Just out of curiosity, how old do you guys think I am?

DPOV

Since I hated working in my fathers business I had gotten a job on a Quidditch team, so I'm actually the seeker for the Falmouth Falcons, just like I'd always wanted. Their playing style fit me perfectly. I mean hell, the teams motto was, "Let us win, but if we cannot win, let us break a few heads."

But lately it seemed like playing Quidditch wasn't for me anymore. I felt myself zoning out during practices, and barely focusing during games. It's not that I wasn't happy exactly...it was more like I felt that I could do something better with my life. More productive.

The only good thing about playing for the Falmouth Falcons was the fact that I could take my anger out on other teams.

Hey, I said I was trying to change. I'm not all the way there yet.

Anyway, we always have a shit ton of people who get disqualified every game because we play so... aggressively, so nobody really cares too much if I just so happen to slam into the other teams seeker a little harder than necessary.

But aside from that, there isn't really an appeal to playing Quidditch anymore. I just want a stable job that I can keep, because after a few more years I'm not going to be able to play Quidditch anymore anyway, so it'd be best if I could find a better job.

I'm still not sure if it has anything to do with Rose and Hermione, because I do want to be able to provide for them, or if it's because I really don't want to play Quidditch anymore.

Either way I know that I need to talk to somebody about it, and considering Blaise had let me move in with him, he seemed like the perfect person to go talk to about it.

~OoOoOoOoO~

"Blaise, I think I want to quit my job."

Blaise looked up at me from his newspaper and raised an eyebrow, "Come again?"

"Being on a Quidditch team just isn't as great as I thought it would be." I said with a shrug.

"Well it's not exactly a cake walk working with your precious Granger." he said, setting down the paper.

"You know I'd rather work with her."

"Are you ever going to tell me what really happened between the two of you?"

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. He was my best friend, true. But I didn't want to have to admit to him how much of a fuck up I was.

"Probably not." I answered simply.

He sighed, but didn't push the subject. "Well where do you want to work?"

"In a business I guess. I mean anything that doesn't involve me getting rammed into by a bunch of men from sixty feet in the air on a broom would be good."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Hermione would it?" asked Blaise, that damn eyebrow raised in my direction again.

"No, maybe...I don't know Blaise. I just want to do the right thing."

"Good for you. Took you bloody long enough." he said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now tell me what I should do."

"You should do what you think is going to make you happy. I mean I get wanting to have a stable job, especially given the situation," I was about to protest but he held up his hand and continued talking, "So it wouldn't be a bad idea to go and see what kind of jobs are out there that you could find an interest in doing."

I took a deep breath and dragged my hand over my face. "Alright, do you think Buxom and Brant Industries would hire me? I mean I worked with my father in his business for the last five years."

Blaise seemed to think about it, "I mean I could ask Granger if they have any openings, and if they do I'll let you know. But I think that you should talk to her about it, because from what I can tell she's incredibly pissed at you."

I let out a frustrated sigh, "I'm aware, Blaise. Thanks."

He held up his hands and said, "Look, I'm just saying, maybe she isn't going to want to work with you. It looks like she has a hard enough time just being around you."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that too."

"So what are you going to do?" he asked, standing up to go pour himself a glass of Fire Whiskey.

"I have no bloody idea."

HPOV

"Do you have the case file for the Jonsons?"

I was running behind in some of my cases and I needed to catch up, and quickly.

Blaise was currently trailing behind me, searching through the files that he was carrying.

"Yep, here it is." he said, handing me the file.

I really wasn't focused on my job, and I hated that because I was a perfectionist to the highest degree, but I just wasn't passionate about being a lawyer.

I wanted more than anything to open my own bakery, because I loved baking and creating edible masterpieces. It was just always fun.

Being here behind a desk all day, barely having vacation time, and just being bored all the time was not what I wanted day in and day out of my life.

I needed to get out of here before I completely lost my mind.

"Blaise, do you like your job?"

"Of course Ms. Granger."

"Just call me Granger, it's too weird hearing you call me miss." I said, before continuing with my main point. "Are you really though? Because sometimes I feel like this place makes me want to bang my head against the wall."

"I mean it isn't exactly the most exiting job in the world, but hey, it's something right?"

"I guess so."

"Can I ask you something Granger?" he asked as we walked into my office.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Do you know if there are any opening positions here?"

I sat down and motioned for him to take the seat across from me. "I think so, I would have to talk to Kyle to be sure. Why?"

Blaise looked around the room and actually startd fidgeting with his tie, "Well...um...Draco doesn't really want to keep playing for the Falmouth Falcons anymore, and he was hoping that-"

"Have you lost your mind?" I asked, interrupting him mid-sentence.

"I just thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. I mean he's trying to change Hermione."

I paused for two reasons, one was that he'd actually called me Hermione for once instead of Granger, and two was the fact that Draco had told Blaise about trying to change, because I knew that he hadn't told him about us.

Not that Blaise wasn't smart enough to figure it out on his own. Ever since that day at the cafe he'd been asking me about Rose and the "fling" I'd had that resulted in her.

