A/N: So before anything, I must say that I will be introducing a few characters into this chapter. One of them is my own and the others are from Harry Potter. There will be a bit of a fight, but I would like to say that I want you, my readers, to place yourself in each person's shoe before picking a side. On that note, I absolutely adore my reviewers. :)

To my reviewers: You make me smile! And it's not just because of the kind words but because how different all of you are. I love that I'm getting feedback on how Hermione needs to leave England and get away from the Malfoys. I love how people are telling me she needs to stay and be more polite to them or needs to just relax and let Alex get to know his grandparents. Sadly, my reviewers, you will know in time what Hermione will do.

I also love how you, my reviewers, react to certain characters that pop up in the story. Some are all, 'I like them.' And others are all, 'Hate 'em.' I just thought I would put that out there.

Anyway, thank you readers, reviewers, followers, and those who favor this fic.

Thank you to: 29, hkmac, Angelus Draco, busyhaired-american-nerd, Musette Fujiwara, Andykins, TwinsConspiracy, Bella1999, Aya Diefair, mbclose, Anjali K, Vidocin666, and Analelle for the reviews.

A lot of you were really close or nearly spot on what Theodore wanted from Hermione, and I guess it wasn't that hard to guess. *shrugs with a grin*

I wanted to write more for this chapter, but it didn't work out that way. I wanted to go into "other things", but it will have to wait for the next update which I will do as soon as possible. I like this chapter, but I suspect that you, my readers, will want more information stat. I really do hate leaving the chapter the way I did, but be patient, please. All will be revealed in time. *Smiles nervously*

Please Read and Review and tell me your thoughts! :)

A ray of light streamed through the small separation of the curtains and landed on Alex's face. Sniffing and smacking his lips together, he groaned and turned onto his side, facing away from the window and reaching a hand out for his mother. Eyes still closed he, he frowned in his sleep and moved his arm around, hoping to come in contact with her.

"Mommy?" he groggily called out and slit his eyes open. Blinking them awake, he lifted his head and stared at the empty spot where his mother should be. The space was empty, so he checked the bathroom door which was open, revealing the darkness inside.

"Mommy?" he called for her again and slid out of bed. The bedroom door was closed, so he opened it and padded out the room, his bare feet making soft smacking sounds against the marble flooring of the hallway. He popped his head into the vacant sitting room and saw his mother's purse on the coffee table. Walking over to it, he stuck his hand into it, feeling around for her wand, quickly coming to the conclusion it was gone and so was she.

The dining area was empty, as well, and when he crawled up on one of the chairs to snag an apple from the fruit bowl, Mr. Zabini's house-elf walked through the kitchen door and bowed at him.

"Does Master's guest want breakfast? Glibby can make Master's guest breakfast."

Cupping the apple in his small hands, Alex gnawed on is bottom lip and then asked, "Do you know where my mom is?"

Glippy teetered back and forth on the balls of his heels and shook his head. "Glibby does not know where Master's other guest went, but Glibby did hear someone use the Floo in the night."

Alex's frown deepened, and his hunger waned away. He placed the apple back in the bowl and asked Glibby another question. "Do you know if Mr. Zabini knows where my mom is? Can you go ask him?"

"Master is very grouchy in the morning, but Glippy will go ask Master where Guest's mother went."

The elf disappeared with a pop and though his hunger was diminishing, he was thirsty. He tiptoed into through the swinging kitchen door and looked around and found another house-elf inside who was polishing glass-wear while standing on a large stool.

"Hello," Alex said to her and the elf squeaked and nearly dropped the fancy goblet. The elf turned around with wide eyes and then smiled when seeing the boy.

"You must be Master's guest and Master's best friend's son." The elf bowed and set the goblet aside and hopped down from the stool. "Is there anything Franny can do for Master's guest?"

In a small voice, Alex inquired, "May I have some chocolate milk, please?"

Franny nodded jovially. "Master's guest can go to the table and wait. Franny will serve soon."

Alex went back to the table and soon a tall glass chocolate milk was placed in front of him. He smiled gratefully at the house-elf and said, "Thank you, Franny."

The elf beamed at him and replied, "Master's guest is kind. Franny like's Master's guest."

She vanished back into the kitchen, leaving Alex to sip on his milk. Franny had even given him a big swirly straw to suck up the sweet liquid. When he had drunk near a quarter of the concoction, Mr. Zabini came scampering into the kitchen in his nightwear looking panicked, Glibby tailing him from behind.

