Authors Note: Hey y'all, just wanted to say thank you so much for all your support! I had not expected so many people to like my story; to be honest I wasn't going to finish it. But I am and can't wait to read everyone's reactions. Well, here is chapter two for everyone!
With his back still turned away from her he drawled out, "Granger, what do you mean 'will you marry me?' I thought it was quite obvious that I was civil to you only because you are my partner." Draco was trying to change her mind. He would say 'yes' if she truly wanted his help, but he would try to dissuade her first.
"Malfoy, you said yourself that it would only have to be temporary. Plus, don't you want to put Astoria in her place? I know that you loathe her immensely."
Draco held his breath and slowly turned around to face Hermione. He tried to keep his cold exterior while he examined her expression. She looked broken and tired. As she held her son's toy in her hand, he realized that he could not allow this woman to be separated from her children. He closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath. "I will do it. I will marry you. But I do have some conditions."
Hermione's eyes lit up. She knew that with Malfoy's help she would keep custody of her son and daughter. She didn't care what his conditions were. She would give him anything he asked, just as long as at the end of this endeavor she would still have custody of her children. "Anything, Malfoy. You are helping me so any way I can help you help me, I will."
Draco just looked at her like she had grown another head for a second then gained his "Malfoy posture" once again. "Well, to begin with, this arrangement will only last as long as I deem fit which will be until it is safe to assume the court will not go against its earlier ruling. Also, we will use any and all evidence we can find against Weasley and Astoria no matter how vile it might seem to you. I guess to make this believable, you and your children should move into one of the family estates with me. And do not worry; it will not be the manor. If I think of anything else to add to this list, there will not be any arguments." Draco hoped that what he was demanding would change Hermione's mind, however her face had not changed in the time he had spoken.
Hermione's mind was in overdrive, but she refused to let Malfoy see it. She was focused on the fact that her childhood enemy turned reluctant partner was now sitting in her living room drawing up terms to a temporary marriage that would hopefully stop both of their old relationship partners from taking her children. A part of her was mighty curious as to Malfoy's reasoning behind helping her. She felt there was something else besides the need to stop Astoria but she hesitated to ask for fear that he would turn her and her family away. She held her tongue and remembered her earlier promise to him- she would do anything to receive his help. So she stayed true to her word and agreed wholeheartedly, with a smile on her face, to his demands. "When do you think we should get married?"
"I believe sooner would be better, don't you?" He was dreading moving her in with him. He was dreading having to deal with her twenty-four seven. He was not happy with himself for this decision but he knew he would be even more upset if he did not help her at all. He knew his need to help her came from his own relationship with his mother. He hoped, though, that during the duration of this relationship Hermione would not ask questions about his family relationships or why he was helping her. In all the years they had been partners, she had not asked about his past. Maybe she would not start now.
Hermione began to make plans in her head for this endeavor she was about to embark on with Malfoy. She watched as he slowly made his way to the chair he had previously occupied. "Well, I believe you should stay for dinner so that you can meet Hugo and Rose. Tomorrow, probably, would be the best day to go see an officiate to get married. We can go after work. Then we should see a lawyer to begin our case against Ronald and Astoria. We might be able to hold that off for a day. I think moving in tomorrow would be a smart idea as well."
The afternoon passed in this manner with the two of them making and discussing plans. She would take his name, of course, to make their marriage seem legitimate. Hermione would wear the Malfoy wedding ring which Draco would receive from his mother tomorrow at lunch in a big public setting. They would be affectionate in front of people and invite people over to their home often to show how great a family they had created. They worked on being civil with one another and created a story of how they had fallen in love. Hermione told Draco everything there was to know about the children and Draco was very confident in his knowledge of them. They had also come to the conclusion that Draco would go out on outings with the children to show that he loved them like his own. There was nothing left out in their afternoon conversation. By the end of the discussion they had come to terms with calling each other by their first name, only for image purposes of course.
