"I don't know how to cook. Should I do it anyway, Miss Granger?"

Hermione almost said yes but thought better of it. If Draco said he was unable to cook, then he probably wasn't lying, and she wasn't going to have him banging around in the kitchen making a mess or wasting food by burning it.

"No," she said and looked down at Alex and asked, "Are you done yet?"

The baby grunted in response, and Hermione winced when feeling the pressure on her breast increase and felt the teeny bumps on his gums gnaw on her. Alex wasn't simply nursing but was trying to alleviate his pained gums by placing pressure on them.

"Ooh, Pumpkin." Ignoring Draco who was still kneeling on the floor trying to get her attention, she extracted the baby from her tender bosom. "You're hurting Mummy. Draco, here." She extended Alex towards him and looked down at her breast. "Take him."

"I'm never gonna get laid now," she heard him mutter and took Alex from her hands who began to wail. He opened his eyes where tears began to form, his mouth and tongue milky and was puckering and waggling for more. "Will you burp him?"

"Pardon?" Draco blinked.

"Burp him. Get a cloth and put it over your shoulder and burp him," she explained while frowning at the mark Alex left on her. Dear Merlin, he broke the skin.

"Is there not a spell for that?"

"No. Now you better hurry before he vomits on you. To forewarn you, he might anyway."

"Dully noted." Holding out Alex as far as he could while still keeping ahold of him, Draco went into the kitchen and came back with a soft rag draped over his shoulder and the baby resting upon it while he lightly thumped the tiny back. "Am I doing this right? Am I hurting him? He's still crying. What do I do?"

"Pat higher on his back. Yes, right there is good," she told him as she slipped her bra strap and sleeve back onto her shoulder and stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Draco asked as she walked down the hallway. When she entered her room, she went to her bookshelf and pulled out the book she was looking for and went back into the living room and stood next him, flipping through the pages.

"I think it's normal. I believe I read about it a couple of months ago, a bit before Alex started teething. Ah, yes, here it is." She read skimmed over the chapter, picking up key parts.

"Granger, I know little about infants, but even I could tell you, it's normal for babies to bite their mothers."

"Feast on yours, did you? And how could you know it's normal. You weren't breastfed," Hermione reminded and closed the book with a sigh. "But yes, it is normal for Alex to chomp on me. When babies start doing that, some mothers stop nursing them and strictly give them formula and start introducing soft nourishing foods like yogurt, fine rice, applesauce, and mashed vegetables." Hermione stole the shoulder rag from Draco and draped it across hers and then took the baby, earning a frown from the man.

"Why do you always take him?" he whined.

Hermione smiled endearingly at him while resuming the work of patting Alex's back. "You can have him back in a minute. I do believe his diaper needs to be changed and since you did the job so well earlier, you may do it again. Let's change him out of his chick costume, too. I think we need to have a little trip to the market."

"Now?" Draco flabbergasted and then pouted at her. "I thought we were going to have our time. Can't you go to the market tomorrow?"

"I don't think I'll have time. I have an early appointment at a client's house tomorrow morning."

"Why don't you cancel it and spend the morning with me. I have to leave at least by ten tomorrow."

"Oh," Hermione said softly with a furrowed brow. "So soon?"

"You know I can't stay longer. Will you please cancel the appointment?"

"Draco, I can't. There's going to be at least thirty women there. Imagine if they all bought from me. You're a business man, so you must understand how important this is. I need that money, so I can go back to school."

"I'll give you the money," Draco growled.

"No and that's final. I'm going in the morning, but we still have tonight. It's not late, and we have time to make a visit to the market and still spend some time with each other afterwards. Now if you change Alex, I'll get his diaper bag ready and a bottle and…Don't look at me like that. This is what's happening, so deal with it."

Present Day…

"Miss Granger?"

"Hmm?" Hermione questioningly noised at the direction of who was calling her name. Mrs. Haddock met her line of vision, and the woman frowned at her with annoyance and marched over to her from across the backyard.

Being pulled back to the present, Hermione looked around and saw her and Alex's guests gathered around the table where Blaise was entertaining them, all of them enthralled like he was bestowing them the secrets of the universe.

"Miss Granger?" Mrs. Haddock yipped at her again.

"What?" she growled back. It was no secret she only put up with the woman because Alex was friends with her daughter. That little Britannica was nothing short of a comedic act. Speaking of, Hermione searched the mass of people for the little girl and bit back a chuckle. Little Miss Haddock had already gotten dirt all over her new dress her mother had purchased for her to wear to the party.

"Who is that man telling horror stories to the children? And you're just letting him? He is giving them ideas, Miss Granger."

