A/N: Wow! In the space of just a few days, I got more reviews and readers than I thought I could ever get! Thank you so much! Thank you thank you!

Thank you to: hkamc, Vaneesa85, Angelus Draco, Woemcat, Anjali K, Kou Shun'u, guest, psych522, Aya Diefair, Team Dramione, alina290, Andykins, and Guest. Special thanks to those who left a lot of reviews. You know who you are, and I think you're amazing!

There were some questions and concerns from the reviews but many of them were from earlier chapters, so if there is still any tidbit that needs clarifying, feel free to ask or comment. I will suggest to my readers to not compare the Magical United States to real life United States. There are similarities, but there are differences, too. Just like Magical Britain is different from Muggle Britain: the laws, currency, and people are different. I appreciate reviews. I do. It means someone cared enough to let me know something, and I respect that. However, I don't want reviews from people who are U.S. savvy to be to be telling me my fictional laws are not real. I didn't really get any of those types of reviews, but I thought I would let my readers know how I would feel about that kind of review if I ever got one. What I simply did was take one or two of the basics from old but currently valid U.S. rights and generalized them, made them vague on purpose because I really don't have the time to formulate a Magical Bill of Rights or a Magical Constitution. Anyway…yeah.

Also, I made a mistake a few weeks ago and a few chapters back. I put Easter 2002. It was actually Easter 2003. Ooops. I fixed it a while ago, so there is no harm...I think.

Enjoy the chapter! Please R&R, if you'd like. I would sure love it. Thanks again!

June 2003

"Take the bottle, Alex. Come on. I know you're hungry. Come on, sweetheart. Eat."

Once again, Alex turned his head and stuck out his bottom lip and wailed while batting his hand at the bottle his mother presented to him. He sat gloomily and teary-eyed in his high chair, a bib of dancing (actually dancing) lambs strapped around his neck and over his clothes.

"How about some baby rice, hmm?" Hermione retrieved the tiny spoon on the tray that held a small bowl of baby rice and scooped up an itty bitty portion. He took five messy bites before extending his arms towards her and breaking out into frustrated weeps.

Hermione inwardly groaned and set the spoon aside and wiped off Alex's face and removed the bib and picked him up. The moment he was securely in her arms, his head awkwardly craned downwards and latched his mouth onto the cotton material of her shirt over her left breast and laved at it sobbingly.

For the past two months, Hermione had been trying to wean Alex off nursing by introducing soft baby foods and providing formula mixed with pumped breast milk in a bottle. The Pedia-Healer had told her it would be best if she gave Alex breast milk up until he was at least a year old which Hermione was doing but not the way her son preferred. She hadn't any qualms about breastfeeding and had planned on doing it with Alex up until a year or maybe a month or so more like the nursing books encouraged, but the little devil had started biting her.

She was aware of his discomfort with teething and how he needed some relief for the pressure, but her boobs could only take so much. When Hermione had discussed her problem with a mother at one of her cosmetic parties, the mother had suggested numbing cream to put over the skin before letting Alex suck. That sounded like a brilliant idea, and Hermione did just that, working fabulously until she detached Alex from her breast and a stream of milk poured out his little mouth, a perturbed expression on his face. His mouth had gone numb, too. She had been frightened Alex had ingested some of the numbing cream and hurriedly went to the pedia-Healer who scolded her something fierce and gave Alex a few drops of De-Numbing liquid on his tongue. Hermione then asked the Pedia-Healer what she should do, and the other woman advised two things: pump or suffer through.

Watching Alex whimper into her shirt and fail to milk the material, Hermione caved, not able to bear the retched sullen sounds from her baby.

"Alright, alright. You win," she sighed out and took him to the nursery and sat down on the rocking chair by his crib and lifted her shirt and pulled down the cup of her bra. Alex enthusiastically giggled, and Hermione's heart fluttered at the dulcet sound. He had started to giggle perfectly, instead of happy choking sounds, about a month ago and had become her addiction.

With a triumphant, drooled grin, Alex wiggled his legs in anticipation while his mother gave him what he wanted.