The two Aurors had just began to have a lull in their conversation when the floo network could be heard activating. Exclamations of "Mummy" could be heard from both Rose and Hugo as they stepped out of the grate with Ginny Potter in tow. Hermione's eyes lit up at the sight of her children running towards her for a hug. She glanced over at Draco as they wrapped their little arms around her to ascertain his reaction to them. His face was blank, guarded, almost like he was afraid of the two. It was obvious that he was comfortable only in his knowledge of her kids and that he had little knowledge of what to do with them in person. Hermione let go of her children and turned her head to Ginny as they chattered on about their day. The red head seemed oddly calm with Draco's presence in her friend's home, she thought, as she nodded her head and said 'ohs' and 'ahhs' at the appropriate moments in her children's story.
As if Ginny could understand Hermione's thoughts she stated, "Harry explained that something happened today at the office and that Malfoy had brought you home." Turning with a slight sneer on her face to Draco she said, "You can leave now. I will take care of her for the rest of the evening. I'm sure she doesn't want to be in your presence any longer than necessary, ferret."
Hermione saw Draco's eyes become furious and immediately jumped in to intervene. "Children, why don't you go wash up so we can all cook supper together?" The children smiled at their mother, then ran off down the hallway towards their bathroom, laughing and chatting about their day. Hermione smiled slightly after them, then turned back to diffuse the situation between Draco and Ginny. "Actually Ginny, Draco is here because I want him to be. Well, it's more like I need him to be here. Why wouldn't I want the man I love here to comfort me when I'm having a bad day?" With those words, Hermione reached across the chair and grabbed Draco's hand with a sweet smile gracing her lips. Between them, a look was passed that showed how disgusted they were with having to touch each other, but to Ginny it looked as if they were truly in love. Still holding Draco's hand, Hermione turned to look at Ginny.
A bug could have flown into Ginny Potter's mouth at that moment and she never would have noticed. She was in a state of disbelief that her best girlfriend and ex-sister-in-law was sitting there declaring her love to their childhood nemesis. She was at a loss for words as she looked into Hermione's face. She looked happy and in love. What was she to do? "Uh… blimey. What is this about? When did it happen? How did it happen? Have you lost your bloody mind Hermione? Obviously you have because you look happy and obviously I am too because I'm happy that your happy even if it is with him. But honestly, I want answers." Ginny hadn't taken a breath the entire time she has spoken, but that was understandable in this dramatic situation as far as she was concerned.
Hermione was silent for a brief moment then she began to tell Ginny her false love story. "I guess you could say he helped me mend my broken heart after Ronald left me. He had just become such a constant in my life, what with being my partner, that one day when we had a rather difficult mission and I had been so worried about my children that I just broke down. Draco comforted me while I was crying. He was just so sweet and understanding that I couldn't help myself. We kissed and it was like magic, like we were the only people in the world." She turned to look at Draco with a smile lighting her beautiful face. Draco played his part by lifting up their laced fingers and kissing her hand while staring lovingly into her eyes. The thought of 'we are brilliant actors' crossed Hermione's mind before she continued. "The next day he took me out to dinner and have been together ever since."
Ginny looked like she was truly happy for her friend, oddly enough. Ginny thought that if Hermione honestly loved him, then that was enough for her. The hard part was breaking the news to everyone else. They wouldn't be as understanding. "Well, I am thrilled for you, Hermione, even if it is a relationship with him. I just hope you know this is going to be difficult to explain to the others. If he is here taking care of you, there is no reason for me to stay any longer. I won't tell Harry the news. I'll let you open that cage of pixies. I'll be seeing you soon." With those short words and a parting smile, Ginny threw a pinch of floo powder into the fire and was gone.
All that could be heard in Hermione's flat after Ginny's departure was the sound of Rose and Hugo washing up in the bathroom. As the shock of Ginny's leaving wore off, Hermione and Draco quickly let go of the other's hand while they collected their thoughts. The brunette was the first to break the silence by bringing up her thoughts from earlier. "We are brilliant actors if my best friend believes us. I can't believe she was so understanding, not that I'm complaining, mind you."
"Yes, we are quite believable, are we not? However, I might die of all this lovey-dovey stuff before the arrangement is over." Draco sneered for a brief moment until he heard the pitter-patter of Rose and Hugo running down the hall towards the two adults. His face turned paler than usual, if that was possible, as he took a gulp. Hermione had no idea that the only thing that could bring down a Malfoy was children and this new knowledge made her want to laugh.
"It seems that the most challenging part of this arrangement is coming towards us. Prepare yourself, Malfoy."