Draco glanced around as soon as his vision cleared. This time he had apparated straight into the middle of the room, not bothering with going through the door; he had already been to the room before, he didn't need to bother with wasting time using the door.

Beside him, Harry looked around. The stark whiteness of the furniture in the room nearly blinded him and he found himself glad he had left his wife to decorating their home. At least at his house it wasn't so...white.

Without saying a word, Draco walked into the room he had found Hugo's jersey in. He noticed the half eaten tray of food balancing on the edge of a large white wooden table that took up most of the room. Glancing around, he couldn't help but notice there was only one door in the room; the one he had come through. Backing out, he looked around for the rest of the rooms.

Harry stuck his head into the kitchen and found himself almost blinded once more. At least the main room had some purple and gold in it – the kitchen was bright white and illuminated by a charmed window that showed the sun shining brightly through. As if his vision couldn't be any worse he turned around, only to find the fake sunlight reflecting off the smooth surfaces. Quickly, he backed out, shutting the door behind him.

They both glanced around. The rectangular room was furnished simply but lavishly. Furniture, the little there was in the room, did nothing to diminish the size of the room. It was so big the split level and the grand piano on it seems dwarfed by the high ceiling and grand chandelier. If there was one thing Draco knew about his ex, it was that she wouldn't survive anything less than marble floors, silken dresses and golden slippers.

Harry walked slowly through the room, up the stairs to the split level. His hand trailed over the piano as he stepped past it. Finally he found what he was looking for – a set of double doors. Though large, they blended into the wall around them. With a wave of his hand, he let Draco know he had found what they were both looking for – a bedroom.

Done in the same manner as all the other rooms, the bedroom was just over half the size of the main living room. This room, like all the others, held no obvious personal possessions. As they looked around two things became very clear to them. First, Astoria was not there. Secondly, she wasn't returning for a while. The latter became obvious when Harry glanced into the bathroom only to find it void of anything personal, and then the wardrobe revealed only a few garments half falling off their hangers.

"She's not coming back here, is she?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head and held out his arm. "Next place?"

This time Draco took them to the door of a large brick house. It stood three stories tall with ivy growing up the walls and tall tree's scattered around it sending shadows all over the grounds and creating an ominous feeling, almost as if they were being watched.

Harry stood silently as Draco knocked on the door. He figured this would be where Draco did all the talking; after all, he was the Slytherin, not Harry.

A woman with beautiful chestnut curls opened the door, smiling when she laid her eyes on her former housemate before hugging him tightly. Her smile turned to surprise as she took in her fellow Slytherin's companion – none other than the Gryffindor Golden Boy himself. She admitted them in, knowing exactly why they were in her house.

They followed her into the living room and Harry was very relieved to see this house was more like a home. Done in warmer colours the room was much more welcoming and friendly, despite the scary looking exterior. As they took a seat on the dark leather sofas, Harry noticed a girl with her mother's curls peeking out from behind a chair. She looked at him shyly before looking over at Draco.

Draco looked around the room, marvelling at how it hadn't changed in the years since he had first been to the house. Astoria had stayed there at one point so he had been around a lot. After marrying her, they had gone to visit her sister quite a bit, and had even been named godparents to her child. Draco wondered where the girl was just before being attacked by a small fluffy moving meringue.

Almost instantly the meringue moved and a child emerged from the under her fluffy white skirts. Her mother just laughed as she entered the room, a silver tray in her hands. Draco smiled at her. As much as her house hadn't changed, Daphne hadn't changed either. She was still the elegant chestnut beauty she had been in school.

"Draco, what brings you and your companion here?" Daphne began, risking a look over at Harry, who was trying his best not to laugh at Draco and the meringue girl.

Draco didn't know how to put it. We are looking for your useless sister and we believe she stole a kid. Only, it isn't stealing if he started running away first. Okay, we are looking for your sister who we believe to have kidnapped a runaway child...Oh that makes total sense.

"We are looking for your sister, um, Astoria? Do you know where we can find her?" Harry said, noticing Draco hadn't spoken and looked like he was doing a bit of thinking and trying not to laugh at something.

Daphne looked over at Harry, then back at Draco. He had yet to say a word to her, which was unlike him. He was generally very good at voicing his thoughts. His grey eyes looked up to meet hers and she tore her gaze away, looking down at her child sitting in his arms.

