend."

I glanced at Potter, who looked like he'd lost a major bet. "I thought your persons in protection were safe?"

"Apparently not." He stated, grabbing his glass and refilling it. He took it all down in one drink and slammed the glass back on the table. "Malfoy, Abigale was found just as Wallenstein was."

"You mean, a victim of Raptor Animus ?" I confirmed, fighting an image of Astoria like that from filling my head.

"Yes, but a stronger and more difficult spell to use it. We've traced it's origins back to B.C. times." Granger stated, pulling out a book and opening a marked page. "According to a historian, the spell has no incantation. It is more of a subconscious rage molded into a powerful attack. It is said to be untraceable by any means. The only known producers have been Fără A umbla."

"And who the hell is this historian?" I snapped, wishing I hadn't come here. I had put a stop to the Foresters where Astoria was concerned. Whether they went after another victim or not is a different story. I wasn't in the position to say anything about it either, especially when my girlfriend was a target.

"Alford Gondolier, if you must now." She snapped, causing my eyes to pop. I tried to sober up before they noticed but the witch caught on immediately. "You familiar with that name, Malfoy?"

"I've heard the surname line before. I think we have relation to them." I stated smoothly.

"Funny, Gondolier was a muggle-born historian that married a pure-blood witch and never had kids." Bloody hell, I was in a cornered now. Potter leaned back, watching me. "Spill or I will have her on the first Floo Network out of here."

"Malfoy, we all like Greengrass." Weasley stated, trying to go mushy on me. Bloody disgusting... "Despite her bad taste in blokes, we want her alive to have the little bastard you put inside her. Listen to us and we'll all win."

"If you lot can't protect an healer intern, what makes you think you can cover Astoria?" Crickets. I rose, preparing to leave. "My point exactly. You know what aggravates me about you three? You think you can protect everyone in Britain even when some of us know as much, if not more, than you do about these people. What sense does that make?"

"Malfoy, please listen to"- "No, Potter. I'm tired of you calling me in over this nonsense!"

I grabbed my cloak and made to leave when I felt Granger's tender hand grab my arm. I looked back at her, stunned by her action. Her brother-in-law and husband stared at her in equal shock as she looked at me, her forehead wrinkling as if she were twenty years older than she was.

"Malfoy, when I had my first, I used to wake up in the middle of the night and ponder. What would happen if Ron went or something happened to me? What would come to my family if set off someone really powerful? We could have to use charms to keep us safe or go into hiding. But what if that didn't work?" The witch spoke, taking her hand and subconsciously touching her abdomen. "What if someone hunted us down and murdered us like Voldemort"- I flinched at the name- "did Lily and James? Malfoy, listen to me not because of my job or my status, but because I know what it's like to stay up until three in the morning pondering this. Yes, you have as much experience with the Dark Arts as we probably do. But is carrying a Malfoy going to save her if they really want her dead?"

I watched her eyes flame with a weak and dark fear that I'd never seen on her face before. I took my other hand and pulled hers free from mine, causing her eyes to widen.

"Granger, your son and husband are still alive. Save the melodramatics when someone does manage to get passed the Golden Trio."

I apparated to the firm, walking towards the file room. Several people saw me pass, stunned that I would dare break a suspension. I opened the door to the room and walked in, reading the alphabetized shelves until I found the Laureen case, marked as closed file. I pulled the box down and shifted through it until I found the book with Gondoliers name on it. I opened it and skimmed through it, suddenly confused. All the pages were bloody blank! A thought hit me for a second and I shivered as I compared this book to Tom Riddle's Diary. I pulled out a ink-filled quill and laid the book on a table, writing in it. 'Who is Asteria Gondolier?'

"Malfoy, what are you doing? I thought you were suspended!" Derrick walked in, his sickly eyes wide. I pulled my wand out and closed the door behind him, locking it. He shifted his hand and I froze him.

"Listen very closely, Forrester. I know you broke into my flat and I know your family's playing games with my child's mother. You are going to tell me everything you know or the next time I think you are even contemplating hurting her, I will make you beg for death. Now, I will remove this charm and you will tell me what is going on."

I flicked my wand and the boy fell to the ground, shaking as he stared at me. I was about to speak when I looked down at the book, looking at some cryptic language. I recognized some symbols but couldn't directly translate it.

"W-what does it say?" Derrick rose, shaking.

I pulled out a stray piece of parchment to work it out. "Why is this case marked closed? All the remains of Laureen are still in here. Did you even read off her bloody will to the beneficiaries?"

"Malfoy, your stirring deep waters. Be cautious what you do." He warned, his voice week.

"Bloody hell, I could get you fired, you prat! What in Merlin's name..." I finished deciphering the symbols and was stunned when I realized a lot of them were Mayan hieroglyphics. 'Asteria Gondolier is the key to the secret.' "Why are you so set on keeping Laureen's possessions contained?"

"I-I can't tell you."

"Malfoy, open up!" Sebastien banged on the door. I heard ten other voices outside as I wrote again. 'What is the secret?'

"Why not?"

"Malfoy, she's far enough long where they won't mess with her until she's had your baby." Derrick assured me as another message came up. 'It walks on land today'. "Just leave it at that for now!"

'It walks...' it made it sound like a person. 'Who is the secret?'

"Malfoy, I swear, open this door! You do not want me to come in by force!"

I looked at Derrick as the third answer came up. He watched as I translated it, almost dropping my quill. 'Astoria Greengrass.' I rose and closed the book, putting it in my pocket. I looked at the boy and spoke, pointing my wand at him. "This book is suppose to go to Astoria by the will. If anyone asks what happened to it, it disappeared. Tell whoever is doing this to stay away. Are we clear?"

The boy nodded, shanking as he moved to let me pass. Sebastien looked at me, his eyes wide with anger.

"Malfoy, what in the hell"- "How's your brother doing, Sebastien?"

Everyone watched, confused. The wizard looked at me, a brow raised. "I'm an only...." He trailed off as realization hit him. My employer looked at me, shaking his head. "Bloody hell..."

"I'll see you next week when my suspensions over. Have a good week."