HPOV

When I woke up the next morning the couch was empty, save for a folded blanket with the pillow on top and a piece of parchment.

I walked over and read it;

Hermione,

Thank you for letting me stay here for the night. I know that wasn't easy for you, and I know that you don't trust me. I don't blame you. But I really hope that maybe I can earn that trust back.

Love Always,

Draco

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. What was I supposed to do about him? Abandoning the thought all together I walked into the kitchen and made pancakes for breakfast.

An hour later Rose woke up and ate with me.

"So mummy, why does Draco look like me?"

I looked up at her and tried to decide what I should say. I didn't want to lie to her, but I also didn't want to tell her without him here.

"How about you get dressed and I'll clean up here and then I'll explain it to you?"

She nodded and scurried off into her room.

I quickly grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled a quick note telling him to get here as soon as possible and then I went in to clean up the kitchen.

Ten minutes later Draco stepped through the fireplace and walked over to me.

"What happened?"

"Rosie asked me why you looked so much like her and I told her I'd explain it after she got dressed. I figured this would be a good a time as any to tell her." I said, not looking up at him.

Maybe if I could avoid eye contact I could keep myself from getting sucked into the comfort of his sparkling gray eyes.

"Oh...alright. I'll go wait on the couch."

A few minutes later Rose walked out of her room and sat on the couch next to Draco. I heard them speaking softly to one another, and quickly finished putting away the last plate.

I sat down on the coffee table in front of Draco and Rosie and tried to think of how to tell her, but was side-tracked by Rosie leaning against Draco and his arm around her shoulders.

I couldn't help but smile at the sight before I caught myself.

"So why does he look like me?" she asked, her eyes tracing between the two of us.

"Well, he looks like you because, well Rosie, Draco's your father."

I could see him visibly tense up, but Rosie didn't move. In fact she smiled and looked up at him. "So you gave me your hair?"

He chuckled and the mood instantly relaxed. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

I let out a sigh of relief and stood up to get some drinks for everyone. Hopefully this meant that Draco would actually be able to get to know his daughter.

DPOV

Hermione had just gotten up to get drinks, so that left Rose and I alone on the couch.

I couldn't be happier that she was comfortable with me. I was actually sitting with my daughter, my beautiful daughter.

She looked up at me, as if contemplating something.

"What?" I asked.

"Well...if you're my daddy...why'd you leave mummy?"

I should've seen that coming, really I should have. I just had nothing to say. I didn't know how to answer that without confusing her even more, so I just went with what was relevant to her.

"Because I was a stupid little boy who made a lot of wrong decisions. You and your mum deserved better than me, but I hope that you can both give me a chance to make it right."

She broke out into a wide smile and hugged me. "Does this mean you get to take me to the park like mummy does? And give me piggy back rides? And-"

"Rosie," said Hermione from the doorway, a slight smile on her face, "Why don't you get your shoes on and we'll go to the park."

"Is Draco...er...daddy? coming too?" she asked looking between the two of us.

"If he'd like to come, he's welcome to join us. Now go on."

She slid off the couch and walked back into her room.

I looked over at Hermione who hadn't moved from the doorway.

"Did you hear that?" I asked.

She nodded her head, "Did you mean it?"

I smiled and stood up, "Of course I meant it. I meant it when I said it to you and I meant it when I said it to Rose."

She smiled slightly and nodded, "Alright then. Let me grab my bag."

Rose walked out, her curly hair spiraling around her face in a way that reminded me so much of Hermione it was crazy, and took Hermione's hand, pulling her toward the door.

"Come on, come on, James said that Auntie Ginny was bringing them all to the park today too."

"When did she say that?" asked Hermione motioning for me to follow them out the door.

"When we were at the Burrow and you were baking Auntie Ginny said that she was taking them."

I couldn't help but think of what others would think and say when they looked at us. I mean it was obvious to anybody when you looked at us together that Rose was our child.

I just wish I knew what Hermione thought. I wanted her to be able to picture us as a family like I had ever since the first day I'd seen Rose.

But I knew she didn't want to think of us like that. Not that I blame her.

When we got to the park Rosie ran off to go play with Potter's kids and I sat down with Hermione.

"So where's Ginevra?" I asked, looking around.

Hermione pointed over to another bench to our left and I saw Potter and Ginny together, watching the children. They waved at Hermione, but paused when they saw me.

"What do you want me to say when they come over here?" I asked, knowing that they would come.

She closed her eyes and sighed, "The truth I assume. No point in lying about it anymore. If you're really serious about getting to know Rose-"

"I am."

"Then they'll be seeing a lot of you anyway."she finished.

I nodded and looked back to Potter and Ginny, who were now making their way over to us.

"You sure?"

At that she actually smiled and I realized how much I'd missed that.

"Of course I'm sure."

"Hermione...Malfoy." said Potter, looking between the two of us.

"Hey," she said, standing to hug the two of them.