"I don't know where Astoria is." She said coolly, not wanting to reveal anything to the men.

"When did you last speak to her?"

Shit! Daphne thought loudly. A harsh laugh turning into a cough made her look up, as if Draco had heard her thoughts. But as far as she knew he wasn't capable of that...

"A while ago, maybe two or three weeks back. She doesn't talk to me very often, and she is rarely ever home." Daphne replied, almost perfectly. Draco frowned at her statement, as did Harry. Her words were perfect, almost too perfect.

"Don't be silly, Mummy!" The girl in Draco's arms laughed.

"Sienna, either be quiet and stay out of the adult conversations or you can go join your sister." Daphne hissed at her daughter.

Draco and Harry exchanged a look, now they were sure she was lying. Draco looked at Sienna, smiling softly.

"What do you mean? Has your mummy been talking to your aunty?" He asked softly, using the tone he only ever used when talking to a child or to someone he liked, a tone that Harry hadn't heard before.

The little girl looked over at her mother, then back at Draco and pressed her lips together.

Draco smiled down at his god child. "Come on, sea-monster, you can tell me."

Again the girl didn't say anything, only looking over at her mother. The glare she received back scared her and she did the only thing she could think of doing. She pushed herself up so she could get close to Draco's ear. A few seconds later she leaned back, looking up at him happily before sliding to the floor and dashing out of the room. Draco looked up, smirking at Daphne.

"Really? She talked to her a few hours ago? And she was yelling?" He looked Daphne straight in the eye. "Something about a child being kidnapped?"

Daphne paled severely.

"Now, where did she take the child?"

Daphne looked between the two men. From Draco to Harry, then back to Draco again.

"Daphne." Draco's voice was cold, low, calculating. She looked at him, startled by the cold emotionless mask.

She shuddered under his gaze. "I don't know where she took the child! I told her to take him to his father, but I don't know if she has done that."

Wordlessly, Draco and Harry looked at each other and nodded. They stood up and without even giving Daphne a second glance they headed out to the door.

Just before they left, Draco felt a small hand tugging on his arm. He knelt down to the eye level of his goddaughter and she threw her arms around him.

"Can I come visit you and Scorpius some time, Uncle Draco?" She said quietly.

He kissed her forehead, "Of course you can."

He then stood, watching as the child dashed away. Turning he noticed Harry staring at him. He didn't say anything as he walked out the door, leaving his stunned acquaintance to follow.

Ginny and her three kids stepped out of the fire into Malfoy's Manor. She had to admit the stone house was gorgeous; who knew Malfoy had such taste? She certainly didn't.

In the main living room, Scorpius looked up as the fire flashed. He looked at Rose beside him and lowered the book they had been looking at. Rose nearly jumped up, excited, and thinking that it was Draco coming back with Hugo. But when her aunt stepped out of the flames with her cousins in tow she sat down, dejected.

Ginny pretended she didn't see the way Rose's face fell when she recognised her. Beside her, the two oldest of her children, James and Albus stood defensively, looking at Rose and then the blond boy. As James, the oldest boy, began glaring at the younger Scorpius, Ginny felt it was time to intervene.

"Hey kids." She said softly, watching Rose carefully.

The young girl pasted a fake smile on her face. "Hello, Aunt Ginny!"

Scorpius shyly added his hello, but didn't say anything else.

Ginny looked down at the boy, trying to remember his name. What was it, it was a constellation...or was it one of those star signs? Like Taurus, or Scorpio...No, Scor...Scorpius?

"I'm sure that Ginny would like to see mum, and maybe we could go outside?" Rose suggested, smiling a little more realistically as her cousins nodded. She looked over at Scorpius, who didn't notice her stare.

"Scor? Scorpius?"

"Oh, umm...How about I show Miss Ginny to Mu..Hermione and then I'll find Cissa?" He suggested, not really wanting to be near these two boys who did nothing but stare at him.

Rose looked at him for a moment, easily able to read her 'brother' and understand that he didn't want to be around her much bigger cousins. Looking over at her cousins, she figured they didn't want him their either.

Ginny indicated for her youngest to let go of her hand and follow her cousin. The little girl shyly took Rose's hand.

Rose sighed as she led the three cousins outside; boys were so complicated.