"Gone? What do you mean she's bloody gone? Where the bloody hell is she?!"

Alex abandoned his chocolate milk, his heart sinking low in his stomach at the man's words.

"You don't know where my mom is?" he gasped out and leapt from his chair to run towards him.

"Where could she have gone?" Blaise asked himself, rubbing his face. "Why would she go anywhere? Alex," he knelt to look the boy in the eye. "Did you hear your mum leave in the night?"

"No." He shook his head, a stinging sensation poking at his eyes. He sniffled and choked out, "I want my mom."

"She couldn't have gone far," Blaise lied. The woman could be on the other side of the world if she wanted to be, but Alex was still here and she'd never leave him. This worried him. Even if she left during the night for whatever reason, she would have been sure to return by morning.

"Glibby, you said you heard the Floo last night, correct?" he asked his house-elf.

"Glibby heard it, Master. Glibby heard it twice."

"Twice?" That hardly made sense. The Floo only ignited if someone left from it or entered…

"Alex, do you think your mum has her wand?" he asked gently, cupping the weeping boy's shoulder.

"I think so. It's not in her purse."

"Her purse? It's still here?"

Alex nodded. "It's on the coffee table."

"Accio Hermione's wand," Blaise said, pulling out his own wand from his shirt pocket. Nothing happened and was only relieved in the slightest. He was almost sure someone Floo-ed to his flat during the night and then left with Hermione.

In his mind, he unearthed the list of those able to penetrate his wards. He got to the middle of the list and stilled when hearing an all too familiar shrill coming from the sitting room. Alex froze as well and wrapped his arms around Blaise's leg for protection.

"What was that?" the boy whispered. "It sounded awful."

"Just…don't say anything," Blaise ordered through his teeth.

"K," the boy agreed, wondering if something bad or scary was going to happen. He heard footsteps marching towards the corner and saw a woman come around it. For a moment, he almost thought she was his mother, but her brown hair was straight as uncooked spaghetti noodles and she was a bit skinnier. She also had angry blue eyes pinned threateningly on Blaise.

"Daphne?" croaked the man. "What brings you here so early this morning?"

"Blaise," she said in an eerily soft voice, almost melodic. "Where's Theodore?"

"Theo? He's not home?"

"No!" she bellowed, her hands tightening into fists and then immediately relaxed them. Her voice then switched back to the calm, music like tone. "He's not. I woke up this morning, and he was gone. I assumed he was here. He's always here."

"He's not always here," argued Blaise and gulped when her nostrils flared, and her lightly freckled nose and cheeks rouged.

"Yes he is! It's like he doesn't bloody care that we're getting married!" she wailed and rested against the wall to her right, breathing erratically.

"Daphne," cooed Blaise. "It's Theo, love. Of course he doesn't care."

"I hate you!" she spat. "And I demand you tell me where he is this instant or I will-" She halted in mid-threat when the boy wrapped around Blaise's leg caught her attention. Her eyelids flew back into her skull and her perfectly shaped brows disappeared into her well-groomed hairline.

Like Blaise, Alex gulped when the angry lady noticed him. She was really pretty like his mommy, but she made noises he never heard come from any other human being. He debated whether to say hello or introduce himself, but Blaise had told him not to say anything, so he chose to stay silent.

"Blaise," she whispered out so quietly, it was almost impossible to hear. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Before you start jumping to conclusions-"

"Where's his mother?!" she bellowed and started pacing around in a circle. "Where is she, Blaise?! I have words to say to that woman!"

"Now Daphne-"

"Don't you 'now Daphne' me, Blaise Zabini! If he's here," she pointed at Alex, "then she's here, too. I want to speak with her right now! I want her to know the grief she has caused my sister! As if it wasn't tragic enough that Draco died, Astoria has to deal with this! Do you have any idea how mortifying this is for her? This devastated her, Blaise. This broke her heart. Reporters swarmed her front yard Sunday morning asking what her thoughts were on the situation. She had no idea! None! She hadn't even read the paper yet!"

"Don't be rash. This isn't Hermione's fault," Blaise told her firmly and the girl visibly flinched at the woman's name.

"Don't say that name! It's cursed and now I know why! That…"

"Choose your words carefully, Daphne," Blaise warned and placed a hand on Alex's head. "There is a child present, and the child belongs to her." He paused and then reminded. "He's also Draco's."