In the split second of having decided who she disliked more, Mrs. Haddock or Blaise Zabini, Hermione replied with fake aghast, "Mrs. Haddock, that is my guest of who my son strictly invited to the celebration. Mr. Zabini is a dear," she refrained from gagging, "friend to the family."

"He's indecent," Mrs. Haddock icily clipped. "He's filling my daughter full of all kinds of ideas. She's difficult enough as it is! I do not need my daughter to know when flobberworm mating season is just so she can get a girl one and a boy one and stick them under the flooring of my bed!"

Unable to control herself with learning of Draco's death, his blasted parents showing up into town like they had a right, and Blaise Zabini in her backyard making her son laugh hysterically, she spat out, "Perhaps those worms will give you and the husband ideas of find ways to dislodge the stick from up your arse, Mrs. Haddock!"

Mrs. Haddock gasped and Hermione became painfully aware of the lack of background noise. She looked around and mentally shouted a curse, closing her eyes in embarrassment. Everyone in the backyard, including Blaise and her son, were staring at her in bewilderment.

"Wow, Mom! She sure told you!" Britannica exclaimed. "Are you going to hex her?"

The woman actually looked like she was considering doing just that, and Hermione almost wanted her to try. The leech of monster was nothing if vile, having wanted to be part of the upper class for so long. She had married Mr. Haddock, a Healer major who decided to change his choice of profession after they married and had a daughter. He currently taught Arithmancy at Salem Institute and received a professor's pay which was miniscule. Maureen Haddock nee Manson, having been born and raised of proper breeding in Mississippi to an aristocratic father and an heiress, felt like she had been gypped in life, but Hermione could not provide the least bit of sympathy. Not because the woman was a pitiful brat, but because she had the audacity to try and get cozy with Draco a few years back on Alex's fifth birthday.

Mrs. Haddock straightened her spine and tilted her chin upwards and haughtily said, "You aren't even worth my wand's time. Come, Britannica, we're leaving. Say goodbye to Alex. You won't be seeing him for a long time."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the departing woman. Alex would see Britannica good and plenty. They were in the same school and same class which was where they spent most of their playtime. Usually, Alex didn't play with her after school, preferring to interact with Nathaniel. Britannica was much similar, preferring to spend her afternoons with girls.

Once Mrs. Haddock and her daughter were gone, Hermione fled into the house, opening the freezer door of the refrigerator and sticking her head inside, wondering if she should go back and tell everyone to leave because she certainly should not be around other people. For Merlin's sake, she was not coping like a normal person should! She needed to lock herself up in her room and not come out until she wasn't feeling angry, sad, completely fu-

"Hermione, I had accidently poured that Muggle peroxide on my shirt when I was using the bathroom. If ound out a few weeks ago that it keeps away Andions, you see, and spells couldn't properly fix my shirt. I borrowed one of yours from your closet and…"

Frowning at the frozen chicken, Hermione turned away from it and focused on Luna who was levitating several articles of clothing in the air which were spattered with white powder. Saying nothing, she placed her head back into the freezer and screamed.

And screamed some more.

And did it again.

"Don't do that, Hermione. You haven't even seen the rest of your closet. You can scream then, but I am really sorry. We can clean this up. We just…need to find some place to put it."

"I don't know," Hermione rasped and pulled her head out of the freezer again and whipped around to face Luna, her hands up in the air in surrender. "How about up my nose?!"

An *ahem* startled Hermione and Luna and they both turned their heads to see Blaise. Luna gave a frightened 'eep' and let the clothing fall to the floor, a white cloud billowing up from the garments.

"It's not what you think," Hermione burst out and rushed towards the fallen clothes, standing in front of them as if to hide them, as if he hadn't already seen them.

"No?" Blaise raised an eyebrow, disgust in his eyes, and Hermione's stomach took a flying leap up to her throat. He thought of her as a…

"I'm not." She shook her head violently. "I swear I'm not. This is all a huge misunderstanding. I know what you're thinking." She chuckled like she was in pain, like she knew she was in deep shit. "And I would think the same thing to. I mean, you come here and probably heard things and it probably sounded like…things, and it's not…things."

"I can't believe you, Granger," Blaise scoffed. "I really can't. I would never have thought you as a-"

"I'm not! I'm really not!"

"With Alex in the house? I'm going to have to report this."

"No!" Hermione charged towards him and stabbed her wand into his chest. "Don't even think about it, you smarmy arsehole! Say anything to anyone, and I'll-"

"Kill me?" Blaise mocked and then glared at her. "You are putting Alex in danger with your habit."

