Thanks so much for liking the first chapter! Fingers crossed, you like the second chapter just as much.

Chapter 2

Despite Pansy's warning, Hermione returned to the market the very next week. Draco Malfoy had never done anything charming, and she was sure he had no intention of starting now. She spotted him near a fruit stand, holding Lilah with one arm while he examined a bushel of apples. He seemed just distracted enough that she could slip by without him noticing her.

But notice her, he did. "Hey Granger," he greeted her. "Finally a friendly face."

Lilah squealed happily at the sight of her as she joined them at the apple cart. "You know, when I told you I came here on Thursdays, I didn't expect you to show up," she told him.

"I didn't know you telling me that banned me from coming," he retorted.

She noticed his struggle to balance the baby and his purchases, and took Lilah from his arm. "I was just trying to make a joke," she explained. "Clearly, humor is not my forte."

Draco sighed. "Sorry, it's been a long day," he replied. "And it's only noon. Bedtime is only seven hours away."

"Hers or yours?" Hermione wondered.

Taking his apples and change, Draco smiled and began to walk away. "Both, most nights," he replied. "She developed an ear infection, so it's been nonstop screaming for three days."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "And I'm sure her searing pain was just a minor interference," she muttered.

"Plus she's teething," he continued. "She bit me the other day. Have you ever been bitten by an eight month old? You'd think it wouldn't hurt, but it does. Oh yes, Granger, it does."

She followed him as they left the market. "Well, she seems alright now," she commented.

He nodded as he led her to the Leaky Cauldron. "She's better now," he confirmed. Opening the door, he let Hermione enter first and choose a table. She sat down with Lilah on her lap. Tiredly, he plopped into the seat across from her. "Are you hungry? Sorry, I didn't think to ask. I'm just so tired."

"Sure, I could eat," she replied. They perused the menu and ordered before an awkward silence pervaded the air. When she could no longer stand the silence, Hermione asked the one question that had been on her mind since their last meeting. "Malfoy, don't you have any help? Nannies or house elves or your parents? Possibly her mother?"

Closing his eyes, Draco shook his head. "I'm sort of...between helpers at the moment," he finally told her.

"So, you've just been going it alone?" she asked. "That must be difficult."

He nodded, but said nothing else as their meals arrived. "I brought it on myself," he admitted without giving any more details. "Now though, I don't know. Help might be necessary. She crawling and getting into everything, and I can't watch her constantly. There's the daycare center at work that takes care of her during the day, but I don't trust them."

Hermione's brown eyes narrowed incredulously. "Aren't you the president of Malfoy Incorporated?" she asked. "Couldn't you just fire them and replace them with a staff you'd feel comfortable with?"

"Yes, Granger, because that's exactly what the president of a company does - human resources," he retorted mirthfully. Hermione grinned and threw a napkin at him. "Besides, it's not like they're bad caregivers. Maybe I'm just being paranoid or overprotective. I don't really trust anyone with her."

She glanced first at Lilah as the little girl made a grab for the carrot on her plate, then at Draco. "I like to think of that as good parenting," she told him. "What if you hired someone? Someone who could stay with her while you're at work. I'm sure with all those children at the center, the adults are a bit overwhelmed."

Draco shrugged. "But how do you know you can trust that person?" he wondered. "People usually sound great in an interview. Doesn't mean they can actually do the job."

Hermione pushed her plate away and cleaned off Lilah's hands. "Why do you trust me?" she wondered. "You seem perfectly content to let me hold her."

"Well, I have known you most of my life," he pointed out. "I know you're smart and caring, and I would hope you wouldn't do anything to hurt my child. I just...I trust you, Granger."

She smiled. "Thanks, Malfoy."

Pulling his coin purse from his pocket, Draco paid for lunch and rose from his seat to take Lilah. "So, can I ask you a question?" he wondered.

"Do I have to answer it?" she asked.

He assured her that if she were truly offended by the question, then it didn't require answering. "I was just curious about your work situation," he said tentatively. "I mean, it's Thursday and you're at the market."

Hermione smirked. "So are you," she pointed out.

"Yes, but I run my company," he replied.

Sighing, Hermione got to her feet and shrugged. "I quit," she said as succinctly as possible. "I was working for the Ministry, but it wasn't what I wanted. So, I quit."

Nodding, he turned and began to leave the pub, sure that Hermione was following him. "What was wrong with Ministry life?" he wondered. "Besides the restrictions and red tape and the fact that they never manage to do anything beneficial."

Hermione walked beside him. "They have terrible coffee in the break room," she replied, eliciting a laugh from Draco. "No, I just thought I'd be able to do more. Honestly, I think they only gave me my job as a publicity stunt."

Draco snorted. "Please, Granger," he said. "You're the smartest person to ever graduate from Hogwarts. I highly doubt they only wanted you because you're Potter's best friend."

"So you admit that some part of them was using me for that," she replied.

They continued to stroll through Diagon Alley, perusing different vendors' carts or entering stores, when Draco stopped outside of the ice cream parlor. Despite her insistence that she shouldn't, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside. She refused his offer to buy her an ice cream, so he ordered for her and paid. He handed Lilah to her and took their orders before leading her to an empty table.

"So, Granger, what's the plan now?" he wondered, watching her as she took small spoonfuls of the mint chocolate chip ice cream. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I mean job-wise."

She shrugged. "I've looked into a few things," she told him. "I thought I might like to be a Healer, but I don't know yet. I've got enough money saved up that it's not imperative that I make the decision right now though."

Draco nodded. "I'm only asking because," he said hesitantly, "I was sort of hoping you might be willing to give me a hand with Lilah."