"If he were here," she seethed. "I'd lock him in a room with my father."

Alex wished he wasn't present. He hated seeing grownups yell and say mean things to each other. It reminded him of the unpleasant memories of when his dad came and visited. He and his mom had always screamed at one another and called each other bad words.

He also was kind of glad his mom wasn't here. This Daphne lady seemed to not like her, and she was mentioning her sister Astoria and that was the girl Daddy told him he was going to marry because Mom kept telling him no. His father had informed him of the situation last Christmas in their hotel room when they went to Disneyland, and Alex was concerned. He had heard the horrid tales of stepmothers and asked if the Astoria lady would like him. His father hadn't really answered the question but told him not worry about it. Alex then asked if that meant his mom was going to marry another man, too. His father's jaw had twitched like it always had when he became aggravated and glared at his mom's back. She was out on the balcony smoking, facing the California sunset. The sliding door was closed, but he could tell from her stuttering shoulders she was crying.

"No, Scorpius," he had grumbled and rubbed his face. "That doesn't mean your mum will be getting married, too."

"Why is she sad, Daddy?" he had asked.

"Because she chooses to be." His words had come out bitter and almost mockingly, and Alex decided not to ask any more questions. He didn't understand grownups, not his mother and not even his father. He didn't understand why anybody would choose to be sad when they didn't have to be. He didn't understand why his father was going to marry a woman who wasn't his mother, but he had friends who were in a similar situation. Nathaniel's mother wasn't even allowed (for some reason) to be in the same state as Nathaniel. Micah's mom and dad divorced a couple of years ago, and now he saw his dad only on weekends and holidays.

"I get that you're angry," Blaise said to Daphne and Alex reluctantly turned his attention back to them. Maybe he should hide back in the bedroom until the fight ends.

"May I at least speak to…Miss Granger?" She flinched again. "I promise to behave myself."

"She's not here," admitted Blaise and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know where she is actually, but I'm sure she'll be here soon. With Alex here, she wouldn't have…Wait. Theodore isn't at home, you said?"

A shiver wracked through Hermione's form, and she curled herself tighter into a ball, burying as much of herself into the soft fabric beneath her as she could. Her chin began to tremble, and her teeth clicked together. Frowning, she sucked in a breath, awoke, and soaked in the gunmetal comforter of Draco's bed. Gasping in alarm, she bolted up and found herself lying across his mattress, her head and feet facing the wrong edges.

Quietly, she slid off the bed and shuffled over to Draco's hidden nook and waved her wand at the pensieve, watching it float back into the wall. The stoneware closed in front of it hiding the nook from view. Fleeing to the bathroom, she washed her face with hot water to rid the skin of the all the salt shed a few hours before. She then patted her face dry with a towel and exited the loo, ignoring the body unconscious on the daybed not far from the fireplace.

There was a ceramic bowl on the mantle of the fireplace filled with Floo powder. Stealing a pinch, she stepped into the smoldering ashes and announced, "Blaise's flat," and tossed it to her feet. She went shooting upwards and caught glimpses of other house's sitting room before arriving at Blaise's. Coughing, she stepped out and brushed the soot off her coat, pausing when she heard yelling. It sounded like it was coming from a woman.

"If he were here, I'd lock him in a room with my father!" shouted the woman.

"I get that you're angry," she heard Blaise say.

"May I at least speak to…Miss Granger?" asked the woman and Hermione contorted her brow and slowly walked towards the conversation.

"She's not here. I don't know where she is actually, but I'm sure she'll be here soon. With Alex here, she wouldn't have…Wait. Theodore isn't at home, you said?"

"No, he isn't."

Hermione turned the corner and stopped abruptly when nearly colliding with a woman's back. Awkwardly, she stumbled backwards and caught her balance, drawing attention to herself.

"Mom," shouted Alex and he madly dashed towards her, wrapping his arms around her legs. He gazed up at her and asked, "Where were you?"

"I…" She paused, debating what to tell him. "Well…" The woman in front of her turned around and was distracted her enough to ask, "Who are you?"

The woman was about her height with similar colored hair and had raging blue eyes. Her mouth morphed into an unattractive sneer and she answered, "Daphne Greengrass, Miss Granger. I'm Astoria's older sister. You've heard of Astoria Greengrass, right? The woman's life you ruined!"