"Zabini, don't ask me to do this."

"Look, this is a big firm. What if I go talk to Kyle about hiring Draco just so long as he gets put in a totally different area?"

I shook my head, still unsure. It was one thing to see him outside of work, but in work too? I didn't know if I could handle that.

"At least think about it?" he tried again.

"Why are you even asking me? You could have just gone straight to Kyle."

He shrugged, "You're my boss. I wanted to make sure you were okay with it."

"Well I'm not okay with it, but it's not my decision on who gets hired and who doesn't." I picked up the case file I had just been looking at and said, "Can you go down to the fax machine? Mrs. Briggs said she was going to fax over the other files from the Jonson case."

He sighed, but stood up and headed for the door, "Whatever it is that happened between the two of you, I hope you give him a second chance, at least to get to know his daughter."

Before I could respond he was gone, and I was left slightly shocked. I mean I was pretty sure Blaise had known Rose was Draco's child, but hearing him say it out loud, that was a totally different story.

~OoOoOoOoOoO~

"Alright, the dessert's ready!"

I had just finished making enough dessert to feed a small army, because that's exactly what was waiting for me in the dining room of the Burrow.

Ron and Lavender sat together with Ginny, Harry, and their three kids James, Albus, and Lily on one end of the table, Molly and Arthur stood against the wall watching their children and George, his wife Angelina and their two children Roxanne and Fred sat together on the other end of the table with Rose.

It was completely packed, and the Burrow was filled with laughter and plates and silverware clanking together. It was just how I loved having it. This was what made my day better.

I never had a big family, but whenever Rose and I came to the Burrow it was like a giant family reunion because everyone would show up, even Percy would show up at some point, just to try whatever dessert I'd made that time.

"Ohh it all looks so good Mione." said Ron, his mouth already watering.

"Yeah, well how about you let other people try some before you go inhaling it all." I said with a laugh.

He rolled his eyes but laughed as well. Everyone knew that Ron liked my desserts better than anyone and always asked for seconds and thirds of everything I'd made, and I always made a lot.

Today I'd decided on chocolate turtle cake, strawberry swirl cheesecake, apple pie, peach cobbler, and chocolate carmel dipped strawberries.

I took my spot next to Rose and Molly and Arthur sat by James and Lilly, everyone digging into the desserts.

"So tell me again why you haven't opened your own bakery yet Mione?" asked Harry, leaning back from his plate looking completely stuffed.

I shrugged, "I don't have the money yet. That's why I'm working at Buxom and Brant, they pay well and it's the easiest way to get the money together."

"Well when you do open your bakery, which you will," said George with a smile, "I'm sure you'll be baking until you're blue in the face. Nobody's going to be able to resist the sweet temptation of your baked goods."

We all laughed and I rolled my eyes. "It seems I already have my most loyal customer."

Ron looked up and winked, "Damn straight."

After we'd cleaned the kitchen we were all gathered around in the living room, the kids sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, and the adults lounging on couches, chairs, and the laps of others.

As the night wore on it became more and more obvious to me that I didn't really belong there after around 9, because that's when all the couples seemed to act even more...couple-y.

"Well it's getting late. I think we're going to head home." I said, picking up a barely concious Rose.

Everyone said their goodbyes and I left with the promise of returning next month.

When Rose and I got home I put her to bed and went back into the kitchen and opened a bottle of wine. It had been a long day, and regardless of how much I loved being around the Burrow, it sometimes left me feeling like the odd one out.

I sat down on the couch and must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I heard someone coming through the floo.

I sat up and glanced at the half empty wine bottle on the table before looking over at the fireplace. After a few seconds I saw none other than Draco step into my living room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, standing up.

But I lost my balance, still a little tipsy from the wine, and would have fallen had it not been for Draco's fast reflexes.

For a moment I didn't move, too caught up in the way his arms felt around me, but I quickly got my judgement back and stepped away from him.

I took a good look at him, and realized he looked awful. His hair was disheveled, there was a cut above his right eyebrow, and his white shirt was cut up and stained with blood.

"Oh my god, what happened to you?" I asked, completely shocked.

"I...it was..."

I just shook my head and ran into the bathroom, grabbing the first aid kit.

"Sit," I instructed, kneeling in front of him on the couch.

I cleaned up the small cut on his face and wiped away the blood and then looked at his shirt. I wouldn't know how bad it was until I got it off and cleaned away the dried blood.

"Take your shirt off."

At that Draco cracked a smile, "Trying to get me undressed already?"

"You're lucky I don't kick you out on your arse."

He didn't say anything else, but the smirk stayed on his face as he removed his shirt.

I was at first taken aback by how...in shape he still was. I guess Quidditch did that for people. I quickly shook my head and made myself focus on the task at hand, and that was cleaning up the blood.

I took a wet washcloth and wiped over the taught muscles of his abdomen, trying not the let it show that my hands were shaking.

After I'd gotten the blood cleaned, the wound wasn't too bad. I grabbed my wand and healed it quickly, and then stood up.

