AN: I don't own Harry Potter.

Thanks so much for the reviews, for following, or for adding to your favorites list. I say this a lot, but I really am glad so many of you are enjoying this.

I meant to have this updated last week, but I started taking a new medication, and it makes me extremely tired and sluggish, so I've not had the energy to write much lately.

So, once again, this is mostly filler. We do, however, witness an event in Nicholas' life that, although I have no experience with, I've been told is a big deal. We also have a bit of a time jump here...just fyi.

Alrighty. Go! Read and enjoy!

"Ah, Mrs. Snape! Good morning." David, Lucius' secretary, greeted happily, catching sight of Hermione and Nicholas entering the joint offices.

"Good morning, David." Hermione smiled, switching Nicholas to her other hip. At four months old, Nicholas was a healthy baby, and got heavy after a while. "Is Lucius available, by chance?" she asked.

David nodded, reaching out and tickling Nicholas' chin. "He is free as a bird until this afternoon." he said absently. "Oh, gosh. I can't believe how big he's gotten. Merlin, Mrs. Snape, I swear he's just the cutest baby ever." he cooed.

"He is, isn't he? And he looks just like Severus, which adds to the charm, in my opinion." Hermione said, smiling down at her son. "So, it's okay if I go in?" she asked, nodding toward Lucius' door.

"Oh! I'm sorry, yes. Go right ahead." David said, pressing the button to buzz her in.

"Thanks, David." she said, pulling on the big wooden door and stepping inside.

After three months, she still loved visiting Lucius' office. One of the first decisions Arthur and Lucius had made together was that Arthur should take the customary Minister's office, while Lucius set up in what used to be the Muggle Liasion's office. Set right next to each other, the two offices were separated by a wall, but had a connecting door, enabling them to work together separately, which really was for the best.

True to form, Lucius had set redecorating the office as one of his priorities. Lucius had turned his nose up at the previous décor, which was very simple. A desk, a chair, and a couple of filing cabinets, four white walls, a hardwood floor that had certainly seen better days, and a white tiled ceiling. Now, however, it looked more like his study at home than an actual office.

He and Helena had worked, along with Mitzy, to completely transform the room into something he approved of. Gone were the white walls, being replaced by a deep, deep brown. The hardwood floors got replaced with shiny black tile. Mitzy had added a raised platform that held his desk, a black plush office chair, two black chairs in front of his desk, and several tall filing cabinets behind his desk against the wall. He had also added three black sofas off to the side of his desk, each as plush as his chair. The old hardwood floors had gotten refurnished, and now held a fantastic shine, only covered in select places by the finest rugs. The tiled ceiling had been the last to go, being replaced by light brown paint, complete with a crystal chandelier in the center. Lucius had even added a tropical fish aquarium, which stood between two of his filing cabinets. After all, only the best for Lucius Malfoy.

"Look, Nicholas, it's Poppy." Hermione said, spotting her stepfather lying on one of his sofas, partaking in a catnap. "Should we wake him? I think we should." she cooed, seeing her son smiling. Standing beside the sofa, Hermione held Nicholas out over Lucius' face. "Wake him up, sweetie." she said, chuckling silently when Nicholas reached a tiny fist out and grabbed onto Lucius' nose. As he squeezed it, Lucius' grey eyes popped open in alarm for a moment before he relaxed, laying eyes on Nicholas.

"Ah...my favorite alarm clock is here." Lucius smiled, reaching out for his grandson. Sitting up with a groan, he balanced Nicholas on his lap, facing him. "What brings you two by?" he asked, glancing up at Hermione. "Not that I don't enjoy your visits, mind." he added quickly.

Hermione laughed, setting her bag and Nicholas' bag down on one of the sofas before taking a seat at the opposite end. "Well, Severus and Neville are busy in the greenhouse this afternoon, so Nicholas and I thought we'd come see you and get started on mum's birthday party." she said.

"Of course." Lucius nodded. "I had an idea, and would like to run it by you." he said, wincing when Nicholas' fist found his hair, giving it a hard yank. "Let go, sprite." he said, smiling as he looked down at Nicholas, who just laughed in response.

"Oh." Hermione gasped, tears springing to her eyes as she chuckled. "Nicholas just laughed." she said in awe. She had just heard her son laugh for the first time, and it was a beautiful thing to witness.