"Just try not to bite Mummy, love," Hermione whispered affectionately and bent her neck down to kiss him on his forehead, his curly blond hair tickling her nose. His little hand reached for her while grinning around his prize. Playfully, Hermione nipped at the little fingers and smack her lips.

"Mmmm. Baby fingers are my favorite snack," she cooed and then made a silly face causing Alex to giggle and milk and slobber to ooze over her skin.

Hermione switched breasts, grateful that Alex had not chomped on her. The moment he suctioned his mouth to other, though…

"Oh!" she squeaked in pain and clenched her teeth together and Alex laughed. She frowned down at him. "You think that's funny, do you?"

Hearing the flat door open, Hermione momentarily forgot the pain.

"Graaaaaaaaaannnnnger!" she heard the voice of who could only be Draco.

"What?" she called out, not bothering to get out her chair.

She heard footsteps coming down the hall and saw his mug poke into the room with a glower. "What? That's what you have to say? What? I think I deserve better than a bloody what. We haven't seen each other in almost two months, and you talk to me like you don't care."

Hermione scoffed and gave him an amused smile. "Oh, Malfoy, you know I care. What did you expect? For me to come rushing up to you and tackle you to the floor and have my way with you in the entry?"

"Well…" Draco lifted his chin indigently. "It is my birthday."

Hermione blinked in surprise. "It's your birthday? And you're spending it here?"

"Well, I spent most of it back home, Granger. You see…it's not my birthday in England anymore. It's just another horrid day, so I got to thinking 'why not extend this day and take a trip to see that sassy girl with the delectable arse and my boy?'"

"Oh," Hermione said, still a bit put off at his surprise visit. They had only conversed by letters the past two months but not very many. Draco, in his letters, had claimed to have a hectic schedule assisting his father's company.

It will be my company someday, Granger. I have to know all there is to know, so I can maintain profit when my father retires or passes. I do wish I had more spare time and fewer observers in my life, so I could visit Scorpius more often along with that perfect rump of yours. Since you demanded my fidelity on my earlier visit, I have abstained from the many propositions, knowing you will treat me on my next return.

Completely whipped,

D.M.

His last letter had said that, and Hermione allowed herself to boil greenly with jealousy. How dare that bastard bring up how wanted he was by other women! That entire day, Hermione had imagine beautiful women, who didn't have an extra ten pounds around their tummy and hips, gluing themselves to Draco's side and whispering things into his ears. She could plainly see that intrigued smirk on his lips at each naughty word those slags whispered.

But he said he abstained, and she wanted to believe so…

"Why the pout, Granger?" Draco asked and slithered inside the nursery and fell to his knees while she continued to sit in the rocking chair. "Did you miss me that much?"

Unable to even snark back, she insecurely asked, "Do you think I'm pretty?"

Draco furrowed his brow with concern and rose up on his knees and caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "That's a question I thought I would never hear from you."

"You didn't answer the question," she rushed out, her throat swelling and eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Because it's a barmy one."

"No, it's not. It's just a simple question with a simple answer."

"You know how I feel about you, Hermione," he replied, using her given name to give his tone gravity.

"I know how you feel about my arse."

"How about your breasts? You know how I feel about those." Draco winked and looked at the subject of his discussion in awe. "And I am most certainly fond of what's clinging on for dear life. Merlin, he's grown. I thought you said you were done with breastfeeding. Not that I'm complaining."

"Don't change the subject," Hermione said and pulled Alex away from her chest and adjusted her clothing, earning a disappointed glare from Draco.

"What do you want me to say?" He ran a hand through his hair and groaned.

Staring at him with wild eyes, Hermione barked while positioning Alex on her shoulder and rubbing his back soothingly, "You don't know what to say? You don't think I'm pretty?"

"Where is this coming from? You've never acted this way before. Not even in school. Why so suddenly self-conscious?"

Snuggling Alex, who was chewing her shirt, she sniffled, "Because."

He raised an eyebrow. "Because why?"

Hermione shrugged and directed her gaze somewhere else. "In your last letter, you mentioned all the women who have been-"

"I turned them down!" Draco exasperated. "Honestly, I did, Granger."