"I don't have a bloody habit, and no, I won't kill you. I can Obliviate you!"

Swiftly, Blaise unsheathed his wand and stuck it under Hermione's chin, making her go rigid.

"Luna," she called for her friend.

"This is between us, Granger," Blaise said and shook his head in Luna's direction, telling her to stay put.

"I'm not an addict, Blaise," Hermione whispered pleadingly. "Like I said before, this is all a big misunderstanding. By an unfortunate coincidence, I have the stuff but as much as I would like to be rid of it, I have a million and one thoughts gnawing at my brain, shouting at me that Draco's dead, that I need to tell Alex, that I need to cry, that I need Draco's parents out of town, that I need to do something else besides worrying about the damned drugs! Believe me or don't, but if you try to take Alex away from me, the last thing I do before being arrested will be Obliviating you and Draco's parents of your entire time in Salem and at least three weeks beforehand just to be sure that none of you remember him."

Blaise clenched his jaw at her, knowing she was fully capable of following through on the threat. Nevertheless, he had found Hermione in a questionable state and a decent person would contact law enforcement. Lucky for her, he was no such thing. Unfortunately for her, he knew an opportunity when he was smacked with one in the face.

"Fine." He lowered his wand from underneath Hermione's chin and placed it back into his pocket. Hesitantly, she lowered her, as well. "I believe you're not an addict, but it's still damning of you to have it inside your house."

"So you won't tell anyone? You won't try and have Alex taken away from me?" Hermione verified.

"I won't."

Hermione sighed in relief and smiled gratefully. "Tha-"

"With conditions," Blaise added and Hermione's smiled disappeared, her eyes widening in alarm.

"What? Are trying to-"

"Why, yes I am, Granger." He snickered wickedly. "I'm trying to bait you with a bargain."

"You're trying to blackmail me. It won't work."

"Won't it?" His eyebrows raised in faux surprise.

"No." She shook her head firmly.

"Did you know your friend Phoebe out in back is in law enforcement? I could just happen to take a jaunt back outside and whisper a little something in her ear?"

"She'd probably like that," Luna piped up dreamily. "She hasn't been on a date in quite some time."

Hermione's eyelids fluttered shut and she groaned, "Luna, that is not what he meant."

"I'm going to send Narcissa this way close to the evening. You will not turn her away, understood?"

"I do not think so! That woman will keep her distance from Alex."

"Fine," Blaise lightly clipped smugly. "I'll send Lucius."

"You'll send no one. I refuse to be manipulated. Besides, that monster is in jail right now, and the US law doesn't take kindly to foreign posers like him. His name or money wouldn't even buy him a better cellmate."

This was news to Blaise. Lucius was in jail? He had been gone for quite a while the previous night, so Blaise journeyed down to the hotel bar, met a couple of ladies, and…That reminds him.

"Can I use your Floo?" he asked while sticking his hands into his pockets which was silly because he knew his wallet wasn't there.

"No," Hermione replied blankly.

"I was robbed earlier this morning. I need to make a few calls."

Her lips twitch in amusement, mirth igniting her eyes. "Did you know my friend Phoebe out in back is in law enforcement? You could happen to take a jaunt out back again and whisper your predicament into her ear. I'm sure she could help you."

Blaise nodded abashedly and scratched the back of his head with a grimace. "I walked right into that one, but I would really like to temporarily put a hold on my accounts. The police are not going to be able to do that for me, are they? I would appreciate it if I could use your Floo."

"I would appreciate it if you left Alex and me the hell alone."

"You know, I think I will take a little jaunt outside and have a few words with Phoebe. I'm sure she'd love to hear about what's going on in your closet."

"I can Obliviate you now, Zabini," hissed Hermione and pointed her wand at him again.

"I think I'll go outside," Luna said and scurried out into the backyard.

"I'll block it," Blaise confidently replied.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. "You won't. You'll delay."

"Unlike you, Granger, I make sparring a hobby of mine."

"You think you know what my hobbies are?"

"I'm sure being a single mum and a book-peddler keeps you on the ready for an attack," he drawled, his voice flooding with sarcasm.

Smirking, Hermione lowered her wand and folded her arms. "Zabini, have you ever actually Stunned anyone?"

"Of course I have," he snorted.

"Mmm. Let me rephrase that question. Zabini, have you ever actually Stunned anyone outside of sparring? Have you ever shot a spell at someone with real intent to hurt them to keep them from hurting you?" Blaise opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off, "Yeah, I didn't think so."

"I lived through the war, too, Granger," he defended.

"You lived through the war, but you didn't fight in the battle. You ran. I remember. You Disapperated as fast as you could."