"That he did." Lucius chuckled, holding Nicholas up so he was standing on his knees.

"Severus is going to be disappointed he wasn't here for that." she said, standing and lifting Nicholas into her arms, planting a kiss on his forehead. "Oh, my big boy." she cooed, hugging Nicholas to her and swaying side to side.

"I must admit, he's more advanced than Draco at that age." Lucius said, smiling proudly at his grandson. "Draco didn't laugh for the first time until he was...oh, probably almost a year old, maybe older."

"Really?" Hermione asked in surprise. Draco had always bragged that he was quite advanced as a baby, and often said he began laughing when he was two months old, not a year old.

Lucius nodded. "Oh yes." he said thoughtfully. "Narcissa took him to St. Mungo's once, concerned he wasn't laughing at the normal age most children do, but the healer told her not to worry, and that Draco would laugh when he wanted to." he said, smirking. "Turns out, the healer was right. Not long after my father, Abraxas, gifted us with Dobby did Draco start laughing." he said wistfully.

Hermione knew where Lucius' mind had gone, and smiled sadly at him. "If it helps, Minerva tells me that Dobby is doing great at Hogwarts." she said, handing Nicholas back and sitting back down on the opposite sofa.

"I don't doubt it, love." he said softly. "He was a good elf, and didn't deserve my wretchedness toward him. I'm just glad he's found somewhere nice, like Hogwarts." he said, smiling at Nicholas.

"So...what was your idea for mum's birthday?" Hermione asked, getting back to the reason for her visit.

"Ah, yes." he nodded. Grabbing his wand from the table beside him, he waved it, summoning the playpen he kept in his office, and set Nicholas down inside. "There you go, sprite. I need to talk to your mummy for a moment without a certain adorable someone distracting us." he said, tapping Nicholas on the nose. "If you'll step over to my desk, you should find a blue brochure on the top."

Hermione did as he said, and grabbed a big blue brochure off his desk. "Oh my god!" she said excitedly. "You're taking her to Bora Bora? Oh, Lucius, she'll love that!" she exclaimed, opening the brochure.

"The trip is all booked. We leave at eight on Friday morning, and we'll be gone for ten days. I took the liberty of booking us a private bungalow right on the water. I've also scheduled massages, and a spa day for Helena, as well as a boat tour."

"Lucius, I tell you, she's going to love this." Hermione said, smiling at him, still holding the brochure. "Mum's wanted to go to Bora Bora for the longest time, you know. I mean, she used to talk about going when I was younger, but she and Dad never got around to it."

"I know, which is why I'm taking her now." he agreed sadly.

What Hermione didn't know was that Helena had a list of things she wanted to do with Hermione's father, but never got around to. She had asked for Lucius' help to finish said list, and he was starting with the trip to Bora Bora. Ironically, Lucius also had a list of things he had planned to do with Narcissa that Helena was going to help finish, with a holiday in Bora Bora also being on the list.

"I also thought we could have a big family dinner with us, Draco and Ginny, and the Weasley's either before we leave or after we return." he said, clearing his throat and shaking his head.

"Well, I think we should have a small dinner before you leave, and have the big get together after you come back." she said, absently flipping through the brochure. "You know, just you two, Severus, Nicholas and myself, and Gin and Draco."

"How about on Thursday night?" he asked. "If you five can coordinate it, you can all arrive around six." he said, shrugging.

"I'll talk to Gin about it." Hermione nodded. As the clock on the wall chimed, Hermione glanced up at it. "Well, I better get going. I promised Molly we'd stop over this afternoon. She's got some surprise for me." she said, setting the brochure down on the desk and moving to get Nicholas out of the playpen where he'd been having a conversation with the stuffed dragon that was kept in there.

"Alright, love." Lucius said. Picking up the bags, he slid them onto Hermione's arm, leaning down to kiss her cheek as he did. "Have fun." he chuckled, knowing Molly tended to go overboard on surprises. "Poppy will see you on Thursday, sprite." he said, once again tapping Nicholas on the nose.

"Say bye-bye, Poppy." Hermione said, raising one of Nicholas' hands to wave. Laughing, she walked toward the door. "I'll owl you about Thursday." she said, waving at Lucius once more before shutting the door behind her.

Review please.

Til next time!

XOXO - Onyx Obsidian