"Oh," was all that Hermione could manage and in a barely audible whisper. Opening her mouth and then snapping it shut, she cast her gaze down at her son. "Sweetheart, go have a bath and start getting ready for the day."

"Where were you?" he asked, not budging.

"I'll tell you later, but you need to get washed up. I'll come check on you soon."

Alex pouted up at her and stalked towards the hallway and disappeared around the corner. He didn't want to leave his mom, but everyone seemed upset this morning, especially that Daphne lady. She seemed angry with his mom for some reason, and that didn't settle well with him. Why was everyone always angry with his mom? Dad made him think she brought it upon herself, but that couldn't always be right. No one wanted to be disliked all the time.

When reaching the threshold of his room, he paused when hearing two people talking. It sounded like men. He turned around and looked at the closed door directly across the hallway. Funny, he didn't know Blaise had other guests, so out of curiosity Alex tiptoed towards the door and pressed his ear against the ivory painted wood.

"…hasn't talked to me in days…"

"…hiding something or other…"

"…you think that maybe…"

"….don't know what to think, Michel."

"There are toes sticking out from underneath the door!"

Alex gasped and stared down at his foot that managed to slip its toes underneath the sill. Frightened, his heart thudded against his chest as he yanked his left foot away. He was about to run across the hallway and back into his room when heard one of the voices address him, "Who's there?"

The other voice said slowly and pensively, "I think it's a child."

"Child!" called the first voice. "Child, come here!"

Alex wasn't going to submit to a tone like that. He scowled at the door and took a step back.

"Perhaps you should be gentler," the second voice suggested nasally and crisply. "Child, do come in."

The boy knew he better obey his mother's order and go bathe and ready himself for the day. He had to return to Daddy's manor in a few hours. Despite those commands, though, he cupped the golden doorknob and opened the door. It creaked as he stepped into the room that was more of an office space than a bedroom. There was a daybed next to an enchanted window overlooking a field of wild flowers and a warm sun. A mahogany desk was placed next to the opposite wall on his right and two portraits were hung side-by-side on the far wall. They were of two men and one looked very much like Daddy's friend, Mr. Zabini. The other looked kind of spooky with black hair and sallow skin.

"Hello," he greeted, breaking the silence.

The one like Mr. Zabini arched an eyebrow and smiled handsomely, replying in a thick Italian accent, "Hello."

The other man in the portrait said nothing, but his black eyes narrowed and his hooked nose flared in suspicion.

"My name is Alex," he introduced himself and walked farther into the room, feeling it safe that two painted men weren't going to be capable of causing him any trouble.

"Hello Alexander. My name is Michaelo Zabini. I assume you know my son," said the black man in the portrait. The man gestured to the neighboring portrait and stated, "This is Severus Snape, former Headmaster of Hogwarts and Potions professor. He taught your host when he was a lad." Slitting his dark, glinting eyes, he cocked his head and added, "He taught your father, as well."

"I understand you must be upset," said Hermione to Daphne, the woman snorting in antipathy.

"Upset is how you get when your best friend is late for tea. I am furious!"

"Calm down," Blaise pleaded and rubbed his forehead. "You have no reason to be angry with her. She didn't do anything wrong."

"Didn't do anything wrong?!" Daphne cackled and leaned against the wall for support. "Didn't do anything wrong?!"

"I didn't," declared Hermione, her arms crossing in defiance. "I'm as much of a victim to the paparazzi as your sister."

"A victim, Miss Granger? No." Daphne shook her head. "What you are is a whore."

"Daphne!" admonished Blaise and the woman gave him a dirty look.

"Well, she is. She obviously seduced Draco for his money and-"

"How dare you?!" Hermione barked, stepping closer to the woman, getting into her face. "You don't know anything about me! You don't know my life at all!"

"All that anyone needs to know is that you're a whore. A home-wrecking whore."

Hermione advanced on her but was blocked by Blaise. His back was to her, so that he faced Daphne. "Why don't you go find Theo? Go find him and cool off."

"I'm going to my sister's," Daphne informed tartly and marched around the corner and into the sitting room. Both Blaise and Hermione heard the Floo ignite, indicating that she left.

Hermione let out the breath she had held to stifle her temper, and Blaise turned around to face her, annoyance plain on his face.