"Pointing out I'm a coward, are you?"

"No." Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm just pointing out that you have never really had to fight, so when I say I can Obliviate you, I will."

Glaring at her, loathing evident in his eyes because he saw her an immovable barrier from what he wanted so badly, he informed heatedly, "Be that as it may, but it'll be you who will only delay what will eventually happen. Make me forget, make Draco's parents forget will only give you days. We'll find our way back to this house, knocking at your bloody door with your bloody friend Phoebe and her team to arrest you for drug possession and performing a spell that is considered an Unforgiveable here. Why are you being so bloody stubborn, woman? Just meet with Draco's mum this evening. Alex doesn't even have to be here. Send him to a friend's house. Will you please talk to her, Hermione? I don't want to have to blackmail you, but I want Narcissa to at least meet Draco's son. You have no idea how hard his death has been on her. Imagine if you had lost Alex, and you were put into a situation like Narcissa is in. You'd want that closure, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would, but that would be an entirely different situation!" Hermione argued defiantly.

"How so?"

"Well, for one, I will not lose Alex. For another, I am not a horrible woman with a horrible husband."

"Bloody hell, Granger! How did Draco ever put up with you? You have got to be the most tenacious beast there ever was. It just had to be you, didn't it? Out of all the witches he shagged, it had to be you he got pregnant. If it were any other woman, I swear to Merlin, the kid would already be at Malfoy Manor terrorizing all the portraits."

"Well, I am not any other woman! I am me and a good mum and will protect my son from those who wish to harm him, even if those can't see they're going to!"

"Oh my Gods!" he moaned into his hands, his head bowed, praying a lightning bolt would break through the woman's rooftop and fry her to death. It was rare of him to ever wish ill-intent upon a female, especially a pretty one like Granger. Fetching or not, though, she was hell in its goriest form. "You are such a bleedin' bitch! How can you stand it?!"

"I am a mum and if I'm not a bleedin' bitch about my child, then I'm not doing my job right!"

Making a growling noise in the back of his throat, he pointed to the window beside them that showed the backyard. "I'm going outside and telling Phoebe to check your closet before she leaves for the afternoon."

"Don't you dare!"

"Will you agree to see Narcissa tonight?"

"No," Hermione said between clenched teeth.

"The choice is made then." Blaise turned to leave and Hermione grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait. Just wait, please," she pleaded. He shirked her hand and shook his head.

"I'm done waiting. It's either you agree now, or I tell Phoebe."

Squeezing her eyes shut, Hermione tipped let her head fall back while an aggravated groan tore from her lips. This wasn't fair. This wasn't real. This was just a nightmare, and she would wake up any minute where Draco was alive and well and no drugs were in her closet.

"Granger, I'll give you five seconds," offered Blaise.

Tears began to build up in her eyes and she sniffled, misery so blatant on her face. "Fine."

"So you'll meet with her? With Narcissa?"

"Yes," Hermione said like someone punched her in the gut. She looked around her kitchen and then at the window, a tear falling down her cheek. "But not here."

"Where then?"

"I don't know."

"Pick a place or I'll tell her to come here."

"I don't know!"

"I'll tell Narcissa to be here at seven then."

"No!" Hermione exclaimed and then rubbed her eyes tiredly. "No, no, no. I'll meet her at…Marnella's."

"Marnella's? Where is that?"

"It's an establishment on Gallows Street, a block away from the hospital."

"And you'll be there at seven."

Silence.

"Granger, you will be there at seven, or I will be making a Floo call to the police."

Hermione glowered at him something fierce, "I'll be there."

A/N: Hey! So I told you the blow had a purpose. 'Twas not random. I knew what I was doing. And blah, blah, blah! Anyway, hope the chapter was fun and aggressive because that's how it was for me when writing it.

A big thanks to my readers, reviewers, followers, and those who dig the fic enough to put it on their favorite list.

Thank you to: Angelus Draco, Vaneesa85, and Jordana Babe for the reviews. All of you said very nice things. I like when nice things are said so thank you!

To Vaneesa85: I'm sorry I didn't have Hermione change into her uniform...in this chapter. *Waggles eyebrows* Perhaps in later chapter, we'll see her slip that skirt and shirt on.

I'd love to hear some feedback about the chapter. My sister asked me if I wanted a present for the New Year which is silly because my family doesn't exchange gifts for this holiday, but I told her I wanted the rest of my Spring tuition paid for. Needless to say, I won't be getting that since she asked for the same thing. (Great minds think alike) However, I'll take reviews with a smile. Words last longer than money, anyway. Hope everyone has a great New Year's Eve and Day! I'll update soon!