Get ready for cute Scorpius overload! It's been a couple of chapters since you've seen him last, and not to sound braggy since I wrote it, but I love him in this chapter. Hope you do too!

Chapter 8
"Hey, that's mine!" Scorpius whined as Draco lugged the pieces of his old crib out of storage.

Setting the last piece against the wall near the fireplace, Draco wiped his brow. "It's for Miss Mione," he explained.

"Her too big for it," the little boy pouted, holding onto the crib's bars to prevent his father from taking it away. Laughing softly, Draco ruffled his son's shaggy, blond hair. He'd explained several times that Hermione was going to have a baby, but it seemed Scorpius had yet to fully understand. And so he told him the situation once more. "Is her my sister?" Scorpius asked when Draco finished.

"No, buddy, Hermione's daughter won't be your sister," he responded.

"Can I have a sister?" the little boy's requested, sounding hopeful.

The floo saved him. Not expecting anyone, he entered the living room to find Hermione dusting soot from her pants and sweater. "Hi, sorry, I know you said you'd bring the furniture over in an hour, but I have to go to the Burrow," she said, taking a breath only when she finished.

"Mimi!" Scorpius greeted her, throwing himself at her legs.

"Don't knock her over," Draco warned, kissing Hermione's cheek. "Everything alright?"

Hermione shrugged as she absentmindedly ran her fingers through Scorpius's hair. "I haven't seen them since the divorce," she admitted. "I think Ron's only just told his parents about the baby. What will they think when I show up 18 weeks pregnant?"

"That you have a baby," Scorpius stated obviously. "I can go with you?"

Hermione looked to Draco to handle his son's question, but the wizard gave no response. Instead, he seemed to be allowing her the opportunity to make the decision. She wondered if the family would be a bit more lenient if she brought Draco's son, but thought that too selfish.

"What do you think?" she asked Draco.

He casually shrugged a shoulder. "Well, he wouldn't have been much help to me in setting this stuff up," he replied, pointing to the pieces of crib and changing table near them. "You'd be doing me a favor."

"It's settled then," she stated, feeling slightly uneasy about the prospect of the youngest Malfoy in the Weasley home. They didn't know yet about her friendship with Draco, and she wasn't sure now was the time to tell them.

"Scor, let go of her for a moment," Draco instructed. Once his little arms unwound themselves from Hermione's legs, he pulled her into the hall and out of ear shot. "I get it," he told her.

Hermione furrowed her brow. "Get what?" she wondered, hoping he hadn't noticed her apprehension.

"You've got enough to deal with right now, especially with the Weasleys. Bringing my son along probably won't make matters any easier," he explained. "I didn't think about that beforehand. I thought him being there might soften them up a bit. You don't have to take him."

Shaking her head, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "He can come with me," she decided. "Maybe it won't be so bad. At least one person in that room will still like me."

"You'll be alright," he promised, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Scorpius happily bounded back to her side when they reentered the living room. Draco knelt down so they were almost eye level with one another. "You be good for Miss Mione. Don't chase anything, don't play hide-and-seek, and if anyone makes her cry, I want names."

"Draco," Hermione chastised.

But Scorpius nodded and hugged his father before taking her hand. "My Mimi," he said protectively. "No cry."

Hermione hesitated momentarily, but led Scorpius to the fireplace to floo to the Burrow. Dusting off the little boy, then herself, they moved further into the house. "Molly? Arthur?" she called out.

"Oh, dear, in here," Molly Weasley greeted her, smiling brightly at the young witch. "Oh, and you've brought a friend."

Scorpius held out his small hand to her. "I Scorpius Malfoy," he introduced himself, pleased when the redheaded witch shook his hand.

"Malfoy? Then you must be Draco Malfoy's little one," she replied, receiving a confirming nod from the little blond. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Scorpius. Harry brought James over. He's about your age. Perhaps you'd like to play with him."

Scorpius shook his head, and held tighter to Hermione. "No, stay with my Mimi," he said.

Molly looked at the blushing witch curiously, but said no more as she led them to the sitting room. Arthur Weasley was already seated and smiled brightly at his former daughter-in-law. He rose quickly to greet her before offering her his armchair. "Where's Ron?" she inquired after settling in with Scorpius on her lap.

Picking up a screwdriver from the coffee table, Arthur absentmindedly played with it. "He'll be late," he replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes; Ron was always late. Had it not been for Harry, Ron would have been late to their wedding. The divorce was supposed to have put an end to her waiting for him. Life never seemed to work out quite the way she planned.

"Perhaps we'll be able to speak a bit more freely without him," Molly suggested brightly, taking a seat beside her husband on the worn, old, brown sofa. "Now, tell me, what do you plan to do now?"

"Continue working until I can't anymore," she stated. "Draco Malfoy's been very kind and understanding when we spoke of my condition. He's already agreed to a reasonable maternity leave, as well as giving me the to opportunity to work from home once the baby is born."

"But you're living on your own now?" Arthur asked, concerned for the young witch he would always see as a daughter.

Hermione nodded, which seemed to anger Molly. "Absolutely not," she declared. "I understand your need for independence, but it is downright foolish to think now is the time for it."

"Daddy helps," Scorpius interjected, letting them know he wasn't fond of anyone being cross with Hermione.

The older witch raised an eyebrow as Hermione groaned. "Yes, Draco and I have become...friends," she explained, thinking back to the kiss they shared not long ago. It wouldn't do to allow anyone else to know how she really felt about him.

"Ron won't like this," Molly cautioned.

The fireplace roared to life as she finished speaking. "What won't I like?" Ron asked.