"What are you doing here?" asked Ginny, ever the blunt one.

"Watching my daughter."

"You have a daughter?" asked Potter, shocked.

"Do you remember when I told you all that Rosie's father was just some guy I'd had a fling with in our last year at Hogwarts? Well...that guy was Draco." said Hermione.

Ginny's mouth hung open and Potter looked like he wanted to punch me.

"Malfoy...Malfoy?! Hermione what were you thinking?"

"Oh shut up Harry."

"No, are you kidding me? How can you just let him waltz into your life? He didn't care enough 5 years ago to-"

"He didn't know!"

At that Harry stilled, and looked at me.

I shrugged, "Had I known maybe things would have been different, but I doubt it. I was an arse back then. I'm just trying to make up for that now."

I caught Hermione's soft smile out of the corner of my eye.

"Why didn't you tell us Hermione?" asked Ginny.

Hermione just shrugged and said, "Wasn't really anyone's business. Besides, if that would have gotten around it would have just been trouble for Draco and Astoria, and I didn't want that."

I felt sick when she said Astoria and I, but didn't comment on it.

"I'm your best friend, how was that not my business?"

"Because you weren't involved." she said simply.

Ginny sighed and turned to look at me, "If you hurt Rose or Hermione, you'll be wishing all I did was cast the Bat Bogey hex on you."

"Trust me, I won't." I said looking at Hermione the entire time.

Ginny just nodded, "I'll see you for dinner at the Burrow this weekend then Hermione?"

She nodded, "Of course. I have this new dessert I want Ron to try."

I cringed at the mention of the Weasel, but didn't say anything.

Ginny and Harry smiled, "You know he'll love whatever it is you bake. You're too good of a baker for it to be bad."

"You bake?" I asked, surprised.

Hermione just nodded, but Potter spoke up, "She's amazing, wants to open up her own bakery one day."

"Really? So why do you work at Buxom and Brant?"

"I don't have the money-yet, but I'll get there." she said with a smile.

"And when she does, London's bakers better look out, because you're going to give them a run for their money." said Ginny.

Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, one step at a time huh? I need to get a business first."

"Just details. I'm looking at the big picture." exclaimed Ginny.

Potter rolled his eyes and started to pull her away, "I'm going to take her away before she starts in on how you should do the floors."

Hermione shoot him a thankful look and then sat back down next to me.

"That wasn't too bad." she said quietly.

"No, not at all. So about this bakery."

"What about it?" she asked, turning to look at me.

"How much money do you still need?"

She raised an eyebrow, but answered me anyway, "Around 4,000 pounds."

"What if I gave you the money?"

Her eyes grew as wide as saucers, "Are you crazy? Why would you do that? Where the hell would you even get 4,000 pounds?"

"No, I'm not crazy. I would do it because I want you to be happy. And I own half of Malfoy Unlimited. It pays for plenty more than I need by myself."

She shook her head, "Then why are you living with Blaise?"

"Haven't had the chance to look for a place yet." I said.

"That's all well and fine, but I can't take that from you. I'd never be able to pay you back."

"Who says you have to?"

She shook her head, "I don't get you at all."

I chuckled, "What do you mean?"

"I've done nothing but push you away and yell at you, yet here you are, offering to give me 4000 pounds."

"So?" I asked with a shrug, "I told you I'd do anything for you."

"I appreciate the thought, I really do, but I can't take money from you."

"Say it's child support for the past five years if that makes you feel better." I said with a smile, trying to convince her to just take the damn money.

She seemed to be thinking, trying to come up with a reason to not accept my offer.

"It's only fair right?"

She sighed, "I don't know Draco. That's a lot of money."

"Hermione, is opening a bakery your dream?" I asked, turning on the bench to look at her.

She smiled, "Yes,"

"Then let me help you. Think of it as my way of trying to prove to you that I've changed. That I really do love you."

"Stop saying that."

"Saying what?"

"That you love me. Stop saying it." she said, turning her attention back to the playground.

"I can stop saying it if you'd like, but that doesn't change the fact that I do."

She didn't respond to that, just looked at me briefly, as if trying to read something in my eyes, before turning back to the playground.

With her it was like every time I thought we were making progress she would close up again and shut me out. It's not that I expected her to embrace me with open arms, but I wish she'd stop being so hot and cold.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, "Are you ever going to be able to forgive me?" I asked quietly.

I heard her exhale a shaky breath before she answered.

"I don't know, Draco. I really don't know."

I don't know what I'm doing anymore. It's like I have all the resolve in the world, until he's standing in front of me. It's like my common sense goes flying out the window when he so much as looks at me.

I thought I wanted to forget about him, keep him away, but everything about him makes me want him back. The way he gets along so well with Rose, the way he smiles, the way he says he loves me...I want so badly for this to be real, but something keeps telling me to be reasonable. To stop having these silly little fantasies where we end up married and living happily ever after.

He left me before, so what's going to stop him from leaving me again?

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