"Are you going to tell me what happened? Why you came to me?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more, if that was possible. "I went back to the Manor to get my wand. I forgot that I had left it there."

I raised an eyebrow. I didn't see how that had anything to do with why he looked like he'd been attacked.

"My father caught me and...let's just say he wasn't too happy to see me." he said with a forced smile.

"Lucius did this to you?" I asked, appauled that anyone could do something like that do their only child.

He shrugged, "No big deal."

I shook my head and sat down across from him, "So why'd you come here?"

"I didn't know where else to go."

"St. Mungo's would have been a good idea. Do you know what time it is?" I snapped.

"I'm sorry. I just...I didn't want anyone to find out. I already have enough shit with the papers reporting about the divorce-"

"What makes you think I give a damn about you or your problems?"

"Because you haven't kicked me out yet. You actually helped me." he said, his gray eyes holding mine.

I let out a sigh and dropped my head into my hands. I didn't want to deal with this. Any of this.

"You should go."

When he spoke his voice was closer, right in front of me. "I don't want to leave, Hermione. I don't ever want to leave you."

I laughed and looked up, his face inches from mine, "You mean you don't want to leave me again."

"You're the one who left me."

"Because you were engaged!" I shouted. "You could not possibly expect that I would just stay and be your mistress."

"Hermione I loved you! I would have done anything for you." he said, standing up.

I stood up too, "Anything except stand up to your father right? Because you loved me, you just didn't love me enough."

"I stood up to him now. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"You are five years too late with that one Draco." I said running a hand through my hair and forcing myself not to start crying.

"Hermione please, don't say that." he said, his eyes glassy.

"Well what would you like me to say Draco? Please for the love of Merlin, tell me what you want from me."

"I want you to realize that I love you, and I want to get to know you and Rose."

I opened and closed my mouth, unable to figure out what I wanted to say. Of course I wanted him to know his daughter, but I didn't want him in my life.

"Every time I look at you it's like I can't breathe. It's like no matter what I tell myself I can't get over you and I hate it. I hate that you left me for someone else and I still, still can't get over you. I am worth more than that Draco. I deserve-"

"You deserve better than me. I know that Hermione, I fucking know that. But I'm selfish and I don't want to let you go again, because that was the biggest mistake of my life." he said quietly.

I shook my head, "You chose her. You chose her. I shouldn't have to be someone's second choice."

"You were never my second choice Hermione. You were my only choice. You were always my only choice. I loved you then and I was too big of a coward to tell you, and I loved you through my sham of a marriage and was too big of a coward then too, but I'm not a coward now, Hermione. I'm not the same idiot that you walked away from five years ago. I love you. Please let me prove it to you." he pleaded.

I looked away from him and felt a tear roll down my cheek. "I don't know if I can."

He stepped forward and I felt his breath on my cheek as he wiped away the tear. "Please,"

I closed my eyes. He had broken my heart, how was I supposed to believe that he wouldn't do it again?

"I can't let you break my heart again Draco. I just can't."

"I will never do that to you again. I hate that I did it at all." he said, forcing me to look at him. "I hate that I missed out on five years that I could have spent with you and our beautiful daughter."

I was about to tell him to get out when I saw one tear roll down his cheek, and my breath caught in my throat. He had never shed tears for anything or anyone, yet here he was, plain as day in front of me, laying it all out on the table.

I took a deep breath and sat down on the couch he had previously been sitting on, and he took a seat as well.

"Why aren't you with Blaise?"

"He's out of town and I don't have a key. He has his place guarded so I can't get in through the floo either." he said with a shrug.

"You can sleep on the couch, but you have to be gone before Rose wakes up." I said standing up and walking to the closet to grab a pillow and blanket.

"You don't have to-"

"I'm trying to be nice. Don't ruin it." I said, tossing the blanket and pillow at his head.

He chuckled and looked up at me, "Thank you."

I just nodded and turned to walk into my bedroom, but he called out to me.

"Are you going to tell Rose?"

I paused and took a deep breath. "No,"

"No?"

"No," I said again, looking at him, "We are going to tell her."

He smiled and I walked into my bedroom, closing the door behind me.

I hated to admit it, but I hadn't slept as well as I did that night, in a very long time, and I couldn't help but think it had a lot to do with the fact that Draco was sleeping here too.

There's an old saying, "The heart wants what the heart wants." But sometimes I wonder if maybe the heart is just stupid and should just listen to the brain.

Because sometimes love isn't enough, and you need to go with logic. Like this situation, this would require logic, and not 'heart'.

I needed to force myself to remember exactly why I couldn't let Draco back into my heart, because regardless of how much I loved him, I had to protect myself. I couldn't go back to the place where I was the first time he'd left me. I was destroyed.

And I couldn't do that again, because I had a daughter to take care of this time.

No...I had to be smart. I had to make sure that I never forgot why I left him in the first place. I had to make sure that I kept my distance, even if he was getting to know Rose, that didn't mean he had to get to know me.

He had already broken my heart once, I wasn't going to let him do it again. I couldn't survive it.