DPOV

When we got back to the flat I could tell that she was nervous, hell I was nervous too.

"Do you want some tea? I'm going to make some tea." she said quickly.

I watched as she threw her purse onto the table and began bustling around the kitchen preparing the tea that I was sure she wouldn't even drink.

"Hermione," I said, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind.

"Tea's ready," she said, moving away from me to grab two cups.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. This wasn't going to be easy.

I followed her back out into the living room and sat down.

"So, um, you wanted to talk?"

"Why didn't you tell me about Rosie?" Merlin, way to rip the band-aid right off Draco...

"I already told you-"

"I know what you told me, but now I want you to tell me the truth. That bullshit about you wanting me to be happy is-"

"I did want you to be happy!" she yelled, slamming her cup down on the table. "That's all I ever fucking wanted for you! So when Astoria came to me, telling me that you two were happy, so very happy, I did what she asked."

"What did she ask you to do?"

"To leave you alone, to not tell anyone that Rosie was yours." she said quietly.

I shook my head, "What the fuck, Hermione?"

"You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to keep it from you?"

I didn't say anything, I was too livid.

"Well I didn't!" she yelled. "Astoria said you were happy, the papers said you were happy, even Lucius said you were happy, albeit he didn't believe that Rose was even yours in the first place."

"You should have said something to me Hermione, she was my child."

"And what the hell would it have changed if I had told you? Huh?"

"I would-"

"Nothing," she said standing up, "It wouldn't have changed a damn thing. The papers would have reported it, and oh Merlin what a scandal that would have been. Draco Malfoy has a child with a Mud-"

"Do not," I said standing up and facing her, "Say that. I may not have left Astoria, but I would have still seen my daughter."

She laughed, "When? When would you have seen her? When your father let you? Because I hate to break it to you, but that would have never happened."

"I would have found a way to-"

"No, no, no! Don't you get it? I was okay with you treating me like dirt, really I was okay with that, but the thought of you not being able to have the backbone to go against your screwed up values for your own daughter...I couldn't handle that. She deserved better."

"I didn't treat you like-"

"The hell you didn't!" she said, her eyes glassy. "I trusted you, I fucking loved you and you just left me. You left me like I meant nothing to you!"

"Wait...you loved me?"

This wasn't exactly how I'd pictured her telling me, but she'd still said it none the less.

"Yes, but it doesn't matter."

"What? Of course it matters. Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"I figured it'd make it easier if you left me." she said, still not looking at me.

In that moment I hated her, I hated her because she was right. She was right and I had nothing to say that would make up for that. I still felt like I had the right to know I'd had a child, but I knew that it wouldn't have changed my mind back then.

What I didn't understand was why Astoria had said anything to Hermione in the first place. She hadn't seemed like she'd cared about me at all. Then again I wasn't really paying attention to her.

"Hermione...I'm so sorry."

She smiled sadly and said, "I know you are."

I took a deep breath and pulled her into a hug. "If you don't want this I would totally-"

"Are you insane?" she asked, pulling away far enough to look up at me, "After all this time, after the hell you went through just to get me to talk to you, you think I'm just going to walk away from you?"

I smiled and pulled her into a kiss. "Merlin, I hope not."

"I'm not." she murmured against my lips.

I pulled away and led her back to the couch. "So you said you loved me..."

"Yes..." she said, looking at me questioningly.

"Well...do you still-"

"Draco, you big idiot, of course I still love you."

HPOV

Well it was out. I'd said it. Now he was just staring at me.

Great. Bloody great.

All of a sudden he leaned forward and attacked my mouth, pushing me back onto the couch. I couldn't help but smile against his mouth.

He smiled too and leaned up on his forearms, the rest of his body pressed against mine. "I love you."

"I know you do." I whispered.

He chuckled and kissed my nose, "Good, and don't ever forget it."

There were still some things that we needed to talk about though.

"We need to go meet Harry tomorrow. He said that he might have found out what happened with Rose and that boy at the playground."

He sighed and sat up, pulling me up with him. "I've been thinking about that actually."

"And?"

"And I think...well what if my father had something to do with it?" he said.

"What? That's impossible."

"Maybe not. I mean you did tell him that Rose was mine."

"Yes, I told him, but that was five years ago, and he didn't believe me." I argued.

"Maybe that was his way of finding out. I mean when you asked Rose if she remembered anything, she said a man had said 'you're too pretty to be a...'" he trailed off, giving me a look.

"Oh gods...no, no that is insane." I said, shaking my head.

"Is it? Is it really? Think about it Hermione, it kind of makes sense."

I took a deep breath, "We'll see what Harry says tomorrow. Until then, we can't go assuming things."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Alright."

I stood up and took his hand, "Come on, let's go to bed. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

I was pretty sure he was going to try to find Astoria and ask her the exact details of why she'd told me to stay away, and regardless of what I'd told Draco, it did make sense that Lucius would, at least partially, be involved with it.

Oh gods it was going to be a long day.

DPOV

I was going to kill Astoria.

