Disclaimer: I haven't gotten any royalties from Scholastic…so no, I'm not JKR.

Chapter 10: Arrangements

A/N: uwaaahhhh I'm sorry for not updating :( See my explanation at the bottom... :P

Yea, so this is hot of the press, and that's sort of how most of my chappies go since I want to get it to you guys ASAP ^^ (Sorry in advance for any issues!)

Please show an author some love and review please! :D 3 I'd love to know what you're thinking! ^^

And to everyone that has reviewed already: Thank you! I really appreciate it ^^ 3

And without further ado, Chapter 10!

The next few weeks passed without event. Draco had agreed to allow Hermione to gain partial custody over Scorpius, seeing as how they loved each other dearly. Scorpius was shuffled between Draco and Hermione's flats every week, but the other often visited whoever had Scorpius. They almost seemed like a real family, with bickers of course, but love nonetheless. One Thursday evening, Draco came back beaming. As Hermione placed the pasta and grilled chicken on the table, and Scorpius set the table for three, Draco poured them drinks, and couldn't stop whistling while doing so. Hermione shot him a weird look.

"Someone's happy today," she remarked.

"I've got good news," he said simply, not wanting to reveal more just yet.

"I figured," she said with a laugh.

When they sat down for dinner, Draco clapped his hands. "I've got news…" he said with a smile. Scorpius looked up, still chewing the chicken.

"Yes, Draco? Care to share?" teased Hermione.

"Well, today at work, I had a meeting with Potter and the Minister…" he trailed off, purposefully irking Hermione.

"And…?" asked Hermione, growing impatient. Draco merely chuckled. "Just spit it out already!"

"Alright, alright!" he said, putting up his hands in mock-surrender. "I got a promotion today!"

"Oh wow Draco! That's great!" she said excitedly. She moved around the table to give Draco a hug, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"This calls for a celebration!" she said happily, going to get a bottle of wine. Draco's heart raced at the thought of her pressing herself against him. He fought to control himself, not wanted to embarrass himself. As Hermione came back with a bottle of red wine and 2 wine glasses, she noticed Draco seemed a bit…flushed? She thought nothing of it and uncorked the bottle and poured it out.

"Cheers!" she said, pecking Draco on the cheek before raising her glass, Draco mimicking her actions. Scorpius merely looked on amusedly, calmly eating his pasta.

As weeks progressed, Draco and Hermione grew more comfortable with each other. Draco thought Hermione became more and more beautiful each time he saw her—especially when she was caring for Scorpius. Hermione thought Draco was less of an incorrigible git and more of a witty best friend.

'Though a very attractive one, at that', she thought while spacing out at work. She chastised herself again. 'No! You mustn't think that way! He's your friend and you don't want to jeopardize your relationship with him for a romantic whim. It'd just make things awkward for you and him, not to mention Scorpius!' Hermione smiled at the thought of her little boy, her angel. Although she no longer called him Angelo, he'd still always be her angel in her heart. But another niggling voice in the back of her mind said, 'Well, I daresay he might fancy you too. He was checking you out that day. Remember? When he made a remark about how you and Scorpius almost matched? You remember, the sky blue v-neck pull and khaki shorts? Any man with hormones not getting shagged will develop feelings, or at least lust for a woman he's always seeing…'

At this, Hermione's other side rolled her eyes. 'Oh of course. How would you know he's not getting it on with other women? He could've shagged a dozen women in the time he's known Hermione!'

The little horny devil smirked in a way remarkably alike to Draco's. 'He spends too much time with you and Scorpius to be screwing others.'

Silence.

The devil merely crossed his arms and smirked smugly. Hermione was mentally gaping. She finally silenced both voices, and returned to cracking the case.

Draco sat at his desk, filling out paperwork mindlessly. Sign here, sign there….his mind drifted off to Hermione. She looked so damn adorable yesterday when she'd dropped off Scorpius. They were matching and everything! And that ass… still perfect! As much as he hated to admit it, Granger looked good. Sure Astoria looked nice, but she wasn't all that curvy to start out with. After he and Astoria had Scorpius, they tried to have another child, but failed over and over again. Needless to say, both Narcissa and Astoria (and secretly Draco and Lucius too) were disappointed when they found that they wouldn't have a little girl to spoil and cuddle. Draco suspected there was some pureblood curse that prevented them from having more than one child. Perhaps…with Hermione, things might be different, he though. Whoa, whoa! Getting ahead of yourself there! He was brought out of his thoughts by a sharp rap at the door.

"Mr. Malfoy?" It was his assistant, Michael Thompson.

"Yes?" The doorknob turned.