Scorpius was reluctant to be anywhere alone with Ginny, but in the choice of her or the two boys, it was clearly her. He directed her up the stairs, knowing perfectly well Hermione was still up there. She had gone up after returning with Draco and hadn't left since. Not that he expected her to.

Ginny silently followed the boy, using the chance to examine him. He, for everything it was worth, seemed like a normal child, albeit a little shy. He looked nearly exactly like his father and carried himself with the same graceful manner. She had picked up on his slip of his words, and began wondering if he considered Hermione to be the mother he had never had. As her thoughts drifted, she wondered if Rose was considering Draco her new father, and then finally if Draco and Hermione would get together. The very thought made her laugh, her voice echoing through the air. She couldn't stop her thoughts turning to wondering what any children of Draco and Hermione would look like.

"She is in here ma'am." Scorpius broke the sound of the silence.

Ginny jumped slightly and then attempted to cover it up. "Thank you."

He backed away, leaving Ginny to enter the room on her own.

"Hermione?" Ginny called softly as she walked into the room.

She paused, looking around. The room, was well lit and warm, and Ginny couldn't help but admire it.

In the bay windows, Hermione stared out, her back to the door. Tears had long stopped flowing, and her mind, once over flowing with millions of scenes, had emptied. Leaving behind one picture - her son, dead. As much as she had tried to rid the image, it would not fade. It took over and consumed her mind.

"Hermione? Harry is out with Draco, helping him. I thought I would come and see you."

She heard the voice, but it felt like it was miles away. She wanted to reach out, but she couldn't move. The image in her mind stayed there, taunting her.

"Hermione, it's going to be okay."

She struggled, and then freed herself. Gingerly, she rolled her shoulders, letting the blood flow through properly. Her body ached as if she had been in a body bind for days, though in reality her mind had trapped her, luckily it wasn't for days.

"Hermione?"

She didn't respond, but turned to face the other woman.

"Hermione, Hugo is going to be okay"

"Easy for you to say, your children are fine!" Hermione snapped. A look of hurt flashed across Ginny's face and feeling guilty, Hermione turned back to look out the window. It was her lookout, for she knew that if Draco found anything, he would have to apparate back outside the gates, so from her window she could watch and wait.

Ginny backed away slowly. As much as she loved her best friend and it broke her heart to see her in that state, she figured it was best to leave Hermione alone.

"Gin, I'm sorry. I just...I can't stand not knowing...I don't like not being able to help."

Ginny sat down next to her, putting her arms around her friend. "Mione, it will be alright."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Well...Draco is to you as Harry is to me."

"Uh...A husband? You are aware I am not married to him. I don't even like him." Hermione let out a cautious laugh.

Ginny smuggled a real laugh. If you don't like him then why are you still living in his house? She looked over at her friend. Is that a blush?

"He is your hero. I mean, he saved you and your kids. He bought you back to full health and now he is going out of his way to work with someone he doesn't like a lot just to return your child to you."

Hermione nodded, wondering why Draco was trying to get back her son. He can't like me can he?

"Mione? Have some faith in him. He may have been a jerk, an asshole, a stuck up pureblood..." Hermione cleared her throat, bring Ginny back to her original track. "Ah...anyway, he seems to have changed. We should give him the benefit of the doubt."

I already have faith in him. And in Harry. If anyone will be able to return my child to me, it will be them.

Draco stared at the house in front of him, waiting for a few seconds until Harry appeared beside him. As much as Draco didn't want to have to see Ron again, he had to admit he was curious as to how he was getting along with his new 'afflictions'.

Harry didn't say anything but automatically took the lead as they walked into the house. He cocked his head as he listened for any sounds, but save a low hum coming from the television, the house seemed to be silent.

Beside him, Draco too was listening out for sounds. His wand had slipped into his hand, ready for use should he need it. No doubt he would; Ron would not be happy in the slightest to see him.

"Malfoy." A cold voice came from the shadows, and Ron walked out, wand already in hand.

Draco and Harry were not surprised to see the wand already pointed at Draco's heart. In fact, nothing about Ron surprised Draco. Harry however was shocked to see the cold malicious look in his best friend's eyes. His best friend he couldn't really stand to be around anymore, not after what he had done to Hermione.

"Get out of my house, or I swear to God I will kill you." His monotonous tone and cold eyes bore into Draco's face.