I had told Hermione that I would meet her at Potter's right after I took care of some things for Kyle, but I was actually at Greengrass Manor.

She had some serious explaining to do.

I knocked on the door and a few seconds later she opened it.

"Oh, Draco, what a lovely-"

"Save it." I said walking past her. "Why did you tell Hermione not to tell me about Rose?"

"I don't know what you're-"

"Do not," I snapped, "Lie to me."

She let out a deep breath and said, "I wanted you to be focused on me, because maybe then you'd be able to love me like you love her."

"Are you insane? I could never love anybody like I love Hermione."

"And how do you think that made me feel? My husband, in love with another woman, a muggle no less."

"Oh please, you didn't care about me, you cared about my money." I said.

"How would you know? You never paid any attention to me." she snapped.

"It's not my fault that I didn't love you. I tried Astoria, really I did. I just couldn't. And it wasn't fair for you to take that decision away from me. I lost five years with my daughter!"

"And I lost five years with my husband!"

"We weren't meant for each other Astoria, don't you get that?"

"Well that's not what Lucius thinks. And he's pretty pissed off at you." she said.

I glared at her, "What the fuck did you tell him?"

"Nothing he wasn't already told."

"Does he know?"

At that she smiled, "Of course he knows. He met your precious little daughter, with a little help from me."

"If you hurt her I swear to Merlin Astoria I will-"

"I won't do anything. It's your father you should be worried about. And not just for your precious little Rose."

"Are you threatening Hermione?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"I'm not doing anything." she said, opening the door, "Now get out."

"Not until you tell me-"

She flicked her wand, and before I knew it I was outside.

I let out a string of expletives before apparating to Potter's house.

~OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO~

"Okay, but why would she tell you all that and then let you go Draco?"

"It doesn't matter. It's been her and Lucius this whole time."

"No, I don't think that's entirely accurate." said Harry, looking over at us.

"What the hell are you-"

"Hey," snapped Hermione, giving me a look.

I rolled my eyes but didn't say anything, motioning for Potter to continue.

"Well, I found out that Lucius was at the hospital to see Rose, but Astoria was attending meetings when Rose was attacked at the park, and when he was at the hospital."

"So what does that mean?" asked Hermione, pacing.

"Well," said Potter, looking at me, "I think it means your mum's back."

"What?"

"I think that Narcissa was the one who used the Poly Juice to look like Nadia, so she could let Lucius into Rosie's hospital room."

Hermione shook her head, "Where's Rose?"

"Hermione she's fine."

"Harry, don't. Where is she?"

"Upstairs."

Without a second glance she jogged up the stairs and disappeared around a corner.

"So you mean to tell me that my parents are behind this?" I asked, dropping down onto the couch.

"I'm almost positive. When was the last time you saw Narcissa?"

"Five years ago. She left right after the wedding."

"Well I think Lucius knew where Narcissa was the entire time. I mean do you think it's possible that she stuck around to make sure that you stayed with Astoria and not Mione?"

"But why?"

"You're joking right?" asked Potter, raising an eyebrow.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to stop myself from just ripping it out.

"Your parents hate muggles more than anything. Do you really think they'd be okay with this? You think they'd just sit back and watch their only son ruin their 'reputation'?"

"No, but I didn't think they'd try to hurt Rose."

"Well they didn't-"

"She was in the hospital Potter, I think that's kind of serious." I snapped.

"If they'd wanted to kill her-"

"Shut the fuck up."

"I think you should calm down. Getting upset isn't going to solve anything."

In that moment I wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of him, but I figured Hermione would probably frown upon that.

"Don't tell me to calm down. You don't know what we're going through."

Just then Hermione walked down the stairs, and I could tell she'd been crying.

"Princess," I said, walking over and pulling her to me. "It'll be okay. I promise. I'm not going to let anything happen to you or Rose."

"How do you know? I mean maybe this was a bad idea."

"What was a bad idea?"

"Thinking that we could be together. I mean there was a reason you picked Astoria over me. It was easier." she said quietly.

"I am not giving you up. Not for anything. Do you understand me?"

"Draco-"

"No. We will figure this out. Together." I said firmly.

She sighed and leaned her head against my chest, "It wasn't supposed to be this difficult...I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. And all this," I said, turning her face to look at me, "Is worth it if it means I get to keep you."

She smiled and stood up on her tip toes to kiss me.

Potter cleared his throat behind us, and it was Hermione who said, "Oh shut up Harry. I had to watch you and Ginny suck each other's faces off at Hogwarts. Consider this payback."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"So what should we do Potter? You're the famous Auror."

He took his glasses off and ran a hand over his face. "Well the only real way would be to either get them to admit it and catch it on tape, or to catch them in the act."

"What do you mean 'in the act'?" asked Hermione, her nose scrunched up.

"Well they're obviously not going to just let it go now that they know Rose is yours." he said looking at me. "So we just have to catch them the next time they go after Rose or you." he said to Hermione.

She took a deep breath, "Alright...it's time to come up with a plan."

Well I couldn't sum it all up now could I? (: See you in the next chapter.