"It's 3 now, just thought I'd let you know," he said, poking his head in. Draco had started alternating pick up dates with Hermione, instead of having Hermione do all the work or hiring a nanny, as Draco wanted to spend more time with Scorpius. "If you're done with the paperwork, I'll fill out the rest."

"Yes, here," Draco passed Michael the stack of files. "Thanks, Mike," he said, patting him on the back before Michael walked out. Draco turned around and picked up his briefcase and left.

When he picked up Scorpius, Draco suddenly had a brilliant idea. "Scorpius, how would you like to play with Antonia?"

"I really, really want to!"

Draco chuckled at Scorpius' enthusiasm.

"Alright. Lemme floo Blaise while you get ready."

"OK!" Scorpius rushed to his room to put on some of the clothes "Miss 'Mione" had brought him—they were so cozy!

After a quick chat with Blaise, Draco checked in on Scorpius. He smiled at Scorpius pulling on the jeans Hermione got him. Draco and Scorpius then quickly floo'ed over.

Draco had intended on dropping off Scorpius and returning, but ended up chatting for 2 hours, as he had been spending much of his time with Hermione, which, once he explained to Blaise (after all, if he couldn't trust Blaise, who could he trust?) , Blaise understood fully.

"Good luck mate," said Blaise. "You'll need it for sure."

"Are you doubting my abilities?" asked Draco.

"No, but Hermione…" Blaise left it hanging there.

"What?" asked Draco testily.

"Well, she's a real fireball. Hard to handle."

"I'm sure I can," Draco said a bit haughtily.

Blaise laughed heartily at his cockiness. "I'm sure you can. After all, I always thought those arguments were from repressed sexual tension," suggested Blaise with a saucy wink.

Draco rolled his eyes.

Then, Antonia ran into the room, trailed by Scorpius. "Daddy, can Scorpius sleep over?" she asked, with her big brown eyes looking up hopefully at Blaise. "Mummy said she's OK with it."

"Well, if your mum is alright with it, I don't have a problem, but why don't you ask Uncle Draco."

Antonia turned to Draco. "Please, Uncle Drake? You're my favoritest uncle!" She said with a big smile.

Scorpius piped up behind her. "Please Daddy?"

Draco loved his goddaughter and son dearly, and of course conceded. "Fine. But no late night snacks, and you have to be in bed by 9. OK?"

"Alright…" they said half-heartedly. As they skipped away, Draco heard murmured snippets of conversation.

"…sneak….wake up…ask Blaise?...hehe…"

Draco turned to Blaise. "No, don't be swayed by their persuasion! You can't let them eat that sort of food that late at night…"

"Alright, alright."

"I'll just floo Scorpius' stuff over."

"Sure. Don't worry about dropping Scorpius off at school; Maria'll do it."

"Thanks mate. See you later." Draco floo'ed home and quickly packed Scorpius' bag and sent it over, before collapsing on his bed and falling asleep.

Meanwhile, Hermione had just gotten home from work. She noticed that Scorpius had left his favorite stuffed dragon on the couch. Deciding to drop it off, she took the quick walk to Draco's apartment, and let herself in. Not finding either Draco or Scorpius downstairs, she walked upstairs, intent on leaving the toy on Scorpius' bed when she heard some noises from the master bedroom. Hermione's first reaction was, 'ohmigod! Draco must be injured!,' and shoved open the door, only to find a fast-asleep Draco, tangled in the sheets. She couldn't help but notice his toned chest peeking out from the blankets. She tore her eyes away and made move to back out when "Hermione" issued from Draco's lips. Hermione's eyes opened wide in shock and disbelief, and she ran down the stairs, forgetting her original intent of dropping off Scorpius toy.

Hermione's feet slapped against the paved walkway, it's beat matching the pounding rhythm of her heart. Her cheeks were flushed from both the running and the mortification! She ran up the stairs to her apartment, avoiding the elevator, which was flooded with people heading home from work. She ran up the flights of stairs before slamming the door to her apartment shut and slumping to the floor, her heart and mind racing.

A/N: And there you have it! Chapter 10! I'm really really really sorry about not updating *cries* forgive me?

Turns out that summer camp (aka summer classes) had a sh*tload of homework… I literally had no time whatsoever to write anything of Runaway! :( Ugh. I promise I'll try to write AMAP (as much as possible haha) since school starts in 2 wks :/ ew. Yea, and I still have summer homework…. T_T

Good news: Part of chapter 11 is typed up! (Wrote it while on vacation)

Bad news: I'm in a bit of writers block right now….

I'm forever in a neverending pile of work. Reviews would make my day~ 3

Please review? With ice cream and sprinkles and free hugs? :D

xx, midnight rose