"Okay but…Did you want them? Were you tempted? Because…" Hermione sighed softly and buried her nose into Alex's tiny shoulder for comfort. "I know I'm not the thinnest or most beautiful girl out there. How could you not be tempted when someone better comes along?"

Draco's eyes nearly popped out of his and then he furrowed his brow, a snarl forming on his lips. "Do you fancy someone else?"

Floored by his response, Hermione tossed him an incredulous look. "Where did that come from? Here I am talking about how you could have anyone you want, and you go off on me like it's me who could have anyone! Malfoy, you stupid dolt, of course I don't fancy anyone else!"

"You could have anyone, too, Granger! Every time I get an Owl from you, I fear this is when you're going to tell me you're done with me, that you don't want me, that you found someone who can be here for Scorpius!"

Hermione stilled from his words and let out a chuckled breath. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Yes, I did." She nodded and swallowed, standing up from the rocking chair while still rubbing Alex's back. "It's probably the most dimwitted thing I've ever heard. You think I'm going to be the one to call things off in favor of someone else. That's not going to happen."

"But you think I will?" Draco inquired and she shrugged.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Because," he said and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trouser.

"Because why?"

"It's very uncommon for blokes to talk about how their women give them warm, soft feelings like no one else can."

Hermione gave him an enlightened expression. "I give you soft and warm feelings?"

Smirking, Draco who was still on his knees, lifted up his hand and cupped her breast over her shirt. "Very warm and soft, indeed."

Hermione batted his hand away and rolled her eyes, hurt in her voice when she asked, "Do I mean anything to you other than Alex's mother and bed-warmer?"

Draco groaned tiredly and placed his forehead against her stomach. "We've been over this. Bloody hell, have we ever. Granger, what do you want me to say that will make you trust me?"

Hermione peered down at him solemnly and reached her free hand down and petted his hair and caressed his face. He looked up at her, and she said, "You know what I want to hear."

With his chin resting on her tummy, he whispered, "I think you're pretty."

Fluttering her eyes shut and biting her tongue to keep from spitting profanities, Hermione forced on a pleased smile. "Thank you, Malfoy."

"Will you let me shag you now?"

Opening her eyes, Hermione sighed, loathing the empty feeling lying ironically heavy in her chest. "I have to give Alex a bath."

"After, I mean."

"I have to dress him."

"After that then."

"I have to feed him again, so he'll fall asleep."

Through gritted teeth, she heard. "When he's asleep, will you shag me?"

"I can't."

"Merlin's Bloomers! Granger, what the hell?!"

Glaring down at him, she snapped, "I can't."

"Why not?!"

"Because!" she answered.

"Because why?!"

"I'm…" Hermione gave him a pointed look which flew over his head because he gave her an 'I'm waiting' expression. "Menstruating."

"You've got to be kidding me!" He fell back on his bum and then laid down on the floor, shooting the ceiling helpless stares. "Why are you doing that?!"

"I can't help it! And it's been a long time coming. I haven't had a real one in eighteen months. I hate how bloated I feel and the pain, but it means things are returning to a semi-normal state and-"

"You have fake ones?!"

"Yes…No." Hermione rubbed her forehead, messaging her temple to prevent the headache coming. "I'm not going to explain it to you."

"It just means we can't shag," Draco accepted sullenly.

"It means, Malfoy, you probably don't want to."

"But it's my birthday. Why does it have to be today?"

Feeling pity for him, Hermione promised, "If you help me with getting Alex ready for bed, I'll…award you in other ways."

Draco sat up and grinned eagerly at her. "What other ways?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, she walked passed him and out of the room, her hips swinging purposefully.

Behind her, she could hear him scramble off the floor and scamper after her. Two possessive hands clamped onto her bum, and she yelped in surprise, his teeth also grazing her ear and whispered something. She froze at his words and whirled around to face him.

"Do you mean that?" she asked.

He nodded, saying nothing. She smiled, that heavy ache in her chest gone. Standing up on her tiptoes, she firmly planted her lips on his. Before things turned more passionate, she detached their mouths and whispered back, "I love you, too."