"Ron!" Harry couldn't help but say, slightly scared of the man he saw in front of him. He watched as Ron's eyes ran over him once, as if scanning him quickly before looking away. Then Ron turned to him fully.

"Harry?" He looked back at Draco, sneering. "Oh, so stealing my wife and daughter wasn't enough for you? You have to steal my best friend too? Trying to steal my sister while you are at it?"

"I did not steal anyone." Draco kept his tone even and calm. Unlike Harry, who was starting to look a little pissed off.

"You STOLE them! You took them out of my house to keep prisoner at your house. You better not even THINK about touching my wife!" Ron's eye twitched slightly, but his gaze never wavered.

Draco didn't even waver under the glare. "I did not steal anyone. As it is..." he paused, remembering Hermione had yet to divorce the weasel, so she was still his wife, but not for long, what did that make her? "Hermione and Rose are free to leave at any time, should they so wish to. I do not see them leaving though, they seem fine where they are, happy even."

Ron's face was deepening to the same sickly shade of red as his hair. 'EXPELLIARMUS' Draco's wand flew out of his hand.

"Ron. What are you doing?" Harry found his voice, and instantly began questioning his friend's moves. Sure, neither of them liked Malfoy, but that didn't warrant wanting to kill the guy.

"I'm going to do the world a favour and kill him." The ice coldness of his voice sent a shiver down Harry's spine. In all the years he had known Ron, he had never been so cold and calculating. And never ever this serious.

Draco went to protest but Harry cut him off. "Seriously, put your wand down. I know he is annoying, and, well, an absolute jerk sometimes, but he doesn't deserve to die."

Draco thought about that, was it a compliment that he didn't deserve to die? Or was it an insult?

"But he STOLE my wife and daughter, and is attempting to steal my son!"

"He didn't steal her. You know as well as I do that Hermione is her own person and she will do as she wishes to."

Ron took those words into consideration, but kept his wand aimed steadily.

"Ron."

"Where is Hugo?" Draco asked, changing the topic.

Ron laughed once, harshly. "You lost my son?"

Draco didn't respond, nor did Harry say a word. Both of them that Ron knew where Hugo was.

"Where is he, Ron?" Harry spoke, losing respect for his friend as time went on.

"You can't have him, he is MY son. Just as Mione is MY wife."

Not for much longer. Draco thought.

If she has any sense she won't remain YOUR wife for much longer. Harry muttered in his head.

"Daddy?" A soft voice called.

All eyes shot to look over at the child walking into the room. Hugo rubbed his tired eyes and stared at the adults around him.

"Hugo!" Harry called out. Draco inwardly groaned, not wanting to scare the kid away.

Ron reached out, pulling Hugo toward him by the shoulder of his top. Hugo barely made a sound as his father gripped his shoulder, tight enough to slow the blood flow into the knuckles and make them white.

"Hugo isn't going with you. He has a right to choose where he stays. And that is here with me." Ron commented as smugly as he could. His grip on his son tightened even more as he held on, reassuring his status as the child's father.

"Where would you like to be, Hugo?" Draco asked softly, going down to the boy's level to look him in the eye.

"He is staying with me!" Ron shouted, his wand once more pointing at Draco.

"Hugo?"

He didn't know what to do. He had wanted his father, but when he got what he wanted, he discovered it wasn't what he had wanted after all. He thought his father would be happy to see him, and he would be the centre of attention, finally better than Rose. But he wasn't. He was still HER little brother. Not Hugo. Just the littlest one. A constant reminder that Hermione and Rose weren't there. And Hugo found himself missing his mother. And his sister, but only a tiny bit.

The child looked between his father, his uncle and Draco. He whimpered as the hand on his shoulder cut off blood flow to his arm. He looked up at the man who had fathered him. The man who was less than happy to see him when Astoria shoved him through the door before disappearing. The man who had barely said a word, let alone a happy word to him. The man who was hurting him.

Then over at the other man. The blond, crouched down on the less than clean floor, looking him in the eye. The man who was asking his opinion, as if it mattered. The man who had saved his mother, protected her and Rose. The man his sister wished was their father. The man that was slowly becoming a good thing in their lives, a light shining bright in the darkness. Draco. He didn't drink or hurt Hermione. He didn't hurt them, any of them. He went well out of his way to find Hugo, a child that wasn't his own.

He had a choice to make. His father? Or his mother, sister and the two blonds that already felt like family. Who would he choose?