"Where the hell were you?" he hissed. "Do you have any idea-"

"Theodore came to me last night," she rushed out and before she could conclude the explanation, Blaise cut in. "He what?!"

"Not like that," she denied. "He came to me last night and told me I needed to see something."

"What did he need to show you?" Blaise asked in a slow and careful voice

Not answering right away, Hermione walked the few feet away from Blaise to the dining table and sit down, sparing a look at the forgotten and forlorn looking chocolate milk."Yesterday when Theodore showed me that memory of Draco dying, he took me to his room. There is a pensieve in there with perhaps twenty or more memories. Theodore tried tempting me into seeing one of them, but I refused. When he came to me during the night, he told me he had peeked in on a memory. It was one that had been left in the pensieve. This memory had been the last one Draco ever reflected on. He told me I needed to see it because I was in it."

"So you obviously went," Blaise said in detest. "Other's memories aren't meant to be fiddled with, Granger. Those were Draco's, and you had no business-"

"That's what I thought, too," she interjected sharply. "Right up until I saw it. I had every right to see that memory, Blaise. It was about me. It was about us. Me and Draco. But I'm sorry I wasn't here when Alex woke up, but I'm fine and he's fine. Now if you will please excuse me, I have to get ready for another day in hell." She got up from the table and went to leave but Blaise grabbed ahold of her arm. She looked at his hand and then at him and demanded evenly, "Let me go."

"Did…Did he try…anything?"

"Pardon?"

"Theo. Did he do anything…to you?"

Put off by the question, Hermione regarded him carefully and then answered, "He tried to steal my cigarettes from out of my pocket if that's what you mean."

"It's not."

Confusion buzzed in Hermione's mind, and she wondered why Blaise was acting wary. It was just Theodore, not that she trusted him. She trusted he was a lazy, inconsiderate ponce and nothing more.

"Well, he didn't try anything with the exception of what I just told you. Why? Do you think he would? Because I highly doubt that."

Blaise gave her a dubious stare. "Will you be seeing him again?"

Hermione scoffed in response. "I hadn't planned on it. I only saw him yesterday because you brought him to the Manor as reinforcement. Then he was the one to seek me out for something I needed to see. I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at, but I'm going to say it's not that. In case you haven't noticed, this is not a social visit, me being in England."

There was still uneasiness etched in Blaise's features, and Hermione had the distinct feeling he was debating whether to tell her something about Theodore. She shirked her cloak and draped it over the back of the kitchen chair and rubbed a sore spot on the back of her neck, having slept in a weird position on Draco's bed. Biting her lip, thoughts began to run around in her mind which stopped after a few moments when realizing what bothered the man in front of her.

"I…had no idea," she told him and started ringing her hands. "In school, he never…"

"Neither did Draco, Granger."

"Regardless of what…feelings…Theodore may or may not harbor for me, Blaise," Hermione hesitantly said. "I'm not in the least bit flattered or worried over it. He's engaged, and I'm a mess." With that said, she left the kitchen and wandered down the hallway and into the bedroom and heard the shower running in the bathroom.

After a few minutes, the running water stopped and Alex came out with wet blond curls plastered to his head, a huge fluffy blue towel engulfing his little body.

"Hi Mommy," he said and the remnants of anger caused by Daphne dissipated completely when Hermione saw his round pink face. Sometimes when she looked at him, it was like seeing him for the first time all over again.

"Hi Button." She dropped down to her knees and hugged him, murmuring, "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up."

"It's okay," he mumbled into her shoulder and then briefly kissed on his damp cheek. "But Mommy?"

"Yes?" Hermione stayed on bended knee to massage the towel over Alex, so he would dry faster.

"Were you really a Miss-Know-It-All in school?"

Halting her ministrations, Hermione stared inquisitively at her son. "Pardon?"

"Were you really a Miss-Know-It-All? Like you knew everything and annoyed people and stuff. Is that true?"

"Who told you that? Was it Blaise? Did he tell you about Mummy's school days?" she asked in a strained, panicked tone. If Blaise had told her son those things, what else did he tell Alex?

Much to her surprise, her son shook his head. "No."

"He didn't? If he didn't, who did?"

The boy chomped on his bottom lip indecisively and shrugged. "Somebody."

"Scorpius Alexander," she warned bemusedly, and he gulped with wide eyes.

"Okay, okay. It was Mr. Snape."

To be continued...